First Thessalonians Pt:6

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Know Your Leaders

Core Theological Themes: Who God Is and Who We Are

Who God Is and How He Responds to Humans

God of Order and Care: God authoritatively establishes order in the church and home, appointing spiritual leaders and shepherds to watch over souls, labor among His people, and provide godly admonition (1 Thessalonians 5:12, Proverbs 27:23, Hebrews 13:17).
Source of Supernatural Joy and Grace: God sustains His people through trials and affliction, granting the supernatural joy of the Holy Ghost and all-sufficient grace rather than leaving them to human strength (1 Thessalonians 1:6, 2 Corinthians 12:9).
Values Fruit Over Appearance: God evaluates leaders and believers by authentic, consistent, observable fruit rather than outward hype, trends, or rhetoric (Matthew 7:16–20).
Anchored in Timeless Truth: God reveals Himself through His unchanging Word, calling believers back to biblical remembrance rather than cultural novelty (2 Peter 1:12, Acts 17:16–34).

Who You Are in Christ and How You Are Called to Live

A Member of Christ’s Body Under Authority: You are called to know, honor, and submit to biblically qualified spiritual leadership and welcome godly correction and admonition.
A Disciple Formed Through Proximity: You are called to reject disembodied, digital isolation and instead pursue real, relational, local community and hands-on discipleship.
A Follower Anchored in Faith and Fruit: You are called to evaluate doctrine and life by the Word of God, endure afflictions with Spirit-filled joy, and refuse the distraction of modern novelty and worldly ambitions.
A Living Example (Ensample): You are called to mature spiritually—progressing from knowing leaders, to following Christ and godly mentors, to modeling a faithful, reproducible Christian walk for others (1 Thessalonians 1:7).

Sermon Flow and Scriptural Exposition

1. The Biblical Context of the Local Church and Leadership

The Importance of Physical Gathering:
- Modern culture frequently devalues physical church attendance in favor of social media, internet broadcasts, and stadium-style services that lack genuine personal connection.
- Approximately 98% of biblical references to the "church" denote a localized assembly of believers in a distinct geographic area.
- The Apostle Paul wrote the majority of his epistles directly to specific local congregations or pastoral leaders.
Context of the Thessalonian Church:
- Established when the gospel was preached and converts assembled (Book of Acts).
- Faced severe, immediate persecution and physical suffering; adversaries even pursued Paul to neighboring regions to hinder the ministry.
Key Themes from 1 Thessalonians 1:
- Grace and Peace (1 Thessalonians 1:1): Paul consistently opens his epistles by extending God's grace and peace to believers.
- The Triad of Christian Living (1 Thessalonians 1:2–4):
  - Work of Faith: True faith is active and produces visible works; idle faith is dead.
  - Labor of Love: Biblical love involves hard labor, sacrifice, and enduring difficult circumstances.
  - Patience of Hope: Steadfast endurance anchored in Jesus Christ.
  - Election: Believers are chosen and beloved of God through Christ.
- Assurance and Security (1 Thessalonians 1:5a):
  - The gospel comes not in word only, but in power, in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance.
  - Salvation rests on the unchanging foundation of Jesus Christ rather than fluctuating human performance.

2. Opening Observations: Leadership, Proximity, and Conviction

Leadership Transparency:
- In public and political life, leaders who conceal their convictions are easily swayed by money or majority pressure. Leaders must state their convictions plainly so people can evaluate where they stand.
Proximity, Pastors, and Respect:
- A personal anecdote illustrated that while pastors must be close to their flock, familiarity must not erode biblical respect for God-ordained pastoral authority.
- Illustration: When a church member spoke harshly to the pastor, another leader (Bob Berry) stepped in to remind the individual of the pastoral office.
- Rejecting an untouchable hierarchy (opposing the Nicolaitan model), pastors must be accessible and "touchable," while congregants maintain honor for the pastoral calling.

