Paul prayed regularly for the believers in the various churches, and he did not hesitate to ask for their prayers in return. As he prepared to offer final words of advice, he first asked them to pray for him and his coworkers (the Greek word means “keep on praying”).The focus of Paul’s desire was that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes. The preaching of the Good News would result in honor being given to the Lord because of the marvelous results in the lives of those who believe. The Thessalonians had been an exemplary congregation. Paul wanted them to pray for God’s power to intervene in other places so that many would be saved and God would be glorified through it.
In addition to praying for more converts, Paul asked the believers to also pray that they would be saved from wicked and evil people. As the gospel message advances, it always faces severe opposition. The spiritual battle rages intensely for people’s souls, and Satan does not easily let go of his own. Thus, the apostles needed prayer. If Paul asked for it, how much more should believers today pray for one another as they seek to share the gospel message—whether across the street or across the world. Paul’s enemies were those who did not believe in the gospel message and were actively working against it.
As the missionaries spread God’s message, they understand that spiritual forces were at work—the faithful Lord with them, the evil one against them. They realized that they were not involved in a merely human endeavor. They were on the Lord’s battlefields under his command, with his authority, knowing they would win. Yet they needed his guidance and the constant prayers of believers every step of the way.
Paul’s prayer for these believers was that the Lord would bring them into an ever deeper understanding of the love of God and the endurance that comes from Christ. Wanting the believers to move forward with commitment, Paul asked God to guide the believers as they meditated on God’s love for them and on Christ’s patient endurance. Such inner determination would enable them to face and overcome their difficulties.
Paul then addresses - again - the issue of hard work. Here is the reason for Paul’s hard-hitting words on this topic of laziness. Word had reached Paul in Corinth that some of the believers in Thessalonica were idle, refusing to work and wasting time meddling in other people’s business. So Paul was not the only one concerned about this issue; the believers in Thessalonica had felt it so important that they had notified Paul. Perhaps they had taken Paul’s advice in the first letter but had seen no results, so they wanted him to deal directly with these people.
These church members may have thought that they were being more spiritual by not working, but Paul sternly commanded them to settle down and get to work earning their own living. Paul did not mince words with these people. That Paul made these commands in the name of the Lord Jesus reveals his understanding of his authority as an apostle—even as a personal representative of the Lord himself.
To those hard-working believers, those who were not lazy, Paul told them to never get tired of doing good. Paul repeated his direction regarding this issue: Take note of those who refuse to obey and stay away from them. The hope was that the idle people would become ashamed of their actions and finally become so hungry (when no one would support and feed them) that they would be forced back to work.
Paul was not advising coldness or cruelty, for these people were not enemies. They were misguided and mistaken, but they were not to be thrown out of the church. They needed a good dose of tough love—the kind of love that should be shown to a Christian who needs to be warned.
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)
Part of the reason that the Pedlowe Family Creed contains the phrase - WORK HARD - come right from this passage. We are to work hard - have a strong work ethic. And folks, if you don't know it, the ministry is hard work. Prayer is hard work. Doing battle over the lives of others is hard work. Standing toe to toe against evil is hard work.
Would to God that He would raise up an army of believers here at COV who would pour their heart and soul into building God's church and to all we can to reach people for Christ.
Lord, thank you for those you already have raised up. Thank you for Pastor Matt and Matt Mollett ad Clay Bassard. Thank you for men like Julio and Coach Becker and Fermin and Joe and all the students who have worked so hard to remodel the fellowship hall. Lord, you know how much work is out in front of us, how much more work there is still is to do. Lord, raise up men and women who will push the plow with us.
"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Matthew 9:35-38 (NIV)
No comments:
Post a Comment