2 Thessalonians 3

Turn now in our Bibles to 2 Thessalonians, chapter 3.

Paul is concluding the letter: “Finally, brethren, pray for us.” It’s interesting how Paul was always soliciting the prayers of the various churches. Not only did Paul make mention of the fact that he was praying for them—remembering them in prayer day and night without ceasing, “God is my witness,” he said, how he longed for them and prayed for them—but he also solicits their prayers for him. The Bible says, “Bear one another’s burdens…pray one for another,” and so it is important that we pray, especially for those who are in leadership.

We thank God for all the prayers for us. We receive letters from all over the world—people who have been brought into contact with the ministry—and they share how they are praying for us. Surely the success that we see here in the ministry is the direct result of the prayers of God’s people all over. What a comfort, what a strength it is to know that people are praying for you.

To the Romans Paul wrote, “Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake and for the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me.”
To the Corinthians he wrote, “You also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.”
To the Ephesians he wrote, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints—and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.”
To the Colossians Paul wrote, “Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds.”
And in one of those short exhortations at the end of 1 Thessalonians Paul simply said, “Brethren, pray for us.”

We thank God for the many different prayer groups that we have here at Calvary Chapel—the ladies’ intercessory prayer group on Monday morning, and the prayer that goes up continually. One sad thing is that because God has blessed Calvary Chapel so extensively, people come to analyze and study what goes on here. They listen to the music; they listen to the messages; they sit and observe. (If you’re here tonight studying—well, we don’t have the Peruvians here every Sunday night!) They might come to some special service and think, “That’s the key.” No—the key is prayer and the Word of God. That combination is unbeatable. And so Paul encouraged them: pray for us.

What does he ask them to pray? “That the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified, even as it is with you.” Pray that we will be able to freely give forth the Word of God—an open field to run in, nothing hindering; the track is open. “And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men, for all have not the faith.”

I don’t want you to think that I am complaining, because I’m not. I understand that when God has done so much through the ministry here, you’re bound to have detractors. People will even establish websites to detract from what God is doing. It’s sad, but as Paul said, “Not all men have faith.” There are those who spend their lives seeking to tear down the faith. When they see God moving in a special way, they try to center their attacks against it.

Paul had those who opposed him and his teaching. They declared that Paul taught false doctrine, that he didn’t have a correct view on particular issues—always looking for something to criticize, thinking that if they can criticize Paul, it raises their level: “It makes me the authority greater than Paul, because I can see the flaws in his teaching.” There are always those who are looking for some little thing. They listen to the tapes over and over, looking for something to jump on. So Paul says, “Pray for me, that God will deliver me from these unreasonable men—those who are seeking to hinder the work that God is doing—that the gospel might have free course, going out freely, unhindered.”

I find many who constantly try to draw me into particular arguments. I’ll get letters or faxes, and they try to get me involved in theological debates. I will usually respond once—solidifying my position and the scriptural basis for it. Then they’ll come back with a long letter challenging all I’ve stated. That’s it. I’ve stated my position; I won’t get into an argument over it. Yet there are always those unreasonable people who have taken an unreasonable position and want to argue. Paul said, “Pray for me, that God will deliver me from unreasonable men.” You might pray that for me—there are unreasonable men.

“But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and keep you from evil” (v. 3). Oh, the faithfulness of God in establishing us, strengthening us, and keeping us from evil. “And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you both do and will do the things which we command you” (v. 4). At the end of the first letter Paul gave some 22 commands. He says, “I have confidence in the Lord that you’re going to do these things.” These are important: “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophecies. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil,” and so on. “I have confidence in the Lord concerning you that you will do these things I have commanded.”

“And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ” (v. 5). Oh, I love that. May the Lord direct your heart into the love of God.

It’s interesting how Satan often comes with doubts and questions concerning God’s love—especially when things go wrong, when tragedy comes. Satan whispers, “If God really loved you, why would He allow this to happen?” He seeks to cause you to question God’s love. Sometimes he even uses saints—“saints” which ain’t—who say, “Brother, if you only had enough faith,” or, “There must be something wrong in your relationship with God,” laying heavy burdens on people. But Paul prayed, “May God direct your hearts into the love of God.” God does love us, and God is working in the circumstances of our lives for a good purpose. That I know.

