Paul’s Final Thoughts

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Last week we saw Paul’s instructions to the workless. The lazy people in the church were commanded and instructed to shape up and get to work so they could eat. Paul told the rest of the church not to get tired of doing what is right. This morning, we’re going to see a couple of final instructions.

One more time, take a look at 2 Thes. 3:14-18.

When we give instructions to people, we tend to include the consequences for failure. This is especially true of our children. We tell them what to do and then tell them what’s going to happen if they fail to do it. Paul is speaking to the church, everybody in the church, not just the leaders. He issues a conditional clause, “If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter.”

This letter is not filled with a lot of commands or instructions. There are just nine.

The first one doesn’t come until 2:3 when he tells them, “Let no one in any way deceive you.” That one seems pretty generic. Actually, all of them seem pretty standard, nothing you would really consider earth shaking. He is referring specifically to the unruly of v. 6 and the undisciplined of v. 11, but the instruction is for the entire church. Remember in 2:15, Paul told them to, “Stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.” Paul mentions traditions again in 3:6 which the unruly were not following. When you look at the letter as a whole, Paul said, “We have confidence in the Lord concerning you that you are doing and will continue to do what we command.” (2 Thes. 3:4) So the issue isn’t really with the whole church, but a few bad apples. So you’ve got some bad apples, what is the church to do? Paul tells us in the last half of v. 14: “Take special note of that person.”

It’s clear why the church is to “Take special note of that person.” Those people are the “such persons” referred to in v. 12. They’re the unruly in v. 6 and the undisciplined in v. 11. Take special note means to identify, perhaps publically so that the church won’t associate with that person. It means exactly what it says: “Do not associate with him.” That means don’t hang out with them. It means don’t meet for coffee. It means don’t get together to watch the game or swap recipes. Rom. 16:17 says, “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” This seems pretty harsh, but it’s not without reason. Those persons are to be put to shame. Shame means to cause someone to be embarrassed or ashamed. It’s sort of like saying, “You should be ashamed of yourself.” Paul said something consistent in 1 Cor. 5:9, “I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people.” He puts unruly and immoral people in the same category.

There are a lot of people these days that are screaming, “What about grace?” One of the most famous hymns ever written is called Amazing Grace. Truth had a CD called “It’s All about Grace.” We have the Christian band Point of Grace. We sing, “Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within; grace, grace, God’s grace, grace that is greater than all our sin.” Paul’s instruction to take special note and do not associate seems pretty contrary to God’s grace. Jude warned that certain people in the church had turned the, “grace of God into licentiousness” and that’s exactly what we are doing in the church today. There’s more grace than instruction in righteousness. There’s more grace than correction. There’s more grace than discipline. The expectation of a changed life in Christ is that we would be different, old things are passed away because God has given us a new birth. The people Paul is talking about are not following sound biblical principles and the church is instructed to disassociate themselves with these unruly, undisciplined people in order to put them to shame.

But that’s not where it ends. Paul is emphatic in v. 15: “Do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.” The punishment of disassociation is not to make the person an enemy, but to show him the path of righteousness, of holiness, of authentic Christianity. That’s lacking in the church today. The church cannot ignore the abuses of immature or unscrupulous believers. Christians should do what is right and continue to do what is right. Allowing a believer to continue in blatantly unchristian or disruptive behavior doesn’t do any favors to them or the cause of Christ. I think people are hesitant to offer correction because of the potential backlash. They’ll ask questions like, “Who do you think you are?” “It’s none of your business.” “I’m not hurting anyone.” Admonish as a brother: insistently urge and warn.  Paul’s goal was not punishment, but restoration. That’s the way Paul rolled.

Paul closes this letter with some great encouragement. Look at v. 16. Paul prays for, “Peace in every circumstance.” One writer says, “The phrase implies a multitude of troubles, and the letter has revealed a persecuted, doctrinally confused, and socially troubled church.” There was a lot going on and the church needed the encouragement and assurance that God was there. Paul makes sure the church knows that he wrote this letter in v. 17. The authenticity was as a result of the accusation in 2:2. Paul wanted to make sure the church knew this letter was from him so they would follow its instructions.

So there you have it. 18 messages over 5 months. There is so much in this letter. Persecution, suffering, trials, judgment, worthiness, faith, discipline. It has been a long road, but I trust you have learned from this letter and have been challenged to continue to do what the Scriptures instruct us to do. Let’s talk the talk, and walk the walk demonstrating the love of Christ to a lost and hurting world. Let’s be authentic Christ followers.

Instructions to the Workless

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Last week we learned that people who aren’t willing to work shouldn’t be allowed to eat.

