Have a Word of Hope? Share It!

This is from my friend Kerry S. Doyal of Grace Bible Church in Kingsport, TN.

It’s one of our fantasies: someone asking us to share the gospel with them! The Jailer in Philippi asked Paul “what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16). Jealous? Who doesn’t want such an opening to tell the good news? We’re drooling. I wonder: do we in fact get occasional invitations like that but miss them? Another “please tell me” occasion happened in a Synagogue one Sabbath. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers asked their guests to bring a message. “Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak” (Acts 13:15).  And Paul did.

On the second stage of their first missionary journey, Paul, Barnabas and company traveled to Pisidian Antioch.  As had already become their custom, they went to the Jewish community and on the Sabbath went to Synagogue. True to the custom of the day, they were asked to bring a greeting or teaching for their fellow countrymen and the God-fearers who had gathered for worship that day. Thus the bodacious opportunity: “if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” Paul had been prayerfully selected and sent off by the church to share the gospel (Acts 13:1-4). Much like we have been called in our “going” to tell others and make disciples (Acts 1:8, 9; Matthew 28:16-20).

With such an important commissioning, they prayerfully and carefully positioned themselves to talk about Jesus. Where? In a Synagogue on the Sabbath. Who? They were respected Jews, Paul was a trained Rabbi. They honored their Jewish customs. Do you behave strategically or spasmodically in your work for God? Do you realize you are and act like a person on a mission? “As the Father sent Me”, Jesus said, “so send I you” (John 20:21).

Connecting with his target audience – “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen” (vs. 16) –  Paul steps up and speaks up. Nice! His message builds off their shared Jewish history found in the Biblical texts.  Paraphrasing Acts 13:17-41:

“Jesus, God’s sent Savior, was the next, final step in our history, Israel. God chose us, rescued us from Egypt, and gave us the land. He then appointed Judges, Prophets and Kings. From King David, He brought us the promised savior – Jesus! Believe in Him, God’s message of good news to us. In Him we can be forgiven – something the Law could never provide. We can be justified. Don’t make the same mistake our leaders in Jerusalem did by having Him crucified. God raised Him, now bow before Him.” That’s not bad for Paul’s first recorded sermon. His methods and message are instructive and inspiring.

Do you ever strategically position yourself to witness (see John 4; Acts 8)? Do you hang out in places and with people so that you can earn the privilege of being heard? Pay your dues, dish out genuine love, engage and be ready (see 1 Peter 2:9-12; 3:13-16). When you are asked what you think about a moral matter, a social situation, a religious question, do you find a way to weave in Jesus? It is Jesus that saves, not having a proper political or social position.

Are you so outspoken about secondary matters (politics, social agendas, minor doctrines) that you lose your chance to be heard concerning eternal matters (read Colossians 4:5-6)? Don’t lose your voice!

Do you have a word of encouragement – the gospel? Is Romans 1:16-17 your testimony too? “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”

“For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith’” (NIV). Charles Spurgeon wrote: “Never lose heart in the power of the gospel. Do not believe that there exists any man, much less any race of men, for whom the gospel is not fitted.” “Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak.” They did. Do we?

15 Signs the Church is in Trouble

This is from Perry Noble, Pastor of NewSpring Church in South Carolina.

#1 – When excuses are made about the way things are instead of embracing a willingness to roll up the sleeves and fix the problem.

#2 – When the church becomes content with merely receiving people that come rather than actually going out and finding them…in other words, they lose their passion for evangelism!

#3 – The focus of the church is to build a great church (complete with the pastors picture…and his wife’s…on everything) and not the Kingdom of God.

#4 – The leadership begins to settle for the natural rather than rely on the supernatural.

#5 – The church begins to view success/failure in regards to how they are viewed in the church world rather than whether or not they are actually fulfilling the Great Commission!

#6 – The leaders within the church cease to be coachable.

#7 – There is a loss of a sense of urgency!  (Hell is no longer hot, sin is no longer wrong and the cross is no longer important!)

#8 – Scripture isn’t central in every decision that is made!

#9 – The church is reactive rather than proactive.

#10 – The people in the church lose sight of the next generation and refuse to fund ministry simply because they don’t understand “those young people.”

#11 – The goal of the church is to simply maintain the way things are…to NOT rock the boat and/or upset anyone…especially the big givers!

#12 – The church is no longer willing to take steps of faith because “there is just too must to lose.”

#13 – The church simply does not care about the obvious and immediate needs that exist in the community.

#14 – The people learn how to depend on one man to minister to everyone rather than everyone embracing their role in the body, thus allowing the body to care for itself.

#15 – When the leaders/staff refuse to go the extra mile in leading and serving because of how “inconvenient” doing so would be.

The Sign of the Savior

He is considered one of the greatest men of God from the olden days. He was a counselor to kings and a writer whose O.T. book is quoted more often in the N.T. than any other except the book of Psalms. When Jesus preached His first sermon, He preached out of a passage from this man’s writings. His calling from God is one of the most beautiful pictures in Scripture. “In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.’ And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.” (Is. 6:1-4). This man would be inspired to say things about the Lord so incredible that it boggles our mind. His name is Isaiah. He is a prophet.

We’re going to look at Isaiah 7:10-17 today. I hope you have your Bible and can turn there too. You can listen to the accompanying podcast here.

