“Proven Spiritual Leadership”

1 Thessalonians 2:1‑6

Today there is a great need for proven leadership! The need for capable, enthusiastic INFLUENCE (which is the most basic definition of leadership) is apparent to all, and at the same time, leadership is very difficult.

Q: How can spiritual leaders be effective? Is there a path to genuine spiritual effectiveness?

A: YES! — (1 Thessalonians 2:1-6)

Paul shares his experience with the church at Thessalonica and in these six verses we learn at least five principles for an effective ministry!

By way of footnote, the tone of Paul's words here sounds like a DEFENSE, because IT WAS!

Somehow and in some way not known to us, someone, or some group (either in or out of the church) was telling lies about Paul—attacking both his integrity and sincerity!

They were attempting to destroy the church by casting doubt on the one God used to found it—Paul.

This group included the Jews hostile to the gospel, as well as pagan Gentiles. Their accusations were an attempt to make the Thessalonians believe that Paul and his companions were evil, self‑seeking phonies!

So, Paul writes to this church, ANSWERING HIS CRITICS in a very simple, very direct way.

There's another footnote here also that will help understand Paul’s discourse: He primarily calls them to remember their own experience with him: (2:1, 2, 5, 9, 10, 11)– Six times in eleven verses he says let me appeal to what you know!

All they had to do was remember and that could and should dispel any such accusations.

“What are the marks of proven spiritual leadership?”

There are FIVE: Paul was confident in God's power, he was committed to God's truth, he was commissioned by God's will, he was compelled by God's knowledge, and finally, he was consumed with God's glory.

I. Paul was CONFIDENT in GOD'S POWER! – (2:1-2)

Paul was confident in God's power and that gave him tenacity! – (v.2)

(Romans 8:31) – “…If God is for us, who is against us?”

A. The NECESSITY of COURAGE!

“But” - ἀλλὰ, is a strong adversative. He is saying our ministry was not in vain, but on the other hand, our ministry came to you with great boldness!

WHY? Because we knew the power of our God and we were confident that our God was more powerful than our opposition. That's what gives strength to the ministry, tenacity. You don't bail out.

Just to touch with what he says specifically, (v.2a) This takes us back to (Acts 16:20-24).

You remember the story of Philippi, how Paul and Silas wound up in jail because of preaching of the Word; because they had confronted the kingdom of darkness by freeing a demon possessed girl, which angered her owners because she was a source of income.

They were mistreated two ways described in (v.2):

1. “Suffered” has to do with physical abuse—they were beaten and put in stocks in prison.

2. The words "treated outrageously"(ὑβρισθέντες) have more to do with legal abuse—they were unjustly judged and made prisoners when they had committed no crime.

So, Paul says, (v.2b) - (read verse).

NOTICE what he didn't say. "You know, it was really rough up there and they didn't welcome us, and they didn't accept us, so if we're going to reach this culture, we need adopt a strategy so subtle, so clever, we'll get them saved before they even know it!”

Not only did he NOT say that, Paul said, “…as you know, we were emboldened by our God to speak the gospel of God to you in spite of great opposition.”

Opposition to the Gospel should NEVER change the message, or method (preaching)!

WHAT DO WE LEARN from this?

I believe it is NOT the preacher's responsibility minimize conflict. The preacher's job is to EXPOSE sin, to show the SYMPTOMS of sin, the SEAT of sin, the FATAL CONDITION of the unsaved, and offer the CURE for their sin in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

B. The SOURCE of COURAGE! – (v.2c) – “...we were emboldened by our God to speak”

Paul’s confidence is not in his flesh, in his methods, in his cleverness, or in his popularity.

Paul knew that if he preached “...the gospel of God,” that God would uphold and sustain him.

(Ephesians 6:10) — "...be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength."

I submit to you that this is a mark of effective ministry. You preach God’s Gospel and when the opposition comes (and it will), you trust in the power of your God no matter what!

C. The COST of COURAGE! – (v.2d) – “…in spite of great opposition.”

“…great opposition” – from πολλῷ ἀγῶνι – ‘opposition, struggle, conflict, fight.’ The term refers to a life-or-death struggle, an agonizing.

In the ministry there's always pressure to compromise, there's always the temptation to soften the message, to not offend someone, to make it acceptable to sinners. But that wasn't Paul's strategy, and it should never be ours!

