The Heart of a Shepherd 1 Thess 2:17-20

1 Thessalonians as a Manual for Under-Shepherds

If you would take your copy of God's word and turn with me to 1st Thessalonians chapter 2 We will read for context from verse 13 to the end of the chapter 1st Thessalonians chapter 2 and. For this reason We also constantly thank God that when you receive from us The Word of God's message you accepted it not as the Word of men But for what it really is the Word of God which also performs its work in you who believe.

For you brethren became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen even as they did from the Jews Who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and drove us out?

They are not pleasing to God but hostile to all men hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved. With the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins, but wrath has come upon them to the utmost.

But we brethren.

Having been bereft of you for a short while in person not in spirit. We're all the more eager with great desire to see your face for we wanted to come to you I Paul more than once and yet Satan thwarted us.

For he who is our hope or joy or for who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus that is coming for you are our glory and our joy. Let's open in prayer.

Lord, we come before your word this morning on bended knee recognizing that it is for the teaching of doctrine Instruction correction and reproof and we submit to those four things this morning. Excited that you have decided to change our hearts to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to salvation and that You have undertaken throughout our lives to bring us to glory to you all of your doing.

What an unbelievable Gift this is. Might we never lose sight of that and as we look into your word today Would you teach us Lord and remind us the humility that comes? That should come before a God that has done everything and we thank you in Jesus precious name.

Amen. So when I began this book in in first Thessalonians. But it's been a while for those of you who were paying attention or thinking about it. I this started in February of 2017. So I think I'm working at beating Jim and taking a long time to go through a book but for a different reason.

So we don't look at the 23 ,000 meanings of each word which I love. But we have long distances of time in between the preaching and and so that is it be that as it may I will give a short review. Because I think it's a bit necessary to keep the context from chapter 1 on through because Paul in this incredible epistle Which is famous in some ways in many ways for introducing End-times theology is also a manual for under shepherds now for purposes of the message today.

Whenever I use the word shepherd referring to an elder or a pastor in the church, please look at it as a slip-up and Retranslated as under shepherd because there was only one shepherd of the church and that is the Lord Jesus Christ.

And those of us who have been given the opportunity and the privilege and the responsibility to serve under him are under shepherds with heavy emphasis on the word under. So Paul wrote this this epistle probably 50 51 AD and it was not necessary for him to Defend his apostleship as he does in other epistles, although there are challenges in Thessalonica.

He he presented himself to the Thessalonians. He's reasoned with them and they responded quickly to the message to the gospel. God had opened their hearts had changed had regenerated them and they became.

Genuine.

Bonafide followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were chosen by God Individually to be the sheep of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were convinced of the truth Paul reasoned with them and they were convinced of the truth and the truth of the scripture was lived out in their lives.

And this is one of the most important evidences of a believer that the truth of the Word of God is lived out in their lives. That was what we looked at the first time together then in May of 2018. We looked we began chapter 2 verses 1 through 6 and Paul reminded the Thessalonians about how how he came to them continuing the theme of being a Servant an under shepherd a caretaker of the Church of God.

It seemed like his leadership was under question at the time. And so he gave them some historical checkpoints to remind them how he came to them. He came to them Dedicated determined dependable direct and deferential.

He was humble and he did the things that were necessary to make certain that God's Word was spread among the Church of Thessalonica. So chapter 2 is something of a manual of leadership now. Leadership properly defined in the Church of God is servanthood.

For he who would be first must be last must be last we must remember that. So leadership is comprised of those characteristics or servanthood is comprised of them. And so those are some of the character qualities that Paul mentions in chapter 2 Reminding the Thessalonians how he came to them.

He also he He this is the kind of leadership or servanthood he practiced over all the churches in all the churches that he served. So those six verses built on the last six verses Paul continued with a mini laundry list of character qualities and make up a good under shepherd.

In this section in chapter 2 Paul used some metaphors. He was no stranger to metaphors. He used them liberally throughout his writings. In Galatians chapter 4 he pictured himself as a mother who delivers spiritual children.

And then he remained with them until they attained spiritual maturity in in 1st Corinthians 4. He is a spiritual father. In fact, all of the New Testament writers used metaphor occasionally. Peter used it in his epistle reminding.

