Ministering to the Spiritually Needy

Pastor Phil Andrukaitis, June 25, 2023

The Apostle Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians

 General Theme: Living Righteously While Waiting Patiently for Jesus to Return

Sermon Title: Ministering to the Spiritually Needy

Sermon Text: First Thessalonians 5:14-15

Subject: Pastoral Care

Complement: Even though pastors/elders are available to the church family, pastoral care is the responsibility of every believer.

Dominating Idea: Help others as God has helped you.

Overview & Review

I.          Spiritual leaders prove their concern for the church. (1:1a)

II.        Spiritual leaders provide care for the church. (1:1bc)

III.       Spiritual leaders pray for the church. (1:2-10)

IV.       Spiritual leaders pattern a life of loving service unto the church. (2:1 – 3:13)

V.         Spiritual leaders prescribe exhortations for the church. (4:1 – 5:22)

            A.         Exhortations regarding practical sanctification (4:1-12)

            B.         Exhortations regarding eschatological concerns (4:13 – 5:11)

            C.        Exhortations regarding ecclesiastical [church] responsibilities (5:12-22)

                        1.         Relating to the shepherding leaders (5:12-13)

                        2.         Relating to the spiritually needy (5:14-15)         Our Focus Today

                        3.         Relating to our sovereign Savior (5:16-22)

                        4.         Relating to our spiritual growth (5:23-28)

Introduction                     

On July 24, 2002, in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, “in what the news called The Miracle at Quecreek.  Nine miners were trapped for three days 240 feet underground in a water-filled mine shaft.  Knowing their dire circumstances, they had decided early on they were either going to live or die as a group.

The 55-degree (Fahrenheit) water threatened to kill them slowly by hypothermia.  According to one news report, when one would get cold, the other eight would huddle around the person and warm that person, and when another person got cold, the favor was returned.

Everybody had strong moments, miner Harry B. Mayhugh told reporters after being released from Somerset Hospital in Somerset.  When one guy got down, the other miners would pulled together to help their discouraged brother.  And then that guy would get back up, and maybe someone else would feel a little weaker, but it was a team effort.  That’s the only way it had to be if we were going to survive. 

Indeed, these miners faced incredibly hostile conditions together and they all came out alive together.  What a picture of the body of Christ.”[1]

Transitional Sentences

When any believer or local church encounters threatening and hostile conditions, it is comfort to know that Christians will be there to help one another.  Like the nine trapped miners, who together did not “write off” another miner, we, as a church family must continually work at coming together because each believer belongs to God.

In his last letter before he was executed by Nero, the apostle Paul reminded the church of the following truth:  Even though the church will continue to experience perilous times (2nd Timothy 3:1), Christians can remain encouraged by carefully practicing these seven characteristics as outlined in (2nd Timothy 3:10).  “But you have carefully followed my…”

  • …doctrine
  • …manner of life
  • …purpose
  • …faith
  • …longsuffering
  • …love
  • …perseverance.

Several weeks ago, we examined the relationship between shepherds and the members.  We saw how Paul combined prophecy with practical teachings of the Christian life.  After all, it is important to remember that Paul intended prophecy to provide hope and direction for Christians.[2]

Shifting his focus from their relationship with the church leaders, Paul “exhorts” parakaleō (Strong’s #3870) the church family [the “brethren”] to look towards the future and to give pastoral care to one another, even though pastors/shepherds were among them. 

Apparently, the Thessalonian church had to address the fact that some of their members were not exhibiting a Christian testimony.  Consequently, Paul calls on the spiritually healthy and mature saints to strengthen their fellowship, which included “unruly” saints, “faint-hearted” saints, and “weak” saints.

Therefore, let us look more closely as to how healthy and mature believers may carry out their responsibilities to help weaker and less mature believers within their church family.  Help others as God has helped you.  Here are four specific ways to help spiritually needy believer and unbeliever.

a.         Admonish the idle saint. (5:14a).

