Paul Bares His Heart - 9

I have a question for you this morning.

The question is was the apostle Paul and emotional person that I would say that for most people that's not the way we normally think of him we think about him as being studious and intellectual bookish learned, logical, factual, doctrinal, all of these things, but emotional yes he was. He was emotional in passages like our text for today show to us that reality.

Another side of the apostle Paul that we can all too easily overlooked, but we really should not remember that in first Thessalonians chapter 2 Paul is answering his critics those in Thessalonica who were attacking Paul and undermining his ministry and authority to the saints. There and one of their lines of attack was Paul doesn't really love you, doesn't really care for you, because if he did he would not have abandoned you so quickly after coming here, and he certainly would've returned before now to visit with, but he has knocked and therefore he has demonstrated that he really doesn't care for you at all will.

Chapter 2 Paul begins his answer to those slanderous accusations, but in chapter 3, Paul goes a little bit deeper into his explanations of why it was he was not able to return to them, at least not yet. Yet what his true heart attitude was toward them and how deep was his anguish because of the forced separation from them and in doing that he bears his heart to them and by the design of the spirit of God. Also to us because it is written in the word of God for our admonition as well. So Paul shows us his emotional side is deeply emotional side and in doing so Paul shows us how to balance our God-given emotion. We are not to let emotions control us as they do. Some people emotions are not to be in the drivers seat.

Emotions are not what direct sorry thoughts and our actions and our our perspective on life and we must guard against that error. But neither should emotions be denied. Neither should emotions be suppressed emotions have been given to us by God. They're part of the, the makeup of the human being is God designed it. Therefore, we need to learn how to direct our emotions in a God honoring way how to develop them in ways that are pleasing to Christ, and that are useful for the gospel in this world, and among other things, human emotions should motivate us to love one another more deeply. So in our text for today versus one through five first Thessalonians chapter 3, we find that Paul bears his heart. We see insight into the heart of the apostle Paul, which ought to encourage and instruct us as the people of God in verse one we look at a difficult decision in verses two and three, we examine a trusted emissary verse five we notice an urgent investigation. A difficult decision lay before Paul writes about it in verse one of chapter 3. Therefore, when we could no longer endure it.

We thought a bit good to be left in Athens alone when we could no longer endure and Paul prefaces that statement by that word, therefore, which forces us back into the previous context for going to understand the reason for therefore that takes us back.

For example, in chapter 2 the verse 14, where Paul says for you, brethren, Thessalonians, saints, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus for you also suffered the same thing from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judean you have suffered persecution from the people in your community like the Jews who became followers of Christ in Judea suffered and therefore there is an anguish in the soul of Paul because he can't go back and strengthen and help them in this situation that's part of therefore therefore also points is back to verse 18 of chapter 2. Therefore, we wanted to come to you. Even I Paul, time and again, but Satan hindered us by the great desire to return to the Thessalonians wasn't that he didn't want to call me did.

It wasn't that he didn't love them you love them greatly, but he was hindered Satanic opposition kept him from his desire. He was not able to come as he desired to come and Paul recognizes that Satanic opposition was not only directed to him as he surely was was also directed to them. The Thessalonians because Satan in keeping Paul from coming back to Thessalonica was trying to make the Thessalonian believers more vulnerable to Satan's attacks upon them. Satan didn't want Paul to come and to fortify them against the attacks which Satan was bringing upon them.

Therefore, because they were enduring persecution.

Therefore, because they were very much under the assault of Satan.

Paul is very very concerned and so we read about Paul's language in verse one.

Therefore, when we could no longer endure it when we could no longer in door the word endure carries the meaning of to bear or stand up under when we could not bear the mounting pressure in our souls any longer when we could not stand any longer. This anguish of wondering what was happening to you when we could not be there to help and strengthen you. The Paul is describing intense emotional pain. And here is a window into Paul's emotions was Paul emotional man. Yes, he lives in these arriving in emotional pain as he longs to be with the Thessalonians that is concerned about their well-being and he is prohibited from returning to them, which is the desire of his heart. This anguish is great and it's made greater because of the fact that he doesn't really know what is going on with them. He doesn't have lines of communication with them. He can't pick up the phone and talk to them the Text them you can't even email them. He has no communication. No idea what's going on.