And and John the Shepherd using it as a metaphor of the Shepherd. John uses it in Revelation and the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Famously used and one of the most famous was Comparing the difference people who would build one would build their house on sand and one would build their house on a rock.

Then in 2019, we looked at verses 7 through 12. Paul was shown as a gentle giving guide to the Church of Thessalonica. As mentioned those verses were something of a manual of leadership or Servanthood and everyone that God puts in this position of serving in the church should evidence these qualities.

Gentleness giving and with an ability to guide. So the Thessalonians received the message of the good news and contrasted with the Jews who having for centuries of Revelation Spent most of their time in disobedience to God and indeed those qualities Eschewing those qualities of gentleness giving and ability to guide so the Thessalonians embraced them embraced the gospel and were changed and Saved and began to live accordingly.

Then when we were last together in December of 2019, we looked at chapter 2 verses 13 through 16. So Paul had received an encouraging report from Timothy about the Church of Thessalonica and he was grateful thankful for that report.

The Thessalonians had received Paul's preaching as it was intended to be understood. That the words were the words of God the Apostles understood that what they were doing at this time in history. Was they were delivering to the church?

The words of God which became our New Testament. They understood that and The Thessalonians received it and they grew and this was a pure evidence of their receiving of the Word of God. They grew in a manner that demonstrated that belief they endured suffering.

Yet, they continued to grow they continued to grow and In this growth, by the way, the Thessalonians discovered one of the fruits of salvation. The fruit of being purchased persecuted by the world oh that the church in America would discover this fruit and Learn to truly follow though.

I say church meaning the church as a whole. We've had it easy. Have we not? It's been a fairly easy road to take in the United States. Persecution in the church today takes the takes the form of Nasty statements on Facebook and this time people were killed they were murdered their their families were destroyed their homes were taken and Persecution was real.

Not that I'm asking for that. Don't misunderstand me, but sometimes a stomping on I'm trying to think of a good metaphor without being too obviously awful. We just need to be prodded into following Christ more effectively.

And so that's what happened to the Thessalonians. They suffered persecution and they came through it following Christ so in this section chapter 2 verses 17 through 20 this could be looked at as a hard look at the heart of a true shepherd and There are plenty in the church today who do not reflect the spirit that Paul is is Putting forth here as a matter of fact in some churches today.

You might hear something like this. Imagine me coming up here this morning and starting out this way today, then I come to you as an apostle of Christ. You must not question what I have to say for God does not want You to touch his appointed and anointed messengers, and I have direct communication from him.

Today we will take dominion over the kingdoms of this earth whether they are education entertainment business family or religion. Today you will see a manifestation of God like you have never seen we will participate in a great awakening that will bring the kingdom of God to earth.

We will learn about unity unity at all costs no matter what we read even in Scripture. And we will see that there are great things waiting for us that even the Bible does not talk about. Great things that you need me for you need me to teach you about things that have been reserved for this day.

So if I actually came up here this morning and started out like that you should be asking yourself three questions. Jim's a roofer does he still have any tar? Where can we get real feathers and how hot can you heat tar before it kills an idiot and?

Make the feathers stick. But fortunately you don't. I was actually going to start out that way and there was great concern that You might actually take that advice. So I was counseled by my sweet wife to lead into it.

So that there would be no consternation that that I'd become a NAR apostle. For that by the way if I had started that way. That's what you should do for to me for adulterating and destroying and misusing the Word of God.

So today there are multiple ministries that move in this and it's so-called that move in this direction. They slander the Word of God, and they elevate men at the expense of the Lord Jesus Christ they malign the all-sufficient and completely perfect Word of God and.

But fortunately we have that Word of God. How many copies of the Bible. Do you think you have? Two three.

Four.

How many of you have a smartphone. That's like 87 copies right there or whatever. What a precious treasure we have that we can we can imbibe in every day whenever we want to. So today we're going to be looking at the heart of an undershepherd as they are given by the Lord Jesus to the church.

To serve the church with emphasis on the word serve. Indeed these last four chapter thus four verses in chapter two will be an introduction to the heart of an undershepherd. Which really is fleshed out in the first ten verses of chapter three which we will get to sometime in this millennium.

