“But we request of you BRETHREN, that you APPRECIATE those who Diligently Labor among you, and HAVE CHARGE OVER YOU in the Lord and GIVE YOU INSTRUCTION, AND THAT YOU ESTEEM THEM VERY HIGHLY IN love, BECAUSE OF THEIR WORK. Live in peace with one another.”  1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

Learning to Love your Pastor

Do you have Unreasonable Demands on your Pastors?

Wesley Shader, tells of a typically jammed packed day of one minister who “described simply and without a trace of pity a thirteen and a half hour work day…The reverend Warren Carr of Durham, N. Carolina, prepared a questionnaire asking his congregation to tell him how much time that   THEY thought he should give to a list of SPECIFIED TASKS. The members of the congregation were SHOCKED to Discover that the AVERAGE Work INDICATED BY THEIR ANSWERS WAS 82 HOURS. One answer proposed a schedule of 200 hours – 32 MORE HOURS THAN there are in a week….  ” -The Writer goes on to say…. “If this even approaches that which is typical of the demands that most congregations might make upon a minister, he must RECOGNIZE that the solution to his problem is NOT LIKELY to come from the congregation itself. Indeed, until PROPERLY INSTRUCTED and WISELY TRAINED, The members of the congregations are more likely to PRESENT THE MAJOR OCCASSIONS  for PROBLEMS REGARDING  TIME.

The minister who  attempts to do all that his congregation Expects will find
A.- The demands are unrealistic and cannot be met;
B.- The result will be guilt for having failed to measure up to an UNREALISTIC STANDARD…”

The Ministry of the Pastor– Is to Shepherd His Flock and his Primary Ministry is to TEACH the flock…not the politics of the day; not the new fads of the day, not the psychology of the day but THE WORD OF GOD WHICH ALONE IS RELEVANT EVERY AND ANY DAY, if they are to grow in their relationship and reverence to God and relationally Honor Him with others. He is Responsible for the Teaching/Feeding of the Sheep. In some instances there is the OVERLOADING of the Minister;
1. By failing to share the Load with him.
2. Taking a …”Talking” role only. “We will talk … you do it…” attitude,
3. Can lead to Criticism of the minister, a result of failing to walk in his shoes.

4.Treating his family unfairly- unreasonable expectations. Instead of caring and protecting and being thankful, a critical person will slander, and poison the minds of others against those in leadership.

 

Often there is one “paid hired hand” and the attitude goes something like “well, that what we pay you to do, isn’t it!” But God does not desire for one man to carry the whole load, indeed He has given instruction from His Word regarding elders and deacons to assist in the Spiritual and necessities of the flock being met. Some men want to be “THE MAN”… and they will not allow others the opportunity or responsibility… to be involved in anything except “their ” program. Tragically this happens and people are left following a “man” and his ideas, preferences, agenda and miss out on Gods Desire for His People, which is that they may grow and  employ the Spiritual gifts so that the body of believers can be built up.. and those around may hear of the claims of the Lord Jesus and themselves bow to His Holiness and receive forgiveness and mercy through His finished work on the cross which alone satisfy the righteousness of a Holy God.

God’s desire is for spiritual men to look out for the welfare of His People.

Who are these Men?

 They are called, ” ELDERS…SHEPHERDS…”- according to Acts 20:28; and 1 Peter 1:1-3 Those who are entrusted with the spiritual oversight and well being of the people of God in the  congregation- who are charged with CARING, FEEDING AND PROTECTING AND PROMOTING GODLY GROWTH  through the Word of God and modeling changing lives in line with Scripture.

What is Gods View of them

  1. – THEY ARE GOD’S GIFTS TO HIS CHURCH – Eph 4:7-“But to each one of us GRACE was GIVEN, according to the measure of Christ’s GIFT…” We read in V10- “And He GAVE some as apostles ,and some as prophet, and some as Evangelists, and some as Pastors and Teacher…
    2. – THEY ARE ENTRUSTED WITH GOD’S GOAL FOR HIS CHURCH.– To help Gods People MATURE…and be EQUIPPED BY THEM. We read in Ephesians 4:12 -” For the Equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the BUILDING Up of the body of Christ, UNTIL we ALL attain to the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God , to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ…”

They are entrusted with GODS GOAL FOR His church- To help Gods People MATURE…and be Equipped by them for the work of service for Jesus Sake. Be very careful how you treat GODS GIFT to His people, His Church…BIBLICAL LEADERS ARE…GODS GIFT TO HIS PEOPLE… with God’s Goal for His people, the equipping them to do the WORK of ministry and to help mature them spiritually.

