16 I Thessalonians 5:12-13 Acknowledged and Regarded

March 10, 2026

Christopher C. Freeman

Title: Acknowledged and Regarded Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 FCF: We often struggle honoring those who are leaders over us. Prop: Because God has appointed and equipped leaders for His church, we must receive, honor, and live peacefully with those whom the Lord has given. Scripture Intro: NET [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to 1 Thessalonians 5. In a moment we’ll read from the New English Translation starting in verse 12. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. We have observed how 1 Thessalonians is a rather unified letter. Far from a hastily written email, Paul’s letter under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is a masterful work weaving together major themes to bring comfort, hope, and direction to a fledgling church in the city of Thessalonica. The letter itself is incredibly positive as Paul cheers them on to keep growing in their faith. From early in the letter, Paul commended the Thessalonians for working out of their faith, their labor in love, and their enduring hope in the coming of Christ. But despite having these cardinal Christian virtues, Paul still says that he needs to complete what is lacking in their faith, and prays that the Lord would cause their love to abound for each other and to strengthen them in holiness so they can be ready and full of hope or the Lord’s return. [Slide 2] Far from being a throw away comment or empty compliment, the possession of and growth of these cardinal Christian virtues takes center stage in the letter. And our most recent contexts we’ve considered are certainly part of that. To address what is lacking in their faith and urge them forward to work out their faith, Paul explains their need to be holy in regard to living out a godly sexual ethic. To address their labor in love and encourage it to abound for each other, Paul instructs them to live a quiet life, mind their business, work with their hands so that they have a good reputation with outsiders and are not in need. This will produce a church that is truly Holy in love. To address their holiness and hopefulness for the Lord Jesus’ return, Paul assuages two of their fears by informing them that dead Christians will be snatched up with the living and we are not appointed for wrath but for salvation through Jesus’s atonement for His elect. So, in chapter 4 and 5 so far, we see Paul address faith, then love, then hope, then hope again. So as we move forward Paul will now move to address love, then faith again before the letter closes. So, what does Paul have to say today that expands the idea of their labor of love abounding toward one another? Let’s look. Please stand with me to give honor to and focus on the Word of God as it is read. Invocation: All Wise Father, Creator and Sustainer, we praise You for Your Son who is the Lord of all and the Head of the Church. He is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and He is The Great Shepherd. We thank You for His work to redeem a people unto Himself and we thank You for Your Spirit who has indwelled those people to guide them to all truth and progressively conform them to the image of Your dear Son. We thank You God for Your provision to the church that You have given gifts to the church in the form of leaders who are godly men serving You in Your strength and power, under the authority and in submission to Your Son. We ask that we would love those whom You have called and qualified to lead us and that we would be at peace, making leading us a joy and not a drudgery. We pray this in Jesus’ name, amen. Transition: [Slide 3] “Every man who is divinely called to the ministry is divinely equipped.” A. W. Pink “I cannot recall, in any of my reading, a single instance of a prophet who applied for the job.” A.W. Tozer “Obedience to legitimate authority is one of the fruits and evidences of Christian sincerity.” Charles Hodge “Democracy is all very well as a political device. It must not be allowed to intrude into the spiritual, or even the aesthetic world.” C.S. Lewis “Democracy is not an infallible way for getting things right. The democratic vote among the Israelites in the wilderness was to go back to Egypt.” John Blanchard Meditate on these words as we expound the text this morning. I.) The church must be holy in their love for their leadership, so we must look for and receive leaders whom the Lord has called and qualified. (12) a. [Slide 4] 12 - Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, i. Paul once again moves on to another topic under the same goal of producing holiness in the Thessalonian people. ii. As we noted, this begins another section where Paul is exhorting them to love one another in an abounding way. iii. For the second time Paul uses the verb “ask” to get across what he and the other evangelists would like to see from the Thessalonian church. iv. We should not interpret this to be a request from Paul, in the traditional meaning of the word ask. v. It is like when we ask our children if they would go do their chores… we aren’t really asking. But asking is kinder than barking orders. Asking communicates love and a good relationship. Asking gives respect. vi. So also, Paul asks the Thessalonian church to do something, but it is not as if this is optional for them. vii. So, what does Paul ask of them? b. [Slide 5] to acknowledge i. This infinitive functions as the complement to the plural pronoun you. ii. The