PM 26 April 2026
He Will Surely Do It
Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24
Theme: The comfort of the church in every season is not the strength of man, but the faithfulness of God.
Introduction
There are some moments in the life of a church when hearts are especially tender. This is one of those moments.
A farewell stirs many things within us. There is gratitude for mercies received. There is sorrow over parting. There is uncertainty about what lies ahead. There are memories behind us and questions before us. In such an hour, the temptation is to fix our eyes too much upon men, upon circumstances, upon losses, or upon the unknown future.
But the Word of God teaches us to lift our eyes higher.
When Paul comes to the close of this letter, he leaves the church not with mere sentiment, but with a prayer and a promise. He leaves them with God.
Hear the Word of the Lord:
“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”
This is the kind of word the church needs in every season, but especially in a season of transition.
Our great comfort tonight is this: the God who called His people will keep His people.
Let us consider this text under three simple headings:
- The God of peace is at work in His people
- The goal of God’s work is the full sanctification of His people
- The certainty of God’s work rests on the faithfulness of God
I. The God of peace is at work in His people
Paul begins, “Now may the God of peace himself…”
These words are full of comfort. He is the God of peace. Through the blood of Christ, God has made peace with His people. His wrath has been satisfied, His justice upheld, and sinners reconciled to Him through the cross.
This peace is not merely a feeling. It is first a settled reconciliation in Christ. And because God has made peace with us, He now works peace within us and among us.
That matters in a time of change.
A season of pastoral transition can unsettle a congregation. There can be sorrow, anxiety, and uncertainty. But Paul directs the eyes of the saints not first to the change around them, but to the God above them.
And notice that he says, “the God of peace himself.”
That word matters. The preservation of the church is not finally in the hands of men. The sanctification of believers is not the product of human strength. The keeping of the flock does not rest upon the arm of flesh. God Himself undertakes for His people.
Pastors come and go. Congregations pass through many seasons. But God Himself remains. The same God who was with this congregation before any of us came is the God who will be with this congregation after any of us leaves.
And Paul expresses this in the form of prayer. “Now may the God of peace himself…”
That is instructive. When we cannot control the future, we may commit the future to God. When we cannot see the whole path ahead, we may pray to the One who ordains the path ahead.
So, beloved, do not let this season drive you into fretfulness. Let it drive you into prayer. Do not interpret change as abandonment. Christ has not ceased to love His church. The Chief Shepherd has not misplaced His flock. The God of peace Himself is at work among you.
II. The goal of God’s work is the full sanctification of His people
Paul continues: “sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Here Paul tells us what he is praying for. He is praying that God would sanctify His people completely.
Sanctification is God’s gracious work by which He increasingly conforms His people to the image of Christ. The same grace that pardons also purifies. The same Savior who delivers from guilt also delivers from the dominion of sin.
Paul’s concern is not merely that these believers would survive a change in circumstances. It is that they would grow in holiness.
That is an important reminder. Very often, when we think about the future, we think first in terms of stability, familiarity, or ease. But God’s great purpose for His people is not merely that they be comfortable. It is that they be holy.
When Paul speaks of their whole “spirit and soul and body,” he is emphasizing the whole person. God’s saving purpose reaches every part of our lives. He claims the inward life and the outward life. He claims our thoughts, desires, words, deeds, habits, and relationships.
And Paul ties all this to the coming of Christ. The Christian life is always moving toward that day. The church is not drifting aimlessly. We are a people being prepared for the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So what should you desire for this congregation? More than outward continuity. More than bare survival. You should desire that this flock be holy. That the members grow in grace. That love abound. That worship be sincere. That Christ be treasured. That this church be presented in faithfulness at the coming of the Lord.
So let this be the question in this season: not merely, “How shall we get through this?” but, “How shall we be made more holy through this?”
Sometimes the Lord does some of His best sanctifying work in seasons when familiar supports are removed. Not because He is cruel, but because He is kind. He teaches us not to lean upon man, but to lean more wholly upon Himself.
III. The certainty of God’s work rests on the faithfulness of God
Now we come to the great anchor of the text: “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”
Paul does not ground the confidence of the church in the strength of the church. He does not say, “You are capable.” He does not say, “Your leaders will surely manage.” He says, “He who calls you is faithful.”
That is the foundation.
Who is the One who calls? It is God, the God who effectually calls sinners out of darkness into His marvelous light, the God who brought you to faith in Christ by the gospel.
