The Toil of Love
1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Warsaw, Poland. FreeStocks
don’t feel like shar gospel: worth it?
out of oblig
tried it, no impact
We are hurting, tired, and weak:
doubts about our faith,limited in our love,struggling in holy living
How can we share the gospel efficacy ?
1Thes book of encouragement :
Today: blueprint how to share gospel
and how not to share gospel!
We’ve rcvd new life of Christ: now
invite others to behold Lamb :
Remind of Your worth : glory, majesty
Son to redeem: You are worthy Entrust us w/gospel: it is worth it
Open our ears , eyes, hearts
to receive Your exhortation
Equip us to proclaim Your gospel
Growing Together, While Apart
1 Impact of Faith
2a,b Toil of Love
3 Accountability with Hope
4 Growing in Purity + Love
5a Hope as Sons of Day
5b Acts of Faith
Theme: FHL
ch1: thanks for Thes’ faith
and impact on other believers
ch2: ministry amongst Thes
motiv + actions in sharing gospel
v1 “visit”: in-road (manner) w/them
Not boasting about self! 2x witness :
God exam. heartyou yourselves know
A Clean Heart (v3-6)
A Mother’s Gift (v7-9)
A Father’s Encouragement (v10-12)
I unworthy : treat as aspirational
v3-6: mostly neg , how not to mission
Some preach false gosp in name Chr
or true gospel w/impure motives
for personal gain
God sees through this very clearly
2 triplets of poisons: root + fruit
beliefs / motiv impact missions
For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive ,
1 Thessalonians 2:3 (ESV)
Aaron Burden
appeal : encouragement
Error : wandering, vs truth
Making stuff up
Unconsc. affect by pop culture
Anti: deep immerse in Scrip
Impurity : filthy, vs clean
Immoral , uneth, cover secret sin
Anti: remem God’s holiness
Deceive : bait :
Appears beneficial but traps
Feel-good msg to inflate nums,or to control , for personal gain
Antidote: preach the whole gospel,
not just comfort promises
2nd triplet: fruit : char as share gospel
For we never came with flattery , as you know, greed – God is witness. glory from people
1 Thessalonians 2:5 (ESV)
Los Angeles. Edwin Andrade
How we were , when among you
Flattery : vacuous / false encour
Pretext for greed : excuse / cover
for selfishness
money , influence, security
Glory from people: admir , approv:
“See what a good Chr he is!”
or fear : “not spiritual enough!”
We do seek reward, but not from man
God , who examines hearts:
but just as we have been approved by God entrusted with the gospel, man , God who tests our hearts.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 (ESV)
Aaron Burden
Gospel not invented by man,
As we put our trust in Him,
God deems us trustworthy
of handling it accurately
So we pass on this message of life,
striving to be worthy of this trust
Is my heart clean
As I prepare to share gospel,
Study Bible honestly + deeply?
know God’s grace + exp it?
Do I seek no gain for self?
No money, no thx, no admiration
Only reward of sharing
What is my motivation
for proclaim name of Christ?
A Clean Heart (v3-6)
A Mother’s Gift (v7-9) A Father’s Encouragement (v10-12)
Might feel unworthy + unready
But it is not our eloquence or holiness
that changes others’ hearts
But the life of the risen Saviour
But we were gentle among you, mother
1 Thessalonians 2:7 (ESV)
Gentle : old mscp babies (one letter)
v11 father : analogy of family rl
Nursing : not title of mother, but
action , care, concern: own kid
“Church family”: but too often
bring trauma from own families:
hurt , distrust, fear, bitterness
Or escape from own family: so
only dare have shallow church rl
Warm bond mom to child
Singles , too!
So, being affectionately desirous of you, share with you not only gospel of God but also our own selves , dear to us.
1 Thessalonians 2:8 (ESV)
Legenäsgatan, Sweden. Jon Flobrant
You became beloved (yearn) to us
Share : give over, transfer :
(mom): sharing gospel not merely
comm. of knowledge , but of life
of Christ , from my life to yours
w/vuln , warmth, deep affection
For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil : night and day , that we burden to any of you,
1 Thessalonians 2:9 (ESV)
Ian Espinosa
Tentmaking : normal, honest work
to pay own bills
so church doesn’t have to support
Two extremes role of work :
(1) sinful : materialistic, worldly
Serve God = FTE pastor / mission
Dichot : “holy” church volun. wkndand “real” work at M-F job
e.g., grad sch fail class
Labour and Toil
“All work is sinful “
“All work is holy “
(2) all work is holy :
Succ. in job = succ. in Chr walk
Prayers : my acad./career goal
If succ in job, assume following God
If struggling : must be failure of
either my spiritual. or God’s faithf.
Paul talks very little about his tents :
won awards, excel , was biz good
Purpose: not to burden church
Devoted to hard labour + toil on 2 fronts:
not only to earn own living , but
to proclaim gospel of God
Do I work hard care deeply
Proclaim Chr not just on wknds ,
special evangel mtgs, or STM .
Learn from those who mothered us:
Mother’s gift is her own life
As Chr poured life in our hearts,
give complete of self for others
so they may grow in life of Christ
e.g., son’s env is us @home: struct
home life around God’s truth
demonstr. grace + forgive daily
But also extend beyond family
to world dying for real love
A Clean Heart (v3-6)
A Mother’s Gift (v7-9)
A Father’s Encouragement (v10-12)
Lastly, we share the gospel with
our life and our words :
You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless
1 Thessalonians 2:10 (ESV)
Nancy, France. Rémi Walle
How we were toward you (adverbs):
holily, righteously, blamel.
Holy : pious, devout, reverent :
patterned on God’s own holy
Righteous : acc. God’s std of justice
not own std, nor that of tradition
Blameless : not human condemn,
but God’s judg: under Chr’s grace
Live holy bc gratitude for Chr forgive
But it is hard to live consistently holy:
Grace of God strengthens , and
Mentors who encourage :
For you know how, like a father with his exhorted each one of you encouraged you and charged you walk in a manner worthy of God,
1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 (ESV)
As God gave first cmdmts to Adam,
and through him to his family ,
So we fathers have responsibility
to speak God’s Word in love
in fact, not just fathers, all of us!
Exhort : encour , call alongside:
not give orders from afar
but be with as stumble + learn
Encourage : comfort , console, sootheCharge : testify , share from own exp
solemnly affirm God’s way
is the path of life
Will I encourage , comfort , and testify worthy of God’s calling?
Not bolster self-esteem or own goals ,
But that their walk (daily habits)
may be worthy – reflect worth of God
and so be a life that worships Him
He is King of glory:
called us into His kingdom
He is worthy of all honour,
so worth it to proclaim holy
Through own holy conduct, and
encour , comfort, testimony
to equip others to live in holiness
You’ve given us good news :
You are holy , that we are sinful ,
You sent Christ to die + resurrect
You are coming soon w/reward
We’ve exp your grace, and You
entrust gospel to us to share
Search our hearts for impure motiv.
Keep us aligned with Your truth ,
clean in heart, without deceit
Open our hearts
to give of ourselves unreservedly
with the deep bond of love
and devoted, committed toil
Strengthen our hearts to live
as Your holy, redeemed people
to encourage , comfort, and testify
to be Your holy , redeem people
The Toil of Love 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 Warsaw, Poland. FreeStocks don’t feel like shar gospel: worth it? out of oblig tried it, no impact We are hurting, tired, and weak: doubts about our faith, limited in our love, struggling in holy living