INTRODUCTION
• Christians have to learn to live in necessary tension.
• We are citizens of heaven, and yet we live on earth.
• We are ready for and anticipating Christ’s return, yet we also work, eat, sleep, play, and have families.
• This tension requires balance.
• We have to live daily life wisely in the present while waiting for the future with hope.
• Throughout this series, we have emphasized the Second Coming as we sought to debunk some of the incorrect views concerning the Second Coming.
• Some say it does not matter what you believe as long as you believe.
• What a person believes matters, as we can see as we have been going through the books of 1 & 2 Thessalonians.
• What we believe will impact the way we look at life as well as the way we live.
• We live on the tightrope of living in this world and for Jesus.
• We live on the tightrope of waiting joyfully for Jesus to return and living the life we have.
• While we are awaiting the return of the Lord, we need to live life to the fullest, and we need to make the most of the time we have.
• Today, let's examine three ways we should live the life that we have.
› Big Idea of the Message: It is an error to refuse to live daily life wisely because Jesus is coming back.
2 Thessalonians 3:1–5 (NET 2nd ed.)
1 Finally, pray for us, brothers and sisters, that the Lord’s message may spread quickly and be honored as in fact it was among you,
2 and that we may be delivered from perverse and evil people. For not all have faith.
3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.
4 And we are confident about you in the Lord that you are both doing—and will do—what we are commanding.
5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts toward the love of God and the endurance of Christ.
SERMON
I. Live life with confidence.
• The Apostle Paul, in his chapter, encourages the Christians at Thessalonica to pray for him and his companions so that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored.
• This demonstrates an aspect of living life with confidence - an unwavering trust in the power of prayer.
• We can be confident that our prayers can impact the lives of others and bring about transformation.
• Paul would face difficult times, and one way he could live his life confidently was he had an unwavering trust in the power of prayer.
• Paul knew who he prayed to, and he was confident in the fact that prayer makes a difference.
• First, he prays that the Lord's message would spread quickly.
• The thought of spreading quickly meant that Paul wanted the Gospel to spread from person to person and from place to place without interruption.
• The concept of honoring the Gospel meant he wanted the message to be respected and followed, not just heard.
• Our prayer should be that the Gospel impacts the lives it touches!
• The second prayer request from Paul was that he and his team would be delivered from perverse and evil people who would seek to hinder their work for Jesus.
• The unbelieving Jews at the time gave Paul and his team a lot of problems.
• The word PERVERSE denotes someone who does outrageous and harmful acts against others.
• At the end of verse 2, we are told why people can be evil and perverse; they do not have faith.
• Verse 3 gives us hope that will allow us to live with confidence in the face of such people.
• Even though Paul acknowledges that not everyone will have faith, he assures the Thessalonians that the Lord is faithful.
• This highlights the second key element of living with confidence - trusting in the faithfulness of God.
• Despite our challenges, we can have confidence that God will never abandon us.
• He is always by our side, guiding us through every situation.
• The passage emphasizes that the Lord will strengthen and protect us from the evil one.
• This serves as a reminder that living life with confidence requires us to rely on the power and protection of God.
• Our Heavenly Father is steady and unwavering in His love, care, and provision for us. He will never abandon us, and His faithfulness is our assurance in times of uncertainty.
• We can confidently face adversity, knowing we are not alone in our struggles.
• In the face of opposition, doubt, or challenges, we must hold fast to the promises and truths found in Scripture.
• The Word of God is our anchor, providing us with a solid foundation upon which we can build our lives.
• It brings clarity, guidance, and strength, enabling us to face any situation with unwavering confidence.
• Remember, living life with confidence is not about being arrogant or self-reliant but rather about placing our trust in the One who holds our future.
• Let's turn to verses 6-12
2 Thessalonians 3:6–12 (NET 2nd ed.)
6 But we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who lives an undisciplined life and not according to the tradition they received from us.
7 For you know yourselves how you must imitate us, because we did not behave without discipline among you,
8 and we did not eat anyone’s food without paying. Instead, in toil and drudgery we worked night and day in order not to burden any of you.
9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give ourselves as an example for you to imitate.
10 For even when we were with you, we used to give you this command: “If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat.”
11 For we hear that some among you are living an undisciplined life, not doing their own work but meddling in the work of others.
12 Now such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and so provide their own food to eat.
II. Live life with purpose.
• Some people were living a life with no purpose or the wrong purpose.
• In this letter to the Thessalonians, Paul encourages his readers to withdraw from those who are idle and not living according to the instruction they received.
• This calls our attention to the first aspect of living life purposefully: embracing the call to diligence.
• As followers of Christ, we are called to be active participants in the work of God's kingdom.
