November 6, 2016
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2 Thessalonians 3:1-18
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exposition, work
Work. Many of us consider work something we have to do in order to pay for the things we really want to have and to buy the time to do the things we really want to do. Americans have made play a higher goal than work. But that’s a low view of work. It diminishes it to an activity that we have to put up with, rather than a fulfilling and meaningful purpose for living. We place such a high value on entertainment and recreation that it has become a kind of idolatry. We celebrate idleness over work. We have made an idol of idleness!
God has a much higher view of work. As Jesus said, “My Father is always working, and so am I” (John 5:17). As soon as God made man, He gave him a job to do. And He has a job, a purpose for your life too! In the apostle Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians, he told them to stand firm in doing the work to which God had called them. We can stand firm in the work that God has given us to do.
October 30, 2016
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2 Thessalonians 2:13 - 3:5
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bible, exposition
We can be confident and not easily deceived or shaken if we are rooted in the Word of God. We can be confident in our salvation, and then get a firm grip on sound biblical teaching in order to pass the baton of the Gospel on.
October 23, 2016
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2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
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bible, exposition
Perhaps you’ve been alarmed and shaken by today’s headlines. Terrorist attacks, non stop news about the upcoming election, hurricanes and flooding. And that’s just last week! How are we supposed to face these things? And what do we do about all the fear-mongering that we hear people offering? The apostle Paul told the believers in Thessalonica not to be shaken by the false teaching that they were hearing concerning Christ’s return, but instead to continue to stand firm.
October 16, 2016
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2 Thessalonians 1:1-12
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exposition, suffering
Suffering often causes a theological problem for us. We put our trust in God, yet bad stuff still happens. We pray for healing, yet a loved one dies. We pray for reconciliation in marriage, but it ends in divorce. We share our faith with a neighbor, and they reject both our message and our friendship. Suffering tests our faith! Are you going through a time of suffering today? The apostle Paul told the believers in Thessalonica that they could stand firm in their faith in Christ Jesus during times of suffering.
June 21, 2015
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2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
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character, discipleship, fruit of the spirit
Pastor Jonathan Minter continued our series on the Nine Marks of True Christian Christian Character by helping us see how the fruit of goodness can grow in our lives. In 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, Paul prays for his Christian brothers and sisters, that God would make them worthy of His calling, that God would fulfill every resolve for good and work of faith with power, and that God would glorify the name of Christ through them. The fruit of goodness helps challenge us to make sure God’s goodness gets brought to every area of our lives.