(1) No longer endure it - what? goes back to vs.17.
Left alone in Athens - Paul, Timothy & Silas are in Berea. He dispatches Silas most likely to Philippi; Timothy goes to Thessalonica; & Paul heads to Athens alone.
Sometimes ministry is lonely. Sometimes life is lonely. Sometimes God calls us to Go it Alone.
What situation do you feel totally alone in right now? We’ve all experienced a time when we wonder why our spouse, or family, or church friends just aren’t there for us. Maybe that’s when God wants you all to Himself?
Maybe the feeling is like the new space drama coming out called Gravity (w/Sandra Bullock & George Clooney) She is floating out into space & she whispers, “anybody...please call me.”
(2) So Paul sends Timothy his assistant - He wasn’t sent to survey the church but to support them
Timothy - the right man for the job (3 things) our brother; a minister of God; & ourfellow laborer in the gospel.
He was sent for 2 things:
To Establish them - to support, to strengthen. Lit.putting in a buttress for support.
Providing support - show buttress on a building (Washington National Cathedral).
In the Movie 42, Jackie Robinson playing 1st base for the Brooklyn Dodgers is going to run right into the dugout, his team mate catches him, supports his body from getting hurt.
Sometimes God wants you to go it alone but other times he wants you to humble yourself & accept help from a church leader, or a friend. And in this case his “assistant”.
Can I speak to the fact that often on Sunday mornings & Wed nights some folks will only talk to me after service? Some only want me to pray for them. I know I’m their pastor, I get that connection...but the other leaders have the same H.S. Paul sent his assistant pastor.
To Encourage them - to exhort, to comfort. Parakaleo to come alongside.
If you want to get better at encouraging others - 10 penny’s in pocket illus.
(3) Shaken - means, a dog wagging its tail to allure(tease), to flatter, to draw aside from the right path. (Linguistic Key to the Greek N.T.)(eg. female coyotes)
When it comes to afflictions (something that causes pain & suffering) don’t be lured away by it, nor surprised by it.
We are appointed to this - Afflictions come by Appointments. God puts them onto your day planner.
W.E.Vine said, This indicates, not an ultimate destiny, but a temporary experience ordained as a means to an end.
Trials are not necessarily a sign of God’sdisfavor,butare part ofeveryChristian’slegacy.
When trouble comes, Christians often react by doubting that they are where God wants them to be; they often think that they have done something wrong and that God must be displeased with them.
Yet storms often come to believers to make them able to stand firm, rather than to blowthem away.{reporter pic leaning into wind}
(5) Let me seam together regarding the Tempter & your faith in this verse.
When Satan sought to run Peter through the sifter, what Did Jesus Do? (Lk.22:31,32) He prayed for Peter…but for what? He didn’t rebuke Satan & pray to stop it, but prayed for his faith would stand.
So, Jesus doesn’t give us a promise of no suffering, but He guarantees us power to go through them & to grow through them, if we’ll ask.
Verses 1-13