WEARY OF DOING GOOD
2 Thessalonians 3:1-18
#2Thessalonians3
INTRODUCTION
This morning we are finishing up our series on 1 and 2 Thessalonians and we are focusing on 2 Thessalonians 3.
REASON 1
I think one of the reasons that obeying the command that caught my eye in 2 Thessalonians 3 is difficult is that after a while you feel like you are the only one doing it. Isolation creeps in.
Maybe it is kind of like what Elijah went through in 1 Kings 18-19. Elijah was a prophet of God, perhaps the greatest prophet ever in the Old Testament, and he dealt with feelings like this. He was pressed and in the end felt like giving up. We are introduced to Elijah and throughout his life we see him being fed by ravens sent by God, raising the dead, leading a school of prophets, healing, and calling down fire from heaven. This man was a prophet of God in every sense of the word. And yet, he felt like he was the only one obeying the Lord.
READ 1 Kings 18:22 (ESV)
“Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal's prophets are 450 men.”
READ 1 Kings 19:10 (ESV)
He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”
Elijah served the Lord and there came a point where he felt like the sole voice for God and everyone else was advocating another way. In 1 Kings 18, Elijah points out that there are 450 prophets of Baal… which are those that serve an idol. He doesn’t mention it in this verse, but in context there are 400 prophets of another idol. So we have 1 verses 850. I can kind of see where Elijah is coming from. 850 people are saying to follow idols and forget the God of Israel and he is there calling people to God and to faithfulness to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Joseph and to the God who led the people of Israel from Egypt.
Thinking about the command in 2 Thessalonians 3 and then adding to that Elijah’s reasons in the Old Testament, such a thing can create feelings of isolation. Most of the time we want to fit in and be accepted by others. It is difficult when we stick out and stand out or can be pointed at as being very different. Elijah felt like he was the only one pointing people to God and he was the lone voice and it wore on him. He felt isolated and alone. Feeling isolated and alone can make you want to quit.
REASON 2
I think another reasons obeying the command 2 Thessalonians 3 is difficult is because sometimes we don’t know exactly what to do. We have choices before us and sometimes it is obvious and sometimes it is not obvious. Uncertainty creeps in.
Maybe it is kind of like what Martha experienced in Luke 10. Jesus comes to the house of Martha and Mary and even though he is not mentioned, Lazarus is there as well. Jesus comes with His whole entourage of 12 disciples. Imagine… 13 extra people popping in for dinner. The chaos. The need for food and drink. The mess. Cooking has to be done. Drinks have to be poured. Complaints have to be listened to. All the while the Messiah is sitting in your living room and you want to pay attention to him. You don’t know what to do.
READ Luke 10:40-42
“But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
What Martha was doing was good in that she was serving her guests and even serving Jesus and His needs. She was getting frustrated. Jesus says she was anxious and troubled because in all that she was doing… she was not doing what was best. The NIV says (which is how I remember it): “Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” In this situation, there was good and there was better and Martha didn’t know what to choose. She didn’t know what to do and didn’t know what was good, better, or best. She did not choose the better.
I happen think we live in a world where it is more and more difficult to distinguish between good and bad, good and better, better and best, what is wise and what is unwise. Sometimes we see the situation and want to make right decisions and do the right thing, but we don’t.
REASON 3
Still there is a further reason this command is difficult because in the end, we do not always get the results that we want. People’s decisions make the results unpredictable. Selfishness makes things unpredictable. Sin makes things bend left and right instead of straight ahead. The unfairness of life is loud and obnoxious and it makes us balk at moving forward and obeying this command. We get disillusioned because we feel like good effort should bring good results and bad effort should bring bad results. Disappointment happens. Unfairness is the usual business.
It is very much like a man named Job who has an entire book of the Bible dedicated to him. Job is a righteous awesome man who followed God with his whole heart and it did not go the way he expected or predicted or wanted. His life went in a completely unfair direction.
READ Job 1:1-5 (ESV)
“There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. 2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. 3 He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. 4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.”
We find Job a complete committed worshipper of God. He was so dedicated to God that he gave burnt offerings on behalf of his children just in case they sinned. This was not a one-time thing, but Job continually pursued God. Yet, we know from the rest of the Book of Job that everything we are introduced to in this first chapter goes away. All 10 children die. All sheep and cattle are carried away. Servants die. Even his health is lost. The good guy we meet in Job 1 does not have the results he wanted for his life.