All the way through Thessalonians up to this point We have seen the heart of a loving undershepherd all the way through. From early in chapter 1 where Paul reminded the Thessalonians that he brought the gospel to Thessalonica and watched the church bud and grow Gloriously under the power of the Holy Spirit not under his power under the power of the Holy Spirit.

They became an example and Paul was thrilled to see them bless others because of their taking hold of the gospel and living it out. He reminds them earlier in chapter 2 of their careful ministry indeed all the way through and up to what we will be looking at.

Today we have a clear picture of what it is to be an undershepherd. Serving the church in the gospel Jim read from Ezekiel and in Ezekiel the shepherds were fleecing. That's where we get it I think fleecing the flock they were taking advantage.

They were they were Elevating themselves they were enriching themselves. They were feeding. They were glorying. They were gloating and the flock of God was suffering and God looks on that Very with a very angered countenance.

The Orphaned Shepherd and the Desire to Return

So here's what it means here. These are the four verses. We're gonna read these again because if as Jim has pointed out if you leave nothing if you leave this morning with nothing but a Remembrance of the reading of the Word of God then you have been enriched.

First Thessalonians 2 17 through 20, but we brethren Haven't been taken away from you for a short while in person not in spirit. We're all the more eager with great desire to see your face for we wanted to come to you I Paul more than once and yet Satan hindered us for who was our hope or joy or crown of exultation.

Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus that is coming for you are our glory and our joy. So in verse 17 Paul uses a very strong word here for describing Being forced away from the Thessalonians.

The Greek word is a poor fun. That's all poor fun I'd so or a poor finidzo and it means to be orphaned. It means to lose both of your parents at one time in one fell swoop to be immediately orphaned. He was orphaned from the Thessalonians this construction connotes the idea of the Desolation that would attend a child at losing both of their parents a child who would understand what was going on an older child.

Whatever it was that caused the parting here. It left a sense of anguish in Paul's heart. He loved the Thessalonians and he appreciated them and he wished to be with him. Now what I'm trying to give you is this this is what a proper under shepherd should be thinking and feeling and acting on.

These are the kinds of things that should be going through his heart through his mind. And you can use these things as the Church of God as kind of checkpoints. Hmm is this what our under shepherds do.

Is this how they respond? Is this how they react because our only source of truth is the Word of God and that's where we get this so. This left a great sense of anguish in Paul's heart. He loved the Thessalonians.

He appreciated them and he wished to be with them. He wanted to get back to them. The separation created an even greater desire to get back with them. This particular verb by the way is used only here in the New Testament, it's the only place that used.

He was separated physically. But as he points out never spiritually or emotionally in his his heart was with them always. This must have been a great encouragement to the Thessalonians to know that he wished to be with him.

So the likely history that Paul is referring to is actually in Acts chapter 17 verses 1 through 10 and We can quickly read that so and it says now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia They came to Thessalonica and there was a synagogue of the Jews and according to Paul's custom He went to them and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the scriptures Explaining and given evidence that Christ the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead and saying this Jesus who I am proclaiming to you is the Christ and some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the Women but the Jews becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the marketplace formed a mob and Set the city in an uproar and attacking the house of Jason.

They were seeking to bring them out to the people. When they did not find them they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities shouting these men have upset the who have upset the world have come here also and Jason has welcomed them and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar Saying that there is another king Jesus.

They stirred up the crowd and the city authorities who heard these things and when they had received a pledge From Jason and the others they released them. The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea and when they arrived They went into the synagogue of the Jews.

So it appears That the Thessalonians in view as a result of this riot Hid Paul and his co-workers and then they had to post bond essentially against the damages caused by the riot. So what's happens in our modern-day world is not in there's nothing new going on nothing new under the Sun.

So then the Thessalonians later Secretly spirit spirited them out of Thessalonica into this into Berea. So now Paul makes every effort to be back with him. We don't necessarily know what that all means But the word translated the word here.

It says he says I Paul More than once I was eager with a great desire to see your face. So the word translated desire Is the same word that is used often in the New Testament to translate is translated as lust.

