1 Thessalonians 3 | Why Paul Sent Timothy to Thessalonica

In 1 Thessalonians 3, the Apostle Paul expresses his deep concern and affection for the Thessalonian church. Paul, unable to visit them himself due to circumstances, decides to send Timothy to check on their faith and encourage them amid their trials. This chapter emphasizes Paul's pastoral heart as he worries about the spiritual well-being of the Thessalonians, fearing that the tempter, Satan, might have lured them away from their faith. However, Timothy returns with encouraging news that the Thessalonians are standing firm in their faith, which brings Paul immense joy and relief.

Paul highlights the significant risk he took by sending Timothy away, showing how deeply he cared for the church in Thessalonica. Despite the personal and ministerial challenges, Paul prioritized their spiritual health over his comfort, underscoring his commitment to their growth and steadfastness in the faith. He recognizes the trials they face and reassures them of God's presence and purpose, reinforcing the idea that suffering and affliction are part of the Christian journey but also an opportunity for growth and strengthening of faith.

The chapter also delves into the reality of spiritual warfare, reminding the Thessalonians that Satan is constantly trying to undermine their faith. Paul’s concern reflects his awareness of Satan's tactics, and he acknowledges that the spiritual battle is as real as any physical challenge. Nevertheless, he reassures them that God is faithful and has provided them with everything they need to resist these attacks and remain steadfast. He encourages them to hold on to their faith and trust in God’s power, regardless of the opposition they face.

Moreover, Paul prays for the Thessalonians, asking God to increase their love for one another and to establish their hearts as blameless and holy. His prayer demonstrates his desire for the church not only to survive but to thrive in their faith. He also constantly reminds them of the return of Jesus Christ, instilling hope and a future-focused perspective. This hope is meant to sustain them through their trials and keep them committed to their faith.

Ultimately, 1 Thessalonians 3 serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of encouragement, faithfulness, and spiritual vigilance. It invites believers to stay strong amid trials, lean on each other for support, and remain ever-watchful against the enemy’s schemes, all while keeping their eyes on the promised return of Jesus Christ.

#Thessalonians #FaithfulLiving #SpiritualWarfare #Encour

Transcript

 1 Thessalonians 3

1 Thessalonians 3

[00:00:00] Hey everyone, welcome to God's plan, your part year two, where this year we're reading through and studying the entire new Testament one chapter at a time. Thanks again for joining us in discovering God's plan and your part in it. Today, we're looking at first Thessalonians chapter three, and I think this chapter makes it so, so, so clear, uh, that Paul is encouraged by this particular congregation.

Uh, this chapter, uh, rings very differently. Then some of the other more disciplinary chapters in different books that we've read. Uh, this one, I mean, chapter three, read it for yourself, of course, but you can see how encouraged Paul is. Uh, and honestly, like how excited he is for what's going on in this church.

It's pretty cool to see. Yeah, it's pretty crazy that he actually is at a point where he can't, I guess yesterday's, End of the chapter. We had talked a little bit about this. Cause I think they kind of broke up the chapters kind of a little bit. I would say, uh, but you can see [00:01:00] how he is really struggling to know that there are some things that perhaps they're dealing with and he can't be there with them.

So he comes to the point where he is actually sending Timothy, um, on his behalf, which means he's just left by himself. So Paul is willing to be on his own sending like his. Secondhand man to go and check in on these guys to see how they're doing, uh, which I think is really, it's really awesome because I don't know that I'd be willing to be like, Hey, only person I have pretty much the entire world.

Go ahead and just leave me for a while to check on these people that I care about a lot. This is a personal risk in that he's traveling without a companion. He's doing business. He's doing ministry without a companion. Companion, Timothy. It's also a professional ministry risk because obviously it affects what he's been being able to do, what he's being able to teach, who he's being able to meet with because he's without Timothy.

So Paul is taking a risk to check in on this church. Uh, it is. Interesting in what he's checking [00:02:00] in on. If you look at verse five in chapter three, 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.

This is true. Uh, Paul referring to the fact that he was afraid that Satan would cause this congregation to compromise on their faith and walk away from their faith. Well, and there's other problems that have, that are or had existed in other churches too. So I'm wondering, he's just like, I got to get out ahead of this.