All he knows is they are new Christians, and therefore more vulnerable than if they were more mature Christians and they are under the attack of Satan. He knows that they are being persecuted by those in their community and the Satan is doing everything he can to keep Paul from coming and Paul is just right in emotional agony as he considers the situation. He has a real dilemma when we could endure no longer we thought it good to be left in Athens alone. Now when we study the life of the apostle Paul. We come very quickly to the understanding that Paul nearly always worked in teams not alone. He was not a solo preacher.

He was not a solo missionary. He was not a Lone Ranger kind of servant of Christ. He worked in teams. I think it would be accurate to say that he always intended to work in teams, and when he was not in a team. He was only because something had impeded his usual design.

It's clear that Paul's effectiveness to a great degree depended upon team assistance. He did not believe that he could be as effective alone is a good, working with other she was. He was absolutely persuaded of that we read a little bit of the background what's going on here with Paul and Thessalonica in the missionary team and all of the comings and goings of this will return back to ask chapter 17 we read this in verse 13 but when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea. This is after he's been forced out of Thessalonica went down the road I think about 100 miles.

As I recall, to the city of Berea. There he found a very eager reception. The Jews there, though they did not become Christians. At least they were respectful and studious and willing to examine the Scriptures that Paul proclaimed to see if these things were so they didn't just reject them out of hand without giving them a careful hearing but when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul in Berea, they came there also and stirred up the crowds, they were content to run them out of Thessalonica. They followed him down the road and were determined to run a boundary as well. Then immediately the brethren set Paul away to go to the sea, but both Silas and Timothy remained there for trying to track the travels of this missionary team. They have all three been ministering together in Philippi in Thessalonica in Berea now persecution is hounding the apostle Paul and apparently is directed to him more than anybody else. And so for his own safety. The Christians force the Christians forcing about they are pretty determined that he must leave and so they arranged for his escape goes to the coast team boards a ship he sails down to Athens down in southern Greece.

He's been ministering in northern Greece, and Paul and a rather Timothy and Silas remained behind in Berea, so those who conducted Paul brought him to Athens. He had some people with him but it wasn't Silas and Timothy and receiving a command.

Paul gave the command to those who accompanied him for Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed. They departed the first thing Paul did when he got Athens was to tell those who traveled with them. Please go back and get Silas and Timothy tell them to join me here in Athens so we know that they were were instructed to come to Athens and it would appear from the text before us in verse Thessalonians 3 that they came to Athens because now he talks about. We thought a good not to be left in Athens alone. We as a it's a team decision. A team conversation.

What should we do here. The situation of Thessalonica looks like it could be very desperate and nobody is there to minister to them. Nobody is there with the knowledge and the ability to minister and strengthen them minister to them and strengthen them at this time. So what shall we do, so Paul is telling us here in the Thessalonian bristled at what he did was to send Timothy back to Thessalonica and evidently must've also set Silas somewhere that's not mentioned here, but if he's going to be left alone, and Timothy went to Thessalonica.

Silas probably went to Philippi. We don't know that that is merely speculation.

In the meantime, Paul moves from Athens to Corinth.

He moves in the lateral direction he moves from the eastern coast were Athens is over to the western coast were Corinth is in the against the minister. They are now in years alone, ministering all by himself and then we read in verse five when Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia. Macedonia is the territory that contained a number of cities including Philippi, Thessalonica, Brea, so they came from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.

Now taking the liberty of doing a little bit of reading between the lines here, but it seems to me that would follow through. What Luke is describing in acts 18 is that Paul struggled in his ministry in Corinth when he was alone, but as soon as reinforcements arrived as soon as the that the other two men arrived in his missionary team. He was immediately more effective. He was immediately able to minister more powerfully. There was something about ministering in that team that greatly strengthened Paul in his ministerial effectiveness. So Paul's effectiveness depended upon team assistance. The team working together in their mutual labors. Each contributing what they could, according to the gifts of God gave to them. The team, encouraging and supporting one another so that nobody would become overly discouraged.

