Eternal Encouragement - 1&2 Thessalonians
Lanse Evangelical Free Church
May 25, 2025 :: 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13
The sermon title for today is pulled straight out verse 20 of chapter 2 which says, “Indeed, you are our glory and joy.”
Question: Who is the “you” in that sentence? Think before you answer.
Who is the “you” in that sentence? Who do you think would be the “glory and joy” of the Apostle Paul?
My guess, if I didn’t already know, is that it would be Jesus! Like if this was Psalm or a prayer: “Jesus, you are our glory and joy.”
And, of course, that’s true. In fact, Paul says elsewhere that he glories in nothing except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (see Gal. 6:14 and 1 Cor 1:31).
But the “you” in verse 20 and in our sermon title is not Jesus. It is the brothers and sisters of the church of the Thessalonians. The church family that Paul had had to leave behind after planting the church in Acts chapter 17. It is those precious people that Paul calls his glory and his joy.
This whole passage is so full of emotion. Paul cares so deeply about these people, and it just gushes out of just about every verse.
Remember last time Paul said, “We loved you so much!...You had become dear to us.” He was only there a few months, but these precious people had been imprinted upon the apostle’s heart.
If you remember, Paul said that he was kind of like a mother and kind of like a father to these folks, spiritually speaking. Paul was gentle and caring and committed like a nursing mother would be, and he was strong and firm and instructive like a loving father would be.
And here, he’s kind of like these parents of our graduates today. Who are saying to their kids, “You are pride and joy.”
Kelcey, Doug, Kayleigh, your parents are saying, “You are our pride and joy.” And the Apostle Paul is saying to the church at Thessalonica, “You are our pride and joy.”
“You are our glory and joy.”
Paul cares so much. But they might not think so. Because he’s not there! Paul has had to go away, and he’s not come back. And we said last time that there might have been some people that were saying that Paul didn’t care about them and had abandoned them and taken off with their money.
Well, Paul showed in chapter 2 that he wasn’t scamming them when he was with them. He hadn’t even received any money from them. He was not a burden to them even though he could have been. [
And here he assures them that he wasn’t deserting them either, even in his absence.
Look with me at chapter 2, verse 17, and notice what he calls them. “Brothers [and sisters].” Don’t miss how deeply Paul cares about his spiritual siblings.
Some people think that Paul was emotionally cold. I think that’s because he uses logic so much and careful reasoning, but Paul is the furthest thing from emotionally cold. He is sizzling with emotion, and here it is (almost embarrassing!) affection. Look at verse 17.
“But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. For we wanted to come to you–certainly I, Paul, did, again and again–but Satan stopped us.”
Do you hear it?
Paul was torn up about being torn away from the Thessalonians.
The Greek word translated “torn away” in verse 17 is the word from which we get “orphaned.” Paul felt orphaned from them because he had to leave town.
In this book, he’s called himself a brother, a mother, a father, a little baby, and here, he’s an orphan. Not that they are orphans, though they might have felt like it with their spiritual mother and father gone, but that he was an orphan, missing them so much and feeling alone.
My wife is away right now visiting her family out west. I feel orphaned, too. And it’s not because anybody has done anything wrong. It’s just that we are far from each other, and it hurts. Paul says that he was “torn away.” He says only “in person, not in thought.” He was only far from them physically. His heart was with them. Just like mine is with my wife even though she’s 2,000 miles away. And I have an intense longing for her. And that’s how Paul felt about the Thessalonians.
Paul loved them. And he tried again and again to get back to be with them, “but,” Paul says, “Satan stopped us.”
Now, I don’t know exactly what that means. I don’t know what happened that was Satan blocking Paul’s path to return to Thessalonica. I can come up with some guesses, but that’s all they would be, guesses. And I don’t know how Paul knew that it was Satan that was blocking them. Perhaps divine revelation.
But we do know that Satan can get in our way. Remember a few weeks ago, we read in Daniel chapter 10 about how the Prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked the shining messenger of God[!] until Michael came and assisted him.
So, of course, mere mortals like us can be hindered by Satan for a time.
That’s frustrating! Paul was frustrated. He longed to be back with these precious people, but for the time being, Satan stood in his way. Of course, Satan is not all-powerful (like the Lord is). So the Lord, obviously, had to have His own reasons for allowing Satan to stop them at that point. And Paul knew that, but that doesn’t make it easy.
