Paul, Silas, and Timothy did not want to leave this young group of Christians. Persecution had become so intense by the Jewish community that Paul, Silas, and Timothy had to be quickly evacuated in order to remain free. The Jews still believed that they were the chosen people of God and that they were the only ones that were going to inherit the blessings of God. So in a jealous rage, these anti-Christians hired scoundrels to drive out or even kill those who opposed the established Jewish Orthodoxy. We can read an account of a man named Jason in
Acts 17:5-9 5 But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 8 And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. 9 And when they had taken money as security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
This is why Paul, Silas, and Timothy had to flee. Their absence left these immature Christians without spiritual parents. This parental position that Paul feels towards the Thessalonians is expressed earlier in chapter 2:7 and 11 when he calls himself a mother and a father. READ 2:7 and 11. Paul understands that the Thessalonians might feel orphaned. The Jews may have even accused Paul of not caring and that he had abandoned the Thessalonians. So Paul responded strongly to make clear his care for this church. Even though they had to leave in person, they had not left the Thessalonians in their hearts. He not only wanted to see them, but apparently had tried to get to them multiple times and Satan had stopped him. The fact that Satan had stopped him was a signal to Paul that war was underway and that he had every right to be concerned for the spiritual health of the Thessalonians. If Satan does not want Paul to see what is going on in Thessalonica and Paul is the spiritual father of these young Christians, then are they in danger? How are they doing? What’s going on over there? Paul had this great need to see the Thessalonians in person. He wanted to check on them personally. He wanted to protect them. Paul wanted his children to thrive and prosper.
Then Paul explains what is driving his great desire. Let’s read 2:19-20 19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.
In Paul’s heart and mind, the Thessalonians were proof of good investment of the Gospel. These young Christians were righteous bragging rights for Paul, Silas, and Timothy’s labors. Paul was telling the Thessalonians that when Christ returns, Paul intended to show these Christians as show pieces – as trophies.
Now Paul might seem a little confused. He seems to want to boast at what he and his colleagues were able to accomplish in the Thessalonians. This would be anti-Christian. This would be heretical. Well, Paul is not confused. God empowered Paul, Silas, and Timothy to preach the Gospel. The Thessalonians were saved by grace through faith supplied by God through the preaching of the Gospel. The boasting is that the Thessalonians were birthed, grew, and persevered empowered by a relationship with Christ. God had done it all through the cross of Christ and therefore Paul is right to boast in the Cross and its victory represented by the converted Thessalonians.
Application 17-20
FIGHT TO INVEST Satan wants to hinder our investment in each other. Satan does not want the Church to grow in faith. Satan has a kingdom at risk and he is the enemy of God. If you are aligned with God, then you are against Satan. This is not a passive role. This is not a simple “I am for God” position, but it includes an “I am against Satan” position as well. Let’s measure ourselves with a few questions. Be prepared. They are tough questions.
What happens to us when some of us are missing for any period of time? Does great desire grow to see them face to face?
Are you even around enough to do any good? If you think that you can simply show up once in a while, then you may not even be on the front lines fighting for your God against His enemy.
Do we feel personally responsible to stand with our brothers and sisters when Satan is attacking?
Do we keep ourselves enough aware that we are in a war and Satan is seeking who he may devour?
Do we feel the weight of a mother or a father to those who are in this church?
Do you keep yourself strong enough in the faith that you are willing to contend for those who might be in danger or do you stay weak?
Do you pray for others even when you cannot get to them? Paul may not have been able to get to the Thessalonians, but his faith could. His concern was being expressed whether he could see them face to face or not.
YOU MUST BEAR FRUIT. The Thessalonians are proof of these men’s faith reproducing itself. This birthing of new faith proves that Paul’s faith was genuine and complete. This might seem odd to modern day professing Christians. Many people believe that they can profess being a Christian without ever reproducing their faith. They think that their life can proceed much the way it did prior to their Christian profession. Paul would have found this ludicrous. Faith must produce or it is not real faith. You can talk all that you want to, but at the end judgment, Christ will not measure your talk, but your faith produced works.
That was Jesus’ example and what he told us to see about himself.
John 10:25, 32-34, 37-38 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me……..32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”…… 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”
John 14:10-12 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
BOAST IN THE LORD WHEN YOU BEAR FRUIT. Do not try to bottle, programize, or reinvent it. This takes God out of it. If what you did worked and you did it by faith and the Lord wants it done again, then He will supply the faith and you will do it again. This is why we do not produce ministry programs at this church. We do not want to simply go through the motions, but instead we want to be moved by God through faith as Christians who are walking with their Lord in the works prepared for us to do.
