Apostolic Longings
1Thess 2:17-20
The book
of First Thess provides the preacher with an interesting set of dilemmas. In the passage we come to today is at least
one of them. We have noted how personal the text can be. There is a lot of
shared history that goes into how the Apostolic Band thinks and feels about the
believers in Thessalonica. The face to face contact has been somewhat limited,
but in at least a 15 day period, there was much persuasion, teaching and
imparting of understanding. So, that on that third Sabbath day, a large number
of men and women believed and joined themselves to the cause of the Apostles.
It was the spontaneous birth of the church in that city.
We also
saw the danger the Apostles were in. Dangers that made them flee to another
place. Leaving by night, they went to Berea. This took them away from the
recent converts. The trouble stirred up by coveteous Jews, thugs and unruly men
from the marketplace, followed the apostles to Berea. Yet, in the face of
trouble, more believed. The Berean Jews did not act as the mob of Thessalonian
Jews did. They were more fair-minded than brutish. The Berean unbelieving Jews
compared the message of the Apostles with the Old Testament scriptures. Some of
them, not all of them, believed. The cross section of believers was very
similar to what we found in Thessalonica--some Jews, some Greek proselytes,
some prominent women and others made up the believers in that place.
But still,
it was not an entirely safe place. So, the Apostolic band moved on. In this
message I want to look at this separation of the ministers from the church in
Thessalonica and the growing concern by the Apostles for their well-being.
One of the
problems with this material is that it spans two chapters: the end of 2 (17-20)
and the beginning of 3 (1-5). So, some of this message is based o observations,
and other parts are more of an exposition of the texts. Acts 16 is also
important to understand some of what happened back in the Early Church. I hope
to look aththe first half today and the second half next Sunday. They, however,
fit together as one narrative. Let me read them both before narrowing in on the
first:
Let's read
the texts:
1.
Apostolic Separation
2:17 But we, brethren, having been taken away
from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to
see your face with great desire.
2. Apostolic Longings
18 Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but
Satan hindered us.
3. Apostolic Eschatological Expectations
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the
presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? 20 For you are
our glory and joy. (Heb 13:17ff)
4. Apostolic Remedy
3:1 Therefore, when we could no longer endure it,
we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, 2 and sent
Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel
of Christ,
5. Apostolic Afflictions
to
establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, 3 that no one
should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are
appointed to this. 4 For, in fact, we told you before when we were
with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.
6. Apostolic Inquiry
5 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.
Let's take
a look at the passage:
1.
Apostolic Separation
2:17 But we, brethren, having been taken away
from you for a short time in presence, not in heart,
The Apostolic Band viewed the recipients of this
epistle as their own brethren in the Lord. Their words and concerns show a
strong tie had developed. When we compare the timeframe with Acts 17, we learn
this all happened in a relatively short period of time--over the time including
three Sabbaths. It could have been as short as 15 days, not many more.
In Thessalonica, we learn of the apostolic
ministry of Paul, the Apostle, Silas the prophet and Timothy, the Evangelists.
There ministries converged in the travels in Asia Minor for the cause of the
gospel. It is in this city that their ministry provoked those in the synagogue
who had not believed and joined themselves to Paul and Silas rioted and sought
out the thugs from the marketplace in order to hassle the visiting ministers.
We are told their motive saw coveteousness--the Jews did not like that the
attention and affection of a group of the synagogue was now directed toward
others--those with the message of Jesus as the anointed one sent from God.
Notice the language of the verse: "having
been taken away from you." Something worked upon them or influenced them
strongly so that the Christian ministers had to severe their close ties with
the new believers. The new believers, who heard and believed what they had been
taught. They received the words as the Word of God, what they were in fact,
rather than receiving them as the words of men. Remember, they received the
preached Word in such a manner that was better than how the Bereans did.
The Apostles viewed themselves, in the
translation of the NIV as having the believers being orphaned from them. This
would be a translation using the word separated in the context of the metaphors
of father and mother. It is strong, much stronger than the NKJV. The ESV has
the sense of the Apostolic Band having been torn from the Thessalonians--" we were torn away from you, brothers."
The historical events on that day, under the
providence of God had the spiritual parents taken away from their spiritual
sons and daughters, who in a very real sense were babes in Christ--having just
believed, even though the thoughts of the gospel and its effects may have been
at work in some the last couple of weeks.
We don't appreciate the timeline in which things
happen in the Bible. We are accustomed to reading along without really thinking
about the elements of their history. We are thrilled that they received the
word of God and believed, but we forget the tremendous suffering the church
experienced IMMEDIATELY for exercising their faith in a hostile world.
This is the world into which the gospel went and
in some places of our world the gospel provokes this sort of response.
