1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 

It was President George Washington, who in 1789, made the first Thanksgiving Day proclamation in the United States as he signed a decree making Thursday, November 26, 1789, a day of Thanksgiving, “to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God.”

         

But it was God himself who made the first Thanksgiving proclamation. The proclamation to make every day a day of thanksgiving to God is woven throughout the Bible. Scripture doesn’t proclaim just one day as a day of thanksgiving. Rather, the Holy Spirit, in the words of our text from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says that Thanksgiving Day is God’s will for us every day: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

 

Rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks are part of God’s will for our lives. Every Christian should want to know God’s will for their lives. It is only natural, for instance, for you young people to want to know God’s will for your lives. What occupation should I pursue? How do I prepare for that? What type of schooling do I need? Should I be single? Is it God’s will that I be married?” 

 

Those are all legitimate questions. Questions that those of us who are older still ask, but in a different way: “How can I accomplish God’s will for my life in this calling he has given me? In my family life or church life, how can I truly know what God’s will is?” For those who are retired or will be retiring soon, “How can I best use my time and my energy to serve the Lord and be a blessing to others?”

 

And here, in these verses, the Holy Spirit gives us the answer. No matter what age we may be, no matter where we are in life, these verses tell us what God’s will for our lives is. Verses 16 to 18: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

 

 

Verse 16 begins by telling us: “Rejoice always.” That’s a tall task, isn’t it?  We can understand being joyful when everything is going well. When the turkey is on the table, the ham is in the oven, and the family is gathered around, and the security of work is set for Monday morning – we can be joyful for those blessings on a special day of thanksgiving. But to be joyful always, how is that even possible?

 

One key is to know that every day, no matter what happens, God is in control. To be joyful always we need to know the truth – not just feel the truth – of Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."

 

But it doesn’t always seem that way, does it?  I’m sure it didn’t always seem that way to the Thessalonian church either. In 1 Thessalonians 1:6 Paul tells how the Thessalonians were severely persecuted for their faith as they received the word in much affliction.

 

It is in those times of great trial, when it doesn’t seem as though God is working for good, that we must rest in the knowledge that he truly is working all things for our good. Romans 8:28 doesn’t say, “We feel that in all things...” It says: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

 

That knowledge of the sovereign control of God has been a comfort to believers in every age. In 1558, a Christian by the name of Bernard Gilpin was scheduled to be executed in London for his faith in Jesus Christ. The Queen of England was well known for her persecutions. Already Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley and Thomas Cranmer, along with close to 300 others Christians had been martyred. So many Christians had been martyred that the Queen had the well-known nick name of “Bloody Mary.”

 

Bernard Gilpin was under armed guard making the journey to London, when he slipped and fell and broke his leg. The guards scoffed at him. He was well known for quoting Romans 8:28 so they jeered at him, “Is your broken leg another blessing? Is this how God works everything for your good?” 

 

Gilpin replied that God must have a reason for it, and indeed he did. The broken leg delayed Gilpin’s journey to London, and meanwhile, on November 17, 1558, the Queen died. His execution was stayed. He returned to his home town a free man!

 

That is one key to being joyful always. Know that God is working for good in all circumstances, even when it may not seem that way to us in our limited understanding.

 

 

A second key to truly joyful, thankful living is found in the connection of verse 16 to John 11:35. John 11:35 is well known by each one of you. In fact, it is one verse that virtually each one of you has memorized. Almost each one of you knows that verse by heart, from you young children among us to the oldest adult. Each one of you knows that verse. 

 

You know it best by its length. If I asked, “What is the shortest verse in the Bible, you would all say, “Jesus wept.”  And you would be partially right. In our English Bibles the shortest verse is John 11:35, “Jesus wept.” ­It is nine letters in English, but sixteen in Greek.

 

But do you know what the shortest verse in the Greek New Testament is? In the original Koine Greek, the shortest verse in the New Testament is 1 Thessalonians 5:16. In the Greek it only takes fourteen letters to translate verse 16: “Rejoice always.” 

 

Those two short verses in the Bible have an inseparable connection: The reason we can be joyful always is because Jesus wept. The only true lasting joy in life is the joy of salvation. It is the joy of knowing that our sins are forgiven, covered by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. It is the joy of knowing that we have a place reserved in heaven for us and that our names are engraved on the palms of our Savior’s hands, as Isaiah 49:16 so beautifully puts it.