HOW ARE WE TO TREAT TO THEM…?
What is Gods desire for the attitude and actions of what His people is to be towards those in Leadership;

LETS LOOK AT GODS WORD AND PICK OUT 5 RESPONSES TO THE GIFTS GOD HAS GIVEN TO US IN A GODLY LEADERSHIP.

Lets turn to…
1.  -1 Thessalonians 5:12-13
“But we request of you BRETHREN, that you APPRECIATE those who Diligently Labor among you, and HAVE CHARGE OVER YOU in the Lord and GIVE YOU INSTRUCTION…”

“BRETHREN”-Who is he speaking about?
Walking off the soccer field with 4 year old ISAIAH…. I saw someone I knew who was about twenty yards away from me and said, “hello brother”…Isaiah said “HELLOW BRUD-DUR!” Then he asked “Why do you call him ‘BRUDD-DER’  I said when we give our lives to the Lord we become family and therefore we are Brothers in the Lords family… and Paul is addressing the FAMILY…Those outside cannot understand nor obey what Paul is about to say- This is for “family” only! Those who are apart of Gods family because of the will of the Father through the Work of The Son, the Lord Jesus.

What about them?
These leaders are MARKED as those who…
A. – Diligently Labor among you…which speaks of them laboring to the point of sweat and exhaustion…it speaks of great effort as they care for the congregation, as a shepherd would his sheep…

Paul himself was a great example of this as 1 Thessalonians 2:9 says “For YOU RECALL, brethren, Our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed the Gospel of God.

B. – Have charge over you in the Lord
” Have charge over them in the Lord ” means  Lit; “To stand before” as those in authority, presiding, leading or directing… We read in 1 Peter 5:1-4  that Pastors stand in the Place of the Chief Shepherd as His delegated Under Shepherds exercising Oversight, Care, and Authority in His Name for the Benefit of Gods people…directing and guiding and being a Godly example, helping them see things, problems and solutions form Gods Perspective…

C. -They Give you Instruction
The expression comes from the verb” …translated often in the NT – “ADMONSIH” It refers not merely to INSTRUCTION… but to Teach that might Transform people as they apply His Word…IT IS TEACHING WITH A WARNING THAT WILL HELP GODS PEOPLE PURSUE THAT WHICH MAKES FOR HOLY LIVING BEFORE GOD…

Lets Look at How we are to Show Respect for those How God has placed in leadership

1. – APPRECIATE THEM

1 THESS 5:12-13 -“But we request of you brethren, that you APPRECIATE those who diligently labor among you and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction.”

APPRECIATE– the word means, “TO KNOW BY EXPERIENCE…TO KNOW BY REFLECTION…KNOW BY OBSERVATION …OR…EXPERIENCE…” It is to Know them …to know their lives the way they live and the way they serve…it speaks of a deep appreciation for the care and concern…and the way they labor for God and the benefit of Gods people. It is to know the person well enough that results in a DEEP AND CARING APPRECIATION FOR HIS LIFE AND LABOR OF LOVE ON BEHALF OF THE LORD AND THE LORD’S PEOPLE. It is not a superficial knowledge of Him, but a knowledge that knows Him and cherishes and values His service with heartfelt gratitude and loving respect towards them- SHOW them appreciation. It’s a verb- “APPREICIATE THEM…BE APPRECIATING THEM,” this is to be the continual outlook towards these God given and God honoring leaders.

2. – ESTEEM THEM VERY HIGHLY.

