1st Thessalonians 3, and this morning we're looking at verses 1 through 10 of 1st Thessalonians 3. Let's listen now to the reading of God's Holy Word. Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, We thought it good to be left in Athens alone, and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith. That no one should be shaken by these afflictions, for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. For, in fact, we told you before, when we were with you, that we would suffer tribulation just as it happened, and you know. For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain. But now that Timothy has come to us from you and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us as we also to see you. Therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress, we were comforted concerning you by your faith. For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith. Let's seek the Lord's blessing on this, his holy word. O gracious God in heaven, We do rejoice and give thanks for the great opportunity that we have to have your word in our own language, in our own tongue, that we can read it, we can hear it, we can understand it by the power of your spirit. And so we pray that as we come to this passage this morning, that you would have the truth that you would have us know, and that you would send that forth with your spirit as it goes forth with the proclamation of your word. where it would settle into our hearts, into our minds, and that we would truly receive it, even as that rich, fertile soil that receives the seed and then bears great and abundant fruit, all for your glory. We pray now, Father, for your blessing upon your holy word. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Often when we hear the axiom, what goes around comes around, we tend to think of something that is negative. For example, if you cheat someone, then what goes around comes around and sooner or later you yourself are going to be cheated. And sometimes we might refer to this as divine retribution. That is, God will bring to justice in the same way to those who have acted unjustly. And we see that is even the prayer throughout scripture, the prayer of the psalmist, that the traps that have been set for the righteous would then be turned against the wicked. And so this is the divine retribution. But there's also a positive side to this axiom as well. In fact, even though we don't often think of it in terms of what goes around comes around, This idea is really kind of at work in what we refer to as the Golden Rule, right? When you do unto others as you would have them do unto you. So if you want to be treated in a certain way, you're going to treat others in that same way. Basically, you're going to, you know, as you're doing well to others, well, what goes around is going to come around and others will treat you well also. And so certainly this axiom and rule is is worth living by. But the only problem with this kind of circular philosophy of life is that it has to start somewhere. You can't just sit around and wait for someone to first be kind to you before you be kind to them. You see, if everyone awaited, then the cycle would never begin and no one's needs would get met. And so someone needs to get things started. And the question that I have for you this morning is why can't that someone be you? Be a trailblazer. Be a pace setter. Be proactive. Instead of waiting to be treated well, why not treat others well? Instead of waiting to be loved, why not love? Instead of waiting to be served, why not serve? Instead of waiting to be encouraged, why not encourage? You see, if everyone were committed to action, then this positive cycle of what goes around comes around would get started and everyone's needs would ultimately be met. Sounds like a great plan. A great plan for a community, for a congregation of God's people, certainly for a marriage and for a family, indeed, for all of life. One of our pastors this morning We see that everyone is in need of encouragement. The Thessalonians, believers, have been undergoing persecution from their own countrymen. And even Paul and the other missionaries who are in Corinth now writing this letter are enduring hardships and trials. But Paul proactively gets the ball rolling. by placing his own needs aside in order to encourage the Thessalonians. But what goes around comes around. And so Paul and the others will end up being greatly encouraged, and they will then give all praise and glory to God. And again, a great example for us to follow. That if we're faithful to encourage one another, then we also will eventually be encouraged. And through the whole cycle, God will be glorified in and through our lives. And so here in chapter three, we see Paul continuing his defense against the critics. Remember earlier in chapter two, Paul was seeking to defend his character by reminding the Thessalonians of what they know from firsthand experience, that when the missionaries were there among them, They didn't come to cheat or steal, they came to give and to serve. But now, Paul's defense has moved to the situation regarding their hasty departure from Thessalonica. And so it appears as though the critics were saying that the missionaries didn't really care about the Thessalonians because they didn't stick around. They came, they got what they wanted, and then they just moved on, just like many of the other philosophers of the day that would travel around taking advantage of the people. But as we noted back in chapter 2, Paul made clear that they were forced out And he wanted to return many times, but had been prevented. And now here in chapter three, Paul continues to express his love and devotion toward the Thessalonians. And he says here in verse one, when we could no longer endure it, we sent Timothy. And we see here that the very sending of Timothy would have proven the sincerity of their affection toward the Thessalonians. And Paul gives two reasons why he sent Timothy. The first