1 Thessalonians 5:12-18 (Part A)

What you will call God Alliance is face. I find it easier to accept what he says and accept his invitation that takes away the question marks from my life. I don't have very many? About God. He is right all the time. He is good all the time. Every decision he makes is right, I might not like it but I know this is true, I have evidence for it, and I accept. I'm not afraid of Jesus is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Please join us as we study the book of first Thessalonians verse by verse. Today we take a look at some practical guidelines for the Christian life. These truths are intended to provide hope and direction for believers and should describe the characteristics of those living in light of Jesus return we need to be careful to not allow minor details to be the subject of debate.

When our major focus should be have stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now please open your Bibles to the book of first Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 12 as we join Pastor. Well it's open our Bibles to first Thessalonians chapter 5 you been following along with us through Thessalonians, you may be eager to wrap up this first letter but there's too much doctrine there's only another 204 words so left I would do you a disservice if I rush through them because there's much critical thought here, as I mentioned doctrine.

Now, as we have been examining the day of the Lord, the coming of Christ the wrath the rapture and all these things we have to remember that our attitude must not be get them Lord for their wickedness, but Lord, get them say and this is something that we must not lose sight of in these dark innings, days verse 12 first Thessalonians chapter 5, Paul says, and we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you will now he is concerning himself with church leadership. Having dealt with end times. He is returning to the teachings of church behavior and the first is that of the pastors. What is the congregation's response behavior to be towards the leadership that God has established and it is very appropriate that this is here we are on gourmets often see some of the behavior in Christians towards their pastors and so on biblical with this worldly. It is sinful. It is disgusting.

Many times many pastors they have a hate relationship with their Congregational their committees on their board as they not free to pastors. Just as political couch or in this mess is junk of Satan and is a very sad to see. Thank the Lord we do not have it here and Paul concentrating now on the local church. The rapture has to do with the universal church, but these principles here have to do with the local church and therefore it expands to the universal church universal church is so spread out is still something that was not in the first century that it is almost impossible to do business with each other.

Many, many cases of the doctrine so far apart so if we remove the church from society. What are we left within that society. Well, we don't have to go very far back in history to find that out all right now look around the world with. There's no church look at behavior of the people. The tribulation and that is one of the lessons that is a side dish of the rapture that once the church is gone.

Tribulation great tribulation will be what begins to take place. He says here in verse 12 recognize those who labor among you a characteristic about true pastor is labor hard work and hard work and also hard work. That's how you pastor I don't know of any other way and I've been taught that for many men who pastored before me.

It is the legacy that the is a blessing God for source for these things. Why are there then so many dishonest pastors well because the pastorate is a good profession for the lazy and it is a good profession for those without a conscience they can hide. Why is it that they can hide because you have congregations that a lazy if congregations that are not responding in their conscience to the word of God and so they empower these people. What if you have a congregation that into the word, they will vote that person out by leaving. It is been said congregations vote with their feet and that is I think an accurate statement and not something that's wrong is not biblical.

Get up and leave. Don't stay and make trouble because you become the rebel even though you may be right in your position is not your place to do it in the church.

It is God's church. He is the one that removes lamps, analytes, and he alone, remember King David refused to slay Saul wicked Saul was homicidal as he was Davis that God put them on the throne. God will take them off the throne and woe to the man who slay Saul as the Amalekite found out having slay Saul there on Mount Gilboa and so these instructions for identifying false and true pastor, something Paul dealt with throughout his writings will take just a couple of them, one from Paul one from the Lord himself first Paul since he is the one writing. He says this in Colossians chapter 2 beware. Watch out wake up and look out. That's what that word means Sia as a paperboy when I was 12 and when I saw that sign. Beware of dog. I knew that they meant business and it says beware lest anyone cheat you will bite you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ. Forget about everybody else is doing it.

Forget about of the giving degrees out in this topic what Christ say about it. Jesus says this sermon on the Mount.

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing number they don't come with this sign on a false prophet. They come along, say, trust me, and he continues to say come in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles, there's a law in creation.

There are spiritualize their physical laws and Jesus say this very thing that you will know that the rotten and dirty you know goodbye what you see coming out of that place. It will not match Scripture and I'll have some line like this. Well, you know, we are now in the modern age. Some other screwball line. It those who are guilty want to hear. That's why these groups survive. You may say that's harsh, it's a lot more harsh to stand in front of Jesus guilty of these things nonresponsive to what he says I rather hurt your feelings now to see you when you're coasting to a toasting in hell and that's just how it is in the church and with individuals and we continue in this first verse he says, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you while in Thessalonica that might've been pretty tough business.

Remember, this church was but about six months old when Paul had to leave and so everyone in this church was a new convert and so he had to break with protocol.

It is less than ideal to appoint a novice to position of the pastor or anywhere in church service, you have to first let these be proven. I get to that in a minute and you know someone could've said, why does he get to be the pastor I was saved the day before him was not about who wants its rubrics.

