Introduction

• 1^st – The whole counsel of God…
  • There are two ways to teach the Bible – inductive and deductive…
    • Deductive – more commonly called topical teaching…
    • Inductive – more commonly called verse-by-verse teaching…
    • We teach through the Bible verse by verse – chapter by chapter – book by book
  • 1^st – Learn the Bible in context…

• When a pastor teaches a TOPICAL Bible study – picking out a few verses…
  • The danger is you do not know the CONTEXT of those verses…
  • It is easy to change the meaning of a single verse when taken out of CONTEXT…
  • Most errors in Bible interpretation come from taking a verse out of CONTEXT…
  • Matthew 18:20– “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them…”
  • This verse if often quoted when people are praying – Jesus is here with us
  • Yet the context of this verse is not prayer – it is church discipline!
• One of the most important concepts in understanding the Bible is CONTEXT…
  • Understanding a verse in the context of the other verses before and after…
  • The context within the chapter / within the book / within the whole Bible!
  • That is why we study the whole Bible – teachings chapter by chapter…
  • We learn the Bible in CONTEXT – having an accurate understanding of Gods Word!
• 2^nd – The whole counsel of God…
  • If a pastor only teaches TOPICALLY / or certain books – we miss out on the whole counsel…
    • Pastors will tend to teach on certain topics they LIKE and overlook ones they DISLIKE…
    • When was the last time you heard a teaching from Obadiah or Habakkuk!

• But every part of the Bible is Gods inspired Word – all of it is necessary…
• By teaching through the whole Bible – book by book – chapter by chapter…
• We learn ALL of the Word – and we focus on the topics God deems important!
• Acts 20:27 – “For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.”

Overview of II Thessalonians… (6 points)

• 1^st – The author…
  • Paul is the author of the book of I Thessalonians – II Thessalonians 1:1 / 3:17…
  • The same Paul who whose life we read about from Acts chapter 13 to 28…
  • Paul wrote 13 book of the New Testament (14 if you include Hebrews)…
• 2^nd – Who was the book written to…
  • The book was written to the church in the city of Thessalonica – II Thessalonians 1:1 …
    • The city was originally called Therma – meaning hot springs – renamed in 315 B.C.
    • Today the city is called Thessaloniki – it sits on the Aegean Sea – on the Gulf of Salonika
  • The church there was established by Paul on his 2^nd missionary journey – Acts 17:1-15
• 3^rd – What is the key theme to the book…
  • The same as I Thessalonians – the coming of Jesus Christ – the DAY of the Lord…
  • II Thessalonians 2:1-2 – “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.”
• 4^th – Where and when was the book written…
  • The book of written while Paul was in Corinth on his 2^nd missionary journey…
  • Around 51-52 A.D. – one of the earliest books Paul wrote – 6-12 months after I Thessalonians…
  • Acts 18:12-27 – Gallio was the proconsul of Achaia – on the Grecian peninsula…
  • Archeologists found an inscription at the temple of Apollos of Delphi – Gallio proconsul 51 A.D.
• 5^th – Why was the book written…
  • After reading I Thessalonians some of the people were confused about the DAY of the Lord…
  • There were those who believed the DAY of the Lord had already happened…
  • Or that they had missed the RAPTURE – and they were living in the DAY of the Lord…
  • Paul clarifies the details around the RAPTURE and the DAY of the Lord!
• 6^th – How is the book divided…
  • Chapter 1 – Encouragement to the church – that this is NOT the DAY of the Lord
  • Chapter 2 – Clarification concerning the DAY of the Lord
  • Chapter 3 – Empowerment – to live a life for God until the DAY of the Lord

The judgement and glory of God … (5 points)

