Tag Archives: love

Pastor Rick’s Study Notes on 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 with Study Questions for two week’s.

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Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:

(PRT) I Thessalonians 5:12-28

v. 12 We ask you also, brothers and sisters, to get to know and look after those who are working hard among you who are devoted to leading you in the Lord and teaching you. v. 13 Appreciate them with high esteem and with love because of their work. Live in peace among yourselves.v. 14 We call on you, brothers and sisters, to caution those who don’t show up or cause discontent; comfort those who are discouraged in their spirit; support those who want to give up; show patience toward everyone. vv. 15-18 Make sure nobody has repaid one hurt or offense with another. Instead run after what’s  good and run toward each other in every kind of rejoicing. Don’t stop praying. Give thanks in every circumstance. For this is what  God in Christ Jesus desires for you all. vv. 19-22 Concerning the Spirit, stop smothering the fire. Concerning words of prophecy, don’t look down on or turn your nose up. Instead, test the soundness of everything; then stick with what proved trustworthy and run from all that is hurtful and wicked. v. 23 And may God, the God is that is fully of peace, set  you apart spirit, soul, and body, wholly and thoroughly without blame and kept safe at the returning presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. v. 24 The Faithful One who calls you will make this happen. v. 25-26 Brothers and sisters, pray also for us; greet everyone in the faith with a holy kiss. v. 27-28 Give me your promise: read this letter wherever the brothers and sisters meet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ go with you.

Study Notes:

v. 12 We ask you also, brothers and sisters, to get to know and look after those who are working hard among you who are devoted to leading you in the Lord and teaching you.

“Get to know” is an interesting turn here – the same word NIV uses “acknowledge”. Know your flock is the demand of the pastor; but know your pastor is essential, too. Get to know your pastor, worship pastor, small group leader, team leader. This seems like it hints at the beginnings of a laity/clergy class system; but in reality, this is the church recognizing the ministry and the time involved in that ministry and making sure he or she can continue. Honor those and lift them up if they are devoted to leading and teaching. Make sure they thrive in life and in continuing to lead and teach. Those who lead are those “who stand before you” to teach, to lead, to pray before the throne for you.

Those who are working beyond tired is the meaning of this older word to work hard.

The three-fold ministry here is: work hard, lead diligently, and teach with encouragement.

v. 13 Appreciate them with high esteem and with love because of their work. Live in peace among yourselves.

Hold them up with high regard and with love because of all that they pour into the work of God among them.  Esteem can be done from a distance; esteem with love is up close and personal. Get to know so you can esteem them. The meaning here is that people of God follow their leaders and serve alongside them. Eph4  – to lead as leaders in order to “equip the church to do the work of the ministry” – the “Everybody Gets to Play” model works.

v. 14 We call on you, brothers and sisters, to caution those who don’t show up or cause discontent; comfort those who are discouraged in their spirit; support those who want to give up; show patience toward everyone.

Live at peace with each other? Here’s how that will happen. Show up for each other. Don’t sow or give into discontent. Instead of feeding the discouragement, comfort and strengthen; when there are those with low willpower, support them instead of running them out. And patience? Yes, patience with all.

Caution is the word for admonish or redirect from a bad action. It has a military meaning – some hint of leaders dressing down a private.

Comfort, or encourage the fainthearted – discouraged in spirit.

4:11 says that some were making others’ business theirs. How does that cause discontent or discouragement?

And how does this first part of the verse cause the second part to happen? Don’t give into unruly and slack behavior. But continue to hold your cool, be patient with all. It is easier to speak truth and wisdom to someone who is weak in the spirit when we are patient and calm.

vv. 15-18 Make sure nobody has repaid one hurt or offense with another. Instead run after what’s  good and run toward each other in every kind of rejoicing. Don’t stop praying. Give thanks in every circumstance. For this is what  God in Christ Jesus desires for you all.

In a culture battle, don’t pay back, don’t wish it, don’t pray for it. Love you enemies, pray for God provision. This is our greatest weapon. Find joy in the journey. Love unconditionally. Pray without ceasing. Thank God for the outcome. Why? Because we love Jesus with all we are, then we love others with all we have to give.