Ephesians 2:8-10 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
God is the one who accomplishes the work through us, just like He did through Christ.
Phillipians 2:12-13 12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Back to our text. Read 3:1-4
3 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know.
It had reached a point that no news was not good news. We all know how Paul felt here. Think about parents who have had their children separated from them. I am sure that all of us have felt the panic when we are out shopping and we are getting something off the shelf or talking to a friend that we ran into and then we realize that our little one has wandered off. We search frantically until we see our loved one safe. I remember when Tyler was lost in the woods and did not return home. David and Stephanie were greatly concerned when they had not heard from him. They did not know whether he was OK or not. I remember talking to multiple men of the church and we were all getting on our rough clothing, rugged boots, etc. so that we could immediately join the search for this young man that we love. Many of us were going to simply drop what we were doing and rush to the aid of our brother. We were restrained because we did not have clear instructions of what we should do and where we should go, but we were ready. Thankfully, God allowed Tyler to be found unharmed. We too rejoiced when the good news arrived about his welfare.
Paul finally says that a sacrifice had to be made and if they could not go themselves, then Paul and Silas would send their most trusted colleague to find out the condition of the Thessalonians. They did not send just a messenger or an investigator, but they sent a trusted coworker. Paul even makes an issue out of how important Timothy was to them by calling him “God’s coworker”. Paul wanted the Thessalonians to understand that if he could not come, then he would send the best that he could to them. Timothy was sent to establish and exhort the faith of these loved ones. Just as Paul recognized God’s involvement earlier, Timothy would be empowered by God to increase the faith of the Thessalonians. This very concept is why we are sending Chad and Debi to Martin. Their absence will be a sacrifice by our church, but a great gift of love and a testimony to how much we love the saints in Martin.
Now these three men had suffered, but this was not new information to them or to the Thessalonians. The Thessalonians were prepared for suffering. Paul certainly had no false impressions that his life was going to be easy. He was told by the Lord that he would suffer. Remember what the Lord told Ananias about Paul in Acts 9:15-16. 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”6
Plus the teachings of Jesus are clear that Christians will suffer for His name sake. John 15:18-16:4 18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’ 26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. 16 “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.7
It is obvious by this passage in I Thessalonians 3 that the new Christians of Thessalonica were not only were aware of the dangers of becoming Christians, but that they were taught this from the beginning of their Christianity. To Paul and the Thessalonians, suffering was simply a part of being a Christian. Being opposed by the culture and even the religious community was simply part of being a Christian.
Application 3:1-4
BE FOUND TRUSTWORTHY Look at the trust that Paul and Silas had in Timothy. They trusted him with their most precious young converts. They trusted him with what they hoped to present to Christ on the last day. This is the proper hope of any biblical pastor. We desire to look around this congregation and know that the preaching of the Gospel coupled with the living examples of godly saints would bring into existence people who could be trusted with the lives of other Christians. The Elders have said to you many times that it is our wish that every man is of elder quality whether they are called to be an elder or not. This would mean that we could entrust the souls of the flock to you in our absence. We are not always around. We are human beings. The more a church grows, then the thinner a pastor could be stretched until we are no good at all. Moses was being stretched so thin that he was told to take on the most difficult cases, but he had many who could take other problems. He had many who could and were ready to invest in the people of God. We know that we deal with real people and that we all have problems, sin, etc. We are ready for that. We want to be used by God to help any of you that need us whenever we can. We want to be approachable. We also do not want to be your replacements. Pastors are not the only ones commanded to love the people of faith. Be ready at all times to be inserted by God into the lives of others, even if it is costly to you. Christianity is not a life of leisure and convenience. This is war. This was costly to Timothy. He had to return to the very place that these men were forced to flee from. His love drove him back to invest.
ADAPT YOURSELF TO SUFFER We are suffering now. We have sickness, lost loved ones that we pray for, futures that seem sometimes unsteady, struggles of faith, attacks of Satan, etc. This was predicted by the same Christ that predicted difficulties for those of His day. They are the same predictions. By encouraged. Use these sufferings to identify with Christ. Endure. Seek comfort in Christ. Gain comfort from the fact that He endured great suffering and remained in faith. When we face trials, troubles, etc. and we do it with grace and perseverance, then we demonstrate our loyalty and love for Christ. This very much kicks in the face of the “health and wealth” ideas. Paul was not training the Thessalonians that all would be well, he was training them to be well in the midst of great tribulation.
