December 1, 2023 • 21 mins
Are you ready for a spiritual journey where your faith will be tested, yet profoundly strengthened? Embark with us on an in-depth exploration of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 3, delving into Timothy's inspiring report from the Thessalonian church, and the challenges that come with being Christian. We find comfort in shared struggles, as we recount personal experiences of gathering for group Bible studies, and reflect on the important role of community in our spiritual journey.
Paul's letter to the Thessalonians reminds us that our hearts should be strong, blameless, and holy. But what does sanctification truly mean to us, and how do we become more like Jesus? Join us as we navigate these questions, learning to grow in love for one another and live to please God. Stay till the end for a humorous anecdote that beautifully highlights our continuous journey towards holiness. Let's walk this path together, one episode at a time.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome back to the to fish podcast.
My name is Nick, I'm Aaron andthis week we're continuing our
studies and first Thessalonians,going to chapter three, talking
about 10 of these encouragingreport.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
That's right to fish community.
We are back in firstThessalonians, chapter three
this week.
But speaking of encouragingreports, nick and I just want to
check in with you guys, see howyou're doing.
We're doing good and, as youcan tell, we have been a little
bit more consistent recently.
We have, so our schedules havebetter aligned and some kids
(00:37):
activities had slowed down alittle bit.
But yeah, things are going goodfor us, and what was
encouraging for you right now,nick?
I?
Speaker 1 (00:49):
was not ready for that question.
What is encouraging to me thispodcast?
I mean, like you said, we'vebeen more consistent and we've
continued to see God grow thepodcast and that's thanks to you
guys, the to fish community,and I feel like we haven't done
this in a while, so I'm going todo it here.
It take a second.
Wherever you're listening tothis, pause it, pause this
(01:12):
episode and click the subscribe,the like, the five star review
buttons for us, because thatreally does.
I feel like every YouTube videoI ever see or every podcast I
ever listen to.
They always say that, but whenyou're in the industry of
podcasting, it does make adifference for algorithms and
getting this message, what we'redoing, the message of Jesus out
(01:33):
to more people.
So please just take a second.
Pause it, hit the five starreview, hit the like or
subscribe button.
That way, as we're back on amore consistent track, you'll be
more consistent to be able totune in to what we feel
scripture saying as we're goingthrough this Bible.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Yeah, that's great.
The other thing you can gocheck out our website to fish
podcastcom and on there now wehave a link to sign up for a
daily devotional.
That comes from a friend herelocally, dwayne Yoder does a
daily devotional and has acouple of dad jokes in there,
but it's really good devotional.
You can click on that and signup for it and he'll send you an
(02:15):
email every morning and I get aget a daily devotional.
It's been an encouraging thingfor me.
Yeah, over the last couple ofmonths I've been trying to read
them and get a chuckle out ofthe dad jokes and he let us put
that on the website.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
So go again, that's to fish podcastcom and go sign
up for that.
All right, so this week again,first Thessalonians, we're going
to continue the story andreally, so far, so so far,
basically this book, and we can,and we say it all the time when
the writers are writing theBible, they're not, they're
writing letters, they're notnecessarily writing as a book
(02:50):
like we read it today.
So I feel like this, and lotsof times there's breaks in what
they're saying, but this one, Ifeel like so far has just been a
very continuous letter.
I feel like you could pull thechapter one, chapter two,
chapter three out so far and itwould read like one fluid letter
.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Yeah, I would actually say this section is
divided weird.
So the verse 17 and chapter twoshould actually been the start
of chapter three.
Yeah, because it's acontinuation of Timothy's good
report.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Yeah, chapter three, verse one, starts therefore Well
, that word right there meansbecause of what I just got done,
saying now this and, like yousaid, if we go back, chapter 17,
verse 17, paul saying hey,we've wanted to come back to you
guys because we hearing allthis amazing stuff and we want
to come back to that, but wecan't.
Mine Bible says but Satan hashindered us and so they've not
(03:47):
been able to go there.
We were willing to be leftbehind Athens alone and we sent
Timothy, our brother and God'sco-worker in the Gospel of
Christ, to establish and exhortyou in the faith that no one,
that no one, be moved by theseafflictions, for you yourselves
(04:11):
know that we were destined forthis.
So so they're stuck, satan'shindering from going and they've
decided we can't take this anylonger.
We're gonna separate, we'regonna break up the team.
Timothy, you go back, and we'regonna stay here and continue
this work here that clearly Godwants us to do, because we're
not able to leave Satan'shinders and leaving.
(04:32):
So we need to be here.
Timothy, you go back.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
I like how.
I like how my verse Well, likesecond half of two here in verse
three read we sent him tostrengthen you, to encourage you
in faith and to keep you frombeing shaken by the troubles you
were going through.
But you know that we aredestined for such troubles.
Um, it's just a.
There's a good reminder therethat will be.
