In 1 Thessalonians 3, Paul writes of how encouraged he was at Timothy’s good report about the Thessalonians’ faith.
Wes
Welcome to the Two Journeys podcast. We’re so thankful you’ve taken the time to join us today and want you to know that this is just one of the many resources available to you for free from Two Journeys Ministry. If you’re interested in learning more, just head over to twojourneys.org. Now on to today’s episode.
This is episode three in our Thessalonians Bible Study podcast. This episode is entitled Paul’s Joy in the Thessalonians Spiritual Health, where we’ll discuss 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13. I’m Wes Treadway and I’m here with Pastor Andy Davis.
Andy, what are we going to see in these verses we’re looking at today?
Andy
Well, 1 Thessalonians 3 is a great display of Paul’s intense concern for the churches that he planted. And the level of concern, the level of intensity, shows us a couple of things. First of all, a tremendous love, like a fatherly love for the people he led to Christ. And that’s essential to a faithful evangelistic missionary church planting life, for the life of a pastor, that there’d be this kind of committed love between a spiritual mentor, church planter and the work that he’s been doing.
But secondly, the great danger that Christians are in in this world: the world of flesh and the devil assault constantly. And specifically, in this case, the Thessalonians are in a cauldron of persecution – it’s very hot. And Paul is clearly concerned that the persecution may have led in their capitulation, in their apostasy. As we see very plainly in the parable of the seed in the soils, there is the stony ground hearer “…who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away” (Matthew 13:20-21). It’s clear that Paul’s concerned about that.
So, we see both sides of that equation – Paul’s intense love for them and their great danger. But we also see God’s incredible faithfulness. So, in the midst of all of that, Timothy brings an encouraging report. Paul is beside himself with joy and celebration and is so glad to hear that good news. So, this is a very insightful, though, very brief chapter.
Wes
Well, let me go ahead and read 1 Thessalonians 3 as we prepare to discuss verses 1-13.
“Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 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. 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.
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— for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?
Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 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.”
Now Andy, first we’ll see in this passage Paul’s anxiety and Timothy’s mission on display. But before we talk about verses 1-5, what’s the connection between 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 and where we’re at today in chapter 3?
Andy
Well, all of chapter 2 just lays aside the intense persecution led by the Jews he mentions and that these are unbelieving Jews who reject the idea that Jesus is the Messiah – Jesus predicted this very thing would happen. And they were very zealous to make certain that the gospel was crushed. And so, these were the very ones that made life miserable for Paul in Thessalonica while he was there so that Paul and Silas had to leave at night and they left behind a fledgling church that Paul had had only three Sabbath days – like three weeks – to be with, and so, the seed had barely taken root. And so, he has every good reason to be intensely concerned.
So, he says, “Look, you folks are everything to us. You are our hope, our joy, and the crown in which we’ll glory when Christ returns, you’re everything. You are why we do what we do, and we’re willing to put up with all the grief and sorrow and terrors associated with the gospel as long as we leave behind us a trail of healthy, strong, growing churches.” But he was very, very concerned. And so, he sends Timothy on a mission. What precedes then is his concern for the Thessalonians, his intensity, yearning to be with them, but he can’t. And so that sets up what we’re going to see in chapter 3, which is Timothy’s mission.
Wes
Yeah. And we really get an insight into Paul’s concern. What do we see in verse 1? What does it teach us about Paul’s mental state before sending Timothy on that mission?
Andy
Well, in this translation it says, “We could stand it no longer…” (partial quote of 1 Thessalonians 3:1). He says the same thing again in verse 5, “… when I could stand it no longer…” (partial quote of 1 Thessalonians 3:5). What does your translation say?
Wes
“When we could bear it no longer…” Same thing.
Andy
“Bear it no longer…” This is under intense pressure. So, listen – and we’re talking about this right before we began recording – I think that this is a very, very good example of what Paul talks about concerning his sufferings. And so, in 2 Corinthians 11, he goes through his catalog of sufferings – and he does it for his own reasons there in that chapter that I won’t go into – but he does give a resume of suffering and he basically says, “There is no one who has suffered for the gospel like I have,” and he lists eight beatings: five of them with 39 lashes, three of them beaten with rods – it’s like a broom handle or something like that. I just can’t even imagine the bruises, the broken ribs, just eight times it happened. I don’t personally know anyone that’s ever been beaten, you read about accounts, but I don’t know anybody that’s been through. He went through it eight times. Goes through shipwrecks. He was stoned, left for dead. He’s in continual danger. He lists all of these physical incarcerations, all of these things. He started at least three riots, three of them are recorded in the book of Acts. It’s overwhelming. We know not listed here that some Jews dedicated themselves with a pact to never eat again until they had assassinated Paul. So that’s a level of zeal and suffering.
But then he says this. “On top of all that, besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?” (2nd Corinthians 11:28-29). So, he feels these churches are vulnerable, these churches are in danger. And to some degree you get the feeling, I can bear all that as long as the churches are stable, but if the churches are being wasted away by Satan’s temptations and assaults, it’s all been for naught.
I think also there’s a link here between Paul’s intense concern for the churches and Jesus’ intense concern for his disciples who he’s going to leave in the world while he ascends back to the father. In John 17, “Father, they are in the world and I’m coming to you. Protect them” (Paraphrase of John 17:11). I’ve likened that prayer before the intensity of it to leaving a toddler in the median strip of an eight-lane superhighway. It’s like, “Well, I hope they’re fine.”
It’s actually even spiritually more dangerous. We talk about our enemy, the devil, “…prowling around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour” (partial quote of 1 Peter 5:8), but the power of God through the Holy Spirit is sufficient to protect his people. There is that danger of being a stony ground here – you just don’t know. Are these people the real deal or not? And so, Paul has this intense longing, this intense concern and anxiety really. There’s a constant anxiety he feels for the churches, and that’s borne out here in 1 Thessalonians 3.
