God Will Get Us There (1 Thessalonians 5:23-28)
The sermon outline can be found in the ministry guide.
Have you ever been expected to accomplish a task that you are ill-equipped to do or have no confidence to complete?
Perhaps your boss asked you to do something that you have little knowledge about. Or perhaps you have been inspired to eat healthily and get fit but are easily tempted by the snacks that your family and friends munch on.
During National Service, I prayed hard that I would be given a more relaxing vocation. But alas I was sent to be trained as an Infantry Specialist. My heart sank when I received my posting as I had heard about the need to complete a 10km run and a 32km route march in Full Battle Order.
How on earth could I complete those tasks when I had no stamina and did not like running? When my school had cross-country events, I would either walk with friends or volunteer to be a marshal. I felt way out of my depth and even saw a doctor to see if the pain in my knees was a sufficient reason to be given another posting.
I wonder how many of us feel this way when we consider God’s expectations for Christians.
As we studied 1 Thessalonians, we learned that it is God’s will for us to turn from idols (1 Thess 1:9), walk in a manner worthy of God (1 Thess 2:12), suffer affliction (1 Thess 3:4), stand fast in the Lord (1 Thess 3:8), abstain from sexual immorality (1 Thess 4:3), increase in brotherly love (1 Thess 4:9-10), build one another up (5:11), respect our leaders (1 Thess 5:12), seek to do good (1 Thess 5:15), rejoice always (1 Thess 5:16), pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17) and give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thess 5:18).
As we heard these exhortations, we probably nodded our heads and agreed that we should apply them to our lives. Since Jesus has saved us from eternal punishment, the least we can do is live for him right?
But all these exhortations are easier said than done. Whilst we might agree during a church service that our sanctification is important; it does not take long for us to experience temptation. By nightfall we might have already gratified the flesh.
When faced with an opportunity to make more money or get better grades, we relegate God to the side.
When someone says something insensitive or behaves obnoxiously after church, we find it hard to show love.
When we fall ill or experience a crisis, we become moody and grumble to God. Rejoicing and giving thanks couldn’t be further from our minds.
Living according to God’s will is far from easy. And hence we may feel that becoming the disciple that Jesus desires is too hard or even impossible.
Perhaps some of us feel so overwhelmed by the long list of exhortations in 1 Thessalonians that we have convinced ourselves that God loves us just as we are. Others might wonder if we will be safe on the day of Jesus’ return since we are struggling to live out His commands.
Thankfully, the apostle Paul offers us great comfort in the final section of his letter. After teaching the Thessalonians what God desires of faithful disciples, Paul assures believers in 1 Thessalonians 5:23-28 that they are not left alone to figure things out. Instead, Paul points believers back to God. The same God who saves will also help His people transform. God himself will help Christians grow. God himself will ensure we are ready for Jesus’ return.
Even though the path of discipleship seems tough, God assures us that He will see us through. He will strengthen and help us, and ensure that we will live with Him for eternity.
Rest in God’s promise that He will get us to the finish line
Therefore, the big idea of today’s sermon is: Rest in God’s promise that He will get us to the finish line.
God will sanctify us (1 Thess 5:23-24)
One of the major themes in 1 Thessalonians is the return of Jesus.
Two thousand years ago, Jesus, who is the Son of God, took on human flesh and entered our lowly world. He called people to repent of their sins and to believe in Him for salvation. He died in the place of sinful people so that all who put their faith in Him will be spared God’s wrath. Jesus then rose from the grave, showing us that He alone gives eternal life. He ascended into heaven to reign at the Father’s side and intercede for us.
But that is not where the story ends. Jesus promises to return to earth. He will come again to judge the living and the dead and bring about the new age. True disciples of Jesus will live with Him in a renewed world that is perfect whilst unbelievers face eternal punishment.
So the important question we each have to answer is “am I confident that I will be with Jesus in the age to come?”
God has revealed sufficiently what He desires of us. We know that it is important to study God’s Word, obey His commands, live in holiness and love one another. Yet we do so imperfectly.
We are painfully aware that if Jesus comes in the next 5 minutes, our hidden sins will come to light. We fear that we are not good enough. Thus it should be of huge encouragement to know that Paul does not expect us to reach the finish line on our own. Although he makes clear what a transformed life should look like and what God’s will is for Christians, Paul reveals in our sermon text that he is not expecting more than what we can possibly do on our own. Paul is more than aware of our own frailty and weaknesses. Paul knows that we need a lot of help.