Various translations read,

  • “warn those who are unruly” [NKJV]
  • “warn those who are idle” [NIV]
  • “admonish the unruly” [NAS]
  • “admonish the idle” [ESV]

Who are these saints?  They are believers who have given up their employment [means of supporting themselves] because they were expecting the return of the Lord at any time.

To “warn” “admonish” is translated from noutheteō (Strong’s #3560), where we get nouthetic counseling – counseling others with Scripture to avoid taking an unbiblical course of action.

Paul’s descriptive word for the saint is ataktos (Strong’s #813), which is translated “unruly,” “idle,” and “disorderly.”  This person is predisposed to disobey Scripture.

The image behind a disorderly believer has a military image – that of a soldier who is insubordinate and will not keep in step or stay in formation with the Holy Spirit.  Well, in a similar sense, when a church member refuses to stay in formation with the Word of God, he is to be reprimanded [in love] by spiritual and mature believers.

How might a disorderly believer manifest an insubordinate and rebellious spirit?   Here are some suggested traits that characterize a person’s rebellious spirit:

  • They are readily roused into action because of an irritable issue in their lives.
  • They are not aware of the boundaries in their lives and others and thus, become meddlesome.
  • They have no lawful means of supporting themselves; shiftless.  They lack ambition, commitment, and resources; playing truant from work [John Stott]
  • They are apathetic towards the things of God.

It’s noteworthy to read of the several areas to which Paul identifies and “warns” the local church:

  • Savage, spiritual wolves enter a church family to draw away disciples unto themselves (Acts 20:28-31).
  • Church members are to imitate Paul, by making disciples (1st Corinthians 4:14-21).
  • Preachers/teachers of God’s Word are to warn all believers so that they may be presented perfect / mature  in Christ.  Believers are to reveal the character of Christ (Colossians 1:24-29; 3:16). 

You may recall from the previous sermon; elders who pastor the church are called of God to adorn the Bride of Christ with the beauty of truth and holiness.  And when the Bride of Christ [the Church universal] is presented to Christ at the Wedding Feast, faithful elders who have fulfilled their pastoral responsibilities will have nothing for which to be ashamed.

  • Idle brothers in Christ are warned to support themselves (2nd Thessalonian 3:6-15).  Obviously, this issue had to be addressed more forcibly in Paul’s second letter, since some of the Thessalonian saints continued to hold wrong ideas about Christ’s coming.  Thus, these unemployed saints who needed financial help created disharmony within their local fellowship.

If the unruly believer is not biblically admonished for fear of angering him/her or he/she threatens to leave the church, these unruly believers will eventually criticize various people and ministries and undermine the spiritual leadership in the church.

b.         Encourage the despondent saint. (5:14b).

Various translations read,

  • “comfort the fainthearted” [NKJV]
  • “encourage the timid” [NIV]
  • “encourage the fainthearted” [NAS; ESV]

Who are the “fainthearted” “timid?”  These are saints whose souls are literally small.  In other words, these are saints who are held by their fears and doubts.  What they need is encouragement and a bold spirit.

Jesus often exhorted His disciples, especially when their faith was small.

To “encourage” paramutheomai (Strong’s #3888) the “despondent” oligopsuchos (Strong’s #3642) is to stimulate with soothing words those whose souls are close to fainting.  The KJV translates this word as one who is “feebleminded.”  Feeblemindedness does not mean that a person is cognitively impaired; rather, they are spiritually impaired. 

Literally, the word, oligopsuchos means to be “small-souled.”  Therefore, God calls His mature saints to come alongside and speak soothing words to individuals who are despondent and fainthearted; encouraging them not to “throw in the towel” but to stand firm in God, even when faced with perplexing problems.   Sometimes, the spiritual pressures are too great to handle.  We need one another.