is found in verse two, in order to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith. And then the second we find in verse five, to know your faith. And so Paul wants Timothy to go to build up and to encourage, or literally to walk alongside the Thessalonians as they endure various trials. And he also wants a report back about how they're doing. Are they remaining, especially, are they remaining faithful and strong in faith amidst all this persecution? And so he sends Timothy. to do these two things. And first, we turn our attention to that first purpose where Paul sends Timothy on a mission to encourage the Thessalonians and to fortify them in their faith. And in this, we discover several important aspects of what we might call a ministry of encouragement. First, such a ministry is rooted in a great love toward those in need. We've noted before Paul's great pastoral love and affection for the Thessalonians, and he doesn't fail to remind them again of the sincerity of his affection toward them. Look how he expresses this love. In verse 1 he says, we could no longer endure it. And then again in verse 5, Paul makes it even more personal when he says, when I could no longer endure it. Now think about that language. We could no longer endure it. If you're enduring something, it's as if they're enduring some kind of pain and suffering and affliction, and they just can't last any longer. He's got to find out what's going on. And that's how he is showing his affection for them. They were so concerned about the Thessalonians. and they'd been waiting for any word and they had to receive nothing. And then they finally, when they could endure it no longer, they just needed to know, he went and he sent Timothy. It was a real hardship for them. And such heartache is certainly an indication of his great love and affection for them. And so, beloved of God, when you take up the ministry of encouragement, indeed, when you boldly set the cycle in motion, The reason you ought to do it isn't so that you'll get something in return, even though we acknowledge that if you're faithful and encouraging others, well, then you yourself will be encouraged. But you ought to do it. You ought to encourage others. You ought to be motivated to encourage others because of your great love for your brother or sister in Christ. Because Christ has called us to love one another. And what better way to show this love than to encourage one another, to walk alongside someone through their trials, through their grief, through their suffering, and to be there to build them up in their faith through prayer and through the comfort of God's word. Show your love to your brothers and sisters by encouraging them. But also don't just be inward focus. Though it's true the household of faith is really our primary sphere of ministry, but you should also be looking to love your neighbor. To look in beyond these walls. And to those around you, whoever is in need, whoever is discouraged, and whoever is depressed and is in need of help. Reach out and minister encouragement to them in the name of Christ as a witness to them of the love that God in Christ has bestowed so wonderfully and graciously upon you, pointing them to the gospel. And so whether it's in the church or outside the church, when you take up this ministry of encouragement, rooted in love for your brothers and sisters and in your love for your neighbors. Secondly, the ministry of encouragement may involve sacrifice. Again, verses one and two, we thought it good to be left alone in Athens. Timothy, remember, had been Paul's protege and certainly would have surely been missed from the mission team. But since Paul was unable to return himself, He decided to send young Timothy to build up the saints in Thessalonica. Now it's unclear as to whether Paul speaks of he and Silas being left behind or whether he himself is left all alone in Athens, but either way, Timothy's departure is certainly going to leave a big hole in their ministry. Athens was a large city, and though the people there were eager to hear any new philosophy, they wouldn't be so open to hearing the gospel. And so for Paul and the others to lose what fellowship and support that they did have would have been very challenging. It would have been a sacrifice to send Timothy away. But again, Paul puts the needs of the Thessalonians before his own needs. And this is what the ministry of encouragement does. It's sacrificial. It means putting others' needs before your own. It means taking time out of your busy schedule and encouraging a brother or sister who's grieving. It may mean putting aside what you had planned for your day off and spending the time with the church member or the neighbor who's been shut in with sickness and doesn't have any family around to help. You never know when the need to offer encouragement will come. And so if you want to encourage, you must be willing to make the necessary sacrifices. And thirdly, the Ministry of Encouragement needs to be well suited for those who are in need of it. Paul was unable to go, though he had often tried. And it's likely that Silas was unable to go because both he and Paul took the lead in the mission work in Thessalonica. And if you recall, there was a great riot that broke out. And they were when they were forced to leave. And so they would have been easily recognized. So how can we send encouragement to these believers without drawing attention to ourselves and getting things all stirred up? Well, let's send the young Timothy. He's strong in faith. He's serious about the matters of the gospel. And he was not one who was taking the lead in the preaching and the teaching during their time in Thessalonica. And so Timothy becomes the one who is well suited for this purpose. And remember that Timothy at this time was just a young man, likely in his late teens. And so we learn here truly Godly young people who are serious about growing in their faith, who are serious about serving Christ, can