Thus in 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, Paul shifts our focus away from what we are to do back to resting in God. Noteworthy is the form in which Paul calls our attention back to God. Paul does not simply say in conclusion, “so ask God to help you”. Rather, Paul simply prays for the Thessalonians. Having expressed his joy that the Thessalonians are doing well spiritually and having encouraged them to keep growing in the faith, Paul entrusts them to the Lord.
Just as Paul trusted God to save the Thessalonians when he first proclaimed the gospel, so Paul continues to trust God to see the Thessalonians to the finish line. God Himself will ensure that the Thessalonians will be ready for Jesus’ return. This guarantee or promise that God will ensure that we are ready for Jesus’ return is commonly referred to as the perseverance of the saints.
Although this doctrine is clear in the New Testament, it was not always faithfully taught. As a result, various sects and denominations have taught their members that one can have no certainty about how they will fare when Jesus returns. Hence they must keep giving more, keep serving more, and keep exercising spiritual disciplines. The more works of piety you do, the more confidence you can have that you are on the right track. Some traditions have even encouraged members to keep growing in holiness until they obtain a sinless state.
In contrast to these teachings, the perseverance of the saints, is a bold and beautiful promise. A promise that sets us free from fears and uncertainty. A promise that gives us peace and assurance. It is just like the Bible’s teaching that salvation is by grace alone. None of us are righteous enough to earn our way into heaven. None of us are clever enough to choose God. None of us have the ability to turn to Jesus on our own. Our salvation is 100% a work of God.
The Lord is the one who convicted us of our sins, helped us to understand the gospel, and gave us divine faith to believe in Jesus. Hence, we are freed from wondering if we have been good enough to be saved. We simply rest in God’s grace.
The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is to encourage us to fret less and rest more in God.
Similarly, the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is to encourage us to fret less and rest more in God. None of us can make ourselves more holy on our own. None of us can fight sin with sheer will power. None of us can grow in Christ-likeness by our own might.
Instead, we are to look to God for divine enabling. We are to trust God to mould and transform us day by day. We are to rest in God’s assurance that we will be ready for Jesus’ return.
This is the encouragement Paul offer believers in 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24. Firstly, Paul states that the guarantor of the promise is the God of peace. Although some of us might associate peace with a state of serenity, or an absence of trouble, peace in the New Testament primarily refers to the reconciliation God has brought about between Him and His former enemies.
Just earlier in 1 Thessalonians 5:9, Paul says that “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ”. The God of the Bible is not a bloodthirsty God who seeks to devour us. That is the devil. Rather, the Christian God is a God of peace. A God who does not desire any of us to perish but to reach repentance. God desires reconciliation. He desires to redeem His rebellious creation.
This is why God sent his Son Jesus to die in our place while we were still sinners. Through the cross of Christ, we who were once enemies of God, can receive forgiveness. We who deserved God’s wrath can have peace through faith in Jesus.
The fact that God identifies Himself as a God of peace should assure us that God desires our salvation. God does not want us to perish. God does not want us to endure everlasting punishment. Instead, God desires us to experience peace with Him.
One of the reasons that Israel and Hamas have not been able to reach a peace deal is because the leaders of both groups are committed to destroying one another. How can there be peace when the leaders are committed to killing each other? Vice versa, it is when both leaders are committed to peace that the current conflict will end.
Therefore, knowing that God is a God of peace should bring us great encouragement. God is committed to reconciling us to himself. He will cleanse us of all sin so that we can live with Him forever.
Secondly, Paul expresses his confidence in God’s absolute power. The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is not meant minimize our need to grow in holiness. Rather, it assures us that God takes our holiness so seriously that He will ensure that our transformation will not be slip shod. Paul states that God’s work of sanctification in our lives will not be tardy. Instead, it will be thorough and complete. Our whole spirit and soul and body will be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The reference to spirit and soul and body is meant to communicate Paul’s point that God’s work of sanctification will result in our perfection. The spirit and soul are two common terms used to refer to our inner being, whilst the body refers to our outer being. There is no area of our life that will be unchanged by God. Our inner and outer being will be made holy. Every aspect of our being will be made pure. No hidden nook will be left untouched. We will be pure and undefiled. Holy and blameless when Jesus appears. In this manner we will not be destined for wrath but to obtain salvation and live with Jesus for the rest of eternity.
