Practicing Compassion in the Church (1 Thessalonians 5:14-15)
This sermon thoughtfully addresses the vital role of compassion within the Christian community. It encourages believers to extend understanding and practical support to fellow members navigating various personal struggles.
This sermon calls the church to embody compassion, balancing sound doctrine with tenderheartedness toward its imperfect members. It outlines specific, loving approaches for engaging with wayward, worried, weak, wearisome, and wicked individuals within the community.
Overview
The sermon introduces compassion as an essential spiritual attitude for the church, likening it to an internal system that carries life. It emphasizes that while a church committed to sound doctrine and holiness is vital, it must balance this with compassion to avoid becoming judgmental toward those who struggle. The church is presented not as a gallery for eminent Christians, but a hospital for the imperfect.
The preacher asserts that churches are inherently filled with "problem people" and identifies five categories: the wayward, the worried, the weak, the wearisome, and the wicked. He argues that the true challenge in church growth is not gathering a crowd, but nurturing individuals into Christ's likeness, which requires addressing these internal struggles with spiritual health in mind.
Colossians 3:12 serves as a foundational call for all believers, chosen and beloved, to "put on a heart of compassion" toward one another. Building on this, the sermon focuses on 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15, which provides urgent, specific instructions on how believers are to conduct themselves compassionately within the church community.
These instructions offer tailored responses for each type of struggling individual: admonishing the unruly, encouraging the faint-hearted, helping the weak, being patient with all (referring to the wearisome), and seeking good for those who repay evil. The sermon underscores that these acts of compassion should be delivered with tenderness, understanding, and a desire for restoration, mirroring God's own consistent grace and mercy.
Key points
- Compassion is an essential spiritual attitude for the church, balancing sound doctrine with understanding for struggling members.
- The church is described as a "hospital for the healing of those who are imperfect," recognizing all members are sinners in process.
- Five categories of "problem people" are identified: the wayward (unruly), the worried (faint-hearted), the weak, the wearisome, and the wicked.
- Colossians 3:12 calls all Christians to "put on a heart of compassion" toward one another.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 gives specific instructions for compassionate interaction within the church.
- Believers are urged to admonish the unruly with love and tears, and to encourage the faint-hearted through comfort and reassurance.
- The sermon instructs to help the weak by lending spiritual strength, to be long-suffering with the wearisome, and to seek good and repentance for the wicked rather than vengeance.
In John MacArthur's words
“The Christian church is a society of sinners. It is the only society in the world where membership is available only to those who aren’t qualified.”
Outline
- I. The Spiritual Attitude of Compassion
- A. The Anatomy of the Church: Internal Systems (Spiritual Attitudes)
- B. The Challenge of Being Judgmental in a Doctrinal Church
- C. The Church as a Hospital for the Imperfect
- D. No Such Thing as a Church Without Problems
- E. Five Categories of "Problem People" in the Church
- 1. The Wayward (Unruly)
- 2. The Worried (Faint-hearted)
- 3. The Weak
- 4. The Wearisome
- 5. The Wicked
- II. The Call to Compassion (Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15)
- A. Colossians 3:12: "Put on a heart of compassion"
- B. 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15: Instructions for Interacting in the Church
- 1. The Urgency of Compassionate Interaction
- 2. God's Balance of Righteousness and Compassion
- III. Applying Compassion to the Five Categories
- A. The Wayward: "Admonish the Unruly" (1 Thessalonians 5:14)
- 1. Definition: Out of line, disorderly, apathetic, rebellious
- 2. Response: Advise with love, warn with tears (Acts 20:31)
- B. The Worried: "Encourage the Faint-hearted" (1 Thessalonians 5:14)
- 1. Definition: "Small soul," fear-driven, risk-averse, negative
- 2. Response: Comfort, strengthen, reassure through close friendship
- C. The Weak: "Help the Weak" (1 Thessalonians 5:14)
- 1. Definition: Lack moral/spiritual strength, prone to temptation, lose assurance
- 2. Response: Hold firmly to, embrace, lend spiritual strength (James 5, Galatians 6)
- D. The Wearisome: "Be Patient with All Men" (1 Thessalonians 5:14)
- 1. Definition: Exasperating, slow to change, resist efforts to grow
- 2. Response: Long-suffering, a Christlike quality
- E. The Wicked: "Don’t repay evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:15)
- 1. Definition: Do harm, gossip, sow discord, pollute the church
- 2. Response: Pursue their repentance and restoration, not vengeance
- IV. Conclusion: Growing a Healthy Flock Through Compassionate Care
Scripture references
- Colossians 3:12-13
- 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15
- 1 Corinthians 4:14
- Acts 20:31
- James 5:6-15
- 1 Corinthians 8
- 1 Corinthians 9
- Romans 14
- Galatians 6
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Insights
Compassion is the balance for a church committed to doctrine and holiness.
The church is a hospital for healing, not a gallery for perfect people.
Dealing with others requires a patient, tenderhearted, and kind compassion.
Questions & answers
What is the main spiritual attitude discussed in this sermon?
The sermon primarily discusses the spiritual attitude of compassion, emphasizing its essential role in the life and health of the church. It highlights how compassion helps balance a commitment to sound doctrine with understanding human struggle.
Why does the sermon describe the church as a 'hospital'?
The preacher states that the church is 'a hospital for the healing of those who are imperfect,' meaning it is a place for sinners and struggling individuals, not a display of perfect Christians.
What are the five categories of 'problem people' in the church?
The sermon identifies five categories: the wayward (unruly), the worried (faint-hearted), the weak, the wearisome, and the wicked. These represent various forms of spiritual struggle and behavior.
How should believers respond to the 'wayward' according to this sermon?
Believers are urged to 'admonish the unruly,' which means to advise them out of love, like a parent, and warn them with tears about the consequences of their behavior, seeking to put sense into their actions.
What does it mean to 'encourage the faint-hearted'?
This means to come alongside those with 'small souls' who are fearful and risk-averse, and to comfort, console, strengthen, and reassure them. It involves building a friendship and reminding them of God's goodness and promises.
How should the church approach those who are 'wicked'?
For the wicked, the instruction is not to repay evil for evil but to 'always seek after that which is good' for them. This means pursuing their repentance and restoration with acts of love, rather than retaliation.
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