1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 – Be responsible and accountable

Verse 17 suggests to us that Paul’s ministry among Thessalonians was disrupted. It was the hostile Jews whom he mentioned in verses 14-15 that came to create trouble for Paul and his companions.  They were forcefully taken away from the Thessalonians for a short while. We get the feeling that to Paul the separation was a painful, unwilling and a reluctant one. However, in the spirit they were still with Paul. He had them constantly in his thoughts and heart. In that sense they were constantly with him. And he yearned to see their face again.

Paul repeatedly tried to come to them, but in each attempt Satan had prevented him. Paul seemed to put the blame squarely on Satan. How is Satan the cause of Paul’s inability to return to the Thessalonians? Since Paul was doing the will of God to advance the Kingdom, it would be an act of contradiction if God were the One putting in the obstacles. Only Satan would want to hinder the progress of God’s work. In this sense, he was the one who had hindered Paul’s return. We can see it this way: behind the scene, Satan was engineering opposition to prevent Paul from going back to the Thessalonians.

In verses 19-20, Paul raised a series of rhetorical questions. He had put much effort, while undergoing affliction, to reach them and to now hear of their work of faith, labor of love and steadfastness of hope, was a real encouragement to him. He wanted them to know that they were his joy and pride. They were his hope, joy and crown of exultation. And at the Glorious Appearing of the Lord, they would be the trophies that he would present to the Lord.

Paul’s zeal and fervor in the ministry can be felt in the reading of these verses. What kept him so vibrant in service? Apart from his love for the people he served, we can also see two aspects of Paul: his sense of duty and his sense of accountability. As long as he was serving, he would labor diligently and responsibly. He knew that ultimately when he faced the Lord, he would have to give an account of the tasks delegated to him. Like Paul, we must have genuine love when we serve, but we must keep at the forefront of our mind the sense of duty and our accountability to the Lord. Bear in mind that we are just stewards of God’s grace!