This is one of the few places where it has a positive connotation. It is not to say it's not too much to say that Thessalonica in Paul's heart was a home away from home. There would be many reasons for this but prime among them would be the way the Thessalonians received Paul and prime would be the way They believed the gospel and prime would be the way they lived out that believing It's all of you.

It's always a great encouragement to those who bring the gospel to see the positive Wondrous effect it has on those who hear it and believe it they grow their lives change. What what a blessing it is one of the great things I this is just you're gonna think it's weird.

But I love to watch you all. Don't now don't get self-conscious.

But I.

Sometimes I just sit back there and I watch the way you are with each other on a Sunday morning. And it is such a blessing to see the heart of believers knit So closely together. You're laughing you're you're crying you're praying you're you're concerned with one another that Brothers and sisters is what a true body of Christ does and it is Christ who builds that church the way he does now.

I lost my place a Genuine biblical pastor Under. Shepherd does not seek to lord it over those whom he has been called to serve. He does not call them to support a lavish lifestyle. He does not harangue them about not calling him to account should he be found biblically inaccurate even if he pronounces a word wrong or Misidentifies a certain species of fish.

And what a good thing it is to know that those who teach are teachable. All kidding aside. Because we never in this in this life get to the place where we don't need teaching never. He does not attempt to entertain them with engaging stories where he is often the hero.

When he should be preaching the Word of God to them he delights in them, and he wants to serve them. Indeed he will go to whatever length is necessary to bring biblical truth comfort and blessing to those whom he has been called to Shepherd.

Those whom he has been called to serve. This is what Paul and his companions did in Thessalonia. He prefers their company to their absence. He prefers their remonstrance for mistakes for false teaching for instance for incorrect Statements to their false approbation.

He prefers that he looks for growth and he delights in it. He will he will view obedience to the Word of God as a demonstration of love to the Lord and disobedience. As a reason for counsel and concern.

He longs to see the actual person and not just hear them. Paul here indicates his desire. He says I have a great desire to see your face. You'd think this was really timed well wasn't it for our time in history now?

I'm not going to build some weird theology of seeing your face, but Paul uses the word for the front of the head. The whole front of the head this part of your face, so I thought what does that mean? How does that how does that all work out?

So much study has been done of the three V's of communication. And you'll hear all different kinds of percentages and just for just in case you're wondering you need to know this. Forty-six point two five one percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.

Visual communication is supposedly fifty five percent of communication. Vocal communication is apparently thirty eight percent and verbal is seven percent. A great deal could be said about this. But suffice it to say that visual cues are a huge component in our ability to understand what others are saying.

For example if I use the two words that excuse me you have the two words. That's great to respond to your statement that you were just given a job at teaching children. They could convey all different kinds of responses.

I Can communicate true delight. Because you I believe you will be an excellent teacher excellent teacher. That's great, and you look at my face, and you go well. He's ugly, but I understand what he means.

Or I can communicate concern that that's great. Because I'm concerned about your ability with children, or I can communicate sarcasm. That's great and So we see that a lot of what we we how we communicate is visual as well.

Paul wanted to see the faces. And that's where this morning and why and and previous Sundays watching your faces as you love one another. It's just a delight to watch. It's just an encouragement so.

With.

Facial expressions you can communicate all different kinds of connections and responses. Modern technology has really damaged that I think and I'm not saying I'm anti technology. But a couple of other things I discovered in telephone use.

The listener loses the opportunity to observe body language and facial expression. Our vocal tone takes on even more importance then there's Email correspondence. There is no vocal tone or visual cues.

We may resort to capitalization or emoticons to convey emotion. This is a breeding ground for many miscommunications. How many times have you misinterpreted or had an email of yours misunderstood. I'm thinking half the time at least but I just made that statistic up.

Maybe we should memorialize it. 50 of the time. No text messaging. Especially when you use voice text messaging we lose visual vocal and even some verbal aspects of the message. Certainly spelling and grammar are Modified.

And who among us has not been startled by what autocorrect did to our? Attempt at clear communication the other day. I was talking to someone about rust volt rust vulture. What came across was rust? Vulture.

And I didn't pay attention before I sent it and I realized that the person on the other end was probably going who? Tweeting. We are limited by the hundred and forty characters or whatever it is now. And Verbal grammar and spelling visual body language and expression and vocal are all lost or compromised.