What is God’s desire and design? No matter the conflict, the opposition, love unconditionally… etc. because out of that, you’ll not grow bitter, you’ll not give up, you’ll find good.

vv. 19-22 Concerning the Spirit, stop smothering the fire. Concerning words of prophecy, don’t look down on or turn your nose up. Instead, test the soundness of everything; then stick with what proved trustworthy and run from all that is hurtful and wicked.

Those things that are from God, but unexplainable, are important to our maturing. Not the unbridled spiritual weirdness that ignores the senses, but the attuned hearing of words from God’s Spirit that keep the flame alive and guides lives.

(we can smother or quench, we can grieve or hinder, and we can resist the Holy Spirit – all of these can shut down the activity of God’s Spirit in our hearts.)

Don’t diss prophecy – this word has both forth-telling and fore-telling potential. Both are essential. Sound Biblical grounding with relevant application and openness to God’s present guidance.

Illustration: Wilmore and Southwestern – the revival shut down. How can you smother the fire? By inattention or by over-attention. One the fire goes out completely; the other the fire becomes the reason for gathering. Jesus is our reason for gathering; but we want to give room for the fire.

Test or prove what is right and good; discard what is not. Illustration: bad pear, good pear.

This passage has such a wide interpretation: what is good, what is bad? If read in context, those things of the Spirit, those words shared in the Spirit, test and cling to what is helpful, brush off to the side what is not. “Every kind of evil” then, would be everything harmful that doesn’t pass the test of soundness. 1) Christian, respect the gifts and inspect the fruit of what is said and done. Even those who deliver a word or demonstrate a work of the Spirit, test our hearts to make sure we don’t, in our zeal to win someone over to our point of view, manipulate others to align with our word. Illustration: Naturally supernatural – when we give a word, we step back and let the Holy Spirit affirm it. We don’t have to talk louder or in KJV; we don’t have to work up emotion. God can confirm a word or a work in the heart of the one who needs it.

Paul balances the work of the Spirit in Parousia activity with truth taught and applied.

v. 23 And may God, the God is that is fully of peace, set  you apart spirit, soul, and body, wholly and thoroughly without blame and kept safe at the returning presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.

There is a little word that means “that is” of peace. This defines God as the God that peace is the defining element.  Not the gods who bring destruction, guilt, conflict, turmoil inside; the God that is filled with, and the source of peace.

There’s Parousia again. It’s his presence, not completely but soon to be completely.

This is the hinge verse: because you are set apart, do these things. This is what it looks like for a Jesus-follower to demonstrate faith. You are spirit, soul, body, but you are one wholly kept safe.

The God of peace contrasts with the turmoil of a culture gone awry as well as other Christians who might use the things of the Spirit to get their way.

v. 24 The Faithful One who calls you will make this happen.

Literally, “faithful one calling will also do it”

Ephesians 2:13 indicates that being sanctified is being brought near to the things of the Kingdom. We who were far and set apart and brought near. Philippians 1:6 agrees that He keeps us and finishes the work.

Note: set apart and safe are the two results of our willing embrace of God’s work and word. They go together.

v. 25-26 Brothers and sisters, pray also for us; greet everyone in the faith with a holy kiss.

Now that I’ve prayed for you, pray for us also. The kiss of brotherly love is a holy greeting.

v. 27-28 Give me your promise: read this letter wherever the brothers and sisters meet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ go with you.

“Grace with you” no matter where  you go.

The command here is “I adjure you, I charge  you to read this to all who are in the church.” Give me your word… let each home group get this out there.

Small Group Questions:

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28. Focus on vv. 23-28.

  1. How have you had to rely on God’s peace in your life this week?
  2. Paul reminds us that we belong to the God of peace. What ways do you make this identity of followers, or children of the God of peace, real and present in your life?
  3. What does it mean that God has sanctified you, or set you apart as His child and for His purpose, spirit, soul and body?
  4. When have you ever been called or felt blameless?
  5. How does v. 24 help us see this is a part of the “already and not yet” of being in the Kingdom (where we are, in His eyes fully complete, yet in our daily lives, we are still working on our faith walk)?
  6. What is your family practice to greet when you see each other? What do you imagine the greeting of the “holy kiss” meant in Thessalonica?
  7. How can we pray for you this week? Who do you need peace with or make things right with because of something you’ve said or done?

