Thessalonians Series Pt. 2: Motives of Our Heart

1Thessalonians 2:1-6 NLT - 1 You yourselves know, dear brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not a failure. 2 You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition. 3 So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery. 4 For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. 5 Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know. And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money! 6 As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else.

Our purpose is to please God, NOT man

1Thessalonians 2:7-8 NLT - 7 As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. 8 We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God's Good News but our own lives, too.

• Perfect example for ministry/leadership/pastors.

1Thessalonians 2:9-12 NLT - 9 Don't you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God's Good News to you. 10 You yourselves are our witnesses--and so is God--that we were devout and honest and faultless toward all of you believers. 11 And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. 12 We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.

• Good Father – Protects, Loves and gives Direction.

• Bad Father – Selfish, absent from the family, doesn’t care.

• We as leaders/Pastors must be better in our approach to the church to help them grow.

1Thessalonians 2:13-16 NLT - 13 Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn't think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God--which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe. 14 And then, dear brothers and sisters, you suffered persecution from your own countrymen. In this way, you imitated the believers in God's churches in Judea who, because of their belief in Christ Jesus, suffered from their own people, the Jews. 15 For some of the Jews killed the prophets, and some even killed the Lord Jesus. Now they have persecuted us, too. They fail to please God and work against all humanity 16 as they try to keep us from preaching the Good News of salvation to the Gentiles. By doing this, they continue to pile up their sins. But the anger of God has caught up with them at last.

• What are we imitating?

• We have completely abandoned the cost or the work that it takes to be followers of Christ.

Matthew 16:24-26 NLT - 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. 25 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 26 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?

• The motives of our heart have turned into the “make it as easy as possible for me to serve the Lord.”

1Thessalonians 2:17-20 NLT - 17 Dear brothers and sisters, after we were separated from you for a little while (though our hearts never left you), we tried very hard to come back because of our intense longing to see you again. 18 We wanted very much to come to you, and I, Paul, tried again and again, but Satan prevented us. 19 After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you! 20 Yes, you are our pride and joy.

What will be your joy when Christ returns?

• Crown of Life - Awarded to those who endure trials and temptations, persevere in faith, and remain steadfast even unto death. (1 John 2:25, Revelation 2:10)

• Crown of Righteousness - For those who love Christ's appearing and live righteously, eagerly anticipating his return. (2 Timothy 4:8)

• Crown of Glory - Given to faithful shepherds or elders who diligently serve God's church. (1 Peter 5:4)

• Crown of Rejoicing (or soul-winners crown) - Awarded to those who lead others to Christ. (1 Thessalonians 2:19)

• Incorruptible crown (or Imperishable crown) - For those who live a life of purity and self-control, winning the race of life. (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)