Church as it’s supposed to be
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the assembly of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 We always give thanks to God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father. 4 We know, brothers[a] loved by God, that you are chosen, 5 and that our Good News came to you not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we showed ourselves to be among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all who believe in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For from you the word of the Lord has been declared, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone out, so that we need not to say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead: Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.
In this letter to the church at Thessalonica, we get a glimpse into what Church is supposed to be.
For those of you who are here, I hope I don’t have to preach a sermon about the value of the Church. If you made it through the last year, and you are still with us, it is because you see something special here that needs to be preserved.
I think many people, inside and outside the church would have preferred that the church shrivel up and die during all these Covid restrictions. They see the church as archaic at best, and oppressive at worst. That’s always been the view of the world toward the church
I read some time ago that Reinhold Niebuhr, the liberal European theologian, said, "The church is a lot like Noah's ark. If it weren't for the storm outside, you couldn't stand the stink inside."
I forgot who said it, “I would accept your Christ if He did not come along with His leprous bride, the church.”
A lot of people despise the church, and frankly, some of them have reason to.
We, the deacons of the church, have listed the top ten criticisms of our church and have decided upon the following solutions for these complaints:
1. “I want more depth in the sermons”: For all sermons we will read the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts, therefore everyone in the congregation will be required to take Hebrew and Greek classes. Since these languages require constant study and usage, each member will be required to take these classes until they die.
2. “Nobody noticed when I was gone for three weeks”: From now on, each member of the congregation will be required to have placed on their ankle a tracking device so that we will know where they are at all times, including when they are at the lake, at the golf course, hunting, etc. Also, each member will be required to bring a doctor’s note stating that the member was actually sick and had an excuse for being out of church. The church will also start to use the phone tree system to give everyone a wake-up call on Sunday mornings so that they can get to church on time.
3. “Nobody cares about how I feel”: From now on, we will have a psychiatrist/psychologist/Christian counselor (the member will choose) available on Sunday mornings to help each member understand more about their feeling that no one cares about them. In addition, each member will be required to start caring for others in the congregation.
4. “I don’t know everybody anymore”: From now on each member of the congregation will be required to memorize the names and faces of each member of the congregation, including each new member that joins hereafter. Also, each member will be required to wear a photo i.d. for identification purposes.
5. “The choir doesn’t sing my kind of music”: From now on, there will be no more choir or congregational singing but each seat in the sanctuary will be equipped with an IPOD and headphones to listen to your favorite type of Christian music during the worship service.
Well some criticisms are legitimate, others are not. We as a church are not perfect, nor will we be until Jesus returns. As the song goes, as applied to the church, “We’re not what we oughta be, we’re not what we’re gonna be, but thank God we’re not what we were.”
So, today, in light of being an ever improving church, we’re going to start a study in Paul’s epistle to the church in Thessalonica. Of all the churches that Paul founded, and wrote to, the church at Thessalonica was one of the best.
Well, how do you know that preacher? I’ve read his letters to these churches. To give you a contrast, Paul wrote two letters to the church in Corinth. And I remember when we studied those letters in New Testament class in seminary. The church in Corinth was full of problems, so many that I had to come up with an acronym in order to remember them. The acronym was FILMFTR. They had problems with factions, idol sacrifices, lawsuits, marriage/incest, tongues, battle of the sexes, conduct at the Lord’s Supper, the resurrection
By contrast, Paul writes to the church at Thessalonica with encouragement, a desire to see them again, comforting them. Listen to these words from 1st and 2nd Thessalonians;
1: 2 We always give thanks to God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.
2: 8 Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.
4: Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound more and more.
9 But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another, 10 for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more;
5: 23 May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So, I read all of that to say, that the church at Thessalonica was a great church. And despite the fact that there are many churches that are not great, it is possible to be a great church. And that’s what we want isn’t it? So, we’re going to look at these letters over the coming weeks, to discover “Church, as it is supposed to be.”
