May 22, 2022
Ministry Done Well, pt 2
1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:5

TITLE: Ministry Done Well, pt 2
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy have invested. Invested in a ministry of the evangel, the gospel, the good news, invested in the discipleship of believers. There is much to model in their ministries. We are going to see some of the responses to ministry and what the church’s focus should be in this passage. By extension, we are going to see what your focus should be.
PRAY

READ PASSAGE

17 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face,

• Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy did not have complete control of their lives while on their missionary journeys. COMMENT
• Torn here = lit: bereaved of parents
  • Orphaned COMMENT (cf., Wiersbe, 713)
  • Church should feel that way.
• “short time” = an hour = Genative case = Paul’s hour! ¹
  • Interesting time limitation
  • Every minute was precious
  • A look to eternity
  • Hyperbole
  • Excell wrote, “All time on earth is brief and uncertain … This world is not a place where we are long together. It is in heaven holy souls shall meet and never part more.”
• Paul was endeavoring to return >
  • “more eagerly”
  • “great desire” = epithumia (ep-ee-thoo-mee’-ah) = emotional desire = more often used of lust.
    • Constable wrote, “Paul’s words for his converts here are especially affectionate. His love for the Thessalonians was unusually strong.” (Constable)
    • “How deep the Father’s love for us.”
    • God to the cross—that kind of love.
    • That kind of love would and does look unusual.

    • [The early Church was] a company of extremists, radical in their rejection of the values and priorities of society not only at its most degenerate, but often at its most reasonable and decent. “To live as the New Testament language requires,” he writes, “Christians would have to become strangers and sojourners on the earth, to have here no enduring city, to belong to a Kingdom truly not of this world." (Hart, from Amazon promo of Hart’s translation)

    • That kind of love has an arch enemy.
  • 18a because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us.

    • The Greek word enkopto (hindered, lit. cut into) was used originally of breaking up a road to make it impassable. But it later came to mean hinder generally … . (Barclay, “Daily Study …”)

    • Again we see Paul’s missionary team facing Satan’s handy work.
    • We face Satan and his minions
    • “Wrestle against …”
      ILLUSTRATION

The hinderer assails the most eminent workers in the Church–The Saviour even, and here Paul. We are apt to think that the greatest escape the temptations which fall to the lot of others. But the greater the man [or woman], the greater the temptation. (Excell)

APPLICATION

• That kind of love is met with a furious war against it.
• Brotherhood and sisterhood
• The face-to-face discipleship should look like this in God’s kingdom.
• Carry each others’ burdens.

TRANSITION
Now that we have seen the ministry team’s strong desire to continue to disciple the church at Thessalonian, and we have seen the ministry team cite the enemy of the Church as being a hindrance. Let’s look at a key focus for ministry team’s reason for continuation to press on in their ministries.

19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.

• [Wiersbe wrote, …] Paul did not look back and give in to regret and remorse. Instead, he looked ahead and rejoiced. For the Christian, the best is yet to come. … ¶ In times of trouble and testing, it is important that we take the long view of things. Paul lived in the future tense, as well as in the present. (713, emphasis mine)

• Crown = The one is diadema ( Greek #1238 ) = royal crown. Stephanos = lit. wreath of boasting = “the wreath or garland which was given as a prize to victors in public games” (cf., Barclay)
  • The people are the crown.
  • Rewards are only tied to relationships (to God and others).
  • 3 John 1:4, “No greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the truth.”
• We always hear “God’s glory” Yes. but …
  • He doles out our glory at a prescribed time.
  • The ministry team was looking forward to the time where we are before the judgment seat of Christ, where our works will be evaluated. Because of his converts’ strong faith in persecution, the missionary team feels that “this will be an occasion of joy and victory.” (Thomas)

ILLUSTRATION

Daniel 12:3, And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. (Emphasis mine)

1 Corinthians 15:40-42, There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. (Emphasis mine)

APPLICATION

• Push, push, push
• Jesus is not going to ask about your education, career apart from his kingdom work inside of those things. COMMENT
• The Light and Life he has placed within us. We need to use it to minister to others.
• What keeps us from this focus?
  • Fear, anxiety, worry,
  • Disappointment
  • Frustration
  • Light suffering
  • Lack of opportunities

TRANSITION
We see Paul’s missionary team wanting to be with the people that knew Jesus as to increase their joy at the resurrection. Satan worked against them. Let’s now look at what they were able to do to see how the church was responding to suffering they were experiencing.

3:1 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ,

• Bear it no longer …
  • What is “it”? The thought of them being shaken in their faith from persecution.
• Took action
  • We sent Timothy - coworker in the gospel of Christ
    • Good news of Anointed (When used of God = The Anointed One).
    • OT equivalent = Messiah (When used of God = The Anointed One).
  • Willing to be left alone
    • Ministry model
      • Two-by-two
      • Here is three
      • Ecclesiastes 4:12, “And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
    • Young Timothy was a huge part of the ministry teams success.
      • Young people have so much potential.
      • What keeps them from tapping their potential early.
        • They look to their lives instead of the people that is within them.
        • They undervalue their contribution potential in the Lord.
        • They are focused on the cares of the world.
        • Matthew 6:33, But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
      • Lets’ remind ourselves what Paul later told Timothy: 1 Timothy 4:11-16 >
        11 Command and teach these things. 12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.
  • to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions.
    • “Establish” = to make stable, place firmly, set fast, fix
    • “Exhort” = strengthen through words
    • “Your Faith”
    • Possessive
    • to not being “moved” (ESV)
      • 24 English translations: moved 9, shaken 7, disturbed 3, unsettled 2, then 1 each for these words: swayed, discouraged, turn back, unnerved.
      • = moved here is used only here: lit = wagged (Hart)
      • The church can be like a dog’s tail.
      • Turn to Ephesians 4:11-14a, And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine.

