A Letter Of Encouragement- Don't Believe Everything You Hear Series

Series: Action [#60]

A LETTER OF ENCOURAGEMENT- DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3

Introduction:

Several years ago, a Preacher friend of mine told me about a new Church growth method that he had experienced. He pastored a Church in town that was struggling with low attendance and low participation. When I saw him on Monday, he said that his Church had record attendance. When I asked why he said, “There was a man with the same name as mine in the News Paper for beating his wife; and people wanted to see what kind of Pastor would be beating his wife”. My friend said that he spent a lot of his sermon preaching about being careful in what you believe.

This Church was being persecuted on a regular basis, yet they continued faithfully. They allowed God to lead no matter what the circumstances. Paul was praying for them often. It is important that we intercede for one another. What was the focus of their prayer? The focus was that this Church would glorify God in all that they did. Paul began Chapter 2 by warning them to be careful in what they believed. This message applies to each of us.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-2

When you hear something, do not be…

1. Alarmed by rumors.

These Christians were being lied to about the coming of Jesus. They had been told that Jesus had already come back to this Earth and they were living during the Tribulation. While we will be studying this over the next couple of weeks, I want us to look at this in a general way. We are lied to all the time; and we need to learn how to react in a proper way.

Paul lists several ways that we can be lied to.

You can be lied to by…

* Believing everything others say.

There were some in Thessalonica who were saying that Paul and other Ministers were saying that Jesus had already returned. Paul told them to not be alarmed by these rumors. If you want to know what I said, just ask me. I hate when others succeed at speaking for me.

You can be lied to by…

* Believing what “important people” are saying.

It always surprises me when people believe something because a famous movie star says it; or because a popular person says it; or a popular religious speaker says it. You need to test what people say with Scripture.

You can be lied to by…

* Believing what is in print.

Paul was speaking of letters that were accredited to him that he did not write. We live in a time that it’s hard to know what to believe in the News Paper, magazines, Social Media, and on the internet. It goes back to that idea of, “If it is on the internet it must be true”; which we all know is not true.

2 Thessalonians 2:3

When you hear something, do not be…

2. Deceived in any way.

When Paul says, “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way”, he meant that. How do you avoid being deceived? The Bible tells us to put these things to the test. Scripture gives us the answers.

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

Test…

* All prophecies.

Hold on to the good and reject every kind of evil. If preaching or teaching contradicts the Bible, then reject it.

Romans 12:2

Test…

* And approve what God’s will is.

2 Corinthians 13:5

Test…

* Yourself.

Conclusion:

Be careful what you believe. People need to see that we trust in God and His Word for our answers.