verbal action of Paul asking produces the effect on the object (you) that they be a people who acknowledge. iii. This word is actually the word “to know.” iv. Paul has used this word repeatedly throughout the letter to assure and remind the Thessalonians of what they have already been taught by Paul and his companions when they visited them. v. Paul now is asking them to gain that same familiarity, not toward information, but toward people. vi. Therefore, the translation “acknowledge” seems to be the best understanding of the word. vii. Paul is asking for the Thessalonians to acknowledge or recognize, or even receive a group of people, in a similar way that they had acknowledged and received the evangelists’ teaching. viii. But what sort of people? ix. Well, Paul doesn’t name them. He doesn’t give them titles. x. Instead, Paul uses participles to describe what these people are like. xi. He describes them in three ways. c. [Slide 6] those who labor among you i. We know that Paul refers to a single group of people because he uses a single article and joins each participle with the conjunction “and.” ii. The Thessalonians have already been instructed in chapter 4 how working with their hands is one major way that they can show love to one another. iii. When they are not in need, they are helping the church by not being a drain on the church’s resources. iv. However, here, Paul suggests that there is a group of people who are not only working with their hands to provide for themselves, but is also working… AMONG them. v. Not only are they not a drain on the church’s resources, but they are contributing to the work and labor of the church. vi. The word labor implies not only work but hard work. Labor to exhaustion. vii. This labor need not be physical or manual labor. There is nothing with the Greek word that would mandate this. In fact, in other letters Paul uses this word to describe the labor of preaching and teaching. viii. And so, whoever Paul is asking the Thessalonians to acknowledge, they are hard workers who specifically work for the benefit of the church. ix. The following two descriptions could be seen as two aspects of that labor – but this is largely an interpretational decision. It could just as easily be two more descriptions of the same people. x. So, what other descriptions does Paul have for these people who must be acknowledged? d. [Slide 7] and preside over you in the Lord i. The word preside is a great word to use here because it carries the appropriate force. ii. Commentators go back and forth on whether or not this word speaks of authority or care. iii. Preside carries the appropriate amount of both. It means to oversee. It means to look after and guide. iv. It certainly means to rule in the sense that these folks are making the decisions, but not in a tyrannical way. v. Paul clarifies and shapes the word with the prepositional phrase “in the Lord.” vi. As commentators point out – this prepositional phrase is not called out here as if the other two descriptions of these folks are somehow NOT in the Lord. vii. Certainly, they labor among them… in the Lord. viii. Instead, the prepositional phrase is called out here to assure his readers that their oversight, their care, their rule is not done with selfish or power-hungry intentions. ix. Their presiding, is done in the Lord. Under His authority. They are ultimately under Christ. x. So, what is the final description of these people whom the Thessalonian church must acknowledge… e. [Slide 8] and admonish you, i. To admonish means to exhort, to counsel, to correct, to instruct, to guide, to warn and to teach. ii. The semantic range of the word is quite broad but generally speaking it carries the idea of parental guardianship. iii. In fact, Paul uses the same word when he instructs fathers to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. iv. This then, is the fatherly role of providing spiritual instruction both in example and in teaching to set a path and keep them from deviating from the path. f. With these descriptions it seems obvious that Paul is talking about the office of Elders among the Thessalonian church. Which raises a somewhat perplexing question. g. Why didn’t Paul simply tell them to acknowledge their Elders? i. The clue to the answer is the word “acknowledge” itself. ii. The word acknowledge seems to be an informal appointment or reception of the men who were conducting themselves in this way. iii. Paul and his companions were in Thessalonica for at most a few months. iv. And the vast majority of the church were gentiles and former pagans. v. That being said, new converts, only a few months into being believers are probably not the right people to appoint as Elders. Even if they are godly people and great teachers. vi. Paul actually warns Timothy about this when he instructs him not to appoint Elders who are new converts. vii. Certainly, in Acts we have records of Paul appointing Elders in the churches being established as a result of His evangelistic efforts. However, we are not told that this was a normal practice of his, as if each church waited for him to appoint Elders for them. viii. What is more likely is that although Paul did at times appoint Elders in certain churches, the more normative practice would be for the church to receive the Elders whom the Lord had clearly raised up for them. ix. Which means what Paul is saying, albeit in unofficial language, is for them to receive men as Elders of their church. And the three descriptions become an abbreviated list of