I. The Apostle now tells us that, on Timothy's return from his mission, bearing good tidings of the Thessalonian Church, he had been comforted. The new-born joy, the tender love of his heart, lies like a gleam of light upon the very words he employs. He was comforted to learn that, amid all the darkness of their tribulation, their faith, like the night-blooming Ceres-flower, lived and spread abroad its fragrance. The good tidings which cheered his heart were also about the attitude of his friends to himself, their teacher. This he puts last; as, however precious in his own personal estimation, it is of slight importance compared to their remaining steadfast in faith and love. II. What is implied in the steadfastness of a Christian Church? (1) That individually and collectively the members of it are in the Lord abiding in Him, both in faith and in practice. (2) That while "in the Lord" they are exposed to the danger of wavering. The language seems military. It suggests the idea of conflict. Christ's Church, every section of it, is exposed to assault. The army of the living God is subject to having its ranks broken into. This is the aim of the Tempter, of whom the Apostle has just been speaking.
III. The Apostle's joy rose from the contemplation of the state of others. In the highest sense, therefore, it was disinterested. It was a joy, further, which arose from the contemplation of the spiritualstate of others. It was a pure joy, free from aught of earthly alloy.
IV. Believers, whatever may be their eminence in the Christian graces, have still "lacking measures of their faith." They need to be perfected in knowledge and in practice, if they would rightly be owned as the Gospel net for the bringing in of others. They need ceaselessly to be repaired, built up, if, as the Church of Christ, the ark of all safety, they would withstand all the rude billows of the world. Thus, filling up or perfecting that which is lacking in faith on earth, Christ's Church will at last pass into heaven, where there will be nothing that is lacking in glory.
J. Hutchison, Lectures on Thessalonians,p. 105.
Reference: 1 Thessalonians 3:8. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xxx., No. 1758.