Small Group Questions:

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28.

  1. Have you ever had a mentor or apprenticed with someone? What were the keys to the success of this relationship?
  2. How important is it to be an encourager to those who “stand before you” and lead, teach, and pray for you? What ideas come to mind that will help  you “get to know and look after” those who work hard in the church?
  3. Discouragement is a real factor in the life of Christians. How does our passage tell us to deal with discouragement and people especially who are discouraged?
  4. How does Holy Spirit fire and the gifts of the Spirit help the church? How does it battle against discouragement? How does it help us run after Jesus together?
  5. Where in your life today do  you need Holy Spirit fire?

Pastor Rick’s Study Notes: Mark 12:28-34

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Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:

Mark 12:28-34

(PRT) v. 28 Then, one of the religious teachers, after listening in on the discussion and discerning Jesus answered them well, approached him and asked: “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” v. 29 Jesus answered: “The most important of all is this – “Here this, Israel; our Lord God is One Lord. v. 30 “And you will love your Lord God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. v. 31 “The second is this – You will love your neighbor like you love yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.” v. 32 Then, the religious teacher said to him: “Excellent, teacher – What you have said, that He is one and there is no one beside Him; this lines up with the truth. v. 33 And to love him fully with the heart, understanding, and strength and to love our neighbor like we love ourselves is more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.” v. 34 And Jesus, seeing that he answered wisely, told him: “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” Then, no one dared to ask him another question.

Study Notes:

v. 28 Then, one of the religious teachers, after listening in on the discussion and discerning Jesus answered them well, approached him and asked: “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

Matthew indicates that this priest “tested” Jesus, as if he was put up to it. But the curiosity seems to lead in this account. Could it be he was almost convinced to exchange allegiances?

Jesus is in the Outer Court where the Gentile God-fearers and the nations came to worship. He has a clear picture here of what love means.

This question was commonly debated among religious teachers. It relied on the level of piety to achieve or accomplish that law. But Jesus says in answer – the priority is immeasurable, unreachable, always the goal but never the attainment. That’s why grace is required.

If you were asked this question, what would you answer? Jesus accepts the question as valid and it has a valid response.

These religious leaders were the ones who interpreted the law. They saw life through the lens of the school of interpretation of either the Sadducees or the Pharisees (the full OT revelation or the Pentateuch.) Jesus is calling on him to see life through the lens of the Kingdom and he as King.

v. 29 Jesus answered: “The most important of all is this – “Here this, Israel; our Lord God is One Lord.

This is the Shema, the “Hear” or “listen up.” It’s the central passage in Jewish theology from Leviticus 6. Interesting that the word for “one” is the word for a compound unity that is a unity of elements into one. Father/Son/Holy Spirit.

To hear this is to seek to know the one true God.

Don’t miss the possessive – Our God is One, Our God is Lord, and Our God is relational. He has established a relationship with us.

v. 30 “And you will love your Lord God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength.

And to hear this is to love the one true God.

To love God is thorough in all ways for the individual. It is a response to love first demonstrated.

All is completeness. God has redeemed and restored us fully; we love him back fully.

Our love is not philosophical or academic; it is active, real-time expression of our choice to follow Him and love the unlovely.

Back to the Garden – there was no separation. All that Adam did was out of love for the Father.

v. 31 “The second is this – You will love your neighbor like you love yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.”

And this second commandment goes with the first. We can’t love God without love toward others; we can love other without the love of God in our hearts. Our self-centeredness gets in the way. And we might try to fix the relationships on the horizontal level; but without the vertical in place, the horizontal gets in the way.

Illustration: With God at the center, like a spinning top, the rest of our relationships are balanced and moving at the right pace; but without God as the point, the center, the first place in our lives as our confession, the rest of our relationships wobble or lose control

To love others = to give life as ransom, to serve and not be served.

Jesus connects love on the horizontal with love on the vertical. We love others because we had found God’s love to matter.

Unlike the first, this love is in response to love poured in through the Father’s love, but not in response to a horizontal love first given.

Our love for God is toward one who is perfect and complete and utterly deserving; our love for others is toward one who is often hateful, deceptive, unconcerned, greedy, etc., imperfect, broken, and undeserving of our love – apart from the father’s love poured into us.

