Always Be Thankful, Encourage, and Build Up
June 19
As I have stated many times during my ministry, the point of eschatology is not to reveal times and dates, but rather to remind us that we need to always be ready for Jesus’ return. 1 Thessalonians 5 is a perfect example. (1 Thessalonians 5:6–8) Rather than create fear about the unknown future, Paul urges the church to encourage each other with the fact that there is more than merely this world. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
Paul praises the church at Thessalonica. They know that Jesus will return sometime in the future, and he reminds them to stay alert. As Jesus’ return nears, signs of the times will appear in rapid succession and with increasing intensity, as labor pains. (1 Thessalonians 5:3)
Believers should never fear the End Times. Instead, Paul encourages members of the church to encourage each other and to continue to build each other up. The Greek word behind build up is the basis of the English word edifice, a term that means a “large or massive structure”.[1] An edifice cannot be built overnight. It takes time. It takes commitment. It takes a concerted effort to finish the task. The Great Wall of China, (which can be seen from outer space!) took two thousand years to build.
Paul offers specific ways of building up other believers in 1 Thessalonians 5:12–22. In 5:21–22 he urges the church to discern, something which is rarely followed in many churches today in Western cultures. In these verses, he uses words such as “avoid” and “hold onto” certain things. The Greek word behind these words is identical; the difference is they have different prefixes.
In yesterday’s devotional, I mentioned that there are a few places where God spells out clearly what His will is. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 is another one of those clear places: “… for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” God’s will for all believers is to maintain a thankful attitude in all things.
Application
Building up one another in a church – any church – takes time. And patience. People are not transformed overnight. Some weeks, months, or years may seem to pass at a slow, methodical, marathon snail’s pace. Other weeks, months, or years may seem to fly by like a hypersonic jet.
The first thing to do in building up a church is to build up our own spiritual life. Continue the process of personal growth on a regular basis. No, you don’t have to spend protracted time in prayer and Bible reading and study every single day. But stay with it. Try really hard not to go more than a day or two without practicing these and other spiritual disciplines. And on those days when you don’t, or can’t engage with God in a more structured time, you can offer up “popcorn prayers” and rehearse Bible verses that you have hidden in your heart. (Psalm 119:11)
We need to be ready at all times. At. All. Times.
[1] Merriam-Webster, Inc. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary., Eleventh ed., Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003.