• 1^st – The greeting of Paul to the church… vs. 1-2
  • 1^st – The letter is from Paul / Silvanus / and Timothy – who started the church…
    • Silas (13x) or Silvanus (4x) – traveled with Paul on the 2^nd missionary journey…
    • Timothy joined Paul on the 2^nd missionary journey in the city of Lystra (Galatia)
  • 2^nd – The letter is to the church of the Thessalonians in God and Jesus… vs. 1
    • The word church – ekklesia – used 118x in the NT – the word means to be called out…
      • This letter was to those in Thessalonica who were called out…
      • If we as Christians look and act just like those who do not know Jesus…
      • Why would anyone want to hear about Jesus – come to church…
      • It is only as we are DIFFERENT – that we are able to shine and point others to Christ!
    • They were different from others in their city because they were IN God and Jesus…
      • The people were not different because of what they wore / where they were on Sunday…
      • They were different – called out – because of who lived IN them!
      • John 14:23 – “Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”
  • 3^rd – Grace and Peace from God and Jesus… vs. 2
    • The Grace of God – charis – used 156x in NT…
      • Judgment is getting what I deserve – mercy is not getting what I deserve…
      • But Grace is getting what I do not deserve – a free gift from God!
      • We earned the right to go to hell through our sin and rebellion – judgment…
      • Instead God gave us the incredible gift of righteousness and heaven – through Jesus!
    • Peace from God – eirene – 92x in NT…
      • Before we were saved – we lived in certain expectation of Gods wrath and judgment…
      • There was no peace in our lives – only the fear of death and punishment – Hebrews 10:27
      • When we have the Grace of God – the free gift of salvation – we have peace with God!

• 2^nd – Paul was Thankful for the church… vs. 3
  • Bound to give THANKS…
    • In I Thessalonians 1:2 – Paul gave THANKS always for the church…
    • Paul opens this second letter by again expressing his THANKS for them!
    • But here Paul adds that he is BOUND – the word means to owe a debt – to give THANKS! 
    • Paul felt OBLIGATED to ALWAYS give THANKS to God for this church – 2 reasons
  • 1^st – FAITH growing exceedingly…
    • Paul had been VERY concerned about their FAITH when he wrote the first letter…
    • After only 3 weeks he had to flee because of the persecution of the Jews – Acts 17:8-10
    • So he had sent Timothy to check up on their FAITH…
    • I Thessalonians 3:5 – “When I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith…”
    • But the church had not just growing in FAITH – their trust and dependence on Jesus…
    • EXCEEDINGLY – hyper growth (only here NT) they had exponential growth in Jesus!
    • III John 1:4 – “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children live in the truth.”
  • 2^nd – LOVE abounding to one another…
    • The church also had LOVE for one another – but not just a little LOVE…
    • ABOUNDING – used 9x NT – to SUPERABOUND – not just a little LOVE / a LOT of LOVE…
    • This is a direct answer to the prayer of Paul made is his first letter to the church!
    • I Thessalonians 3:12 – “May the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another.”
    • The point – Paul was in DEBT to give THANKS – because God answered his prayer!
    • The church was growing exceedingly in their FAITH and abounding in LOVE to one another!
    • My father prayed for his brother to be saved for 20 years – received Jesus on his death bed!
    • Maybe we are like Paul – praying for someone about their FAITH (or that they have FAITH) …
    • Maybe we have been praying for a week – or a month – a year – or even years…
    • God does not call us just to pray – God calls us to be ALWAYS praying – I Thessalonians 5:17
    • Do NOT give up – God is faithful to answer those prayers – so we to give THANKS!

