2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:18

0:24 We have such great worship leaders, great worship teams. Thank you all for all that you do and all the hours you spent making it sound effortless. I know it's not, and we are grateful for you. So how many of you, my goal is to finish the book of 2 Thessalonians tonight. How many think I can do that? Okay. How many, put your hands down. How many, how many, I have doubts.

0:52 Wow. Okay. Well, turn, turn in your Bibles. Turn in your Bibles to 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. We finished, went up to verse 12 last night, time, sort of. We kind of quickly went to verse 12. And then it's very good demarcation because verse 13 shifts to the practical section of the book. But you know that I am wont to dip into some of the previous studies. So I'll be doing that tonight. A couple of weeks ago, we had somebody visit. They used to live here. Her husband was on staff. And she was visiting in town from another state now. and she decided to come and we were surprised this year and she goes yeah this is the bible study tonight an expositional bible study tonight of course I'm coming so I love that enthusiasm and then what really impressed me is afterwards she had a list of eschatological questions that were by no means trivial or mean or small they were some pretty substantive questions And she just has this voracious appetite for knowing the Bible, biblical truth, but in particular, end time events, end time studies.

2:25 And she, I was impressed, she knows quite a bit. And just filled with joy to learn and learn more about the return of the Lord and get excited about that. Now, I have written a book before. I've written a few of them, but one was called The Bible from 30,000 Feet. And we always love that book. We love the fact that it's done because it has been for years, my publisher says, like a bestseller for their reference books. You know, it's kind of hard, they say, to have a reference volume and expect it to do well over time. But it has done well nationally and internationally. So this last summer, last summer I was writing a book, a daily devotional through the Bible, the Bible from 30,000 feet devotional, which will be released later on this year before the next year. And right now I am currently writing a book on prophecy called Prophecy from 30,000 feet. It'll be part of that series. But what is amazing to me is as much as I have read about it and taught on it and have researched it and wrote a commentary on the book of Revelation, it's amazing how much one forgets in a very short period of time, self-included. Oh, yeah, that's right. You know, constantly have to go back to things. So keep that in mind. I'm sure you feel the same way, right? You know certain things and then you forget many things and have to be refreshed about those things. Well, so it was with the Thessalonian church. Paul had only spent a few weeks in Thessalonica establishing this fledgling congregation.

4:20 but during the time that he spent with them he did tell them about the coming of the Lord the coming again of the Lord the coming again for his church a period of trouble upon the earth the final return of Jesus Christ to set up his kingdom all of that truth end time truth he deposited in the hearts and minds of the people of Thessalonica.

4:49 They had forgotten a lot of it. And they were getting confused because of it. And so he writes in chapter 2, I think verse 2, that they should not be soon shaken in mind or troubled. he said don't be soon shaken in mind or trouble as uh though from a word or from a letter as though from us from a number of different sources that would confuse you and here was the confusion they were suffering and the kind of suffering they were experiencing like persecution from the world it confused them into thinking that maybe we have missed the rapture and we are in the eschatological day of the Lord we sometimes call the tribulation period where God will act dramatically and supernaturally upon the earth to both judge the world the tribulation and bless the world through establishing the messianic kingdom, the thousand year reign of Christ. So they are, they're perplexed, they're confused. So he writes to encourage them, to comfort them.

6:07 Don't be soon shaken in mind. And he tells them, and here's why, here's why you shouldn't think that you are in the day of the Lord and that you missed out. Because before any of that can happen, something else has to happen and that something else is called the falling away the falling away he says must come first hold on verse five do you not remember that when i was with you i told you these things but back in verse three let no one deceive you by any means chapter two verse three for that day the day of the Lord will not come unless the falling away comes first. We did touch on this last time. What is the falling away? The falling away is a reference to a departure from the faith, a departure from the faith. The word is apostasia in Greek. We get the term apostasy, which means to depart from the faith, to fall away from the faith.

7:26 It's going to be some event that will be unmistakable called the falling away or the great apostasy. So scholars are divided as to what that means because there has always been a falling away as long as there has been a true faith. There has been a competition of false ideologies, false beliefs, false faiths. faiths, there's always been a departure from the faith. In Paul's day, there was. In Jesus' time, there was. And all the last 2,000 years. but it could be a reference to a departure from Christianity almost wholesale, like some dramatic departure, some event that causes Christians to leave Christianity and just abandon it altogether. That's what some believe it could mean. I'm not doubting that it means that because Paul did say when he wrote to Timothy in 1 Timothy chapter 4, the Spirit, the Holy Spirit expressly says that in the latter times, people will depart from the faith and give heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines taught by demons.

