How an extraordinary event shapes our ordinary lives A study on 1 and 2 Thessalonians
CHRISTIAN CHURCH SPREADING AND HONORING THE GOSPEL 2 THESSALONIANS 3.1-18
• Is not My word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that smashes a rock?” Jeremiah 23.29 • For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double- edged sword... Hebrews 4.12 • How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey in my mouth. Psalm 119.103 • Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119.105 • The word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified. 2 Thessalonians 3.1
Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us , that the word of the Lord may The spreading run swiftly and be and honoring glorified, just as it is with of the Gospel you, and that we may be requires delivered from prayer unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. 2 Thessalonians 3.1-2
He sends out His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly. Psalm 147.15
The tremendous significance of prayer in God's victorious purposes. Through prayer the word of the Lord overcomes obstacles and reaches a glorious victory. The word of the Lord is pictured as an athlete running in a race to attain the prize of glory. An athlete is glorified when he wins and is recognized and acclaimed as superior to all the others in the race. So the word of the Lord is running in the world. It will one day win the race of words—the race of philosophies and theories and worldviews. It will be recognized and acclaimed as superior to all other words and philosophies— IF we pray!
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, The spreading be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s and honoring people. Pray also for of the Gospel me , that whenever I speak, requires words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make prayer known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. Ephesians 6.17-20
When the Devil sees the Word running and contending alone on the battle-field, then he shudders and shakes for fear. Martin Luther
But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord The spreading concerning you, both that you do and will do and honoring the things we of the Gospel command you. Now requires may the Lord direct dependency your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ . 2 Thessalonians 3.3-5
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 . For The spreading you yourselves know how you and honoring ought to follow us, for we were of the Gospel not disorderly among you; nor did requires we eat anyone’s bread free of obedience charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority , but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.
For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that The spreading there are some who walk among and honoring you in a disorderly manner, not of the Gospel working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who requires are such we command obedience and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.
Discipline in the church • The need for discipline does not arise from some trivial offence which can be dealt with discreetly in private, but from a public, deliberate and persistent disobedience to plain apostolic instruction. • The nature of the discipline which Paul demanded was a measure of social ostracism. The idlers had already received a general admonition (1 Thess.5:14). But now, because they had disregarded it, the loyal church members were to keep aloof from them (6). Then, if anyone continued in disobedience, they were to ‘take special note of him’, which implies ‘some form of public censure’, and not to ‘associate with him’ (14).
Discipline in the church • The responsibility for administering discipline to a persistent offender belongs to the congregation. • The spirit in which discipline is to be administered must be friendly, not hostile. It is to be done ‘gently’ (Gal.6:1). ‘Do not regard him as an enemy’ (15a). Instead, ‘warn him as a brother’ (15b). • The purpose of this discipline is constructive. It is not to destroy them. It is rather to make them ‘feel ashamed’ (14b) for the past and amendment for the future. Jesus had made this plain by saying that if an offender listens to reproof, ‘you have won your brother over’ (Mt.18:15).
• But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. And if anyone does The spreading not obey our word in and honoring this epistle, note that of the Gospel person and do not keep company with him, that he requires may be ashamed. Yet do not obedience count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. 2 Thessalonians 3.6-15
Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with The spreading you all. The salutation of and honoring Paul with my own hand, of the Gospel which is a sign in every requires epistle; so I write. The spiritual grace of our Lord Jesus awareness Christ be with you all. Amen. 2 Thessalonians 3.16-18
One cannot read the last three verses of this letter without earnestly desiring for contemporary churches what Paul desired for the Thessalonian church, namely the peace, the presence and the grace of the Lord. Is it possible? Only, if we share Paul’s perspective on the priority of the Word in the life of the church. How do the people of God and the Word of God relate to one another? Can we say from the heart ‘Let the Word of the Lord run and be honoured throughout the world ’ and ‘ Let the Word of the Lord be honoured and obeyed in the church ’?
Cher Ami The carrier pigeon She had been shot through the breast, blinded in one eye, and had a leg hanging only by a tendon. Cher Ami became the hero of the 77th Infantry Division. (October 3, 1918)
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