(04:55):
In a Christian, being a Christfollower Isn't gonna be
trouble-free.
Like in this letter.
Paul's saying Satan's hinderingus and then he's sending
Timothy ahead the Thessalonia Toencourage them because they're
facing troubles like there'sgonna be troubles, and and you
look at the world today and youcan't tell me there's not
(05:18):
troubles, right?
Like, yeah, we've got multiplewars going and all kinds of fun
stuff.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Well, I feel like, as Christians in, let's say, the
Western world, in America, we'rein America, christianity we're,
so it's.
It's so easy to be a Christian.
Here now it's not.
You can be persecuted on socialmedia, whatever, but in places
like China and stuff, you candie for it.
And that's probably whatthey're experiencing here.
(05:45):
Back then, like the Romans andall these cultures that they're
going through, even the Jews arenot allowing, don't want them.
We talked, I think, last weekor maybe the week before.
Paul was a Pharisee ofPharisees.
He was rounding Christians uplike that's what they were
experiencing and to think, likeyou were saying, now, christians
go through stuff.
But sometimes I think, oh, I'ma Christian, now Life's gonna be
(06:09):
easy and perfect now.
Yeah and it's actually Not, andit never says anywhere in the
Bible that's going to be easyRight.
And if you look at the, the, ifyou look at Christians before
you, if Paul and Peter and Jesushimself went through trials,
what makes you think you're notgoing to go through some trials?
Because I'm Aaron becauseyou're Aaron Apple.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
But no, there's definitely Trials.
You're constantly I feel like Ifight your fleshly desires
right, that's the biggeststruggle.
But then you look at sayingyou're in China like you're not
only fighting your fleshlydesires, but you're you got to
have a watchful eye and how yougo out living out your religion.
(06:54):
It's difficult, I would think.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Yeah, and, and this is something Paul writes,
continuing on here he writes andhe's saying this is going to
happen.
The end of verse 3 there.
For you yourselves know that wewere destined in this verse 4
For when we were with you, wekept telling you beforehand that
we were going to sufferafflictions, just as it has come
to pass and just as you know.
(07:19):
For this reason, when I couldbear it no longer, I sent learn.
I sent to learn about yourfaith, for fear somehow the
tempter had tempted you and ourlabor would be in vain.
So he's saying hey, rememberwhen I was there, I told you
we're gonna, we're gonnastruggle and I'm writing here we
are, we're struggling for the,for the gospel.
This is not easy.
(07:40):
People.
The world Doesn't want to hearthe gospel.
They don't like the gospelbecause it's not.
It doesn't feel good.
All right because you need todie to yourself.
And and Paul knows this,timothy knows this, peter knows
this there are going to be strip.
We're going to be persecuted.
And here we go when we're atnow we're being persecuted.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
You are and I am Paul , saying I'm being persecuted
right now, and you are too, andthat's why we had to divide and
I sent Timothy and then here inverse 6.
But now Timothy has justreturned, bringing us good news
about your faith and love.
He reports that you alwaysremember our visits with joy and
and that you want to see us asmuch as we want to see you.
(08:24):
So at this point now, timothy'sback right and he's come with
good news that Thessalonians you, they're living this out to the
best of their ability, eventhough they're in the midst of
struggles.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Yeah, and that's an encouragement, Paul saying
that's so encouraging we talkedabout it earlier in the study of
Thessalonians like what we'rehearing coming from you is such
an encouragement.
And now we've sent Timothy andhe's come back firsthand and
said, yes, they're getting itright.
Because in verse 5 there, hey,I'm worried that the tempter has
tempted you and our labor to bein vain.
(08:55):
I'm worried that the strugglesare gonna be enough that you say
we can't do it anymore.
We're going back to our idolsremember, this was an idol
community.
Yeah, we've been tempted enoughthat and we've given in.
And now All the work Paul andTimothy and those guys had done
when they were there is in vain.
And Timothy's coming back andhe's saying, no, yes, they're
(09:15):
being struggle, they'restruggling, yes, they're being
tempted, but they're stayingstrong in it.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Yeah, and I think you can.
You can take that kind oftemptation all the way back to
the Israel lights when they'regoing through the wilderness,
Right, like they would go awhile doing really good.
And then it was like you knowwhat man?
It'd be a lot easier just goback and be a slave.
Yeah, it should be a lot easier.
If God didn't provide us mannaevery day and we could.
We could go back.
Even though God was giving thema Miracle every day, they were
(09:40):
still like you know.
It would be easier to not be aChristian and following God.
I could go back to being aslave and not eating manna every
day.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
But the Israelites continued and it was suffering
and think about wandering in thedesert wilderness for 40 years.
Only Only Caleb and Joshua werethe two out of that whole
generation that got to see thepromised land.
Yeah, moses didn't get to seeit and that was partly because
of their sin, but they continueto press forward.