Wes
Now, how does Paul describe Timothy and why does Paul send Timothy back to Thessalonica?
Andy
He calls Timothy our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ. He’s calls him in another place, his “son in the faith” (partial quote of 1 Timothy 1:2). He’s probably the one that was closest to him of all the ones he worked with. And so, he sends his best and he wants Timothy to go and find out what’s going on with the Thessalonian faith, what’s happening. And so, he wants to not only determine what’s going on, but he wants to strengthen and encourage them in the faith. So, Timothy is his representative.
Wes
Now, how does suffering tend to weaken faith? How could someone like Timothy be used by God to strengthen people’s faith?
Andy
Yeah, suffering – we tend to have a very optimistic, positive view of suffering, but persecution is one of the number one things that Satan uses to stop the spread of the gospel. It is effective because people are weak and people’s faith is weak. “And Jesus said, ‘This very night you will all fall away on account of me…’” (partial quote of Matthew 26:31) the night he was arrested. All of them. None of them were strong enough to face arrest at that point. Even though Peter said, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will” (partial quote of Matthew 26:33).
what strengthens faith, but the same thing that gave it birth to begin with? The ministry of the Word.
Satan’s stronger than we are, and the temptations are stronger. The temptation to self-preservation – “Whoever saves his life will lose it,” (partial quote of Matthew 16:25) Jesus said. So, there is intense danger here. So, our faith needs to be strengthened in the midst of that. And so, what strengthens faith, but the same thing that gave it birth to begin with? The ministry of the Word.
So, what you need to hear in the midst of persecution is an eternal perspective, heaven and hell, the invisible God, the invisible Satan, the future, seeing things properly. “Remember,” the author to Hebrews says, “those earlier days, when you first received the light, when you … joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property…” Why? “Because you were convinced that you had a better possession and a lasting one” (partial quote of Hebrews 10:32-34). That’s faith, “…the assurance of things hoped for…” (partial quote of Hebrews 11:1).
So, you’ve got to have strong otherworldly faith to face the persecution well. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad.” Why? “Great is your reward in heaven…” (partial quote of Matthew 5:11-12). Well, you don’t get a certificate. You don’t get a little gold medal around your neck that you can look at. No, it’s all words, it’s all faith, it’s hope. And so, Timothy’s job was to go and strengthen and encourage them in the midst of these trials by the ministry of the word, by feeding their faith, feeding their hopes for heavenly reward.
Wes
Now, why is persecution unavoidable if we want to be fruitful in this world? And could it be said that if we’re not being persecuted at all, it’s probably because we’re not being faithful in some key area?
Andy
Paul says in another place, “Everyone who desires to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (paraphrase of 2 Timothy 3:12). So, you could almost say, if we’re not being persecuted, do we desire to live a godly life? Here in America, we’re not going to be persecuted as long as we behave ourselves. So, we can live good, moral lives and raise our kids and do all that, and you’re never going to get persecuted. You get persecuted when you start evangelizing. You get persecuted when you start doing active controversial ministry. If you were to do pro-life ministry, you’d get persecuted. If you are going to tell the truth on homosexuality, you’re going to get persecuted. So, it is with a lot of these things. I think you said it yourself that a lot of times if we’re not being persecuted, it means that we’re not stepping out in faith like we need to.
Wes
Helpful for us then to examine our own lives and even our life together as part of local churches to say, “Are we actively engaging with the gospel those around us who need to hear that?”
Now, Paul also seems to have been under extreme psychological pressure concerning the Thessalonians. What was he concerned about and is this a valid concern for us as well?
Andy
Well, I think he’s very concerned about apostasy on the part of the Thessalonians – that they’re going to fall away, and that they’re just going to capitulate to the persecution of their neighbors and they’re going to give in and just deny Christ. And so, Jesus said, “He who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13). So, it is a legitimate concern that their stony ground hearers, “that the sun of the persecution comes up, it gets hot and they wither and die” (paraphrase of Mark 4:6 and Matthew 13:6). I think it happens all the time. Probably happens literally every day. Some Muslim country, some persecuting fellow relatives or Imams or whatever and then people renounce, they turn, they go back. I mean it’s gone on for years. And so that’s what he’s concerned about.
And then also at the secondary level is that they’re going to want nothing to do with Paul either. It’s like Paul’s the one that’s kind of the harbinger of persecution. You come and listen to Paul and you’re going to start getting beaten up by the town authorities or the synagogue rulers. So, they don’t want anything to do with Paul – can’t stand Paul because of what happens. So, there’s a strong link in Paul’s mind between their feelings about Paul and their feelings about Christ. He knows he’s not Christ, but he is Christ’s messenger, his ambassador, his representative. And if they are angry and want nothing to do with Paul, they’re really done with Jesus. So, his concern is apostasy.
Wes
Now, how does Satan use afflictions and persecutions to cause some people to fall away from their profession of Christian faith?
Andy
Well, I think what Satan can do is he overly focuses us on the world. Even he did this positively with Jesus when he offered him all the world’s splendor and glory. So, what he’s going to do is either going to offer you the world’s crowns and honors or he is going to offer you the world’s fist, one or the other. It’s something to do with the world, your earthly circumstance. He’s going to allure you with success and power and that job you always wanted – as long as you renounce Christ – or he’s going to threaten to beat you or incarcerate you or take from you everything you hold dear if you continue to believe in Christ.
So, the tempter is effective in getting people to do that. Look what happened with John the Baptist. He’s in prison facing his own execution and he says to Jesus, “Are you the one who was to come or should we expect someone else?” (Matthew 11:3). It’s like what happened to John, the greatest man that had ever lived up to that point. That’s what temptation can do. That’s how powerful Satan is.