their qualifications. x. Most likely, Paul has a specific group of men in mind, and by his threefold description has made it plain for the Thessalonians who he thinks should be Elders, without calling them out by name. h. [Slide 9] Summary of the Point: Paul moves on in his effort to complete what is lacking in their faith by instructing them further on how they can abound in love toward one another. They are already laboring in love. But to abound in love, there are a few principles they must consider. And the first is regarding church leadership. Paul encourages the Thessalonian church to be holy or different in the way they love those who lead them. One way that they can love those who lead them is by acknowledging or receiving those whom the Lord has obviously qualified and called to lead them. The qualities of the men and evidence of their calling is on display in the way they are currently conducting themselves among the congregation. They are laboring hard for them, presiding over them, and admonishing them. Such men deserve reception into leadership. [Slide 10 (blank)] Transition: But merely giving them a title will not ensure that the church is holy in their love for their leaders. Every organization on the planet is capable of recognizing hard working members and granting them leadership roles. The church is different because this is based on qualities and callings that are cultivated by God Himself. So, what else must the Thessalonians do toward their leaders to show a different and unique kind of love for them? II.) The church must be holy in their love for their leadership, so we must respect our Elders because of the work they have been called to perform. (13a) a. [Slide 11] 13 - and to esteem them most highly in love i. The second item that Paul asks the Thessalonian church to consider regarding these men who have become leaders among them, is to esteem them most highly. ii. To esteem means to regard or think of them… iii. It is a question of opinion or reputation. iv. But more importantly, it is a question of honor. v. Paul is asking the Thessalonians to give HIGHEST honor to these men. vi. To respect them, as the highest human authority in the church under Christ. vii. He is asking them to consider these men to be as highly regarded as he and his companions would be if they were among them. viii. And Paul encourages them to do this IN LOVE. ix. This gives a clue that the honor granted is not due to them because they have earned it or because they are more important that the rest of them. x. Instead, this is an act of selfless love. This is a way for them to labor in love toward one another. xi. This is a way for them to abound in love toward one another. xii. They must honor and respect these men to the highest degree out of a heart of a love for Christ and His people. xiii. The spirit of honoring these men is rooted in love. But what is the reason to honor them? b. [Slide 12] because of their work. i. More than likely, Paul is not referring to the excellence of their work. ii. He has already pointed to the fact that they labored to exhaustion, that they presided over them in the Lord, and that they admonished them. iii. This itself speaks to the quality of their work. iv. Here, Paul probably intends the importance of their work. v. An Elder’s role is of utmost importance and comes with the highest level of responsibility. vi. Peter points out that Elders care for the very soul of each person in their congregations. Paul points out that Elders function as shepherds under the Great Shepherd. vii. They are stewards of the church of Jesus Christ. viii. Such a role is of such importance and heavy responsibility that Paul advises that the church honor, to the highest degree, the men who have been received to function in this capacity. ix. Not because they do a good job… but because they have a heavy burden to bear. c. [Slide 13] Summary of the Point: Paul continues to prove out how the Thessalonian church can be unique in the way they love their leaders. One way they can do this is by respecting them, not because of the title they have, and not even because of their excellence in performing their duties, but respecting them most highly simply because of the weight of their work. Elders watch out for the souls of the congregation. They inherit spiritual responsibility beyond their own family and will answer to the Lord Jesus for how they lead and loved His church. Such a heavy burden deserves highest honor from those who are being lead and cared for. [Slide 14 (blank)] Transition: But receiving qualified and called people into leadership and respecting them highly does not necessarily mean that you won’t be a thorn in the boot of church leadership. There is one more sure-fire practice that will alleviate the burden you put on your church leaders, while simultaneously showing abounding love to the whole church, including church leaders. III.) The church must be holy in their love for their leadership, so we must be at peace with one another. (13b) a. [Slide 15] Be at peace among yourselves. i. I read this final command in two ways. I can’t decide which way Paul intended and it is possible he intends both. ii. First, and probably less likely, Paul intends for the Thessalonian church to be a peace with the men who have been acknowledged and regarded as church leaders. 1. That they would go along willingly and peacefully with the leadership and labor of these men. 2. That they would not squabble or fight over preferences and unimportant matters, but would instead lovingly submit to their leadership and support them through prayer and meek correction at times. 