We continue in our sermon series through the
book of 1 Thessalonians, so I invite you to turn
there. Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians,
chapter 2. We'll pick up in verse 17 and plan
to take it through chapter 3, verse 10. 1st Thessalonians
2 17 But since we were torn away from you brothers
for a short time in Person not in heart We endeavored
the more eagerly and with great desire to see
you face to face Because we wanted to come to
you. I Paul again and again But Satan hindered
us for what? Is our hope or joy or crown of boasting
before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not
you? For you are our glory and joy. 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 co -worker in
the gospel of Christ, to establish and to 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 just as it has come to pass.
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
had 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're
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 you face to face and Supply what is lacking
in your faith This is God's word. Let's pray
Glorious father in heaven. We thank you for the
matchless gift of the Bible We thank you that
this is our guide. This is the lamp to our feet
and light to our path This is what we need this
tells us Who Jesus is and how we can be saved
and so I pray that as we go through this text
If there are any hearts that need to be opened
within the sanctuary need to be converted I pray
that you by your spirit would do that and that
you would strengthen us believers in our faith
to always look to Christ No matter what we pray
in his name. Amen I'm sure that everybody or
just about everybody in this sanctuary has had
the unpleasant, impatient, anxious experience
of waiting by the phone. Now, those phones used
to be attached to the wall, so you couldn't wander
all that far. Now you can, but you still have
to wait. You know what it's like to long to hear
from somebody, Maybe that they made it safely
to their destination and you wait for that phone
call. Maybe you're waiting for the phone call
from your doctor to let you know what's the diagnosis,
what's the prognosis, how does it look, doc?
Maybe, well it could be any number of things.
Waiting is difficult, isn't it? Especially for
inpatient people. But when something important
is on the line, we gotta know, we gotta know,
God, what are you doing? And this is Paul in
the text. Paul here has such an affection for
the Christians in Thessalonica and the church,
but he and Silas have been driven out, and Timothy
driven out of there, they're in Athens, and Paul's
gotta know, what's going on with my friends in
the Thessalonian? He just simply cannot stand
it anymore. And you see this incredible affection
that Paul has for these Christians, he loves
them. This is such a warm passage, isn't it?
And part of the thing, one of the things I want
us to see then is that as he has to hear what's
going on and we see his affection, we realize
that affection for one another is part of the
cure for affliction. Affection for one another
is part of the cure for affliction. That's what
we're going to focus on today. Affliction and
affection. Now, as you look at this text, you
see that off the bat, it doesn't really look
all that difficult of a text, does it? We understand,
of course Paul has an affection for these Christians.
Paul has an affection for a lot of Christians,
so that's not a hard concept. But as we dig a
little bit deeper, we start to have questions
of our own. Questions like, why does God allow
affliction? Why does God allow Satan to prevent
Paul from getting back to the Thessalonians?
Why does God allow for the tempter to tempt?
Why does God allow affliction in this life? And
maybe we even ask this question, who is really
in charge here? Perhaps you have asked questions
before, not necessarily pertaining to persecution,
but to just affliction in general. Why do bad
things happen to Christians? I thought about
this week as my dear friend lost his son. Sadly
to a case of drowning. Parents, believers needing
to be strengthened in their faith, and they're
asking this question, Lord, how could you do
this? How could you take my child? Why do these
things happen? Why do they have to happen? We
see hints of these questions within the text
in like verse 18 of chapter two. Or chapter three,
verse five, again, the work of Satan. And I think
that not only do we get questions from the text,
but thankfully we get some answers. Look in verses
three and four of chapter three, specifically
verse four, I'll read it again. 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 when Paul uses
this word we I think that he's using this collectively
He's not just speaking about himself and not
just speaking about Silas and Timothy He's saying
we as in yes us missionaries, but you Christians
in the Thessalonian Church We told you these
things were going to happen We didn't want you
to be caught off guard and then verse 3 we were
destined for these things and it's very similar
to what What Paul has to say in the book of Acts
chapter 14 verse 22, through many tribulations
we must enter the kingdom of God. Through many
tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
Friends, the way of the Christian is the way
of the cross. The way of the Christian is the
way of the cross. that Jesus who was put up on
the cross he told his disciples in this world
you will have trouble so we ought not be caught
off guard friends the reason that we experience
affliction as Christians is because we follow
after a crucified King but we also want to know
then okay we follow after a crucified King but
why who is in charge here look in verse 18 You
can see here that Satan hinders Paul. It's as
though Satan puts up some sort of a roadblock
there to prevent Paul from getting to the Thessalonians
and prevent Silas from getting to the Thessalonians,
right? But who is able to go to the Thessalonians?