actually be a great encouragement to others, even to relatively new believers. You see, they would see the Thessalonians, they're there, and then here comes this Timothy, and they say, wow, here's this young man. He's not caught up in the cares of the world, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life that so many other young people that they know are caught up with. But this one has put all that aside and he is seeking to, he's given up all his own selfish pursuits and he's seeking to serve others. You see how Timothy then would be so well suited for such a ministry. You see the glorious transformation in this young man. And they might think to themselves, wow, what is this gospel he's talking about? That this young man is so motivated to give up all these pleasures of the world to come and to serve us and to minister to us, to encourage us. He's spiritually minded. He's not caught up in all the cares and the concerns of worldliness. And in case anyone would doubt his credentials, Paul offers that Timothy is a brother. That is, he's a fellow believer in Jesus Christ. But he's also, even though he's young, like Paul and Silas, he's our brother and a minister of God and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ. And so the Thessalonians were to receive Timothy the same way that they would receive Paul himself. And so, beloved, as you take on this ministry, this ministry of encouragement, remember, encouragement isn't discriminatory. Encouragement can come from anyone. Encouragement can come from the old. It can come from the young. And so it's a ministry that truly belongs to everyone, even everyone here. And it can come in many different ways. Through words or actions. A sincere phone call or a text. Hey, how are you doing today? Or how can I be praying for you? Maybe just a little note with a thoughtful scripture passage. Or just spending time to pray with someone. Or if someone's at a distance, you can send a care package, hey, thinking of you, praying for you. Or just having that listening ear as they try to process whatever the challenges they may be dealing with. Just being in that comforting presence. You see encouragement and this ministry of encouragement doesn't need to be any big thing. We don't need to have some big show to be encouraging. It's all very simple, very common everyday things. It just has to be heartfelt and sincere to love your brothers, sisters, to encourage them, to be willing to sacrifice for them. and to be well-suited to give them the encouragement that they need in a timely manner. And such was the kind of encouragement that the church in Thessalonica needed. We see in verse 3, Paul was concerned that they were being shaken by these afflictions. And of course, we wonder, well, what are those afflictions? Well, they were suffering because of their faith. It was being rejected by their family and their friends because they no longer lived according to the old ways. It was being ridiculed and mocked. It was being tempted by Satan, the tempter, to give up this new faith and return to idolatry, which, in a certain sense, provided a life of peace and lack of destruction. When they were serving idols, There wasn't all this conflict. It's only been because they turned to Christ. What a temptation that is for people. Affliction was, they were being harassed. They are being arrested and perhaps even tortured or killed because they believe that this Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah, that he was the Son of God who died on a cross and then rose again for their sins. This was the affliction that they were enduring. But as we noted previously, and as Paul states even more strongly here, for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this that is destined for suffering and affliction. Beloved of God, know this because it is certain and true If you truly are a child of God, if you sincerely believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and you're desiring to live that out in your life, then you have been destined or literally it has been laid out for you to suffer and to be afflicted for the sake of Christ and His gospel. Now, it may not be very real to us here in the United States, but we know it is very real to our brothers and sisters in Christ and many other places throughout the world. But let us be mindful as we look around and the state of our nation and the world around us and our culture and where it's continuing to press. It would not take very much for us to endure the same kind of persecution that our brothers and sisters are enduring in other parts of the world. Indeed, the church in every age has undergone some kind of affliction and persecution. Why would we be so proud and haughty to think that we would be the exception? Let us never take it for granted and to be always aware and alert to these things. But again, What the Thessalonians are enduring is nothing new. In fact, Paul goes on to remind them in verse 4 that they were warned about this very thing. He said, we told you, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation. Again, this was a central part of their teaching and instruction. It basically said, look, if you're going to follow Christ, what does it mean to follow Christ? Jesus defines in Luke 9 that you must deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him. And it's that cross, well, that self-denial is a big thing, but especially the cross. That cross is a picture of shame and suffering and ultimately death. And so by professing the name of Christ, you're identifying with the shame and suffering which Christ endured on your behalf. And so Paul wasn't deceiving or misleading the Thessalonians at all. No, he's actually being extremely bold and very blunt as he goes on to say here in verse four, just as it happened. And you know, look, we told you this was going to happen and it's happened. And so Paul warned them and it actually came about. Again, brothers and sisters, as Paul didn't want