2Th 3:1-5; Becoming the Father’s Worker with Boundless Energy.
length: 77:33 - taught on Oct, 15 2023
Class Outline:
Sunday October 15, 2023
The advancing church faces pressure, problems, persecution, and tribulation from without and from within.
because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
The Thessalonians had been facing the persecution of unbelievers.
For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, 15 who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out.
The church faces problems of a different kind from believers who are undisciplined and out of order.
In the closing paragraph of 2Th, Paul is not referring to unbelievers, but to believers in the church who are living in a rebellious and undisciplined way.
Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; 9 not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example. 10 For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. 11 For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. 13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good.
14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. 15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!
We will see this week the response to the “disordered” by the church as prescribed here by Paul.
Brethren who are living “unruly” - ataktos = disorder, one who sets himself outside the necessary and given order .
As a military word it meant to act without discipline.
“unruly” - an irresponsible attitude towards the work God has given you.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
In the Bible it is only in 1TH 5:14 and 2Th 3 (noun twice; verb once).
The greatest problem in this respect, in American Christianity, is apathy.
The question for us is whether we should work hard even when it is not vital. If the church will survive with a limited amount of work, why should we put in more?
It is easy in America to make the church, its function within, its witness without, its building, its people, its children, etc., low on members’ priority list.
The question for us is, not how much is needed to survive, but what has the Father given us to do?
“My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.”
Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.”
“But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish — the very works that I do — testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.”
The Lord’s work had always come from the Father.
What works does the Father want you to do?
Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, 2 even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. 3 "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 "I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 "Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
The Lord is going to judge our works and recompense us accordingly (2CO 5:10).
We must seek to do the new nature, and the new nature is a worker with boundless energy from the Spirit of God.
Would God give us His works to do and then not supply the energy to do them?
whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.
1CO 9:24, 27
Run in such a way that you may win. … I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
Reading through this paragraph it seems that laziness is a big issue in the Thessalonian church. But we are probably being too narrow to think that in the two Thessalonian letters, disorder (ataktos) refers to laziness only. Looking at the words use outside of the Bible, in the context of work it is used to describe someone who has an irresponsible attitude towards the work.
“unruly” - an irresponsible attitude towards the work God has given you.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
And to look further into this paragraph, we find that they are doing something - being busybodies. Which word in Greek is literally “working around.” When we add to this Paul’s command to work in a quiet fashion, which is likely in reference to act of being a busybody.
Why is it important to work?
God works so that He can give.
the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; 11 just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, 12 so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; 9 not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example.
Hard work fulfilling all that the Father has willed for us, will enable you to give to others. This has many benefits to your own soul. I can think of several, but I will not mention them. You will find them yourself. The reason I do not mention them is because it is easy to focus on the benefits to self and then get lost in thinking about self - which makes you truly lost.
Your hard work in fulfilling the Father’s planned works for you will give you an abundant crop to share with others.
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