The Concerns of an Apostle
008 The Concerns of an Apostle
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
July 10, 2011pm
We have now entered the practical application section of Paul’s letter.
A section in which he gives clear cut expectations for the Christian life.
Now it is clear to us why he wrote.
He had gotten word that the Thessalonians were side-tracked,
Even derailed in their confusion about the day of the Lord.
The main reason Paul wrote was to straighten out their theology
And get them back in the game.
And we saw that last Sunday night.
What occurs now is one of those,
“But while I’ve got you on the line…” type statements.
This doesn’t necessarily link to the main purpose of the letter,
But it does come directly from the heart of the apostle.
This is just another opportunity for an apostle to teach the church.
And honestly we love passages of Scripture like that.
Here Paul begins to teach more that the Thessalonians needed to know
In regard to his expectations for them.
What we see here are
THE CONCERNS OF AN APOSTLE
And we learn a couple of things from this.
First, we learn what worthy concerns are.
If I were to ask you, what are the concerns of an apostle, what would you think they would be?
- his lodging?
- his 401k?
- his vacation time?
- current legislation?
Now I don’t at all want to portray these guys as less than human,
Certainly they were very human,
And therefore were concerned about human things.
We know Paul understood Greek culture
We know Paul was acquainted with sports
But when we talk about their chief concerns, the things that mattered most, what do you suppose those things were?
So we’ll learn tonight what types of concerns we ought to have.
But we also learn what an apostle of God expects from the church.
And that matters much to us as well.
We open God’s Word to find out what we are to be, and what we are to do.
This is one of those passages that reveals that to us.
So we look forward to seeing the concerns of an apostle tonight.
Let’s look at them:
#1 THE GROWTH OF THE KINGDOM
2 Thessalonians 3:1-2
Now certainly that does not surprise us.
Any man who spent as much time on missionary efforts as Paul did;
We aren’t shocked to find him concerned about the growth of the kingdom.
HOW DO WE KNOW THIS IS A CONCERN, AND EVEN A CHIEF CONCERN?
Because of what he says:
“Finally, brethren, pray for us…”
While we may have conversations about any number of subjects,
When a person gets down to asking for prayer about something,
You know it is a chief concern.
He is closing this letter by telling the Thessalonians
How he wants them to be praying for him.
AND WHAT ARE THESE PRAYER REQUESTS?
1) “that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly…”
2) “that the word of the Lord will…be glorified “
3) “that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men”
He wants prayer for the SPREADING OF THE MESSAGE
He wants prayer for the SUCCESS OF THE MESSENGER
Paul wants the “word of the Lord” to “spread rapidly and be glorified”
That gives us such valuable insight into Paul’s heart.
He wasn’t looking for speaking opportunities…
He wasn’t looking for television contracts and radio opportunities…
HIS CONCERNS WEREN’T SELFISH
Paul just wants God’s Word to spread.
Remember while in prison?
Philippians 1:12-18 “Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,”
Even later he told Timothy
2 Timothy 2:8-9 “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned.”
Paul’s concern is simply that the gospel will be spread,
And that it will be spread “rapidly”
Paul also asks them to pray “that the word of the Lord will…be glorified”
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
He wants them to pray that God’s word
Will be received as it deserves to be received.
We know that not all men receive the word of God the same way.
The parable of the soils teaches us that
· Some are hard hearted and won’t hear it at all.
· Some are faint-hearted and only hear what sounds good and at a time when it is easy to hear.
· Some are half-hearted and hear, but refuse, because they don’t like the demands God’s word makes upon their lives.
· It is only a select few who truly accept God’s word and let it have a glorified place in their lives.
Paul wanted the word to spread, but he didn’t just want to make men more knowledgeable, he wanted to make men obedient.
So first we learn that we should have similar concerns.
We should care more about the growth of the kingdom
Than we do about the normal routine days of life.
But also, since it is a request from Paul,
We learn that we should be praying for this very thing.
Pray that God’s word will spread rapidly and be glorified.
We live in a day when God’s word is no longer being spread.
· Very few Christians ever share the gospel in their entire life, let alone regularly.
· Today even few pulpits actually rightly divide the word of God opting instead for feel good sermons and trendy topics.
And certainly God’s word is losing a position of glory
In the lives of men.
We live in a day when any and every other opinion
Is valued just as highly as God’s word.
And this is tragic!
Isaiah 55:8-11 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.”
