The ministry of fellowship, 1 Thessalonians 3

Perhaps due to the fact that this was a very early epistle of the Apostle Paul, we see that this letter is much more personal than doctrinal. At least in the first three chapters we haven’t seen any deep doctrinal dissertations.  Rather than presenting doctrine he has been bringing them up to speed regarding his own affairs during his absence, thanking God for their progress in the faith, and now in this chapter, responding to Timothy’s report after having visited them.  

But even though we have not seen in depth discussions of doctrine up to this point, we have been able to categorize his remarks into various headings.  Namely, in the first chapter, Paul’s remarks about the church in Thessalonica constitutes a list of the characteristics of a godly church which is an example for the church today.

In the second chapter, we see in Paul’s remarks an outline for a godly ministry, particularly emphasizing the ministry of the pastor, but applicable to everyone in the church who ministers the gospel.

Now today we are looking at chapter three, in which Paul continues these remarks about his ministry and the ministry of his team to the church there, from which we might be able to extract another summary of characteristics concerning the ministry of fellowship.  Fellowship is an important aspect of the church.  In fact, to a certain extent, fellowship may be considered a synonym for church.  That’s the reasoning behind naming our church the Beach Fellowship.

But true Christian fellowship must be within certain parameters. The church is not a Christianized country club. But we have fellowship with Christ through the Spirit in the truth. If there is not unity in the truth and in doctrine, then there can be no real Christian fellowship. The scripture says, how can two walk together unless they are in agreement?

As Paul will later write to the Corinthian church in 2Co 6:14-18 “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?  Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?  Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.  "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you.  "And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty.

In the very first church in Jerusalem, there were added to the church 3000 souls who had been saved during Peter’s message on Pentecost and the outpouring of the Spirit.  And it says concerning that church in Acts 2:42 “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” That’s  a pretty good definition of the church.  First of all, they were saved by the preaching of the word.  Then they continually devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching and to fellowship.  It says a few verses later in Acts that they were coming together to hear the word day by day.

It goes on to say in vs 46 “Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,  praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

So breaking bread from house to house is indicated as taking their meals together.  I want to point that out from the text, because many pastors, especially in certain denominations,  have used that as a proof text to say that the early church took the Lord’s supper every time they met together.  We can debate whether hat may be true or not, but I don’t think this text speaks to that at all.  I think it’s obvious from the text that breaking bread means they were taking their meals together, and eating together is directly correlated to fellowship.

But I don’t want to speak on the subject of the Lord’s Supper today. I want to stress the idea of fellowship that characterized the early church.  I believe that in  chapter 3 of Thessalonians, we can see an example of what constitutes fellowship in the early church.  And hopefully, as we look at this chapter, we can find a pattern of fellowship for our own church, an example that we can follow.

Now due to the narrative style of writing that Paul does here, I think it’s difficult to outline it.  Or at least that’s my excuse.  I think it’s easier to just see it as a  list of characteristics of fellowship in the church, and through this list, we can determine what constitutes fellowship, and how we might apply the same characteristics to our church.

The first characteristic we see is the desire for fellowship.  Paul says, in vs 1, “Therefore when we could endure [it] no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone,  and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith.”  Twice Paul speaks of this desire to see them, to hear from them, to have fellowship with them by using the phrase, “when we could endure it no longer.” 

When you really love someone, when they are your family or your loved ones that you are estranged from for whatever reason, there comes a time when you might say, “I can’t stand it any longer! I must talk to them, or I must go to see them!”  If we are brothers and sisters in Christ, if we are called to fellowship with one another, to love one another, then there should be an earnest desire to be together with the church in person.  

Previously in chapter 2, Paul spoke of this desire he had to see them.  He said in chapter 2:8, “Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.”  And then in vs 17 “But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short while--in person, not in spirit--were all the more eager with great desire to see your face.”

If you’re really a Christian, you should have a desire for Christian fellowship. You should not have to be coerced to go to church.  You should not have to be enticed or manipulated to go to church.  I can assure you that if you’re right with the Lord, you will have a desire to be in fellowship with other believers.  That’s a natural affection of the Spirit that we all should share.  You can’t force someone to love you.  But you can expect someone to love you.  And if you have that affection, then it’s natural to want to see them.

