Emmanuel - God with Us
October 15, 2023      |     By: Jonathan Brickley      |      Category: Sermons      |      Location: El Dorado
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Jonathan shares on 1 Thessalonians 5:12-14. Our cooperation in and through God’s operation.

1 Thessalonians 5:10-11 (NIV)
10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

He died…. "So That…We May Live Together With Him”

Our Cooperation with God’s Operation

Believer’s Cooperation
- Two “Asks”
- Six “Exhortations”
- Eight Commands

God’s Operation
- Two-Part Apostolic Prayer
- One Giant Promise

1 Thessalonians 5:12-24 (NIV)
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.
13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.
14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray continually,
18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.
20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt
21 but test them all; hold on to what is good,
22 reject every kind of evil.
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

BELIEVER’S COOPERATION
Proper Order / Condition for a local church

Two Asks/Requests/ Entreaties
1) Leaders/ shepherds / elders honored, respected & esteemed
   - Those who “take the lead by setting an example as grounds for admonishing”
   - Not for a need for power or rule but for Kingdom Order & Authority
2) Living at Peace with one another (Among Yourselves)

Six Exhortations / Urgings
1) Warn the idle, undisciplined, disruptive
2) Encourage the Disheartened, Afraid, Fainthearted
3) Sustain / help the weak
4) Be patient / long-suffering towards all
5) Make sure no one repays wrong for wrong
6) Always pursue what is good for each other (Church) and all (mankind)

Eight Commands
1) Always Rejoice
2) Pray Continually (Joining in with Holy Sprit (Rom 8:26) and Jesus (Rom 8:34)
Romans 8:26 (NIV)
26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

Romans 8:34 (NIV)
34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

3) Give thanks In all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ
   - “When Joy & Prayer are married, their firstborn child is Gratitude” - Spurgeon
   - God’s will enables more than requires
4) Do not quench the Spirit (His fire)
5) Do not despise prophecies (treating them with contempt, as unimportant)
6) Test them all / prove them all
   - To discriminate / make a judgement (to examine, scrutinize to determine genuineness)
   - But be ready to “hold fast” to a good word - keep, retain, hold secure
7) Hold on to what is good (prophecies that pass the test)
8) Reject / abstain from every kind (species) of evil

“And May God…..”  (Joining our abstaining and God’s cleansing)

GOD’S OPERATION

Two-Part Apostolic Prayer
1) And may God Himself - the God of Peace - Sanctify you wholly (through and through)
   - We live in peace (v13) with the God of Peace
2) May your whole Spirit, Soul and Body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ

We cooperate with His operation -   We abstain & He sanctifies us wholly!

Huge Declaration & Promise
- The Lord (The One who calls you) is Faithful and He WILL do it!