You’ve heard the saying desperate times call for desperate measures? This passage comes just after Isaiah answers the call of God in 6:1-4. Isaiah finds himself right in the middle of some pretty intense political action. Isaiah 7:1-2 sets the stage for us. Check it out. At some point in our lives, every one of us will face desperate times. All kinds of circumstances can occur that may bring us to the edge of despair where we see few options are and time is running out. In this passage I want you so see some things that put Ahaz, the King of Judah, on the edge of despair. Ahaz was an unstable man.  He had a godly father and grandfather, but he did not follow in their footsteps. Having godly relatives is no guarantee of godly children. Unless a child personally chooses to enter into a biblical relationship with God through Christ, he will leave that home one day without the tools necessary to face the world. I don’t know everything about Ahaz, but this much is clear. His life can be summed up as recorded in 2 Kings 16:2, “Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD his God, as his father David had done.” It’s not that he is in a “wilderness” period as some would say or that he was “lukewarm.”

Ahaz is probably in his early twenties and he faces a very serious national crisis and he doesn’t possess the spiritual resources necessary to effectively handle it. To make a really long story short, Syria and the northern kingdom of Israel joined forces to invade the southern kingdom of Judah. Against the guidance of God’s prophets, Israel formed an alliance with Syria in an effort to defend against what they knew was coming from the war machine of Assyria. Assyria had this habit of invading and conquering surrounding countries and taking the people prisoner. The goal was to invade Judah and get rid of King Ahaz. Verse 2 tells us “His heart and the hearts of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake with the wind.”

So what’s a king to do? Well, Ahaz was foolish.  2 Kings 17 indicate that Ahaz is going to try and form his own alliance independent of Syria and Israel only his alliance won’t be against Assyria, it would be with Assyria. He’s thinking, “If I pay tribute to Assyria, I’ll be okay. Oh and Judah too.” Not a smart move. So it is with this information that we find the prophet Isaiah called to go talk to King Ahaz in v. 3. Look at vs. 3-9.

The actual reality is that God always comes through. How many times has God used seemingly incidental things to remind us that He is right there? He is involved in our lives even if we can’t see exactly what He is doing. Here is Ahaz looking over the water supply lines of Judah. Isaiah and his son Shear-jashub walk up to Ahaz. Remember Hebrew names carried a lot of significance. Isaiah means Jehovah has saved. Shear-jashub means a remnant shall return. Standing right in front of Ahaz are reminders of who God is and that He will preserve His people. Remember that Ahaz’s father and grandfather were godly men.

God is always bigger than your fear. In the face of certain defeat, look at what God says through Isaiah in v. 4, “Take care and be calm, have no fear and do not be fainthearted.” God is saying don’t look for a way out, but look for a way through your difficult situation. 1 Cor. 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” Do you believe that no situation is too hard for God? For Ahaz, God was trying to show him that his trust must be placed in the One that can handle the problem. V. 9 says, “If you will not believe, you surely shall not last.” Faith, that strong conviction in what you cannot see often stands in the way of God accomplishing what He will. If you do not stand firm, you will fall. God was trying to get Ahaz to believe. To walk by faith, not by sight. To be a follower of God first, then a King.

Finally, look at the miracle God provided. It is at this moment that something incredible takes place. Vs. 10-11 tell us what happened. Isaiah was there to speak to the king on behalf of God and Ahaz doesn’t listen, all he can see is the Assyrian army. Ask whatever you want – no limit. Ahaz tells Isaiah,“I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD.” Now Ahaz gets all religious on Isaiah. I suppose he is forgetting about his past. His idolatry, his human sacrifices (including those of his children), how he worshipped at the asheroth pole, oh yea, and he was a Baal worshipper. The real deal is that Ahaz had already made up his mind and nothing Isaiah said or did would convince him to trust God.

Here is the moment set apart for Isaiah. He turns from the king and begins to speak to the crowd that had gathered. Vs. 13-14 record what Isaiah says. It is God that gives the sign. He doesn’t send an angel or a prophet – God Himself sees to it. So what is the meaning of the sign? This sign is meant to get our attention. V. 13 starts with “Listen now.” Pay attention to what is coming. This sign proves that God can do whatever He wants to do. Sign means a signal or a distinguishing mark. It is something that is obvious, something that will stand out. This sign involves the birth of a son after an impossible pregnancy. A virgin will conceive. Isaiah tells everyone that at some point a woman will conceive a child that simply cannot be explained. When you see that, that is God’s handiwork. This sign means that God is coming in the flesh. His name is Immanuel meaning God with us. God will be with us in the flesh. He will dwell among us. We will see and experience His glory.

700 hundred years later, that sign was realized. A young woman named Mary was engaged to a guy named Joseph. An angel appeared and told her what to expect. Luke 1:31 records the words of the prophet, “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.”

If God can cause a woman to conceive in a miraculous manner, why do you doubt that He can take care of you?

The Challenge for God’s Children

Last week we looked at the present and the future. We saw that the man of lawlessness is currently restrained, but there will come a day when the restraining influence is removed. He will come with, “All power and signs and false wonders.” The only way to be saved from open rebellion is to embrace the truth that is found in Jesus Christ.

This morning, we’re going to look at Paul’s challenge to us as God’s children.

Grab your Bible and look at 2 Thes. 2:11-14. You can listen to the accompanying podcast here.

The first thing we see is the result. “Those who perish, [perish] because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.” We saw last week that the unpardonable sin was not a specific sin, but a rejection of the truth. Jesus is “full of grace and truth” according to John 1:14. “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17) We are to worship, “In spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24) John 8:32 says, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” That know is know and understand. That means embracing the truth of who Jesus is and what He stands for. The result is that we are free from the dominion of sin.