So when they couldn’t stand not knowing how they were doing any longer, they sent Timothy to the church to encourage them.  That’s another characteristic of fellowship. It’s personal.  It’s face to face.  It’s physical.  Paul speaks of a fellowship of the spirit back in 2:17. That’s a reference to being connected spiritually.  But that wasn’t sufficient.  We were not created for isolation.  We were created as humans to be social, to live in society. And as Christians our new society is the church. Virtual fellowship is not sufficient. Romans 12: 1 says, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, [which is] your spiritual service of worship.”  Your bodies.  That’s physical.  And I believe that is speaking of presenting your body physically to the church, which is your spiritual service of worship. I believe that whole passage in Romans chapter 12 is talking about fellowship in the church.  Read it for yourself. 

The next characteristic of fellowship we see in the text is the idea of strengthening and encouraging.  Timothy was going to see them face to face to strengthen and encourage the church. That’s the ministry of fellowship that each of us is called to do.  I hear people all the time talk about what they are looking for from the church, their need to be fed, their need for this or that from a church.  But what about your ministry to strengthen and encourage others?  When others see you there, it strengthens and encourages them.  When they see you singing, when they see you praying, when they see your faithfulness, it serves to encourage them. There is strength in numbers.  I don’t think you should underestimate just how much you can strengthen and encourage others just by showing up.  And if you really want to take it to the next level, speak to someone else who is in church.  Go out of your way to speak to someone who is not in your circle of friends.  That’s how you strengthen and encourage others.

The next thing we see about fellowship is that it’s self sacrificing.  Paul and Silas and Timothy sought out fellowship even though they were in the midst of affliction.  vs 2, “we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith, so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this.  For indeed when we were with you, we [kept] telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know.”

When affliction comes in all of it’s various forms, all too often Christians want to curl up in the fetal position and pull their covers over their head and not go to church.  Their perspective is all inward.  “I’m hurting, so I don’t want to see anyone.  I don’t want to have to speak to anyone.”  Listen, I understand how you can feel that way.  That’s the natural response of the flesh.  When you’re hurting, when you are suffering, you want to go crawl in a hole and lick your wounds.  But that’s the way the devil takes advantage of your afflictions.  If you will stop putting your suffering first, and instead think of others first, then perhaps you’ll find that God will heal your hurting so that you might minister to others. 

2 Cor. 1:3-4 says, “Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”  Don’t let the devil add insult to injury by keeping you down and wallowing in self pity when you are in affliction.  Come to church.  Remember what James said?  He said, when you are suffering,  you should come to the elders of the church and let them pray over you so that you may be healed.  We can debate whether that means physical healing or spiritual healing, but be assured that at the least it means that when you are hurting, you should come to church.  Don’t let the devil get you separated from the flock, hurting, wounded, and alone.  That’s when he has you at your weakest and most vulnerable.

And that’s exactly what Paul was afraid of for the Thessalonians.  Look at vs 5, “For this reason, when I could endure [it] no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.”  When you are not in church, week after week, it’s not unreasonable to start to worry about someone’s faith.  The devil works through your absence from fellowship.  

I’m sure you’ve all watched the old Wild Kingdom television shows, or something like them.  And they always have the typical scenario; they show the lions stalking in the bush behind the antelope herd. The lions stay hidden and up wind of the herd looking for the weak, the stragglers, the young.  And sure enough, this one little antelope starts to wander away from the herd.  And when he gets far enough, the lions start to run towards him.  The rest of the herd now senses the lions and starts to run, but the little antelope is unable to catch up and the lions end up catching it and tearing it to pieces.  

Peter says in 1Peter 5:8 “Be of sober [spirit,] be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”  The moral of the story? Don’t be a silly antelope.  Stay with the herd.  Don’t become separated from fellowship.

The next characteristic we see of fellowship is perseverance or steadfastness of faith.  Vs6 “But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you,  for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith;  for now we [really] live, if you stand firm in the Lord.”

Paul uses that phrase a lot in his epistles - “stand firm in the Lord.”  When you present your body to the church as a living sacrifice, then you stand firm in your faith against the forces of evil, against the temptations by the devil, against the lies of the world. Three times in Ephesians 6 Paul says stand firm.  Eph 6:10-17 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual [forces] of wickedness in the heavenly [places.] Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.  Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,  and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil [one.]  And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” 

The church is in a spiritual battle for the souls of men against the world forces of darkness. It’s a battle, and you better not forget it.  It’s a war and you need to stand with your church and defend your faith.  Stand firm.  Be steadfast.  Persevere in the faith. Fellowship is taking your place in the ranks and standing firm. Not wavering.  Not here one Sunday and then absent the next two.  Stand firm in fellowship, in participation with the church.