Paul’s heart was with them. Why? Because they were his glory and joy. See his rhetorical question in verse 19?
“For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy” (2:19-20).
Jesus Christ is coming back soon. Amen? And Paul knew that. Paul taught it. He talks about the return of Christ at least once in every chapter in 1st and 2nd Thessalonians. And Paul says that when Jesus comes, these people will be his hope, his joy, and his crown of glory.
What does he mean? He can’t mean that he puts his hope in them or that he finds his ultimate joy in them or that they are the ultimate source of his glory. Paul does not worship the Thessalonians. He worships Jesus alone. But because he loves these people, he has told them about Jesus, and they have come to believe in Jesus. And he has labored among them and served them and brought them along.
So that one day when Jesus returns, Paul will get to enjoy Jesus WITH them. And he’ll get to present them to Jesus as his offering. And he will be rewarded with them. They will be his crown!!!
That’s not a big heavy metallic thing here. This is like the wreath that is placed on the head of an Olympic medalist in ancient Greece. These people are a prize! Not that Paul has won them through his own effort in which he can be sinfully proud, but that they are a reward for his faithful love for them.
“Here, Jesus, these people are for you.”
And Jesus says, “Here, Paul, these people are for you.” They are part of Paul’s glorying in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ! “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy” (2:19-20).
How encouraging!!!
That must have been so encouraging for the Thessalonians to read. Right?! It's the opposite of being abandoned. They were rejoiced in. They were the anticipation of Paul’s greatest joy and glory on the day of Christ Jesus.
Has anyone ever said this to you? I’m saying it to you today. “Lanse Free Church, you are my glory and joy.” When Jesus returns, I want to be able to say, “These people here. Oh, they are my glory and joy. They are my hope, my joy, my crown of glory. I loved them in 2025 for Jesus’ sake, and I’ll love them forever as I glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Have you ever said this to someone else? Who is your glory and joy? Who have you loved and labored for for Jesus’ sake? Who have you loved so much you have delighted to share the gospel with them and your life, as well? Because that’s what it’s all about!
At our Elders’ Meeting on Thursday night, we talked about that, as your church elders. Who are the people in our lives that we are striving to make disciples of?
Who do you have in mind? And what are you doing about it?
Today, I have 3 points of application that I hope capture the flow of this passage, and here’s the first one. Because you are our glory and joy...
#1. WE REALLY WANT YOU TO BE ENCOURAGED IN YOUR FAITH.
In fact, we want people to have “eternal encouragement,” right? That’s our theme for the Thessalonian correspondence. Eternal encouragement. See what Paul says in chapter 3, verse 1.
“So [our glory and joy] when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. 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” (3:1-4).
I love how Paul says that he couldn’t stand it any longer. Paul felt like he was just going to burst if he didn’t find out how this church was doing! And it was worth being orphaned some more. He sent his son in the faith, Timothy on a mission to Thessalonica. Apparently, Satan couldn’t stop Timothy from getting there the way he could Paul. Or, least, that was their hope.
Paul calls Timothy, “our brother” which is, again, a strong word of affection and connection. But he also calls him [catch this!], “God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ!” Wow! What a name that is! Not Paul’s fellow worker (though he is), but God’s fellow worker.
What an honor to have that title attached to your name! And you know, if you and I are doing what God has told us to do with Him doing it through us, we can call ourselves that, too! Put that on your business card! “God’s fellow worker.” The only way that someone can truly be our glory and joy is if God is doing that work through us. The only way our glorying or boasting or rejoicing in someone else can be legitimate is if it we’re loving them with the strength that God provides.
And that’s what young Timothy was doing. Tim was sent back to Thessalonica to (notice verse 2), “strengthen and encourage you in your faith.” Paul really wanted them to be encouraged.
Do you want that for the people in your life? Paul was willing to be left alone in Athens to make sure that these precious people had what they needed.
What are you and I willing to give up so that the people in our lives are strengthened in and encouraged in their faith?
Are we willing to give up our time?
Are we willing to give up our money?
Are we willing to give up our attention?
Are we willing to give up our favorite people?
Paul loved Timothy. I’m sure it was hard to let him go. He hated to be alone. You’ll notice that about Paul. He loved to have a team. He loved to have people around him and longed for them when they were away.
