Well, good to see you everyone. It is Father's Day. Father's Day makes me nostalgic and
! I think of years gone by. Is this a little loud? Let's turn this down a little bit because
! I'm only going to get louder. In years gone by, especially when I was growing up, I grew
up in the country and I grew up on a property away from a village which was away from the
big town. And I did feel isolated from the rest of the world. And I loved sport and music,
especially music, but I didn't have a whole lot of access to it apart from the radio and
I heard a lot of music, all different kinds of music from all different eras. And I hated
a lot of it and I loved a lot of it. And one thing that I got told was really great,
was music from the 60s, especially by a band called The Beatles. Anyone ever heard of them?
Okay, Tony just glared at me from the back corner. There are some people who love The Beatles,
like Tony. There are some people who love The Beatles fiercely, but I didn't love it.
And my uncle found out, my uncle Neil, who is someone I love dearly, and grew up knowing
that he was very good to me and was there for me like my dad was, even if he lived in a different
state. And one day he gave me an album. He said, I know you don't like The Beatles, but maybe
you'll like this. And he gave me John Lennon's anthology. John Lennon is one of The Beatles,
and he is the guy who wrote Imagine. Ever heard that song? So, mainly because someone had taken
an interest in me and shared something with me, I think I grew to like John Lennon just as much as
I like The Beatles maybe even more. And I used to love the song Imagine. Imagine is this song that
invites us to imagine the world as one at peace. Lennon thinks that some things have got to end
for peace to come. Things like war or religion. The idea of heaven and hell has to be done away with
completely. The question of what our world needs most is one that we often disagree with. But in
Lennon's time, everyone would have said the world needs peace. If you watch the news,
even if it's only once a month, you might agree. The song Imagine has done well in helping people
consider that we need change. Maybe even consider changing themselves. Maybe even consider pursuing
peace with what they can do and control. But as effective as that song is, the world is far more
effective at creating war. Nations and peoples, marriages, friendships, all trend towards conflict.
This world seems at war with itself. And the older I get,
the more battles I witness against pain, debt, division, and death.
Peace doesn't seem to grow or come nearer. The world only increases in complexity and brokenness.
And the song Imagine is not enough. I listen to it now and I get a sense of bitterness when I listen to it.
Even frustration. Because the peace that it makes us crave when we hear it.
The peace that we long for when we watch the news or experience the hardship of this world.
We can't find it. And as you get older, it's harder and harder to imagine it.
But the peace the world hungers for does exist. Anyone can witness it.
And all they need to do is go to church.
Where Christians experience the peace that all people long for.
And you might be shocked that I've just said that.
You might scoff.
But Paul is going to show us in 1 Thessalonians 5,
how our relationships to one another in Christian community display the peace of God
by the very power of God.
And we'll be navigating through Paul's encouragements to build up Christians.
That's where we just left last week's passage.
Encouraging one another and building up one another.
And Paul is going to bring three encouragements to us.
In our relationships, in finding peace,
and fighting the battle for Christian community.
Answering the question,
can Christians together really show peace to their world?
When my wife and I first became part of this church,
20 or so years ago,
we noticed that some people referred to each other as uncle and auntie,
who we knew were not related at all.
And we thought this was beautiful.
Because older members of the church,
or people who journeyed a long time with one another,
had uncle and auntie as this lovely family title of respect and connection.
And as we've grown up in this church,
and had children of our own,
we've taught our children to call some of you uncle and auntie.
Because you've helped us raise our children.
You've helped us grow.
And you continue to encourage us.
You're family to us.
Paul starts our passage today,
calling Thessalonian Christians,
brothers and sisters.
You may not know me at all.
My name's Nick.
I'm one of the pastors here at church.
You might have only ever seen me online.
You might have clicked through and met me right now.
But if you're a Christian,
I'm your brother.
Isn't that amazing?
If you're a follower of Jesus,
we are family.
For being saved by Jesus means we are made family.