They continue to trust in God.
Yes, they were tempted andsometimes they fell off, but
(10:12):
they got back on and Paul hereis writing Hi Timothy's telling
me, you've done well and you'redoing great and it's and it's
encouraging to him.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
I think, the one thing to remember about the
Israelites and one of ourearlier studies.
We talked about it, but it waslike a two-week hike to get to
the promised land, but it tookthem 40 years, yeah.
So sometimes I think we got toremember that our struggles
aren't going to just vanishright, like sometimes these
struggles are gonna stick aroundfor a little bit, but we got to
(10:41):
be faithful, like Paul'sdescribing and Timothy reporting
back to him, that we got toremain strong in our faith,
which I think is where verse 7is gonna take us right.
So we have been greatlyencouraged in the midst of our
troubles and our suffering, dearbrothers and sisters, because
you have remained Strong in yourfaith.
(11:02):
It gives us new life to knowthat you are standing firm in
the Lord, that there's justthat's a good reminder to us
when these struggles come about,no matter where you're at.
Like God calls for you to standfirm, to stand firm in his word
and Not to flee from yourtroubles, but you're gonna.
(11:22):
You're gonna have troubles, butyou are to stand firm in the
Lord.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
I think the other thing reading, listening, you
read that is how encouraging itwas for Paul and Timothy and his
group to hear the testimony ofwhat was going on, and I think
that's one of the things we'vedone several episodes like that.
If you haven't, if you're anewer listener, I haven't done
in a while go back, try to findthe special edition episodes
(11:49):
that we did, where we did sometestimonies but and I know we've
talked about doing that beforebut how encouraging it is to
hear someone.
Man, I was going through thistrial and God has helped me come
through the other side.
Or I found God in the trial andno, it's not perfect, but this
is how God's moving in my lifenow and I can see it and it's
fruitful.
It's not perfect, I'm stillstruggling, but it's, it's
(12:09):
becoming fruitful and that'ssomething I think.
Hearing people's testimonies isjust an encouragement.
Okay, I am not the only one inthe struggle, be, I'm not the
only one struggling Period andsee, it's just an encouragement
that there is light at the endof the tunnel.
So to say no.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
I think that's.
I think that's really good andI sometimes with our struggles.
I think if you look closeenough, god provides you with
people that have either Are inthat same struggle or have been
through that same struggle.
We often talk about do a Mondaynight Bible study.
In this last Monday, beforerecording this episode, there's
(12:46):
four of us and, without knowingit, like we had, we all had Very
similar struggle.
Some one guy is in the midst ofit and the struggle revolves
around her kind of around herkids.
One guy have just gotten out ofit, another guy had been out of
(13:07):
it for about a year and Anotherguy has kids, are a little bit
older, but he's kind of it'salmost entering it to a certain
degree, coming out of it andentering it and Just where we
were in the Bible and what wewere talking about, like it was
interesting to sit around thereand like man, we're all sitting
here and we all have basicallythe same struggle or have been
(13:30):
through.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Well, this guy was currently struggling with yeah,
I Think that points to the factthat we're not supposed to life
alone.
Yeah not supposed to thisChristian walk alone.
And I'm not just talking hey,we need to go on church on
Sunday.
Yes, that's good.
Yes, we should be doing that ascorporately.
But like we stuck, like yousaid, the Monday night Bible
study it's a small group of guys.
(13:52):
You read through scripture,just like we're doing here on
this podcast.
That that can't fire atmospherein the fall.
Sit around, can't fire.
Going through God's word,realizing, hey, what they're
talking about in the scriptureI'm dealing with and doing life
together and how encouragingthat is.
I think that points to Kind oflike what we're trying to do
here in the podcast open yourBible with someone else and read
(14:14):
it.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Erin and I don't even have the same version of the
Bible.
Your nlt, I'm ESV or die, itdoesn't matter, as long as it's
a good translate translation andit's not Bad translation, but
that also sometimes differentwords spark different thoughts
and ideas about it and Comeacross in different ways in
(14:35):
different seasons of life too.
Yeah, and so we encourage youhere as a two-fish community
Don't just listen to thispodcast.
Open your Bible up, findsomeone to do it with and and
read it together and study ittogether.
You might not have all theanswers, but when you do that it
helps so much.
Bring it alive.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Well, you can, even we can even look at this like
Paul was was in the midst ofstruggle, satan's hindering him
from going back to them, right,so he says you know what, screw
you, satan.
I'm gonna send Timothy,timothy's gonna go check on them
.
You're not gonna allow me toget there.
I got my brother Timothy overhere, who I trust and I know can
go in, and and he can do thisfor me and Timothy comes back
(15:15):
with that good report whichencourages Paul.
