The Pastor Whose Ministry Was not in Vain
Series: 1 Thessalonians
Chuck Sligh
February, 2017
NOTE: This is the fourth lesson of an extended Bible study of the book of 1 Thessalonians. Each lesson includes discussion questions. Some are open ended questions which require no guidance or correction designed to just get the participants thinking. Some offer suggested possible answers to make sure they are included in the discussion, or correct answers for questions that have only right or wrong answers. Most lessons extend over more than one week; some several weeks if the discussion is good.
TEXT: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 - "For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain: 2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the Gospel of God with much contention. 3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: 4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. 5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness: 6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.
7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: 8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the Gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. 9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the Gospel of God. 10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe: 11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, 12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory."
INTRODUCTION
Illus. - In my lifetime, as best as I can figure, I have had 16 pastors. In that time, I have been exposed to both the good and the bad. I remember one who minister who followed a particularly good pastor in the church my dad started in his garage in Smyrna, Tennessee. He was, to put it simply, lazy. He just sat around the house all day and watched TV. He wouldn't visit; he didn't study; and he rarely bothered to even cut his own grass, so that members came to cut his grass for him because of the bad testimony it gave. He only lasted about three or four months and then the congregation voted him out and got a wonderful pastor to replace him.
One pastor I recall was deceitful. He used trickery in his dealings with others and had hidden agendas and manipulated staff and church members to carry them out. Sadly, his ministry there ended abruptly when their wife killed his own daughter and then committed suicide.
As bad as these examples sound, the vast majority of the other pastors in my lifetime-14 out of 16, which is 88%-were wonderful pastors.
For instance, Phil Hurlbut, the second pastor of the church my dad started, was a walking example of the spirit of Christ. He was especially longsuffering, gentle, meek, kind, and patient. And he was extremely diligent to study God's Word and teach it to his people.
Another was Bob Elzey, my pastor in Okinawa. He was the best Bible teacher I ever heard, and his messages were so helpful because of his commitment and faithfulness to study God's Word and prepare for his messages. He loved his people, but if you needed a good rebuke, he didn't hesitate just "telling it like it is," but never harshly or unlovingly.
Q. Have you had a pastor or Christian leader or mentor who was especially exemplary to you? Tell us about him.
These two, in many ways, were models for the ministry for me. But no one modeled the ministry of the pastor like the Apostle Paul. We have already noted in 1 Thessalonians 1 that the church of Thessalonica was a model church that made an impact. In chapter 2 we see that Paul was a model pastor whose ministry was not in vain.
Note verse 1 - "For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain." He had ministered among them for only a short time, but his labor was not in vain. That is, his labor was fruitful among them. This was primarily because of the traits and practices of his ministry that he details in verses 2-12.
In a few moments we want to see how Paul was the model minister. Before we do that, let's see why Paul shared the things he did about himself.
He felt it necessary to remind the Thessalonians of the character of his ministry with them for a very specific reason. When Paul was in Thessalonica to establish the church there, he encountered intense persecution.
Acts 17 tells us that the Jewish religionists had risen up against Paul and the church, and were determined to destroy both. They enlisted all the Gentile citizens they could to join their attack. They convinced the people that the preaching of Christ would destroy their freedom and affect their jobs and businesses. The persecution became so violent that Paul was forced to flee for his life. However, his absence did not stop the persecution.
The attacks against the church and its believers continued after Paul's departure. One form which the persecution took was to destroy the reputation of Paul. Accusation after accusation was leveled against Paul, and rumor after rumor was spread about him.
Paul's purpose in the letter of 1 Thessalonians was to strengthen and build up the believers in Christ. But to do so he had to answer and correct the charges against him. He knew how easily people are influenced by allegations and rumors and how easily they can become exaggerated. He wanted no question and no misunderstandings about himself and the ministry of Christ.
So to counter the false charges and thus maintain his testimony to be able minister to them, Paul reminded the Thessalonians of his ministry among them. Paul did not have to make anything up to defend his reputation. He reminds them repeatedly that they had watched him and they knew that what he said about himself was true and that the rumors being spread about him were spurious:
Note: [HAVE PARTICIPANTS LOOK UP AND READ.]