While Paul was with the Thessalonians, he was a model for them and he expected the church to follow his example. We’ve looked at vs. 6-10 in the past couple of weeks that were directed at the church. Now Paul speaks directly to the idle, to the unruly, to the undisciplined.

Check out 2 Thes. 3:11-13.

Paul cites three things he’s heard about what some folks in the church are doing. Paul is really saying, “I see lazy people.” The statement that he “heard” indicates that even though he is not physically with them, he continues to receive updates about what is going on in the church. We know from 1 Thes. 3:2 and Acts 18 that Paul sent Timothy to check on them. It is certainly reasonable that Paul would have asked other believers that passed through Corinth about the Thessalonian church as well. There were things happening in the church at that time that Paul really needed to address. It was clear that these unruly people had not heeded the warning in 1 Thes. 4:11.

First, there were some that were leading an undisciplined life. This is the same thing Paul said in v. 6 about brothers “leading an unruly life.” There are people living a life of idleness rather than a life of discipline. There’s nothing wrong with discipline. Discipline simply means a system of conduct or method of practice. These people had no discipline; they did not control their behavior. All of us should have what can be called personal disciplines. Andy Stanley talked about that in our CG study on five things God uses to grow your faith. Things like prayer, Bible study, quiet time, fellowship with believers, earning a living. The people Paul is talking about didn’t do these things.

Second, some were doing no work at all. Since they were not doing any work, they had no income to support themselves. They weren’t working part-time; they didn’t experience a job loss or layoff. These people were not working by choice. Instead of working they were acting like busybodies. What’s a busybody? They were not busy; they were not engaged in productive activities.  If that weren’t bad enough, they were engaged in unproductive activities. All of us likely have engaged in unproductive activities at some time, but for these people, that was who they were. They were disrupting the work of the church by their inactivity or by their counter-productive activity. Think about this. First the idle people’s refusal to support themselves could create a financial burden on the church. Second, these people were a disruptive influence on the church. This word undisciplined occurs only here and in 1Thes. 5:14 where it is translated unruly. These people clearly ignored Paul’s admonishment in 1 Thes. 4:11 to lead a quiet life and to mind their own business.

Commentator Michael Martin supposes that these unruly people would likely have justification for their behavior. The meddler would claim to help. The gossip would say they needed to share their information. The lazy don’t engage in work, but prefer to supervise. Such persons raise to an art form the ability to justify unchristian behavior and disguise obstructionism behind a mask of cooperation. Do you know or have you known any unruly people?

Look at Paul’s no brainer solution in v. 12 where Paul speaks directly to the unruly. Paul’s assumption is that these people are still in a position to receive instruction. They likely have not cut off ties with the church because they’re too lazy to work and they need the church to feed them. There’s still hope! It is definitely a one way relationship, but Paul does not give up on them. Earlier he said if they don’t work they don’t eat and this doesn’t contradict his previous instruction. Paul commands and encourages. He really wants these unruly people to get it. He wants them to be productive for the Kingdom.

The unruly are to, “Work in a quiet fashion and eat their own bread.” That was Paul’s example. Work is in direct contrast with what they were doing. Work in a quiet fashion. They’re supposed to work and be quiet, or cease being disruptive to the church. Settle down and earn the bread you eat. Idle hands are the devil’s playground, right?The harder you work, the less time you have to be a busybody; the less time you have to derail what God wants to do in other people’s lives.

After Paul finished with the unruly, he gives a command for the rest of the church.  He says, “But as for you brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.” Notice Paul changes who he is talking to, but not what he is talking about. Don’t get tired of doing what is right. Weary here means to despair emotionally. Keeping it in context, it would be really easy to stop giving since there were freeloaders in the church reaping the benefits of the church’s generosity. Paul says don’t do that. It’s so easy to lose your focus. It’s so easy to quit because there are no visible results. Don’t let that be your driving focus. We are to still love people even if they aren’t doing right. It could be really easy to fall back to a harsh attitude toward people who do not do as Scripture commands. While Paul is very clear, there is also a measure of love in his use of the words. He really wants these people to turn back to the Lord and we don’t need to get tired of leading by example.

This walk of authenticity is a tiring one, but don’t take your eyes off of Jesus. Don’t get tired of doing what is right. Keep loving, keep encouraging, keep leading.

Follow the Leader, Some More

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Last week we saw that Paul didn’t just talk about living an authentic Christian life, he demonstrated it. He and the others were an example to the Thessalonians. Jesus Christ and His Word did such a work in their lives that they became examples to others. Paul wanted the Thessalonians to follow him and we know contextually, Paul was referring to everyone, but particularly people who were unwilling to work.

We’re looking at 2 Thes. 3:9-10 today, but for the sake of context go back to v. 7.

