A Steadfast Church

Introduction

Well, good morning!

Listen, I don’t know about you, but I’m excited…as of right now, there’s like two months of Christmas ahead of us. I’ve even seen someone put out their Christmas lights…but guys, all the music, all the movies…we got some special services coming up. I’m just excited. I love this time of the year. I hope you’re ready, because this place is about to look like Christmas! Amen?

Alright, before we jump back into 2 Thessalonians this morning, let’s recite our mission verse together. If you’re visiting with us, it’s Matthew chapter 28, verses 19 and 20…and we recite this every week because this is who we wanna be…we wanna be this kind of church. And so, if you don’t know the verses, I encourage you to open your Bible up to the Gospel of Matthew and just read with us this morning…but if you’re ready, I’ll get us started:

Matthew 28:19–20 (ESV)

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Alright…well, as I mentioned last week, we’re gonna move a lot faster through our study of 1 and 2 Thessalonians. Our plan’s are to finish chapter 2 this week and then chapter 3 next week. And listen, there’s a ton of things to cover this morning so hang on to your seats and stay with me. Remember, if you listen quick, I’ll talk quick.

Listen, this chapter, it’s one of those passages that commentators mark as one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult passage, to interpret in all of the New Testament. Obviously, Paul’s speaking about eschatology here…he’s talking about the end times and what’s it gonna look like. Specifically, Paul mentions a “man of lawlessness” here in our passage and there’s been tons of commentaries written on these passages…none really seem to agree or align. There’s all kinds of opinions from very godly men on these verses.

This passage, it has it’s challenges. But listen, as we dig into it this morning, we have to remember that all Scripture was given by inspiration and that all Scripture’s profitable for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness…which means that even the hard, difficult passages we come across, they’re meant to edify us as believers and build us up together. And like every other passage we dig into, God has something very important to tell us. Amen?

And so, before we really dig into this man of lawlessness…and these events that Paul’s talking about here. What’s the main idea of this passage? Well, first…as Paul states in verse 1, it’s “concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him.”

Again, most likely…just like in his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul’s probably receiving questions about the return of Christ…and his response to those questions is what he writes here in these passages.

And one of the ways to keep from becoming too overwhelmed by this passage, it’s too find the anchor points…its to figure out, identify Paul’s big picture here and his main intentions as he writes this passage. And these anchors, they’re meant to keep us on track…to keep us from missing the main point. Paul doesn’t want us chasing rabbits. He’s wants us to understand the main idea which is for us to be a steadfast church. A church that stands of the truth of Scripture as we face the present, expectantly waiting on the return of Christ.

Guys, over and over again…Paul reminds his readers to remain steadfast in truth. He says don’t be shaken in mind or alarmed in verse 2. Don’t be deceived in verse 3. Remember what we taught you in verse 5. Remember that God’s sovereign through everything. We see that in verses 7 through 12. He wants us to understand that Satan wants to delude people. It’s all about remaining steadfast to truth. And if we keep these things in mind as we walk through this passage, it’ll make much more sense…even if certain aspects of it seem confusing.

And so, that’s exactly what I want our three points to do this morning…to guide us and keep us on the main idea Paul’s trying to communicate here. Again, three points…number 1, we must know the truth…number 2, we must delight in the truth…and number 3, we must hold fast to the truth.

And so, if you’re ready…let’s jump into this first point.

I. We Must Know the Truth (vv. 1-8)

We must know the truth.

Look at the first eight verses with me again. Obviously…Paul’s answering questions about the return of Christ, when we’ll be gathered together to Him. And the very first thing he says here, its for them to not be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed. He goes on, “don’t be shaken or alarmed either by a spirit or by a spoken word, or even a letter seeming to be from us.”

Now, there’s a lot of context we don’t see here. We don’t know exactly what the problem in Thessalonica was. We don’t know the exact questions they asked Paul…but we do know that most of the believers in Thessalonica were Gentiles and that most had grown up in a very pagan 1st-century Greco-Roman culture where they weren’t exposed to any teachings on the Old Testament or the coming Messiah…and most certainly nothing about the second coming of that Messiah or the establishment of His kingdom on earth. And for some reason, it looks like many in this Thessalonian church, they were afraid they missed the day of the Lord…they were afraid it had already happened.