• 3^rd – Paul boasted about the church… vs. 4-5
  • 1^st – BOASTING among the churches…
    • The church in Thessalonica was doing so well in the Lord is caused Paul to BOAST…
    • BOAST – 38x in NT a word that is often translated as GLORY or REJOICE…
    • Paul loved to REJOICE with others as they talked about what God was doing in Thessalonica…
    • In particular because of their PATIENCE and their FAITH in TRIBULATION!
  • 2^nd – Because of their PATIENCE…
    • PATIENCE – hypomone – a compound word with the root – hupo and meno…
      • John 15:4 we are told that apart from Jesus we can do nothing!
      • We must ABIDE – meno – in Him in order for us to be able to have ANY fruit!
      • Abide is one of those funny Biblical words – we never use it in our daily speech…
      • It would be better interpreted endure / or stubbornly refuse to let go!
      • Hupo is the Greek preposition UNDER – so the word means to dwell UNDER and ABIDE!
    • Good fruit is the byproduct of a being connected to Jesus!
      • You never see the branch of a mango tree struggling to make an mango…
      • In the same way as long as we are connected to Jesus – we will bear good FRUIT…
      • We do not have to work at it – it is the result of our relationship with Him!
  • 3^rd – Faith in PERSECUTION and TRIBULATION…
    • Why did the church have PATIENCE – because their FAITH had been tested in…
      • PERSECUTIONS – diogmos – hardships from other people attacking our FAITH… 
      • TRIBULATION – thilipsis – hardships from circumstances that challenge our FAITH… 
      • After Paul had taught in the Synagogue for three weeks – Acts 17:2-4
      • The Jews who did not receive the Gospel began to stir up trouble – Acts 17:5-6
      • So that Paul was forced to flee the city because of the persecution – Acts 17:8-10
    • But the testing of their FAITH – helped teach them PATIENCE – to ABIDE in Jesus!
      • II Corinthians 4:7-10 – “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side… always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested…”
      • If you take a clay pot and fill it up with rocks – it is still a cheap pot…
      • But if you take that same pot and fill it up with diamonds – its priceless!
      • We often get the impression there are SPECIAL people whom God chooses to use…
      • There are only ordinary people – who believe in God – making them SPECIAL!
      • We are all just clay pots – the question to be asked is what is inside of us…
      • Are we full of ourselves – trusting in our abilities – not worth much…
      • Or are we full of Jesus – ABIDING in Him – having FAITH (trust) in His Word!

• 4^th – Two roads… vs. 5-10
  • 1^st – The FORK in the ROAD… vs. 5
    • The PERSECTION and TRIBULATION the church suffered from was…
      • MANIFEST EVIDENCE – only here NT – the word means TOKEN or PROOF…
      • PROOF of the righteous JUDGEMENT of God – we might say PROOF that God will JUDGE!
      • It id the FORK in the ROAD – it reveals whether people are FOR or AGAINST the Lord!
      • Those FOR the Lord were PERSECUTED – those AGAINST did the PERSECUTING!
      • Why did they PRESECUTE the believers – the church was the PROOF the GOSPEL is TRUE!
      • John 3:19 – “This is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
      • The world hates Jesus because He convicts the world of sin and righteousness…
      • Men stay away from Jesus because they LOVE their sin!
    • The world hates us because we have Jesus in us – John 15:18-19
      • The greatest fear of all men is the fear of death – because it means they will be judged…
      • When we live our lives reflecting Jesus – it reminds them of their sin…
      • So they PERSECUTE us – because we are PROOF / reminder the JUDGEMENT is coming!
  • 2^nd – The RIGHT road… vs. 5
    • Those who are PERSEUCTED are COUNTED WORTHY…
      • COUNTED WORTHY – 4x in NT – used in relation to escaping the JUDGEMENT of God…
      • Luke 21:36 – “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy [same word] to escape all these things that will come to pass…”
      • They were not COUNTED WORTHY – because they were PERSECUTED…
      • COUNTED WORTHY cause of CHRIST in them – which was WHY they were PERSECUTED!
    • We do not fear the JUDGEMENT of God – because we are COUNTED WORTHY of the kingdom!
      • Not WORTHY because of anything we did – WORTHY because of what God did for us…
      • By FAITH we have been forgiven so that we will escape the coming JUDGEMENT!
      • Likely referring to the TRIBULATION – we will be RAPTURED – 1 Corinthians 15:52
      • As well as the great White Throne JUDGEMENT – Revelation 20:11-15
      • Needless to say this is the ROAD we want to be on – COUNTED WORHTY!
  • 3^rd – The WRONG road… vs. 6, 8-9
    • Those who PERSECUTE – reject the GOSPEL – are JUDGED… vs. 6
      • God will REPAY (vengeance) those who cause us tribulation with THE Tribulation…
      • The definite article proceeds the word TRIBULATION – Revelation 6-19!
      • Meaning they will not be taken in the RAPTURE – I Thessalonians 4:16…
      • Those who PERSECUTE us because Jesus in us – will go through the WRATH of God!
    • Not because they gave us a hard time – but because they rejected Jesus… vs. 8
      • In flaming fire God will take VENGENCE on those who do not know Him… 
      • On those who do NOT obey the Gospel – those who reject the cross of Christ!
      • But going through the TRIBULATION is the LEAST of their problems!
        
