Paul’s Words

[전승훈2]

Summary:
Paul says that although he and his companions could have asserted authority, they were gentle among the Thessalonians, like a nursing mother caring for her own children. Because they had such affection for them, they were willing not only to share the gospel of God but also their own lives, since the Thessalonians had become beloved to them.

Paul reminds them of their labor and hardship. They worked night and day so that they would not be a burden to anyone while proclaiming the gospel of God. He calls both the Thessalonians and God as witnesses to how devoutly, uprightly, and blamelessly they behaved toward the believers.

He also describes how they dealt with each one of them like a father with his own children, exhorting, encouraging, and urging them to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls them into His own kingdom and glory.


Teaching:
Paul says that although he could assert his apostolic authority over the Thessalonian church, he chooses not to do so. The burden given by God is the authority of a church worker. That position carries authority because it belongs to a servant of God upon whom God has placed a burden.

We need to recognize the labor of pastors and shepherds as they work to proclaim the gospel. This itself is God’s grace. It is the grace of God becoming embodied and made visible, and it leads us to pray with thanksgiving.

Even if Paul was able to exercise his apostolic authority, people still needed to recognize his labor. In particular, the labor of teachers who teach the Word to children in the church should be acknowledged.

The essence is not the ethical superiority of gospel workers who choose not to enjoy certain privileges. Rather, the essence is the proclamation of the gospel itself.


Excerpt from the sermon by Pastor Lee, Jul 6, 2026
Thessalonians 2:7-12