INTRODUCTION

·         What we know so far is that the early church was severely persecuted for their faith.

·         When it comes to Thessalonica we see that Paul was driven out of Thessalonica after a very short gospel ministry, leaving behind a very young church to face not only the normal trials of life in a warped, fallen, sin filled, Satan luring world but on top of all that living as Christians, specifically targeted for hate because they were of their Father God and not of Satan and this world.

·         Paul like any normal parent cared for the flock. He was really and truly concerned about their spiritual wellbeing.

o   He had already compared himself to a gentle caring mother, willing to give herself to the flock

o   He had already compared himself to a father stepping up to exhort, encourage and charge his flock to walk in a manner worthy of God.

·         Parents are naturally wired to care for their children, they will go to great lengths to protect them, to equip them and strengthen them to face this hostile dangerous world.

o   When a child first goes to school there are TEARS moms often cry wondering how the other children will treat their baby, will the teacher be fair, will they get hurt. Its hard to let go because nobody cares like you do.

o   When they leave home, we TREMBLE knowing full well the horrors of this fallen world.

o   Then when they face hardship and threats, we do EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER to defend them.

·         We can’t wrap them in cotton wool, we can’t live their lives for them, so what can we do, what must we do, what did Pauls do?

·         He must help them to stand, to stand firm and immovable, to build up their faith, establish them as mature believers. That’s the key thought in chapter 3. As seen by the repeated key words and concepts.

o   In v2, we see the word establish and exhort.

1 Thessalonians 3:2,13 (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,

o   In v13, we see the word establish repeated again.

13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

o   Then in verse 8 we have the key verse:

1 Thessalonians 3:8 (ESV)

8 For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.

So then, how does Paul set about to build them up and help them to Stand firm in their faith?

·         In v 1-5 Paul sent Timothy to fulfil a ministry of strengthening.

·         In v 6-8 Pauls shares his response to Timothy’s positive report about their strength.

·         In v 9-13 Paul turns to God in Prayer and Supplication for greater strength.  

V1-5 Paul sent Timothy to fulfil a ministry of strengthening

Paul chose to send Timothy to go back to Thessalonica to engage in a supporting ministry of strengthening and equipping. Let’s look at some of the qualities of a genuine, strengthening ministry a ministry that comes alongside to support and build a faith that will stand:  

1.       Timothy’s supporting ministry was a ministry of commitment:

1 Thessalonians 3:1 (ESV) Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy….

o   Sending Timothy was an expression of genuine Christian love, concern

o   Sending Timothy was an act of selfless sacrifice. There was a willingness to split the team use some of their best resources, namely Timothy, to reach out to minister to them.

o   Sending Timothy would be an expression of responsibility and accountability letting them know that the missionaries would not abandon or neglect them.  

2.       Timothy’s strengthening ministry was aimed at establishing and exhorting them in their faith.

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,

·         The idea behind establishing is helping them to stand solidly it has the idea of reinforcing or undergirding like a stake that supports a small thin tree until it can stand on its own.

·         The idea behind exhorting was to encourage through urging and appealing.

·         This idea of going back to strengthen and support was common to Pauls missionary work After sharing the gospel in a city he always wanted to go back to strengthen, reinforce and support.

o   As seen in Acts 14:21-22 when Paul had finished preaching to Derbe he went back to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch to establish the believers there.

Acts 14:21–22 (ESV) 21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

o   The same methodology of strengthening a young church is found again in   Acts 18:22-23

Acts 18:22–23 (ESV) 22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

3.       Timothy’s ministry of supporting & strengthening was aimed at boosting their perseverance and courage

1 Thessalonians 3:3–5 (ESV)

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.

When Paul says 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions…

·         He is calling them to courage in the face of adversity & afflictions.

·         We can’t say as believers we never signed up for affliction, or when I became a Christian, I expected to have smooth sailing because now I have Jesus at my side.

·          Timothy reminded them that afflictions are part of the journey they are inevitable when we live in a world dominated by Satanic resistance.

·         When we are saved, we become friends with God and by virtue of that fact enemies with all God’s enemies and forces and behaviours that resist God.

