seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 Thessalonians 3:1 So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.
6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. 7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones
This is from the easy English site.
Silas and Timothy came back from their journeys and met Paul again in Corinth (Acts 18:5). As soon as Timothy had told them about the faith of the Thessalonians, they wrote this letter. His report pleased them so much that they called it ‘good news’. Apart from here, the Greek word for ‘good news’ in the New Testament means the good news about Jesus Christ. The good news about Jesus Christ is the gospel. This use of this word here shows how the report from Timothy excited them. They had been so anxious and worried for the Thessalonians. But now, the news brought them comfort and much joy.
The faith and love of the Thessalonians, that they had when they first trusted in Christ, were still there. The persecution of men and the work of the devil could not spoil their trust in God. The effect of all these troubles seems to have been to make them stronger in their faith in God. In the same way, Timothy saw that they continued to love other people.
The Thessalonians had good memories of the time when Paul, Silas and Timothy were there. They had come to love and respect the three of them. The people who opposed them said many things against Paul and his friends. Paul felt the need to show that these things were false. But the Christians knew that these things were not true. These things had no effect on their feelings for them. They knew what kind of men Paul, Silas and Timothy were. They still trusted them and respected them. And they still loved them.
What Paul, Silas and Timothy had done had been a success. What had happened showed that. They had achieved what they went to Thessalonica to do. They had established the church there so well that it did not fail when troubles came. But that is not how Paul and his friends saw it. They knew that it was not what they did. Rather, it was the work of the Holy Spirit. God had given strength to those Christians so that they did not fail.
‘Night and day’ does not mean that they prayed once in the evening and once in the morning. It means that they continued to pray both during the night and in the day. Again, and again they asked God that they might soon see the Thessalonians.
The reason for their prayers was not only that they wanted to be with the Thessalonians again. It was also so that they could teach them more to help them to live as Christians should. They knew that the Thessalonians needed further instruction. They could see that there was some confusion in what the Thessalonians believed. And some there did not live as they should. And they needed correction.
So... this was the town with an idol problem. Venders had depended on these people for forever. The venders of the venders depended on these people for forever. Those venders and venders of venders... and their families and their friends and so on and so forth.... all depended on the lust for shiny baubles so the venders and the vender's venders could collect their shiny little idols... ducketts.... coin.... money. When Paul and company came along... the people not so addicted to the shiny baubles.... stopped buying the idols. Then they started talking to their friends and neighbors... who found Salvation and started working at being kind... so there wasn't so much time to feel the need.... and they too stopped buying idols... and so on and so forth.
The more the vender's sales dwindled the angrier the venders got. When all this started... they found out Paul was the one who brought this "tall tale" and they nearly beat him to death. As a matter of fact... after they beat him to a pulp... they took him outside the city gates and left him there to die. Of course the Christians in town gathered up his bloody beaten body and carried him back into town and nursed him back to health. That's what Christians do.
So Paul, no doubt, was really concerned about these people. Those venders were still loosing sales and they were still angry with the Christians for creating their financial downturn. Paul was afraid it might be easier for the people to just give in to the venders than stick with the gospel.
In comes Timothy.... the kid.... Timothy was only a teenager. He wasn't one of those bearded do gooder old men.... Timothy was a passionate teen with lots of energy... compared to the bearded old guys the kids in my Sunday School Class thought about when they read the stories. Timothy was a teenager.... Anyway... Timothy had been to Thessalonica and he reported they were still sticking with the Gospel.
So that's what this chapter is about.... Timothy brought them a great report and they all could exhale again.
