Tonight's message is called,
Hindered by Satan. Now we know from studying scriptures
that the Christian is in a warfare in this life. We battle princes
and principalities, just as Paul wrote in the book of Ephesians.
He wrote in Ephesians chapter 6, verses 10 to 13, Finally,
my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His
might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to
stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against
flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual
wickedness in high places. Wherefore, take unto you the
whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil
day, and heaven done all, to stand. Now we know from our past
studies and scriptures that the whole armor of God is Christ
Jesus our Lord. Each piece of armor points to
Him. And we know from verse 12 in Ephesians chapter 6 that we
wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places. So with that
in mind, here's a little history of the city of Thessalonica.
We'll be looking at the second chapter of 1 Thessalonians and
we'll be looking at verses 17 and 18 tonight. But here's a
little history of the city of Thessalonica. The city flourished
due to its location on the major trade route to the east and continued
as the years passed to thrive as one of the most important
cities in the Byzantine Empire. There was a major port located
at Thessalonica, so trade and travel to and from Thessalonica
occurred frequently from all over the known world at that
time. And Thessalonica was an ancient city of Macedonia and
northern Greece. And Paul, by the will and purpose
of God, was led to this city by the Holy Spirit of God, to
preach and proclaim Christ and Him crucified. The Holy Spirit
brings this forth in verse 2 of chapter 2. Let's turn to 1 Thessalonians
chapter 2. We see that Paul, Silas, and
Timothy were shamefully entreated, beloved, in Philippi. And the
Holy Spirit has Paul write these things in verse 2. But even after
that, we had suffered before and were shamefully entreated,
as you know, at Philippi. We were bold in our God to speak
unto you the gospel of God with much contention. Now, the distance
between Thessalonica and Philippi today by car is 99.4 miles or
86.4 nautical miles. So it's 14 miles shorter if you go by sea but if you drive
in a car today it would take around three hours and 12 minutes
to travel from Thessaloniki to Philippi. Now in the days of
Paul they either traveled by foot or camel or horseback or
ship so either way it was a great distance to travel in that time. and in those manners. As I mentioned
earlier, 99.4 miles by land or 86.4 nautical miles by ship. So they had traveled from Philippi
to Thessalonica, being led by the Holy Spirit of God. And again,
this trip only occurred because it had been ordained and purposed
by our great God to occur. The missionary trio, Paul, Silas,
and Timothy, walked through Amphipolis, and Apollyona to Thessalonica,
one of Macedonia's most populous and important cities. Thessalonica
was. In all, they walked about 100
miles to get to Thessalonica, apparently spending two nights
on the road. Turn, if you would, to Acts chapter
17. Acts chapter 17, and we'll read verse 1. It says, Now when
they had passed through Amphipolis, and Apollyona, they came to Thessalonica,
where was a synagogue of the Jews. And when they got to Thessalonica,
they engaged in intensive evangelism, beloved, preaching in the Jewish
synagogue there for three weeks in a row every Sabbath day. And
we know exactly what they preached, because Paul says, we preach
Christ and Him crucified. Beloved, they preached the gospel.
Look in Acts chapter 17 verses 2 and 3. And Paul, as his manner
was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them
out of the scriptures. So that means he was there for
three weeks. Opening, what did he do? He preached Christ, beloved. Look at verse 3. Opening and
alleging that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again
from the dead. in that this Jesus, whom I preach
unto you, is Christ. He preached the death, burial,
and resurrection of Christ. Now traditionally, traveling
rabbis were invited to speak at local synagogues, as a matter
of courtesy, when visiting an area, and apparently Paul was
asked to speak for that reason, and he was obviously well-received
at first. And beloved of God, some of Christ's
lost sheep were there. Some of the sheep of God, whom
Christ shed his precious blood for at Calvary, were in that
city. And they must hear the gospel. They must be born again by the
Holy Spirit of God. And God uses the foolishness
of preaching to save them that believe. And what do preachers
preach? Christ and Him crucified, beloved. Now let's go to 1 Thessalonians
2, and we'll read verses 14 to 20 to get our verses in context. Tonight we'll be looking at verses
17 and 18, but I wanna read these verses to get the context of
the verses which we'll be studying tonight. 1 Thessalonians 2, verse
14. For ye, brethren, became followers
of the churches of God, which in Judea are in Christ Jesus. Very key right there in verse
14. in Christ Jesus. For ye also have suffered like
things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews.