And like no family you've ever known,
because our Father loves us perfectly.
And we're in a family for all eternity.
It's an unbreakable family.
But if we are honest with ourselves,
we rarely treat our church family
at the love level of our household family.
Paul means what he calls us.
We should be experiencing good,
deep, sibling family relationships
as Christian family.
Look around the room.
Are you committed in love to these people?
Your sisters and your brothers.
Or do you tolerate Sundays?
Pretending to be at peace.
Paul has two encouragements for you,
brothers and sisters.
Each is for us all,
so that we might live as God's family together
to build his community of peace.
Let's have a look at what he's encouraging us family in.
First, is to acknowledge,
in verse 12 and verse 13,
hold in highest regard
a certain group of fellow believers.
Acknowledge can also mean respect or appreciate,
in verse 13,
literally means esteem them exceedingly.
So who are these people?
They are those who work hard among you
and those who care for you in the Lord
and admonish you.
They are those taking the lead over you as a Christian,
who are laboring over your growth in faith.
Who are those people to you?
What's interesting is Paul doesn't list any titles
for these leaders,
but only qualities.
And, he says in verse 12,
such a leader is among you.
Not distant or uncaring or lazy
and only sometimes here.
Instead, no, they're family level close
so that they know you
and know your needs
and where you need to grow in your faith.
They are those working hard,
toiling over you
and literally straining to exhaustion
over you
as they care and speak truth into your life.
who comes to mind
in your life
who is such a leader to you?
It may be a Christian friend,
a parent,
a group leader,
or even a pastor
at your church.
Paul does not ask that we ignore
or mistreat those people,
nor treat them like princes or popes,
but to show appreciation
and affection to them
in keeping with their work
to serve and grow us.
That's the first encouragement.
And then, in verse 13,
Paul moves from asking,
sorry, in verse 14,
Paul moves from asking,
in verse 12,
asking us to respect
and love our leaders
to urging,
in verse 14.
Perhaps he imagined
the church would struggle more
with this second encouragement.
For Paul calls all believers
to admonish,
encourage,
and help
our sisters and brothers
who are idle,
the disheartened,
and the weak.
To know which of those
your brother and sister
are
the idle,
the disheartened,
or the weak.
We need to
know them.
Imagine
discovering
your friend,
your Christian friend,
is
devastated,
struggling,
faint of heart,
and you walk up to them
with a strong warning,
a loud voice,
a firm push
in a certain direction.
They may
break.
The American
preacher and writer,
John Piper,
says that
the admonishing
of the idle
versus
encouraging
and helping
the faint-hearted
and weak
is like a line
between
tough love
and tender-hearted
love.
Both are love,
but
we need
to know
each other
so we know
how
to love.
And then we must learn
how to love
each of these
in particular,
the idle,
the disheartened,
and weak.
So let's have a look
at each group.
First,
who are the idle?
Someone not doing
something?
The person you ask
to do a favor
who doesn't show up?
Paul likely means
those who are part
of this church
in Thessalonica
that are not
participating
in the life
of the family
in some way.
Paul's second
letter to the
Thessalonians,
which, spoiler alert,
we're going to get to
in a fortnight.
We're going to start
exploring that
second letter.
Paul,
in that letter,
warns of a threat
the idle have begun
to pose,
the church.
The idle have
become disruptive
and no longer
holding to
Jesus'
teaching.
Some scholars
say that the idle
likely misread
the day of the Lord,
which we've heard
about in the
previous weeks.
They've misread it
as already come.
And so they're
no longer working
to serve one
another or
functioning in the
life of the church.
They're dividing
and disheartening
those around them.
So Paul says
in that second
letter,
keep away from
that as if the
situation gets worse
between letter one
and letter two.
Christians,
we are urged
to admonish
the idle
so that they
do not become
wayward.
Admonishing
is to me
and maybe
to you
a strange word.
Maybe it's not
something we
ever really do
or know that we do.
