“Therefore, when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this.” (1 Thessalonians 3:1–3 (ESV)
“Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It’s about one life influencing another.” John C. Maxwell.
“A call to leadership in the church is a call to a life of willing sacrifice and service.” Paul David Tripp
“Leaders are trusted when their lives are in alignment with their convictions.” R. Albert Moeller
“Jesus defined leadership as service, and His definition applies whether a leader works in secular or church organizations. The true leader is concerned primarily with the welfare of others, not with is own comfort or prestige. He shows sympathy for the problems of others, but his sympathy fortifies and stimulates; it does not soften and make weak. A spiritual leader will always direct the confidence of others to the Lord. He sees in each emergency a new opportunity for helpfulness.” J. Oswald Sanders
Paul, Silas and Timothy were servant leaders; each of them. Take notice of the personal pronoun “we” in today’s text. They were a team, looking out for each other and for other believers in Christ. They cared more for the eternal comfort of other believers than themselves (Matthew 23:11-12).
These three men evidenced servant leadership by being willing to be left alone in Athens so the Thessalonian believers would not be alone where they lived. The church needed mentoring and discipling. The three leaders could not bear (στέγοντες; stegontes) or endure any longer the thought of these young believers lacking spiritual teachers and mentors.
Therefore, Timothy came back to the Thessalonians, not for the purpose of gain but rather to establish and exhort these believers in their faith. This was especially imperative because of the afflictions the church was experiencing.
Paul called Timothy a brother and God’s co-worker (συνεργὸν; synergos) of the gospel. This young man belonged to God alone. Timothy was faithful (Phil. 4:3). He was committed, dependable, trustworthy and honorable. Paul had no reservation in sending his young protégé back to the Thessalonians.
“Paul was in Athens when he sent Timothy to the Thessalonians, Timothy and Silas having joined him there after they made a stop in Berea (1 Thess. 3:1–2; see Acts 17:10–15). In any case, Paul’s choice to send Timothy is noteworthy because it reveals the Apostle’s tremendous love for the Thessalonians. Paul refers to Timothy as his “brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ” (1 Thess. 3:2). This reference indicates that Timothy was particularly important and useful to Paul, as is confirmed by other passages in Paul’s epistles (e.g., 2 Tim. 1:2). Paul’s love and concern for the Thessalonians was so great that he was willing to part with one of his key co-laborers to make sure that the Thessalonians would be exhorted and established in the faith (1 Thess. 3:1–2),” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.
“Timothy is called a brother (cf. 2 Cor. 1:1; Col. 1:1), that is, a fellow-believer, one who by sovereign grace belongs to the family of God in Christ. He is our brother, the word our being probably inclusive: brother of the Thessalonian believers as well as of the missionaries,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.
Timothy had the responsibility of establishing and exhorting the Thessalonian believers in their faith in Christ. To establish (στηρίξαι; sterizo) means to strengthen and to make firm. To exhort (παρακαλέσαι; parakalesai) means to urge and encourage. The Christian life begins at conversion but conversion is only the beginning. What follows is strengthening from God’s Word and encouragement from God’s people. This important discipleship cannot be neglected or ignored.
The importance of mature believers strengthening and encouraging younger believers in Christ is especially significant when those who are immature face trials and afflictions for their faith in Christ. This was what was occurring in Thessalonica. Paul did not want these young disciples to be moved by their afflictions.
To be moved (σαίνεσθαι; sainesthai) means to be shaken in one’s belief and faith in Christ. Afflictions (θλίψεσιν; thlipsesin) refers to suffering and persecution. Timothy’s ministry of establishing and encouraging the Thessalonian church in the faith was crucial because of the persecution they experienced for their faith. They needed to know suffering afflictions was their destiny as believers (John 15:18-25; James 1:1-5; I Peter 1:1-9).
“One of the things Paul sent Timothy to do as part of his ministry to the Thessalonians was to remind them that believers have been ordained by God to face affliction (1 Thess. 3:2–3). The Thessalonians were facing many trials and persecutions, and Paul knew that they would be tempted to renounce their faith to escape them. A reminder that suffering was one of the things they signed up for when they committed themselves to Christ would be an encouragement for them to persevere. But Paul also includes himself in this, saying that “we” were appointed for suffering, and he thus set himself implicitly before them as an example to be followed. As the Thessalonians saw Paul their pastor persevering in suffering, they would be inspired to do likewise,” concludes Dr. Sproul.
John Calvin comments: “We are . . . stimulated by the examples of those by whom we were instructed in the faith, as is stated in the end of the Epistle to the Hebrews (Heb. 13:7). Paul, accordingly, means that they ought to be fortified by his example, so as not to give way under their afflictions.”
Who has established and exhorted you in your walk of faith in Christ? How have they strengthened and encouraged you while in the midst of your afflictions? Have you thanked the Lord, and them, for their ministry? Today would be a good day to do so.
May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.
Soli deo Gloria!
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