So just as the Jewish converts to Christ suffered from the hands
of their own countrymen, the Gentile converts in Thessalonica
suffered at the hands of their own countrymen. Gentiles persecuting
Gentiles and Jews persecuting Jews. Look what it says in verse
15, Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might
be saved to fill up their sins all way,
for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. But we, brethren,
being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart,
endeavored the more abundantly to see your face with great desire. Wherefore we would have come
unto you, even I Paul, once and again, but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope, or joy,
or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence
of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For ye are our glory
and joy. So we see in verses 17 to 20
that Paul longed to see the brethren again at Thessalonica. Their
hearts, beloved, had been knit together in love by the Lord
Jesus Christ and through And now Paul's departure from Thessalonica
had been very sudden, but we see in verse 17 that he desired
to see them face to face. Let's read verses 17 and 18 together. But we, brethren, being taken
from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored
the more abundantly to see your face with great desire. Wherefore,
we would have come unto you, even I, Paul, once and again,
but Satan hindered us. So we see that it almost appears
that Paul is apologizing for having to leave them, even though
he was forced to do so because of the veminate hatred from those
who were persecuting him. Even though they had only been
together for a short time, three weeks, Paul had a great love
for the Saints of God at Thessalonica, and they were still on his heart.
Now, as we have went through this global pandemic, think of
how God has, by His providence and grace, made we who are the
born-again, blood-washed Saints of God here at Almonte, long
to see one another. I get emails and texts from you.
longing for us to be back together. So we can identify, we who are
longing to be with God's people, we can identify with Paul's words
which are written here by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, can't
we? It says, We, brethren, being taken from you for a short time
in presence, not in heart, endeavored the more abundantly to see your
face, with great desire. Even though we have not been
able to meet in the flesh, we are still on each other's hearts,
and we are still on each other's minds, and we are still in each
other's prayers. And we who are the people of
God, we who are the born-again, blood-washed saints of God here
in Alma, we desire to be in each other's presence. So we see then
that Paul had a great desire to see those saints at Thessalonica.
He desired, beloved, to see them face to face. Now, this is a
mark of a true believer in Christ. They desire to be with the brethren
because there's sweet communion and fellowship with our brothers
and sisters in Christ, listening to the gospel being preached
and proclaimed. In the communion of the saints,
the believer in Christ feels safe and free and does not fear
judgment and does not feel judged. The scripture says in Psalm 65,
4, Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causes to approach
unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts. We shall be satisfied
with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. King David penned these words
about the assembling of the saints together. He said, I was glad
when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord.
God's people, we love to come to the house of the Lord. We
love to come where the gospel is being preached. And do you
know that we are exhorted by the Holy Spirit of God through
the writings of Paul to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together?
Turn if you would to Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10,
we are exhorted, again, by the Holy Spirit of God, because He
is the author of these words, He is the one who inspired Paul
to write these words, and we are exhorted by Him, by the Holy
Spirit of God, to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. It says in Hebrews chapter 10,
verses 22 to 25, let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold
fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for He is faithful
that promised. And let us consider one another
to provoke unto love and to good works, not forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting
one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching.
So marvel at this truth, for you who are the born-again child
of God. We used to dread going to church
in our natural state. I never wanted to go to church
before the Lord saved me. I had to be dragged there. And
now, we who are the born-again, blood-washed saints of God, we
love going to church. We love hearing the gospel of
God's salvation in and through Christ. It never gets old, beloved. And it's always enough for us,
isn't it? It's always enough for us. We love to hear Christ
alone preached and proclaimed to us again and again and again. I ask you, is that true with
you? Is that true with you who are
listening? I know it's true with me, since the Lord has given
me faith to believe on him. There is no place I'd rather
be than with the Lord's people. No place I'd rather be than where
the gospel is being proclaimed. In every believer in Christ,
in this world, we're gonna face trials and tribulations, but
is it not wonderful that we know as believers that we in our local
assembly have mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters a hundredfold
in this world and in eternal life to come? eternal life in
the world to come. I was just talking to a dear
brother from our congregation today, and he bought forth how
he just tells everyone that he does not need to freak out about
what's going on today in this world. He knows now who's in
control. He bought forth how he marvels
now in the types and shadows that are bought forth in the
Old Testament through the preaching of the gospel. I told him, rejoice,
beloved, rejoice, brother, because the Holy Spirit's teaching you
these things. through the preaching of the gospel. And it's wonderful
to hear these things. It's wonderful. Let's read verses
17 and 18 again, where we see Paul's heart as a pastor bought
forth. But we, brethren, being taken
from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored
the more abundantly to see your face with great desire. Wherefore,
we would have come unto you, even I, Paul, once and again,
but Satan hindered us. Now here is the heart of every
preacher, that God sends to preach the gospel of salvation in and
through Christ alone. Here are three aspects of being
a preacher. Number one, a pastor rules in spiritual things because