And the God who called you is faithful. He is not fickle. He is not forgetful. He is not unstable. He is faithful to His covenant, faithful to His promises, faithful to His Son, faithful to His church.
And because He is faithful, Paul can say, “he will surely do it.”
Not, “He may do it.”
Not, “He will do His part if you do yours first.”
But, “he will surely do it.”
He will sanctify His people. He will keep His people. He will preserve His people unto the coming of Christ.
This is the perseverance of the saints resting upon the perseverance of God. The saints persevere because God preserves.
That humbles us, because it removes boasting. We cannot say, “I have kept myself.”
And it strengthens us, because it removes despair. We need not say, “All is lost.”
Perhaps some of you tonight are fearful. You wonder what the next season will hold. You think of changes, burdens, sorrows, and uncertainties. And perhaps your heart quietly asks, “Will we be all right? Will we be kept?”
This text answers: “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”
Believer, your hope is not in your grip on Christ, but in Christ’s grip on you. Your hold may tremble. His does not. Your faith may feel weak. His faithfulness is not weak.
And for this congregation as a whole, the same is true. The future is not secured by the strength of any man. It is secured only by the faithfulness of God.
Conclusion
Beloved congregation, if I may say one final thing from this text, it is this:
You are safe, not because life never changes, but because God never changes.
You are kept, not because the church never passes through transition, but because Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
You are not being abandoned to your own resources. You are entrusted to the God of peace Himself.
And what is He doing? He is sanctifying you. He is keeping you. He is preparing you for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And why may you be sure of it? Because He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.
So then, look to Christ. Love His Word. Prize His church. Pursue holiness. Pray for one another. Bear with one another. Hope in God.
And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely.
Closing Prayer
Our gracious God and heavenly Father,
we thank You that You are the God of peace. We thank You that through our Lord Jesus Christ You have reconciled sinners to Yourself, and that having begun a good work in Your people, You will bring it to completion.
We thank You for every mercy You have shown to this congregation through the years, for the Word preached, for prayers heard, for saints encouraged, for sinners called, and for the many ways Your faithfulness has been displayed.
And now, O Lord, we ask that You Yourself would sanctify this people completely. Purify their hearts. Strengthen their faith. Deepen their love. Establish them in truth. Guard them from sin, discouragement, and fear.
Keep them blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let Christ be precious here. Let His gospel be central here. Let His Word dwell richly here. Let His Spirit work mightily here.
Teach them to rest not in man, but in You. Remind them that You are faithful, and that what You have promised, You will surely do.
We commend ourselves and one another to Your gracious keeping, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Personal Farewell Conclusion
Before we close, permit me a personal word.
It has been one of the great privileges of my life to serve among you. Marie and I have loved you, prayed for you, rejoiced with you, and wept with you. We have worshiped with you on the Lord’s Day, sat with you in times of sorrow, and thanked God for you in countless ordinary and extraordinary moments alike.
I thank God for the love you have shown us, for the patience you have extended, for the kindnesses you have given, and for the many evidences of grace we have seen in this congregation. I thank God for your hunger for the Word, for your love for the truth, for your prayers, and for your fellowship in the gospel.
I leave you, but Christ does not leave you. Under-shepherds come and go, but the Chief Shepherd abides. Ministers change, but the covenant God remains the same. His truth has not changed. His throne has not moved. His promises have not weakened. His Son still reigns. His Spirit still works. His Word is still powerful.
So I would urge you: continue steadfast in the things you have heard. Love the Lord Jesus Christ sincerely. Hold fast to the Scriptures. Prize the public worship of God. Be faithful in prayer. Bear with one another in love. Forgive one another readily. Encourage one another daily. Support your elders. Pray for the man whom the Lord in His time will appoint to shepherd you. And above all, look not merely for a pastor, but look to Christ.
If there is anything in my ministry these past six years that has done you good, give God the glory. If there are ways I have failed you, I ask your forgiveness. I am a sinful man, saved only by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and whatever has been of any lasting value among us has been owing to His mercy alone.
I leave you with affection in my heart and gratitude to God for you. You will not be forgotten. We will remember you with love, and, the Lord willing, continue to pray that God would bless this congregation, keep her sound in doctrine, warm in love, steadfast in hope, and fruitful in every good work.
And now, dear flock, I commend you to the God of peace. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.
May the Lord bless Lebanon Presbyterian Church. May He keep you. May He cause His face to shine upon you. May He preserve you blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.