Spiritual Check-Up1 Thessalonians 5:12-22

Because of my cancer diagnosis back in July and other related health issues, I have had numerous Doctor appointments. And, as many of you know, when you go to see a doctor you get asked lots of questions. When did the pain begin? How long have you been feeling this way? Are you on any medication?

Why all the questions? They are trying to determine the underlying cause of the pain or other symptoms that we may be experiencing so that they can know how to treat us.

The same applies to our spiritual lives. If we are going to get where God wants us to be in 2016, we need to be honest about where we are today, know where God desires us to be, and, with His help, strive to get there. In the scriptures, God asks many questions. Jesus asks many questions, but God never asked a question because he did not know the answer. In fact, in Genesis, when Adam and Eve sinned and they were hiding, God came into the garden and asked this question: where art thou? Where art thou? Did he ask that question because he was

baffled about where Adam was hiding? He asked that question not for his sake but for Adam’s sake. He wanted Adam to realize and to wake up to where he was. God is going to ask us, through the Holy Spirit, some questions today. It is not because he does not know the answer, but it is because he wants to help us figure out where we are at, so we can figure out how we can get to where he wants us to be. This is what Paul desired for the Thessalonian believers.

Therefore, as Paul closes out his letter to the Thessalonians, he gives them a rapid-fire string of exhortations. These exhortations are not just random things that Paul lists here. They are intricately interrelated and are vital to the overall spiritual Health of every born-again child of God.

Here is the main idea of the sermon and I want us to think about this main idea as an aim for the New Year: Supreme devotion to Christ will spill over with Joy and Gratitude, empowering us to bless others for the greater fame of Jesus Christ. How about that for a greater aim this year, to have a supreme devotion to Jesus Christ that spills over with joy and gratitude. I believe that is the desire of God for every believer.

Now, as we seek to observe this theme in our text, we are going to divide Paul’s exhortations into two categories, namely, our relationship with others and our relationship to God. And my prayer is that God’s word will exam our lives, eradicate the cancer, and equip us for what God has in store for us in 2016.

1. Relationship with others:

We begin our spiritual Check Up with our relationship to others. Now before we read what Paul has to say about our relationships to others, as a physician would, I am going to ask a number of questions derived from the text.

So, here is the first spiritual exam question:

“Do you have spiritual leadership and accountability over your life?”

Observe that Paul writes, "12We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13

and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).

Let me ask you a second related question:

Spiritual exam question # 2 Are you giving the spiritual leaders who God has placed over your life the respect and honor that God’s word says they ought to receive?

If you attend church every Sunday that is good, but how many of you know that you can go to church regularly and have no real desire for spiritual oversight and accountability in your life?

If this describes where you are, that you have no desire for spiritual leadership and accountability in your life, you are not where God wants you to be.  You are not in the position that God ordained to protect you from evil, direct you in life, and select you for His kingdom purposes.

Now, the bible is not advocating that a Pastor should be put on such a high pedestal that he has no accountability or that he should be blindly followed. He is subject to the authority of God's word and should have accountability in his life.

He is not to lead like a dictator, but through the teaching of God's word and by example. The heart's desire of a faithful Pastor is not to be

served, but to serve others unto spiritual maturity and ministry.

But servant leadership doesn't mean that he is a hired gun to do what others dictate. Pastors are not to be viewed as paid employees. According to God's word, he is to be regarded as a man called by God to lead and Shepherd the church. And, as he leads, the church is to follow him as he follows Christ.

The author of Hebrews put it this way, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you” (Hebrews 13:17).

In addition to bringing heartache to your pastor, you are at a disadvantage if your life is absent of the spiritual oversight that God has ordained in the calling of a Pastor.

Notice also that in addition to coming under God ordained leadership, Paul wrote, "and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.” (1 Thessalonians 5:13).

A Pastor who has faithfully devoted his life to the work of the ministry should be given double honor according to 1 Tim. 5:17, “17Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.”

Now as far as I am concerned, Midwest Bible Church is fulfilling this call. I do not know of any other church that loves and supports their Pastor as this church loves and supports my family and me.

However, this is not always the case. Many Pastors are under paid and overworked. I have observed in my years of ministry that often churchgoers place unreasonable expectations on Pastors.

Sometimes there is an expectation that a Pastor should sacrifice his family time or that he should not expect to receive adequate financial support or benefits like a retirement plan. After all, he is supposed to live by faith. God will take care of Him.

Now a Pastor is disqualified if he is in the ministry

for financial gain. And he should be willing to make sacrifices. But let me ask you, should a Pastor struggle to put food on the table if many in the church that he pastors are driving nice cars, living in nice houses, and have plenty to eat?

