THE UNDERSHEPHERD’S CHIEF CONCERN—1Thessalonians 2:17—3:13
Previously we have seen....
‘A Faith that Soothes the Soul’—1:1-10
‘A Ministry that Shepherds the Soul’—2:1-12
‘The Work of the Word’—2:13-16
Paul’s deep concern for the Thessalonian Christians was foundational to his apostolic ministry.
A deep concern for the well-being of the flock underlies an apostolic/undershepherd’s ministry.
How do the underlying concerns of the undershepherd ministry become obvious/evident?
5 occasions when the underlying concerns of the undershepherd’s ministry become evident.
The undershepherd’s chief concern is evident thru the....
1. BEREAVEMENT Experienced(:17-20)
2. PREOCCUPATION Experienced(3:1-5)
3—The undershepherd’s chief concern is evident thru
The RELIEF Experienced(3:6-8)
Explanation/Argumentation:(:3:6-8)
:6—“But now that Timothy has come to us from you, & brought us good news of your faith & love, & that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you-- ”
“Think Kindly/Good Remembrance”— mneian hmwn agayhn—Good memory/remembrance. —mneian—Remembrance, memory, mention.—agayhn—Of good constitution or nature; Useful, salutary; Good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy; Excellent, distinguished; Upright, honorable.
“Longing”—epipoyew—to long for, desire; To pursue with love, to long after; To lust, harbor forbidden desire.
:7—“therefore, brethren, in all our affliction & distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith.”
“Distress”—anagkh—Necessity, imposed either by the circumstances, or by law of duty regarding to one’s advantage, custom, argument; Calamity, distress, straits.
“Comforted”—?????????—To call to one’s side, call for, summon; To address, speak to, (call to, call upon), which may be done in the way of exhortation, entreaty, comfort, instruction, etc.
—Translated —“Encouraged” in :2.
:8—“For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.”
“We live”
“Live”—???—To live, breathe, be among the living (not lifeless, not dead); To enjoy real life; To live i.e. pass life, in the manner of the living & acting; living water, having vital power in itself & exerting the same upon the soul; Metaph. to be in full vigour & thus....to be fresh, strong, efficient, active, powerful, efficacious.
“If you”....
“Stand firm/Fast”—?????—to stand firm; To persevere, to persist; To keep one’s standing.
2Cor. 11:24-29—“Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night & a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor & hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger & thirst, often without food, in cold & exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure upon me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?”
Illustration:
Sam relating how he failed a test/Kidding!/RELIEF
Danger of failing college course & losing funding/Exceptionally well on exam/RELIEF
Threat of losing leg/Drs. save it/RELIEF
Application:
?You offer RELIEF that answers undershepherd’s chief concern?
?Are the Concerns of apostolic ministry Apparent?
4—The undershepherd’s chief concern is evident thru
The GIFT Experienced(3:9-10)
Explanation/Argumentation:(3:9-10)
:9—“For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God,”
“For all the joy with which we rejoice”
“For your sake”
—Due to the Thessalonian Christian’s commitment to Christ, joy & thus rejoicing—in the Lord— were part of Paul, Sylvanus & Timothy’s lives.
Acts 20:35—""I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’""
:10—“night & day praying exceedingly that we may see your face & perfect what is lacking in your faith? ”
We may lack opportunity to enter into certain elements of God’s will, however we are always able to enter into supporting those who have been given opportunity— Calling, drive, giftedness, etc.
A church body who will not support key elements of administration of the Good news of Christ is a sorry church. Sunday School, Bible Study, Worship, Preaching, Visitation(Inreach & Outreach), Discipleship, etc.
Col. 4:12—"Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect & complete in all the will of God."
Col. 1:28—"Him we preach, warning every man & teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus."
“Perfect/Complete”—?????????—To render, to fit, sound, complete.
Illustration:
Pat Miller’s funeral/Not a member of this church but her daughter & son-in-law are/Some of Ladies & men missed open support of family—Provided a meal for family & friends of family/Completing what was lacking in your faith—Gracious offering to Miller family/GIFT
Local Wal-Mart franchise/Operating smoothly, according to design/Without constant pressure of corporate managers/GIFT
Application:
?You offer the GIFT that answers the undershepherd’s chief concern?
?Are the Concerns of apostolic ministry Apparent?
5—The undershepherd’s chief concern is evident thru
The POWER Experienced(3:11-13)
Explanation:(3:11-13) Establishment
:11—“Now may our God & Father Himself, & our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you.”
“Direct”—?????????—to make straight, guide, direct; Of the removal of the hindrances to coming to one.
“Lord”—??????—He to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.— Applicable to the various ranks & relations of life & not suggestive of either property or of absolutism.
:12—“And may the Lord make you increase & abound in love to one another & to all, just as we do to you, ”
“Increase”—pleonazw—To superabound; To make to increase: one in a thing
“Abound”—perisseuw—To exceed a fixed number of measure, to be left over & above a certain number or measure; To make to abound. —"Abounding" is used of a flower going from a bud to full bloom.
:13—“so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God & Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.”
“Establish”—sthrizw—To make stable, place firmly, set fast, fix; To strengthen, make firm; To render constant, confirm, one’s mind.
“Unblamable/Without blame”—amemptov—Blameless, deserving no censure, free from fault or defect.
“Holiness”—agiwsunh—Majesty, holiness; Moral purity.
“With all His saints”.....
1Cor. 6:2-3—“Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, matters of this life?”
Per:
1Th 4:14—“For if we believe that Jesus died & rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.”
Dan. 7:10—“A river of fire was flowing And coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The court sat, And the books were opened.”
Zec. 14:5—“And you will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD, my God, will come, & all the holy ones with Him!”
Mt. 25:31—“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, & all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.”
2Thes. 1:7—“& to give relief to you who are afflicted & to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,”
Argumentation:
1Cor. 2:1-5—“And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, & Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness & in fear & in much trembling. And my message & my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit & of power, that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”
Illustration:
NASCAR 5-lug Air ratchet/Useless without compressed air/Made for it/POWER
Missionary to Auca people of Ecuador/Small parachute-plane/Perfect means of travel for native witnesses/ POWER
Application:
?You receive the POWER that answers the undershepherd’s chief concern?
?Are the Concerns of apostolic ministry Apparent?
CONCLUSION:
The undershepherd’s chief concern is evident thru the....
RELIEF Experienced(3:6-8)
GIFT Experienced(3:9-10)
POWER Experienced(3:11-13)
BEREAVEMENT Experienced(:17-20)
PREOCCUPATION Experienced(3:1-5)
Presented 09/11/05am to:
Richland Baptist Church
40510 Stewart Rd.
Zephyrhills, FL 33540
Presented 01/18/04pm to:
Providence Baptist Church
975 Providence Road
Whigham, GA 39897