And it doesn’t seem that they were afraid because they misunderstood Paul’s teachings…it seems they’re afraid because they’d been given bad information. Now, we don’t know if some false teacher came…or if it was a false letter written to them under the name of Paul…we don’t know, but again, they were struggling with this. And I mean, put yourselves in their shoes, of course they’re struggling…I mean just imagine for a second that you woke up one morning and you thought you missed the return of Christ! It’s scary to think about. And so, Paul doesn’t wanna leave in that state.

Now, what Paul says here about these Thessalonians not being shaken or alarmed…I think it applies to all biblical truth. It teaches us that it’s not necessarily a bad thing to wrestle with questions or even voice our doubts. Just because we believe in the infallibility, the inerrancy, the final authority of Scripture, it doesn’t mean we should be afraid of people struggling with questions. There’s some difficult things in here. We have to be believers who ask, who wrestle with hard questions together, instead of leaving our brothers and sisters on their own with their doubts…its how we grow together. But it does become a bad thing when all we do is question and never accept the answers His Word gives us. We shouldn’t be afraid of hard questions, but we also don’t wanna leave people in those questions, unsettled in their doubts…because that doesn’t lead to one’s maturity. We want others to come to understand the truth of God and the truth of His Word. That’s why Paul writes here in response…he doesn’t wanna leave them in this state of doubt.

He says in verse 3, “Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day [Jesus’s return] will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.”

Don’t be deceived, he says. Meaning, whether he writes to them or not, they’re to know truth. Understanding truth, it’s what allows us to remain steadfast. It protects us. And what Paul’s suggesting here, they don’t need him to continue writing, they don’t really need anymore teaching…they know truth…and so, they have to cling to it.

But to give them confidence in what he’s saying, he shows them a definite way in which they can know that they’ve missed the day of the Lord. He says, “Before this day happens, there’s gonna be rebellion…and there’s gonna be this man of lawlessness that’s revealed.” And pay attention to Paul’s language here. Jesus’s isn’t coming back until this man’s revealed…and not until this man’s done some things. And listen, I don’t want us getting into the weeds here with this because our purpose isn’t to study the end times in this series, its to study how to be the church we’re supposed to be in an uncertain culture…but listen, according Paul, we’re gonna witness these things he’s talking about here with this man of lawlessness…meaning, if we’re here at the end, we’re gonna see these things happen.

And so, who’s this man of lawlessness? Well, over the last 2,000 years, Christians have worked very hard trying to identity one of their own contemporaries as the leading candidate for this figure. In the first few centuries, several Roman emperors were accused of being this man of lawlessness. One such emperor even set up his own statue at the temple in Jerusalem which goes right along with what Paul says here. He wanted to be worshiped as God himself. Centuries later, popes were accused of being the man of lawlessness. At the reformation, Martin Luther was accused of being the man of lawlessness by the Catholics…most recently people like Hitler or Stalin, they were accused. Since Paul’s writings, we’ve worked really hard to identify who this man is or what exactly Paul’s talking about here. Some believe, it’s not even a man but that it was some form of government, like the Roman Empire. They restrained evil in different ways as he suggested in verse 7.

And so, what do we do with this? Well, what Paul’s suggesting here, its that we go back to God’s Word…look at what it spells out for us. Even in these passages, Paul gives us some things to look for in this man of sin…whether its a man or some form of government…or whatever. There’s three things for sure that we see here. He says this man, he’s against the law. He rebels against the holy law of God and thus becomes the man of lawlessness.

Second, he’s a son of destruction. He says that in verse 3. And just something to note as well, Jesus said the same thing about Judas the night before His death. He says in John 17:12:

John 17:12 (ESV)

While I was with them [talking about the disciples], I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

And so, what kind of person was Judas? He was a liar, deceiver…sinful. He purposely and consciously worked against the glory of Jesus…or at least he tried. And so, this new “son of destruction,” he’s gonna try and do the same thing. Judas sold out His Lord which led to Jesus’s death…of course, under the sovereign hand of God…Jesus’s death was always God’s plan…but never the less, Judas’s plan was destruction. And this term the “son of destruction,” its not just given to someone that wishes destruction but also someone that’s appointed destruction. Right? Judas died…he hung himself…he couldn’t live with the guilt. The man of lawlessness in the end, he’ll be destroyed as well…when Jesus returns. That’s what we see in verse 8. And because this man of lawlessness is described in this way, he’s what most would consider as the Anti-Christ. And what Paul’s telling us here, its that while this man might seem terrifying…God’s still in control. He’s not gonna mess up the plan of God. In fact, He’s been appointed for destruction. He won’t win. He can’t win.

