Series: Continued Encouragement [#5]
STAND FIRM AND HOLD ON
2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
Introduction:
Paul started this 2nd letter to the Thessalonians by encouraging them just as he had in his 1st letter to them. Then he told them to be careful in what and who they believed. Paul followed that up with information about the Antichrist and the fact that God was going to destroy the enemy. This morning, we are going to see Paul going back to encouraging us. Paul tells us to stand firm and hold on to the truth.
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 (NIV)
13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Stand firm and hold on by…
1. Believing the truth.
Christians, you have been chosen by God. Now, I know that some ask, “If God chooses who will be saved, does that mean that He chooses who will not be saved?” What about free-will? Before God created anything, He knew that man would fall to sin and that He had to either let us all perish, not create us, or have a plan. God chose to have a plan- That plan was that Jesus would come to this earth and save us through His blood. It was predestined that Christ would die for us. While God in His foreknowledge knows who will choose Him and who will not; He allows us to make that decision- If not we would be puppets; and that was not His purpose for creating us. God created us for fellowship; and He wants us to choose whether we want that or not.
We have been sanctified, (set apart) by the work of the Holy Spirit and by believing the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul says that we should be thankful for one another as Christian brothers and sisters. It is through the work of God that we can be saved. Christians are the 1st fruits of Jesus’ work on the cross and resurrection from the grave.
2 Thessalonians 2:15 (NIV)
15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
Stand firm and hold on by…
2. Guarding the truth.
This verse reminds me of when we studied the letter to the Ephesians. Christians are told to put on the full armor of God and then stand firm. We are to stand firm on the Word of God. We are to allow God to speak to us through the preaching and teaching of the Word. This is why we need to have discernment when it comes to the preaching and teaching of the Word.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NIV)
16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
Stand firm and hold on by…
3. Practicing the truth.
I really like these verses. We know that we are saved by God’s grace. Grace is getting something you don’t deserve. This verse tells us that we have eternal encouragement and hope through God’s grace. We are to live our faith. We are to do good deeds and use our words wisely.
Conclusion:
I know that many of you are going through very difficult times right now; but be encouraged that God has given His children eternal victory. Stand firm and hold on to the truths of God. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
