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Thessalonians 3:1-13
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Thessalonians is a book that I really appreciate – A) The Reason is it is probably one of Paul’s most personal Letters
B)In it we gain insight into what makes this
guy tick
1)
Maybe more so than any of his other letters Paul reveals his heart – A ministers heart
C) In this passage today – we get another
glimpse of Paul’s heart – Example for us who are in
ministry.
1) Ministry in Church / home
group / discipleship /
B) Also Ministry in the
Home: Children or spouse – Consider it in that
way.
5 Things we want
to consider about Paul’s heart for Ministry: RD V. 1-13
#1
He wants to be with God’s People.
A)This
passage opens with therefore, which specifically links it to the closing
section of the previous chapter
B) Where Paul Expressed his
desire to get back to them to encourage them
1) He wanted to be there – but
was being hindered by Satan
C)
Paul's strong affection for them resulted in intense emotional pain during this
separation.
1) He couldn’t endure it was aching at him that he couldn’t get back there. { Debrecen / Costa Rica
D) Amazing that Even though
he faced his own trials.
1)
Paul was more concerned about their spiritual well-being and the trials they
were facing !
A
man with a true and faithful pastoral heart is not preoccupied with his own
trials.
A)
Rather, he is deeply concerned with the spiritual condition of his people.
B)
Any time we get preoccupied with ourselves & our problems – good sign –
getting off tract !
So
#1 a true Minister is going to have a Heart that wants to be with the Sheep
A) Leaders – They like to be
around the sheep – they want to be with God’s people
B) Young man – { Working with Youth – Feel called to – Study
1) The Church doesn’t need more
theologians –
It needs ministers
2) Theologians are like
Porcupines Many fine points but hard to
get close to
Bring
it into the home: A wife needs to know that her husband is concerned about her:
She is on his mind
A) He likes to be with her –
enjoys her company her friendship – Middle of the day – call hear her voice
B) Vice versa – A husband –
needs a wife that he knows - She is into Him – Praying for Him
C) Denise will sometimes ask
me – what is your day like today – { Why So I can Pray
1) So blessed by that - { Wife who Nags
D) I am blessed Denise will call: She knows I am counseling
– calls to leave me a message !
1) Stops by to leave a note
on my desk !
E) She works her schedule &
ministry around me and the kids.
1) House a Sanctuary
F) She makes plans runs them
by me – I am rarely ever surprised by – by the way going to … tonight
Ministry
opportunities – 5 out of the country invites for this year –
A) Women’s retreats – speak
– rare
B) Her heart is for us ! –
Everything is prayed thru microscope of the affect on me and the kids
1)
Vice versa – My Schedule – Called to go a little more – Not much – { Amy’s games Dec – March
So the first thing we see
about Paul’s heart is that He wanted to be with these people
#2
He wants the sheep to be well cared for!
A) Jesus gave this
commission to Peter: Feed my sheep – and tend them - Take care of them –
B) It was that type of heart
that led Paul to say – We were like a nursing mother to you
C) We thought it good to be left in Athens alone:
1) Strong affection always
leads to sacrifice . Rd
V4-5
Paul
was concerned that the faith of the Thessalonian’s might crumble under this season of affliction,
A) So Paul sent
Timothy to them to help them thru this time –
But this was a great Sacrifice to Paul.
B) The verb translated left
alone means "abandoned" or "forsaken"
1)
and was used in secular contexts of leaving a loved one behind at death.
C) This expresses how
difficult Paul's separation from his
friend was.
D) Even though he could have
benefited greatly by his assistance and fellowship in Athens,
1)
Paul thought it best to send him to Thessalonica.
Why
Timothy? 3 Reasons:
1) Timothy was a Brother –
Like minded
{ Stress importance to Paul – other passages
2) He was a
minister of God
A) This is simply the Greek
word for a servant.
B) Our English word “deacon” comes from this word, diakonos.
1)
Timothy was not afraid to work. He had faithfully served with Paul in other
settings.
C) Note: Minister of God –
Timothy knew who he was serving ! Serving the Lord – Not Paul
3)
Fellow Laborer = Team player – Paul knew that He could be trusted –
A) He didn’t have his own
agenda – wasn’t out to promote himself
B)
In all Paul was saying I am going to send
someone to you who is going to take care of you the way that I would.
C) Think about
your flock – those you are over –
1) Are they going to care for them the same way that you would –
Day Care – Baby sitters
D) Youth group –
Partner with you as parents – Do they share my values –
1) What is their heart
E)
What is their goal – Some youth ministries – Goal is entertain social – keep
your kids out of trouble –
1) Major goals – ¾ of their time is spent on that
F) You would be
shocked at how little a time is spent in the word – things of the Lord
Maybe
that is why Stats reveal that 55% of Christian kids are sexually active before
– 18 yrs old
A) Listen if you
aim low – that is what you are going to hit – Aim high better chance of hitting
that
B) Here at CCV –
Entertain Social – small part to Bible study and Discipleship
C) Modesty – We are committed to that –
Hopefully you are too Love God w/ mind…
1) Uniforms
D) Paul wanted
them to be well taken care of!
That is the
Biblical model –
1) Notice point
#3 Paul’s heart
#3
He wants to see them Established and Encouraged V.2-3
A) Establish = to support something to the
point of making it unshakable.