II. Paul was COMMITTED to GOD'S TRUTH! – (2:3)

Paul was committed to God's truth and that’s what gave him INTEGRITY!

If the ENEMY can’t destroy you by OPPOSITION, then he’ll try to destroy you by questioning your integrity and having people lose their confidence in you.

(v.3a) – "For our exhortation..." The word exhortation means an urgent appeal with a view toward judgment, a cry, an appeal, a calling. It speaks of the urgency, the directness of his message.

(v.3) – Undoubtedly these were the things that were being said. "Well, he's saying things that aren't true! If you really knew him, you'd know he was an impure man and a deceiver. And so PAUL RESPONDS!

A. HIS MESSAGE WAS TRUE.

"…didn’t come from error" from πλάνης. We get the word planet from it. The word means to wander, to roam.

Error is roaming from the truth, wandering without any standard, without anything to contain or control you.

Paul says NO, our exhortation does not come from error. He was committed to God's truth. It was accurate. He was not deceived, neither was he a deceiver. There was no false teaching here!

1 Timothy 6:20 CSB

Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding irreverent and empty speech and contradictions from what is falsely called knowledge.

1 Timothy 6:3–5 CSB

If anyone teaches false doctrine and does not agree with the sound teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching that promotes godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing, but has an unhealthy interest in disputes and arguments over words. From these come envy, quarreling, slander, evil suspicions, and constant disagreement among people whose minds are depraved and deprived of the truth, who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain.

2 Timothy 2:15 CSB

Be diligent to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.

B. HIS MOTIVES WERE PURE!

“impurity” is from ἀκαθαρσία (akatharsia). We get the word catharsis from it which is a cleansing. This is a‑catharsis, something that's unclean.

The word can be used of a physical uncleanness, dirty, it can be used of a social stigma, or social uncleanness, but PRIMARILY refers to sexual uncleanness.

As you well know, IN PAUL'S DAY many of the Greek cults and mystery religions were associated with sexual perversion. In most of the temples of the cults of ancient days there were temple prostitutes, who claimed that the sex act was a religious experience.

As unimaginable as that is for us, that’s part of the accusations against Paul and his companions!

NOW, lest you think I fell of the wagon and landed in the sewer to think all this up...

(2 Peter 2:1-22)

Revelation 2:14 CSB

But I have a few things against you. You have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block in front of the Israelites: to eat meat sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.

Revelation 2:20–23 CSB

But I have this against you: You tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat meat sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to repent of her sexual immorality. Look, I will throw her into a sickbed and those who commit adultery with her into great affliction. Unless they repent of her works, I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who examines minds and hearts, and I will give to each of you according to your works.

Paul is no filthy dreamer. Paul is no fornicator. Paul is no adulterer. He speaks truth, he speaks it out of a pure life.

C. HIS METHOD WAS STRAIGHTFORWARD!

The word "deceit" is dolos, fishhook, trap, trick, that's what it means. He's not a deceiver. There is no “bait-and-switch!”

The Greek false teachers would go to any length with their sorcery, their magic, their theatrics to gain a convert not only for sexual favors but for money.

Given the repeated examples and warnings in Scripture, I can say with authority, you show me a false teacher and a false prophet, and I'll show you a person who is looking for sexual favors and money. The pattern has never changed—there is nothing new under the sun!

(Jeremiah 23:9ff.) – The false shepherds in the nation of Israel were looking for the same thing they were looking for in Paul's time.

Paul insists that his message was true, his motives were pure, and his method was above board!

III. Paul was COMMISSIONED by GOD'S WILL! (2:4a)

Not only did Paul have TENACITY and INTEGRITY but he had AUTHORITY.

“Why do you speak, Paul? Why are you doing this?” TWO REASONS:

A. He was QUALIFIED to PREACH THE GOSPEL! – (v.4a)

The phrase, “we have been approved by God...” is the Greek verb dokimazo which means to be tested and found valid, found good, to be approved after testing.

It's a perfect tense verb which means it indicates a lasting approval. We have been and continue to be approved by God. God tested us, we passed, and we are the authorized ministers of the gospel.

Ephesians 3:8 CSB

This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ,

God gave us the grace to preach the Gospel! We am NOT worthy apart from grace, but we ARE worthy IN his grace.