• Paul did not want the folks to excommunicate those who would not work; he wanted the church to know that they were not to help or encourage those who chose to live a life of laziness.
• Christians are called to work.
• This command does not apply to the call to help widows, orphans, and those who cannot work.
• Sometimes, a person can be between jobs.
• The need to help the widows and orphans was so great because there were no other systems in place, and the church did not have the resources to help those who would not work.
• We see this today with the systems in place from the government to help people.
• Some so many people do not want to work that those who CANNOT work do not get all the help they need because others are taking it.
• We are not meant to be spectators or idle bystanders but rather active contributors to the mission of spreading the Gospel and building up the body of believers.
• Our lives should reflect a sense of purpose and commitment to fulfilling God's entrusted tasks.
• Whether it be in our families, workplaces, or communities, let us strive to live diligently, being a shining example of Christ's love and grace.
• Paul sets an example of diligence by reminding the Thessalonians of his own commitment to work and not be a burden to them.
• He labored day and night, not seeking personal gain or convenience but for the sake of the Gospel.
• This challenges us to examine our own lives and ask ourselves if we are truly giving our best efforts in all that we do.
• We need to live out our faith in such a way that we would want others to imitate our walk with Jesus.
• Bad things can happen when we do not have a purpose or the correct purpose for our lives.
• Continuing in the passage, Paul addresses the issue of idleness within the Thessalonian community.
• He stated that those who were unwilling to work should not eat.
• Verse 11 tells us that since those folks had nothing better to do, they were meddling in the business of others.
• When people have little or nothing to do of their own, they fill their time with what others are doing.
• We would call that being a busybody.
• We are called to live life with purpose.
• Living life with purpose involves using our time, talents, and resources to bless and serve others selflessly.
• God has uniquely gifted each of us, and He expects us to employ those gifts to serve others.
• Whether through acts of kindness, mercy, or generosity, we have the opportunity to impact lives and bring glory to God.
• Let us be known as people who go above and beyond in showing love and compassion to those around us.
• Furthermore, our service should not be driven by a desire for personal gain or recognition but instead motivated by a genuine love for God and others.
• When we serve with a generous heart, we reflect the character of Christ, who selflessly gave Himself for our salvation.
• Verse 12 reminds us to work steadily and quietly instead of being a busy body.
• Let's turn to verse 13!
2 Thessalonians 3:13 (NET 2nd ed.)
13 But you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing what is right.
III. Live life with passion.
• The verb tense of verse 13 is a prohibition against growing weary in doing what is right.
• We are called to be passionate about doing what is right.
• There are so many reasons that can cause us to grow weary.
• We see others seemingly being rewarded for not doing good, or we are doing good, and others are not returning the favor.
• Doing good can sometimes be costly to us.
• Passion is a powerful force that ignites our hearts, infuses us with purpose, and propels us forward in our faith journey.
• We are called to persevere in doing good.
• To live with passion means to persistently and wholeheartedly pursue goodness, righteousness, and acts of love.
• In a world that often promotes apathy and complacency, we are called to rise above and be people who are passionate about making a positive impact.
• Let us not be discouraged by setbacks or weary of the challenges that come our way.
• Instead, let us persevere, knowing that our labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).
• Living life with passion means finding joy and fulfillment in serving others, reaching out to those in need, and standing up for justice and truth.
• It means being fully engaged in the work of God's kingdom, using our gifts and talents to make a difference in the lives of those around us.
• As we strive to live life with passion, we look to Jesus Christ as the ultimate example.
• His life on earth exemplified a passion for fulfilling the will of the Father and bringing salvation to humanity.
• Jesus' passion was seen in His sacrificial death on the cross and His unwavering commitment to love, heal, and transform lives.
• When we fix our eyes on Jesus, we are inspired to live with a similar passion.
• His love compels us to reach out to the lost, the broken, and the marginalized.
• His example encourages us to pursue righteousness and holiness, even when it requires sacrifice and perseverance.
CONCLUSION
• As we conclude today's message, let us remember the importance of living life with confidence and confidence in the Lord we serve!
• We are called to live life with purpose.
• Embracing the call to diligence and serving with love and generosity are crucial elements in fulfilling God's divine plan for our lives.
• May we strive to be faithful stewards of the time, talents, and resources entrusted to us, using them to impact lives and bring glory to God.
• And we are called to live life with a passion for Jesus!
› Application Point: We should live wisely and responsibly in the present while waiting for the future with hope.
• Let us seek God's guidance in discovering our unique purpose and remain steadfast in living it out.
• May our lives be a testimony of purpose-driven faith, inspiring others to seek and fulfill their own God-given purpose.
