SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 4/27/2014 9:58 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Paul’s Concern and Affection for Them
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: 1
Thessalonians 3:1a
Message
of the verse: As we begin to look at
the third chapter of 1 Thessalonians it is a good time take a little review of
the first two chapters and then look ahead of what we will be looking at in
chapter three. Warren Wiersbe writes “The first two chapters, Paul
explained how the church was born and matured.
Now he dealt with the next step in maturity: how the church was to stand. The key word in this chapter is established (1 Thessalonians 3:2,
13). The key thought is expressed in 1
Thessalonians 3:8: ‘For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.”
John MacArthur writes: “Anyone who serves the church as a pastor or
elder realizes that the scriptural requirements for his services are high. He also knows he must understand the
important issues of what a pastor does, says, is, and feels. In chapters 1-2 of this epistle, Paul’s words
reveal the true concerns of a pastor (1:2-3, 5; 2:2-4, 5-7, 9-11, 13). As earlier noted, coming through his inspired
pen are some of the pastoral attitudes Paul had for the church; he was thankful
for them (1:2; 2:;13); he appreciated their testimony (1:3); he was encouraged
by what he heard about them (1:9); he loved them (2:8); and he longed to be
with them (2:17-20). Here as he recorded
matters related to Timothy and himself, in connection with the church, he
opened his heart even more as he expressed concerns for them in a much more
focused and specific way. His forced
separation from the Thessalonians seemed to intensify his pastoral concern for them. Paul’s narrative implies seven elements of his exemplary pastor’s heart: affection for his people, sacrifice for them,
compassion for them, protectiveness toward them, delight in seeing them,
gratitude for them, and intercession for them.”
Now what MacArthur writes here as far as a preview is from the first ten
verses of the third chapter.
“1 Therefore when we could endure it
no longer,” I remember hearing a pastor
early in my new found faith in the Lord Jesus Christ say “what is the
therefore, therefore.” We want to answer
that question by saying a couple of things.
First of all the chapters and verses as far as where they appear in the
Bible are not inspired, the text of course is, but not where the chapter breaks
are of where the verse breaks are. This
being said it may have been better to have verses 17-20 appear in chapter three
for that is where Paul is going back to when he uses the word therefore. “17 But we, brethren, having been taken away
from you for a short while-in person, not in spirit-were all the more eager
with great desire to see your face. 18 For we wanted to come to you I, Paul,
more than once-and yet Satan hindered us. 19 For who is our hope or joy or
crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at
His coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.
1 Therefore
when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at
Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the
gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith, 3 so that
no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we
have been destined for this. 4 For indeed when we were with you, we kept
telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came
to pass, as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I
also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have
tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.”
When you look at chapter 2:17-3:5 it seems to fit together better than
seeing a chapter break in it.
We can see the great love that Paul
has for this very young (in the Lord) church.
I think that as one looks at this they can see the supernatural love
that God puts into believers. I have
read that when believers go to different countries where they cannot speak the
language and of the people there, and when they meet other believers there is a
bond between them. Paul never laid eyes
on these people a few months before he wrote this letter to them and yet we can
see how great a love he has for them.
This is supernatural as far as I am concerned. I remember when my father was dying in 2001 I
had to come to Florida to be with him and with the rest of my family and I was
listening to a Christian radio station where they had a contest on and I called
in the answer and it was right and I was to win a CD. I went to the station to pick it up and was
greeted with a hug from the lady who gave me the CD. I never meet her before in my life, but this
woman could feel the pain that I was going through and because we were
believers we had a special bond that people who are not believes could ever
understand. Paul knew a lot about this
bond, and it shows in the letter he writes to the Thessalonians. Now of course we know that Paul was not only
an evangelist, but also a Pastor, and John MacArthur writes the following on
this subject: “A man with a true and faithful pastoral heart is
not concerned about his success or his reputation; nor is he preoccupied with
his own trials. Rather, he is deeply
concerned with the spiritual condition of his people, for whom he will suffer
and rejoice with an unflagging affection.
Paul exhibited that kind of spiritual care no matter what the response
was. He wrote to the Corinthians, ‘I
will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?’ (2 Cor. 12:15 cf. 2:12-13; 11:28-29).”
We will look at the rest of this
verse, God willing, in our next SD.
Spiritual
meaning for my life today: “But the
fruit of the Spirit is love, (Gal. 5:22).”
But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these
is love (1 Cor. 13:13).” “"For God
so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes
in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16).” 1Jo 3:10 By this the children of God and the
children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness
is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. 1Jo 4:16 We have come
to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one
who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. No one can love with the kind of love that
God is unless he is born from above.
There are many more verses to show that goes along with this subject, but
as we look at these verses we know that Paul had that agape love for the
Thessalonians, and I am to have that kind of love for fellow believers too.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Love others
because God first loved me.
Memory
verse for the week: Galatians 2:20
I
have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ
lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the
Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Answer
to yesterday’s Bible question: “Ai”
(Joshua 7:5).
Today’s
Bible question: “What king of Judah was
killed in battle by Pharaoh-Nechoh?”
Answer
in our next SD.
4/27/2014
11:00 AM
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