B. He was ENTRUSTED with the GOSPEL! – (v.4b)

1 Timothy 1:11 CSB

that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me.

Titus 1:3 CSB

In his own time he has revealed his word in the preaching with which I was entrusted by the command of God our Savior:

So here you have a man who is under command, under authority and has delegated authority. And I believe that we have authority in our ministry when we speak as those who have been chosen, approved, and placed by God in this world to preach His truth.

What gives authority to our ministry? Speaking the Word of God powerfully and clearly.

Your authority doesn't go beyond the Scripture, but, when you come you better come with the message entrusted to you and know that when you preach it with power and conviction you carry the authority of God.

IV. Paul was COMPELLED by GOD'S KNOWLEDGE! – (2:4b-5)

Paul’s ministry was marked by tenacity, integrity, authority. He also had a ministry marked by ACCOUNTABILITY!

And that's the BALANCING POINT to authority in many ways. The AUTHORITY of a pastor-teacher, or minister-preacher (whichever your preferred title) is our ACCOUNTABILITY TO GOD!

“What's Paul saying?” He’s saying, “I am compelled by GOD'S KNOWLEDGE.”

We are talking about God’s omniscience!

He examines my heart. He witnesses everything about me. And that is a great measure of accountability, as well as assurance when the attacks come!

Galatians 1:10 CSB

For am I now trying to persuade people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 2:4 CSB

Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please people, but rather God, who examines our hearts.

“Why, Paul? Why are you so consumed with pleasing God?”

Because God examines our hearts—the inner self, the real you, where thought and feeling and will and motive all meet.

God knows those deep things and He knows whether I am seeking to please men or Him. And I am compelled by that knowledge.

(1 Corinthians 4:1-5)

Paul’s desire to please God manifested itself in TWO WAYS:

A. He wasn’t motivated by POWER! — (v.5a)

"…flattering speech”– Do you know what flattery is? It's a form of exploitation.

Flattery is based on the fact that everybody's ego loves to hear good things about themselves!

Now if you say a good thing about a person and you have no intent other than to say good about them, that's not flattery. If you say a good thing about a person and have in your mind some purpose for that which will come to your benefit, that's flattery.

You say something good to someone as a ploy to win them to yourself for self-interest and personal gain. You set them up for your own deceptive purposes.

Proverbs 29:5 CSB

A person who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.

Proverbs 26:28 CSB

A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.

People are so egotistical, when people say nice things about them, they get sucked in!

Psalm 12:3 CSB

May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and the tongue that speaks boastfully.

The purpose of flattery is to gain power over people, a common ploy among religious charlatans, and Paul says we didn't do that because God's watching.

B. He wasn’t motivated by POSSESSIONS! — (v.5b) – “…or had greedy motives”

Lit., “We didn’t come putting a coat over our greed!”

Acts 20:33–34 CSB

I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who are with me.

V. Paul was CONSUMED with GOD'S GLORY! (2:6)

Paul didn't look for honor. He didn't want praise. He wasn’t a Diotrephes (cf. 3 John 9).

“Seek” -- ζητοῦντες is from the root zeteo, which meansto habitually seek.

We weren't habitually seeking honor, habitually seeking awards and laurels and stroking and appreciation dinners and attention and accolades, and applause and plaudits and prestige.

The only glory Paul ever sought was eternal!

2 Corinthians 4:5–6 CSB

For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’s sake. For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.

Paul never sought what belonged to God! His only desire was for them to see, “…the face of Jesus Christ.”

In essence, Paul is saying, “Even though as Apostles we could have asserted ourselves, we were too preoccupied with all the glory going to Him!”

I’m still learning how to handle the praise of men—what the late Howard Hendricks called, “the glorification of the worm!”

It's kind of a three‑legged stool that you sit on: AUTHORITY, delegated from Christ to speak His Word boldly and powerfully. ACCOUNTABILITY, you better know that God knows everything you're doing and every thought and intent of your heart. And HUMILITY, be sure you seek not the praise of men but that you give all the glory to God.

CONCLUSION: “What makes an effective ministry?”

Tenacity, because you trust totally in the power of God.

Integrity, because you're fully committed to the truth of God.

Authority, because you know you have on your life the commission of God.

Accountability, because of the knowledge of God, He knows everything.

And Humility, because you are consumed with the glory of God.