(2 Th 3:5) "And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ."
We are to live with the inner expectation that Christ may come today, but with an outward lifestyle that says He might not come in our lifetime. In other words, we are to work like He is coming back in the next 5 minutes, while realizing He may choose to tarry His coming until after our lives are over. Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians to comfort the church about the imminent return of Christ. Paul wrote 2 Thessalonians to correct an error in thinking about the imminent return of Christ. He was concerned that there were some who had decided to abandon a responsible lifestyle, citing the soon return of Christ as the reason for their laziness and irresponsibility. How do we do this? How do we live a balanced life, that expects Jesus to appear any moment, but lives as if he may not appear in our lifetime? How do we balance hope and responsibility?
I. PRAY for one another (vss. 1-2)
Q: Paul requested prayer for 2 things in these verses. What were they?
A. Pray for the spread of the gospel.
1. We get discouraged waiting for Christ, when we see few being saved.
2. On the other hand, when the gospel is openly advancing, we are encouraged and reminded Christ is alive.
3. When iron curtain came down and the first efforts at evangelism yielded such a rich harvest, it was truly thrilling.
B. Pray for the protection of others.
Q: To whom, in our day, might we apply this type of prayer? Why, specifically, do they need it?
C. Prayer is vital to creating that inner expectation, as well as that outer balanced lifestyle that Paul is talking about.
1. Personal (i.e. individual) prayer is needed.
"Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually." (1 Chr 16:11)
"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Mat 26:41)
"And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;" (Luke 18:1)
"Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." (John 16:24)
"Pray without ceasing." (1 Th 5:17)
2. Corporate (i.e. church wide) prayer is also needed.
"Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven." (Mat 18:19)
"These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren." (Acts 1:14)
"And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying." (Acts 12:12)
II. TRUST in God's faithfulness (v3)
Q: What was Paul supremely confident in, according to verse 3?
Q: If God's faithfulness is taken out of the picture, is there any way for us to succeed in the Christian life? NO!
Q: If God's faithfulness is working for us, is there any way for us to fail at the Christian life? NO!
A, Deliverance of Israel through the Red Sea - looked hopeless, but God was faithful.
B. Deliverance of Elijah on Mt. Carmel - He thought he was all alone, but God was faithful.
C. Samson's last stand against the Philistines - He thought he had ruined everything, but God was faithful.
D. Two disciples on road to Emmaus - They thought that their hopes were dashed with Jesus' death, but GOD WAS FAITHFUL.
E. No matter how long it seems to take; no matter how bleak the outlook to us, GOD'S FAITHFULNESS IS ABSOLUTE.
"Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;" (Deu 7:9)
"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)" (Heb 10:23)
"Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds." (Psa 36:5)
III. OBEY what we have been taught (v4)
Q: Concerning obedience, who was Paul's confidence in?
A. Our ABILITY to obey comes from God.
B. Our faithful obedience fuels our inner expectation and hope.
C. Our faithful obedience demonstrates an outward, disciplined lifestyle.
IV. LEARN love and patience (v5)
Q: What 2 areas of our life are mentioned in this verse, which we should be working to improve? (ANSWER - Love and patience).
A. Learn to love like God loves.
B. God's love is UNCONDITIONAL
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom 5:8)
1. We need to learn to love God like He loves us.
"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." (Deu 6:5)
2. We need to learn to love others like He loves us.
"Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt." (Deu 10:19)
"And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Mat 22:39)
"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." (John 13:35)
"Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good." (Rom 12:9)
Q: How do we learn to love like God?
C. Learn patience like Christ's patience.
NOTE: Two possible ways of understanding v5.
1. It is a directive to wait for Christ's return.
2. It is a directive that we should emulate the patience of Jesus, Himself.
3. The first is the theme of this book.
4. The second is the goal for us while we are waiting for His return.
5. Consider some examples of Christ's patience.
a. Dealing with Peter after his denial.
b. Dealing with the disciples as they argued over who would be greatest.
c. Dealing with Pilate's arrogance when he said he had the power to kill Him.
V. WORK while we wait (vss. 6-12)
A. The Problem
1. Some of the believers thought Christ's return was imminent (inner expectation),
2. So they were just standing around waiting (no outward lifestyle).
(Acts 1:9-11) "And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. {10} And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; {11} Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."
B. The cause for such thinking.
1. Misunderstanding of the Word.
2. Note: 2:2-3 3. They misunderstood Paul and may have been influenced by false teachers.
C. Correction for the problem.
1. They were to get to work (v12)
2. They were to follow Paul's example.(v7-9)
3. What should the response be toward those who refuse to work? (v6; 14)
4. Our attitude that should be 'brotherly love' (v15)
D. Consequences of the problem. (v11)
1. When folks are not involved in working for the Lord…
2. The next step is to begin to criticize those who are.
3. Ex. Nehemiah
4. "Idle hands are the devil's workshop."
VI. DON'T QUIT, ever. (vs. 13)
A. Sometimes we just need to hold on. (Poster of cat hanging from tree limb, "Hang in there baby!")
B. Sometimes we get too discouraged and weary, and we don't feel like praying
C. Sometimes we don't trust!
D. Sometimes we simply don't obey.
E. Sometimes we don't love like we should and our patience is shot.
F. Sometimes we wonder why we seem to be the only ones doing any work!!!
G. AT THOSE TIMES, we just need to hold on... DON'T QUIT.
(Gal 6:9) "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
(Job 23:11) "My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined."
What do we do until He comes? Pray, Trust, Obey, Learn to love and be patient, Work, and Don't Quit!