1 Thessalonians 3:1-13 - Suffering, Comfort, Prayer

1 Thessalonians 3:1-13 

Suffering for Faith

1 Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, 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, 3 that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. 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. 5 For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain.

Comfort 

6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us, as we also to see you— 7 therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress we were comforted concerning you by your faith. 8 For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.

9 For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, 10 night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith?

Prayer for the Church

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.

The Thessalonians learned to suffer for their faith and testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:17) just as Paul the aged (Philemon 1:9) had suffered and warned them of the same for lo who are in Christ (2 Timothy 3:12) and live the gospel for Him.   Paul was concerned, however, how they were holding up in the face of such adversity and sent his right hand man Timothy to see for himself and talk reassuringly with them to relay and allay the apostle’s concerns.  We also can demonstrate that care for each other by encouraging and spurring one another on (Hebrews 10:24-25) to continue to do good and bear witness of the gospel in word and action.  We should not be surprised or shaken up when we suffer and face problems in life as children of God for He is hated by many and opposed by the serpent and all under his sway (Galatians 1:4, 1 John 5:19-20) but also that we are protected (John 17:15-18) by the Lord through all these things.  We all are appointed to affliction and pressing circumstances of tribulation for the sake of the Lord and His gospel in varying degrees.  We all are tempted by the tempter to give up and stop living for the Lord Jesus Christ and the good news we have been entrusted with for those with ears to hear us, knowing that we will encounter many opposed to the truth which condemns them as they fight against the goads of the call to repentance and faith for deli from that certain end without Christ.  We should press on to encourage one another to persist in this good fight (1 Timothy 6:12) for the souls of men and women, and not be dismayed or kept away from suffering opposition to reach through the opposition to the ones prepared and willing to hear.  The temptation is to seek only good times and avoid conflict, ridicule, or harm, but we have infinite stakes at hand that move us to not consider our own lives over the eternity of others.  We therefore need to do as Paul and comfort one another as we challenge and encourage the temptation to stop and give in to the desire for personal prosperity instead of the true gospel of suffering to life as the Lord Jesus did for us.  Hearing testimonies of the faith and perseverance of each other encourages us to move forward as well in all the affliction and distress we encounter for the Lord’s sake.  May we also thank God for the faithfulness of one another as the example is set for us here and find ways to teach all things to these we do reach and who are saved by the gospel we bring to them (Romans 10:14-15).  Our prayers then must be for the guidance of God our Father to lead us by His Spirit to bear witness of the work and words of the Son to the ones we need to speak with in the midst of opposition by the adversary and those still under his influence.  The Lord increases our love for others as we serve Him in these ways and establishes our hearts before Him in holiness as we listen and apply His word to ourselves as we anticipate His coming back (Titus 2:13, 2 Peter 2:9, 3:12, Revelation 22:20-21) for all who He calls out to Himself.  Suffering, comfort, and prayer guide and keep us as spiritual disciplines and mindsets throughout this journey until that day, much more than the popular “live, laugh, love” mantra of self indulgence we hear often today.