1 Thessalonians Part 2

One reason I love this book is because Paul shows us his great love for the church. 2:8 "So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us." The imagery he provides in verse 7 is that of a nursing mother. Think of what an intimate bond Paul is conjuring up in our minds. I would argue this is one of the most tender, affectionate, passionate kinds love in the whole of human experience. Of course neither Paul nor I truly understand this, but ask any mother and I'm guessing they will tell you words cannot describe this bond. He continues with the parental illustration in 2:11. We, the church, should take this analogy and gain much wisdom from it. Some of us get annoyed with our parents. Some us wish we had different parents. Some of us had parents who didn't parent. Nevertheless, they continue to be our parents. The church is analogous to these facts. The church continues to be the church whether you are annoyed, wish it was different, or think it is not doing it's job-the gates of hell will not stop the church from being the bride of Christ. Paul, the most humble of pastors, loved the church to no end. He loved the church enough to be brutally honest and discipline it. He loved the church even with all of its annoying quirks and flaws. Let us take this great parental example from Paul and love the church even though we might have to deal with some annoying kids.