Considering the Bible

A little while ago, I produced a verse by verse series in Philippians. I really enjoyed that exercise and have been wondering if I should take on another book. Well it turns out that 1 Thessalonians is the victim of my machinations, and hopefully, the thoughts produced by this fantastic book will edify and encourage the reader.

As with Philippians I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.

1 Thessalonians 3:5 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.

Paul was so human. Many times in my walk, I thought of this apostle, this great man of God, as one who could do no wrong, who could walk on water if he wanted to. But he didn’t! Only One did that, and we know Him. He was so human also, yet so much more!

Paul could bear it no longer! Paul has previously directed his converts, I should say those who follow the Lord, to refrain from all anxiousness. I can hear him telling me not to worry!

Philippians 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

But Paul, who has provided this direction for the believer in his epistles, shows his humanity here. He speaks of his concern, his anxiousness over the condition of those in the faith.

This is the human Paul, the mighty man of God who could not contain his concern for others. He was stricken with concern about others.

And there lies the solution to the apparent confusion between Paul’s direction to believers regarding worry and of his own admission of worry in this passage.

In Philippians, might Paul have been discussing personal concerns, private issues, items that are related to the needs of the person? I’m not sure I want to limit Paul’s use of the term “anything” in the Philippians passage to some small segment of a believers life, whether it be financial concerns, employment opportunities or relationship issues, even though verse 6 is smack dab in the middle of a passage describing two women fighting.

Euodia and Syntyche surely needed reasonableness (vs 5) and possibly Paul was directing this specific restriction of rejecting anxiousness to the relationship between these two women.

Nevertheless, there are abundant passages to consider the believers relationship to anxiousness and worry, directing us to refrain from worry! I am sure my readers are thinking of some of the passages even as I type this sentence!

But could there be a situation where anxiousness is possibly fueled by good motives, not necessarily selfish motives?

Maybe, for I assume those who read this will agree that any anxiousness that is due to greed, or anger or disputation, or any other evil action or thought is surely forbidden. That type of anxiousness is born of evil desires.

But in this case, Paul’s heart is breaking, thinking of his young church that may be falling victim to some trap of the enemy. His anxiousness is born out of a love for someone other than himself. He is tore up over the condition of his people and he just needs to know of their faith. He so wants to hear that his labor has not been in vain, that these folk are not victim to the ravages of the enemy.

Was Paul worried in a selfish way? Did Paul exhibit an anxiousness that was solely to satisfy his own needs? Maybe – I know I want to see him satisfy Philippians 4:6, and yet it is also good to see the great apostle weak and worried over his people.

Oh – the tensions we as believers experience in our lives. No wonder it will take all of eternity to understand the ways of the Lord. Hopefully, that will be enough “time” to give thanks to a Savior who rescues us from the enemy, and even from our own worries!

Praise God.

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

A little while ago, I produced a verse by verse series in Philippians. I really enjoyed that exercise and have been wondering if I should take on another book. Well it turns out that 1 Thessalonians is the victim of my machinations, and hopefully, the thoughts produced by this fantastic book will edify and encourage the reader.

As with Philippians I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.

1 Thessalonians 3:4 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.

Some prophecy is just no fun!

Who wants to hear of problems coming, of tribulations and trials on the horizon. It seems Paul just kept on telling them of afflictions coming, and considering the short time he was present with them, this must have been a predominant emphasis of his message.

This desire of Paul to communicate the upcoming afflictions for the body of believers seems to make sense once a review of the book is considered. You see, at the end of each chapter, Paul summarizes each chapter’s thoughts by referencing the Lord Jesus and His return for the church.

1 Thessalonians 1:10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?
For you are our glory and joy.

1 Thessalonians 3:13 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.

1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
Therefore encourage one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I realize Pula never considered his letter would be broken up into chapters, but the recurring theme of the return of the Lord is a common thought in this book. Paul, in referring to afflictions over and over again, seems to have two overarching messages for the Thessalonians

Troubles are a coming. But so is the Lord Jesus!

