Real Community – 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

Said this recently –

  -WeŐre all different! Some of us are people people –weŐre recharged by other people

  -others of us not so much, people drain us – need lots of solo time

 

But regardless of how youŐre wiredÉ

  -all of us, every single one of us, wants/needs people/places where we belong
  -a place where everyone knows our name (for those old enough to remember Cheers)  -this need to have somewhere we truly belong is called Community

  -and Paul suggests this morning, that nowhere should that be more true..

  -than in Christian Community

 

But real Christian Community isn't easy to experience for 2 reasonsÉ

     1. WeŐre broken (& because of sin we bring our brokenness to our relŐs – how?)

           -selfish/self-absorbed/carry around hurts/trouble forgiving/hide weakness

           -our brokenness because we often ignore it, hurts our ability to exp. Xian community

     2. WeŐre looking for Xian community outside of ourselves first

         -weŐre  always looking at whether the people/places around us are good communities

         -and internally we all have a checklist – like this, donŐt like that, like them, donŐt like them them

         -and when we do that every community and everyone inevitably falls short

         -and in the end we miss the point Paul wants us to get and live out

         -real community & esp. real Christian community begins inside me (attitude/heart)

 

The Thessalonians were a good church, but even so at the end of his letterÉ

  -Paul gives them some guidelines towards them experiencing real Xian community

  -Pray - Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

 

Paul never says that heŐs talking about real community – thatŐs my terminology

  -but itŐs clear Paul is saying, hereŐs some things that need to be a part of you

  -if youŐre going to be the Church that Jesus died so you could become

  -the Church that worships together, serves together, and is a light for Christ together

 

And the very 1st thing he says, which you might find weird & is weird for me to talk aboutÉ

  -is that we need to respect and hold our leaders in the highest regard in love

 

And I want to say this respect, regard in loveÉ

  -is not given because theyŐre better/smarter/or even more spiritual than everyone else

  -point isnŐt to put them on a pedestal – leads to trouble (pride and falling)

  -point is to hold them in highest regard in love = really loving/supporting/hearing

  -so we love & respect them out of thankfulness for their work on our behalf – what work?

       -bringing you before God, coming before God and seeking to teach/develop/equip

       -the work of helping  you become the people you were created to be

 

One Problems church faces today is many of our leaders have failed in big ways = mistrust

  -so we come Sunday morning or Wednesday night or whenever

  -and when the pastor/someone else says, this is what GodŐs Word says

  -instead of taking it as GodŐs Word & checking out ourselves for what God is saying to us

  -itŐs easy for our response to simply be, ŇthatŐs just their opinionÓ

  -we have to fight this, when GodŐs Word is taught we have to be listening

  -not just so we can know what it says, but so we can do what it says

The next thing Paul says is if you want to exp. true Xian com. - Live in Peace w/each other

  -two thoughts here, first we are to live w/each other

  -not talking about moving in together, but we are to be sharing lives together at some level

  -we are to worship together, learn together, serve one another together, be witnessesÉ

 

I mentioned this series that as Canadians we have a strong independent bent

  -and that independence leads us to believe Jesus & me is enough

  -I can just pray alone, study alone, worship alone, serve alone – I actually like that better...

  -and that belief is leading many people to see doing church as irrelevant

 

The problem is thereŐs a lie in those thoughts!  And itŐs a lie Satan wants us to buy into.

  -Satan knows if he can keep us separate from one another he hurts our growth/mission

  -God only has one plan for the reconciliation of the World in Jesus Christ and thatŐsÉ

  -the Church - believers growing/praying/serving/giving/worshipping/sharing together

  -so that through them, together God accomplishes his purposes

     -so when you remain disconnected from GodŐs body – you hurt yourself/body hurts

     -that doesnŐt mean the way we do church is perfect and you canŐt say – can we try this

     -but it does mean that just staying away impacts your heart and our body negatively

 

But Paul doesnŐt say weŐre just supposed to live with each other, says need to do it in peace

  -nothing hurts real community/peace/unity more than anything that would cause division

     -Talking to someone one way, different way behind their back

     -talking to everyone else instead of talking to the person youŐre talking about

     -having a bad attitude towards someone but not doing anything to work it out

     -criticizing the way things are, but not being willing to make them any different

     -maybe itŐs just a bad attitude in your own heart

     -so Paul says do what you can do about seeking, maintaining and keeping peace

 

Read vs. 14-15

 

The picture here is a community of people who areÉ

  -non-judgmental/careful/gentle/kind/helpful/encouraging/patient & honest with each other

  -itŐs also a picture of a group of people moving together & helping each other to grow

 

That's one of the realities about the Body of Christ.

