How to Have a Healthy Church - 16

Political. It was would agree that a well ordered family is a joy to behold see father and mother, husband and wife children all rightly related to one another. What a blessing it is to behold that what what encouragement and help. It is to all of us when we are around that, but a dysfunctional family is painful to behold a dysfunctional family is falling apart all around us we see the damage that is done to the members of the family.

We know that much of the damage is going to be long-lasting and we wish so much that things would be corrected, but that's not that much different from local churches. The healthy church is a joy to behold and to be such a blessing in so many ways the dysfunctional church is such a problem and affects adversely. So many people. But how do churches get healthy and stay healthy. The apostle Paul shows us the way. In our text today in first Thessalonians 5 verses 12, 13, 14 and 50 we have before us an abrupt change in subject chapter 4 verse 13 through chapter 5 verse 11. The focus has been upon eschatology, the study of last thing things to come. The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and various aspects of his return that is of great importance that was of great interest to the Thessalonians.

And they work focusing on that, and asking questions about that Paul is answering some of their questions in this epistle, but now the subject changes from eschatology to ecclesiology. The study of the church. And Paul is saying in effect as well and good to think about the coming of Christ and things in the future. That is important. That's part of God's revelation. He wants us to know some things about it, though not to insist upon knowing and thinking we know things that his word does not reveal but the way we best watch for the return of Jesus Christ is to be obedient and busy in our present responsibilities.

So here's what you need to be doing now in relationship to church there in Thessalonica. This is how we watch for Christ's return.

By being obedient and faithful to our present responsibilities. Many people wonder how to have a healthy church and Paul's going to help us or put your ears on. Listen carefully how to have a healthy church we notice. First of all a healthy church and its leaders.

Secondly, a healthy church and its atmosphere third healthy church and its relationships for the healthy church and its distinctiveness. But first, a healthy church and its leaders. Verse 12 and the beginning of verse 13 and we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love healthy church and its leader. That's interesting that the leaders here are identified by the work that they do not by a title, not by a position very clear from what he describes of these leaders there diligently work, labor their faithful leadership there applied instruction that is talking about what elsewhere are called elders or pastors or bishops if we have a proper understanding of those terms.

We will get hung up by some of the misconceptions we have today, but all of those three words describe one office. They describe the office of the pastor, but Paul does not call them by their title or point to their position but he points to their work. Those who labor among you, those who are over you in the Lord. Those who admonish you. This is not the only time in Scripture that you going to find similar language.

Most of us are familiar with the words of the writer of Hebrews. In chapter 13 where twice in the 13th chapter he says something akin to elders quote 11 of the texts obey those who have the rule over you, for they watch for your soul.

They may do it with joy and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you.

He describes what they do is clear what who is talking about but he doesn't name them just simply gives the work which distinguishes them from others, and that's what we have here so we are given the responsibilities of healthy church leaders and what are their responsibilities. Three things number one diligent labor number two faithful leadership in number three. Applied instruction recognize those who labor among you who works hard among here that's really what that word means work very hard to the point of weariness to the point of exhaustion. The work of a pastor if it is properly carried out is difficult and exhausting labor this very same word for the work of pastors is used elsewhere in the same context of ministers and the hard hard work that they are called upon to do. Let no one who is thinking that perhaps God would have you going to the ministry carry with you any concept that this is an easy job. I don't want to do a hard work.

I'll just become a pastor that'll be easy if you do it right now. If you do it in a God honoring way. It's hard work. It's no easy job requires long hours hard labor. There are heavy pressures upon those who are called to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and his church and his wife so recognize those who work hard to labor among you recognize those who secondly are over you in the Lord that is provided faithful God honoring leadership for the church. They are over you in the Lord that means to stand before you.

It carries the idea of guiding leading governing die directing but in the Lord, according to his instructions. According to his power, according to his example doing it in the way that he would have us lead we got to heed the warning of Peter who says to the elders that you are not to lord it over God's heritage don't lead in a heavy-handed way like leaders in the world often do we on un-spiritually minded ministers in the church sometimes do no that's not it, but it does require leadership, but does require oversight. That's with the very word Bishop means an overseer does require an ability and a willingness to lead and you should recognize those who take up that responsibility and fulfill it will and you should recognize those who admonish you that word literally means to put in mind that has the idea of instruction coupled with correction.