Third, verse 4 shows us that this man, he’s gonna oppose and exalt himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.” In other words, he sets himself up in the place of God.

Paul’s saying that in the end, one comes who’ll be against God’s law, and who’ll work against God, and who’ll put himself in place of God. Yet, he won’t defeat God and he won’t disrupt God’s sovereign plan which is our ultimate restoration and His glorification. And Paul’s purpose here, it’s not to help us identify who this man is. I personally believe, because Jesus said that no one other than the Father Himself knows the time or the day, I personally believe Satan’s always had and always will have an Anti-Christ ready at all points in time…which is why we’ve identified so many through history. But again, Paul’s point isn’t for us to identify him…it’s to warn us…don’t be deceived. When he comes…and when he makes his claims…don’t you be deceived. Know the truth! The Word of God, it’s our defense. Which is exactly why Paul says in verse 5, “Do you not remember that when I was with you I told you these things?” If you remember, back in 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, Paul praised these Thessalonians for receiving and believing the things he taught them which was the Word the God. We must know the Word of God! That’s the first point.

II. We Must Delight in the Truth (vv. 9-12)

The second point…we must delight in the truth.

Guys, it’s not enough for us to just know truth…we have to delight in it…we have to love it.

The reality is, regardless of who or what this man of lawlessness is, he or it, it’s gonna be revealed before the return of Christ. And at that revealing, Paul first says that this man of lawlessness, it’s by the activity of Satan. And he will deceive and he will lead astray those that refuse to believe the gospel and be saved. And he goes on in verse 10 and says, “And God will confirm people in this delusion, so that they may believe what’s false.”

And listen…Satan’s deceiving, the lie he’s gonna spread, it’s that we’re to worship the creature rather than the Creator…and guys, this isn’t something we’re only gonna struggle with at the end of times…it’s something we’ve all struggled with and continue to struggle with today. That’s why Paul wrote to the believers in Rome:

Romans 1:21–25 (ESV)

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Guys, Satan has worked and will always work in the same way. We were created to worship and so, naturally we’re all gonna worship something. Satan, he tempts us and he causes us to shift our worship from God onto ourselves. And in the end, Paul says, “God’s gonna confirm people in this delusion…and allow them to just keep believing what’s false.” He’s gonna allow them to keep worshiping themselves.

Guys, it’s a lie…the American Dream…that culture, it’s a lie. The idea that you should do anything your heart desires, it’s a lie. The idea of success in our culture today, it’s a lie. It’s not about you…it’s not about what you want or what you think’s best for you. Jesus said to give Him your everything…pick up your cross…follow him. That’s what we’re called to.

Guys, when I was called into ministry, years and years ago…when I was 15…I ran from that. There was nothing glorifying about it…I’m certainly never gonna be rich…I didn’t wanna have to write a sermon every single week of my life…I didn’t wanna have to preach no matter what’s going on in my personal life, every single week of my life. I didn’t wanna live in a fish bowl where everyone can see what my family’s doing every single week of my life. I didn’t wanna have to counsel people going through an earthly hell, every single week of my life…I didn’t wanna have to give an account for all these different souls that I’m responsible for…there was nothing appealing about doing any of that from an earthly, fleshly perceptive.

But listen, since submitting to this call, this calling, it’s broken me…it’s humbled me…its caused me to stop relying on myself…to stop worshiping me and my abilities. Its caused me to rely on God and His abilities. I’ve never been more insecure in my life…I realize it’s impossible to please 100% of the people I’m called to…every time I make a decision or every time I preach a sermon, I can expect people will agree and they’ll be people that disagree. This calling, it’s forced me to reorient my life, my focus toward Christ because I’ve realized I can’t find worth or value in a created being…I can only find that in God. And while it might not have been my decision 20 years ago, I’m grateful God called me, I’m grateful God was patient with me, I’m grateful that I’m able to see God for who He is today because of this calling. And for those reasons, I’m deeply in love with God, I’m in love with this ministry He’s called me to, I’m passionate about it now…I’m in love with truth because I’m a witness to how it can reshape and reorient a person. It’s caused me to no longer worship me.