But what I've
found that it is,
it's a kind of
big brotherly
warning against
behavior and
its consequences,
against bad
behavior.
And it seeks
not to create
an enemy,
but to deliver
truth closely
as to a friend.
Christians,
we have the gift
of Scripture
to open
in those moments
with our sister
and our brother
in friendship.
for it's
the same
word that
we would
take to
them that
the idle
have walked
away from
or misinterpreted.
So that should
be opened
again as we
admonish them
to call the
idle wanderer
back to
active
participation.
Secondly,
who are the
disheartened?
disheartened
or faint-hearted,
which is in
the other
translations,
it literally
means small
souled.
Small
souled.
Someone
struggling to
wrap their
arms around
and hold
on to
the promises
of Jesus.
As if they
can only see
the situation
unfolding right
in front
of them
and missing
out,
maybe even
blind in
that moment
to the
hope beyond
their present
day that
Jesus offers.
Again,
John Piper
says,
it's like
their capacity
to feel the
greatness of
God is
small.
Their
understanding
and embrace
of God
is narrow.
how might
you
encourage
the
disheartened?
One
example
of
an
encouragement
could be
that you
open up
this
scripture,
Ephesians
1,
18-19.
This is
an
encouragement
to the
small of
soul.
To know
the hope
which God
has called
you,
the riches
of his
glorious
inheritance,
and his
incomparably
great power
for all
who believe.
The
encouragement
is,
God himself
will grow
your capacity
to see
his
greatness.
Scripture
promises
that that
will
increase.
So how
could you
partner with
God in
regularly
bringing
word that
encourages
you
to those
without
courage?
And
thirdly,
who are
the weak?
These
could be
weak
physically,
emotionally,
financially,
even just
intellectually.
It's
wide open.
Weakness of
all kinds.
all
Christians
are urged
to help
any
Christian
in any
way.
Now,
in our
city,
in
Chatswood,
there is
a strong
hesitation
toward
helping.
As a
city,
our reflex
is to
self-protect
against doing
anything hard,
especially
something already
outside our
plans.
But I've
seen people
in our
city do
whatever is
needed,
drop
everything
for those
they love
when those
are at
their
weakest.
Paul is
urging
Christians
to help
our
family
like that.
And the
other
side of
our
fear
is that
we will
run out
of
capacity
to
help.
Should we
always help
until we
break?
In
Acts 20,
verse 35,
Paul
says,
I showed
you by
this kind
of hard
work,
we must
help the
weak.
Remembering
the words
of the
Lord Jesus
himself,
said,
it is
more
blessed
to give
than to
receive.
John
Piper
explains,
we don't
drain out
into
misery
as we
help
encourage
and
admonish,
but serving
one another
fuels our
joy in
Jesus as
we practice
the love
of Jesus
to one
another.
will you
challenge
your fear
of
capacity
and
hardship
to help?
Trusting
that you
will discover
joy
that is
uniquely
found
as you
serve
and help
in
Christian
community.
We aren't
left
without
help from
Jesus.
to help
the weak.
How willing
are you
to warn,
to encourage,
to help
Christians
in this
room,
even those
you haven't
met yet?
Don't
misunderstand
me.
These
encouragements
sound hard
and I
want us
to get
a sense
of that
hardness
first
today.
And Paul
knows
even if
you work
hard at
this,
you will
feel like
giving up.
Not
just because
serving one
another is
hard,
but also
because of
how your
help might
be received.
Have a look
at the end
of verse
14.
be
patient
with
everyone
or
be
long
suffering
with
everyone.
Another
translation.
Who are
you
naturally
patient
with?
Your
mind
just
might have
just
gone
blank.
But
maybe
you're
naturally
quick to
patience
with your
friends,
your blood
relatives,
someone you
deeply
love.
But if
you're like
me,
be patient
with everyone
because
they're
impossible.
Everyone?
Many of
us are
teachers
or coaches
or tutors.