Let’s pray.
We’re going to be doing a lot of introductory stuff today.
I. Introduction
A. The story of the church in Thessalonica
B. The 1st letter Paul wrote back to this church
II. The Church as it is supposed to be is a place of encouragement.
Introduction: A. The story of the church in Thessalonica
Well, I hope you remember this city in the narrative in the book of Acts. Remember how God called Paul and Barnabus to be missionaries to the Gentiles. And they headed west from Jerusalem. Paul’s intent was to take the gospel to places where Christ had not been named. The went to the island of Cyprus in the Mediterrean, to Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derby. Then, remember that there was a kind of crisis for Gentile Christian churches; supposed Jewish believers, who we called “Judaizers” were going around to all these Gentile churches and telling them that they weren’t really Christians because they weren’t circumcised, and didn’t follow the Jewish laws regarding diet, feast days, and dress etc.
So in chapter 15 of Acts, around 50 AD, 17 years after Jesus’ resurrection, the elders and apostles gathered at Jerusalem, to answer the question; how are Gentiles saved? And it was determined that they are saved just as Jews are, “by grace, through faith, not of works.” It was around this time that James wrote his epistle, and Paul wrote the epistle to the region of Galatia to address this issue. And we have already studied James and Galatians.
Then we returned to Acts to read how Paul kept traveling further and further west. He parts company with Barnabus, and picks up three new missionary partners along the way in Silas, Timothy, and Luke. It is at this point, that the Holy Spirit led them to take the gospel across the Aegean Sea, into Greece, or Macedonia.
And almost immediately, the met opposition from the Jews, and gained converts in the first city they preached in; Philippi. There they met Lydia down by the river, she and her household were converted, and they were thrown in jail, which resulted in the Philippian jailor and his household being converted.
They were firmly asked to leave Philippi by the authorities, but they left a church there. They went on to Apollonia and Amphipolis, and then to Thessalonica. The population of that city was about 200,000 at the time Paul went there. It is located on the main east west highway Via Egnatia and is a Hub of political and commercial activity, it was famously called “the mother of all Macedonia.”
It was capital of Macedonia. It was a “Free City”- ruled by its citizens under the Roman Empire. The year is A.D. 51- We know that because of an inscription in the temple of Apollos at Delphi, near Corinth, the city from where he writes this letter, dates Gallio’s service as proconsul in Achaia to A.D. 51-52.
Now, remember what happened in Thessalonica, because Paul’s make reference to it in his letter to them.
Acts 17: Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 Paul, as was his custom, went in to them, and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.”
4 Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and not a few of the chief women. 5 But the unpersuaded Jews took along[a] some wicked men from the marketplace, and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the people. 6 When they didn’t find them, they dragged Jason and certain brothers[b] before the rulers of the city, crying, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 whom Jason has received. These all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus!” 8 The multitude and the rulers of the city were troubled when they heard these things. 9 When they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go. 10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue.
11 Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12 Many of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few men. 13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Beroea also, they came there likewise, agitating the multitudes. 14 Then the brothers immediately sent out Paul to go as far as to the sea, and Silas and Timothy still stayed there. 15 But those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens. Receiving a commandment to Silas and Timothy that they should come to him very quickly, they departed.
So they are driven out of two towns; Thessalonica and Berea, by the same group of opposing Jews from Thessalonica. They were in that city only 3 to 4 weeks. But they did see some people believe, and a church was started.
4 Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and not a few of the chief women.
Now remember what happened. Paul decided that it would be best for Silas and Timothy to remain in Berea- and he went ahead to Athens-they met with him again in Athens later. When they met him in Athens, he was so worried about the churches he had already established that he sent Timothy back to Thessalonica, and Silas back to Philippi. He then determines to go on to the city of Corinth.
And remember that we described Corinth as “sin city.” It was a city with a reputation for sexual immorality. Prostitution was everywhere in Corinth, in part because the temple to Aphrodite was there, the goddess of sex, and 1000 temple priestesses’ went out into the streets of Corinth and “ministered” to the population.
