Pastoral Concern

PASTORAL PRAYER

Heavenly Father, We come to you today recognizing who You are, The Creator of all things, visible and invisible, The One who upholds the universe by Your word, The One who declares the end from the beginning, Whose counsel shall stand and whose purpose will be accomplished. You are the One to whom we must give an account, The One who created all things as very good, And witnessed man mar Your creation through disobedience, Yet, whose love is so thorough that You provided redemption, Through the substitutionary atonement of Your Son, our Savior, Jesus the Christ. Father, we come before You today seeking Your mercy and grace, For those we know carrying precious children in their bodies, Who are enduring difficulties in their pregnancies, And serious health risks for them and their children, Please hear our pleas for their safety and the health of their babies. We thank you, Lord, that in the midst of a culture of death, These women have chosen to protect and nurture precious life, They recognize that children are a blessing, not a choice, They are a precious image bearer who has innate value and worth, They are fearfully and wonderfully made. Lord, we need Your divine intervention in our nation, The United States of America have become the Divided States of America, Everyone has turned to their own way and does what is right in their own eyes, On full display is the corruption of our government and the depravity of man, People acting selfishly for their own gain, and violently silencing their opponents. Lord, we desperately need justice in the land, Not social justice. Not man’s justice. Your justice. And not merely Your justice in judgment, which is being brought upon us now, But the justice that was realized at the Cross, when Your Son shed His blood, And became the propitiation… the satisfactory sacrifice for the sins of man. You have commissioned us, Father, to take the gospel to the nations, You are calling all men everywhere to repent, and believe in Jesus, How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? And how will they preach unless they are sent? Here I am Lord…here we are Lord… send us. For Your glory and the sake of the gospel, we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

INTRODUCTION

Returning to Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica, we are reminded that he is longing to return to see them.

The visit to Thessalonica was cut short, now he is concerned for them

In the passage today, we are going to see a true Pastoral Concern that Paul has for the saints in Thessalonica.

Read 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5

AN UNBEARABLE LONGING

verse 1, when we could bear it no longer

Paul and his companions were separated from the believers at Thessalonica before the church could be properly established.

He desired time and again to go back and see them, but Satan prevented it

Being separated from his spiritual children brought a longing that was so extreme for Paul, that he could not withstand it without knowing their condition.

There was an intense emotional pain

2 Corinthians 11:28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.

anxiety - a feeling of apprehension or distress in view of possible danger or misfortune

Paul was very aware of the potential danger to the people without proper discipleship

Acts 20:29–32 (Paul’s warning to the Ephesian elders) I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Though he was facing his own trials (3:7), he was more concerned about their wellbeing in the midst of their difficulties.

This is the fleshing out of Philippians 2:3, Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

This is what it looks like to faithfully serve others and put them before yourself.

2 Corinthians 12:15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls.

2 Corinthians 2:12–13 When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia.

A NECESSARY SACRIFICE

verse 1, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone

The strong affection of Paul led to a sacrifice for the benefit of others.

The selfless commitment to meet others’ needs is the measure of true care for them

Oswald Chambers Our notion of sacrifice is the wringing out of us something we don’t want to give up, full of pain and agony and distress. The Bible idea of sacrifice is that I give as a love-gift the very best thing I have.

To understand the great sacrifice that Paul made on behalf of the Thessalonians, we need to read Acts 17:5-15.

v. 5 - the Jews wanted to kill Paul and his companions

v. 10 - Paul and Silas were sent to Berea

v. 13 - the Thessalonian Jews traveled to Berea to cause trouble for Paul

v. 14 - Paul was sent to Athens alone

v. 15 - he sent for Silas and Timothy to come to Athens with him

Now, as we pick back up in 1 Thessalonians 3:1, Paul states that they were willing to be left behind at Athens alone.

Given all that he had gone through and endured

Given that he did not desire to be in Athens alone, and he wanted Silas and Timothy by his side

He was willing to sacrifice his comfort and desire for the benefit of the Thessalonian believers

The verb translated left behind means “abandoned” or “forsaken” and was used in secular contexts of leaving a loved one behind at death.

For Paul to be separated from his friends was like dying

He certainly benefitted by their presence

A COMPASSIONATE COMPANION

verse 2, we sent Timothy…

Timothy was one of Paul’s children in the faith, and would become the pastor at the church in Ephesus. Since he couldn’t go himself, he trusted Timothy with

He had a good testimony Acts 16:2 He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium.

He was well taught in the Scriptures 2 Timothy 3:14–15 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

He was genuinely concerned for other believers Philippians 2:20 For I have no one like [Timothy], who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.

He was a servant of the gospel Philippians 2:22 But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.

The intent in sending Timothy was to establish and exhort the Thessalonians in their faith.

establish is “to support or buttress something”

A buttressed, or strong, faith is a result of sound doctrine.

MacArthur No faith can be strong without knowledge and understanding of the truth.

exhort is “to come alongside and motivate” them to live that sound doctrine.

Part of the exhorting that Timothy did was to encourage them not to be moved by the afflictions Paul was facing.

be moved is “to be so emotionally disturbed as to give up one’s beliefs”

Given what Paul was going through, and undoubtedly what the Thessalonians were going through, he was concerned that they would be tempted to abandon the faith.

Timothy’s task was to remind them of what God had called Paul to:

Acts 9:16 I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.

and to remind them of the fact:

2 Timothy 3:12 all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted

Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount:

Matthew 5:11–12 Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

To make sure the Thessalonians got his point, Paul reminded them that indeed when he was with them, he told them in advance that they were going to suffer earthly affliction (v. 4) .

William Hendriksen, NT Scholar Afflictions that have been predicted, and that take place in accordance with this prediction, serve to strengthen faith.

CONCLUSION

The heart of the Apostle Paul serves as an example of the concern that Pastors ought to have for their sheep.

A Pastor has an Unbearable Longing to see the sheep and to know of their wellbeing

A Pastor is willing to make the Necessary Sacrifice for the benefit of the sheep, knowing that their well-being is his top priority

A Pastor will send a Compassionate Companion in the event that they cannot be present with the sheep, to make sure they are well cared for.

Of course, the Pastor is a servant-leader, who is to model the Christlike behavior that ought to be present in all believers.

1 Peter 2:9 - the priesthood of the believer But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Thus:

All believers ought to have an Unbearable Longing to see one another and know of each other’s well-being

All believers ought to be willing to make the Necessary Sacrifice for the benefit of the saints, knowing that we are called to consider each other more important than ourselves

All believers ought to be the Compassionate Companion that is willing to serve the sheep and make sure they are well cared for.

Do you have a pastoral concern for one another? May the Lord grant it to us, if we find ourselves lacking.