8:46 so that is a possibility but as I alluded to last week because he doesn't just give us verse three but he gives us verse four he seems to indicate a very specific event known as the abomination of desolation or the an abomination that brings desolation that is going to happen in the temple in Jerusalem. Daniel predicted it. Jesus said, it is yet future when you see the abomination of desolation as spoken of by Daniel the prophet. The abomination of desolation is the breaking of a pact, a covenant. What we are told from putting all the scriptures together, but primarily the book of Daniel chapter nine, is that somebody is going to come on the scene who's going to broker a peace deal in the Middle East between Israel and Muslim Arab nations.

9:51 Going to settle that deal. He's going to make a covenant and Israel is going to go for it and this is going to be a promise to rebuild their temple in the city of Jerusalem, which hadn't been there for a couple thousand years. but that in the middle of the seven-year period at the three and a half year mark which marks the beginning of the great tribulation that halfway mark he will do what paul says he's going to do he's going to set up a worship system claiming that he is god and demanding to be worship. That seems to fit the context of the great falling away. So here comes that air conditioning again. Let me just hold on to this page. So he says, verse 8, I don't want to go through all of it since I went through it last time, but I do want to lead up to something. He says, and then the lawless one will be revealed.

10:55 The lawless one also called the son of perdition a few verses back. The lawless one will come or be revealed whom the Lord will consume with the breath of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of his coming. If you feel comfortable writing in the margin of your Bible, God bless you, first of all. And then write Revelation 19 next to that verse and look it up later. that will show you the event that is described in one verse, and that is the coming of Jesus Christ, who will destroy the Antichrist with the brightness of his coming. The coming, he says, of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan with all power, signs, and lying wonders.

11:48 You probably remember Matthew chapter 24, the words given by Jesus Christ to his disciples on the Mount of Olives, also known as the Olivet Discourse, when they ask about signs of your coming and of the end of the age. He said, many will come in my name and claim that I am the Christ. They are the Christ. Many will come and claim that they are the Christ and will deceive many. He says, even if possible, the very elect. Well, it's not possible, but even if possible, the very elect.

12:29 There has always been deception throughout history. There have always been antichrist individuals throughout history. But the antichrist will be Satan's masterpiece. Satan's masterpiece. He is described in Revelation 13 as the beast. The beast. And then there is even a second beast we call the false prophet.

12:59 Over in Revelation, let me just read it to you. You could turn there if you are so inclined. If not, I'll just read it to you. In chapter 12 of Revelation, verse 1, A great sign appeared in heaven. A woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, 12 on her head, a garland of 12 stars. Being with child, she cried out in labor and pain to give birth. Another sign in heaven, a great fiery red dragon. I'll go down to verse 9 of chapter 12. So the great dragon was cast out. Now he's identified that serpent of old called the devil and Satan who deceives the whole world. And he was cast to the earth and his angels were cast out with him. And then chapter 13 of Revelation.

13:52 Then I stood on the sand of the sea and I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns. and on his horns ten crowns and on his head heads a blasphemous name. Down in verse 5, he was given a mouth. This is the second beast, the false prophet. He was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies for he was given authority to continue for 42 months. Go down to verse 11. I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. Pardon me, let me make a correction. All that I read so far is the first beast, the Antichrist. Verse 11 begins with somebody else, a sidekick, getting people to move toward the first beast, as you will see. Verse 12, he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship, to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed he performs great signs so that even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men and verse 14 is key and he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived fake resurrection. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads so that No one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name.

15:59 Now all of that interfaces into 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. And is explained in Thessalonians as Thessalonians is also explained in Revelation. They are counterparts one to another. we get certain information in second Thessalonians 2 we get nowhere else in scripture so it is a key pivotal chapter on the end times on eschatology so back to second Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 10 with all unrighteous deception among all those who perish they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. And for this reason, I just want you to watch this. They didn't love the truth. They rejected the truth. And for this reason, God will send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie. The question I posed to you last time when we were in this chapter is what does he mean by the lie not a lie the lie I believe it's a reference all the way back to the very first lie in the garden of Eden when Satan suggested if you eat of this fruit, you're going to be like God. The lie is that man can become God. And the lie in particular here is that the Antichrist will claim to be God and demand to be worshiped as God. And the false prophet will cause people to worship the beast. That is the great apostasy. That is the lie.

