Dr Craig Mobey
An overlooked dimension of pastoral care is the willingness to appropriately risk revealing something of the authentic self, and what that means to a brother or sister that is struggling.
Paul’s authentic concern led to authentic feedback which in turn lead to authentic growth and much more.
Scripture reading: 1 Thessalonians 3:4-9 (NIV)
4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.
5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.
6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.
7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.
8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.
9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?
Introduction: A Little Bit of History
Paul and Silas fled from Thessalonica to Berea. Paul fled to Athens from Berean persecution. He sent word for Silas and Timothy to come to join him in Athens, and Timothy was sent to Thessalonica. Paul moved on to Corinth where Timothy and Silas joined him. From Corinth, Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians in 51 AD.
Paul had left Thessalonica after a short time (Acts 17:5-10) and the recent converts at Thessalonica had little support during their persecution and in response to this, Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians to encourage them during their trials (3:3-5). That there would be persecuted was foretold by Paul (3:4).
Paul, when he could not stand it anymore, could have given up, he could have fled, he could have isolated himself in prayer and he could have adopted an over-spiritualized view of his present predicament. But he didn’t. Even at that point where he could not stand it anymore, he continued with the work of God. Despite his intense emotions.
We need to stand still for a moment and understand what Paul meant when he said, “I could stand it nor more.” Some translations speak of “forbear” and “bear it no longer.” The Greek translates to “cover with silence,” in other words, Paul could no longer cover or hide his anger, impatience, and weariness. Paul was experiencing some painful emotions when he thought of the Christians at Thessalonica. So, he reached out to them by sending Timothy even though the same would be an inconvenience to him (Paul).
What Would Your Report Card Say?
This brings the question home to you and me. How and what do we think about our brothers and sisters in Christ, and what are we willing to do about it?
Let’s look at it from another angle, suppose a brother in Christ sends a messenger from Brazil to find out how are things at your local church and how you are. What would your report card say?
Here is the report card (3:7-9) of the believers at Thessalonica, “…we were encouraged about you because of your faith. For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?”
And then, Paul blesses them (3:12-13), “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.”
The way you are living the Christian life should be an encouragement to those brothers and sisters who are struggling. Even if you too are being persecuted and struggling.
What if the life that God is given you is bigger than the life you have imagined for yourself? There is little glory for God when you restrict yourself to what you believe about yourself.
By this, I am not referring to over-spiritualization or gravitating toward “health and wealth” theology. I am saying that because of Jesus Christ, on who we focus over and above the pressures and difficulties of life; because of Jesus Christ who gives us His peace despite what is happening to us, we can be an authentic blessing to others when we authentically hold onto Christ and reflect His love, His goodness, His grace, His mercy and His care.
Our life circumstances do not, I repeat…do not determine the validity of who Jesus is.
What is Your Concern for Others?
We have already touched base here, but’s emphasize a few things. Paul was already praying for the Christians at Thessalonica. But he did more than that:
- He expressed his genuine emotions of anger, impatience, and weariness. He did pretend that all was fine and well.
- He did something constructive about his worries by sending Timothy, not primarily so that he (Paul) would feel better, but that he had a responsibility toward the believers at Thessalonica that he needed to meet. He risked receiving back a negative report, as he writes in 3:5, “…I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.”
- He gave sincere feedback following Timothy’s report. He let the Thessalonians know what their faith meant to him, and that he drew strength from the way that they faced their persecution.
- He wanted to go to them.
- He blessed them.
Paul’s care for other believers sets for us, a high benchmark.
So, Stop Over-Spiritualizing Then
Sadly, so many Christians over-spiritualize. I often wonder why they do it. Maybe, in a certain sense, over-spiritualizing is a state of denial. Perhaps I need to one day, stand still with this phenomenon.
Back to Paul. Paul is not over-spiritualizing. Paul could have over-spiritualized and said something truthful along the lines of “The Lord is my strength…I can because of Him in me…I will pray” and so forth. Or he could have chosen one of our “default / favourite” answers when a sincere brother or sister asks how we are… “Fine thanks…the Lord is good…He gives me strength” and so on.
But Paul didn’t, he said “…when we could stand it no longer … when I could stand it no longer.” And then, Paul demonstrated, from this departing point, an authentic expression of authentic Christian spirituality–and pastoral care.
Conclusion
Paul’s truthful narrative of what he was feeling set the scene for a truthful narrative of what was happening in Thessalonica. I think it would be a sad day, a very sad day when brothers and sisters in Christ stand before one another and both parties pretend that all is well when all is not well. How might we reach out to each other and help as we can if we don’t know what is going on?
The theme of integrity runs strong in today’s Scripture reading. Attempts to suppress the Christian faith are evident. Attempts to control the Christian faith and the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ surround us. What is biblical is being opposed. Christians are going hungry. Christians are being put to death for their faith.
We are in the end times, and we need each other. We must simply stand together as one family, united in Him and unwaveringly focus on Jesus Christ.
I close with 1 Thessalonians 5:23 and 28, “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”
Amen.