Yeah, and this is one of Paul'searlier letters, so this is some
of his first time doing some ofthis ministry, right, and yeah,
so I Imagine Satan's fightingthem pretty, pretty heavily to
get this ball rolling.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
But Paul has people around him and he says, you know
, screw you, I'm gonna sendTimothy in yeah, if I can't do
it, we're gonna find a way toget it done right for summer
nine.
For what Thanksgiving?
Can we return to God for you,for all the joy that we feel for
your sake before our God, as wepray most earnestly night and
day that we may see you face toface and supply what is lacking
(15:57):
in your faith?
Your version is crazy.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
This is why we read out two different versions to
fish community, my verse ninehow we thank God for you.
Because of you, we have greatjoy as we enter God's presence
night and day.
We pray earnestly for you,asking God to let us see you
again, to fill the gaps in yourfaith to fill the gaps in your
Faith.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
That's good.
Exactly what we're just saying.
There are gonna be times inyour life where you need the
brother or a sister to step inwith you and and help fill that
gap.
Help encourage you where youneed encouraged.
Help you Keep you accountablewhere you need to be kept
accountable.
Help point things out thatyou're blinded yourself to see.
To strengthen your faith.
That's so good.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
Verse 11 goes on May God, our Father, and our Lord
Jesus bring us to you very soon,and may the Lord make your love
for one another and for allpeople grow and overflow, just
as our love for you overflows.
May he, as a result, make yourheart strong, blameless and holy
(17:02):
as you stand before God, ourFather, when our Lord Jesus
comes again with all His holypeople.
Amen.
So in this little section here,paul's saying you know what?
We got great news from Timothy,but it's still my desire to
come and see you.
I have more to teach you.
I have more to share with you.
Here in verse 13 is more of aprayer.
(17:24):
May he, as a result, make yourheart strong, blameless and holy
as you stand before God, ourFather, when our Lord Jesus
comes again.
It almost sounds more like aprayer for them, like I can't be
there right now, but I want Godto protect you, to guard your
hearts, to help make you ablameless society and blameless
(17:48):
people, and to be holy likeJesus was.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Yeah, that's good and , I think, self-reflecting when
you say, hey, I want you to beblameless and holy, that makes
me self-reflect and go, whoa,okay, blameless and holy.
I'm not even close to thatsometimes.
You know, a lot of the times,blameless and holy, like that's
something that we, that's partof that sanctification You're
saved and then you're sanctifiedand that's kind of the journey
(18:13):
of Christianity is becoming morelike Jesus, becoming closer to
being blameless and holy.
Not one of us is, but that'sthe goal.
Makes me laugh.
Just recently my son was goingto a Wednesday night church
program and it was like.
Nihonde at school and he had themost mixed match clothing and
if you know my son, it's hispersonality Like he is, he's a
(18:38):
goofball.
But I'm like you're not wearingthat to church and he's like,
why not?
And I laughed and I said Jesuswas there.
Is that how you want to meethim?
Looking like?
Speaker 2 (18:47):
that, oh, that's terrible.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
And he's like yeah, that's fine, that's the best
answer ever.
And it was, and it doesn'tmatter.
And my wife's, like Jesus ishere right now, like he's not.
That's not the point, but it's.
It's that self-reflecting andsaying am I, am I, am I right?
Am I, am I blameless and holywhen I meet Jesus?
(19:15):
It's that.
Am I living a holy life?
Am I trying?
I'm not going to be perfect,but I'm striving to live
blameless and holy when I meetGod.
And that's what Paul's like yousaid, praying, I mean I'm
praying for you guys.
Continue this fight against thestruggle, continue the fight
against temptation.
You guys are doing amazingthrough the struggle.
Keep it going so that God cansay man, look at this.
(19:37):
Jesus can say to God look at myblameless and holy servant,
aaron.
Yeah, nick, joe, two fishcommunity.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
I think I think that's really good.
I mean, it brings me back up tolike verse 12 there it says may
the Lord make your love for oneanother and for all people grow
and overflow.
As you look at your, yourhearts and and being blameless
and holy like that's often astruggle Do you, do you love
your brothers and sisters andChrist and then take it a step
(20:09):
further Do you love all people,which is really hard.
Do you love your neighbor?
Right?
Do you even know your neighbor?
There's another question, likewe've.
We've challenged our ourselveswith and you as a two fish
community challenge you withthat in the past.
I think Paul's putting out aprayer for them here, but it's
also challenging if you sit onthat and you look at it and
(20:32):
you're like man.
Am I blameless and my holy, myguarding my heart?
Is my heart strong for the Lord?
Like, where is my faith andwhat am I doing and my loving
others through this process?
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Yeah, that's good.
I think that's a greatchallenge.
Go back, read this foryourselves this week, Think
about those things, meditate onthose challenges and see.
See if there's anything God'ssaying hey, this might be an
area we need to work on there.
Loving your neighbor lovingthat person you don't like
loving the coworker showing loveto them.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
I think I think it's really good segue into, like the
heading of mine next week, aswe dive into chapter four, is
live to please God.
