How the Church was Nurtured

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A Faithful Steward

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In this chapter we see how Paul looked after the church at Thessalonica and nurtured it with his teachings. He did this four ways, as a faithful steward, as a Gentile mother (nurse), as a concerned father and as a loving brother.

First, let us look at his efforts as a "faithful steward". What is a steward? Webster says it is a person with responsibilities to an employer, to supervise, collect and distribute those things that are entrusted to his care. How did this relate to Paul? God employed Paul. He was responsible to distribute the Gospel which was entrusted to his care. In these verses, Paul said that he did just that. He was approved, by God, to be entrusted with His Word.

Did this job cost Paul anything? Yes, he was persecuted everywhere that he went. He was stoned, wiped and imprisoned, but none of these ever dampened his zeal for the Gospel. Even though he had been badly beaten at Philippi, he still went on to Thessalonica, a distance of about 100 miles, to preach the Gospel.

What motivated Paul to do this? Well it certainly was not done by "mistake" nor was it to somehow get even with the Philippians. He did it because he could do nothing else, he had been entrusted with the Gospel and he would preach it regardless of what it cost him. Also, Paul knew that it pleased God for him to do this, even though it, quite often, did not please man. But Paul certainly did not preach to please man nor to receive his phrase, nor was he seeking vain glory. He preached because he was a faithful steward with that which God had entrusted to him.

Likewise, Paul did not make any demands upon them for his own expenses, even though he felt that as an Apostle, he could have done so, and in fact, deserved it. As a rule, Paul did this everywhere he went. He supported himself by making tents and was a "burden" to no one. He seemed to take great pride in this.

A Gentile Mother

This function of Paul is not easily translated into English. Most of the modern translations translate it to "mother" or "nursing mother". The K.J. translates it "nurse" which is as close as you can get in English, but falls short of the meaning in the Greek. The Greek word is "trophos" whish means, a nourisher or nurse but it is a derivative of the Greek word ""trepho", which means considerably more. It includes all of the normal functions of a good mother relative to the up-bringing of a child, including its welfare, its nourishment, and its social as well as its spiritual training.

So what was Paul saying that he was doing for these people? He was reminding them that he had been as a mother to them in the areas of their Christian growth. He loved them, he cared for them, he did not turn over these duties to others, he made sacrifices in order to bring them the truth, he was persecuted for their sake and he had been patient and loving as a good mother should with their "growing pains" and other problems.

Moses felt the same burden for the people of Israel and it caused him to ask God, "Was it I who conceived these people that you should say to me, carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing infant, to the land which you did give to their fathers." Moses felt that he had to "baby sit" the whole nation of Israel, Paul felt that same way about the Thessalonians.

We should feel that same way about new converts. If we do not "nurse" these new Christians on the milk of the Word, they may never grow to be mature Christians. Paul was like a nursing mother to these people.

A Concerned Father

Again Paul reminds them that while he was there, he had been no burden to them. He had worked night and day to support himself. Not only had he not been a burden but he had conducted himself "blameless" while he was there and they were witnesses to this.

Then, like a concerned father, he "exhorted" them, he "encouraged" them and he "charged" them about false accusations that had been made about his stay there. Some people had accused Paul of "sponging" off of these people while he was there and this bothered him very much. Obviously, it was none of the people that had been there while he was there, who would have made this false accusation, it had to be people who had come in later, perhaps Judizers, who were constantly seeking to discredit Paul.

Paul reminds them that while there, his life was "holy". This does not mean that it was without sin. In the Greek it meant, he carefully fulfilled the duties that God had given him. He also reminds them that during that time, he was "righteous". Again, this does not mean that he was without fault. It means that he had practiced integrity, rightness of character and good behavior. This was "worked out" by the Lord in Paul's life, as a gift for his faithfulness.

Paul also reminds them that during that time, he was "blameless". This means that his enemies would not be able to find any fault with him unless they lied, which they had in accusing him of taking from these people.