Right. And what he finds is that they have not been tempted to walk away from their faith. In fact, they're actually persevering in their faith. And I think based on some of the other letters we've read, I think particularly of first and second Corinthians, um, this is probably a pleasant surprise because it seems like he's pretty used to bringing a pastoral correction.

I think he cares for all these congregations. I think he genuinely loves, um, all the people that he's writing back and forth to, um, but some people he has to carry a big stick [00:03:00] and bring some serious correction, where here he seems almost, um, caught off guard by the fact that they're doing well and they seem to be healthy.

Uh, I also really liked this part at the, like, I guess it's more towards, um, The beginning, um, the verse right before that, for when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction just as it's come to pass and just as you know, so he is aware of their suffering. And I think as like, even just a mother, Like knowing that your, your kids are going to suffer through something, like there's always that need to be like, I have to remind them, I have to remind them that it's okay.

And like sending Timothy to do this really shows that he genuinely cares so deeply for them. And what I think flip side of that must've been really encouraging to that church is like, this is not a small thing. He truly does care about us. And I don't know, I think just having that leadership or even just that, we [00:04:00] say mentorship sometimes, of the church.

Would have been so encouraging despite what they were going through and despite the potential for Temptations or whatever. I don't know. I think that's just kind of cool both sides. I agree with that I think the thing that sticks out to me is that Paul is recognizing that the The person, uh, at the center of all of this distraction is actually Satan himself.

And I think, you know, we, we read that passage from Ephesians that we wrestle not against flesh, flesh and blood. Um, I think this is Paul kind of like. walking out that real theology. I think Ephesians was actually written later, if I'm correct. Um, so he's informed later on and writes it in Ephesians, but it seems very clear here that he knows where the blame lies.

It's that Satan is very real. He is very much concerned with trying to distract people and pull them away from their faith. And it, you know, it's tempting to point [00:05:00] to a false teacher or someone with bad motives, but ultimately at the bottom of all of it is Satan. And I, I am not, if you knew me personally, um, I don't even say the name Satan very often.

I'm not somebody that sees demons behind every tree and every bush. Um, but I'm also not afraid to recognize the fact that we are living in even today, a very real spiritual reality. Uh, it is playing out in our real tangible world and the, the spiritual and the physical, I don't think they're two separate things.

I think they are one thing. And I think it is important to recognize that Satan is very interested in. In pulling people away from their faith, and he has not stopped doing that. He's not all of a sudden tired of that. He's not all of a sudden moved on to something else. Uh, Satan remains committed to his mission and we, you know, like as followers of Christ, um, we don't need to be.

Terrified of Satan. We don't need to be worried about what demons are up to. Uh, but we do need to recognize that they very much [00:06:00] influence the activities of our world. And they are actively trying to dissuade people from committing their lives to Christ or committing to continue to follow Christ. So we need to be aware of that, um, and live in that spiritual reality.

I think. I actually heard somebody saying the other day, uh, it was a sermon I had listened to just about the influence that Satan can have. Because not only is he out to, essentially, like, destroy what God is up to in your life. Steal, kill, and destroy. Yeah, he is aware of the scriptures, he is aware of what God's word says, and he wants, he very much desires to take away or destroy What has been put in you, um, because he knows what can work against you.

Like he even knows God's word to work against you because he like takes it and like manipulates it just like he did when Jesus was tempted, um, in the desert. I'm glad you brought that up, that's what I was going to talk about. So, it's just, it's very interesting. That Paul understands [00:07:00] this reality. And for someone so like, I don't know, infant, like in their faith, Paul is very aware of this as a possibility too.

Well, yeah, because also like, even though Satan is aware of things, he cannot overpower you. Like if you are committed to Christ, you are equipped with the work of the Holy Spirit, the presence of the Holy Spirit. Um, you don't have to be afraid of Satan, uh, because you can stand by him. Firm, like obviously like you need to put the work into standing firm, but you can stand firm.

