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.
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.
Welcome back to the to fish podcast. My name is Nick, I'm Aaron and this week we're continuing our studies and first Thessalonians, going to chapter three, talking about 10 of these encouraging report.
Speaker 2:That's right to fish community. We are back in first Thessalonians, chapter three this week. But speaking of encouraging reports, nick and I just want to check in with you guys, see how you're doing. We're doing good and, as you can tell, we have been a little bit more consistent recently. We have, so our schedules have better aligned and some kids activities had slowed down a little bit. But yeah, things are going good for us, and what was encouraging for you right now, nick? I?
Speaker 1:was not ready for that question. What is encouraging to me this podcast? I mean, like you said, we've been more consistent and we've continued to see God grow the podcast 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 to do it here. It take a second. Wherever you're listening to this, pause it, pause this episode and click the subscribe, the like, the five star review buttons for us, because that really does. I feel like every YouTube video I ever see or every podcast I ever listen to. They always say that, but when you're in the industry of podcasting, it does make a difference for algorithms and getting this message, what we're doing, the message of Jesus out to more people. So please just take a second. Pause it, hit the five star review, hit the like or subscribe button. That way, as we're back on a more consistent track, you'll be more consistent to be able to tune in to what we feel scripture saying as we're going through this Bible.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's great. The other thing you can go check out our website to fish podcastcom and on there now we have a link to sign up for a daily devotional. That comes from a friend here locally, dwayne Yoder does a daily devotional and has a couple of dad jokes in there, but it's really good devotional. You can click on that and sign up for it and he'll send you an email every morning and I get a get a daily devotional. It's been an encouraging thing for me. Yeah, over the last couple of months I've been trying to read them and get a chuckle out of the dad jokes and he let us put that on the website.
Speaker 1: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 and really, so far, so so far, basically this book, and we can, and we say it all the time when the writers are writing the Bible, they're not, they're writing letters, they're not necessarily writing as a book like we read it today. So I feel like this, and lots of times there's breaks in what they're saying, but this one, I feel like so far has just been a very continuous letter. I feel like you could pull the chapter one, chapter two, chapter three out so far and it would read like one fluid letter.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I would actually say this section is divided weird. So the verse 17 and chapter two should actually been the start of chapter three. Yeah, because it's a continuation of Timothy's good report.
Speaker 1:Yeah, chapter three, verse one, starts therefore Well, that word right there means because of what I just got done, saying now this and, like you said, if we go back, chapter 17, verse 17, paul saying hey, we've wanted to come back to you guys because we hearing all this amazing stuff and we want to come back to that, but we can't. Mine Bible says but Satan has hindered us and so they've not been able to go there. We were willing to be left behind Athens alone and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's co-worker in the Gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in the faith that no one, that no one, be moved by these afflictions, for you yourselves know that we were destined for this. So so they're stuck, satan's hindering from going and they've decided we can't take this any longer. We're gonna separate, we're gonna break up the team.
Speaker 1:Timothy, you go back, and we're gonna stay here and continue this work here that clearly God wants us to do, because we're not able to leave Satan's hinders and leaving. So we need to be here. Timothy, you go back.
Speaker 2:I like how. I like how my verse Well, like second half of two here in verse three read we sent him to strengthen you, to encourage you in faith and to keep you from being shaken by the troubles you were going through. But you know that we are destined for such troubles. Um, it's just a. There's a good reminder there that will be. In a Christian, being a Christ follower Isn't gonna be trouble-free. Like in this letter. Paul's saying Satan's hindering us and then he's sending Timothy ahead the Thessalonia To encourage them because they're facing troubles like there's gonna be troubles, and and you look at the world today and you can't tell me there's not troubles, right?
Speaker 2:Like, yeah, we've got multiple wars going and all kinds of fun stuff.
Speaker 1:Well, I feel like, as Christians in, let's say, the Western world, in America, we're in 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 social media, whatever, but in places like China and stuff, you can die for it. And that's probably what they're experiencing here. Back then, like the Romans and all these cultures that they're going through, even the Jews are not allowing, don't want them. We talked, I think, last week or maybe the week before. Paul was a Pharisee of Pharisees. He was rounding Christians up like that's what they were experiencing and to think, like you were saying, now, christians go through stuff. But sometimes I think, oh, I'm a Christian, now Life's gonna be easy and perfect now.
Speaker 1:Yeah and it's actually Not, and it never says anywhere in the Bible that's going to be easy Right. And if you look at the, the, if you look at Christians before you, if Paul and Peter and Jesus himself went through trials, what makes you think you're not going to go through some trials? Because I'm Aaron because you're Aaron Apple.
