Joy, Prayer and Joy, Prayer and Thanksgiving Thanksgiving

I Thess. 5:12-18I Thess. 5:12-18

November 30, 2008November 30, 2008Jeff DouglasJeff Douglas

BackgroundBackground

AuthorAuthor DateDate 1&2 Thessalonians are known as 1&2 Thessalonians are known as

"eschatological" books meaning "last things" "eschatological" books meaning "last things" Second Missionary Journey (Acts 17:1-9)Second Missionary Journey (Acts 17:1-9)

The MessageThe Message

I Thess 5I Thess 5 12 12 And now, friends, we ask you to honor And now, friends, we ask you to honor

those leaders who work so hard for you, who those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!

The MessageThe Message

I Thess 5I Thess 5 13-15 13-15 Get along among yourselves, each of you doing Get along among yourselves, each of you doing

your part. Our counsel is that you your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet.reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. needs. And be careful that when you get on each And be careful that when you get on each other's nerves you don't snap at each other.other's nerves you don't snap at each other. Look for Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out. it out.

The MessageThe Message

I Thess 5I Thess 5 16-18 16-18 Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the

time; thank God no matter what happens. time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live. Christ Jesus to live.

J. B. PhillipsJ. B. Phillips

Live together in peace, and our instruction to Live together in peace, and our instruction to this end is to this end is to reprimandreprimand the unrulythe unruly, , encourage encourage the timidthe timid, , help the weakhelp the weak and be very patient and be very patient with all men. Be sure that no one repays a bad with all men. Be sure that no one repays a bad turn by a bad turn; good should be your turn by a bad turn; good should be your objective always, among yourselves and in the objective always, among yourselves and in the world at large. Be happy in your faith at all world at large. Be happy in your faith at all times. Never stop praying. Be thankful, times. Never stop praying. Be thankful, whatever the circumstances may be. If you whatever the circumstances may be. If you follow this advice you will be working out the follow this advice you will be working out the will of God expressed to you in Jesus Christ.will of God expressed to you in Jesus Christ.

Constant JoyConstant Joy

What comes to mind?What comes to mind?

Earthly v. spiritual viewEarthly v. spiritual view

Joy is the second fruit of the SpiritJoy is the second fruit of the Spirit

Being in Christ gives us that joyBeing in Christ gives us that joy

Constant PrayerConstant Prayer

Rom. 8Rom. 826In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our 26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.God's will.

Constant PrayerConstant Prayer

I Tim 4I Tim 41I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, 1I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2for kings and all those in everyone— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all men to be saved and to come to a all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. knowledge of the truth.

Constant PrayerConstant Prayer

We need to be a people of constant prayer.We need to be a people of constant prayer.

Prayer life not controlled by circumstances.Prayer life not controlled by circumstances.

Both in private and in public.Both in private and in public.

Constant ThanksgivingConstant Thanksgiving

It is an attitudeIt is an attitude

MindsetMindset

Not controlled by perceptions of good or badNot controlled by perceptions of good or bad

We are consumed by itWe are consumed by it

This is God's will for you in This is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus.

Constant joyConstant joy

Constant prayerConstant prayer

Constant thanksgivingConstant thanksgiving

II Corinthians 11II Corinthians 11 21-23Since you admire the 21-23Since you admire the egomaniacs of the egomaniacs of the

pulpit so much (remember, this is your old pulpit so much (remember, this is your old friend, the fool, talking),friend, the fool, talking), let me try my hand at let me try my hand at it. Do they brag of being Hebrews, Israelites, it. Do they brag of being Hebrews, Israelites, the pure race of Abraham? I'm their match. the pure race of Abraham? I'm their match. Are they servants of Christ? I can go them one Are they servants of Christ? I can go them one better. (I can't believe I'm saying these things. better. (I can't believe I'm saying these things. It's crazy to talk this way! But I started, and It's crazy to talk this way! But I started, and I'm going to finish.) I'm going to finish.)

II Corinthians 11II Corinthians 11 23-25I've worked much harder, been jailed 23-25I've worked much harder, been jailed

more often, beaten up more times than I can more often, beaten up more times than I can count, and at death's door time after time. I've count, and at death's door time after time. I've been flogged five times with the Jews' thirty-been flogged five times with the Jews' thirty-nine lashes, beaten by Roman rods three times, nine lashes, beaten by Roman rods three times, pummeled with rocks once. I've been pummeled with rocks once. I've been shipwrecked three times, and immersed in the shipwrecked three times, and immersed in the open sea for a night and a day. open sea for a night and a day.

II Corinthians 11II Corinthians 11 26-27In hard traveling year in and year out, 26-27In hard traveling year in and year out,

I've had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, I've had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, struggle with friends, struggle with foes. I've struggle with friends, struggle with foes. I've been at risk in the city, at risk in the country, been at risk in the city, at risk in the country, endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and betrayed by those I thought were my brothers. betrayed by those I thought were my brothers. I've known drudgery and hard labor, many a I've known drudgery and hard labor, many a long and lonely night without sleep, many a long and lonely night without sleep, many a missed meal, blasted by the cold, naked to the missed meal, blasted by the cold, naked to the weather. weather.

II Corinthians 11II Corinthians 11

28-29And that's not the half of it, when you 28-29And that's not the half of it, when you throw in the daily pressures and anxieties of all throw in the daily pressures and anxieties of all the churches. When someone gets to the end of the churches. When someone gets to the end of his rope, I feel the desperation in my bones. his rope, I feel the desperation in my bones. When someone is duped into sin, an angry fire When someone is duped into sin, an angry fire burns in my gut. burns in my gut.

30-33If I have to "brag" about myself, I'll brag 30-33If I have to "brag" about myself, I'll brag about the humiliations that make me like about the humiliations that make me like Jesus. The eternal and blessed God and Father Jesus. The eternal and blessed God and Father of our Master Jesus knows I'm not lying. of our Master Jesus knows I'm not lying.