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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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SONS OF LIGHT ARE TO WALK IN THE LIGHT 1Th 5:12-22 (8/14/11) Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. THE SONS OF LIGHT ARE TO WALK IN THE
LIGHT (12-22) A. Be Respectful (12-13a) B. Be Peaceful (13b) 1. [1Th 5:13] - In addition, peace is to be
sought among the body at all cost, save the compromise of the major doctrine
of Scripture. 2. Believers lit. “must
keep on living peacefully among themselves” (present imperative of eirêneuō). That
is how the “sons of Light” are to walk in the Light. a) Peace is to rule like an umpire in all
that is accomplished within the body (Col 3:15). This includes unity,
relationships, preferences, suggestions, and direction within the church. b) It is God’s will and he blesses those who
live in peace and harmony within the body of Christ (2Co 13:11). C. Be Christ-like (14) 1. [1Th 5:14] - Paul gives general but
practical applications for all circumstances. They are all present
imperatives. 2. Anyone who is “unruly” (ataktos -
disorderly, undisciplined, idle) and disorderly in regard to the
Scripture or the church, is to be admonished (nouthetéō -
warned), warned, and given instruction from the Scriptures. a) Paul wrote again to the Thessalonians in
regard to such individuals (2Th 3:6-14). b) It can refer to someone who is idle and
not working, undisciplined to a bad testimony, or disorderly to the
Scriptures or the church. 3. The “fainthearted” need to be encouraged
to trust God that He can use each one of us. a) The “fainthearted” (oligopsuchos)
are those who feel their resources
are too small for a given situation, discouraged or despondent (cp. Pro 18:14). b) They need to be encouraged. The word here
for encouragement is paramutheomai which means one called alongside to speak words of
comfort (Joh 11:19; 1Th 2:11). 4. The “weak” (asthenês - less effective, feeble, sick) are to be supported and helped. a) “Weak” could mean spiritually or
physically feeble which would include the exercise of hospitality. b) Help is the Greek word antechō and
literally means to have against. Here is means to hold up and support those
who are weak and faltering. 5. “Patience” (makrothuméō -
long fuse) is not only a virtue but an expected response from everyone
and toward everyone. We must not respond with a short fuse. a) Patience, being a characteristic of love,
gives evidence to our love for the Lord and with those we are being patient
(1Co 13:4). b) Patience is to be a natural outflow of the
sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit within (Gal 5:22). D. Be Good (15) 1. [1Th 5:15] - Paul heaps up multiple
present imperatives (admonishing commandments to be continually exercised). 2. Everyone is to keep on making sure that
they do not pay back (apodidōmi - to give back as an equivalent, to recompense with
the idea of complete return) evil for evil. The idea is don’t “Do unto others as they have
done unto you.” “Evil” is the Greek word kakos and means to be bad
in heart and/or actions. 3. Instead the sons of light should live in
the light of Christ by actively pursuing the good (agathos - disposition
and act of doing good to others) of all others. a) It gives evidence that believers are sons
of light (3Jo 1:11). b) Doing good equates to evangelism and
edification (Rom 15:2) c) The believer was ordained to do good
works (Eph 2:10). d) Believers are to give and be a blessing
(1Pe 3:9-11 cp. Psa 34:12-14) e) The believer is to do good to all men,
especially believers (Gal 6:10). E. Be Joyous (16) 1. [1Th 5:16] - Another characteristic of
the sons of light is that they are a joyous people. 2. To rejoice (chairō) means to
have the joy of the Lord in spite of circumstances. All of the great
blessings that the believer has been given including the promise of the
Rapture to live with the Lord, the reunion with loved ones who have gone to
be with the Lord, and the rescue from the Tribulation and Day of the Lord is
motivation to rejoice no matter what they experience. 3. In fact, since this is an imperative it
beckons the will and not emotions. We are to rejoice even if we do not feel
like rejoicing by an act of our will empowered by the Holy Spirit. a) Paul was the perfect example of this when
he rejoiced and emphatically told others to rejoice even though he was
writing from prison (Phi 4:4). b) Joy is also to be a natural outflow of the
sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit within (Gal 5:22). F. Be Prayerful (17) 1. [1Th 5:17] - A reason we can be joyous
continuously is if we pray constantly about every detail in our lives and
ministry. 2. It is another imperative so that if we
are not attempting to pray as much as we can, we are disobeying the Lord. 3. The Greek word for “without ceasing” is adialeípōs is made up of two Greek
words: dialeipō - leave off or let up and a - which is the
negative. Put it together and it means don’t leave off or let up when it
comes to prayer. Prayer is not the last thing but the main thing and always
carries the idea of “continuous devotion” (cp. proskarteréō). a) The apostles were continually devoted to
prayer (Act 2:42). b) The early church was continually devoted
to prayer (Act 6:4). c) Believers today are to be continually
devoted to prayer (Col 4:2; cp. Eph 6:18). G. Be Thankful (18) 1. [1Th 5:18] - Because everything is being
prayed about and put in the Lord’s hands, the believer can be thankful
knowing that God will ultimately accomplish His will in all things. 2. The believer is commanded not only to
give thanks but to do so in everything no matter what the circumstance (en
panti - “in all things”). 3. Paul goes on to state that it is God’s
will that the believer give thanks in all things. Why? Because in Christ Jesus,
God is working all things together for good (Rom 8:28). Therefore, God has
designed that everything that happens to us is for God’s glory and the
believer’s edification, which is equivalent to being conformed to the image
of Christ (Rom 8:29). 4. We are not only to give thanks to God
“in” (preposition “en”) all things, but we are also to give thanks to
God “for” (preposition “huper”, with the genitive - “for the sake of”, Eph
5:20) or “for the sake” of all things. In other words, we should thank
God not only for what did not happen, but also for what God actually allowed
to happen. |
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