God’s word is supposed to have the chief place of authority in the lives of men, and we are commanded to pray that it is so.
No wonder Paul commands the Thessalonians
To pray that it will spread and be glorified.
He even gives them a benchmark by which to gauge it.
“just as it did also with you”
The Thessalonians were true believers
Who truly accepted and exalted God’s word,
And Paul says that is what we are looking for everywhere else.
Pray that “the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified”
And then there is a third request,
In which Paul asks for prayer for the messenger.
(2) “and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith.”
Recently studying Matthew on Sunday mornings, we have learned that
Preaching the gospel in our world is not an easy venture.
Men hate it.
Men hate us for preaching it.
WHY?
Because they are “perverse”
They are “evil”
And they do not have “faith”
Certainly that does not mean they aren’t religious.
Some who fit this bill are highly religious.
But they still cause Paul a great deal of trouble.
We want you to pray that “will be rescued” from them.
WHY?
Because we don’t want to suffer?
(no)
But because these men thwart the spreading of God’s word,
And make it difficult for people to be saved.
We want you to pray that we will be able to effectively minister
Even in spite of such evil men.
And with such prayer requests it is obvious what concerned Paul.
He wanted the truth of God to spread as far as it could,
As fast as it could, and as deep as it could.
We must be those concerned about the growth of God’s kingdom.
It is also obvious what we should do.
We should pray that God’s Word spreads rapidly and is glorified,
And that those who preach it will be rescued from faithless evil men.
There was a second thing Paul was concerned about.
#2 THE GROWTH OF THE THESSALONIANS
2 Thessalonians 3:3-5
What great balance!
Paul didn’t just want to go big, Paul also wanted to go deep.
He didn’t just want a big church, he wanted a solid one.
1 Corinthians 3:10-15 “According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
It does little good to build the biggest house on the block,
If it isn’t built correctly and won’t stand through the weather.
In short we are not just interested in the spreading of the gospel,
But also the sanctification of those who accept it.
NEHEMIAH CALLED FOR A SWORD AND A TROWEL
Paul had similar concerns.
He was concerned about the growth of the kingdom,
But he was also concerned about the growth of the people,
Namely the Thessalonians.
And that is clearly seen in these three verses
As we see Paul encourage them in three different areas.
We see three things Paul wanted them to have.
1) CONFIDENCE IN GOD (3)
“But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”
Paul ended verse 2 with a rather depressing thought.
“for not all have faith.”
That is not a great thought to entertain.
It reminds us that hardship and struggles are inevitable.
Perverse and evil men will always be there to oppose us
Because not all have faith.
“But the Lord is faithful…”
Paul is reminding the Thessalonians
That while you may not be able to count on men,
You can always count on God.
Even in the first letter Paul wrote:
1 Thessalonians 5:24 “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.”
There Paul spoke of their sanctification,
But it is clear that it hinged upon God’s faithfulness.
God is faithful.
“and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”
While it is true that you can count on opposition.
While it is true that men will oppose you.
What is also true is that God will “strengthen” you.
God provides the strength to stand in the midst of the battle.
There are very few (if any) battles
That a Christian fights that he can win on his own.
The enemy is far too strong.
But God supplies the strength to oppose him.
That is why Paul told the Ephesians:
Ephesians 6:10-12 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
In other words the battle is too big for you,
But if God supplies the strength you can win.
How did David defeat Goliath?
How did Gideon defeat the Midionites?
How did Joshua defeat Jericho?
How did Samson defeat the Philistines?
And Paul wants the Thessalonians to know
That God is faithful to strengthen them as well.
Remember when Jesus told the 12 that they would be handed over?
Matthew 10:19-20 "But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. "For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.”
Luke 21:15 “for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.”
Of course we know this wisdom comes from the Holy Spirit.
And that is precisely what Paul told Timothy
2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”
God is faithful to strengthen His people in the midst of their opposition.
But that is not all.
God is also faithful to “protect you from the evil one.”
1 John 5:18-20 “We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”
John doesn’t speak of there of sin in general.
In the first chapter he tells us if we claim to have no sin we are liars.
In the second chapter he says if we do sin we have an advocate in Jesus.
When John says “that no one who is born of God sins;”
John must be speaking of the sin of apostasy or falling away.
And God doesn’t let that happen.
For “He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him”
God’s people are protected from the ultimate goal of the evil one
Which is destruction in hell.
