FAITHFUL IN MINISTRY

1 Thessalonians 2:1–8 ESV

1 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. 2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. 3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. 7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

I. NOT IN VAIN

A. 1 Thessalonians 2:1 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain.

1 Thessalonians 2:1 ESV

1 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain.

B. Paul and his team left town because of the people being stirred up by the Jews, who were jealous of the people responding to the message.

C. Paul has already written in chapter 1 of the faith, love, and hope of the Thessalonian church.

D. He has commended them because their testimony has spread throughout the region and was impacting many others.

E. In light of this, to counter some of the divisive attacks, he appeals to the Thessalonians’s own knowledge of the impact his visit had on them.

F. “…you…know…that our coming…was not in vain.”

G. Their coming had brought the benefit of the gospel to the people.

H. It had changed them. They were witnesses to this.

I. Faithful ministry brings benefit, spiritual benefit, to those receiving it.

II. GOSPEL-CENTERED

A. 1 Thessalonians 2:2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.

1 Thessalonians 2:2 ESV

2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.

B. Speaking to this issue of the validity of their ministry, Paul reminds the Thessalonians about the suffering and shameful treatment they had received at Philippi.

C. He did this so they would know how much they valued the message they were bringing to the Thessalonians and how much they valued the Thessalonians.

D. This is key for those who would serve the Lord and his people.

E. This is what I want you to see this morning: Even though they had suffered and been shamed, they had a Spirit inspired boldness to declare the gospel of God even while they continued to experience conflict.

F. Faithful ministry is gospel-centered.

G. It is the gospel received daily that is the means God uses to transform us.

H. This is what ministry is: taking the people to the gospel day after day, not just at the point of regeneration (being born again), but daily as God’s means of encouraging our hearts.

I. “Do you know why there are a thousand fresh self-help books every year? It’s because they don’t work. We keep looking for the answer within us, as if we’ll find it in the same place as the problems. Self-help is like sticking your broken hand in the blender, thinking that’ll fix it.” Wilson, Jared C.. The Imperfect Disciple (pp. 28-29). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

J. The gospel is God’s answer to living now in this broken sinful existence with the promise of a perfectly sinless future coming our way.

III. SEEKING TO PLEASE GOD

A. 1 Thessalonians 2:3-6 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 2:3–6 ESV

3 For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.

B. Paul tells us ministry is about pleasing God.

C. He uses the negative to promote the positive.

D. The made appeal on the basis of God entrusting them with the gospel.

E. They were not deceived and were not attempting to deceive. They were not using the message to garner sexual favors (impurity vs.3).

F. They didn’t seek to flatter the people to gain power over them nor to fill their purses with money.

G. They didn’t even use their standing as apostles of Christ to glory from the people.

H. The goal for each of every day is to please God by not distorting his gospel message in any way, but to walk by knowledge of his will (Colossians 1:9-14).

Colossians 1:9–14 ESV

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

I. Faithful ministry seeks to please God.

IV. GENTLE AND LOVING

A. 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

1 Thessalonians 2:7–8 ESV

7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

B. They were not glory hounds, nor did they make demands on the people (2:6), but they were instead gentle in dealing with the people and filled with genuine affection for the people.

C. They ministered the gospel to the people, but the gospel is what shaped their ministry.

D. We are helpless apart from the good news. We are inadequate in ourselves. Our only hope is the gospel of God.

E. Faithful ministry is moved by compassion because faithful ministers know themselves.