1 Thessalonians 5:23-28 says...
Today’s verses are 1 Thessalonians 5:23-28, which read,
v.23, 24 - Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.
Paul is finishing out his letter with a benediction or a blessing upon the Thessalonian Christians.
v.25-28 - Brethren pray for us. Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Paul is not too prideful at ask for prayer for himself and Silas and Timothy. I sometimes am. I don’t ask for prayer enough. I act like I am superman when really there is only one superman and it is not me. I need prayer and you need prayer. We need the prayers of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul continues to set the example for us.
The holy kiss was a cultural greeting of affection between Christians. It still applies in our cultural setting today. It might not be a literal kiss but our acknowledging each other with an appropriate hug or handshake and the look in the eye with affection should happen between us. It is a holy one meaning that all is well in our soul and also with others. We have been following God’s word so that it can be holy with one another. We will have times when we are not, but we will seek for resolution, forgiveness, and confession if needed so that we can be. Can you give a “holy kiss” to everyone in the church? Be working on that if there are things that are preventing that from happening.
Paul’s letters were to be read by more than just one church and that is why they apply to churches today. What was written to the Thessalonian church 2000 plus years ago is for us in our church. I hope that you are seeing that the Bible is very relevant to our very lives.
Paul ends with his very familiar phrase, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” He does varieties of this with the word “mercy” also but here he sticks with just grace. What is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ? The grace is that He came and that He lived and that He died and that He rose again for me and for you. The grace is that He called you to know that and believe in that. The grace is that He is supplying you the opportunities to grow in that and serve Him the rest of your life. The grace is that at the end of this earthly life, He has provided another one that is even greater. “Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within” as the old hymn goes is so undeserved by us but so freely given by Him. What a great blessing to give to the Christians in Thessalonica.
“Lord, what a way to end this letter by bringing us back to Your cross. I pray that I will take up the cross of Jesus to my world today. No conversation and meeting is accidental. You are in control of my life and You are faithful to see me grow so may I speak and act in light of what You are doing through me. Amen.”
Pastor Adam
v.23, 24 - Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.
Paul is finishing out his letter with a benediction or a blessing upon the Thessalonian Christians.
- First, Paul acknowledges that God is a God of peace, true peace that manifests itself in the following ways in our lives.
- Second, Paul acknowledges that the peace of God includes the growth or sanctifying of our lives that done by God.
- Third, he acknowledges that the preserving of our whole selves is also done by God.
- Fourth, he acknowledges that to be able to stand before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ without blame is also done by God.
- Fifth, he acknowledges that the God who is growing us and preserving us as a part of peace to stand without blame is faithful.
- Sixth, he acknowledges that this is a God who calls people.
- And finally, Paul acknowledges that this faithful and peaceful God who calls people will bring it to pass, God will complete the sanctifying of our lives and the preserving us wholly to stand blameless before our Lord Jesus Christ.
v.25-28 - Brethren pray for us. Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. I adjure you by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Paul is not too prideful at ask for prayer for himself and Silas and Timothy. I sometimes am. I don’t ask for prayer enough. I act like I am superman when really there is only one superman and it is not me. I need prayer and you need prayer. We need the prayers of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul continues to set the example for us.
The holy kiss was a cultural greeting of affection between Christians. It still applies in our cultural setting today. It might not be a literal kiss but our acknowledging each other with an appropriate hug or handshake and the look in the eye with affection should happen between us. It is a holy one meaning that all is well in our soul and also with others. We have been following God’s word so that it can be holy with one another. We will have times when we are not, but we will seek for resolution, forgiveness, and confession if needed so that we can be. Can you give a “holy kiss” to everyone in the church? Be working on that if there are things that are preventing that from happening.
Paul’s letters were to be read by more than just one church and that is why they apply to churches today. What was written to the Thessalonian church 2000 plus years ago is for us in our church. I hope that you are seeing that the Bible is very relevant to our very lives.
Paul ends with his very familiar phrase, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” He does varieties of this with the word “mercy” also but here he sticks with just grace. What is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ? The grace is that He came and that He lived and that He died and that He rose again for me and for you. The grace is that He called you to know that and believe in that. The grace is that He is supplying you the opportunities to grow in that and serve Him the rest of your life. The grace is that at the end of this earthly life, He has provided another one that is even greater. “Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within” as the old hymn goes is so undeserved by us but so freely given by Him. What a great blessing to give to the Christians in Thessalonica.
“Lord, what a way to end this letter by bringing us back to Your cross. I pray that I will take up the cross of Jesus to my world today. No conversation and meeting is accidental. You are in control of my life and You are faithful to see me grow so may I speak and act in light of what You are doing through me. Amen.”
Pastor Adam
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