·         If we do not understand this fact of Christian suffering for the cause of Christ and if we want only a smooth road we will very quickly be tempted and swayed. We will quickly flounder and not stand, stable and established.

v6-8 Pauls Shares his Response to Timothy’s Positive Report about their strength.

With Timothy’s update and progress Report, Paul shares with us his Joy for them but also reveals the mutual  impact that such good news had on his own life. 

1 Thessalonians 3:6–10 (ESV)

6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you— 7 for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. 8 For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.

·         Upon Timothy’s return Paul the Christlike Shepherd the Spiritually caring Parent is anxious to find out what had happened to this young church in his absence.

o   What had the pressures of life done, the persecution from those opposed to the Christian faith, The strong opposition to Pauls and his ministry. The deception of Satan.

o   ARE THEY STILL STANDING have they rejected the gospel have they rejected us, has their faith stood the test?  In these few verses we see the heart of a spiritual parent ticking the boxes of his anxious heart.

·         Is it, good news or bad news – “good news”. He uses the same word as the good news of the gospel possibly to express the magnitude of how good it is to know that they are standing.

o   Their faith is sound with all that resistance they are trusting and walking with God

o   Their love is sound they have not become bitter and resentful from the struggles.

o   Their relationship is sound the liars the antagonists the gossips and slanderers had not caused a rift in their friendship in fact they long to see Paul.

·         Now Paul refers to the mutual impact that their faith had on his own life. He expresses his heart response to the good news the really, really good news. When he says for this reason i.e. the result is that:

o   Paul is Comforted  

7 for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith …. relieved glad but there is more here.

o    Paul is Mutually Strengthened

Now Paul in his own struggles and suffering finds strength for his own faith struggle. Because their faith fuels his own faith. Paul sees this mutual faith strengthening as a vital part of Christian fellowship it’s never a one-way channel. We as Christians need each other. Christian fellowship is not just friendship it is mutual faith building.                                       We also see this sentiment in: Romans 1:11–12 (ESV)

11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.

·         Their solid growing faith had so deeply impressed and impacted him that he was able to say in v8:

 8 For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord

o   Pauls way of saying now that you are standing firm it’s like I have a new lease on life all because you are standing firm in your faith.

o   It also helps us understand how precious it is when people we love are standing firm in faith walking with the Lord. We know life will not be easy but knowing they are equipped and standing firm in Christian faith is comforting and fills us with peace.

V9-13 Paul turns to God in Prayer and Supplication for greater strength.

·         After the good news and feeling spiritually encouraged and rejuvenated by the firm faith of the Thessalonians.

·         Paul focuses on one last climactic avenue of the strengthening, establishing and stabilising ministry. The power of prayer and supplication.

·         Covering several important request and intercessions.

9 For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, 10 as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith? 11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

·         V9 For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God,

For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you… Words cannot express the joy Paul feels for the spiritual strength and faith of the Thessalonians. That the trials and struggles have not crushed them spiritually.

·         V10 as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?

He prays for a time when he can see them face to face for the primary purpose of supplying what is lacking in their faith. Though they were sound he knew they would need more discipleship more building  up more doctrine and building. We never arrive spiritually in this world there is always more room for growth.

·         V11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you,

He knew that the only way he would see them was if God allowed it. All of life is in Gods permissive and sovereign hand, but he let it be known to God and to them that his hearts desire was to see them.

·         V12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you

Then he intercedes that God would provide them with the grace to grow and abound in love for one another and for all. Abounding growing love among the brethren is a powerful encouraging and strengthening ingredient when life is filled with suffering and affliction.

·         V13 Notice how his prayer end off… and brings us back to the theme of this chapter. His reason for praying and depending upon the Lord was very clear: so that……

1 Thessalonians 3:13 (ESV)

13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

o   His ministry purpose and prayer was not merely to see souls saved

o   but souls established and strengthened believers to stand firm and face the distress and afflictions of this this life,

o   Most importantly to stand at that future great day, to stand blameless and holy before God when Jesus comes.  

CONCLUSION

·         May the Lord give us a hearts that strives to build and strengthen younger Churches and believers. Helping others to stand firm in the faith.

·         Let us pray for one another to become mature,  blameless and holy before God at the second coming of Jesus.

·         So let us STAND and live in light of the second coming of Jesus