The next characteristic of fellowship we see here in this passage is the prayer of fellowship. Paul says in vs 9 “For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account,  as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?”

If we go back to Ephesians 6 in the passage about standing firm in spiritual warfare, it goes on to say about our strategy  that we are to pray at all times.  After putting on the helmet of salvation and the shield of faith, and taking up the sword of the Lord which is the word of God, it then says, in vs18 “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,  and [pray] on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel.”  

Prayer for one another, prayer for the ministry of the word, prayer for the pastor, praying at all times, being on the alert with all perseverance and petition (prayer) for all the saints.  Prayer is an essential component of fellowship. It’s not optional.  It’s the way we do battle.  We fight spiritual battles by spiritual means.  Prayer is such an important aspect of fellowship.  Yes, you can and should pray at home, in your car, while you’re working, pray at all times.  You should pray wherever you may be.  But there is something powerful about corporate prayer, praying together.  Remember the early church met together to pray for Peter who was in prison.  And as a result the angels came and opened up the gates of the prison and Peter walked out.  Prayer is so important.  And everyone is called to participate in it.

The next component of fellowship has already been alluded to but Paul emphasizes it again towards the end of this passage.  And that component is love.  Love is the defining aspect of fellowship.  Jesus said they will know you are my disciples by your love for one another.

Paul says in vs 11 “Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you;  and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also [do] for you.”  Abound in love.  That’s more than just having a warm, fuzzy feeling.  That’s a sacrificial love for others.  That’s having a greater concern for other’s well being than for your own needs or concerns.  Love one another is not a suggestion - it’s a commandment.  

Jesus said in John 13:34  "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”  And notice that Paul says not only are we to love one another, that is the church, but we are to love all people.  Woah!  That’s not as easy as it sounds.  If we are truthful, we must admit we all fall short of that one quite often.  

Jesus said in Matt. 5:44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on [the] evil and [the] good, and sends rain on [the] righteous and [the] unrighteous.”  

If we love all people, then we will shine the light of the SON on the evil and the good.  We will do good to all people.  We will overcome evil with good.  That’s how God loved us, when we were evil, when we were His enemies, He loved us enough to lay down His life for us.  So we must love others with a sacrificial love that shows them the love of Christ.

You can love one another and all people and not necessarily be best friends.  It doesn’t mean that you have to hang out together.  But it does mean that you are compassionate, that you forgive what they might have done against you, even if they persecute you.  You love them enough to share the gospel with them, and to pray for them.

Finally, the last characteristic Paul gives us of fellowship is holiness.  Vs13  “so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.”   Notice that once again Paul manages to mention the second coming of the Lord in this chapter.  He strategically does so in each chapter, and in the next one, chapter 4, he will spend the entire passage talking in detail about it. 

But also notice that abounding in love for one another and all people results in holiness before God.  Jesus said that if you love God and love your neighbor then all the commandments are fulfilled in those two.  Love does no wrong to a neighbor.  Love triumphs over all.  Love is the fulfillment of the law.  So when we are given a new heart by the Lord in salvation, it gives us the capacity to love as God defines love.  And when we love in the way God tells us to love, we will not transgress the law.  Our hearts are without blame, says Paul.  And when we are without blame, we shall not shrink away in fear before the Lord when He comes again.  We can be confident at the coming of Christ.  

I will close with this exhortation for fellowship from Hebrews 10:19-25 “Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus,  by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh,  and since [we have] a great priest over the house of God,  let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled [clean] from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;  and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,  not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging [one another;] and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

 

The ministry of the gospel, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-20

In the opening chapter of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, we saw in his introductory remarks many characterizations of a godly church, as exemplified by the church of Thessalonica. Paul expressed his gratitude for their response to the gospel that he and his missionary team had delivered to them.

Now as we come to the second chapter, Paul gives a defense of his ministry of the gospel to this church.  We can surmise by the tone and content of this letter that some people were critical of Paul and Silas and Timothy’s ministry and sought to undermine the work that they had founded in Thessalonica.  And so in the context of this defense of his ministry, we will see the hallmarks of a godly ministry of the gospel, as exemplified by Paul and his companions.