In Acts 2 and 5 we read that members of the early church were willing to sell their possessions, lands, and houses so that others who were in need would not go without. How many of you know that in many churches in America there is enough resources among its members to meet the real needs that others may have in the church. Nobody should go without, including the pastor who has devoted his life to the gospel ministry.

If this church does not possess the spirit of Acts 2, where its members were sacrificially meeting one another's needs, then we are not a church. We are a social club.

Now, as we continue with our spiritual examination under the category of our relationship to others, let me ask you another exam question.(Exam question #3) “Are you humbly and sacrificially serving others?”

Notice that Paul writes, “And we urge you,

brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:14-15).

In verse 14 Paul urges believers - members of the church - to admonish the idle. Meaning, to admonish those who are not actively involved in the function and ministry of the local church.

Spiritual exam question #4: Can you be characterized as a committed, caring, and unifying member of a local church?

Does that describe you? Are you, as Paul wrote, encouraging the fainthearted, helping the weak, being patient with everyone, not repaying anyone evil for evil, but always seeking to do good to everyone? Well I am not going to say hi to that person because they never say hi to me. That is really petty, right? Should that kind of attitude exist in the church? Or how about, that person hurt someone I love so I want nothing to do with the that person. Should that be us? Can you be characterized as a committed, caring, and unifying members of a local church

Thom Rainer, CEO of Life way Christian resources, in his book, “I am a Church member” wrote, “Based on our research of 557 churches from 2004 to 2010, nine out of ten churches in America are declining or growing at a pace that is slower than that of their communities. Simply stated, churches are losing ground in their own backyards. Another way of looking at it is generationally. About two-thirds of the Builder generation, those born before 1946, are Christians. But only 15 percent of the Millennials are Christians. They were born between 1980 and 2000. And we have all but lost that generation.

We can blame it on the secular culture. And we often do. We can blame it on the godless politics of our nation. We do that well. We can even blame it on the churches, the hypocritical members, and the uncaring pastors. Lots of Christians are doing that. But I am proposing that we who are church members need to look in the mirror. I am suggesting that congregations across America are weak because many of us church members have lost the biblical understanding of what it means to be part of the body of Christ. We join our churches expecting others to serve us, to feed us, and to care for us. We do not like the hypocrites in the church, but we fail to see our own hypocrisies.

God did not give us local churches to become country clubs where membership means we have privileges and perks. He placed us in churches to serve, to care for others, to pray for leaders, to learn, to teach, to give, and, in some cases, to die for the sake of the gospel. Many churches are weak because we have members who have turned the meaning of membership upside down. It is time to get right. It is time to become a church member as God intended. It’s time to give instead of being entitled.”

Remember that Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Do you know that the Greek word “makarion”, which is translated “blessed” in Acts 20:35, means “happy”?

Do you know why some professing believers are so discontent and unhappy in life and more specifically in the church? They have little joy because they focus on what other people are doing or not doing rather than getting busy serving others in the power of the Holy Spirit.

However, if you are seeking to serve others rather than seeking to be served, I can tell you on the authority of the Word that you will be a much happier person.

"You will discover the delight of being last instead of seeking to be first. Instead of being a whiner, complaining about what’s wrong with your church, you will be a unifier seeking what is best for your church.” Thom Rainer

Note also in verse 13 Paul wrote, "Be at peace among yourselves.” As the great physician examines you in relationship to others (Pastor, elders, brothers and sisters in Christ, family, friends) is there peace? If there is not, have you done your part to be at peace with everyone?

The state of your relationship to others is a priority to God. God's word says that He does not want us to bring gifts before the altar of His presence until we have sought to make peace with others. (Matthew 5:24)

This leads us to the second category of our spiritual Check Up:

2. Relationship with God

Notice that the next series of exhortations deals more directly with our relationship with God. Paul writes, 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18

give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22).

Now, let me emphasize that the level of your devotion to God will be the greatest factor to fulfilling the second greatest priority, namely a devotion to serving others for Jesus' sake.  So, under the category of our relationship to God, let me ask you these additional questions derived from verses 16-22:

• Spiritual exam question # 5: Is your relationship with God enabling you to be happy and grateful in all circumstances?

• Spiritual exam question # 6: Are you earnestly, persistently, and frequently seeking the Lord in prayer?

• Spiritual exam question # 7: Are you sensitive, discerning, and receptive to the Holy Spirit’s activity to keep you from evil?

Once again, all the exhortations that Paul makes

in our text are essential to our spiritual health; however, one of the exhortations that jumps out at me is the one in the middle of verse 16-22, namely “Do not quench the Spirit” (v.19).