What encouragement this is for us who have suffered the consequences of sin. Our past sins may have left physical marks on our body or scarred us internally. But take heart that God will make us whole and beautiful again.
We can have confidence in God’s ability to sanctify us because His power is incomparable.
We can have confidence in God’s ability to sanctify us because His power is incomparable. God can do what we cannot. During His earthly ministry, Jesus displayed great power. At His command, He caused the blind to see, healed the lame, multiplied bread, calmed the storm, drove out demons and even raised the dead. Most importantly, Jesus showed His power to forgive sin.
The Samaritan woman was so ashamed of her sins that she would draw water in the hot sun to avoid seeing others. But after encountering Jesus she boldly evangelized her village. Zacchaeus was discriminated by many for his sins. But he became a transformed man the moment he encountered Jesus. He repaid those he cheated fourfold and gave away half of his wealth to the poor.
Friends, if Jesus has the power to remove sin and transform us, then we know that God is more than able to sanctify us completely. We can have confidence that God will be able to remove all our sins and purify every aspect of our being.
Whilst we fear that a surgeon may not remove every single cancerous cell or fear that the cancer may return, we can have absolute confidence that God is the divine surgeon who is able to remove every sin from our lives perfectly and permanently. On the day that God pronounces us sinless, we will remain holy for the rest of eternity.
Thirdly, Paul reminds Christians that we have been called by God. In the same way that we cannot choose our parents, so we cannot walk into God’s kingdom on our own. We cannot knock on God’s door and justify why He should take us in. Instead, we see throughout Scripture that God graciously calls people to Himself.
In the opening of his letter in 1 Thessalonians 1:5, Paul writes, “For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you”. The Thessalonians did not wander into God’s grace on their own. They did not invite Paul as their camp speaker and ask him to preach the gospel. Rather, the gospel came to them with power and in the Spirit with full conviction. God was the one who had chosen to save the Thessalonians. God was the one who appeared to Paul in a vision and directed him to Thessalonica. God is the one who enabled Paul to preach the gospel with power. God is the one who convicted the Thessalonians of their need to repent of their sins and put their faith in Jesus.
In case the Thessalonians forget this truth, Paul reminds them at the end of his letter that they have been chosen by God. Being chosen by God tells us that He is vested in us. People do not back a horse they are not willing to cheer. When a coach decides who the star player is, he will focus his energies on that particular player. When you pick your successor, you are going to help your understudy succeed. When you set your affection upon your child, you will not withhold anything good from them. You will give up your free time to help them with their school work.
Similarly, when God says He has chosen us, we can be assured that God is for us. God is not going to let His chosen ones fall by the side. Jesus told a parable of the lost sheep to communicate the length He will go for the sake of one of His wayward sheep. If Jesus is willing to leave 99 sheep behind just to pursue one lost sheep, then we can be assured that He will do far more than we can possibly imagine to see us through to the finish line.
This is why we should not fear that we will somehow fall short while awaiting Jesus’ return. God has called us to be His people and He will ensure that we are ready when Christ returns. God Himself will remove our sins and clothe us in Jesus’ righteousness. God Himself will give us a divine desire to transform. God will help us to hate sin and bear the fruit of the Spirit. God will ensure that we are holy and blameless on the Day of Judgment. We have been called by God and we will surely enter His kingdom and live with Jesus for eternity.
Fourthly, Paul grounds the surety of this promise in God’s faithfulness. He says in 1 Thessalonians 5:24, because He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
Unlike many countries, Singapore has been blessed with very faithful leaders. All our Prime Ministers are committed to the task and serve for a long time. Lee Kuan Yew served for 31 years, Goh Chok Tong served for 14 years and Lee Hsien Long served for 20 years.
But even the most faithful of leaders have a limit of what they can do for us. They are either limited in power or limited by their own frailty. Their physical limitations and mortality prevent them from delivering every promise and seeing every vision through. Human leaders come and go.
In contrast, God is eternal and all powerful. God will never run out of steam. He is always active in our lives. God will never fail to fulfill his promise. God is faithful. God is dependable. He will not break his word. He will do what He says. He will surely accomplish His plans.
Dr Samuel Saldivar wrote in an essay published by the Gospel Coalition, “The faithfulness of God means God is unchanging in his nature, true to his Word, has promised salvation to his people, and will keep his promises forever. He is worthy of eternal trust no matter how unlikely his promises seem. Nothing in heaven or on earth can prevent God from accomplishing all that he has promised his people through Jesus Christ. This reliability of God should be a great source of comfort and strength for God’s people as they repeatedly fail and go through trials and suffering.”
