The Reason of Ministry (v1-6)
Many workers of God seek to please men instead to please God (v4). Ministers seek and long for praises from men, instead of praises from God (v6). We could look good from outside, it is easy to do in today’s world. We could attract many crowd, we could be famous among Christians circles, we could be successful in books sales, we could be busy in speaking at conferences.
But God tests our hearts (v4). That is what matter the most to our God. If our heart is not right, nothing we accomplish on the outside will please God.
Do we have greed inside us and need a mask to cover up ourselves? Most of us do, come before the Lord and repent, ask Him to be our witness.
Ministers’ Love to God’s people (v7-13)
Paul, Silas and Timothy love the saints in Thessalonica like a mother caring for her little children (v7), and like a father dealt with his own children (v11).
How do you serve the people that God has entrusted to you? Do you love them like father and mother love their children?
v8: Paul and companies did not just share the gospel. They are imitators of Christ, they are willing to share their lives with the church, just like Christ die for His church.
v9: Paul and companies work with their own hands to support their ministry, they did not want to burden anyone else. The only exception is Paul received financial support from Philippi.
Paul set an example ofCchristians workers today. Not everyone need to quit their job in order to serve the Lord. You can continue to work to support yourself and at the same time, serve the Lord.
v12: What is the role of a father? To encourage, to comfort, to urge his children to live lives worthy of God.
Encouragement (v13-16)
The Thessalonians church was being prosecuted by the Jews, so Paul and companies comfort them by reminding them the Lord Jesus was killed by His own countrymen.
The Glory and Joy of Paul (v17-20)
We normally think our glory and joy is our Lord Jesus Christ. We seldom think about our glory and joy is the brothers and sisters we serve. Paul loves the Lord Jesus to a point he has to love His church. When God’s people grow, they became his glory and joy before the Lord Jesus. On Christ Judgement Seat, Paul’s glory and joy will be the saints that he served.