03-01-2020 – The Example of Parent-Style Spiritual Leadership
03-01-2020
The Example of Parent-Style Spiritual Leadership
1Thessalonians 2:7-12
Last week in 1Thessalonians 2:1-6, we looked at the characteristics of spiritual
leadership that bring honor to God. Today, we are going to look at 1Thessalonians
2:7-12 where we will consider how leadership within the the church is much like
that in a normal family, i.e., that there is to be both a mother and a father.
In 1Thessalonians 2:7 Paul writes, “we were among you, as a nursing mother
who tenderly cares for her own children,” but then in verse 11 he says, “we were
exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own
children.”
Paul provides here two of the many metaphors used in Scripture to distinguish
the character and practice of spiritual leadership in the church; but before we look
at those, let me give you a few more examples of how the those who lead in God’s
church are to serve:
In 1Corinthians 4:1-2, as a steward [one who manages the resources of the
house of God]; in 1Timothy 2:7, as a preacher, a herald [bringing the gospel
message of forgiveness and eternal life in Christ]; in 2Timothy 2:2, as a teacher
[one called and equipped to rebuke, correct and train those in the church with the
truth of God]; in 1Peter 2:16, as a bond slave [a free man who chooses to serve
God wholeheartedly]; in 1Peter 5:1-4, as a shepherd [feeding, caring for,
overseeing, and protecting the flock of God].
Read 1Thessalonians 2:7-9… Paul says that he, Silas, and Timothy served as
spiritual mothers to the believers in Thessalonica (verse 7), we were like “a
nursing mother” who "tenderly cares for her own children.”
Out of all the relationships humans have, this is the most gentle and tender, a
mother nursing her baby, giving herself for the life she is holding in her arms. Paul
is illustrating the personal and tender care that is to be given to the church by
those who are in leadership.
The verb “tenderly cares” means to warm another with your own body heat, i.e.,
a mother holds her baby to her breast warming the child with her own body, while
also feeding the infant with milk from her own body.
Paul says (1Thessalonians 2:8-9) that he and the other apostles had a deep
affection for the Thessalonians, like a mother does for her baby; and not only did
they impart to them the gospel of God” to save them (like a mother breast feeding
her baby), but they “also [imparted to them] their own lives, because these
believers had become so very dear to them.”
The word translated impart here [means to share something fully, yet to retain
some of it yourself], e.g., the apostles shared the gospel with them, but also their
very lives; for they sacrificed for them like a mother does for her own child
(especially a baby, who consumes its mother’s life), as she feeds it, changes it,
loves it, clothes it, bathes it, puts it to bed, gets it up, takes care of its every need.
And a mother does all this without receiving any special awards or kudos for
mothering her children; in fact, she is expected to labor through all kinds of
troubles: sleepless nights, stuffy noses, teething, stomach aches, skinned knees,
sore throats, ear aches, etc. A mother does all this because of the deep affection
and love she has for her child or children; she gives up a big part of her life, to
make sure they have what they need.
Paul is saying that those in leadership in the church are to give themselves to
those in the church, the family of God, and they are to do this selflessly, constantly,
even in hardship, “working night and day,” just as a mother cares for her children.
Read 1Thessalonians 2:10-12 Just as verses 7-9 illustrate the mothering role
of a spiritual leader among the family of God, verses 10-12 illustrate the fatherly
role; clearly, there is to be a balance of both motherhood and fatherhood displayed
as spiritual leaders care for family of believers.
But what is fatherhood? What makes a man a man? How should men act?
In 1Corinthians 16:13 Paul commands the men, “Be on the alert, stand firm in
the faith, act like men, be strong.” The verb “act like men” means to conduct
oneself in a courageous way. Men are to be strong and courageous.
Clearly men are not to be effeminate [which means gentle, soft, womanly,
unmanly]; in fact, the word feminine is taken from the word womanly; in the old
English definition it literally means “one who suckles, or one who feeds from the
breast,” as we have already studied in 1Thessalonians 2:7-9.
But now we are talking about spiritual leaders representing the ultimate in God
pleasing masculinity or maleness, that of being a God-honoring father to those in
the church. He is to do this by being strong and courageous, he must be willing to
engage in the challenges, to be steadfast in difficulties, and to be willing to remove
or go through obstacles; these are part of his duties and responsibilities.
