2 Thessalonians 3

3:1-18 III. .

A. REQUEST. 3:1-2 B. . 3:3-5 C. . 3:6 D. REVIEW. 3:7-10 E. . 3:11-15 F. REMARKS. 3:16-18 1. The Confidence of the apostle. 3:1-5 2. The Commands of the apostle. 3:6-15

1. Walk. 3:1-7
2. Work. 3:8-18

In this chapter Paul Commands and Convicts about Idleness. Paul deals with the Disobedient believers Practical work and Rebukes their Laziness

2 Thessalonians 3:1-2

A. Request. 3:1-2

Pray for the Message, Delivery of the Word. v.1 Pray for the Messengers, Deliverance from the Wicked.v.2

V.1 c) Course of the Word - Door Opened

I. If the Word and message is to have free course into the heart of the city and of the people, there needs to be prayer. The Word is the power of God and our prayers is the funnel and the wire that directs it to the needed hearts.

II. Paul experienced answered prayer through the Thessalonians, there the word sounded forth, it had a free course and were magnified. 1.Thess.1:8; 2.Tim.2:9 III. Paul asked several churches to pray for him. Rom.15:30-33; Eph.6:18-20; Col.4:2-4 V.2 d) Clearance from the Wicked - Deliver us from the Oppressors

I. Now Paul asks for a free course for the Messengers of the Message, Many would like to Mess up the Message.

II. Generally Paul wanted prayer for protection wherever he went, specific he may have meant the unbelieving Jews in Corinth, where he probably was staying during the writing of this epistle. Acts 18:5-6, 12-13

2 Thessalonians 3:3-5

B. Reassurance. 3:3-5 V.3 e) Comfortable Words -

Based on God’ s faithfulness Paul now comforts these new believers:

I. Stability - God will Ground you in the Good One. Col.2:6-7 II. Security - God will Guard you from the evil one. Matt.17:15; Col.1:13; 2.Cor.1:10 III. Not all have faith v.2 but God is faithful v.3, look not to man’ s faith but to God’ s faithfulness. Rom.3:3 IV. “ You do” refer to the present and “ will do” to the future.

V.4 f) Confidence in their Will -

Based on their confidence in the Lord - For He is faithful.

I. Concerning the Thessalonians, God had begun a good work in them but He would also complete it. Phil.1:6 II. Commands to the Thessalonians, is referring to all the exhortations in this letter.

V.5 g) Charity be your Way -

I. Paul’ s 3rd prayer in this epistle.

II. It is a prayer based upon the Lord’ s direction. Any servant under a lord receives directions. - A lord gives orders.

III. Directed into God’ s love, it is a prayer to experience God’ s love, how God’ s children needs to be occupied in living under and in this great love. God’ s being consist of 2 sides: Love and holiness. 1.John 4:8; Isaiah 6:1-3 A. From His holiness these attributes are manifested.

1. Righteousness.

2. Judgement.

3. Purity.

4. Discipline.

B. From His love these attributes are manifested.

1. Mercy.

2. Grace.

3. Goodness.

4. Patience.

IV. Lastly Paul prays for them to stay in God’ s love, not with their own patience, but with that patience provided for them by God’ s love through Christ.

V. Direct (Gr.kateuthuno) means to straighten fully. Paul requests for removal of any hindrance within their hearts that causes them to refrain from entering into experiencing God’ s love.

VI. Paul is about to rebuke the idle Thessalonians in the following verses, but first reminds them to be under the love of God. All discipline should be done in the purpose of restoring the sinner.

