about where Paul has been.
00:00:04.03\00:00:05.63
Let's talk about
his heart a little bit.
00:00:05.63\00:00:07.50
Okay, I think to set that
up I want to go back to basics.
00:00:07.50\00:00:12.07
Because Paul is doing
mission work, he is doing
00:00:12.07\00:00:16.14
evangelism, and it is easy
to think of numbers when we do
00:00:16.14\00:00:21.42
that, but for Paul it
wasn't numbers, it was people.
00:00:21.42\00:00:25.32
And the relationships that
he developed with those people
00:00:25.32\00:00:28.49
was very, very important to him.
00:00:28.49\00:00:30.36
I think all of that goes back
to a statement of Jesus that
00:00:30.36\00:00:34.36
Paul would have remembered,
and that is in Matthew 28:19,
00:00:34.36\00:00:37.83
20. Would you read that for
us? - Sure, I'd be happy to!
00:00:37.83\00:00:41.30
In Matthew 28:19-20 it says:
00:00:41.30\00:00:45.34
There is an interesting
thing about that text that many
00:01:00.69\00:01:03.56
people do not realize,
there is only one main verb.
00:01:03.56\00:01:06.36
- only one! - and it isn't go.
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Go is actually a participle
in Greek, it means what it's
00:01:08.06\00:01:11.90
translated as but it is
not the main verb and that is
00:01:11.90\00:01:15.17
obvious to somebody who
is reading it in the Greek.
00:01:15.17\00:01:18.41
The main verb
is, make disciples.
00:01:18.41\00:01:22.38
Jesus doesn't say to go
into all the world and preach
00:01:22.38\00:01:26.05
the gospel, he doesn't
say go into all the world and
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scold people, hold a
school, or what ever.
00:01:29.72\00:01:32.35
He says go into all the
world and make disciples.
00:01:32.35\00:01:35.52
And how do you make
disciples? It is one on one.
00:01:35.52\00:01:39.43
It's relational. The
heart of the gospel is people
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reaching out to people
and meeting them for Jesus.
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That is one of the
beautiful things about Christian
00:01:46.67\00:01:50.07
television, it is because
in a real sense it is one on
00:01:50.07\00:01:53.11
one as well, there may be
one viewer here, or two or
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three people viewing but
they are interacting with
00:01:56.24\00:01:59.38
somebody on the screen
and that relational thing
00:01:59.38\00:02:02.45
becomes very important,
but it needs to go beyond that.
00:02:02.45\00:02:06.62
If you are coming to know
Jesus, look for a community
00:02:06.62\00:02:10.76
of people that will
support you in that.
00:02:10.76\00:02:14.83
Get to know other people
who know Jesus and develop
00:02:14.83\00:02:17.93
relationships with them
because that is all part of it.
00:02:17.93\00:02:21.00
It is a
relational kind of thing.
00:02:21.00\00:02:22.30
Paul, it seems the
Thessalonian church must have
00:02:22.30\00:02:27.14
really impacted
Paul, they were different.
00:02:27.14\00:02:30.85
We will see this as we
go through these letters.
00:02:30.85\00:02:33.05
We will see time and
again they were different than
00:02:33.05\00:02:35.98
anybody else that he was
interacting with, and he was
00:02:35.98\00:02:39.62
really excited to be
with them, and he was really
00:02:39.62\00:02:43.22
depressed about losing them.
00:02:43.22\00:02:46.03
We find that in 1 Thessalonians
2 and 1 Thessalonians 3.
00:02:46.03\00:02:50.60
There are a number of texts
where we see Paul's feelings
00:02:50.60\00:02:55.20
about the Thessalonians.
00:02:55.20\00:02:57.74
Why don't we take a look
at 1 Thessalonians 2:17-18?
00:02:57.74\00:03:03.35
It says:
00:03:05.21\00:03:07.62
All right Paul
says, I was orphaned.
00:03:24.83\00:03:27.90
What kind of language was that?
Now these are words that can
00:03:27.90\00:03:30.77
be translated different ways,
and there is no problem with
00:03:30.77\00:03:33.71
those translations and I am
trying in these translations
00:03:33.71\00:03:36.64
to bring out some of
the nuances of the Greek.
00:03:36.64\00:03:41.88
Those delicate little
things that would have really
00:03:41.88\00:03:44.52
impacted the original readers.
00:03:44.52\00:03:46.22
He said I was
orphaned away from you.
00:03:46.22\00:03:48.32
He's saying, I feel like a child
who has just lost his parents.
