1Th 3:1-2 | KingComments | STEP | . Paul has just expressed, at the end of the previous chapter, his great desire to his beloved Thessalonians ( ). They are a source of deep joy for him. He very much wanted to be with them to see how they were doing. It was a great encouragement for him to know that he would meet them at the coming of the Lord Jesus. Nevertheless, he also had an undiminished desire to know how they were doing spiritually. That desire became so strong that he necessarily wanted to know how they were doing. He couldn’t longer endure it to be without any information about their situation. At that moment he was in Athens (see Introduction). Timothy was also there with him, with whom he enjoyed a special bond of fellowship in the work of the Lord. . Paul abandoned everything that he found valuable for himself. His desire to get information about the situation of the Thessalonians was so great that he sent Timothy to them. He indeed speaks in the ‘we’-form, but he, Paul was in charge (cf. ). By using the word ‘we’ he shows that it was not a decision he made on his own, being dragged by his emotions. He acted in agreement with others. You see that Paul also had feelings. He felt a strong bond with the Thessalonians. There is nothing wrong with such feelings. On the contrary, they are all included. Connectedness with believers should be experienced, though feelings should not determine the action. That is up to the Lord. Therefore He also gives you fellow believers. The value that Timothy had for him, is underlined by speaking about him as “our brother and God’s fellow worker”. The Thessalonians received him as a brother who was related with both Paul and them. They also received him as someone who worked together with Paul for God. The territory of their labor, the sphere wherein they worked, was “the gospel of Christ” ( ). He who works wholeheartedly in the gospel of Christ, will therefore be able to take proper care of those who have accepted this gospel. The job description of Timothy was clear: to strengthen and encourage the Thessalonians in their faith. The believers were going through difficulties. You could think that comfort would be more appropriate. Yet this is not necessarily always the case. These believers were under pressure. They experienced hostility and were persecuted. In such a case strengthening of the faith is especially needed. When the pressure on you because of your faith gets so great that you are in danger of succumbing, you need strengthening to stand firm. Peter received such an order from the Lord like Timothy receives from Paul here, an order which he had fulfilled by writing his first letter ( ; ). James has such a message for his readers ( ). They also needed encouragement to persevere. When pressure is continuously being exerted on you, it may discourage you. Then you need encouragement. . The important thing is that your faith, which means here your confidence of faith, does not get to waver. This danger threatens everyone who wants to live for the Lord. In tribulation it appears if there is mention of a true conversion. Whoever started to believe because it makes a person happy, will not only waver, but will surely fall away ( ). With his attacks the enemy is seeking to damage your faith, your confidence in God. When you’re going through difficulties because you believe, he will always whisper in your ear that that ‘nice God’ of yours has finally caused you to end up in troubles. And you were so sure that He is the solution for all your troubles. Don’t let yourself be deceived! Tribulation is included in the salvation ( ) and is foretold by the Lord ( ) as something we have been destined for, as something that is simply fully included. Therefore do not consider it strange if this happens to you ( ). Whoever believes in God, which means whoever really trusts in Him in the everyday life, will be persecuted ( ). If it is good, you know that too. At least I hope that you have not started to believe in the Lord Jesus and God because of success stories, but that you have seen yourself in God’s light after a powerful preaching. A sound preaching does not promise him who believes a life without adversary and worries. No, on the contrary, you will surely be rejected and hated, just like they have rejected and hated the Master ( ). . One more time Paul reminds the Thessalonians of what had occurred to himself and his companions ( ). Because he could well imagine what tribulation means, his whole heart and his full compassion goes out to these young believers in Thessalonica who were suffering so much. . Why was Paul so concerned? Did he himself not trust God that He would take care of those believers? No, Paul had no lack of confidence in God, but he was aware of the power of the adversary and also of the way in which God operates to resist the adversary. God has given us to one another so that through each other we may be supporting one another. Not that thereby we are only dependent on one another. In everything the Lord orders us to do, we are dependent on Him. But in this way He wants to teach us how to share in His feelings and to practice His care. If we act like that, He becomes visible in our lives. Timothy is his messenger and the interpreter of Paul’s emotions. Like no other, Timothy was able to judge how the Thessalonians were doing. He could supply Paul with reliable information about them. Paul wanted to know how they were doing in faith. He wanted to know whether their confidence of faith was increasing by the tribulation or whether it was decreasing because the tempter had gained foothold. The tempter is no one else than satan ( ). Satan will approach every believer, just like he approached the Lord Jesus. When children of God are going through suffering and tribulation, he tries to persuade them to say ‘goodbye’ to God (cf. ). The apostle was not worried about an attack on their faith, but he was worried about a successful attack. If the latter case would become reality, his labor would be in vain. That does not mean that they would perish, but that they should not show themselves forth as being Christians. The fire of their testimony would then be extinguished and in their behavior they would adjust themselves again to the world. That was a thought he could not bear. Therefore he needed to have an indication of the condition of their faith. What you see here with Paul, is a beautiful example of aftercare. . What a relief it is for Paul when he hears from Timothy that his beloved children in faith are doing well. It was a joyful message to him. It cheered him up. A big burden was lifted from his shoulder. It’s a good thing to notice how much good news can help a person to recover spiritually. We may use it as an example. Let us not withhold from one another the good news there is to report. It is so encouraging to share with one another what the Lord has worked in a church. In that way God is being glorified ( ). Timothy had seen that their confidence of faith had not diminished. It had withstood in the tribulation. Their faith was the power that enabled them to deal with the tribulation. Out of their tribulation they looked up to heaven in faith upon Him of Whom they trusted that He would help them in the tribulation. And they have not been disappointed. Through the tribulation they learnt to know Him better. Their love for one another was also shown through the tribulation. It drove them to one another. God uses tribulations to strengthen the bond of love. That’s what Timothy had noticed. Satan also tries to drive a wedge between the preachers and the believers. But he did not succeed. The Thessalonians looked back with gratitude on the men who brought them the gospel. They even desired to see them again, a desire of which Paul could say that it was mutual. You can ‘remember’ Paul with gratitude by reading his inspired letters and act accordingly. And how do you remember your brothers and sisters whom you do not see daily? Now read 1 Thessalonians 3:1-6 again. Reflection: What lessons can you learn about aftercare here?