2 Thessalonians 3:6-10

The Problem is Specific. v.6, 11 The Pattern was Shown. v.7-9 The Principle is Simple. v.10 The Practice of the Sinner. v.12 The Patience in Sharing. v.13 The Purpose of the Separation. v.14 The Penalty not to be Severe. v.15 C. Reprimand. 3:6 V.6 h) Commandment to Withdraw -

I. Withdrawal from brothers that Walks Wrongly by not Working.

II. The disorderly walk is elaborated in v.7-15

III. The curse God put upon man has not yet been released from man. Gen.3:17-19 The curse Jesus took upon Himself on the cross was the curse of the Law not the curse given in the garden of Eden. Gal.3:10-13

D. Review. 3:7-10 V.7 i) Capable Witnesses -

Paul didn’ t exhort something he didn’ t live, he was an example to follow, a pattern to form oneself after.

V.8 j) Cared for ourselves and Worked-

I. Paul and Silas paid for their own bread.

II. Worked day and night. They worked as evangelists in the city, as pastors and teachers in the church, yet they worked in a secular job during the day and night. Eph.4:28 III. They could have burdened the Thessalonians, by strongly exhorting them to support them because of the full time ministry they were doing, but they didn’ t

V.9 k) Challenged to Consider their Walk -

Paul as an apostolic minister could have used his authority to make certain demands, instead of being an example of Lordship he chose to be an example of Lifestyle. 1.Peter 5:2-3; 1.Cor.4:15-17; 11:1 V.10 l) Commandments regarding not Working -

I. Paul taught them by Exhortation and by Example to work for their own food

II. By sowing Laziness believers will reap an empty stomach. By sowing Labour believers will reap a full stomach. Gal.6:7; Prov.19:15; 24:30-34 III. Some believers in the church were lazy, some wanted to be full time workers in the church and didn’ t work, and some waited for the near return of the Lord and didn’ t work. No matter what are the reasons, Christians has the command by the Lord to work, until God provides them with the financial release to be without work as a minister of God. Christians should not be burdens to the Church nor to his fellow Christian.

IV. The idle had perhaps wrongly understood that the Lord would come soon instead of that He could come soon, therefore they perhaps didn’ t work.

V. It’ s not referring to the sick, weak, handicapped or the old, but the lazy believers that are capable workers.

2 Thessalonians 3:11-15

E. Reprimand. 3:11-15

V.11 m) Concerned about their Walk and Work -

I. Walking the Wrong Way by not Working. 1.Tim.5:8 II. Believers without work have the tendency to become gossipers and to involve themselves in matters not of their concern. Prov.18:9; 1.Thess.4:11; 1.Peter 4:15 III. If believers Neglect their own business, they can begin to Narrow in on others business.

V.12 n) Commanded to quietly Work - Paul Exhorts the idle to:

I. Work right - In quietness. (Less noise and more work)

II. Eat right - Own bread. (No Begging but Backing their own Bread)

V.13 o) Cautious in growing Weary - I. If we Wait for the Saviour, Work in the Secular and do Well to the Saints, then by remembering “ what we sow we will also reap” we will not grow Weary but become more Watchful in Watering our seeds. Gal.6:9-10 II. As they rejected the idle bread, they should not forget doing good to the poor, weak and old. V.14 p) Conduct toward the rejecters of these Words -

I. Identification of the unrepentant - They rebel against these words

II. Inspection of the unrepentant - Note him. III. Isolation from the unrepentant - Do not keep company with him.

Reasons to not keep company with the idle believer:

A. He will loan and not pay back.

B. He will beg of his own company.

IV. Internal emotion of the unrepentant after church discipline - Shame. Shame is the voice of conscience and when influenced by the Holy Spirit it leads to repentance.

V.15 q) Count him not as Wicked -

I. Esteem him not as an enemy.

II. Exhort him as a brother.

III. The purpose of all disciplinary acts of the church should be Repentance that leads to Restoration, it should never be to Reject.

2 Thessalonians 3:16-18

F. Remarks. 3:16-18

The apostle’ s Heart. v.16 The apostle’ s Hand. v.17

V.16 a) Rest through Himself -

I. The Source - The Lord gives what He is - Peace

II. The Scope - The Lord’ s peace is for all believers and for all situations.

III. The way to experience this peace in all situations, is to always ask the Lord who is peace to be with us.

IV. His request is for God’ s Peace and Presence to be with them. V.17 b) Recognition by his Hand -

I. Because of a possible fake epistle as though written from Paul, he now shows them the signature of his hand. Paul always signed his epistles.

