Pastor Phil Andrukaitis, July 30, 2023
The Apostle Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians
General Theme: Living Righteously While Waiting Patiently for Jesus to Return
Sermon Title: A Church under Fire
Sermon Text: Second Thessalonians 1:1-5
Subject: The fruit of persecution
Complement: The fruit of persecution is displayed when the church embraces the trials of life.
Big Idea: Embrace your suffering because God is embracing you.
Introduction
You may recall from Paul’s closing words/requests in his first letter to the Thessalonian church (1st Thessalonians 5:25-28) that…
- …they pray for him and his co-laborers, Silas and Timothy. While this mission team had been faithful praying for the Thessalonians, Paul needed the prayers from the Thessalonians. They were family who loved one another.
- …they would display affection to one another, “with a holy kiss.” Evidently, this holy kiss was a sincere symbol of genuine love.
- …they have this letter (1st Thessalonians) “read among all the brethren” because it was impossible for everyone to read Paul’s words individually. Rather, they were to make it part of their regular worship because the reading of Scripture involves God speaking to each of us individually. Hopefully, the saints would read, study, and apply the Word of God to their lives. Oh, that we would always have ears to hear and hearts to receive God’s heavenly words.
- …that God would bless them with the “grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Apart from Christ and the grace He supplies, we cannot do anything. Pastors and their church families cannot make wise decisions and fulfill the ministry of edification and evangelization apart from God’s grace. Remember, Jesus is still building His church.
Transitional Sentences
It’s A.D. 51-52. A few months had passed after the Thessalonians received Paul’s first letter. Updated reports about the Thessalonian church reached Paul and his mission team while they were still in Corinth. The reports were concerning. Evidently, Paul’s first letter did not immediately solve all the problems that plagued the Thessalonian church. In fact, some of the problems got worse, which necessitated a different solution due to the new set of circumstances.
While Paul was pleased with the spiritual progress of this model church, he was unable to visit them. Nevertheless, Paul kept the lines of communication open with the Thessalonian church to address the issues/problems that impacted this beloved church family. What were the issues/problems? Paul’s second letter identified three issues in three chapters.
Chapter 1: Persecution of the church had increased whereby some of the saints were approaching the limit of their patience. Tribulations and sufferings were pushing the church to the point of despair.
Some of you know what I mean by approaching the point of despair. You are a caregiver, and your physical, emotional, and spiritual bank is empty.
Some of you are dealing with physical pain and you have no insurance or money to purchase the needed meds.
Some of you are dealing with rejection as your soul is being torn apart.
Paul was unable to comfort them in person (1st Thessalonians 2:18), nevertheless, he encouraged the persecuted saints to stand firm in the Lord and to remain faithful to Jesus, despite their suffering. As the Thessalonian saints approached the point of despair, they needed hope despite the persecution they were experiencing.
Remember, as God’s people, Jesus gathers us together to protect us and to provide His peace. In this world we will have trials but know this, He has overcome the world.
Remember also, God has promised to trouble those who trouble His saints with tribulations when Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels. Scripture says, “this is a righteous thing with God” (v. 6). Someone wrote: God’s justice someday is my relief today.
Chapter 2: Deception towards the church had troubled the saints. They were disturbed because deception was present. Apparently, a letter claiming to have been written by Paul arrived at the doorsteps of the church, stating that the “Day of the Lord” had arrived and that the Thessalonian saints have missed the Rapture.
These false teachers, behind these bogus letters allegedly written by Paul, were sowing seeds of false doctrine. They are pawns of the evil one. Their mission: to crush the spirit of the Thessalonian church with deliberate confusion while the stress of persecution increased.
What the church needed was to return to Paul’s earlier teachings about the end times and to remind themselves of God’s unfailing love. After all, “God did not appoint us (the Thessalonian believers and believers today) to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1st Thessalonians 5:9); (chapter 2).
Chapter 3: Idleness in the church had increased. Since it is likely that persecution may have destroyed a person’s livelihood and false teachings may have distorted a believer’s faith, it is no surprise that a believer could move away from the faith. Living a godly life is tough. It’s easier to embrace earthly values and take advantage of Christians who give graciously and generously.
Paul’s love for the Thessalonian church was fueled by God’s love for them [and us]. Paul not only thanked God for them, Paul also encouraged them, reminding them that their outstanding qualities were increasing under the most adverse conditions – persecution. Moreover, these qualities will help them apply the right solutions to their problems. Indeed, they were a model church who remained faithful to their Christian commitment under difficult circumstances.
