THE SHEPHERD'S HEART - PART 1 (1st Thessalonians 3:1-10)
INTRODUCTION:
In the first two chapters of 1st Thessalonians Paul expressed the concerns of a shepherd for his flock. Paul’s words convey to us the true concerns of a pastor, and through Paul’s words we see some of his pastoral attitudes which he had for the church that he had to leave abruptly and prematurely. He expressed that he was thankful for them, he commended them for their testimony, he expressed that he was encouraged by what he heard about them, he expressed his love and affection for them, and he expressed that he longed to be with them again.
As we enter into chapter three this morning Paul writes about matters concerning himself and Timothy and their relationship to the church in Thessalonica, and Paul in an even more specific way relates his concerns for the church which he has as their shepherd. The fact that he was forced to leave the church seems to intensify Paul’s pastoral concerns for them. As we begin to go through this chapter this morning, we will begin to see seven features that make up the model shepherd’s heart for his people. Those features include a shepherd’s love for his flock, a shepherd’s sacrifice for his flock, a shepherd’s lovingkindness for his flock, a shepherd’s watchfulness over his flock, a shepherd’s joy in his flock, a shepherd’s thankfulness for his flock, and a shepherd’s prayer for his flock. Let’s pray and then see how far we get this morning.
--PRAY--
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bibles this morning to 1st Thessalonians 3:1-10. I do not believe that we will get through all ten verses this morning, but what we do not get this morning we will finish up next Sunday. Please, if you are able, stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word and follow along as I read.
1st Thessalonians 3:1-10,
“Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith, so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this. For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know. For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain. But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you, for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith; for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account, as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?” (1 Thessalonians 3:1–10, NASB95)[1]
THE SHEPHERD’S LOVE FOR HIS FLOCK (1st Thessalonians 3:1a)
This passage opens with the word “therefore” which connects this verse to the previous chapter, and specifically to the closing verses of that chapter. Remember that Paul tells the Thessalonian believers that they are his glory and joy. Because of this and because of his love for them, he was concerned for them, and he writes that when we could endure it no longer, in other words, when he could no longer tolerate the distance between him and his spiritual children in the faith, those who had trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ through the ministry of Paul, Silas, and Timothy, when he could tolerate no more the lack of knowledge that they had concerning the spiritual well-being of the Thessalonian believers, they decided they had to do something. We read in Paul’s words his intense emotional pain of being separated from them and not knowing if they were standing firm in their faith. At least twice, he had tried to return to them, but Satan had hindered that from happening.
Even though Paul was facing his own trials, he was more concerned about the Thessalonian believers as how they were standing up under their own difficulties, under the persecution that they were suffering at the hands of their own countrymen. In verse one, he speaks for the group, Silas, Timothy, and himself and their concern and their not being able to endure it any longer, but in verse five he switches to the singular and writes, “…when I could endure it no longer…” (1 Thessalonians 3:5b, NASB95)[2] Showing us the deep love that Paul himself had for the Thessalonian believers.
As I tried to convey to you last Sunday, the love that Paul had for the believers in Thessalonica was not some sentimental affection for social fellowship with these believers. Rather it was a feeling of responsibility that Paul had to help these fairly new believers to fulfill God’s calling in their lives and to be loyal and obedient to the truth, and to be growing and to become spiritually mature in their walk with Christ. Because Paul and his companions had been forced to leave prematurely, this responsibility weighed on Paul as he was concerned that under persecution the new believers might falter and compromise and even deny the faith. This was the danger that Paul was so concerned about.
We see in Paul’s concern the heart of a true shepherd who is not concerned about his own success, he is not concerned about his own reputation, nor is he preoccupied by those trials and afflictions in his own life. On the contrary, he is deeply concerned with the spiritual condition of his flock, those God has put under his care, these a true shepherd is willing to suffer and rejoice with because of his steadfast love for them. We see this love exhibited towards those to whom he ministered.
THE SHEPHERD’S SACRIFICE FOR HIS FLOCK (1st Thessalonians 3:1b-2a)
The second feature of a shepherd’s attitude is seen in his sacrifice for his flock. Steadfast love always leads to sacrifice. True, unconditional love gives itself away for the object of its love. Paul’s commitment to meet the needs of others gives us the standard of true care for others. We see this attitude in Paul when they could endure no longer not knowing the condition of the believers in Thessalonica, that they “thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy…” back to Thessalonica. The “we” in this verse probably refers to Paul and Silas. But after sending Timothy, Silas departed as well and Paul was left alone in Athens.
When Paul first came to Athens, he came by himself, he left Silas and Timothy in Berea and then they joined him later. Paul and Silas sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to find out the spiritual condition of the believers they had left there. Paul then sent Silas somewhere else in Macedonia, possibly Philippi. We read of these things in Acts 17-18. So, for a second time, Paul was left behind in Athens alone. The Greek verb translated “left behind” means “abandoned” or “forsaken” and was used in the secular context of leaving a loved one behind at death. The use of this verb shows how serious Paul’s separation from his companions was and that it truly was a sacrifice on his part to send them back to Macedonia. Paul thought it best to send them back to Thessalonica and Macedonia for the well-being of the believers in those places.
This sacrifice that Paul made shows us again the strength of his concern as a shepherd for the Thessalonians. For their sakes he shows his love by gladly sending to them his friend and fellow missionary, Timothy. Over the years Paul would send his beloved son in the faith to several different churches as his representative.