17:59 and people on the earth will be deceived by it. Because after all, how many people have you met even today who say, you know, show me a sign. If I could just see a sign, there is proof. There'll be plenty of signs to go around during that time that the Antichrist and false prophet will do, and the world will be duped. But this is key, because they didn't love the truth. For this reason, God will send them strong delusion. Now, you remember Romans chapter 1, where Paul said, because they did not want to retain God in their thinking, in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things that are unseemly. If you reject God, reject the testimony of God, push God over, away, push, push, push, he will allow you to pursue your own will.

19:08 This is what everybody wants, right? I just want to do my thing. No, you don't. And if God lets you do your thing, that's judgment. one of the great judgments of God is when God allows people to have what they say they want you push God away, God will let you pursue other things. I think this is a precedent that goes all the way back to the time of Moses and Pharaoh. You remember Pharaoh? It says Pharaoh hardened his heart. He hardened his heart against God, hardened his heart against Moses. But then we keep reading and it says, and God hardened his heart. And then we keep reading and Pharaoh hardened his heart again. We keep reading, God hardened his heart. Keep reading. Pharaoh hardened his heart. Keep reading. God hardened his heart. What's going on? Sort of like a poker game. I see that and I raise you 10. If you're going to harden your heart, I will confirm your choice. I will firm up or make hard or make solid your choice. So God will give them over Romans one. God will send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie.

20:24 Why? Because they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. Now, God doesn't want that. Paul said to Timothy, God desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, but he won't force it. He will honor your choice. When it comes to eternity, God is pro-choice. he's not pro-choice in the moral issue but he is pro-choice when it comes to eternity if a person says no i don't want god i want to go to hell okay it's not what god wants but if that's what really you want he will honor your choice in contrast to all of that, because the first 12 verses are seminal. They're very provocative, but very important. The first 12 verses are all about the doom of the Antichrist and his followers.

21:25 Now we have a shift from the doom of the Antichrist and his followers to the delight of Christ followers, of the Thessalonians. In contrast to them, He's now trying to encourage them. But, verse 13, we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved by the Lord. Because God from the beginning chose you for salvation. You're going to be okay, Thessalonians. God picked you long ago to be saved. he chose you for salvation through sanctification by the spirit and belief in the truth to which he called you by our gospel for the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ you know I know you've heard what I'm about to say a number of times but verse verse 13 and 14 deserve its own sermon. There's so much truth to unpack there, but let me just say this.

22:37 Verse 13 and 14 are a mini soteriology. Soteriology is the study of salvation. It is a mini version of God's purpose in redemption in humanity. It's God's theology of salvation in a nutshell. First of all, God made the choice to save you. He elected you. He has foreknowledge. He has predetermined and made a choice in advance. Ephesians tells us, you are chosen in him when? Before the foundations of the earth. Before your parents, grandparents, great-great-grandparents, before the world was ever created, God could see you and chose you to be saved. You're chosen. He chose you for salvation.

23:43 here's a question. Does God have a right to choose people for salvation? Why do I ask? Because you'd be surprised how many people say when they hear this, that's not fair. Well, you're saying it's not fair that God can have a choice. do you have a choice I think you do if it's right for you to choose your friends and who you're going to hang out with isn't it right for God to choose who he wants to spend eternity with now if you're a Christian you should instead of wrestling with it just be humble about it and say thank God he chose me I'm on his team. What an honor. If you're not a believer and you're wondering, well, that's not fair because I don't believe in Jesus Christ. Maybe he didn't choose me. I can prove that he did.

24:48 how choose him tonight and you will discover he has chosen you in advance it's really in in terms of our understanding that simple i can't unravel the election of god and the predetermination of god but god chooses those who will be saved makes a choice of everybody saved. He doesn't. The Bible never says God chooses people to be damned. But the Bible does say he chooses people to be saved. And he knows those who are his and they are called the elect. So that's the first thing. He chose you for salvation. But then notice through the sanctification, anybody know what sanctification means? Shout it out if you know what it means. Sanctification. What does it mean? To be set apart. That's what it means. To be set apart. If I have a Tupperware at home and I say, this is only going to have leftover chili in it. It's a sanctified Tupperware.

