Jump Start # 1326

1 Thessalonians 5:14 “We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”

  As the apostle Paul concludes his first letter to the young church at Thessalonica, he gives them a list of practical and helpful things to keep them going. Notice a couple of things from this verse.

First, notice the action words that Paul wanted the brethren to engage in. He lists, admonish, encourage, help and be patient. The chapter before ends with words that would help those who were mourning the death of the righteous. There, Paul tells them, comfort one another with these words.

These action words reveal to us that we all do not need the same thing. Some need encouraging. Others need admonishing. Others need just a little more time, patience. Still others need comfort. This tells us that we are not all going through the same things at the same time. Some of us are struggling, others are mourning, and still others, need a kick in the pants. The challenge of shepherds in the church is to recognize who is where. How disastrous it would be to admonish someone who only needed some comfort or encouraging. This is sometimes done. The results are not pretty. The wounded Christian feels crushed and abandoned by his own people. Instead of support, he received fingers pointing at him and rebuke. He cannot understand why they don’t understand. This reminds us that one size fits all leadership rarely works.

There is also the challenge for the preacher in these action words. Some sermons need to teach. Some sermons need to admonish. Some sermons need to be encouraging. Sermons cannot be the same all the time and the reason is, a segment of the congregation would not be helped if that were the case. Encouraging sermons are the easiest to preach. But that is not always the most needed item at the moment.  Preachers must understand that. To always admonish in your sermons makes the congregation feel that they can never do anything right. The preacher is never happy. He makes them believe that God is never happy. More, more, more, like the demanding high school coach, the congregation feels pushed and exhausted. Paul’s list includes patience and encouragement.

The second thing that we notice in this list is that the brethren were in different conditions spiritually. Look at the words again. Paul says that some are  unruly, some are fainthearted, some are weak. The list isn’t pretty: Weak Christians, fainthearted Christians, unruly Christians.  Implied in this list is that some are strong. If there wasn’t any strong ones, then who would do the admonishing, encouraging and helping?

Unruly has to do with obedience. Some are rebels. They will push the envelope every time. They need a string tied to their ankles because they are always go off somewhere where they don’t belong. The unruly need a good dose of Biblical authority. They need to understand that God rules. They must learn the pattern of the New Testament. Rebels become radicals which quickly become apostates if they are not taught. Admonish them. This doesn’t have to be mean, ugly or in your face. But there are out of bounds lines that they need to recognize. They must learn what God is like and what He wants. The wild at heart can be tamed under Christ. One of the virtues Peter wanted Christians to add to their faith is self-control. Pull your feelings, emotions and thoughts in. Line them up under Christ. Deny self, follow Christ. The unruly can be a challenge, but they can be taught. Admonish them.

The fainthearted reminds me of the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz. All the things he would do if he only had the nerve. And that’s the problem, there is no nerve. Afraid and fearful are the components of the fainthearted. Some faint at the sight of blood. Some faint at the first sign of trouble. Maybe not literally faint, but definitely not sure what to do or where to go. Fear is fed by weak faith. Fear leads to doubting. Eventually, the doubter drops out. Now, from the outside, it’s easy to see the unruly and the fainthearted as the same. Both quit. However, they quit for different reasons. Being scared and being a rebel are not the same. Paul’s words to those who are afraid is to encourage them. They need to understand that God is with them, even through the valley of the shadow of death. They need to remember that God is always on the throne. They need to know that tough times are not a time to go and hide, but to walk with the Lord. Encouragement is what they need. Build them up. Put some oxygen back into their souls.

