On Paul’s second missionary journey, he, Silas, and young Timothy went to Philippi, where they were shamefully treated. Paul and Silas were beaten in the public square and put in prison. Then at midnight, while they were singing praises to God, an earthquake came to turn them loose (Acts 16:12–26). Leaving a good church at Philippi, they went to Thessalonica in northern Greece. Thessalonica, with its lovely farmland and its perfect harbor on the north end of the Aegean Sea, is still an outstanding city in the world. There Paul began to preach. Read Acts 17:1–9, and you will learn the background of Paul’s Epistles to the Thessalonians.. It is the only record in Acts of Paul’s visit to Thessalonica.
For three Sabbath days, Paul went into the synagogue and disputed with the Jews who then became jealous. Soon Paul was driven out of Thessalonica, and he fled to Berea. There the Jews of the synagogue were more noble-minded than those at Thessalonica, for they received the word of God eagerly, and they searched the Scriptures daily to see whether those things were so (Acts 17:11). Although this little town was fifty miles from Thessalonica, it soon attracted opposition from the furious Thessalonian Jews. After they came down and stirred up the people, Paul fled to Athens and began to preach there. He sent for Silas and Timothy, telling them to come with great haste; and so they came speedily. But Paul could not rest. He wanted to find out about the new little church in Thessalonica. He had spent about three or four weeks getting this church started, and already reports were coming back, telling of people who had been killed for Jesus Christ. Paul, wondering what to do, sent young Timothy back to preach to them.
Paul himself had to leave Athens and go on to Corinth, and eventually Silas and Timothy met him there. This meeting occasioned the writing of his first letter to the Thessalonians. Paul wrote of the report Timothy had given him. You can picture them as they sat down in a little room and began to talk. Timothy told about the faith of these people and how their love was growing, as well as the great persecutions that they were facing. They were utterly dismayed, for some of their members had been killed and they wanted to know what would happen to those who died in Christ at His coming. Paul wrote to them, saying, … sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. I Thessalonians 4:13–18.
What a beautiful word, written to a struggling little church which had not had the privilege of months and years of study and teaching that is common to many churches today. They had only a few weeks, and that under the most intense persecution. Read the entire Epistle of I Thessalonians. It will be very meaningful to you, because it is one of the most personal letters that Paul ever wrote. Rather than just teaching doctrine, Paul was writing to people who were going through intense suffering.
Picture a new little church and all the apostolic company with their sacrificial labors. Picture Paul with his heart bleeding for them and praying for them day and night. Paul wrote, “When we could endure it no longer, we sent Timothy to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith, so that no man may be disturbed by these afflictions for which we have been destined. We told you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction: and it came to pass. For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith.” Again we see Paul’s concern for the people’s faith. Notice that he did not ask them about the persecutions or about the circumstances; he was concerned about their faith.
What is the Lord concerned about in you? When you come into a walk with God, you come into pressure. You may be concerned about many circumstances and problems, but they can be detrimental to your faith when you give them too much emphasis. Why not just hold onto faith in God and be a real believer?
Paul feared that the tempter might have tempted the Thessalonians, and that the apostolic labor would be in vain. But Timothy brought good news of their faith and love. What comforted the apostles was the fact that the people were believing God. They were not discouraged over the persecutions and the fact that some had died. That did not matter. But they were comforted by the faith of these people who were trusting God.
The apostle had a heart that loved them, saying, “We will really live, if you will stand firm in the Lord. We rejoice before our God on your account, as we night and day keep praying earnestly that we may see your face and complete what is lacking in your faith.” All nights of prayer originated with the apostles in the New Testament Church in Bible times. We will never get away from it. With all the leading of the Spirit, all the prophecies, all the mighty movings of the gifts of the Spirit, God’s remnant is destined to be a people of prayer from now on. This is because prayer will be the effective instrument that Paul knew it to be. He said, “Night and day we keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face and complete what is lacking in your faith.” The Thessalonian church had not received much apostolic teaching, and so there were many areas that needed to be completed in their faith. The apostles were yearning to return and minister to them once again.
Read the entire Epistle of I Thessalonians in which Paul gave some teaching on the coming of the Lord and the first resurrection. II Thessalonians discusses the man of sin that is to be revealed. These two books are very short, but they provide us with teaching that we do not find in any other books. Paul was emphasizing certain principles to new converts who were going forth into the depths of maturity, like sons springing up to maturity from the time of their birth. Paul wrote, Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thessalonians 5:16–18. How terse and brief were these commandments of the Lord. They were given to a people who were dying. They were given to a people who were suffering deep afflictions, a people who could become extremely faint-hearted and discouraged. Oh, what a sermon he gave them! “In everything-in everything give thanks.” Not just in a few things, but in everything give thanks. Do not wait five years until you have figured out your situation, and then say, “That was a good testing that happened to me. I thank the Lord for it.” Thank the Lord for what He is doing in your life before you can reason it out. Constantly minister praise and rejoicing to the Lord.
