WEBVTT 00:00:03.980 --> 00:00:08.160 We continue in our sermon series through the 00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:12.039 book of 1 Thessalonians, so I invite you to turn 00:00:12.039 --> 00:00:16.339 there. Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians, 00:00:16.679 --> 00:00:22.140 chapter 2. We'll pick up in verse 17 and plan 00:00:22.140 --> 00:00:34.329 to take it through chapter 3, verse 10. 1st Thessalonians 00:00:34.329 --> 00:00:40.969 2 17 But since we were torn away from you brothers 00:00:40.969 --> 00:00:46.929 for a short time in Person not in heart We endeavored 00:00:46.929 --> 00:00:50.549 the more eagerly and with great desire to see 00:00:50.549 --> 00:00:54.210 you face to face Because we wanted to come to 00:00:54.210 --> 00:00:58.149 you. I Paul again and again But Satan hindered 00:00:58.149 --> 00:01:03.850 us for what? Is our hope or joy or crown of boasting 00:01:03.850 --> 00:01:07.709 before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not 00:01:07.709 --> 00:01:12.670 you? For you are our glory and joy. Therefore, 00:01:12.750 --> 00:01:15.390 when we could bear it no longer, we were willing 00:01:15.390 --> 00:01:19.170 to be left behind at Athens alone. And we sent 00:01:19.170 --> 00:01:22.469 Timothy, our brother and God's co -worker in 00:01:22.469 --> 00:01:26.310 the gospel of Christ, to establish and to exhort 00:01:26.310 --> 00:01:30.090 you in your faith that no one be moved by these 00:01:30.090 --> 00:01:32.650 afflictions for you yourselves know that we are 00:01:32.650 --> 00:01:36.829 destined for this. For when we were with you, 00:01:37.310 --> 00:01:39.950 we kept telling you beforehand that we were to 00:01:39.950 --> 00:01:43.530 suffer affliction just as it has come to pass. 00:01:43.670 --> 00:01:46.269 And just as you know, for this reason, when I 00:01:46.269 --> 00:01:49.349 could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about 00:01:49.349 --> 00:01:52.150 your faith for fear that somehow the tempter 00:01:52.150 --> 00:01:55.790 had tempted you and our labor would be in vain. 00:01:57.159 --> 00:02:00.719 but now that Timothy has come to us from you 00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:03.640 and has brought us the good news of your faith 00:02:03.640 --> 00:02:06.859 and love and Reported that you always remember 00:02:06.859 --> 00:02:09.620 us kindly and long to see us as we long to see 00:02:09.620 --> 00:02:13.719 you for this reason brothers in all our distress 00:02:13.719 --> 00:02:17.000 and Affliction we have been comforted about you 00:02:17.000 --> 00:02:21.159 through your faith for now we live If you're 00:02:21.159 --> 00:02:24.879 standing fast in the Lord For what Thanksgiving 00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:27.740 can we return to God for you for all the joy 00:02:27.740 --> 00:02:30.879 that we feel for your sake before our God as 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:34.259 we pray most earnestly night and day that we 00:02:34.259 --> 00:02:39.000 may see you face to face and Supply what is lacking 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:47.039 in your faith This is God's word. Let's pray 00:02:47.039 --> 00:02:49.659 Glorious father in heaven. We thank you for the 00:02:49.659 --> 00:02:53.560 matchless gift of the Bible We thank you that 00:02:53.560 --> 00:02:56.800 this is our guide. This is the lamp to our feet 00:02:56.800 --> 00:02:59.419 and light to our path This is what we need this 00:02:59.419 --> 00:03:03.460 tells us Who Jesus is and how we can be saved 00:03:03.460 --> 00:03:06.560 and so I pray that as we go through this text 00:03:06.560 --> 00:03:08.960 If there are any hearts that need to be opened 00:03:08.960 --> 00:03:11.659 within the sanctuary need to be converted I pray 00:03:11.659 --> 00:03:14.259 that you by your spirit would do that and that 00:03:14.259 --> 00:03:16.280 you would strengthen us believers in our faith 00:03:16.280 --> 00:03:20.180 to always look to Christ No matter what we pray 00:03:20.180 --> 00:03:28.099 in his name. Amen I'm sure that everybody or 00:03:28.099 --> 00:03:31.560 just about everybody in this sanctuary has had 00:03:31.560 --> 00:03:39.400 the unpleasant, impatient, anxious experience 00:03:39.400 --> 00:03:43.539 of waiting by the phone. Now, those phones used 00:03:43.539 --> 00:03:45.639 to be attached to the wall, so you couldn't wander 00:03:45.639 --> 00:03:48.020 all that far. Now you can, but you still have 00:03:48.020 --> 00:03:51.860 to wait. You know what it's like to long to hear 00:03:51.860 --> 00:03:54.750 from somebody, Maybe that they made it safely 00:03:54.750 --> 00:03:57.110 to their destination and you wait for that phone 00:03:57.110 --> 00:04:01.509 call. Maybe you're waiting for the phone call 00:04:01.509 --> 00:04:04.289 from your doctor to let you know what's the diagnosis, 00:04:04.409 --> 00:04:07.389 what's the prognosis, how does it look, doc? 00:04:09.229 --> 00:04:13.789 Maybe, well it could be any number of things. 00:04:14.610 --> 00:04:17.930 Waiting is difficult, isn't it? Especially for 00:04:17.930 --> 00:04:20.899 inpatient people. But when something important 00:04:20.899 --> 00:04:24.120 is on the line, we gotta know, we gotta know, 00:04:24.240 --> 00:04:28.459 God, what are you doing? And this is Paul in 00:04:28.459 --> 00:04:33.379 the text. Paul here has such an affection for 00:04:33.379 --> 00:04:36.139 the Christians in Thessalonica and the church, 00:04:36.579 --> 00:04:39.399 but he and Silas have been driven out, and Timothy 00:04:39.399 --> 00:04:43.259 driven out of there, they're in Athens, and Paul's 00:04:43.259 --> 00:04:46.860 gotta know, what's going on with my friends in 00:04:46.860 --> 00:04:51.000 the Thessalonian? He just simply cannot stand 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:54.879 it anymore. And you see this incredible affection 00:04:54.879 --> 00:04:57.779 that Paul has for these Christians, he loves 00:04:57.779 --> 00:05:01.879 them. This is such a warm passage, isn't it? 00:05:02.899 --> 00:05:04.779 And part of the thing, one of the things I want 00:05:04.779 --> 00:05:08.480 us to see then is that as he has to hear what's 00:05:08.480 --> 00:05:11.060 going on and we see his affection, we realize 00:05:11.060 --> 00:05:14.680 that affection for one another is part of the 00:05:14.680 --> 00:05:18.240 cure for affliction. Affection for one another 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:21.300 is part of the cure for affliction. That's what 00:05:21.300 --> 00:05:25.000 we're going to focus on today. Affliction and 00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:30.259 affection. Now, as you look at this text, you 00:05:30.259 --> 00:05:34.660 see that off the bat, it doesn't really look 00:05:34.660 --> 00:05:37.660 all that difficult of a text, does it? We understand, 00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:40.180 of course Paul has an affection for these Christians. 00:05:41.120 --> 00:05:43.399 Paul has an affection for a lot of Christians, 00:05:43.639 --> 00:05:47.670 so that's not a hard concept. But as we dig a 00:05:47.670 --> 00:05:50.470 little bit deeper, we start to have questions 00:05:50.470 --> 00:05:56.569 of our own. Questions like, why does God allow 00:05:56.569 --> 00:06:02.670 affliction? Why does God allow Satan to prevent 00:06:02.670 --> 00:06:05.430 Paul from getting back to the Thessalonians? 00:06:06.290 --> 00:06:09.410 Why does God allow for the tempter to tempt? 00:06:10.170 --> 00:06:14.350 Why does God allow affliction in this life? And 00:06:14.350 --> 00:06:18.589 maybe we even ask this question, who is really 00:06:18.589 --> 00:06:23.050 in charge here? Perhaps you have asked questions 00:06:23.050 --> 00:06:26.670 before, not necessarily pertaining to persecution, 00:06:27.230 --> 00:06:30.949 but to just affliction in general. Why do bad 00:06:30.949 --> 00:06:34.529 things happen to Christians? I thought about 00:06:34.529 --> 00:06:41.770 this week as my dear friend lost his son. Sadly 00:06:41.770 --> 00:06:48.189 to a case of drowning. Parents, believers needing 00:06:48.189 --> 00:06:51.149 to be strengthened in their faith, and they're 00:06:51.149 --> 00:06:53.790 asking this question, Lord, how could you do 00:06:53.790 --> 00:06:57.089 this? How could you take my child? Why do these 00:06:57.089 --> 00:07:01.790 things happen? Why do they have to happen? We 00:07:01.790 --> 00:07:04.990 see hints of these questions within the text 00:07:04.990 --> 00:07:10.829 in like verse 18 of chapter two. Or chapter three, 00:07:10.930 --> 00:07:17.410 verse five, again, the work of Satan. And I think 00:07:17.410 --> 00:07:19.610 that