• Daniel Baker
Posted in Bible, Discipleship, Sermons, Theology
This week we begin a short series out of 2 Thessalonians. Read the book if you can. It's only three chapters. For extra-credit look again at Acts 17:1-9 to recall what the church plant in Thessalonica looked like. Here are five things to know as we approach these sermons:
1. THE ORIGINAL CHURCH PLANT
In Acts 17 a group of apostles went to the city of Thessalonica to plant a church, estimated to be in 49 A.D. This was the team sent out by the Jerusalem church to deliver the letter written in Acts 15. Paul and Barnabas were originally together, but they conflicted over whether to bring John Mark on this journey (15:37-38). This "sharp disagreement" brought an end to the missionary pair and each went a different way with their own partners. Paul and Silas (Silvanus) left and would soon choose Timothy to join them (16:3). After their time in Philippi--complete with a brief time in jail and a brutal flogging--they came to Thessalonica. The evangelism there was much shorter than they wanted, only a few weeks, because hostile Jews in the area made their lives extremely difficult. Yet a church was born. The apostles quickly fled the city. Months later they would have an extended stay in Corinth, and that's the likely place where 1 and 2 Thessalonians are written (cf. Acts 18:11).
2. SOBERING PICTURES OF JUDGMENT
A second element comes out of the text of 2 Thessalonians, and that is its sobering picture of judgment. This week Mike Noel will preach from chapter one, and here we find a terrifying picture of what the end will look like for God's enemies. We read that at Jesus' return he will be "inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might" (1:7-9).
3.THE MAN OF LAWLESSNESS
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 has been called by some the hardest passage of the New Testament to understand. It is here that we are introduced to the "man of lawlessness," a mysterious figure connected to the end times and the return of Christ. The day of the Lord "will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction" (v. 3). We're glad Sam Hodges will explain everything to us on July 5th?!?
4. HE WHO DOES NOT WORK SHOULD NOT EAT
1 Thessalonians helped us think through laziness and diligence. 2 Thessalonians will revisit that idea in an even more potent manner. It is in 2 Thessalonians that we find one of the most concise theological statements about welfare in the New Testament: "If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat" (3:10). Jim Martin will preach on this passage in July.
5. RESOURCES AND THE PREACHING PLAN
Bible.org has a free introduction to 2 Thessalonians if you want more detail on it. These Bible.org introductions are generally excellent. John Calvin's commentary is also available online.
Lastly, here is the plan for the preaching:
Mike Noel 2 Thess. 1:1-12 June 28
Sam Hodges 2 Thess. 2:1-12 July 5
Daniel Baker 2 Thess. 2:13-17 July 12
Phil Sasser 2 Thess. 3:1-5 July 19
Jim Martin 2 Thess. 3:6-18 July 26
We hope this series is full of unexpected surprises for you and also proves to be a great means of grace for SGC.
Daniel
Previous Post