Gtcotr/ss102818
It’s not
over until God says it’s over. (That’s
for someone today …)
2 Thessalonians 3:1 ¶
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly
and be glorified, just as it is with you,
“Just as it is with
you …”
– What an interesting statement. Allow me to explain this phrase and its
meaning.
·
In
about the year AD50, the Apostle Paul was 45 years old and he went on his first
mission trip to Europe. He came to what is now Greece, specifically to the port
city of Philippi on the Aegean Sea. You can read about his time in Philippi in
Acts 16.
·
Although
Paul was able to lead several people to Christ and birthed a great Church
there, things didn’t go so well for him. He was arrested and beaten and put
into prison and fastened in stocks and chains.
·
God
performed a miracle there and opened the prison doors. Many more people were
saved, including the jailer and his whole family.
·
However,
Paul ended up being forced to leave the city of Philippi. Being led by the Holy
Spirit, he passed through a few towns to get to another large Roman city about
100 miles away called Thessalonica.
·
Acts
17 gives us the account of Paul arriving in Thessalonica.
·
The
Bible says Paul spent three Sabbaths trying to persuade those who attended
services at the local Synagogue in Thessalonica that Jesus of Nazareth was the
promised Messiah. We read in:
Acts 17
4 And some of them were
persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the
leading women, joined Paul and Silas.
5 But the Jews who were not
persuaded, becoming envious, took
some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the
city in an uproar …
Every
indication is that the Apostle Paul spent very little time with the Believers in
Thessalonica and yet they became one of the most powerful and influential
Churches in Europe. About a year and a half later, about AD 51 or AD 52, the
Apostle Paul was in the city of Corinth and he wrote what we now know as 1
Thessalonians. Then, less than a year later, Paul wrote a second letter to the Thessalonian
Church. Praise God, we still have both.
In
less than three years, with perhaps only three weeks initial investment, the
Apostle Paul saw the Church in Thessalonica grow to maturity. He credits them
with keeping those first instructions he gave and commends them for allowing
the Word of God to do such a quick work in their lives.
That’s
what Paul was referring to when he told them to pray that the word of the Lord
would run swiftly and be glorified, just
as it is with you. So, with those thoughts in mind, let’s continue.
2 Thessalonians 3 NKJV
1 ¶ Finally, brethren, pray
for us, that the word of the Lord may
run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you,
2 and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not
all have faith.
3 But the Lord is faithful,
who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.
4 And we have confidence in
the Lord concerning you, both that you do and will do the things we command
you.
5 Now may the Lord direct
your hearts into the love of God and
into the patience of Christ.
What
things did the Apostle Paul command the Believers in the Thessalonian Church to
do? To find those commands we need to look at the first letter he wrote to
them. Let’s go to near the end of that letter …
1 Thessalonians 5
14 Now we exhort you,
brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak,
be patient with all.
15 See that no one renders
evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and
for all.
16 ¶ Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.
20 Do not despise prophecies.
21 Test all things; hold fast
what is good.
22 Abstain from every form of
evil.
I
could write an exhaustive commentary on every admonition in this passage. They
are commands from the Apostle Paul inspired by the Holy Spirit and therefore
the living Word of God. Suffice it to say, we need to be above the persecutions
and threats of unreasonable and wicked men and direct our hearts into the love
of God and into the patience of Christ.
Warn
those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak and be patient
with all men.
Do
not render evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for
yourself and for everyone else.
Each
one of us may have challenges and temptations to be less than patient, loving,
kind and merciful. At times we may feel less than gracious, forgiving or
hopeful. These moments of temptation may indeed challenge us to call upon the
Lord for strength to make it through a trial.
However,
it is one thing to be challenged and tempted to fall short of God’s commands
concerning how we treat others … but … it is something completely different if
these loving qualities of the living God are totally absent from your heart.
·
Perhaps
you have never been born again.
·
It’s
just possible that the old carnal nature you were born into this world with,
still rules your life.
·
Maybe
you can’t connect with the love, forgiveness, kindness, mercy or the goodness
of God towards others.
·
You
may not even feel bad for being, talking or acting ungodly.
These
are all signs that you need to be born again.
The
child of God has the God-given Spirit of Life and although they may be tempted
or challenged to sin, they overcome and, they end each day and every trial:
·
Rejoicing
always …
·
Praying
without ceasing …
·
Giving
thanks for everything, for this is the will of God in Christ …
·
They
do not quench the Holy Spirit …
·
They
prove all things and hold fast only to that which is good …
·
And,
they abstain from every form of evil …
Have you been born
again?
How about your loved ones?
Your friends?
Friends don’t let
friends go to hell …
Pray
with me that the Word of the Lord will run
swiftly and be glorified in others, just as it is with you …
And
… if you are convinced you are born again but you are yet absent the love,
mercy, kindness, forgiveness or the common care for others, asks yourself,
where did it go?
Have
you been wounded; become hard-hearted; are you closed off to the Holy Spirit’s
convicting power; are you reprobate and without the ability to feel bad about
being bad? If so … there is hope and help for you if you can recognize your
need, repent of your hard-heartedness, rededicate your life to Christ through
earnest prayer and receive forgiveness and renewal.
1
John 1:9 just might be your only salvation.
Some
of you need prayer for yourself this
morning and some of you need to pray for others … the altar is open today for
you … won’t you come.
Close
Supplemental:
Psalms 147:15 He sends out His command to the earth;
His word runs very swiftly.
1 Peter 4:14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ,
blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On
their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
1 Thessalonians 1:6 ¶ And you became followers of us and of the
Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,
1 Thessalonians 4:10 and indeed you do so toward all the brethren
who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and
more;
1 Thessalonians 5:11 ¶ Therefore comfort each other and edify one
another, just as you also are doing.
1 Thessalonians 1:5 For our gospel did not come to you in word
only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you
know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.
1 Thessalonians 2:1 ¶ For you yourselves know, brethren, that our
coming to you was not in vain.
1 Thessalonians 2:13
¶ For this reason we also thank God without
ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you
welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the
word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.