not only do we get questions from the text, 00:07:19.769 --> 00:07:24.449 but thankfully we get some answers. Look in verses 00:07:24.449 --> 00:07:27.430 three and four of chapter three, specifically 00:07:27.430 --> 00:07:30.769 verse four, I'll read it again. For when we were 00:07:30.769 --> 00:07:35.370 with you, we kept telling you beforehand that 00:07:35.370 --> 00:07:39.000 we were to suffer affliction. Just as it has 00:07:39.000 --> 00:07:42.459 come to pass and just as you know when Paul uses 00:07:42.459 --> 00:07:45.439 this word we I think that he's using this collectively 00:07:45.439 --> 00:07:48.180 He's not just speaking about himself and not 00:07:48.180 --> 00:07:50.420 just speaking about Silas and Timothy He's saying 00:07:50.420 --> 00:07:53.600 we as in yes us missionaries, but you Christians 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:56.779 in the Thessalonian Church We told you these 00:07:56.779 --> 00:08:01.120 things were going to happen We didn't want you 00:08:01.120 --> 00:08:03.279 to be caught off guard and then verse 3 we were 00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:06.360 destined for these things and it's very similar 00:08:06.360 --> 00:08:09.040 to what What Paul has to say in the book of Acts 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:13.439 chapter 14 verse 22, through many tribulations 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:18.459 we must enter the kingdom of God. Through many 00:08:18.459 --> 00:08:21.519 tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. 00:08:21.579 --> 00:08:26.160 Friends, the way of the Christian is the way 00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:30.339 of the cross. The way of the Christian is the 00:08:30.339 --> 00:08:34.419 way of the cross. that Jesus who was put up on 00:08:34.419 --> 00:08:37.580 the cross he told his disciples in this world 00:08:37.580 --> 00:08:41.059 you will have trouble so we ought not be caught 00:08:41.059 --> 00:08:43.419 off guard friends the reason that we experience 00:08:43.419 --> 00:08:46.139 affliction as Christians is because we follow 00:08:46.139 --> 00:08:53.080 after a crucified King but we also want to know 00:08:53.080 --> 00:08:55.720 then okay we follow after a crucified King but 00:08:55.720 --> 00:09:03.009 why who is in charge here look in verse 18 You 00:09:03.009 --> 00:09:06.389 can see here that Satan hinders Paul. It's as 00:09:06.389 --> 00:09:10.230 though Satan puts up some sort of a roadblock 00:09:10.230 --> 00:09:14.289 there to prevent Paul from getting to the Thessalonians 00:09:14.289 --> 00:09:17.230 and prevent Silas from getting to the Thessalonians, 00:09:17.809 --> 00:09:20.590 right? But who is able to go to the Thessalonians? 00:09:20.750 --> 00:09:23.610 It's Timothy, right? If you read in Acts chapter 00:09:23.610 --> 00:09:27.029 17, it doesn't list Timothy, if I'm remembering 00:09:27.029 --> 00:09:29.389 correctly. It does not list Timothy as being 00:09:29.389 --> 00:09:32.899 one who is driven out. Thessalonica it's Paul 00:09:32.899 --> 00:09:35.960 and Silas so for some reason Timothy is allowed 00:09:35.960 --> 00:09:39.179 to return but Satan puts up this roadblock to 00:09:39.179 --> 00:09:43.259 prevent Paul and so we ask then how much power 00:09:43.259 --> 00:09:48.000 does Satan have I think we can see some answers 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:52.539 to this if you'll go to John the book of John 00:09:52.539 --> 00:10:04.500 verse or chapter 13 verse 2 Answering the question, 00:10:04.679 --> 00:10:10.059 how much power does Satan have? John 13 2, and 00:10:10.059 --> 00:10:12.539 this is only going to give us a portion of the 00:10:12.539 --> 00:10:18.240 answer. During supper, when the devil had already 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:22.419 put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's 00:10:22.419 --> 00:10:28.100 son to betray him. And so who did it? Who put 00:10:28.100 --> 00:10:32.230 it into Judas? It's clear from the text. Satan 00:10:32.230 --> 00:10:35.450 did this the devil did this but that's not the 00:10:35.450 --> 00:10:38.330 end of the story because if you go just ahead 00:10:38.330 --> 00:10:45.889 to John 17 verse 2 Or verse 12 John 17 verse 00:10:45.889 --> 00:10:51.129 12 You see this this is within Jesus his high 00:10:51.129 --> 00:10:55.730 priestly prayer he prays While I was with them. 00:10:56.429 --> 00:10:59.950 I Kept them in your name, which you have given 00:10:59.950 --> 00:11:04.120 me I have guarded them and not one of them has 00:11:04.120 --> 00:11:08.740 been lost except the son of destruction that 00:11:08.740 --> 00:11:15.500 the scripture might be fulfilled. And so yes, 00:11:15.820 --> 00:11:21.279 Satan has some power here. But the scripture 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:25.220 also tells us this. There is a purpose behind 00:11:25.220 --> 00:11:28.940 that. There's a purpose behind affliction and 00:11:28.940 --> 00:11:32.059 within this particular instance The purpose was 00:11:32.059 --> 00:11:35.220 so that scripture could be fulfilled. There is 00:11:35.220 --> 00:11:38.480 an answer then friends to evil in this world 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:41.960 there's an answer to affliction God is working 00:11:41.960 --> 00:11:46.639 and God has Satan if I can put it metaphorically 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:49.879 God has Satan on a leash. Maybe we would even 00:11:49.879 --> 00:11:52.929 say a choke chain Satan is not allowed to do 00:11:52.929 --> 00:11:56.470 just whatever he wants. Satan is not a free safety 00:11:56.470 --> 00:11:58.669 on the football field allowed to do whatever 00:11:58.669 --> 00:12:03.070 he wants. No. I like to think of it this way 00:12:03.070 --> 00:12:07.509 from Revelation 19. The devil doesn't even own 00:12:07.509 --> 00:12:10.809 the keys to his own home. He'll be locked away. 00:12:11.250 --> 00:12:15.629 Romans 16 20. The God of peace will soon crush 00:12:15.629 --> 00:12:19.629 Satan under your feet. Meaning that Satan has 00:12:19.629 --> 00:12:23.970 a limited time and a limited means to tempt. 00:12:24.769 --> 00:12:28.149 Friends, the devil is not in charge. The devil 00:12:28.149 --> 00:12:32.389 is not omnipotent. The devil is not omnipresent. 00:12:36.190 --> 00:12:42.490 He's not. He's not sovereign. God is. Perhaps 00:12:42.490 --> 00:12:45.269 you remember the case of Job, right? And you 00:12:45.269 --> 00:12:47.350 remember in the first two chapters of the book 00:12:47.350 --> 00:12:51.830 of Job how Satan is made to appear before God 00:12:51.830 --> 00:12:54.169 and the heavenly host. And God says, where have 00:12:54.169 --> 00:12:57.549 you been? Satan says, I've been roaming about 00:12:57.549 --> 00:13:00.629 kind of doing his thing. What's happening there 00:13:00.629 --> 00:13:04.710 is that Satan is made to appear before God. He's 00:13:04.710 --> 00:13:07.610 made to give kind of a statement of what he's 00:13:07.610 --> 00:13:10.610 been doing, telling us that God is sovereign 00:13:10.610 --> 00:13:15.169 over evil. And then when it comes to the case 00:13:15.169 --> 00:13:18.450 of Job, it's not as though Satan comes up with 00:13:18.450 --> 00:13:21.090 the name of Job and the person of Job. God does. 00:13:21.309 --> 00:13:24.990 And then God places restrictions on what Satan 00:13:24.990 --> 00:13:31.149 is able to do. Satan is very limited by God because 00:13:31.149 --> 00:13:35.549 he is sovereign. But that leads us to another 00:13:35.549 --> 00:13:39.129 question. Why does Satan have any power whatsoever? 00:13:41.629 --> 00:13:44.929 Friends, I don't want to go beyond scripture 00:13:44.929 --> 00:13:47.769 here because God's ways are higher than our ways, 00:13:47.769 --> 00:13:50.710 but I do think we can see some answers to this. 00:13:50.950 --> 00:13:54.309 Why does Satan have any power? Why is there really 00:13:54.309 --> 00:13:58.830 affliction? It's because affliction drives us 00:13:58.830 --> 00:14:03.289 back to God and affliction prepares us for God. 00:14:03.730 --> 00:14:09.690 Again, look at verse 18. Chapter 2, 18. Again, 00:14:09.870 --> 00:14:13.529 Satan hindered them. Satan puts up a roadblock, 00:14:13.649 --> 00:14:16.970 but then go down to chapter 3 verse 11 outside 00:14:16.970 --> 00:14:21.389 of our text for today. Now may our God and Father 00:14:21.389 --> 00:14:24.750 himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way back 00:14:24.750 --> 00:14:28.149 to you. So Satan puts up the roadblock, but God 00:14:28.149 --> 00:14:32.690 takes it down. He directs us back to him. Perhaps 00:14:32.690 --> 00:14:35.549 Psalm 23 is helpful, this extremely