Jude 24 “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,”
But perhaps the greatest picture of this
Is found in the eight chapter of Romans.
TURN TO: ROMANS 8:31-39
Don’t get so discouraged facing the perversity of men
That you fail to remember that God is always faithful.
Faithful to strengthen you and faithful to protect you.
You can have confidence in God.
The second thing Paul wanted them to have
2) COMPLIANCE WITH THE TRUTH (4)
“We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command.”
Paul here is letting them know that while he can’t be with them
He is confident that they are walking the way they ought to walk.
He is confident that they are doing and will continue to do what he says.
Paul understood his role to the Thessalonians.
He was a teacher.
He was a spiritual father.
He was an overseer.
And based upon his authority in the Lord,
He could expect that the Thessalonians would do what he says.
He spoke the God’s Word to them, certainly he could expect them to obey.
AND WHAT WE SEE HERE ABOUT PAUL:
He was not just concerned with the number of churches he planted, he was concerned about the faithfulness of those churches that now existed.
Many have pointed out in our day (even those experiencing numerical growth)
That in many circles people are retreating out the back door
As quickly as they are moving in the front.
And many have tried to pinpoint the problem,
Whether it be a lack of discipleship, or a lack of genuine salvation.
Regardless of what the problem is,
We see that it was a problem that concerned Paul.
He didn’t just want to lead people to Christ,
He wanted to make sure they fully obeyed Christ.
And this is intended in the great commission.
Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Making disciples is not just about getting people to pray the prayer
Or even get baptized.
Jesus wanted us to lead people to full obedience in Christ.
Until that happens we haven’t made a disciple.
Paul was committed to that.
And how many times in his other letters have we seen this concern bear itself?
2 Corinthians 11:2-3 “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”
Galatians 4:19-20 “My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you — but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.”
2 Corinthians 11:28-29 “Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?”
Paul was concerned about the spiritual growth of the churches.
That means that we must imitate his concern
And also begin to take the faithfulness of God’s people seriously.
To not only be concerned about them coming to Christ,
But to also be concerned with their present level of faithfulness.
That matters to God, it matters to Paul, it should matter to us.
It also means that we should heed Paul’s concern
And obey even when no one is looking.
We should do what is commanded in the Scripture,
Even if no one is presently around to make us obey.
This was a true concern of a true apostle.
There is a third thing he wants from them.
3) COMMITMENT TO GOD (5)
“May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.”
And you will quickly notice this is not the obedience of their hands,
But rather the condition of their heart.
Paul wants their hearts to love God more and to be steadfast in Jesus.
He is encouraging them to be more committed to God,
Both in love and perseverance.
You and I know that Christianity is not an external process.
We don’t become Christians from the outside in.
We don’t become faithful from the outside in.
All the good works in the world, if done with the wrong motives,
Are not pleasing to God. (Just ask the Pharisees)
THE HEART MATTERS
All of our deeds must be done out of a genuine love for God
And a steadfast commitment to Christ.
In other words:
We don’t do what we do because we are somehow committed to our religion.
We don’t do what we do because we are somehow committed to this building.
We do what we do because we love God…
And we continue to do it because we are committed to Christ…
The ambition of Paul’s heart is to get people to love God more
And to get people to be more committed to Christ.
It wasn’t about how many they were running in Sunday school.
It wasn’t about how their programs were going.
When he wrote his concern was for how much they loved God
And how committed they were to Christ.
This was the concern of an apostle.
It must be our concern as well.
We must constantly concern ourselves
Not just with the outward compliance of men,
But to the inner devotion of men.
We must constantly pray (as Paul did here) that men will love God more.
Not only that, but we must honor Paul’s concern and see to it
That you and I love God more and are more committed to Christ.
Concern for the Growth of the Kingdom
Concern for the Growth of the Thessalonians
It was a concern for the spiritual over a concern for the physical.
It was a concern for the unseen over a concern for what is seen.
It was a concern for the eternal over a concern for the temporal.
Jesus said it like this:
Matthew 6:31-33 "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Take a lesson from Jesus…
Take a lesson from the life of Paul…
Concern yourselves with the things of God, & do what Paul commanded.
Pray for the spreading of God’s word and that it will be glorified…
Pray that God’s messengers will be rescued from evil men…
Know that God is faithful to strengthen and protect you…
Keep obeying the truth…
Grow in love for God and commitment to the truth…
Those are the priorities of the people of God.
2 Thessalonians 2:15 “So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.”