V. 11 completes this thought. “For this reason.” Because they did not choose the truth. “They will believe what is false” I don’t want you to misunderstand the wording of this verse. “For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false.” This does not mean what you think it means. Don’t blame God because they believed error. Don’t blame God because people are duped into believing something ridiculous. Don’t blame God for the seemingly endless personal, relative doctrines out there. Don’t blame God that people don’t believe the truth when we have so many supposed Christians engaging in the things of the world.

V. 12 goes on to say, “In order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.” Judged comes from the word that means to distinguish or decide; to separate or choose. It is those that did not believe the truth that will be judged. Did you notice both ends of the spectrum in this verse? It’s not just that they did not believe the truth, but they delighted in wickedness. Truth has moral implications and makes moral judgments. When you consider all of this, it is not the error that is necessarily bad.

We have guidance for handling error. In Luke 21:15 Jesus said, “I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.” Titus 1:9: “Holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.” Evil is the root cause of the error. This is really clear teaching, but let me summarize it for you.

• They delight in wickedness.
• They did not believe and love the truth.
• Satan deceives them.
• God gives them over to the lies they believe.
• They are condemned and perish.

That’s the progression. It doesn’t start with the condemnation. It starts with a love for evil. The only way to be protected from this slippery slope of deception is to love and embrace the truth. We are living in a time of restraint, but apostasy or rebellion is coming next. Then the consequences of that rebellion will come when the Lord will defeat and destroy the Antichrist and those that believed what is false – those that believed the lies – will be condemned.

Paul doesn’t stop there, he’s always good for some encouragement. Its an exciting segue. Paul has just talked about those that will perish. They perish because they did not love the truth. They chose to delight in wickedness. Then Paul utters that great word in Scripture. Look at v. 13. Paul is thankful for the Thessalonians. The contrast is between those that perish and those that won’t. He’s thankful that they had been chosen. Don’t be scared by that word.   All people have been chosen. John 3:16, “God so loved the world.” 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Eph. 1:4, “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.” 1 Thes. 4:7, “For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.”

Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Look at the context of the whole verse. “God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.” The choosing is from the beginning. The two-part method is first through sanctification by the Spirit. Sanctification consists of two things and I often refer to them as two types of sanctification. First, sanctification occurs as a result of salvation.  At the moment of conversion, the Holy Spirit enters our life. We are no longer held hostage by death, but are free to live the life God desires for us. So we are sanctified simply because of our standing as lost people saved by grace.

The second side of sanctification is the one that many Christians seem to struggle with and that is learning to do what is right, what is pleasing to God. It doesn’t take long for new Christians to realize that a battle has begun in our lives. Galatians 5:17; “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.” Sanctification gives us the ability to please God, to walk in a manner that is worthy of the One we serve. This is the aspect of progressive sanctification. Many times it takes someone to teach us what the Bible says about godly living – discipleship. I encourage you to read Romans; it is the foundational book of our faith and our walk with Christ. Sometimes people speak about how they can’t change or stop a particular behavior.  And that’s true, but we can all be changed. “Our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin.” (Rom. 6:6) Romans 6:11-13 is an incredible passage that tells us that it is the Spirit of God that sanctifies.

The second part of that method is, “We are chosen . . . through faith in the truth.” Look at our final verse. Verse 14 tells us that the Gospel is how all of us have been called. It doesn’t matter if we came to realize the truth of the Gospel through preaching, Bible reading, or a personal testimony.

Paul has one last thought for this verse. We can, “Gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” John 17:22 says, “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one.” God’s glory, not our own. That’s exciting.

We need to recognize Who is doing the work in our lives. The challenge is to allow God to work in us and through us.

The Present and the Future

Last week we saw that the day of the Lord will not come until apostasy comes first.

We were introduced to the man of lawlessness, a man of eminent wickedness who exalts himself over God and even considers himself to be God. All these things Paul talks about relate to the time line of the coming of the Lord. There are certain things taking place right now that must happen before the Lord comes back.

That is what we’ll look at this morning.

I encourage you to read 2 Thes. 2:6-10. You can listen to the accompanying podcast here.

The first thing I want to look at is the present restraints. The man of lawlessness is currently restrained. Restrained comes from the word that means to hold firmly, hold back, or detain. The man of lawlessness is firmly held back from doing all that the wants to do. What does he want to do? 2:4 says he, “Opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.” His desire is only for personal edification. He wants to confuse and to deceive. He does not want people to know and embrace the Truth. He is presently restrained, by what? The Thessalonians knew what Paul was talking about, but remember that we don’t know everything that Paul taught them while he was in Thessalonica. In his time he’s going to be revealed, but for now, the identity of the man of lawlessness remains a secret. The man of lawlessness might be currently restrained, but there is something going on right now. “The mystery of lawlessness is already at work.” Lawlessness means a violation of the law. It’s not that the law isn’t known or that there isn’t any law. This word means an intentional violation of the Law. This applies to God’s and man’s law.

“The mystery of lawlessness is already at work.” This violation of God’s Law is already going on. It’s happening all around us. Remember according to v. 3, the man won’t be revealed unless apostasy occurs first. Is apostasy occurring now?  Yes, but is it what Paul is talking about? Paul takes the time to lay out a timeline for this rebellion, because that’s what it is.