Wes
Yeah.
Now as we make our way into the second half really of the passage, verses 6-13, we begin to see Paul’s mindset. His emotions change, but it’s for a reason. Why does Paul find tremendous joy in hearing that the Thessalonians remember him kindly? And what does their fond memories of him prove about their faith?
Andy
Yeah, so what ends up happening is he sends Timothy as an emissary. Timothy goes with a mission and his mission is to find out about their faith and then to strengthen and encourage them in their faith. Now, first thing’s going to happen right away. They’ll know who Timothy is, and if they don’t want anything to do with Timothy, that tells them everything he needs to know. It’s the worst possible news that Timothy could have. But if they welcome Timothy in, then Timothy can do his ministry, he can strengthen and encourage them and get them ready for further trials. And yeah, it’s already happening – they are already being persecuted, but they’re not backing down. They’ve already tasted the sting of the lash and they’re continuing to believe in Christ. But Paul doesn’t know anything. We’re used to our smartphones. We’re used to instant communication. He had to wait and wait and wait and pray and hope, and now Timothy comes and he’s relieved.
So, he’s brought this report, he’s brought this good news, and he’s told about your faith and love so that the evidences of their Christian profession, faith toward Christ and love for Christ. But it’s also love for them. He told us that you always have pleasant memories of us. So, in one sense, if you read it wrong, it’s like what’s wrong with you Paul? You’re just insecure? Do you need a friend? Do you need someone to come and hug you? Do you need a hug? It’s got nothing to do with that. That’s not what it’s about that he needs a friend, he wants to be thought well of. He knows that there’s a link between the messenger and the message. That’s why it’s important for the messengers to live holy lives. We’re not perfect, but we can’t contradict with our lives what we’re saying with our mouths. There is a link between messenger and message. So, if they think well of Paul and long for him and wish he would come back, that’s really saying they love Jesus. They’re waiting for like it says in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 “to wait for his son from heaven.”
They love Paul. They really love his Jesus, but they do love Paul. But the point is they have pleasant memories of Paul. They’re eager to see him again whenever that could happen. What that means is things are good with Jesus. They’re good. It’s good in their walk with Christ.
Wes
Yeah, it’s so helpful for us to remember I think of both Peter and Paul, the number of times they talk about maintaining a good or a clear conscience so that their lives basically aren’t a hindrance to the message of the gospel. It’s good instruction for us as well.
Andy
I want to say one other thing. The Thessalonians long to see us just as we long to see them. That’s that horizontal love that John talks about in 1 John. “Love for the brothers is clear evidence of being born again,” (paraphrase of 1 John 3:14). So yes, our primary affection and our primary loyalty is always going to go to Christ. But if you love Christ, you’ll love his followers. You’re going to love them and you want to be with them. And we miss each other. And that makes me think ahead to heaven when we won’t miss anyone. We’re not going to miss anybody in heaven. Isn’t that something? We won’t be torn away from each other in person, not in thought. We’ll actually be together, and won’t that be something?
Wes
Absolutely. Well, and geographical separation is one of those major challenges we face as Christians right now. It’s one of the great trials we must undergo in this present age. How does Paul display some of that here in this section as he’s thinking about just the distance?
Andy
Yeah. Well, they can’t be together. They had to flee in the middle of the night. In Acts 17 you read about it. They’re not able to see each other. Really back then with – we have amazing technologies now, it’s incredible. FaceTime, you’re holding in your hand. And when I was growing up, that was a television set. That’s how you saw images. And the thing was massive. We had this big console TV. We got it for the Winter Olympics in 1980, watched the men’s Olympic hockey team beat the Russians. The thing was huge. It was this big cube of walnut and this huge crackling screen and all that. Now I hold something in my hand and I look down and can see my son at UNC Charlotte when he wants to do FaceTime. He always prefers FaceTime. I usually make phone calls. He makes FaceTime. He likes to see our face.
But they’re torn away and so they can’t be together. It really is, in some ways, it’s almost like a form of death. I remember reading one of the most affecting stories I’ve ever read in church history is the goodbye said between John Paton as godly father in Scotland when he was getting on the boat in the mid-19th century to go to the New Hebrides Islands on the other side of the world. He traveled farther, I think, than any other missionary in history to get to his site. So, when they say goodbye, it was basically goodbye. It was like death. It was like a funeral. And they were both weeping.
So that distance, it tears at you and you yearn to be together. And we see that in this chapter here. Paul longs to see them. And they long to see him, and they want to be together because they are separated.
Wes
Now as we move into verses 7 and 8, how does Timothy’s encouraging report help Paul amid the ongoing suffering he’s experiencing in his ministry for the Lord? And what does he mean by “For now we live if…”, or I think your translation says “…since you are standing fast in the Lord,”?
Andy
Yeah. Well, we go with “since” – because that’s what Timothy’s report says. They are standing fast in the Lord, but sometime literally it says “if” – but we often understand it as since. And so now that he has this good report, it says we’re alive, it was like a form of death. I guess what I would say is this. They’re in the midst of great suffering. They’re amidst a persecution. He said in verse 5, “I was afraid that in some way the tempter might’ve tempted you and our efforts might’ve been useless” or in vain like Ecclesiastes, vanity of vanity.
So, the image here I have is of Jesus saying “A woman in labor about to give birth has pains until the child comes. But once the child’s born, she forgets all of her pains for joy that the child is born,” (paraphrase of John 16:21). Yeah, but wait a minute. What if the child’s stillborn? Does she forget all of her pains then? No. It’s actually one of the worst days of her life. As a matter of fact, probably the worst, maybe the worst day of her life.
