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Warren Wiersbe - Heartaches, Hindrances and Hopes - 8 of 20 | Back to the Bible | YouTubeToText
YouTube Transcript: Warren Wiersbe - Heartaches, Hindrances and Hopes - 8 of 20
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Summary
Core Theme
The passage explains that persecution is a normal and even beneficial part of the Christian life, serving as a test of genuine faith and a means of spiritual growth, while also highlighting the ultimate hope found in Christ's return.
[Music]
welcome to back to the Bible radio
featuring best-selling author an
internationally known Bible teacher
Warren where's be reading 1st
Thessalonians chapter 2 beginning at
verse 13 and concluding with verse 16
for this reason we also thank God
without ceasing because when you
received the Word of God which you heard
from us you welcomed it not as the word
of men but as it is in truth the Word of
God which also effectively works in you
who believe for you brethren became
imitators of the Churches of God which
are in Judea in Christ Jesus for you
also suffered the same things from your
own countrymen just as they did from the
Jews who killed both of the Lord Jesus
and their own prophets and have
persecuted us and they do not please God
and are contrary to all men forbidding
us to speak to the Gentiles that they
may be saved so as always to fill up the
measure of their sins but wrath has come
upon them to the uttermost the
Thessalonians believers were not
surprised when persecution came Paul had
prepared them for it in fact in chapter
3 of first Thessalonians in verse 4 you
read for in fact we told you before when
we were with you that we would suffer
tribulation just as it happened and you
know this word tribulation means
pressures it means the the pressures
around us the inward trials of life that
come because of the pressures around us
now the people in Thessalonica had not
been saved very long and they were going
through intense persecution in fact
chapter 1 verse 6 says you became
followers of us and of the Lord having
received the word in much affliction
from God's viewpoint persecution is a
good way for us to find out if we're
really born-again those who are not
truly born again just fall by the
wayside someone says oh they lost their
salvation no they never had it there was
merely a profession without a true PO
session but those who are truly born
again though they may have trials and
tribulations they have roots and they
grow tribulation should help us to grow
from God's viewpoint now from the
devil's viewpoint he sends tribulation
that he might wreck us he wants to
destroy the church he wants to shake us
and he wants to silence us
1st Thessalonians chapter 3 verse 3 that
no one should be shaken by these
afflictions for you yourselves know that
we are appointed to this why be
surprised Peter wrote and said don't
think it's something strange concerning
this fiery trial which is to try you as
though some strange thing is happening
today in our affluent easy society
there's not a great deal of persecution
against the church collectively but
individual Christians go through it
there are some people who are persecuted
just for going to church they come home
in the family laughs at them perhaps as
a godly wife she comes home from church
and her husband says why don't you just
move down there why don't you just go
down there and stay with those people or
perhaps you have godly parents who are
being persecuted by friends or neighbors
or or perhaps on the job all of us have
had occasion of being persecuted on the
job just the way people look and laugh
and the things they say persecution now
when you are persecuted because of your
faith in Jesus Christ just follow the
instructions that Paul gives here and
you will make it you'll get through it
and it will help you it won't hurt you
instruction number one he says look back
just look back and remember persecution
is not new for you brethren became
imitators of the Churches of God which
are in Judea in Christ Jesus all right
churches before you have been persecuted
for you also suffered the same things
from your own countrymen that's the
Gentiles just as they did from the Jews
Paul's not saying that the Jewish people
are the only persecutors he's saying the
Gentiles have had their share as well
look back and remember other churches
other Christians have suffered
persecution we have a tendency to
believe that when we are going through
suffering were the only ones who have
ever been through this recently I read a
book about the persecution of Christians
in Korea an interesting book a
heartbreaking book to see what was done
against the church there are more
martyrs today than people realize there
is persecution nothing new about
persecution look back persecution is not
new the churches have been persecuted
look at your Lord Jesus Christ verse 15
who killed the Lord Jesus and their own
prophets the Lord Jesus Christ went
through it he does not ask us to
experience anything he has not himself
experienced we must remember that Jesus
has suffered just as we suffer and so
the next time somebody lies about you
persecute you makes life difficult for
you remember this is the Fellowship of
his sufferings when people start
treating us the way they treated the
Lord Jesus we've been promoted the
Fellowship of his sufferings now the
prophets also suffered verse 15 they
killed their own prophets we are in good
company when we are going through
persecution because Isaiah went through
it so did Jeremiah all the prophets that
were sent by the Lord had some form of
rejection some were killed some were put
in prison listen to what the Lord Jesus
had to say Matthew chapter 23 verses 34
and 35 therefore indeed I send you
prophets wise men and scribes some of
them you will kill and crucify and some
of them you will scourge in your
synagogues and persecute from city to
city that on you may come all the
righteous blood shed on the earth from
the blood of righteous Abel there's the
first martyr back in Genesis chapter 4 -
the blood of zechariah the son of
berechiah whom you murdered between the
temple and the altar here's a record of
persecution isn't
the profits went through it and you and
I are going to have the same experience
now it's a privilege to experience this
Jesus tells us in Matthew chapter 5