comforting 00:14:35.549 --> 00:14:38.970 Psalm going through the valley of the shadow 00:14:38.970 --> 00:14:42.940 of death. God doesn't take us around the valley 00:14:42.940 --> 00:14:45.259 of the shadow of death. He doesn't take us over 00:14:45.259 --> 00:14:47.039 the valley of the shadow of death. He doesn't 00:14:47.039 --> 00:14:49.720 dig a tunnel underneath the valley of the shadow 00:14:49.720 --> 00:14:55.000 of death. No, God takes us through it. I like 00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:57.519 the way Gregory the Great put this, the bishop 00:14:57.519 --> 00:15:01.500 of Rome in 600. He said, evil things which bear 00:15:01.500 --> 00:15:06.600 us down, compel us to go to God. And there's 00:15:06.600 --> 00:15:10.190 a scripture that's very similar to this. Perhaps 00:15:10.190 --> 00:15:14.590 Gregory the Great was reflecting upon 2 Corinthians 00:15:14.590 --> 00:15:19.669 4, 17. I'll read 16 and 17, just listen. So we 00:15:19.669 --> 00:15:24.750 do not lose heart, though our outer self is wasting 00:15:24.750 --> 00:15:28.009 away, our inner self is being renewed day by 00:15:28.009 --> 00:15:33.210 day for this light, momentary affliction is preparing 00:15:33.210 --> 00:15:38.389 us for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all. 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:43.820 Comparison. Affliction drives us back to God 00:15:43.820 --> 00:15:49.320 and prepares us for God. And also something that 00:15:49.320 --> 00:15:54.960 I would add as well, affliction can purify us. 00:15:55.759 --> 00:15:59.419 Affliction can purify us, not just individually, 00:16:00.059 --> 00:16:02.620 but affliction can purify the church. And it's 00:16:02.620 --> 00:16:05.340 something that I believe the American church 00:16:05.340 --> 00:16:09.799 desperately needs to be purified. When we as 00:16:09.799 --> 00:16:12.480 especially American Christians, a lot of us, 00:16:12.539 --> 00:16:14.779 when we experience affliction, we draw back. 00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:19.240 We don't want any part of that, right? We do 00:16:19.240 --> 00:16:22.159 not want any part of our affliction instead of 00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:26.539 seeing it as part of our union with Christ. I 00:16:26.539 --> 00:16:28.940 was meeting with a pastor in New England several 00:16:28.940 --> 00:16:34.799 years ago. We were meeting for lunch and we went 00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:36.600 to pray. We're talking about ministry and went 00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:40.139 to pray. And he said to me, hey, don't worry 00:16:40.139 --> 00:16:42.200 about bowing your head and closing your eyes. 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:44.960 We don't want anybody to look at us weird, right? 00:16:47.139 --> 00:16:49.919 There could be times when there's wisdom in not 00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:52.019 doing that if you're in a heavily persecuted 00:16:52.019 --> 00:16:56.740 area. But surely what Paul has to say is true. 00:16:56.840 --> 00:16:59.980 Do not be ashamed of the gospel, for it's the 00:16:59.980 --> 00:17:03.200 power of God for salvation to everyone who believes 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:07.099 we need to wear Christ on our sleeve. How will 00:17:07.099 --> 00:17:09.880 we really know Christ if we're unwilling to identify 00:17:09.880 --> 00:17:12.900 with his suffering in any way? The Christians 00:17:12.900 --> 00:17:15.599 in Thessalonica surely were not hiding. And we 00:17:15.599 --> 00:17:18.019 see this time and time again, Christians who 00:17:18.019 --> 00:17:22.559 were bold in their faith like Paul. I like the 00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:24.500 way Daniel Hyde puts this when he talks about 00:17:24.500 --> 00:17:27.880 the book of Acts. He says, Acts is nothing more 00:17:27.880 --> 00:17:31.299 than the book of the martyr's blood being the 00:17:31.299 --> 00:17:35.240 seed of the church. The more the church was persecuted, 00:17:35.279 --> 00:17:39.920 the more the word spread. God gives us real salvation 00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:43.980 and real deliverance and real forgiveness. Let 00:17:43.980 --> 00:17:47.119 us not give him fake faith or weak