So, the whole thing depends on the outcome. So, if you labor in the gospel and then two years later there is nothing to show for it and there’s no converts, and anyone who used to be nice to you now doesn’t want anything to do with you, it’s very hard. That’s exactly what Adoniram Judson was going through after he lost his wife and his daughter and dug his own grave and sat by. It’s like, “What’s it all been for? Why did I come here? All it has been has been misery and sorrow.” So fundamentally, we do it for an outcome. We do it for the joy set before us, not just of our own rewards, but we do it for others.
And so, here’s the thing, I really do believe that God wants us to wrap our hearts up into earthly circumstances. He wants us to care what happens with other people and not just say, “Well, what matters is that my sins are forgiven and I’m going to heaven when I die. And if I get persecuted hugely, I’m just storing up lots of treasure in heaven.” That’s all true and beneficial. But there’s another part. I want it to mean something. I want something to happen with these people that I see with my own eyes, people I’m interacting with. So, he actually does want our hearts wrapped up in iffy circumstances that might not turn out.
You see this in Paul, don’t you see his heart wrapped up in something he considers iffy and wasn’t sure whether it was going to turn out, and he has invested himself in that. So, I think we’re called to do that. And I think to some degree in that way, we’re called to join God in his patient suffering too, because he says with the Jews, “All day long I’ve held up my hands to a disobedient, obstinate people…” (partial quote of Isaiah 65:2). Like the father of the prodigal son had a lot of hard days waiting for his son to come home. I think God wants us to join him and his waiting and his suffering and his struggle for the salvation of others.
Wes
What does Paul’s joy in verse 9 teach us about his level of heart commitment to missions?
Andy
everything we’ve gone through is worth it – if you really are standing firm in the faith, everything we’ve gone through is worth it.
Well, he’s just filled with joy. I just mentioned the dark side. It’s like what was it all for? But then let’s use Jesus’ language, “The woman in labor and about to give birth; now she gives birth to a healthy baby and she forgets her pain,” (paraphrase of John 16:21) Jesus said, and just be able to hold the little son or the little daughter in her arms, it’s all worth it. We see that same joy here. It’s like it’s all worth it – everything we’ve gone through is worth it – if you really are standing firm in the faith, everything we’ve gone through is worth it.
Wes
What do verses 10-13 teach us about Paul’s prayer life? What are some features of that prayer life that we might imitate ourselves?
Andy
Well, Paul is a great faithful prayer warrior, and I’m convicted because he uses a lot of temporal language. We constantly, or we always, whenever we mention you, “Night and day, we pray…”. Wow. I mean, he’s the one that will say at the end of this book, “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), pray continually. So that is Paul. He is a faithful prayer warrior. So, he says, “Night and day, we pray most earnestly…” (partial quote of 1 Thessalonians 3:10).
So, we got first of all, the continual aspect of it. “We never stop praying night and day” (paraphrase of 1 Thessalonians 3:10). And then the fervency of it. So, there’s consistency and fervency. And here he says, “…we pray that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith” (continuation of 1 Thessalonians 3:10). He says the same thing in Philippians chapter 1, where by his ministry, his apostolic ministry of the word, he’s able to fill in the empty places. And we realized the New Testament hadn’t been written. How many empty places are there? Whole New Testament theology needs to be filled in. So, he didn’t have much time with the Thessalonians. There’s a lot that’s lacking in their faith, their knowledge of Christian doctrine. So, we’re praying earnestly that we can finish your discipleship to finish your training.
Wes
Now, you mentioned a little bit about how important it is for us to love not only God vertically, but also brothers and sisters horizontally. Why are the two virtues of love for the brothers and holiness toward God so vital in the ongoing Christian life?
Andy
Well, I think there are evidences of our own genuine faith in Christ. These are the marks of being born again, that John describes so plainly in his epistle. He says, “This is how we know… This is how we know…” (paraphrase of 1 John 5:18-20). So how can I know that I’m a Christian? Well, is there holiness in your life? Are you walking in the light as he is in the light? And then secondly, do you have love for the brothers?
So, I think Paul’s exemplifying that here in 1 Thessalonians 3, his personal commitment to holiness and also his love for the brothers. And that will be their evidences as well. They turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God, they turned away from wickedness and they have a sincere love for the brothers. So fundamentally, he’s going to talk about that. “You do have a sincere love for the brothers. Now we ask you and urge you to do so more and more.” He says that in chapter 4 (paraphrase of 1 Thessalonians 4:10). So fundamentally, these will be evidences for the Thessalonians.
Wes
Andy, any final thoughts on this passage? There’s so much even just in 13 short verses, but any final thoughts for us as we wrap up our time?
Andy
Yeah, I think what I want to say is I myself want to be so invested in people that I would care this much about the health of their souls, that I’m involved. I mean, my life work has been this church, First Baptist Church in Durham. And to see the church evolve from where it was when I first came to where it is now has been one of the greatest joys of my life. But if the church were to turn sideways or to start becoming defective or have major problems, it would be a great grief to me.
So, I guess fundamentally, to have our hearts so wrapped up in the spiritual health of others is a very Christ-like thing. And so, I would exhort you who are listening to this podcast: What are you investing your life in? Do you have people that you care about that intensely, spiritually? Are there people you’re committed to and invested with? And if not, ask the Lord to give you a ministry over the next year, evangelistically. Maybe some co-workers, some relatives, some neighbors or total strangers, people that you have the privilege to lead to Christ and then disciple. Ask the Lord to give you that.
Wes
May the Lord deepen our love for one another as we walk in holiness before him.