But these folks were important to Paul. They were his glory and joy! And they were worth sending off Timothy to strengthen and encourage them in their faith. Because their faith was going to be shaken. He says “so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them.”
Paul says that he knew and he had told them so that they knew that persecution was inevitable. Our Lord Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble...” It is not optional.
We should not be surprised when the hard times come. We do not believe in a “prosperity gospel” that says that faithful Christians are always healthy, wealthy, and prosperous and never under attack.
No, faithful Christians expect to be attacked. We are destined for it, just like Jesus was. If we are under attack, that does not mean we’re doing it wrong. In fact, it probably means we are doing it right! But even if we know it’s coming, that doesn’t make it easy. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t shake us. And that’s why we need encouragement. That’s why need strengthening. Because the hard times are sure to come.
So, who are you encouraging? Have you sent a note of encouragement this past week? Have you sent a text, a message, a card, snap, a letter? Have you made a phone call? To that person or people whom you want to say, “You are my glory and joy.” You really want to encourage them in their faith.
Paul was so worried about the Thessalonians. I almost wonder if he was too worried about them. But I appreciate his honesty, because I often feel the same way. Look at verse 5.
“For this reason [the expected unsettling persecution], when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.”
Again, Paul was just about to burst with concern for them. That’s why he sent Timothy. To find out if they are still believers back there in Thessalonica or if they had planted the seed of the gospel, and it had withered on the vine.
The absolute worst thing that Paul could imagine was NOT that the church of the Thessalonians had been martyred. Not that the church had been attacked or even killed for their faith. The absolute worst thing that Paul could imagine was that they had been attacked and then given up their faith. That they had made shipwreck of their faith and walked away from trusting in Jesus. Paul was afraid that Satan had gotten to that church.
But, praise God, they were okay! Look at verse 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. Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith” (vv.6-7).
Because your are our glory and joy...
#2. WE ARE REALLY ENCOURAGED BY YOUR FAITH.
In verse 5, I feel like Paul is holding his breath while Timothy was away, and in verse 6, I hear this great big sigh of relief.
Good news about their faith and love! That’s the same word we translate as “gospel.” Timothy brings the good news–the gospel–that the Thessalonians are still walking with Jesus!
They still love Jesus. The persecution has come, but they have not stopped. Just like Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they have not backed down.
And just as Paul and his team still loved them, they still loved Paul and his team.
“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.”
And that was so encouraging to Paul! “Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.” Comforted, strengthened, consoled. He wanted to encourage them, and in the process he was encouraged!
Have you ever experienced this? You’ve been worried about somebody and their relationship with Jesus, and then you find out that they are living for Him. What a great feeling that is!
Especially if you were their spiritual parent in some way.
Yesterday, there was a special speaker at the Men’s Breakfast talking to the men and the boys. Keith and John had asked Peter Mitchell if he would share his testimony, his story of his faith in Jesus Christ. He agreed right when he was asked. He was like, “Gulp. Ok. I’ll do my best.”
And this parent was so encouraged to hear him speak! “Peter, you are our glory and joy.”
And that’s true for you, too, Isaac. I was so encouraged to hear about your time of growing as a submissive disciple of Jesus this last year in Capernwray Hall in England. “Isaac, you are our glory and joy.”
And that’s true for everyone here who is walking with Jesus by faith and full of love. Do you want to encourage the people who have taught you the gospel? Then keep believing it! Keep living it!
Look at verse 8.
“For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.”
Paul says, “This is living! Knowing my disciples are ‘standing firm’ makes me feel alive. Praise God!”
Kelcey, Douglas, Kayleigh, do you want to really encourage your parents and your church family?
Then keep walking with Jesus and grow in your own faith. Dig into your Bible. Go deeper in prayer. Commit to your church. If you go off to college, get involved in a campus ministry, join a small group Bible study, take part in a local church near campus on Sundays.
Some people, when they graduate from school, graduate from church. No, don’t do that. Make church your own. Don’t go now because your have to. Go because you can. And you will give great joy and encouragement to your parents and to your spiritual parents, those who have discipled you along the way.
We are really encouraged by your faith.
Paul just can’t get over how encouraging it is. “This is really living!” Look at verse 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?”
Paul loves them so much, and he’s so thankful for all the joy that they bring him just be being faithful to Jesus.
Has anyone ever said this to you? “How can we thank God enough for [put your name in there] in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?”
