1stThessalonians3

1 Thessalonians 3:1-5(ESV)
¹Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 
²and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker^£ in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 
³that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 
⁴For 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. 
⁵For 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.

V2b-4 –  to establish and exhort you in your faith,  ³that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this.  ⁴For 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. 

Sent to strengthen and encourage them concerning their faith…   To strengthen means the establishing of something a building up.  Here it is adding to the Gospel message that was originally shared with them and adding (‘meat)’depth to their understanding of the Gospel. 

To have ‘strong faith’ one needs to know all that God has revealed, and this has a foundation in sound doctrine.  No faith can be strong without knowledge and understanding of the truth.  The word “encourage” denotes a coming alongside and motivating them to live that sound doctrine.   It was a practice to return back to the cities where they established the Gospel to give further encouragement in their walk with God. 

V.4 – ….suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know.”  “Tribulation” would be the same word for “affliction”.    Paul knew they could be disturbed by certain afflictions (pressure, tests of faith in suffering).  Quote J. MacArthur   –  Taking John MacArthur to the test I did a word study to show if his statement that “affliction and tribulation” was from the same root word.

1 Thessalonians 3:4 (NASB95) –   For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction (thlibo) (LN 22.21)  ; and so it came to pass, as you know.

LN 22.21θλίβω^b: to cause someone to suffer trouble or hardship—‘to cause trouble to, to persecute, to cause to suffer hardship.’ ‘to bring suffering on those who make you suffer’ 2 Th 1:6;‘the gate is narrow and the way is difficult (to travel)’ Mt 7:14.

2 Corinthians 7:5 (NASB95)   For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted (thlibo)(LN22.121)  on every side: conflicts without, fears within.  The sense of (thlibo) is:  “to be caused to be distressed” 

John 16:33 (NASB95)  33      “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation  (thlipsis)  (LN 22.2), but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

LN22.22–(a figurative extension of meaning employing the base πνίγω^a‘to choke,’ 19.53): to cause serious trouble to, with the implication of dire consequences and probably a weakened state—‘to cause severe hardship, to oppress, to overwhelm.’…the downtrodden’ Lk 4:18.

Romans 12:12 (NASB95)  rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation (thlipsis) (LN22.2) (distress (state)) , devoted to prayer,                

Quote Vernon McGee:  “The time to be concerned is when there is no cloud in the sky, no ripple on the sea, and everything is smooth and nice.  Then you might question your salvation.  But if you are experiencing trouble down here, if the pressures and tensions of life are on you, then that is a sign that you are a child of God.  This is the way God teaches us to rely on Him.”  
We are all going to have a little trouble down here.  Such troubles are for the purpose of bringing us closer to God.  They promote sanctification in the life of the believer.”

1 Thessalonians 3:5(ESV)
⁵For 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.

Paul did not know how the faith of the Thessalonians had weathered the storm of trials, tribulation, and persecutions.  From experience there, he knew that there were wolves among them. He feared the tempter, Satan, might have tempted them successfully to reject the gospel truth.  The tempter uses three basic approaches:   Quote:  NAC:

1.       His first assault is to prevent people from believing: “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:4).

2.       His second assault is to destroy someone’s initial interest in the gospel: “The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away” (Matt. 13:20–21).

3.       Finally, if he cannot stop them from embracing the gospel, Satan strives to weaken the faith of those who do believe: “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3; cf. 1 Cor. 7:5; 2 Cor. 2:11; 3:14–15; James 1:12–18; 1 Peter 5:8).

1 Thessalonians 3:6-8 –  The Pastor’s Delight in His People
⁶But 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—
⁷for this reason, brothers,^£ in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith. 
⁸For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord. 

 Timothy conveys a four-part report on their spiritual status:

1.       Good News that their faith in God and Jesus Christ was genuine.  Their hearts had been like the good soil that received the WORD, took root and produced fruit.

2.       That their love for the Lord was authentic.  This would be the clearest evidence of being a Christian.

3.       That they always thought kindly of Paul.  It was a joy to Paul to learn they had found memories of him as Christ’s true apostle. 

4.       Timothy declared that their affection was strong and they longed to see Paul.  He rejoices in the good news that they were eager to renew fellowship with him. 

Paul states:  V.8 “For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.”   The ‘stand firm’ (stekete) is a military term meaning not to retreat in the face of an attack but be strong in faith.    Paul gives thanks to God for them as He knew it was God’s hand upon them.

1 Thessalonians 3:9  –  The Pastor’s Gratitude For His People
⁹For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, 

 Thanks be to God  “For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you…”

“Render .. in return”  translates one word  (antapodounai)  to express the impossibility of repay the Lord for all the divine work that caused him to rejoice before God.  It was a demonstration of the outwork of God’s grade in their lives.

1 Thessalonians 3:10 –  Pastor’s Intercession For His People
¹⁰as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?

 Paul prayed constantly and fervently for the congregation there.   Term used was:  “night and day” and “most earnestly”..  Paul was anxious to supply more truth that they were lacking as he had to leave so abruptly. 

Jesus provides the example of a ‘good shepherd’  –  John 10:11-16(ESV)
¹¹I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 
¹²He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 
¹³He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 
¹⁴I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 
¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 
¹⁶And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13  –  A Pastoral Prayer
¹¹Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 
¹²and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 
¹³so 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.

Paul say “God and Father” emphasizes his personal relationship and Jesus our Lord would emphasize his personal ruler ship.  Stressing the unity and singleness of the two.

The prayer was for them to prefect their faith in a perfecting faith with a prospering love and purifying hope.

This is a prayer.  1^st request V.11 – “direct our way to you”  or ‘clear the way’ for us to come to you.  

“direct” (kateuthyno) may mean either ‘make straight’ or simply ‘ direct’   –  “make straight” would apply that there were obstacles to be removed and that would seem the intent of Paul for this word as Satan was preventing his return to them. 

Paul’s intent was not to return and lead the Thessalonians into some emotional experience that would merely attempt to get them believing ore fervently but rather to expand their knowledge of God through His revealed truth.  It was to enlarge their trust in Him and enable them to walk in greater obedience to His will.  Teach the Scripture to mature them by.    (1 Peter 2:2 – “Like newborn babies long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation”.

The precepts, principles, and promises of Scripture are the windows through which believers look to see God and understand His glory and will for our lives. 

Evidence by:  1) Their knowledge of God was increasing  2) their confidence in God was greater than before  3) their trust in His sovereignty is stronger than before 4) their obedience to Him is consistent  5) they are finding joy in their trials.

V.12 – 2^nd was to “increase and overflow” in  their love for one another and for others.   The Greek word (pleonazo) is translated into the phrase:  “cause you to increase”   – To increase in Love (ho agiape)

“Love” is an action verb, meaning that we are actively seeking the welfare of another.  Love has a purpose; it is not an end in itself.

V.13– The final objective of Paul’s prayer was that they might look to their glorification, which produces a purifying hope. 

1 John 3:2(ESV)
²Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears^£ we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.