I’ve always loved to bake and cook.  When I was in middle school, I made what Pennsylvanians call Johnny Cake.  You know it as corn bread.   The batter mixed up nicely.  When the oven timer went off, telling me it was done baking, the top of the Johnny Cake was a beautiful golden brown.   It smelled divine.  When I served it up for dinner, it held together just right, to all the oohs, and awes.  I was so pleased with the outcome...until we tasted it.  Now, I do  not know chemistry like Roger, and others of you.  So I don’t know what baking powder is supposed to do.  But I do know what doesn’t happen when this one crucial ingredient, just 1 teaspoon of baking powder is omitted.   A seemingly minor ingredient can be a critical element to the good and right outcome.  Just this one element can be the critical element in the performance of some thing, the baking of a cake or bread, a computer, or car.   As a matter of fact, the saying “This is where the rubber meets the road" came about because vehicle tires. Though underrated, tires are one of the most important parts of an automobile. Bad tires equal poor traction, poor steering, poor stopping ability.  With bad tires it is a  poor-performing car, even if it is a great vehicle otherwise. 

            It is all about crucial and critical elements of the Christian life with which Paul now closes out his first letter to the believers at Thessalonica. These life commandments may seem of little importance in the every day of a Christian.   We might think one of these wouldn’t make “that much difference.”   Or  we could underrate another command, to ourselves and to other people, if we don’t exercise it.  Yet each is critical to our Christian walk.  And we, the people are critical to Christ’s church. 

            MPC was once an upstart – I mean a start up, new church development.  As a matter of fact, Dave came as the organizing pastor on October 1, twenty years ago.  

When Paul wrote this letter he was speaking to the situation there in Thessalonica.  Now some things have not changed in more than 2000 years.  Paul was with them such a short time.  There had not been a believer there before Paul’s arrival and his sharing of the gospel.   He won them to Christ and he taught them about living in Christ.      That church had been started, from scratch, as a new church development.  That means in that particular situation, that all the Thessalonian believers had come to know Christ at about the same time. 

            It seems that in the case of this brand new, from scratch, church at Thessalonica, there was an attitude of:   “Ol Clarence, over there? Well, he and I were saved at the very same time.  I knew him, and what he was like and what he did, before he became a believer.  Where does he get off with the idea that he can lead me or teach me God stuff?”   So I seems that everyone wants to be charge and run this new church.  This means no one is willing to do behind the scenes jobs or be willing to be taught.  And everyone is either getting huffy or puffed up.   

            Paul tells us in other letters he wrote, there are a variety of gifts and services, just like the diversity and uniqueness of believers.  That diversity is not to be divisive.  Rather it is to build up, or edify the church for God’s glory.  Not our own glory.

            When we take Jesus into our hearts, we are given spiritual gifts.  Each gift is to be exercised in the body of believers to build up the body of believers for Christ.   There are different spiritual gifts in each church, all depending on the specific circumstance…even for brand new churches and new believers.           

            We each have a responsibility to discover and to utilize our spiritual gifts.  If you do not know what your spiritual gifts are, please come see me.  I have just thing to help you in that process.   Discover and utilize your gifts from God in lifting up and supporting His church. 

That means each of us is to do our part in the church, to serve where we are gifted.  That means we are to serve where we have the skill, talent and background…and where we can learn and grow.  We are to serve with excellence.   We are not to be idle or timid or weak in the Lord, in His church, nor when we, the church go into the world. 

God continues to tell us through Paul to lift   up the leaders, support them and help them.  That includes faithful and qualified spiritual leaders as pastors, teachers, elders, deacons, and other leadership positions.  

            Since the last Sunday in June and including today, we have been ordaining and installing elders and deacons.  These people have been duly nominated and elected by you, the people.  After the questions are asked of each elected person, Mickey, our clerk of session, asks you, the people two questions:

(1)   Do we, the members of the church, accept these people as elders and deacons, chosen by God through the voice of this congregation to lead us in the way of Jesus Christ?

(2)   Do we agree to encourage them, to respect their decisions, and to follow as they guide us, serving Jesus Christ, who alone is Head of the Church? 

Isn’t it great how our Book of Order gets all this straight from God’s Word.   These are questions the Thessalonian believers could have dwelled upon.  We are to live and work by them right here at MPC.  Paul tells us to lift up, appreciate, and esteem them very highly in love.  And we are live in peace.  I would add, pray for these brothers and sisters.   