Well, this has been episode three in our Thessalonians Bible Study podcast. We would invite you to join us next time for episode four, where we’ll discuss 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18. Thank you for listening to the Two Journeys podcast, and may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Wes
Welcome to the Two Journeys podcast. We’re so thankful you’ve taken the time to join us today and want you to know that this is just one of the many resources available to you for free from Two Journeys Ministry. If you’re interested in learning more, just head over to twojourneys.org. Now on to today’s episode.
This is episode three in our Thessalonians Bible Study podcast. This episode is entitled Paul’s Joy in the Thessalonians Spiritual Health, where we’ll discuss 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13. I’m Wes Treadway and I’m here with Pastor Andy Davis.
Andy, what are we going to see in these verses we’re looking at today?
Andy
Well, 1 Thessalonians 3 is a great display of Paul’s intense concern for the churches that he planted. And the level of concern, the level of intensity, shows us a couple of things. First of all, a tremendous love, like a fatherly love for the people he led to Christ. And that’s essential to a faithful evangelistic missionary church planting life, for the life of a pastor, that there’d be this kind of committed love between a spiritual mentor, church planter and the work that he’s been doing.
But secondly, the great danger that Christians are in in this world: the world of flesh and the devil assault constantly. And specifically, in this case, the Thessalonians are in a cauldron of persecution – it’s very hot. And Paul is clearly concerned that the persecution may have led in their capitulation, in their apostasy. As we see very plainly in the parable of the seed in the soils, there is the stony ground hearer “…who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away” (Matthew 13:20-21). It’s clear that Paul’s concerned about that.
So, we see both sides of that equation – Paul’s intense love for them and their great danger. But we also see God’s incredible faithfulness. So, in the midst of all of that, Timothy brings an encouraging report. Paul is beside himself with joy and celebration and is so glad to hear that good news. So, this is a very insightful, though, very brief chapter.
Wes
Well, let me go ahead and read 1 Thessalonians 3 as we prepare to discuss verses 1-13.
“Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 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. 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.
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— for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?
Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 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.”
Now Andy, first we’ll see in this passage Paul’s anxiety and Timothy’s mission on display. But before we talk about verses 1-5, what’s the connection between 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 and where we’re at today in chapter 3?
Andy
Well, all of chapter 2 just lays aside the intense persecution led by the Jews he mentions and that these are unbelieving Jews who reject the idea that Jesus is the Messiah – Jesus predicted this very thing would happen. And they were very zealous to make certain that the gospel was crushed. And so, these were the very ones that made life miserable for Paul in Thessalonica while he was there so that Paul and Silas had to leave at night and they left behind a fledgling church that Paul had had only three Sabbath days – like three weeks – to be with, and so, the seed had barely taken root. And so, he has every good reason to be intensely concerned.
So, he says, “Look, you folks are everything to us. You are our hope, our joy, and the crown in which we’ll glory when Christ returns, you’re everything. You are why we do what we do, and we’re willing to put up with all the grief and sorrow and terrors associated with the gospel as long as we leave behind us a trail of healthy, strong, growing churches.” But he was very, very concerned. And so, he sends Timothy on a mission. What precedes then is his concern for the Thessalonians, his intensity, yearning to be with them, but he can’t. And so that sets up what we’re going to see in chapter 3, which is Timothy’s mission.
Wes
Yeah. And we really get an insight into Paul’s concern. What do we see in verse 1? What does it teach us about Paul’s mental state before sending Timothy on that mission?
Andy
Well, in this translation it says, “We could stand it no longer…” (partial quote of 1 Thessalonians 3:1). He says the same thing again in verse 5, “… when I could stand it no longer…” (partial quote of 1 Thessalonians 3:5). What does your translation say?
Wes
“When we could bear it no longer…” Same thing.
Andy
“Bear it no longer…” This is under intense pressure. So, listen – and we’re talking about this right before we began recording – I think that this is a very, very good example of what Paul talks about concerning his sufferings. And so, in 2 Corinthians 11, he goes through his catalog of sufferings – and he does it for his own reasons there in that chapter that I won’t go into – but he does give a resume of suffering and he basically says, “There is no one who has suffered for the gospel like I have,” and he lists eight beatings: five of them with 39 lashes, three of them beaten with rods – it’s like a broom handle or something like that. I just can’t even imagine the bruises, the broken ribs, just eight times it happened. I don’t personally know anyone that’s ever been beaten, you read about accounts, but I don’t know anybody that’s been through. He went through it eight times. Goes through shipwrecks. He was stoned, left for dead. He’s in continual danger. He lists all of these physical incarcerations, all of these things. He started at least three riots, three of them are recorded in the book of Acts. It’s overwhelming. We know not listed here that some Jews dedicated themselves with a pact to never eat again until they had assassinated Paul. So that’s a level of zeal and suffering.
But then he says this. “On top of all that, besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?” (2nd Corinthians 11:28-29). So, he feels these churches are vulnerable, these churches are in danger. And to some degree you get the feeling, I can bear all that as long as the churches are stable, but if the churches are being wasted away by Satan’s temptations and assaults, it’s all been for naught.
I think also there’s a link here between Paul’s intense concern for the churches and Jesus’ intense concern for his disciples who he’s going to leave in the world while he ascends back to the father. In John 17, “Father, they are in the world and I’m coming to you. Protect them” (Paraphrase of John 17:11). I’ve likened that prayer before the intensity of it to leaving a toddler in the median strip of an eight-lane superhighway. It’s like, “Well, I hope they’re fine.”
It’s actually even spiritually more dangerous. We talk about our enemy, the devil, “…prowling around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour” (partial quote of 1 Peter 5:8), but the power of God through the Holy Spirit is sufficient to protect his people. There is that danger of being a stony ground here – you just don’t know. Are these people the real deal or not? And so, Paul has this intense longing, this intense concern and anxiety really. There’s a constant anxiety he feels for the churches, and that’s borne out here in 1 Thessalonians 3.