Speaker 2:But no, there's definitely Trials. You're constantly I feel like I fight your fleshly desires right, that's the biggest struggle. But then you look at saying you're in China like you're not only fighting your fleshly desires, but you're you got to have a watchful eye and how you go out living out your religion. It's difficult, I would think.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and, and this is something Paul writes, continuing on here he writes and he's saying this is going to happen. The end of verse 3 there. For you yourselves know that we were destined in this verse 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were going to suffer afflictions, just as it has come to pass and just as you know. For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent learn. I sent to learn about your faith, for fear somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain. So he's saying hey, remember when I was there, I told you we're gonna, we're gonna struggle and I'm writing here we are, we're struggling for the, for the gospel. This is not easy. People. The world Doesn't want to hear the gospel. They don't like the gospel because it's not. It doesn't feel good.
Speaker 1:All right because you need to die 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 at now we're being persecuted.
Speaker 2:You are and I am Paul, saying I'm being persecuted right now, and you are too, and that's why we had to divide and I sent Timothy and then here in verse 6. But now Timothy has just returned, bringing us good news about your faith and love. He reports that you always remember our visits with joy and and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you.
Speaker 2:So at this point now, timothy's back right and he's come with good news that Thessalonians you, they're living this out to the best of their ability, even though they're in the midst of struggles.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's an encouragement, Paul saying that's so encouraging we talked about it earlier in the study of Thessalonians like what we're hearing coming from you is such an encouragement. And now we've sent Timothy and he's come back firsthand and said, yes, they're getting it right. Because in verse 5 there, hey, I'm worried that the tempter has tempted you and our labor to be in vain. I'm worried that the struggles are gonna be enough that you say we can't do it anymore. We're going back to our idols remember, this was an idol community. Yeah, we've been tempted enough that and we've given in. And now All the work Paul and Timothy and those guys had done when they were there is in vain. And Timothy's coming back and he's saying, no, yes, they're being struggle, they're struggling, yes, they're being tempted, but they're staying strong in it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think you can. You can take that kind of temptation all the way back to the Israel lights when they're going through the wilderness, Right, like they would go a while doing really good. And then it was like you know what man? It'd be a lot easier just go back and be a slave. Yeah, it should be a lot easier. If God didn't provide us manna every day and we could. We could go back. Even though God was giving them a Miracle every day, they were still like you know. It would be easier to not be a Christian and following God. I could go back to being a slave and not eating manna every day.
Speaker 1:But the Israelites continued and it was suffering and think about wandering in the desert wilderness for 40 years. Only Only Caleb and Joshua were the two out of that whole generation that got to see the promised land. Yeah, moses didn't get to see it and that was partly because of their sin, but they continue to press forward. They continue to trust in God. Yes, they were tempted and sometimes they fell off, but they got back on and Paul here is writing Hi Timothy's telling me, you've done well and you're doing great and it's and it's encouraging to him.
Speaker 2:I think, the one thing to remember about the Israelites and one of our earlier studies.
Speaker 2:We talked about it, but it was like a two-week hike to get to the promised land, but it took them 40 years, yeah. So sometimes I think we got to remember that our struggles aren't going to just vanish right, like sometimes these struggles are gonna stick around for a little bit, but we got to be faithful, like Paul's describing and Timothy reporting back to him, that we got to remain strong in our faith, which I think is where verse 7 is gonna take us right. So we have been greatly encouraged in the midst of our troubles and our suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained Strong in your faith. It gives us new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord, that there's just that's a good reminder to us when these struggles come about, no matter where you're at. Like God calls for you to stand firm, to stand firm in his word and Not to flee from your troubles, but you're gonna. You're gonna have troubles, but you are to stand firm in the Lord.
Speaker 1:I think the other thing reading, listening, you read that is how encouraging it was for Paul and Timothy and his group to hear the testimony of what was going on, and I think that's one of the things we've done several episodes like that. If you haven't, if you're a newer listener, I haven't done in a while go back, try to find the special edition episodes that we did, where we did some testimonies but and I know we've talked about doing that before but how encouraging it is to hear someone. Man, I was going through this trial and God has helped me come through the other side. Or I found God in the trial and no, it's not perfect, but this is how God's moving in my life now and I can see it and it's fruitful. It's not perfect, I'm still struggling, but it's, it's becoming fruitful and that's something I think.
Speaker 1:Hearing people's testimonies is just an encouragement. Okay, I am not the only one in the struggle, be, I'm not the only one struggling Period and see, it's just an encouragement that there is light at the end of the tunnel. So to say no.
Speaker 2:I think that's. I think that's really good and I sometimes with our struggles. I think if you look close enough, god provides you with people that have either Are in that same struggle or have been through that same struggle. We often talk about do a Monday night Bible study. In this last Monday, before recording this episode, there's four of us and, without knowing it, like we had, we all had Very similar struggle. Some one guy is in the midst of it and the struggle revolves around her kind of around her kids. One guy have just gotten out of it, another guy had been out of it for about a year and Another guy has kids, are a little bit older, but he's kind of it's almost entering it to a certain degree, coming out of it and entering it and Just where we were in the Bible and what we were talking about, like it was interesting to sit around there and like man, we're all sitting here and we all have basically the same struggle or have been through.
Speaker 1:Well, this guy was currently struggling with yeah, I Think that points to the fact that we're not supposed to life alone.
