The Heart of a Shepherd / 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13
Church, it is so good to see you this week. If you are brand new to The Well or if you have just started coming over the last couple of months, you might have no idea who I am. My name is Shay Simlin, one of the teaching pastors here, and I am so glad to be with you today. If you have a Bible, go ahead and turn with me to 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, starting in verse 17.
This week, I want to show us what I believe is a truly beautiful piece of Scripture. It helps us see the Father’s heart toward His children, what the love of a sincere shepherd looks like for the sheep, and what love inside the body of Christ is meant to look like.
If you have been around church for any period of your life, the one thing you notice simply by looking around the room is that this entire endeavor centers around people. The church is filled with people, and it is entirely about relationships—first and foremost our relationship with Jesus Christ, and then the relationships He has established among us as the body of Christ. Yet, one of the things that deeply grieves me about the human heart—and honestly, being transparent, grieves me about my own heart—is how easy it is to be completely surrounded by people, connected to people, and yet not genuinely love those same people.
Flip on social media for just a few seconds, and you realize how easily we use relationships for the love of self rather than for the giving of ourselves to others. We are so prone to that. It is only through the gospel of Jesus Christ, His finished work on the cross, and the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit that our old, dead, calloused, self-serving hearts can be transformed to become self-giving with the love Christ has given us.
The Context of Thessalonica
If you have been trekking along with us in this series through Thessalonians, remember that this letter is rooted in the events of Acts 17. The Apostle Paul was on his second missionary journey, going from city to city, sharing the good news, and seeing people come to faith. He entered Thessalonica in Northern Greece and did what he always did: he proclaimed the gospel, and both Jews and Gentiles believed.
Acts 17:1-9 (NASB)
Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where 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 giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and [saying], ‘This Jesus whom 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 leading women. But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, 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 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.
He had not been there long—perhaps just a few weeks or a month—before fierce persecution erupted against these new believers. It reached the point where Paul was forced out of the city by the authorities and forbidden to return. Leaving them behind created massive uncertainty in Paul’s heart. How were these baby Christians doing? Did they still love Jesus? Were they still tethered to His Word? Had persecution choked out their faith, or had they abandoned it? Did they think Paul had abandoned them?
Paul wrestled with those questions until he finally sent his apprentice, Timothy, to check on them. Timothy returned with incredible news: they were standing firm under persecution, holding fast to the Lord, and zealously proclaiming the gospel. Paul was overjoyed and penned this letter to encourage and instruct them.
Paul knew the suffering was still intense, and seeds of doubt were being planted by their persecutors. Opponents were trying to convince these believers that Paul did not actually care about them—that he was just using them as pawns for his own selfish ambition. Nothing could be further from the truth. So Paul calls a timeout here in chapter 2, verse 17 through chapter 3, offering a deeply moving expression of his pastoral love for them.
Let’s stand together for the reading of God’s Word.
“But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short while—in person, not in spirit—were 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 is our hope or joy or crown of exaltation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and our joy.
Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith, so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this. For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know. For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.
But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you, for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith; for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account, as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?
Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.“
[SCRIPTURE: 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13]
You may be seated.
In this passage, I want us to see four primary characteristics of a shepherd’s heart—a picture of the love intended to flourish within the body of Christ.
1. Intensely Personal Love
The first characteristic of this love is that it is intensely personal. Notice how descriptive and emotive Paul’s language is throughout the passage.
In chapter 2, verse 17, a casual reading might breeze past the phrase, “having been taken away from you for a short while.” But in the original Greek, that phrase is a single word: aporphanisthentes, meaning “orphaned.” In Greek culture, that word applied to children who lost their parents, but also to parents who lost their children. Paul felt orphaned by being torn away from them. It expresses deep, agonizing pain.
In verse 17 and chapter 3, verse 10, he speaks of his “eager desire” and intense longing to see their faces. In verses 19 and 20, he declares that their perseverance in Christ is his greatest joy and crown of exaltation. In chapter 3, verses 1 and 5, he writes that he “could endure it no longer.” The Greek word there carries the idea of covering something up—Paul could no longer contain or hide the depth of his feelings for them.
When the report comes in verse 7 that they are doing well, Paul is comforted in his own afflictions. In verse 8, he writes, “For now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord.” It is as if Paul is saying, “Now I can finally breathe. I have been holding my breath waiting to know how you were doing.”
These believers were not ministry projects to Paul; they were family. This was not a cold, professional expression of pastoral duty. It was deeply personal. Paul was physically and emotionally moved over their well-being, even though he had only known them for a brief time.
This mirrors how Jesus loves us. In Matthew 14, when Jesus looked out at the crowds before feeding the five thousand, Scripture says He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. That word for compassion relates to the internal organs—what we might call our gut or spleen. It is not just a polite sentiment; it is a love so deep that your stomach churns for the well-being of the other person.
Matthew 14:14 (NASB)
When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.
2. Unselfishly Motivated Love
Second, this love is unselfishly motivated. Throughout this passage, Paul never complains about his own hardships. He is entirely consumed with their spiritual protection and growth.
Notice why he sent Timothy in chapter 3: to strengthen and encourage their faith (verses 1–2), to protect them from being unsettled by trials (verses 3–4), and to find out how their faith was holding up (verse 5). When Timothy brings back good news, Paul does not celebrate for his own resume. He is not looking for a pat on the back or a badge for how well he planted a church. He rejoices purely because their faith took root in the gospel and survived.