Anyone
work in a
school?
Anyone
teach children?
Anyone
teach adults?
Anyone
coach?
Are you
a gym
instructor?
Anyone?
No one's
putting up
their hand
for the
last one.
How often
have you
taught
something
that is
immediately
forgotten
that you
have to
reteach
and then
it's
ignored
and then
you repeat
the cycle
over and
over?
You
might know
a Christian
who only
ever gets
maybe tiny
little tastes
of God
once a
week
in a
sermon
or in
a song
or in
a moment
with you
and you
may never
see change
in them
ever
it seems.
How long
are you
willing to
bear with
them
on the
journey
alongside
you
following
Jesus?
Patiently
never give
up on
anyone.
Why?
Because
every one
of us
already
needed
someone
to be
patient
with us
for our
idleness
for our
faint of
heart
for our
weakness
as we
live the
Christian
life.
I'm
not
standing
here
today
without
the
patience
of
Chris
David
Steve
actually
a few
Steve's
actually
there's
been a
few
Steve's
who've
been
very
patient
with
me
Johnny
Dan
Sam
my
parents
my
family
those
who
have
loved
on
me
through
my
life
so
many
more
that I
just
even
my
uncle
who gave
me
a
CD
without
patience
Christians
do not
grow
changing
our
patterns
of
belief
and
behavior
take
time
Christian
community
must
grow
in
unworldly
patience
for the
wayward
the
disheartened
and the
weak
among us
so now
we come
to the
heart
of our
passage
today
have a
look at
verse 13
and how
it
finishes
live
at
peace
with
each
other
the
most
impossible
feeling
of Paul's
encouragements
is
go
and live
in peace
with each
other
it's about
as useful
to us
as the
song
imagine
but
a community
living out
the two
encouragements
Paul has
just led
us through
can
be at
peace
together
peace
between
people
is built
by those
who
patiently
labor
to see
their
brothers
and
sisters
flourishing
following
Jesus
while
those
turn
and
respect
those
who
lead
them
under
God
there
are
two
encouragements
from
today
in our
human
strength
we
cannot
create
this
kind
of
peace
in
our
churches
we
need
God
to
bring
his
peace
to
us
and
make
his
peace
through
us
this
week
I
had
the
pleasure
of
watching
the
movie
gladiator
two
gladiator
one
was
incredible
has
one
of
the
best
musical
scores
ever
written
even
just
thinking
about
that
movie
I
can
hear
that
melody
in
my
head
and
it
it's
moving
it's
wonderful
this
movie
was a
little
more
just
about
war
and
battle
and
fighting
and
it
starts
with
an
impending
battle
between
these
countless
looking
number
of
Roman
ships
coming
in
from
the
sea
towards
this
big
city
where
there's
an
army
defending
on
their
walls
on
the
ocean
and
it's
the
African
city
of
Numidia
and
the
battalion
leader
there
called
Hanno
on the
screen
yells
to his
soldiers
to inspire
their
rage
at
Rome
he
says
they
have
no
lands
but
the
ones
they've
stolen
wherever
they
go
they
leave
destruction
and
call
it
peace
and
everyone
laughs
what are
they laughing
about
why does
this make
the
Numidians
so
mad
they're
laughing
at
what was
called
the
Pax
Romana
which is
Latin
and it
is this
famous
promise
that
Rome
boasted
!