worship or 00:17:47.119 --> 00:17:50.079 dumbed down discipleship. Let us give to God 00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:55.839 genuine obedience and love because he has loved 00:17:55.839 --> 00:18:02.380 us first. Now you might say what? I don't really 00:18:02.380 --> 00:18:05.180 live in a heavily persecuted area, praise God. 00:18:06.339 --> 00:18:10.779 So how do I show my faith in affliction? We can 00:18:10.779 --> 00:18:13.660 still show our faith in affliction, even if it's 00:18:13.660 --> 00:18:16.779 not at the hands of persecutors. Think about, 00:18:17.299 --> 00:18:21.900 how do you respond with grace to a bad diagnosis 00:18:21.900 --> 00:18:25.440 at the doctor's office? When people are watching, 00:18:25.619 --> 00:18:29.380 do you show your faith as you trust in God? What 00:18:29.380 --> 00:18:32.380 about when you've got a difficult boss at work? 00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:36.400 Can you show grace? Can you show faith even as 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:39.119 he or she is a tough person to work for? Of course 00:18:39.119 --> 00:18:41.779 we can show our faith. I like the way GK Beale 00:18:41.779 --> 00:18:45.019 says this, whenever we maintain our faith in 00:18:45.019 --> 00:18:49.299 Christ throughout these situations, we demonstrate 00:18:49.299 --> 00:18:55.640 identification with Christ. We must show our 00:18:55.640 --> 00:18:59.759 faith and identify with Christ. But as far as 00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:02.299 those who are experiencing persecution, one way 00:19:02.299 --> 00:19:04.859 that we can show our affection for them as they 00:19:04.859 --> 00:19:08.460 are afflicted is certainly in prayer. Praying 00:19:08.460 --> 00:19:11.319 for the persecuted church. There are a number 00:19:11.319 --> 00:19:14.259 of great organizations out there that are doing 00:19:14.259 --> 00:19:17.960 wonderful work in countries and places amongst 00:19:17.960 --> 00:19:20.400 people groups who are persecuted. Sign up for 00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:24.039 their prayer emails. Voice of the Martyrs, Global 00:19:24.039 --> 00:19:27.059 Christian Relief. Consider this story from Voice 00:19:27.059 --> 00:19:30.230 of the Martyrs this week. about a Syrian named 00:19:30.230 --> 00:19:34.309 Abdul who fled from Syria when the civil war 00:19:34.309 --> 00:19:37.190 began there, but has now come back to do ministry. 00:19:37.390 --> 00:19:41.170 He says this, when we returned home, something 00:19:41.170 --> 00:19:46.130 changed inside of me. Before fleeing, I was cautious 00:19:46.130 --> 00:19:49.930 about sharing my faith. As a Muslim background 00:19:49.930 --> 00:19:53.470 believer, I had always been careful evangelizing 00:19:53.470 --> 00:19:57.069 in secret because I feared for my life. But when 00:19:57.069 --> 00:20:01.640 I came back, I was no longer afraid. I had a 00:20:01.640 --> 00:20:05.380 newfound boldness, and we began the ministry 00:20:05.380 --> 00:20:10.059 publicly. Friends, we need to wear Christ on 00:20:10.059 --> 00:20:13.440 our sleeve and pray for those in these kind of 00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:18.019 situations. And as we do that, as we pray for 00:20:18.019 --> 00:20:21.240 those under affliction, I think we demonstrate 00:20:21.240 --> 00:20:25.960 affection. This passage shows us There is a great 00:20:25.960 --> 00:20:28.599 treasure in the midst of affliction, and it's 00:20:28.599 --> 00:20:32.119 this, affection for one another. Look in verse 00:20:32.119 --> 00:20:37.900 two. Why did Paul send Timothy back? Verse two 00:20:37.900 --> 00:20:41.079 says it, to exhort and establish them in faith 00:20:41.079 --> 00:20:44.839 so they would not be moved. And so there's kind 00:20:44.839 --> 00:20:48.119 of a twofold reason that Paul sends Timothy. 