It's Timothy, right? If you read in Acts chapter
17, it doesn't list Timothy, if I'm remembering
correctly. It does not list Timothy as being
one who is driven out. Thessalonica it's Paul
and Silas so for some reason Timothy is allowed
to return but Satan puts up this roadblock to
prevent Paul and so we ask then how much power
does Satan have I think we can see some answers
to this if you'll go to John the book of John
verse or chapter 13 verse 2 Answering the question,
how much power does Satan have? John 13 2, and
this is only going to give us a portion of the
answer. During supper, when the devil had already
put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's
son to betray him. And so who did it? Who put
it into Judas? It's clear from the text. Satan
did this the devil did this but that's not the
end of the story because if you go just ahead
to John 17 verse 2 Or verse 12 John 17 verse
12 You see this this is within Jesus his high
priestly prayer he prays While I was with them.
I Kept them in your name, which you have given
me I have guarded them and not one of them has
been lost except the son of destruction that
the scripture might be fulfilled. And so yes,
Satan has some power here. But the scripture
also tells us this. There is a purpose behind
that. There's a purpose behind affliction and
within this particular instance The purpose was
so that scripture could be fulfilled. There is
an answer then friends to evil in this world
there's an answer to affliction God is working
and God has Satan if I can put it metaphorically
God has Satan on a leash. Maybe we would even
say a choke chain Satan is not allowed to do
just whatever he wants. Satan is not a free safety
on the football field allowed to do whatever
he wants. No. I like to think of it this way
from Revelation 19. The devil doesn't even own
the keys to his own home. He'll be locked away.
Romans 16 20. The God of peace will soon crush
Satan under your feet. Meaning that Satan has
a limited time and a limited means to tempt.
Friends, the devil is not in charge. The devil
is not omnipotent. The devil is not omnipresent.
He's not. He's not sovereign. God is. Perhaps
you remember the case of Job, right? And you
remember in the first two chapters of the book
of Job how Satan is made to appear before God
and the heavenly host. And God says, where have
you been? Satan says, I've been roaming about
kind of doing his thing. What's happening there
is that Satan is made to appear before God. He's
made to give kind of a statement of what he's
been doing, telling us that God is sovereign
over evil. And then when it comes to the case
of Job, it's not as though Satan comes up with
the name of Job and the person of Job. God does.
And then God places restrictions on what Satan
is able to do. Satan is very limited by God because
he is sovereign. But that leads us to another
question. Why does Satan have any power whatsoever?
Friends, I don't want to go beyond scripture
here because God's ways are higher than our ways,
but I do think we can see some answers to this.
Why does Satan have any power? Why is there really
affliction? It's because affliction drives us
back to God and affliction prepares us for God.
Again, look at verse 18. Chapter 2, 18. Again,
Satan hindered them. Satan puts up a roadblock,
but then go down to chapter 3 verse 11 outside
of our text for today. Now may our God and Father
himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way back
to you. So Satan puts up the roadblock, but God
takes it down. He directs us back to him. Perhaps
Psalm 23 is helpful, this extremely comforting
Psalm going through the valley of the shadow
of death. God doesn't take us around the valley
of the shadow of death. He doesn't take us over
the valley of the shadow of death. He doesn't
dig a tunnel underneath the valley of the shadow
of death. No, God takes us through it. I like
the way Gregory the Great put this, the bishop
of Rome in 600. He said, evil things which bear
us down, compel us to go to God. And there's
a scripture that's very similar to this. Perhaps
Gregory the Great was reflecting upon 2 Corinthians
4, 17. I'll read 16 and 17, just listen. So we
do not lose heart, though our outer self is wasting
away, our inner self is being renewed day by
day for this light, momentary affliction is preparing
us for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all.