This
peace
of
Rome
was
created
by
conquering
fiercely
taxing
those who
survived
and
culturally
enslaving
Thessalonica
was a
city
under
Roman
rule
the
Thessalonian
church
were
freshly
aware
of
the
cost
of
Christianity's
challenge
to
Rome's
peace
believers
had
died
as
soldiers
enforced
Pax
Romana
the
peace
of
Rome
so
if you
look in
your
Bible
earlier
in
this
chapter
Paul
uses
quotation
marks
to
point
out
Pax
Romana
have a
look at
verse
3
of our
chapter
today
while
people
are
saying
peace
and
safety
destruction
will
come
Paul
is
leading
a
battle
cry
like
Hanno
in
Gladiator
2
scoffing
at the
false
peace
of
Rome
but
instead
of
calling
us
to
fight
against
Rome
Paul
reminds
us
of a
battle
for
peace
against
an
even
worse
enemy
the
battle
to
peace
is
not
against
Rome
but
it is
humanity's
war
with
God
over
sin
look
down
to
verse
9
it's
in
the
word
wrath
all
sin
is a
declaration
of
war
against
God
destined
for
wrath
is the
inevitable
outcome
of all
who
sin
all
have
sinned
and
fought
fallen
short
without
someone
to fight
for
us
we
will
never
have
peace
with
God
but
that
is
not
the
outcome
for
Christians
God
has
not
destined
us
for
wrath
look at
the
verse
for
God
did
not
appoint
us
to
suffer
wrath
but
to
receive
salvation
through
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
instead
of
wrath
we
have
not
have
to
go
fight
Rome
but
have
a
peace
with
God
through
salvation
in
Jesus
for
Jesus
won
that
victory
for
us
by
surrendering
to
God's
wrath
in
our
place
on
the
battlefield
of
our
sin
Jesus
gave
up
his
perfect
peace
with
God
for
a
peaceless
human
existence
and
a
shameful
death
on
a
Roman
cross
the
full
force
of
God's
wrath
towards
us
was
poured
out
on
his
head
Jesus
came
to
fight
a
war
against
our
peaceless
future
without
God
he
surrendered
his
victory
and
received
our
defeat
and
for
our
part
of
this
exchange
we
need
only
receive
Jesus
to
receive
peace
with
God
for
our
humanity's
core
this is
actually
the peace
we are
looking
for
peace
with
the
one
who
made
us
peace
and
only
Christians
can
find
it
peace
from
Jesus
is
the
foundation
of
Christian
community
so
how do
we live
out that
peace
together
Jesus
must
do it
among
us
we
receive
power
to
create
an
increasingly
peaceful
community
of
faith
from
Jesus
through
the
Holy
Spirit
in a
letter
to
another
city
Galatia
Paul
wrote
the
fruit
of
the
spirit
is
love
joy
peace
patience
kindness
goodness
faithfulness
gentleness
and self
control
the
Holy
Spirit
is
where
our
patience
for one
another
comes
from
not
from
our
own
strength
it's
a
promised
fruit
of the
activity
of the
Holy
Spirit
in
Christian
community
the
pressure
to
patiently
pursue
peace
it
isn't
in your
nature
to
carry
but it
is
achieved
by
God's
power
the
Holy
Spirit
is
what
Jesus
calls
the
helper
in
John
15
that
he
will
send
us
and
send
Christians
to
bear
witness
about
all
the
promises
Jesus
made
and how
he
fulfills
them
all
and will
one day
fulfill
them
completely
the
Spirit
helps
us
by bringing
us
an
undaunted
hope
only the
Spirit can
bring that
an
undaunted
hope
that
fuels
patience
for his
people
and
brings
them
peace
together
and
Paul
hopes
that
we
will
fight
we
will
fight
for
such
a
community
and
for
that
fight
he
commands
us
to
put
on
armor
in
verse
8
of our
chapter
today
that
of a
kind
we
might
not
expect
because
it's
not
chain
mail
to
stop
a
Roman
arrow
or
to
wear
when we
fight
one
another
so
that
we
might
not
get
too
many
injuries
instead
it's
a
spiritual
armor
of
faith
and
love
we
wear
over
our
hearts
and
a
hope
for
the
salvation
of
