Necessary Encouragement - 3:1-3
1 Thessalonians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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1 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this.
Priorities can be hard. Especially when we are choosing between good things.
I once had to choose between speaking at a graduation, or attending the graduation of my youngest sister.
Two good things. Two things I wanted to do. But since I have not mastered being two places at once, I had to choose one.
I chose to be there for my sister.
This is the kind of choice Paul is making in our passage.
Paul could keep Timothy with him, that would be the best thing for Paul.
Or.
He could send Timothy to the Thessalonians.
Our passage tells us how Paul chose.
At the end of chapter 2 Paul tells the Thessalonian church that he had wanted to visit them, but Satan had prevented it.
He told them that they were his glory and joy.
Because of how much they meant to Paul, and because of the trials they were facing, Paul made a difficult decision.
Listen again to how Paul words verse 1.
1 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone,
This is how concerned Paul was!
He couldn’t bear the thought of the Thessalonians facing their trials alone!
He was willing to be left without help if that meant the believers in Thessalonica could have spiritual care from Timothy.
Verses like this always make me ask myself “am I willing to sacrifice my own comfort for the sake of others?”
Verse 2 tells us that Paul sent Timothy to Thessalonica.
Paul refers to Timothy as “our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ”.
What a description.
I think it is important for all of us to be reminded that we are brothers and sisters in Christ.
The Christian life is not a contest, we are working together for the sake of the gospel!
More than that, we are coworkers with the eternal God of the universe to bring people into a right relationship with Him!
That’s what the gospel, the good news, is all about!
Paul sent Timothy to the Thessalonians to accomplish two tasks.
Task #1 - Establish them.
This is the Greek word στηρίζω (stērizō) and it means “establish, to confirm (strengthen). To make more marked by firm determination or resolution.”
Timothy is going to help the believers in Thessalonica be more established and strengthened in their faith.
Task #2 - Exhort them.
Exhort means “to earnestly support or encourage a response or action.”
Timothy is going to establish them in their faith and then encourage them to live it out.
Verse 3 tells us why this is necessary.
3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this.
The Thessalonian believers were facing persecution.
Paul does not want them to be moved by what they face.
“Moved” is the idea of being shaken, disturbed, or to cringe with fear.”
Affliction, suffering, and persecution are to be expected for the child of God.
12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
Not might, not could, WILL.
Paul tells the Thessalonians we are destined for this.
This is a really powerful Greek word because it means to set in place or appoint.
We are placed by God in situations and circumstances that are difficult, why? So that everyone who looks at us can see that we only endure because of Christ!
Hard times are to be expected!
But know this. Hard times can be endured with the strength and power of Christ.
Paul is sacrificing his own comfort to send Timothy to the Thessalonian church so that they can face their trials with a faith that is firm.
We can only endure the hard times of life when we have our faith firmly established and we have brothers and sister in Christ encouraging us.
We must have a faith that is deeply rooted and we must both give and receive encouragement.