What was Paul’s motive? Paul continues the thought from the previous verse and issues a negative statement.  “Not because we do not have the right to this.” There is much talk over rights in the news. The Bill of Rights of the U. S. Constitution are the first ten amendments to the Constitution and all speak to individual rights. There was the Civil Rights movement. There are human rights and women’s rights. There are Miranda rights and gay rights. There are some that think healthcare is a right.

So what is Paul talking about? He’s talking about the right to expect some support from the church. Just to be clear, there is no evidence in Scripture to support the idea that the Thessalonian church gave Paul financial support. But he had a right to receive support because of who he was. 1 Cor. 9 details the rights Paul and the rights the other apostles have because of their position. Specifically look at 1 Cor. 9:1-7. 1 Tim. 5:18 says, “For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing,” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” Gal. 6:6 says, “The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.” It is completely right and acceptable to financially compensate the leaders that labor and toil in the work of the ministry.

So Paul’s motive for not accepting compensation is honorable and he insists that we follow their example. Even though they had the authority to exercise the right to receive compensation, the missionaries to Thessalonica did not. These guys worked long and hard days, “In order to offer ourselves as a model for you,” v. 9 says. Model comes from the word that means a three dimensional representation of a person or thing. What a great word. They engaged in physical manual labor in order to provide a model for the church to follow. They offered themselves as a model, but Paul doesn’t stop there. He expects that the Thessalonians would, “Follow our example.” That seems simple enough doesn’t it? Example comes from the Greek word that means mimic. Paul wants the church to mimic the model that he has set forth. He worked hard so that he wouldn’t be a financial burden to the church even though he had the authority and right to do so. They didn’t just talk about how people should act; they demonstrated what that should look like. Paul understood that there’s no such thing as a free lunch and he was willing to work day and night to support himself.

When you are hired on for a new job you should be presented with a list of expectations for your position. When you get married, there are certain expectations each spouse has for the marriage. When you have children, there are certain expectations that must be met. What does Paul expect of the Thessalonians? He reminded them of his lifestyle and his work ethic saying in v. 10, “For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order.” He refreshes everyone’s memory and now he makes sure everyone understands exactly what he is saying. The rest of v. 10 says, “If anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.”

Let’s make sure we understand what Paul is saying. If you’re able to work and just don’t want to, the consequence is that you shouldn’t get to eat. Paul is not talking about people that want to work but can’t for various reasons like injury, sickness, or they can’t find a job. Paul is talking about the lazy people; the people who would rather lounge around living off of the fruit of someone else’s labor. Don’t think he’s being too harsh. Paul worked day and night in order to provide for himself. He was willing to do what was necessary to enable him to continue teaching and discipling these people. Remember this is coming on the heels of the encouragement in v. 4 when he says you’re doing what we commanded you to do and we want you to continue doing so. He also said in v. 6 to stay away from unruly brothers; people who were out of synch with the local church. So the idea of not eating because you don’t want to work is not something that should take us by surprise. The incentive is that the idle, lazy person will want to start working because he’s hungry.

As Christians today, is there any parallel to what Paul said almost 2000 years ago?  What should be expected of us? The application is the same; if you don’t want to work as a habit of life, then you shouldn’t be allowed to sponge off of the generosity of others. Society is quickly moving to a place where more and more people are dependent upon the government to live. As Christians, we should be different.

Paul didn’t just talk about working hard, he demonstrated his work ethic and he expected the Thessalonians to work hard too and not put up with people who were able to work, but didn’t want to. We need to be careful about who we help, individually, and as a church. If someone’s not willing to work, they shouldn’t be able to eat. Paul will continue this theme in the next couple of verses so you can read ahead to see how he closes out this letter. We’re getting close to the end, but Paul still has some good things for us that we’ll look at in the next couple of weeks.

Follow the Leader

Listen to the podcast for this message here.

Last week Paul issued a pretty harsh command to stay away from unruly brothers. We were told to purposefully stay away from people that profess to be Christians that do not live their lives according to the traditions taught by Paul. These people were out of line, out of order with the local church membership. This morning we’re going to see that Paul just didn’t talk the talk, he walked the walk.

Take a look at 2 Thes. 3:7-8.

Paul starts out this verse with a phrase we use on a fairly frequent basis. “You know.” You know you’re supposed to be at work on time. You know you’re supposed to file your taxes by April 15^th. We tell it to our kids: You know better and we’re never satisfied when they tell us, “I didn’t know!” The Thessalonians had the knowledge., but what did they know? Paul told them, “You know how you ought to follow our example.” Ought means something you are compelled to do. It doesn’t matter if the compulsion is a result of a sense of duty or because of the cultural laws or customs. Paul’s command is in the present tense; they are to do it now. The Thessalonians observed first-hand how Paul and his associates acted so they ought to follow the example of Paul. They watched them, they sat with them; they ate with them; they worked with them. What they saw was what they got.

