Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard
Pitts Creek and Beaver Dam Churches
Sermon
- 2 Thessalonians 2 - Stand
Firm to the Traditions
November 10, 2013
I am beginning
today with a look at the second letter Paul sent to the church at
Thessalonica. This church had been established by Paul, Silas and
Timothy around 50AD. Paul had been speaking in the synagogue
explaining to the Jews how their scripture, our Old Testament, was
fulfilled by Jesus, the Messiah. Some of the Jews were very
receptive to this message, while others did not believe it. The
synagogue threw Paul and his companions out. Whereupon they started
a church. Many Jews attended this new church along with some
gentiles. This infuriated the synagogue leadership so they whipped
up a mob, started a riot, and had the leaders of the church arrested.
The church leaders posted bond, and that night Paul, Timothy and
Silas snuck out of town.
Sometime later Paul
and his companions wondered what had happened to the Thessalonian
church. Young Timothy was assigned the job to sneak back into town
and find out. He returned with an amazing story that the church was
flourishing. But they had some questions. What will happen to
Christians, who are promised eternal life, when they die? When is
Jesus returning? The book of First Thessalonians addresses these
issues. But with the persecution of the Jews by the Roman government
the Thessalonians begin to think that the end times, and Jesus'
return was already happening. Paul needed to respond to this, and so
he, Silas and Timothy wrote another letter to the Thessalonians. We
will get to this letter, but first let's pray.
“Grant
unto us, O Lord, to be occupied in the mysteries of thy heavenly
wisdom, with true progress in piety, to thy glory and our own
edification. Amen.” (John Calvin)
The scripture we
are looking at today has been interpreted in many ways over the last
2000 years. People look at current events, see evil at work in the
world, and conclude that Jesus will return very soon. He may do
that. But let's look carefully at what Paul tells the Thessalonians.
2
Thessalonians 2:1-17
NIV
2
Thessalonians 2:1
Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered
to him, we ask you, brothers, 2
not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or
letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord
has already come.
The first
thing Paul wants us to know is that Christ will return and all
believers, including those who have died, will live forever in his
presence. This is good news. We should not worry about the end
times. Rather we should be comforted by the promises of God. But
we should also realize that evil is at work in the world as it always
has been. And the presence of evil in the world is not a sign of
Christ's immanent return. But there are signs we should look for.
Let's go back to Paul and this letter.
3
Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come
until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed,
the man doomed to destruction. 4
He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called
God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple,
proclaiming himself to be God.
This is the
sign that Jesus is about to return. The “man of lawlessness”,
the Antichrist, will take over the church, exalting himself over
Jesus for worship and controlling the church. This means that Satan
will have full control of the church through him. There will be no
proclamation of the gospel bringing people to faith. There will be
no sacraments sealing God's promises on his people. There will be no
one holding you accountable as the Holy Spirit makes you more and
more holy. There will be no organization to do good works in the
community. The devil will be in charge of the church and the church
will cease to exist. This is the sign that Jesus is about to
return. Let's get back to Paul.
5
Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these
things? 6
And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed
at the proper time. 7
For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one
who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of
the way.
According to
Paul the devil is already trying to control the church, but he is
being restrained. This is what is giving us the opportunity to
proclaim the gospel, administer the sacraments, help each other to
become holy, and do good things for our community. While we have
this opportunity we should do these things to the best of our
abilities bringing as many people to Christ as we possibly can before
the day comes and we lose the church to Satan. But there is hope.
Let's go back to Paul.
8
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will
overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of
his coming.
So the good
news is that Jesus will not tolerate Satan controlling the church.
The lawless man will be cast out. Satan will be permanently chained.
And Christ will come, with all the saints who have died, to lead the
church. Then the proclamation of the gospel will be restored. The
sacraments will be sealed on believers. The Holy Spirit will make us
more holy. And the church will do good works throughout the world in
gratitude. But how will we know when all this is to take place?
Let's go back to Paul.
9
The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of
Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and
wonders, 10
and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They
perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11
For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will
believe the lie 12
and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but
have delighted in wickedness.
And so when we
see evil coming into the church, and when satanic lies replace the
truth of the gospel, when this happens, sadly, there will be some who
believe the lies and will perish with Satan. But the good news is
that we will not perish. Let's go back to Paul.
13
But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord,
because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the
sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14
He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the
glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And there we
have our hope. We have been chosen by God for salvation. Even if
the church no longer proclaims the gospel to bring people to faith,
even if the church fails to administer the sacraments, even if the
church does not encourage us to lead holy lives, even if the church
does no good work, even if all of these thing happen, and they will,
our salvation does not depend on the church. Our salvation depends
only on the choice God made, decreeing before creation, that we would
be saved. Hear then these words from Paul.
15
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on
to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 16
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us
and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17
encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
So what are we
to do? We are to keep doing what the church has done for 2000 years.
Keep proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. Keep sealing the
promises of God through baptism and communion on believers. Keep
participating in the work of the Holy Spirit to make us holy. And
keep organizing ourselves to do good works in gratitude for all that
God has done for us. Keep doing these things until the day Christ
returns. Let us pray.
Lord Jesus, we
wait for your coming. We thank you for our salvation which comes
from God's gracious choice. Prepare us for the day of evil by
filling us with hope of a glorious future. We pledge to carry on the
work of the church. This we pray in your name. Amen.
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