Scripture | 1 Thessalonians 5:12–14 “But we ask of you, brothers, that you know those who labor among you, and lead you in the Lord and admonish you, and that you regard them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”
Observation | God commands that His people “know” those who labor among them, lead them, and admonish them in the Lord. These are our church leaders. This is a divine command for intentional and relational activity on the part of those who are not leading.
First let’s admit that obedience to God’s will here is uncommon today. So many “forsake assembling together” (Hebrews 10:25) and disobey God’s command to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Sports, sleeping in, entertainment, and other priorities have become so acceptable for the Christian on the Lord’s day, that a joyful obedience to observe the Sabbath is rare or even unheard of. So, how can we expect someone to actively intentionally “know“ those charged with the care of their soul if they only occasionally assemble? In our day, obedience to the command before us, begins with an obedience to assemble at least weekly according to the command to keep the Sabbath day holy.
Second, lets press further, as no doubt this command goes beyond a weekly assembling. “Knowing” someone means communicating and investing time. For example, an employer has a duty of earthly leader ship of their employees. The less communication and time investment in their employees, the more difficult the respective roles and responsibilities become. So too it is with spiritual leadership. It is difficult to follow someones lead who you do not actively communicate with and invest time in.
Third, we can see here that the active and intention of “knowing” our church leaders falls on us, not them. Is that shocking to realize? Let’s grow godly relationships with our spiritual leaders. Let’s actively invest in “knowing“ the elders and Shepherds God has called us to follow.
Fourth, noticed the role of those who lead us. They “labor,“ they “lead,“ and they “admonish” us. Do we labor together with them? Or have we become so consumeristic that we expect a church leader to labor for us and serve us? Do we follow and obey their leadaership in a way that brings them joy (Heb 13:17)? Or do we expect them to coax us in appeal to our felt needs? Do we follow their lead because they faithfully lead us through scripture? Or do we expect them to lead us through entertainment and well-crafted sermons? Do we encourage their “admonishing” us with the word? Especially when we need to hear a hard truth or correction? Or do we want them to flatter us like the false teachers (1 Thessalonians 2:4–5) and only tell us what we want to hear (1 Tim 3:2)?
Our approach in “knowing” our church leaders, according to our Lord’s command is to 1) “regard them very highly” 2) with “love” and 3) cultivate “peace” in the flock they have been called to shepherd. Sadly, those in leadership are often in the crosshairs of all who claim to follow them. Today, in our rebellious, everyone does what’s right in their own eyes age, leaders more than ever are slandered, gossiped about, and attacked with cancel culture. Few if any within the flock intentionally and actively take the time to get know, highly regard, love and sow peace into their lives.
We should note here that never is peace of cause for tolerating sin and error. Peace is not about keeping silent, or agreeing to disagree. Peace is found in how we “admonish “one another with gentleness and patience. Especially the “unruly.” So, let’s bring peace by “encouraging the fainthearted, helping the weak, being patient with everyone.”
Application | Is my relationship with my church leaders strong or weak? Do I cherish and prioritize the body of Christ or treat it like an add on to my busy life? How can I make the relationships I have within the church God has called me to central in my life? Especially my leaders? Do I need to repent of a consumer attitude? Do I think that my church and its leaders serve me instead of serving our Lord alongside of me? What do I need to break ties with in order to place Jesus’s church at the center of my life? Commit today to obey God’s command to know your elders and obey the command to “not forsake our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25
Prayer | Father, I have put two little effort and time into the most important people in my life. My spiritual leaders and spiritual family. I repent of my sin of breaking the Sabbath. I repent of my sin of a selfish attitude toward my Savior’s church. Forgive me and wash me through the cross of Jesus. Give me a love for my shepherds and the flock, that today and moving forward they would find the greatest priority and intentionality in my life and on my calendar. So that we all might live more greatly for You and Your glory alone. Amen
