1 Thessalonians 2b

Shawn Bumpers / General

1 Thessalonians / Persecution of the Early Church; Persecution; Scripture; Paul and his coworkers; First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians; Wrath of God / 1 Thessalonians 2:13–16

 

We didn’t finish out our study in chapter 2 last week, so we’ll do that this week.

In the first 8 verses, we found Paul defending his ministry to the Thessalonians.

As was typical of Paul’s ministry in the various cities of Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Greece, there was an uprising against him in Thessalonica.

Now, in chapter 1 he had described the Church in Thessalonica as an exemplary church.

Except that in Paul’s absence                                                              had moved in to discredit Paul and teach that Paul’s teachings were wrong.

a. That the exemplary disciple of Christ is a faithful steward.

b. The exemplary disciple of Christ nurtures and cares for younger believers (a motherly ministry)

c. The disciple of Christ who is exemplary watches over the family of believers and makes sacrifices for their welfare (a fatherly ministry).

Today, we’ll get to the fourth of Paul’s descriptions of the exemplary disciple of Christ which is:

• The disciple of Christ treats other Christians as family … loving them, praying for them, and desiring to be with them.

They had not been just making a superficial gesture toward the believers.

Also interesting is the Greek word κηρύσσω Kērysso (kay-RHEE-soh) which is translated as “preached” here.

It denotes the actions of a                     , who would not come up with what to say on his own, but was given what to say.

Luke 2:9–12 NKJV
And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

In the book of Revelation, the Pastors of the Churches are referred to as                    (Rev 2:1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write …”).

We are reminded here that God’s intent for preaching is to have                                                                , rather than to substitute man’s word or message.

They can bear testimony on behalf of Paul, to shore up those who are being swayed by Paul’s adversaries.

The word “witness” is the Greek word Martys (mar-tis).

A Martyr is one who is killed for their testimony.

Acts 21:13 NKJV

Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Hebrews 6:10 NKJV
For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

Paul describes his behavior with 3 adverbs: Devoutly, Justly, Blamelessly.

Devoutly is the Greek ὁσίως Hosios (hoh-SEE-ohs) – it points to the character involved in being set apart for God.

Justly is the Greek δικαίως Dikaiōs (dee-KAY-ohs) – it points to observance of rule.

Blamelessly is the Greek ἀμέμπτως Amemptōs (ah-MEMP-tohs) – it means “without cause for reproach.”

And wrapping up this verse, Paul uses the phrase “among you who believe” to draw contrast between the                                                                       and the                                                             .

1 Corinthians 4:15 NKJV
For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

But a father not only sires children, he also has duties of caring for them.

Through labor, toil and sacrifice Paul had done this, but that was not his only fatherly duty toward the converts.

However, also like a father, while there is understanding and tenderness, there had to be discipline.

Paul and Silas had charged the believers to live lives worthy of God.

1 Corinthians 4:16 NKJV
Therefore I urge you, imitate me.

Ephesians 6:4 NKJV

And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Paul was always an encourager of new believers.

Rather it means that Paul called them near to point the way … he encouraged them to go on with the LORD.

Paul also charged them.

Sometimes we go through difficulties so that we may share with                                            that which God has done.

2 Corinthians 1:4 NKJV
who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

And it’s great when a spiritually mature believer can encourage and help those who are younger from his own experiences with the LORD.

The purpose?

The metaphor of walking is used quite often in the New Testament.

It gives the idea of                   ,                                                 , inspired by the call of God which is to the highest standard.

Just as a father wants to be proud of his children, so the Lord wants to get glory through the lives of His children.

We may face rejection, accusation, mockery or be limited in what we can do … we may be in a situation where we minister as hard as we can and see little fruit.

Paul ministered as a faithful steward, a nurturer and a caregiver, an example and a guardian to be a model for them to follow … so that they might learn how to walk.

Next, we find that: The exemplary disciple of Christ treats other Christians as family … loving them, praying for them, and desiring to be with them.

V13-16

Paul was a herald of God’s Word to the people of Thessalonica.

And he faithfully delivered to them the message that God had given him to pronounce to them … that is “The Gospel of God.”

It was then their decision to either                                or                            .

Paul was a herald of the Gospel, as are all Christians.

And he was thankful for how the Thessalonian believers had received the message he had delivered to them.

There was an initial reception and then a continuing reception, and both are very important.

Jesus is the living Word and the Bible is the written Word.

But in essence, they are the same.

• Both are bread (Matthew 4:4; John 6:48)

• Both are light (Psalm 119:105; John 8:12)

• Both are truth (John 14:6; John 17:17)

• Both are eternal (Romans 1:25; Psalm 119:89)

Job 23:12 NKJV

I have not departed from the commandment of His lips;
I have treasured the words of His mouth
More than my necessary food.

King David said in Psalm 119 that God’s Word meant more to him than all riches, thousands of gold and silver, fine gold and great spoil.

Paul speaks of appreciating the Word of God when he says they welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God.