the Thessalonians to be uninformed, neither do I want you to be uninformed about these things. Take heed. If you live faithful for Jesus Christ, know that persecution and affliction will come. This isn't merely my prediction. It's not Paul's prediction, but it is indeed the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Jesus says in John 15, remember the word that I said to you, a servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. Again, why would we expect to be treated any differently than Jesus? For such a reason then. We ought to be diligent in seeking to encourage one another, to build one another up, to walk alongside one another, because we all know that suffering becomes much more bearable and tolerable when you know without a doubt that you're not alone. And so walk with one another and encourage one another. This then leads to the great benefit of this ministry of encouragement. You see, if you're faithful to encourage those who are downcast, those who are afflicted, those who are suffering persecution, well then it will come back to you and you yourself will be encouraged also." And this is what we see now with Paul. Again, Timothy had been sent to encourage and build up the Thessalonians in their faith amidst affliction. But the second reason that Paul sent Timothy was to know your faith, that is, to find out the condition of their faith. Again, Paul was afraid that the persecution would have been so severe that those who had converted and believed the gospel would be tempted to recant their faith in Christ, and that they would deny the truth of the gospel. Much like Jesus talks about in the parable of the sower, the seed sown among the rocks, and the seed sown among the thorns. It appears to be doing well initially, but then they wither away and are choked out by various things. Is this what happened to the believers in Thessalonica? That's what Paul wanted to know. He wanted to know whether their faith was holding fast and whether they were holding on to that faith at all costs. He wanted to know whether they were persevering by trusting in the grace of God for their strength. He wanted to know whether his time among them was in vain. Had he done all that work and endured all the trials in Thessalonica for nothing? Well, in verse 6, he confirms that Timothy had returned to them with good news. Now it's curious, Paul's choice of words here, because this is the only place in the New Testament where the word for good news doesn't refer directly to the gospel. So wonderful is the news that Timothy brings that Paul can't come up with anything else. But of course, the gospel certainly isn't very far from this good news. In fact, it's because of the gospel, because of the work of the Holy Spirit that continued to work in the Thessalonians, that there was such good news to report. And Paul lists out three things here. There's good news of their faith. And this can only mean that their faith in Christ remains strong and true, even amidst all that persecution. Secondly, there's good news of their love for one another. Again, despite the persecution, they haven't given up on Christ's command to love one another, nor have they forgotten to love their enemies. But they remembered how the gospel teaches that Christ loved them and died for them, even when they were his enemies. And thirdly, there's good news of their affection and love toward Paul and the missionaries. And this would certainly indicate to Paul that the critics and the scoffers that had come after him haven't influenced them and the believers with their lies. Remember, they had come to discredit Paul. Well, here the Thessalonians were not buying it. And that's good news. It's great news. In fact, it's such good news that Paul is himself then greatly encouraged and encouragement was something that Paul needed. In verse 70, he says, in all our affliction and distress, We were comforted concerning you by your faith. So at the time they were, Paul and Silas and whoever's with him, they're experiencing affliction and distress, but they hear this good news and they're comforted, they're encouraged by it. Now we know there's much to discourage Paul, really throughout this whole second missionary journey. It began in Philippi where they were mistreated and imprisoned and they were forced out. Then they went to Thessalonica. They were there for just a couple of weeks, and they were forced out. And then they went from Thessalonica, they went to Berea. And again, they were forced out. They went to Athens, and they were forced out. And ultimately, they end up here in Corinth, where it appears that there is still opposition. And so many seeds were planted along the way. And in some places, they were able to stay long enough to see, again, the beginning of that fruit. But how discouraging it was to not know if those sprouts had deep roots of true faith and were blossoming and bearing fruit to the glory of God. Of course, this is what this letter to the Thessalonians was all about. Paul has been worried and concerned for the Thessalonians and he's wondering if his labor among them was in vain. And Paul had sent Timothy to find out and to encourage the believers. And now Timothy is returned with this good report. And suddenly Paul is greatly encouraged. In fact, he gets so wrapped up in the joy of encouragement when he says in verse eight, for now we live if you stand fast in the Lord. And to understand this, the magnitude and depth of Paul's statement here, we need to remember that Paul's life was Christ and Christ alone. Remember what he says in Galatians 2, that I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Paul is dead. He's dead to himself. It's Christ living in him. For him to live was Christ. a great blessing and a challenge for us. That Paul's life, his chief goal and purpose, the only focus of his ministry was to extol the name of Jesus Christ and to spread the gospel message. And so to discover that the time and effort he spent laboring