    • PUNISHED with everlasting destruction – cast from the presence of the Lord… vs. 9
      • God does not send ANYONE to hell – He desires that all be saved – I Peter 3:9
      • But for those who reject the Gospel – refuse to come to Jesus – there is JUDGEMENT…
      • Where the last thing they ever see will be God on His throne – then eternal darkness…
      • Revelation 20:10 – “The lake of fire and brimstone… tormented day and night forever…”
      • This is the Second Death – and the worst part of all – eternal separation from God…
      • Left to weep and gnash for eternity with no hope – no salvation!
      • Matthew 8:12 – “Outer darkness… weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
  • 4^th – The END of the ROAD… vs. 7 / 10
    • The END of the ROAD come with the return of Jesus Christ…
      • We who are TROUBLED – will receive REST (from persecution) when Jesus is revealed…
      • REVEALVED – apokalypsis – when Jesus returns with His might Angels…
      • In that DAY – He will be GLORIFED in His saints / ADMIRED by those who believe… vs. 10
      • Speaking of the 2^nd coming of Christ – Revelation 19:16
      • The same DAY when He will come to JUDGE the those who have rejected Him!
      • Note – WHEN / in that DAY – meaning it is not yet the DAY of the LORD…
      • More on that next week when we Paul will talk about the rise of the Anti-Christ!
    • The point is simple yet powerful…
      • The DAY of JUDGEMENT is coming for those who reject…
      • But it will also be a DAY of REST for those who believe by FAITH…
      • And the simple choice EVERYONE has to make – is which ROAD are we on!

I Corinthians 10:31 – “Therefore…  whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

5^th – The prayer of Paul for the church… vs. 11-12

1^st – Count you WORTHY of His calling… vs. 11

Paul prayed ALWAYS – that God would COUNT (subjunctive) them WORTHY (subjunctive) …

The hope of Paul was that the church would be on the FIRST ROAD – forgiven…

And not on the SECOND ROAD destined to face THE Tribulation of God – the DAY of the Lord!

II Corinthians 13:5 – “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?”

2^nd – The good pleasure of His goodness… vs. 11

The prayer was that God might FULFILL (subjunctive) all the good pleasure of His goodness…

GOOD PLEASURE – 9x in NT – often used in relation to the WILL of God…

Philippians 2:13 – “God… works in you both to will and to do for His GOOD PLEASURE…”

GOODNESS – 4x in NT – used to speak of a moral and upright heart…

The prayer was for God to FILL them up with His will of a moral and upright heart!

How – through the WORK of FAITH with power…

Notice it is not our WORKS that have the POWER to bring goodness…

It is FAITH that has the POWER to bring good WORKS into our lives!

ONLY FAITH has the power to transform us – FUFILL the good pleasure of His goodness!

Only Jesus can bring lasting change – a transformed heart and new life…

As we run to Jesus – only He has the power to change us from the inside out!

Ephesians 2:10 – “We are His workmanship [same root], created in Christ for good works…”

3^rd – The name of Jesus may be GLORIFIED… vs. 12

The result of the power of FAITH working in us to fulfill a moral and upright heart…

Our lives bring GLORY to God – as we live ACCORDING to the GRACE of God…

The DAY of the LORD is coming – and we want to be COUNTED WORTHY…

Therefore we should walk in GRACE – so that we GLORIFY God is all that we do!