1 Thess 5:13  “AND THAT YOU ESTEEM THEM VERY HIGHLY IN love, BECAUSE OF THEIR WORK. Live in peace with one another.”

The word, “ESTEEM”  means,-“REGARD…THINK ABOUT”…It’s also a verb- “…DO THIS and CONTINUE TO DO THIS! Esteem them very highly. BE ESTEEMING them very highly… The Greek adverb- “VERY HIGHLY” MEANS… “OVER ABUNDANT” IT SPEAKS OF “LIMITLESS RESPECT FOR THE CHURCH LEADERS…”

Across the fields near where I grew up in Ireland is a CANAL, which runs into the River Shannon. In winter the banks would overflow and spill into the meadows near by, flooding the fields. The Water could not be contained because of the Overflow. The picture of the ocean of esteem having reached its outermost perimeter, reaches even higher and begins to flow outward, overflowing its banks.” God wants our Esteem to OVERFLOW towards our Biblical Leaders, for their LABOR… The energy they EXPAND ON BEHALF OF BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE LORD- THE PEOPLE OF GOD- The brethren…

“THEIR WORK ” -The verb- Paul often used…when he was speaking of work that required strenuous labor. He does so in 1 Cor 4:11-12, where he writes, -” To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothes, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we TOIL, WORKING with our own hands;” Also, in Eph 4:28 -“He who steals must steal no longer, but rather LABOR, Performing  with his own hands what is good…” To Timothy he wrote as regards the labor in ministry comparing it to that of a hard-working farmer, he wrote in 2 Tim 2:6 -“The HARD -WORKING farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops…”

His LABOR is AN EXPRESSION OF LOVE
1 Tim 5:17 – “they LABOR in the Word and teaching…”

So not only KNOWING THEM, and because you have observed and scrutinized their living also Appreciation them,  and also…TO HOLD HIM IN HIGH REGARD because of  their Divinely and energized calling…In their LABOR to feed the flock of God with the nourishment of Gods Word and equip them to be effective ministers and building up Gods people in their faith and opportunities for the employment of their spiritual  and for every good work. – 2 TIM 3:16-17. Esteem them for THEIR WORK…their LABOR…in the things and service of God…FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD…GET TO KNOW THEM  AND ESTEEM THEM…Show some genuine appreciation and gratitude.

3. – LOVE THEM

1 Thess 5:13 – “And that you Esteem them very highly IN LOVE…” Why? Verse 13 tells us – “BECAUSE OF THEIR…WORK…”

LOVE THEM- Because… of their Work…It’s not a matter of Loving them because of their Personality, Its not a matter of loving them because of your Preference  as is seen in the church of Corinth where Paul spoke of the “divisions and quarrels among you.” – 1 Cor 1:10-12. And what was it over? In verse 12 he tells us ,”Now I mean this, that each of you is saying, “I am of Paul” and “I of Appolos” and “I of Cephas” and “I of Christ.” They were taken up with favorites. Is it wrong to have a “favorite” speaker? Yes, if it takes away from LOVING the Ones God has Given you and you fail to Show appreciation for them, True, there are gifted speakers, but not all gifted speakers are Godly. Don’t confuse the Gift with Godliness! Love those who labor among you and for you…these dear leaders in the congregation. It’s not a matter of presentation…It’s not a matter of Appearance, Its a matter of LOVING them BECAUSE OF THEIR …WORK!

PAUL ENCOURAGE’S AND COMMENDS THE CHURCH FOR THE WAY THEY HAD ESTEEMED HIM…He wrote in…Gal 3:13-14 -” But you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I PREACHED THE gospel to you the first time; And that which was a TRIAL to YOU in my Bodily Condition You DID NOT DESPISE or LOATHE, BUT YOU RECEIVED me as an ANGEL of God, as Christ Jesus Himself; …verse 14 “where then is the sense of blessing you had? FOR I BEAR you witness, that, If Possible, You would HAVE PLUCKED OUT YOUR EYES and GIVEN them to me.”

What type of love are you to have for your leaders?

The Bible says its to be A SACRIFICAL LOVE. The word used is the Greek word, “Agape.” A  SELF – SACRIFICING LOVE. THE CHOOSING OF LAYING DOWN RIGHTS, PREFERENCES, AND VERY LIFE TO BENEFIT AND DO THAT WHICH IS OF MOST BENEFIT TO THE OTHER PERSON…IT IS SELFLESS…SACRIFICIAL…SERVICE…FOR OTHERS. It is the love that gives expecting or seeking nothing in return. It is the love that lives to joyfully and wholeheartedly do what is beneficial for Jesus sake- 2 Cor 4:5  John wrote, “We know love BY THIS, He laid down His life for us…” Love is known by laying ones life down… and John goes on to say “And we OUGHT to Love One another”-1 John 3:16. We are morally obligated to lay down our lives for the benefit of other brothers and sisters in Christ. John goes on to show us in the next few verses, that LOVE is as simple as MEETING A NEED.!  What needs do your leaders have? What can you do about them? What if anything do you know of them? What Are you presently doing out of love for those in Biblical Leadership?


