07 July 28, 2013, 1 Thessalonians 2;7-12, The Care Of New Christians

The Care Of
New Christians
1 Thessalonians 2:7-12
July 28, 2013
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA

July Memory Verse:
John 14:1-3

“Your heart must not be
troubled. Believe in God;
believe also in Me. In My
Father’s house are many
dwelling places; if not, I
would have told you.
I am going away to

prepare a place for you.
If I go away and prepare a
place for you, I will come
back and receive you to
Myself, so that where I
am you may be also.”
John 14:1-3

www.cassandralai.files.wordpress.com

THE CARE OF
NEW CHRISTIANS
1 Thessalonians. 2:7-12

KJV
7 But we were gentle
among you, even as a
nurse (mother) cherisheth
her children:

8 So being affectionately
desirous of you, we were
willing to have imparted
unto you, not the gospel
of God only, but also our
own souls, because ye
were dear unto us.

9 For ye remember,
brethren, our labour and
travail: for labouring
night and day, because we
would not be chargeable
unto any of you, we
preached unto you the
gospel of God.

10 Ye are witnesses, and
God also, how holily and
justly and unblameably
we behaved ourselves
among you that believe:

11 As ye know how we
exhorted and comforted
and charged every one of
you, as a father doth his
children,

12 That ye would walk
worthy of God, who hath
called you unto his
kingdom and glory.
KJV

1 Thessalonians 2:7 KJV
7 But we were gentle
among you, even as a
nurse (mother) cherisheth
her children:

Warren Wiersbe says that
just as the nursing mother
eats the food and
transforms it into milk for
the baby, so also the
mature Christian feeds on
the Word of God and then

shares its nourishment
with the younger
believers so they can grow
(1 Peter 2:2).

1 Peter 2:2 KJV
2 “As newborn babes,
desire the sincere milk of
the word, that ye may
grow thereby:”

But it is not easy to be a
"nursing mother."
Even Moses felt the
burden of caring for God's
people. (Numbers 11:12)
"Was it I who conceived
all this people? Was it I

who brought them forth,
that Thou shouldest say to
me, 'Carry them in your
bosom as a nurse carries a
nursing infant, to the land
which Thou didst swear
to their fathers'?“ Num 11

But if we do not nurse the
new Christians on the
milk of the Word, they
can never mature to
appreciate the meat of the
Word (Hebrews 5:12-14).

Hebrews 5:12-14 NASB
12 For though by this time
you ought to be teachers,
you have need again for
someone to teach
you the elementary

principles of the oracles of
God, and you have come
to need milk and not solid
food.

13 For everyone who
partakes only of milk is
not accustomed to the
word of righteousness, for
he is an infant.

14 But solid food is for the
mature, who because of
practice have their
senses trained to discern
good and evil.
Hebrews 5:12-14 NASB

J. Vernon McGee says that
the “nursing mother” is
also a picture of a mother
bird.

The Lord Jesus said of
Jerusalem:
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
thou that killest the
prophets, and stonest
them which are sent unto
thee, how often would I

have gathered thy
children together, even as
a hen gathereth her
chickens under her wings,
and ye would not!"
(Matthew 23:37).

How many times the Lord
Jesus says to us,
"Just come in under My
wings."

Paul was that kind of
mentor.
He loved the
Thessalonians with a
mother's love.

SACRIFICIAL LOVE
“we were well-pleased to
impart to you not only
the Gospel of God but
also our own lives,
because you had become
very dear to us.” (2:8 b)

www.theresurgence.com
Besides imparting the
complete Gospel, Paul,
Silas, and Timothy shared
also their own lives.

*Literally, they gave up
their souls for those they
were mentoring.
*There was nothing
superficial or partial
about their sacrificial
service.

The chicken made a
contribution to breakfast,
but the pig made a total
commitment to breakfast!

Someone else poured
their lives into our lives,
now it is
our turn
to do the
same.

www.1bp.blogspot.com
The maternal metaphor only
partially describes the
effective
spiritual
mentor.

Describing the spiritual
mentor as a father
completes Paul's picture.

THE SPIRITUAL
MENTOR AS FATHER
“... imploring each one of
you as a father would his
own children,”
1 Thessalonians 2:11

THE FATHER AS MODEL
1 Thessalonians 2:10a
“You are witnesses, and so
is God, how devoutly and
uprightly and blamelessly
we behaved toward you
believers;”

www.ubdavid.org
Devoutly means "in a holy
manner" and emphasizes
how Paul, Silas, and
Timothy lived before God.

Their lives were holy.
In the Greek, this means
to "carefully fulfill the
duties God gives to a
person."

www.t3.gstatic.com
A dedicated life is a holy
life, lived always in the
presence of God.

A holy life has nothing to
do with obtaining your
salvation, but it has
everything to do with the
salvation of folk around
you, because they are
watching you.

Paul and his friends lives
were also righteous
(upright).
This refers to integrity,
uprightness of character,
and behavior.

This is not the
"righteousness of the
Law" but the practical
righteousness that God
works out in our lives as
we yield to Him.