verses 10 11 and 12 blessed are those
who are persecuted for righteousness
sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
that's Matthew chapter 5 verse 10 notice
the persecution comes for righteousness
sake not because we've made nuisances of
ourselves blessed are you when they
revile and persecute you and say all
kinds of evil against you falsely notice
it has to be falsely for my sake
notice it's because of Jesus here are
three conditions now that must be met if
we're going to get a blessing out of
persecution number one it has to be for
righteousness sake we have obeyed God
number two their accusations must be
false and number three it must be for
Jesus sake rejoice and be exceedingly
glad for great is your reward in heaven
for so they persecuted the prophets who
were before you
we are marching in the Train of a great
host of godly people when we're being
persecuted so when you are going through
difficulty because you've stood up for
the Lord look back and remember other
Christians have suffered Jesus suffered
the prophets have suffered the Lord
Jesus says there is a blessing in it
secondly Paul instructs us in 1st
Thessalonians 2 to look within the end
of verse 15 they do not please God and
are contrary to all men realize that the
problem with these people is within
there's something in their hearts that
is wrong
they have not responded to the Word of
God you see you and I are being
persecuted because we respond to the
word of the Living God John chapter 17
John chapter 17 and verse 14 I have
given them your word and the world has
hated them because they are not of the
world just as I am NOT a
world notice that we have the Word of
God and because we have the Word of God
and we share the Word of God we try to
practice the Word of God they hate us in
1st Thessalonians 2:13 Paul said now you
receive the Word of God but not
everybody receives the Word of God these
people rejected the Word of God who
persecuted the Thessalonians Saints
there's a third instruction he gives us
he tells us to look ahead notice in
verse 16 so as always to fill up the
measure of their sins but wrath has come
upon them to the uttermost he said these
people as they persecute us are helping
us and hurting themselves as interesting
they're helping us to grow in the
Christian life they're helping us to be
testimonies for the Lord and they're
hurting themselves
Paul is picturing each one of them as a
vessel and as they disobey God and hurt
God's people that vessel is being filled
up more and more and more until finally
when it is completely filled up they are
going to receive the judgment of God the
Lord Jesus talked about this in Matthew
chapter 23 didn't he Matthew 23 32 fill
up then the measure of your father's
guilt Genesis chapter 15 verse 16 God
uses this same image he says the the
iniquity of the amorite has not yet fall
God patiently waited and then in 70 AD
the city of Jerusalem was destroyed the
temple was destroyed and of course in
the future ultimately there is going to
be eternal judgment well if you don't
know Jesus as your Savior the wrath of
God is upon you now he that believeth on
him is not condemned he that believeth
not is condemned already because he has
not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God if you are suffering
for the faith rejoice God is blessing
you if you are causing others to suffer
beware you are filling up the measure
the wrath of God and one day that
the Apostle Paul was not only a man with
a brilliant mind but he was a man with a
tender heart and you can certainly feel
the tenderness of Paul's heart his
affection for God's people as you read
1st Thessalonians chapter 2 and verses
17 through 20 but we brethren having
been taken away from you for a short
time in presence not in heart endeavored
more eagerly to see your face with great
desire therefore we wanted to come to
you even I Paul time and again but Satan
hindered us for what is our hope or joy
or crown of rejoicing is it not even you
in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ
at his coming for you are our glory and
joy you see Paul knew what it was
to go through hardship and difficulty
and in these verses he tells us what he
went through and what we should expect
in the Christian life to begin with the
Christian life has its heart aches we
brethren having been taken away from you
for a short time in presence not in
heart endeavored more eagerly to see
your face with great desire Paul was a
man with an aching heart he had led
these people to Christ in Thessalonica
had been with him only a short time now
he had to leave them he went down to
Berea then he went down to Athens and he
was left alone in Athens he sent Timothy
back to help the situation in
Thessalonica Silas was off ministering
somewhere else here is Paul experiencing
his heart ache because he loved people
you see love involves both joy and pain
in verse 20 Paul says for you are our
glory and joy and yet the same people
who bring joy to you can also bring pain
to you when you love someone you want to
be with that person when you're
separated from that person you feel it
down inside there's an emptiness and a
came down inside the word translated
taken away from you in verse 17
literally means orphaned I was orphaned
from you he seized the church as a
family and he said Here I am an isolated
orphan out here and I am waiting for
Timothy to come and tell me what's going
on the Christian life involves
heartaches why because we love people
because we love people and want them to
grow paul's love for them was was so
obvious and their love for paul was
obvious chapter three verse six timothy
brought good news of your faith and love
and that you always have good
remembrance of us greatly desiring to
see us as we also to see you
you see paul was not able to go back to
Thessalonica some scholars think that
the city posted a peace bond against him
timothy could go back apparently silas
could go back timothy of course was part
gentile that would be in his favor
they did not want Paul back in
Thessalonica and so here is Paul first
in Athens and then at Corinth with this
heart ache loving God's people there in
Thessalonica wondering what is going on
I hope you pray for your pastor every
day because the Christian life and the
Christian ministry have their heart
aches the way Paul wept over the people
at Corinth or the people at Philippi he
