Good Wednesday to you my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,
We all know what it’s like to long for news from friends far away. Have you ever received an unexpected visit from a dear friend? Wasn’t it wonderful, especially if they travelled a long distance to see you?
Let’s join the apostle Paul again in late 50ad, as he’s writing a letter to his friends, the first Christians in the city of Thessalonica. I wonder if your impression of Paul is that he’s a hard driving, no nonsense, maybe zero tenderness kind of man, always pushing himself and others for more? In Paul’s third chapter of this letter, Paul gives us some insight into his true, tender heart. He loved bringing the Gospel of Jesus to places neither he nor any other apostle of Jesus had ever been. And in each place Paul not only shared theological truth, Paul shared himself. His tenderness, his compassion, his love for these Gentiles, most of whom had never heard of Jesus! (1 Thess. 2:8) For some reason Paul had connected at a deeply emotional level with these people in Thessalonica, even though he’d been run out of their town after only a few weeks! (Acts 17:1-10)
In fact, Paul starts chapter 3 with these amazing words: “When we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. We sent Timothy…to strengthen and encourage you in the faith…” (1 Thess. 3:1-3) Yes, there was a time in history when cell phones had not yet been invented and your only option for receiving detailed news from, or encouraging a distant friend, was to GO to them! As Paul left each town and headed to the next, naturally he wondered what was happening in those places after he had left them. In this case, perhaps because the Thessalonians had responded so quickly and heartily to Paul’s Gospel message, Paul longed for news of how things were in Thessalonica, after he’d been away from them for a while. So, from Athens, evidently Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to both encourage the Christians there and to do some due diligence, to find out how they were really doing spiritually, without Paul, Silas, Timothy or Dr. Luke present with them to help nurture their fledgling Christian faith.
Pause. As you and I think about our extended family and our friends who live far away from us, what efforts are we investing to stay connected with them? In those contacts, how often do you and I ask how these we care deeply about are really doing, especially spiritually? Do we occasionally, spontaneously send notes of encouragement and do we include Scripture or spiritual words, or do we tell them we are praying for them, all hoping we will be a true blessing and encouragement to them even though they may be far away from us?
1 Thess. 3:6-10 reflects the overflowing joy Paul had when he received Timothy’s report after Timothy returned from that Thessalonica visit. In fact Paul wrote: “Timothy has brought good news about your faith and love… that you are standing firm in the Lord Jesus. How can we thank God enough for all the joy we have…because of you!“ (1 Thess. 3:6-9) Pause. When you receive news from friends or family far away, what brings you the greatest joy? Is it their good health, or growing family, or good jobs they enjoy, or that they are doing well financially? Or does news of their spiritual growth awaken GREAT JOY in you?
For Paul, his greatest joy was knowing these relatively new Christians were standing firm in their Christian faith, especially in the face of persecution, and they were supporting and encouraging each other. Paul had warned them persecution would come and he knew they could be discouraged. He feared some might even abandon the Gospel Paul had brought them, if no one was there to continue teaching them.
Years later the apostle John wrote these powerful words: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (3 John 4) Oh my that is so true, isn’t it?
For many of us our children and grandchildren live hundreds, maybe thousands of miles away from us. Our contact with them is primarily the internet and cell phone. We are physically with them rarely, maybe very rarely. So how do we continue helping our distant children and grandchildren stay in the pathway of growing Christian faith? How do we challenge them to spiritual maturity? Have you found that YES the joy that both Paul and John wrote about is the greatest joy of all? For you, is the greatest news you can hear from those you love: that they are growing in their relationship with Jesus and standing firm in God’s truth?
Please notice that Paul ends his third chapter with two significant and hopeful statements, and I urge us to embrace them for ourselves.
First… in verse 12: “May the Lord Jesus make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else…” (1 Thess. 3:12) Don’t minimize the power of God’s love flowing through God’s people to everyone their lives touch. Have you experienced the power of both receiving and giving that love? Can you discern in your life what blocks the flow of God’s love from you to others?
Second… in verse 13: “May Jesus strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones.” (1 Thess. 3:13) Oh yes, what a glorious ambition, to be a holy people, God honoring at all times. The apostle Peter echoes this same challenge to God’s people in his first letter. (1 Peter 1:15)
And did you notice Paul’s reference to Jesus coming with all His holy ones? What’s that all about? We’ll look closely at that tomorrow in Paul’s next chapter, 1 Thess. 4. For today, I urge you to read all of 1 Thess. 3 with pen in hand marking down what the Holy Spirit shows you as significant for YOUR life. The “Lessons Learned” notes will be very helpful at the link just below, and a great worship song for a time of reflection, and I’ll be here ready for you tomorrow.
Today’s Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 3.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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