Paul, in sending Timothy to the Thessalonians commended him to them and reiterates the commendation here which demonstrates for us the close, trusting relationship that he had with this young co-worker. First, Paul calls Timothy our brother, referring to himself and Silas, Timothy was a brother as a fellow believer in Christ. But because of all that they had experienced together as they ministered together, they were more than just spiritual brothers. Next, Paul referred to Timothy not only in relation to himself and Silas but also as God’s fellow worker. Notice what Paul is saying here, a truth that should be recognized, that a man can be a fellow worker of Almighty God. Timothy worked with God because he, like Paul, faithfully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. Paul calls it the gospel of Christ here because God provided the message of salvation in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul commended his beloved Timothy to emphasize how precious he was to him. This also revealed to the Thessalonian believers Paul’s love for them seen in the sacrifice of sending Timothy to them.
THE SHEPHERD’S LOVINGKINDNESS FOR HIS FLOCK (1st Thessalonians 3:2b-4)
The third feature of a shepherd’s heart concerning his flock is the lovingkindness he showers on them. This lovingkindness is due to Paul’s love which motivated him to send Timothy back to them to strengthen and encourage them in their faith. When we refer to “the faith” we are speaking of the truths found in the gospel, but “their faith” refers to the Thessalonians belief and trust in those truths. Remember that when Paul and his companions were forced to leave Thessalonica, the believers there were still young in a faith and were being tested by persecution and they needed further guidance to help them grow to spiritual maturity.
Timothy was sent to them to strengthen them and to encourage them. When we speak of him strengthening the believers, it means to support or buttress something with the intent of establishing it. Strong faith is knowing what God has revealed and having a firm foundation in sound doctrine. Faith cannot be strong without knowledge and understanding of the truth. Timothy’s second task was to encourage the Thessalonian believers. To encourage means to come alongside and motivate the believers to live out the sound doctrine they had been taught. Timothy was to make the foundation of the Thessalonian believers’ faith firm and unwavering so that they would have confidence to apply the truth to their lives. Paul’s desire for all those who came to faith in Christ was that they would grow to spiritual maturity, that Christ would be formed in them.
Paul also knew that they could be disturbed by certain afflictions. Paul does not want their faith to waver under persecution. Paul reminds them that all have been destined for such affliction. It is not clear in this verse if the “we” refers to Paul, Silas, and Timothy and these afflictions he is talking about were what they were destined to as ministers of the Gospel or is this a reminder to the Thessalonians and to all Christians that they should expect affliction for their faith. Later when Timothy was in Ephesus, Paul wrote to him in 2nd Timothy 3:12 and said, “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:12, NASB95)[3] I believe this “we” refers to both Paul and his companions and believers in general because the statement is true of both. Paul goes on in verse 4 of 1st Thessalonians 3 to remind the new believers that when they were with them, before they were forced to leave, that he had given them advance warning that they were going to suffer earthly affliction. They were aware because of Paul’s warning that affliction was coming, it came as he said, and it strengthened their faith. They remembered what the Lord Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 5:11-12, “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11–12, NASB95)[4]
THE SHEPHERD’S WATCHFULNESS OVER HIS FLOCK (1st Thessalonians 3:5)
The fourth feature of a shepherd’s heart for his flock is his watchfulness over his flock, his desire to keep them safe and out of harm’s way. Paul displays this protectiveness in verse five when he switches to the singular and writes, “For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.” (1 Thessalonians 3:5, NASB95)[5] One reason Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica was to find out about their faith, before Timothy went he did not know whether their faith had remained strong or if it had caved and they had turned back to their old life in the face of trials, tribulations, and persecutions. We see this same watchfulness, this same concern to keep them firm in the faith when Paul speaks to the Ephesian elders for the last time in Acts 20:29-30. He writes, “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.” (Acts 20:29–30, NASB95)[6] Paul’s fear, as he says in the end of verse five of our passage, is that the tempter or Satan might have tempted them in such a way that they had rejected the gospel, that they had abandoned their faith.
If Satan had succeeded in causing these new believers to reject the gospel or to abandon their faith, Paul would then know that his labor among them was in vain. This word translated “vain” means “empty, void, pointless, for nothing.” This was not the only time that Paul worried that his ministry had not borne real fruit. In Galatians 2:1-2 he wrote, “Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also. It was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain.” (Galatians 2:1–2, NASB95)[7] He wrote to the Philippians believers in Philippians 2:15-16 urging them to, “…. prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.” (Philippians 2:15–16, NASB95)[8] Paul was in this same way concerned about the Thessalonians’ faith. In his watchfulness he wanted to know that their faith was genuine and not superficial.
CONCLUSION:
I am going to stop here this morning. We have begun to look at seven features of a shepherd’s heart toward the flock that God has put under his care. We have looked at the first four that Paul has modeled for us in this third chapter of 1st Thessalonians. Paul showed us his love for the believers in Thessalonica in the fact that he chose to be left alone so that he might know their spiritual condition. He could no longer endure not knowing, he could no longer endure leaving them without a firm foundation and the encouragement to live out their faith even in the midst of persecution. He knew that if they had a firm foundation then they would persevere through the trials, tribulations, and persecutions. Paul was willing to sacrifice his own comfort and joy of having Timothy with him for the sake of the Thessalonian believers who would receive an eternal return from Timothy being with them. Finally, we saw Paul’s concern that his labor was in vain because he was not there to watch over the flock in the midst of their trials and persecutions and he was concerned that Satan had used those afflictions to get them to reject the gospel or abandon their faith. Next Sunday we will look at the last three features of a shepherd’s heart which ends in prayer for the flock and we will see how Paul prays for the church in Thessalonica.
[1]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[2]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[3]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[4]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[5]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[6]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[7]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[8]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. 1995. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.