Now the reason I say that it jumps out at me is because, apart from the help of the Spirit, we would be bankrupt; we would be helpless and hopeless when it comes to fulfilling all the other exhortations in our text. Do you realize that living the Christian life is impossible apart from the Holy Spirit?

Now, how does one quench the Spirit?  Interestingly the Greek word translated quench, in verse 19, is used also in other places in the New Testament to refer to putting out a fire (Mark 9:48; Hebrews 11:34).

So what is Paul saying? “In a very simple, but straightforward manner Paul is commanding the church to avoid any activity, [attitude, or action] that will thwart the Spirit’s work” (CCE).

We have all heard it said, “He/She is on fire for the Lord. What would you say are the outstanding characteristics of someone that we would consider is on fire for God? I think without a doubt we

would say that they are overflowing with joy and gratitude, which by the way are a part of the exhortations that Paul gives in our text.

This joy and gratitude comes to us when, through the Scriptures and by the Spirit, the glory of Christ and His saving work is revealed to us, and in a response of faith, we come into a saving and growing relationship with Him.

To be on fire is to know, with supernatural assurance, that we are no longer dead in sin, but alive unto God through Christ. It is to know that we are saved, sanctified, justified, and glorified with Him forever.

Brothers and sisters, a believer, who is on fire for God, who is a credible witness for Christ, is a Christian that, among other things, is able to experience joy and contentment in all circumstances.

Notice again that the exhortations that Paul gives before, “Do not quench the Spirit” are to: “Rejoice always, “17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

But if we quench the Spirit these imperatives, which are effects of the work of the Spirit in our lives, will not be experienced in our lives.

Let me be clear. To quench the Spirit does not mean that He ceases to reside in the believer. It means that His work in our lives, what he produces, and the supernatural effects of the Spirit in our lives can be thwarted and diminished.

What are some of the effects of the Spirit that can be diminished and put out? Here are a few: joy, assurance of salvation, intimacy with God, the enjoyment of His nearness and presence, and His enabling power for ministry. (Romans 8:16; Psalm 51:11-12; James 4:8)

How many of you are thankful for the person and work of the Holy Spirit?  Listen to Paul's prayerful benediction in 2 Cor. 13:14: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

There is nothing of more value in our lives than our communion with the Holy Spirit.

Once again the exhortation, “Do not quench the Spirit” means to avoid any activity, attitude or

action that will thwart the Spirit’s work” (CCE).  What are those activities and actions?

We see them in our text. They're connected to what follows Paul’s exhortation, “quench not the Spirit”. Notice that right after that Paul writes, 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thess 5:20-22).

It is important to note here that prophecy in the bible is not simply the foretelling of future events, but also the forth-telling of God’s word. In fact, two thirds of all that the prophets spoke in the scriptures had to do with the preaching of righteousness to his generation.

If we despise or disregard the preaching of God’s word or God’s word in general, we will surely quench the Spirit in our lives. This is what happened to King Saul (1 Sam 15:26). The bible says because he rejected the word of the Lord, God rejected him from being King. And, as a result, he lost the anointing of the Spirit upon him to fulfill the call of God in his life. (1 Samuel 15:26).

Here is a News Years resolution for you to make.

"I resolve that I will not be late to church. I am going to come early with a heart that is longing to encounter God in songs of praise, in fellowship with other believers, and in the preaching of His word."

I believe that many Christians are quenching the Spirit by their casual and nonchalant attitude about being in church on time. What does it say about our hearts when we are more willing to line up an hour early to see a movie than we are getting to church on time?

Once again, Paul wrote, "despise not prophecy." Let me repeat, this does not just speak of foretelling the future. This exhortation has to do with us looking forward to being in in a place like the House of God where we can encounter His presence.

Notice that in 1 Corinthian 14 the bible describes prophesies in this way: “But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.” (1 Cor. 14:24-25).

In 1 Corinthians 14 Paul is teaching on the gift of prophecy. We can define the exercising of the gift of prophecy in the following way: A Spirit anointed declaration of truth, which when in operation, others present will know that God is present and is supernaturally speaking into their lives.

Now, God does not just want us to accept everything that someone declares to us is from God. We got many people doing that today, constantly saying, “I got a word from the Lord.” This is why Paul exhorts believers to “test all things” in verse 21.

Now, if what is being revealed to us is backed up by scripture (that is how we test all things), “Paul says, “Hold fast what is good” (v.21).  What is good is what is of God.

If it is of God, you can count on the Spirit to help you to hold fast to it. If it is not of God, it is sin. Avoid it. Flee from it. This is exactly what Paul exhorts the Thessalonian believers to do in verse 22: "Abstain from every form of evil."

