Introduction:

Chapter one describes the ideal church; chapter two pictures for,us the ideal Christian. Paul elaborates upon his personal follow-up program that he used to help these new converts stay true to the Lord. In this chapter Paul gives us four pictures of the ideal Christian worker.

I. The Faithful Steward (2:1-6)

(vs. 2) - Suffering is to be expected in the Christian experience if you witness. Here Paul refers to an incident that is recorded in (Acts. 16:19-24). (See I Pet. 2:20-25; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rom. 8:18).

(vs. 3) - Paul's motives were pure as he approached the people. He could have made a far better living doing other things, but he chose to follow God's call.

(vs. 4) - We are "put in trust with the Gospel".. We often consider stewardship of material things, but we need to be reminded that every believer is a steward of the Gospel. For example, God gave the message to Paul (I Tim. 1:11); Paul in turn committed it to Timothy (I Tim. 6:20) and Timothy was expected to commit it to faithful men in the churches (2 Tim. 2-.2).

(vs. 5) - Paul always honored faithful workers and gave praise where it was due; but lie did not stoop to flattery to get converts (Gal. 1:10; Jn. 8:29; Acts 4:18-21).

(vs. 6) - Paul refused financial help from the church only to still his critics who claimed he wasn't a real apostle. He did this in face of the fact that he taught "they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." (I Cor. 9:14-18)

II. The Gentle Mother (2:7-8)

If it seems odd that the man Paul should compare himself to a "nursing mother" in (vs. 7), then consider (I Cor. 4:14-15) where he states that as a spiritual parent he had "begotten" the Corinthian saints through the Gospel. In 2:9-13, Paul uses the image of a father; but the main thought here is that of loving care. New Christians need love, food, and tender care, just as a mother would give to her own children. Newborn babes need the milk of the Word (I Pet. 2:2), and then must "graduate" to the meat (I Cor. 3:1-4; Heb. 5:11-14), the bread (Mt. 4:4; and see Ex. 16, the manna), and the honey (Ps. 119:103).

HOW a mother feeds a child is almost as important as WHAT she feeds it. How important it is that we who are older Christians feed the younger saints in an attitude of love and patience.

III. The Concerned Father (2:9-16)

(vs. 9) - (vs. 6) is reinforced. Labour is physical work, travail can be prayer.

(vs. 10-12) - Children are great imitators, therefore our behavior is critical if our exhortations comfort, and charges are to be of any effect.

• Exhortation means to challenge to apply the message.

(vs. 13) - The Word of God cannot work in you if you do not believe it is the Very Word of God.

(vs. 14-16) - If you receive the Word of God, believe it, and allow it to work in you (vs. 13) then there will always be those who will be anxious to persecute you.

(vs. 16) - Uttermost is a reference to quantity (Rom. 11:25)

• The Lockman Foundation, producers of the Amplified Bible and the N.A.S.V. hates the idea that God is not finished with Israel. They are A-millennialist in theology. (See 1 Thess. 2:16) in Amplified New Testament.

IV. The Loving Brother (2:17-20)

(vs. 17) - Paul had a great desire to be with God's sheep. That is a product of walking with the Chief Shepherd. Paul was not the kind of Christian who "took a vacation" from the house of God. (Heb. 10:25)

(vs. 18) - Satan does all he can to hinder Bible teaching. He may use liberalism, the charismatic movement, neo-evangelicalism.

(vs. 19-20) - There are five crowns available to the Christian.

[1]. Soulwinners Crown - (1 Thess. 2:19,20)
[2]. Crown of Righteousness - (2 Tim. 4:8)
[3]. Incorruptible Crown - (1 Cor. 9:25)
[4]. Crown of Life - (James 1:12)
[5]. Crown of Glory - (1 Pet. 5:4)

These crowns will be your basis of economy in the millennium (Prov. 14:24).

• Why don't more Christians win souls?