Moses, speaking to Israel, tells them that he is 120 years old and although he is
turning responsibility for Israel over to Joshua they should not fear; then God
exhorts Joshua to be strong and courageous because God will be with him.
Deuteronomy 31:3, “It is the Lord your God who will cross ahead of you; He will
destroy these nations before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua is the one
who will cross ahead of you, just as the Lord has spoken.” 6, “Be strong and
courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one
who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” 23, “Then He commissioned
Joshua the son of Nun, and said, ‘Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the
sons of Israel into the land which I swore to them, and I will be with you.’”
Joshua 1:5 “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just
as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.
6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land
which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you;
do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success
wherever you go. 8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you
shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all
that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will
have success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not
tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
When King David is surrounded by the armies of the Arameans, he sends Joab
out to lead Israel in battle:
2Samuel 10:12, “Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of
our people and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what is good in His
sight.”
When David was close to death, he exhorted Solomon:
1Kings 2:2, “I am going the way of all the earth [to die]. Be strong, therefore, and
show yourself a man.”
1Chronicles 22:13, “[Be] careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances which
the Lord commanded Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous, do not
fear nor be dismayed.”
The point is, God has ordained for men to be leaders in their own families and to
be leaders in God’s family, the church. God-ordained male leadership is exemplified
by men who are firm in their faith; men with convictions rooted in the Word of God,
who are willing to live boldly and yet humbly, as examples to others, acting like
men, being strong and courageous, because their strength is from the Lord.
No one is perfect, only Jesus Christ the Lord. We all make mistakes,;I often
mess up, and when I do, I must make corrections, and sometimes I have to
apologize to someone. Owning up to your mistakes is representative of acting like
a man, just as being strong and courageous is. Paul acted like a man, and he
challenges other men, especially those who lead the church, to do the same.
Back to 1Thessalonians 2:10, “You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly
and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers.” Paul reminds
them that they are witnesses of how he, Silas, and Timothy acted before them, and
that God knows their actions and the very intentions of their hearts. Paul is saying,
we were above reproach, blameless before you, as you well know.
Paul reiterates (1Thessalonians 2:11) how the apostles, as fathers, came
exhorting them [meaning to come alongside them, to urge them to do the right
thing, to receive Christ as Savior and Lord]; this is the same word used for the Holy
Spirit [paraklete, literally, Comforter, Helper]. Jesus says, concerning the Holy
Spirit [Spirit of Christ, Spirit of Truth, Spirit of God] (John 14:16), “I will ask the
Father, and He will give you another Helper,” [One just like Me] whose work (John
16:8-9), “to convict the world concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me.”
The apostles, as fathers, also came encouraging them [meaning to stimulate
them to hang in there, to have confidence, and to continue doing the right thing].
Hebrews 10:23-25, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to
love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of
some, but encouraging one another…”
Thirdly, the apostles came imploring [begging, entreating, urging] each of the
believers in Thessalonica, just as a father would strongly plead with his own child
to please consider the consequences that will come, if you do not heed the
exhortation and encouragement I am giving you.
2Corinthians 5:20-21, “We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were
making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become
the righteousness of God in Him.”
Basically, fatherly exhortation instructs a child to walk or to live in a certain way;
while fatherly encouragement gives emotional, intellectual, moral and/or spiritual
support to the child, so that they can keep on keeping on; and finally, fatherly
imploring them earnestly, from the heart, making it very clear that to continue
turning a deaf ear to the message or to rebel in their heart toward it, will bring dire
consequences, destruction, and ultimately death” (cf. Romans 3:10-12; 23; 5:8;
6:23; 8:1).
In 1Thessalonians 2:12, Paul states why, as a father, he is exhorting,
encouraging, and imploring them, “so that [they] would walk in a manner worthy of
the God who calls [them] into His own kingdom and glory.”
At the moment of genuine salvation a person enters the kingdom of heaven,
ruled by the KING of Kings and LORD of Lords, Jesus Christ: crucified, resurrected,
and coming again to take all who believe in Him to live with Him, forever in the new
heaven and the new earth, where there will no longer be any mourning, or crying,
or pain, or death, for all that has past away (cf. Revelation 21:1-4); and surely
goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell
in the house of the LORD forever (cf. Psalm 23:6).
Pastor Mike
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