he alone is the one who must give account for the souls of
his hearers. Hebrews 13, 17 says this, obey them that have the
rule over you and submit yourselves for they watch for your souls
as they must give account that they may do it with joy and not
with grief. for that is unprofitable for
you. The responsibility is met only in the preaching of the
truth and in the preaching of the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ and the preaching of Christ and Him crucified as the only
substitute of His people, preaching His work. before God in his life
and in his death as the perfect substitute, the sinless, spotless
Lamb of God. The gospel preacher proclaims
that Christ came to this earth, the God-man, and lived perfectly,
perfectly before God's law. fulfilling it as only a perfect
sinless man could do. And we who are born sinners,
we who are the sons and daughters of Adam, we could never do that
because everything we do before we are saved and even after we
are saved is tainted with sin. And Christ's perfect substitutionary
work in His life and in His death is accounted to we who are the
born-again, blood-washed saints of God, known as the elect of
God. And we have no merit in ourselves
to be in the presence of God. All our merit, the believer in
Christ says, all my merit before God comes in and through the
Lord Jesus Christ, who shed his precious blood for me to redeem
my eternal soul. Praise his mighty name. Next
point is the pastor is the servant of the flock. They serve the
flock. The third point is the pastor
belongs to the flock. He is theirs. He is ordained
by God. He is called by God to preach
the gospel. He is sent by God to a specific
place. Why? To preach the gospel. And all this is done by the will
and by the purpose of God, beloved. Let's now take one more look
at verse 17 here. It says, but we, brethren, being
taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored
the more abundantly to see your face with great desire. See the
word endeavored in our text there? In the English, it means to try
hard, to do, or to achieve something. But this word in the Greek means
earnestness, diligent, to be diligent, earnest, or eager.
The same Greek word is translated diligence in 1 Peter 1.5. Let's
turn there. Peter is exhorting the saints
of God, again, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God, to
act in certain ways. 1 Peter 1.5-7, and beside this,
giving all diligence, that's the same word that's translated
endeavored, over there in 1 Thessalonians 2, and besides this giving all
diligence add to your faith virtue, into virtue knowledge, into knowledge
temperance, into temperance patience, into patience godliness, into
godliness brotherly kindness, and the brotherly kindness charity,
which we know is love. Then look back at that verse
in 1 Thessalonians 2. It says, but we, brethren, being
taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored
or be diligently, eagerly, the more abundantly to see your face
with great desire. Now see that word abundantly
there? In English it means in large
quantities. plentiful. The Greek word expands
on this thought even more than the English word. The Greek word
is defined as super abundantly more, exceedingly more. So they
super abundantly more long to see the face of the Thessalonian
believers. Paul had this in his heart. And
this was not just, well, I want to go to church and see my friends.
No, this was I super abundantly and earnestly desire to see your
face. my dear brothers and sisters in Christ. This is what Paul
was writing to the Thessalonian believers. Beloved, this is a
pastor's heart exposed here. When I'm away preaching somewhere
else, my thoughts are upon you here on Sunday when you're going
to meet. Beloved, this is just how love
works. And God's preachers love the people they are sent to preach
to. They love the people they are sent to pastor. And we see
that clearly bought forth in Paul's words in these verses.
Let's read them again. Verses 17 and 18. 1 Thessalonians
2 But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in
presence, not in heart, so they were gone physically, but not
in spirit, not in heart, endeavored the more abundantly to see your
face with great desire. Wherefore we would have come
unto you, even I Paul, once and again, but Satan hindered us. Now we see here in verse 18 that
Paul declares that his intention was to come and visit with the
brethren at Thessalonica several times. How do we know that? Wherefore
we would have come unto you, even I, Paul, once and again,
more than once, but Satan hindered us. So on several occasions,
he was hindered by Satan to come to see the believers at Thessalonica. Now remember at the opening of
this message that I brought forth before us, the passage in Ephesians
chapter 6, that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities and powers, against rulers of darkness of
this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Now
remember that God allowed Satan to go after Job. Let's turn to
Job chapter 1. God allowed Satan to go after
Job. But Satan can only do what God
allowed. Let's go to Job chapter one.
Job chapter one, we'll read verses six to 12. Now there was a day
when the sons of God came to present themselves before the
Lord, before Jehovah, and Satan came also among them. And the
Lord said unto Satan, whence comest thou? Then Satan answered,
he answered Jehovah, and said, from going to and fro in the
earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said
unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? There is none
like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, one that feareth
God, and escheweth evil. Then Satan answered the Lord,
and said, Doth Job fear God for naught? Hast thou not made an
hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he
hath on every side? Hast thou not blessed the work
of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land? But
put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he
will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan,
Behold, all that he hath is in thy power, only upon himself
put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the
presence of the Lord. And then over in the New Testament,
in Luke chapter 22, verse 31, we read where Satan desired to
sift Peter like wheat. Luke chapter 22, verse 31. And
the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to
have you that he may sift you as wheat. Now sift in the Greek
there means to shake as grain in a sieve, figuratively meaning
to agitate and prove by trials and afflictions. Right after
the Lord told Simon Peter Satan's intentions, Adonai, Elohim in
the flesh, Lord Jesus Christ proclaims this, but I have prayed
for thee that thy faith fail not. Oh, what comforting words! Oh, what comforting words to
know that God incarnate in the flesh has prayed for us, beloved.