00:20:48.660 --> 00:20:51.259 One, it's a rescue mission. It's to help the 00:20:51.259 --> 00:20:55.839 Christians. But two, Paul really wants to hear 00:20:55.839 --> 00:20:57.920 what's going on because he loves them. And so 00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:01.220 this is an intel mission and that Timothy comes 00:21:01.220 --> 00:21:04.319 back with a word of how the Thessalonians are 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:07.549 doing in verse 5. You can see. Paul learns of 00:21:07.549 --> 00:21:10.329 their faith. And in verse six, there is this 00:21:10.329 --> 00:21:13.150 relief that you can almost feel. It's palpable, 00:21:13.710 --> 00:21:16.509 this affection, and it's mutual according to 00:21:16.509 --> 00:21:19.789 verse six. Paul and Silas and Timothy, they long 00:21:19.789 --> 00:21:22.190 to be with the Thessalonians, and the Thessalonians 00:21:22.190 --> 00:21:26.430 long to have Paul and Silas back with them. And 00:21:26.430 --> 00:21:29.670 the reason Paul wants to go is for many reasons, 00:21:29.730 --> 00:21:31.910 I believe, yes, to be with them, but he also 00:21:31.910 --> 00:21:37.740 wants to keep ministering. to them. But in the 00:21:37.740 --> 00:21:40.440 meantime, while he's separated from them, he 00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:44.640 shows affection in verse 10 because he prays 00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:48.440 for them always, continually. And the word that 00:21:48.440 --> 00:21:51.019 is used there, the word for prayer, this is not 00:21:51.019 --> 00:21:53.420 the most common word for prayer in the New Testament. 00:21:53.779 --> 00:21:57.119 This is actually a stronger word. It's a word 00:21:57.119 --> 00:22:02.099 for pleading. Paul pleads for the Thessalonians. 00:22:03.339 --> 00:22:06.920 But then when he gets the news, he's overjoyed 00:22:06.920 --> 00:22:09.900 with it, isn't he, with this report. And it's 00:22:09.900 --> 00:22:13.000 interesting the way the text puts this. Paul 00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:15.980 is overjoyed with what's called the good news 00:22:15.980 --> 00:22:20.799 here. I think this is the only location in Scripture 00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:23.319 where it says that Paul receives the good news. 00:22:23.640 --> 00:22:25.980 Usually when you see the good news in Paul, it's 00:22:25.980 --> 00:22:28.500 Paul preaching the good news. But this time the 00:22:28.500 --> 00:22:32.279 good news is that which Paul receives, this great 00:22:32.279 --> 00:22:36.470 word. about the Thessalonians persevering under 00:22:36.470 --> 00:22:39.789 affliction. And this tells us something else. 00:22:41.210 --> 00:22:43.829 Paul is thankful to hear the gospel enduring 00:22:43.829 --> 00:22:47.470 because the gospel is not a one -time statement. 00:22:48.269 --> 00:22:50.089 Sometimes we talk about the gospel like that, 00:22:50.109 --> 00:22:52.670 don't we? Say, believe the gospel and you shall 00:22:52.670 --> 00:22:55.380 be saved, which is true in scriptural. But friends, 00:22:55.460 --> 00:22:58.720 we must receive the gospel every single day. 00:22:58.740 --> 00:23:01.819 We ought to preach it to ourselves. Remind us 00:23:01.819 --> 00:23:04.740 of what God has done for us in Christ. I like 00:23:04.740 --> 00:23:07.660 the way that Paul writes in his second letter 00:23:07.660 --> 00:23:10.619 to Timothy. He says, preach the word in season 00:23:10.619 --> 00:23:14.259 and out of season, which means preach the word 00:23:14.259 --> 00:23:18.160 when things are going swell and when things are 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:21.059 not going so great. That's actually the way that 00:23:21.059 --> 00:23:24.900 we should live with the gospel. reminding ourselves 00:23:24.900 --> 00:23:27.599 of the gospel when things are going wonderfully, 00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:30.940 but also when things are tough. Because the only 00:23:30.940 --> 00:23:33.799 way to get through the tough things is by the 00:23:33.799 --> 00:23:36.880 gospel of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit who 00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:42.200 indwells. And believers, friends, faith does 00:23:42.200 --> 00:23:45.839 not come with an on -off switch. We must always 00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:49.900 live for Christ and always live to show affection 00:23:49.900 --> 00:23:52.009 for one another. But you might say, well, how 00:23:52.009 --> 00:23:54.650 do I do that? How do I show affection to others 00:23:54.650 --> 00:23:57.329 who are suffering and struggling and battling 00:23:57.329 --> 00:24:01.049 affliction? Just four quick points of application. 