Speaker 1:Yeah not supposed to this Christian 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 as corporately. But like we stuck, like you said, the Monday night Bible study it's a small group of guys. You read through scripture, just like we're doing here on this podcast. That that can't fire atmosphere in the fall. Sit around, can't fire. Going through God's word, realizing, hey, what they're talking about in the scripture I'm dealing with and doing life together and how encouraging that is. I think that points to Kind of like what we're trying to do here in the podcast open your Bible with someone else and read it.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Erin and I don't even have the same version of the Bible. Your nlt, I'm ESV or die, it doesn't matter, as long as it's a good translate translation and it's not Bad translation, but that also sometimes different words spark different thoughts and ideas about it and Come across in different ways in different seasons of life too. Yeah, and so we encourage you here as a two-fish community Don't just listen to this podcast. Open your Bible up, find someone to do it with and and read it together and study it together.
Speaker 1:You might not have all the answers, but when you do that it helps so much. Bring it alive.
Speaker 2:Well, you can, even we can even look at this like Paul was was in the midst of struggle, 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 to get there. I got my brother Timothy over here, who I trust and I know can go in, and and he can do this for me and Timothy comes back with that good report which encourages Paul.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and this is one of Paul's earlier letters, so this is some of his first time doing some of this ministry, right, and yeah, so I Imagine Satan's fighting them pretty, pretty heavily to get this ball rolling.
Speaker 1:But Paul has people around him and he says, you know, screw you, I'm gonna send Timothy in yeah, if I can't do it, we're gonna find a way to get 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 we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith? Your version is crazy.
Speaker 2:This is why we read out two different versions to fish community, my verse nine how we thank God for you. Because of you, we have great joy 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 your faith to fill the gaps in your Faith.
Speaker 1:That's good. Exactly what we're just saying. There are gonna be times in your life where you need the brother or a sister to step in with you and and help fill that gap. Help encourage you where you need encouraged. Help you Keep you accountable where you need to be kept accountable. Help point things out that you're blinded yourself to see. To strengthen your faith. That's so good.
Speaker 2: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 all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. May he, as a result, make your heart strong, blameless and holy as you stand before God, our Father, when our Lord Jesus comes again with all His holy people. 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 a prayer. May he, as a result, make your heart strong, blameless and holy as you stand before God, our Father, when our Lord Jesus comes again. It almost sounds more like a prayer for them, like I can't be there right now, but I want God to protect you, to guard your hearts, to help make you a blameless society and blameless people, and to be holy like Jesus was.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's good and, I think, self-reflecting when you say, hey, I want you to be blameless and holy, that makes me self-reflect and go, whoa, okay, blameless and holy. I'm not even close to that sometimes. You know, a lot of the times, blameless and holy, like that's something that we, that's part of that sanctification You're saved and then you're sanctified and that's kind of the journey of Christianity is becoming more like Jesus, becoming closer to being blameless and holy. Not one of us is, but that's the goal. Makes me laugh. Just recently my son was going to a Wednesday night church program and it was like.
Speaker 1:Nihonde at school and he had the most mixed match clothing and if you know my son, it's his personality Like he is, he's a goofball. But I'm like you're not wearing that to church and he's like, why not? And I laughed and I said Jesus was there. Is that how you want to meet him? Looking like?
Speaker 2:that, oh, that's terrible.
Speaker 1:And he's like yeah, that's fine, that's the best answer ever.
Speaker 1:And it was, and it doesn't matter. And my wife's, like Jesus is here right now, like he's not. That's not the point, but it's. It's that self-reflecting and saying am I, am I, am I right? Am I, am I blameless and holy when I meet Jesus? 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 meet God. And that's what Paul's like you said, praying, I mean I'm praying for you guys. Continue this fight against the struggle, continue the fight against temptation. You guys are doing amazing through the struggle. Keep it going so that God can say man, look at this. Jesus can say to God look at my blameless and holy servant, aaron. Yeah, nick, joe, two fish community.
Speaker 2:I think I think that's really good. I mean, it brings me back up to like verse 12 there it says may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow. As you look at your, your hearts and and being blameless and holy like that's often a struggle Do you, do you love your brothers and sisters and Christ and then take it a step 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, like we've. We've challenged our ourselves with and you as a two fish community challenge you with that in the past. I think Paul's putting out a prayer for them here, but it's also challenging if you sit on that and you look at it and you're like man. Am I blameless and my holy, my guarding my heart? Is my heart strong for the Lord? Like, where is my faith and what am I doing and my loving others through this process?
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's good. I think that's a great challenge. Go back, read this for yourselves this week, Think about those things, meditate on those challenges and see. See if there's anything God's saying hey, this might be an area we need to work on there. Loving your neighbor loving that person you don't like loving the coworker showing love to them.
Speaker 2:I think I think it's really good segue into, like the heading of mine next week, as we dive into chapter four, is live to please God. Like you're kind of sitting here like where's Paul going with this? Like he's kind of throwing a challenge and a prayer, but the next section begins with live to please God. So he starts out with this prayer here and then we're going to dive into how we should be living to please God next week.