Like you're kind of sittinghere like where's Paul going
with this?
Like he's kind of throwing achallenge and a prayer, but the
next section begins with live toplease God.
So he starts out with thisprayer here and then we're going
(21:28):
to dive into how we should beliving to please God next week.
Welcome back to the to fish podcast.
My name is Nick, I'm Aaron andthis week we're continuing our
studies and first Thessalonians,going to chapter three, talking
about 10 of these encouragingreport.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
That's right to fish community.
We are back in firstThessalonians, chapter three
this week.
But speaking of encouragingreports, nick and I just want to
check in with you guys, see howyou're doing.
We're doing good and, as youcan tell, we have been a little
bit more consistent recently.
We have, so our schedules havebetter aligned and some kids
(00:37):
activities had slowed down alittle bit.
But yeah, things are going goodfor us, and what was
encouraging for you right now,nick?
I?
Speaker 1 (00:49):
was not ready for that question.
What is encouraging to me thispodcast?
I mean, like you said, we'vebeen more consistent and we've
continued to see God grow thepodcast and that's thanks to you
guys, the to fish community,and I feel like we haven't done
this in a while, so I'm going todo it here.
It take a second.
Wherever you're listening tothis, pause it, pause this
(01:12):
episode and click the subscribe,the like, the five star review
buttons for us, because thatreally does.
I feel like every YouTube videoI ever see or every podcast I
ever listen to.
They always say that, but whenyou're in the industry of
podcasting, it does make adifference for algorithms and
getting this message, what we'redoing, the message of Jesus out
(01:33):
to more people.
So please just take a second.
Pause it, hit the five starreview, hit the like or
subscribe button.
That way, as we're back on amore consistent track, you'll be
more consistent to be able totune in to what we feel
scripture saying as we're goingthrough this Bible.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Yeah, that's great.
The other thing you can gocheck out our website to fish
podcastcom and on there now wehave a link to sign up for a
daily devotional.
That comes from a friend herelocally, dwayne Yoder does a
daily devotional and has acouple of dad jokes in there,
but it's really good devotional.
You can click on that and signup for it and he'll send you an
(02:15):
email every morning and I get aget a daily devotional.
It's been an encouraging thingfor me.
Yeah, over the last couple ofmonths I've been trying to read
them and get a chuckle out ofthe dad jokes and he let us put
that on the website.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
So go again, that's to fish podcastcom and go sign
up for that.
All right, so this week again,first Thessalonians, we're going
to continue the story andreally, so far, so so far,
basically this book, and we can,and we say it all the time when
the writers are writing theBible, they're not, they're
writing letters, they're notnecessarily writing as a book
(02:50):
like we read it today.
So I feel like this, and lotsof times there's breaks in what
they're saying, but this one, Ifeel like so far has just been a
very continuous letter.
I feel like you could pull thechapter one, chapter two,
chapter three out so far and itwould read like one fluid letter
.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Yeah, I would actually say this section is
divided weird.
So the verse 17 and chapter twoshould actually been the start
of chapter three.
Yeah, because it's acontinuation of Timothy's good
report.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Yeah, chapter three, verse one, starts therefore Well
, that word right there meansbecause of what I just got done,
saying now this and, like yousaid, if we go back, chapter 17,
verse 17, paul saying hey,we've wanted to come back to you
guys because we hearing allthis amazing stuff and we want
to come back to that, but wecan't.
Mine Bible says but Satan hashindered us and so they've not
(03:47):
been able to go there.
We were willing to be leftbehind Athens alone and we sent
Timothy, our brother and God'sco-worker in the Gospel of
Christ, to establish and exhortyou in the faith that no one,
that no one, be moved by theseafflictions, for you yourselves
(04:11):
know that we were destined forthis.
So so they're stuck, satan'shindering from going and they've
decided we can't take this anylonger.
We're gonna separate, we'regonna break up the team.
Timothy, you go back, and we'regonna stay here and continue
this work here that clearly Godwants us to do, because we're
not able to leave Satan'shinders and leaving.
(04:32):
So we need to be here.
Timothy, you go back.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
I like how.
I like how my verse Well, likesecond half of two here in verse
three read we sent him tostrengthen you, to encourage you
in faith and to keep you frombeing shaken by the troubles you
were going through.
But you know that we aredestined for such troubles.
Um, it's just a.
There's a good reminder therethat will be.
(04:55):
In a Christian, being a Christfollower Isn't gonna be
trouble-free.
Like in this letter.
Paul's saying Satan's hinderingus and then he's sending
Timothy ahead the Thessalonia Toencourage them because they're
facing troubles like there'sgonna be troubles, and and you
look at the world today and youcan't tell me there's not
(05:18):
troubles, right?
