I Thessalonians 3:6-7 – But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you; for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith.
In our last post, we discovered that when Paul, Silas and Timothy were reunited in Athens, Timothy brought word that the church in Thessalonica was again under attack from false doctrines. Particularly, the Greeks asserted that if miraculous power really flowed through Paul and his team, then there was no need for them to flee from persecution - they could simply perform a miracle and save themselves.
Paul refuted that lie by reminding the Thessalonians that persecution, suffering and/or affliction were a normal part of Christianity; no believer is exempt from these experiences.
We also noted that God is not the source of adversity, but he does allow some calamities to touch our lives. He uses these hardships for our good (see details in our previous post).
Paul was so concerned for the welfare of the Thessalonian church, he immediately sent Timothy back to be their spiritual shepherd in his absence. Eventually Timothy was reunited with Paul in the city of Corinth (Acts 18:1-5), and he came bringing good news – the Thessalonian church was alive and well!
Timothy gives three particular areas which showed the continued steadiness and growth of the church:
Their faith: Despite the tribulations caused by the unbelieving Jews and the false doctrines promoted by the Greeks, the Thessalonian church still had a secure belief in God.
Through the work of Holy Spirit and their faith/steadfast confidence in God, they averted unbelief and doctrinal errors. They were true to the gospel which Paul, Timothy and Silas had preached to them. This was the best news Paul could have hoped for!
Their love/charity: This phrase speaks of the love that the Thessalonian believers had for each other. Part of the reason they were able to overcome Satan’s attacks was because they encouraged and helped each other in the faith.
Let’s pause and consider that for a minute. In order to be a strength and encouragement, they had to spend time with each other. This means they did not stop meeting together, even in the face of persecution and affliction.
Sadly, here in America where meeting together is protected by law, we have believers who claim to be part of a church, but they never attend services in person. While you can be spiritually fed by watching a sermon on TV, that does not give you all the spiritual nutrition you need.
In order to be a healthy and happy believer, you need to fellowship with your brothers and sisters in the church. There are many reasons for this:
- You need to be in fellowship with others because your interactions with other believers give you strength and encouragement for your journey.
For example, let’s suppose you just found out that you have a major health issue. If you attend church, it is likely you will find a brother or sister who has also faced that same issue. They can offer you words of comfort, let you know what to expect, and even give you some advice. They can share scriptures which ministered to them in their time of need. Just knowing that that person made it through the crisis will give you hope that you too will come through. These kinds of love and fellowship are invaluable. 
- This concept flows both ways - you need to be in church and be in fellowship with others, because someone else in your church may need you to come alongside them and strengthen them during their time of need.
For example, perhaps you went through some kind of traumatic event in life, like a house fire. If someone else is experiencing the same issue, you can be their strength and encouragement.
- You need to be in church and be in fellowship with others because you need partners in ministry.
What has God called you to do? I guarantee that the minute you step out in faith to begin a ministry, you will find that you need help and support. Your ministry will need prayer, advice, financial support and a multitude of other things that you can’t do all by yourself. God does this on purpose, so that we learn to function as a unified body, with him as our head (Ephesians 1:22-23, I Corinthians 12).
Long ago the world discovered that ‘networking’ was one of the essential tools for getting things done. (Little did they know, they were actually following a biblical principle!) It’s time Christians discovered this principle as well; we need each other to be successful in ministry.
- You need to be present in church and church related activities so you can pray for others.
There is no doubt that prayer is an essential part of the Christian life. The apostle James tells us that if any among our fellowship is sick, they should call upon the elders to anoint them, lay hands on them and pray for them (James 5:14-16).
In addition, we are instructed to confess our faults one to another. How are you going to do that, if you are not in fellowship with other believers?
- You need to be present and active within the church in order to offer practical help in times of need.