Verse 2 - "But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the Gospel of God with much contention."
Verse 5 - "For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know…"
Verse 9 - "For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail…"
Verse 10 - "Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe."
Verse 11 - "As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children."
So, in his self-defense, let's see how Paul reveals himself to be the model minister in verses 2-12. He had…
1. The right message in verse 2
2. The right motives in verses 3-6
3. The right manner in verses 7-12
I. FIRST, BECAUSE HE HAD THE RIGHT MESSAGE
Note verse 2 - "But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the Gospel of God with much contention."
Note what Paul preached to the Thessalonians at the end of this verse-he preached the "Gospel of God." When Paul faced opposition and persecution, he did not alter his message to be more politically correct with the current culture. He just preached the pure, unadulterated Gospel to the people of Thessalonica.
Who were the inhabitants of that city? It was chiefly made up of two groups of people: Jews and Greeks.
In 1 Corinthians 1:23 Paul says "But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness."
Paul confirmed the controversial nature of the Gospel when he said at the end of verse 2 that he preached the Gospel in Thessalonica "with much contention." Though his message was controversial to these two people groups, Paul nevertheless did not flinch to preach the Gospel anyway.
Q. Well, what exactly IS "the Gospel"? Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 - "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time."
This is what Paul calls in Romans "the preaching of the cross."
Q. Why do you think Paul preached the Gospel of the cross even though it was divisive? Because only the Gospel will save. Look again at 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 - "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain."
Back in 1 Thessalonians 2, the first part of verse 3 says, "For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile." Notice the word "deceit." This is the Greek word plánes (from pláne - -plajnh), which means "error" or "delusion" and is translated as such eight of the ten times it is found in the New Testament. In other words, Paul is saying that he did not teach them error.
Note also verse 4 - "But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel, even so we speak." - Q. What does Paul mean here? To Paul, the message of the Gospel was a sacred trust that must be safeguarded. He felt that he was PRIVILEGED to be allowed to preach the Gospel. Not only did Paul have the right message…
II. SECOND, PAUL HAD THE RIGHT MOTIVES
This is seen in several places in chapter 2.
1. First, let's note four things that did NOT motivate the Apostle Paul:
He was not motivated, first of all, by impurity - verse 3 - "For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness,…"
The word "uncleanness" (akatharsías, from akatharsía = akaqarsija) has to do with moral uncleanness and impurity. Bible scholars think that someone might have made a charge or spread a rumor that Paul had been immoral.
Nobody who actually knew Paul and had observed his life and behavior in Thessalonica could possibly believe these charges, which is why Paul said repeatedly, "you know…", "you remember…" and "you are my witnesses…", etc. in verses 2, 5, 9, 10 and 11.
Sometimes believers-ministers and laymen alike-have false rumors spread about them. Rumors, of course, damage and often destroy the testimony and ministry of innocent people. But most tragic of all, rumors always affect the name of Christ and turn some people away from the Gospel and from any chance of ever being reached for Christ.
People who begin and spread rumors that destroy others will face the wrath of God regardless of their profession to know God. [HAVE PARTICIPANTS LOOK UP AND READ.]
Psalm 101:5 says "Whoso privily slandereth his neighbor, him will I cut off…"
And Proverbs 10:18 says, "He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool."
2. Second, Paul was not motivated by a desire to please people - Verse 4 - "But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts."
Q. Do you ever find yourself afraid of what others think of you? Why does this bother you?
Q. Do you think a pastor can fall prey to the danger of pleasing people as opposed to acting on principal or God's leading or clear Bible teaching?
Q. What might cause a pastor to do so?
Just as today, people in Paul's day did not want to hear about sin, judgment, the exclusivity of Christ, and total commitment of one's life to Jesus Christ. But that didn't prevent Paul from preaching the "whole counsel of God" to the Thessalonians.