REASON 4
The fourth and final reason this command in 2 Thessalonians 3 is so very difficult is that we can end up with an attitude… I’ll call it a bad attitude… that says “I feel like I’ve done my part, now it is someone else’s turn.” We do and go and offer and volunteer and speak and share and give and spent and at some point we feel like it is someone else’s job to come along and take over. We did our part. We put in our time. We did our share. Now it’s time for somebody else. This self-entitlement bad attitude creeps in our hearts and we cease doing what we should. Quitting settles in.
As I was thinking about this attitude and the eventual quitting that occurs, the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25 came to mind as I was discussing it. In Jesus’ parable, a man goes on a journey and gives his servants money according to their ability. There are three servants identified. It is the third of three that bubbles to the top for us.
READ Matthew 25:18 (ESV)
“But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.”
READ Matthew 25:24-25 (ESV)
“He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.”
The third servant just quit and buried what he had in the ground. In the parable, the other two servants keep on and persevere and the third servant just quits. This is not seen as a positive action by the way. The master calls the servant “wicked” and “slothful” (Matthew 25:26).
SUMMARY OF REASONS
I realize I haven’t actually told you what we are talking about yet. I did not miss a section of my sermon, I promise. As we have been thinking about this command, we need to realize that the reasons for disobeying it are numerous and we have talked about a few of them.
#1 We feel like we are the only one doing it which leads to feeling isolated and lonely.
#2 We are uncertain as to what to do exactly which leads to us feeling uncertain.
#3 We do not get the results we want and the unfairness of it all fill us.
#4 We do our part and then quit to let someone else do their part.
TRANSITION
In 2 Thessalonians 3, the Apostle Paul finishes the second letter we have to the Thessalonians and gives them some final thoughts, advice, and one command that stuck out to me more than anything else. We are going to read all of chapter 3 and then focus in on the one command.
READ 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 (ESV)
Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, 2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.
COMMENT
I find it interesting how the Apostle Paul asks for the Thessalonians to pray that the Word would speed ahead and spread and be honored. Paul had single-minded devotion… didn’t he? He was all about sharing Jesus and I doubt he ever did anything that did not move someone closer to Jesus. He knows that not everyone has faith in God and it was his life mission to spread the Gospel. He knows there is opposition from the evil one (verse 3). He spent all of chapter 2 of this letter describing how Satan would attack the spread of the Gospel. Push back is real and he wants steadfastness for the Thessalonians.
READ 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 (ESV)
“Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.”
COMMENT
The folks in Thessalonica were looking forward to the second return of Jesus so much that they quit their jobs and were literally just waiting around for Him to return. Paul wants them to imitate him in how he is waiting… working for the Lord while he waits for Jesus to return. Some were idle. A burden on others. Some were becoming takers and users. Even in verse 11 he says they were busybodies and into everyone’s business and life except their own.
The Apostle Paul commands the Thessalonians to work hard, provide for their families, keep their noses out of other people’s business, and to work hard for the Lord while they are waiting for the Last Day.
We then come to verse 13.
READ 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (ESV)
“As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.”
READ 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (KJV)
“But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.”
READ 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (NIV)
“And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.”
READ 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (MSG)
“Friends, don’t slack off in doing your duty.”
READ 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (TLB)
“And to the rest of you I say, dear brothers, never be tired of doing right.”
TRANSITION
Let’s finish the chapter and we will come back to verse 13 because it is verse 13 that grabbed my attention and by extension yours as well.
READ 2 Thessalonians 3:14-18 (ESV)
“If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. 16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all. 17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.”
COMMENT
We get a little hint at congregational discipline in this verse. Did you know that congregational discipline exists? We do not do this well most of the time in American churches. Most of the time when such conversations happen as described in these verses, the person gets mad and leaves the church and leaves behind miscommunication and brokenness. They then blame the church and leaders for being judgmental, making them feel unwelcomed, and fostering hypocrisy. Fun times.
And yet, the Apostle Paul says there are situations that churches should take note of and address by isolating a person and warning them about their behavior. Then pray for peace after.
TRANSITION
So ends 2 Thessalonians with Paul writing the very end lines with his own hand instead of dictating the letter like normal. Let’s go back to verse 13.
FOCUS ON VERSE 13
READ 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (ESV)
“As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.”