So Paul not only desired but I would have to say insisted that he must be involved in team ministry if he's going to be effective, but here's a situation where he's making a difficult decision between abandoning that principle of always working in teams and working alone for a while in Corinth so they can send Timothy back to Thessalonica or saying I'm sorry is badly as I would love to send help to Thessalonica that's going to weaken the cause of the gospel here in Corinth. I just can't afford that cost so Paul is wrestling with the dilemma. What is the highest priority in the situation is that maximizing Paul's ministerial effectiveness or is it strengthening the church of Thessalonica could almost see Paul wrestling with this decision. I think it's more important that they stay here that the gospel go forth more effectively in court not know no no I think it's more important that they Timothy go to Thessalonica and that I be left alone.

Even though that will weaken my ministry here and back and forth and back and forth. Paul is going and trying to come to a conclusion. It was a difficult decision and finally when the decision was made.

How was it made a what what direction was a native and we find out that the needs of the Thessalonian Saints get the highest priority as important as it is for Paul to work in a team he comes to the conclusion that it's even more important that the Fayette saints at Thessalonica get reinforcements and so we thought it good for me to be left alone in Corinth was a difficult decision but that decision serves to answer the slander the Paul doesn't love the Thessalonians doesn't love them. What this situation. Look at this decision. Look at what Paul was willing to do for them. Thus we see a difficult decision in verse one versus two and three. Tell us a little bit about a trusted emissary, namely Timothy, who is an apostolic representative who sent on a defined assignment with a significant purpose when we thought it good not to be left alone in Athens we sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God and fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith that no one should be shaken by these afflictions for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. We sent Timothy. Timothy is no new name to any student of God's word.

Timothy is the young traveling companion that went with the apostle Paul in his missionary journey.

He picked them up at the beginning of the second journey he is Paul's ministry assistant. He started out, it would appear as more or less a go for a person who would run the errands buy the groceries, take care of the details, but the more he worked with the apostle Paul, the more involved he got in the ministry of the gospel until you get to the end of Paul's life.

Not even all the way to the we get along into called the development of Paul's missionary labors you find out that Timothy becomes his most trusted assistant. His most dependable partner and one that he can send on assignments anywhere and be assured that Timothy is going to represent Paul and that having Timothy in any location is almost as good as having Paul there is pretty high commendation now, Timothy's not quite at that level of development. Yet, as were reading about it in first Thessalonians chapter 3 what is described as a brother. Certainly a Christian, a minister of God, not a minister of the gospel, but even a little bit higher designation than that a minister of God, is Paul certainly was. So Paul is putting him in the same category is the gospel minister is a servant of God is not just a servant of Paul not just a servant of the missionary team but he's a servant of God. In other words, Paul is expressing that he has detected the hand of God upon Timothy for ministry. He sees that God has called ministry of Paul, call Timothy to the gospel ministry in God's hand is upon it, and God is using him and went Timothy ministers the word God speaks through him and touches the hearts of others. That's being indicated here is described as a fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, and he is sent and sent Timothy, our brother and that's a loaded word means sent on the official assignment and as far as the records go, this would be Timothy's first solo assignment.

Paul is entrusting him with a great responsibility but it is important that the saints at Thessalonica receive help and so on apostolic representative, namely Timothy goes on a defined assignment, which is described as strengthening picking it up here establishing you were the could also be translated strengthening you encouraging you concerning your faith, he is sent to strengthen their faith or the means to make it for more firm that would be otherwise. He is said to encourage their faith. That is to urge them to to keep on keeping on.

Urge them to persevere in the face of the afflictions, Paul doesn't tell us how Timothy is supposed to accomplish this, but I don't think it's too far out of line for us to speculate. I think we can can hit it pretty accurately.