APPLICATION

• Don’t be a dog’s tail
• American’s faith is misplaced.

The ministry team gives the church a prescription the undesired motion.

• LOOK AT 3 b For you yourselves know that we are destined for this.
  • #1 > “destined” = keimai (ki-my) = metph: located = lit: to be laid down as an infant or as into a grave
    • God’s sovereignty
    • Their mature understanding in processing the events that surrounded them.

    • [Marshall wrote,] If a person knows that something unpleasant is part of his destiny, something that is inevitable, then he will brace himself to meet it and will not think that it is a sign that he is on the wrong track or being taken by surprise by it." (92)

  • #2 > 4 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.
    • Christans often look at difficulties as a sign that something is not going well. The missionary team understood that persecution was a normal experience for the Church.
    • Church, do we not know that we are supposed to suffer? YES. We know.

If we don’t constantly remember this we are in real danger of our ministries turning to dust.

5 For this reason [the persecutions of the church at Thessalonica], 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.

• McGee said, “Trouble is the acid that tests the genuineness of the coin of belief.” (McGee, 5:388)

• Persecution is an absolute.
• Faith is THE variable. “learn about your faith”
• Paul knows about a real concern in the faith = persecution may bring a falling away.
• Mark 4:16-17, And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.
  If faith is lost, useless is the work.
• LOOK AGAIN at v. 5b, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

• [Wiersbe wrote,] When Satan tempted Eve, he began by weakening her faith in God: “Yea, hath God said?” (Gen. 3:1). As a serpent, Satan deceives (2 Cor. 11:3); as a lion, he devours (1 Peter 5:8). He will use any means to attack the Christian and weaken his faith in God. (715)

• Everyone faces them.
• If we don’t stand “labor” is useless.
  • Labor =
  • A. lit: our “beating” would be in vain
  • B. a beating of the breast with grief, sorrow
  • C. intense labor united with trouble and toil
• Vain or vanity
  • Useless

APPLICATION

• If we don’t constantly remember this we are in real danger of our ministries turning to dust.
• God, “discipler,” “disciplee,” and the enemy’s work.
• 1. God’s work and sovereignty
• 2. Human ministry
• 3. Satan goals.
  • Common temptation to not stand on the promises of God.
  • The “eroder” of faith, the great Tempter is always looking to undercut our confidence in God.
• Don’t give up.

Works Cited

Bible Passages:

• Scripture quotations [unless otherwise noted] are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
• Scripture marked “CV” are from The Concordant Literal New Testament. 1983 version, Concordant Publishing Concern. All rights reserved. Click here for the OT. Click here for the NT.
• Scripture marked “Hart” are from David Bentley Hart. The New Testament: A Translation. Yale University Press, 2017. All rights reserved.

Barclay, William. “William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible” [NT]. “1 Thessalonians 2,” https://bibleportal.com/commentary/chapter/william-barclay/1+thessalonians/2.

________. The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians. The Daily Study Bible series. 2nd ed. Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press, 1963. As quoted in Thomas Constable. "Notes on 1 Thessalonians.” 2022 ed., https://planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/pdf/1thessalonians.pdf.

Constable, Thomas. "Notes on 1 Thessalonians.” 2022 ed., https://planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/pdf/1thessalonians.pdf.

Exell, Joseph. The Biblical Illustrator. Baker Publishing Group, 1978. Sourced from Bible Portal, 2 Thessalonians 2, https://bibleportal.com/commentary/chapter/the-biblical-illustrator/1+thessalonians/2.

Hart, David Bentley. Amazon Book Promo. Accessed May 20, 2022, https://www.amazon.com/New-Testament-David-Bentley-Hart/dp/0300186096.

Marshall, I. Howard. 1 and 2 Thessalonians. New Century Bible Commentary series. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., and London:
Marshall, Morgan & Scott Pub. Ltd., 1983. As quoted in Thomas Constable. "Notes on 1 Thessalonians.” 2022 ed., https://planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/pdf/1thessalonians.pdf.

McGee, J. Vernon. Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee. 5 vols. Pasadena, Calif.: Thru The Bible Radio; and Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1983. As quoted in Thomas Constable. "Notes on 1 Thessalonians.” 2022 ed., https://planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/pdf/1thessalonians.pdf.

Spurgeon, Charles. “Later.” Devotional material is taken from Morning and Evening, written by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright © 2003, Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.org. Used by Truth For Life with written permission. Source, https://www.truthforlife.org/devotionals/spurgeon/5/18/2022/

Thomas, p. 262. Cf. Earl Radmacher, “Believers and the Bema,” Grace Evangelical Society News 10:3 (May-June 1995):1, 4; and Joe L. Wall, Going for the Gold, pp. 129, 152-63. As quoted in Thomas Constable. "Notes on 1 Thessalonians.” 2022 ed., https://planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/pdf/1thessalonians.pdf.

Wiersbe, Warren. The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: NT. Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2007.

Note

¹ See Blue Letter Bible. 1 Thessalonians 2:1-20 Interlinear, https://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/interlinear/tr/1th/2/1-20/