You may recall from the setting for this letter that the perplexing issues of death, the grave, judgment, persecution, and the godless values challenged the faith of Thessalonian believers.  These issues had a way of deepening the anxiety in some of the Christians.  Therefore, they needed help because they were unable to cope with these issues.

When small military units, squads, platoons, and companies train together, there are times when someone might be in a physical and mental state of weakness and say to their immediate warriors, I can’t make it.  I’m going to quit.  Often, a team member will respond with the right words and lighten the load of the “would-be-quitter.”

Application:  While some people pride themselves as being outspoken – [they are the ones who “tell it like it is”] these outspoken people usually lack the ability to encourage the despondent saint.  Therefore, if your outspokenness would do more harm than good, you are wise to keep quiet and simply pray for those whose souls are small.

Application:  Meeting in small groups, personal mentoring, and cultivating intimate relationships with one another are excellent ways to strengthen our church family and encourage the despondent saints with biblical and practical teachings like:

  • The certainty of the resurrection and rapture
  • Eternal security
  • Forgiveness of sin
  • Walking confidently with God and not in shame
  • Learning how to pray for yourself and others
  • Learning how to share the gospel with others [evangelism]

c.         Hold firmly the fragile saint (5:14c).

Various translations read.

  • “uphold the weak” [NKJV]
  • “help the weak” [NIV; NAS; ESV]

Who are the weak?  These are saints who have little to no spiritual and moral strength.  They need to be held up firmly.  To “hold firmly” antechō (Strong’s #472) is to cleave to someone or something; the idea is, not to loosen your grip – don’t let go.

Jesus taught us that a person cannot serve two masters – for he will “hold to” [cleave to] one and not the other (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13).  Therefore, as a genuine believer “hold fast” [cleave to] the Word of God (Titus 1:9) and to the people of God.

Therefore, the local church must cleave to the “impotent” “weak” asthenēs (Strong’s #772) saints.  It’s like putting one’s arm around that person.  Sometimes, I need that touch – so do you, too.

But what does Paul mean by those who are “impotent,” “weak”?  Of the 25 references where the word, asthenēs, is used, at least 10 references identify physical impairments or weaknesses in the body.  As for the remaining fifteen references, several passages point to the following spiritual impairments:

  • Weakness of the flesh (Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38)
  • Spiritually dead; unable to come to God (Romans 5:6)
  • Weak consciences and immature faith (1st Corinthians 8:7)
  • Tendency towards legalism (Galatians 4:8-21; v. 9)

John MacArthur examined various Scriptural passages where fragile faith is addressed.  He summarized those passages in the following way:

1.         The natural man [without the Spirit] in contrast to the spiritual man [with the Spirit] is spiritually weak.

2.         The lack of trusting God amid difficulties is spiritual weakness.

3.         The lack of cultivating the spiritual disciplines will also lead to spiritual weakness.

First Thessalonians is silent regarding the reasons for the spiritual weakness the Thessalonian believers.  Perhaps some of them struggled with sexual immorality, since it was part of their culture which Paul mentioned (1st Thessalonians 4:3-8).  Other believers may have struggled because of the challenges that came with persecution.  Whatever the reasons, we need to draw near to God and He will draw near to us with His Spirit and other saints.

However, I believe physical impairments could also contribute to the believer’s spiritual weakness. 

For example, some of you have a difficult time getting around.  Yet, many of you continue to press on and come to church to worship God, listen to His Word, and fellowship with other saints so that you can mature in your faith. 

Or what of those who must take psychiatric medications because of an injury or because of a physiological reason, you too need the encouraging help from other believers.  Therefore, we are to “cleave to” them and help them physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

As a church family, we must never allow ourselves to think that it is a “waste” to expend energy, time, and resources with and for those who are physically and/or spiritually impaired.  The “flock of God” is beautiful to the Lord, no matter their age or physical impairments. 