Primitive societies are not somehow neutral in their beliefs just waiting for a
Christian missionary to bring them the Christian gospel. No, they are sinners
in need of God's grace in the gospel to completely eclipse their beliefs and
practices. After the World Wars, it became popular to think about the noble
savages in conquered lands. General Macarthur presented Japan in this light as
he tried to interest missionaries to go to that nation. Macarthur's ends were
not so pure. His purpose was not that they might become pillars of belief and
strong churches that would then send out missionaries to other places as
churches perpetuated churches. Macarthur wanted missionaries to bring to other
lands American or Western culture.
The Noble Savage or the Innocent Native in
African were missiological ideas used for the same purpose, though more purely,
to get missionaries to go to Africa. I was at a conference with Conrad MBewe a
few years ago. At the conference, he was asked about the innocent native in
Africa. He asked anyone in the audience who knew of an innocent native in all
of Africa to come at Conrad's expense and point him out to Conrad. They do not
exist. They have tribal idols and they follow the practices of the ages that
are opposed to Christianity at every step.
There are many places in the world today that it
costs to be a Bible-believing and proclaiming Christian. There are many places
where the natives seek to separate the preachers from the believing people.
Divide and conquer is not a new method--it is as old as the scriptures
themselves.
The Apostles saw themselves as having been torn
away from their children in the faith. They longed to get back to them.
Those of you who are parents… How have you felt
when separated from your children, especially when they were young? Did your
heart long to see them or even to hear about them and how they were doing. It
seems to be God-given maternal instincts fanned into a flame by Christian
values that makes a godly woman concerned for her children--and I'll even add
of all ages. I added godly, because in our day, it seems that there are many
women who just don't care anymore. But, a godly woman will care for her
offspring as if they were a part of herself. It is a beautiful thing to watch.
In the strangest places, being busy about other things, a mother can express
concern for her own--that is how it ought to be. The fathers do as well, but
often in different ways--especially praying for them to be kept by the power of
God.
The Apostolic Band were concerned about their
well-being and longed to see them once again….
17b endeavored
more eagerly to see your face with great desire.
It is one thing to hear news about another, it is
something else to see the faces of those you have cared for and loved from
afar.
It was not absolutely necessary for the Apostolic
Band to see the faces of the Thessalonian believers, but it would have been a
tremendous blessing. The alst part of this verse tells us the desire for this
was great--it was a mega-desire. It may have been one of the strongest desires
realized at that time. Again, the Apostles and those with them were not doing a
job of bringing the Gospel to the Gentile world. They entered into the lives of
those in whom they saw the grace of God at work. They were able to do this
after only a short time, but a blessed time of being with them to experience
their coming alive to spiritual birth and being strong under suffering. Those
who ministered to them knew very little about them, but wanted to know more. We
learn about those….
2. Apostolic Longings
18 Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but
Satan hindered us.
What wonderful language! The conclusion to be
drawn by all of the brethren in Thessalonica is expressed in this
verse--Therefore, because of these things, we wanted to come to you. They
wanted to go back to Thessalonica for another visit. Such was their collective
concern for them. But, then we have one of the little personal intrusions into
the text by the Apostle Paul. It was not enough for the language to be 'we' and
'us' but Paul wants to make it 'even I.' to that he added time and time again.
That is a figure of speech in the West. It conveys a sense of wanting to do
something a lot.
For Paul and the others to want to see them again
time and time again, is proof of how much they were on the minds of the Traveling
band of Apostles. Remember how they prayed regularly and habitually for the
brethren at the church in Thessalonica.
Why didn't they just pack up and travel back to
that city if their desire for them was so strong? Was not this a strong
God-given set of feelings that should have led them in such a way that
everything else was put to the side? No, it wasn't time in God's providence.
Rather, it is expressed in strong terms--being hindered by Satan.
Does this mean that in some way Satan was able to
thwart the work of God among the Apostles? At least the language is provocative
and should make us stop to think--in what way could Satan hinder or hold back
to work desired to be done by the Apostles?
Turn to Job 1:1. This is what the writer says
about the main character. The opening verse reads: There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and
upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.
This is what God says about Job in Verse 8: Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My
servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a
blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”
Did you catch that? That is what God says him. Job lived in
sich a way that he was pleasing to God--even after the fall. Job is one of the
oldest books in the Bible, if not the oldest.
Job has a family, becomes the richest man in the East, Satan
comes and wants to tempt him because he has everything and has no need of God.
To do this, Satan had to come before God to ask permission.
So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for
nothing? 10 Have You not
made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on
every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have
increased in the land. 11 But now,
stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You
to Your face!”
12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he
has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.”
