Life Together, Part 2

Paul and Silas and Timothy—the missionaries who took the gospel to the Thessalonians—consider the Thessalonians as family, because, of course, they are family in Christ.

There’s a shared love for one another and a common longing to be with one another. Life together is what they long for, what they desire.

Life together is the goal, the hope, the longing of the people of God. They want to be gathered with the church; that’s a matter of chief importance.

In chapter 3 of 1 Thessalonians, Paul is speaking to his church family in Thessalonica and reminding them what Life Together looks like. We get to read what Paul wrote to the Thessalonians; we get to read what the Holy Spirit inspired and preserved for us here today.

If you have your Bible (and I hope you do) please turn with me to 1 Thessalonians 3. If you are able and willing, please stand with me for the reading of God’s Holy Word.

1 Thessalonians 3 NIV

1 So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain. 6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. 7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith. 11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

This is the Word of the LORD!

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Motivated by a deep longing to see them again and be with the newly established church in Thessalonica, Paul is writing to encourage them in the midst of their suffering.

Paul’s basic encouragement is that

We Suffer Together

Notice the word “trials” in verse 3 and the word “persecuted” in verse 4.

Trials are the troubles that face believers.

This is the same word used to describe the seed cast upon the rocky soil in the Parable of the Sower. As the sun scorches the plants and causes them to wither, so the trials/troubles we face beat us down.

The Thessalonians were being persecuted. They were sure to suffer affliction. This is the crushing oppression that occurs in the believer’s life when they are faithfully following Christ.

The author of Hebrews speaks of this kind of crushing persecution which some of the faithful experienced.

Hebrews 11:36-38 “Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted, and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them.”

The Thessalonians are suffering for their faith, suffering as very new believers. We don’t experience this level of suffering in this part of the world. In many places round the world, our brothers and sisters in Christ aren’t spared persecution; many of them are risking their earthly lives by believing in and confessing Christ.

Almost immediately upon their reception of the gospel, Jason and some other Christians in Thessalonica are dragged before the local officials, accused of treason, and made to post bond.

You might think these people would say, “Hey, forget this whole Jesus thing! It’s not worth the trouble.”

It’s the opposite. The trade-off is so lopsided, it’s not even funny. The Thessalonians don’t renounce their faith. They stand firm, as Paul says in verse 8: “For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.”

Paul and Silas knew the Thessalonians were suffering; they were still in Thessalonica when a mob incited an uproar about these Christian missionaries/troublemakers.

Aware of their suffering, Paul and Silas sent Timothy to help the Thessalonians through their time of suffering.

We Suffer Together.

We are able to strengthen and encourage one another as we suffer—inevitably, unavoidably.

Remember: Paul and Silas are suffering, too.

1 Thess 3:7 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.”

These are serious troubles. Distress is a “choking” or a “pressing”. Persecution is the same “crushing trouble” facing the Thessalonians.

Together—distress and persecution, choking and pressing—these combine to emphasize that Paul’s situation was far from a happy one.

It’s not all fairy tales and rainbows and puppy dog kisses for Paul. So when he receives the good news about the Thessalonians, about their faith and steadfastness in suffering, Paul is encouraged in his suffering.

Paul says he and Silas were comforted. The good news of the Thessalonians’ faith and love actually helped Paul through his trouble.

Sometimes we need the faith of others to help us along, like the friends of the paralyzed man who carried him to Jesus. They tore a hole in the roof and lowered him down. It was their faith that helped their friend (Mark 2:3-5).

1 Thess 3:7 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.”

That’s how it works.

When I see my fellow believers come to worship, making time to gather together, knowing many of you are troubled, struggling, and suffering—it’s a huge dose of encouragement.

Your faith, your steadfast commitment to Christ amid trials/suffering strengthens my faith and the faith of others.

We Suffer Together.

And we remind one another of what’s true.

I want us to think about something for a second. In verses 3-4, Paul says about the trials and the persecution the Thessalonians were facing: we are destined for them and when we were with you we kept telling you that we would be persecuted.

This— trials and persecution—was part of what Paul taught them in the very short time he was there in Thessalonica. One of Paul’s first sermon series was on suffering for faith.

He didn’t follow the church-growth, seeker-sensitive model of telling people what they wanted to hear.

Paul spoke the truth about what the Thessalonians would witness and then what they themselves would very quickly experience at the hands of their fellow townspeople.

For the Christian, suffering is simply a guarantee. Paul says, “We told you we were all destined for this; we kept telling you and telling you.”

Suffering is part of the Christian testimony. Jesus says so. Paul says so. James says so. Peter says so.

John 16:33 NIV

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Romans 8:17–18 NIV

17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

2 Timothy 3:12 NIV

12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

James 1:2 NIV

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

1 Peter 4:12–13 NIV

12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

On the surface, there’s no good news in suffering. After all, it’s suffering. It’s miserable, crushing, choking.

But realize: we don’t suffer alone. The Thessalonians are suffering, but so are Paul and Silas and Timothy.

This is a team sport; we suffer together.

AND, even more reassuring and comforting than that we suffer together, is that our Savior suffered before us, calls us to suffer, and is always present with His people as they suffer.

“Suffering, then, is the badge of true discipleship. The disciple is not above his Master. The Church [is] the community of those ‘who are persecuted and martyred for the gospel’s sake.’ Discipleship means allegiance to the suffering Christ, and it is therefore not at all surprising that Christians should be called upon to suffer.” - John R. Stott

We Suffer Together and

We Pray Together

Paul’s love for the believers in Thessalonica, his love for the gathering of people called the Church in Thessalonica is evident in everything he writes to them.

It’s evident in his prayer for them. 1 Thess 3:10 “Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.”