And it's obvious that these Thessalonian believers apparently were able to stand firm and that is Um with significant trials and afflictions So not only was satan trying to knock them off their game Um, they were withstanding several serious tangible issues, including we believe Um, like unanticipated sudden deaths of key individuals in their midst.

And, and Paul finds that their faith is [00:08:00] strong and Paul is encouraged that their faith is strong. Well, I think I was talking to a friend today just about how in life there are what seemed to be pretty significant blows and like it might not be as significant as like these deaths that we're talking about, but there are things that really knock us off our feet.

Um, and if we live in a place You and I have been saying this a lot. I was telling this to my friend. When we live in a place where our hands are just like clutching, like, because of the problem, like very close fisted to like, no, like it has to be this way. Like I'm so driven by my, my fear by my uncertainty.

Um, that is when Satan has that foothold and he can sneak in and steal your joy and steal what, um, Christ has planted. But when we live in a life. Where our hands are just wide open regardless of what really feels like it's just kicking us off of our feet. Um, I don't know. It just like, it seems really crazy and the opposite of what the world would want you to do, but [00:09:00] God works in ways when we are not expecting them.

Um, and like you were saying earlier, what would you, what was your verse you said earlier? God works for the good of those who love him. Yeah. Yeah, I feel like you said it a lot better than I do. I just don't want to misquote it and it's not in front of me and it's kind of embarrassing. Honestly. It's a pretty popular verse.

It's embarrassing. I can't quote it word for word. But, um, I think, I think it's something to the effect of in all things, God works for the good of those who love him. And I will fully admit that it's embarrassing that I can't quote that offhanded because it's a very popular core verse. I think it's in Romans.

Um, yeah. It's interesting. Jenny and I've been talking a lot about open hands, and I think when you have open hands, it's not that you're not paying attention to things. It's just that you are choosing to go the God honoring route, even when it doesn't make sense. Jenny's bailing me out with her phone.

It's Romans 8 28. And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his [00:10:00] purpose. So I got close, I think. Yeah, that's pretty good. Um, it. You know, when you're discouraged and I want to be sensitive to the fact that some of you listening, you know, you may, you may be dealing with things that are discouraging, um, when you're discouraged.

And I know I've heard that verse in times when I was discouraged. Um, I didn't believe it. Like, it's like, it's like, Hey, I am not experiencing that. Um, and so I don't, I don't fault you for that, but I would encourage you. Like we we've been going through trying times and we've seen God. Working good. Um, it's kind of funny, uh, just to see how God moves and how God works.

And sometimes, um, I would say particularly when like God does something that you weren't anticipating at all, which we've. We've seen a little bit recently. Um, I don't know. It's, it's like almost mystifying, like, like, Whoa, how did that happen? Um, I don't know. And hopefully that's encouraging to you guys.

Whoever's listening. I do feel actually [00:11:00] heavy. Like as I'm talking through it, I feel like somebody is listening to us right now, uh, that is discouraged and is trying to figure out how to handle something. So I actually feel like a nudge that like, I want to talk right to you. Um, that. God is moving in the situation that you're dealing with.

And my encouragement to you would be to choose the God honoring route and not the compromise route, because I know for sure, I'll tell you right away, right up front, I'm very, very good and very talented at convincing myself that I don't need to do the God honoring route because clenching my fists around something and owning it the way I want to own it is actually the God honoring route and it's not real.

It's not true. Um, and there have been many, many bad decisions that I made that I told myself were God honoring decisions. And I would say probably if you really pushed me in the back of my mind, I knew they weren't. And so my encouragement is, um, do what God wants you to do. And not because of like some mystical, [00:12:00] like, Magic man in the sky.

It's very much like, God, I don't want to have control over this because I know that you do. And I trust that your ways are better than mine. And like, there have been moments where Ryan has told me, yeah, that's definitely how I feel about this situation. I'm like, wait, what you're doing? What are you sure about that?

But like, I mean, obviously I trust you. I don't want that to come across, but, um, It's pretty incredible. And it's not a slot machine. Like there have been times, uh, that I've made open handed decisions and things did not go in a way that made our lives easier, but it was actually God's plan for our lives that for that point.