25:56 By definition, it's a sanctified Tupperware. It is set apart for one use. so you are sanctified through the holy spirit this is the pre-salvific work of the holy spirit god chose you and the holy spirit arranged in advance for you to hear the gospel he arranged in advance to convict you of your sin and draw you to christ it's the pre-salvation work of the holy spirit Thank you. pre-conversion working of the spirit chose you sanctified by the spirit and here it is belief in the truth now that's your part what did you do to be saved believe in other words you did nothing the only thing you contributed is you said, I'll take it. Here's a gift. Okay. I believe through faith. And when did that happen?

27:02 The point of contact for the Thessalonians was verse 14, to which he called you by our gospel. When I was in your town and I preached the gospel to you, you said yes to it. That was the point of contact the preaching of our gospel for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, now because of all that, because you're not like the Antichrist and his followers, you're not doomed to destruction. You're appointed for salvation. You were chosen before you were born to be glorified forever and ever and ever. So because of that, instead of getting weird and flipped out and worried that God overlooked you and the raptures come and I'm not, all that. Therefore, brethren, stand fast. In Greek, stekete, stekete, stand immovable, put your feet down, widen your stance, be determined, don't shrink back, stand fast, and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. And I mentioned this weekend that there is a big difference between human traditions and biblical traditions.

28:20 Jesus chided the leaders for making the word of God of no effect by your tradition. Or he wrote to the Colossians, Paul wrote to the Colossians. He said, beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the basic principles of this world, and not according to Christ, according to the traditions of men.

28:51 So when it comes to men's traditions, ones that we make up that are not biblical, we can push those aside and hold on to the biblical truth that has been passed down, the traditions that are apostolic. we hold on to those which you were taught whether by word or by our letter our epistle now here's one of paul's many benedictions he liked doing this a lot 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, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.

29:40 Now, let me just draw your attention to something that will be a refresher for you because you already know it. We have already made mention in this letter, in 1st, 2nd, and 2nd Thessalonians, that Paul often grouped the first two persons of the Trinity together, God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. He does that a lot. It's sort of formulaic for the apostle. Here he does it, but he places the Lord Jesus first and God the Father second, right? That's how he writes it. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and our God and Father who has loved us.

30:23 It's just an interesting thing to note. It's a Pauline peculiarity. It's just part of his writing style. But what you need to know as far as the original language is concerned is we have plural nouns followed by singular verbs. You have two plural nouns followed by four singular verbs. Loved, given, comfort, established. Those are the verbs. All of that to mean linguistically it's a very strong evidence for Paul's belief in the unity of the Father and the Son as part of the triune God, and that there was an equality that they shared in the Godhead. It buttresses the idea of the Trinity, doesn't take away from it. Okay, so he says, may God comfort, verse 17, your hearts and establish you, don't miss this in every good word and work what you say and what you do word and work the truth on your lips is not enough the truth on your lips must be backed up by the truth of your life the truth of your life and the truth of your lips ought to be one. I know we all fall short, but that's the consistency that we're called to. Comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work. Now chapter three.

32:19 Again, show of hands. How many think I can get through the whole book tonight? How many, hands down, don't think I'm going to make it? Still. finally brethren pray for us. I would say pray for me.

32:39 Finally, brethren, pray for us. You know, Paul often prayed for people, and now Paul, as he does sometimes, asks for prayer himself. Pray for us. there's something I want to share with you quickly about prayer when you decide to burden yourself with the prayers of others when you decide to burden yourself with the concerns of others by praying for them you will discover your own burden gets lighter. it's true. I've noticed it myself so many times when I begin praying for someone else. I'm not thinking about me. I'm thinking about them. I'm laboring for them. When I burden myself with others' concerns, I find my own burden lighter and lighter, easier and easier. I'm happier and happier.

33:47 So finally, brethren, to this discouraged group of people, this will pick you up. this will lighten your load. Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified just as it is with you. Just like when we came to your town and I preached the gospel and you said yes to Jesus, pray that the word of God or the word of the Lord will have free course. So Paul has a prayer request. Paul does not say, notice, notice Paul does not say, pray for our project. Paul does not say pray for our program. He says pray for our preaching. Because without preaching, you have no program.

