OPENING SONG
OPENING PRAYER
OPENING COMMENTS
- The theme for this week is the hope of the Lord.
- The keynote passage for today’s sermon is in 2Thessalonians 2:1-5,13-17, where Paul reassures a group of new believers that they have not missed out on Jesus’ return.
BIBLE READING
2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17
Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ[the Lord] had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin[lawlessness] is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?
13 But we are bound[under obligation] to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification[being set apart] by the Spirit and belief in the truth, 14 to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish[strengthen] you in every good word and work.
SERMON
Stand Firm and Hold Fast
2 Thessalonians 2:1–5, 13–17 ESV
Today will be our second visit to the letter 2 Thessalonians. As we saw last week, one of the reasons Paul writes this second letter to the new believers in Thessalonica is to dispel the rumor going around that the return of Christ had already happened. Whoever is spreading this lie that Paul was supposedly teaching appears to be sincere but just misinformed. However, in reality, these rumors are being intentionally spread.
Before we get into the text today, it may be good to acknowledge that we can all be naïve at times. We have all been fooled by people who wish to take advantage of or deceive us. There are people who set out intentionally and deliberately to deceive and harm the Church through lies and false teachings. Just like what Paul was dealing with, people spreading lies often do it as insiders, as if speaking for the Church. It was true in Paul’s day, and it’s true in ours.
Remember, the church in Thessalonica was made up of many new Gentile believers. They would be easy targets to deceive and disrupt. Again, are we naïve that such intentional efforts and targeting take aim at our churches today, especially where a weakness can be found? We tend to want to trust and believe the best of others, and this can be a very good thing. However, we should always be on guard that this does not blind us to the fact that we have a real enemy — the devil, who “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1Peter 5:8 ESV). And this enemy has a way of enlisting people into his schemes. We are less naïve when we know the source of these intentional deceptions. Paul writes that it “is by the activity of Satan” that these works of deception come (1Peter 5:9 ESV). Paul was not naïve and what he writes to the Thessalonians can help us, as it was intended to help them, to stand firm and hold fast to what is true.
Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 2Thessalonians 2:1–2 ESV
Paul addresses directly his concern about the false rumors going around regarding the “coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him …” Notice the point of attack is targeted on their eschatological (end times) understanding. We may wonder why this was chosen as the strategy for deception. And if we take a brief survey of our own times, does it not seem that matters of end time events appear to be an area on which dishonest teachers love to concentrate? Perhaps it’s because it’s an area that doesn’t give us a lot of details. It may be easy to get a hearing if someone can fill in some details we are itching to know. Or maybe being deceived about “tomorrow” will have the most destructive ramifications for how we live today. That seems to have been the effect for some of the believers in Thessalonica. In fact, that may be why some are not working or contributing. Hopelessness leads to apathy and can destroy a sense of purpose or the will to plan for the future. Whatever the reason, lies are creating instability and alarm for these new believers.
Paul names the lie: a rumor that “the day of the Lord has come.” This lie concerns not only the coming of Jesus but “our being gathered together to him …” That may explain why these believers were “shaken in mind” or “alarmed.” If Jesus has already come, then they are left out of “being gathered together to him” since they are obviously still in the middle of their persecutions. What is at stake in believing this lie is the hope that comes with knowing Jesus will return to vindicate and redeem us. These Christians are experiencing persecutions, so to be told that Jesus had already come, while nothing has changed for them, would certainly be a huge point of confusion. Some appear to have just given up. It’s unlikely these Thessalonians are simply lazy. They probably are despondent from a lack of hope.
Paul wants to encourage them by reminding them of what he first told them. He goes as far as to tell them not to be shaken or alarmed even if they hear something different from “a letter seeming to be from us.” If someone comes around saying that Paul either changed his mind or understands it differently than he once did, then that message shouldn’t be trusted. Paul will now return to remind the Thessalonian believers of what he did say:
Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 2Thessalonians 2:3–5 ESV
These new believers are reminded of some previous instructions about Jesus’ return that included certain events that would happen before the coming of the Lord. The central figure to be concerned about in this regard is “the man of lawlessness” and his being revealed. We may not know exactly what it was Paul had told them, but we get some idea if we read further to verse 12. The point he is making is simply that since these things have not happened yet, they should know that Jesus has not returned.
Paul also seems to be helping them not to be overly concerned about missing the return of Jesus. In a sense, he is saying it will be obvious when he returns. They will know it when they see it. But to be sure, Paul is not fixating on the particulars of end-time events. He is assuring them that Jesus has not forgotten them, but they have forgotten what they were first told when Paul was with them.