I believe these outstanding qualities will also help us as a church to navigate the stormy seas in the near future as we strive to honor our Christian commitment. Already, the waves…
…political incompetence (staffers writing and directing President Biden, Senator Feinstein, etc.)
…corrupt misconduct in the Oval Office, in the first family, and in many of the president’s staffers
…deliberate abuse of our nation’s justice system among the highest-ranking individuals in the FBI
…suppression of the First Amendment – Freedom of Speech
…governmental overreach threatens the family structure
…digital banking is upon us; soon the government will control the use of your money
…and the list goes on, …are crashing over the bow.
Jan Markell of Olive Tree Ministries often states the world is not falling to pieces, but the pieces are falling into place. When the world becomes more unstable, the Christian strives to becomes more stable.
What were the Thessalonians outstanding qualities? Paul identified five.
1. They were born of God (1:1b-2).
God is the Father of all believers. We need to remind ourselves that God the Father will never abandon His children. Read Jesus’ “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7) and discover again the 13 references to God our Father.
Our heavenly Father also sacrificed His Son, Jesus The Good Shepherd, on the cross to pay our sin debt. His shed blood on the cross unto death is the only way sinners could be forgiven of their sins. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:27).
Therefore, salvation comes to the repentant sinner who believes that Jesus is God Who died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and rose again from His grave. And by the power of the Holy Spirit, He brings life to the sinner’s dead spirit, giving him/her a “new heart” and desires to live for God. It is this grace from God that brings peace with God.
2. They exhibited increasing faith (1:3a).
Paul thanked God for the Thessalonian saints because he saw that their faith was increasing through persecution. One of the many “graces” from God is suffering. Someone has said, “faith that is not tested cannot be trusted.” Therefore, God continually tests our faith through times of suffering so that believers may grow strong and mature (James 1:2-4). Remember, an easy life without suffering usually results in shallow faith.
3. They abounded with love towards one another (1:3b).
Paul also thanked God for the Thessalonian saints because he saw their love was also increasing, despite the persecution. Difficult times can lead a believer to isolate himself/herself [self-preservation mode; becoming selfish] and not make oneself available to help others who are suffering; however, when God’s grace and faith are combined, love flows through the believer. Warren Wiersbe said, “faith reaches up and love reaches out to their fellow believers.” Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).
4. Remained patient despite the pressure of persecution and tribulations (4).
Paul gave a “shout out” to the Thessalonian church. They were indeed a model church for all the churches throughout ancient Greece [and for us today]. In his letter to the Christians living in Rome, Paul wrote: “…we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance and perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3-4). Hmmm, I wonder if Paul had the Thessalonians in mind when he was writing to the Christians living in Rome. While God can grow a mushroom overnight, God uses many storms and years to grow a mighty oak tree. How about you? Are you a mushroom, a young oak sapling, or a mighty oak tree whose roots run deep into the Word of God?
Warren Wiersbe said, “God never wastes suffering. Trials work for us, not against us” (2nd Corinthians 4:15-18; James 1:1-5). Trust God and yield to Him. Don’t fight against the circumstances but permit them to shape your character as you read and obey God’s Word.
5. Possessed unwavering hope (5).
The Thessalonians were able to stand firm in the Lord because they possessed an unwavering hope! Hope in what? Three things: First, they would be rewarded by inheriting the kingdom of God! Second, they would be recompensed as God will repay the wicked for all the affliction they put on the righteous saints of God (1:6-9). Third, they will receive rest – heavenly rest (1:7a, 10).
Concluding Principles / Applications
My brothers and sisters, we have a Christian testimony to maintain. Whatever the circumstances we find ourselves, let us be aware that we are “salt and light” in this world. Moreover, God has committed to us the ministry of reconciliation – bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and confused world.
The days in which we live will become more troublesome. Cultivate the basic spiritual disciplines in your life – reading Scripture, praying, praising, and worshiping God, serving one another out of love (and not of duty), and telling others of Jesus.
Reflecting on these three chapters from Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians, here are three points / applications for us today:
1. The good news of God’s love and salvation is our certain hope. Relief from the world’s injustices will come from God in His perfect time.
2. Spiritual growth and maturity come from God and His Word; but we must place ourselves in a position to grow. How do we grow? Believe God’s Word and cultivate healthy practices around God’s Word: Reading, praying, worshiping, witnessing, and fellowshipping with other saints.
3. Finally, pray for the spread of the gospel to occur through each of our lives, protection from the evil one, and patient endurance through tough times.
Bible Believing Baptist Church 