34:42 Or you don't have a good one. You have an empty one. pray for our preaching that the word of God may spread. And I love how Luke, the author of the gospel, of the book of Acts, he talks about people believing more and more people. It says, and the word of God spread and the word of God multiplied. I love the way he puts it. So pray, pray that, that, uh, as I preach, the word will have free course. It's a picture of a runner on a track, just having the freedom to sprint down the track, that it may have free course and be glorified just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men, for not all have faith. Of course, what Paul is referring to, we can't be sure, but we can be sure that just about everywhere Paul went, he met people who fall under this description quite aptly. They were unreasonable and wicked men everywhere he went. But probably Paul is thinking of where he's currently writing this letter from. He's writing to the Thessalonians, but he is writing from Corinth. And while he was in Corinth, like Thessalonica, he experienced problems. It talks about lewd fellows of the baser sort. Now that's an old King James translation. Wicked men from the marketplace, I think the new King James says, came and hassled him and they opposed him and spoke ill of him and blasphemed, it says, while he was in Corinth. It got so bad that Paul was brought before the pro-council of Achaia at a seat of judgment called the Bema seat, which I have been to in Corinth.

36:45 The remains of that Bema seat where Paul stood, and he had to give a defense for himself. But then Paul was also put in prison in Corinth. And while he was incarcerated, I'm sorry, he was just held for that trial. But while he was, and he was discouraged because the Lord spoke to him in a vision at night and said, Paul, don't keep silent. Go out and speak anyway, even though there are unreasonable and wicked men. Speak, do not stay silent. For I have many people in this city. There's still people to reach. Yes, people are turning against you, but I have more who won't. they're in this city I know who they are keep talking so the Lord encouraged him with that so pray that the word of God would have free course that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men for not all have faith but the Lord is faithful notice the turn of phrase not everybody on earth has faith but the Lord is faithful the Lord is faithful who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. So here's the trick. Turn away.

38:08 look away from the people who don't have the faith, who are unreasonable and wicked men. Don't trust them. Look away from faithless men and look to a faithful God. You see how he encourages them? Not everybody has faith, but the Lord is faithful and he'll establish you and guard you. let me just throw something in at this point before we go on and finish the chapter tonight I'm just going to read it to you and here's why I'm reading it to you it's one of the most famous verses in the bible because it is the it is considered the exact middle verse of all the bible does anybody know which one that is psalm 118 verse 8 is the middle verse of the bible which says this it is better to trust in the lord than to put confidence in man that just sort of sums it all up what paul is saying better to trust in the lord than to put confidence in man. When you trust in man, when you look to man, you will be disappointed by man. So the key is turn away, look away, and look to him. The Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And verse four, we have confidence in the Lord concerning you.

39:50 You're going to make it. Paul's confidence isn't so much based on their character, but on whose? God's character. God is able to keep them. As Jude said, he's able to keep you from falling and present you faultless before his throne of glory with exceeding joy. We have confidence in the Lord. Our confidence is in him. Concerning you. both that you do and will do the things we command you. Now let's make that personal.

40:30 Paul is confident in the Lord, but he's confident that the Lord will make them like they have done in the future, do what God commands. So God will keep you, but your part is to keep God's commands. God will keep you, but you have to want to be kept.

40:52 Do you want to be kept? Then keep his commands. When you read a command in the scripture, say, Lord, by your grace, I'm going to do that. I'm going to practice that. And if you have trouble, find a brother or sister who can help you. A connect group is a good place to do that in. we have confidence in the Lord concerning you both that you do and will do the things that we command you so I just want you to see this relationship there's often two parts there's God's part there's our part work out your own salvation Philippians chapter 2 that's our part for it is God who works in you both to will and do his good pleasure that's God's part. What God has worked in, work it out. Let it be visible. Let it be shown by keeping his commands. Now, verse five, may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. Okay, real quickly, show of hands.

42:04 How many think I'm not going to make it? okay, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, uh, I have words for you and they are these, but we command you brethren verse six, we command you, did I, am I in the right verse? Okay. Okay. I thought somebody was saying you're in the wrong verse, but we command you brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. Okay. Paul wrote to correct them. Paul wrote to encourage them. Paul wrote to command them. And he is giving a command to a group in the church at Thessalonica causing problems, not only stirring up things like you missed the rapture and we're in the tribulation period, but there was a subgroup, it would seem, that had decided to quit their jobs because after all the Lord is coming back.