Comparison. Affliction drives us back to God
and prepares us for God. And also something that
I would add as well, affliction can purify us.
Affliction can purify us, not just individually,
but affliction can purify the church. And it's
something that I believe the American church
desperately needs to be purified. When we as
especially American Christians, a lot of us,
when we experience affliction, we draw back.
We don't want any part of that, right? We do
not want any part of our affliction instead of
seeing it as part of our union with Christ. I
was meeting with a pastor in New England several
years ago. We were meeting for lunch and we went
to pray. We're talking about ministry and went
to pray. And he said to me, hey, don't worry
about bowing your head and closing your eyes.
We don't want anybody to look at us weird, right?
There could be times when there's wisdom in not
doing that if you're in a heavily persecuted
area. But surely what Paul has to say is true.
Do not be ashamed of the gospel, for it's the
power of God for salvation to everyone who believes
we need to wear Christ on our sleeve. How will
we really know Christ if we're unwilling to identify
with his suffering in any way? The Christians
in Thessalonica surely were not hiding. And we
see this time and time again, Christians who
were bold in their faith like Paul. I like the
way Daniel Hyde puts this when he talks about
the book of Acts. He says, Acts is nothing more
than the book of the martyr's blood being the
seed of the church. The more the church was persecuted,
the more the word spread. God gives us real salvation
and real deliverance and real forgiveness. Let
us not give him fake faith or weak worship or
dumbed down discipleship. Let us give to God
genuine obedience and love because he has loved
us first. Now you might say what? I don't really
live in a heavily persecuted area, praise God.
So how do I show my faith in affliction? We can
still show our faith in affliction, even if it's
not at the hands of persecutors. Think about,
how do you respond with grace to a bad diagnosis
at the doctor's office? When people are watching,
do you show your faith as you trust in God? What
about when you've got a difficult boss at work?
Can you show grace? Can you show faith even as
he or she is a tough person to work for? Of course
we can show our faith. I like the way GK Beale
says this, whenever we maintain our faith in
Christ throughout these situations, we demonstrate
identification with Christ. We must show our
faith and identify with Christ. But as far as
those who are experiencing persecution, one way
that we can show our affection for them as they
are afflicted is certainly in prayer. Praying
for the persecuted church. There are a number
of great organizations out there that are doing
wonderful work in countries and places amongst
people groups who are persecuted. Sign up for
their prayer emails. Voice of the Martyrs, Global
Christian Relief. Consider this story from Voice
of the Martyrs this week. about a Syrian named
Abdul who fled from Syria when the civil war
began there, but has now come back to do ministry.
He says this, when we returned home, something
changed inside of me. Before fleeing, I was cautious
about sharing my faith. As a Muslim background
believer, I had always been careful evangelizing
in secret because I feared for my life. But when
I came back, I was no longer afraid. I had a
newfound boldness, and we began the ministry
publicly. Friends, we need to wear Christ on
our sleeve and pray for those in these kind of
situations. And as we do that, as we pray for
those under affliction, I think we demonstrate
affection. This passage shows us There is a great
treasure in the midst of affliction, and it's
this, affection for one another. Look in verse
two. Why did Paul send Timothy back? Verse two
says it, to exhort and establish them in faith
so they would not be moved. And so there's kind
of a twofold reason that Paul sends Timothy.
