The
Thessalonian Epistles
The
Caring Pastor
Lesson
VII
1
Thessalonians 3
Written: October 10, 2003
“Robert
Stephens is responsible for the introduction of the verse divisions into the
Bible. Stephens is reported to have made
it on horseback from Paris to Lyons.
Scaff is certain that the horse bumped so often that Stephens
occasionally made the verse divisions in the wrong place.” (A.T. Robertson)
“Divisions
into chapters were made for convenience, not a matter of inspired arrangement -
often made clumsily,” wrote C.H. Spurgeon.
We
have an example of this wrong division in Thessalonians.
The
last four verses of chapter two are actually the introduction to chapter
three. Here are those verses.
1 Thessalonians 2:17-20
(17) But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short
time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your
face with great desire.
(18) Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul,
once and again; but Satan hindered us.
(19) For what [is] our hope, or joy, or crown of
rejoicing? [Are] not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his
coming?
(20) For ye are our glory and joy.
Chapter
three begins with the word “Wherefore” so we see what follows is based on what
has already been written
Paul
had a great desire to be with the Thessalonians. He carried them on his heart in prayer (1
Thessalonians 1:2;
1 Thessalonians 1:2
(2) We give thanks to God always for you all, making
mention of you in our prayers;
1 Thessalonians 3:10
(10) Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see
your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
1 Thessalonians 5:23
(23) And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and [I pray God] your whole
spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Satan
hindered Paul from going to them but he does not record in what way. We must always remember that Satan is limited
in what he can do. Remember the story of
Job? It was Satan that said God had put
a fence around Job (Job 1:10).
Job 1:10
(10) Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his
house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of
his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
Difficulties
caused by Satan are often, if not always, a sign that God is at work.
1 Corinthians 16:9
(9) For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and
[there are] many adversaries.
1 Corinthians 16:9 “For a great door and
effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” Because of the
difficulties, Paul knew the door was open!
We
remember a story told by A.H. Gillett.
Having tent meetings in a certain town someone asked if the Lord was
working? When he said “yes” then he was
asked how many have been saved? Bro.
Gillett replied, no one has been saved but we know that the Lord was working
because they threw rotten eggs at us. He
knew the Lord was working because the Devil tried to hinder the work. If the work is really important we must
expect opposition.
Paul
asked, “What will be my joy when the Lord comes?” Then gave the answer, “You will be (my joy) when
we stand together in His Presence.” The
tie that bound him to them put great care in his heart for them.
1 Thessalonians 3:1-10
(1) Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought
it good to be left at Athens alone;
(2) And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God,
and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to
comfort you concerning your faith:
(3) That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for
yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.
(4) For verily, when we were with you, we told you before
that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
(5) For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I
sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and
our labour be in vain.
(6) But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and
brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good
remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also [to see] you:
(7) Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in
all our affliction and distress by your faith:
(8) For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.
(9) For what thanks can we render to God again for you,
for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;
(10) Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see
your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
With
all this on his heart, he opens the third chapter manifesting his great concern
for them. He did not express concern
about their failures, feelings or frailties but of their faith. In verse 2, he desired “to comfort you
concerning your faith.” In verse 5,
“…I sent to know your faith ....” Verse 6: “… good tidings of your
faith.” Verse 7: “We were comforted…by your
faith.” And verse 10 concludes with his desire to “perfect
… your
faith.”
Because
he could not go himself, he sent Timothy, a much younger brother, “a minister
of God and fellow labourer” (1Thessalonians 3:2). While writing this, again we were reminded of
A.H. Gillett. A young man came to him
and said he wanted to be in the ministry.
Brother Gillett found a broom put it into the young man’s hands and
said, “You’re now in the ministry –sweep the floor.” To become a fellow-labourer with Paul was to
become servant to all. To be a faithful
minister was to be a fellow-servant (Colossians 4:7).
Colossians 4:7
(7) All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, [who
is] a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:
D.W.
Breen said, “When we are spiritual, we want to be servants. When we are carnal, we want to be lords.” Today there seems to be a mindset that, if one
is not a lord, one is not a leader.
Scripture is plain. Elders are
not to lord it over God’s heritage, but are to be examples to the flock (1
Peter 5:3).
1 Peter 5:3
(3) Neither as being lords over [God's] heritage, but
being ensamples to the flock.
A
true minister must always see himself or herself as servant of all.
So
Paul sends Timothy to establish, that is, to strengthen and to encourage them
in their faith (1 Thessalonians 3:2).
Timothy was to assure them that their tribulations really proved the
reality of their faith, not the weakness of it (1 Thessalonians 3:3-5).
1 Peter 4:12
(12) Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery
trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
The
story is told of a Christian slave who could not answer his master when he was
asked, “Why are you always in trouble and I am not?” They were hunting ducks and just then the
ducks flew over and the master shot some of them. To the slave he said, “Don’t bother with the
dead ones, go get the wounded ones first.”
When he returned, the slave said, “Master, I have de answer. Just like them ducks. You is dead, but I has life and that’s why de
Devil is always after me.” And so it is
with every saint. Peter tells us to not
think it strange when we have fiery trials (1 Peter 4:12).
When
Timothy sent his report to Paul, Paul was comforted. The report of the faith of the Thessalonians
refreshed Paul’s spirit. It not only
caused him to give thanks, but made him joyful in his own affliction. Paul’s response makes one cry out, “O Lord may
we be used by you to cause others to give thanks and have joy. May we be helpers of their joy” (2
Corinthians
2 Corinthians 1:24
(24) Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but
are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
At
the beginning of this third chapter Paul has revealed his great concern
for the Thessalonians. After receiving
Timothy’s report he expresses the comfort that was his that came from
them, and the chapter concludes with evidence of his continuing care
for them.
1 Thessalonians 3:10-13
(10) Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see
your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
(11) Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus
Christ, direct our way unto you.
(12) And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love
one toward another, and toward all [men], even as we [do] toward you:
(13) To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable
in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
with all his saints.
His
prayer, that he would be able to see them face to face so that he might add
that which was lacking in their faith, and that the Lord through him would
increase their love for one another (1 Thessalonians 3:10-13). Only as our love is increased for the Lord
Jesus will our love increase for others (Philemon 4).
Philemon 4
(4) I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my
prayers,
In
the concluding verse of the chapter we learn that Paul’s care for the saints
was always in the light of Christ’s coming again. We note also, not his coming for
the saints but rather his coming with the saints.
1 Corinthians 15:58
(58) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast,
unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that
your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
In
the fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians where Paul wrote much about the
resurrection of Christ and the resurrection of the saints, he concluded the
chapter with these words: “Therefore my
beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of
the Lord, forasmuch as ye know your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” Why is it not in vain? The reason is found in the chapter. The Lord is going to return. The dead are going to be raised. These earthly bodies will be exchanged for
heavenly bodies.
And
when he comes with all his saints we will be coming with him.
For
this same Jesus that was taken up to heaven will come in like manner as he went
away.
Back
to the Mount of Olives.
Back
to Jerusalem.
Back
to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and all the saints will reign with
him.
Those
facts make all labour for him to not be in vain.
“It
will be worth it all when we see Jesus.”