This is appropriate for us as well.
Read 3:5-10 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain. 6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you 7 for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. 8 For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. 9 For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, 10 as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?
Because Paul, Silas, and Timothy had to leave so suddenly, they did not get to see if the hard work of spreading the Gospel among the Thessalonians remained. These men realized that it is not enough to simply accept a profession of faith, but that discipleship is absolutely necessary. One must watch to see what type of fruit the tree will bear.
So they sent Timothy and Timothy returned with good news. He reported that faith and love were present and apparently stable and growing. The Gospel continued to prosper in the hearts of the Thessalonians. He told Paul and Silas that the people were not swayed by their absence and that they understood what happened and why they had to leave. They did not feel abandoned. They were not orphaned at all. The Thessalonians missed them and thought about them often with affection.
All this good news comforted Paul and Silas. Paul and Silas were suffering by the hands of others, but if the news would have been bad, their suffering would have increased tremendously. Now they could not only breathe a sigh of relief, but they could rejoice knowing that those they love in Thessalonica were doing well in their faith.
Paul now says that they live because the Thessalonians are alive in Christ. Their children of faith are real and they were growing in their relationship with the Lord. God had granted grace and the seeds of faith that were planted by Paul, Silas, and Timothy by preaching the Gospel were bearing fruit. They are about to burst with joy and could not come up with enough ways to express their gratefulness to God over these young saints. They were so excited that they begged God multiple times a day to be with the Thessalonians and help them to grow by filling in the blanks to make a complete and mature faith.
Paul was speaking much like a father speaks when he has children. There will be proof after he is removed from the situation that he really existed. In Paul, Silas, and Timothy’s case, the Thessalonians were proof that these 3 men’s faith truly was genuine and that the conversion that Paul experienced was not simply a one time emotional experience.
Paul continues the theme of 2:19 when he expresses his joy to God. He realized that the suffering from the hands of the unbelieving Jews was from the Lord and the joy is also from God. All is done by God and so all thanksgiving goes to God.
Application 3:5-10
COMFORT THE CHURCH WITH REPORTS OF OUR GROWTH IN FAITH This would mean that there is growth in faith to be seen, you are looking for it in others, and that you care enough to share this with the church. I cannot impress upon you enough how refreshing it is when we here that the people in this church are doing well. There are times that the Elders meet and we pass on good stories of what God is doing in our midst and it lifts our souls. I have watched on Sunday nights when someone shares answers to prayer or someone repents and responds to the preaching of the Word in a godly manner. It moves our hearts and inspires us to press on as a group of people. There are few greater encouragements to the flock then to watch each other fight for the faith and be victorious.
PRAY TO SUPPLY WHAT IS LACKING IN OUR FAITH Lee feels this way about Cornerstone. When we talk, he and Lili want so badly to get home to us so that they supply what is lacking in our faith and that we might do the same for them. They were not ripped from us by wicked men, but by the will of God. So, they pray for us and inquire of us. Lee speaks with excitement when he knows that the time for fall breaks and holidays approaches because he and his family will be with us again. He wants to hug you with that large wingspan and preach to you again the marvelous Gospel of Christ.
When someone is missing from among us, what does your heart do? Are you prepared to invest? Is this a one way street to you? Have you simply been absorbing good preaching, the prayers of the saints, and the love of the people of God? I can tell you that if you are not investing back into others, then your own growth will be stagnant.
Read 3:11-13
11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.8
Paul now makes an amazing comparison. We would not think this amazing because of our exposure to Scripture, but Paul places God the Father and Jesus the Lord in equal standing. To the Jewish world who opposed the Gospel, this was heretical, utter blasphemy and worthy of death. It is exactly why they crucified Christ. Paul is clear that this is the essential strength of the Gospel itself. This Jesus was indeed God. He is reminding them of the very basis of their faith. And then Paul speaks of his reliance on this sovereign God and Lord to direct them back to the Thessalonians. But whether he is with them or not, he knows that what they need is not more of him, but more love. As a matter of fact, the reason that Paul wanted to come to the Thessalonians was to impart more faith. He knows that the avenue for faith is love. He wants this love to spread from them to others outside the church. Paul did not want them simply to be filled with love, but filled to overflowing. This is God’s way. This love is to be the source that establishes their hearts blameless in holiness before God when Jesus returns.