These hallmarks of his ministry should be a template for effective pastoral ministry in the church today as well.  There are a lot of possible ways in which a pastor can minister to the church.  But it’s much  too common today to see pastors use a variety of methods of ministering to the church, which seem to produce various results, but which have no precedent in the Biblical mandate to preach the gospel and make disciples.  And I would add to that - the test of a minister’s effectiveness, of his adherence to the Biblical standard, should not be judged by the size of the congregation.  You can draw quite a crowd with bread and circuses, but the spiritual maturity of the church is not something that is always synonymous with the size of the church.

So I think it would be helpful for us to consider this defense of Paul’s ministry as a template for a godly ministry of the gospel, and hope that we will tailor our ministry according to Paul’s example.  Now there are 20 verses in this chapter, and about half that many characteristics, so I am going to have to move quickly through the text to cover them all.  But the first attribute we see from Paul’s ministry was the characteristic of giving to the church, and not taking from the church.

Paul says in vs 1, “For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain.” A lot of translations interpret this word as “vain,” which means, as not without purpose. But there is another possible meaning which I think fits in the context better.  This word translated “vain” may also be translated as “empty handed.” So what Paul might be saying is “far from coming to take something from you, we came to bring you something - our hands were not empty.”  And I think that fits more in keeping with the context of the chapter, as you will see going forward.  The treasure Paul brought to these people was much greater than anything he might have taken from them. And his desire all along was to give them this great gift of salvation.  That’s why he came to Thessalonica.  Not as a poacher, as perhaps some of Paul’s critics had claimed, to see what he could take, but to give them the invaluable gift of the gospel.

And that is, in effect, what he says in vs 2, “but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition.”  That  answers the previous assertion that they had not come empty handed, but on the contrary, they delivered to them the good news of God. What they brought was the gospel and they ministered it to them.  Their intention was not to take, but to give.  

In that statement, you should also notice a mention of the beating and imprisonment that Paul and Silas had endured at Philippi.  So even though they had just recently suffered a great ordeal for the sake of the gospel, they wanted to come to share the gospel in Thessalonica as well.  They had a deep concern for the spiritual well being of the Thessalonians, which was the reason for their coming.

That concern for the souls to whom you minister is yet another characteristic of a godly church.  A desire to see people come to a saving knowledge of the Lord, and to grow in their faith, and to equip them to walk in the truth, these things are a hallmark of a godly ministry.  Not simply to grow in attendance, to raise up a great building, a big organization that only serves the ego of the minister, but doesn’t give the people what they really need.

The next characteristic of Paul’s ministry was that the gospel which he preached was not designed to appeal to men, but to please God.  He says in vs 3 and 4, “For our exhortation didn't come from error or impurity or an intent to deceive.  Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please people, but rather God, who examines our hearts.”

Rather than rely on sermon series mills to see what they should preach, or to look to current events, they looked to God to see what He would have them preach.  Rather than trying to appeal to men, they wanted to be faithful to what God wanted them to present as their message.

In some respects, the early church wasn’t much different from the church landscape today.  There are still wolves in sheep’s clothing plying the church for money, fleecing the sheep, for the sake of building a monument to their own ego.  Paul warned Timothy in another letter that “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2Tim. 4:3)

Let me assure you that if you are really preaching the word of God, then you aren’t tickling anyone’s ears.  And you’re probably not going to win a popularity contest either. Because the gospel is offensive. It’s convicting.  It’s cleansing. It’s sanctifying.  Ephesians 5:25 says, “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church ]in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”  The gospel will either cleanse you, sanctify you and make you holy, or it will cause you to turn away.  It will not tickle your ears.

So Paul says that their gospel was not intended to be flattering, nor as a means to gain honor or riches.  Notice vs 5, “For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed--God is witness--  nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority.”

Paul appeals to the Thessalonians by saying, “you know that what I am saying is true.” They had been witnesses of the purity of his motives. They knew that Paul and his companions had not come with flattery, to try to take advantage.  Paul and Silas and Timothy were the spiritual fathers of this church.  So these people certainly would have remembered the way in which they came, and the reason why they came.

And even though they had the authority of the apostolic office, they had not asserted their authority as such, but instead they were gentle towards them. He says in vs 7, “But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing [mother] tenderly cares for her own children.”

