June 13, 2014
WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH
2 Thessalonians 1
Erin Donner
Central Truth
We will have trouble in this life. But we have eternal unfailing hope when we trust in God. Change and trial are inevitable. How we respond to these reveals the source of our trust.
Key Verse | 2 Thessalonians 1:4
Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. (2 Thessalonians 1:4)
2 Thessalonians 1
Greeting
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving
3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, 1 1:3 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated brothers) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.
The Judgment at Christ's Coming
5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from 2 1:9 Or destruction that comes from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Dive Deeper | 2 Thessalonians 1
Last summer, I saw a bald-headed cardinal. It looked like a miniature vulture. I thought to myself, "There is something wrong with that bird!" I researched the molting process and learned that birds lose their old feathers and grow new ones to protect them from weather and ensure they can fly. People rarely see the molting process because it requires much of their energy and makes them less active.
Like the cardinal, we go through changes in our lives that we cannot control. When we are threatened, one theory says we can stay and fight the threat, or we can flee. In trials, both of these responses have failed me. But what if there was a third way to respond? What if I fully trusted my Creator when trials come? He may lead me to fight or flee, but then I am not leaning on my understanding but on Him. Or He may lead me to another response I had not considered.
In his longest recorded sermon, Christ reminded His disciples that birds do not sow, reap, or stow away in barns, and yet our heavenly Father feeds them (Matthew 6:26). This cardinal was extra vulnerable, yet God met his needs and took care of him. Since we matter so much more to God than the birds, how much more reason do we have to trust that God will meet our needs as well?
Second Thessalonians opens with Paul's thankfulness for the people's steadfast faith in the face of persecution and trials. Paul acknowledges their growth in love and faith during these trials. He reminds them that, if they persevere, they will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God when Christ returns in all His glory.
Without Christ, my responses to trials are limited to fight or flight. With Christ, I have the choice of a third response -- trusting the Lord and being faithful right where He has me. I thought there was something wrong with that bald-headed cardinal, but now I know that God was meeting his needs, just He will do for us if we will trust Him!
Discussion Questions
1. Like birds that lose their feathers and grow new ones, how have trials transformed you?
2. What does God's Word say about facing your fears and trusting the Lord?
3. What is one thing you could do to reduce your anxiety and increase your trust in the Lord?