II. God also signs His Scriptures with a Divine signature to authenticate the Bible to man.

A. Prophecy - The Bible foretells the future which proves a super intelligent person that exists outside of time.

B. Science - The Bible explains things about the universe, stars, earth, weather pattern, etc. that is thousands of years before man’ s scientific knowledge.

1. Cosmology: The stars cannot be numbered. Jer.33:22 1a. Science for 2600 years ago when Jeremiah were written believed that there where about 3000 stars, all of them could be seen with a trained eye.

1b. We know today that the stars cannot be numbered for there are possible more than 10 billion trillions stars (10.0000000000000000000000)

1c The scientist estimate that there are 100 billion stars in a galaxy and it is estimated that there are more than 100 billion galaxies.

1d. The Bible says that the stars cannot be numbered thousands of years before the invention of the telescope and the time man discovered that the stars could not be numbered.

1e. The person who spoke to Jeremiah knew about the galaxies and innumerable stars long before man discovered it.

2. The earth is round. Isaiah 40:22 1a. We know today that the earth is round, the scientist for about 2700 years ago when Isaiah were written didn’ t know that it where round but thought it were all kinds of shapes. 1b. About 500 years after Isaiah wrote these words man discovered by the Greek mathematician Eratosthenes (3rd cent B.C.) that the earth was round.

1c. The person who spoke to Isaiah had seen the earth from outside the earth and knew it was round long before man discovered it.

3. The earth hangs on nothing. Job 26:7 1a. We know today that the earth is not supported by anything but hangs on nothing, the scientist for about 3800 years ago when the book of Job were written didn’ t know that the earth didn’ t hang upon anything.

1b. The person who spoke to Job had seen the earth from outside the earth and knew that it had no support long before man discovered it.

4. Oceanography: The ocean currents (paths). Psalms 8:8 1a We know today that there are ocean currents and one of the them is called the Gulf stream, in 1840s Matthew Fontaine Maury discovered ocean current, the scientist for about 3000 years ago when Psalm were written didn’ t know about ocean current.

1b. The person who spoke to the psalmist knew about ocean current long before man discovered it.

5. The mountains in seas bottom. Jonah 2:6 1a. We know today that there are mountains in the bottom of the sea, in 20th century man discovered these mountains, the scientist for about 2700 years ago when Jonah were written didn’ t know about these mountains.

1b. God preserved Jonah supernaturally into those depths of the sea, which no man can enter except by electronic advantage.

6. The hydrologic cycle. Amos 9:6 Eccl. 1:7 1a. We know today that the hydrologic cycle exists, in 1674 Pierre Perrault and Edme Marriotte discovered this cycle, the scientist for about 2700-3000 years ago when Amos and Solomon were written didn’ t know about the hydrologic cycle. 1b. We know today about the hydrologic cycle, we have the huge reservoir of water in the oceans etc. Heat causes some of this water to evaporate, clouds drop their moisture, 12 % of the moisture joins rivers and streams, 88% soaks into the earth as groundwater.

1c. The person who spoke to Amos and Solomon knew about the hydrologic cycle long before man discovered it.

7. The weight of the wind. Job 28:25 1a. We know today that the wind has a weight for it need force to blow and move, the scientist for about 3800 years ago when Job were written didn’ t know about the weight of the wind.

1b. The person who spoke to Job knew about the weight of the wind long before man discovered it.

8. The core of the earth. Jer. 31:37 1a. We know today that the interior foundations: The crust, mantle and the core cannot be studied because of severe internal pressure and its temperature begins from 1500 to 50000C. The deepest we can go is about 8 miles, the scientist for about 2600 years ago when Jeremiah were written, didn’ t know about the limits of our research of the centre of the earth, due to its pressure and temperature.