3. However, one could make the case that all of this was already said in the requests for them to acknowledge and esteem them most highly. iii. A second way we could read this, which is probably more likely, is Paul instructing the church as a whole to be at peace with one another. 1. Paul will have more exhortations next week concerning the conduct of the church toward one another and how to abound in love toward each other. 2. But we shouldn’t miss the obvious connection of this command to the reception and honoring of these men. 3. Every person who has ever served in church leadership can tell you without any hesitation, that the church is much easier to lead, love, admonish, and labor for… when there are not a hundred little fights they need to police. 4. When the church is generally at peace with each other and loving each other and discipling each other… leading, loving, laboring for, and admonishing such a people – takes on a joy that is not like anything else. 5. In fact, Peter commands his readers to submit to, love, and pray for their Elders because it will allow their Elders to serve them joyfully and not as a drudgery. b. [Slide 16] Summary of the Point: Paul seals up any cracks and holes in his exhortation here. His desire is for the church to see that they must be different in how they love their leaders. And one sure-fire way to make sure they are different in their love for their leaders… is to be a peace with them and the rest of the church. Not a busy body. Not a rabble rouser. Not a lay about. Not a gossip. Not a sower of discord. But pursuing peace with everyone in the church, including their leaders. This is how we can be different in our love for our leaders. Conclusion: So CBC, what have we learned today that informs and corrects our beliefs and shapes and guides our lifestyles? [Slide 17] Basics of Faith and Practice: In these last two chapters Paul is encouraging the Thessalonian church to consider that God’s will for them is to grow in holiness. To continually to be conformed to Christ and thus be more and more distinct from the world around them. One way they can be different is by abounding in love for those who lead them. But abounding love existing within the church begins with a proper level of acknowledgement of, respect for, and peace with its leadership. A church that claims to love each other but distrusts, neglects to pray for, disobeys its leaders, or are continually experiencing unrest or lack of peace, is a loveless congregation. It is only by receiving qualified and called leaders, highly honoring them, and being at peace with them and one another, that a church can truly be different and abounding in its love for its leaders. But let us dig into some 21st century implications of this. 1.) [Slide 18] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that the church should treat its leaders differently than the world. a. How does the world treat its leaders? b. Although there is not a universal sentiment to every single form of government, I think we can safely conclude that the world does NOT love its leaders. c. Fear? Sure. Distrust? Of Course. Hate? Yep. d. But I think you’d be hard pressed to find any person look at the leader of their job, their country, or even their HOA with… love, respect, and receiving them as their leader. e. A cursory level of attention pointed, even to our local government in Columbus Twp, assures us that there is anything but love for those who are making decisions that affect our township. f. But the church is designed by God… to be different. g. We are to love our leaders. We are to pray for them. We are to submit to them. We are to honor them. We are to be at peace with them and one another. h. What an amazing opportunity it is to show the world that the church is different… simply in the way we speak of and treat our leaders. i. Submitting to a decision you didn’t fully agree with, forgiving leaders who make a blunder, respecting them as some of the people you turn to most for guidance, receiving them as leaders even though you didn’t get a vote, and being at peace with them even though they do stuff that drives you nuts. j. Wow… if the world saw a church do that with its leadership… I think they would be very… VERY confused. 2.) [Slide 19] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that the church has ever been or was ever intended to be a democracy. a. The church is a monarchy and Christ is its King. b. And not everyone in the Kingdom has the same gifts, responsibilities, or authority. c. Even within the 12 disciples Christ spent more time with and prayed more often with three out of twelve. d. Peter, James, and John all had significant roles and authority in the church as it began. e. And we have absolutely no record of or examples of the church members gathering to determine courses of action. f. We do see the church gathered to be informed of steps that should be taken, and we see the church being pleased with those action steps. g. We see the church gathered to be informed about discipline and by the majority, punishment was administered. h. But no formal vote is cast. And certainly, the church membership is never reported to dictate what is to be done. i. The only model of leadership we find in the scriptures, is a plurality of Divinely called and equipped men, presiding over the church in service and love. j. God calls and qualifies leaders who act as