Even if we are faithless, God remains faithful (2 Tim 2:13). We confess our sins because we know that God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
Therefore, God’s faithfulness should encourage us to press on in living for Him. Our effort to live for Jesus is never going to be futile. Although we are unable to fully sanctify ourselves, God is pleased with our desire to grow in Christ-likeness, and He will bring it all to completion.
My older kids enjoy building car models. Sometimes the quality of the model is not so good and the pieces cannot connect. But because they know that I will help them out when they experience difficulties, my kids do not abandon the project. They look to me for help, confident that I can help them overcome the problem.
Similarly, knowing that God is ever present to help us grow in holiness should encourage us to run the race well. When we feel tired or experience a muscle cramp, God is right besides us. God is more than able to lift us up and carry us to the finish line.
If you have been struggling to live according to God’s will, be encouraged. God himself will help you. He promises to complete the good work that He has begun in your life. Do not fear that you will not make it. God has called you to himself. Remember how the gospel came to you with power and in the Spirit and with full conviction. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.
Perhaps you have been discipling someone and feeling discouraged that they are not growing in holiness as fast as we would hope. Don’t give up. Keep on taking them to the Word and
encouraging them to live holy lives. At the same time, surrender them to the Lord knowing that their sanctification is not depended on themselves or even on you. Your role is to point them to Christ and pray. God is the one who will help them change and grow. God is the one who will sanctify them completely.
This is exactly what Paul did. He did not shrink back from teaching the whole counsel of God. If anything, he gave his disciples the full deal. He taught them clearly God’s desire for us to put off the old self and to put on the new self. But at the same time, Paul trusted God alone to save and transform people.
The God of peace Himself will complete His work of sanctification in our lives. Our God who is faithful will ensure that our spirit and soul and body will be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The God of peace Himself will complete His work of sanctification in our lives. Our God who is faithful will ensure that our spirit and soul and body will be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is why it is fitting for Christians throughout the ages to sometimes conclude their worship service with 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24. After hearing what God desires of us, we are to always remember that God is the one who will enable us to do His will. God is the one who will help us walk in holiness. He is faithful even when we are faithless. By His grace alone we will be ready at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If you are not yet a believer and have uncertainty about life after death, please know that God desires to give you a certain future. God desires to save you and present you blameless when Jesus returns. Please consider what has been shared and talk to us after service.
God’s present help (1 Thess 5:25-28)
Sometimes we might feel a disconnect between knowing that God is for us and feeling that God is for us. Whilst 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 assure us that we will be fine on the Day of Judgment, we might be looking for some tangible outworkings of this promise.
Well, we need to look no further than 1 Thessalonians 5:25-28. Paul says, “Brothers, pray for us. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”
Whilst 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 encourage us to trust God to complete our sanctification, 1 Thessalonians 5:25-28 remind us of the help God presently gives.
We can:
pray to Him,
find support from the church community,
receive guidance from His Word
and grace from Jesus.
We pray because we are finite beings who need divine help.
Firstly, Paul petitions Christians to pray for him and his team. Even though Paul was spiritually more mature than the Thessalonians, he asks for prayer. This is because Paul recognized his own need for God’s sanctifying work in his life. Prayer is ultimately an expression of dependance on God. We pray because we are finite beings who need divine help.
Regular prayer keeps us God-oriented. Prayer reflects faith in God. Prayer declares that we are trusting God to do what He has promised.
When people ask me for tips on fighting sin, the first tip I give is pray more. Regardless of how mature a Christian we may be and regardless of the leadership position we may hold, we are unable to sanctify ourselves. We need the God of peace to transform our whole being.
So let us be encouraged to pray for ourselves and for others. Let us humbly express our dependence on God through regular prayer. Let us ask God to help us grow as disciples of Jesus. Let us look to God for strength to resist temptation. Let us trust God to help us conquer old sins.
Paul’s request for prayer also gives us insight to how we can care for our leaders. Whilst there are a number of ways to encourage church leaders, one of the best ways is to pray for them. Just like you, leaders face temptation. Just like you, leaders face challenges at work and at home. Just like you, leaders may be feeling overwhelmed or inadequate in living for Jesus. So pray that God himself will sanctify them. Pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen them. Pray that God will use them to encourage others in the faith.
