1 Thess. 5:14; James 5:1-10, Body Life (5)

In the body of Christ we are called to consider one another in order to stir up love and good works (Heb. 10:24).  How do we see in Scripture that we can we be a part of this in supporting the weak?

·        1 Cor 9:22: Seek to identify with the weak.  Paul said, "to the weak I became weak."  Don't fall into their weakness but identify w/them.

·        Rom. 14:1: accept the weak.  Receive them, but not simply to argue w/them or change them.  Truly accept them.

·        1 Cor 8:7-12: yield your rights to the weak.  In other words, be willing to lay aside your freedoms as part of patiently helping them mature in Christ.

·        Rom. 15:1; Acts 20:35: help bear their weaknesses.  You may be led by the Spirit to actually supply what they need spiritually or physically.  Maybe we help financially for a while or do what they cannot do physically.  As Gal. 6:2-5 seems to be indicate, we bear one another’s burdens until they can bear them on their own.

All this takes wisdom from the Lord.  But as we said at the outset, we cannot do this without truly walking in the Spirit.

IV. Be patient with all.

There are two primary words for patience in the NT.  One, used in 1 Th. 1:3 has to do with patience with circumstances.  It is never used of God who controls circumstances and works all things for His glory.  The other, used here in 1Th.5:14, is often used of God and has to do with patience with people.  The old King James word was long-suffering, a term which I still like to use.

In a sense this fourth area of people-helping-people goes, with all of them.  Helping the unruly, the fainthearted and the weak should never be considered to be on a par with being the cook at McDonalds.  It is not merely a matter of telling someone what to do and going off and leaving them on their own.  It is suffering long with them, a feat only possible when we are filled with the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22).  And it is not simply remembering all the Bible says about patience.  In fact, every illustration of a person who was faithful to God to the end involved patience.  So one helpful thing is to pay attention to these illustrations, such as …

·        Heb. 6:15: Abraham, who believed God and was justified (Gen. 15:6) and who then lived an inconsistent but ever growing life with God until he came to the end and received God’s well-done (Ge. 22).

·        Jas. 5:7-10: Job (and the other prophets, and every successful farmer) who encountered one tragedy after another and for a long time had no one who really stood with him, but who came to the end and received God’s well-done (Job 42).

·        2 Tim. 3:10: Paul, who served God faithfully but yet as he came to the end could see that some who had served with him were turning away.  Yet he maintained patience and was confident he would receive God’s well-done (2 Tim. 4:6-8).