This is the exact posture of Jesus. Mark 10:45 tells us that the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
Mark 10:45 (NASB)
‘For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.’
Paul writes in Philippians 2 that Jesus did not consider equality with God something to be grasped for His own advantage, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, humbling Himself to the point of death on a cross.
Philippians 2:6-8 (NASB)
who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, [and] being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
True pastoral, shepherd-like love is intensely personal, but it is also radically unselfish.
3. Absolutely Gospel-Centered Love
Third, this love is absolutely gospel-centered. Paul’s affection orbits completely around Jesus’ redeeming work in their lives, both now and in eternity.
Look at verses 19 and 20 of chapter 2 again:
“For who is our hope or joy or crown of exaltation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and our joy.”
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 (NASB)
For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.
Paul’s greatest joy is rooted in seeing the finished work of Christ brought to completion in their lives when Jesus returns. His love is anchored in the cross and pointed toward the day when their faith becomes sight. Presently, his joy is fueled when they stand firm in the Lord.
This is the difference between generic community and gospel-centered community. Anyone can find community. You can go to a local coffee shop and make friends, join a club, or go to dinner with coworkers. But Christian community is fundamentally defined by the person and work of Jesus Christ. Our bond is Jesus, and our greatest act of love for one another is helping each other move closer to Him.
As John wrote in 1 John 4:9, God showed His love among us by sending His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. We love because He first loved us. Without the cross, we would not even know what true love looks like.
1 John 4:9 (NASB)
By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
4. Intentionally Interceding Love
Fourth and finally, this love is intentionally interceding. Paul demonstrated his love by visiting them, by sending Timothy, and by writing this letter. But when you are physically separated and cannot be present with someone, what is the greatest way to love them? It is prayer—sincere, Holy Spirit-dependent prayer that pleads with God to do what only He can do.
In chapter 3, verses 10 through 13, Paul outlines four specific things he prays for them, and these provide a model for how we should pray for one another.
First, he prays that God would supply what is lacking in their faith (verse 10). Because Paul was forced out prematurely, their discipleship was interrupted. He prays for the opportunity to fill in the gaps. The reality is that no matter how long you have walked with Jesus—whether for three weeks or fifty years—none of us has arrived. We are all in the process of sanctification, and we need the church praying for our continued growth and maturity.
Second, he prays that their love for one another would increase and abound (verse 12). Paul asks that their love not stagnate. This was vital because the church in Thessalonica was made up of diverse backgrounds: Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, slave and free, male and female. In the Roman Empire, placing those groups in the same room with equal honor was unheard of. But the gospel tore down those dividing walls. Paul prays that they would keep fanning the flame of unified love.
Third, he prays that their love would overflow to all people (verse 12). Paul does not want their love contained within the four walls of the church. The vertical love we receive from God is meant to spill over horizontally, reaching those who are outside the church and far from God. We are called to love our neighbors and enemies with the same pursuing grace Christ showed us when we were still in rebellion against Him.
Fourth, he prays that their hearts would be established blameless in holiness before God at the return of Jesus (verse 13). Holiness means being set apart. We used to live for ourselves, but we have been purchased by the blood of Christ to live as His prized possession. Paul prays that they would live today in light of that glorious future day when they stand in the presence of King Jesus.
Interestingly, Jesus prayed these exact same themes over His disciples in John 17: that we would be sanctified in truth, unified in love so the world would know the Father sent the Son, sent out on mission, and protected in holiness until the end.
John 17:15-23 (NASB)
’I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil [one]. ’They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. ’Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. ’As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. ’For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. ’I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, [are] in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. ’The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.
Practicing Shepherd-Hearted Prayer
Notice that nowhere in this passage does Paul casually write the words, “Hey, I love you.” Yet, there is no doubt about his love because it is intensely personal, unselfishly motivated, gospel-centered, and intentionally interceding.
Church, this is our model. But let’s be honest with ourselves: we often struggle to love like this. Our culture disciples us to be self-centered. In my own heart, there are days when I catch myself loving the preparation of a sermon more than the people listening to it, or valuing what I can get out of a relationship rather than what I can give. That is evidence of the residual sin that Jesus is still uprooting in me.
We need the Holy Spirit, and we need healthy intercession for one another.
I want to invite our worship teams to come back up. We are going to spend the remainder of our time putting this into practice. We are going to circle up in groups of three, four, or five, and pray these four biblical petitions over each other:
- That God would strengthen the areas where our faith is lacking.
- That our love for one another would increase and abound.
- That our love for those outside these walls—our coworkers, neighbors, and friends—would overflow.
- That our hearts would be established in holiness as we await the return of Jesus.
If you are visiting or brand new, and the thought of praying in a small group feels overwhelming, do not feel pressured. You can simply sit back and watch. But this is what the body of Christ does.
I often tell my daughters when they start bickering, “There are enough enemies outside this house; we do not need to create more on the inside.” We need our home to be a place of refuge and peace. How much more should that be true in the church? We have been bought by the blood of Jesus and reconciled by His grace.
Let’s lean into the moment, embrace the awkwardness, circle up, and pray for one another.