3. Knowing Spiritual Leadership Biblically

Relational Proximity and Pastoral Authority:
- 1 Thessalonians 5:12 – "And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you."
  - Labor among you: Requires genuine relational proximity and physical presence.
  - Over you in the Lord: Acknowledges God-ordained leadership and spiritual accountability.
  - Admonish you: Leaders are tasked with warning, guiding, and correcting. Discipleship requires having leaders in your life who have permission to admonish you.
Diligent Shepherding:
- Proverbs 27:23 – "Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds."
- Shepherds must know their people, and believers must take mutual initiative to connect and be known.
Sharing Life and the Gospel:
- 1 Thessalonians 2:8 – "So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us."
- True ministry is incarnational and relational; pastors share not only doctrine but their very lives.
Testing by Fruit:
- Matthew 2:2 & Matthew 7:16–20 – Knowing involves seeing and discerning fruit over time.
- Wood and Fruit Analogy: You cannot always identify a tree by bare bark or a cut log, but you can identify it by its fruit. Leaders must be evaluated by consistent, visible fruit rather than charisma.

4. Biblical Submission and Order

Modern Resistance to Submission:
- Contemporary culture rejects submission with the attitude of "nobody’s over me." Biblical submission is protective, good, and commanded in church and family structures.
Scriptural Mandates for Submission and Elder Governance:
- Hebrews 13:7, 17 – Believers are commanded to remember, obey, and submit to spiritual leaders who watch over their souls and will give an account.
- 1 Corinthians 16:15–16 – Paul points to the household of Stephanas, who "addicted themselves to the ministry," instructing believers to submit to such devoted servants.
- Titus 1:5 – Elders are appointed to set things in order and correct disorder within the church.
- 1 Peter 5:3 – Shepherds must lead as examples (ensamples) to the flock, not lording over them or exerting authoritarian dominance.

5. Discerning Truth from Novelty and Carnality

The Snare of Novelty:
- 2 Peter 1:12 – Faithful leaders put believers in remembrance of established truths.
- Acts 17:16–34 – The Athenians and Epicureans constantly chased novelty, resulting in spiritual ignorance and an altar to the "Unknown God."
- Believers must resist social media's novelty churn and "get the new look from the old Book."
Spiritual Reception vs. Carnality:
- 1 Corinthians 2:14 – The natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God. Walking in the Spirit is required to receive and apply God's Word effectively.
Ordered Intimacy in Relationships:
- Biblical knowing (as in "Adam knew his wife") establishes friendship, character assessment, and covenant before physical intimacy. Modern hookup culture reverses this order, creating soul ties, confusion, and guilt.

6. Discipleship Progression: Know, Follow, Model

Phase 1: Know Them (Examine and Discern)

1 Thessalonians 1:5b – "...as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake."
Discipleship begins by examining the doctrine, lifestyle, and fruit of leaders up close.
Testing Media and Influences:
- 1 Corinthians 11:1 – "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."
- Disclose and evaluate online preachers, motivational speakers (e.g., Joel Osteen), and modern Christian music artists whose edited personas may conceal unbiblical doctrines (prosperity gospel, grave soaking).
- Beware of worldly secular influencers (e.g., Gary Vaynerchuk) shifting Christian priorities toward worldly success.
- The Overflowing Gas Tank Analogy: Pumping fuel without stopping causes overflow; consuming endless media without meditating on or obeying Scripture causes spiritual overload and prevents true digestion.
Pastoral Illustrations:
- Elder Billington (Akron, Ohio): Sacrificially stood in the highway during the Great Depression to secure gas rations for Sunday school buses—contrasting with distant, limousine-riding, untouchable figures.
- Bruce Fitzgerald: In high school, the pastor learned personal evangelism by shadowing Bruce Fitzgerald near the University of Akron. Bruce modeled door-to-door evangelism, prioritized Christ, and provided direct, loving correction when the pastor visited an unbiblical campus meeting.