Jesus
that
we
have
and
is
to
come
over
our
minds
we
put
on
this
armor
when
we
discover
and
remember
Jesus
we
wear
this
armor
as
the
spirit
speaks
to
us
as
we
open
our
Bibles
as
we
sing
of
Jesus
worth
as
we
talk
of
him
together
as
we
encourage
one
another
with
the
Bible
open
between
us
and
as
we
live
it
out
and
witness
that
together
more
and
more
the
fighting
colors
of
our
forgiven
king
appear
on
the
chest
of
everyone
in the
Christian
community
so
that
our
city
can
see
something
is
different
our
city
can
see
and
understand
as
we
love
our
leaders
to
grow
us
and
as
we
seek
to
grow
our
sisters
and
brothers
in
our
final
verse
15
we're
going
to
see
how
our
city
gets
a
glimpse
of
the
peace
of
God
in
our
midst
the
verse
starts
with
make
sure
nobody
pays
back
wrong
for
wrong
we
should
look like
a
community
not
of
retaliation
towards
one
another
or
towards
our
community
but
a
community
marked
by
forgiveness
you
see
how
forgiveness
not
paying
back
wrong
for
wrong
even
to
forgive
speaks
to
a
culture
where
if
you
make
a
public
mistake
you
get
cancelled
and
songs
seem
to
make
more
of
an
impact
than
people
forgiveness
is the
great
sign
of
peace
that
our
church
must
show
to
our
city
Jesus
taught us
to pray
for the
power
to
forgive
we
just
shared
it
in
the
prayer
before
we
read
this
passage
forgive
us
our
sins
as
we
forgive
those
who
sin
against
us
we
ask
for
God
to
put
into
our
own
hands
what
we've
already
received
from
him
power
to
forgive
from
the
forgiveness
that
he
gave
us
first
to
forgive
might
be
the
greatest
good
that
we
can
do
for
one
another
always
strive
to
do
what
is
good
for
each
other
says
Paul
and
he
calls
us
to
do
the
greatest
good
forgiveness
!
do
you
see
how
this
passage
ends
with
the
overflow
!
of
the
Christian
community
the
world
hasn't
received
yet
forgiveness
from
sins
peace
from
God
but
they
get
to
see
it
as
we
forgive
those
who
sin
against
us
even
our
enemies
is
that
the
kind
of
community
you
see
here
in
this
church
that
you
participate
in
in the
life
of
this
church
is
that
the
community
the
Holy
Spirit
is
stirring
a
desire
to
fight
for
in
you
brothers
and
sisters
we
are
family
Jesus
has
gathered
us
to
live
our
peace
together
drawing
our
strength
from
the
spirit
and
our
relationship
of
perfect
peace
with
God
until
the
day
Jesus
returns
and
we're
as
Paul
says
caught
up
together
with
him
we
will
have
to
fight
for
peace
with
one
another
so
I'm
not
going to
sing
it
but
I
am
going
to
ask
you
to
imagine
fighting
for
peace
with
those
who
work
hard
to
help
you
grow
in
your
faith
imagine
fighting
for
peace
in
your
church
family
tender
loving
and
tough
loving
those
among
you
as
you
take
strength
and
patience
from
the
spirit
brothers
and
sisters
our
city
longs
for
peace
but
can't
get
it
so
imagine
you
go
to
them
in
your
friendships
at
home
at
work
with
those
you
love
and
testify
to
the
joy
of
Christian
community
or
are
you
one
among
us
today
who
are
not
yet
my
brother
and
sister
in
Jesus
imagine
joining
a Christian
community
that
offers
what
we've
just
heard
about
only
Jesus
offers
you
peace
the
peace
all
people
long
for
peace
with
God
peace
with
one
another
as a
band
comes up
let's
pray
heavenly
father
would
you
empower
us
by
your
spirit
to
give
us
patience
with
one
another
let
us
draw
from
the
peace
we
have
with
you
to
be
at
peace
with
one
another
and
may
the
peace
of
our
community
overflow
and
be
visible
even
in
forgiveness
as we
do
good
to
all
people
in our
city
and
would
joy
overflow
as we
are
thankful
how
Jesus
provides
us
that
peace
amen