When a minister is thrown in the midst of a people who are worldly, there is always a temptation to tone down his message to please men. But not Paul. He says he spoke the Gospel, "not as pleasing men."
Paul gives two strong reasons why he never preached to please men:
a. First, because it was GOD, not men, who had entrusted Paul with the Gospel.
He says at the beginning of verse 4 - "But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel…"
Q. What does this tell us about why Paul did not preach to please people?
You see, GOD owned the Gospel, and HE was the Person who had called Paul to proclaim the Gospel, not men. Men had nothing to do with the formulation of the Gospel nor with calling Paul to preach it, so he felt no compulsion to please men with his preaching.
b. Second, Paul did not seek to please men with his preaching because he knew God alone would try his heart and judge him.
Note the second part of verse 4 - "not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts."
Paul knew he would stand at the judgment seat of Christ and give an account for his ministry before GOD-not before men. People might cause him some difficulty here on earth, but he would lose GOD'S commendation and eternal rewards if he abused the Gospel of God.
Well, let's be honest: it's not just ministers who struggle with the temptation to please men in their words and actions. In fact, all of us are tempted to do this from time to time.
Q. How are some ways we are tempted to please people instead of God?
Q. How can we overcome these temptations?
Sometimes we fail to stand for God like we should or to share the Gospel with the lost when opportunities arise because we are afraid of what people will think about us.
3. The third thing that did not motivate Paul was greed - Verse 5 - "For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness."
Q. What is a "cloak of covetousness"?
Paul's reference to covetousness in his defense of his ministry shows that he had been accused of being in the ministry for the money instead of a real love for God or compassion for the lost. God help the pastor who enters the ministry just to make a living. First, usually he's in for a sad disappointment! Even more despicable is the huckster or the TV evangelist who has an angle or is selling merchandise or always raising money.
Paul emphatically denied that any of these kinds of covetous activities. He said that his lifestyle proved his innocence, and declared that the church of Thessalonica knew the truth about this false accusation.
I think these charges were believed by some because people have a tendency to project upon others their own weaknesses and faults. Many in that day-as now-battled greed and covetousness in their lives.
Q. Well, what exactly IS covetousness, and is it really so bad?
A. Covetousness may be defined as "an inordinate desire for what one does not have which has its basis in discontentment with what one has." [Based on the definition in Merrill F. Unger, Unger's Bible Dictionary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1966), p. 225.]
Q. What are some warning signs or red flags of covetousness?
A. Evidences of covetousness include a lack of contentment with what one has, materialism, stinginess, and greed.
Though we don't think much about covetousness in our materialistic society, it is classed among the worst sins in the Bible. It was bad enough that its' prohibition was included as one of the Ten Commandments. ("Thou shalt not covet.")
[HAVE PARTICIPANTS LOOK UP AND READ.]
Jesus said "…Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." (Luke 12:15)
But Paul said, "But fornication, and all uncleanness [i.e., moral impurity], or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints." (Ephesians 5:3)
He told the Colossians, "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness [i.e., moral impurity], inordinate affection [i.e., depraved passion], evil concupiscence [i.e., lustful craving], and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience." (Colossians 3:5-6)
How many of American Christians put materialism and covetousness on the same level as fornication, moral impurity, depraved passions, lustful cravings, and idolatry?
Q. Why do you think we have such a casual attitude about covetousness in our society and with many Christians today?
Today Christians are guilty of covetousness all the time. Christians will work night and day, neglecting their family responsibilities to make more money to buy more things. They will buy on credit and go further and further into debt because they cannot resist their desires for material things. They will neglect to pay their tithes and offerings, yet they seem to find the funds for the things they want for themselves. Some will even defraud the government of taxes because of covetousness.
The antidote to covetousness in the Bible is its opposite-contentment.
Q. What is contentment?
[HAVE PARTICIPANTS LOOK UP AND READ.]
The writer of Hebrews said, "Let your conversation [behavior] be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5)
Jesus promises He will never leave nor forsake us. If you think about it, if you have the Lord's presence with you, you really don't need much else, do you?
Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:6 - "But godliness with contentment is great gain."
We understand that godliness is great gain because that's what preachers usually preach on. But Paul says godliness by itself is not enough. He says that great gain is attained in a person's life when he has godliness coupled with a spirit of contentment.
Q. Why do you think this is so? I.e., why is it that the greatest gain is when we have godliness coupled with contentment, rather than godliness alone?
4. The fourth thing that did not motivate Paul was the praise of men - Verse 6 - "Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ."
Paul was always quick to praise others, but equally quick to deflect praise from himself. He did not preach or minister for glory nor for prestige. He did not seek the honor or recognition of people.
Who among us does not like to be praised and honored by others? It can be encouraging and harmless to get a pat on the back from time to time for our labors, but what is it that makes us crave honor and recognition? PRIDE is the source of this craving, and God condemns pride throughout His Word.
Rather than seeking men's praise, the Bible teaches us to have a servant's attitude [HAVE PARTICIPANTS LOOK UP]: Jesus tells us in Matthew 23:11 - "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant."
A few chapters before this He said, "But it [speaking of having the glory of men] shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:26-28)
The greatest honor in the kingdom of God is not to have the applause of people, but to be a servant for the Lord and others.
We have looked at what did NOT motivate the Apostle Paul, so what DID motivate him to preach the Gospel and to minister to the Thessalonians?
The answer is found in the second part of verse 4 - "But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts."
What motivated Paul above all other things was his desire to please God. Do you want to please God in your life? Is pleasing God your deepest motivation?
There are three competing "pulls"-or motivators-in our lives:
1. A desire to please ourselves.
2. A desire to please others.
3. A desire to please God.
Which one has the greatest pull in your life? If you had a choice between pleasing your own self in an activity you knew God was not pleased with and pleasing the Lord by obeying Him, which would you choose? If your spouse wanted you to do something or not to do something that was the opposite of that which God wanted, who would you choose to please.
These are not academic questions. They strike at the very heart of discipleship.
Go with me to the Luke 14. Jesus was very decisive about our discipleship in two verses in this chapter.
He said verse 26 - "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."
Q. What is Jesus is teaching here?
Of course, the word "hate" here is a relative term. Jesus is saying that our love for God must be so great that in comparison, our love for others is like hate. If we love Christ more than ANYTHING, how can we even THINK of pleasing another person over Him?
The second verse is Luke 14:33, where Jesus said, "So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple."
Q. What is Jesus teaching in this verse?
A. Jesus is not talking about physically forsaking all we have for Christ, but in our hearts and in our affections.
That takes care of the conflict between pleasing ourselves or God. When we give to God EVERYTHING-not just our material possessions, but our wills and our desires and our hopes and our aspirations-when we forsake them to please God, only then can we call ourselves true disciples.
Paul seemed to have that undivided, wholehearted desire to please God in every area of his life.
How about you? Do you long to satisfy your own self-centered desires, or is your highest goal to please God by obeying Him and serving Him with all your heart? Do you long to please men and have their praise and applause, or do you long only for the applause of heaven? May we each examine our hearts and determine that we will seek to please God above all others and other things in this life.
We have seen that Paul was a model minister in that: He had the right message and,… He had the right motives for ministry.
III. HE HAD THE RIGHT MANNER IN CARRYING OUT HIS MINISTRY.
You know, there are as many different kinds of pastors as there are pastors. Many accomplish great things for God, but many fall far short of their potential-not because they are doctrinally unsound, or incapable, or lacking in talents and abilities, but because their manner of ministry falls short of God's ideal as exemplified in the ministry of Paul. Paul explains two things he did NOT do in his ministry and six that he DID do.
Let's look at them.
1. First-what he did NOT do:
a. He did not use trickery - verse 3 - "For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile."
The Greek word here is dlos (dlos, #1388), which means "a bait, snare, deceit" and comes from dello (de/llw), which means "to catch with bait."
In other words, Paul was saying that he did not resort to trickery, deceit, guile, or subtlety to win the Thessalonians to Christ.