said he said to the people at Philippi I
tell you now even weeping they are the
enemies of the cross of Christ only
eternity will reveal how many tears and
how many heartbreaks pastors
missionaries Sunday School teachers
faithful deacons and elders have
experienced because of the people of God
oh I pray that God will help me to be an
encouragement to my pastor not a
discouragement to him secondly I know
that the Christian life has its
hindrances verse 18 therefore we wanted
to come to you even I Paul time and
again but Satan hindered us now I don't
know how Satan
during him but even an apostle can be
hindered that's amazing here's a man who
did miracles here's a man who had a
face-to-face fellowship with the Lord
here's a man who saw visions here's a
man on whom God's power rested in a
wonderful way and yet he was not able to
make that trip and go back to
Thessalonica Satan hindered him of
course this raises the question did God
want him back there
we don't know we do know that God
accomplishes his will and that Satan
himself cannot keep God from
accomplishing his purposes but Paul
tells us Satan hindered as the Christian
life has its hindrances there are things
we'd like to do at the broadcast but
somehow we're hindered there are things
that churches would like to do they feel
that this is in the will of God but
somehow they are hindered this word
hindered is an interesting word so
military word it means to break up a
road so the army can't get through Oh
Satan is good at that satan is good at
going on the path and breaking it up
putting all kinds of obstacles in the
way sometimes the obstacles are
backslidden Christians sometimes the
church can't move forward in the battle
because there are people standing in the
way the word also means to break through
the enemy line here God has set up his
line of defense and then some soldier
lets the devil get through I don't want
to be guilty of allowing Satan to get
into the territory Paul tells us in
Ephesians not to give place to the devil
not to give a beachhead to the devil
I think the Great Wall of China was
gotten through three times by the enemy
and all three times they bribed the
guards the wall kept them out the guards
let them in God has a wall of separation
put up and the devil can't go beyond
that wall but we let him in oh we give
place to the devil with anger and
carrying grudges our prayerlessness our
carelessness the Christian life has its
hindrances this word hindered in verse
18 also me
to cut in on somebody in a race here are
people running down the racetrack and
somebody cuts in on the other person and
almost knocks that person down gets in
the way
it's the same word Paul uses in
Galatians chapter 5 and verse 7 when he
said you ran well who hindered you who
cut in on you to keep you from obeying
the truth the devil has a way of getting
in on the race doesn't he
there are hindrances to the Christian
life and yet he prayed that God would
open the way verse 11 of chapter 3 now
may our God and Father himself and our
Lord Jesus Christ direct our way to you
the Greek word direct means to clear the
way he prayed that God might clear the
obstacles away so that he might take the
road and go to Thessalonica even though
we've been hindered it's good to keep
desiring it's good to keep planning it's
good to keep praying you never know when
God may open the way well the Christian
life has its heart aches expect them the
Christian life has its hindrances expect
them but don't end on a negative note in
1st Thessalonians 2 verses 19 and 20
Paul tells us the Christian life has its
hopes for what is our hope or joy or
crown of rejoicing is it not even you in
the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at
his coming for you are our glory and joy
right now Paul moves into the future
tense when you face life with it's
heartaches and with its hindrances don't
forget the hopes when the outlook is grim
grim
try the up.look it always works every
chapter in first Thessalonians ends with
a reference to the second coming of
Jesus Christ Paul is saying Here I am
alone I'm waiting now for Timothy to
show up Timothy finally came and Paul
wrote this letter and sent it back with
him but while he was alone what was it
that kept him going the heart aches no
no the hindrance
no no the hopes what was his hope number
one Jesus was going to come again and
when Jesus comes again separation will
be replaced by reunion when Jesus comes
again sorrow will be turned into joy
heart ache will become happiness shame
will turn into glory sacrifices will
receive their reward now what is our hope
hope
what is our joy and what is our crown we
may not realize our hopes today we may
not experience our joys of ministry
today we may not receive that crown of
rejoicing today God never promises that
we will in the world you shall have
tribulation but be of good cheer I have
overcome the world
what is Paul saying here Paul is saying
I may not realize all of these things
today but I know this I will realize
them one day at the throne of Jesus
Christ what is heart ache today is going
to be happiness tomorrow now let me say
a word of encouragement to my fellow
ministers there are people that were
ministering to that break our hearts
there are situations that just tear our
hearts one of these days we're going to
see what God has really done when the
Lord Jesus Christ comes the king is in
control the king is on the throne
it must have encouraged Paul
tremendously to know that even though he
had his heartaches
even though he had his hindrances there
was a savior in glory who was on the
throne in control of everything you may
be ready to quit today
you may be saying it's not worth it I'm
trying to hold the line and some of the
fellow soldiers are letting the devil
through the line he's getting into our
territory it's not worth it yes it is
yes it is one day when you stand before
the Lord and you see those that you've
influenced those that you've helped to
win through you're giving your praying
your wit
saying you're serving when you see them
you're going to be glad that you did it
it will be worth it all when we see
Jesus thanks for being a part of our
back to the Bible listening family so be
sure to come back again for more wisdom
from God's Word join us again on back to
the Bible radio [Music]
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