That was what God wants, whose call to do this. Many of you say thank God I'm not the pastor, I like my support role. We wouldn't have any pastors without support people visit the chain of command everywhere in life where there's resistance against chaos. Proverbs chapter 20 verse three this is for those who like to go to churches and start fights or just start fights.

In Jesus name.

Of course, proverb says it is honorable for a man to stop striving since any fool can start Cpl. I love that you and I like to envelop you know the amplified Rick version. Any moron can start an argument, may it not be. You may not be me and so this attitude that some have well I'm richer than everybody else around me. Therefore, must be smarter, I should be the leader.

That's not how God would God choose the foolish things of the world is in every pastor should be living proof of that lease in his own head of the left too hard. I have feelings too, so I just don't use anyway so less than ideal circumstances in Thessalonica necessity forced his hand, which is totally acceptable. Yes that prerogative, especially with his position as apostle apostle is a pastor and more, and he had the right when we first started the church year. We had to break with some protocol, but it's not the ideal euros you get nothing done. You will not survive in an emergency. I don't mind having laymen work the firehose, but ideally I'd rather have trained firemen working the holes and so that's the kind of idea. He'll listen to what Paul tells Timothy about pastoring and maybe he had Thessalonica in mind many years later. He writes this he says not novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil you know the devil loves to have us be guilty of what he's guilty, that's what he did with Eve and that's what he been doing ever since same aligned, same old junk why because it works. That's why he's not a creator. It doesn't have to be sinful nature accommodates his deception and so Paul says when you go to put a person in a position of pastor is not to be a rookie and he goes on he writes in the same first Timothy chapter 3 says, but let these also first be tested, then let them serve as deacons being found blameless as guidelines for appointing people to the position in the church and so you have folks that think that because the successful are somewhere else, whether it's in a church or business or anywhere when they show up they should automatically be assigned positions of the choice, I think the church is led by the spirit does not operate that way.

Church led by the spirit says we follow these guidelines, you have to be proven. We don't know who you are, you could be an almanac's murder or something. We want to get to know. That's we can run will verse 13 he continues and to esteem them highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves. Now let me read that first part way I think you should see your pastor, esteem them very highly give them loads of money from your wallet immediately. Okay… Then I go by myself a white suit and white patent leather shoes and change my name, Dr. Billy Saul Hargis but back to this. I'm sorry if this is so obvious you just wonder how people you know ladies writing these big checks these churches because they think that the getting the word.

My grandmother love the Lord and she fell prey to some of the stuff and I was in when I got old enough I didn't know, what are you doing, but I tried to gently steer her toward the good stuff. Anyway, esteem them highly. You know you can have difficulty with this you know the Bible says that the pastors ruled the church afraid of that. Were we think of dictatorship and tyranny does not mean that what happens when there is no order when there is no rule you can play a game of checkers without rules. This chaos and Samantha not think that not let the devil change our thinking because of what the bad has done not be afraid of the facts and embrace them as God's word.

Hebrews chapter 13 verse seven, Paul writes probably Paul writes this. Remember those who rule over you. He's talking in the church, not in your homes who have spoken the word of God to you whose faith. Philo considering the outcome of their conduct that goes back to what the Lord said they have fruit if the preaching the word and living the life and walking the walk as best as we can try then these things apply. Then he continues in the same chapter Hebrews 13 verse seven team obey those who rule over you and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief that would be unprofitable for you.

I love that I would question Scripture.

If it did not have such wisdom and correct approach to everything in life it's a better thing for everything that's with the word of God is and where these things are practice. The congregation is strong and people get saved because of the people in the congregation. We repeat after our kind sick. She gets sick sheep help the sheep get healthy sheep is up to you and it's up to me that we have as much of the Holy Spirit as we want, and that can be a troubling statement because we always want more. And it's always seems a little bit far ahead of us love this because you cannot exhaust the spirit is God.

Second Timothy chapter 4. Speaking of admonishing and from this position. What we do through the word employee aside and say hello him a taste of that really is an ugly shirt. We don't do things like that. We come up we preach verse by verse and let the Scripture deal with you and so that's the great admonishment of their exceptions or time to someone that we just have one not too long ago that gone touchdown gone. Hopefully and you know that they have an agenda and it's usually self in Jesus name, they know Jesus more than you will ever know Jesus and therefore don't tell them anything and they have to be dealt with in this flock must be protected from people and so second Timothy chapter 4 verse two preach the word is telling Timothy this is what you do as a best preach the word be ready every day. That's what he says be ready in season and out of season, convince rebuke, and exhort all long-suffering and teaching. I love every part of that verse, except long-suffering part I don't suffer long at all, ever, but is no way around Titus. He writes this tightest Titus was a bit of a troubleshooter and so he says, as I speak these things exhort and rebuke with authority.

Let no one despise you yeah man that's that's pastoring this in the pastor is not looking for authority. He already has it. God has given it to him and so he supposed to execute it as a father and all. See looking for authority if he is something wrong with that home. He has authority it's been given to him by God, you moms are you looking for party with your children, you got it for the rest of their lives. You have authority over those children love my mom used to remind her boys a populace.

