What is the Lord’s Plan for
Strengthening & Protecting You?
Intro:
1. ILL: Voice of the Martyrs testimonies.
2. Who knows. Maybe within your lifetime, you may be called upon to deny Lord Jesus or suffer for Him.
II Thessalonians 3:1-5
I. v1-3 - Having the Word Proclaimed
A. v1 - What is the “message” here?
1. Message (λόγος) = word, a spoken idea.
a. It referred to Lord Jesus being the message of God in person.
b. Jn 1:1,14 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
2. Word (ῥῆμα) = a word that is uttered or proclaimed.
a. Here it means the word which has been preached to you, the apostle’s teachings.
b. . I Pet 1:24-25 - “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.
3. v4 - It’s a command from God delivered by His servants.
a. ILL: It’s like the chain of command in the military.
b. God used His apostles as His instruments to deliver His message of salvation.
c. God is wanting to use you in the same way. Mk 16:15 - Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
B. v1 - What needs to happen to the message to make it effective?
1. It must be free to spread rapidly.
a. Spread rapidly (τρέχω) = to run fast without any obstacles in the way.
b. It has the idea of Heb 12:1 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of wit- nesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
2. It must be honored.
a. Honor (δοξάζω) = glorify.
b. The word used for the “Shekinah” in the Tabernacle & the Temple, the brilliance of God’s pres- ence.
c. Most notably seen in the pillar of fire & brilliant cloud in the wilderness journey (Ex 14:24).
d. This is what happened to Jesus at the Transfiguration (Matt 17:5).
e. Whenever people are won to the Lord through spreading this message, the word of God is glo- rified!
II. v4 - Having the Word Obeyed
A. “You are doing” - Your salvation is confirmed when you obey the gospel.
1. The gospel message is the story of our Lord’s life, death, burial & resurrection (I Cor 15:1-4).
2. Obeying the gospel is your response to it: your faith, repentance, the Good Confession & baptism.
3. Obedience to the gospel is essential. II Thess 1:8 - He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
B. “Continue to do” - Your salvation is guaranteed through your faithfulness to the gospel.
1. Faith - belief in the gospel message grows into trust in Jesus as a person.
2. Repentance - it’s the daily process of transforming the old life into a new one.
3. The Good Confession - it’s sharing your growing faith with anyone who will listen. (Matthew 16:16 & Romans 10:9-10)
III. v5 - Having the Word Appreciated
A. Direct your heart (κατευθύναι ὑμω̂ν τὰς καρδίας) = cause you to appreciate or understand.
B. What are you to appreciate?
1. God’s love.
a. He loved you enough to go to the cross for you (Jn 3:16).
b. He loved you even when you were His enemy (Rom 5:8).
c. How much love does it take to impress you?
2. Christ’s perseverance.
a. He suffered innocently because that was the only way to save you. Heb 9:22 - In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
b. He suffered innocently because He was the only one who could do it. Heb 4:15 - For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin.
3. Let your lives prove that you appreciate what Lord Jesus did for you!
Focus on the word of God - the gospel message of salvation.
Trusting it will bring you strength.
Obeying it will bring you eternal protection.
Appreciating it will bring you closer to God!
http://biblelifemessages.org/