00:03:48.32\00:03:53.09
This went deep with Paul,
and he says again and again
00:03:53.09\00:03:57.07
with great longing, I
wanted to see your face.
00:03:57.07\00:04:01.90
Paul didn't have Skype, Paul
didn't have e-mail and so on.
00:04:01.90\00:04:06.31
So the instant kind of
communication that we have today
00:04:06.31\00:04:10.78
was missing, it wasn't
there for him and he missed them
00:04:10.78\00:04:15.22
deeply, and he
missed them deeply.
00:04:15.22\00:04:17.39
He says I wanted to come
to you again and again but
00:04:17.39\00:04:20.16
Satan forded us,
Satan got in the way.
00:04:20.16\00:04:23.53
Of course scholars are always
asking the hard questions.
00:04:23.53\00:04:27.96
What do you suppose that
was? Generally I think the most
00:04:27.96\00:04:32.30
likely explanation it
was that bond that was taken,
00:04:32.30\00:04:35.04
you remember in the
previous part of the program?
00:04:35.04\00:04:37.67
The Thessalonian City Council
said we are going to take
00:04:37.67\00:04:41.48
bail money from you, and
if it was substantial, it
00:04:41.48\00:04:45.25
probably was, Paul returning
to the city would forfeit
00:04:45.25\00:04:49.08
the bail and he said my
presence there, my longing for
00:04:49.08\00:04:52.35
the Thessalonians is not a
reason to bankrupt the church.
00:04:52.35\00:04:56.56
So Paul's saw the workings
of Satan in the situation that
00:04:56.56\00:05:00.53
would not allow him to return
to them although he deeply
00:05:00.53\00:05:04.40
desired to do that.
00:05:04.40\00:05:06.20
In Chapter 3:1, 2
he talks more about it.
00:05:06.20\00:05:09.90
It says this:
00:05:09.90\00:05:11.91
So if he can't go
himself, he sends a friend.
00:05:27.49\00:05:32.66
A friend that he trusts.
When it comes to relationships
00:05:32.66\00:05:36.60
it is all about trust,
the word faith in the original
00:05:36.60\00:05:40.54
language really is
very close to trust.
00:05:40.54\00:05:42.74
Have faith in God, do you
trust God, do you trust to do
00:05:42.74\00:05:48.01
what He said? And with
Timothy he trusted Timothy to go
00:05:48.01\00:05:52.88
and to share what he would
want them to hear from him.
00:05:52.88\00:05:57.02
And also to bring back a
report of how they are feeling
00:05:57.02\00:06:01.12
and what they are
thinking of him and his mission
00:06:01.12\00:06:05.59
and so forth.
00:06:05.59\00:06:06.86
So he couldn't stand it, I am
no longer am able to endure it.
00:06:06.86\00:06:09.90
I can just see Paul pacing
back and forth in his room.
00:06:09.90\00:06:12.60
I've got to get back, I
got to get back, I can't take
00:06:12.60\00:06:16.20
this any longer, he said
Alright, I would rather stay in
00:06:16.20\00:06:20.31
Athens all by myself, and
Paul such a relational person
00:06:20.31\00:06:23.28
it must have been hard
for him. - it must killed him.
00:06:23.28\00:06:26.15
I would rather be in Athens
by myself then have no news.
00:06:26.15\00:06:29.02
So he makes that big
jump and sends Timothy back
00:06:29.02\00:06:35.32
to get a message.
00:06:35.32\00:06:36.52
1 Thessalonians, the letter
we are reading, was triggered
00:06:36.52\00:06:40.46
by Timothy's
return from Thessalonica.
00:06:40.46\00:06:43.90
Why don't you go and
read verses 6-8? - It says:
00:06:43.90\00:06:50.04
We have got quite a
window into Paul's feelings here
00:07:15.06\00:07:19.13
don't we, he's saying
Timothy returned and reported
00:07:19.13\00:07:23.20
that they have a good
memory of Paul at all times.
00:07:23.20\00:07:27.48
Yeah maybe he was a little
worried that they didn't like
00:07:27.48\00:07:30.51
him anymore, or something,
he hears that they still love
00:07:30.51\00:07:33.48
him and that they are
longing to see him as much as
00:07:33.48\00:07:36.12
he is longing, and he
is all excited about this.
00:07:36.12\00:07:38.65
This is very, very
good and he is comforted.
00:07:38.65\00:07:41.16
Notice the words in our
distress and in our difficult
00:07:41.16\00:07:46.23
circumstances,
he is comforted that
00:07:46.23\00:07:49.16
they are still in the faith.