Q. Cults are known for this. Can you think of any cults that do this?
A. Suggested additional examples:
The Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mormons will come to your door and give the impression that they believe like any other church.
Illus. - I talked to some Mormon missionaries one day at our door and they told me that theirs was an evangelical church and that they agree with everything evangelicals believe, only that more revelation was added by the Book of Mormon. Well, that's simply an outright lie. And Mormons emphatically do NOT believe everything evangelicals believe. Very little, in fact.
For instance, they do not believe Jesus was eternal or that He is fully equal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Rather, they teach that Jesus was literally, physically born to God the Father, and therefore had a beginning: that is, He is not eternal.
Joseph Smith taught that all other churches are false and theirs is the only true church-hardly that they are in substantial accord with other evangelical churches. But they will use trickery to get in the door and not tell you up front their unorthodox teachings so you are not alarmed. Once you've grabbed the bait and are in their trap of lies and deception, they slowly indoctrinate you in their false beliefs.
Sadly, cults aren't the only ones who use deceit in the ministries.
Illus. - Susan and I had a pastor who on more than one occasion raised money for one thing, but used the funds for another thing. For instance, on one occasion, he raised several tens of thousands of dollars to repave the back parking lot of the church, but after the money was raised, he decided they needed the money for another project.
I don't think he meant to be deceitful, because he really was a good pastor and a good man, but that's not the way some in the congregation saw it. They wouldn't not have given money, they said, for the other project, and they felt that they had been tricked.
You and I may understand that, but this pastor was puzzled by their reaction, and finally stopped doing this kind of tactic because even if his motives were pure, the blow-back of people questioning his motives was not worth the cost.
Paul never used such methods. He was always up-front about his message and never used trickery to accomplish his goals.
b. Second, Paul did not use flattery - Verse 5 - "For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness."
Q. What is flattery?
Q. Gives some examples of flattery you have experienced of observed.
Flattery is another form of deceit. It may be defined as "exaggerated or insincere praise of a person with an impure motive."
Illus. - I have a relative who was a pastor who would butter up old widows who had money, hoping they would leave him in their wills. What was amazing was that he actually had the audacity to TELL me he was doing it and never showed any shame about it.
I was stunned at first and didn't know what to say, but after hearing him I heard him mention it a couple of more times, I told him what I thought about it. One time I went visiting with him to a little old lady's house and he just buttered her up, and flattered her, and was all smiles and kisses.
He wasn't so open about it with me anymore, but I knew what he was doing.
It made me sick to know that behind his flatteries was an impure, ulterior motive. He was wearing a "cloak of covetousness," though, in the end, all the little old ladies figured him out and he never got a dime from them. This is an example of using flattery to trick people.
Flattery is condemned by the Bible. [HAVE PARTICIPANTS LOOK UP AND READ.]
Proverbs 29:5 says "A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet."
Proverbs 20:19b says "…meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips."
Now we should not go around insulting people, but neither should we be insincere in our praise. What are ways we flatter people?
Q. Flattery is wrong, but proper praise is not. What is the difference between the two?
A. What we should do is find worthy things, especially things relating to a person's character, to sincerely praise in order to encourage him or her in the Lord. And praise should never be given with an ulterior motive.
Paul's manner of ministry was not to use trickery or flattery. These are things Paul did NOT do.
2. Let's now note positively the manner of ministry Paul DID have:
a. First, he was BOLD - verse 2 - "But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the Gospel of God with much contention."
Paul was amazing! He had been shamefully treated and persecuted at Philippi by being scourged and thrown into prison (Acts 16). After his release from jail in Philippi, Paul traveled to Thessalonica-the scars on his back still unhealed.
You or I might have toned down our preaching, but not Paul! Despite his previous treatment, he preached the message of the Gospel just as boldly in Thessalonica as he had at Philippi.
Boldness is mentioned thirty-two times in the Bible, and many other synonyms are used of the same idea of courage to preach God's Word, to stand for Christ in an evil world, and do God's will even when the world makes fun of and persecutes us.
