1 Thessalonians 3: 1 – 8

MEDITATION 6
1 THESSALONIANS 3: 1 – 8
Good morning and welcome to the 6th of our lockdown meditations. Here we continue to work our way through Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians. Today we start on chapter 3, a section that one person has labelled “a visit of consolation in hostile times” let us hear what Paul wrote.
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 labours 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.
If you remember, Paul and his group founded the church in Thessalonica, however due to opposition from the authorities they had to leave sooner than they wished. As a result, they had not been able to give as much training or instruction to the young church as they had wanted to give. They therefore had concerns about the young church and about how it would manage once they were gone. So, once they were able they sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to see how they were doing, continue the instruction and strengthen them in these hostile times.
There is much that we can learn about the stresses of leadership, the value of teamwork and the trials that can affect churches. One of the things that I find on holiday is that I can never totally switch off. If I am out for a walk, out on the bike or doing some other activity which is not preoccupying for my mind I will start thinking about the vulnerable people in the congregation, those who have been going through a tough time immediately before I left, those recently bereaved or those in hospital. It is the same during this lockdown. My mind is jumping around all over the place thinking about this person or that. How are they doing, how are they coping. So, it is with Paul Silvanus and his group. They could not stop thinking about the young church they had left behind, so as soon as it was practical they sent Timothy to check on them and encourage them. Paul sent Timothy because he knew Timothy would be a team player, that he would not use this as an opportunity to raise his own standing in the church but simply to encourage the young church and bring that encouragement back to the other leaders. That Timothy does this so effectively is a big credit to him. But it also shows how important teamwork is.
Never have we seen this as a church like we are today. I have urged the elders to really step up to the plate and be proactive with their districts, checking on them regularly and feeding back any information which is relevant to me to follow up. It has shown the real benefits of Presbyterianism and the elder’s district and it has enabled me to focus on the most vulnerable by following up on the calls I have received from the elders. In a time of crisis like this the value of a team is unquestionable and the Session is a team. I rely on the elders to give me information and they rely on me to follow up in an appropriate manner. I believe that this has led to a rejuvenation of our districts and will be a major blessing for the church as we move out of our lockdown status to whatever the new normal becomes.
The second thing of note from this passage is Paul’s mention of the tests and persecutions that the church in Thessalonica was undergoing. Most of us have not had to really suffer for our faith. Most of us have not had to face death threats or the possibility of losing our homes or our jobs because we attend a church. But that does not mean that we are not tested from time to time.
We can be tempted to ease up on our commitment. It does not matter if I miss this Sunday and anyway it has been raining all week and I have not managed out on the golf course.
We can be tempted to lose our convictions. These are very intellectual people who are playing down the divinity of Christ, maybe I should too.
We can be tempted to relax our morality because, if the media are anything to go by, everyone is doing this anyway and I do not want to be any odder than I am anyway!
One of the commentators that I was reading suggested that if you are not suffering because of your faith it is because you are succumbing too readily to your desires.
I wonder what tests you are struggling with during this time of lockdown? What is causing you the most spiritual angst? I would invite you to let me know your struggles. Email me your concerns, let me know so that I can be praying for you in your times of trouble. It is such a blessing to my own prayer life if I know specifics that I can pray for in relation to my congregation and friends. This is another aspect of teamwork and we should not forget it. Every blessing as you go through the rest of this week. I look forward to joining you again on Sunday as we look at what Jesus meant by saying he was not only the good shepherd but also the gate for the sheep.
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