"Oh, hey Timothy! What's up?"

We've been going over 1 Thessalonians 3, and Grace went over how Paul sent Timothy to check up on the Thessalonians. Something got Paul so worked up that he was compelled to send his trustworthy friend, Timothy to check on them.  What was he so worried about that he had to send out Timothy a hundred or so miles?  If you look back at chapter 2, you should notice that the Gospel was freshly presented to the Thessalonians. Paul says he was gentle among them, "like a nursing mother taking care of her own children".  So for one, Paul was anxious being away from those he considered like his own children. There was also a second reason for him to be anxious. In verse 4 he told them, "…we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction…".  Ask any parent who has a child far away with guaranteed affliction, and they would probably want some kind of confirmation that their child is doing well. 

Guess what Church.  Paul would see us that way too. He would be like nursing mother taking care of her own children, also know as The Well.  Now, imagine this.  

*Knock Knock*

Who's there?

"It's Timothy.  Paul was concerned and asked me to come and check on you. Everything OK?"

If it were me, I'd probably throw my phone into the next room and turn off the Xbox, grab my Bible then open the door and say, "Oh what a pleasant surprise! I was just going over 1 Thessalonians! Come on in!"

That's just me, I think I would be suffering zero affliction, but giving in to all sorts of temptation.  Being honest, I don't think Paul would've received a good report about me from Timothy.  Now, something is wrong here.  Why am I not suffering the affliction that Paul says we would?   Well, I believe we, as Christians, are involved in a Spiritual warfare.  The enemy is ready to shoot fiery arrows and take every single one of us out.  But the enemy isn't going to waste arrows on the guy sitting on the couch fighting a fictional enemy in Halo 5.   That guy doesn't need Satan's affliction because he's essentially ineffective.  The enemy, instead, is going to focus his fiery arrows at the men and women on the front line serving God and preaching the Gospel. Those, like the Thessalonians, are the ones who bring Glory to God and reach the lost For Christ, and because of that will be attacked by the enemy with affliction.

So when we are faithful, we will experience affliction. In the midst of that affliction, we must cling to Christ, knowing that victory is guaranteed in Him. It's not just affliction we will go through.  There will be joy.  And There is  no greater joy, than to be satisfied with Christ, and to see the lost come to know Him.  I encourage you to be unashamed of the Gospel (Romans 1:16), and  to be compelled by Christ's Love ( 2 Cor 5:14-15)

- Zane Bermundo