Publisher: FBC
Volume No. 1 Issue No. 8 Date: July 30, 2006
1 Thessalonians 5:12-15
I recommend that as a church, we start a strict regimen of push-ups and pull-ups. A church must take definite measures to maintain an adequate level of health, and push-ups and pull-ups will go a long way toward achieving this health level. All church members must participate in these push-ups and pullups. No exceptions; not even for our older members. All church members must perform these push-ups and pull-ups daily. There may be times where we get tired of performing these push-ups and pull-ups, but the more disciplined we are in performing them, the easier they will become. We can be encouraged not to stop these push-ups and pull-ups if we remember that we will become a healthier church in the process.
We must also remember that Scripture commands us to perform these push-ups and pull-ups.
“Commands us to perform push-ups and pull-ups?!” you say. Yes. In 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15,
Paul exhorts the Christians at Thessalonica to perform push-ups and pull-ups to maintain the health of their church. Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to “push-up” their leaders and “pull-up” those who are faltering. Paul sees these two functions as essential to “encourag(ing) one another and build(ing) one another up” (11) as a congregation. These “push-ups” and “pull-ups” also help in maintaining the peace.
All churches have leaders, and those who are faltering. A congregation must be aware of both groups and encourage each in an appropriate fashion. First , we must not forget that leaders need encouraging. It is easy for a church to forget that church leaders (i.e. pastors, ministers, etc.) have needs as well. The primary need that Paul encourages the Thessalonians to meet is to “respect” and “esteem” their leaders, who “labor” among them, who are “over” them, and who “admonish” them. The leaders in the church perform the invaluable service of spiritual care, through the ministry of the Word, prayer, visitation, etc. We must not take our leaders for granted, but rather must lift them up through our encouragement, respect, and esteem. Though they may be “over” us in the Lord, we must be ready and willing to “push them up” on a daily basis. Second , we must not forget that many in our midst are faltering in their Christian walk. Paul reminds the Thessalonians that they have a duty (and the joy) to help those who are struggling to remain obedient to Christ. Paul gives a few examples of those who are faltering and how to help them: “admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak.” We as a congregation must help those in our midst who are struggling with sin, struggling with faith, or struggling with perseverance. When they are caught in the mire of struggle, we must be willing to “pull them up” with our resources of time, understanding, and patience. All of us have times of struggle, and all of us need the help of our fellow church members to be lifted out of the mire.
Christians…I pray that we will be intentional about performing push-ups and pull-ups everyday that God blesses us with a congregation. Meditate on ways that you can “push-up” your leadership through your words, service, and prayers. They need your daily encouragement, respect, and esteem in order to fulfill God’s call in their lives. Also meditate on who needs to be “pulled-up” in our midst. Who do you know that is struggling through a trial in life, or even struggling to maintain their trust in Christ?
Encourage and build them up through the Scriptures, prayer, and time. As we “seek to do good to one another,” whatever our role in the church, we will grow in health and vitality until we are “complete” and
“blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (23).
Pastor Derrick