There was never a time where Paul acted one way when he was preaching and teaching and then acted another way on the job site. This is one of the biggest areas we fail at as Christians. You’ve heard about all the hypocrites in the church and I’m sorry to inform you that you’re one of them . . . and so am I. The truth is that Christians are people that are not perfect. All of us are on a journey to become Christ like. Use those opportunities when people point out all your faults to tell them about a walk with Christ. The Thessalonians ought to follow Paul’s example. Follow means behave in the same manner or imitate. Maybe I’m showing my age, but that’s okay. Remember the Public Service Announcement from the late 60s, or maybe it was the early 70s? Check out this video.

Don’t think your example doesn’t matter. Good or bad, people are watching you and will imitate you if they like you, respect you, or are under your authority. We need to walk the walk. Rom. 8:4 tells us to walk according to the Spirit. Gal. 5:16 says to, “Walk by the Spirit and you won’t carry out the desire of the flesh.” So Paul is an example that they ought to follow, and they had been following Paul. 1 Thes. 1:6, “You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit.” 1 Thes. 2:14, “For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea.” Notice in both verses, they became imitators. Paul was their example, and they were examples to others.

Knowledge is power, so why follow Paul and the others? Because they, “Did not act in an undisciplined manner.” Paul and his associates walked a proper walk. It doesn’t mean perfect, but they did not act undisciplined. Before you go making assumptions about what all this means, let’s take a look at some definitions. Act simply means your behavior. Undisciplined means uncontrolled in behavior and manner. When you take the two together, a whole new meaning presents itself and based on the context of this letter, Paul is talking about idleness. Remember that there were a group of people that thought the Lord had already come. In 2 Thes. 2:2 Paul told them not to, “be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed by either a spirit, or a message of a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of Lord has come.” This second letter to the Thessalonians was to clarify what was going to happen before the Lord returned. Some folks were content to laze around and mooch off of everybody else and not support themselves. Paul had something to say about that.

Just so no one got the wrong message, Paul expounds in v. 8. Paul was a hard worker. He did not have a sinecure job. What a great word. Sinecure means a job that has a salary, but little or no work or responsibility. Paul was an apostle, an evangelist, a missionary.  That was what he was appointed by God to do, but he supported himself by making tents when it was required. 2 Cor. 11:27, “I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.” He didn’t expect a free meal, when he ate, he paid for it. When he wasn’t teaching, Paul was working with his hands. Labor and hardship together means hard, physical labor; unusual exertion of energy and effort. Night and day Paul worked. It was common in those days for the church to support its teachers, but Paul was addressing the criticism from 1 Thes. 2:5 where some had accused him of preaching because of his greed.

If you have your Bible, read 1 Cor. 9:13-18. Paul and his associated were not freeloaders. Establishing a church is hard work.  Earning a living is hard work. They needed to work night and day. There was a lot to do and little time to do it. Studying, mentoring, training, discipling. They worked because they didn’t want to be a burden. This was a new church with new converts. The labor and hardships they endured was necessary for a time. BUT, there needs to come a time that all churches financially support their leaders. While Paul didn’t expect or require support from the Thessalonian church, he did receive support from other churches. They were models of hard-working men of God willing to work hard while teaching and training others in the work of the ministry.

Paul was an example to these believers and is an example to us. He was a hard worker and he demonstrated his willingness to do what it takes to live the life of an authentic Christian. We would be wise to follow his example.

Paul’s Warning

The accompanying podcast can be found here.

Last week we saw Paul’s confidence in the Lord concerning the Thessalonians. He knew the Lord would be the One to do the work in the hearts of these believers so they would keep on keeping on; that they would continue to keep the commandments of Paul. Paul moves from prayer to concern and he gives a seemingly harsh command.

2 Thes. 3:6 says, “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.”

Paul says something new here. After asking for prayer for his companions and himself that the Gospel would run swiftly, Paul introduces a new topic that will close out this letter. In v. 4, Paul expressed his confidence that the Thessalonians would do what he commanded and now he puts them to a test of obedience. Paul says, “Now we command you, brethren.” 25 times in his letters to the Thessalonians he used the word brethren and in each instance he is talking to the group. He’s talking to the church. We’re going to see why that’s important in a moment.

The command comes, “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Now who in their right mind is going to argue with that? Well it happens all the time. People all over, including in the church, disregard the commands and principles of Scripture. When you become a brethren – a Christian – you are voluntarily aligning yourself with Christ. Remember Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) Can you really be a Christ follower without following the commands of Scripture? James 1:22 says, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” I love that word delude. It means miscalculate or reason falsely. True disciples cannot be hearers only. James goes on in 3:13 and asks, “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.” If you want to call yourself a Christian then don’t be afraid to prove it. Paul speaks with the authority of Christ and expects prompt obedience.