The weak are yet different from the unruly and the fainthearted. Weak in faith is what is intended. Weak backs, weak minds and weak faith doesn’t do anyone much good. In the parable of the sower, the shallow rooted seedling soon withered away because of the blazing sun. There was no depth to it. The roots couldn’t reach down to the moisture that it needed. It dried up and died. The same happens to the Christian today. Weak faith is illustrated by poor attendance. Weak faith doesn’t think spiritually very often. Wrong choices, wrong friends, wrong results are what happens when one has weak faith. Again, the unruly and the weak may seem the same from the outside, but they are so different. Not understanding that will result in doing the wrong thing. The weak needs to be strong. There is one common way that happens, drink deeply into the word of God. Study. Classes. Sermons. Reading. Asking questions. Grow that faith. Use that faith. Turn the light on for the Lord. Help the weak. Be there. Support them. Show them. Guide them.

Patience with everyone. This includes the lists above and it also includes those not on the list. The unruly, the fainthearted, the weak all need time to grow, change and become.  Impatience will be the death of any group. The strong has to be patient. Sometimes they are not. Sometimes they get weary of having to help so many others. When we are not patient, we say things that we shouldn’t. We get irritated with one another. We get testy and it strains relationships.

The congregation Paul was writing to, the congregation that you are a member of, is made up of a mixture of people with all kinds of backgrounds, baggage and often, issues. We want a perfect church. You will not find it. Everyone congregation has problems. Every congregation has bright moments and dark secrets that it is ashamed of. Every congregation needs the Lord.

Paul’s words were not to drive off the unruly, the fearful, and the weak. They needed them. They could change. They could improve. Too many would rather have problem members leave. But the problem is, who is the problem member, or better yet, who is not a problem member. All of us are on this journey with Christ. We may not be unruly or fearful, but we still need help. We still need encouraging. We still need to be taught. We still need one another and we especially, still need the Lord.

Too many congregations bump and bruise and shoot their own wounded. That’s not only a shame, but it’s a violation of our passage today. This is not what Paul said. Help. Encourage. Admonish. Be patient. I expect more members drop off and drop out because of their feelings toward one another than what is taught. It’s hard to be a part when you are not accepted as a part. It’s hard to feel loved when you are not loved.

Each of us can do so much to help each other. Love, support, defend, teach and encourage are things that most of us can do. If we pointed the finger less at each other, if we gossiped less and encouraged more, the attitude and the atmosphere of most places would change. I met a young man from St. Louis a while back. His name was Ian. He had been bullied by friends and school most of his life. He hung around me a lot the week I was with that church. One evening he told me, “I just love this place. The people are the best. They accept me as I am.” I think young Ian was on to something there. I think that church was on to something. Instead of pointing out our differences, let’s highlight what we have in common. The top of the list is Jesus. From that, we build incredible relationships that make a difference spiritually.

We need each other. That was Paul’s point!

Roger

Jump Start # 927

1 Thessalonians 5:14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

Our verse today, near the end of 1 Thessalonians is a common characteristic of the apostle Paul. He often listed several things that the brethren needed to be engaged in and busy doing.  Here Paul listed four spiritual works: admonish, encourage, help, and patience. He also listed four different Christians: unruly, faint-hearted, weak and everyone.

What is interesting about this list is what is missing.

• Paul doesn’t explain how to do these things.
• Paul doesn’t explain why these people are this way,

The word “unruly” means out of rank or out of step. You’ve seen the marching band and everyone steps together—left foot, right foot, left foot. Here, when everyone is on the left foot, someone is on the right foot. They are out of step. They are unruly. They are not following the Bible way. They are undisciplined. They are rebels who do not want to conform fully to Christ. They need to be warned. Get back in step is the order.

The next expression is one I want to focus upon. Paul says to encourage the fainthearted. Some translations use the word “timid.” Timid reminds me of shy. Some are shy by nature. They would as soon lose a hand as stand up in front of a crowd and speak. Get a group together and you go around and everyone has to tell something about themselves. Some just nearly pass out from that. The word “faint hearted” literally means, “Little soul.” That sounds like a Indian name, like Running Bear, or Big Crow. Little soul. Paul said to encourage the little soul.

Things were tough in Thessalonica. Paul only stayed a few months and had to sneak out in the middle of the night. Jewish persecutors kept following him. Each place Paul went, they caused more trouble. Things barely got started in Thessalonica when the trouble came. Paul was so concerned about these new folks that he wrote this wonderful letter we call 1 Thessalonians. It was his first inspired book. It was to help those with “little souls.”