“The mystery of lawlessness is already at work.” Mystery here means secret. There is a secret rebellion going on and the only thing preventing all out open rebellion or apostasy is the restraining influence that is also active. This does not mean that nobody knows what’s going on. It should be fairly obvious to Christians what is happening in the world today. There are wars and rumors of wars. We live in a world where tolerance is required of everything except faith in Jesus Christ. We have people worshiping the created rather than the Creator. We have eliminated God from our schools. We have declared that a living being is simply a mass of tissue. In some venues, we are forbidden from offering prayers in the mighty name of Jesus. Employees at some retail stores are prohibited from wishing people “Merry Christmas.” The secret rebellion against God and His people are already at work, but can you imagine what our world would look like if not for the restraining influence that is present? V. 6 spoke of a “what” that restrains, but in v. 7, it is a “who” that restrains.

Paul speaks of a time in the future. V. 7b speaks about a time that is drawing near in which the restraints against the man of lawlessness will be removed. The restraining action will occur – present tense – until such a time as the restraints are removed. This removal occurs at a certain point in time. After the restraints are removed, we learn what happens in vs. 8-10a. The man lawlessness, the man of sin, the man known for his wickedness will be revealed so that all will recognize who he is and what he stands for. What was done in secret is now out in the open.

The lawless one will come with, “All power and signs and false wonders.” Some will mistake the coming of the Antichrist for the second coming of Christ, but the coming of the Antichrist is like a deceptive imitation of the coming of the Lord. 2 Thes. 1:7 says the, “Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire.” Vs. 3, 6, and 8 tell the lawless one is revealed, but we don’t know from where. Acts 2:22 says that “Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him.” The anti-Christ will come with counterfeit miracles. Matt. 24:24, “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.” The miracles of Christ authenticated who He was; the miracles of the Antichrist will deceive. John Stott says, “The coming of Christ and the Antichrist will be personal, visible, and powerful.  And tragically the coming of Antichrist will be such a clever parody of the coming of Christ that many will be taken in by the satanic deception.”

All of this leads to the unpardonable sin. It’s not the “big” sins Paul is talking about. Those that perish, perish because, “They did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.” In order to be saved, you must not only know the truth, but you must receive it by faith. Simply knowing the truth is not enough. You must know, receive, and accept the truth. What is the truth? It is the truth that enables a person to be saved. It is the truth as it relates to God and Jesus Christ. John 1:17 says, “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.” 1 Tim 2:3-6 says, “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.” But here’s what happened.  Rom. 1:25 says, “For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever.” That’s part of the secret rebellion that is going on right now. More emphasis is placed on creation than on the Creator.

The free gift of salvation is offered up to anyone that will accept it. Eph. 2:8 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” It is a gift, but you must accept a gift in order for it to be yours.

There is coming a day when the restraints of lawlessness will be removed. What is done in secret now will be done for all to see and many will be deceived. How about you? Are you someone that will be deceived or do you recognize what is going on all around you?

Who’s the Man?

Last week we looked at the confusion in the church over the day of the Lord. False teaching had shaken what the Thessalonians knew to be true. This false teaching led to confusion which led to the deception that the day of the Lord had already occurred. Paul now reveals the source of this false teaching and deception.

Grab your bible and read 2 Thes. 2:1-5. You can listen to the accompanying podcast here.

The first thing we notice from this passage is that the day of the Lord has not yet come. Paul says, “Let no one in any way deceive you.” Remember the deception came as a result of the false teaching that lead the Thessalonians to be confused about the day of the Lord. The best way to combat deception is to know the truth. In order to know the truth, you need to get in the Word of God.

There are prerequisites for the day of the Lord to arrive. Paul tells us in v. 3: “For it [the day of the Lord] will not come unless the apostasy comes first.” Apostasy means a defection or revolt, it is a falling away. You might ask a falling away from what? It is difficult to determine exactly what Paul is talking about because the word is only used here and in Acts 21:21 that refers to the Jews forsaking the Law of Moses. 1 Tim. 4:1-3 gives us an example of what apostasy might look like. Some would fall away from the belief of the truths of the Gospel. It does not mean that as individuals, they would have been true Christians; but that there would be a departure from the great doctrines that make up the Christian faith. Paul tells Timothy this is going to happen by, “Deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons” and it’s going to happen in the last days. There’s that word deception again. People pay attention to deceitful spirits rather than the Spirit of God. The meaning of the word apostasy gives us the idea that it is a general falling away from sound biblical doctrine. The idea of apostasy is nothing new and is recorded in numerous places in Scripture. In Gal. 1:6, Paul told them, “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.” The Judaizers taught that one was saved by grace, but must also keep the Law. Jude warned in v. 4 that “Certain persons have crept in unnoticed . . . ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Look at 1 Tim. 6:3-5. Paul speaks about people that have a, “Morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words.” People who spend an inordinate amount of time debating issues that are of no consequence in the Kingdom of God.

1 John 2:18, “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.” There are many who have the characteristics or qualities which was predicted that antichrist would have. There are many who deny that Jesus is the Messiah, or who deny that he has come in the flesh. 2 John 1:7, “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.”

The deception is that the day of the Lord had come was brought about by the man of lawlessness. “The apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.” Who is this man?  He is not named, but we are given four character traits that he has. He is the man of lawlessness. He is a man of eminent wickedness.     He is distinguished for his depravity. He is uncompromisingly hostile to the rule of law whether it is God’s Law or man’s law. He is the man of sin.