1b. The person who spoke to Jeremiah knew about the internal condition of the earth long before man discovered about it.

C. Hygienic - The Bible explains sanitary rules that are thousands of years before man’ s discovery of it.

1. We know today that infection and sickness are caused by bacteria and virus but the scientist for about 3400 years ago when Leviticus were written didn’ t know about bacteria and virus, but cleansed the wounds with dirt, but we know today that it has to be cleansed under running water just as God instructed Moses. Leviticus 15:13 2. For about a hundred years ago doctors washed their hands under still water and hundreds lost their lives, but God instructed Moses to cleanse under running water.

2. The person instructing Moses knew about bacteria and virus long before the microscope was invented.

III. All other religious books have no Divine signature in it, which proves they were written and inspired by man, but the Bible has clearly and provably inspiration from a Super-Intelligent Being who is beyond man’ s knowledge and power. This Super-Intelligent Being calls Himself God in the Bible, this God exists beyond and outside of the known time and space.

V.18 c) Resource is through His Help -

I. The greeting is almost the same as 1.Thess.5:28 except the word “ all” is not there, Paul may have included “ all” in 2.Thess.3:18 because he wanted even grace upon the idle.

II. Paul began with grace 1:2 and ends with grace, all things that comes from God is by grace, no believer deserves anything from God and God owes no believer anything yet He gives him everything. 1.Cor.3:21-23

“ When He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints ” 2.Thess.1:10 “ I rise before the dawning of the morning, And cry for help; I hope in Your word” Psalms 119:147

Reference material used in making the Bibleschool manual:

Bible Commentaries: Thomas L. Constable’ s - Notes on 2.Thessalonians. Chuck Missler’ s - Written and audio commentary on the epistle of 2.Thessalonians. Jon Courson’ s - Thru-the-Bible audio commentary on the epistle of 2.Thessalonians. Chuck Smith’ s - Audio commentary on the epistle of 2.Thessalonians. Edward Hindson/Michael Woodrow’ s - King Jame’s Bible Commentary on the epistle of 2.Thessalonians. Zondervan’ s Niv’ s - Expositor’s Bible Commentary of the epistle of 2.Thessalonians. J. Vernon McGee’ s - Commentary on the epistle of 2.Thessalonians. David Hocking’ s - Commentary on the epistle of 2.Thessalonians. H. L. Willmington’ s - Guide to the Bible. Old commentaries were used as well with minor help.

Bible Surveys and outlines: Valleys Bible Church’ s - Bible survey on the epistle of 2.Thessalonians. J. Hampton Keathley’ s - Survey on the epistle of 2.Thessalonians. Nelson’ s - Complete book of Bible maps and charts. H. L. Willmington’ s - The Outline Bible. Harvestime International Institute’ s - Basic Bible survey. Bob Bolender’ s - Survey on the epistle of 2.Thessalonians. Gerald Duckett - Bible’ s survey on the epistle of 2.Thessalonians. Mark A. Copeland’ s - Executable Outlines. Ray C Stedman’ s - Panorama of the Scriptures.

Old Testament types and figures: Kevin T. Connor’ s - The feasts of Israel. Kevin T. Connor’ s - The tabernacle of Moses. Kevin T. Connor’ s - The temple of Solomon.

Encyclopaedia/ Dictionaries: International standard Bible Encyclopaedia. Nelson’ s - Illustrated Bible dictionary. Dictionary of Biblical imagery.

Greek reference material: Strong’ s - Exhaustive concordance. Thayer’ s - The new Thayer’ s Greek-English lexicon. Englishman’ s - The Englishman’ s Greek concordance and lexicon. Vine’ s - Complete expository dictionary.

Bible versions: King James Version 1984 - Is the Bible translation used in this manual. Hendrickson’ s - The interlinear Bible.