1 Thessalonians 4:9-10
Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more…
Healthy churches, and all healthy organizations, have annual reviews of pastors and staff, but also their ministries throughout the church. They are often seen as excellent but a good question is, “How can we do better?’ The answer usually comes from God. Here, Paul, in one of his earliest letters, commended the church in thessalonica for its brotherly love, philadelphia. Then he exhorted them to do it more and more. Is Paul impossible to please? Hardly. He is modeling a healthy discontent, as John Piper calls it, with the status quo, even if it is going well. The church there had questions about how to live on earth in preparation for heaven.
The church here has similar questions 2,000 years later. It is interesting to note that the Thessalonians did not have John’s gospel where Jesus commanded believers to love one another. They had the apostles who heard him say it. Any questions we have about how to live are found in Scripture. These verses are our manual for evaluating our ministry. Our church may be doing great at making disciples and loving our neighbor but, is there a way to do it more and more? Pray for ways to love one another and others more. Loving the Lord is a good start.
O Heavenly Father, you have loved us with an everlasting love that cannot be improved upon but ours can. Help us love you and others more. In Jesus’ name. Amen.