In Philippians chapter 2 we meet a man called EPAPHRODITUS, Paul says  in 2:27, HE WAS “Sick to the point of death…” In verse 29- we read ” RECEIVE HIM THEN IN THE LORD WITH ALL JOY, AND HOLD MEN LIKE HIM IN HIGH REGARD…WHY? Verse 30 Tells us why- “BECAUSE HE CAME CLOSE TO DEATH FOR THE WORK OF CHRIST, RISKING HIS LIFE TO COMPLETE WHAT WAS DEFICIENNT IN YOUR SERVICE TO ME.” The brothers and sisters in Philippi not only sent Paul a gift for ministry but sent him a MINISTER TO MINISTER TO HIM. They were LOVING him, and Epaphroditus was their expression of Love and Paul Expressed his Life of Love . THE CHURCH AT PHILLIP EXPRESSED SUCH LOVE TO PAUL IN HIS MINISTRY…They loved him sacrificially.

I have a friend who is pastoring a church and their motto is, “WHERE EACH IS FOR THE OTHER AND ALL FOR THE LORD.”

CONSIDER THE LOVE OF A CONGREGATION TOWARDS PAUL;
THE CHURCH AT PHILLIP, we read in Phil ,4:15-18 – “You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone;  for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.  Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.”

CONSIDER THE LOVE OF THE POOR;
In 2 Corinthians 8 – we see the people who were beggarly poor, giving and desiring and in fact giving more, because they had understood the grace of God and when that happens, their is a Desire to show appreciation and a Liberation of the heart and hand… in the giving to meet the needs of others as this church did.

Whether Epahphroditus, the church at Phillipi, Thessalonica…John, in each Case SACRIFICAILLY…SERVING OTHERS…IN GIVING OF THEMSELVES SO THAT OTHERS MAY BENEFIT….. “EACH FOR THE OTHER AND ALL FOR THE LORD.” How wonderful when it goes beyond a motto to lives who model it.

Paul calls the Thessalonians to… LOVE THEIR LEADERS… BECAUSE OF THEIR WORK FOR THE LORD SAKE

GOD HAS CALLED LEADERS TO  spiritually LEAD, FEED AND CARE FOR THE FLOCK…AND THE CONGREGATIONS’ ARE RESPONSIBLE TO ; LOVINGLY ….AND RESPECTFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE LABORS OF LOVE THEY ARE IMPARTING TO THE BODY  and respect them and value their labor and encourage them- And  don’t be afraid or hesitate to show your respect and tell them . We all can do with encouragement in the body of  Christ and leaders are not exempt or immune to needing some as well.

In Philippians 4:1 – Paul let the people know what he thought of them and what value they had in his heart… and so too you should  let your leaders know what you think of them.  Think and pick out those things that they do well and encourage and show them appreciation for those things. Build them up in their faith as they have need to be built up by members of the body as well as you have. Why is it we think that those in leadership do not need encouragement? Why is it we think we have a “right” to treat them with less than love? What makes us think that  they are “fair game” for  verbal attacks by many people. Why are you so harsh and cruel and unrealistic in your expectations? Why is it that we seem to think we have a right  to be critical of them? Why is it that the world sees no difference in us in our jobs  or schooling or homes when tragically in some cases- there is no difference! Lovlessness is sin. It is awful, it is un Christlike. Love is what Jesus said is to mark and distinguish His followers {John 13:34-34}and apart from it He says we are “nothing.” {1 Cor 13}. Love lives to give and does so sacrificially expecting or demanding nothing in return. Consider Philippians 2:3-10.

4.- BE AT PEACE WITH THEM.