The Apostle Paul gives the Thessalonians the very important command to persevere in their lives and in their faith in continuing to do good. Weariness can creep in when doing good day after day and season of life after season of life. There are several reasons, as we already discussed, that weariness can creep in.
Perseverance is commanded.
Faithfulness is desired by us.
Strength of character is pursued.
The Apostle Paul does not want the Thessalonians to grow weary of doing good and serving and living faithfully to God while they wait for His second coming. Believe it or not, he tells other Christians in other cities the same thing. He says to the Galatians…
READ Galatians 6:9-10 (ESV)
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
He says to the Corinthians something very similar, but with different words…
READ 2 Corinthians 4:16 (ESV)
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”
Jesus Christ commends the Christians in Ephesus in the book of Revelation for this very quality…
READ Revelation 2:3 (ESV)
“I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for My Name's sake, and you have not grown weary.”
APPLICATION
Over and over and over and over again in the Bible perseverance in doing good is prized and commanded and seen as proper Christian living. Faithfulness to the path God has laid out is a way of life.
You and I are not the only ones doing good and pursuing God even though it may feel like it in our context. Fighting against feelings of isolation and loneliness in doing good is one reason why the Church is so important. It is important to fellowship and worship and to study with one another so we can push out this isolation and sharpen our faith and the faith of the person next to us. Praying together is also important!
Studying the Scriptures and praying are important so that we will be able to discern in this crazy world what the good is and pursue it. Uncertainty flees when we know what God has said and we know what road God has paved and we know we are on it! We can know what is good and right and upright and holy and just and proper and then we can faithfully pursue it all in our lives. It takes our will and faith and obedience to the Lord Jesus.
Life is extremely unfair. Most of the time unfairness does not come one after another, but piles up like cow dung in our lives. When you deal with the cow patties of life, placing lasting trust in God our Father brings peace and comfort and the strength to do and say the right thing in the midst of being weary. Expressing faith and trust in God on a regular basis gets the bad attitudes and the unfairness out in the light and in their proper place. I feel like this is why worship and communion are so important. Worship attunes our hearts to God and away from the unfairness around us. Communion centers our soul on Jesus Christ Who is our Savior and Lord and Deliverer. Worship and communion allow us to tune into God and accept what happens around us.
Faithfulness to the path God has laid out is a way of life and so is serving in His Church. There is no time limit or turns when it comes to serving God. I have had conversations over the years with people who quit serving in the church because they feel like they did their part and now it is time for someone else to do theirs. That’s a poor attitude and not God’s good, better, or best for anyone. Having a solid place to faithfully serve in the Church is good and right and keeps our faith active and engaged.
ENCOURAGEMENT
Please keep…
… praying for elders, deacons, deaconesses, and church staff.
… coming to Board meetings and discussing the business of the church.
… serving with the children’s ministry and planting seeds with kids.
… volunteering to invest in the lives of students in middle school and high school.
… using your musical talents to worship and sing.
… talking to your family about Jesus even though you think they do not listen.
… inviting your neighbors to church and sharing faith with them.
… being honest and just in doing business and with vendors and with customers.
… making worship and Sundays a priority for your family.
… reading your Bible daily and digging in deeply once a week with others.
… praying for one another when we hurt.
… showing kindness even though you only receive harshness in return.
… forgiving when everything in you says to take revenge or hold a grudge.
Verse 13 is so important in our day and age and in our lives. It is a command worthy for us to pray over and examine ourselves to see if we have quit in some areas, are weary, or have become misaligned with God on some attitudes.
READ 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (ESV)
“As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.”
READ 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (KJV)
“But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.”
READ 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (NIV)
“And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.”
READ 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (MSG)
“Friends, don’t slack off in doing your duty.”
READ 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (TLB)
“And to the rest of you I say, dear brothers, never be tired of doing right.”
INVITATION
For those of you who are here today and you are not a Christian, I pray and hope for you the words of 2 Thessalonians 3:5.
READ 2 Thessalonians 3:5 (ESV)
“May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.”
I pray that you encounter the love of God and see how steadfast Jesus Christ was in the face of all that He endured for you and for me. The only way we can access God and have salvation and eternal life and fix the brokenness in our hearts is through Jesus Christ. He willingly and faithfully died for us that we might be able to experience the love God has for us.
CONCLUSION
