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71. I
Thessalonians 2: “Ministry Killers”
Golden Nursing
Center in Mannington, NJ –Evening
Service on 2/16/2017
(edited March 2021)
We studied I Thessalonians chapter 1 about a year
ago, just in case anyone recalls. Hey, I wouldn’t, but I take notes on these
things! 😊 Anyway, tonight we will belatedly follow that
study up with a look at the second chapter of I Thessalonians.
In chapter 1 we saw that despite the many
external problems that were present at Thessalonica, the church there was
thriving spiritually. The new church had been receptive to Paul’s missionary
message of Hope in Christ and now they were quickly growing in their faith in
the Lord. Even back in chapter 1 we saw they were already hearing about
Christ’s return and Heaven.
Now in chapter 2 the Apostle Paul, seeing their
great potential, begins to instruct them about earthly matters. About internal
dangers to the Church. Namely, three BIG faith and ministry KILLERS!
And NUMBER ONE is: ME! That’s right. Me, you, or any believer if we are not careful:
Verse 1: “For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:”
The problem is, irregardless of the most noble
intentions, success in spiritual matters, can breed pride. And pride is well
nick-named “vanity” when it comes to God’s will and His work. For pride will,
in the end, weaken the ministry and bring only emptiness. Paul had great
success at Thessalonica, and Praise God, he did it with humility and it wasn’t
in vain!
Verse 2: “ But even after that we had suffered before, and
were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to
speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.”
Paul had been surrounded at that time by
resistance, unbelief, and antagonism. Jailed at nearby Philippi, then persecution
by some of the Jews at Thessalonica which went so far as to try and put Paul to death.
But God saved his life and, I’m pretty sure, used the experience to humble and
focus him. Our trials can do that for us too, if we let them!
Verse 3: “ For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of
uncleanness, nor in guile:”
O, I need to hear this today as I attempt to
serve Christ in my own little way. Do you? We all need to take care that our
ministries don’t start rotting from the inside out! And pride can easily do
that, I know it for a fact. I’ve seen it in others and in myself!
Verse 4: “ But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust
with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth
our hearts.”
No matter your achievements, talents, or gifts in
the Church today, you have only been loaned a part of the Gospel
Ministry. It still is, and always will be, the Lord’s and not yours or mine
to possess or brag about. It’s enough, isn’t it, in fact it is wonderful, when
He entrust us with a small portion of HIS Ministry!
Verse 5: “ For neither at any time used we flattering words,
as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:”
How easy it is to use the Word of God and His
Work to serve selfish purposes. I confess that I have done this many times and
also ignored the needs of others while doing it. Sometimes on purpose and other
times without realizing it at all until later when the Holy Spirit revealed to
me how wrong I had been. Listen to what Paul says:
Verses 6-8: “Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others,
when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. But we were
gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: So
being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto
you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear
unto us.”
If you can’t give yourself to others,
you probably won’t be able to give them Christ either. You can’t play games and
hold back in this Ministry. You can’t always play it safe. Not if you
want to be effective for Him!
Verses 9-10: “For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring
night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached
unto you the gospel of God. Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and
justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:”
Paul and his helpers at Thessalonica
went way out of their way to make sure they kept GREED in check. I recently
spoke to an older man who I would easily consider to have been a part of one of
the greatest Gospel music groups ever to originate in this area. He told me in
detail the amazing story of a very blessed ministry. But he paused near the
end, his voice broke, and he asked me if I wanted to hear about how that
ministry came to end. I said “OK” and he laughed a little and said, “I probably
shouldn’t tell you.” As he proceeded, he sounded almost traumatized even though
it had all happened many years before. Their ministry as strong and effective
as it had been for so long, in the end, was brought down from within, as he
told it, by pure vanity and greed. I’ll never forget the regret I saw on his
face and heard in his voice that day. Never. Paul continues:
Verse 11: “As ye know how we
exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his
children,”
Paul wasn’t looking for a job at the Church of Thessalonica.
He saw himself as a loving nurse and father figure to them all. His goal was to
be part of their extended spiritual FAMILY. And that was his only goal there.
Ministry Killer NUMBER TWO is PERSECUTION by
UNBELIEVERS:
Verses 12-16: “ That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his
kingdom and glory. For this cause also thank we God without
ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye
received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God,
which effectually worketh also in you that believe. For ye, brethren, became
followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye
also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the
Jews: Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have
persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: Forbidding
us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins
alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.”
Notice that the wrath of God is not specifically aimed
at the Ancient Jewish unbelievers who plagued Paul’s efforts to evangelize the
Gentiles, but also to Gentile unbelievers who were trying to subvert the
brand-new faith of other Gentiles. We must assume that unbelief and the
persecution it spawns in our day are no less repugnant to the Lord.
Truthfully, instead of fearing what unbelievers can or
might do to us or our ministries, we should probably pity them. But, like
Paul, we don’t need to be fatalistic or suicidal about it. Several times Paul
had to flee the region of Thessalonica. To flee for his life, he would leave
them and stay in touch by letter (that is, in fact, what we are reading right
now):
Verse 17: “But we, brethren,
being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured
the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.”
That brings us, in closing, to Ministry Killer NUMBER
THREE, and that is flat out SATANIC INTERFERENCE:
Verse 18: “Wherefore we would
have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.”
True ministry brings showers of blessings to those who
minister as well as to those they serve. But, to be totally realistic about it,
every true minister also gets a bullseye painted on him somewhere by the Devil.
I mean, c’mon, if it was a problem for the Apostle Paul then surely we must be
vulnerable, too.
Let’s learn a final lesson tonight from Paul on
fighting this final ministry killer. When confronted with hellish interference,
notice that Paul’s response was not to focus on Satan at all. Look at Paul’s
next statement:
Verses 19-20: “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even
ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory
and joy.”
When you can do nothing else, you focus on GOD’S LOVE
and your concern for others, even before concern for yourself. You can’t just grit
your teeth and try to dispel dark forces away, no matter what you do, or pray,
or say. Paul knew he couldn’t. But he knew Who could. And so must we, as we try
to serve Him today. Let’s pray.
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