‏ 1 Thessalonians 3:1-2

Paul’s Concern

1Thes 3:1. Paul has just expressed, at the end of the previous chapter, his great desire to his beloved Thessalonians (1Thes 2:17-18). They are a source of deep joy for him. He very much wanted to be with them to see how they were doing. It was a great encouragement for him to know that he would meet them at the coming of the Lord Jesus. Nevertheless, he also had an undiminished desire to know how they were doing spiritually.

That desire became so strong that he necessarily wanted to know how they were doing. He couldn’t longer endure it to be without any information about their situation. At that moment he was in Athens (see Introduction). Timothy was also there with him, with whom he enjoyed a special bond of fellowship in the work of the Lord.

1Thes 3:2. Paul abandoned everything that he found valuable for himself. His desire to get information about the situation of the Thessalonians was so great that he sent Timothy to them. He indeed speaks in the ‘we’-form, but he, Paul was in charge (cf. 1Thes 3:5). By using the word ‘we’ he shows that it was not a decision he made on his own, being dragged by his emotions. He acted in agreement with others.

You see that Paul also had feelings. He felt a strong bond with the Thessalonians. There is nothing wrong with such feelings. On the contrary, they are all included. Connectedness with believers should be experienced, though feelings should not determine the action. That is up to the Lord. Therefore He also gives you fellow believers.

The value that Timothy had for him, is underlined by speaking about him as “our brother and God’s fellow worker”. The Thessalonians received him as a brother who was related with both Paul and them. They also received him as someone who worked together with Paul for God. The territory of their labor, the sphere wherein they worked, was “the gospel of Christ” (2Cor 10:14). He who works wholeheartedly in the gospel of Christ, will therefore be able to take proper care of those who have accepted this gospel.

The job description of Timothy was clear: to strengthen and encourage the Thessalonians in their faith. The believers were going through difficulties. You could think that comfort would be more appropriate. Yet this is not necessarily always the case. These believers were under pressure. They experienced hostility and were persecuted. In such a case strengthening of the faith is especially needed.

When the pressure on you because of your faith gets so great that you are in danger of succumbing, you need strengthening to stand firm. Peter received such an order from the Lord like Timothy receives from Paul here, an order which he had fulfilled by writing his first letter (Lk 22:32; 1Pet 5:12). James has such a message for his readers (Jam 5:8).