He is the son of destruction. KJV translates destruction as perdition. Only one other time is someone referred to as the son of destruction and that is Judas Iscariot in John 17:12. His destiny is ruin.

He is the enemy. According to v. 4 he, “Opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship.” This is a two part statement. He opposes every so called god and he exalts himself above every so called god. He is arrogant and conceited. He is full of pride.

He is the blasphemer. “He takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.” Doesn’t this sound like the one that was quoted as saying, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’” (Isaiah 14:13-14) He displays himself as God demanding all to worship him. Attempting to be God is never good.

Look at Paul’s rebuke to the church in v. 5. We are challenged on a daily basis to remember and we don’t seem to have a problem in many cases. We remember to go to work. We remember the schedules of the teams we follow. We remember every little thing our spouse did for the last 20 years. But there are things we have a hard time remembering. Take out the garbage. Birthdays and anniversaries. Speed limits. There are several places in Scripture where we are encouraged and challenged to remember. Luke 17:32 says, “Remember Lot’s wife.” In John 15:20 Jesus said, “Remember the word that I said to you.” Heb. 13:7, “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” Paul asks the rhetorical question, “Don’t you remember that when I was there with you, I told you these things?” Clearly Paul is referring to the coming of the Lord, but all we have is what is recorded in Scripture.  We don’t know the extent of what he taught when he was in Thessalonica, but there must be more than what we have here and in his first letter. The Thessalonians did not remember the things Paul taught and as a result, they were confused and deceived.

How well do you remember the things of Scripture? How about the teaching in Sunday School or from the pulpit? What you do not use, you will lose. That’s the challenge.

Confusion in the Church

Last week we looked into Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians. He prayed that they would be found worthy of the calling of God, that they would fulfill God’s goodness with faith. He prayed that Jesus would be glorified in them and them in Jesus.

Today, we’ll see that Paul shifts gears to address Christ’s coming.

I hope you’ll take the time to read 2 Thes. 2:1-3a. You can listen to the accompanying podcast here.

The first thing that we see is the false teaching. Paul taught very clearly in his first letter to the Thessalonians about the coming of the Lord. Remember in 1 Thes. 4 there was confusion about people of the church that had died or those that were asleep. Paul took the time to clear that up by describing what was to happen. I encourage you to go back and read 1 Thes. 4:13-18 so that you have a good context for what Paul addresses. Paul’s teaching is pretty clear.

So what are these verses in 2 Thes. talking about? Paul makes it clear in v. 1. It is the coming of the Lord and our gathering together to Him. So what is the coming and what is the gathering? As we have said before , we need a proper understanding of this so we won’t be confused. The second coming of Jesus has been a hot topic for years. If you Google it, you’ll get almost 3 million hits. The book Left Behind was written in 1995 and that sparked renewed interest in  prophecy. A new book in the series was released every year with the last one being the Glorious Appearing. The books in the series have sold over 60 million copies.

So what’s all the fuss about? Paul was concerned enough about the confusion in the church to address it in this letter. Here’s Paul’s teaching. Coming is from the Greek word parousia that emphasizes both the coming and the presence of the Lord. Gathering together is from the word that means a complete collection. So is this verse talking about two different events; the coming and the gathering, or is it two different descriptions of the same event? We don’t know for sure. All we know is that Paul talked about the coming and the gathering together then he talks about the day of the Lord. With the teaching in 1 Thessalonians and the teaching here, all we know is that there was confusion about this event.

Why was there confusion in the church? Look at v. 2. Apparently there was some letter or some piece of information that caused problems that was attributed to Paul. It caused problems for them because of what Paul taught in 1 Thes. 4 particularly 4:15. Somebody was teaching that the day of the Lord had come. There are some great word pictures in this verse. Paul tells them, “don’t be quickly shaken from your composure.” Shaken comes from the word that is used to describe ships that are ripped from their mooring lines due to the pressure of a storm. Composure means the mind. Disturbed indicates they were in a state of anxiety or nervousness. They were freaking out – think September 11, 2001. We were ripped from our thinking that America was untouchable to an act of terrorism that great. We didn’t know what would happen next and America was freaking out.

What were the Thessalonians freaking out about? They were freaked out because of a “spirit or letter or message” that was in direct conflict with what they had previously been taught. Paul said don’t let anyone tell you differently that the day of the Lord has come. If anyone makes this claim, ignore it, don’t be concerned about it, you know the truth. It doesn’t matter how you get the word, if it’s different, don’t listen to it.

False teaching leads to confusion which leads to deception. Paul says, “Let no one in any way deceive you.” This is a pretty clear command. Paul is talking specifically about the day of the Lord, but the instruction has a broad application. Deception is widespread in Christianity today. The greatest deception, in my opinion is easy salvation. All you have to do is make a simple profession of faith. Whether or not that profession of faith produces anything Christ-like is irrelevant and judgmental. The church has lost her influence in the world not because Jesus isn’t who He said He was, but because we have people claiming to be followers of Christ who have no desire to be Christ-like. John says it pretty clearly in 1 John 4:5, “They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them.” We’ve got people in the church that pay more attention to celebrities than they do their pastors. We’ve got more people that follow their feelings rather than the Word of God. Matthew Henry said, “Errors in the mind tend greatly to weaken our faith, and cause us trouble; and such as are weak in faith and of troubled minds are oftentimes apt to be deceived, and fall a prey to seducers.”