The adverb uprightly
("righteously") refers to
how well you deal
righteously toward both
other folks and God.

Their lives were also
unblamable.
Literally, this word means
"not able to find fault in."

His enemies might accuse
him, but no one could
level any charge against
Paul and prove it.
Christians are supposed
to be "blameless and
harmless" as we live in

this world (Phil. 2:15).
Philippians 2:15 KJV
15 That ye may be
blameless and harmless,
the sons of God, without

rebuke, in the midst of a
crooked and perverse
nation, among whom ye
shine as lights in the
world;
Philippians 2:15 KJV

www.1bp.blogspot.com
The word blamelessly
pertains to our reputation
before people.

In every respect, they
were exemplary spiritual
fathers, setting the
standard
for all
who have
followed.

1 Timothy 4:12 NIV
12 Don’t let anyone look
down on you because you
are young, but set an
example for the believers
in speech, in life, in love,
in faith and in purity.

THE FATHER AS
TEACHER AND
MOTIVATOR
… imploring each one of
own children,”

As a father would his own
children expresses the
natural, normal function
of a father concerned
about the well-being of
his own children.

Fathers are not only
examples, but also
instructors.

www.discipleblog.com
So the spiritual father is
not to be merely a model
but also a personal
teacher and motivator.

This fatherly instruction
Paul uses in
1 Thessalonians is
conveyed in three verbs
describing what fathers
do and what Paul had
done continually.

THE FATHER AS
TEACHER AND
MOTIVATOR
“just as you know how
we were exhorting and
encouraging & imploring

1) Exhorting
2) Encouraging
3) Imploring

Exhorting is from
parakaleo,
(para-kal-EH-oh) literally
"to call alongside," and is
related to the noun
parakletos, "one who
comes alongside," which

is one of the titles for the
Holy Spirit.
*The apostle referred to
coming alongside for the
purpose of aiding and
instructing wisely to build
character into the mentee.

Encouraging comes from
paramutheomai,
(para-moo-THEH-oh-my)
meaning to encourage in
the sense of comfort and
consolation, is so critical
in assisting toward

www.ebenezerame.org
spiritual growth because
of the many obstacles and
failures Christians can
experience.

Paul comforted them.
This word carries the
same idea of
"encouragement," with
the emphasis on activity.

Paul not only made them
feel better, but he made
them want to do better.
A father must not pamper
a child; rather, he must
encourage the child to go
right back and try again.

www.knoxnews.com
“Never play the victim!”
Pat Summitt

She is the all-time
winning-est coach in
NCAA basketball history
of either a men's or
women's team in any
division.

She is the only coach in
NCAA history, and one of
three college coaches
overall, with at least 1,000
(1,098) victories.

Summitt was named the
Naismith Basketball
Coach of the Century in
April 2000.

In 2009, the Sporting
News placed her number
11 on its list of the 50
Greatest Coaches of All
Time in all sports; she was
the only woman on the
list.

In 38 years as a coach, she
never had a losing season.
Summitt has written three
books, all with co-author
Sally Jenkins:
Reach for the Summitt,
(motivational/biography),

Raise the Roof about the
Lady Vols' 1997–1998
undefeated and NCAA-
championship winning
season, and
Sum It Up, covering her
life with Alzheimer's.

Christian encouragement
must not become an
anesthesia that puts us to
sleep.
It must be a stimulant that
awakens us to do better.

Used in John 11:19 and 31
for the consolation given
to the grieving family of
Lazarus, the word was
reserved for the tender,
restorative,
compassionate uplifting

needed by a struggling,
burdened, heartbroken
child. (Abba)
*This beautiful expression
of natural fatherly
kindness also fits the
spiritual father.

Encouraging also means
"to persuade."
There was an urgency in
Paul's message to the
Thessalonians.
He often said, "I beseech
you" -- I beg you.

1 I beseech you therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of
God, that ye present your
bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable
service (Romans 12:1).

“just as you know how
we were exhorting and
encouraging and
imploring each one of
own children,”

Finally, Paul reminded
the believers that he had
been imploring each one
(singling them out
personally), charging
them.

Imploring is the Greek
participle marturomenoi,
(mar-TOO-rome-my)
which is usually
translated "testifying," or
"witnessing," is related to
the word martyr because

so many faithful
witnesses died for their
boldness.

Paul implored (charged)
them.
This word means that
Paul "testified to them"
out of his own experience
with the Lord.

It carries the idea of
giving personal witness.
Sometimes we go through
difficulties so that we may
share with new Christians
what the Lord has done.

God "comforts us in all
our troubles, so that we
can comfort those in any
trouble with the comfort
we ourselves have
received from God"
(2 Corinthians 1:4, NIV)

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 NASB

3 “Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of
mercies and God of all
comfort,

4 who comforts us in all
our affliction so that we
will be able to comfort
those who are in any
affliction with the comfort
with which we ourselves
are comforted by God.