When we say Timothy is sent to do this by primarily the ministry of the word Timothy's going to preach the word Timothy's going to teach the word that along with personal interaction and personal encouragement to the members of the church is going to be used by God to strengthen them to encourage them to firm them up in their commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ and in their faith in the gospel of Christ, and so this is a significant purpose for which Paul sends Timothy to Thessalonica verse three that no one should be shaken by these afflictions for you yourself know that we are appointed to this Timothy is sent to prevent casualties to the faith that no one should be shaken by these afflictions.

No one should waiver in their faith because the persecution that no one should abandon the faith in order to avoid persecution. Paul knows that these are possibilities. Timothy is sent to prevent casualties.

Timothy is sent to confirm reality what realities the reality of persecutions that no one should be shaken by these afflictions for you yourselves know that we are appointed for this out of.

They know that Allah told afflictions, according to the apostle Paul in this text and several others in the New Testament. Afflictions are appointed by God for every Christian's life got that they are appointed, says Paul, not just for you.

Thessalonians in special situation, but for all of us, for you yourselves know that we Christians are appointed to have afflictions, do you know that you understand that the phrase some Christians don't afflictions are appointed by God for every Christian's life. In other words, afflictions are not to be viewed first and foremost as punishment because of our sins, though we should always search our hearts to see if God is getting our attention about something in our life that is displeasing to him. But afflictions are not sent.

Certainly not always in I would say most of the time were not sent us punishment for our sins. I know some Christians who live their whole lives in worry and fear and agony when anything comes in of their life. It seems to be a difficulty, it's like, what is God punishing me for now because somewhere along the way they did. By the idea that if your living for Christ living by faith, living like you want to live, you will have these afflictions. What Bible are you reading, pray tell, not the one I have.

It tells us just the opposite.

We are all appointed for afflictions that something we want to hear no but that's the truth and we need to know what we need to act accordingly. Afflictions are not to be seen as punishment for sin. Afflictions are not to be seen as a result of our weekly afflictions are not to be seen as some kind of mistake that shouldn't have happened to us afflictions are not to be seen as something that sort of got out of God's control and slip through his fingers. He didn't really didn't intend for that to happen to us.

No afflictions or something that are appointed to Christians, God appoints them. God designs that God sends them, God intends for them to be in our lives. Afflictions are normal. We are the God intended reality for every Christian. No exceptions. And you say will why Paul doesn't tell us why here, but I'm good give you an answer to that question that I pulled out of general revelation of the parts of Scripture, why has God designed afflictions for the Christian life will probably more reasons and I can tell who consider these number one afflictions test our commitment to Christ. How committed are we will little afflictions drive us away from Christ that our faith wasn't very strong. It may be, probably wasn't even real, wasn't true saving faith why afflictions will afflictions purge out syndrome priorities in our lives. We do tend to question and to examine as we ought to, and confess sins when we are afflicted, why because afflictions cultivate love and compassion for others. If we never had an affliction, then we would really understand other people when they're going through afflictions, we would take the superior attitude will if you had more faith of your more godly. If you would be suffering that way and then hits you. Suddenly a little bit more sympathetic and compassion. Hopefully, a whole lot more sympathetic and compassion begin to view these things as a normal part of the Christian life and you begin to have compassion for others and you have a platform in order to reach out and help them because you've been through something similar you have experience by which to help them because you know what God taught you in the midst of that affliction. Remember, I don't hardly remember in the may have happened, but I don't really remember hardly anyone coming to me to talk about the trials of enduring cancer until I got cancer would peck in the 80s and then suddenly it was immediate. After I was coming out of it and look like I was going to live beyond it and I started getting phone calls. I started getting inquiries. I started getting all kinds of people reaching out to me saying I have cancer. Can you help me to do what can you strengthen the can you can you suggest anything to me. If nothing else, will you please pray for me. I know you understand what I'm going through. What an opportunity to minister that I wouldn't of hand of God had sent cancer into my life. In 1984 trials develop dependence upon God shows us how weak we are and how much we need him because as it forces us to trust his power and his love in greater ways in our life and another reason is that trials afflictions help prepare us for heaven. It helps to make us want to go with things going really just can I use an old phrase it probably young people never heard before everything is hunky-dory here on earth. You heard that before you have Larry your old if you never did okay when everything is hunky-dory here on earth we don't long for heaven that much to do with and I want to go there when I die let's not get up a load right now I'm enjoying life. Then the afflictions, and the pain comes in. The difficulty comes and a lot of times that makes us cry out Lord, how long, how Lord along. Even so, Lord Jesus by kingdom come, thy will be done. I'm ready. I'm ready to go into prepares us for heaven is that enough reasons I'll I'll stop there, but can you see that God has a lot of reasons why he may bring afflictions into that old southern gospel. I think think it's a southern gospel song through it all through it all. If I never had a problem I'd never know that he could solve them through it all I've learned to trust his word exit. So Paul sends a trusted emissary to help them with their afflictions and then we come finally to a helpful explanation of verses four and five. It's kind, sort of an expanded explanation beyond what Paul has already given by way of explanation for he says in verse four. In fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know for this reason, when I could no longer endure it.

