57 November

57 November 2018 Family Visitation I Thessalonians 5:12-14 includes exhortations to the flock to know their elder-shepherds in three respects: a) that the elders “labor” among them. Here, the word labor refers to toil unto exhaustion—just what elders often feel after a season of visiting families for three hours in an evening, for many evenings; b) that the elders are “over” them, that is, at the head of the flock, directing, ruling, caring for, and giving aid. Family visitation is conducted...