43:20 So I'm going to quit my job. I'm going to quit gainful employment and I'm going to move in with you and I'm going to mooch off you to the glory of God. There were people that were creating an unnecessary burden because they refused to work. So when Paul says, we command you brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly, he will further describe this disorder behavior that is not walking in step with the rest. That's what disorderly, walking disorderly means. You're not in lockstep with the group who has gainful employment and not according to the tradition he received from us. And the tradition in particular here is the tradition of hard work, hard work, paying your own way. Paul was a tent maker and he would travel from place to place. He would make taint, tent, taints, tents. He would taint the tents, sell them, and then he would live off that. Four, verse seven, you yourselves know how you ought to follow us. We were not disorderly among you. We didn't keep up that practice of not eating. Nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you.

44:57 Do you remember the book of Proverbs where Solomon says, go to the ant, you sluggard. Consider her ways and be wise. You know, go look at, look at these little ants. Look at how industrious there. They're working so hard. But there was a group of people that did not want to work hard. They wanted you to work hard while we all wait for the Lord to come back. he's speaking about idleness as he did in first Thessalonians chapter five I believe it's that chapter he says you know watch for idleness but this idea of laziness in the name of the Lord I heard about somebody who would wake up in the morning and and you say you know every morning I wake up and I immediately exercise up down up down up down up down and then I say to the other eyelid okay it's your turn up down up down up down up down that's about it it's about all the exercise some want to get. Paul said, when I was with you, when we were with you, we didn't walk as orderly, but we toiled night and day that we might not be a burden to you. Now, a word about that. Paul was a tent maker. Paul never forbade other apostles, other preachers getting paid by congregations. In fact, he writes to the Corinthians, you probably remember, I think around chapter 9, and he says, is it only me and Barnabas that should be working? And is everybody else exempt except for us? He writes to Timothy and he says, quoting the Lord Jesus, you will not muzzle the ox that treads the grain, quoting an Old Testament scripture, but also quoted by Jesus.

47:06 and Jesus said the workman is worthy of his wage. In Galatians chapter 6, Paul said he that teaches should be supported by those who are taught. So it's not that he was ever opposed to that and he allowed for that, but Paul believed that he should set a rigid example as the founder of all these churches that he was traveling to, to come into a town and not be a burden on somebody. And I remember when I was wanting to maybe pastor a church, and I went to my pastor, Chuck Smith, who I was hoping he'd say, well, you know, go wherever your heart desires and we'll support you for the first year. You know what he said? Get a job, get a life, get a career, get some kind of a trade so that you can go to a town and not be a burden on anybody, but you can work and then until the church gets off the ground and demands your full time, you have freedom. That's why I decided to go into the field of radiology and x-ray. I thought that's a good gig to take on, and that's what we did when we came here. So Paul felt very convicted about that on a personal level.

48:26 But again, he didn't forbid that. He said to the Corinthians, who plants a vineyard but doesn't eat of the fruit of the vine? Or who goes to war on his own expense? He draws that analogy that support is reasonable. But he explains here, verse 9, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. So if I do that, and I did that, then those people who are mooching off you should do it too. For even when we were with you, notice what verse I'm in if you don't think I can finish this chapter. For even when we were with you in Thessalonica, we commanded you that if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. you don't work you don't eat okay i just want to undergird that with another truth notice will not work doesn't say cannot work there are some people who cannot work and with people who cannot work for whatever health reason or they can't find employment, we want to have compassion. But if somebody refuses to work because, no, I'm just waiting for the Lord to come back, but you know what? I'll just let, would you have an extra bed and a few extra meals? You know, there was a whole book written about that called the Didache, the teaching of the 12 circulated through all the apostolic regions in those days. And Paul said, if somebody comes and says that in the name of the Lord, give me a meal. If they eat of the meal, they're a false prophet. Kick them out.

50:18 That's what the Didache said. Anyway, you don't work, you don't eat, dude. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not in lockstep with the rest, not working. That's what he means by walking disorderly, not working at all, but our busybodies. there's a play on words in that verse that you wouldn't pick up in English, but you do in Greek. So if you read this in Greek, it says there are those among you who walk disorderly or walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working.