Some have a little soul because they just never got any depth spiritually. The parable of the sower describes some with shallow or little depth. The scorching sun dries them up and they wither away. Depth. Lowering the nets spiritually. Thinking big. Praying big. Digging deep into the Scriptures. Thinking about things. Using your mind to grasp things. This takes time. It takes work. Some never do it. They remain “little soul.” When trouble comes, the little souls are the first to be impacted by it. A death…a hardship…some ugliness…a spiritual hill to climb—it doesn’t take much and the little soul struggles. The little soul gets discouraged. The little soul quits. It’s too hard. It’s no longer fun. It’s not popular. It’s something.

Little souls need to be encouraged. They don’t need to be admonished. That goes to the unruly who are out of step. They need to be warned. The little souls need encouragement. They need to be built up. Air needs to blow into the sails. Encouragement isn’t flattery. Flattery is often superficial and after something. Flattery is like syrup on pancakes. A little tastes pretty good, but too much and they are ruined. Some pour on the syrup when it comes to flattery. Encouragement is spiritual based. It’s lasting, unlike flattery. It’s genuine and heartfelt. It’s only goal is to strengthen the little soul.

Little ones need to hold the hands of the big ones when they cross the street. Little minds will ask how to spell a certain word when they are doing homework. Little ones like to sit close to big ones. I have a special little on in our congregation. She is the daughter of our other preacher. She is the cutest thing ever. She can’t say my name very well but is always calling it out. She loves for me to hold her and I love to hold her. I hold her outside while I shake people’s hands. They don’t pay much attention to me when I’m holding my sweetie, as I call her. She’s fascinated with rain. We’ll stand on the edge of the overhang and hold our hands out just enough to let rain fall into our palms. The look in her eyes is absolute amazement. She’s a little one. Tender. Sweet. Kind. Curious. I wonder if that’s how Paul saw those “little souls” in Thessalonica. He loved them so much. He wanted them to make it.

Encourage them. Show them. Teach them. Spend time with them. Answer questions. Watch them grow. Those sweet souls with a little help will grow and be able to help others someday. Little souls don’t need harsh words, pointing fingers, judgmental looks. They are little. They are timid. They are fainthearted. They are a bit scared. Scared to stand for Jesus. Opposition was intense in that city. They needed a backbone. They needed conviction. The timid are much like a turtle that hides it’s head inside the shell. The scared turtle feels safe in the shell. There was a kids song many years ago that my children loved about a turtle. The song said, “You can’t make a turtle come out.” That’s what Paul was facing. Timid Christians. Scared Christians. Little soul Christians. Give them some encouragement and they will make it. They need the old veterans to help them. Younger preachers need to hear the stories of the older preachers. Not the funny stuff, but the tough stuff. They need to see that they can endure. Little soul Christians need the same. They need to be built up and told that others felt just like they did but they made it. Life can be scary, especially when you deal with co-workers or neighbors, or family members who like to get in your face because you are a Christian. Popping someone in the nose is not the Christian way, but neither is hiding in our shells. Stand up, stand up for Jesus is what we sing and it’s what we need to do. The world is forcing it’s dumb and wrong ideas upon us. Evolution, same-sex marriage, legalizing drugs, removing God’s name from things, immoral shows and music—that’s today for you and I. We can’t hide. We can’t run. We need backbone. We need wind in our sails. We need encouragement. We need not be a little soul.

One of the best ways we do this is through our connections with each other. We help each other. We remind each other. We pray for each other. Alone, we are a mess. Alone, we are lunch for the lion. But together, we are the army of the most High God. Together, we are marching to Zion. Together, we shall prevail.

You may have little souls in your home. You most likely have some in the congregation. Do what you can to encourage them. That’s what God wants you to do. Make sure you don’t lose the little ones.

Roger