stewards of the True King and Head of the church Jesus Christ. k. Their authority is limited both by the sphere of the church and the revelation of the Scriptures. l. But a plurality of Elders making all the decisions for and laboring long and admonishing the church is the only biblical model we are given. m. One wonders how we got so many and so drastically different forms of church polity, when the scriptures are literally silent on any other forms. n. In the church everyone does not have an equal say. Not everyone has an equal voice. Not everyone has an equal vote. o. But when God qualifies and calls the leaders of the church, members need not fear power grubbing or tyrannical leadership. Because God qualifies and calls Elders to selflessly serve the church, presiding over it, laboring hard for it, and admonishing it. 3.) [Slide 20] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don’t naturally do or aren’t currently doing?” We must receive Elders who are called and qualified by God. a. Elders are not elected, they are received. b. Elders are not voted for, they are acknowledged. c. Elders do not campaign, they are called by God and gifted with grace to exemplify the qualifications God clearly spells out in the scriptures. d. This doesn’t mean they are perfect. Not like the King to that degree. e. There will be faults, failings, blind spots, character flaws, and even sinful tendencies. There may be things about them that bug you, bother you, or otherwise irritate you. f. But they are godly, they are hard workers, they are good leaders, and they are good guides. g. As such, it is incumbent upon the church to continue to look for those among them who seem to be qualified and called to be Elders. And when they happen upon someone who fits that description, they must receive that person and acknowledge them as such. h. This, in and of itself, is completely distinct from anything the world has ever seen. i. Even in a republic, elections are mostly popularity contests and those who have the most money to campaign usually win. j. And in dictatorships or monarchies leadership is passed to people who are unvetted as a leader or are just more powerful than the others. k. Only in Christ’s church does He qualify and call His leaders and they are received and acknowledged as the Lord’s choice for leaders. l. This is how it should be. 4.) [Slide 21] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don’t naturally do or aren’t currently doing?” We must give our highest honor to our Elders because of the weight of their responsibilities toward us. a. In most types of leadership, we might favor a merit-based honor system. Or even, perhaps, honor given merely for the title that the person has. b. Only in the church is it expected to honor leaders neither for their performance nor for their title but merely because of the weight of responsibility they have. c. Certainly, Elders who lead well and labor long in preaching and teaching are worthy of double honor. Meaning not merely respect, but even financial compensation. d. And Elders who are especially used of God, will certainly be honored more. e. But the fact is that the church is commanded here to give their highest honor to Elders simply because of the job they have been given. f. To look out for the spiritual well-being of yourself… seems daunting at times. g. And if you have a family – that too is quite difficult. h. But for Elders they have all of this and also the weight of the individual souls of an entire congregation. i. They will be judged by Christ Himself according to how they took care of His bride. j. This detail alone is reason enough for the church to grant them their highest level of respect and honor. 5.) [Slide 22] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don’t naturally do or aren’t currently doing?” We must be at peace with each other as an act of love toward our leaders and the church as a whole. a. When things are going well, people are growing, people are coming to Christ, and generally the church is progressing well… b. There is nothing more deflating to church leaders and nothing that stifles progress more than when people make mountains out of molehills. c. As much as the gospel should transform churches into holy places completely distinct – oftentimes these places are filled with Christians who are far from God or even those who claim to be Christians but are not actually Christians. d. As such, the church is waylaid by people who say they believe the scriptures but go to war over whether or not the Elders are visiting enough people, or making enough of an evangelistic effort, or connecting well with other churches or that the preaching Elder made them feel convicted by what he said in the sermon. e. And those are actually some of the “important” things they go to war over. f. And if these folks aren’t squabbling over the decisions of the Elders, they are battling with one another over things that love should be able to cover and forgiveness should overtake. g. Nothing takes the wind out of the sails of the church like church members who are overcome with selfish ambition and the need to have it their way. h. Well, the church isn’t Burger King. i. You can’t have it “your way” j. It is God’s way or it isn’t a church. k. And God has given Elders to wisely and prayerfully consider, guided by the scriptures, the way that God would have them go. l. Be at peace with each other and submit to each other. m. In this way the church is a bunch of people who don’t get everything they want and serve the Lord and each other with gladness and humility anyway. 