The Church: A Source of Glory and Joy (1 Thessalonians 5:12–24) 

It is easy for pastors to say of a vibrant church, “You are our glory and joy” (1 Thessalonians 2:20). On the one hand, such a church already following the Lord may “have no need for anyone to write,” and yet, on the other hand, the pastors would still say, “We urge you, brothers, to do this more and more” (1 Thessalonians 4:9–10). The Thessalonians excelled in love and were encouraged to love the more. Some churches excel in many things but should be encouraged to excel yet more.

1 Thessalonians 5:12–24 contains a cluster of exhortations that, when obeyed, make the church a source of glory and joy to its pastors, just as the Thessalonians were to Paul, Timothy, and Silas (cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:1). However well they did these things, Paul wrote from a distance to encourage them to excel still more, not only in love but also in all of the Christian life.

From this passage, we see that the church is a source of glory and joy when it …

… treats its pastors well (5:12–13).

Paul asked the Thessalonians “to respect… and to esteem them [their pastors] very highly.” Though the title “pastor” or an equivalent is not present, pastors are clearly in view. They “labor among” the flock, they “are over you in the Lord,” and they “admonish you.” A church is a source of glory and joy for a pastor as he serves them well and as they show their appreciation in return. This kind of relationship makes it easy to obey the final command in these two verses, “Be at peace among yourselves.”

… treats each other well (5:14–15). 

Paul captured the life and variety of the body with six commands. “Admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.” Whatever the sin or weakness or evil, patience and goodness be the guardrails of every relationship. A church is a source of glory and joy for a pastor when it treats each other well. 

… thrives in every circumstance (5:16–18).

The Thessalonians were a persecuted bunch. They “received the word in much affliction,” and it continued (1 Thessalonians 1:6; cf. 2:13–16). And yet, they were to “rejoice… pray… and give thanks.” Moreover, they were to do so “always… without ceasing… in all circumstances” because “this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” In short, they were to thrive spiritually, and a church that thrives in every circumstance is a source of glory and joy for any pastor.

… treasures the Word of God (5:19–22). 

The commands in this unit stick together to give a well-rounded approach to prophecy. In the Thessalonians’ day, the Spirit would give prophecies that prophets could verify as good or not (cf. 1 Corinthains 14:29; 1 John 4:1–6). The abuse of prophecy might provoke one to despise any prophecy and thus quench the Spirit. However, the Thessalonians were “test everything,” “hold fast to the good,” and “abstain from every form of evil.” 

As prophecy has ceased in this age, perhaps we can apply this passage in principle—to appreciate when the Spirit gifts someone to preach or teach the Word of God. We must test it, yes, and treasure its truth, holding fast to what is good. A church that treasures the Word of God will always be a source of glory and joy for a pastor. 

… trusts God to bring them into a perfect, peaceful eternity (5:23–24). 

Paul shifts to give a prayer with a promise for his readers. The prayer is for God to complete our sanctification and keep us blameless when Jesus returns. Moreover, God called us to this peaceful end, He is faithful to bring us to it, and He will surely do it. A church that hopes in glorification and trusts God to bring them to that point—this is a church that is a source of glory and joy for a pastor. 

May God help our churches to glorify Him in its treatment of its pastors and one another. May we also thrive in every circumstance with joy, prayer, and gratitude. May we treasure the Word of God and trust God to glorify us when His Son comes again.

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David Huffstutler is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Rockford, IL. He blogs here, where this article first appeared. It is republished here by permission.

Photo by Andrew Seaman on Unsplash