Wes
Now, how does Paul describe Timothy and why does Paul send Timothy back to Thessalonica?
Andy
He calls Timothy our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ. He’s calls him in another place, his “son in the faith” (partial quote of 1 Timothy 1:2). He’s probably the one that was closest to him of all the ones he worked with. And so, he sends his best and he wants Timothy to go and find out what’s going on with the Thessalonian faith, what’s happening. And so, he wants to not only determine what’s going on, but he wants to strengthen and encourage them in the faith. So, Timothy is his representative.
Wes
Now, how does suffering tend to weaken faith? How could someone like Timothy be used by God to strengthen people’s faith?
Andy
Yeah, suffering – we tend to have a very optimistic, positive view of suffering, but persecution is one of the number one things that Satan uses to stop the spread of the gospel. It is effective because people are weak and people’s faith is weak. “And Jesus said, ‘This very night you will all fall away on account of me…’” (partial quote of Matthew 26:31) the night he was arrested. All of them. None of them were strong enough to face arrest at that point. Even though Peter said, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will” (partial quote of Matthew 26:33).
what strengthens faith, but the same thing that gave it birth to begin with? The ministry of the Word.
Satan’s stronger than we are, and the temptations are stronger. The temptation to self-preservation – “Whoever saves his life will lose it,” (partial quote of Matthew 16:25) Jesus said. So, there is intense danger here. So, our faith needs to be strengthened in the midst of that. And so, what strengthens faith, but the same thing that gave it birth to begin with? The ministry of the Word.
So, what you need to hear in the midst of persecution is an eternal perspective, heaven and hell, the invisible God, the invisible Satan, the future, seeing things properly. “Remember,” the author to Hebrews says, “those earlier days, when you first received the light, when you … joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property…” Why? “Because you were convinced that you had a better possession and a lasting one” (partial quote of Hebrews 10:32-34). That’s faith, “…the assurance of things hoped for…” (partial quote of Hebrews 11:1).
So, you’ve got to have strong otherworldly faith to face the persecution well. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad.” Why? “Great is your reward in heaven…” (partial quote of Matthew 5:11-12). Well, you don’t get a certificate. You don’t get a little gold medal around your neck that you can look at. No, it’s all words, it’s all faith, it’s hope. And so, Timothy’s job was to go and strengthen and encourage them in the midst of these trials by the ministry of the word, by feeding their faith, feeding their hopes for heavenly reward.
Wes
Now, why is persecution unavoidable if we want to be fruitful in this world? And could it be said that if we’re not being persecuted at all, it’s probably because we’re not being faithful in some key area?
Andy
Paul says in another place, “Everyone who desires to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (paraphrase of 2 Timothy 3:12). So, you could almost say, if we’re not being persecuted, do we desire to live a godly life? Here in America, we’re not going to be persecuted as long as we behave ourselves. So, we can live good, moral lives and raise our kids and do all that, and you’re never going to get persecuted. You get persecuted when you start evangelizing. You get persecuted when you start doing active controversial ministry. If you were to do pro-life ministry, you’d get persecuted. If you are going to tell the truth on homosexuality, you’re going to get persecuted. So, it is with a lot of these things. I think you said it yourself that a lot of times if we’re not being persecuted, it means that we’re not stepping out in faith like we need to.
Wes
Helpful for us then to examine our own lives and even our life together as part of local churches to say, “Are we actively engaging with the gospel those around us who need to hear that?”
Now, Paul also seems to have been under extreme psychological pressure concerning the Thessalonians. What was he concerned about and is this a valid concern for us as well?
Andy
Well, I think he’s very concerned about apostasy on the part of the Thessalonians – that they’re going to fall away, and that they’re just going to capitulate to the persecution of their neighbors and they’re going to give in and just deny Christ. And so, Jesus said, “He who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 24:13). So, it is a legitimate concern that their stony ground hearers, “that the sun of the persecution comes up, it gets hot and they wither and die” (paraphrase of Mark 4:6 and Matthew 13:6). I think it happens all the time. Probably happens literally every day. Some Muslim country, some persecuting fellow relatives or Imams or whatever and then people renounce, they turn, they go back. I mean it’s gone on for years. And so that’s what he’s concerned about.
And then also at the secondary level is that they’re going to want nothing to do with Paul either. It’s like Paul’s the one that’s kind of the harbinger of persecution. You come and listen to Paul and you’re going to start getting beaten up by the town authorities or the synagogue rulers. So, they don’t want anything to do with Paul – can’t stand Paul because of what happens. So, there’s a strong link in Paul’s mind between their feelings about Paul and their feelings about Christ. He knows he’s not Christ, but he is Christ’s messenger, his ambassador, his representative. And if they are angry and want nothing to do with Paul, they’re really done with Jesus. So, his concern is apostasy.
Wes
Now, how does Satan use afflictions and persecutions to cause some people to fall away from their profession of Christian faith?
Andy
Well, I think what Satan can do is he overly focuses us on the world. Even he did this positively with Jesus when he offered him all the world’s splendor and glory. So, what he’s going to do is either going to offer you the world’s crowns and honors or he is going to offer you the world’s fist, one or the other. It’s something to do with the world, your earthly circumstance. He’s going to allure you with success and power and that job you always wanted – as long as you renounce Christ – or he’s going to threaten to beat you or incarcerate you or take from you everything you hold dear if you continue to believe in Christ.
So, the tempter is effective in getting people to do that. Look what happened with John the Baptist. He’s in prison facing his own execution and he says to Jesus, “Are you the one who was to come or should we expect someone else?” (Matthew 11:3). It’s like what happened to John, the greatest man that had ever lived up to that point. That’s what temptation can do. That’s how powerful Satan is.
