Steven S Veach

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1 John 1:3 – Our fellowship with the creator of the universe, the progenitor of life universal, has been revealed to those individuals who were led to write down their experiences with the triune godhead, and thus we now have the “surer word” revealed to us in Christ.

The Text (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Πάντοτε χαίρετε· ἀδιαλείπτως προσεύχεσθε· ἐν παντὶ εὐχαριστεῖτε· τοῦτο γὰρ θέλημα θεοῦ ἐν χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ εἰς ὑμᾶς.

Ἀπλῶς (aplōs) Peshat (פְּשָׁט) (Literal Meaning)

Always rejoice. Without ceasing, pray. In everything give thanks. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Ἀλληγορία (Remez, alegorical), Διδασκαλία (Derash, homiletical), Μυστικός (Sod, Mystical), Μυστήριον (Pesher, prophetic)

1. Always Rejoice – All conditions, circumstances, and situations are arranged, directed, filtered, initiated, and intended by God for our good (Rom 8:28), if we: “love God” and “are called according to his purpose.”
2. Pray without ceasing – Not necessarily repetitive, empty words, as such is prohibited by Matt 6:7–8‘ s “vain repetitions.” Eccl. 5:2 suggests our “words should be few.” This means we are to draw ever close to God, to lean on him in everything, to continually, without hesitation, without interruption, be drawn into communion and fellowship with him. Every day he asks us anew with every situation and every challenge, “Do you trust me?” When there is distrust, disappointment, self-inflicted or friend-inflicted wounds, or persecution for our testimony of Jesus, we are resolutely to turn to God in our need, in our want, in our everything.
3. Give thanks in everything – Our life is to be a perpetual attitude shaped by genuine, heart-felt, sincere gratitude for everything God has done for us. This includes the good, certainly, but also includes all of the bad, even the worst of the bad. If we are unable to find anything in a situation, event, or circumstance that we can be grateful for, then we return to the throne and repeat our prayer and supplications and wait on him to bring clarity, correction, direction, solace, and peace. This is reiterated in Philippians 2:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.”
4. The three above are the will of God
   • In Christ Jesus – It is God’s will that we do these three things: rejoice continually, stay in open and genuine communication with him in every instance, every situation before us, and foster and bolster a perspective of gratitude in all of it. This desire he has for us is rooted, established, exacted, executed, and fulfilled through our “being in Jesus” fundamentally because he is the Christ, the Messiah. He is the only path to which we can find that spiritual, mystical, supernatural union with our Creator. For there is no other by which men are saved (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; 1 Tim 2:5; John 10:7–9).
   • For you – This is specifically written, prescribed, annotated, and installed upon those whose names are written in the Book of Life (Revelation 20:15). It was established that you and I, if indeed we are chosen by God (John 6:44–45, 65). We have been predestined, intentionally formed as vessels of mercy (Rom 9:22–23; 1 Thess 5:9).

Next Session:

1. What is God’s posture toward me?

Prayers:

Note: These are privately posted to my blog and not available to the public.

Benediction:

“Now [may] the God of peace himself sanctify me completely; and my whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who calls you is faithful and is willing to do it” (1 Th 5:23-24).

Amen…