1Thes2:1-12 The Toil of Love

# The Toil of Love
## 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
[Warsaw, Poland. FreeStocks](https://unsplash.com/photos/r_oV6smBBYk/info "caption")

>>>
+ During pandemic, been easy to become **isolated**
+ Not just bc **social dist**, but so much **divis** + anger
+ Know many **hurting**, but don't know **how** to reach out
+ **We** ourselves are hurting, tired, and weak:
  + **doubts** about our faith,
  + **limited** in our love,
  + **struggling** in holy living

---

# How do we **share** the gospel when we are **weak**?

>>>
+ 1Thes book of **encouragement**:
+ Today's passage: **blueprint** how **to** share gospel
  + and how **not** to share gospel!
+ We've **received** the new **life** of Christ, and now
+ We invite **others** to behold the **Lamb**:
+ Remind us Lord of Your **worth**: glory, majesty
  + That You sent **Son** to redeem us: You are **worthy**
  + That You **entrust** us with this gospel: it is **worth it**
+ Open our **ears**, eyes, hearts to receive Your exhortation
  + Equip us to **proclaim** Your gospel with our lives

---

# Growing Together, While Apart

| *1* | Impact of **Faith** | 
|---|---|
| *2a,b* | Toil of **Love** |
| *3* | Strength from **Hope** |
| *4* | Growing in Purity + **Love** |
| *5a* | **Hope** of Salvation |
| *5b* | Acts of **Faith** |

>>>
+ Theme: **FHL**. ch1: thxgv for Thes' **faith** 
  + and **impact** it had on other believers
+ ch2: Paul reflects on his **ministry** amongst Thes
  + **motivations** + **actions** in sharing gospel
  + the **in-road** / manner amongst them
+ Not **boasting** about self! Repeat. 2 **witnesses**:
  + **God** exam. heart; **you** yourselves know
+ I feel **unworthy** to preach this passage,
  + since **far** from living up to it;
+ So let us treat it as **aspirational**:
  + **How** ought we to share the gospel?

---

## Toil of Love [(1Thes2)](# "ref")

1. Clean **Heart** [(v3-6)](# "ref")
1. **Mother's** Gift [(v7-9)](# "ref")
1. **Father's** Encouragement  [(v10-12)](# "ref")

>>>
+ Only **scratch** surface: inspire you to study **deeply**
  + As HS reveals **richness**
  + **discuss** w/family, smgp, church
+ v3-6: mostly **negative**, how **not** do to missions
+ Some preach **false** gospel in name of Christ
  + or **true** gospel out of **impure** motives: personal gain
+ Underst. God **sees** through this very **clearly**
  + **Right** way and **wrong** way to preach gospel
+ 2 **triplets**: root + fruit
  + Own **beliefs** / motiv impact how share gospel

---
For our appeal does not spring from 
**error** or **impurity** or any attempt to **deceive**,

[1 Thessalonians 2:3 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ Even Paul had **motives** questioned! (**Christ**, too)
+ *Error* : wandering, as opposed to the **truth**
  + Making stuff **up**, or unconsc. affec by **pop culture**
  + Antidote: deeply **immersed** in Scripture
+ *Impurity* : filthy, as opposed to **clean**
  + **Immoral**, unethical, covering secret sin
  + Antidote: remember God's **holiness**
+ *Deceive* : **bait**: appears beneficial but **traps**
  + **Feel-good** msg to **inflate** own numbers, or **control**
  + Anti: **whole** gosp, not just comfort promises
+ 2nd triplet: **fruit**: character as share gospel

---
For we never came with 
words of **flattery**, as you know, 
nor with a pretext for **greed** -- 
God is witness. 
Nor did we seek **glory** from people

[1 Thessalonians 2:5 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ How we **were** / became, when among you
+ *Flattery*: vacuous / false enc for personal **gain**
+ Pretext for *greed*: excuse / cover for selfishness:
  + Hope to gain **money**, influence, security
+ *Glory* from people: **admiration**, approval:
  + that others say: "See what a **good** Chr he is!"
  + or **fear** others say: "not **spiritual** enough!"
+ We **do** seek a reward, but not from man,
  + but **God**, who examines our hearts:

---
but just as we have been **approved** by God 
to be **entrusted** with the gospel, 
so we speak, not to please **man**, 
but to please **God** who **tests** our hearts.

[1 Thessalonians 2:4 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ Gospel not **invented** by man, but **given** to us by God
+ 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

---
## (clean hearts)
>>>
+ As I **prepare** to share gospel, **examine** own heart:
+ Do I **study** the Bible honestly + deeply? 
  + Not only know God's grace, but have **exp** it?
+ Do I seek no **gain** for self? 
  + No money, no thx, no admiration, but only
  + **reward** of sharing in Father's happiness?
+ What is my **motivation** for proclaim name of Christ?

---

# Is my heart **clean** as I share the gospel?

---

## Toil of Love [(1Thes2)](# "ref")

1. Clean Heart [(v3-6)](# "ref")
1. **Mother's Gift** [(v7-9)](# "ref")
1. Father's Encouragement  [(v10-12)](# "ref")

>>>
+ Might feel **unworthy** + unready to preach gospel
+ 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, 
like a nursing **mother** 
taking care of her own children.