One, it's a rescue mission. It's to help the
Christians. But two, Paul really wants to hear
what's going on because he loves them. And so
this is an intel mission and that Timothy comes
back with a word of how the Thessalonians are
doing in verse 5. You can see. Paul learns of
their faith. And in verse six, there is this
relief that you can almost feel. It's palpable,
this affection, and it's mutual according to
verse six. Paul and Silas and Timothy, they long
to be with the Thessalonians, and the Thessalonians
long to have Paul and Silas back with them. And
the reason Paul wants to go is for many reasons,
I believe, yes, to be with them, but he also
wants to keep ministering. to them. But in the
meantime, while he's separated from them, he
shows affection in verse 10 because he prays
for them always, continually. And the word that
is used there, the word for prayer, this is not
the most common word for prayer in the New Testament.
This is actually a stronger word. It's a word
for pleading. Paul pleads for the Thessalonians.
But then when he gets the news, he's overjoyed
with it, isn't he, with this report. And it's
interesting the way the text puts this. Paul
is overjoyed with what's called the good news
here. I think this is the only location in Scripture
where it says that Paul receives the good news.
Usually when you see the good news in Paul, it's
Paul preaching the good news. But this time the
good news is that which Paul receives, this great
word. about the Thessalonians persevering under
affliction. And this tells us something else.
Paul is thankful to hear the gospel enduring
because the gospel is not a one -time statement.
Sometimes we talk about the gospel like that,
don't we? Say, believe the gospel and you shall
be saved, which is true in scriptural. But friends,
we must receive the gospel every single day.
We ought to preach it to ourselves. Remind us
of what God has done for us in Christ. I like
the way that Paul writes in his second letter
to Timothy. He says, preach the word in season
and out of season, which means preach the word
when things are going swell and when things are
not going so great. That's actually the way that
we should live with the gospel. reminding ourselves
of the gospel when things are going wonderfully,
but also when things are tough. Because the only
way to get through the tough things is by the
gospel of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit who
indwells. And believers, friends, faith does
not come with an on -off switch. We must always
live for Christ and always live to show affection
for one another. But you might say, well, how
do I do that? How do I show affection to others
who are suffering and struggling and battling
affliction? Just four quick points of application.
Verse two again. To show affection, we must exhort
one another. When we talk about exhortation,
we're talking about speaking into each other's
lives. We're recognizing the need that we all
have for sanctification and we help one another.
in our growth in Christ. A great scripture to
see this is in Hebrews 3 .13. Listen to these
words. But exhort one another every day as long
as it is called today, that none of you may be
hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. We need
to speak into each other's lives every day. Second
point of application from verse four of our text.
We need to be with one another. Paul and his
crew, they longed to be with the Thessalonians.
We ought to crave fellowship, friends. We ought
to crave worship together. Again, another place
to see this from Hebrews is one that you all
may know, Hebrews 10, 24 through 25, which reads
in this way. And let us continue. or consider
how to stir up one another to love and good works,
not neglecting to meet together as is the habit
of some, but encouraging one another and all
the more as you see the day drawing near. We
need to be together. Thirdly, we need to help
each other through temptations from verse five.
Paul was concerned. that the tempter had gotten
to the Thessalonians and so this is one of the
reasons he sends Timothy because Christians are
to help one another battle sin. A great scripture
to see this is one that I've quoted a lot from
Galatians chapter 6 verse 1. Brothers, if anyone
is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual
should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.
Keep watch on yourself lest you too be tempted.
We are to come alongside of each other in battling
sin. And then finally, verses nine and 10 of
our text, how to show affection to one another
in our affliction. We need to pray. Pray with
thanksgiving and joy. Prayer is the most important
thing we can do for one another as we battle
affliction. Friends, I hope you can see from
this passage that God really does use us as instruments
of affection to help those who are in affliction.
And yet, it's also true from this text, Satan
is real, the devil is real, and we are really
fighting against him and the prince of darkness,
the one who deceives and the one who tempts.
But the good news is this, that Christ has overcome.
Christ has overcome. He has achieved victory
and so even as Satan has some influence He is
no match for Christ and Christ Transforms us
in our union with him and by the power of the
Holy Spirit. We are able to say no To sin no
to temptation We are to encourage one another
in our faith all the way until Christ takes us
home Or until he returns Let's pray