Secondly, Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to greet fellow believers with a holy kiss. In the ancient world, people kissed on the forehead or cheek as a way of greeting family, friends and respected people. Kisses were also given when a contract was made or when reconciliation was achieved. Thus Paul’s exhortations for Christians to kiss one another served to symbolize their unity and identity as the family of God.
The early church was composed of people from various backgrounds. There were Greeks, Romans, Macedonians and Jews. There were rich land owners as well as slaves. There were men and women. Thus people from such different demographics greeting one another with a familial kiss showcased the power of the gospel. The holy kiss among Christians showed that through Jesus There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28).
Christians are to be in fellowship with one another. Not just to display Christ, but to build one another up and spur each other on to the finish line.
Through faith in Christ, believers are now united in one body. Christians are to no longer live in silos, separated by their ethnicity, education, gender, age or social economic status. Christians are to be in fellowship with one another. Not just to display Christ, but to build one another up and spur each other on to the finish line. God did not intend for us to run the race alone. God has given us an entire congregation of believers to cheer us on as we ready ourselves for Jesus’ return. God has given us brother and sisters who will remind us of what is important. God has given us committed members who will gently correct us when we are in sin. The testimonies shared of conversions and growth on Baptism Sundays and at Prayer Meetings encourage us to keep trusting in Jesus and pressing on in the faith even when the going gets tough.
Whilst following Christ is not easy, God has graciously given us a church community. Thus we should not miss out on this privilege by being an irregular member or a standoffish member who keeps to ourself. We should value the church community as the Thessalonians did. We don’t have to greet one another with a kiss, but the principle of treating one another like family should be practiced. We should not feel a need to be all formal with members. Instead, we should feel like a family, able to share our lives openly and receive grace and encouragement from one another.
Thirdly, Paul charges the Thessalonians to have his letter read to all the brothers. Commentators speculate why Paul adopted such a serious tone in 1 Thessalonians 5:27. Given that this letter we know as 1 Thessalonians has been recognized as the very Word of God and canonized by the early church fathers, I believe Paul wanted the church to have a high view of God’s Word.
Whilst there may be many reasons to gather as a church, the primary focus should always be to hear God speak. The focus of a congregation can easily be swayed by opinions, hot topics and events. Thus, it is crucial that the proclamation of God’s Word is always central.
Further, it is important that every member has access to God’s Word proclaimed at church. Occasionally some of us may have to serve in Sunday School and miss part of the service. But we make a recording of the sermon available for you. Further we try our best to not have teachers serve more than once a month. If you find yourself missing services because of some ministry please speak to a pastor so we can help. Let us prioritize the hearing of God’s Word s Paul instructed the Thessalonians.
Let us allow the centrality of the Word to guide our practice of gathered worship. Let us understand and appreciate the Word of God being used to call us to worship, to convict us of our sins, to teach us God’s truths, and send us out into the world.
Fourthly, Paul pronounces the grace of our Lord Jesus upon the church. At the end of the day, we need grace to cover what we have failed to do and grace to receive what we cannot obtain on our own. We need Jesus to graciously remove our sins and forgive us for the times we have failed. We need Jesus to graciously empower us to live according to God’s will when we find it difficult.
At church we need Jesus to give us more grace so that we can be gracious to one another. We need Jesus to be gracious to us when we have not done what He has required of us. We need Jesus to graciously empower us to be the church He desires — A disciple-making church that transforms lives with the gospel and love of Jesus Christ.
The path of following Jesus is not easy. And the consequence of failing is severe. Yet God graciously assures us that He is a God of peace and He is committed to our sanctification. He is faithful even when we are faithless.
The greatest proof of this is in how God sent His beloved Son into our world to die in our place and save us from sin. He who has saved us from sin will help us grow and sanctify us completely so that we will be blameless at the coming of Jesus.
Therefore, let us rest in God’s promise that He will get us to the finish line. Let me end by reading part of the song “He Will Hold Me Fast”:
When I fear my faith will fail
Christ will hold me fast
When the tempter would prevail
He will hold me fast
He’ll not let my soul be lost
His promises shall last
Bought by Him at such a cost
He will hold me fast
Raised with Him to endless life
He will hold me fast
’Til our faith is turned to sight
When He comes at last!
Let us pray.
Bibliography
Charles A. Wanamaker, The Epistles to the Thessalonians: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 1990), 208.