Q. Why are we not bold in these ways?
A. I the main reason we are not as bold to witness as we ought to be is FEAR!
But Paul was motivated by LOVE, and love overcomes fear.
[HAVE SOMEONE READ:] 1 John 4:18 tells us "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."
God help us to be so concerned about the lost that our love for them overcomes our fear of rejection!
b. Second, Paul was GENTLE - verse 7 - "But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children."
Some pastors are harsh and belligerent and argumentative, and strangely enough, there are many people who like this kind of pastor. The Gospel and the truths of Scripture are so against the grain of society that obviously, they will always be controversial. But we should never present God's truths in a wrong spirit.
JESUS described himself as "meek and lowly" (Matthew 11:29), Yes, He could take a whip in hand and run the moneychangers out of the Temple and He could call a spade a spade when he had to, as when he called the Pharisees serpents and vipers (Matthew 23:33). But the overall tenor of His ministry was one of gentleness and meekness.
PAUL too could rise to the challenge of controversy when necessary, but he always sought to be gentle and sweet when he could.
[CALL ON A VOLUNTEER TO READ.] In 2 Timothy 2:24, look what Paul told the young preacher Timothy, he said, "And the servant of the Lord must not strive (i.e., "be quarrelsome"); but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient."
Q. What is Paul instructing Timothy to do, and how have you seen preachers violate this instruction?
Q. In the context, we're talking about ministers of the Gospel, but shouldn't it also apply to us? What are some ways believers are quarrelsome?
A. Online harangues about politics; in our marriages; on the job, etc. God's people should be characterized by meekness and gentleness.
c. Third, Paul was sacrificial - verse 8b - "So being affectionately desirous of you we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the Gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us."
Paul was willing to sacrifice whatever necessary to impart to the Thessalonians the truths of God.
Illus. - This reminds me of a verse that the Lord gave me years ago. It was during a time when Susan and I felt unloved and unappreciated in our church. It seemed that all we were doing was giving of ourselves for the work and our people. In return they were not meeting their financial obligations promised us, even though they had the means to meet them. They never remembered special days (like our birthday), and we just felt is was "all give" on our part with nothing in return.
I was having a royal pity party, telling the Lord what martyrs we were and how bad we were being treated after all our sacrifice. Then I had my devotions for the day in 2 Corinthians 12. When I came to verse 15, God struck demolished my self-centered focus. There Paul said to the Corinthian church, "And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved." (2 Corinthians 12:15) God sent an arrow through my heart in that verse! I resolved to stop looking inward and keep looking outward to the needs of others, no matter what the personal sacrifice.
Oh, that every one of us stopped thinking of church in terms of what we can get from it, but what we can give to it and its people, that we would have a spirit of giving and selflessness and sacrifice!
Q. How can normal believers (as opposed to just pastors) sacrifice for God and His kingdom?
d. Fourth, Paul was DILIGENT - verse 9 - "For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the Gospel of God."
Paul knew that the job of evangelism in Thessalonica would not get done by sitting on his rear end doing nothing. He had to work and labor for the Lord. Paul was a diligent worker. He didn't have regular office hours and say, "Okay, if you need to get saved, I'll be in the office from three to five."
The ministry is a full-time profession. The pastor is on call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. And that's as it ought to be for he deals with matters of ETERNITY!
But don't forget that ALL believers are in the ministry really. YOU ought to be diligent like Paul, just as I should be. YOU should be involved in evangelism of the lost. So YOU should be diligent in the Kingdom of God.
Q. What are ways that believers can be busy about serving God in our church and in our community?
e. Fifth, Paul was EXEMPLARY IN HIS LIFE - verse 10 - "Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe."
Paul's behavior was above reproach. He gave no one grounds to condemn anything in his life. He said, "Follow the Lord"-but was the first one to practice what he preached.
We must never forget that our lives are watched by others. If we talk one way, but live another, we're hypocrites, and hypocrites are one of the main stumbling blocks to unbelievers.
