1 Thessalonians 3

I grew up attending church and youth group.  Every Summer as part of our training for our mission trip to Mexico we would have to write our testimonies.  Each person would have to write and share their story of how they first encountered Christ and understood the Gospel.

After a few years of participating in this activity, it became very obvious that as a whole we were comedically bad about trying to figure out how to end our testimonies.

One year everyone ended their testimony by saying, "Ever since Jesus has been in my life, everything is better.  I'm a lot happier, and I just keep growing more and more."  Person after person would come and announce that their life is better in every possible way since first putting their faith in Christ.  So then the next year during training they specifically told us, "Now you don't have to say that everything in your life is perfect now. That isn't what you've experienced and that isn't what they should expect."  Thus every student in the room changed the end of their testimony to, "Since first receiving Christ my life hasn't been perfect.  I still struggle with some things, but I know God's got my back."  Then the next year the pendulum would swing back the other way and they'd tell us to try and end with more hope.  So we did and the cycle continued.

We wanted to end our message with hope, but we also wanted to be realistic.  

At first glance, Paul's words to the Thessalonians on what they should expect seem rather bleak.

1 Thessalonians 3

So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.

• Prior to this letter he sent Timothy to prepare them for trials.  
• He says we are destined for trials.
• He says he kept telling them trials were coming.
• ...and then he says, "And it turned out that way."
• And he's worried they're being tempted by the tempter

By our usual definitions, that's hardly encouraging.  But Timothy was sent TO ENCOURAGE them.  There seems to be a way to face trials without them crushing you.  There seems to be a way to go through the hardest circumstances without being devastated.  

In a broken world, we should expected trials.

In a world which opposes the Gospel, we should expect persecution.

• Our hope isn't in our circumstances.
• Our hope isn't in this world.
• Our hope and our reward is Christ!

Jesus addressed this perfectly in John 16, right before He was betrayed.

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

 Sean Chandler | Associate Pastor

Sean has been a part of the association of Hill Country Bible Churches for over twenty years. He received Christ as a youth while attending Hill Country Bible Church Austin. He attended Hill Country Bible Church NW from 1989 to 2002. At that time he began attending HCBC Pflugerville. He served as a student ministry intern there for two years. In 2008, Sean graduated from Columbia International University with a double major in Bible and Bible teaching. Sean married his wife, Jennifer, in 2006. Their first child, Liam, was born in 2012, and their second, Chloe, was born in 2014.