Community Baptist Church
Sunday, May 17

      • Psalm 8:1NKJV

      • 1 Peter 5:6–7NKJV

  • Redeemed

      • 2 Corinthians 4:13–18NKJV

  • It Is Well with My Soul
  • Before The Throne Of God Above
  • Praise The Father Praise The Son

      • John 17:1–11NKJV

  • Warren Wiersbe, a noted Bible teacher in the mid-late 20th century notes that
    The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Four: Growing Pains (1 Thessalonians 2:13–20)

    Paul lived in the future tense

    We are often stuck in the past by regret or remorse. We can find ourselves overwhelmed by the present when circumstances beyond our control pile one on top of another.
    Paul, chased from town to town in this part of his ministry, offers some affirmations that can helpus break free of the past, helping us to shape a life in the future tense.

    We share an ultimate aim

    1 Thessalonians 1:9–10 “for they themselves report what kind of reception we had from you: how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead —Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.”
    1 Thessalonians 2:19 “For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not you?”
    1 Thessalonians 3:13 “May He make your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen.”
    Like a thread woven through a garment Paul cintunually refers a shared hope among all believers:
    The Return of Jesus Christ
    As a student of the OT Paul was able to see that in Jesus, God was fulfilling His promise to overthrow all the powers opposed to God and His people.
    For Paul - and those whom he cared for - the return of Jesus meant rescue from the coming wrath of God against His enemies.
    The return of Jesus as God-in-the-flesh also meant celebration and joy as believers from all ages and across all geographical locations would gather to worship God.

    We share an adversary

    Almost as an afterthought Paul reminds these believers that as desperately as he wanted to return and visit them, the adversary was the one keeping him from returning:
    1 Thessalonians 2:18 “So we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.” The Greek word translated ‘hindered’
    Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians & Philemon (Notes) The Greek verb (enkoptō)… was used in military contexts to denote how armies “prevented” the advance of their enemies: Soldiers would tear up and destroy roads to prevent their passage.
    Throughout Paul’s letters he reminds his readers that we have an aggressive adversary. Peter, another of Jesus’ earliest followers describes our adversary, Satan, in these words:
    1 Peter 5:8 “Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.”

    We share the same afflictions

    The Thessaonians had watched as Jewish men - from the city itself- Acts 17:6–7 “When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too, and Jason has received them as guests! They are all acting contrary to Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king—Jesus!””
    These same men followed Paul and Silas to Berea where they upset the town and Paul was once again forced to leave town.
    These afflictions are not to deter people from following Jesus. Rather, Jesus followers are to expect oppostion and affliciton.
    Jesus Himself warned of this:
    Matthew 5:10–12 “Those who are persecuted for righteousness are blessed, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. “You are blessed when they insult and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

    We share all the resources we need

    Paul had sent Timothy back to Thessalonica specifically to see how they were managing the same kind of afflicitons Paul and Silas were. Don’t think that just because Paul was forced out of town that the enemies of the gospel gave up.
    Paul was deeply concerned that those in Thessalonica were so young in the faith that they might easily be tempted by the adversary to return to their idolatry (see 1:9-10).
    Paul offers encouragement. More importantly Paul prays for these believers:
    1 Thessalonians 3:11–13 HCSB
    Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you. And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone, just as we also do for you. May He make your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen.
    Several items are worth pointing out:
    Paul prays for God to make it possible for him to return.
    Paul prays that those in Thessalonica would overflow with love for one another
    Paul prays for them that God would continue His work of sanctification, making these believers whole and holy at the coming of the Lord Jesus.
    Paul is fully commited to a view of the world in which God is absolutely sovereign over the adversary and anything or anyone seeking to hinder His purposes.
    Paul knows that as important as it is to have mentors and teachers to assist us into a fuller understanding of God’s truth it is ultimately the indwelling Holy Spirit who is our teacher, our guide.

    REFLECT AND RESPOND

    Listening to the way Paul writes of these believers we might be surprised that his visit with them lasted a short three or so weeks!
    Yet the bonds that grew in Christ are evident in the mutual challenges faced by Paul and the believers in Thessalonica.
    Facing a common adversary
    We cannot afford to be ignorant of the reality of Satan and his attempts to ‘hinder’ us as we seek to proclaim the gospel. The very word Paul used reminds us that the proclamation of the gospel moves us onto a battlefield.
    The adversary that ‘hindered’ Paul also hinders the work of the gospel across the ages.
    Paul identfies the primary tactic of the enemy here as keeping him from returning to strengthen and encourage these newly born again believers.
    The enemy lies - see the accusations leveled at Paul in Acts 17:6 “When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too,”
    The enemy tempts us to regress, to fall back into previous patterns of thinking and living- see 1 Thess 3:5.
    The enemy seeks to weaken our resolve to fully follow Jesus - 1 Thessalonians 3:7–8 “Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution, we were encouraged about you through your faith. For now we live, if you stand firm in the Lord.”

    We share a common aim

    Paul affirms that at the coming of the Lord Jesus with all his saints (1 Thess 2:19-20) they will be re-united with one another.
    There is a future, there is an unchanging and undeniable hope that binds us together.
    We share a common language and resource.
    As Paul prays for believers, he often encourages them to pray for him -
    1 Thessalonians 5:25 “Brothers, pray for us also.”
    Paul reminded us othat the Holy Spirit who is one with Father, and the Son is interceding/praying for us - Romans 8:26 “In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings.”
    There are several things for us to take away from this passage:

    We share a common aim

    All who confess with their mouth and believe in their heart will be saved and will join with all those who believe around the throne of God -
    a number which is uncountable

    Our Adversary will be defeated

    He hinders us only as we allow him to! He knows he is defeated. He knows that one day God wil fulfill all His promises and that he will be banished for eternity apart from the presence of God.

    We are linked by the power of prayer

    As we pray for one another we discover that God hears, and if God hears, He answers.
    There was no doubt in Paul’s mind that his prayers would be answered. Paul prayed big prayers because he was persuaded that God was bigger than any obstacle might be.

      • 1 Thessalonians 3:11–13NKJV

      • Ephesians 3:20–21NKJV

Community Baptist Church
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5416799569
http://www.winstoncommunitybaptist.com
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