“And into the patient waiting for Christ.” This is something I’ve discovered: if you wait long enough, God will work it out. It’s amazing what God will work out if you just wait. Our impatience often gets in the way of the work of God. We get involved, determined to correct a thing, and in getting involved we hinder the work God is doing or wanting to do.

So Paul is praying that the Lord will direct their hearts not only into His love but into patient waiting. “Wait on the Lord.” How many times does God tell us that? Yet how often we find it difficult to wait and we start doing things ourselves.

Throughout the Bible we have illustrations of people who sought to “help God out” and the trouble that came. We know generally what God’s purpose and will is, and somehow we have the foolish notion that God can’t do it without our help.

Abraham knew God wanted to give him a son. After waiting a while and no son forthcoming, Sarah said, “Abraham, take my handmaid Hagar and impregnate her. Let her become a surrogate mother. When the child is born, I will receive him on my lap—I will nurse him and be as a mother to him. Let’s help God out.” They’re still, to the present day, having difficulties because Abraham and Sarah tried to help God out. The Arab nations are descendants of Ishmael, the child born from Hagar the Egyptian. You can load yourself a peck of trouble when you try to help God.

Jacob is another example. Surely it was God’s desire that Jacob receive the birthright and blessing. Before they were born, God—according to His foreknowledge—chose Jacob over Esau. When the time came for the blessing, Rachel said, “Son, go in. Your father is blind. Pretend you’re Esau.” Rather than patiently waiting for God to do it, Jacob’s deception cost him 17 years in a foreign land and the sorrow of never seeing his mother alive again. Sad things happen when we try to help God.

“So may God direct your hearts into His love and into the patient waiting for Christ.”

“Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 6). This puts some teeth to it. “That you withdraw yourselves from every brother that walks disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.”

Because Paul mentions “traditions” here (and in 2:15: “hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle”), apologists within the Catholic Church use this as an argument for accepting church traditions as valid dogma. If anything is practiced long enough to become a tradition, they accept it as biblical proof—though it isn’t biblical, it’s tradition woven into worship or belief systems. The latest tradition being pressed is the co-redemptive work of Mary—that she is co-redemptrix with Jesus Christ, and that you can only be saved by coming through Mary to Jesus. It has been requested that the pope make it a church dogma. They appeal to Paul’s use of “traditions.”

But notice: Paul is speaking of the traditions or teachings that I have given to you, which were taught by word or by the letters I have written—not extra-biblical traditions.

In this commandment he is telling them to withdraw from brothers who walk disorderly—not according to the traditions they received from Paul. In context, he’s talking about certain people in Thessalonica who picked up the doctrine of the rapture and the coming again of Jesus Christ and began to say, “Well, the Lord is coming so soon—let’s quit our jobs. Let’s sell everything and just wait for the Lord to come. We don’t need to work. Let’s kick back.” If the Lord’s coming soon, why worry about the future?

Unfortunately, this seems to be cyclical. You remember a fellow by the name of Whisenant who wrote a book back in 1988, 88 Reasons Why Jesus Christ Is Coming in 1988. He had a lot of people excited, thinking the Lord would come during the Feast of Tabernacles in 1988. Then a young Korean evangelist set another date and had everybody sell their properties and give him the money. (I think he’s in jail now.) Someone told me this morning, “They’re saying Jesus is coming in 1998, in September.” I said what I say about all the other predictions: rot. No man knows the day or the hour.

This has been going on a long time. Back in the 1840s the Millerites sold their farms, put on white sheets, and sat on rooftops because they had figured out the day Jesus would come. (Why the roof? Maybe to be a little closer to heaven!) When you look at these things, there are irrational parts to them. People get caught up in a fervor. Paul warns: don’t get caught up with this. “Withdraw yourselves from every brother that walks disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.”