You know, the apostles had the authority to establish the church that was given to them by God.  An apostle was a one time position given for the founding of the church.  They were the foundation of the church.  Eph 2:19-20 says, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household,  having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner [stone,]”  

This authority of the apostles was something that could be quite formidable.  You remember that at the beginning of the church in Jerusalem, Peter had two people in his church, Ananias and Sapphira, who had lied to the church in regards to the money they had received from the sale of some land.  And Peter called them out on it, saying that they had in effect lied to the Holy Spirit.  And as a result of their sin, at Peter’s word, God struck them dead right in the middle of the church.  And Paul also said on one occasion that he delivered a certain person to Satan, for the destruction of his flesh because he had refused to repent of his sin and put a stumbling block in front of the church.

So this authority they had as apostles was formidable, and yet Paul did not wield his authority like a club, but instead was gentle towards them, even as a mother tenderly cares for her children. You should remember that gentleness is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.  Gentleness is power under control.  It was used to speak of a horse that was trained.  And this gentleness came from a love which they had for the church.

We see that love stated in vs 8, “Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.”  As I’ve often said before,  the greatest expression of love is to share the gospel with someone.  If you only share in superficial, physical things, then it’s not the fullest expression of love.  To share the gospel is to show love for another.  And Paul says they not only were desiring to share the gospel with them, but also their own lives.  That is, they were wiling to risk their lives, and even to sacrifice their lives for their sake. 

What a convicting statement, when we think of how the modern church or it’s ministers are willing to sacrifice very little for the sake of the gospel.  Any inconvenience, any degree of difficulty or discomfort or danger, is an excuse to not go to church, or an excuse to avoid evangelizing the lost.  But love is sacrificial, and willing to do whatever it takes, even risking one’s health and safety for the sake of the gospel.

Another hallmark of a godly ministry of the gospel is that the apostles avoided being a burden to the church.  Vs 9, “For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, [how] working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.”  Once again, it was Paul’s right as an apostle to receive financial support from the church for his ministry.  Paul speaks in other places in regards to pastoral duties that “The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.”  He said that those who do the work of preaching should be worthy of double honor.  But in the case of this church, as Paul was desirous of establishing it, he provided for his own financial needs by working in order to not be a burden upon the church.

I think there is an idea in this, of a farmer who plants a fruit tree, and adds supports to hold it up, and fertilizes it, and carefully tends to it until it reaches a stage of maturity by which it is able to support itself and bear fruit. Or as a father or mother who raises a child, provides for the child in every way, until the child reaches maturity where they can stand on their own.  I think that is what Paul and Silas and Timothy had in mind here.  There may be a time - especially in the founding of a church,  when a pastor may want to hold off in receiving the financial support that he rightfully should expect, until such a time when the church becomes established.  But in a broader aspect, I think the principle of not being a burden to the church is the guiding principle here.  Not having your own interests at heart, but the church’s interest as paramount.

And to that point of a parental perspective on their ministry, Paul says that they acted as fathers to the church, so that they might see spiritual growth in the church.  Vs10  “You are witnesses, and [so is] God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers;  just as you know how we [were] exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father [would] his own children,  so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”

It’s interesting to notice that Paul had said they were like a mother to the church back in vs 7, and now he says they were like fathers to them.  And even as they preached in order to please God and not men, so now they call upon God and them as witnesses that they had indeed acted uprightly towards the church.  Like spiritual fathers, they had implored and encouraged, and exhorted the church to walk in such a way as to please the Lord.  Their ministry was paternal.  It was loving, gentle, and yet firm and encouraging as a good father would encourage their own children.  Their interest was not just in counting attendees, or claiming how many had joined the church, but in discipling the church to walk after the Lord day by day.

Now to that point that the apostles had acted towards them as fathers, on behalf of their heavenly Father, Paul says that they received the word of the apostles as the word of God. Vs 13, “For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted [it] not [as] the word of men, but [for] what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.”

Not only does that give credit to the church, that it had the spiritual discernment to realize that they spoke the word of God, but it also credits the apostles, who spoke the word of God and not the wisdom of man.  A lot of pastor’s think that their primary responsibility is to be social  counselors.  They are full of wisdom and insight and can address many of the social ills and problems of people today without reliance upon the word of God.  But Paul and Silas and Timothy were wise enough to realize that the wisdom of God was greater than any wisdom they could muster up.  So they preached the word.  