Those of you who take the word of God. They teach you the word of God and they not only tell you what it says but they drive it home to your mind to your conscience to to try to help you to apply it properly so that you will make the appropriate corrections in your life. They admonish you they correct wrong doctrine and wrong behavior correction which is profitable and necessary if were going to have a healthy church. Why is it so hard to find a good church partly because it's so hard to find Christians who are willing to submit. The Bible says about their relationship with God honoring pastors. Nobody's going to tell me what to do. Know what is going to correctly don't you talk to me like that I don't want nobody preaching to me. Just tell me. Encouraging stories will get the healthy churches that way. No recognize those who labor among you and over you in the Lord and admonish though that admonition is distasteful to many, it is appreciated by those who are wise, spiritually wise, so that's the responsibilities of the church leaders. But what is their reception. How are they to be received.

How are they to be treated by the church and three words will describe that number one they need to be appreciated.

Number two, they need to be honored in number three. They need to be loved. We urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor over you labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Appreciate them, esteem them it's translated various ways in different versions because the word actually means to know which doesn't exactly sound like esteem, but taking it altogether.

In context, that's the connotation that is applied to it to get to know so as to value, to get to know so that you understand what they're doing and why they're doing it to get to know them so that you can see how their labors lined up with the instructions of God's word.

Get to know them there work their value to the church is that interesting. Here members are told that you need to get to know your ministers. Ministers are told here that you need to get to know your members that should be obvious. I don't know that anyone's should suggest that ministers don't need to get to know their members don't have a responsibility to know the members will need to know their members in order to minister to them right. I did take a lot of time to search for this so maybe I missed it but I couldn't think is going through my mind. I couldn't think of any place in Scripture where ministers are told. You need to get to know your members, but here's a place where members are told. You need to get to know you ministers is that interested so many things are are are the opposite of what we expect the opposite of what would become accustomed to. You get to know them. You get to know them so you can value them properly. Number two, you need to honor them, esteem them very highly were told in verse 13. If I didn't preach verse by verse and expository way through the Bible. I might be embarrassed even preach like this because of course I'm telling you how you're supposed to treat me the sense I do it to be true to Scripture, but more than anything else.

Because of the need to have healthy churches. I do this to help you. I do this to help the church.

I do this because this is what the word of God says and church members are to esteem their ministers very highly to hold them in the highest regard that the Greek word has the idea of beyond all measure its insult over the top so effusive that again. It's almost a bit embarrassing to me but members are to honor their pastors in the at the highest level possible of what is possible is going to be mitigated by certain things and will touch on some of those later, but the highest level that it's possible to do in a God honoring way so members are to know to appreciate their ministers. They are to secondly honor their ministers. They are number three to love them. You do all this in love with an attitude of infection isn't it sad that in so many churches. The prevailing attitude between so many of the members and the pastor is adversarial always just a little bit of tension a little bit of testing this that never seems quite in no that's not true of everybody in every church, but there is far more of that than there ought to be what Paul is saying is that what work that will produce healthy church that's going to produce problematic churches. That's going to produce dysfunctional church. Number one, you need to pray that God will give you the right kind of pastors who are diligent in labor and faithful in leadership and who apply God's word properly to your life.

They're willing to admonish you on the basis of Scripture not upon their own opinions and whims of the day, but when you have faithful leaders like that you have a responsibility to to appreciate them to honor them to love them, you put all this together and you begin to see the contours of a healthy church taking place in the reason why this is important is told to us here.

Why do you why do you appreciate them what he wanted and why do you love them. It is for their work's sake, or as an American Standard says because of their work. That's what you do based on personality. I like that guy. He's friendly he's warm. He relates to me in a certain way. I like that. I value that he may not be doing the work that is called to do. He may not be doing the hard work of studying Scripture and teaching it to you faithfully. He may not be leaving in the right way may not be admonishing it off. He may be one of the zoo has goes after people with the itching years and gives them what they want to hear rather than what they need to hear, but always a good guy and I really like him and that's why you've got such a dysfunctional church because you're not valuing the right things because the ministry of God's word is not as prominent as it ought to be. I could tell I've already made some of you a little bit nervous a little bit uneasy. I'm sorry I just tried to be faithful to admonish you in the Lord of the basis of God's word so that's a healthy church and its leaders to secondly we see a healthy church and its atmosphere in the last part of verse 13, esteem them very highly in love for their work, sake, and then this be at peace among yourselves. That's the atmosphere of a healthy church is a peaceful place healthy church is a place where people are at peace but that I hope that's not what you think you're finding here that is far too common in so many churches. That's the kind of atmosphere that produces unhealthy churches, but a healthy church is an atmosphere where people are at peace among themselves, not quarreling, peacefulness is the norm. That's the way it is almost all the time. We would like to say all the time, but there is no such thing as a perfect church and we can't say all the time until we get to heaven.