Yes Paul spoke of afflictions, and he reminded them over and over again of the trials they should expect, but more importantly, he taught these young believers of the soon coming of the Lord to rescue them from this environment of sin and death.

Some may say it has been thousands of years for the church waiting on the Lord, but my friend, for these Thessalonians, they were prepared if He came, and eventually, they met the Lord in their own time.

As I mentioned earlier, some prophecy is just not fun, but as Paul mentioned the trials coming, he also wrapped those trials in hope. A hope of the Lord’s return in His timing. Each of these believers met the Lord, and each of these believers were looking for His return. And because of that, they were ready for the afflictions, and they were ready to meet the Lord, whether by His return, or their departure from this old world.

Come Lord Jesus!

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Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

A little while ago, I produced a verse by verse series in Philippians. I really enjoyed that exercise and have been wondering if I should take on another book. Well it turns out that 1 Thessalonians is the victim of my machinations, and hopefully, the thoughts produced by this fantastic book will edify and encourage the reader.

As with Philippians I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.

1 Thessalonians 3:3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this.

We are not destined to be unmoved.

A careful reading of this passage will uncover an untruth I leaned on for years.

Let me explain. I would read this passage as follows.

Let no one be moved by these afflictions for you know that we are destined to be unmoved, destined to never falter, destined to always and only be sturdy, stalwart, and without stumbling.

Of course as I read this, (or at least was encouraged to think this way of my life in Christ), I have to admit that inside I became despondent, down and depressed, for I knew otherwise. I had been “moved” by affliction, torn down and ravaged by the afflictions arriving in my spiritual life.

I wasn’t experiencing that abundant life that had been promised! My abundant life was not all that abundant!!!

It is so important to take my time with the Word, to consider what the author is trying to say, before I make my assumptions, before I walk away from the Word with an untruth!

Paul is giving the Thessalonians a challenge, an exhortation as described in our earlier verse. Let’s read the short passage together.

1 Thessalonians 3:2,3 …..we sent Timothy ….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.

Paul provided exhortation, through Timothy for a distinct purpose. And what was that purpose Carl?

That no one would be moved. That means that without these exhortations, we may be moved. Afflictions that come will move us, will impact us, will “wag” us.

Wag? What confusing wordplay are you trying to get over on us this time Carl? Well it seems Paul used a term here that was typically used of dogs “moving” their tails. Dogs wag their tail.

If I follow the metaphor, it is the affliction that “wags” the believer as the dog wags the tail. The tail has no say in the matter, but is only a helpless appendage that wags as the dog desires.

Afflictions can have that power over us. Complete control and impact. Unless we are warned, exhorted, taught and built up by the Word, afflictions can dominate our lives.

My friend, believers are destined for affliction, but we are not without power in the midst of the trial or turbulence. We are not to be tossed about, back and forth, without a response from our inner man. We will have trials, troubles and problems. It is the life of the follower. As a follower though, we have the opportunity to find strength in the Word, to find strength in the the truth that we can cling to when all else is falling around about us.

Beyond that, is it not the grace of God that provides each of us those “Timothy’s” to enter our lives, either through congregational messages, or via personal challenges, that we also may find strength to stand. This is Paul’s specific message to the Thessalonians in this passage, that Paul was sending a helper to provide a strengthening, a source of resistance against afflictions. Paul is reminding the Thessalonian church of the believer’s fate to experience affliction, but also of the resulting strength we can find in our Savior.

Through afflictions, we can stand, not “wagged” about every which way, but firm in our faith in the Savior.

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Follow Considering the Bible on WordPress.com

Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.

A little while ago, I produced a verse by verse series in Philippians. I really enjoyed that exercise and have been wondering if I should take on another book. Well it turns out that 1 Thessalonians is the victim of my machinations, and hopefully, the thoughts produced by this fantastic book will edify and encourage the reader.