And remember that I said that Paul was discouraged while in Corinth. But something lifted his spirits. 1st Silas returned from Philippi with encouraging news from that new church, and an offering to support his work. And Timothy returned form Thessalonica with encouraging news about the health of that church.
Listen to what Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 3
Therefore when we couldn’t stand it any longer, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and sent Timothy, our brother and God’s servant in the Good News of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith, 3 that no one would be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are appointed to this task. 4 For most certainly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction, even as it happened, and you know. 5 For this cause I also, when I couldn’t stand it any longer, sent that I might know your faith, for fear that by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor would have been in vain. 6 But when Timothy came just now to us from you, and brought us glad news of your faith and love, and that you have good memories of us always, longing to see us, even as we also long to see you,
Timothy came “just now” and brought us glad news of your faith. It’s almost as though Timothy showed up, they exchanged glad greetings, Timothy gave a glorious report about how well the church in Thessalonica was doing, and Paul, some over joyed with that news, sat down immediately to write them this 1st epistle.
Isn’t that great? Things were going so well at the church in Thessalonica, that Paul couldn’t contain his thoughts. He had to get them written down and sent back to that church. Wouldn’t that be great if that were true of our church?
If a missionary came to our church, and then reported back to “the mission board” about our church, what would they say? Would the mission board be so excited by the report, that they had to sit down immediately and send an encouraging letter?
Would they say of us,
1: 2 We always give thanks to God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.
2: 8 Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us.
4: Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound more and more.
9 But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another, 10 for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more;
And, to a certain extent, I believe they would. We have our flaws. But I think, for the most part, this church and its people love the Lord, His Word, and His people. We haven’t arrived. We want to please God, and abound more and more as each year passes.
So, Paul writes to this church as an outpouring of gratitude and joy over their continued faithfulness.
Now we are still kind of introducing this letter so you will have a better understanding of it. So now let’s go to the letter itself. What is in this letter that Paul writes? Down through the years, many Christian teachers have called 1 and 2 Thessalonians- eschatological epistles. That means that they are about “the end times.” In fact, when I was putting together the outline for this letter, I ran across the outline from J. Vernon McGee. He writes,
I. The Christian’s ATTITUDE toward the return of Christ, Chapter 1
(to serve…to wait…, vv. 9, 10)
II. The Christian’s REWARD at the return of Christ, Chapter 2 III. The Christian’s LIFE and the return of Christ, Chapters 3:1 — 4:12 IV. The Christian’s DEATH and the return of Christ, Chapter 4:13-18 V. The Christian’s ACTIONS in view of the return of Christ, Chapter 5
Now, I enjoy listening to the late Dr. McGee, because he does a good job of making the Bible understandable. But I can not agree with this outline. Why? Because the whole epistle of 1st Thessalonians is not about the return of Christ.
Granted, each chapter ends with a mention of the return of Christ;
1: 9 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
2: 18 Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.
3: 11 Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, 13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
But it’s not until chapters 4 and 5 that he starts dealing with the nuts and bolts of the 2nd coming of Christ. And there is so much more here in this letter, that I think we do it a disservice if we try to incorporate the second coming of Christ into every verse.
So, what is the letter about? It is simply a letter written by Paul to address his joys and concerns for this particular church. And from that we can learn foundational truths about what a church is supposed to be. Now, here is the outline I came up with. It is not flawless.
The church as it is supposed to be is:
1) a people of encouragement (1:2–10);
2) a people of self-sacrifice (2:1–12);
3) a people of controversy (2:13–16);
4) a people of joy (2:17–3:13);
5) a people of purity (4:1–8);
6) a people of work (4:9–12);
7) a people of clarity (4:13–5:11);
8) a people of unity (5:12–15);
9) a people of growth (5:16–22).
