Let Me Not Wander

For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?  (1 Thessalonians 2:19 -- ESV) Three things mentioned here... "hope" ... "joy" ... "crown of boasting" ...  Hope - What does Paul have his sights set on?  Joy - What is it that brings Paul joy?  Crown of Boasting - That Olympic Wreath of Glory that is placed on his head?  It is these people. It is his children in the faith. They are Paul's Hope and Joy and Crown of Glory when Jesus returns. 

because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us.  (1 Thessalonians 2:18 -- ESV) This is a continuation of the previous verse. Paul recognizes that there is a power that is working against his return to the Thessalonians. That power is the person of Satan. I imagine that Satan is desperately fighting to stop the spread of the gospel message.  What Satan had purposed for evil, God has purposed for good. Satan's hindering of Paul's return to the Thessalonians has resulted in the first letter to the Thessalonians, which has lasted through the years and has benefited the Church, not just in Thessalonica, but across the globe. 

But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, (1 Thessalonians 2:17 - ESV) "... we were torn away from you ..." If you go back to Acts 17:1-10, you can read about the quick departure from Thessalonica. But Paul wants them to know that the separation is only physical, he is still with them in heart and has a strong desire to return to them. His desire is to see them "face to face"...  What is interesting though, is that this is the first letter of Paul's. Paul has discovered a new way of ministry. Paul has had to adjust his preferred ministry, but we have all benefited from this new process of teaching to those that he cannot see face-to-face. This benefit has stretched through the centuries and has served to fulfill God's purposes of spreading the gospel to every nation on earth. 

by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last! (1 Thessalonians 2:16 - ESV) Continued clarification as to how the Jews of Jerusalem perscuted the church, killed Jesus, displeased God, and ultimately were opposing all of mankind: They hindered the Gospel. Hindering the speaking of the Gospel is opposition to all of mankind.  This verse ends on a challenging statement. Paul mentions that they are filling up the measure of their sins. and that wrath has come. There are many views on this, and commentators do not agree on the meaning, but there is a consensus that in some way it echoes Old Testament statements like the ones referring to the sin of the Amorites not being complete... ( Genesis 15:16 ) The wrath that has come upon them is most likely referring to the fact that those who do not believe will experience the fullness of God's wrath. 

who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind (1 Thessalonians 2:15 - ESV) A continued indictment against the Jews of Jerusalem and the way they persecuted the Church. It did not start with a persecution of the church, it started with the crucifixion of Jesus. Paul then says that this is "displeasing to God" and is ultimately "opposing all mankind."

For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, (1 Thessalonians 2:14 - ESV) Paul is again pointing out the way they have imitated someone else, who was imitating Christ. First he mentioned this in chapter one , when he pointed out that they were imitating Paul, Silas, and Timothy ... who were imitating Jesus. Now he says that they were imitating the churches in Judea, who were imitating Jesus.