Like, yeah, we've got multiplewars going and all kinds of fun
stuff.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
Well, I feel like, as Christians in, let's say, the
Western world, in America, we'rein America, christianity we're,
so it's.
It's so easy to be a Christian.
Here now it's not.
You can be persecuted on socialmedia, whatever, but in places
like China and stuff, you candie for it.
And that's probably whatthey're experiencing here.
(05:45):
Back then, like the Romans andall these cultures that they're
going through, even the Jews arenot allowing, don't want them.
We talked, I think, last weekor maybe the week before.
Paul was a Pharisee ofPharisees.
He was rounding Christians uplike that's what they were
experiencing and to think, likeyou were saying, now, christians
go through stuff.
But sometimes I think, oh, I'ma Christian, now Life's gonna be
(06:09):
easy and perfect now.
Yeah and it's actually Not, andit never says anywhere in the
Bible that's going to be easyRight.
And if you look at the, the, ifyou look at Christians before
you, if Paul and Peter and Jesushimself went through trials,
what makes you think you're notgoing to go through some trials?
Because I'm Aaron becauseyou're Aaron Apple.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
But no, there's definitely Trials.
You're constantly I feel like Ifight your fleshly desires
right, that's the biggeststruggle.
But then you look at sayingyou're in China like you're not
only fighting your fleshlydesires, but you're you got to
have a watchful eye and how yougo out living out your religion.
(06:54):
It's difficult, I would think.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Yeah, and, and this is something Paul writes,
continuing on here he writes andhe's saying this is going to
happen.
The end of verse 3 there.
For you yourselves know that wewere destined in this verse 4
For when we were with you, wekept telling you beforehand that
we were going to sufferafflictions, just as it has come
to pass and just as you know.
(07:19):
For this reason, when I couldbear it no longer, I sent learn.
I sent to learn about yourfaith, for fear somehow the
tempter had tempted you and ourlabor would be in vain.
So he's saying hey, rememberwhen I was there, I told you
we're gonna, we're gonnastruggle and I'm writing here we
are, we're struggling for the,for the gospel.
This is not easy.
(07:40):
People.
The world Doesn't want to hearthe gospel.
They don't like the gospelbecause it's not.
It doesn't feel good.
All right because you need todie to yourself.
And and Paul knows this,timothy knows this, peter knows
this there are going to be strip.
We're going to be persecuted.
And here we go when we're atnow we're being persecuted.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
You are and I am Paul , saying I'm being persecuted
right now, and you are too, andthat's why we had to divide and
I sent Timothy and then here inverse 6.
But now Timothy has justreturned, bringing us good news
about your faith and love.
He reports that you alwaysremember our visits with joy and
and that you want to see us asmuch as we want to see you.
(08:24):
So at this point now, timothy'sback right and he's come with
good news that Thessalonians you, they're living this out to the
best of their ability, eventhough they're in the midst of
struggles.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Yeah, and that's an encouragement, Paul saying
that's so encouraging we talkedabout it earlier in the study of
Thessalonians like what we'rehearing coming from you is such
an encouragement.
And now we've sent Timothy andhe's come back firsthand and
said, yes, they're getting itright.
Because in verse 5 there, hey,I'm worried that the tempter has
tempted you and our labor to bein vain.
(08:55):
I'm worried that the strugglesare gonna be enough that you say
we can't do it anymore.
We're going back to our idolsremember, this was an idol
community.
Yeah, we've been tempted enoughthat and we've given in.
And now All the work Paul andTimothy and those guys had done
when they were there is in vain.
And Timothy's coming back andhe's saying, no, yes, they're
(09:15):
being struggle, they'restruggling, yes, they're being
tempted, but they're stayingstrong in it.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Yeah, and I think you can.
You can take that kind oftemptation all the way back to
the Israel lights when they'regoing through the wilderness,
Right, like they would go awhile doing really good.
And then it was like you knowwhat man?
It'd be a lot easier just goback and be a slave.
Yeah, it should be a lot easier.
If God didn't provide us mannaevery day and we could.
We could go back.
Even though God was giving thema Miracle every day, they were
(09:40):
still like you know.
It would be easier to not be aChristian and following God.
I could go back to being aslave and not eating manna every
day.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
But the Israelites continued and it was suffering
and think about wandering in thedesert wilderness for 40 years.
Only Only Caleb and Joshua werethe two out of that whole
generation that got to see thepromised land.
Yeah, moses didn't get to seeit and that was partly because
of their sin, but they continueto press forward.
They continue to trust in God.
Yes, they were tempted andsometimes they fell off, but
(10:12):
they got back on and Paul hereis writing Hi Timothy's telling
me, you've done well and you'redoing great and it's and it's
encouraging to him.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
I think, the one thing to remember about the
Israelites and one of ourearlier studies.
We talked about it, but it waslike a two-week hike to get to
the promised land, but it tookthem 40 years, yeah.