“For yourselves know how you ought to follow us” (v. 7). Paul said, “Be followers of me, even as I also am of Jesus Christ.” He means: follow the example I set when I was with you. I earned my own way. I didn’t mooch off any of you. I labored and made my own way among you. That’s what he means by “follow us”—not to be disorderly, not to stand on the corner with a sign “Will work for money,” but work. Get a job. Support yourself.

“Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nothing; but wrought with labor and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you” (v. 8). Follow us—the example we set. We worked to provide for our needs; so should everyone who is able.

If you’re not able—that’s another story. There should be from the church a willingness to help those who are unable to provide for themselves. But if a person is able, then he should be providing for himself and not trying to live off others.

Paul travailed night and day to avoid being chargeable to any of them. This was Paul’s pattern when first taking the gospel: he would not receive support from the people he was sharing the gospel with. (This is what I love about the Good Friday outreach and the sunrise service—we bring the gospel freely, taking no offerings. Some TV evangelists think we’re crazy: “With a crowd that big you could really work them for a huge offering!” I love offering the gospel freely.)

Once the churches were established, Paul did accept support from them. But never, in going into a community to establish a work, would he take money from them. In Corinth he made tents so as not to be chargeable to any of them. Later he wrote to the Corinthians about collecting money for the poor saints in Jerusalem: “On the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store… I want you to do it in advance, because I don’t want any collections taken while I am there. Every man should give, not out of constraint or pressure, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

People often ask about New Testament giving, tithing, and so forth. The rule is: “Let every man as he has purposed in his heart, so let him give.” I can tell you, you can’t outgive God. I think a tithe is a good starting point—but that’s just me. It’s not the end.

“Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an example unto you to follow us” (v. 9). As an apostle it was proper that he be supported (he wrote, “You shall not muzzle the ox that treads out the corn”). But Paul never wanted people to think he was in it for the money. He took pains to make sure he wasn’t a burden to anybody.

“For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat” (v. 10). Notice: would not, not could not. If you are able and you won’t work, neither should you eat. If he comes over at dinnertime, say, “Sit here in the living room while the family eats; I’ll talk to you later.” It really isn’t up to the church to support those who will not work.

“For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies” (v. 11). They go around meddling in others’ affairs. “Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread” (v. 12). Let them hush up, get a job, and provide for their needs.

“But you, brethren, be not weary in well doing” (v. 13). He told the Galatians the same, adding: “For in due season you shall reap, if you faint not.” Sometimes people grow weary in well-doing because they don’t see immediate fruit. They become weary doing the right thing. Paul says: don’t be weary in well-doing. In due season you will reap—if you don’t faint.

“And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed” (v. 14). Paul was serious: a person should work and provide for his needs, not live off others. “Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother” (v. 15). Go to him and say, “Man, you need to get a job. You’re sponging off other people. There are jobs out there. You may not immediately get the job you want—you want to be president of the company—but you’ve got to start somewhere. Get a job as a janitor; work your way up.” Admonish him.

Now Paul’s closing benediction: “Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all” (v. 16). To the Corinthians he said, “The God of all comfort comfort you.” Here: “The Lord of peace give you peace always.”

“The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write” (v. 17). There were letters that came to Thessalonica purporting to be from Paul. Some false teachers wrote letters in his name. Paul says, “This is my trademark: I sign all my letters with my own hand.” If a letter comes and it claims to be from Paul, but it doesn’t have Paul’s signature, it isn’t from Paul. False teachers are often devious.

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” (v. 18). He starts his epistles wishing grace and peace; he ends with the same wish: the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Next week we start 1 Timothy—an exciting letter of Paul to his young son in the faith, filled with instruction—especially for anyone interested in serving the Lord. Paul gives Timothy a lot of practical instruction. Read the first chapter and be prepared to continue with us as we journey through the Bible.

“I will serve You because I love You. You have given life to me. I was nothing until You found me. You have given life to me. Heartache, broken people, ruined lives are why You died on Calvary. Your touch is all I long for. You have given life to me.”

God bless you.