 

Joy and thanksgiving are not found in material things. Tomorrow, on “Black Friday”, many people will rush off to the stores, some even in predawn darkness, to get the best buys. But there is no real joy in material things. Material blessings and money are gifts from God, and when used properly they are a great blessing. But by themselves they offer no lasting joy.

 

The same goes for all the other passing pleasures of this world. This world offers many fleeting pleasures, but when they pass, they leave a void and a sadness greater than before. The only true joy you and I will ever find is the joy of salvation – the heartfelt knowledge of the two shortest verses in the Bible: That Jesus wept that we may be joyful always, even throughout all eternity.

 

That joy, incidentally, doesn’t mean that we walk around with a big smile and laugh at all the tragedies in life.  But it does mean that in those trials and heartaches of life we have a peace that surpasses all understanding, and we have an inner joy that those apart from Christ can never know.

 

It is only those who have saving faith in Christ who can be joyful always. That is why verse 18 stresses that giving thanks in all circumstances is God’s will “in Christ Jesus for you.” You and I will find no true joy apart from Christ. He came to save us from our sin and to impute his righteousness to us. And that leads to great joy and an ever-increasing love for Jesus Christ. 

 

 

 

Verse 17 tells us another part of God’s will for our lives. It says: “Pray without ceasing.” Prayer and praise – true joy in Christ – go hand in hand. The Heidelberg Catechism, in Lord’s Day 45, reminds us that “Prayer is the most important part of the thankfulness God requires of us.” And William Hendriksen, an insightful commentator of a previous generation, wrote in his commentary on 1 Thessalonians: “When a person prays without giving thanks, he has clipped the wings of prayer so that it cannot rise.” But when the Scripture says, “Pray without ceasing,” what does it mean? Are we always to be in prayer, twenty-four hours a day? 

 

As you might imagine, a lot has been written about what it means to pray without ceasing. I agree with those who believe that to pray without ceasing means that we live our whole life in a prayerful attitude. For example, when we pray to God, we do so realizing our dependence upon him. He is the vine, we are the branches, apart from him we can do nothing. The prayers of faith strengthen the branches; they strengthen our relationship to our Savior and bring his strength into our lives.

 

Another aspect of praying without ceasing involves realizing God’s presence wherever we are. Psalm 139 reminds us that there is no place and no circumstance in life where the Lord will not be with us. David wrote, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?”

 

Prayer connects us to our God no matter what circumstance or situation in life we face. In his omniscience he knows your every need.  In his omnipotence – his divine power – nothing is too hard for him. As Jesus said, “What is impossible for man is not impossible for God.” And because of his wisdom – because he knows what is best in your life and mine, we are to pray as Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but your will be done.”

 

The constant attitude of prayer and dependence on God is related directly to our joy, even when life is difficult and hard. In Philippians 4:4 Paul writes: “Rejoice in the Lord always.” And then he adds in verse 6 and 7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication - with thanksgiving – let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

 

Prayer is also linked directly to our sanctification. And our sanctification is the ultimate will of God. Earlier in this letter, in chapter 4:3, the Holy Spirit tells us the ultimate will of God for your life and for mine. 1 Thessalonians 4:3: “For this is the will of God, your sanctification.”

 

Sanctification is the gracious and continual work of the Holy Spirit as he convicts us of our sin and conforms us more and more after the likeness of Christ. Through the life-long process of sanctification we grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord with an eagerness to do what pleases God as we seek to do the good works which he prepared beforehand for us to do (Eph 2:10).

 

Part of our sanctification includes daily prayers of repentance, for none of us are fully sanctified in this life; none of our prayer lives are what they should be. Apart from the intercession of Christ and the groanings of the Holy Spirit, too deep for words, none of our prayers would reach the throne of our heavenly Father (Rom. 8:26,27; Heb. 4:14-16).

 

None of us are joyful always, giving thanks in all circumstances. I cannot begin to count the number of times I have failed to put these verses into action. Instead of being joyful always I have often become frustrated and angry over little things that aren’t worth getting upset about. I fail to give thanks in all circumstances. Although I know in my head that God is sovereign over all circumstances, when circumstances don’t go as expected, I have often been upset and angry instead of thankfully trusting the Lord, acknowledging that he works all things for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose.