Wes
Yeah.
Now as we make our way into the second half really of the passage, verses 6-13, we begin to see Paul’s mindset. His emotions change, but it’s for a reason. Why does Paul find tremendous joy in hearing that the Thessalonians remember him kindly? And what does their fond memories of him prove about their faith?
Andy
Yeah, so what ends up happening is he sends Timothy as an emissary. Timothy goes with a mission and his mission is to find out about their faith and then to strengthen and encourage them in their faith. Now, first thing’s going to happen right away. They’ll know who Timothy is, and if they don’t want anything to do with Timothy, that tells them everything he needs to know. It’s the worst possible news that Timothy could have. But if they welcome Timothy in, then Timothy can do his ministry, he can strengthen and encourage them and get them ready for further trials. And yeah, it’s already happening – they are already being persecuted, but they’re not backing down. They’ve already tasted the sting of the lash and they’re continuing to believe in Christ. But Paul doesn’t know anything. We’re used to our smartphones. We’re used to instant communication. He had to wait and wait and wait and pray and hope, and now Timothy comes and he’s relieved.
So, he’s brought this report, he’s brought this good news, and he’s told about your faith and love so that the evidences of their Christian profession, faith toward Christ and love for Christ. But it’s also love for them. He told us that you always have pleasant memories of us. So, in one sense, if you read it wrong, it’s like what’s wrong with you Paul? You’re just insecure? Do you need a friend? Do you need someone to come and hug you? Do you need a hug? It’s got nothing to do with that. That’s not what it’s about that he needs a friend, he wants to be thought well of. He knows that there’s a link between the messenger and the message. That’s why it’s important for the messengers to live holy lives. We’re not perfect, but we can’t contradict with our lives what we’re saying with our mouths. There is a link between messenger and message. So, if they think well of Paul and long for him and wish he would come back, that’s really saying they love Jesus. They’re waiting for like it says in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 “to wait for his son from heaven.”
They love Paul. They really love his Jesus, but they do love Paul. But the point is they have pleasant memories of Paul. They’re eager to see him again whenever that could happen. What that means is things are good with Jesus. They’re good. It’s good in their walk with Christ.
Wes
Yeah, it’s so helpful for us to remember I think of both Peter and Paul, the number of times they talk about maintaining a good or a clear conscience so that their lives basically aren’t a hindrance to the message of the gospel. It’s good instruction for us as well.
Andy
I want to say one other thing. The Thessalonians long to see us just as we long to see them. That’s that horizontal love that John talks about in 1 John. “Love for the brothers is clear evidence of being born again,” (paraphrase of 1 John 3:14). So yes, our primary affection and our primary loyalty is always going to go to Christ. But if you love Christ, you’ll love his followers. You’re going to love them and you want to be with them. And we miss each other. And that makes me think ahead to heaven when we won’t miss anyone. We’re not going to miss anybody in heaven. Isn’t that something? We won’t be torn away from each other in person, not in thought. We’ll actually be together, and won’t that be something?
Wes
Absolutely. Well, and geographical separation is one of those major challenges we face as Christians right now. It’s one of the great trials we must undergo in this present age. How does Paul display some of that here in this section as he’s thinking about just the distance?
Andy
Yeah. Well, they can’t be together. They had to flee in the middle of the night. In Acts 17 you read about it. They’re not able to see each other. Really back then with – we have amazing technologies now, it’s incredible. FaceTime, you’re holding in your hand. And when I was growing up, that was a television set. That’s how you saw images. And the thing was massive. We had this big console TV. We got it for the Winter Olympics in 1980, watched the men’s Olympic hockey team beat the Russians. The thing was huge. It was this big cube of walnut and this huge crackling screen and all that. Now I hold something in my hand and I look down and can see my son at UNC Charlotte when he wants to do FaceTime. He always prefers FaceTime. I usually make phone calls. He makes FaceTime. He likes to see our face.
But they’re torn away and so they can’t be together. It really is, in some ways, it’s almost like a form of death. I remember reading one of the most affecting stories I’ve ever read in church history is the goodbye said between John Paton as godly father in Scotland when he was getting on the boat in the mid-19th century to go to the New Hebrides Islands on the other side of the world. He traveled farther, I think, than any other missionary in history to get to his site. So, when they say goodbye, it was basically goodbye. It was like death. It was like a funeral. And they were both weeping.
So that distance, it tears at you and you yearn to be together. And we see that in this chapter here. Paul longs to see them. And they long to see him, and they want to be together because they are separated.
Wes
Now as we move into verses 7 and 8, how does Timothy’s encouraging report help Paul amid the ongoing suffering he’s experiencing in his ministry for the Lord? And what does he mean by “For now we live if…”, or I think your translation says “…since you are standing fast in the Lord,”?
Andy
Yeah. Well, we go with “since” – because that’s what Timothy’s report says. They are standing fast in the Lord, but sometime literally it says “if” – but we often understand it as since. And so now that he has this good report, it says we’re alive, it was like a form of death. I guess what I would say is this. They’re in the midst of great suffering. They’re amidst a persecution. He said in verse 5, “I was afraid that in some way the tempter might’ve tempted you and our efforts might’ve been useless” or in vain like Ecclesiastes, vanity of vanity.
So, the image here I have is of Jesus saying “A woman in labor about to give birth has pains until the child comes. But once the child’s born, she forgets all of her pains for joy that the child is born,” (paraphrase of John 16:21). Yeah, but wait a minute. What if the child’s stillborn? Does she forget all of her pains then? No. It’s actually one of the worst days of her life. As a matter of fact, probably the worst, maybe the worst day of her life.