00:24:01.890 --> 00:24:07.170 Verse two again. To show affection, we must exhort 00:24:07.170 --> 00:24:10.569 one another. When we talk about exhortation, 00:24:10.589 --> 00:24:14.230 we're talking about speaking into each other's 00:24:14.230 --> 00:24:17.089 lives. We're recognizing the need that we all 00:24:17.089 --> 00:24:19.970 have for sanctification and we help one another. 00:24:20.299 --> 00:24:23.480 in our growth in Christ. A great scripture to 00:24:23.480 --> 00:24:27.619 see this is in Hebrews 3 .13. Listen to these 00:24:27.619 --> 00:24:35.019 words. But exhort one another every day as long 00:24:35.019 --> 00:24:39.000 as it is called today, that none of you may be 00:24:39.000 --> 00:24:42.220 hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. We need 00:24:42.220 --> 00:24:46.950 to speak into each other's lives every day. Second 00:24:46.950 --> 00:24:49.930 point of application from verse four of our text. 00:24:50.250 --> 00:24:52.869 We need to be with one another. Paul and his 00:24:52.869 --> 00:24:56.589 crew, they longed to be with the Thessalonians. 00:24:58.890 --> 00:25:01.650 We ought to crave fellowship, friends. We ought 00:25:01.650 --> 00:25:05.470 to crave worship together. Again, another place 00:25:05.470 --> 00:25:08.069 to see this from Hebrews is one that you all 00:25:08.069 --> 00:25:12.390 may know, Hebrews 10, 24 through 25, which reads 00:25:12.390 --> 00:25:16.460 in this way. And let us continue. or consider 00:25:16.460 --> 00:25:20.160 how to stir up one another to love and good works, 00:25:20.740 --> 00:25:24.460 not neglecting to meet together as is the habit 00:25:24.460 --> 00:25:27.420 of some, but encouraging one another and all 00:25:27.420 --> 00:25:30.559 the more as you see the day drawing near. We 00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:34.799 need to be together. Thirdly, we need to help 00:25:34.799 --> 00:25:37.799 each other through temptations from verse five. 00:25:38.599 --> 00:25:41.539 Paul was concerned. that the tempter had gotten 00:25:41.539 --> 00:25:43.799 to the Thessalonians and so this is one of the 00:25:43.799 --> 00:25:47.420 reasons he sends Timothy because Christians are 00:25:47.420 --> 00:25:51.900 to help one another battle sin. A great scripture 00:25:51.900 --> 00:25:56.099 to see this is one that I've quoted a lot from 00:25:56.099 --> 00:26:03.099 Galatians chapter 6 verse 1. Brothers, if anyone 00:26:03.099 --> 00:26:06.819 is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual 00:26:06.819 --> 00:26:09.619 should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. 00:26:10.039 --> 00:26:13.940 Keep watch on yourself lest you too be tempted. 00:26:14.059 --> 00:26:17.880 We are to come alongside of each other in battling 00:26:17.880 --> 00:26:22.259 sin. And then finally, verses nine and 10 of 00:26:22.259 --> 00:26:25.099 our text, how to show affection to one another 00:26:25.099 --> 00:26:29.099 in our affliction. We need to pray. Pray with 00:26:29.099 --> 00:26:32.700 thanksgiving and joy. Prayer is the most important 00:26:32.700 --> 00:26:36.319 thing we can do for one another as we battle 00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:39.859 affliction. Friends, I hope you can see from 00:26:39.859 --> 00:26:43.599 this passage that God really does use us as instruments 00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:47.160 of affection to help those who are in affliction. 00:26:47.279 --> 00:26:50.779 And yet, it's also true from this text, Satan 00:26:50.779 --> 00:26:54.660 is real, the devil is real, and we are really 00:26:54.660 --> 00:26:57.079 fighting against him and the prince of darkness, 00:26:57.559 --> 00:26:59.599 the one who deceives and the one who tempts. 00:26:59.640 --> 00:27:04.200 But the good news is this, that Christ has overcome. 00:27:04.929 --> 00:27:08.029 Christ has overcome. He has achieved victory 00:27:08.029 --> 00:27:11.569 and so even as Satan has some influence He is 00:27:11.569 --> 00:27:15.809 no match for Christ and Christ Transforms us 00:27:15.809 --> 00:27:18.930 in our union with him and by the power of the 00:27:18.930 --> 00:27:23.269 Holy Spirit. We are able to say no To sin no 00:27:23.269 --> 00:27:26.589 to temptation We are to encourage one another 00:27:26.589 --> 00:27:30.049 in our faith all the way until Christ takes us 00:27:30.049 --> 00:27:34.089 home Or until he returns Let's pray