Deception is easy to combat if you can recognize it. Think 2 Timothy 2:15. It’s not good enough to have studied (past tense). This is supposed to be happening right now, not something you used to do, studying God’s word is what we are to be doing. This really shouldn’t catch us by surprise because Paul told Timothy, , “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” (2 Tim. 4:3-4) In other words, people will ignore good, biblical teaching in favor of teaching that makes them feel good. People will find teachers that line up with their lifestyle. Teaching that says, you’re okay and God loves you just the way you are. Teaching that ignores or reclassifies sin.

One other passage. Referring to rebels Isaiah 30:10-11 says: “Who say to the seers, ‘You must not see visions’; and to the prophets, ‘You must not prophesy to us what is right, speak to us pleasant words, prophesy illusions. ‘Get out of the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.’” I think that’s pretty accurate for today. And finally, Paul says in Galatians 1:9, “As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!”

False teaching, confusion, and deception. This is a recipe for disaster in the church. What can we do to stop it? We can, “Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.” (Jude 3) We can, “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.” (2 Tim. 4:2) We must, “Hold[ing] fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.” (Tit. 1:9) As for me, I will “speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.” (Tit. 2:1)

Paul’s Prayer for Glory

Last week we looked at biblical persecution and suffering and discovered that in context, Paul spoke of suffering because of a stand or position for Christ. We learned that one reason for suffering is for God to determine if we are worthy of the Kingdom. Suffering also produces endurance which is proof of our salvation.

We saw that God will take care of those that do suffer for His sake and we saw that God will also take care of those that persecute.

I hope you’ll take your Bible and read 2 Thes. 1:11-12. You can listen to the accompanying podcast here.

The first thing I want to look at is Paul’s prayer. Paul spent a significant amount of time in prayer. He not only taught the Thessalonians and spent time with them, he used the one tool each of us possess to affect change. Paul prayed for them. The Thessalonians were continuously on his mind and on the minds of his companions. It is no wonder that Paul prays always for them. Remember in 1 Thes. 5:17 Paul instructed them to, “Pray without ceasing.” Paul practiced what he preached.

We know Paul is a prayer warrior, but what did he pray?  It’s a two part prayer. The first thing Paul prays is, “That our God will count you worthy of your calling.” Paul knows what is happening to them and it’s interesting to note that no where here is a request for God to take away their situation. Paul has experienced persecution and suffering first hand.  Remember he was run out of Thessalonica by the religious crowd of the day. To get some more insight into Paul’s personal persecution, read 2 Cor. 11:23-29. Paul knew persecution and suffering and his prayer was that the Thessalonians would be counted worthy.

The second thing Paul prays is that God will, “fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power.” Notice who Paul asks to make it happen. It is God’s desire for goodness or God’s purpose and our work of faith. We are supposed to work by faith to achieve what God desires. We often confuse our desires with God’s desires. I think this confusion results from our ignorance of God’s character. We wrongly conclude that God wants us happy not holy. We live for the moment rather than for eternity. We emphasize God’s love over His judgment. We think our plans are more important than God’s plans. God has great plans in store for us, but I wonder how often do we get in the way of what He desires? Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare [which means completeness] and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”

It is God’s goodness and our faith. Our faith that is infused by God’s power. Power that is inherent simply because it is God’s. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Now I understand faith is a hard thing, but it seems it’s only hard when talking about God. We have faith in our government even though I would classify it as a mess. We have faith in our friends even though they repeatedly let us down. Remember Charlie Brown? He faith that Lucy wouldn’t pull the football out, but she did every time.

We have faith in everything except:

• The One that will never fail us.
• The One that cares for us more than anyone.
• The One that created the heavens and the earth.
• The One that created us in His own image.
• The One that breathed life in us.
• The One that loved us so much He was willing to send His only Son to die for us.
• The One who cares so much about us that He left the Holy Spirit to live within us and lead us and guide us.
• The One that really wants a relationship with us.

So we have to ask ourselves, why is our faith in God so hard? Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” 1 John 5:4 says, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.” Overcome here means conquer. Our faith in God has conquered the world. When you look at it in that light, there is no reason to doubt.

The Gospel writer Mark tells us of the father that brought his demon possessed son to Jesus for healing. He complained because the disciples weren’t able to help the boy.  As the father relates this to Jesus, in Mark 9:23 Jesus tells him, “All things are possible to him who believes.” The father responded by saying, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” Believe and unbelief in these two verses are both forms of the Greek word for faith – pistis. The father was saying, “I believe, but my faith is lacking, Jesus fill in the holes so I can have complete confidence in You.”

James 1:8 tells us that, “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” It means one who is wavering. Someone who has no settled principles; who is controlled by passion; who is influenced by popular feeling. He is unstable in all his ways. His prayer life. His personal life. His work life. It is fair to say that life lives him, he doesn’t live life. Maybe that’s where you are. You know what faith is, but are having a hard time applying it to your life and really letting go and trusting God.

If you know the character of God, it’s easier to let go. Was it hard for Abraham when he was told to sacrifice Isaac? Was it hard for Job when he lost everything and had a nagging wife? Was it hard for Moses to go to Pharaoh when all he thought about was his lack of ability? Was it hard for Noah to build a boat when he didn’t know what rain was? Was it hard for Joseph to stay engaged to Mary when he found out she was pregnant?

For most of us, the biggest stretch of faith is trusting that God will provide what we need to live. Look at Matthew 6:25-34. You see, God does have it all worked out, but this is a conditional clause and the “but” is recorded in v. 33. Perhaps we’re struggling because our priority isn’t on seeking God’s kingdom or His righteousness first.