For a RELATIONSHIP to be healthy, Holy and God Honoring…the flock at Thessalonica had to SUBMIT to the pastors and this would Produce a Church Honoring to God and eliminate …STRIFE…CONFLICT…and promote HARMONY…UNITY…AND THE SOIL FOR GOD HONORING MINISTRY …THAT IS EFFECTIVE…

As the Pastors Labor to Feed, Care, Protect, Guide the flock the people are Responsible to Submit and Appreciate their labor and Esteem them and Sacrificially Serve them – lovingly  in deeds— 1 John 3:18. And not be divisive, or destructive agents in the church and if they willingly and lovingly submit to the Leadership of the church according to the Mandate of  Scripture…

.HARMONY…PEACE WILL BE PROMOTED…and STRIFE and that which eats at the fabric of the congregation DIVISIONS and FACTIONS WOULD BE ELIMINATED. The Bible says, “AS MUCH AS IS IN YOU LIVE AT PEACE WITH ALL MEN.” We are all responsible for harmony within our relationships in the church….and this takes place where humility reigns. For Biblical Unity is a result of maintaining what God has given us and it flourishes in the soil of humility. Jesus says – “Blessed are the peace makers….”

5.- REMEMBER AND IMITATE THEM.

“REMEMBER those who Led you, who spoke the Word of God to you; and CONSIDERING the result of their CONDUCT, IMITATE their Faith.”, —Hebrews 13:7

The word “REMEMEBER”  Is PRESENT ACTIVE IMPERATIVE…of an Old verb- “TO BE MINDFUL OF”….”KEEP IN MIND”  THOSE THAT LED YOU…”

The word “IMITATE” – is used also of  “A MIMIC, AN ACTOR” It speaks of “…TO FOLLOW.”

We find…
1. – IT IS USED IN 2 THESS 3:7,9 – OF IMITATING THE CONDUCT OF MISSIONARIES IN
2. – IT IS USED IN 3  JOHN 11- IMITATE THAT WHICH IS GOOD
3. – IT IS USED IN HEB 13:7 – USED OF IMITATING THE CONDUCT OF GOD HONORING LEADERS.

IT IS A VERB- AND IS USED IN THE CONTINOUS TENSE…SUGGESTING A CONSTANT HABIT OF PRACTICE…“KEEP IN MIND” AND CONSIDERING THE ISSUE OF THEIR LIFE…IMITATE THIR FAITH… GRAMTICALLY “KEEP ON IMITATING THEIR FAITH”

THEY WERE
GODLY ROLE MODELS…

Paul said in  1 Cor 11:1 – “BE IMITATORS of me as I am of Christ”

Paul said in Phil 3:17 – “Brethren join in FOLLOWING my EXAMPLE…”

REMEMEBER HOW THEY LED YOU IN EXAMPLE AND REMEMEBR HOW THEY LED YOU IN THE  WORD OF GOD… AS THEIR FOUNDATION, FOCUS, AND FAITH AND FOLLOW THEM  IN THAT MANNER  AS THEY …FOLLOWED CHRIST….IMITATE THEM…. THEY ARE WORTHY ROLE MODELS…

EXAMINE THE LIFE AND REMEMEBER THEIR LIFE OF FAITHH… AND MIMIC IT…Meditate on their character…and Mimic their Faith…

What is our Responsibility and Privilege toward God for His Gift, the pastors, elders  shepherds those whom God has placed over you in His Congregation?

  1. Appreciate him
    2. Esteem him very highly
    3. Love him
    4. Be at Peace with him
    5. Mediate and Mimic his faith    Personal application
    Its’ easy to play “armchair” critic. Calling the shots from a safe distance…. But God does not want His people Divided into an “Us” and “Them” when it comes to one another or towards those in leadership, or from leadership.How are you showing APPRECIATION to your Leadership?

    How are you ESTEEMING them?

    How are you Displaying Love towards them?

    Are you at Peace with them?

    Are you Mimicking their faith- and growing in  faith and Godliness as a result?

 

Someone has compared the church to a football stadium packed with fifty thousand spectators. Twenty two men on the filed in desperate need of rest and  fifty thousand in the stands in desperate need of exercise. So few do so much while so many do so little. Brethren this ought not to be!  Is your life one of a spectator or one of a participator in your local congregation? Is your model in alignment with what Gods Word says is what is His desire for those Biblical Leaders?