So sometimes I think we got toremember that our struggles
aren't going to just vanishright, like sometimes these
struggles are gonna stick aroundfor a little bit, but we got to
(10:41):
be faithful, like Paul'sdescribing and Timothy reporting
back to him, that we got toremain strong in our faith,
which I think is where verse 7is gonna take us right.
So we have been greatlyencouraged in the midst of our
troubles and our suffering, dearbrothers and sisters, because
you have remained Strong in yourfaith.
(11:02):
It gives us new life to knowthat you are standing firm in
the Lord, that there's justthat's a good reminder to us
when these struggles come about,no matter where you're at.
Like God calls for you to standfirm, to stand firm in his word
and Not to flee from yourtroubles, but you're gonna.
(11:22):
You're gonna have troubles, butyou are to stand firm in the
Lord.
Speaker 1 (11:26):
I think the other thing reading, listening, you
read that is how encouraging itwas for Paul and Timothy and his
group to hear the testimony ofwhat was going on, and I think
that's one of the things we'vedone several episodes like that.
If you haven't, if you're anewer listener, I haven't done
in a while go back, try to findthe special edition episodes
(11:49):
that we did, where we did sometestimonies but and I know we've
talked about doing that beforebut how encouraging it is to
hear someone.
Man, I was going through thistrial and God has helped me come
through the other side.
Or I found God in the trial andno, it's not perfect, but this
is how God's moving in my lifenow and I can see it and it's
fruitful.
It's not perfect, I'm stillstruggling, but it's, it's
(12:09):
becoming fruitful and that'ssomething I think.
Hearing people's testimonies isjust an encouragement.
Okay, I am not the only one inthe struggle, be, I'm not the
only one struggling Period andsee, it's just an encouragement
that there is light at the endof the tunnel.
So to say no.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
I think that's.
I think that's really good andI sometimes with our struggles.
I think if you look closeenough, god provides you with
people that have either Are inthat same struggle or have been
through that same struggle.
We often talk about do a Mondaynight Bible study.
In this last Monday, beforerecording this episode, there's
(12:46):
four of us and, without knowingit, like we had, we all had Very
similar struggle.
Some one guy is in the midst ofit and the struggle revolves
around her kind of around herkids.
One guy have just gotten out ofit, another guy had been out of
(13:07):
it for about a year and Anotherguy has kids, are a little bit
older, but he's kind of it'salmost entering it to a certain
degree, coming out of it andentering it and Just where we
were in the Bible and what wewere talking about, like it was
interesting to sit around thereand like man, we're all sitting
here and we all have basicallythe same struggle or have been
(13:30):
through.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Well, this guy was currently struggling with yeah,
I Think that points to the factthat we're not supposed to life
alone.
Yeah not supposed to thisChristian walk alone.
And I'm not just talking hey,we need to go on church on
Sunday.
Yes, that's good.
Yes, we should be doing that ascorporately.
But like we stuck, like yousaid, the Monday night Bible
study it's a small group of guys.
(13:52):
You read through scripture,just like we're doing here on
this podcast.
That that can't fire atmospherein the fall.
Sit around, can't fire.
Going through God's word,realizing, hey, what they're
talking about in the scriptureI'm dealing with and doing life
together and how encouragingthat is.
I think that points to Kind oflike what we're trying to do
here in the podcast open yourBible with someone else and read
(14:14):
it.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Erin and I don't even have the same version of the
Bible.
Your nlt, I'm ESV or die, itdoesn't matter, as long as it's
a good translate translation andit's not Bad translation, but
that also sometimes differentwords spark different thoughts
and ideas about it and Comeacross in different ways in
(14:35):
different seasons of life too.
Yeah, and so we encourage youhere as a two-fish community
Don't just listen to thispodcast.
Open your Bible up, findsomeone to do it with and and
read it together and study ittogether.
You might not have all theanswers, but when you do that it
helps so much.
Bring it alive.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Well, you can, even we can even look at this like
Paul was was in the midst ofstruggle, satan's hindering him
from going back to them, right,so he says you know what, screw
you, satan.
I'm gonna send Timothy,timothy's gonna go check on them
.
You're not gonna allow me toget there.
I got my brother Timothy overhere, who I trust and I know can
go in, and and he can do thisfor me and Timothy comes back
(15:15):
with that good report whichencourages Paul.
Yeah, and this is one of Paul'searlier letters, so this is some
of his first time doing some ofthis ministry, right, and yeah,
so I Imagine Satan's fightingthem pretty, pretty heavily to
get this ball rolling.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
But Paul has people around him and he says, you know
, screw you, I'm gonna sendTimothy in yeah, if I can't do
it, we're gonna find a way toget it done right for summer
nine.
For what Thanksgiving?
Can we return to God for you,for all the joy that we feel for
your sake before our God, as wepray most earnestly night and
day that we may see you face toface and supply what is lacking
(15:57):
in your faith?