Paul issues what seems like an extraordinarily harsh command. “Keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life.” Keep away comes from the word that means purposefully avoid contact with someone. It means to shun. Notice that Paul is specific when he says that. He doesn’t say keep away from those people who don’t look like you. He doesn’t say keep away from people who irritate you or hurt your feelings. He doesn’t say keep away from those people that go to different churches or have different beliefs than you. He says purposefully avoid those brothers that lead an unruly life. So you have to ask yourself, “Why does Paul say that?” What does lead and what does unruly mean?  Good questions. Lead comes from the word that means customary behavior. Unruly means idle or out of step – a military term referring to someone who is out of ranks. When you combine this, you get the idea that Paul is talking about someone who is out of synch or out of place with the local church membership.

Paul doesn’t issue some vague command, look at the specificity of avoidance. The unruly brothers we are to avoid are the ones that live, “not according to the tradition you received from us.” Paul is talking about professing Christians or else he wouldn’t be calling them brothers. He had already provided this instruction.  Notice, “received from us” is in the past tense. In 1 Thes. 5:14 Paul said, “We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” That instruction came just a few verses after 1 Thes. 4:11 where Paul said, “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you.” Apparently the behavior that was going on by these unruly was not corrected so Paul is more forceful with this command. It didn’t matter how these instructions were received, they were to follow them. 2 Thes. 2:15, “So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.” Those brothers were still being unruly and the instruction as to what to do with them was clear – “Keep away.”

I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about what Paul is saying. There wasn’t rampant immorality in the church or a complete departure from sound doctrine, there was a group of people there who were out of line. It seems like there were some that lived a life of idleness; they were lazy. This wasn’t the case where someone took a “me” day, but this was a recurring theme. The driving factor from the context of these letters was that the Thessalonians had an inaccurate view of the Lord’s return. Remember they thought it was imminent. So a group of idle people were sitting around not working and that was contrary to what Paul has taught them while he was there and also in his first letter to them. It was the responsibility of the church to exercise discipline for these unruly brothers. If the church wasn’t unified in this action then the discipline would be ineffective. BUT: remember the goal of discipline is always for the unruly to repent and return to a Christ-like lifestyle and return to the fellowship of the church.

The instructions from Paul are abundantly clear, but they aren’t meant to be harsh or mean or unjust. Gal. 6:1 says, “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.” There is a reason we are exercise discipline. It’s so that we will walk in a manner worthy of the calling of Jesus Christ.

Paul’s Confidence

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Last week we saw Paul shift from talking about the persecution he would suffer to the persecution the Thessalonians would continue to endure. Even when we are faithless, the Lord is faithful. Paul encouraged the Thessalonians by telling them that the Lord would strengthen and protect them from the evil one. This morning we’re going to look at Paul’s confidence.

Let’s take a look at 2 Thes. 3:4-5.

Paul just finished talking about the Lord’s faithfulness and he continues the theme here. He says, “We have confidence in the Lord concerning you.” Paul’s confidence is not in the Thessalonians, it is in the Lord who is faithful. Confidence means that you can have faith in, or rely on someone, or something. Paul knew the faithfulness of God and he knew that God would be the One working in the lives of these believers. We often forget who God really is. Sometimes we pray with an almost hopeless attitude. It’s as if God hasn’t demonstrated His faithfulness over and over again. I think we do that because we tend to let our emotions control our thinking. Phil. 1:6 says, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” You have to get to a point in your walk with the Lord that you are going to trust Him. We find it so easy to trust people, yet we don’t trust the Lord. The Lord’s plans for you are always good.  Jer. 29:11 says, “For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” Instead of asking why over and over again; stop and listen for an answer.  He may tell you, but you have to be satisfied knowing He cares for you. Trust Him, put your confidence in the One that has demonstrated His love and care for you. Paul knew the Lord would work in the lives of the Thessalonians. Phil. 2:13 says, “For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

Paul has confidence in the Lord that the Thessalonians would keep on keeping on. Paul says he is confident that they are, “Doing and will continue to do what we command.” This wasn’t just idle encouragement from Paul. Remember that their faith was known far and wide at the time. They had, “Turned from idols to serve a living and true God.” (1 Thes. 1:9) They had demonstrated that they had listened and responded to what Paul had said and now Paul wants them to keep going. Think about your discouraging times. We can get discouraged over even the slightest situations. Someone didn’t like my idea. Someone hurt my feelings. Someone didn’t return my phone call. The Thessalonians were enduring severe persecution and that can discourage anyone, but Paul is telling them to keep on truckin’.