night and day and carrying out this mission wasn't only not in vain, that there were results, that there was fruit, that those who had believed and remained strong and stood firm in their faith, even in the midst of suffering and persecution. To hear this good news was truly life-refreshing for Paul. It was affirmation and encouragement that God was pleased to use him to build up and encourage others. Beloved God, Paul had a great stake in his ministry. His whole life was wrapped up in his ministry of loving and serving the Lord. Friends, what stake do you have? What stake do you have in the ministry to which Christ has called you? As members of this congregation, as members of this body, as this family of believers, know this, that when you're faithful in the ministry of encouragement, or maybe it's the ministry of exhortation, or maybe in the ministry of hospitality, or in the ministry of evangelism, or in the ministry of mercy, whatever it is that Christ has called you to do in this body of His, If you're faithful in carrying it out, the blessings and rewards and the encouragements will indeed return to you in great abundance. But that's not all. For when you set out to encourage, not only will you in turn be encouraged, but also and ultimately, God will be glorified in and through your ministry. And this is what we see in verse nine. Paul is so overcome with the joy of encouragement that he becomes speechless, in a sense, in his praise and thanksgiving to God. He says, for what thanks can we render to God for you for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before God? What can we possibly say? What thanks could we possibly give? Note here that Paul isn't seeking to thank the Thessalonians for persevering. He isn't seeking to thank Timothy for a successful trip. He isn't seeking to pat himself on the back and say, well, job well done. No, his desire is to give thanks to God. You see, because it's been God all along through the Spirit that's empowered him and the other missionaries to preach the gospel with boldness and power. It's been the Spirit of God that's preserved the seed of faith in the Thessalonians. It's been the Spirit of God who's kept the Thessalonians firm in the midst of persecution. And it was God who strengthened them through Timothy's ministry. And it was God who even now restored joy and confidence to Paul's soul. And so it's God who ought to be praised and thanks. So filled with inexpressible joy, Paul can only give thanks and glory to the name of the Lord. And yet Paul still isn't satisfied. He wants more. In verse 10, this good news has so reinvigorated Paul that he prays that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith. You see, it's made him all the more hungry now to return to them because in his mind, Paul has just begun. There's still so much more to be done, more teaching, more discipling, more encouraging. that the encouragement he's received and the praise that he's able to give to God only fuels his desire to do so even more to the glory of Christ, his Savior. Again, the challenge and the example for us. Brothers and sisters, are you finding yourselves this morning in need of encouragement? Do you need to be built up and fortified in your faith? And don't wait for others to act. But put the needs of others before your own and get that cycle started. For what goes around will come around. Seek to encourage others, and you'll be encouraged. Seek to love others, and you will be loved. Seek to serve others, and you will be served. And especially seek to encourage not just one another, but seek to encourage those even here who may not yet know Christ. and those outside of this place. Encourage them in their time of suffering and affliction that they may see in you the great love of Christ that's been so graciously and abundantly poured out upon you. So that you can then be a witness to them of the perfect encouragement that they can also enjoy if they would only believe on Jesus Christ alone for salvation. take up this ministry, brothers and sisters. Encourage one another and be encouraged and God will truly be glorified both in you and through you. Amen. Gracious God in heaven, we do rejoice and give thanks for your word, for your challenge. But oftentimes we We want things. We want to be loved. We want to be encouraged. We want to be fed. We want to be served. And it's all about us. As we've been challenged and reminded this morning, Lord, it's got to start somewhere. And so instead of waiting, may you truly, by your Spirit, encourage and empower each of us to be diligent to love one another. to take up this ministry of encouragement, to build up one another, to walk alongside one another. And that through that ministry, we ultimately, if everyone is committed to it, we ultimately will be loved and encouraged and served. But that's not why we do it. We do it because we love you. And we want to serve in you and we want to glorify you. And so we pray, Father, that when anyone would come, when any visitor would come and they would see this ministry of encouragement in our midst, that they would be drawn to it. Not those outside. And we know people in our lives, our neighbors, our friends and family members, many who do not know you, who need this kind of witness, who need encouragement. May we be faithful to take it up and to give it, that their hearts might be turned to you, that they may be lifted up and encouraged, and that they may profess your name and faith, all to the praise of your glorious name. It's true, Father, all that we do, may all that we truly do be for your glory, honor, and praise. As Paul has given us that example, to live is Christ. That we would put ourselves to death, that we would put our old ways of sin to death, but that the life that we would live would be the life of Christ in us, evident to others, glorifying of your holy name to the end of the age. All to the praise of your name. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.