That's the way heaven will be we get to heaven it'll be this way all the time will be at peace among ourselves. No quarreling, no arguing, no gossip, no slander, no jockeying for position. None of that in heaven and the church is supposed to be a little slice of heaven on earth with people who are still not fully sanctified, so it's not going to be perfect in this regard, but a healthy church is one in which breaches of the peace are rare.

They will occur from time to time to pulsate to the Philippian church.

He said remind send the key and you want to get us to get along in the Lord help these ladies to get along in the Lord. They were having corals in Philippi were but a healthy church is a place where breaches of the peace are rare, and when they occur, they are quickly addressed and resolved.

They're gone and back to the norm, which is peace. Peace. Peace. The prevailing atmosphere of a healthy church week after week and month after month. Thirdly, we consider a healthy church and its relationship, I would have you note that these relationships are relationships of mutual responsibility and mutual ministry. Look at verse 14. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all the way to medical. That must've been a slip of the quilt. You didn't mean that you didn't mean we exhort you, brethren, you met I exhort you elder side exhort you minister I exhort you pastors you spiritual leaders. This is your job, but no it's no slip of the quill. This is the word of the living God, and Paul was addressing these responsibilities to the brethren, that is, to all the members of the church applies to everyone in these four things that may at first seem like the elders work and it is the elders work is not that it's that it is not the elders work at all. It certainly is theirs, but it's not there's exclusively it's not there totally if they're the only ones that are doing this, you're not going to have a very healthy church. It's a mutual responsibility a shared responsibility which all the members of the church take part in which all the members of the church file responsibility that these things be done. Yes, it certainly is elders work to warn those who are unruly and comfort the fainthearted and uphold the weakened be patient with all.

And elders will be doing that in a big way and should be encouraged and supported by the members when they are quite a shock to many to hear that that is indeed the case. What a challenge mean is my responsibility as a church member to warn the unruly, that's probably the hardest one for as well as comfort the fainthearted and uphold the we can be patient with all. It's my responsibility.

That's what this Bible says it's your responsibility on a lot of things will happen if will take this responsibility before the Lord. Number one, it will increase our appreciation for the work of elders. To me this is what they have to do it have to do a lot of and I find it hard to do, hardly at all yet helps me to esteem in the love and appreciate them more highly for their work sake doesn't another thing will happen when we take these responsibilities seriously as promote greater humility and spiritual growth within ourselves. We find this difficult. So we need to ask God for greater humility.

We find this difficult, sorry going to need to call on God for greater grace we find is difficult. So, we realize that we probably have some growing to do to be able to carry out these responsibilities will before the beyond this engaging has the Bible tells us to will foster greater partnership within the body.

When week endeavor to do some of the things we find we can't do it alone.

We need help. Perfect.

Perfect.

If your understanding. Perfect. Now engage with others.

This the body, many member they take some help in order to profitably warn the unruly, correct them. It may take some help in order to uphold the weak or about to fall down and you can hold them up on by yourself, but you can with the help of your brothers and sisters in Christ to develop strong partnerships within the church. Good relationships are developing. This is the way the church is supposed to function. This is the confines of a healthy church is much as anything else taking up these responsibilities by the members of the church is a requirement for healthy churches instead of decrying the fact that it's so hard to find a good church. Why don't roll up your sleeves and make the one you're in a good church. That's the point. And what is this mutual ministry that Paul calls all church members to one warn the unruly number two comfort the fainthearted number three uphold the week number four. Be patient with all number one warn the unruly, some of your Bibles have worn the idle, the lazy which would certainly be an area of unwillingness when it's properly understood, probably the reason why some of the translations insert that thought here is because that really is how this concept is used.

We get the second Thessalonians, but the word unruly literally means out of line, warn those who are out of line really has the idea of a military company lined up for review and somebody's out of line. We use that phrase you're out of line. Let's work comes from get back in line soldier get back in the order in proper order in writing where you're supposed to be get back in line. That's what this word unruly means it has the idea of insubordinate disorderly undisciplined and church members who are acting that way are to be worn are to be confronted.

They are to be admonished by the pastor's right yeah but not just they are to be warned by the pastors plus the members and it probably ought to start with the members and if it doesn't have the desired effect.

It probably didn't will be moved up to the plate to the pastors. That's the way healthy churches. The word worn is actually the same Greek word is a word admonishing verse 12 in their use is one of the things that pastors do, they labor among you. They are over you in a leadership position in the admonished you your member that Herrick carried the idea of instruction coupled with correction. Same thing here when you warn the unruly, that's what you do you bring instruction from God's word that will correct their misbehavior and get them back in line and you can do that to. In fact, you're supposed to do that too. It's not just the work of the pastor take the word of God and say here's what the Bible says is that which you doing warn number two comfort the fainthearted with the fainthearted. They are the timid. They are the fearful. They are those who are easily discouraged of the other ones who are in danger of giving up. They are the ones who are finding adversity so difficult there ones who are finding the burdens and trials and problems of life so heavy that they just can't hardly go on.