Discouragement is a fact of life. People are going to disappoint you. There are going to be trials. There’s going to be tough times. There’ll be times you’re going to want to give up and quit. Discouragement is not only a fact of life, but it’s also a state of mind. We wallow in self-pity. We have this idea that we deserve something – entitlement. We think that no one understands our situation, no one knows how we feel; no one knows what we’re going through. We only see the faults of others, never thinking how we might fall short of what God wants us to be, never thinking about how we might let someone else down. This attitude spills over to the church. The question you need to ask yourself is, “Am I going to let my discouragement derail what God has called me to do?” Are you going to look at how everyone else is failing or are you going to keep on keeping God’s commands? What happened to Eph. 4:2? “With all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love.” Gal. 5:14, “For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Paul knows exactly what’s going on in Thessalonica. He knows about the persecution and suffering and he encourages them by saying keep on keeping the things that he commands. It can be very discouraging to me when I talk to people that think they are really spiritual or really have this faith thing worked out yet don’t do the fundamental things of the faith. 1 Cor. 14:37 says, “If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment.” In other words, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17) Paul praised the Thessalonians because they were doing what he commanded them to do even though they were suffering because of it.

Paul finally says amen to all of it. Look at v. 5. Love and steadfastness are a fruit of the Spirit according to Gal. 5:22 and should be found growing in each of us. Paul knows that perseverance requires patience and longsuffering. Rom. 5:3 reminds us that, “. . . We also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance.” Patience and longsuffering come from different Greek words. Patience has to do with things and circumstances. Longsuffering is a quality of self-restraint, especially under trying circumstances. Possession of these two graces enables joy to continue in the heart, no matter what is faced or experienced. Col. 1:11 says, “Strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously.”

Paul’s confidence was in the Lord and that’s where our confidence needs to be. Sometimes it’s really easy to get frustrated with people. I need to remember that confidence placed in the Lord is never misplaced and I need to remember that it is the Lord and the Holy Spirit that works in people.

The Big Shift

You can listen to the podcast for this message here.

Last week we saw that there will be a continued resistance to the Gospel. We saw Paul’s reason for asking to be, “Rescued from perverse and evil men” was so that he could continue to preach the Gospel so it would spread as far as possible. Paul’s desire was godly and it applied to him and his companions, but this morning, we’re going to see a big shift in this letter.

2 Thes. 3:3 says, “But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”

V. 3 begins with that great word: “But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” Paul had just asked the Thessalonians to pray that the Word of the Lord would spread rapidly and be glorified just as it had with them. Now his prayer shifts from the persecutions he is certain to face to the ongoing persecution of the Thessalonians. He’s concerned about the propagation of the Word as a result of his efforts, but he’s also concerned for this young Thessalonian church. He doesn’t want them to get discouraged. He doesn’t want them to quit. Paul encourages them in v. 3 and provides a contrast too. Remember the last half of v. 2:“Not all have faith, but the Lord is faithful.” These two statements may seem pretty obvious, but it’s the encouragement the church needs because of the persecution. Faithful means loyal, steadfast, and trustworthy. Nothing can cause the Lord to veer off course. His way is always pure and right and is best for us. This is something that could be forgotten in the midst of persecution and suffering. Even when you think the Lord has forgotten you – He is faithful. Even when you think you’re alone – the Lord is faithful. Even in all the persecution, all the troubles, sufferings, and trials – the Lord is faithful. You can see the importance of knowing the truth of God’s Word. The Lord is going to be faithful even when we are not. You can and should trust Him.

His faithfulness guarantees: That our suffering has meaning, that our persecutors will  get what’s coming to them, and the security of our future. Remember what Paul said at the beginning of this letter in 2 Thes. 1:5-10? Take the time to read it again. A firm conviction of the Lord’s faithfulness helps us persevere during persecution and helps us keep the faith.

Since the Lord is faithful, look at what He does for us. “He will strengthen.” His love and care for us is seen not only in His judgment of the faithless ones, but in His care for the church. That word strengthen doesn’t mean physical strength. It means to cause someone to become stronger in the sense of a more firm and unchanging attitude or belief; to strengthen, to make more firm. The strengthening comes from an outside source – it comes from the Lord Himself. Strengthen is in the future tense. It means when the faithless ones attack, the Lord will provide the resolve necessary to stand firm.

In the current issue of the Voice of the Martyr’s magazine, there is a story about Dr. Rebekka, a medical doctor in Islamic Indonesia. She was imprisoned for holding a neighborhood SS for children. After her release from prison she continued her ministry. Referring to the book of Acts she defined what normal Christianity looks like for many Indonesian Christians. Speaking to the director of the VOTM, she pointed at him and said, “You may look at us as abnormal.  No, we are normal.  It is you that is abnormal.”  Persecution is the norm for Christians. Don’t be concerned with what might happen, know that when you are attacked by faithless people, God will strengthen you.