For instance, when someone experiences the death or loss of a loved one, they need their brothers and sisters to offer comfort and to share the burden of grief. They might need someone to cook a meal or to run some errands. If someone injures their knee, they may need you to mow their grass a few times. You need to be in fellowship so you can be a part of ministering to those in need.
- You need to be present in church and in fellowship with other believers because ‘iron sharpens iron’:
Proverbs 27:17 – Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
For example, through fellowship and conversation, we can sharpen each other’s minds. This will assist us in avoiding the traps of the enemy especially in the areas of false doctrines and teachings.
Furthermore, when we are in fellowship we can stir up one another to be diligent in good works and in using the gifts God has given us. We can hold each other accountable for our actions and our lifestyles.
Hebrews 10:24-25 – And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Clearly, there are numerous reasons why God requires us to be in close fellowship with each other. The bottom line is that God has designed the church to operate as a body, so you need to actively meet/fellowship with others on a regular basis. This should be happening inside and outside of the church services.
Their affection for Paul and a desire to see him: The continued love and affection that the Thessalonians showed for their spiritual teachers (Paul, Timothy and Silas), was indeed a good sign. 
If they had begun to fall away from the faith or if they had doubts about Paul and the gospel, they certainly would not have been glad to see any of these men.
But that was not the case. The Thessalonians had a great respect and reverence for Paul, Silas and Timothy. It is clear that they would welcome a visit from these men at any time. In fact, they longed to see Paul, Timothy and Silas as much as these ministers longed to see them. A face-to-face meeting would refresh and encourage all of them.
Paul makes it very clear that when news of the steadfast faith of the Thessalonians reached him at Corinth, he was greatly comforted and reassured. The good news of the saints in Thessalonica was like breath of fresh air to him.
I Thessalonians 3:8 – For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.
When Paul and his companions considered the afflictions of the Thessalonian church and the false doctrines being presented to them by unbelievers, they were distraught and burdened. They had delivered the true gospel of eternal life to the Thessalonians, and the last thing they wanted was for Satan to take that away from them.
When word finally reached Paul that the church had remained steadfast and unwavering in their faith, it caused this burden to be lifted. Paul ‘lived’ - he experienced a special joy in his heart and mind because of this victory.
Think of it this way: A scientist finds joy and satisfaction in discovering the laws of nature. Scholars find pleasure in accumulating knowledge. Business people find intense delight in closing deals and making money.
In the same way, Paul experienced real pleasure and satisfaction knowing that the Thessalonians were unwavering in their faith.
Keep in mind that at the time Paul received this message, he was ministering in the midst of adversity. He was working a full time job in Corinth (Acts 18:3), but he still suffered lack. He had an infirmity that wouldn’t go away. He was subjected to the fury of the Jews and the scorn of the Gentiles on a daily basis. His life was difficult/hard 100% of the time.
So it’s not hard to see that the good news regarding the Thessalonian church encouraged and refreshed him like a drink of ice water refreshes a traveler dying of thirst. It intensified Paul’s pleasure in this life.
Paul was not the only apostle to experience this kind of satisfaction. He seems to be echoing the sentiments of the apostle John who said this:
3 John 4 – I [John] have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
I Thessalonians 3:9 – For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God…
This verse reflects the depth of Paul’s joy. ‘What thanksgiving can we return to God for you’ is essentially a rhetorical question; Paul is saying that he cannot find an expression of gratitude to God that sums up the vast amount of joy he feels because of the continued faith of the Thessalonians. Simply put, any words of thanksgiving he offers to God cannot adequately declare the deep and profound joy he is experiencing. 
This joy is not a celebration of Paul’s accomplishments - that is the furthest thing from the apostle’s mind. His profound joy is rooted in the grace of God, which is the source of the Thessalonian’s faith and steadfast love.
Because of the grace of God, the Thessalonians have embraced the true gospel and they are recipients of eternal life. What’s more, God will use the trials and afflictions they now face to mature their spiritual lives.
