Gospel Afflictions

Introduction:

The Emotional Toll of Gospel Unity - 4 Burdens & 2 Solutions

I. Overwhelmed and Isolated (v. 1)

“We could bear it no longer...”

Twice repeated in these five short verses. “For this reason when I could bear it no longer...” (v. 5)

Paul is emotionally overwhelmed.

The more sinical among us might be tempted to accuse Paul of not trusting in God.

I am of the opinion that worry is not always sinful. Worry can sometimes be a proper response of living in a sinful world.

Worry can often motivate us to appropriate actions.

If your child is playing in the road you should be appropriately worried about their safety and thus be motivated to correct the situation.

So the question for our text is, was it appropriate for Paul to be sufficiently worried about the Thessalonians that it motivated him to send Timothy?

If you are going to worry about something maybe it should be the spiritual wellbeing of others.

Observations

Paul’s worry was focused outward not on himself. (Sometimes when we worry about others it is still a selfish worry. We are worried about how we will feel or how our lives will change if something happens to them.)

Paul’s worry was spiritually focused.

Paul’s worry motivated reasonable and appropriate action.

Paul’s worry did not prevent him from serving the Lord where he was currently at.

Paul’s worry was realistic.

It may be possible that Paul’s concern for the Thessalonians was a Spirit driven burden not a self focused anxiety attack.

“We were willing to be left alone...”

Paul and Silas were undoubtedly starting to feel isolated in Corinth and especially when they sent Timothy to check on the Thessalonians.

What we are observing in this text is a burden for a group of fellow believers that motivates personal sacrifice.

Paul and Silas were willing to give up the presence of Timothy for the sake of the Thessalonians.

Which meant an increased work load for each of them.

Most of you are like me in that at different times you have been both the burden and the giver.

When was the last time you made a personal sacrifice for the sake of the brethren?

II. Afflicted and Tempted (v. 3-5)

Destined for Affliction (v. 3)

John 15:18 ““If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.”

1 Peter 2:20–21 “For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.”

Since Jesus suffered we should expect to suffer.

It could be physical, emotional, relational or more.

Warned of Affliction (v. 4)

It is not a surprise.

Paul was very clear with the Thessalonians that they would suffer affliction for their faith, and they did.

We should take care not to go beyond the text in our application here. Sometimes when preachers get particularly fired up they may imply that if you are not suffering for your faith then you are not really walking with Jesus or your are not sharing your faith. We need to remember that Paul was talking to a particular people in a particular place and time. He told the Thessalonians that they would suffer not us. The Bible does not guarantee physical suffering for believing in Christ. It does guarantee that the world will hate you. It does exhort us that if we are going to physically suffer it should be for what is good and not for evil behaviors. There is one kind of guaranteed suffering for all believers, and that is the putting to death of our flesh.

Romans 8:13 “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

Colossians 3:5 “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

Does that sound like a pain free process?

It is not external affliction but it is certainly an affliction from within.

Danger of Affliction (v. 3,5)

This is what I find most fascinating about Paul’s Spirit inspired perspective on affliction.

The real danger of affliction is not physical pain, it is the internal struggle that comes along with it.

Paul describes it in two ways

Moved by Affliction - i.e. shaken, disturbed, unsettled

I believe what Paul means here from v. 3 is that our affliction has moved us away from God.

It has caused us to question God’s character and nature.

We start to ask questions like, “Is God good?” or “Does God even care?”

This was Paul’s concern for the Thessalonians. While he certainly cared for their physical suffering he was chiefly concerned about their spiritual condition.

Tempted in Affliction - Paul’s main concern for the Thessalonians is the temptation that always accompanies affliction.

Your flesh is like a disease whose symptoms are brought on by fatigue and stress.

The World led by Satan is always strategic.

Temptations are not random and Paul understood that affliction is a perfect opportunity for temptation to strike.

Knowing is half the battle. The less that you are surprised by temptation the less you will give into it.

III. Established and Exhorted (v. 2,5)

How we overcome the dangers that come with affliction

Their Previous Labor (v. 5) - a good foundation

Church Planting

The Gospel

Edification

Their Faith Edified (v. 2) - continued growth

Timothy Sent

Brother

God’s co-worker in the faith

We all need a Timothy

From Paul’s perspective: a trusted partner

From the Thessalonians perspective: a spiritual mentor

Established - sure footing

James 1:2–8 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

When we correctly respond to affliction of any kind it produces through our faith a steadfastness which is what Paul refers to as being “established” in the faith.

Within the context of our text it means that we are not easily moved.

It means that we are not easily moved by someone with a bad argument spoken confidently.

It means that we are not youtube theologians.

We need the local church in order to be properly established in the faith.

Exhorted - encouragement with boxing gloves on

True expositional preaching always leans toward exhortation over pure encouragement.

Exhortation is balance of encouragement and conviction.

It is going to hurt, but your going to feel good about it.

When you walk away from exhortation you often say “I needed to hear that.”

You should come to church with an expectation of being:

Established - that is to say confirmed in the faith

Exhorted - encouraged and convicted

But you should also come to church with the expectation of producing those things in the hearts and minds of others. The people who get the most out of our corporate gatherings are the people who put the most in.