And that time in our lives, they got a little bit, a little bit tougher. Um, because God used that little bit tougher, um, I think to strengthen our own faith and, and our own resolve and perseverance. And I think that God will, will be at work in your life too. So I, I would like to strongly encourage you, [00:13:00] um, to choose the God centered, God honoring way of making decisions.

Uh, if it helps, sometimes it actually does help me to actually sit in my chair with open hands and say, God, I'm going to do this. The way that you want me to do this. And sometimes I even say, God, like you really better take care of me because you promised to take care of me. And we, Jenny and I have handled several decisions recently that way.

Um, and you know, it's not like, it's not, I don't want to come across like God has published his clearing house or something like, it's not like. We punched a ticket and we won. Um, it's just that I have no question that God is caring for us and looking out for us and providing for us. And I, man, I have never, ever regretted doing what honors God.

I really haven't. It feels super scary sometimes, but there are many times. where I clenched my fist around something, uh, and convinced myself it was the right thing to do when it wasn't. And I regret it. [00:14:00] Um, so anyway, I, I can, I can wrap this up, um, with, uh, look at, if you look at verse, let me see, uh, let's see, verse, Now, may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all as we do for you so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

With all his saints. You can see the encouragement dripping from what Paul is saying, um, asking God to move and to work and to increase our love for each other, man, I, that is my prayer for all of us still today. Um, the, the second thing I will add, that's just like extra credit. You can see that Paul is dripping this idea of Jesus returning over and over and over again.

Our study Bible has like a cross reference. In, uh, chapter one, verse three, uh, Paul says, hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. In chapter [00:15:00] one, verse 10, it says to wait for his son from heaven. In chapter two, verse 19, it says before our Lord Jesus at his coming, uh, chapter three, verse 13, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Chapter four, verse 15, the coming of our Lord. Um, you can see this slow drip of Paul saying like Jesus will return and Jesus will care for you. We can hope in the fact that Jesus has not left us alone. In fact, Jesus has equipped us with the power of the Holy Spirit and Jesus will return for us and we will rule and reign with him.

Just like Satan is very real, uh, and there is a very real spiritual realm that we need to pay attention to. So the return of Jesus Christ, um, to claim his church is Very real and we can look forward to it. We don't check out, you know, like we don't, we don't punch our ticket and just wait for Jesus to show up.

Like we've, we've got work to do and I don't want any of us to shy away from the work, but we can trust that Jesus will [00:16:00] return and Jesus will claim his authority on this earth and we will rule and reign with him. Uh, and that is a very real thing that God has promised. So, uh, that's the, your part, uh, find hope in trusting God with your day to day decisions, but also trusting that Jesus will return and we can look forward to that.

We'll be back again tomorrow with chapter four. We'll see you then. Thanks for joining today's episode of God's plan. Your part as always, please consider partnering with us as we are a listener supported podcast that we hope to continue to grow with. Support from listeners. Just like you, we've made it super easy to partner with us and you can support us by following the link in our show notes or our description.

You can support us with as little as 3 a month. Every little bit of this helps so much. And we're so thankful for your support with that in mind. Here's today's reading. First Thessalonians chapter three, therefore, when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone. And we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of [00:17:00] Christ to establish and exhort you in your faith that no one be moved by these afflictions for you yourselves know that we are destined for this.

For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction 1 Just as it has come to past, and just as you know. For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter has tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.

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. For this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction, we have been comforted about you through your faith.

For now we live, if you were standing fast in the Lord. For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you? For all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, as we pray most earnestly night and day, that we may see [00:18:00] you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith. Now may our God and Father Himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you.

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all as we do for you 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. Thank you so much for listening to today's episode of God's plan.

Your part. Don't forget, you can find us on just about every social media platform and YouTube. Let us know what you thought of today's episode, and if you have any questions, go ahead and post them there. You can also reach out to us directly at godsplanyourpartatgmail. com. As always, if you don't have a Bible, or if you'd like to use the one that we use, uh, reach out to us via email and we'll be happy to send one to you.

Thanks again for listening. We'll see you again [00:19:00] tomorrow.