So, the whole thing depends on the outcome. So, if you labor in the gospel and then two years later there is nothing to show for it and there’s no converts, and anyone who used to be nice to you now doesn’t want anything to do with you, it’s very hard. That’s exactly what Adoniram Judson was going through after he lost his wife and his daughter and dug his own grave and sat by. It’s like, “What’s it all been for? Why did I come here? All it has been has been misery and sorrow.” So fundamentally, we do it for an outcome. We do it for the joy set before us, not just of our own rewards, but we do it for others.
And so, here’s the thing, I really do believe that God wants us to wrap our hearts up into earthly circumstances. He wants us to care what happens with other people and not just say, “Well, what matters is that my sins are forgiven and I’m going to heaven when I die. And if I get persecuted hugely, I’m just storing up lots of treasure in heaven.” That’s all true and beneficial. But there’s another part. I want it to mean something. I want something to happen with these people that I see with my own eyes, people I’m interacting with. So, he actually does want our hearts wrapped up in iffy circumstances that might not turn out.
You see this in Paul, don’t you see his heart wrapped up in something he considers iffy and wasn’t sure whether it was going to turn out, and he has invested himself in that. So, I think we’re called to do that. And I think to some degree in that way, we’re called to join God in his patient suffering too, because he says with the Jews, “All day long I’ve held up my hands to a disobedient, obstinate people…” (partial quote of Isaiah 65:2). Like the father of the prodigal son had a lot of hard days waiting for his son to come home. I think God wants us to join him and his waiting and his suffering and his struggle for the salvation of others.
Wes
What does Paul’s joy in verse 9 teach us about his level of heart commitment to missions?
Andy
everything we’ve gone through is worth it – if you really are standing firm in the faith, everything we’ve gone through is worth it.
Well, he’s just filled with joy. I just mentioned the dark side. It’s like what was it all for? But then let’s use Jesus’ language, “The woman in labor and about to give birth; now she gives birth to a healthy baby and she forgets her pain,” (paraphrase of John 16:21) Jesus said, and just be able to hold the little son or the little daughter in her arms, it’s all worth it. We see that same joy here. It’s like it’s all worth it – everything we’ve gone through is worth it – if you really are standing firm in the faith, everything we’ve gone through is worth it.
Wes
What do verses 10-13 teach us about Paul’s prayer life? What are some features of that prayer life that we might imitate ourselves?
Andy
Well, Paul is a great faithful prayer warrior, and I’m convicted because he uses a lot of temporal language. We constantly, or we always, whenever we mention you, “Night and day, we pray…”. Wow. I mean, he’s the one that will say at the end of this book, “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), pray continually. So that is Paul. He is a faithful prayer warrior. So, he says, “Night and day, we pray most earnestly…” (partial quote of 1 Thessalonians 3:10).
So, we got first of all, the continual aspect of it. “We never stop praying night and day” (paraphrase of 1 Thessalonians 3:10). And then the fervency of it. So, there’s consistency and fervency. And here he says, “…we pray that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith” (continuation of 1 Thessalonians 3:10). He says the same thing in Philippians chapter 1, where by his ministry, his apostolic ministry of the word, he’s able to fill in the empty places. And we realized the New Testament hadn’t been written. How many empty places are there? Whole New Testament theology needs to be filled in. So, he didn’t have much time with the Thessalonians. There’s a lot that’s lacking in their faith, their knowledge of Christian doctrine. So, we’re praying earnestly that we can finish your discipleship to finish your training.
Wes
Now, you mentioned a little bit about how important it is for us to love not only God vertically, but also brothers and sisters horizontally. Why are the two virtues of love for the brothers and holiness toward God so vital in the ongoing Christian life?
Andy
Well, I think there are evidences of our own genuine faith in Christ. These are the marks of being born again, that John describes so plainly in his epistle. He says, “This is how we know… This is how we know…” (paraphrase of 1 John 5:18-20). So how can I know that I’m a Christian? Well, is there holiness in your life? Are you walking in the light as he is in the light? And then secondly, do you have love for the brothers?
So, I think Paul’s exemplifying that here in 1 Thessalonians 3, his personal commitment to holiness and also his love for the brothers. And that will be their evidences as well. They turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God, they turned away from wickedness and they have a sincere love for the brothers. So fundamentally, he’s going to talk about that. “You do have a sincere love for the brothers. Now we ask you and urge you to do so more and more.” He says that in chapter 4 (paraphrase of 1 Thessalonians 4:10). So fundamentally, these will be evidences for the Thessalonians.
Wes
Andy, any final thoughts on this passage? There’s so much even just in 13 short verses, but any final thoughts for us as we wrap up our time?
Andy
Yeah, I think what I want to say is I myself want to be so invested in people that I would care this much about the health of their souls, that I’m involved. I mean, my life work has been this church, First Baptist Church in Durham. And to see the church evolve from where it was when I first came to where it is now has been one of the greatest joys of my life. But if the church were to turn sideways or to start becoming defective or have major problems, it would be a great grief to me.
So, I guess fundamentally, to have our hearts so wrapped up in the spiritual health of others is a very Christ-like thing. And so, I would exhort you who are listening to this podcast: What are you investing your life in? Do you have people that you care about that intensely, spiritually? Are there people you’re committed to and invested with? And if not, ask the Lord to give you a ministry over the next year, evangelistically. Maybe some co-workers, some relatives, some neighbors or total strangers, people that you have the privilege to lead to Christ and then disciple. Ask the Lord to give you that.
Wes
May the Lord deepen our love for one another as we walk in holiness before him.
Well, this has been episode three in our Thessalonians Bible Study podcast. We would invite you to join us next time for episode four, where we’ll discuss 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18. Thank you for listening to the Two Journeys podcast, and may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