Those are the issues that Paul wrote about to a church that had little to criticize. So that means that these should be universal attributes of all churches for all times. No church can say that they have arrived at the pinnacle in any of these areas. We can all become better. We can be better encouragers, in our self-sacrifice, in standing for the truth despite controversy, in joy, purity, hard work, in the clarity of the message, unity, and continued growth.
So that’s where we are going. And let me say this. Please don’t take these sermons as an opportunity to criticize our church. It is sometimes disheartening to preach about the church, and then have someone respond by saying, “Well, you all failed at that!” Especially if those words come from a member of the church. If they were going to say anything, it should be, “We have failed at that.” And “What can we do to be better?”
If you are a member of the church, then when you say, “the church should…” you are really saying, “I should.”
So, let’s take this letter as a diagnostic for each of our hearts, and use it as a tool to look at our church. And propose ways we can all improve.
Well, the last thing we are going to do today, is to get into the 1st point.
I. II. The church as it is supposed to be is a place of encouragement (1:2–10) Encouragement
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the assembly of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
How do we encourage each other in the church? I want to look at the definition of encourage, and then share with you 3 ways that the church of Thessalonica encouraged and was encouraged;
Lifting each other up in prayer, Reminding each other of our position, Exhibiting for each other a Right Pattern
A. The definition of encourage
It means to strengthen or establish. It’s not just saying positive words to someone. “Keep your chin up.” “It’s always darkest before the dawn.” But it means to do something to shore up something that needs stabilizing. I found this example from the Old Testament.
Ezra 1:5-6 5 Then the heads of the fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, with all whose spirits God [a]had moved, arose to go up and build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem. 6 And all those who were around them [b]encouraged them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered.
They encouraged them with---stuff they needed for the work. God had placed a task before Ezra, and those returning to Jerusalem. They were to rebuild the temple. So, the people encouraged them. How? Did the all walk by and say, “Good luck with that!” “You can do anything you set your mind to!” No, it doesn’t say that they said anything. They encouraged them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with precious things. They helped them get the things they needed for the task.
1 Thessalonians 3:2 and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith,
What does encouragement mean here?
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
In this place, it wasn’t gold or livestock that they needed. They were living under the threat of persecution.
3: 4 For, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation, just as it happened, and you know.
They were enduring the hostility of certain people in their community. So, Paul calls on them to comfort and edify.
What does that look like? Well it can be words. But it’s not limited to words. It’s possible some Jewish believers were beaten for their new-found faith. What would be encouraging to them? Maybe medical care, or attending to their wounds. Some may have lost homes, jobs, or families for their faith, what does encouragement look like for them? Maybe a place to sleep. Help finding employment.
That’s what the church is supposed to be, a place where you know people care about your problems. And they don’t just give them lip-service.
And I know that kind of encouragement has happened at this church. I know people who have opened their homes to someone who needed a place to stay until they got back on their feet. I know people who have helped get others to the store or doctor’s appointments. I know some who have given away vehicles to others in need. Some have helped someone get a job, or study for a test.
That’s all encouragement.
Well, what does Paul describe that is a means of encouragement? Prayer, position, pattern
B. Lifting each other up in prayer-unceasing, specific, God-centered
1. Unceasing-look at all the superlatives in verses 2 and 3.
2 We always give thanks to God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.
2 We always give thanks to God for all of you,
That indicates that he is thinking about each and every person who is a part of the church in Thessalonica.
Mentioning you in our prayers,
And he doesn’t just offer a trite, “Thinking of you” He let’s them know that he mentions each of them in his prayers; how often? always
3 remembering without ceasing
He says, we don’t stop praying for you.
your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.
Now, this is difficult. I don’t know about you, but of all the things that I find difficult in Christianity-prayer-specific prayer is most difficult---it is easy to become “weary in well-doing.”
But I think sometimes it is difficult for us because we confine our prayers to certain times. We pray at church, before meals, and maybe on our knees at bedtimes.