And listen, I know you’re not all called to ministry…but we have to stop thinking about what we want, and we have to start thinking about what God wants…because that’s where worship of self stops, and where genuine worship of God starts. And yes, He’s probably gonna call you to something that’s hard…and He’s probably gonna call you to something that humbles you and breaks you…because there’s a lot of junk in you that He’s gotta break through. But listen, when we’re obedient, when we’re willing to follow Christ, no matter the circumstances, when we’re willing to accept truth for what it is…to take God at His Word…when we love truth, it’s impossible for Satan to deceive us. I mean just look at what Paul says there in verse 12. God’s gonna allow people to continue believing what’s false “in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth [and listen to this] but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

Those that Satan deceives, in the present…in the future…those he’s deceived in the past…it’s those that didn’t delight in truth…they didn’t love truth…they thought they knew better than God…it’s those that did the things they wanted…those that worshiped themselves…it’s those that found pleasure in unrighteousness…What’s unrighteousness? It’s anything that removes God as your object of worship and anything that influences who you are, outside of God and His Spirit.

And so, have you chosen to give Jesus your everything as He’s mentioned in Luke 14? Are you following His will for your life and not your own? Are you doing those things because you delight in truth and righteousness?

Guys, if you’re clinging to your wants and your desires, your gonna find it difficult to delight in truth…and listen, you’re gonna be right where Satan wants you. And so, when this man of lawlessness comes and continues the activity of Satan…you’re gonna fall right into this trap and you’re gonna find in the end that you’re not as secure as you thought you were.

As a believer…as someone that’s been changed by and through the Spirit of God, while we might still struggle with sin…we delight in truth and we delight in righteousness…and we strive to become more and more like Jesus…and all of us…because we love truth, it reorients us to fully and entirely worship Jesus! That’s what matters at the end of time…that’s what keeps us from being deceived by this man of lawlessness. That’s what it means to ready ourselves for the return of Christ…it’s to delight in truth. To care about what Jesus wants and not what we want.

That’s the second point.

III. We Must Hold Fast to the Truth (vv. 13-17)

The third and final point…we must hold fast to the truth.

Guys, these things Paul’s talking about here, they’re serious…and these dangers that lay before us…these times of tribulation, this man of lawlessness, Satan’s deceptions…he wants us to know there’s really only one way to conquer those things. And he gives us three truths here for us to anchor our Christian life in…we’re to thank God, we’re to stand firm, and we’re to hold fast.

Now, you’re gonna notice as we finish this passage up, there’s nothing here that Paul’s not already taught about when it comes to thanksgiving and standing firm. In fact, we’ve seen this over and over again in these two letters so far. Which he just mentioned, “Remember the things I taught you,” in verse 5. So course, he’s bringing it back to what’s important.

And so, what should we thank God for and what should we stand firm in? Well, first…its the love of God! Notice what Paul says here, “brothers beloved by the Lord.” He wants them to realize again and reflect on the fact that God Himself, the Father, He’s set His love on them. From the very foundations of the world, the Father’s loved them. That’s what it says in Ephesians chapter 1. And Paul wants these Thessalonians to relish in the reality of God’s love for them…because when we’re anchored in that theological truth…when we know and when we believe in the fact that we’re loved…guys, there’s no man of lawlessness…there’s no acts of Satan that’s gonna cause us to stumble. We’re rooted in God’s love.

And so, do you meditate on the love of God? In one sense, it’s really the hardest thing to believe. If you know and admit that you’re a sinner, it’s really hard for you to believe sometimes that God knows you and yet still loves you. And so, if Satan can shake that foundation of love, he can cause us to doubt and question. We have to stand firm in the love of God. We have to take it in…we have to meditate on it…we have to live in that love. That’s our foundation. It’s that while we were yet sinners, God loved us. And guys, its not that God loves us because of our faith…no! He loves us because we’re made in the image of God. His love, it preceded His sacrifice. If we don’t live in that love…if we don’t understand that love…if we don’t believe in that love…it’s gonna cripple us as believers as we face this earthly life. Knowing the love of God, it’s powerful and it’s what allows us to stand firm.