5 For just as the sufferings
of Christ are ours in
abundance, so also our
comfort is abundant
through Christ.

6 But if we are afflicted, it
is for your comfort and
salvation; or if we are
comforted, it is for your
comfort, which is effective
in the patient enduring of
the same sufferings which

we also suffer;
7 and our hope for you is
firmly grounded,
knowing that as you are
sharers of our sufferings,
so also you are sharers of
our comfort.” 2 Cor 1:3-7

Paul also warned
(charged, implored) the
Thessalonians that any
deviation from the
divinely prescribed course
of conduct had serious
consequences.

The warning was an
admonishment that if
they did not follow the
course laid out for them,
they, as disobedient
children would receive
from a father, could

www.2.bp.blogspot.com
expect to receive spiritual
discipline from the
apostle.

Paul "charged" them.
This has a note of severity
in it -- it involves
discipline.
It is a virile word, a
robust, firm, masculine
word.

*We find a lot of sissy
preaching in the pulpits
across the US today.
*The popular thing is to
have a little sermonette
given by a preacherette to
Christianettes.

www.wallpaper4god.com
There is little urgency in
many churches today!

The average church
service in a liberal church
is when a mild-mannered
speaker gets up before a
group of mild-mannered
people and urges them to
be more mild-mannered.

www.images.radcity.net
“That is sickening, my
friend!”

THE FATHER AS
PRODUCER
“so that you would walk
in a manner worthy of
the God Who calls you

into His own kingdom
and glory.”

What was the purpose for
this fatherly ministry to
the believers?
His aim was that his
children might "walk
worthy of God"
(1 Thessalonians 2:12).

Just as a father wants to
be proud of his children,
so the Lord wants to get
glory through the lives of
His children.

"I was very glad to find
some of your children
walking in truth"
(2 John 4, NASB).

Paul ministered to them
in such a personal way
because he was teaching
them how to walk.

Like a father whose goal
is the mature wisdom of
his children, the apostle
Paul concluded his
exhortation by affirming
that a spiritual father will
endeavor to continue his

efforts until he produces
sons and daughters who
walk in a manner worthy
— live mature lives (fruit).
Walk refers to daily
conduct.

10 walk in a manner
worthy of the Lord,
pleasing Him in all
respects, bearing fruit in
every good work and
increasing in the
knowledge of God; (Col 1)

THE FATHER AS
PRODUCER
“so that you would walk
in a manner worthy of
the God Who calls you…

The verb “calls” in
1 Thessalonians 2:12 is in
the present tense:
"who is continually
calling you."

God called us to salvation
(2 Thess. 2:13-14), and He
is constantly calling us to
a life of holiness and
obedience.

"But as He which hath
called you is holy, so be
ye holy in all manner of
conversation [behavior];
because it is written,
'Be ye holy, for I am holy'"
(1 Peter 1:15-16).

“that ye should shew
forth the praises of him
who hath called you out
of darkness into his
marvellous light;”
1 Peter 2:9 KJV

thefinalcall.org
Paul stated the singular
end of that saving call —
entrance into
God’s own
kingdom
and glory.

God has called us unto
“His kingdom”, which
refers to the millennial
kingdom, and
unto “glory”, which refers
to the eternal kingdom.

In other words, get a
perspective of God's great
plan and purpose.
Live in the light of
eternity.

Though they had not yet
seen either the millennial
kingdom or the eternal
kingdom, they were
already citizens of the
redeemed kingdom over
which God now rules.

Romans 14:17 KJV
17 For the kingdom of
God is not meat and
drink; but righteousness,
and peace, and joy in the
Holy Ghost.

www.winnetka-heights.com
Thus they had a present
share in the glory of God
as well as a promise of the
future glory in the
kingdom yet to come.

All believers (that would
be us) look forward to
sharing in the full glory of
the heavenly kingdom
when God raises us to be
like Christ and with Him
for eternity.

The parental pictures of
spiritual mentorship in
clearly demonstrate that it
is not enough for mentors
just to be compassionate,
tender, and caring as

spiritual mothers.
We also need to live
uncompromising, pure,
and exemplary lives as
spiritual fathers — lives
that, in their motives and
actions, set the standard

for all to follow.
Furthermore, we need to
teach the truth faithfully,
building up the saints in
spiritual wisdom and
display the courage of
conviction to come

alongside and exhort and
call our spiritual children
to obedience, through
both strong discipline and
tender consolation.

These efforts lead those
we mentor to live in a
way that honors God,
Who has called them to
His eternal kingdom and
glory.

This passage gives us a
beautiful example of New
Testament follow-up.
Paul has shown us how to
raise the babies.

We must be faithful
stewards, loving mothers,
and concerned fathers.

If we are not faithful to
God, we may find
ourselves becoming
doting mothers and
pampering fathers.

Children need discipline
as well as love.
In fact, discipline is one
evidence of love.

No wonder the church at
Thessalonica prospered in
spite of persecution, and
shared the Gospel with
others for miles around.

They had been born right
(1 Thes. 1) and nurtured
right (1 Thes. 2).
This is a good example for
us to follow.

www.a.espncdn.com
“Never play the victim!”
Pat Summitt

07 July 28, 2013, 1 Thessalonians 2;7-12, The Care Of New Christians

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07 July 28, 2013, 1 Thessalonians 2;7-12, The Care Of New Christians