51:07 Ergasamonos. Working. Ergasominos. Not working at all, but are busybodies. Epi-ergasominos. You got people who aren't ergasominos, but you got instead they're peri-ergasominos. It's a play on words. Peri-ergasominos means to work among or around. That is, to play around and be busy about somebody else's business. A busybody. That's walking disorderly. They're not working. They're working among you and getting into your business. now verse 12 those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread okay so do you see the picture here you have in the early church already a group of people gathering who are saying the Lord is coming so quickly that we're going to change the way we live and let you pick up the tab. But it seems to be, in one sense, a good trend to be anticipating the coming of the Lord, because after all, today it's the exact opposite. Most people are so consumed, I would even say Christians are so consumed by making a living and monetary concerns, they don't really think much about the coming of the Lord or care much about the coming of the Lord. So that's also problematic. But back then, it was the opposite. So we command through the Lord that they work in quietness, eat their own bread instead of everybody else's. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good Let me put it another way.

53:14 It's okay to get weary in the work as long as you don't get weary of the work. sometimes if you as a believer are working even on our staff you get weary doing what you do but don't get tired of doing what you do don't get weary of it check yourself on that that it's not becoming another thing another grind And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him that he may be ashamed. If you want to cross reference to that, look at Matthew 18, which is a little more stringent. Verse 15, yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Try to win them back.

54:10 Confront them. use measures of accountability for restoration. Count them as a brother, not an enemy. Now, verse, what verse are we on? I think we're going to make it. Should I do another show of hands? Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace always in every way. What a great benediction. The Lord be with, he's from the south, y'all. Lord be with y'all. the salutation of Paul with my own hand which is a sign in every epistle so I write remember Paul would often dictate his letter to a amanuensis that is a scribe or a secretary but he would always sign the last few letters words sentences and his name the salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle. So I write the grace. This is where he started. So he ends the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

55:27 Amen. Yeah, you have little faith. Now, in conclusion, historically the church for the last 2 000 years has been looking for the return of jesus it is called the doctrine of the imminent return of jesus or the doctrine of imminency that he could come at any moment his coming for the church is a sign less event the tribulation is a preceded by a number of signs that will happen. But the coming of the Lord for his church is an event without sign, a signless event could come at any moment. That's why the church was so worried that maybe he came and they missed it. And now they're in the tribulation period. But historically the church has believed in the imminent return of Jesus. I just collected four, not way back, I'm not going to go all the way back, but in more modern old terms, beginning with people like Spurgeon and Morgan and Alexander McLaren.

56:45 This is like a century, century and a half ago. Alexander McLaren, one of my favorite preachers, Scottish expositors, said this. The primitive church thought more about the second coming of Jesus Christ than about death or about heaven. They were not looking for a cleft in the ground called a grave, but for a cleavage in the sky called glory. They were not watching for the undertaker, but for the upper taker. The imminent return of Jesus Christ for the church. Charles Haddon Spurgeon said, the Lord's coming is possible any day and impossible on no day. The imminent return of Jesus Christ. G. Campbell Morgan, all-time favorite expositor. I never begin my work in the morning without thinking he may interrupt it with his work. I'm not looking for the grave, I'm looking for him. The imminent return of Jesus Christ. Dwight Lyman Moody, the evangelist from Chicago, asked the secret of his success, said, for many years I have never given an address, that is a speech, without the consciousness that the Lord may come before I have finished.

58:14 the imminent return of Jesus Christ is present in all those great preachers the difference for many is the difference between are you looking at it or are you looking for it some are just looking at it they love to study about it but others are really looking for it people who come to a wedding are looking at it bride and groom are looking for it they can't wait for that day to come they look with anticipation it's here wedding day I hope you're looking for his return could happen any moment father thank you for this glorious time we've had in these three chapters of second thessalonians thank you for the opportunity thank you for the reminder that you have not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation.

59:24 And that unlike the Antichrist and unlike those during the tribulation, the followers of such, who are doomed to destruction, we are destined for glory and designed for it. And thus Paul was confident that the Thessalonians would continue to serve and please you and encourage them to stay steadfast, firm-footed. May we also be steadfast and firm-footed in these days in Jesus' name. Amen. Eight o'clock straight up, all done.