1 Thessalonians 2:11-12

                                     Exhort, Comfort and Charge!

What is the goal of your behavior?  Is it to acquire or obtain something for yourself?  Or is it that you would walk worthy of God who calls you?  Are these two things always contradictory?

What is it God has called us to?  His own kingdom and glory!  His kingdom is His rule in your life and His reign over your life.  His glory is the magnificien---beyond words---beauty and wonder of His very being.  If His kingdom and His glory is your goal, how is that goal achieved?  Paul suggests people can be helped toward this end through exhortation, comfort and a charge.

Exhortation involves speaking the truth in love.  One must evaluate: Can I, should I, speak to someone?  Am I willing to first have my own thoughts and feelings to go through a filter of truth?  At this stage, the issue should by my own heart and my own motives.  What is driving my concern?  Is it judgment, pride, control, worry, insecurity, fear…? 

By dealing with my own emotions first, I am brought to a greater humility, and an awareness of my own need to find the comfort of God’s grace and forgiveness.  Exhortation should not be a source of broken relationships, but should occur in the climate of love, as 1 Tim 5:1 clarifies by stating that we are to exhort as with a loved family member—that is, for their good, not our own personal comfort.

And how often should exhortation occur?  Daily!!!  Hebrews 3:12 states the importance of this. Our hearts become hardened not necessarily by one big negative experience, but often by the small daily choices made as a result of being deceived by sin.

After the issues of my own heart are addressed in relation to a particular matter, I can begin to look for opportunity to speak the truth into someone else’s life.  Having gone through the process myself, II will be able to speak truth and offer it alongside the comfort which I myself have needed and received.  (2 Cor. 1:3-4)  This is not the “comfort” of saying whatever is necessary to help someone feel good.  It is the comfort of knowing Jesus and being covered by His goodness.

Finally comes the charge of “walk worthy”.  What does this look like?  It certainly is not about inspiring or motivating people to act in a way that benefits myself. In Ephesians 4:1-3 there are some clues: “ with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  And what does this really look like?  Galatians 5:22 and 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 lay it out in very practical, tangible terms:  

When we are walking worthy of the calling of God, we are demonstrating the fruits of the Spirit, we are experiencing those fruits in the inner man, and we are being conformed to Jesus' attitude of love. 

Read and Pray:  Titus 2:11-15, Hebrews 13:20-21