Journey Through 2 Thessalonians
At different phases in your journey of life, God provides specific messages for you. “Truth endureth to all generations” (Psalm 100:5). What is true yesterday is true today. It will be true forever. But at particular times in life, there are certain messages that you need to hear. A good illustration of that is the letter of 2 Thessalonians. The Apostle Paul had written one letter to them already, and the great message of that letter is that Jesus is coming.
Christ is coming again. Obviously, that message had gotten deeply into their spirit. They had accepted that truth. Sometimes, though, we need additional understanding. We need a little more explanation of certain things. It has been said that oftentimes, truth is not found in the acceptance of one extreme or the other. It is found in the acceptance of both. Do you believe in the sovereignty of God or the free will of man? Yes. Do you believe in repentance or faith? Yes. It is not one or the other; it is both!
Listen: Journeying through 2 Thessalonians
Correcting the Church on Christ’s Return
When you come to 2 Thessalonians, you find a truth that seems to balance out the truth given to us in 1 Thessalonians. Paul wrote the first letter to the church of Thessalonica to say, “you need to be living with your eyes on eternity, knowing that any moment you might see Jesus Christ.”
The people there obviously took it to heart because they got very urgent about eternity. However, there was a misunderstanding. There were people who took the teaching in that letter and went beyond the teaching. Is that not the great danger for all of us? We can either fall short of the truth or to go beyond it to something that is Biblically indefensible.
The Apostle Paul had written to the church to teach them that the coming of Christ was imminent. That means that it can happen at any moment. He still may come at any moment. But there were people teaching that the coming of Christ was immediate, meaning that He was definitely coming today. So, if He is definitely coming today, we should quit our jobs, give up our daily tasks, and just sit around and wait. However, that was not Paul’s goal at all. That was not Christ’s intent. No. When Jesus taught his disciples “occupy till I come,” He did not mean do nothing. Christ commanded His followers to carry on His work and labor.
Theme of 2 Thessalonians – Keep Watching and Working
Are we to watch? Yes, we are to watch. But while we watch, we must also work. The coming of Christ is not a cause for idleness. It should be a motive for service. While you are looking to the sky, keep on laboring. Keep on serving the Lord Jesus Christ. The great key verse that seems to open this truth to us in 2 Thessalonians is 2 Thessalonians 3:5, where the Bible says, “And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.”
This waiting is not impatience, nor is it idleness. This waiting is the patient waiting for Christ. Do everything that God has given you to do, as if it may be your last day on earth, or as if God may give me another day to serve Him. Either way, the choice is up to Him, and either way, it will be fine.
The Apostle Paul, I am thinking now of his words in another place, when he said, “To depart and to be with Christ; which is far better: nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you” (Philippians 1:23-24). There are some days we want to check out of here. I am afraid sometimes we are more interested in our disappearing than we are in His appearing. But we ought to be saying, Lord, whatever you choose for today, whether it is to be present or to be absent, I want to be found doing exactly what you have given me to do.
An Illustration on Watching and Working from Martin Luther
Martin Luther, the famous reformer, was once asked, “If you knew Jesus were coming tomorrow, what would you do today?” His answer seemed strange and almost seemed unspiritual. He said, “I would still plant my apple tree.” And they questioned him, pressing him, asking, “Why on earth would you plant an apple tree today if you knew Jesus were coming tomorrow?” And Martin Luther said, “Because as far as I know, I have done everything He has given me to do. And I believe He would d be most pleased if I went about my daily tasks just exactly as He has assigned them to me.”
I love that truth! And so I want to say to you today, live with the thought of the imminent return of Jesus Christ. But let that be a motive for service. Let that be the lens through which you view people and your tasks today, and do them with more heart and more earnestness, because you are doing it as unto the Lord, knowing any moment you may see Jesus Christ and give an account of your tasks to this day.
Overview of 2 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians 1 – Comfort
The second letter to the church at Thessalonica is a beautiful progression. In chapter one, His return brings comfort. He talks about the present rest that Christ is with us, and then a promised rest that soon we will be with Him. One great benefit of the message of Christ’s imminent return is that there is comfort in it.
This is a hateful world. This is a world of trouble and strife. But I am resting today. I am resting to know I am in God’s hand. And soon, I am going to be in His presence. There is great comfort in that truth. “Wherefore, comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:18)
2 Thessalonians 2 – Caution
In chapter two, His return also brings caution. Paul warns them not to be deceived. He talks about the day of Christ, the great falling away that will come, and the appearing of the Antichrist. And he says to them, do not be led astray. In this age, we need discernment. Friend, can you think of anything we need any more today in this era, in this generation, than we need God-given discernment?
Some people say, well, I wish I could have lived in a different generation. I believe we are living at the most exciting time in history. We are living on the edge of eternity. Some generation is going to be on the welcoming committee for the Son of God. This may be our generation, and if it is, then we ought to be very cautious to say we want to be true to God and to His message, and not be led away by a spirit of error anywhere.
I am not looking for the Antichrist. I am looking for Christ! But the spirit of Antichrist is already at work in this world, leading people into great falsehood and great error.
2 Thessalonians 3 – Commands
The return of Christ first brings comfort. Then it brings caution. However, His return also brings commands. The word command actually appears four different times in this brief, closing chapter to the church at Thessalonica.
In light of His coming, we should keep His commands. We should obey Him. In other words, the coming of Christ is not only something that makes us feel better. No, it should also be the great motivator that says, by the grace of God, today I want to do everything God has given me to do. I want to fulfill all the good pleasure of His will. Thy will be done. Friend, if I knew I was going to meet Jesus before midnight tonight, I would d want to know today that I had done the very thing God had given me to do.
John Wesley was once asked, “Mr. Wesley, if you knew that you were about to die, how would you order your day today and tomorrow?” John Wesley went right through his normal agenda. He talked about his travels and his speaking engagements, his meeting with his preachers, right on through all the things that he had planned. They replied, “You would not change anything.” Wesley said, “As far as I know, I am doing exactly what God has given me to do.” Oh, what a testimony, what confidence that is!
Live in Light of Eternity
May I ask you a personal question? Do you not believe Jesus is coming? We all say we believe He is coming, but how has it affected your life? Is there anything God has told you to do that you have not yet done? If so, then do that. If that is what matters most at the end, then that is what matters most today.
Live today in light of eternity. If you do that, you will rejoice to see the Lord Jesus Christ coming in the clouds. I think we are all going to say, oh, I wish I had done more for the Lord. The hymn writer said, “I wish I had given Him more.”
Determine, by the grace of God, to give your all to Jesus Christ today. Let us live today like Jesus is coming tonight, and tomorrow we shall be with Him in the eternal day. Let us keep watching, and let us keep working as we watch.
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