Paul the
apostle told the Thessalonian church members to “comfort”
and “edify one another” with the idea that Jesus will
return for believers in Him who are both living and have preceded
them. In chapter five and verse twelve, Paul changes direction in his
letter as he writes concerning those who “labor among”,
“are over” and who “admonish” them where we
read:
And we
beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you,
and are
over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
The
verse begins, “And we beseech you, brethren, to know them
which labor among you,...” Paul
began with the phrase, “And we beseech”
or “continue by requesting, entreating and begging” “you”
which refers to the
Thessalonians “brethren”
or “a fellow believer, united to another by the bond of
affection” “to know
them which” which means
“perceive, notice, discern and discover those who” “labor”
or “grow weary with wearisome effort, who are tired and exhausted”
“among you” which
means “with the Thessalonians”. Paul draws the church members to
pay particular attention to people who “labor”
or “minister among” them.
The
verse goes on to say, “...and are over you in the Lord,
and admonish you;” Paul
continued, “and are over you”
which means “set or placed before, superintend, preside over as a
protector or guardian, care for and give attention to the church
members” “in the Lord”
or “he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has
power of deciding; master and is the title given to God, the Messiah”
“and admonish”
which means “warn and exhort” “you”
which refers to the Thessalonian church members. Not only were the
Thessalonians to notice and discern those who “labored” among
them, but they were also to “know”
those who were in authority over them and those who were given the
responsibility of “warning and exhorting” them.
When
we think about Paul's words, we should immediately have in mind
people who “labor”
among us. Do we know who they are? What about those who are in
authority over us and those who “warn” and “exhort” us in our
Christian walks? Let us notice that Paul included “in the
Lord” in his exhortation, and
those who are in authority within the church are to be not only
“noticed” but held in high regard. This requirement has a
two-fold responsibility. First, we are to look these authorities and
regard highly their words, and the authorities are required to be
“worthy” of that respect. As laborers together with the Lord
Jesus, the church members are to understand authority as He did, and
when we have those among us who not only “labor”
with us, but are also “over”
and “admonish” us,
let us have an attitude toward them that is well pleasing to God.
Next
time Paul tells the Thessalonian church members concerning the
authorities over them to “esteem them very highly in love
for their work's sake”, so
read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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