Sermon Tone Analysis

In this section of Scripture, Paul is calling on the Thessalonians to remember their work among them.

Paul no doubt faced many accusations about his life and ministry, and he defends himself by appealing to the Thessalonians to remember the facts about his time among them.

Zig Ziglar

With integrity you have nothing to fear, since you have nothing to hide.

With integrity you will do the right thing, so you will have no guilt.

With fear and guilt removed you are free to be and do your best.

— Zig Ziglar

There were those who sought to discredit Paul.

They sought to discredit his message, his character, and his intentions.

Paul simply reminds the Thessalonians of what they already know to be true based on their experience with Paul when he was there.

“I’m going to remind you how we behaved among you, so that you may be confident of our genuine love for you.”

OPENING ILLUSTRATION/QUESTION

Story of me telling payroll I had been overpaid.

Story of me smuggling Jessica’s rings.

CAN YOU THINK OF A TIME WHEN YOU OR SOMEONE ELSE DID THE RIGHT THING?

OR MAYBE THEY GOT CAUGHT BECAUSE THEY DID THE WRONG THING?

As we begin looking at Paul’s defense of his ministry, the first thing we will see is…

The Desired Motivation of the Gospel

If we want to be faithful, approved servants of God, we need to have the right motivation.

BACKGROUND INFO

1 Thessalonians 2:1 “For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain.”

Paul has already shown how there was discernable fruit from their visit to the Thessalonians, which they were well aware of.

We talked about the evidence of the fact that God had been working among them by the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 2:2 “But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.”

We still came to you, despite suffering and being shamefully treated, because we have boldness and confidence in our God and His gospel.

They had suffered in Philippi...

They were beaten with rods, and thrown in prison.

They had been shamefully treated...

They had their garments torn off, and were treated as foreigners.

EVEN STILL, they willingly came to preach the gospel in Thessalonica, despite facing opposition there as well.

Why?

How was it they were willing to endure suffering and continue?

They had the right motivation.

They desired to be faithful messengers.

1 Thessalonians 2:3-4 “For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.”

God’s gospel message was one of truth.

Free from error, impurity, or deception.

Since it comes from God who cannot lie, we know it is true.

Likewise, Paul says that they did not attempt to change the message in any way in order to manipulate the Thessalonians.

They remained true to the message.

Paul then states that they had been considered worthy messengers of the gospel of God.

They had been “approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel,”

God had set them apart as His ambassadors to bring His message to the Gentiles.

They rightly considered it a great honour and privilege to be God’s messenger boys.

Therefore, they desired to speak in such a way that they would be pleasing to God.

God’s message was one of truth, and they were not going to modify it to please men, because ultimately God will hold them accountable… and He knows their hearts.

They were not in it for money.

1 Thessalonians 2:5 “For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness.”

Flattery is used in order to gain favour with someone, or gain power over them.

Flattery is also used when there is an underlying desire for money.

The word used here for pretext means cloak.

Paul is saying they did not come to Thessalonica, claiming to be there for God, meanwhile, hiding their secret desire to get their money.

We think of that shady person in an alley trying to sell some stolen watches or jewelry.

They have a long cloak, lure you in, look around to make sure nobody’s looking, and then open it up and show you the goods.

This IS NOT what Paul was doing!

They did not have to hide anything, since their desire was to be faithful messengers to God.

They were not in it for their own glory.

1 Thessalonians 2:6 “Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.”

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy did not have any desire to become famous.

The desire to become famous brings with it the potential for the message to become distorted, since your aim becomes people-pleasing.

They also did not have a desire to take advantage of their status and position for personal gain or pleasure.

Their desire was to be pleasing to God.

Paul, SIlvanus, and Timothy had the right motivation.

Their main desire was to be pleasing to God.

That was the only gauge they used to measure their success.

W. A. Criswell tells the story of a train master, who was responsible for the smooth operation of a busy depot in the heart of a crowded city.

A passerby commended him for his obvious display of grace and tact as he juggled his many responsibilities, including answering passenger’s queries, giving directions, and maintaining the smooth operation of the depot.

“How do you do it?"

the passerby asked.

"With so many hurried people, disgruntled, and angry… how do you maintain your composure?"

The train master replied, “Why, it is no big deal.

I do not have all these people to please.

I only have to please just one man."

He pointed to an office and to a window on the second floor, and he said, “My master sits in that office, and it is he alone that I have to please.”

Mark, Howell, speaking on this story, says,

“Nothing is more liberating in ministry than to recognize that God is the only one whom you and I must please.

Such a conviction not only frees us from the tyranny of people pleasing, but it also emboldens us to speak God’s truth with power and conviction.”

— Mark Howell

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

Why do many people view Christians as phony or fake?

They think they claim to be perfect… they don’t make any mistakes;

They think the church is a scam just trying to take your money;

They think faith is a cop-out.

Do we ever give them reason to think we are fake?

How so?

If we act inconsistently with what we say we believe;

Do Christians have to be perfect/sinless?

No, but there should be distinguishing marks of authenticity.

This is Paul’s whole point.

Remember how I acted among you.

We should look different from others.

As we continue looking at Paul’s defense of his ministry, we see…

The Desired Example of the Gospel

If we want to be faithful, approved servants of God, then we need to be the right example to others.

The first example we see from Paul is…

The example of a mother.

1 Thessalonians 2:7 “But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children.”

A nursing mother is attentive to every single detail of her baby.

She notices even the slightest change.

I remember experiencing this watching Jessica take care of all of our children.