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Living to Please God // 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28
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We have been studying Paul's letter to the Thessalonians, a Christian community that Paul is clearly delighted with. Rather than having to correct their behaviour, Paul commends them repeatedly.
Back in chapter 1, Paul says:
"We always thank God for all of you... You became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. Your faith in God has become known everywhere."
And in chapter 4:
"We instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living... Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more."
This was a congregation that had truly grasped the message and were living it out — yet Paul reminds them there was still more to learn, more to obey, more to put into practice. The same is true for us. There is much we can thank God for at Above Bar Church — baptisms, our international community, our young people, our volunteers. And yet, like the Thessalonians, we need to keep on keeping on.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:12–28, Paul urges the Thessalonians — and us — to take note of four areas of church life together, and to have the right, godly attitude towards each.
"Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord, and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard and love because of their work."
Paul gives three reasons why we should hold our leaders in high regard.
Being a leader is never easy — in any situation, and certainly not in the church. Godly leaders work hard: preparing, praying, sacrificing time with friends and family to attend meetings, lead groups, and lead practices. We may not see them in the building every day, but be assured — they work hard. Let's pray specifically for our new elders and trustees.
We are to hold them in the highest regard in love — not just a nod as we pass through the door. All leaders have different gifts, but all share the responsibility to care for us: to help us when we're going in the wrong direction, or in no direction at all, and to keep our walk with the Lord on track.
Caring sometimes means discipline. That's hard — both for those who must give it and for those who must receive it. As Hebrews reminds us:
"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
Let's have a humble attitude toward discipline, and pray for leaders who will be willing and able to discipline in a godly way.
Paul concludes this section: "Live in peace with each other." There is no room for negative criticism, rivalry, or jealousy in God's family — these things so quickly destroy a congregation. Let's pray urgently that Satan gets no foothold through discord among us.
"And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive. Encourage the disheartened. Help the weak. Be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong. But always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else."
Notice — this responsibility isn't just for leaders. "We urge you, brothers and sisters" — this is for the whole church family. We are to look out for one another: warning the idle and disruptive, encouraging the disheartened, helping the weak, being patient with everyone.
This can be hard. Let's pray for those who are feeling down — perhaps disappointing exam results, or plans not working out. Let's be a community that genuinely looks out for one another rather than losing patience.
Paul continues: "Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong." There's no room in the church for revenge, or even that quiet thought — "well, it's only what they deserved." How easily that slips in. Instead, we are to always look for ways to do good — not just within the church, but to everyone.
"Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances. For this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
Sometimes it's hard to pray. And Paul isn't telling us to give thanks for every circumstance — there are things that are sad, wrong, even evil, and God doesn't want us to give thanks for those. But in every circumstance we can look to God and give thanks that He is there.
"Lord, this is desperate. Thank you that I can even come to you and say that. I don't know how to pray, but you've promised your Spirit will intercede for me."
These verses are addressed to the whole congregation, not just individuals. When we gather — in services, home groups, youth groups — let's rejoice and praise God together, because "this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." If this is what God wants for us, why would we not do it?
"Do not quench the Spirit."
Unlike the Thessalonians, we have God's word in written form in our own language, and if we trust in the Lord Jesus, His Spirit lives within us. Are we truly listening — as we hear the Bible read, explained, and applied? Are our hearts open to what the Spirit is saying, even when it's uncomfortable? Sometimes God speaks powerfully to us, and then we simply walk away and forget. Let's not quench His work in our hearts.
"Do not treat prophecies with contempt, but test them all. Hold on to what is good. Reject every kind of evil."
God's written word is foundational and cannot be added to, but He continues to give gifts to His people — helping, music, preaching, teaching, and to some, a gift of prophecy: a specific word, warning, or encouragement to be passed on. But we are not to be sponges, absorbing everything uncritically. We test such words against Scripture. If it aligns, we prayerfully consider how to put it into practice. If not — we reject it. Keep the good, throw out the bad.
Towards the end of this passage, Paul prays an extraordinary prayer:
"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
The Living Bible renders sanctify as "make you entirely pure and devoted to God." Who could ever live up to that? None of us — and Paul knows it. Neither the Thessalonians nor we could ever, in our own strength, live entirely pure and blameless lives.
But Paul is also a realist about God's power:
"The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it."
It is God's work. When we come to Jesus, confess our sin, and ask Him to take over our lives, He forgives us — because Jesus already took the punishment on the cross — and fills us with His Holy Spirit. Two remarkable things happen:
We won't be fully perfect until we see the Lord Jesus — but then we will be like Him.
Paul asks the Thessalonians to pray for him, having already told them repeatedly that he prays for them — we've come full circle, praying for our leaders who work hard, care for us, and discipline us.
Paul also asks them to "greet all God's people with a holy kiss" (v.26) — a sign of the church as a genuine, loving family. As John Stott writes, when Christians meet, their greeting "should be made stronger, warmer, and more personal by a culturally appropriate sign." It's easy to walk past people without truly noticing them — let's instead look out for one another as family.
Finally, Paul insists this letter be read to everyone, before committing them to "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ."
As we finish, let's pause and ask ourselves honestly:
"The one who calls us is faithful, and he will do it."
