We Share Our Own Selves
3 Marks of Authentic Ministry
Aaron Lee | 1 Thessalonians 2:9-12 | FCBCW Youth Worship | May 24, 2026
Introduction
Who can you trust?
Gen Z reports unusually low levels of social and institutional trust. This stretches from politics to pastors. When considering who to trust, maybe it’s education that’s most important, and we should trust the smartest person in the room. Or maybe it’s the most gifted we should trust – the person who can convince us with their words and who seems to have the most success.
Maybe technology can tell us who to trust. With the latest algorithms and artificial intelligence, we can learn from the best teachers online. So why does the church still matter?
To complicate things, the Bible actually says that there will be false teachers. How do we know who we can trust in the church?
Context
When Paul was writing to the Thessalonians, he wanted to encourage them in faith and also strengthen his relationship with them as someone they could trust. Our passage continues Paul’s thought from 1 Thessalonians 2:8, where he says that servants of God don’t just share the gospel, but they share their own selves:
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. (1 Thessalonians 2:8)
Big Idea
Authentic ministry is marked by honest work, upright conduct, and fatherly affection.
When I say authentic, I’m talking about a person who serves God that is genuine, legitimate, true. It’s not fake or pretend. It’s real. This is someone you can trust with your soul.
Ministry is expected of pastors, but these marks are also appropriate for all Christians since we minister by serving in church and witnessing to the world. We want and need to trust each other.
And because trust is built through shared life together, I’m going to challenge us not just to attend church, but to be present in the lives of one another here this summer.
1. Honest work
The first mark of authentic ministry is honest work:
9 For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. (1 Thessalonians 2:9)
Explanation
Paul works hard to serve the church.
Paul calls to mind the hard work he and his fellow missionaries did for the church. This was not new information, he just wanted the church to remember it. They labored. They toiled. They worked night and day. It might be helpful to phrase it in the negative sense – authentic ministers are not lazy.
For Paul, he actually held a job as a tent-maker (Acts 18:3). He worked outside of the church. And the reason was so that he might not be a burden to the church, meaning that Paul was not a financial burden to the church. He did not need the church to give him money. Not only did this distinguish him from those who were peddling the gospel, but it gives us an example of diligent service that provides for others. Paul waived his rights to earn money for his honest missionary work of proclaiming the gospel, showing sacrificial love in his service.
Application
So, will you sacrificially serve the church?
Here’s a quick illustration. I work as a nurse, and I worked for 5 years in the ICU. You get to know the character of the people you work with really quickly. For critical care nurses, there is a true sacrificial mentality here because lives are actually on the line. It actually matters that you work hard. It actually matters that you move fast. It actually matters that you give it all you got. You give all of yourself for the good of someone else.
We get to know and trust the people we serve with. I think about my Sunday School co-teacher Tiff. I remember doing a series on Revelation and it took time. We believe that what we teach actually matters. To train and prepare you for college and the Christian life.
For you, take opportunities to serve the church. I want to say a special thank you to those who serve in youth service. I believe you serve because what we do here actually matters. Serving the church sacrificially means serving in ways where you don’t get anything in return. When you serve in VBS, give it all you got. Don’t serve just to add an extra-curricular activity on your resume. Put effort into it. Remember, the goal of our work is for the gospel.
Let’s pause and praise God before we move on. Our God is a God who works. He worked by creating the world and he works to sustain it. He works on our hearts by the washing of his word. And he works all things together for the good of those who love him. He does not need to do any of this, and yet he works, he serves us. There is none like our God.
Honest work is the first mark of authentic ministry, and we can trust those who labor like Christ.
2. Upright conduct
The second mark of authentic ministry is upright conduct:
10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. (1 Thessalonians 2:10)
Explanation
The church knows Paul and his moral character and behavior.
Paul moves from examining his work to now looking at his behavior. And so it’s not just our service, but it’s how we go about it, and even our lives outside of service that are important. He says that his conduct, his behavior, is holy, righteous, blameless. And he says it was witnessed by the church, but also by God. There’s a moral, spiritual dimension here, that looks at our hearts, and minds, and motives. There's an element of “you know me, you’ve seen me, you know what I’m like” to have Christ-like character. It might be helpful to phrase it with the opposite of upright, or straight – that Paul is not crooked or bent in his behavior.
For Paul, he actually showed his upright conduct as he endured “tears and trials” – how he was persecuted for the faith and remained pure (Acts 20:18-21). He worshiped God while imprisoned and he shared the gospel with his prison guards. As an ambassador in chains, he knows the world is watching and witnessing his behavior. He was not ashamed to share who he was and what he believed.
Application
So, will you share and show who you are?
Here’s a quick illustration. My family loves going to Disneyland and the thing about Disneyland is that they know they are putting on a show. Their employees are called “cast members” and they are “on stage” when they are working. They are very much aware that they are being watched, and the way they act is being witnessed by guests. But how they behave might not be who they really are when they’re not working. They’re putting on a show.
Trust grows when people stop pretending. For me, I remember how hard it was for me and Jess to share when we were fighting in our marriage. It’s especially awkward because we lead our marriage small group. But it was also freeing, knowing that we were cared and prayed for. And there was the sense that we were doing the right thing by confessing our sins to each other.
