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Those of you who are parents, parent figures or hope to be parents, to have kids one day, what is the hope you have for your children? Whether yours personally or figuratively.
I believe every one of us desires that our children grow and mature, building a deep relationship of love and respect with us. We want them to mature, be productive and even have kids of their own that will go on to do the same. I talk to many parents who desires that their children do better than they did, financially, physically, maturity, socially and education-ally. Every one of us has hopes for those we love and care for. Even as a pastor I have these hopes for those who come along side me in the ministry. They become my kids, spiritually, which I want to see grow in Christ in relationship, in faith and in love. To be used greatly by God for His kingdom.
This is the hope Paul had for the believers in Thessalonica. In the beginning of this letter to them he had given an extensive defense of his ministry. He reminded them of how he and his companions had conducted themselves before them. How they loved and invested themselves into the lives of these new believers. He even answers some of the accusations his enemies were making against him. It seems these enemies even went so far as to say Paul did not care about them, that is why he never came back to see them again, that he had gotten all he wanted from them would be the accusation. So, Paul writes to tell them why he has not been able to return and reaffirm his love for them again. Vs 17 Paul begins this verse with a ‘But’ because he wants to show the contrast between him and those in the previous verses who would do anything they could to keep others from hearing the gospel. Paul was willing to do all he could to proclaim the gospel and then help those who come to faith grow in that faith because of his love for them and for the Lord. Paul uses enduring terms here that reveal his feelings for these believers. He calls them brothers, making himself equal to them. He describes his having to leave them as if orphaned, forced to go, out of his control. As he was, Acts 17:10.
Soldier sent off to war away from their family. He felt cut off from them as a parent does from their family when they are torn away by circumstances or uncontrollable events or tragedies. He had hoped that his departure would only be temporary, never the less, it broke his heart to be dragged away from them. How do you feel when away from loved ones? Paul may have been away physically but his heart was still with them continually.
Many times he had tried to get back to see them again out of his longing for them. Even though his return would be dangerous, he desired to go. His enemies waited to pounce upon him there in the city if he did return. But he was still willing to risk it so he could help these loved ones grow in faith and love for the Lord.
Vs 18 What is God’s will for any believer, especially a new one? His will is that we grow in knowledge, understanding and relationship with Him. 2 Pet. 1:3-11
What is the goal of our enemy Satan for us? John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; The enemy’s desire is to destroy our relationship with God, keeping us from growing in maturity and faith. He will block and sidetrack our growth any way he can, even getting us so busy with other “important” things so we fail to take the time needed to grow in our relationship with Christ, as we should. Tyranny of the urgent. He will use every resource available to him to do so. Eph. 2:1–2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. This is exactly what he did to prevent Paul from getting back to see the folks in Thessalonica to help them grow in Christ. Acts 17:13 WWII allies bombing bridges. Paul says that Satan stopped him from going to see them. The word used for stopped refers to destroying the road ahead so to sidetrack or block the way, blowing up the road or bridges to stop the advance of an enemy upon one’s territory. Acts 17:13 When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. They may also have threatened Jason and the others with him who posted bond that if Paul returned they would have to forfeit the money putting them in a financial bind. Paul loved them to much to do anything to hurt them.
God allowed this to happen for reasons we don’t know or understand. But be sure that God’s plan was not thwarted at all. God was not responsible for their actions in any way just as He is not responsible for the sin committed by any of His creatures but He permits them. God has given mankind freewill and will not intervene when it becomes inconvenient for us. But He works to give us the perseverance and strength to get through those trials. James 1:2-4
God is growing us up in Christ through them. Paul realized this. Rom. 8:28–29 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Paul had done all he could to see these beloved in the Lord but was not able to go. Vs 19-20 Paul’s deep love for these new believers comes through here; he gives a rhetorical question to show the intensity of his love for them. He asks what would be the greatest blessing he would have when he stood before the Lord at the judgment seat. It was them; they were everything that was worth anything to him. They were his hope, like the parent who desires to see their child grow in maturity, being productive and having a family of their own to do the same for. They were his joy, filling his life with light as he pondered where they had come from and what they had grown to be in the Lord, and then even what they could be for the Lord, by His grace upon them. They were his crown, the symbol of God’s blessing on his life and ministry, the evidence that God had called Paul to the task and blessed his obedience to it. Things you give up as a parent for your children. They were his glory and joy because all he had suffered was worth it to see them grow in Christ and be used by Him. 2 Cor. 3:2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody.
Paul made it clear that the Thessalonian believers were greatly loved and important to him, hopefully dispelling any thoughts of others that he didn’t care about them or what happened to them. When Timothy returned with the questions and concerns which Paul is addressing, Paul must have been over joyed at the thought of these folks carrying on even amongst the trials they were facing. He would have felt like John in 3 John 3–4 It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
I wonder what the people and Pastors who loved us in the faith and desired we grow would say about us today. Would they feel like Paul because we are the letter written on their hearts that we have been faithful to Christ no matter what?
Would we be a joy to them because of our desire to grow and be a blessing to others?
Are there others we have shared our faith with that will be a crown for us in heaven?
Have we allowed the enemy to sidetrack us from the ministry God has laid out for us because we chose not to persevere but give up?
Are we being sidetracked by what seems important so to be lacking in our growth in the Lord, spending time with Him daily in prayer and study of the Word?
My hope is that we are those children that have been torn away from our spiritual parents but still continued to grow anyway.
If we have the opportunity to be the spiritual parent to others I hope we will love them and invest in them as Paul did even through the disappointments and hurts.
Benediction: 2 Cor. 3:2–3 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