[1 Thessalonians 2:7 (ESV)](# "ref")

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+ *Gentle* : older manuscripts: **babies** (diff one letter)
  + v11 **father**: analogy of **family** rl
+ "Church family": but in reality, too often
  + bring **trauma** from own families:
  + **hurt**, distrust, fear, bitterness
+ Or want **escape** own family: 
  + consequently only dare have **shallow** church rl
+ Paul's care for Thess: **warm bond** mother to child
  + Investing **whole** heart
+ **Singles** can show motherly/fatherly love, too!

---
So, being **affectionately** desirous of you, 
we were ready to **share** with you not only 
the **gospel** of God but also our own **selves**, 
because you had become very **dear** to us.

[1 Thessalonians 2:8 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ You became **beloved** to us, w/deep **yearning** 
+ *Share* : give over, **transfer**: pour out life to you
+ (mom): sharing gospel not merely comm. of **knowledge**
  + but comm. of **life**: 
  + life of **Christ**, from **my** life to **yours**
+ w/**vulnerability**, warmth, deep affection
  + and **hard work**:

---
For you remember, brothers, our **labor and toil**: 
we worked **night and day**, that we 
might not be a **burden** to any of you, 
while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

[1 Thessalonians 2:9 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ **Tentmaking**: normal, honest work, not partic. "spiritual"
  + to pay own **bills** so church doesn't have to support
+ Two **extremes** in misunderstanding role of **work**:
+ (1) all work is **sinful**, materialistic, worldly
  + Serving God means full-time **pastor** / missionary
  + **Dichot** btwn "holy" church volunt. on weekends
  + and "real" work at M-F job

---
## Labour and Toil
+ "All work is **sinful**"
+ "All work is **holy**"

>>>
+ (2) all work is **holy**: 
  + Succ. in **job** means succ. in Chr walk
  + **Prayers** revolve around **my** acad./career goals
  + If job **doesn't** work out: must be **failure**
  + either of **my** spirituality or **God's** faithf.
+ Paul talks very little about his **tents**: 
  + won any awards, **excel**, was biz good or not
+ Primary purpose: not to **burden** the church
+ Devoted self to hard **labour** + toil on 2 fronts:
  + not only to earn own **living**, but
  + to **proclaim** gospel of God

---
## (work hard, care deeply)
>>>
+ Proclaim good news of Chr's salv. not just **wknd** work,
  + special **evangel** mtgs, or **STM**.
+ We must learn from those who have **mothered** us:
  + Mother's **gift** is her own **life**
+ As Christ poured out His **life** into our hearts,
  + we give completely of **ourselves** for others
  + that they may **grow** in the life of Christ
+ e.g., son's **env** primarily us @home: want to
  + struct. home life around God's **truth**, but
  + demonstr. **grace** + forgiveness daily
+ Extend **outward** to world **dying** for real love

---

# Do I **work** hard and **care** deeply as I proclaim the gospel?

1. Clean Heart [(v3-6)](# "ref")
1. Mother's Gift [(v7-9)](# "ref")
1. **Father's Encouragement** [(v10-12)](# "ref")

>>>
+ Lastly, we share the gospel with 
+ our **life** and our **words**:

---
You are witnesses, and God also, how 
**holy** and **righteous** and **blameless** 
was our conduct toward you believers.

[1 Thessalonians 2:10 (ESV)](# "ref")

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+ How we **were** toward you (adverbs):
  + way in which we **behaved** toward you
+ *Holy* : pious, devout, **reverent**: in light God's law
+ *Righteous* : acc. God's std of **justice**
  + not **own** std, nor that of **tradition**
+ *Blameless* : not free from **human** condemn, but
  + released from **God's** judg: under **Chr's** grace
+ So live **holy** bc **gratitude** for Chr forgive
+ But it is **hard** to live consistently holy:
  + **Grace** of God **strengthens** us
  + Benefit from **mentors** who **encourage** us:

---
For you know how, 
like a **father** with his children, 
[12](# "ref")
we **exhorted** each one of you 
and **encouraged** you and **charged** you 
to **walk** in a manner **worthy** of God, 
who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

[1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ Just as God gave first **commandments** to Adam,
  + and through him to his **family**,
+ So we **fathers** have respb. to **speak** God's Word
  + in fact, not just fathers, **all** of us!
+ *Exhort* : **encour**, call alongside: not give **orders**,
  + but **be** with as they stumble + learn
+ *Encourage* : **comfort**, console, soothe (alongside)
+ *Charge* : **testify**, share from own exp and
  + solemnly **affirm** God's way is the path of life

---
## (walk worthily)
>>>
+ Not to bolster **self-esteem** or attain own **goals**,
+ But that their **walk** (daily habits)
+ may be **worthy** -- reflect the worth of God 
  + and hence be a life that **worships** Him
+ He is **King** of glory: **called** us into His kingdom
+ He is **worthy** of all honour,
  + so it is **worth** it to proclaim His holiness
+ Through own **holy** conduct, and
  + through **encouragement**, comfort, and testimony
  + that others may be **equipped** to live in holiness

---

# Will I **encourage**, **comfort**, and **testify** that others may walk **worthy** of God's calling?

>>>
+ You've given us **good news**:
  + That You are **holy**, that we are **sinful**,
  + that You sent Christ to **die** + **resurrect**
  + that You are **coming** soon w/reward
+ We've **experienced** your grace, now
  + You've **entrusted** the gospel to us to share

---
## (prayer)
>>>
+ **Search** our hearts for impure **motivations**
  + 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 others
  + that they also Your holy, redeemed people