The decisions you make in your private life can have a profound effect on your public ministry.  This includes not only what you do when no one is

watching, but also your private prayer life. Do you have a prayer life?

Notice again that in verse 18 Paul exhorted the believers to “pray without ceasing.” No Christian or church will experience the powerful effects and activities of the Spirit if they are not devoted to persistent and fervent prayer.

I’m convinced by the testimony of scripture and study of church history that the reason that there is such a spiritual decline in many churches is because the fire of the Spirit of God is being quenched, namely by the sin of prayerlessness.

Now, what does it look like to pray without ceasing? It means that we are in constant communication with God. It means that we make time to get alone with God. It means that like Jesus sometimes we are led by the Spirit into extended periods of prayer and fasting as He did in the wilderness for 40 days or as He did when He spent all night in prayer.

I believe also that it can mean that we are constantly aware of our need for God's grace in times, for example, when we are facing an unexpected temptation or presented with an

opportunity to witness.  During times like these, we can simply pray in our hearts, “Help me Lord.”

We do not have to wax eloquent when we pray. Wherever and whenever we sense our need for God, He responds to the simple but sincere cry, “Help me Lord.” This simple prayer ought to be the constant cry of a believer who understands their desperate need for God's sustaining grace in all circumstances.

If we desire to know the fire of the Spirit of God that fills us with His joy and strength, we need to be people of unceasing prayer. God wants to pour out His Spirit to set our hearts on fire with a passion to know Him and make Him known. And He promises to do so in answer to the persistent prayers of those who long to experience more of His transforming presence in their lives.

Conclusion

1. Do you have spiritual leadership and accountability over your life?

2. Are you giving the spiritual leaders that God has placed over your life the respect and honor that God’s word says they ought to receive?

3. Are you humbly and sacrificially serving others?

4. Can you be characterize as a committed, caring, and unifying member of a local church?

5. Do you have a growing relationship with God that enables you to be happy and grateful in all circumstances?

6. Are you earnestly, persistently, and frequently seeking the Lord in prayer?

7. Are you discerning, sensitive, and receptive to the Holy Spirit’s activity to keep you from evil?

How did your spiritual Check Up go? Are you ready for a New Year?  Are you joyful, prayerful, and thankful in all circumstances? If you are saved, you have the power through the Spirit to wonderfully taste and see the beauty of God in the face of Christ.

If you are not able to be joyful, prayerful and thankful in all circumstances, it could be that you are quenching the Spirit. And this will surely be the case if you are more focused on being served than you are serving God by serving others.

Do not continue to put out the fire of the Spirit by hearing and not responding to the exhortations of His word. Make it right.  And seek Him for the fresh grace that you need to fulfill what He is calling you to do for your good and His glory.

Be at peace among yourselves. At peace with your relationship with others and your relationship with your pastor, brothers and sisters in Christ, family, and friends. Sometimes there is not, but let it not be our fault. Let us do our part to be at peace. The Bible says that as God has forgiven us for Christ's sake, that is amazing right there as it is, let us be forgiving. Let us make peace. Let us start the New Year right. This is critical; our relationship with others is a priority to God. We are starting the New Year on a bad note if we have not done our part to make peace. More importantly, have you made peace with God. Have you been reconciled to God? Do you know that you have been redeemed, saved, and forgiven? Do you know that Jesus went to the cross; that is why he became flesh; that is why we celebrate Christmas, because Christ came into this world to pay the price for the sins that separate us from God. If you have never been saved, you do not have peace with God. If you do not have the assurance of salvation, the

assurance that you have a relationship with God, the assurance that you have eternal life, the assurance that you have been rescued from the judgment of sin, and restored unto God, if you do not know that, God is speaking to you right now and He is calling you to salvation. If anyone is ready to repent of their sins, turn from their self-rule, and put their faith in Christ Jesus their Lord and Savior, do so today. To those of you who know the Lord, if God spoke to you today, respond. God we praise you, thank you for your faithfulness in our lives, I would not be able to stand up here apart from your grace. Thank you for your mercy. Thank you for no matter what happened in 2015, You are God that makes things new. You are a God who restores. You are a God of second, third, and fourth chances. God I pray that we will enter this New Year with an expectation that you will work powerfully in our lives. Expecting that we will become the Christians, the fathers, brothers, and sisters you saved us to be. Give us a renewed hunger for your word. Give us a renewed passion for prayer. God make us sensitive to your spirit so that there would be nothing in our lives to quench the spirit, if so, put your finger on it today so it would be made right today. I pray that you will bless everyone here today. Be with us today. Be

with your church. Be with your people. Go before us in this New Year I pray, in Jesus name, Amen