There's nothing quite like face-to-face communication. There's nothing quite like being able to visit with people and shake their hands. And if you're like Thomas hug him 17 times. You okay with that Thomas, and I don't need a hug after church, so Visual communication is what Paul wanted.

He wanted to go back to the Thessalonians. He wanted to be with them. He loved them, and it was important to him. So Paul didn't have to worry about the interposition of technology in his day. But we do.

Paul long for an opportunity to again see the faces of those whom he loved. This is the desire of one who has been given the privilege of shepherding an individual unique flock of Christ. Paul's desire to see the Thessalonians again was intense.

It was accentuated by his love for him. These are some of the characteristics of the relationship that should exist between a shepherd an Undershepherd and those that they have been called to serve. To serve and love.

To serve and love. Paul desired to be accessible to the Thessalonians. This too is the responsibility of those who shepherd the flock. Peter Who was another of the undershepherds that God called to serve the body of Christ said this in first Peter chapter 5?

Therefore verse 1.

I.

Exhort the elders among you as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ and a partaker also of the glory that is. To be revealed. Shepherd the flock of God among you. Care for them. Lead to.

Shepherd them in the right direction using the Word of God shepherd the flock of God among you of exercising Oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily. According to the will of God and not for sordid gain.

But with eagerness nor yet is lording those over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock this then Characterizes the relationship between the shepherds and the sheep. It should be one of love service sacrifice and blessing.

So in verse 18 Paul says. For we wanted to come to you. I Paul. I Paul more than once and yet Satan thwarted us, so there was a great desire Of part on Paul on the part of Paul and the other ministers to come back to see the Thessalonians.

He had every intention to do so and he wanted to stay longer. But where they were forced to leave by that mob it is particularly interesting to know in this epistle that Paul uses the plural We pretty much throughout but here in this little sentence He changes the pronoun to the personal I to communicate that he did everything He could to come back and see the Thessalonians.

He made every effort. He made numerous efforts. Apparently there were those who tried to subvert Paul's ministry in Thessalonica. By reporting to the Thessalonians that Paul didn't want to be with them.

He didn't want to be around you guys. If he did he'd be here. Don't you think? This was this would be like a dagger through the heart of a shepherd who loved the body. He was called to serve. So Paul names the adversary that stopped them from coming back to feet see the Thessalonians.

He names him Satan. He's not talking about some metaphor for difficulty. He is speaking about the evil being that is opposed to God. And has been opposed to God from time immemorial in every good work.

He is the tempter of chapter 3 verse 5. He is the evil one of 2 Thessalonians 3 3. He is the false Angel of light of 2nd Corinthians 11. He is the resistor of Zechariah 3. He is the conjurer of lies in Acts chapter 5.

He is the activator of evil in John 13. He is the accuser of Job chapter 1. But he's also the one Whom the Son of God will destroy as scripture speaks of in John 1st John 3 8. Paul knew Satan's power.

But he also knew Satan's limits. The Church of God should be aware of and on the lookout for Satan calling out where Satan compromises the unity of the Church where satanic acts have been observed. But we should never be fearful and we should never Certainly never hold back because of Satan's attempts to destroy unity and love in the body of Christ.

The word Paul uses here that is translated thwarted is a military term that describes the way. And that describes an army digging a trench a big deep trench across the road. So the opposing army could not advance.

It's a military term. Never forget that God's power fills in ditches very easily. So there's one commenter one commentator put it this way because never forget that every act Satan perpetrates against the Church of God Is used by God to strengthen his church to build his church and to strengthen believers.

And one commentator put it this way he said. This is by no means this by no means excludes divine providence which rules in the midst of our enemies. Satan entered the heart of Judas so that he made plans to betray Jesus and God permitted the betrayal for his own divine and Blessed ends.

So Satan succeeded in frustrating Paul's two plans to return to Thessalonica. But only because this accorded with God's own plans regarding the work Paul was to do. Satan has brought many a martyr to his death and God permitted it.

The death of these martyrs was a great Blessing for them and for the cause of the gospel than their life would have been. It is ever so with Satan's successes. No, thanks to Satan. His guilt is the greater.