I dread on gallows.

You are a little bitty thing I okay mom and me.

I wouldn't even think of of raising my voice to hurl showing any disrespect know when I was little guy tried to pull some of those stunts and you know as I've said before, she was notorious for throwing a shoe she always missed and I think on purpose because she didn't want to hurt us but anyway is not tough love SU love and so he says in love for their work's sake understand what's going on see how things work.

You know, we understand we don't see traffic cops too much luggage from the lights goes out you see them there with you know you understand how they work and when he holds his hands up and he says stop your car so you can let others go you understand what he's doing and we hopefully are compliant while the church is no difference the same spirit is not this was a ruling over me or anything like that is the spirit of love and of power, and of a sound mind and an environment of faith, and all who believe in the word of God are obligated to understand where God is going with his people. Ephesians 517. Listen to what he says.

Paul does he says therefore do not be unwise and then he says, but understand that Greek word, but understand Mr. put together so we can read it this way.

Therefore, do not be unwise, but put together what the will of the Lord is or should be, say big dumb as dirt in our shop is a sack of wet mice and just go ahead and living for Christ like that is that we should say absolutely not, says you guys need to be sharper all the time.

Keep your sword sharp and use it for the kingdom, not on each other that you want to go cutting something of use it on yourself.

That was the lesson Joshua before they entered into the promised land they turn their knives on themselves and circumcision covenant they got right with God and it was painful this before the battle, Joshua incapacitated his army trusting God there's lessons from Scripture not always easy to live up to, but always easy to admire voices be at peace among yourselves while unfortunately there have been an RN will be many churches stricken by fools so busy vying for say so for fame for position that the churches become train wrecks the keep the cross. Incidentally, they keep telling the world. Yet, this is Jesus.

Yet inside ravenous wolves piranha nevermind goats piranha walking around.

There's something for Darwin, but anyway these things should not be and they should not be accepted.

Hosea of the prophet trying to show the people how wicked they were and at the time and how much it broke God's heart and I will listen when God's heart breaks the next step is wrath and also hope there may be a long time between the two, but the clock is ticking. God is not a God of wrath as first choice, but he will deal with the wicked. That's a promise. And if you opt out well you know I think is harsh and mean-spirited knowledge while you go call God a liar to his face. I find it easier to accept what he says and except his invitations that takes away the question marks from my life.

I don't have very many question marks about God.

He is right all the time. He is good all the time. Every decision he makes is right, I might not like it but I know this is true, I have evidence for it, and I accepted. I'm not afraid of heaven, trying to live like I've already been there, trying to live as though I've seen heaven and I believe what Jesus says when he tells me this ain't easy. What is what is easy on her Hosea chapter 13 verses two and three.

Now, they send more and more, and have made for themselves, molded images, idols of silver, according to their skill and all of it is the work of craftsmen.

We just give some commentary there there making up things about me according to their understanding and not my Revelation there saying things about me according to their education and their ability but they don't care what I am saying I have more ability than they'll ever have God's not impressed by man's intelligence, so that, sets the pace for what were talking about here. He continues they say of them, let the man who sacrifices kiss the calf.

The pagan idols and things like that, therefore they shall be like the morning cloud and like the early do that passes away like chaff blown off from the threshing floor like smoke from a chimney. The going to be is gone.

That's what the Lord is saying now that makes more of a spiritual impact than it does anything else in this church.

What we have helping us be at peace. We have the brute squad. They gathered for prayer and conference room one every Sunday morning and they offer up prayers to the Lord, you may not see the impact when it happens but you benefit from the results and you find that their prayers are safeguards the bouncers they bounce out of the church notions of the devil before he even gets an idea we want him to say I can't get to them. I can't get in there they've got this wall of prayer up that got these Christians in there who actually love Jesus and everything he has to say and wanted all those, people he can't defeat may kill him can't feed them so verse 14 continues. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all this worldly Christ with such language like this, why they so you Jesus can't come in the school and and you know if my brother sent me a picture from one of the universities in town with a rainbow on it on his doors and the University.

This a safe zone, say from what rainbow I don't get it is getting so we Christians going to need a safe zone, why do they hate us so much because there deeds are dirty.

Their hearts are darkened. I don't care what they call it God has already spoken on these things, thus saith the Lord.

It is take it or leave it. And just because you get away with it, doesn't mean you going to get away with it. In the end so I say again what makes this so repugnant to the world. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. We encourage our fellow believers to be strong when life's hardships are pressing on what should we say now now be weak. Go ahead and give in its okay to blaspheme God when you're hurting like this you first course not. Unfortunately, that's all the time we have for today.

You've been listening to cross reference radio. The teaching ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As you likely gathered. We are currently studying the book of first Thessalonians euro cross reference radio to learn more about cross reference radio visit our website@crossreferenceradio.com you can download today's teaching or subscribe to the cross reference for a podcast subscribing is easy. Just search for cross reference for iTunes. We encourage you to place a marker in your Bibles enjoy the same time same place for the next edition of cross reference