Loving the fellowship of others.
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Loving the fellowship of others.
Loving the fellowship of others.
17 But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. 18 Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.
1 Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, 2 and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, 3 that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. 4 For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know. 5 For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain.
Joe's story (Joseph Scriven)
Joe was a man acquainted with grief.
Born in County Down, Ireland, he aspired as a young man to follow in his father’s footsteps as a Royal Marine, but his poor health made that impossible.
Then he fell in love and was engaged to be married, but his fiancee drowned before their wedding could take place.
To put as much distance as possible between himself and that tragedy, Joe then moved to Canada. While living there, he became engaged again, but his fiancee became ill and died before they could be married.
In his grief, Joe determined to devote himself to a life of service. He was especially known for carrying a bucksaw and cutting firewood for people in need.
Joe received word that his mother was ill. He couldn’t afford to return to Ireland, so he sent his mother a poem in the hope that it would comfort her.
In the poem he didn't want to talk about himself but he wanted to talk about his best friend.
Let me read you the first verse of that poem
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
17 But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. 18 Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.
1 Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, 2 and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, 3 that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. 4 For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know. 5 For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain.
1 Thess 2:17-
A. We should be overwhelmed with love one for another.
A. We should be overwhelmed with love one for another.
Paul describes the violent way in which they left
The word taken away is from a Greek Word which means “SEVERED”
They were literally whisked away violently
Does anyone here remember when President Reagan was shot. John Hinkley Jr. He had just Given a speech at the Washington Hilton. Remember the violent way he was pushed into the car.
1. Seek others with Passion
1. Seek others with Passion
Look in verse 17 at the last two words “Great Desire”
Those words make up a Greek Word that means longing but not just any longing.
It has the same intensity when it is used to speak of a Mans desire for his wife.
It has the same intensity when it is used to speak of intense hunger pains.
It has the same intensity when it is used to speak of an overwhelming desire for sleep
2. A Passion that can’t be quenched
2. A Passion that can’t be quenched
Look at verse one of our text “When we could no longer endure it”
The Greek is literally applied to a watertight vessel. When we could no longer contain ourselves in our yearning desire for you.
We were filling up more and more the pressure was increasing, I'm going to blow a gasket
He even repeats the phrase again “No longer endure” in verse 5
3. A Passion that accepts the risk
3. A Passion that accepts the risk
Can you imagine that conversation. You see Timothy I’m concerned about Thessalonica
Now Timothy remembered Philippi and how they were run out of town and I’m sure He remembered how they had to flee Thessalonica. Maybe it was a hard sell?
It hadn't been a great separation of time before these emotions came forward.
But in our zeal for the brethren understand there is opposition
B. We should not be Overcome by the pitfalls.
B. We should not be Overcome by the pitfalls.
1. Satan will attempt to hinder (VS. 18) (And succeed some times)
1. Satan will attempt to hinder (VS. 18) (And succeed some times)
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.
2. Circumstances will disappoint.
2. Circumstances will disappoint.
Look at verse 1 again
1 Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone,
You have a small team already and now one of your hardest workers needs to leave! WOW
C. We should look for the “Glory at the end of the Story”
C. We should look for the “Glory at the end of the Story”
Don’t get caught up in all the relationships that turn south. Pray about them, do your best to keep the but never allow a failure to stop you!!!
Don’t get caught up in all the relationships that turn south. Pray about them, do your best to keep the but never allow a failure to stop you!!!
Paul’s overwhelming desire was to see if they had endured.
1. Never allow your first hope not to be your first hope.
1. Never allow your first hope not to be your first hope.
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name
Refrain: On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
Refrain: On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
2. Understand your 1st hope carries to your next hope.
2. Understand your 1st hope carries to your next hope.
1 thess 2:19-20
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary 2:19–20
Paul’s affection rose to its climax in this almost lyrical passage. The Philippian believers were the only others who received such warm words of personal love from Paul.
He voiced a rhetorical question to heighten the intensity of his fervor. In effect he asked what would be the greatest blessing he could possibly receive at the judgment seat of Christ. They were! They were everything that was worth anything to Paul. They were his hope; their development was what he lived for as a parent lives to see his children grow up to maturity, to produce and reproduce. They were his joy, they filled his life with sunshine as he thought of what they used to be, what they had become, and what they would be by the grace of God. They were his crown; they themselves were the symbol of God’s blessing on his life and ministry. They were his glory and joy, and not only his but also the glory and joy of his companions in labor. Paul said in essence, “When life is over and we stand in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming, you Thessalonians will be our source of glory and joy; you mean that much to us.”