1 Thessalonians 5.12-15
Here we are in the thick of summer and no doubt some of us have been hitting picnics and pools. And, for those it applies, I hope you have also been able to hit that out of office button after sending that final email before a well-deserved break. If you’ve ever received one of those pre-vacation emails, you can often sense a slightly perkier tone with an extra exclamation mark or smiley face emoji here or there – almost as if we all know there is more to life than email! The other thing I’ve noticed about those emails is that they tend to also include a short list of prompts or details; “so and so is handling this while I’m away”, “keep this in mind”, “don’t worry about that” – those sorts of things. These are not unimportant scraps, but an example that someone cares and wants things to go well while they’re gone. In other words, what we read in the post-script of any correspondence can be just as important as the ongoing body of work, often a distilled reflection of the main.
And if at this point you’re wondering if this entire sermon will be some strange exposition of the content and tone of email, fear not, I do have a point here. Because signing off, final important details, care being taken – this is exactly the point we’ve come to in the Apostle Paul’s letter to his Thessalonian friends. After everything we’ve heard in the letter so far, Paul is about to wrap things up. But, a little like that final email before vacation, Paul has a few key things to impress. And, as is the case of many of Paul’s letters, this tends to take some time because Paul really does care. Scholars note that Paul sometimes has a hard time wrapping letters up, and that’s not because he’s a scatterbrain, but because when you’re saying farewell to someone you love you tend to take your time, and will say, even if it means repeating yourself, what you’re desperate for them to hear. This is what we’ll find in this final portion of 1 Thessalonians we’re covering these next few weeks.
Recently in this letter we’ve heard Paul give instruction on sisterly and brotherly love in the community and how this influences ordinary life together in their city. He’s also shared on how to approach the problem and the pain of death from a Christian perspective, all coloured with a great deal of hope.
The back half of the letter is both practical and personal. What Paul shares in these concluding words is both in line with the rest of the letter (what is particular to the church in Thessalonica) but it’s also general and fairly consistent across Paul’s writing. We’ve noted earlier in this series that 1 Thessalonians was likely the first document written in what we now call the Bible’s New Testament, to the first church planted in what we now call Europe, somewhere around 50AD. So, what do we see emphasized among the first Christians at the end of a very early letter like this? Beginnings and endings are especially important in literature, and this goes for Paul’s letters in the New Testament too.
Attitudes toward those leading (and leadership attitudes)
12 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. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.
After all that talk about email forgive me for reminding us that Paul did not have access to the internet in the first century. The letter we’re reading now was carried in person to Thessalonica and was read allowed in the hearing of the whole community, likely in a large enough home which fit the group, with the letter then being explained further by the carrier as questions arose. So imagine for a moment sitting among your fellow Christians, hearing these words from Paul, and everyone bearing the weight of them together. There were probably some darting glances here or there across the room as folks were encouraged and challenged by Paul’s message. And I imagine there may have been a few extra looks exchanged as this part was read, because for the first time in the letter Paul speaks of a particular kind of person in the church in Thessalonica at that time – “those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.” In other words, those who were leading in this new Jesus-community.
A few things stand out in these brief words, which are some of the earliest words about some form of leadership in the early church. But let’s begin by recognizing that our own experience of leadership, both good and bad, has the potential to colour how we read words like these. And because leadership cultures have at times become about the prominence or ego of the leader themselves, it’s important to hear what Paul is and is not saying here. Because at first glance it might seem that Paul’s emphasizing a reverence for those doing the leading, but a closer read reveals that overblown esteem is not at all his point. Consider, in fact, that we have heard nothing about the importance of leaders or the structure of leadership in this letter until this point. In fact, those leading are only mentioned here as Paul is about to lay out a number of imperatives or essentials for the whole community to receive, which those leading are no doubt expected to help work out. So these few words about our attitudes to spiritual leadership are not about church leaders getting a special spotlight or praise.
Notice what else is and isn’t going on as Paul speaks of those leading. We don’t hear a focus on positions or structures – Paul doesn’t seem anxious about that stuff – but only attitudes and activity. More pointedly, we see Paul qualifying hard work, or labour, as an indicator of a leader. As one scholar puts it “those who are recognized and esteemed as leaders are characterized first as working hard at it”[i]. So, leadership that is Christian is discussed not in context of the importance of a position but an expectation of hard work. And what is the hard work of leading in a Christian setting? Caring for those you are among in the Lord. This is a very clear and early example that leadership in the first Christian settings wasn’t about visibility, or status, but instead diligence and grit in caring for your fellow sisters and brothers. And as we see here of course sometimes caring meant admonishing or warning. Sincerely caring for someone means that if they’re heading in a dangerous direction you’ll gently and patiently warn to help correct their course. Care and warning combined is no surprise as Paul’s molded this already in the main body of his letter.