I sent to know your faith blessed by some means.

The tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain in first four Paul describes again as already mentioned this, but describes again and he flicked out affliction prediction. He told them he told them that they were going to be afflicted.

He told them to expect that we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation. He told them to expect tribulation. It sounds like the one Paul was teaching them. This is almost a basic doctrine of Christian living.

When Paul is teaching the Thessalonians. The ABCs of the Christian life.

One of the things he incorporated into that is a very major component is this is how you suffer tribulation. This is how your face tribulation because you are going to happen is not a matter of if it's a matter only of Quinn. It's coming as part of Christian living for Paul teaching about tribulation seems to be Christianity 101. That's not advanced doctrine that some basic simple doctor your new Christians but I taught you that when I was with you in fact it's even possible to understand Paul's words here to mean that he included the message about afflictions in his evangelism even before they came to Christ if you can imagine that but that's probably part of it here. He told them if you believe in Jesus. It'll bring tribulation. If you believe in Jesus you suffer persecution. If you believe in Jesus you are going to be dishonored in your community. You are going to be considered shameful. You are going to be considered dishonorable. You are going to be considered undesirable, now come to Christ who waited our modern wisdom would say you don't evangelize like that nobody will come every one of God's elect will, and they'll come with a proper understanding of what they're in for not going to be sunshine patriots who sign up for something when they had no idea how difficult it's going to turn out to be if they'll come to Christ knowing that is probably true Holy Spirit rut conversion. So, expect tribulation recognizes source. It comes from God. That's why Paul's prediction was fulfilled when we were with you, we told you that you would suffer trip tribulation, just as it happened is you know Paul is saying I told you so. I told you so, so, therefore, don't be surprised if I told you so don't act like it shouldn't be here.

I told you so.

And when it happened exactly like Paul and said that due that increase their confidence of Paul speaking the truth.

Paul is speaking for God.

Paul speaking by revelation. Paul knows what's what's going on and what will happen even in the future, not in every detail, but in general he's exactly right, and increase their confidence in him that brings us finally to an energy investigation verse five.

This is all part of the helpful explanation, Paul gives another reason for sending Timothy to them. It was not only to strengthen them, but also because Paul needed to know how they were doing. For this reason, when I could no longer endure it. I sent to know your faith blessed by some means. The tempter had tempted you in our labor might be in vain.

Paul restates his emotional anguish again.

Here is an emotional being when we when I could no longer endure it already said that is one and reports how important it was to send somebody who could come back to Paul and tell him how the church was doing.