It was due to Satan that the Seth Thessalonians suffered just as the original churches in Judea had to suffer. Although God permitted the suffering. Jim has been talking in Sunday school about the sweep of history and the translation of the Bibles Into English.

And how many men lost their lives for simply wanting to bring the Word of God To people. And at those time at that time we were talking about this those men may not have seen. Through what what. While they most certainly didn't see what was going to come because of their death but God used their deaths to bring the Word of God to more people than ever and So it is with God's work.

Glory in the Presence of Christ at His Coming

Nothing can subvert nothing can stop what he has planned nothing. So then in verse 19 Paul says. For who was our hope or joy or crown of exultation. Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus that is coming?

So what's the gold and silver of a true Shepherd of Christ? So when I get to work in the mornings sometimes I go to Kitko calm and I look up gold and silver because I let people pay for stuff with gold and silver and then I resell it.

And make money, you know because I'm a capitalist. But the true golden Shepherd of the church of the shepherds of the under shepherds of God. Are the blessed beloved believers of God? Who hear the Word of God?

Believe the Word of God. Live out the Word of God and Change the world one person at a time by God's grace. It is the body of Christ that the shepherd serves. It is not monetary gain a big house extra jets extra jets.

I've got a Lego jet. Fame book royalties or adulation in general is simply the body that they serve. Look for that shepherds who care only about the body that they serve or care mostly. I should say of course they take care of their families and There are other responsibilities, but that is their delight.

That is their desire. It is the flock. It is the flock that demonstrates love for the Lord Jesus and it is obedient and is obedient to the word as faithfully taught. It is the knowledge that those whom the Lord has directed he serve will be present with the Lord at his coming.

So imagine that. For those who have been called to serve what it's going to be like to see people with the Lord Jesus that they were Able by God's grace to minister to. What a delight that's going to be.

That's going to be so exciting and it's something far beyond monetary and worldly gain here. By the way is proof positive. Again as scripture offers that we will be together and we will know each other when we are with Christ.

He says. Who is our hope and joy. Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming?

Now.

He uses the word crown here crown of exaltation. There's two words in the Greek for crown diadem and Stephanus. The word here is Stephanus and we in it Refers to the crown of victory in the games. Especially the the games of the Roman Empire at the time.

The crown of exaltation that Paul was speaking of is the one he was most looking forward to so these will not be literal crowns. But will be figurative in the sense that each believer in glory will have eternal life joy permanent righteousness perfection and glory.

So the believers crowns are an imperishable crown in first Corinthians 925 and that is for leading a disciplined life. A crown of rejoicing in 1st Thessalonians 219 here for evangelism and discipleship.

A crown of righteousness for loving the Lord's appearing in 2nd Timothy 4 8 a crown of life for enduring trials in James 1 12 in Revelation 2 10 and A crown of glory for shepherding the flock of Christ for shepherding God's flock faithfully, which is 1st Peter 5 4.

So these crowns themselves are gifts from the Lord Jesus Christ and from the father of lights on air and are in fact a result Of the work of God in our lives. It's he said I will continue the work in you and can finish it and At the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ who's gonna finish that work not the shepherds not the under shepherds.

The shepherd will finish that work. Paul says here in this verse that the most important crown to him is Being in the presence of the Lord Jesus is with at his coming with those that he had the privilege to lead to Christ to reason with in the Sabbath in this in the Synagogue as it says in in this in this verse in this section and in Acts.

He was reasoning with them and many believed those are the people he will be delighted about. Those are the crowns that he looked forward to. This is the joy of a genuine shepherd of Christ. This should also have been a great comfort to the Thessalonians.

Paul was telling them that the Lord is coming back and that they would be together at the coming of the Lord Jesus. By the way, this is the first mention of his return in the New Testament so Thessalonians the book of 1st Thessalonians, especially has quite a reputation for being a Primer if you will on the second coming this is the first place that occurs the word parousia.

Which is his coming is? Is essentially means presence, that's what it means his presence. But it came to become a technical expression in the New Testament Church of the royal visit of Christ at his second coming.

And so that's what Paul is referring to and then the last he says here in this in this chapter for you. Are our glory and our joy so fall. Paul finally says it straight out. Those whom he served are both his joy and his glory.