Paul’s provides the goal of his prayer in v. 12. Paul prays that Jesus will be glorified in us and for us to be glorified in Him. But that glorification doesn’t begin with Christ’s return. The glorification process began with our salvation. As we are changed into the image of Christ, Jesus receives glory from what He is doing in us. 2 Cor. 3:18, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” Transformed literally mean change form.  It’s where we get our English word metamorphosis. Each day, we look more like Christ then we did the day before. It is amazing to look at the beauty that God created, but it’s even more amazing to look at the transformation occurring on a daily basis in those that are called children of God.

Paul’s prayer is that God will count us worthy of the calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power and that God will be glorified in us and us in Him.

Is that happening in your life?

Why Do Christians Suffer?

Last week we started our journey into Paul’s second letter to the church at Thessalonica. Paul is thankful that their faith and love are growing more and more.

This church is not stagnant and they demonstrate their faith and love by being examples in Macedonia and Achaia. In fact, they are growing in Christ and are so changed that Paul has bragged on them to other churches that even amid persecution, they are persevering. Today, I hope to answer the age old question of why Christians suffer.

Grab your Bible and read 2 Thes. 1:5-10. You can listen to the accompanying podcast here.

The first thing I want to look at is biblical suffering. Before we get to the why of suffering, we need to understand what Paul is talking about. Is Paul talking about suffering from financial troubles, or sickness, or lay-offs, or even the financial state of America? We often talk about our trials and persecutions, but is this what Paul is talking about?

To fully understand what I’m talking about, we need to understand the meaning of the words Paul talks about. In v. 4, Paul spoke of the persecutions and afflictions the Thessalonians were undergoing. Persecution is a very specific word that means persecution inflicted by an enemy of the Gospel. Afflictions comes from the word that primarily means a pressing or pressure; anything that burdens the spirit.  This refers to something that comes upon someone from an external source. In the case of the Thessalonians, the afflictions could be a direct result of the persecution.

V. 5 definitely relates to v. 4 and really explains what is going on. It is God’s righteous judgment for believers to be considered worthy of His kingdom. God is the One who is in charge of our sanctification, or our refining even though it may come in the form of persecution and suffering. These believers have perseverance and faith even as they endure persecution and suffering. Judgment in this verse can also be translated decision and this verse indicates that God does decide to allow persecution and suffering in our lives. As Christians, we need to be willing to endure the persecution and suffering in order to get the refinement from the Lord that comes with it. Paul says it is a, “Plain indication of God’s righteous judgment.”

So why do Christians suffer? A question of the ages, right? We’ve seen that in the lives of the Thessalonians, it was to determine if they were worthy of God’s kingdom. Do you think it’s any different for us? What is the goal of suffering? What are the benefits? James told us in 1:2-4 to, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Look at 1 Peter 1:6-9. Peter said that trials and pressures and suffering are tests of fire for believers whose faith is proven as a result of those trials. The outcome of that faith is salvation. Endurance is the proof of true salvation.

While you’re in 1 Peter, check out 1 Peter 4:12-19. Peter uses the word test again. Sharing in the sufferings of Christ means believers suffer as a result of their association with Christ; for His name. When people talk about the suffering they are enduring as a Christian typically has nothing to do with the fact that they are a Christian. The tests of suffering are for those things that glorify the Lord, not because of our sin. That’s where we miss the mark. Many of us suffer because of our own poor decisions and disobedience. When we suffer the consequences of sin, the only glory God receives is because He is just and righteous and holy and gracious. So do we sin to bring God glory? Paul said in Romans 6:1-2, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” If we suffer because of our own misdeeds, then we suffer because God cannot let sin go unpunished.

Let’s look into biblical justice. For those that are truly suffering because of their faith, God will take care of that.  Back in 2 Thessalonians 1, look at v. 6. It is only just, which can also be translated righteous, for God to bring pressure to those that bring pressure to Christians suffering because of their faith. God is the One that determines what refining needs to be accomplished for us to be considered worthy of the Kingdom. He knew what was going on in the church at Thessalonica and He knows what’s going on in the world today. V. 7 says God will, “give relief to you who are afflicted.” But it won’t happen until, “Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire.” Relief comes from the word that means loosen. Think about your hand being in a vise. When the vise is loosened, the pressure is relieved. That’s what Paul is talking about. There will come a time when the pressure will be relieved from those Christians that are suffering for the sake of the Gospel. For some of our Christian brothers and sisters in: Egypt, Sudan, Belarus, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea, and Pakistan just to name a few, the suffering will not end until Jesus returns.

The Thessalonians endured their suffering well. Remember in v. 4 Paul said he, “Speaks proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.” If you are suffering for Christ, how are you doing? Are you persevering or complaining?

The Thessalonians weren’t the only ones suffering for the cause of Christ. V. 7 says Paul, Luke, Timothy, and Silas were looking for some relief too. Paul told the Philippians that, “It has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” (Phil. 1:29) Jesus said in John 16:33 that believers would have tribulation [affliction] in the world. 2 Tim. 3:12 reminds us that, “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Speaking of Jesus Hebrews 5:8 says, “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.” We need to be ready to suffer persecution

So what are the biblical consequences? What about those that would persecute Christians?  What’s going to happen to them? Read vs. 8-10. Retribution is also translated vengeance. Retribution will be given to, “Those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” Some say “those who do not know God” refers to the heathen Gentiles Paul mentioned in 1 Thes. 4:5 and “those who do not obey the Gospel” refers to the Jews. This distinction probably would have been lost on the Thessalonians. I think it’s more likely that these two phrases simply refer to non-believers in general. Their punishment will be “eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.” Eternal destruction is bad enough, but these will also endure separation from Jesus Christ. If that’s not bad enough, look at how Paul contrasts what’s in store for believers.  V. 10 says it all, “When He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed.” Everyone will marvel. It will be a great day for believers.