6.) [Slide 23] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” God has given His church godly men, in plurality, to shepherd the flock until Christ gathers her again. a. Can you imagine if the Lord did establish a democracy for the church? b. Aaron giving in to the desire of the Israelites to make a golden calf and worship it as the god who brought them out of Egypt… suddenly looks like a unifying and wonderful time of togetherness and comradery. c. Paul would have no right to correct the Galatian church of whom the majority bought into the teachings of the Judaizers that they should be Jews first before they become Christians. d. Instead, we should comfort ourselves that God did not design His church to function this way. e. Instead, He calls and equips some men to be godly and work together with other godly men to lead and care for His people. f. They aren’t perfect individually, but together they sharpen each other and keep each other accountable to what the Lord would have them to do with His people. g. What a blessing. h. I have seen and heard stories of pastors who govern alone in a church. And it seems like they either become tyrants, door mats, or they get run out of their churches. Very rarely does a single man in leadership actually succeed in leading God’s church effectively. i. I am so thankful to the Lord for the plurality of qualified men that lead this church. They hold me accountable. I have been corrected by them, taught by them, helped by them, encouraged by them… and I hope they could say the same about me. j. Honestly – I can’t see any other form of church government as superior to what we have here. And I must tell you that you are truly blessed of God to have these men look after you. k. Oftentimes being an Elder is a thankless job. Do your best to make sure… that is less often for these men. Thank them. Pray for us. Submit to us. And honor us. Not because of our title. Not because we’ve earned it. But because God has laid on us the care of your soul. 7.) [Slide 24] Evangelism: “What about this text points us to Jesus Christ, the gospel, and how we are restored?” Only something supernaturally powerful and genuine could produce selfless and hard-working leadership that is loved, cherished, and honored by those they lead. That is what the gospel does for the church. a. When we are a church like this… where the leaders are hardworking, selfless, and good teachers and guides, and when the church loves, honors, prays for a submits to them – such a church is a billboard for the gospel. b. No other organization on earth is like that. c. No other group of people or culture is like that. d. And there is no explanation that adequately answers the question, why, then the power of the gospel of Jesus’ Christ. e. He remakes our hearts. He conforms us to Him. He refines us. He changes us. f. If you are here today and you have never trusted in Christ. You have never turned from your sin. I implore you to know the power of the gospel. That it can change the vilest sinners into the purest saints. It can change adulterers into faithful spouses. It can turn ornery curmudgeons in to gentle and compassionate benefactors. g. And if you are here today – and you’ve professed to trust in Christ, but you are full of selfish ambition, it is your way or the highway, and you have no respect for God’s qualified and called leaders, nor do you intend to ever submit to or pray for them. I would challenge you to listen to the Lord’s commands before it is too late. h. A person who continually refuses to obey the Lord, is a person who cannot be sure they are truly changed by the power of the gospel. i. Repent and believe the gospel and be saved. j. As always – if this is you – be sure to come to me or another Elder before you leave today. We’d be happy to have this conversation with you. [Slide 25 (end)] Let me close with a prayer from the book of Christian prayers from 1578. O Lord, let your shepherds be clothed with righteousness, and let your saints rejoice. Pour out your Spirit of wisdom on these ministers of your word, so they may know the mysteries of your holy will. Give them the gift of utterance, that they may set forth the abundant riches of your gospel. Write your laws in their hearts, and your testimonies in their innermost parts, that they may lead your people into all truth, and guide your church with discretion. Make them good workers, faithful shepherds, and wise builders. Help them to mend any broken walls and feed your sheep with the bread and water of life. Strengthen them to care for your vineyard, repair your sanctuary, and lift up those who are dedicated to the service of the Lord. Finally, may they shine with such a holy and pure light before us that they may edify no less by example of life than by instruction of teaching. So, as we see the qualities you have given them to benefit the church-their modesty, meekness, endurance, patience, and more—may many others also be won to your gospel through their holiness, to confess the glory of your name. And we will see that you surely live, reign, and work in your servant. We pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Benediction: May the God of Abraham Who reigns enthroned above, Even the Ancient of everlasting days, the God of love, Inspire you to behold His face and to make Him your shield and high tower. So that you believe He is and that He is the rewarder of those who seek Him. Until we meet again, go in peace.