If we are to offer the greatest encouragement to our fellow believers through our prayers, we will be offering up prayers all day, as we walk, as we drive, whenever someone’s name comes to mind.
That’s why it is so important that we walk in the Spirit, with the mind of Christ, so our thoughts are not clouded with the cares and sins of this world, but on the things of Christ.
2. Specific
3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.
3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.
a. Work of faith: salvation
Your faith that produces work. Remember now that Paul is praying for each individual in the church of Thessalonica. So, I think he is calling to mind, in his prayers, that thankful moment when that person repented of their sins and turned to faith in Christ.
Let me give you an example from a few years ago. I was privileged to be a part of someone coming to faith. Now as I pray for them, I might say, “Thank you Lord for your work in this person’s heart. I know you are continuing to draw them into a deeper walk with you. Lord, they came out of a life of addiction. Protect them from the assault of Satan. Build them up in their faith.
b. Labor of love: service
He is calling to mind, in his prayers, whatever their specific giftedness of calling is.
Now if I continued to pray for the above person, I might say, “Lord, I know you are using this person to guide young people in their church. Encourage him to be faithful to your Word, to rightly divide the Word of truth. Call to his mind the example that he is setting for these young ones. Show your love to him, so he knows how to show it to them.
c. Perseverance of hope: steadfastness
Paul is praying about their steadfastness. He is praying that they hold on to their faith.
If I were praying for the above person, I might say, “Lord, I know that this person is enduring an illness that saps his strength. Lord, you promised to not put on Him more than he is able to endure. I claim that promise, and I know you will give him a peace that passes understanding.”
You might say, “How do our prayers encourage others in the church?” Well, they might encourage if we pray with them, for them. They might also encourage if we tell them we prayed for them. And, on that note, let me tell you what I find most encouraging. I am most encouraged when I’m not only told, “I’m praying for you” but I’m also told what the are praying for.
As a pastor, it encourages my heart when someone says, “I’m praying for you to be able to understand and clearly preach the Word of God.”
Get specific when you tell someone you are praying for them. Let me tell you why. Not only does it help the know that you are taking their real issues before God’s throne of grace, it also forces you to take your praying more seriously. If I force myself to tell someone what I am praying for them, I have to get very Biblical. Let me illustrate. If someone is depressed, I can say, “I’m praying for you.” Or I could say, “I’m praying that you feel better.” But that’s sounds a little empty and powerless. So, I go to the Word of God to discover how I should pray for someone who is depressed. I might come across lots of verses like
Isaiah 26:3 3 You will keep him in perfect peace,Whose mind is stayed on You,Because he trusts in You.
So I can now pray, Lord help this person keep their mind on you. Remind them by your Spirit to meditate on your word, to turn from worldly shows and thoughts that bring them down, and to begin filling their mind with your thoughts. Teach them to surround themselves with good Christian music, and the Word of God. Teach them how to trust in you. And teach me Lord, how I can be a further encouragement to their spirit.
3. God-centered
3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.
How do they encourage?
Because they are real. They go to a real God.
Spurgeon ascending to the pulpit—I believe in the Holy Spirit
I believe in prayer
Reminding each other of our position
1. Chosen
4 We know, brothers[a] loved by God, that you are chosen,
2. Power
5 and that our Good News came to you not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit,
3. Assurance
and with much assurance.
C. Exhibiting for each other a Right Pattern
1. Paul to the church
You know what kind of men we showed ourselves to be among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,
2. The Thessalonian church to other churches
7 so that you became an example to all who believe in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For from you the word of the Lord has been declared, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone out, so that we need not to say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead: Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.
a. The Word of God is declared
b. Their reception of Paul
c. They turned to God from idols.
d. They wait for the return of Christ.
Encouragement
Everyone needs recognition for his accomplishments, but few people make the need known quite as clearly as the little boy who said to his father: "Let's play darts. I'll throw and you say 'Wonderful!'"
Bits & Pieces, December 9, 1993, p. 24.