Secondly, Paul says we’re to be thankful and we’re to stand firm in the fact that we’re chosen. He says, “brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.”

Listen, this idea that God chooses people, it’s a doctrine that many Christians like to argue about. But as we go through Paul’s different letters (and we’ve been through several at this point), Paul never sees election as something merely to be discussed. He sees it as something that’s absolutely critical to our comfort as believers. He gives God thanks for it.

Paul says here, “God chose you as the firstfruits.” Some manuscripts and translations say, “God chose you from the beginning.” Both are saying the same thing. Again, Paul, he writes the very same thing in Ephesians chapter 1, 4 and 5:

Ephesians 1:4–5 (ESV)

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,

I think this is where Paul’s getting at here. He’s saying, “I thank God that in His love for you, He chose you from the beginning…before the world was ever created.” Root yourself in that…humble yourself in that…find confidence in that truth as you face whatever it is you face. God chose you! You are chosen by the Creator of the universe…be comforted in that. Now did you seek the Lord? Yes, you did…but we sought the Lord because he had chosen us and because He gave us the means to do us. It was His Spirit that humbled you. Guys, I can’t explain this theology entirely…because God certainly made you in His image, with a freewill and we’re responsible for our actions. But we see God’s also sovereign in nature. And so while it’s a mystery and we can’t fully explain it, we have to understand that underneath and behind our decision to trust Jesus, it’s God’s choosing us. The two come together…and we should find a ton of confidence in God’s part of our choice to follow Him.

Third, we should constantly thank God for and stand firm in the fact that the Spirit’s working toward our sanctification. That’s what Paul says in verse 13. Find confidence in the fact that what God starts in you…He’s gonna bring it to completion. Yes, you’re imperfect now…and yes there’s a ton of stuff in you that needs to be cleaned up, but find confidence in the fact that God’s doing that even now and live in that truth. You will be perfected. And because the Spirit dwells in you even now, you get a taste of the glory that’s to come in eternity, after the return of Christ. That’s exactly what Jesus said in John 17:

John 17:22–23 (ESV)

The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

That’s the reason we’ve been called, Paul says…so that we may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ…and through that, become one.

And so, as believers…as we get closer and closer to this return of Christ…Paul says in verse 15, “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us.” Hold fast to truth. Don’t waver. Don’t allow Satan to deceive. Trust in the things you know to be truth.

Closing

And so, in closing…understanding that there’s a day coming where Satan’ll rise up a man of lawlessness…and that there will be a day of tribulation (whatever that might look like)…and that they’ll be a day that Jesus comes back to judge the unrighteous and set up His kingdom on earth…understanding those things…do you cling to the truths of God? Do you stand fast on those things? Because of you, are we a steadfast church here at FBC? Do we know truth? Do we delight in truth? Do we hold fast to truth?

Every head bowed and every eye closed.

Listen, our praise team’s gonna come and get ready to lead us in worship just one more time.

Guys, as they do that…I just want you to think seriously about what Paul’s writing here. Do you know truth? Do you delight in that truth? Are you holding fast to that truth? Because guys, when these things happen (and they will), that’s what gonna keep you from being deceived. That’s what’s gonna ensure you’re not given over to what’s false.

And so listen, as they sang, I just want you to reflect on these things. Respond to whatever the Spirit’s putting on your heart. If you’re struggling with knowing truth or delighting in truth? What do you need to do this morning to change that? Make a commitment, seek some accountability from the people here.

And if you’re struggling with believing in this truth, if you haven’t turned to Christ, understand that God loves you…and all you have to do to receive salvation, it’s to repent and believe. Recognize that you’re a sinner…ask for forgiveness…turn from yourself and toward Christ…believe in Him…trust in Him. That’s it…repent and believe.

And so, as they play…you can worship with us…you can use this time to seek the Lord…you can come to these steps this morning to lay whatever you need to before the Lord…if you need me in any way…I’ll be right here down front…I’ll pray with you…I’ll help you turn to Jesus…whatever it is you need…you take this time…and we’ll close in just a moment.

[Prayer]