Are they withering the attacks of Satan are they standing against persecution are they clinging to Christ or are they wavering are they abandoning the faith and so he sent Timothy to find out how they're doing in the next verses tell us the Timothy came back with a good report, but in this Paul again reveals his fears. He fears as he tells us in verse five the tempter have been successful in their midst less by any means. The tempter had tempted you blessed by any means. The tempter had been successful in attempting you and enticing you one way or another away from Christ. So sometimes he's called Satan our adversary sometimes is called the devil, the accuser of the brethren.

Sometimes he's called the tempter because that's what he's doing all the time. Tempting, tempting, tempting, tempting God's people. That's another thing some people say if I'm a true Christian, how come I'm still battling all these temptations because you are a Christian and because there is a chapter and that's what he asked. Paul realizes that it would be possible that his labors in Thessalonica might be wasted. That is, that it would turn out that all of them. I don't think he really thought this would happen, but it's was certainly a hypothetical possibility that all of them will turn out to have a superficial faith which would be abandoned when the sun came out with its affliction to scorch that new shoot sprang up out of the rocky soil and got it didn't happen that way but he said I had to be assured that our labors were not in vain. Paul wasn't satisfied with empty professions holding take the position well estimate a profession of faith when I was there so I know that if they do either going to have in a matter what else happens. That wasn't Paul's concept at all.

Paul knew the genuine conversions take time to ascertain, yes, we rejoice when people profess that they have come to faith in Christ. But we also know that takes some time to see if it's real if it's genuine we rejoice about. We don't get giddy until we've had some time to observe the reality of their faith will only mention to lessons the grout of this, as I bring this to a conclusion and both of them have to do about God's purpose for the body of Christ.

Why God has designed the body of Christ. The way he has been the first purpose is for teamwork. The second purpose is for encouragement teamwork. This passage shows this effective gospel labors require teamwork. We work together as a team we work together as a body we work together as partners in this work of the gospel. Every member of the body of Christ has different gifts and every one of them are needed in order to accomplish the task that God has given to us and our gospel work is less effective without every member participation. Don't let this the tempter tempt you into thinking that my parts not important because I I can't preach. I can't teach. I even have trouble talking to people about the Lord. I try to do it with very don't come easily for me so I can't do anything all banish those thoughts forever understand that God has made the body with many gifts and all of them are needed and it's together working in as a team with different members of different gifts doing different things that makes the labor effective was thinking about that again. While reviewing these notes. I was thinking about that again this morning thanking God for the people to God puts in the body. You understand technology to understand how to get a suck on servant audio who understand how to work the sound system understand how to make computers work and so forth. If the effectiveness of our ministry that would understand how to make the radio technical parts work if if any of that depended upon me we would have none of it. None of it and think how impoverished our overall church ministry would be without those members of the body, exercising their gifts. We working together as a team, each doing what God has gifted us to do in the tasks that God is assigned to us. Thank God for those men who work at the soundboard.

Thank God for those people who work with the radio ministry thing God for those who know what they're doing in those areas because I don't for teamwork in the body of Christ. Second purpose for the body of Christ is encouragement. We are emotional beings by design don't deny it. Don't suppress it. Don't try to act as if it's not so we need to encourage one another and that is one of our most important assignments is to encourage one another and those who don't think they need that probably need it more than the others that say an illusion to think I'm strong. I don't need that I can go alone, not as well as you think. In fact, the whole lot more poorly than you imagine me read again these familiar verses from Hebrews chapter 10 to think about it in the light of this message and let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. What is one of the primary purposes for the assembly of the saints is to encourage strength and minister to one another. If if you have the mindset that we come to church to hear the sermon and that sort of the beginning and the end of what your concept is this the whole lot of sure that's a big part of it that's important.

God does minister to us in the sermon that's very important, but that's not everything. And that's why there are some things that there is no replacement for the assembly of the saints.

Yes, you can get the preaching of the word sitting in front of your computer at home, but no you can't very successfully stir up one another to love and good deeds. When you're sitting in front of your computer at home. In this passage shows us how important that is. This is one of our most important assignments, shall we pray father take your word and teach us your ways and show us your plans for the honor and glory of Christ. We pray that