Now this sounds like a man who was bragging, claiming to be "holy, righteous and blameless". But we know Paul was not this in his own strength, it was in the Lord's strength that Paul was able to do this.

So having established his credentials as a loving father, he exhorts them, encourages them and charges them to lead lives that were worthy of God. Here, Paul uses a bit of psychology. We all get tired of being scolded. We need encouragement and understanding sometime, and this was Paul's approach to these people. First, he comforted them. He made then feel better about themselves. Someone once wrote, "Christian encouragement is necessary, but it must not become like an anesthetic that puts us to sleep, it must be a stimulant that awakens us to do better."

Finally Paul charges them, out of his own experience, personal experience was Paul's best tool, for from experience, Paul received knowledge that he could not have learned any other way. Paul charged them to "walk worthy" of the Lord. Else where, he had urged them to "walk worthy" of the calling that they had in Christ Jesus, this was the same instruction, we are quite honored to have been chosen by the Lord, this should make us live as best we can.

In verse 13, we see the foundation of the Christian religion. The basis of our belief, the hope of our salvation and the guide for our lives. This foundation is the "Word". The teachings of Christ, and the letters of Paul constitute most of what we call the "Word of God". Here Paul gives thanks that these people received this Word", not as his word, but as the "Word of God". It was necessary for them just as it is necessary for us to believe that these letters that Paul wrote was the "Word of God" not the words of Paul.

Notice the example of these people which should be a guide for all Christians to follow:

1. They appreciated the Word. They were grateful that it had been shared with them.
2. They appropriated the Word. They received it and they welcomed it. One means that they heard with their ears and the other one means that they heard with their hearts. They appropriated it and made it a part of their lives.

   Jesus repeatedly warned about the use of our ears. Once he said, "He who has ears, let him hear." This means that we must make use of every opportunity that we have to HEAR the Word of God, stop sleeping through the sermon. Another time He said, "Take heed what you hear." Listen to the true word not that which is false. Again He said, "Take heed how you hear." Do so with understanding and an open heart. Some people only listen to be entertained, others shut out what they do not want to hear. This is the same as hardening their hearts.

3. They applied the Word. They obeyed, they witnessed and they demonstrated it by their lives. It is not enough to hear the Word, it must be applied to our lives. We must be doers of the Word, not hearers only.

These people had learned well from Paul who had treated them as a steward, a mother and as a concerned father.

The Bible is the Word of God, written by men, inspired by the Holy Spirit. Someone once wrote, "The way a Christian treats his Bible shows how he regards Jesus Christ because, in essence, they are the same." "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God."

A Loving Brother

Now Paul shows his concern for them as a loving brother. "Sense we were taken from you so suddenly, (Acts 17:1-10) we have endeavored all the more eagerly, to see you face to face." In Acts 17 we see that Paul was secretly ushered out of Thessalonica to save his life and sense then, he had earnestly desired to return, and even though he was physically absent from them, he was with them in heart. Notice absence only made them dearer to him and made him increase his efforts to go to them.

Notice who Paul says it is that has kept them apart, "Satan hindered us." What did Satan do? Satan constantly put persecution in Paul's way. He constantly stirred up problems in the churches which Paul believed needed his attention. We know from his other letters that "problem salving" was not Paul's desired duty, he would much rather be a fellow worshipper with them than to be constantly exhorting and reprimanding them.

But never-the-less, these people were Paul's hope, joy and crown of "boasting" and "rejoicing". These two words do not seem to be similar, boasting in something does not seem to be the same as rejoicing in something. Yet Paul boasted and rejoiced in what the Lord had done with these people. What other reason would Paul have for what he was enduring if it wasn't to be used by the Lord to lead people to Christ. They were his crown, his joy and his glory.

Paul knew that one-day the Lord would return and his reward for faithful service would be the Saints from Thessalonica. As the old song asks, "Will there be any stars in my crown?" They were the stars in Paul's crown which would give him great joy to lay at the feet of Jesus.

This completes the four ways that Paul nurtured the church at Thessalonica. The next section has to do with how the church was established there.

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