They can scarcely put 1 foot in front of another. They don't need warning. They don't need review quarter they need encouragement, encouragement go alongside and help them encourage them strengthen them comfort.

The fainthearted, and third, uphold the weak week literally means without strength pretty obvious that we don't always know the obvious, because we don't always know the original language. That's what the word weak would suggest to us. The opposite of strength. That's what it means the weaker those without strength it can probably refer here to weak faith to immature faith that can sometimes also refer to weakness in health or weakness financially can have physical dimensions to it as well, but most commentators I would think unanimously among the commentators I consulted there all convinced that it has more of a focus upon the spiritual condition of these people, these are people of weak faith who are immature who need to be held fast. They need to be supported and is much as anything. Sometimes all it needs is for you to just take an interest in them. Don't ignore them in their weakness and their their immaturity just take an interest in them asked them how they are doing check in with them from time to time. That's the way you uphold the weak, the idea of upholding them almost has the idea of grab hold of him and hold him up somebody's about to fall. You see them getting ready to father walking along with her cane may be in you see them stumble there getting ready to follow order you do reach over and grab him, keep him from falling will. It's the same idea here when you see somebody who because of spiritual weakness looks like there getting ready to fall you as it were, reach out to them and in your your conversation. Your interest in your prayers and your interactions with them and you hold them uphold faster let them go until you know that they can stand on their own again. Is this beautiful, this is the way churches are supposed to function this. This is how healthy churches operate this particular one uphold the week.

These words of this hymn kept running through my mind. It took me two or three days before I could remember where those words came from.

That happens to me a lot. I working on a sermon and I am thinking of a certain phrase, but it's not enough for me to locate the him best accounts has the same problem. He even calls Greg Phillips and says help me out what what song do you find these words in and I haven't done that usually comes to me eventually. In the third stanza of this hymn by Chris Anderson, a triune prayers and blessed spirit meet our need in our silence intercede translate groans. We cannot speak heal the broken help the week.

Yes we pray for God's spirit to do that but then God's spirit says okay I'm going to take your hands and do it.

I meditate your lips and do it. I'm going to take your feed and do it the way I help the week is through the members of the body.

That's how it's done. Finally, be patient with all. It is all the members of the body and all of their needs and all other conditions.

Whether were talking about the unruly or the fainthearted of the weekly patient with all. Even those who irritate you and I know you don't get irritated only only I do have to be reminded even those who irritate. In fact, may be especially irritate you can imagine the pastors ever get irritated the buddy but I hope I did Shockey let you know if that can happen is be patient with all.

Even the irritable be willing to wait be long-suffering wait as long as possible before taking confrontational action. Corrective action. It is the responsibility not only the pastor but all the people to warn the unruly to admonish them to correct them but be patient and giving them time to respond. This takes a lot of wisdom you, you realize that you don't always get it right.

Did I step into soon, did I wait too long. Please guide me oh Lord would help me to be patient if they won't get in line then eventually going to have to take some stronger measures to get them in line, but give them time to grow and change. Get themselves in line is not better get themselves in line. Be patient with all.

And so a healthy church and its relationships means that everybody in the body is involved in ministering to the other members of the body were all engaged in this work were all interested and concerned about one another, were all reaching out and helping those who are weak. We are all yes admonishing in warning the unruly, and that makes for a healthy church and finally we have number four healthy church and its distinctiveness in verse 15. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. Healthy church and its distinctiveness means no retaliation.

No one renders evil for evil to anyone, is with Christ taught in the sermon on the Mount. We love to hear the sermon on the Mount idle. How many people I talked over the years and said all I don't know about the whole Bible. I love those words of Paul but II believe in the words of Jesus. I believe in the sermon on the Mount about this when you've heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.

You like those words of Jesus in the sermon on the mount are you doing that. The way you behave easier said than done. In Romans 12 Paul said in verse 17 repay no one evil for evil repay no one evil for evil have regard for good thing in the sight of all men. Peter had a similar word. First Peter 389. Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another. Love his brethren, be tenderhearted, be courteous, almost sounds like a rephrase of the words of Paul were looking in first Thessalonians 5, then verse nine not returning evil for evil reviling for reviling but on the contrary, blessing, knowing that you were called to this, but you may inherit a blessing.

