(REFLECTIONS ON 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13)

The Thessalonian church was established by a team led by Paul, Silas, and Timothy. This was a group effort that was established in fellowship. It was a team, albeit made up of individuals, and that is what makes today’s Scripture so interesting to read. 

In today’s Scripture 1 Thessalonians 3:1-3 we read,

1 Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it best to be left behind, alone at Athens, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you for the benefit of your faith, 3 so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions.

Although we read that the team (we) could no longer endure their concern and longing to find out about the faith of the Thessalonians in the midst of the challenges they faced, but how could they (we) as a group be left behind in Athens? **Take a moment and think about this for a second.**

If they stayed together as a group, and were responding as a group, then no one could have been left behind because they would have all been together.

However, in Acts 17 we read that although Paul, Silas, and Timothy were together in Berea, a Roman province of Macedonia, Paul was later sent to Athens, while Silas and Timothy remained in Berea. Who was left behind then? Silas and Timothy. And who was alone at Athens? It was Paul. 

Timothy was then sent to Thessalonica to find out how the church was doing there and to strengthen and encourage them. They were a team, a fellowship, serving together for the Gospel of Christ, but they were separated, individuals, left alone, although together in heart. Paul writes in verse 5,

5 For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be for nothing.

As a group, they could no longer endure not knowing about how the Thessalonian church was doing. Although they were spiritually connected, they were physically separated, and that is why we see that it was both “we” and “I” could no longer endure it, all at the same time.

This reminds us brothers and sisters that we are a spiritual family, not only when we are physically together, but even if we are physically separated for a time. We are a spiritual family, although we perhaps are reading this devotional in our own home, using our own cell phone or computer.

We are a spiritual family, meaning that we are having devotion together, we are in the Spirit together, and we are worshiping together. We are a spiritual family, although at times physically separated, means that we are together, in prayer, in worship, and in love. 

That is the power of today’s Scripture. It shows spiritual unity in caring for the Thessalonian church, even in physical separation. It reminds us that nothing can separate us from the love of God, because it isn’t just a physical love, but a spiritual love. As such, no matter where we are, we are connected to God and to one another. As Paul writes in Romans 8:38-39,

38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Although we are individuals, face different challenges and struggles in life, have different lives outside of church, but we are spiritually united in Christ and nothing can separate us from each other and from the love of God.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: 1 Thessalonians 3