Final Instruction

“Final Instructions”

Introduction:

This morning we talked about Standing Strong even when things are not going the way we think they should
Look for the signs of the Rapture and Second Coming of Christ.
The problem that we are going to look at tonight is how the Thessalonians took this truth (that the Lord can return at any minute) and went to the extreme without following Paul’s clear teaching.
They were abusing the doctrine of Christ’s return.
In this final chapter to the Thessalonians Paul writes to tell them how to change their ways.
And he gives us three practical admonitions.
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18

Outline:

I Prayer (vs. 1-2)

· What power there is in Prayer – Pastor just preached a message on Prayer – Titled “How Do You Ask”

· There is great power in prayer when done the right way and with the right attitude

· Satan is always trying to undo everything that the believer tries to do he would like nothing more than to ruin the Christians testimony.

· So Paul calls for pray and he specifically asks for Two Things:

A “The Message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored”. (Vs. 1)

1 Paul asked these young believers to pray for him.

2 This was not a selfish prayer (just pray for me to be popular speaker, etc)

3 It was directed towards Gods Word.

4 He sincerely wanted Gods Word to spread rapidly.

a Illustration: Have you ever planted grass on your yard or even fertilizer?

b That is idea or the picture here.

c You turn that crank or push that cart which in turn spreads the seed or fertilizer out over a pretty decent area.

d That is the same thing Paul is asking for: the Rapid spread of the Word.

e With that “Spreader” you can cover a lot of ground quickly.

f With Prayer the message of the Gospel could spread quickly and reach more people than without the prayer of the saints.

5 So Paul says, “Please Pray that the message would spread quickly.”

6 Far too often we do not pray as often as we should.

a We know that there is tremendous power in prayer but we don’t often enough rely on it as our first line of offense or defense.

b It has been said: “Do you use prayer as your steering wheel or your spare tire?”

i You spare tire you don’t ever even know it is there until you are in an emergency and then all of a sudden you hope that it has air in it.

ii We don’t check that tire very often to make sure that it will be there in a pinch.

iii But our steering wheel on the other hand, we know where it is how to use it and that is the first thing we use in the car: the basic necessity of a vehicle.

iv So is Prayer your Steering Wheel or your Spare Tire?

B “That we may be delivered from wicked and evil men.” (vs. 2)

1 Paul used pretty strong words to describe these men: “Wicked and Evil”

2 No matter where we take the Gospel message Satan will be there to rise up men against it and try to bring it down.

a He will be against the Word but also

b He will be against the messenger and try in every way to bring down the messenger as well.

3 Again this wasn’t a selfish prayer.

4 Paul wanted to be delivered from these men not so that he could have an easier life but so that the Word could spread more quickly.

5 This request is almost just another way of stating the first request. But with this one he deals with the negative efforts on the Gospel.

6 He also goes on in Vs. 3 and reminds them of how Faithful the Lord is.

7 Isn’t it great to realize that it isn’t by our own power that we guard ourselves from the Evil One?

a We are weak, apart from God, against the Evil One.

b We just place our confidence in God that he is there to strengthen and protect us.

c Aren’t you glad that your God is Faithful?

II Listen (vs. 4-13)

· In these verses Paul gives them three Commands and they are:

A A Command to Obey (vs. 4)

1 I like how Paul uses reverse psychology to command them to do something.

2 He praises them and says that, “I have confidence, in the Lord, that you are doing and will continue to do all that I commanded you.”

3 But where is his confidence? It is in the Lord not in them, but the Lords helping them.

4 Does anyone here have the power in himself to do all that the Lord has commanded us to do through His Word? NO!

5 Sadly we all fall short. (Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short.”)

6 We can’t do it on our own, but with the Lords help HE makes it possible and that is where Paul places his confidence in this first command for them the Obey all that the Lord has taught them through Paul.

B A Command to Separate (vs. 6-9, 14-15)

1 In 1 Thessalonians 5:14 Paul wrote to instruct them to “warn those who are idle.”

2 Some of them had trouble focusing on their day to day responsibilities.

a They quite their jobs b/c they expected the Lord to return right then.

b Idleness had apparently become a serious problem.

c And a great number of them were refusing to work and they were freeloading off of the church.

3 In vs. 14&15 Paul issued four distinct instructions:

a They were to be take special note of them. (vs. 14)

b Do now associate with them. (vs. 14)

c Treat him as a brother not an enemy (vs. 15)

d Warn him. (vs. 15)

4 Basically they were to follow Church discipline which we have recorded for us in Matthew 18:15-20.

5 What they were doing was a sin they still had responsibilities and they were neglecting them.

6 Which brings us to the third command.

C A Command to Work (vs. 10-12)

1 Even before the fall God required that mankind perform manual labor (Gen. 2:15)

2 In vs. 7-9 Paul pointed out that he and his companions had demonstrated a proper work ethic before them.

3 Vs. 8 “we worked night and day… so that we would not be a burden to you.”

4 Paul laid down a tough but fair standard in vs. 10 “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”

a Now there is a difference between not being able to work and being able to work and not working.

b Paul is talking about the later. Able but not willing!

5 These “freeloaders” weren’t: Hostile to Christ, enemies of the Gospel

6 They were simple misguided believers who had become clouded in their thinking due to false doctrine.

7 They were members who were not pulling their weight, and causing hardship in the church.

8 Paul commanded and exhorted these “Freeloaders” to “get back to work” and “take care of your own needs.”

9 And then Finally… The

III Response (vs. 16-18)

A So we have seen the two requests for prayer and the three commands, which leads us to: the one Response.

B We are not to become weary in well doing as we wait for the Lord’s return.

C It can be easy to brush off the promise of his coming and live our lives as if he were not coming back.

D We can become tempted not to obey His commands, and not separate from the unruly or not to work as we should.

E That is why these words to the Thessalonians remain practical to us today as well which say: Don’t give up, slack up, or let up.

F One of the strengths of the Thessalonian Church was their attitude towards the Word of God, the believed it, and shared it with others.

G But apparently some of them were becoming hardened to it, they heard it but they weren’t obeying it.

H The evidence of this was seen in the way there were living their lives and they were a disgrace to their church.

I We must be hearers and doers of the Word.

J Paul in his Benediction asks that the Lord of peace give them peace.

1 These believers needed peace

2 They were experiencing great tribulation

3 Some of them had died and

4 Some were living disorderly lives

K We can have peace in our lives if we surrender to Christ, believe His promises and look for His return.

L Nothing encourages the tested believer like the expectation of His Soon Return.

M How are you living in expectation of His return?

N Are you ready right now for Him to come back?

O Or is there something that you really want to do before He comes back?

P Or something that you want to get right first?

Q Live in such a way that you are ready right now for him to appear and you to disappear.

Closing Hymn # 760 “While we are waiting Come”