 

Consequently, I need to always pray that God will forgive my sins, which you also need to do. That is part of praying without ceasing – praying for forgiveness as Jesus taught in the Lord’s prayer. And coupled with that prayer for forgiveness there must be a prayer for increased sanctification that we would joyfully grow in grace, knowledge, love, and service regardless of the circumstances we face.

 

 

Verse 18 continues with the same thought. It tells us to “Give thanks in all circumstances.” It is in the imperative. It is not a suggestion; it is a command; it is the will of God. 

 

This again is a tall order, isn’t it?  It’s easy to be thankful when things are going well, but to be thankful in all circumstances? That’s a whole other matter.  In fact, sometimes just thinking about being thankful in all circumstances can make us angry.  

 

Consider the well-known experience of Corrie ten Boom and her sister, Betsy. They had been transferred to Ravensbruck, one of the worst Nazi prison camps. The barracks they were in were overcrowded and flea infested. Never had they seen so many fleas. One morning, after reading 1 Thessalonians 5 in their devotions, Betsy encouraged Corrie to stop and thank God for every detail of their new living quarters. Even the fleas.

 

In her book, The Hiding Place, Corrie tells how hard that was to do. Then she began to realize that the guards rarely came to inspect their quarters the way they had before they were transferred to Ravensbruck. It dawned on her that the fleas were keeping the guards away! Compared to the cruel Nazi guards the fleas were no problem at all. They were something to be truly thankful for!

 

You see, it comes back to the knowledge of God’s sovereignty. It comes back to the knowledge that he is indeed in control of all circumstances, even those that make no sense to us and grieve us deeply.

     

If anyone knew that, it was the Apostle Paul. Although he wrote this letter from Corinth as a free man, many of his other letters were written from prison. He describes how often he was whipped, beaten, and imprisoned. His friends, and those whom he thought were colleagues, people like Phygelus, Hermogenes, and even Demas deserted him. On top of all that he had poor eyesight, and he had that thorn in his flesh – that persistent ailment that he asked God to heal, but the Lord simply said, “My grace is sufficient for you.”

 

And knowing that God’s grace is sufficient for every trial and every trouble Paul would write in one of his letters from prison to that small struggling church at Philippi, a church that was nothing in the eyes of the world but precious in the sight of God: I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:11b-13, NIV 1984).

 

God always gives the strength, but in his sovereign rule he doesn’t always deliver from the circumstance, even if the circumstance leads to a painful death. For instance, Betsy ten Boom was thankful for the fleas, but the fleas didn’t keep the guards away forever. Eventually they came and led Betsy to a gruesome death. But even then, the Lord gave her his sustaining strength, and her physical death brought her face to face with her Savior. She knew with saving faith the One who is our only comfort in life and in death, the Lord Jesus Christ.

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On this National Day of Thanksgiving there are many people who have every material thing imaginable, and yet are miserable. There is never enough, there is always a desire for more. That is how life is apart from Christ. But those who, by God’s grace and Spirit’s power, are on the narrow path that leads to life – those who have saving faith in Christ alone – have genuine joy and peace – joy and peace that surpasses and transcends all understanding.

 

They know that we can only have that joy through saving faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus told us that when he assured us of our union with him – that he is the vine and we are the branches. In John 15:11 Jesus says, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

 

He alone is the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father apart from saving faith in Christ alone. May you and I truly be on that path that leads to everlasting life in the presence of our gracious God!

 

May God grant you and me his grace to increasingly do his will, not just today on a National Day of Thanksgiving, but each and every day: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” and for me. Amen. 

 

 

Bulletin outline:

 

 

                                        1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 

I.   We are to offer thanksgiving to God every day, not just a National Day

      of Thanksgiving, for “this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 

      God’s will includes that we:

       1) Rejoice always (16)

 

 

 

 

 

        2) Pray without ceasing (17)

 

 

 

 

 

         3) Give thanks in all circumstances (18)

 

 

 

 

 

 

II. Only a Christian knows true joy – the joy of salvation (John 14:6; 15:11)