Rejoice always, because joy is an expression of faith. Pray without ceasing; that is faith in its continuation. In everything give thanks; this is really faith in the sovereignty of God, who works all things after the counsel of His own will (Ephesians 1:11).
Does it take faith to thank God for what happens to you? Yes, it does. Sometimes it is difficult to come before the Lord when you are bruised, and say, “I needed that, Lord. Thank You.” But we know that when we do “need it,” He ministers it to us. We will never know a time when all the circumstances are favorable. So in our hearts, we must find our praise and thanksgiving to the Lord coming up from our deep confidence in the restored New Testament church, in the Lord who has ordered it, and in the circumstances of our lives, even the delays. He is not willingly delaying, but we need to have things worked out in our lives.
The same message came to the church in Colossae. Again notice how often Paul mentions thanksgiving, rejoicing, and praising God for everything. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Sing with thankfulness!) And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Colossians 3:15–17. Are you a crab? Are you a griper? Are you one of those people who almost has his will set against being happy? Some people are determined to be miserable; it is a way of life to them. It is a part of their commitment to unbelief. They continually whine and murmur: the manna is not enough; the water from the rock is not enough. God is leading them with the greatest promises, with a pillar of fire, and with mighty deliverance; but that is not enough. They have to murmur; they have to complain.
How great a privilege it is to walk with God, experiencing the persecutions, experiencing what it is to be in the vanguard that is establishing a beachhead for the gospel of the Kingdom that is to come forth. To sit back and gripe over little circumstances in your life is to be so miserably shortsighted that you cannot see the destiny that God has raised you up to fulfill. How can you still murmur and complain over the lack of a few little comforts when God has called you to live for Him, when God has called you to live a sacrificial life? In this generation, He has called a remnant who will see the gold and the silver released. This generation will see the glory of the latter house greater than the glory of the former (Haggai 2:8, 9). In this generation, the remnant that comes to Zion shall find the treasures of the sea pouring unto them (Isaiah 60:5). Let us be among those whom God is going to use as His instruments.
Everything that God does in the way of delays is important. Be glad for every delay that comes in economic enterprises that are set to benefit the Body. Often God has to deal with everyone involved, so that there will be an unselfishness in them. God tests a man by putting him through difficulties; and if he does not look to God in them, then when prosperity comes it will be his downfall. When wealth lies in your hands, will you be faithful to seek God’s guidance in spending every nickel, just as you sought God when you had nothing and you had to pray for every nickel? When you go through testings, you may not understand why so many pressures are upon you. But God is working out a plan that is wonderful; so instead of complaining, you ought to submit to it and say, “Lord, Your will be done.” In everything give thanks.
In these days, fantastic things are going to happen. Believers will have faith to move into prodigious labors. Many New Testament churches will come forth with God’s hand upon them. There are young people today who are content to serve God with practically nothing, and yet they in turn open their hearts to take others into their homes in order to minister to them and to help them overcome problems. These are the examples of what a church ought to be-a New Testament church just like the Thessalonians-strengthening their love and commitment to one another.
Let us love and pray for one another. God is going to provide good things for our lives. When God lays anything in our hands, let us be faithful with it to help each other. The day will come soon in which people will lay vast fortunes again at the apostles’ feet for the many tasks that are to be done. This will not be for anyone’s selfish pursuits, but for the Lord to bring blessings (such as good food) to those who give a sacrifice of labor. More of those who are valuable in the work of the Lord should be released from secular work so that they can work full time in the house of the Lord. Much labor needs to be done in the publishing of the word of the Lord in this hour, and those who are doing it work hours and hours without complaining.
This is a wonderful day in which everything we have and everything we are belongs to the Lord. Let us love each other and stay close to the New Testament church pattern, always striving and reaching. Prophesy strength to those whose feet are already on the path and walking in the way. Remember, too-even though you may be moving along well, do not murmur or complain. Learn to rejoice in the Lord and give thanks to God in everything. Begin to praise Him and to rejoice in Him.
A necessary ingredient in the desperation of prayer for the release of today’s apostolic vision should be the giving of thanks for the marvelous work that God is doing in everyone who is involved with God today. Prayers should be earnest and without ceasing, but they also should include rejoicing that voices the deep faith in our hearts. In everything let us give thanks.