August 24 2026

August 24 Monday

1 Thessalonians 2:9

“A Ministry That Costs Something”

Welcome to Pastor’s Chat. Today we continue our journey through 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, and we come to verse 9. Yesterday we saw the beautiful picture Paul gave us of his ministry among the Thessalonians. He said: “But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherishes her children.” And then he said in verse 8: “We were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because you were dear unto us.” Paul didn't simply preach a message to these people. He gave himself to them. Now in verse 9, Paul gives us a very practical example of what that meant. He writes: “For you remember, brethren, our labor and travail: for laboring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.”

Notice those words: “Our labor and travail.” Paul was reminding the Thessalonians that his ministry among them had cost him something. The word “labor” speaks of hard work and weariness. And “travail” carries the idea of difficult, strenuous effort. Paul wasn't sitting back and expecting everyone else to take care of him. He says they were: “Laboring night and day.” We know from Acts 18 that Paul's trade was tentmaking. He knew how to work with his hands. Apparently, while he was preaching the gospel and establishing the church at Thessalonica, Paul was also working to help provide for his own needs. Think about what his days must have been like. He was preaching. He was teaching. He was discipling new believers. He was encouraging those who were suffering. He was answering questions. He was praying for these believers. And somewhere in the middle of all that, Paul was also working with his own hands.

Why? Paul tells us: “Because we would not be chargeable unto any of you.” Now Paul certainly believed that those who preach the gospel have the right to receive support. In 1 Corinthians 9:14 he wrote: “Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.” So Paul was not teaching that pastors, missionaries, or other servants of God should never receive financial support. Instead, Paul was voluntarily giving up a legitimate right because he didn't want anything to become an obstacle to the gospel. He didn't want anyone to be able to say: “Paul is only here because of the money.” Paul wanted the Thessalonians to understand that he wasn't trying to get something from them. He wanted to give something to them.

And what did he want to give them? He tells us at the end of the verse: “We preached unto you the gospel of God.” There it is again. The gospel of God. That was Paul's passion. That was his calling. That was his treasure. And Paul was willing to inconvenience himself, exhaust himself, and sacrifice personally so that nothing would hinder someone from hearing about Jesus Christ. That challenges us today. We live in a culture that often asks: “What's in it for me?” How will this benefit me? What will I receive? How much will it cost me? But genuine Christian service asks a very different question: “What can I give?” Jesus Himself gave us the greatest example. Mark 10:45 says: “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Jesus didn't come to see what He could get from us. He came to give Himself for us.

And if we are going to follow Jesus, there will be times when serving Him costs us something. It may cost us our time. It may cost us our convenience. It may cost us financially. It may mean changing our plans. It may mean staying when we would rather leave. It may mean going when we would rather stay. Sometimes it simply means being available when someone needs us. You see, ministry isn't always convenient. Love isn't always convenient. Serving others isn't always convenient. But Paul had just said in verse 8: “You were dear unto us.” And when someone is truly dear to you, you are willing to sacrifice for them.

I think there is another important lesson here. Paul didn't separate what we might call “secular work” from serving God. Paul could make tents and still be serving God. He could preach a sermon and serve God. He could sit down with a new believer and serve God. He could work with his hands and serve God. Whatever Paul was doing, his life belonged to the Lord. And that should be true for us. Colossians 3:23 says: “And whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.” You don't have to stand behind a pulpit to serve God. You can serve God at your workplace. You can serve God in your home. You can serve God while helping a neighbor. You can serve God by caring for someone who is hurting. You can serve God by giving your time to someone who needs encouragement. The question isn't simply, “What am I doing?” The question is: “Who am I doing it for?” Paul worked night and day because he wanted nothing in his life to hinder the gospel.

And perhaps that gives us a good question to ask ourselves today: What am I willing to sacrifice so that someone else might know Jesus? Paul's ministry cost him something. But when we meet the Lord, I don't believe we will regret one sacrifice we made for the sake of Jesus Christ and the gospel. My friend, the gospel is worth our time. It is worth our energy. It is worth our resources. It is worth our inconvenience. And it is worth our lives. May we be able to say with Paul that we faithfully labored so that others might hear “the gospel of God.”

Let's pray. Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the example of Paul, who was willing to labor night and day so that nothing would hinder others from hearing the gospel. Forgive us for the times when we have allowed convenience or selfishness to keep us from serving You and others. Give us willing hearts that ask not what we can receive, but what we can give. Help us to remember that wherever we are and whatever we are doing, we can do it heartily as unto You. Most of all, give us a greater passion for the gospel and a willingness to sacrifice so that others might come to know Jesus Christ. Thank You for Jesus, Who gave Himself completely for us. May we faithfully give ourselves to Him and to the work He has called us to do. In Jesus' name, amen.

God bless you, and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day!