ENCOURAGEMENT IN THE MIST OF
TROUBLE
1 THESSALOIANS 3
Change always brings opposition. Change makes us uncomfortable. Pushing change can sometimes result in violence and death.
The church was born in the mist of opposition from the Jewish
Religious leaders. They incited violence which resulted in the
death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, His apostles and
many disciples. Out of the violence, a Church grew that
changed the world.
At Philippi Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison
because of the objections by the Jews to their preaching of the Gospel. They left Philippi and came to Thessalonica.
Acts 17:2-5 Paul and Silas at Thessalonica
As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. \”This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,\” he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.
But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city.
According to the text, Paul and Silas spent at least three weeks in
Thessalonica before being forced to leave. At Philippi and Thessalonica,
Churches were started and flourish in the mist of persecution.
1 Thessalonians 3
THE WORK OF THE PASTORS
V: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 God\’s fellow worker 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. You know quite well that we were destined for them.
A. Paul and Silas abruptly left Thessalonica to save their lives from a mob
promoted by Jewish religious folk.
1. Paul grieve that he left the newly converted Christians in the mist
of a Jewish mob.
2. Timothy returned from Thessalonica with the news that the young
church was continuing in the faith of Jesus Christ.
3. Our job is the proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and let
the Holy Spirit do the rest.
4. Paul, forced out of Thessalonica, didn’t have the pleasure of selecting
a pastor, yet the Church flourished.
B. God shows His love for us by what He does not let happen to us.
1. First, God showed His love by sending Paul and Silas to preach
the Gospel and convict those chosen.
2. Second, God showed His love by sending the indwelling of Holy Spirit
to comfort the believers during trials and tribulations.
3. Third, He strengthen the minds of believes to endure their
trying circumstances.
4. Forth, God showed His love by sending Timothy to encourage the
young believers.
5. Fifth, God sends His leaders through trials to strengthen their
faith in preaching the Gospel.
6. God will not allow Satan to tear down what He builds up.
7. This should encourage our pastors that God is fully in control, and
their work will be prosperous in the Lord.
THE NEED TO ENCOURAGE YOUR PASTOR
V: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 (Paul) could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.
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.
A. You never know what your pastors are going through to keep you
lifted up in prayer.
1. When they have not heard from you, they are naturally concerned
about your welfare because you are sheep under their care.
2. Doing this zoom church time, to not see the faces or hear the
voices of the members is troubling to the shepherds.
3. For the members we don’t hear about, or hear from gives us
cause for concern.
a. We don’t know if they are sick or well.
b. We don’t know if the devil has led them astray.
B. To hear good news about the testimonies of the members is always
encouraging to the shepherd.
1. I would be willing to bet, that your pastor and his wife has a desire to
see each of the members in the flesh.
2. It is encouraging to the pastors to know that you are lifting them up
in prayer.
WAYS TO ENCOURAGE YOUR PASTORS
V:7 Therefore, brothers, 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.
A. Our Pastors need encouraging just as we do.
1. They are encouraged to know that we are persevering in theses
troubling time.
2. Your pastors lives are tied to your faith in the Lord.
3. Your pastor joy is tied to your spiritual well being in the Lord
B. The pastors job requires them to continuously be in prayer for you.
1. We can encourage our pastors with phone calls, with texts and
by showing our face on zoom.
2. It is the pastors desire to know what areas you need encouraging.
3. As pastors, we thank God for you because you enrich our lives.
A PRAYER FOR YOU FROM THE PASTOR
V: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.
A. It is the pastor’s prayer, that the Lord Jesus clear out what is hindering
Us from fellowshipping together in the sanctuary.
1. Love is the most important characteristic of the Christian faith.
2. It is the pastors desire that God will make your love overflow
for all believers and non believers.
3. It is the pastor prayer that your heart be continuously strengthen
a. Out of the heart flows the issues of life.
b. It is your pastors desire that your primary issue be the love of God.
B. It is the desire of the Pastor that you be blameless before the Father
1. Therefore confess your sins daily to have a flesh fellowship
with Jesus.
2. It is the pastors prayer that your hope be in second coming of the
Lord Jesus Christ
3. It is the desire of your pastor that you spend eternity with Jesus.
IN SUMMARY WE CAN ENCOURAGE OUR PASTORS BY:
APPRECIATING THE WORK THEY DO
UNDERSTANDING THE NEED TO ENCOURAGE
DOING SOMETHING PERSONAL TO ENCOURAGE
PHONE CALLS AND TEXTS
PRAY FOR THEM DAILY
THANK GOD FOR OUR PASTORS
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church
Join us to night for live Bible Study
