“For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting in the presence of the Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.” vs19-20

The hope, crown, and joy of the believing preacher is God’s people in the presence of the Lord at the second coming. We won’t boast in numbers, but in souls saved. We’ll glory - not in our eloquence - but how beautiful you are before Christ. We’re out to save men. We don’t want diplomas and degrees. We are not after titles and accolades. We are not interested in applause or payment: We want YOU to know the Son of God. This is how you know a true preacher: His motive is for YOU to be saved.

1 He preaches the gospel to you purely [vs3-6]. Paul said, “For our exhortation didn’t come from error or impurity or an intent to deceive. Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men,but rather God, who examines our hearts. For we never used flattering speech, as you know, or had greedy motives--God is our witness--and we did not seek glory from people, either from you or from others.” We weren’t in it for selfish ambitions, so we labored to bring you the gospel purely. We held back nothing but told you EVERY WORD, even the painful stuff, because we wanted you delivered. We were not trying to be macho and bold. Our desire wasn’t rhetoric or eloquence: It was YOU. We are sent by God to give Him glory for your benefit.

2 You received the word as it really is [vs13-14]. He says, “This is why we constantly thank God, because when you received the message about God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is, the message of God, which also works effectively in you believers.” It brought forth fruit! “For you, brothers, became imitators of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, since you have also suffered the same things from your countrymen, just as they did from the Jews.” You repented of your sins. You turned, not because a man came to you with smiles or threats, but because God spoke to you, and you were CONVINCED of the gospel.

This is something man can’t do: God speaks to your heart in a special way, whereby He’s talking to you; it may be hundreds of people there… you may be alone listening to a sermon or reading a blog… you may be one on one with someone, but you see it as clear as day: It is called divine revelation, when the Holy Spirit takes the deep things of God - the things hidden - and reveals them, so that you can no longer argue. “Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God [1 Cor 2:10].”

It makes perfect sense that Christ came to save, that He is God and Man our Redeemer, that He fulfilled His responsibilities as Surety, and God raised Him. It makes sense that we’re saved by faith, and being righteous, we get the Spirit, and He makes our flesh yield to sovereign power. It right that we’re alive from the dead and have all things because of Jesus Christ.

3 Satan is after us [vs17-18]. Paul says, “But as for us, brothers, after we were forced to leave you for a short time (in person, not in heart), we greatly desired and made every effort to return and see you face to face. So we wanted to come to you--even I, Paul, time and again--but Satan hindered us.” He doesn’t want you established or strengthened! He doesn’t want others to hear the gospel, and so he persecutes you - half hatred and half to silence you. He wants your message to be stopped, your rejoicing to be turned to sorrow, and he wants unbelief, disobedience, and sin to reign. He conspires through unbelievers to throw us off course - to persecute us shamelessly - lest the light shines, and his minions are so willing to oppose what they hate! Every unsaved man is a vasel of Satan because he opposes faith and a clean conscience, and he will lead you aside if possible. He doesn’t encourage you to holiness by example. Others, however, hinder us by lies and slander. They oppose us violently with arms. They attack us with raging words, but we shall withstand them.

It won’t be long until God’s purpose comes to pass, so we keep banging on the door, calling unto God for His people, seeking a way over and around Satan’s opposition, and God gives it to us. Paul wasn’t able to get to Thessalonica, but he sent Timothy to check on them [1 Thess 3:1-2].