And what was the end of both these men's trials? Well, the
end of both these men's trials was the deliverance of these
two men. by the grace and mercy of God.
Although Satan was acting according to his will, he was doing his
deeds under divine permission and limitations of God, as Bunyan
brings forth in Pilgrim's Progress. Satan is on a chain, beloved.
He's on a leash, and he can only do what God allows. He can only
do what God allows. Paul endeavored in our text,
which means he put some effort into making a trip back to see
them, The saints at Thessalonica time and time again, but the
scriptures declare that Satan hindered them. Look at verse
18. Wherefore, we would have come unto you, even I, Paul,
Paul in the flesh, once and again, but Satan hindered us. Remember,
it was Satan who stirred up the mob of the baser sword against
Paul when he had to flee from Thessalonica. It was Satan that
bought persecution in other areas where Paul went and after he
left Thessalonica. Satan is God's enemy. He hates
the Lord Jesus Christ. He hates the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ. And he will do everything in
his power to hinder the preaching of the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Satan was the one who got all
those people fired up and they yelled, crucify him, crucify
him, about Christ. But never forget, beloved, never
forget you who are the beloved of God, that Satan is like a
dog on a leash. He can only go as far as God's
leash has determined him to go. And we saw that in the text in
Job when the Lord proclaimed, and the Lord said unto Satan,
behold, all that he hath is in thy power, only upon him put
not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the
presence of the Lord. And we know Peter was sifted
when he denied the Lord three times. But just as the Lord said
his faith did not fail, He was sent by God to preach the gospel
and he did that, again, all according to the mercy and grace of God
who upheld him. Always remember, you who are
the people of God, that our great God rules in all matters. We
see that it was Paul's will there in verse 18 to go back to Thessalonica
as soon as he could. And he tried many times to make
that trip. Let's read that verse again.
Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I, Paul, once
and again, But Satan hindered us. Beloved of God, it was not
God's will for him to go back to them. And we know that Paul
knew that God works all things after the counsel of his own
will. Oh, how much we who are the children of God need to be
reminded of God's absolute sovereignty in all things. We make plans. We make plans that must be changed
because of circumstances that we have no control over, and
we need to humble ourselves before our sovereign Lord and cry out
with true reverence to Him, saying, nevertheless, not my will, Lord,
but Thy will be done. So we've seen tonight, we've
seen tonight that we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
places. And we know that Satan stirred up men to thwart the
will of Paul and cause Paul to have to go to Philippi, to Thessalonica,
to Athens. But let us always remember that
Satan never has and never will, never has and never will thwart
the will of God. And consider this truth, that
Satan's efforts were but just other ways of ensuring the gospel
would reach the places that Paul fled to. Have you ever thought
of that? All these things, Satan hindering Paul, the persecution
that Paul faced were all for the furtherance of the gospel.
And we see that God employed Satan here in verse 18 to make
Paul even more desirous to see the brethren. And often the scriptures
speak of Satan hindering Believer it refers to those whom Satan
stirs up against the truth again against God's people against
the preaching of the gospel So we have seen tonight that Paul
had determined to return to the Saints at Thessalonica Wherefore
we would have come unto you he would have come unto him in his
own will he would have come But it wasn't God's will for him
to go back beloved and he was hindered by Satan And we know
that this was all according to the will and purpose of God,
and that as Paul went out to other places, the gospel spread
like wildfire, beloved. And the great enemy of the gospel,
who stirred up opposition and contention against Paul, still
does it today. Always remember, the great enemy
of the gospel who stirred up opposition and contention against
Paul, was only doing what our great sovereign God had determined
to occur, all for the furtherance of the gospel of salvation in
and through the Lord Jesus Christ. And although Paul was absent
from them in body, oh, he was not absent with them in spirit
or in heart, beloved. He longed to see them. Just like
we who are the blood-washed saints of God, we long to see each other
now, don't we? More so than probably ever before,
eh? Oh, we've been taught great lessons
To never take the preaching of the gospel for granted. To never
take having a church to attend to where the gospel is preached
and proclaimed. To never take it for granted, beloved. All
to God be the glory. Great things he hath done. Amen
and amen.