Not only will the Lord strengthen, but “He will protect.” The word protect is used by Paul in other places referring to the guarding or keeping of God’s commandments. Here though the word means to keep safe from harm or injury. It means to hold someone in close contact. Think about the President’s protection detail, or witness protection, or protective custody and you begin to get the idea of how protective the Lord is. BUT. Being in the Lord’s protective custody doesn’t shield us from persecution or suffering; His protection sustains us through it. 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.”

No matter what is happening to us in this present world, we would be wise to remember who the real enemy is. It’s not the people that are attacking the Gospel, they’re just the instruments being used. Don’t be surprised when you are confronted with the reality that not everyone will agree with your faith. Some will say it is old fashioned. Not relevant. Not real. It’s because of the deception in this present world. Remember that the Lord is restraining the man of lawlessness according to 2 Thes. 2:7. V. 10 goes on to talk about the deception that is prevalent because of wickedness. The only way to combat the evil one is to stand firm on the truth of Scripture. Combat the lies with truth. The root cause of the persecution we endure is always the evil one, is always the devil; is always Satan.

Remember it is the Lord who is our protector. He will not let you go. He’ll strengthen and provide the protection you need when you need it.

Paul’s Prayer

You can listen to the accompanying podcast here.

Last week we looked at the importance of sticking to the traditions first given by the apostles that have been recorded in the N.T. A firm devotion to the Scriptures will help keep us on the path of righteousness and will help us identify false teaching. This morning we’ll look at Paul’s prayer for the brethren.

Look at 2 Thes. 2:16-17 for today.

Paul thanked God for choosing the Thessalonians in 2:13, he encouraged them to stand firm in 2:15, and now Paul shifts to a prayer. Prayer is a vital aspect of Paul’s relationship to the Lord. Paul told these believers in 1 Thes. 5:17 to, “Pray without ceasing.” He prayed in 2 Cor. 13:7 that those believers would do no wrong. He also prayed that they would be made complete two verses later. Paul prayed for believers in Rome, Ephesus, and Colossae. He prayed for Timothy, and Titus, and Philemon. He asked for prayer from the Ephesians and the Thessalonians. Clearly Paul spent a lot of his time devoted in prayer. Prayer should be a regular part of your daily routine. Not just before meals. Not just at bedtime with the kids. Not just when you’re in crisis. Not just when you need something.

In verse 16 Paul says, “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace.” It’s the Father and the Son again just like in 1 Thes. 1:1 and 1 Thes. 3:11only this time Paul lists the Son first. The Father and Son is a plural subject, but Paul uses the singular pronoun “who” and the singular verb “loved.” This may not seem like a big deal, but Paul is saying that Jesus and God are separate yet equal and unified. Everything that comes from God is because of His great love for us. Remember in John 3:16 that, “God so loved the world . . .” 1 John 4:9 says, “By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.” And John 3:35 says, “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.” The word for love is the same in these verses. God has the same love for you that He has for His own Son. Try and wrap your brain around that.

Look at v. 16 again, “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace.” There are two elements of the gift: eternal comfort and good hope. God is the source of unfailing comfort in all your trials, in all your circumstances, in all your failings. In 2 Cor. 1:3, He is the, “God of all comfort.” Phil. 2:1, “if there is any consolation,” it is in Christ. This eternal comfort is a gift based on unmerited favor. The only hope we have is because of God’s gift. It is eternal comfort by grace.

The second element of the gift is good hope. Hope comes from the Greek word that means confidant expectation. It is a good hope because of its source. It is a good hope because it is built on the foundation of grace. 1 Peter 1:3 calls it a living hope. Paul says hope does not disappoint in Rom. 5:5. It is the hope of the Gospel in Col. 1:23. It is  a blessed hope in Titus 2:13. In Romans 8:24 Paul asks the rhetorical question, “For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?” Why would you have hope in something that is in front of you? He answers the question in the next verse, “But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” That terrible combination of words: persevere and wait. That waiting is an eager wait – an apparent contradiction and oxymoron. This is, “The hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago.” (Titus 1:2) Eternal comfort and good hope, all bestowed on us by grace because of God’s great love.