They also needed encouragement to persevere. When pressure is continuously being exerted on you, it may discourage you. Then you need encouragement.

1Thes 3:3. The important thing is that your faith, which means here your confidence of faith, does not get to waver. This danger threatens everyone who wants to live for the Lord. In tribulation it appears if there is mention of a true conversion. Whoever started to believe because it makes a person happy, will not only waver, but will surely fall away (Mk 4:16-17).

With his attacks the enemy is seeking to damage your faith, your confidence in God. When you’re going through difficulties because you believe, he will always whisper in your ear that that ‘nice God’ of yours has finally caused you to end up in troubles. And you were so sure that He is the solution for all your troubles.

Don’t let yourself be deceived! Tribulation is included in the salvation (Acts 14:22) and is foretold by the Lord (Jn 16:33) as something we have been destined for, as something that is simply fully included. Therefore do not consider it strange if this happens to you (1Pet 4:12). Whoever believes in God, which means whoever really trusts in Him in the everyday life, will be persecuted (2Tim 3:12).

If it is good, you know that too. At least I hope that you have not started to believe in the Lord Jesus and God because of success stories, but that you have seen yourself in God’s light after a powerful preaching. A sound preaching does not promise him who believes a life without adversary and worries. No, on the contrary, you will surely be rejected and hated, just like they have rejected and hated the Master (Jn 15:20).

1Thes 3:4. One more time Paul reminds the Thessalonians of what had occurred to himself and his companions (1Thes 2:2). Because he could well imagine what tribulation means, his whole heart and his full compassion goes out to these young believers in Thessalonica who were suffering so much.

1Thes 3:5. Why was Paul so concerned? Did he himself not trust God that He would take care of those believers? No, Paul had no lack of confidence in God, but he was aware of the power of the adversary and also of the way in which God operates to resist the adversary. God has given us to one another so that through each other we may be supporting one another. Not that thereby we are only dependent on one another. In everything the Lord orders us to do, we are dependent on Him. But in this way He wants to teach us how to share in His feelings and to practice His care. If we act like that, He becomes visible in our lives.

Timothy is his messenger and the interpreter of Paul’s emotions. Like no other, Timothy was able to judge how the Thessalonians were doing. He could supply Paul with reliable information about them. Paul wanted to know how they were doing in faith. He wanted to know whether their confidence of faith was increasing by the tribulation or whether it was decreasing because the tempter had gained foothold. The tempter is no one else than satan (Mt 4:3). Satan will approach every believer, just like he approached the Lord Jesus. When children of God are going through suffering and tribulation, he tries to persuade them to say ‘goodbye’ to God (cf. Job 2:9).

The apostle was not worried about an attack on their faith, but he was worried about a successful attack. If the latter case would become reality, his labor would be in vain. That does not mean that they would perish, but that they should not show themselves forth as being Christians. The fire of their testimony would then be extinguished and in their behavior they would adjust themselves again to the world. That was a thought he could not bear. Therefore he needed to have an indication of the condition of their faith. What you see here with Paul, is a beautiful example of aftercare.

1Thes 3:6. What a relief it is for Paul when he hears from Timothy that his beloved children in faith are doing well. It was a joyful message to him. It cheered him up. A big burden was lifted from his shoulder. It’s a good thing to notice how much good news can help a person to recover spiritually. We may use it as an example. Let us not withhold from one another the good news there is to report. It is so encouraging to share with one another what the Lord has worked in a church. In that way God is being glorified (Acts 21:19-20).

Timothy had seen that their confidence of faith had not diminished. It had withstood in the tribulation. Their faith was the power that enabled them to deal with the tribulation. Out of their tribulation they looked up to heaven in faith upon Him of Whom they trusted that He would help them in the tribulation. And they have not been disappointed. Through the tribulation they learnt to know Him better.

Their love for one another was also shown through the tribulation. It drove them to one another. God uses tribulations to strengthen the bond of love. That’s what Timothy had noticed. Satan also tries to drive a wedge between the preachers and the believers. But he did not succeed. The Thessalonians looked back with gratitude on the men who brought them the gospel. They even desired to see them again, a desire of which Paul could say that it was mutual. You can ‘remember’ Paul with gratitude by reading his inspired letters and act accordingly. And how do you remember your brothers and sisters whom you do not see daily?

Now read 1 Thessalonians 3:1-6 again.

Reflection: What lessons can you learn about aftercare here?