Let me say it to you now. “How can we thank God enough for, Lanse Free Church, in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?”
Now, let me turn it around. Have you ever said this to someone else?
Notice that he thanks God for their faith. He isn’t flattering them or buttering them up. He’s genuinely glad that they bring him joy in God’s presence just by being faithful to Jesus.
“You are our glory and joy.”
And, therefore, point number three and last:
#3. WE REALLY PRAY THAT GOD SUPPLIES ANYTHING LACKING IN YOUR FAITH.
Look at verse 10.
“Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.”
Just because Paul got good news from Timothy about this church, doesn’t mean that he’s going to stop praying for them.
No, he’s going to pray for them more and more!
Night and day. He prays “most earnestly” or “unreservedly.” The Greek word there is “hyperekperisoo,” which we often translated “exceedingly abundantly.” It’s that word I’ve illustrated before by pouring water all over the stage!
One scholar I read this week says that it might be captured best by, “flat out.” We pray “flat out” that we would get to be with you again and “supply what is lacking in your faith.”
What does that mean? I don’t think that he means their faith is defective. He means that they are still needy and there are still things that they need to hear and learn about.
Paul got pulled away before they had heard all of the teaching that he wanted to give to them. We’ll see in chapter 4, that they didn’t know some important things yet about the resurrection and the return of Christ (see 4:13-18).
There are always some things lacking in our faith that need to be shored up. We’re never at 100%. We all need topped off. Sometimes our spiritual batteries are at 1%, right? And the screen is dimming, and we need to get plugged back in and recharged before we run all the way out.
What is lacking in your faith?
Paul prays and really prays and prays some more that the Lord would supply anything that was lacking in the Thessalonians faith.
So, I think that’s a word for the parents of our graduates today.
Don’t stop praying for your kids! Don’t stop praying that the Lord would supply anything that is lacking in their faith. Even if they are doing well right now. Don’t stop.
The Thessalonians were doing well, but that didn’t stop Paul from giving thanks and then praying night and day for them to have what they needed spiritually.
And how much more should we pray if we have a wayward child? To be our glory and joy, we have to pray for the Lord to get them back on track. Because we can’t do it for them. We can’t make them. That’s between them and the Lord. But we can pray and pray and pray some more. And pray until we die or the Lord returns.
<> Paul prays so much for them that he can’t help but break out in prayer right here in this letter! Look at verse 11.
“Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you.”
He’s praying that Satan would be stopped from stopping them.
“Father, clear the way. Lord Jesus, clear the way. Please knock Satan off our path so that we can get together with the Thessalonians once again and teach them what they need to know and encourage them as they encourage us.”
And look at what he prays in verses 12 and 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” (vv.12-13).
Paul is really praying that the Lord supplies anything that is lacking in their faith. And he basically prays for two big things:
Overflowing love and full holiness as they get ready for Jesus to return.
In verse 12, he prays for love.
“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.”
Increase and overflow. What a great thing to pray for! Let’s pray this for our children and for our whole church family. That we have love inside of us that bubbles up and bubbles over. Paul prays that they would love each other like he loves them. And, boy, does Paul love them! Right?!
And he prays not just that they would love, but that they would be holy. V.13 again.
“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” (v.13).
Again, Jesus Christ is coming back soon. Amen? And again, Paul knows that and wants the Thessalonians to be ready for it. And the way we get ready is to put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ and what he did for us on the Cross and then to grow in faith and trust in obedience to His commands. Growing more and more like Jesus as we do.
It doesn’t just happen. We have to have our hearts strengthened. We have to repent. We have to change. We’ll see more about that in the next chapter, next week, chapter 4 as he tells the Thessalonians how to live.
We must grow in holiness. Not in our own strength, but in the strength that God supplies. To our hearts! Because one day soon we will stand in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
And we want to be ready. Ready and rejoicing.
Rejoicing that we have really encouraged others in their faith. Making whatever sacrifices are necessary so that those we love are strengthened and encouraged.
Rejoicing in being really encouraged by their real faith. Because that’s really living when you know that your disciples are standing firm.
And rejoicing that the Lord has supplied all that was lacking in their faith through our flat out prayers for their love and holiness.
And rejoicing when he comes with His holy ones and presenting our disciples to Jesus and being given our disciples back to us by Jesus as our crown.
Because they are our glory and joy in and for and because of Jesus Christ.
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