Tabor Baptist Church

Overview

• This church doesn't seem to have any internal problems
• They reached out to the surrounding nations
• The church had suffered much persecution in the beginning
• The joy and faith of the church was well known
• We see an ideal church in chapter 1 and an ideal ministry in chapter 2
• 1:1 - an acknowledgement of the work of the church
• No longer the church you once were (you have changed in Christ)
• There was still problems and persecution from the Jews
• The Jews were seeking to undermine his ministry
• 'He only came for a short time' - he has gone off now and is not bothering with you anymore
• 'He is out to make money' - "for laboring night and day, ?r?that we might not be a burden to any of you" (v9)
• Likely spreading vicious lies
• The persuasive idea was that sexual union with a temple priest would bring you closer to your deity [but this was not true]
• This can still happen today: Geoff Warren of the Latter Day Saints had up to 60 wives (and was recently jailed for this)
• Paul appeals to the people to remember how he was, v10 - you are witnesses
• God is a witness also

Three Points

• Ministry
• Men
• Motivation

Ministry

• Writes always with a 'for' or 'but'
• The preaching ministry was not pointless or fruitless (v1) but confident in God (v2)
• He didn't work in his own strength
• Think how he was treated in Philippi even though he was a roman citizen
• Do we feel despised?
• Example of the Bulls who were standing up for marriage
• God is bigger than our situation

Men

• Speaks not about 'I' but 'we' - Paul, Silus and Timothy (v3)
• Error:
• They were all utterly committed to the truth
• They handled correctly [and did not misquote] the world of God
• They taught the whole counsel of God
• Uncleanness:
• Seems connected to sexual purity
• They were pure, we are not involved in sexual sin
• They were not using the word as an opportunity to indulge in sexual passions
• Deceit:
• Personal example of situation in Brazil
• The men were commissioned and approved by God (v4)
• Silas and Timothy were 'apostles' as they
  were sent by God (which is what the word means 'sent by God'), having received their teaching from others
• Paul was an 'Apostle' (having received his teaching by divine revelation)
• The men preached the gospel of God
• The gospel of God: Christ died for sinners
• Not as pleasing men but God: not to be populist or hiding the truth
• We are to be accountable to each other [as Christians] but above all we are to be accountable to God
• Personal Example of Paul Carey in Romanian ministry

Motivation

• God is witness (v5)
• Negatives:
• Their motivation is not for self but serving others
• They imparted not just the word but themselves
• Their motivation was not money, not for themselves but for the church
• They were gentle (v7)
• They didn't use flattering words or cloaks of covetousness
• Personal example from Brazil
• Paul wasn't like this
• Paul did not seek glory from man
• Positives:
• They were gentle (v7)
• They were not to be dominating but gentle
• Using imagery of being like a mother (v7) and a father (v11)
• Not just Paul, but Silus and Timothy also
• Paul considered their needs: he worked with his own hands so as not to be a burden to them
• His motivation was not money
• He was concerned the people would walk 'worthy of God'

• What about us at Tabor Baptist Church?
• People serving unseen
• Evangelistic outreach: reaching out the young, the elderly, the surveys