Day 401: What true preachers seek – 1 Thessalonians 2 vs 7 -13
7-8 As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too. 9-10 Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God’s Good News to you. You yourselves are our witnesses - and so is God - that we were devout and honest and faultless toward all of you believers. 11-12 And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.
13 Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God - which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe. 1 Thessalonians 2:7-13 New Living Translation paraphrase (English Standard Version link)
In the two verses just before today's reading Paul had said to these Christians: “Never once did we try to win you with flattery. God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money! As for human praise - we have never sought it from you or anyone else.” While those words were true of Paul, Silas and Timothy, they have sadly not been true of all preachers. There have been countless preachers who have told people what they liked to hear and promised all sorts of blessings from God - provided the hearers make good donations to the preacher! What did Paul and his co-workers NOT want to be as they brought the gospel to Thessalonica? (vs 9-10)
They didn't want to give the new Christians the burden of having to pay them wages. Remember, some of those who became Christians may have lost their jobs because of that. Paul didn't want to add to their struggles to make ends meet. So he and his friends were willing to do work and pay their own way. And, even more than that, what was another mark of a true preacher of the gospel? (vs 11-12)
They showed the people the sort of love and concern that a good father would show to his children. It's a father's job to care and provide for his children, not the other way round. This included pleading with them, and encouraging their children to make the right choices in life. Someone once said “preachers are meant to be shepherds of the flock – not the pet sheep!” They want good things FOR the people to whom they preach, not FROM the people.
What is it that makes a true preacher the most happy? What is a true preacher looking for as he ministers to people? (vs 13)
The greatest joy for a true preacher of the gospel is when people realize and believe that the message he is bringing is God's faithful word and not his own fancy preaching or clever ideas. Paul wasn't looking for praise from people, he only wanted to be pleasing to the Saviour. He wanted to be able to look back at the end of it all and say 'God is my witness – I was an honest preacher with no self-centred ambitions'.
You may not be in a large Church that is the most popular in town – but if you have preachers who are seeking to be faithful to God rather than entertaining to the crowds, it is something to thank God for. Has their preaching led you to the same conclusion as the Christians at Thessalonica, that the gospel of Jesus Christ is God's word to mankind? And because you believe it is God's word, has it made you want to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy? That's what true preachers long for. Not your money, or your submission to their authority – but your faith in God and your love for Jesus.