Investigation of church's welfare
Key Verses: 3, 6, 9, 10,
Destined
for persecution, that’s what I signed up for! That’s what Paul told those at
the city of Thessalonica, and that is what he personally experienced within
three weeks of beginning to preach the fullness of the Gospel there. They had
to send him on his way quickly so that he would not be killed.
But Paul told
them that they would also undergo trials because they trusted Christ. Here they
are, brand new Jesus-followers, and Paul is telling them that they will be
persecuted. We certainly don’t hear this message too often in the Western
Church. Today, those in the 10/40
window experience this every day. Their current experience is one of
persecution. Perhaps ours should be as well. I often wonder if there is
something wrong with my living of the Gospel that it has become so
non-offensive to unbelievers, that I fit in too well with my culture.
Paul was
concerned for their further development in Christ and sent Timothy to be sure
that they were not dissuaded from the Truth by the current persecution. Timothy
returned with a good report about their progress in the faith. There was a joy
that Paul experienced that was the unique fruit of this kind of encouragement. When
we view our spiritual walk from God’s eternal perspective, then when there is
progress in that walk, joy of an eternal nature is the result. But if you view
the spiritual as a nice thing to have, but certainly not essential, then a
shrug of the shoulders greets growth.
Paul
overflows in his language of joy, but he also prays. He doesn’t want to take
their continued growth and development for granted. This is a spiritual battle,
after all. Paul wants to continue rooting them in the Truth. That is why he
want to return to them and continue his work among them. Remember, he only
spent three weeks or so with them. That is not very much time to establish
someone in the Faith.
Notice
the two concluding topics: love and strengthen. Both of these move us toward
right living with a view of Christ’s second coming clearly in focus. Here again
the reality of Christ’s second coming plays a prominent role in the lives of
those who are being persecuted. In those final moments, all will be made right,
all sin will be vanquished, all wrongs righted, all joys fulfilled. That is the
moment all our hearts yearn for. It is the restoration of the Garden
experience. We will walk with God in the cool of the evening. Nothing will
prevent the full experience of God’s presence and provision. Peace!