A Sanctified Season
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Tony’s Overview Video
How to Use
Preparing to teach
- Read the Bible Lesson by Tony Cartledge in this month’s issue of the Nurturing Faith Journal
- Watch Tony’s Video for this session
- Select either the Adult or Youth teaching guide and follow the directions
Click to read the Bible Lesson by Tony Cartledge
Key Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 –
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
How do you feel about the imperative mood? If your high school grammar has grown rusty, the imperative mood is the form of a verb that tells one or more people to do something. It could be as benign as instructions given before a visit to the doctor’s office or parents reminding children to brush their teeth. On the other hand, it could be as disconcerting as an ultimatum from an angry boss, or as loud as a sergeant’s commands to an inattentive private.
Some people may find comfort in the structure of following orders, but most of us probably don’t like someone else telling us what to do. We’d prefer an approach like “let’s consider doing this,” or “why don’t we try something else?”
We don’t get any such niceties from the Apostle Paul: he preferred the clear instruction of bold imperatives, and they reverberate through today’s text like someone banging on the front door. In today’s text, he challenges us to develop positive attitudes and an openness to God’s Spirit to carry us through difficult days. [DD] [DD]
The text is particularly appropriate for the third Sunday of Advent, for it begins with joy.
Be joyful (v. 16)
“Be joyful always,” Paul says.
What?
Does Paul know anything about what our lives are like? Does he know the troubles we’ve seen, the hard times we’ve known?
No, of course not. Paul didn’t know our struggles and trials. He never had to deal with COVID-19 or global warming or rush hour traffic, but he faced greater personal obstacles than most of us will ever see. He knew what it was like to be sick and hungry and tired. He knew what it was like to be rejected by the very people who were once the closest to him. He knew what it was like to live beneath a heavy load of guilt for past sins and mistakes. Paul knew what it was like to be arrested for his faith, to be beaten and jailed and left with the rats in the dungeon. And still he said, “Be joyful always.” [DD]
When we hear the word “joy,” we may think of carefree happiness, or spontaneous smiles, or giggles erupting like Vesuvius. That may happen occasionally, when joy bubbles over, but it is possible to have a deep sense of inner joy even when it is impossible to smile and we wouldn’t think of laughing. We can hold joy in our heart even when our faces are lined with tears. Because of the Spirit who lives in us, that joy does not leak out even when our heart is broken.
Perhaps you have known people who have suffered a great tragedy and experienced grief to the fullest. Yet, in the midst of it, they maintained a sense of deep joy. Holding on to the hope we have in Christ, they kept their heads above water and persevered, trusting in God for a good future yet to come.
When you think of hardships in your own life, how have they affected you? Have they eclipsed your sense of joy and confidence in Christ, or have you been able to remain hopeful and keep looking up?
Christian joy has a beginning, but not an end. It comes into our lives when we experience the grace of God through Jesus Christ, and it remains as sure as God’s eternal love and care. [DD]
Be prayerful (v. 17)
One way to fulfill Paul’s encouragement to be joyful is to take seriously his second imperative: “pray without ceasing.” That’s a literal translation of the Greek, but is it possible? Some believers have sought to fulfill these words to the letter. They adopt a short prayer, like “Glory to God” or “Jesus is Lord,” and they repeat it over and over – “Glory to God. Glory to God. Glory to God.” At every possible moment, they repeat the mantra. When they cannot attend to giving voice to the prayer, they ask God to consider every heartbeat as a repetition of the prayer. [DD]
That is probably not what Paul intended. Perhaps his meaning is not just “pray constantly,” but something like “don’t give up on praying,” or even, “pray any time.” Some of Paul’s early readers may have come from religions that called for prayer at fixed times during the day, or in which only certain people were authorized to address the gods. Paul insisted that believers can turn to God at any time, any day, under any circumstances. Other people may turn away, but God never “tunes us out.”
How would you describe your prayer life? Do you pray only in a ritual sense, before a family meal, perhaps, or when the Lord’s Prayer is repeated at church? When we bow our heads as a worship leader is praying, are we praying along, or planning lunch, or taking a short nap?