In Paul’s heart, the news about how well they were doing did not make him complacent, but seemed to increase his desire to labor among them. He wanted to make them the best they could be. Has Paul lost focus at this time in his life? Shouldn’t he be concerned with the task that is in front of him in Corinth? Isn’t there a new group of people that need the Gospel? What is this great concern for the people of God in Thessalonica? Paul understands rightly that the love of God through him is first for the church. Paul is not confused where is priorities are, but demonstrates by his own example what he expects from the Thessalonians. They are to love each other intensely and first, then those outside the church.
Paul’s beliefs about investing are clearly written in Galatians 6:6-10
6 One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.9
What is the reason that Paul wants the Lord to increase their love? Paul wants the Thessalonians to be able to stand before Christ at the day of His returning and be holy and blameless. He wants their lives to have demonstrated that they have true enduring faith. It seems that Paul is not concerned about how the saints in Thessalonica will be when Christ returns – he knows that all who are in faith will be glorified. Paul is concentrating on how they live their lives until that time. He knows that if they live their lives in ever increasing faith, then they will finish well.
Application 3:11-13
IF IT AIN’T BROKE, MAKE IT BETTER Do you see any growth in your brothers and sisters? When Paul saw the growth in the Thessalonians he wanted to invest even more. What does that make you want to do in their lives? Does this make you want to increase your effort in them or do you function by the old saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Who do you love the most and who do you invest in the most? This does not simply mean time spent, but resources, dreams, thoughts, prayers, etc. Paul’s example was the Church first, others second.
Be careful, one mandate of God does not cancel another. For instance, you do not just get to neglect your family and work for the church. This is a common problem with pastors. They get so busy dealing with the church (which could take all of your waking hours) and neglect their own marriages and families. There have been many affairs and divorces in the pastorate over the course of time because there was no balance in the life of the Christian pastor.
However, you cannot use your family as an excuse for not investing in the lives of the people in your church. I urge you to examine the whole of your life and decide how you invest it at this point in time and what a Godly love and faith really demands of you.
The church is where we learn to care about each other before we go into the world. If a Christian goes into the world to witness and then the world can look at the church this Christian attends and see a group that is not close and that does not really love each other, then in some ways they have the right to reject what the Christian says.
The Scripture says, John 13:34-35 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 10
We must be careful not to be so focused on ourselves that we become ingrown. The reason that we love God and then each other is so that we may then turn ourselves outward with the Gospel. We will now be a carefully prepared group that is able to minister correctly to those who will be saved by the same Gospel that saved us.
Beale says it well - “The point is that unless love grows, selfish desires increase and we will turn our love toward ourselves and not toward God, which results in an ungodly character and lifestyle.”11
We are no different than Paul. We must reproduce in order to show our own faith genuine. We must see converts in order to bring about the full joy of our labors. We must see growth in each other in order to make our suffering less burdensome. We must not focus on the fruit, but we are to bear fruit. We must share the Gospel with each other and the world to complete our faith.
So let me share the Gospel with you now. God is holy. You and I have sinned against a Holy God. God’s answer for sin is to eradicate it. God knew that we cannot rescue ourselves and so before the beginning of time, God had a plan. At the right time, He sent Jesus Christ (God in the flesh) to earth. Jesus lived a perfect life. A life that never violated His relationship with God by breaking faith. He was crucified and on that cross Jesus accepted the entire wrath of God for all who would repent and believe. God vindicated Jesus by causing Him to rise from the dead on the 3rd day. Jesus now lives with His Father in glory making intercession for those who believe and will believe. If you are not saved. If you are someone who does not have a relationship with God through Christ, then God’s wrath rests on you. If you do not repent and believe; if you do not accept His substitutionary sacrifice for your sins, then you will not be presented holy and blameless at Christ’s reappearing. God’s righteous and just anger that now rests on you will be poured out on you for all eternity in Hell. But it is not too late. If you are alive right now, then there is still time to cry out to God to give you this wonderful relationship with Christ through faith. It is a gift. You simply must repent. Turn from your sinful walk away from God and genuinely make Jesus the Lord of your life and you will be saved.
Hebrews 7:25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. 12