For you, one concrete application is to open yourself up honestly with your small group. Maybe you have sins that you’ve never confessed before. Or maybe there’s hurt or pain or scars that you’ve never shared. Here at church, we want to know who you really are. The truth is that we are all sinners. We want to witness well to the world, but we don’t do it by lying. Instead, we strive to align our actions with our beliefs. We can look at Paul’s example and be encouraged, that a persecutor of the church can become a totally different person. Remember, the goal of our sharing is for our spiritual growth.
Let’s pause and praise God before we move on. Our God does not hide who he is. He tells us that he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Our God knows us, he knows our frame. He knows our sin. He doesn’t have to do this, and yet he wants to have a relationship with us. He wants us to know him. He seeks us out. He loves us. There is none like our God.
Upright conduct is the second mark of authentic ministry, and we can trust those who live and share like Christ.
3. Fatherly affection
The third mark of authentic ministry is fatherly affection:
11 For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12)
Explanation
Paul has genuine concern and care for the spiritual lives of the church family.
The audience Paul was writing to here were Jewish and Greek believers, and in their culture it was the father’s responsibility to look after their children’s education and train them in proper behavior. In the same way, Paul cares for the church by exhorting, encouraging, and calling them to learn and behave as Christians. It was a demonstration of concern on a personal level and as a part of God’s family – to invest in the lives of others.
For Paul, he actually did this through his preaching, teaching, and writing – calling those under his care as his children (1 Corinthians 4:14). There is a physical element to being a father, to be present. Christian community requires presence. There is an investment that is not financial, but familial. To show up and be present in the church family.
Application
So, will you show up and invest in our church family?
Here’s a quick illustration. I want to be a present parent. I can be physically present, but I must also be emotionally and relationally present. I remember one time my kids were telling me things, random facts about Legos, TV shows, or what they learned at school. And I realized it was not random – they were attempting to connect with me. I learned to listen and ask questions and be present in these conversations.
Trust is built through consistent presence. For me, I remember how some brothers asked me to be a part of their small group. I turned them down multiple times. But they kept asking me to join, and I realized that it was a way for them to say they cared about me and wanted to share life together. I care very deeply about the spiritual health of those who are in my small group. I remember to pray for them, I remember to follow up with them.
For you, there are many opportunities for you to invest and show up to your church family. Make it a priority to be present in the life of the church. Sunday service, of course. But also in Sunday School and small groups, you contribute with spiritual conversation. You pray for each other. Come out to our youth retreat. We want to know you personally. Remember, the goal of showing up is for sanctification.
Let’s pause and praise God before we move on. Our God is a God who is present with his people. He reminds us of his presence in nature and the natural world. We see the birds and the flowers and he takes care of us the same way he takes care of them. With every sunrise, we remember his mercies are new every morning. We feel his presence in his church, by preaching and singing. And we have the Holy Spirit who dwells with us.
Fatherly affection is the third mark of authentic ministry, and we can trust those who show up for us and care like Christ.
The Gospel
Interestingly, Paul closes his section on his care for the church by reminding them that they have been called, chosen, elected by God – and it is God who enables, grows, sanctifies, and glorifies believers. I find this fascinating because Paul closes not by taking credit for the fruit of his ministry, but by continuously pointing to God who gives the growth:
[God] calls you into his own kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:12)
When we talk kingdom, we’re talking about Jesus. It is his kingdom. It is at hand. The gospel is the good news of the kingdom of God, and we can trust those who tell us the truth of Christ.
When you look at Jesus, you see the ultimate example of authentic ministry. With fatherly affection, he fellowshipped with sinners. He invested in the lives of lost sheep. With upright conduct, he remained unstained by the world, even while being persecuted. The watching world were witnesses of the truth, and they could find no fault in him. And with honest work, he labored and toiled doing his father’s work with wood as a carpenter but also his heavenly father’s work with the wood of the cross. He came as our suffering servant, not to be served but to serve, and it was his sacrificial service to give his life as a ransom for many. And he continues the work of authentic ministry as he was raised and rules while we wait for his return and reign.
Conclusion
Who can you trust?
When it comes to pastors and spiritual leaders, the ability to preach and teach cannot be separated from the character and care they show in their lives. When you look at the character of Christian leaders – we should want to be like them. We should want to imitate them. Paul’s character confirms his message. He models Christ. Trust comes from a person’s character. For the Christian, our character should be increasingly more and more like Christ’s.
Artificial intelligence cannot replace coming to church and sharing life together in the flesh with real people. Christianity is not just about learning, but it’s about living. It’s not just information, but it’s transformation. It’s not education, but embodiment. We experience true fellowship as a spiritual family living authentic lives before God. To truly know and love each other, to truly know and love Jesus, to truly know the love of God is a natural and supernatural experience.
While it’s true that false teachers will deceive, Christ is still the head of the church. He is our Chief Shepherd who will keep his sheep. And so we say come, Lord Jesus. But until Christ returns, or he takes us home, we do our best to be authentic, trustworthy ministers and servants and witnesses of the gospel.
Who can you trust? You can trust those who share their lives with you and truly love you. The church is a place where trust is built through our shared life in Christ. This is what it means to be friends and family. And with Paul, we say to you: You have become very dear to us.
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. (1 Thessalonians 2:8)
Prayer Poem
To the tune of Jesus I My Cross Have Taken:
Jesus I my trust give to you
You have proved your heart and worth
Christ you labored, shared, cared for me
You are faithful to your word
May my life be laid before you
May my soul be searched and known
May your shepherds love your people
May your church bow at your throne
References
The ESV Expository Commentary by Crossway
The ESV Study Bible by Crossway
The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary on 1 Thessalonians by David W. Chapman