Amen. Well, may the Lord help us to
conclude our meditation in this first epistle to the Thessalonians. So this evening we'll talk and
speak on the last three verses. in the fifth chapter. So the
last chapter in Thessalonians 1 and verses 26 to 28. Greet all the brethren with an
holy kiss. I charge you by the Lord that
this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren. The grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Well, the Apostle has set before
the Thessalonians many great and glorious truths in this first
letter that we have and have been able to go through together. And so as we come to the end,
he speaks about the brethren and he speaks in this way, greet
all the brethren with an holy kiss. And we must recognise that,
of course, is a spiritual kiss, because he's speaking about the
spiritual love of the brethren. It's not that which is of the
flesh, it's that which is of the spirit. What a wonderful
thing it is to have spiritual love one to another. You see,
that spiritual love overcomes all difficulties, all nationalities,
languages we might say and it's a wonderful thing to be a member
of the family of God and to therefore hear this exhortation greet all
the brethren with an holy kiss he means exactly what he says
it is a holy kiss well we're thankful therefore if we know
the love of Christ one to another and can truly rejoice in it. And then he goes on and he says,
I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all
the holy brethren. You may remember he started this
letter by saying, Paul and Silvanus and Timotheus unto the church
of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father and in the
Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be unto you. and peace
from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. And as we've gone
through this letter to the Thessalonians, we can see and I hope appreciate
how the Apostle designed so many good things for these Thessalonians
and designed that they might truly be spiritually minded and
they might truly walk together in love and union. And as we
read even in this fifth chapter tonight, a number of great verses
really, just to pick one or two, verse 13, and to esteem them
very highly in love for their work's sake and be at peace among
yourselves. It's good, isn't it, for us to
have these exhortations set before us to remind us as the Church
of God to walk out our religion. Now the Apostle wanted all the
people, I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto
all the holy brethren. No doubt in that day and age
in which he lived there were many who could not read. Well
we're blessed today that most people can read. But whatever
the situation, his great desire was that they might know the
content of this letter to the Thessalonians. He wanted them
to benefit from it. And what a good thing it is today
for us to realize these truths and to encourage one another
and to read these epistles that we have. We are so wonderfully
privileged, you know, to have the Bible from Genesis to Revelation,
and to have these epistles that the Apostle wrote, and also,
of course, the other Apostles, great instruction to the Church
of God. And what a mercy it is if God
gives us grace then to take heed to these great truths. And therefore,
he says, I charge you, it wasn't just something irrelevant. He
wanted them to really understand This is what he desired. And
he desired it clearly because he wanted them to grow in grace
and in the knowledge of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
and to live together in love and unity. That's why he tells
us that he charges them by the Lord that this epistle be read
unto all the holy brethren. Well, what a blessing, isn't
it? that we have this glorious Gospel to be able to read and
to perhaps read one to another and to remember the great and
glorious truths it contains and desire that we each may be found
walking closer to these wonderful words that we've been able to
think upon. And then finally, he concludes,
really very similar words to that very first verse, when he
says, grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ. And now he concludes and says,
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. And of course,
grace is the free unmerited favor of God. And what a wonderful
blessing if you and I, as unworthy sinners, hell-deserving sinners,
wretched sinners, receive this great and blessed grace of God. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with you and have the benefit of this wonderful grace with
us day by day. And as we read that we may grow
in grace, ever understand more and more of God's grace, it is
a wonderful consideration. As we know, John Newton penned
that hymn, Amazing Grace, and I believe as the Lord shows us
what we are by nature, what we deserve, how surely we can join
with him in saying, yes, amazing grace, What a glorious sound
it is. And I hope it's a glorious sound
to every one of us here tonight. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
and to not only rejoice in the sound, but rejoice in the application
of God's grace to our souls and to be truly thankful to our God
for his grace, which has come to us and such unworthy sinners. Well, they're beautiful words,
aren't they, to really conclude this fifth chapter and this letter
to the Thessalonians. And may we be thankful for it,
that we have such a statement. These beautiful last two verses,
I charge you, by the Lord, that this epistle be read unto all
the holy brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with
you all. Wonderful, isn't it? He wanted
everyone to know and to receive and enjoy and benefit from the
grace of God. And surely that's something that
all of us should be concerned about, that we all may be blessed
with this wonderful grace. Without it, we shall perish. With it, we are eternally safe. the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with you all. Amen. So let it be. May we meditate and rejoice in
these great truths.