Esteeming Your Elders in Love

The passage that we are looking at begins with the words, “And we urge you, brethren”. Paul does not begin this subject by demanding a submission to his Apostolic authority, so that you who are members of the church will feel that you are commanded to do the things that he mentions in these two verses, in relation to your pastor. Instead, he and the others who had labored with him, Silvanus and Timothy, were all urging this. It was something that Paul felt was both good and important to the life and usefulness of every Christian person in the whole assembly. This should tell us what our God is pleased with. God is pleased with seeing the unity of the church with their pastor or pastors established; the congregation’s care for them, so that Christ’s kingdom can advance in the truth, and in the strength of Christ’s grace, so that each member would make progress in being useful to Christ, and bear fruit to Him. The words of these two verses are given to us here so that God will be pleased with us as a church in His sight. There are 3 things which the Apostle Paul urges the Thessalonian believers to do in relation to their elders. The 1st is to “recognize” them. The 2nd is “to esteem them in love”. And the 3rd is “to be at peace with them”. Let us pray as we listen, that we will all benefit from our consideration of these verses at this time in the life of our church.