James 1:2-4 – Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Paul is excited about the manifestation of the life changing power of the gospel, which flows from the grace of God and is at work in the Thessalonian believers.
That same grace is manifesting in the lives of believers today, including you and me. Like Paul, we can give praise to God when we see his grace at work in the lives of others.
I Thessalonians 3:10 - …as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?
In this verse Paul comments on the prayers he made for the Thessalonian church.
These weren’t just short, perfunctory requests. Paul’s prayers for them were fervent, persistent and importunate. He made the Thessalonian believers a special subject of prayer. He spent time earnestly holding them up before the throne of God, praying for their spiritual growth/wellbeing. He also fervently asked for the opportunity to see them again so he could further shepherd them in the faith.
Part of this urgency was Paul’s understanding that his return to Thessalonica was being hindered by Satan himself (I Thessalonians 2:18). He believed that it was God’s will for him to return to Thessalonica, so he prayed for God’s will to be done on earth as it was in heaven.
Paul wanted to return to his spiritual children to ‘supply what was lacking in their faith’. The word ‘supply’ means to complete, to make fully ready or to put full in order. In other scriptures the same Greek word is translated as:
- ‘Mending’ (Matthew 4:21, Mark 1:19)
- ‘Perfectly joined together’ (I Corinthians 1:10)
- ‘Perfect/perfected’ (Matthew 21:16, Hebrews 13:21, I Peter 5:10)
- ‘Restore’ (Galatians 6:1)
- ‘Prepared’ (Hebrews 10:5)
- ‘Framed’ (Hebrews 11:3)
The overall meaning is that whatever was deficient or lacking in their doctrine, the apostles were ready and willing to supply, so that the faith of the Thessalonians may be complete/perfect. In addition, Paul desired to increase their knowledge, to excite/inflame their love for God, to spur them on in righteousness, and to kindle a greater desire for performing good works. 
Since Paul was suddenly torn away from them, it is reasonable to assume that he wished to instruct them more fully on several topics.
Think of it this way: We might describe their faith as an outline – they knew the major points, but the details were missing. Paul greatly desires to come and fill in the outline through his teaching, so that the church would be perfectly equipped for every good work.
As you no doubt noticed, there are no perfect Christians. None of us have arrived at perfection; all of us have deficiencies or defects in our faith. One of the many facets of pastoral ministry is to ‘mend’ these inadequacies and help bring our faith to perfection.
This is one more reason to show up to church in person and to submit to the authority of the church’s pastors and elders.
Let me offer you some encouragement, relief and strength:
In the natural realm, God created and placed each individual part of the human body in a position where it can be of the greatest service and usefulness to the whole person. For example, it would be really inconvenient to have your hands protruding from your spine, especially since you can’t see anything back there!
The same is true in the spiritual body of the church. The gifts and talents that you possess were given to you by God’s sovereign will. He then places each individual (including you) in a position where they can be of the greatest service and usefulness to the whole body (the church).
Mankind classifies some gifts/talents as greater than others, but that is a false idea. Each person in the church should be honored and highly esteemed as being an indispensible part of God’s body, which assists in establishing his will on earth.
You should NEVER consider yourself or your gifts as inconsequential. Every Christian is essential to the body of Christ. To say otherwise is to say that you are wiser than God!
Likewise, you should never compare your ministry to another one. Even though you may have overlapping or even duplicated components of ministry, you will reach individuals that no one else can. God has placed you where you are right now ‘for such a time as this’.
As with the natural body, the individual members of the church cannot exist or function by themselves. We need each other just like the feet need the legs or the hands need the eyes. This circles back to another very important topic in today’s discussion – YOU NEED TO BE IN CHURCH. You also need to find ways to experience fellowship outside of Sunday services.
The connections you make to the people in your church body are incredibly important. If you don’t have any, start making some! Invite some other members of the church to your house, or to a sporting event or a concert. Begin to cultivate friendships within the body.
Find your place in the body of Christ and own it!