We will now skip down to the concluding verses of our selected text:
But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Thessalonians 2:13–17 ESV
This section begins with “But” which provides enormous significance for what Paul wants to emphasize. Our focus should not be on predicting the timing of Jesus’ return. Instead, we should focus on God’s actions towards these believers. This is cause for thanksgiving. They are “beloved by the Lord,” and so are we! That was (and is) an encouraging and refreshing reminder that Jesus has not abandoned us.
“God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved.” This is a reference that these are some of the earliest followers of Jesus. If God chose them first, they can have confidence that he will not forget them. And this salvation is “through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.” God will complete his work where they will “obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The message to the Thessalonians is the same for us: live out the salvation God has given us. Participate in the present, not fearing to miss out in the future. Since God loves us, has chosen us, and is working in us by the Spirit, we have everything we need. Our future is secure.
From here Paul encourages them to stand firm and fast.
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. 2Thessalonians 2:15–17 ESV
Paul encourages them to “stand firm and hold to the traditions” they were taught by Paul and his companions — in their “spoken word” or “by letter.” In other words, don’t put too much stock in secondhand commentary on what we taught you. You heard it straight from us; don’t let anyone tell you something different. And that should hold for us today as well. We too have the teachings of the apostles in the Bible. That is the source we return to when we are confronted by mind-shaking or alarming rumors and teachings. We too must “stand firm and hold to the traditions” we are taught in God’s word that has been passed down to us.
The hearing of God’s word ends today with a prayer for comfort and hope, the very things the false teachers had stolen with their lies. May God answer this prayer in our lives today as well. We too must confront many rumors, lies, and false teachings aimed at diminishing our faith and robbing us of the comfort and hope we have in Christ. We do this by returning again and again to what the Lord has taught us through his appointed apostles who wrote down letters like 2Thessalonians, that later were canonized as the inspired word of God. Whether we are new believers, or have been following the Lord for many years, may our time in this letter encourage you to remain devoted to God’s written word that builds our faith in the Living Word, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen!
SONG OF RESPONSE
Small Group Discussion Questions
- Discuss the dangers of being naïve about people intentionally targeting the church for deception and destruction.
- We may expect persons outside the church to target Christians for deception.
- What we may NOT expect is for persons inside the church to target others in the church for deception.
- Not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” is in a right relationship with the Lord.
- How does knowing that the devil is the source of such attempts guard us from being naïve?
- We remember that the devil works through people … so we can/should expect the unexpected.
- It reminds us that he is seeking to devour us
- he is the great deceiver
- What do you think was most at stake for the new believers in thinking the Lord had already returned?
- the assurance of salvation
- trust in Christ
- a reason to persevere
- What are some of the things Paul says that would encourage the Thessalonian believers to “stand firm and hold fast?”
- Some things that he had told them would happen before Christ’s return had not happened as yet.
- The rebellion comes
- The man of lawlessness is revealed
- Some things that he had told them would happen before Christ’s return had not happened as yet.
- Discuss the importance of returning to the Bible over and over in order to “stand firm and hold fast.”
- The Bible is the source document
- It is the Bible — NOT Bible commentaries or Bible Dictionaries or podcasts, etc. — that contains the word of God (the “traditions” we are to hold on to).
- Times change … and people change with them … but God’s word is constant.
According to Barclay …
THE LAWLESS ONE ( 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 )
This is undoubtedly one of the most difficult passages in the whole New Testament; and it is so because it is using terms and thinking in pictures which were perfectly familiar to those to whom Paul was speaking but which are utterly strange to us.
The general picture is this. Paul was telling the Thessalonians that they must give up their nervous, hysterical waiting for the Second Coming. He denied that he had ever said that the Day of the Lord had come. That was a misinterpretation of his words which must not be attributed to him; and he told them that before the Day of the Lord could come much had still to happen.
First there would come an age of rebellion against God; into this world there had already come a secret evil power which was working in the world and on men to bring this time of rebellion. Somewhere there was being kept one who was as much the incarnation of evil as Jesus was the incarnation of God. He was The Man of Sin, The Son of Perdition, The Lawless One. In time the power which was restraining him would be removed from the scene; and then this devil incarnate would come. When he came, he would gather his own people to him just as Jesus Christ had gathered his. Those who had refused to accept Christ were waiting to accept him. Then would come a last battle in which Christ would utterly destroy The Lawless One; Christ’s people would be gathered to him and the wicked men who had accepted The Lawless One as their master would be destroyed.
