1 Thes 2:7-12 Paul’s Principles of the Ministry CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

In the ministry, Paul had some principles that governed his conduct.  These were his personal rules of conduct, which ministers today would do well to emulate.

As a result of his ministry principles, Paul was:

Gentle – v.7 – as a nurse cherisheth her children – just like the Lord Jesus [2 Cor  10:1] – the servant of the Lord must be gentle, 2 Tim 2:24; wisdom is gentle, Jas 3:17; and the fruit of the Spirit is gentleness, Gal 5:22.

Loving – v.8 – affectionately desirous … ye were dear unto us – he loved them in spite of the fact that he wasn’t always loved to the same degree in return, 2 Cor 12:15.

Sacrificial – v.8 – he was willing to impart his own soul to them – 2 Cor 12:15 – the Lord Jesus was also Phil 2:5-8.

Self-supporting – v.9 – he made tents to support himself so that he would not be chargeable to this church and to the Corinthians Acts 18:1-3, 1 Cor 9:14-18 –  nevertheless, he could have been supported by them but he did not want them to get the idea that he was after their money rather than their souls.

Single-minded – v.9 – he had one aim and that was to preach the gospel – 1 Cor 9:19-23, 2 Cor 4:5 – Jesus was the same way Lk 4:43.

Unblameable – v.10 – he maintained a pure testimony be living a holy and just life – of the qualifications for bishops that he gave to Timothy, “blameless” was the first item on the list, 1 Tim 3:2 – Jesus, of course, was sinless and nobody could convince him of sin.

Fatherly – v.11 – not like “father” priest, but rather like their spiritual father for having begotten them through the gospel, 1 Cor 4:14-15 – they were his spiritual children in the Lord [2 Cor 12:14] and as such he treated them the same way a biological father treats his own children – he exhorted them [emphatically urged them like a coach does his athletes], he comforted them [in a way that a father does which is different than a mother’s comfort], and he charged them [like a military commander].