He also speaks of appropriating the Word of God when he says they “received it,” and they “welcomed it.”

Matthew 13:9 NKJV

He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

And it is good to                                            of every opportunity to hear the Word of God.

Mark 4:24 NKJV

Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.

Luke 8:18 NKJV
Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”

Many Christians have ”                                    ” and are more interested in entertainment.

Others are ”            ” in their hearing.

“Too many churches have substituted entertainment for the preaching of God’s Word, and many people no longer welcome the Word of God.” – Warren Wiersbe

I know we’ve spent a good deal of time here on verse 13, but before we move on, I want to reveal one more aspect of how the Thessalonians received the Word.

They APPLIED it.

When we receive God’s Word, believe God’s Word, and obey God’s Word, God’s Word works in our lives to                                                                   .

James 1:22 NKJV

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Today there are places where Christians are being murdered everyday because of their faith.

But Christians face                                   (both death and imprisonment) in 105 countries around the world.

John 15:18–20 NLT

“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you.

It was not easy to be a Christian in Thessalonica where believers faced persecution and suffering.

When Paul and Silas were there, they shared stories of the persecution they had experienced in Lystra and Philippi and other places

And the believers in Thessalonica began to also experience persecution.

So they were not alone.

The Thessalonian Christians became                             of those who had suffered before them.

And, of course, Jesus in John 15 had promised that those who belong to Him would be hated by the world.

Let’s not fail to connect these verses (vv13-14).

We do that by making this observation: The Thessalonians willingly suffered the same things because they were convinced that Paul brought them not the word of man, but the word of God.

The Thessalonian believers were suffering under the persecution of their own people.

Certainly the synagog leaders and Jewish counter missionaries were stirring up persecution against the Thessalonian Christians.

But it was their own people … friends and neighbors who were carrying it out.

Paul is simply stating a fact, that Jesus was killed by His own people … not accusing all Jews of what a few did in having Jesus crucified.

The Romans also participated in the trial and death of Jesus.

AND, let’s not forget that it was our sins that sent Jesus to the cross.

Isaiah 53:6 NKJV

All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

So, they were repeating the sins of their fathers.

What was it that offended the Jewish persecutors of Christians?

They were enraged that Gentiles could be saved without first becoming Jews.

Genesis 15:16 NKJV

But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

2 Peter 3:9–10 NKJV

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

It is a period of God’s patience … until His judgment finally falls.

Matthew 23:32 NKJV

Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt.

Now, Paul says (a) that the measure of their sins isn’t yet full, but then says, (b) “Wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.”

How can both be true?

Well, in a sense, judgment had already fallen upon Israel in that                                                           and under the hand of the

And there was another judgment to soon come in 70AD when the Roman army would lay seige to Jerusalem and destroy the city and the                   .

But I believe that the point of what Paul says here is to                       the Thessalonians in their persecution.

V17-20

Paul loved to call the saints “brethren.”

It’s the Greek word ἀδελφός Adelphos (AH-del-fose) and it means “brother” and “fellow believer.”

As such Paul saw himself as one of them …

In times of testing and trouble, it is important that we take the long view of things.

While Paul, like everyone, lived in the present, he thought toward the future.

Paul couldn’t come to them, and Paul wanted them to know that it wasn’t because of any lack of love or desire on his part.

In fact, Paul says Satan hindered him from coming to them.

Paul assured the Thessalonians that he desired to be with them, but he was hindered by Satan, and he says that this happened time and again.

The great problem with much modern day teaching on spiritual warfare is that it comes not from scripture but from                                                             , hearsay and                      .

When it is taught outside of the context of scripture, we often find that it is over-emphasized.

At the same time, we also don’t want to under-emphasize spiritual warfare because                             teaches it.

Ephesians 6:12 NKJV
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

The best approach to spiritual warfare is a                          approach.

John 8:44 NKJV

You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Satan is a              … and he’s really good at it.

The Bible instructs us to                                                  (James 4:7), put on the whole armor of God that you may stand against the enemy (Ephesians 6:10-18), be                                      and                          (1 Peter 5:8), and to              and              (Mark 9).

Our focus should be on God, not demons; and we should speak to Him, not them.

Psalm 62:1–2 NKJV
Truly my soul silently waits for God;
From Him comes my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be greatly moved.

Paul, in all his apostolic ministry and authority, could still be blocked by Satan.

But Paul did not just receive this Satanic hindrance in a fatalistic way.

“Supposing that we have ascertained that hindrances in our way really come from Satan, WHAT THEN? I have but one piece of advice, and that is, go on, hindrance or no hindrance, in the path of duty as God the Holy Ghost enables you.” C.H. Spurgeon

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, each chapter of this epistle ends with a reference to the return of Christ.

Why was Paul able to minister faithfully and lovingly to these saints?

Hebrews 12:2 NKJV
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus endured the cross, “for the joy that was set before Him.”

Jude 24 NKJV
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

The exemplary disciple of Christ treats other Christians as family … loving them, praying for them, and desiring to be with them.