2 Thessalonians 3
2 Thessalonians 3 (NIV)
Request for Prayer
3 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.4 We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
Warning Against Idleness
6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching[a] you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”
11 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. 13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.
14 Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.
Final Greetings
16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
17 I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
Footnotes:
- 2 Thessalonians 3:6 Or tradition
Observation Questions
Request for Prayer
How does Paul ask the believers to pray? (verse 1-2)
Who is faithful? (verse 3)
Who will strengthen and protect us from the evil one? (verse 3)
Who does Paul have confidence in that the believers are doing the things they command? (verse 4)
Who directs our hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance? (verse 5)
Warning Against Idleness
Who are we to keep away from? (verse 6)
Where those who preached and taught the Thessalonians idle when they were with them? (verse 7)
Did those who preached and taught the Thessalonians eat anyone's food without paying for it? (verse 8)
Why did those who preached and those who taught the Thessalonians labor and toil night and day? (verse 8-9)
What rule was given at Thessalonica? (verse 10)
What were some of the Thessalonians? (verse 11)
What are idle and disruptive people commanded and urged to do in the Lord Jesus Christ? (verse 11-12)
What are brothers and sisters in Christ never to tire of doing? (verse 13)
Who should be taken special note of? (verse 14)
Why are they not to be associated with? (verse 14)
Are the idle and disruptive believers to be regarded as the enemy? (verse 15)
Final Greetings
How does Paul conclude his letter? (verse 16)
How is this letter written? (verse 17)
Who's grace does Paul extend at the end of the letter? (verse 18)
Interpretation
What does verse 15 imply about those who are among the believers and are idle and disruptive? (verse 15)
What does an active, quiet, and peaceful life look like? (referring to 1 Timothy 2:2)
Application
pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored - verse 1
pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith - verse 2
May the Lord direct our hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance - verse 5
May the Lord of peace himself give us peace at all times and in every way.
The Lord be with us all
Thoughts
When you've asked for prayer,
how often have you said,
"pray for me that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored"?
When you've asked for prayer,
how often have you said,
"pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people"?
How often have you cried out to you Father saying, "Help! I'm among people
Having a form of godliness,
but denying the power thereof.
they which creep into houses,
and lead captive silly women laden with sins,
led away with divers lusts,
Ever learning,
and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:5-7)
Turn me away from such people!
But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. - verse 3
Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; - Deuteronomy 9:7
And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in my heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever. - 1 Samuel 2:35
Your mercy, O'Lord, is in the heavens; and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. - Psalm 36:5
Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despise, to him whom the nation abhor, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee. - Isaiah 49:7
...and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully... - From Jeremiah 23:28
Faithful is he that calls you, who also will do it. - 1 Thessalonians 5:24
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) - Hebrews 10:23
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9
Great is Thy Faithfulness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iZzsrwf_aE
Ecclesiastes 3 New International Version (NIV)
A Time for Everything
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.
Whatever is has already been,
and what will be has been before;
and God will call the past to account.[b]
and what will be has been before;
and God will call the past to account.[b]
And I saw something else under the sun:
In the place of judgment—wickedness was there,
in the place of justice—wickedness was there.
in the place of justice—wickedness was there.
I said to myself,
“God will bring into judgment
both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity,
a time to judge every deed.”
both the righteous and the wicked,
for there will be a time for every activity,
a time to judge every deed.”
I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath[c]; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”
So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work,because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?
Footnotes:
- Ecclesiastes 3:11 Or also placed ignorance in the human heart, so that
- Ecclesiastes 3:15 Or God calls back the past
- Ecclesiastes 3:19 Or spirit
“My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” - Jesus from John 5:17
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” - John 6:29
"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” - Acts 20:35
"For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” - 2 Thessalonians 3:10
Luke 11:2-4 (NIV)
He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Footnotes:
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” - Matthew 26:26
The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. - Luke 11:31
A wicked messenger falls into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health. - Proverbs 13:17
As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that send him: for he refreshes the soul of his masters. - Proverbs 25:13
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:18-20
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