00:07:49.16\00:07:50.50
Paul may be like a lot of
missionaries who are broken
00:07:50.50\00:07:53.20
away from their people and
they wonder, are they going
00:07:53.20\00:07:55.90
to be okay without me?
00:07:55.90\00:07:57.31
Without the example,
without the teaching, and so on,
00:07:57.31\00:08:01.14
are they going to be
alright is the big question?
00:08:01.14\00:08:04.98
So Paul was excited, and
he said, probably a little
00:08:04.98\00:08:08.92
exaggerated, I might
just go on living now.
00:08:08.92\00:08:11.45
He was just so
excited about that.
00:08:11.45\00:08:14.69
You know Jon, I don't
know about all these feelings.
00:08:14.69\00:08:18.99
With Paul, is it okay for
prophets and people like Paul
00:08:18.99\00:08:23.23
to have these feelings?
00:08:23.23\00:08:25.20
You don't think it's okay?
- Well I always see Paul as
00:08:25.20\00:08:29.07
this strong guy that
never had these feelings and
00:08:29.07\00:08:32.71
emotions, just pushes
forward with the Gospel.
00:08:32.71\00:08:34.64
It's actually kind of
encouraging. - that encouraging?
00:08:34.64\00:08:39.98
- yes to see that in him.
00:08:39.98\00:08:41.62
It is that way for me definitely
because I think sometimes we
00:08:41.62\00:08:47.36
take the Biblical characters
and put them on a bit of
00:08:47.36\00:08:50.99
a pedestal, Jesus
belongs on that pedestal.
00:08:50.99\00:08:53.29
But Paul was in many ways
was flawed as we are, he has his
00:08:53.29\00:08:57.80
struggles and we were seeing
that clearly in this text.
00:08:57.80\00:09:02.54
Yet he forged ahead, you
see his faith in God stayed
00:09:02.54\00:09:07.24
strong even under
challenging circumstances.
00:09:07.24\00:09:09.98
What we see most clearly
in this text, is the key of
00:09:09.98\00:09:15.82
relationships so Paul
is deeply committed to the
00:09:15.82\00:09:21.56
Thessalonians, he loves them,
he is burdened about them and
00:09:21.56\00:09:25.43
he wants them to be with
him in every single way that
00:09:25.43\00:09:28.73
he possibly can.
00:09:28.73\00:09:30.13
And it causes me to
think about relationships.
00:09:30.13\00:09:32.93
I have a couple friends who
have studied this very, very
00:09:32.93\00:09:36.50
deeply and have come up with
seven stages of relationship
00:09:36.50\00:09:40.04
that I think would be
helpful for us to review
00:09:40.04\00:09:42.14
here and just briefly.
00:09:42.14\00:09:43.88
Stage 1: is the greeting
stage. Hey, how are you?
00:09:43.88\00:09:48.28
How are you is in fact a
bad question because you are
00:09:48.28\00:09:51.55
trying to pull them out
deeper than they want to go,
00:09:51.55\00:09:54.82
somebody on the street.
00:09:54.82\00:09:56.09
But he says
hello, greetings and etc.
00:09:56.09\00:09:59.86
Stage 2: is
exchanging facts and reports.
00:09:59.86\00:10:03.57
How's the weather? Well
it is kind of rainy here.
00:10:03.57\00:10:06.90
It's safe, when you don't
know people too well that is
00:10:06.90\00:10:10.34
a safe place to be.
00:10:10.34\00:10:11.84
Stage 3: is exchanging
opinions and judgments. Now that
00:10:11.84\00:10:15.68
gets more vulnerable you
see because when I start giving
00:10:15.68\00:10:19.48
my opinions, someone
else might reject me.
00:10:19.48\00:10:22.78
These are not too likely
to reject my weather report,
00:10:22.78\00:10:26.29
although it can
happen. - Right, right!
00:10:26.29\00:10:28.39
Some people like to be
difficult you know but when you
00:10:28.39\00:10:33.50
start giving opinions and
judgments, like what you think
00:10:33.50\00:10:35.90
about the government, or
what you think about what is
00:10:35.90\00:10:38.00
going on in the church,
there are people who would
00:10:38.00\00:10:40.07
disagree and
that would be hurtful.
00:10:40.07\00:10:41.60
So at each stage our vulner-
ability to others is greater.
00:10:41.60\00:10:45.84
Stage 4: is the stage of
feelings. - now you are getting
00:10:45.84\00:10:49.34
touchy. - now it is getting
deep and I really feel sad
00:10:49.34\00:10:53.52
today, people don't often
reveal that part of themselves.