  -we kindly, patiently, helpfully, urge people to change when they need to change.

  -we warn people of the consequences of their actions.

  -we are to be a community that's accountable to God to become different kind of people.

  -& we keep ourselves accountable to God by allowing Word/Spirit/Church to speak into us

 

read 19-22

 

Until now PaulŐs talked about behaviours we need to do together to exp. real Xian comm

  -now Paul turns to some spiritual components of real Xian community

 

And the first thing he says is that if you want to exp. real community – need to be joyful

  -this is not joy (ha, ha) – this is the joy we have within because our hope is in Christ

  -itŐs a deep sense of well-being that grows out of the hope/promises we have in X

  -is your life joyful, do other people see you as a joyful person? (critical/unhappy/sour)

Paul also says weŐre supposed to be prayerfulÉ

  -this is  the area in which the Church today is perhaps most crippled – people donŐt pray

  -this is the area in which our individual lives are missing out the most

  -prayer is our connection to God / shows our dependance on him/ releases his power

  -if prayer is not, how can it become a part of your life?

 

The next thing Paul says is we need to be thankful (again like joy thankfulness is a spiritual issue)

  -ungrateful / dissatisfied / discontent /critical people can never point others to X

  -if you know/understand/accepted what Christ has done for you in Christ = thankfulness

  -if you understand U deserve an eternity in hell – but Christ changed that = thankfulness

  -if something is getting in the way of your thankfulness what is it? What needs to change?

 

read vs. 19-22

 

1st thing Paul says here is, donŐt do anything that keeps H.S. from working in your life

  -scriptures are clear that our actions/sin/attitudes can grieve/quench work of H.S.

  -which is the work of growing you and developing and maturing you

  -specifically, Paul says, donŐt treat prophecies with contempt

     -the point here is donŐt ignore GodŐs word –donŐt just listen (deceived) Do GodŐs Word!

 

Prophecy also show up in the Bible as a special word someone receives from God

  -in the book of Acts – Agabus received a word from the Lord about a famine coming

  -some people abuse this kind of prophesying (individuals can have their own agenda)

  -so Paul says, test everything preaching/Words (the test is not sounds good/ I like that)

  -the test is always what? – does what youŐre being taught/told line up w/GodŐs Word

  -what are we to do once weŐve tested it?  (hold on to the good, avoid every kind of evil)

  -according to God if someoneŐs telling you do this & doesnŐt line up w/Word = evil

 

The world is looking for real communityÉ

  -and not everyone is going to accept & want what Paul has suggested

  -but theyŐre certainly not going to want it, if as church weŐre not being good examples of it

  -and if we, the church, are going to be good examples of it – I must do my part

  -I must use my gifts, I must serve, I must worship, grow, be joyful, thankfulÉ

  -& I must & you must because it will impact not just our own life, but other peopleŐs eternity

 

Paul closes with a benediction = a blessing / a prayer on their behalf - read v. 24-25

 

The real cool thing here isÉ

  -God creates authentic community around us as we cooperate together

  -and our cooperation is critical - without it real Xian community cannot be experienced

  -but our cooperation together is not enough to make real Xian community happen

  -GodŐs part is even more critical -  "The one who called you is faithful, and he will do it."

   -point is this - if weŐve committed to that partnership and relationship together under Christ

   -what matters is not just our ability to make it happen – but GodŐs strength/ability to see it through.

  -and GodŐs promise is if weŐre willing to do our part - he will see it through!

  -all the way into eternity

  -only question left is - Will you do your part?