And just a good parent, Paul has to state the obvious.  Just because another has been unkind or mean to you, do not return it with evil.  Do good to those who do evil to us.  In other words, don’t hit back!  Love is what helps us be patient toward others, even those ungodly, unholy, cantankerous, people in our lives.   Sounds like every parent, doesn’t it.  Keep peace with everyone.  Don’t fight with others. 

Then Paul tells us to comfort those who need comforting, support those who are not able to help themselves.  Also we are not to stifle the Holy Spirit.  Rather we are to cooperate with the Spirit the next time He prompts us to participate in a meeting, gathering, or share an idea, telephone someone who might need that comforting, or pray to know how to support another.  

And instead of  laughing at what is properly interpreted from God, we are to receive God’s Word from those who speak for Him.   We are to also abstain from all appearance of evil.  If there is any question in our mind whether something is right or wrong, then it is likely wrong.  So don’t go there.   (Tina in the drama wanted to go to an unsupervised party…don’t go there.)   In other words, avoid situations where we could be drawn into temptation.  

We are to always let the Holy Spirit be our guide.  Don’t take matters into our own hands.  When we spend time in God’s Word, personally and in groups, then we know how to get going in the world to be effective for Jesus.  Doing this helps us with the command to “prove all things”. This means do not be taken in by every mailing, or picture of orphans.  Don’t fall for some promotion.  Don’t be gullible.  Rather - Investigate!  Make wise and Christ-guided decisions.   We are to realize that the Christian life is to be lived not in our own strength but through God’s power!

            Each of these commands from Paul are strong and specific and crucial, for all people in each church.  Whether a brand new, start up church; or a church that has a 100 year history or one that is 20 years old and beginning the third phase of construction, God has very specific ideas on how we are to show Christ in our lives, so that others will want to do the same.  We are to ask God for that discernment.  He will tell us.

And by the way, Paul’s command to greet each other with a HOLY kiss…that’s cool.  Just make sure the kiss is HOLY.  And ya know, a handshake can be a holy greeting as well.

            Lest you think I forgot about verses 16-18 – I did not.  I believe these verses are the spiritual center of this closing benediction, and probably the most crucial of these life commands from Paul.   “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances…for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”    Know   this does not say “be happy”.  Rejoice does not mean to be happy.   Actually “happy” is not a New Testament word.  Rejoice is a joy in the Lord!  Rejoice is a depth far deeper than “happy” could ever be.

            As children of God we have no right to go around with a sour face and attitude.  As children of God we have no right to be those cantankerous individuals (just like in the drama), no matter the circumstance.   Yes, we have moods.  Yes, we get hurt.  Yes, we grieve.  But as children of God we are to rejoice in the Lord.  If you cannot rejoice, then begin reading God’s Word.   Call upon God to put joy in your heart.  He will do just that!  Remember that in the midst of turmoil, God is in control.

            And finally, pray without ceasing does not mean we are to stay on our knees 24/7.  But we are to have and be in an attitude of prayer, at all time.   We are to pray regularly.  It also means that in that we can always just talk to God, any time, any place– after all He is always with us.  Paul asked that these new Christians pray for him and the other missionaries.  This is a call for current and continual prayer.  You can’t pray for Paul.  You can thank God for his ministry.   But I know you have been praying for me.  On occasion I call one or another of you and ask you to pray for me and/or a specific situation.  I feel your prayers.  Thank you.  Please don’t stop.

            Pray for each of the leaders within this church.  Pray for each other.  This is a way we can give thanks in all circumstances.   And did you notice, this passage does not say to give thanks for the circumstance – although you certainly can do that.  Rather, it says to give thanks in all circumstances.   This command requires us to trust in the sovereignty of Christ.   This recognizes God’s prominent presence in all events.   

            This is truly is where the rubber meets the road.  For this is God’s will for each and every believer.    The question in the drama, and more importantly our own lives:  What more does God want from us?   The answer:  God’s will is that we are to be joyful, and prayerful and thankful – because we are God’s children.  That’s pretty clear. 

  Paul wanted the entire letter read to everyone in that congregation.  We have done this as well.  It has taken just over a year – but we’ve done just that.  And so, as you include and practice each of these crucial elements in your Christian life, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.  Amen