So Satan went out from the presence
of the Lord.
As Job is doing one thing or another
one messenger after another comes to tell him of the death of his family and
the destruction of his property. Everything was gone. Yet, Job refused to curse
God and die. God knew his character and what Job could bear better than Satan
himself.
The book is Job's attempts to
understand many things. It is only at the end that he comes to his senses and
realized God's grace. His family is replaced with another, his animals came
back in abundance, his lands were restored and Job exclaimed, his famous words,
"The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, Blessed be the name of the
Lord."
God was in
control all the time. Since the beginning, God has been in control. He always
watches over his own. Even the Devil needs permission to affect or influence
them in anyway. So, when we read the Apostolic Band was hundered by Satan, we
understand those words as inspired history telling us something of the cause
God used to keep the men from visiting Thessalonica. God alone knew what may
have befallen them had they gone back to such a treacherous place. We do not
know what God was saving them from. But, we also can't imagine the work of the
rest of the Apostolic Age apart from the work of Paul, Silas and Timothy. God
is always in control--He may even use Satan for his own good purposes.
We have no idea of the many times
our plans have been hindered for good and glorious reasons.
As the Apostolic band thinks about
these believers, they haven't seen their faces, but see them in accord with
their spiritual sight and their……
3. Apostolic Eschatological Expectations--they
chose to think about a future time of glory…. They write:
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing?
What is the unshakeable certainty we have, what
brings us unpreterbable bliss, and what will be our cause of rejoicing at the
end of days? If we can't see you now and glory in the work God is doing among
you, we will think about that final day and rejoice that what all the saints in
every place expect, will be your experience as well. That God has crowned our
ministry with the conversion of all of you motivates us to carry on--you give
us hope, we rejoice in you a prize at the end of the race--a crown of rejoicing
in the work of God.
As the text read:
19b Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? 20 For you are
our glory and joy.
What a wonderful thing for ministers to say about
the people they served. But, that's how it ought to be.
Consider Hebrews 13:17: Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for
your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not
with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
We mentioned James 3:1 a couple of weeks ago. Here I bring
your attention to another important statement about the Christian ministry,
Hebrews 13:17.
Why obey those who God has placed over you to rule you in the
Lord? Why listen to those who have watched for your souls? Why listen to and obey
those who must give an account for your souls?
There are two reasons:
1. That they may have Joy in their ministries.
2. It is most profitable for you.
Even if someone doesn't want to listen to and obey what they
hear to give the minister joy, at least do it for your own self-interest.
Listening to and obeying the Word of God has effects in the
hearers for the preacher and the audience. It is not for the preacher to feel
as though he has earned his paycheck. It is for the good of your souls-it is
for your increase in Faith and Love and the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Like the Apostolic band to the Thessalonians, Faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ is the aim of the ministry. That some will hear the gospel
and believe in Him for the first time. And, others, that they will hear and
remember things that they either should already know or have forgotten.
Sometimes, all I do is remind people about what they already know.
What do you do with the knowledge you have about the Lord
Jesus Christ.? Do you grow in it and take great comfort. Does it give you hope
for the future? Does it remind you of others who have been precious to you, but
out of your mind and sight for a while. Christianity has a place for sentiment,
but it must not eclipse what we have learned with our minds.
As we come to the Lord's Supper, are you glad to look around
you and see each other face to face? Do you miss those who aren't able to make
it for one Lord's Day or another? Our seeing each other should not become so
ordinary to us. Each week we see the extraordinary work of God in the ordinary
faces of one another. We see the work of Christ and sometimes we realize the
grace and truth of Jesus himself.
When we hold the elements in our hands, think about your own
commitment to one another. What would be your personal loss if something
happened to someone?
While studying in England, there were many semesters wherein
I made friends only to realize, I may never see them again. Some I have heard
from every once in a while. Some I tried to contact, but no connection was
made. Yet, each one of them edified me in some way while far from home and the
ones I loved most. We had a bond in Christ that went beyond the names we went
by. Yet, it was talking about differences, that often made for sweet fellowship.
We had Christ in us, he was all around us. He was the purpose for all we sought
to do.
This should be true in an even more profound manner in those
who have pledged themselves to be a church of Jesus Christ showing him forth to
the dying world. They need our message. They need us to show them Jesus. Let us
proclaim him until he comes again. One way we do that is by partaking of his
simple New Covenant feast together.
Amen!
4. Apostolic Remedy
3:1 Therefore, when we could no longer endure it,
we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, 2 and sent
Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel
of Christ,
5. Apostolic Afflictions
to
establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, 3 that no one
should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are
appointed to this. 4 For, in fact, we told you before when we were
with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.
6. Apostolic Inquiry
5 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.
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