B) Building is established –
by Bolts and beams that are connected to the Foundation
1)
The goal of the Church Eph 4:11-15
11 And He Himself gave some to be
apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,12 for
the equipping of the saints for the
work of ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ,13 till
we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of
God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of
Christ;14 that we should no
longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of
doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful
plotting,15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ
Growing into the Head –
Established – Unmoved –
Notice
Establishing comes before Encouraging –
A) If I am encouraging –
without establishing – only empowering people to stay in their sin
B)
I can’t encourage or make light of rebellion- Call to repentance – Establish in
the truth !
C) The world is after your
family – Wife / Husband / Kids
1) Established in our love & In the truth
D) Timothy’s
task was to establish these believers and encourage (comfort) them in their
faith.
#4
He rejoiced in seeing his spiritual Children doing well. RD
V6-10
A) Paul does a good job of complimenting
–
B) Sometimes it is easy to focus on the negative –
1)
Wife w/ Husband – Denise w/ me - Pastors on a Pedestal – Flawed -
2)
Husband w/ wife
3)
Parents to kids
C) Pastor to Church – Flaws yes – but what are we doing well.
D) What about you – Talk
about your husband – Negative –
1)
What about when you talk to him - Nag { My wife talked to me like that … { Never at home ?
E)
Guys talk about your wife – shame on you
1) Your kids –
The Church – No
wonder they grow up not wanting to be around –
A)if
all they here that comes out of your mouth is negative
B) So am I saying we should ignore problems -
1) Paul
presents a perfect Balance –
C) He is going to praise
their strength’s and Pray v.10 for what is lacking
#5
He commits them into the Care of the Lord
RD
V.10-13
A)
Notice that Paul’s prayers for his friends were not careless or occasional.
B) V.10 He prayed “night and day” he prayed “exceedingly”
1)
Always in his prayers – Exceedingly – idea of Laboring in Prayer
C) Paul prayed for three
specific requests. First, he prayed that their
faith might mature (v.10 )
D) The word translated “perfect” has the
meaning of “adjust, equip, furnish.”
1)
It is even used for the mending of nets (Mark 1:19).
In
Chapter 1 Paul was rejoicing because of their faith – but here he says it was
lacking – Why?
A)Our faith never reaches
perfection; there is always need for adjustment and growth.
B)
We go “from
faith to faith” (Rom. 1:17).
C) Abraham is a good illustration
of this principle.
1)
God called him to the land of Canaan, and when he arrived, he discovered a
famine.
D) God permitted that famine
so that Abraham’s faith might be tested.
1) Unfortunately Abe failed
that test – ran to Egypt
But
Abe recovered – Started over – walk of faith
A) Each step of the way, God
brought circumstances to bear on Abraham that forced him to trust God and grow
in his faith.
B) Faith that cannot be
tested cannot be trusted !
1)
Faith is like a muscle: it gets stronger with use.
C) God tries our faith, not to destroy it, but
to develop it.
SO
Paul prayed that the suffering Christians in Thessalonica might grow in their
faith,
A) And God answered his prayer. Paul wrote in his
second letter, 2 Thess 1:3
We
are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your
faith grows exceedingly,
2) Their love would Prosper!
A) Times of suffering can be times of
selfishness. Persecuted people often become very self-centered and demanding.
B)
What life does to us depends on what life finds in us; and nothing reveals the
true inner man like the furnace of affliction.
C) Some people build walls
in times of trial, and shut themselves off.
D)
Others build bridges and draw closer to the Lord and His people.
E)
There come points in my walk when I say, “You know, I’m doing pretty good.”
1) I get comfortable as apathy begins to creep
into my heart.
F)
Through Paul, the Spirit says to me, “I want you to increase.
I rejoice in what’s happening in your life,
but may your love for Me grow to an ever-deepening measure.”
The Lord
declared in Jeremiah 48:11
“Moab has been at ease and settled in
his lees. Therefore I will pour him out from vessel to vessel
A) The reference is to the
way wine was made in Jeremiah’s day.
B) The winemaker would pick
grapes, put them in a vat, and stomp on them to get the juice flowing.
1)
Then he would pour the juice into a vessel where the wine sat until the lees,
or dregs, settled to the bottom.
C) The winemaker would then pour the wine into
another vessel, leaving the dregs behind, where it would sit while more dregs
settled.
D)
This process was repeated up to six times, until the end result was wine
without any dregs—
1)
The wine that was pure and sparkling.
It is a good
picture of what the Lord allows to take place in our lives – Make us Pure
A) Trials and affliction
come in – Boss says fired / girlfriends says – Goodbye
B) The Lord says – “I want to refine and use you as the wine of my Spirit flows
through you.
1)
For that to happen, there will be regular seasons where you are poured.
C) Otherwise you’ll become
cloudy and dull as you settle in your lees. I love you too much for that.”
1)
Instead of, “Poor me,” we must be those who say,
“Pour
me, Father—that I may increase and abound in love.”
D)
This was Paul’s prayer for these believers, and God answered it:
2 Thess 1:3-4
We thank God always for you, brethren,
as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other,
3)
Paul’s third request was for holiness of life
A)
In every Chapter of 1& 2 Thess. Paul makes reference to the Coming of
Christ
B)
Reason Paul Knew that the believer who believes that Jesus could come at any
moment is going to live a life marked by Holiness