I Thessalonians 2:20 For ye are our glory and joy
Recently on Labor Day my wife and I were doing what we often do on Labor Day, taking a nice hike. I found joy walking in the trees and getting in a good hike. It was enjoyable. However, I have to tell you there was some trouble. I sweat more than a little, and I breathed more heavily. It was hard in places, and at least twice we had to ask people on this trail where we were going to be sure we had directions. In short, it may have been small, but it had been trouble.
Most anything worth doing is worth trouble. Whether you are doing good or not, you are going to face trouble in life. The question is, “Am I doing things that are worth the trouble?” Most anything worth doing is worth trouble. You might ask yourself today, “Is what I am doing worth the friction it is producing?”
In I Thessalonians the Apostle Paul speaks much of what it cost him to be a follower of the Lord Jesus. In fact, it cost those who followed him because they, like Paul, were following the Lord Jesus. For instance, in I Thessalonians 1:6 he says, “And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.” So, there was affliction and joy, joy at following Christ and affliction because they were.
In I Thessalonians 2:2 Paul says, “But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.” You find much contention in these first two chapters. He talks about labor and travail, those who persecuted the truth, those who were contrary, those who were forbidding them to speak the gospel. He says that Satan hindered them from doing what they felt they were to be doing. There was a lot of trouble.
Why did Paul endure all the trouble that he did? The answer is that it was worthy. When there is trouble, I want my life to be worth the trouble I am drawing. So, ask yourself two questions. First, who am I serving? In verse 3 Paul says, “For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: but as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.” I am not trying to please people. I am trying to please God.
So, who am I serving? If I am serving only when it pleases me, I am serving myself. If I am serving only when it pleases others, I am pleasing others. If I am serving because it pleases God, I am serving God. So, who am I serving? Whatever trouble I may be enduring, it is much more bearable if I know there is a good reason for it. Paul wasn’t serving himself. He says in verse 5 that they didn’t use flattering words, weren’t covetous, didn’t seek glory. So, neither greed nor glory was his motivation. It wasn’t about him. It was about a clear mission and a clean conscience. If you can have a clear mission and a clear conscience, you can endure a lot. Most anything worth doing is worth trouble. So, who are you serving? Are you serving self? Are you merely serving people you can see? Or are you serving something great, the gospel, and someone greater, the Lord?
Second, who am I helping? Paul was serving God, but he wasn’t helping God. God doesn’t need our help strictly speaking. Paul was serving God, but he was helping others. In I Thessalonians 1:6 he mentions that these people were “followers of us, and of the Lord.” In I Thessalonians 2:14 he says, “Ye…became followers of the churches of God.” So, they were following God by following the people that were shepherding and guiding them in the truth.
Who am I actually helping? I love I Thessalonians 2:19-20 where he says, “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” I can endure a lot because I know there is coming a day when I will stand before Christ and I won’t be empty-handed. I will be standing before Christ with those I have helped. Paul says, “It gives me hope and joy, and you are my reward.” Philippians 4:1 says the believers were Paul’s joy and crown. In I Thessalonians 2:20 he says, “For ye are our glory and joy.”
Find someone today to whom you can be a minister of Christ. Serve someone today. Long after you are gone, the results of serving God by helping other people will be very evident indeed. The joy we want sometimes comes with a little bit of friction. The purpose we want in life sometimes comes with a little bit of trouble. That is okay because most anything worth doing is worth trouble. Am I serving Christ? Am I helping others? The answer today should be yes.