Into God’s Faithfulness
Throughout 2 Thessalonians, we see Paul exhorting, teaching and praying for the Thessalonians during their trials. Now, as the letter draws to an end, Paul and his missionary brothers are about to journey further into the heart of the dark ancient Mediterranean. So Paul asks the Thessalonians to pray for him, that the Lord may go ahead of them and deliver them from the evil that they are about to face.
Scripture
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 ESV Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, 2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.
Bible Study Questions
Pray for us
The scripture today starts with Paul asking for the Thessalonians to pray for them. This is a reversal of what we’ve seen in 2 Thessalonians so far, where Paul has been praying and exhorting the Thessalonians. Do you see the similarity between Jesus’s teaching?
2 Thessalonians 3:1 ESV Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you,
Matthew 9:38 ESV therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
The Word of the Lord speeding ahead
In verse 1, Paul is asking the Word of the Lord to speed ahead and prepare the way for them. How does God send His word, to prepare the way for us?
2 Thessalonians 3:1 ESV Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you,
Isaiah 62:1 ESV For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a burning torch.
Psalm 147:15 ESV He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.
Delivered from evil, wicked men
Paul is asking for deliverance from evil and wicked men in verse 2. Who are these evil and wicked men? Do you see any correlation to these wicked men and some people in the world today?
2 Thessalonians 3:2 ESV and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.
1 Thessalonians 2:14-15 ESV For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, (15) who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind
2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. (2) For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, (3) heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, (4) treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, (5) having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
The danger of no faith
Paul says that the wicked men are of no faith. We hear a lot about faith in this modern world we live in today. In movies, people often speak outwardly about having faith. What’s the defining factor when it comes to faith?
2 Thessalonians 3:2 ESV and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.
Romans 10:17 ESV So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
The Lord’s faithfulness
Then Paul delivers this powerful antidote to the evil, wicked men of no faith, he counters with “The Lord is Faithful.” We make mistakes and go against the Word of God regularly. But He remains Faithful! This is a common theme in the Bible and a key characteristic of God, yet it is sometimes hard to phathom. What other scriptures can you think of, telling of God’s faithfulness?
2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.
1 John 1:9 ESV If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Deuteronomy 7:9 ESV Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,
Confidence in the Lord
The Lord calls us to do things that are big. God was calling the Thessalonians to continue their incredible faith in hard times and He was calling Paul to continue his journey into darkness. Paul knows it can be done, why?
2 Thessalonians 3:4 ESV And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command.
Matthew 19:26 ESV But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
All things made possible through God’s love
Of course, all of these things would not be possible, were it not for God’s love and the patience and steadfastness of Christ. How do God’s love and Christ’s steadfastness impact your life?
2 Thessalonians 3:5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.