We have to remember one thing. Almost all the Eastern faiths believed in a power of evil as they believed in a power of good; and believed, too, in a kind of battle between God and this power of evil. For instance, the Babylonians had a story that Tiamat, the dragon, had rebelled against Marduk, the creator, and had in the final battle been destroyed. Paul was dealing in a set of ideas which were common property. The Jews, too, had that idea. They called the Satanic power Belial or, more correctly, Beliar. When the Jews wished to describe a man as utterly bad they called him a son of Beliar ( Deuteronomy 13:13; 1 Kings 21:10; 1 Kings 21:13; 2 Samuel 22:5). In 2 Corinthians 6:15, Paul uses this term as the opposite of God. This evil incarnate was the antithesis of God. The Christians took this over, later than Paul, under the title Antichrist (1 John 2:18; 1 John 2:22; 1 John 4:3). Obviously such a power cannot go on existing for ever in the universe; and there was widespread belief in a final battle in which God would triumph and this force of anti-God would be finally destroyed. That is the picture with which Paul is working.
What was the restraining force which was still keeping The Lawless One under control? No one can answer that question with certainty. Most likely Paul meant the Roman Empire. Time and again he himself was to be saved from the fury of the mob by the justice of the Roman magistrate. Rome was the restraining power which kept the world from insane anarchy. But the day would come when that power would be removed–and then would be chaos.
So then Paul pictures a growing rebellion against God, the emergence of one who was the devil incarnate as Christ had been God incarnate, a final struggle and the ultimate triumph of God.
When this incarnate evil came into the world there would be some who would accept him as master, those who had refused Christ; and they along with their evil master would find final defeat and terrible judgment.
However remote these pictures may be from us they nevertheless have certain permanent truth in them.
(i) There is a force of evil in the world. Even if he could not logically prove that there was a devil many a man would say, “I know there is because I have met him.” We hide our heads in the sand if we deny that there is an evil power at work amongst men.
(ii) God is in control. Things may seem to be crashing to chaos but in some strange way even the chaos is in God’s control.
(iii) The ultimate triumph of God is sure. In the end nothing can stand against him. The Lawless One may have his day but there comes a time when God says, “Thus far and no farther.” And so the great question is, “On what side are you? In the struggle at the heart of the universe are you for God–or Satan?”
GOD’S DEMAND AND OUR EFFORT ( 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 )
May the Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and who gave us, by his grace, eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and make you strong OR every good deed and word.
In this passage there is a kind of synopsis of the Christian life.
(i) It begins with God’s call. We could never even begin to seek God unless he had already found us. The whole initiative is with him; the ground and the moving cause of the whole matter is his seeking love.
(ii) It develops in our effort. The Christian is not called to dream, but to fight; not to stand still, but to climb. He is called not only to the greatest privilege but also to the greatest task in the world.
(iii) This effort is helped continually by two things. (a) It is helped by the teaching, guidance and example of godly men. God speaks to us through those to whom he has already spoken. “A saint,” as someone has said, “is a person who makes it easier for others to believe in God.” And there are some who help us, not by anything they say or write, but simply by being what they are, men whom to meet is to meet God. (b) It is helped by God himself We are never left to fight and toil alone. He who gives us the task also gives us the strength to do it; more, he actually does it with us. We are not thrown into the battle to meet it with the puny resources we can bring to it. At the back of us and beside us there is God. When Paul was up against it in Corinth, he had a vision by night in which the Lord said to him, “Do not be afraid…for I am with You” ( Acts 18:9-10). They that are for us are always more than they that are against us.
(iv) This call and this effort are designed to produce two things. (a) They are designed to produce consecration on earth. Literally in Greek a thing which is consecrated is set apart for God. They are meant to set us apart in such a way that God can use us for his service. The result is that a man’s life no longer belongs to him to do with it as he likes; it belongs to God for him to use as he likes. (b) They are designed to produce salvation in heaven. The Christian life does not end with time; its goal is eternity. The Christian can regard his present affliction as a light thing in comparison with the glory that shall be. As Christina Rosetti wrote:
“‘Does the road wind uphill all the way?’
‘Yes, to the very end.’
‘Will the day’s journey take the whole tong day?’
‘From morn to night, my friend.’
‘But is there for the night a resting-place?’
‘A roof for when the slow dark hours begin.’
‘May not the darkness hide it from my face?’
‘You cannot miss that inn.’
‘Shall I meet other wayfarers at night?’
‘Those who have gone before.’
‘Then must I knock, or call when just in sight?’
‘They will not keep you waiting at that door.’
‘Shall I find comfort, travel-sore and weak?’
‘Of labour you shall find the sum.’
‘Will there be beds for me and all who seek?’
‘Yes, beds for all who come.'”
CLOSING PRAYER