When David's adultery with Bathsheba was exposed by Nathan the prophet, David confessed, "I have sinned against the Lord" (2 Samuel 12:13).
Nathan's response was, "The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. 14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die." (2 Samuel 12:13-14).
God instantly forgave David, but because of the consequences of his loss of testimony, he paid a terrible price. I wonder how many of us have been the occasion for the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme?
Illus. - I never will forget visiting a man in White House, Tennessee while out doing door-to-door visitation. He cursed God to my face and said Christianity was a fraud and Christians were a bunch of hypocrites. When I asked him to explain, he told about a prominent preacher he had known who had run off with his secretary and caused a scandal in the town. Then, when he left town with his pretty little secretary, two deacons got into a power struggle and ended up in a brawl right in a church business meeting.
The goings on, of course, seeped out into the community. These people, who claimed the name of Christ, gave great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme God and reject His church. They will answer to God for their bad testimony.
But the issue is not just our testimony before the LOST. If we live lives that are not holy, just and unblameable, YOUNGER BELIEVERS may follow in our footsteps, thinking that if WE (whom they look up to) do certain things, it must be alright. We will be held accountable for those we lead into sin because of our impure and inconsistent life. This is especially true of our children. They do not listen to what we SAY nearly as much as what we DO.
God help us to live "holily and justly and unblameably" before others so that we neither lose our testimony nor lead others into sin.
f. Lastly, we see that Paul did not spare the Thessalonians what they needed - verse 11 - "As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children."
The three words "exhorted", "comforted", and "charged" are interesting words.
The Greek word translated "exhorted" [parakaléo (parakale/w), #3870] means "to admonish,…to urge one to pursue some course of conduct."
"Comforted" [paramuthéomai (paramuqe/omai, #3888)] means "to soothe, console, encourage."
"Charged" [marturéo (marture/w, #3143)] can mean "to testify", but also means "to beseech as in God's name, exhort solemnly" which is the meaning here, for what Paul charged them is found in verse 12 - "That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory."
So Paul exhorted or admonished the Thessalonians; he comforted them, and he beseeched them solemnly to walk worthy of God. In other words, he was varied in his approach to adapt to the need of the moment. When they needed exhortation, he ministered to them in exhortation. When they needed consoling, he consoled them, and laid off the exhortation and rebuke bit. When they needed to be strongly charged, or rebuked, or challenged, he didn't put his arm around them and console them; he "just told the truth" and even "stepped on toes" when they needed it.
Now you'll notice that not every message I preach is the same. Sometimes I exhort you to holy living; sometimes we just study something about God's wonderful character to be comforted by the God we serve; sometimes I "step on your toes"; sometimes I just sooth and console and encourage your hearts. Why?-Well, what I'm trying to do is "scratch you where you itch"-that is, to give you what you need when you need it.
This requires that I be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading. So you need to pray for me-that I would know what the need for the hour is and be able to minister what is needed-not just in my preaching, but in my daily ministration as well.
And God help us ALL to be sensitive to the needs of others and give what we each need for the hour so that we may be a blessing to one another.
Q. It's really important that we all (not just the pastor) seek to share with people what is their greatest need. Can you think of examples of how we can give someone verbal communication that might not fit what they really need to hear?
A. So, would you agree that if someone needs encouragement, then rebuke would be counterproductive? Or if a person needed a loving rebuke, giving encouragement and comfort might not help the person change the thing that is wrong in their life?
CONCLUSION
Paul was the model minister. His ministry was not in vain for three reasons-he had the right MESSAGE, the right MOTIVES, and the right MANNER. Oh, I long to emulate the Apostle Paul in my ministry! Pray that I would be the kind of pastor Paul was. And pray that the character traits he exhibited that made him a model minister would be found in each of your lives as well.
ENDNOTES
i W.E. Vine, Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1981), p. 185.
ii A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Vol. IV, Epistles of Paul (Nashville, TN: Broadman, 1931), p. 16.
iii Vine, p. 61.
iv Vine, p. 208.