While God gives us eternal comfort and good hope by His grace, in v. 17 Paul directs us to, “Comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.” Is this the same as eternal comfort by grace? Remember what was going on in this letter. They are in the midst of persecution and suffering, but they are persevering. Their faith is growing; their love toward one another is growing, but there was false teaching out there that caused them confusion and concern. So why is it that so many Christians are unsettled? Why are so many Christians wavering? Why do so many Christians seem to go in spurts? Why are so many Christians controlled by their emotions? They don’t feel like God is there. They don’t think that God cares. Have you ever noticed that those times only come when things are going bad? When things are good, you don’t hear Christians walking around thinking God doesn’t care about them. It is when the troubles or bad times come that people waver. They waver because their faith is not built on the firm foundation of God and His Word. James 1:8 says, “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” There are no, “I know, but . . .” statements. Matt. 12:34, “For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.” Real comfort gives you strength. Even in the most difficult circumstances, the comfort of God washes over you. You are firmly established in God’s love because you know God and His Word.

Now do understand that doesn’t mean you’ll never have trouble or trials, but your response will be biblical and not emotional. God does not waver and neither should you. Pr. 16:3 says “Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be established.” He is the Rock.  He is the firm foundation.  He is the unchanging.  He is the hope.

Paul’s Appeal

The accompanying podcast can be found here.

It has been a long time since we were last in 2 Thessalonians. In fact, it was all the way back on November 22, 2009. As a refresher, we looked at the challenge to God’s children. We saw that the only way to avoid the slippery slope of deception is to love and embrace the truth. We saw that we are God’s elect, chosen by Him to sanctification through the Spirit and faith in the truth. We are encouraged to allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us. As we journey back to Thessalonica, we’ll look at Paul’s appeal for the brethren.

2 Thes. 2:15 says, “So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.” What a great verse.

Paul tells these people to continue to stand. He says, “So then, stand firm and hold to.” This is in light of vs. 13-14. He says since you have been chosen from eternity, since you have been raised up to honor and glory, “Stand firm and hold.”

This goes hand in hand with his instruction in Eph. 6:10 when Paul says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” Stand fast is an active, imperative verb. Paul is saying stand now and keep on standing. But what is Paul really talking about? Stand firm and hold on. Think about a driving windstorm or hurricane. It’s not enough to just stand firm, you’ve got to hold on too.

We talk all the time about tradition and we typically apply a negative connotation to it. This may sound contrary to things I have taught in the past, but we are to hold on to tradition, but Paul is not applying the word to the things we apply it to. Tradition in the church today is sometimes bad. We have churches that have always or never done “it” that way. When we started our small groups which we call Community Groups, there were some that said they had never been involved in a small groups. Others said the only small groups they had been involved with split the church. In other words, they had never had never done it that way. There is a church in our town that advertises itself as a traditional Southern Baptist Church. What does that mean? Do they hold fast to the apostle’s teaching? Or do they only sings hymns with an organ?

We see tradition all around in and out of the church. Church traditionally starts at 11:00 am. We traditionally sing 3 songs, then have preaching, an invitation, and a benediction. We traditionally have a steeple on the church and our buildings have a certain appearance. What is Paul talking about when he talks about tradition?

Let’s answer that question. Paul provides some direction. Paul is specific when he says, “Stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.” It is the traditions which they had been taught. Tradition here means something passed down from one person to another as it relates to God. When man gets involved, that tradition becomes something else. For example, the Law required one to be clean before eating. The Jews took that and made it into something it was not. Cleanliness became ritualistic. Instead of simply washing their hands, they added rules for the number of times your hands had to be washed, the amount of water that must be used, the number of times the water must be changed. It went on and on and the original purpose was lost.

We do the same thing today. Only the godly men wear a coat and tie; the ladies wear tasteful dresses. There must be hymns sung. We must meet on Sunday and Wednesday, and of course, you must use a particular translation of the Bible. Don’t even think about using one of those new fangled, modern, perverted translations of the Bible.

When Paul says hold on, he is very specific. Paul is instructing these believers to hold on to what he and his associates had taught them whether it had been taught in person or written down for them. Remember why there is a second letter to the Thessalonians. They were confused over the coming of the Lord. Some had told them that day had already occurred even though that was contrary to Paul’s teaching. Tradition comes from the word that means truths which having been received and must be faithfully passed down. In this case, it was Paul’s own teaching that according to 1 Thes. 2:13 was received directly from God. So the traditions Paul is talking about are not the later traditions of the church, but the original teachings of the apostles. We must make a distinction between the two. The apostolic traditions are foundational to our faith according to Eph. 2:20. Those are the traditions we are to hold on to and are recorded in the N.T.

If we want to be biblical, authentic Christians, we need to be uncompromisingly loyal to the teachings of Christ and the apostles. Standing firm and holding fast is the path to stability in the Christian walk, but the only way to resist false teaching is to hold on to true teaching. That’s why you need to get into the Word. That’s why you need to get to know who Jesus Christ is. That’s why you need to have a personal relationship with Christ. That’s why you need to find out the truth yourself.

What traditions do you hold on to? Is your walk founded on biblical principles or are you holding on to what you’ve always been taught?

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.