It’s striking that for all the ideas out there about leadership – many of which have crept into the Church over time – the earliest stuff we dig up in the New Testament is a picture of individuals who first simply work hard at caring for us in the Lord. And notice also that even when Paul says, “hold them in the highest regard” he includes “in love”, and “because of their work”. In other words, those leading are to be appreciated in love just as fellow brothers and sisters, like everyone else, obviously not to be treated worse. And again, they aren’t held in a loving and high regard because of some special rank, but because of their labour. In these small house churches, the earliest Christian leaders were not acknowledged or listened to because they held a mysterious status, but because of their function among their fellow Christians and what following a good example would accomplish in the community. They were to be followed, you could say, based on the quality and character of their labour of love, not on the basis of some over-elevated position.
You might notice at Living Waters that we tend to shy away from titles and an over emphasis on structure when possible. And that is in part because we think it’s far less important that we call or esteem anyone as “leader” or “pastor” out of respect for a role in itself, and far more important that we simply all focus together on following the good examples of Jesus among us, whatever role we each play. A leader among us will simply be a good example of that quality of hard-working care, reflecting God’s character. As we learn later in some of Paul’s other letters, positions and titles are just not the point. Under Jesus it doesn’t matter a lick what title we hold, because Jesus put all that aside and just served by humble example. So notice also here that even when Paul asks – and he does ask, he doesn’t demand – that these early Christians acknowledge and esteem those leading, it’s always in this equalized tone. And, it seems to be Paul’s template as lifted from Jesus, that the model of Christian leadership is simply someone who works hard at applying the sticky mortar of love in building up the believing community. There’s no talk about someone being a great strategist, or speaker, or some religious version of a slick CEO. Structures and organization in the Church have naturally taken various forms throughout history, but there’s a reminder here that overemphasis on positions or hierarchy isn’t Jesus’ concern, nor is it Paul’s. And, as those first Christians in Thessalonica heard, we will know a leader is really a Christian leader first by their hard work of care among us. Any other approach to Christian leadership ends up being, sadly, not very Christian.
I think we’ve already seen an example of this kind of thing today as we send off Cam and Nan – two people who have been a good example among us for years of what Christian leadership looks like. Serving in Life Groups, in good days and bad, full of care and encouragement for those around them – these are easy, joyous (and dare I say fun!) examples to follow. And our team, young as many of us are, can bear witness to their example. They’ve always been gracious, never aimed for praise or position. Instead, for years we’ve watched them come to the church on a weekday, pick up a big bag of coffee-stained tablecloths from Sunday, take them home to be washed and bring them back later that week. These folks have served in important positions in various Christian settings over the years, but as a young pastor growing up here my enduring memory of them will be of their enthusiasm to serve and a genuine care for me personally. A real leader in a Jesus community cares little about status or visibility. What they care about is applying themselves to care for those around them in the Lord.
Crucial Summation
Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
With the insistence that the sisters and brothers follow the lead of those working to care now comes a list of imperatives or essentials that everyone, under some good examples, should adopt. Some of this is Paul circling back from what’s already come in the letter, and some of this are very early examples of what any Christian group should prioritize.
First, the phrase “live in peace with one other” is better connected to the previous line of thought about acknowledging those leading. Basically, peace is Paul’s hope for the churches he’s planted. So, for Paul, no divisive stuff going on, but instead a harmony among the believers. And this is true of any healthy Christian setting: as great as any individual melody might be, it is no substitute for harmony. And it certainly sounds awful when someone’s attempt at a melody is a shouting above the rest trying to harmonize. We should aim to be at peace with one another, not in competition with or battling one another if we claim to be Jesus’ family.
Following this Paul lists five activities for the Thessalonians to prioritize. Remember this group is very young in their faith, and they’ve faced some tough challenges including Paul having to leave them quickly after about a month and facing severe opposition in their city. What the does Paul prescribe? What’s imperative to life together in Jesus?
As we’ve covered already in the letter, so we won’t rehash all this, all the sisters and brothers who can, should contribute and be constructive, not the alternative, being idle and disruptive. When everyone contributes and aims to be constructive, we’re on the right path. This is a good aim for any of us in church, being willing to contribute as able, not simply with a consuming mindset, and also being constructive with one another rather than disruptive or destructive.
Second, notice there’s a real concern for those who are disheartened. Why some are struggling we don’t know. Maybe the pressure is mounting as they face persecution, maybe they expected something different in Christian life – scholars list number of possibilities. But what I find striking is that here in one of the first ever churches some folks are disheartened. They’re not all constantly grinning at one another with immaculate smiles. So we know that the disheartened were first of all present, that they were also acknowledged, and then the community is told to do something to help – to encourage those struggling. It bears saying, then, that maybe we don’t have to put on brave face or an immaculate smile in order to belong in church. The disheartened are present among us right now, for a variety of reasons. In fact, I’ve been disheartened at times these past few months, as no doubt you have too. What we might be learning here is that being disheartened isn’t something we need ignore or hide as a Christian. But nor, as we also see here, do we have to let it get totally on top of us, because Paul’s instruction is that others should come around to encourage when the going gets tough. We can do that for each other!
