I’m preaching this coming Sunday in Filer, Idaho. I’m debating texts to preach on, though I think I’m going to use this one. I would covet your comments on this passage. Questions you have about it. Thoughts that it inspires. Anything along these lines. This is something I’ve wanted to try before but haven’t, as a way to do sermon preparation. To enlist feedback from people before it is preached.
Thanks in advance.
2 Thessalonians
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other,
4so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure,
5which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer;
6since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you,
7and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,
8in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
10when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe,[1] because our testimony among you was believed.
11Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power,
12that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Daren // Oct 25, 2004 at 5:30 pm
Jeff,
Just looking at the passage, I would probably investigate the theme of encouragement and perserverance of the Saints. It seems to be a major theme. Paul really boosts them up at the beginning, then encourages them to “press on” toward the end. I don’t know your audience in Filer, so I don’t know exactly how this theme would fit there. For a guy just coming in with no real history with the congregation there, it may be difficult to do what Paul did, but in general, they can be praised and encouraged for something, I’m sure!
Anyway, for what it’s worth, eh….
Daren
2 JaKe // Oct 26, 2004 at 1:24 am
Jeff,
I’m in agreement with Daren on this one. He said it better than I could. This text always makes me think of Revelation, it reminds me of why you have to perservere. That whole: bad stuff has hit you, BUT it aint really all that bad in the big scheme of things. It would be worse in the end to just give up now. One of those you can decide to let your room get messy so you dont have to clean it now, but after awhile you cant find your bed… OK now I’m just rambling. In any case there you go, my midnight thoughts on the subject.
JaKe
3 Colleen // Oct 27, 2004 at 9:31 pm
How often do we hear boasting for a growing faith, love shown to others and patience through trials. There isn’t much prestige given for those things nor anything gained monetarily, but “Oh the rewards!” I would be curious to know all the situations, in detail, that , when observed, caused this great amount of thankfulness to God. I’d like to watch for such situations today and give praise to others and thanks to God for supplying the grace and mercy for it all to happen.
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