Phase 2: Follow Them and the Lord (Imitation & Cost)

1 Thessalonians 1:6 – "And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost."
Disciples follow godly leaders as those leaders follow Christ. Discipleship is not a personality cult; the preacher is merely a "paperboy" delivering the news Jesus provided.
The Cost of Following Jesus:
- Hearing His Voice: John 10:27 – Sheep stay near enough to hear the Shepherd's voice.
- Surrendering Value: Luke 18:22 – The Rich Young Ruler was told to sell all and follow Christ; disciples exchange what they value for what God values.
- Self-Denial and Cross-Bearing: Matthew 16:24 – Discipleship involves self-denial and suffering.
- Prioritizing Christ Above All: Matthew 9:9 & Luke 9:59–60 – Matthew left his tax booth; disciples must not let careers or family ties supersede Christ's call.
- Active Evangelism: Matthew 4:19 – Following Jesus results in becoming "fishers of men."
Supernatural Joy in Suffering:
- 2 Corinthians 8:2, James 1:2, 2 Corinthians 1:24 – Biblical joy is not circumstantial happiness or the absence of trouble; it is anchored in Christ through the Holy Spirit.
- Joy is lived out in order: Jesus, Others, Yourself.

Phase 3: Model Them (Become an Example / Ensample)

1 Thessalonians 1:7 – "So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia."
Believers are called to mature into reproducible patterns of faith, love, and endurance.
The Athletic Team Analogy: A freshman football player must watch upperclassmen to learn the playbook before stepping into the game; young believers must observe mature believers to learn how to live out their faith.
Hands-On Discipleship: Discipleship is not a remote YouTube tutorial; it is like a parent teaching a child to cook in the kitchen—embodied, relational, and reproducible.
Parenting and Mentoring Example: Modeling calm, deliberate correction to teach that sin brings consequences, demonstrating the difference between godly discipline and abuse.
Trials as the Proving Ground: A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted. COVID-19, health crises (such as walking through a child's cancer diagnosis), and relational pressure serve as furnaces that expose true character and refine authentic faith (1 Peter 2:21, John 13:15).

Numbered Key Points

Know your leaders: Proximity, observation, and visible fruit are essential to evaluating spiritual leadership (1 Thessalonians 1:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:12, Matthew 7:16–20).
Respect pastoral authority while valuing friendship: Pastors must remain accessible and transparent, and congregants must honor their God-ordained role and welcome admonition.
Impart both the gospel and life: True ministry is incarnational and relational, giving both God’s Word and personal sacrifice (1 Thessalonians 2:8).
Trials reveal character: Faith and leadership are proven under pressure, trials, and affliction through the joy of the Holy Ghost (1 Thessalonians 1:6, James 1:2).
Resist the craving for novelty: Embrace biblical remembrance and timeless truth rather than trend-chasing and media overload (2 Peter 1:12, Acts 17:16–34).
Walk in the Spirit for spiritual reception: Carnality dulls the impact of God’s Word; spiritual discernment is required to receive truth (1 Corinthians 2:14).
Maintain biblical order in relationships: Seek character assessment, friendship, and covenant before physical intimacy.
Submit to biblically qualified order: God establishes elders and servant leaders to bring order, protect souls, and guide the church (Hebrews 13:7, 17, Titus 1:5, 1 Corinthians 16:15–16).
Follow faithful examples and reproduce: Progress from knowing godly leaders to following Christ, and ultimately becoming an example (ensample) for others to follow (1 Thessalonians 1:6–7, 1 Corinthians 11:1).

Applications for American Culture Today

Personal Life:
- Identify specific local pastors or elders and invite them to speak truth and admonish you.
- Audit media consumption: stop the "overflowing gas tank" of secular influencers and novelty; replace it with daily Scripture saturation and meditation.
- Practice spiritual disciplines (Scripture reading, prayer, journaling) consistently.
Relational and Family Life:
- In dating and courtship, evaluate character under pressure and observe how prospective spouses treat parents before entering covenant commitment.
- Model calm, biblical leadership and discipline in the home; older men and women must intentionally mentor the younger generation.
Local Church Life:
- Prioritize embodied, local church community over distant internet celebrity teachers.
- Stand with biblically qualified elders and support church order.
- Serve actively alongside leaders in local evangelism and ministry.

Concluding Reflection

"Preaching is God’s holy truth flowing through a personality." Discipleship cannot happen through screens or isolation. Believers are called to know accessible, tested leaders, follow them as they follow Christ, and endure all afflictions with the supernatural joy of the Holy Spirit—becoming living examples of God's grace to the surrounding world.