It grieves my heart [and God’s heart] when Christians focus only on the young and healthy because it is perceived that they will be the “producers” in the church.   Listen, we all have something to learn from those with impairments; that is why the Lord sends these precious souls to us.

d.         Be patient with all people (5:14d).

“To have patience” makrothumeō (Strong’s #3114) with “all” pas (Strong’s #3956) meaning everyone, is a challenge for all of us.  Scripture teaches us to be “longsuffering.”  What is longsuffering?

Longsuffering is that quality of self-restraint in the face of provocation which does not act hastily, retaliate, or promptly punish; it is the opposite of anger, and is associated with mercy and is used by God.[3]

Every church family is plagued with “problem children” [John Stott].  There are times when Christians provoke other Christians.  Too often, Christians become easily irritated and dissatisfied with their brothers and sisters, in Christ.  Sometimes these “problem children” even direct their anger to the next level – conducting evil deeds against other believers. 

What is the offended Christian to do?  Withdraw?  No.  Rather, those who are hurt by other Christians are to remain patient, committing the sinning Christian to prayer. 

As in every family and church family, there are times when relationships are difficult, disappointing, and even downright argumentative.  Nevertheless, we don’t run away from them or the church family.  Rather, we are to remain patient and committed to love, serve, and pray for one another.

However, there are times when wicked, unbelievers impose their will upon the church and cause them to suffer.  How then do believers express a “long-suffering” spirit towards believers and unbelievers?  The Scripture commends us to practice these two fundamental actions:

  • Take heed not to pay back evil for evil to anyone. 

“Take heed” horaō (Strong’s #3708) is an action word, cautioning every believer not to “repay” apodidōmi (Strong’s #591) another person’s “evil” kakos (Strong’s #2556) deed with an evil deed.

When we are tormented by others, we want vengeance, and we want it now!  Lord, use me!  Let me be Your instrument of vengeance!  I don’t believe God will answer this type of prayer, in the affirmative.

Every believer has the tendency to retaliate when a wrong has been committed against him; however, believers must guard against this tendency.  Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount comes to mind.  Listen to His words regarding retaliation:  “But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil.  But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matthew 5:39).  Read the rest of the passage.

  • Always pursue good, on behalf of others.

“Always” pantote (Strong’s #3842), on every occasion, when wicked people and authorities persecute you, “pursue” diōkō (Strong’s #1377), eagerly seek those things that which make for peace and love.  This is good. 

A good confession of our faith is also seen in the life of a “man of God” who flees from wickedness to pursue after righteous, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness, peace, and sanctification (1st Timothy 6:11; 2nd Timothy 2:22).

Speaking of himself and challenging us, Paul writes,

“Not, that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own.  Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own.  But one thing I do:  Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.  I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14).

Conclusion

A healthy and vibrant church is characterized by…

  • Worshipping God by those who have been “born-again”
  • Remaining faithful to God and His Scriptures
  • Maintaining unified spiritual leadership
  • Cultivating a friendly and family like environment
  • Focusing on the mission of making disciples.

Edward Abbey said, Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell.
My brothers and sisters, we exist to glorify God by making disciples.

Even though every church possesses a varied assembly of spiritually needy souls, our church family will be blessed of God when all of us…

  • Warn the disorderly saint.
  • Encourage the despondent saint.
  • Hold firmly the fragile saint.
  • Remain patient with everyone.

How about you; have you made peace with God? 

What does that look like? 
How have you made peace with God? 
Have you been forgiven by God? 
How do you know? 
Do you have the reassurance of His salvation? 

If your response to any of these questions are vague or you are not sure, listen to this good news: 

Present the gospel.

[1] Bill White, “Teamwork Helped Miners Survive Underground,” [doc online]; from https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/2002/august/13785.html, accessed 2019, April 27.

[2] Nelson’s NKJV Study Bible, “1st Thessalonians” (Nashville:  Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1997), p. 2029.

[3] Vine, W.E., “Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, (Nashville:  Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2005), p. 463.