While sounds like this is serious stuff aside like this the way Jesus expects us to live and lead the apostles of Jesus. Likewise, the apostle Paul, the apostle Peter, this is the way they expect Christians to live see when we retaliate for wrongs that are done to us, and that's the natural response.

That's a natural inclination when somebody does us wrong, we want to strike back when we retaliate.

We are overcome by evil they did evil.

We return it will show you what it's like will give you a tit-for-tat will let you have an dose of your own medicine that's expected by the world but not by Christ.

We gotta learn differently.

Don't we in fact it's even expected to many religion. You ever hear of honor killings ever have religions that teach the people you are the agent of God to revenge those who speak out against daughter who do something harmful to do. The people of our religion earn agent of God to bring judgment upon them will not in Christianity. You see, that's what's distinctively talking about the distinctiveness of Christianity into different and this'll be a powerful testimony to the world. Christianity is a part set apart from other religions and a healthy church demonstrates that a healthy church is distinctive in this way, but not only do we not eat retaliate. We would go a step farther and we do good in the place of bad somebody does us wrong and what we do. We bless them in return we do good to them and return. Oh well.

Lord help me. We replace the harm with positive good we pursue it. Pursue what is good or the means to seek after the run after to strive for. Takes work. It does not come naturally going to require humility. It's going to require grace it's going to require intentional purpose to think and do differently than what probably thought done most all of our lives to think and do differently than what do from our Adamic fallenness and we do that, according to this text. Not only in the church for yourselves for one another. Verse 15 see that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves within the church and for all.

That's those outside the church. This is the way we are to behave with one another in the body of Christ. But this is also the way we are to behave toward others outside the body. I had to think about whether I would make this application or not, but I'm going to hold your hand. January 6 riots in the capital. I was saddened to hear as the investigation began to unfold this week. How many of the people who were involved in that identified themselves as Christians actually carrying plaque. Another things that said we are Christians.

And here we are to write it the capital well what about the riots all summer long out in the cities about them were wrong or that they were shameful they were unchristian. So what we do and return the same thing. Is that what the Bible teaches us to do Christians. How do we respond in kind. No evil in the place of evil. We do good when others have done any. I have an extended conclusion but I think I can cover pretty quickly, but I'm gonna nail this one home some real admonishing going on here so whole onto your hat. We go why is it so hard to find a good church and was one reason is because people define good and different ways. They don't all have biblical definitions in mind.

Why is it so hard to find a good church I'd rather use the word healthy church spiritually because healthy churches require healthy Christians. All churches have some responsibility to make their church healthy but that of course requires active participation not only attendance but building relationships within the body of Christ that enable you to relate to others in the ways that are described here including being able to warn and admonish those who are out of line healthy participants in the church needs some sense of ownership of the church.

This is my trip. I have some responsibilities in this it's not what's wrong with them.

But what's wrong with me is the strange somebody can be a church member of the church for years and then they get irritated about something, and suddenly what's wrong with those people. What's wrong with you what's wrong with that part of this church. What you may view them, it's you it's it's not one reason so hard to find a good church is because healthy churches require healthy church member. Members. Where does the Bible teach church membership, among other places, right here before you got your Bible open to first Corinthians 1st Thessalonians chapter 5 if you were a snake and bike right there. Now the word is used of course what's there clear membership relationships that are necessary to obey these instructions. You can't do unless there's a sense of belonging, of ownership of membership in this church.

I recently heard someone who said that he had taught to another person about the biblical teaching on church membership by taking them to Hebrews chapter 13 that I referred to a moment ago. Verse 17 obey those who rule over you, and be subject seek be submissive, for they watch out for your souls are not a member of the church who are you submissive to who are you obeying is your spiritual leader. That guy on television that guy in the CD is as good as it is to listen to good Bible met messages elsewhere that will meet the requirement. You got have a relationship and understood relationship. Relationship of members to leaders and leaders to members involves a certain level of submissiveness up. Not beyond what Scripture teaches and requires but up and to that extent not less than that either.

Who are you a bag. Who's going to give an account for you.

That is, those who must give account who has a responsibility to shepherd you and to give an account to Christ for you someday. If you are just kind of on affiliated kind of wandering around out there. You see many people want to good church to attend, but not as many are willing to make the commitment to make your church a healthy church. Many people want to good church to attend. If somebody also do the work presented to them on a platter and say, here it is. Enjoy it. I could find a good church that how how many years of you gone without ever being an active member in a church you call yourself a Christian and squirm because this is what is required to have healthy churches, Shelley. Father, thank you for giving us your word. Give us grace to be leave it to receive it.

To apply it to live it out to the honor of Christ. Number 15 in your hymnal