Luke 10:25-37 A neighbor is more than “my people.” A neighbor is everyone.

v. 32 Then, the religious teacher said to him: “Excellent, teacher – What you have said, that He is one and there is no one beside Him; this lines up with the truth.

This religious leader gets it, hears it as truth, and steps toward the Kingdom.

v. 33 And to love him fully with the heart, understanding, and strength and to love our neighbor like we love ourselves is more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Hosea 6:6 Mercy above burnt offerings.

v. 34 And Jesus, seeing that he answered wisely, told him: “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” Then, no one dared to ask him another question.

The teacher of the law moved from antagonistic to accepting. Jesus’ teaching smacks of Kingdom truth. He is almost there to connect the person of Jesus with the presence of the Kingdom.

It could be that, after hearing this scribe equate love of God and love of man as superior to the sacrificial system that was so precious and guarded, no one wanted to step into another possible non-PC conversation.

Pastor Rick’s Study Notes Matthew 22:34-40

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Pastor Rick’s Study Notes:

Matthew 22:34-40

v. 34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. 

The word means “gagged” as in shut them down completely. Like the muzzle on an ox.

The Pharisees were overjoyed to see the Sadducees put in their place. So, they huddled up to come up with their own question.

vv. 35-36 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”

This is someone who lives by the law, interprets the law for others. It’s an honest question that a seeker might have; it’s a trap if he can get Jesus to dismiss part of the code in favor of another.

Interesting factoid about the law and the lawyers: “The scribes declared that there were 248 affirmative precepts, as many as the members of the human body; and 365 negative precepts, as many as the days in the year, the total being 613, the number of letters in the Decalogue” from Robertson/Vincent.

Jesus wasn’t caught in the trap of talking minutiae and getting stuck in siderail issues. Love God with all you have; love others out of the healthy love you have for yourself.

How do you determine a commandment is great? Is it great because of the limitations it brings (I must wear fringes around my robe to be holy) or because of the freedom it brings? Love the Lord; Love others like you esteem yourself. Against such there is no law.

The word for “trap him” may have been simply to “test Jesus” to give him a conundrum that would test his mettle in determining a righteous answer.

v.37-38 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. 

This was written on a little piece of parchment and contained in a tiny square box and worn on the arm as a reminder of the Greatest Commandment. The lawyer was likely wearing this very verse.

v. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

This law was pulled from a chapter on ceremonial rules; but it was given a high place of honor by Jesus as he combined it with the first and greatest. The vertical and the horizontal driven by a passionate love was the positive rule to live by. This has been called the Great Commandment alongside the Great Commission in Mt 28.

v. 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Out of the whole of the revelation of God’s Word, this is the summation. Base on, hung on like two balances to all the compendium of the law. Without these two in clear position, the law is cumbersome. Only Mark shares the Lawyer’s response. He affirms it and leans into Jesus’ teachings.

Between Jesus and me

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Some people from our church are on a road trip through the Bible – we are praying and reading through the Bible all year – and I’ve joined them. We’re in Deuteronomy and Luke this week and the contrast in relationships is striking. The people of Israel were invited to the mountain to hear from God and get close to Him personally, and they chose a “go-between” to do the risky business of faith: Moses.

The disciples were invited to the dinner table to listen to Jesus and fall in love with Him, and they said yes: they “went there” in faith, believing God is both good and just. Faith was still risky; in fact, each Jesus-followers at the table except John died a violent death representing the Good News of the Kingdom (excluding Judas, but that’s for another post.)

But here is the interesting response from the Lord toward the Old Testament people of God: “I heard what they said and that shows they revere me, and have a holy fear and respect for their Lord and will obey me.” In the next breath, the Lord invited them to fall in love with Him with all they have and are!

Jesus changed things. We don’t need a “go-between” to be in His presence and fall in love with him. But love alongside a deep fear and respect for how awesome He is can go together. The weaving together of love and fear of the Lord God keep the wonder fresh: what will following Jesus look like today?

Between Jesus and me there is no longer a priest or a go-between; a growing love for His Presence and a wonderful respect to listen and follow are there instead.

Happy Palm Sunday, Everyone! Hosannah to King Jesus!