Paul said in 1Co 1:18,  “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ... 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not [come to] know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. ... 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, ... 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

Listen, one of the most important hallmarks of a godly ministry is to preach the word of God, and then for the church to receive it as the word of God. A lot of churches today excel in music, they excel in ceremony, they may excel in programs, they may excel in young people’s ministries, but they are delinquent in preaching the word of God.  But the word of God is powerful, sharper than a two edged sword, and able to divide between soul and spirit, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Man’s wisdom is not able to do that.  Paul says the word of God performs it’s work in you who believe.  The power is in the word, not in psychology.

Another hallmark of a godly ministry is that they endured persecution for the sake of the gospel. He says in vs14 “For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they [did] from the Jews,  who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out. They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men,  hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved; with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them to the utmost.”  Willingness to suffer for the sake of Christ is evidence of a godly ministry. Not only had Paul and his companions suffered for the gospel, but the church at Thessalonica had suffered persecution as well.

Paul says that in persecution, they had imitated the church in Jerusalem.  In both Jerusalem and in Thessalonica they had suffered persecution at the hands of their own countrymen.  And Paul goes on to speak of the Jews who had persecuted the church in Judea, he says that the wrath of God had come upon them as a result of their persecution of the church.

But whether the persecution comes from Jews or Gentiles, it is the same thing, because it stems from the age old warfare of the devil against Christ, and His church.  But willingness to suffer persecution for the sake of the gospel is yet another characteristic of a godly minister, who considers persecution with Christ to be much more desirable than accommodation by the world.

The last hallmark of a godly ministry of the gospel is a desire for fellowship.  Fellowship is able to be accomplished in the spirit in some measure, but it is best done in person.  Paul and Silas and Timothy desired to see these people face to face that they had given birth to in the spirit, that they considered their children in the faith.

So Paul writes, in vs17 "But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short while--in person, not in spirit--were all the more eager with great desire to see your face.  For we wanted to come to you--I, Paul, more than once--and [yet] Satan hindered us.  For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?  For you are our glory and joy.”

In light of what we read in Revelation 20, that Satan has been bound during the church age so that he might not deceive the nations, it raises the question concerning Paul’s statement that Satan had hindered them from coming to see the church in person. Obviously, Satan being bound does not mean that Satan is powerless.  He  still exerts a powerful influence in the affairs of men, especially if they are endeavoring to work for the kingdom of God.  He is still our arch enemy, and we that are ministers and servants of God are especially targets of his hate.

But the fact is, though he may hinder us,  he cannot defeat us.  He may impede the progress of the gospel, but he cannot stop it.  He is limited, hobbled, even bound by the surpassing power of God towards us.  Though he may have hindered Paul and his friends from coming at that time, yet he was not able to stop this letter from being written, which undoubtedly benefited that church much more than even Paul himself visiting in person could have done.  And we cannot even comprehend the benefit to the spread of the gospel that this letter has accomplished for thousands of churches in the ages since.  Satan may have won that skirmish, in preventing Paul from visiting in person, but the kingdom of God has won the war.  

One last point I want to make in closing.  In every chapter, usually at the end of the chapter, Paul speaks about the second coming of the Lord.  In chapter four Paul will go to great lengths to speak about the second coming of Christ, and how that assurance should give the church great comfort.  I really think that is the main point of this letter, to give hope and encouragement to the church concerning the second coming of Christ.  And so he mentions it again and again at the end of each chapter before devoting one whole passage to it’s details. 

But it’s interesting that Paul considers the church of Thessalonica as his hope and joy and glory at the coming of Christ.  And that is because as John said there can be no greater joy than to see one’s children walking in the truth.  When Jesus comes again, and rewards His faithful stewards, Paul will realize great joy to see that the church that he planted in Thessalonica as the fruit of his labors.  These saints of God that he helped to bring to the Lord, will be his glory, his crown of his achievement on earth.  

That should be our hope and joy and glory as well. That at the second coming, we might see those whom we brought to Christ.  There can be no greater reward than to know that you played a part in the salvation of some soul that now has eternal life with God. In that respect, we should all be ministers of the gospel.  Let us be effective ministers, by employing these characteristics in our ministry to one another and to those that are lost. Let us be faithful stewards of the gospel, ministering to those who are in need of salvation, and discipling those who are fellow saints.