Paul prayed night and day and prayed most earnestly.

The word Paul uses here for pray means “pleading, begging, asking for with urgency.” Like the widow in Jesus’ parable, Paul prayed persistently.

Paul carried his people on his heart to God. We will never know from how much sin we have been saved and how much temptation we have conquered all because someone prayed for us.

William Barclay tells a story about a housekeeper who became a member of a church. She was asked what Christian work she did, and she said that she didn’t have much of an opportunity to do much because her job kept her constantly busy.

But then she said, “When I go to bed, I take the morning newspaper with me. And I read the notices of the births and I pray for all the little babies. I read the notices of marriages and I pray for those who just got married. And I read the announcements of death and I pray that the sorrowing may be comforted.”

Barclay writes, “There is no way to quantify the tides of grace that flowed from that young housekeeper’s tiny attic bedroom.”

Sometimes, like Paul, we are unwillingly separated from those we love—our church, our family and friends. But we can pray for them.

Some of the dearest saints I have ever met are those who are praying constantly for their church, even though they are limited in what they can do and how often they can gather.

There are people you may never meet who pray for you on a regular basis. Because they’re family who love you.

In this simple passage, we can easily see where Paul’s mind instinctively goes—to the LORD. Notice how God-centered this prayer is.

He goes to God for everything. And for Paul, everything was of God.

Paul’s praying that he might make it back to Thessalonica. It’s the ordinary, everyday stuff of life for which Paul turns to the Lord.

Paul knows better than to trust himself or to think that he can manage well enough on his own.

In the emergency, we often cling to Him, knowing that we can’t get through it on our own. But why do we ever think we can get through anything without Him?

Paul prays that the Lord God would enable the Thessalonians to love each other more and more.

The commands Christians are to follow are difficult in their own right; the Christian life is tough to live as is, and impossible to live without the help and presence of the Lord.

The last thing Paul prays for the Thessalonians to be blamelessly holy at Jesus’ second coming.

A life of holiness is required; and God provides what He requires. Paul knows this to be true and writes this at the end of this very letter:

1 Thess 5:23-24 “May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.”

God will produce the necessary holiness in them. He will hold us fast. He will sanctify those He has called. In His Son, Jesus Christ, all His people are, in fact and at once, holy.

We pray together.

Paul prays for spiritual growth. He wants to be with the Thessalonians again, because he wasn’t done teaching them. As any missionary who leaves the field would be, Paul is concerned about the Thessalonians, but entrusts them to Him.

Paul prays for open doors. He prays that the Triune God would clear the way for them to make it back to see them.

Spiritual growth, open doors, and an increasing love. They love one another. That loves needs to increase and overflow.

This is what Paul prays for the Thessalonians—really good things to pray. These aren’t selfish prayers or outlandish prayers or prayers out of line with God’s will.

Every true prayer is a variation on the theme ‘Thy will be done.’ - John Stott

Our task, with God’s Word as our guide, is to pray likewise.

Pray for your church family. Pray that we would grow spiritually. Pray that we would love one another more and more. Pray that we would live lives worthy of God.

Pray for one another. Pray with one another. Pray.

We pray together, and

Together We Fix Our Eyes on Jesus

In this section (2:17-3:13) of Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica, there are several direct mentions of Jesus—2:19, 3:2, 3:11, 3:13—He’s mentioned by name.

There are also indirect allusions to Him. When Paul calls the Thessalonians brothers and sisters it’s because, in Jesus, that’s what they are. Timothy is Paul and Silas’ brother, not by blood, but through Jesus.

The focus of Paul’s letter, indeed Paul’s life, is Jesus.

There’s no church without Jesus.

There’s no mission without Jesus.

There’s no hope without Jesus.

There’s nothing if Jesus didn’t come and teach and die and rise and ascend.

It’s about Jesus.

The focus of Paul’s ministry is who Jesus is and what Jesus has done. The Church is a gathering of individuals who have been purchased by Jesus’ body and blood. There’s no Good News to share if Jesus didn’t sacrifice Himself for His people.

We, the church, suffer together. But we don’t suffer alone. Jesus is the Suffering Servant Isaiah foretold:

Isaiah 53:4–6 NIV

4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Jesus suffered unimaginably for His people. Everyone who belongs to Jesus will suffer; it’s just part of it.

BUT remember, 2 Cor 4:17-18 “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

We suffer together. And together fix our eyes on Jesus.

We also pray together, with and for one another. We keep on lifting one another up to our Heavenly Father.

But, as we pray, we realize our weakness in this area. Sometimes we don’t know what to pray. Sometimes we don’t have any words. Sometimes our words are wrong. But we aren’t alone in praying.

The Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we don’t know what we ought to pray. The Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God (Romans 8:26-27).

But wait! There’s more: Romans 8:34 “...Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”

We pray together. We pray, knowing that the Holy Spirit is praying for us and that Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for us.

J.I. Packer writes this:

“Don’t fret; just pray. The Three-in-One God fixes our prayers on the way up! If He does not answer the prayer we made, He will answer the prayer we should have made. That is all anyone needs to know.”

We pray together, fixing our eyes on Jesus.

>In every chapter of 1 Thessalonians, there’s some mention of Jesus’ return. In chapter 3, it’s this:

1 Thessalonians 3:13 NIV

13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

Paul would have the Thessalonians together fix their eyes on Jesus, to look to Him for what they need, to live for Him now, and to wait for His glorious return.

As the church enjoys and commits to life together as the family of God,

We will suffer together,

We commit to pray together,

And in all things we—together—fix our eyes on Jesus, the One who died for our sins, the One who rose victorious over death, the One who ascended to the right hand of the God, and the One who is returning soon!