Sadly, many of us rarely pray unless we find ourselves in trouble, in need, or in grief. Paul reminds us that we can pray any time, not just at bedtime, at church, or in times of crisis. Paul’s imperative suggests that habitual prayer is not only something we can practice, but should. Along with joyfulness and prayerfulness, it is part “of the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (v. 18b).
Be thankful (v. 18)
Here’s a quick math question: can 16 + 17 = 18? In this text, it can: believers who put vv. 16 and 17 into practice can also grow into v. 18. If we learn to be always joyful and persistently prayerful, we may also learn to “give thanks in all circumstances.” Verses 16-18 are a small literary unit: Paul described joyfulness, prayerfulness, and thankfulness as “the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Note carefully that this verse does not say all circumstances are God’s will, as a careless reading might lead one to believe. Many things happen that are clearly not God’s will. When we sin, God’s will is not being done. When our sin hurts other people, we can hardly call the pain they experience God’s will. Many evil and tragic things happen in this world, and none of them are God’s will.
Paul did not call us to be thankful for all circumstances, but in all circumstances, and he lived by his own advice.
Be attentive (vv. 19-22)
The inner attitudes described in vv. 16-18 grow from fellowship with the Holy Spirit, but we can dampen the Spirit’s work if we fail to trust, if we turn away from God’s message to us, if we turn our hearts toward evil. For this reason, Paul goes on to say: “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.” (vv. 19-22). [DD]
The word translated “quench” was normally used for extinguishing a fire. From the time of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit has been symbolized by the image of a flame. Like a benevolent blaze, the Holy Spirit warms our heart and energizes the attitudes of joyfulness, prayerfulness, and thankfulness.
But, if we turn our minds to selfish greed or impatience, if we ignore the teachings of scripture, if we focus on what is wrong instead of what is right, we douse the flame. Maintaining an attitude of trust and prayerfulness is like fuel interacting with the fresh air of the Spirit. When we turn from God and become self-focused, our connection with the Spirit flickers.
Paul believed that some members had the gift of prophecy, and his instruction to “test everything” applies mainly to his concern that church members give heed to Spirit-inspired prophets among them. That required, however, that they be able to distinguish between those who truly had a word from the Lord and those who spoke their own mind only, or who pretended to prophesy. (For more, see “The Hardest Question” online.)
Be blessed (vv. 23-24)
Paul’s benediction finally turns from imperative to promise. “May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.” (vv. 23-24).
The spiritual gifts of salvation and grace and joy, the more tangible gifts of provision and presence, the assurance of a greater life that is beyond this earthly life, all contribute to the sense of peace. Paul prays that the God of such peace will sanctify us completely – working together with God can make us both whole and holy.
God cares about every facet of our lives. God wants us to be whole in spirit and soul and body. God cares about our emotional health, our spiritual health, our physical health. God wants us to be sound and whole. God also wants us to experience the purifying and comforting touch of the Spirit in every aspect of our being, not just in worship, but every day of our lives.
In one sense, the goal is to grow constantly in our experience of God, so that when Christ returns, he will find us faithful and true. In another sense, the goal is to live so that, until we meet Jesus, we will experience the abundant life that God wants us to have. Paul insisted this was not a dream of pie in the sky: the God who calls us to such a life is faithful.
We can be whole. We can be holy. And, in the process, we can know joy and peace that will carry us through every day – even while we are waiting, even while we are hurting – we can be confident that the grace of Christ is at work in us (v. 28) to accomplish God’s purpose and promises in our lives.
Adult Teaching Resources
Download the PDF of teaching resources for this lesson.
This PDF contains the Teaching Guide, Digging Deeper, and Hardest Question pages.
Read Scripture online: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Youth Teaching Resources
Social Media Challenge
Throughout the season of Advent, the social media challenge will be centered around the weekly themes of Advent.
On Sunday, post a picture of two purples candle and one pink candle that are lit. On Monday, post the word “Joy”. On Tuesday through Saturday, post images or phrases that give you joy.
Additional Links/Resources
Read Scripture online: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Download the PDF for youth teaching resources using the button below. This PDF contains the Teaching Guide for this lesson:
Video
Encourage youth to check out this video ahead of the lesson.
“Get to Know Your Emotions: Joy” from Inside Out
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