As with Philippians I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.

1 Thessalonians 3:2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith,

Timothy. Paul’s son in the faith.

A young man who has already been through much to enter into the kingdom of God. A young man who has been selected by Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, an apostle who has experienced the greatest of persecutions for his faith.

Timothy is a young man who has been granted great privilege and great responsibilities in his life. And he is being sent out to provide ministry to a tiny church Paul can’t get to.

It is interesting that though Timothy was presumably Paul’s closest son in the faith, there were extended periods of time when the two were separate from each other. This truth is spoken of here and in Philippians 2:19, where Paul speaks highly of Timothy, and of the need to send him away again.

It is as if to be Paul’s servant is to be the servant of others in need, and not necessarily of Paul himself. What I mean is that Paul did not gain the companionship comfort and supply of nis needs we sometimes assume Timothy provided. He gave him up for others. Paul exercised a sacrificial giving, even in the time he had with his closest friends.

For our verse this morning, Paul speaks of Timothy in two ways and in two efforts.

Two descriptions

Brother

Timothy was a brother to Paul. This may seem obvious, but this relationship bears a bit of reflection.

Though Paul was the great apostle to the Gentiles, his authority, though directly proffered to him by the Messiah, seems to be exercised by example and not by lording it over someone. This is reflected in Paul’s description of Timothy as a brother. Timothy was an equal in Paul’s eyes before the Lord, at least in responsibility to his call of God.

Timothy, like Paul, and like each believer today are brothers in a family that relates to the Father directly and not through any intermediary other than the Son of God, the Savior of us all.

God’s co-worker

As mentioned above, as a brother, this may relate to the equality of each of us in our calling of God. We are each responsible before the Father to know our calling and to exercise that calling in our lives. Paul was called as an apostle to the Gentiles. He was to be faithful to that calling. Timothy was called to be an evangelist, and an elder in a church. He was to be faithful to that calling.

Though it may be claimed that Timothy was an apostle of the churches (2 Corinthians 8:23), Timothy was never to answer to God for Paul’s calling as an apostle to the Gentiles. Likewise, Paul was not responsible to God to fulfill Timothy’s calling.

Both men, as brothers and co-workers with God, had different callings to the same God, and both owned the same helper in God.

Two missions

establish

Timothy was to establish the church in their faith. To establish is to make firm, to strengthen, to render constant and to confirm or make resolute. Timothy was to be the one that would continue Paul’s original the teaching of the Thessalonians, providing the same guidance and instruction, repeating the old story that we all love, the story of a loving God, His sacrificial Son and the proper and righteous way of life He has called us to.

exhort

Timothy was also to exhort the believers. To exhort, is somewhat of a more personal ministry, for it not only was a term of teaching and encouragement, it included the concept of being alongside in a struggle, to walk with, to console and to comfort.

This term is what takes the teaching (establishing) that is required and puts flesh on it. Though the facts of the gospel are wondrous, to see it lived out in a life of service and communion with God provides an example that can’t be argued against. It provides a powerful motivation for those who come into contact with that facts simply do not provide.

Personally, I have met a few believers that, though I had not the honor of being in their presence for long, impacted my life far deeper than they could have imagined.

An example may help. One night, one late late night, as I was making deliveries, I passed a brother’s home, and his lights were on. Did I tell you it was late that night? He invited me in, made me a drink, and provided an “off the cuff” Bible study on a question that I was struggling with. I spent too few hours with this man, but he exhorted me, and lived a life of example I could not argue against.

How about you? Have you a brother that has “exhorted” you, that has provided an example, and the encouragement in real life that has made a lasting impression? If so, be thankful.

How about you as that example? We need to be God’s co-worker if we are to impact others, which means we need to be open to God’s call on our lives each moment, so that God can use us in other’s lives.

That is the life that is satisfying!

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Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.