responsibility as a Member of the Church

I Thessalonians 5:12-13 Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.

I Thessalonians 5:14-15 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

I Thessalonians 5:16-22 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with con-tempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.

I. Your Responsibility Towards Your Church Leadership Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. - v12-14

I. Your Responsibility Towards Your Church Leadership A. Respect your elders. Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. - v12-13

I. Your Responsibility Towards Your Church Leadership A. Respect your elders. 1. Respect (οἶδα) = to know through observation.

I. Your Responsibility Towards Your Church Leadership A. Respect your elders. 1. Respect (οἶδα) = to know through observation. 2. Know (γινώσκω) = to know by personal experience.

I. Your Responsibility Towards Your Church Leadership A. Respect your elders. 1. Respect (οἶδα) = to know through observation. 2. Know (γινώσκω) = to know by personal experience. 3. Implications: (KJV) recognize, (NCV) appreciate, (LIV) honor.

I. Your Responsibility Towards Your Church Leadership A. Respect your elders. 4. Why respect them?

I. Your Responsibility Towards Your Church Leadership A. Respect your elders. 4. Why respect them? a. They work hard.

I. Your Responsibility Towards Your Church Leadership A. Respect your elders. 4. Why respect them? a. They work hard. b. They are over you (προί̈στημι) = stand be- fore, so to lead or rule.

I. Your Responsibility Towards Your Church Leadership A. Respect your elders. 4. Why respect them? a. They work hard. b. They are over you (προί̈στημι) = stand be- fore, so to lead or rule. c. They admonish you.

I. Your Responsibility Towards Your Church Leadership A. Respect your elders. B. Hold them in the highest regard. Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. - v12-13

I. Your Responsibility Towards Your Church Leadership A. Respect your elders. B. Hold them in the highest regard. I Timothy 5:17 - The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.

I. Your Responsibility Towards Your Church Leadership A. Respect your elders. B. Hold them in the highest regard. Hebrews 13:7 - Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. - v14-15

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another A. Warn the idle. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. - v14

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another A. Warn the idle. 1. Idle (ἄτακτος) = out of order, out of place, doesn’t belong. Military: insubordinate, disobey, go AWOL.

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another A. Warn the idle. 1. Idle (ἄτακτος) = out of order, out of place, doesn’t belong. Military: insubordinate, disobey, go AWOL. 2. How are we to help them? Warn them!

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another A. Warn the idle. B. Encourage the timid. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. - v14

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another B. Encourage the timid. 1. Timid (ὀλιγόψυχος) = weak- souls; those whose faith has never developed.

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another B. Encourage the timid. a. What happened? Matthew 13:7 - Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another B. Encourage the timid. b. What do we learn? Matthew 13:22 - The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life & the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another B. Encourage the timid. 2. Who are they? A church member who hasn’t grown spiritually in 20 years. Encourage them to grow in their faith!

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another C. Help the weak. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. - v14

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another C. Help the weak. 1. Who are they? Brand new Christians!

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another C. Help the weak. a. What happened? Matthew 13:5-6 - Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another C. Help the weak. b. What do we learn? Matthew 13:20-21 - The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another C. Help the weak. 2. How do we help them? Call them, invite them, let them know you care!

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another D. Be patient. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. - v14

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another D. Be patient. 1. Patience (μακροθυμέω) = long or slow to display anger or come to conclusions. Trench: “a long holding out of the mind before it gives room to anger!”

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another D. Be patient. 2. What is it? Galatians 5:22 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness . . .

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another E. Be kind - even when you are wronged. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. - v15

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another E. Be kind - even when you are wronged. Matthew 5:39-41 - But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

II. Your Responsibility Towards One Another E. Be kind - even when you are wronged. Romans 12:20-21 - If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

III. Your Responsibility Toward God Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. - 16-22

III. Your Responsibility Toward God A. Be joyful always. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. - 16-22

III. Your Responsibility Toward God A. Be joyful always. Matthew 5:11-12 - Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

III. Your Responsibility Toward God A. Be joyful always. II Corinthians 12:10 - That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

III. Your Responsibility Toward God A. Be joyful always. Romans 8:28 - And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called ac-cording to his purpose.

III. Your Responsibility Toward God B. Pray continually. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. - 16-22

III. Your Responsibility Toward God B. Pray continually. 1. This is not praying all the time (Monastic Order).

III. Your Responsibility Toward God B. Pray continually. 1. This is not praying all the time (Monastic Order). 2. Talking to the Lord about everything - decisions, focus.

III. Your Responsibility Toward God C. Give thanks in all circumstances. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. - 16-22

III. Your Responsibility Toward God C. Give thanks in all circumstances. Acts 5:40-41 - His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.

III. Your Responsibility Toward God D. Don’t put out the Spirit’s fire! How? Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. - 16-22

III. Your Responsibility Toward God D. Don’t put out the Spirit’s fire! 1. By ignoring preaching. Do not treat prophecies with contempt. - v20

III. Your Responsibility Toward God D. Don’t put out the Spirit’s fire! 1. By ignoring preaching. 2. By grieving the Spirit. Ephesians 4:30 - And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

III. Your Responsibility Toward God D. Don’t put out the Spirit’s fire! 1. By ignoring preaching. 2. By grieving the Spirit. 3. By not living a Spirit conscious life. Galatians 5:16 - So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Take the Lord & His ministry seriously Take the Lord & His ministry seriously! You’ll never really be fulfilled until you do!