Biblical persecution comes as a result of our stand for Christ. It refines us, it gets us ready for His glory. Are you ready?

The Background

We begin a new study this morning in 2 Thessalonians. It is only fitting that we continue where we left off and finish the story of the church at Thessalonica.

The church is a young church planted by Paul at some point on his 2^nd missionary journey around 49 or 50 A. D. Paul wrote the first letter to the Thessalonians around 51 A. D. encouraging them to walk the walk of the Gospel, the life changing, life transforming Gospel. Paul takes the time to write this second letter just a few months after the first. Paul is still in Corinth.  As we go through this letter, you’re going to see three main themes.

You’ll need your Bible to read 2 Thes. 1:1-4.

Paul begins the same way he did in 1 Thessalonians almost word for word. The team is still Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy. Luke is not mentioned, but when you read the account of Paul’s second missionary journey in Acts 16-18, it’s pretty clear that Luke is still with them. Let me point out a couple of things in Paul’s introduction. Paul is writing to the church at Thessalonica.  Church comes from the Greek word ekklesia which means an assembly. It is a group of people assembled together for the purpose of worshiping God. Since we are not part of the Thessalonian church, there may be a tendency to ignore its teaching. When you understand the term ekklesia or assembly, you must conclude that Paul’s letter is not just to those believers, but to us as well.

Paul says that the church is, “In God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul speaks of the churches in Judea being “in Christ” in 1 Thess. 2:14. Remember Paul’s metaphor in 1 Corinthians 12:12? He said, “For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.” Paul is speaking of an organic, living, breathing organization; one in which Christ’s DNA is all over us. In Colossians 3:3 Paul describes our new life as “hidden with Christ in God.” The church being in God indicates this is where the life of the church comes from. This is the heartbeat of the church; this is the lifeblood of the church, this is what the church is made of.

Paul says grace and peace, his customary greeting.   He used it in both of his letters to the Corinthians. In his letters to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. In both letters to the Thessalonians. In both letters to Timothy, and in his letters to Titus and Philemon. “Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

So Paul provides a greeting and now look at Paul’s thankfulness. In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul said, “We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers.” Here he says, “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren.” That might seem like a trivial distinction, but it’s not. Paul has more of an obligation to thank God for them. It’s more appropriate to thank God for them. In his first letter, Paul mentions the Thessalonians, “Work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Their faith was transforming their lives – present tense. It wasn’t something that just occurred in the past, it was happening now. Look at v. 3. It’s only fitting, it’s only right, it’s only proper to thank God for what He was doing in their lives.

Their faith is being “greatly enlarged.” Their faith is growing. Their love is growing. Remember in 1 Thes. 3:12 Paul prayed that, “The Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you.” That’s what is happening.  Paul’s prayers are being answered. He is compelled to thank God for them. Their faith is vibrant, their faith is real, their faith is changing them into what God wants them to be.

Not only was Paul thankful, but he was proud of these believers. It wasn’t just Paul; it was also his companions that spoke of the growing faith of the Thessalonian believers. When Paul left Thessalonica, he went to Berea, then to Athens, then to Corinth where he wrote this letter. Paul and Silas left Thessalonica with Paul to go to Berea. Paul left them in Berea and gave instructions for them to join him in Athens as soon as they could. They later joined Paul travelling from Macedonia and meeting him in Corinth. According to v. 4, they spoke proudly because of the work of faith and love that is occurring in their lives. Paul and the others share this incredible faith in the churches they go to. It is not boasting in the people necessarily, but in the God that can accomplish what He sets out to do.

These believers weren’t just hanging in there as life uneventfully passed them by. Paul boasted about them for what he says is their, “Perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.” The persecution that was present in Paul’s first letter is still happening. Remember that Paul was chased away by the Jews because they were jealous of Paul and what God was doing. The Thessalonians turned from idols to serve a living God. Religion wasn’t changing them, God was. He was making a difference in their lives and the Jews didn’t like that so there is no reason to assume that much of this persecution was coming from the religious crowd in Thessalonica. Even though there was persecution and suffering, the faith and love of the Thessalonians grew.

They didn’t let the suffering control their lives. There is a really important point here. They were suffering because of where they stood for Christ. For us though, we want to make excuses and quit because of the suffering and pain in our lives, but most of that pain and suffering is our own fault. Some people are suffering for Christ, but most of us aren’t.

There is genuine suffering and persecution going on in the world. On 9/21/09, a pastor was beaten by radical Hindus in Andhra Pradesh, India as he was returning home following a morning service. On October 8, 2009, two Ethiopian evangelists successfully appealed their sentence of offering money for people to convert, but were kept in jail on new charges. On October 7, an Iranian judge charged two people with apostasy. If convicted, they face life in prison. I could go on and on, but I want you to recognize that there are people suffering for Christ.

We’re just getting started. We’re going to see lots of challenging things in the weeks to come. Chapter 1 is devoted to suffering and persecution. Next week we’re going to see what that really means.