1 Thessalonians 3:1-5 says,...

Today's verses are 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5, which read,

v.1-3 - 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.

"If this Christian life is so good Paul, then why are you having such opposition and persecution?  Shouldn't your life be free of any pain and suffering?  Why would I sign up for something that might bring me that?"  Good questions.

Paul must have been hindered to coming so he sends his right hand man, Timothy.  This is very significant because Timothy is the next generation of Christians.  He is younger but it doesn't have to be someone who is younger to be the next generation of Christians to be in the church.  A fifty year old could be a "newbie" to the Christian faith.  The point is that we see that addition of people coming to the Lord and then serving the Lord.  Churches can become a place where that does not happen or it is not planned for that to happen.  

Paul answers their unsaid questions with the phrase, "...for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this."  Paul would tell his conversion story of the Damascus Road and meeting with Ananias.  Ananias was spoken to by God to accept Paul and give him confirming instruction that he, Paul, was to take the gospel message to the Gentiles.

In Acts 9:15,16, God told Ananias about Paul, "But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake.'"  You see Paul was going forward with God's instruction and every time he was persecuted it was confirmation that God was real.  What God said would happen was happening therefore all the rest of what God had promised he could also lean wholly on to be true.  This was personal confirmation from God.

v.4, 5 - 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.

Paul knows that Satan is real.  Satan hinders the gospel message and Satan tempts those new believers.  Paul tries his best to counter those measures of the devil.  He answers questions that they may have in their minds before they verbally ask them.  When you sign up for this "gig" called Christianity, be prepared to know that Satan will be at your door wanting to take what you have received.

We as a church need to be vigilant to this fact also.  We need to counter those acts and temptations of Satan.  We need to look for ways to intervene at crucial and critical points of people's lives with the gospel again and again.  "Don't leave the kid in the middle of the street with oncoming traffic coming."

"Lord, I pray that our church will be one that not only introduces people to You and sees them get invited by You to follow You but that we would also instruct them in You to be interned with You so they can be installed for You to the world.  May the success of the church be the number of people who are sharing their faith with others in word and deed.  Amen."

Pastor Adam