(019) A Great Sacrifice for a Great Treasure (Part 4)

1 Thessalonians 3:1–5 ESV

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. 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.

Paul’s goal to encourage and comfort in the faith.

The goal was to build up.

The goal was to call near.

Paul’s burden was that they not be moved by their trials.

Paul prepared them for trials.

They were destined for trials.

Paul’s burden was that they make it through adversity and finish life well.

3. Paul understood the role God gave His people.

1 Thessalonians 3:2 ESV

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. Paul understood the role God gave His people.

Paul refers to Timothy as…

His son in the faith. (1 Timothy 1)

A fellow laborer. (Romans 16)

A brother

AND God’s coworker.

Timothy was God’s co-worker.

Some say this is translated wrong.

That Paul was saying they were working together as God’s servant.

That’s not what the greek says and most now agree this is the proper translation.

Synergos: companion in labor

We get our word synergy from this.

The people of Thessalonica knew Timothy, so why this introduction?

Paul chose his words carefully.

Paul was teaching us something.

Paul was telling them who Timothy was so they didn’t miss it.

A. Paul understood the tool God uses to do His work.

God’s plan was that people would be His hands and feet.

There are a couple of directions of application:

The first is what I think Paul didn’t want them to miss.

Lest, in the middle of their struggles, they think God has forgotten them, Paul wanted them to know that Timothy was laboring hand in hand with God.

Timothy was their answer to their prayer.

Timothy was working as God’s hands and feet.

The second was Paul understood the tools God uses to work.

Paul sent a coworker of God to go and do.

Timothy was willing to go because he understood the tool God uses to work.

We have to do more than pray.

Instead of thinking God will do all the work, we need to remember we are what God uses!

1 Corinthians 3:9 ESV

9 For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

A. Paul understood the tool God uses to do His work.

If you and I are not doing, who is?

If we are not the hands and feet of God in the lives of others, who is?

There are people in your life God is using to get your through.

Recognize that.

Mom’s you are the tool God chose to use in the lives of your children.

Deuteronomy 6:5–7 ESV

5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

A. Paul understood the tool God uses to do His work.

As we teach our kids we are the mouthpiece of God.

The tool God uses daily.

B. Paul understood where the authority came from.

Being God’s co-worker should be a great comfort to us.

We aren’t in this by ourselves.

As a follower making other followers.

Matthew 28:18 ESV

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

As an ambassador.

2 Corinthians 5:18–20 ESV

18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

B. Paul understood where the authority came from.

We are simply God’s mouth piece.

Taking His message.

Doing His work.

Timothy went to Thessalonica to encourage and comfort with God’s authority.

Moms as you work as God’s tool investing in the lives of your children.

You teach with His authority.

As they grow and go, they go with His authority.

Train them to go.

Let them go.

Psalm 127:4 ESV

4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth.

B. Paul understood where the authority came from.

We go buy them - the process took about a year.

A stick is found for the shaft of the arrow.

Usually almond branch they grow straight.

The bark is removed.

Then they are sand in some way to remove knots and crooks.

They are left to set for a long period of time to see if they warp.

A tip is carefully fashioned and sharpened.

Finally they make it to the quiver and are shot from the bow.

Mom’s as you carefully go through this process with your kids

Remember you are the tool God is using.

You are carefully crafting with God’s authority.

And they are the powerful weapon they are because they go as God’s co-worker with God’s authority!

We go, serve, and do knowing we are working alongside the all powerful creator.

We get to see that power at work in lives around us.

We get to see God work through us.

Here’s the beauty of this…

Mother’s day and father’s day can be tough for many reasons…

Maybe you don’t have children.

Maybe your children have walked away from God.

Maybe they live far away.

Maybe its hard for you that they’ve grown.

Timothy, God’s co-worker, a powerful arrow sent by Paul

Was not physically Paul’s child, but he calls him his son.

There is no record of Paul having any children

The names we see in scripture tells us he still had a quiver full.

He invested and trained them and they went with God’s authority to have a great eternal impact on the world.

C. Paul understood where the credit lies.

God does not NEED us.

He is all powerful and created everything from nothing.

Yet He chooses to use us.

As Thessalonian church recognizes Paul’s sacrifice, he wants them to know that Timothy is simply a co-laborer.

God is the one the one who receives the glory.

Think about our Psalms this month.

Psalm 105 - God used people to preserve his chosen nation. Yet he was the one doing the work - they were simply co-laborers.

Psalm 106 - because of God’s mercy He forgives and uses us in spite of our mess.

Mom’s, be encouraged!

You are simply a co-worker with God.

God will preserve His children!

When you have moments of failure, God is still faithful and will pour his mercy out on you.

He get’s the glory for the things we see in the lives of our children and in the lives of others!

Here’s the thought I want to leave you with…

It is hard for us to learn and understand that the health of the church doesn’t simply lie on the pastor, but with the people and strength of their relationships with people, but…

Being God’s co-laborer is the highest, most important position anyone can have.

How do we know we are doing God’s will? Be a co-laborer with Him!