Last Tuesday we spoke on the
first four verses in this second chapter and this evening we'll
speak from verses 5 to verse 8 of this second chapter in the
first epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians. So we'll just
read from verse 5 to verse 8. For neither at any time used
we flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness,
God is witness, nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor
yet of others, when we might have been burdensome as the apostles
of Christ, but We were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherished
her children. 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 you were dear
unto us. Well, Paul continues his words
of exhortation which follows on from the first four verses
where he speaks about what they endeavoured to do and how they'd
been treated. And he comes on then to these
verses and speaks about how he did operate, and of course not
by himself, he was considered also with Silvanus and Timotheus. And he goes on to say, for neither
at any time used we flattering words. The Apostle's concern
was not to just please man. In actual fact it didn't worry
him what people thought. His great concern was to do God's
will and to please God. And surely that should be our
concern and our desire. It's very easy, isn't it, to
just, if you like, change our words or influence our words
so they may appear to be flattering, but that will not profit. That
will only bolster up people's pride, which will be of no real
true spiritual benefit. And so he's able to declare,
and as I've often said, the apostle was very honest in his statements. He didn't say he had any pride
in himself, it was just a fact. And it's good when we're able
to speak things just as a fact, like the Apostle was here. For
neither at any time used we flattering words, and he says, as ye know. He'd spoken, he had a testimony,
and he was able to speak to the Thessalonians, and they were
able to acknowledge that what he said was true. And that's
why he says, as ye know. And then he goes on. Nor a cloak of covetousness. God is witness. By nature, we
are covetous. And that's why we have that command
not to covet. And covet really means that we
desire things that we haven't got. Well, here is his statement. Nor a cloak of covetousness. and that means a cloak means
it's covering up something so just to perhaps pretend that
we're not covetous and yet underneath we are covetous so it's a good
direction and he obviously then speaks that it's not here the
people know because it may be covered up but God knows God
is witness and it's good isn't it when we always are conscious
the fact that God looks at us it's not what men see because
God looks into our heart and God sees everything and so what
a blessing it is to understand here nor a cloak of covetousness
to not to pretend that God is witness and then thirdly he says
nor of men sought we glory Neither of you, nor yet of others. Again, he didn't look for pats
on the back from people. He didn't expect them to say,
what a wonderful sermon today, Paul. No, he didn't. He didn't
seek that. No, and therefore he's able to
say, nor of men sought we glory. Because we should always be concerned
to not desire men's acknowledgement and God's favour and man's favour,
but God's favour, because in that it brings then glory to
God. And that always and always should
be our real concern. in our lives to bring honour
and glory to God. And so he says, neither, nor
of men sought with glory, neither of you, nor yet of others. No, it wasn't the people, it
wasn't the Thessalonians, and it wasn't anybody else. No, his
concern was to allow God to have all the glory. And so he's able
to make this very clear statement, God is witness. Nor of men sought
we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others. Well, that's a
good testimony. And he goes on to say, when we
might have been burdensome, Now you may remember that the Apostle
Paul when he had opportunity he went back to his tent making
so that he earned money. So he wasn't burdensome because
the Church of God in those days was often very poor and they
were isolated really and therefore the Apostle was concerned not
to be burdensome in this way to the people. and we're thankful
we have this evidence that he reverted to what his trade was
before he was converted and that was as a tent maker and that
is indeed encouraging to the servants of God today to remember
that. Now there is this position which Paul sets before us as
an example when we might have been burdensome but he wasn't
as the Apostles of Christ. So you may have felt, well, because
he was an Apostle of Christ that he had a right to expect everything
to be provided. But we see the spirit this man
had. It was indeed the spirit of Christ,
not to be burdensome, very praiseworthy. And it's good he's able to write
such words to the Thessalonians so that we're able to read them
now many, many years afterwards and yet appreciate the relevance
of them as the apostles of Christ and then he tells tells us or
tell the Thessalonians rather what they were like but we were
gentle among you gentle well we read of the gentleness of
Christ don't we and you know sometimes it's quite difficult
to be gentle it's far easier to not be gentle but to be aggressive
and to try and force our attitude and our desires and what we think
is right on other people. But here this spirit of the Apostle
is shown to us, but we were gentle among you. So we must always
remember in our dealings with others to be gentle. gentle among you, even as a nurse
cherishes her children. He gives this very able illustration. We know how a nurse looks after
the children committed to her charge. We could also say like
a mother looks after her baby or her children and they cherish
them and they look after them very carefully, very lovingly. Again it's a good example and
this is what the Apostle is setting forth before the Thessalonians
and God sets it forth before the Church of God. So let us
realize we have this example, so being affectionately desirous
of you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children. It's a good example,
isn't it? It's an easy example. for us
to be able to assimilate. So being affectionately desirous
of you, we were willing to impart it unto you, not the gospel of
God only, they did want to impart the gospel of God, that was the
apostles' great desire and great aim, and you only have to read
the Acts of the Apostles as well as the Epistles to realise how
ardent he was in preaching the gospel, wherever he was on whatever
occasion he had his great concern was to preach the gospel and
by preaching the gospel there were those who heard it and received
it and were eternally blessed in their souls. So what a great
blessing it is to be willing to impart the gospel and he says
not the gospel of God only but also our own souls, because ye
were dear unto us." To testify of their own condition, testify
how God had dealt with them, their own souls. It's good, you
know, often to be able to testify to others of what God has done
for us. I think it's one of the greatest
and most wonderful testimonies. I remember reading the assistant
pastor at Met Tab, who was of course a Muslim, a devout Muslim
and he's written a book about it and he said the best way to
speak to Muslims is not to argue against their religion it's to
testify of what God has done for you and I'm sure that is
a very telling and a very wonderful way to be able to speak to those
who have no knowledge and perhaps no desire of the things of God. Well, we have this gracious example
of the Apostle Paul and gracious exhortation. And may we indeed
desire also to be willing to impart it unto the people, not
only the gospel, but also our own souls, because you were dear
unto us. Well, may God bless his word
and instruct us from it. for his honour and for his glory.