II. answering false allegations (2:1–12);
For you yourselves know, brothers, our visit to you wasn’t in vain, 2 but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as you know, at Philippi, we grew bold in our God to tell you the Good News of God in much conflict. 3 For our exhortation is not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in deception. 4 But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News, so we speak: not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts. 5 For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness), 6 nor seeking glory from men (neither from you nor from others), when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ. 7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother cherishes her own children.
8 Even so, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you, not the Good News of God only, but also our own souls, because you had become very dear to us. 9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail; for working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached to you the Good News of God. 10 You are witnesses with God how holy, righteously, and blamelessly we behaved ourselves toward you who believe. 11 As you know, we exhorted, comforted, and implored every one of you, as a father does his own children, 12 to the end that you should walk worthily of God, who calls you into his own Kingdom and glory.
III. comforting the persecuted flock (2:13–16);
13 For this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that when you received from us the word of the message of God, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also works in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out, and don’t please God, and are contrary to all men, 16 forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, to fill up their sins always. But wrath has come on them to the uttermost.
IV. expressing his joy in their faith (2:17–3:13);
17 But we, brothers, being bereaved of you for a short season, in presence, not in heart, tried even harder to see your face with great desire, 18 because we wanted to come to you—indeed, I, Paul, once and again—but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Isn’t it even you, before our Lord Jesus[a] at his coming? 20 For you are our glory and our joy.
Therefore when we couldn’t stand it any longer, we thought it good to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and sent Timothy, our brother and God’s servant in the Good News of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith, 3 that no one would be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are appointed to this task. 4 For most certainly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction, even as it happened, and you know. 5 For this cause I also, when I couldn’t stand it any longer, sent that I might know your faith, for fear that by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor would have been in vain. 6 But when Timothy came just now to us from you, and brought us glad news of your faith and love, and that you have good memories of us always, longing to see us, even as we also long to see you, 7 for this cause, brothers, we were comforted over you in all our distress and affliction through your faith. 8 For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord. 9 For what thanksgiving can we render again to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sakes before our God, 10 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face, and may perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you. 12 May the Lord make you to increase and abound in love toward one another, and toward all men, even as we also do toward you, 13 to the end he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
V. reminding them of the importance of moral purity (4:1–8);
Finally then, brothers, we beg and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you abound more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality, 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body[a] in sanctification and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who don’t know God, 6 that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified. 7 For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification. 8 Therefore he who rejects this doesn’t reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you.
VI. condemning the sluggard lifestyle (4:9–12);
9 But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another, 10 for indeed you do it toward all the brothers who are in all Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, that you abound more and more; 11 and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, even as we instructed you; 12 that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and may have need of nothing.
VII. correcting a wrong understanding of prophetic events (4:13–5:11);
13 But we don’t want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you don’t grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, 17 then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. 3 For when they are saying, “Peace and safety,” then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregnant woman. Then they will in no way escape. 4 But you, brothers, aren’t in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief. 5 You are all children of light and children of the day. We don’t belong to the night, nor to darkness, 6 so then let’s not sleep, as the rest do, but let’s watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep in the night; and those who are drunk are drunk in the night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let’s be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God didn’t appoint us to wrath, but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 11 Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.
IIX. defusing tensions within the flock (5:12–15);
12 But we beg you, brothers, to know those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, 13 and to respect and honor them in love for their work’s sake.
Be at peace among yourselves. 14 We exhort you, brothers: Admonish the disorderly; encourage the faint-hearted; support the weak; be patient toward all. 15 See that no one returns evil for evil to anyone, but always follow after that which is good for one another and for all.
IX. exhorting the flock in the basics of Christian living (5:16–22).
16 Always rejoice. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you. 19 Don’t quench the Spirit. 20 Don’t despise prophecies. 21 Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.
23 May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it. 25 Brothers, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27 I solemnly command you by the Lord that this letter be read to all the holy brothers.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.