Your version is crazy.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
This is why we read out two different versions to
fish community, my verse ninehow we thank God for you.
Because of you, we have greatjoy as we enter God's presence
night and day.
We pray earnestly for you,asking God to let us see you
again, to fill the gaps in yourfaith to fill the gaps in your
Faith.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
That's good.
Exactly what we're just saying.
There are gonna be times inyour life where you need the
brother or a sister to step inwith you and and help fill that
gap.
Help encourage you where youneed encouraged.
Help you Keep you accountablewhere you need to be kept
accountable.
Help point things out thatyou're blinded yourself to see.
To strengthen your faith.
That's so good.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
Verse 11 goes on May God, our Father, and our Lord
Jesus bring us to you very soon,and may the Lord make your love
for one another and for allpeople grow and overflow, just
as our love for you overflows.
May he, as a result, make yourheart strong, blameless and holy
(17:02):
as you stand before God, ourFather, when our Lord Jesus
comes again with all His holypeople.
Amen.
So in this little section here,paul's saying you know what?
We got great news from Timothy,but it's still my desire to
come and see you.
I have more to teach you.
I have more to share with you.
Here in verse 13 is more of aprayer.
(17:24):
May he, as a result, make yourheart strong, blameless and holy
as you stand before God, ourFather, when our Lord Jesus
comes again.
It almost sounds more like aprayer for them, like I can't be
there right now, but I want Godto protect you, to guard your
hearts, to help make you ablameless society and blameless
(17:48):
people, and to be holy likeJesus was.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Yeah, that's good and , I think, self-reflecting when
you say, hey, I want you to beblameless and holy, that makes
me self-reflect and go, whoa,okay, blameless and holy.
I'm not even close to thatsometimes.
You know, a lot of the times,blameless and holy, like that's
something that we, that's partof that sanctification You're
saved and then you're sanctifiedand that's kind of the journey
(18:13):
of Christianity is becoming morelike Jesus, becoming closer to
being blameless and holy.
Not one of us is, but that'sthe goal.
Makes me laugh.
Just recently my son was goingto a Wednesday night church
program and it was like.
Nihonde at school and he had themost mixed match clothing and
if you know my son, it's hispersonality Like he is, he's a
(18:38):
goofball.
But I'm like you're not wearingthat to church and he's like,
why not?
And I laughed and I said Jesuswas there.
Is that how you want to meethim?
Looking like?
Speaker 2 (18:47):
that, oh, that's terrible.
Speaker 1 (18:52):
And he's like yeah, that's fine, that's the best
answer ever.
And it was, and it doesn'tmatter.
And my wife's, like Jesus ishere right now, like he's not.
That's not the point, but it's.
It's that self-reflecting andsaying am I, am I, am I right?
Am I, am I blameless and holywhen I meet Jesus?
(19:15):
It's that.
Am I living a holy life?
Am I trying?
I'm not going to be perfect,but I'm striving to live
blameless and holy when I meetGod.
And that's what Paul's like yousaid, praying, I mean I'm
praying for you guys.
Continue this fight against thestruggle, continue the fight
against temptation.
You guys are doing amazingthrough the struggle.
Keep it going so that God cansay man, look at this.
(19:37):
Jesus can say to God look at myblameless and holy servant,
aaron.
Yeah, nick, joe, two fishcommunity.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
I think I think that's really good.
I mean, it brings me back up tolike verse 12 there it says may
the Lord make your love for oneanother and for all people grow
and overflow.
As you look at your, yourhearts and and being blameless
and holy like that's often astruggle Do you, do you love
your brothers and sisters andChrist and then take it a step
(20:09):
further Do you love all people,which is really hard.
Do you love your neighbor?
Right?
Do you even know your neighbor?
There's another question, likewe've.
We've challenged our ourselveswith and you as a two fish
community challenge you withthat in the past.
I think Paul's putting out aprayer for them here, but it's
also challenging if you sit onthat and you look at it and
(20:32):
you're like man.
Am I blameless and my holy, myguarding my heart?
Is my heart strong for the Lord?
Like, where is my faith andwhat am I doing and my loving
others through this process?
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Yeah, that's good.
I think that's a greatchallenge.
Go back, read this foryourselves this week, Think
about those things, meditate onthose challenges and see.
See if there's anything God'ssaying hey, this might be an
area we need to work on there.
Loving your neighbor lovingthat person you don't like
loving the coworker showing loveto them.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
I think I think it's really good segue into, like the
heading of mine next week, aswe dive into chapter four, is
live to please God.
Like you're kind of sittinghere like where's Paul going
with this?
Like he's kind of throwing achallenge and a prayer, but the
next section begins with live toplease God.
So he starts out with thisprayer here and then we're going
(21:28):
to dive into how we should beliving to please God next week.
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