00:10:53.52\00:10:57.62
Many people are content
just to stay with trading
00:10:57.62\00:11:00.59
information and
trading opinions and judgments.
00:11:00.59\00:11:03.53
But when you start sharing
your feelings you are revealing
00:11:03.53\00:11:07.73
yourself, if somebody rejects
your feelings that is pretty
00:11:07.73\00:11:11.87
deep. - they are rejecting you.
00:11:11.87\00:11:13.50
- can you go
deeper than feelings?
00:11:13.50\00:11:15.00
Well Stage 5: is where you
come to the place where you're
00:11:15.00\00:11:19.21
comfortable enough with
another person that you are
00:11:19.21\00:11:22.74
willing to share your
faults, to confess your faults.
00:11:22.74\00:11:26.05
That is the level I think
in which relationships with God
00:11:26.05\00:11:29.32
takes off, when we are
willing to share with God,
00:11:29.32\00:11:33.79
our faults, if we confess
our sins He is faithful and
00:11:33.79\00:11:38.23
just to forgive us our sins.
00:11:38.23\00:11:40.30
Stage 6: do you think there's
even something deeper than stage
00:11:40.30\00:11:43.83
5? Stage 6: is when you
are so comfortable with another
00:11:43.83\00:11:48.47
person that you are willing
to let them share your faults
00:11:48.47\00:11:53.04
with you, or you're
willing to be accountable to
00:11:53.04\00:11:56.41
them to let them tell you
where you are at, that is pretty
00:11:56.41\00:12:00.58
heavy. I think one of the
challenges, in many marriages,
00:12:00.58\00:12:04.72
is we all treat each
other as if we are at stage 6.
00:12:04.72\00:12:08.12
Sometimes the partner
is not quite there. - Yeah!
00:12:08.12\00:12:11.49
When we are telling somebody
else what is wrong with them
00:12:11.49\00:12:14.10
that is a very high level,
it requires a deep level of
00:12:14.10\00:12:17.20
trust, Paul in this letter
really lets the Thessalonians
00:12:17.20\00:12:20.70
know that you are making
some serious mistakes here.
00:12:20.70\00:12:24.14
But he is doing it
grounded on relationship.
00:12:24.14\00:12:27.41
He has gone deep with
them and his feelings are on
00:12:27.41\00:12:29.88
display, he is definitely
at stage four with them.
00:12:29.88\00:12:32.28
Later on he even shares some
challenges and he shares with
00:12:32.28\00:12:37.05
them some things that
they need to do better.
00:12:37.05\00:12:38.82
So Paul in three weeks has
gone as deep in relationships
00:12:38.82\00:12:43.69
as you can possibly go.
00:12:43.69\00:12:45.86
Something special must've
happened in those three weeks.
00:12:45.86\00:12:48.66
- yeah. - it was really special.
00:12:48.66\00:12:51.00
Stage 7: it is total intimacy
where there is no secrets
00:12:51.00\00:12:54.57
at all, that probably almost
never happens in this life.
00:12:54.57\00:13:00.21
Mission is about relationships
and there is a lady that
00:13:00.21\00:13:04.71
you and I both love her
writings so much, Ellen White.
00:13:04.71\00:13:08.82
She wrote a statement about
relationships in the Gospel.
00:13:08.82\00:13:12.85
Would you read that
statement for us? - Sure!
00:13:12.85\00:13:15.49
I think that just it's right
where all these texts were.
00:13:42.72\00:13:47.49
The idea that it is relationship
that is critical, and as
00:13:47.49\00:13:52.13
we are tender and kind and
comforting with people, we are
00:13:52.13\00:13:56.70
able to bring them in
relationship to Jesus Christ.
00:13:56.70\00:14:00.40
We see Paul as this preacher
who has no feelings, that is
00:14:00.40\00:14:03.87
not the Paul we saw in
these texts. - No, yeah.
00:14:03.87\00:14:06.44
Well Jon it's been another
good session together in this.
00:14:06.44\00:14:10.21
We thank you so much for
joining us and coming to this
00:14:10.21\00:14:13.48
study and we look forward
to being with you again next
00:14:13.48\00:14:16.55
time as we continue to
learn about Paul and the words
00:14:16.55\00:14:19.55
the Spirit inspired him to
write to the Thessalonians.
00:14:19.55\00:14:22.52
Take care and God bless!
00:14:22.52\00:14:24.63