That’s what I’ve been grateful for in my experience of this church, and why I think we should always aim to be an authentic but encouraging kind of people. You’d hope that those around you first make room for the possibility that things are not always sunny in a life as a Christian, and then stand at the ready to encourage when your heart is discouraged, disappointed or heavy. And this probably doesn’t look like a slap on the back and a “chin up, Jesus loves you, have some faith” approach. Anyone who’s been disheartened and has then simply been told not to be can testify that that approach doesn’t feel very encouraging. Encouragement probably makes some room for someone’s experience, and includes speaking a kind of truth in love. So one gift we might all ask the Lord to give us more of is a gift of encouragement, because we know how often we can put that to work for one another in love. Encourage the disheartened.
Thirdly, and similarly, Paul also says to “help the weak”. Again, we have no idea what kind of weakness Paul’s referring to (in body, in spirit?), but the fact that weakness is present, and is not to be shamed or ignored, but is to be helped, is an undergirding Christian value again very novel in the ancient world. You didn’t help the weak in that word – there’s no advantage gained in that. But here, among the first Christians, weakness is not looked down on, but attended to in one another. Are we disheartened or weak? No need to hide it or be ashamed of it. As sisters and brothers, do we have our eyes and ears open for those among us who might be struggling this week or month or year? That’s the caring work of the community, how we look out for and after one another in the Lord.
Fourth, “be patient with everyone”. That one’s easy, so no need to go on. Of course not! Patience with everyone. Surely this must be a typo, because I find it’s much easier to apply patience selectively to a few people in ideal conditions when it’s most convenient. But this is no typo – be patient with everyone, including the disheartened or weak. What’s helpful to note is that the word translated here as patience is not the usual word Paul uses for patience. In other settings the word Paul usesrelates to a difficult circumstance – being patient in or with a situation. The word translated as patience here is a different word, probably better translated “long-tempered” or “long-suffering”. One scholar says this word “carries the sense of suffering long with regard to someone else” (Fee). So this is a personal and relational sort of patience. And that, I think, is encouraging in itself. There’s an expectation that in Christian community, with everyone in that community,a long-suffering patience will be asked of us! I will need from you a long-suffering patience in our dynamic, and so will you from me. When it feels a bit hard going at times in church – or in any Christian relationship like marriage or parenting – that’s no reason to assume things are going wrong. In any Christian relationship, to be qualified as Christian at all, we can expect to need a good dose of long-suffering patience with one another. That might make us breathe a sigh of relief, because a hill can be easier to climb when you’re prepared for the grade. “The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love” (Psalm 145). Generous patience is at the heart of the character of God toward humanity all through the Scriptures, it’s in Jesus repeatedly in the gospels. As Jesus’ followers, through power of the Holy Spirit, why would we not expect this kind of patience to developed in us also?
Fifthly and finally, Paul reminds them that if they’re following Jesus there can’t be any vengeful payback among them. Grudges that turn septic into destructive behaviour, or just good old-fashioned revenge has no place among them as children of God. They’re not meant to keep score or even the score. If they’re going to follow a crucified and forgiving Lord revenge isn’t going to fly. We have to let go of that, even when it hurts. Instead, as we heard, do what is good for each other, including, and this is striking, when it comes to those outside the believing community. We know already from the book of Acts that some of the Christians in Thessalonica were harmed, maybe even killed. The kindness and generosity of God, the good willed and worked out for everyone we rub shoulders with is the name of the game.
This whole line of thought feels very like Jesus, doesn’t it? Which is only natural, as Paul, wrapping up the letter, so committed to his Lord and deeply caring about his friends, wants them to hear the heart and character of Jesus as clear as day.
What does it look like to be sisters and brothers in Jesus? What is Paul emphasizing as he begins to wrap things up? Sisters and brothers in Jesus will live at peace with each other; they’re be constructive and contribute; they’ll encourage each other when we’re disheartened; they’ll help one another when weak; they’ll climb the steep but rewarding hill of relationship with generous patience; they won’t keep or level scores; and they’ll do good to any and all around them.
Sometimes churches do a lot of work in developing mission or purpose statements. A list like that might be the best place to start and then aspire to. Because this sort of community doesn’t automatically appear, it’s hard won through genuine love, fueled by power of the Holy Spirit, as we learn to love one another as Jesus has loved us.
[i] Gordon Fee, 1 Thessalonians
Luke Knight 