 
Until He Comes: 2 Thessalonians

Until He Comes

\- 2 Thessalonians -

Small Group Curriculum for Austin Oaks Church

Spring 2015

Written by Kat Cannon

© Copyright 2015 - All rights reserved

How To Use This Conversation Guide

Instructions for small group leaders

This discussion guide contains several features designed to help you as a small group leader tailor discussions for your group's needs. As a leader, you should take time to review each session before your meeting to get familiar with the material and choose any specific questions that your group might want to spend more time on. Each section is optional and left to your discretion as to whether it's covered in the group meeting or left for individual use.

\- Let's talk about it -

The first major section contains a walk through of the passage along with application questions for groups to discuss. We want to get to the heart of the matter—what Scripture says and how we can apply it to our lives. In particular, each "Let's talk about it" section has five questions marked with an icon indicating highlight questions for the session. If your group is having a hard time selecting which questions to you can focus on these five questions and get to the heart of the session. If there are more questions than you have time for, you can pre-select questions that your group will be most interested in.

\- From then to now -

This section looks at modern examples of what we're discussing through news articles, blog posts, and other media. We hope this section will help your group apply what we learn together from Scripture to the world we live in.

\- For further study -

This section digs a bit deeper into each passage for groups or individuals who want to study more on the subject.

About 2 Thessalonians

Paul's two letters to the church in Thessalonica are the earliest of his writings. The great evangelist visited the city during his second missionary journey between 49 and 52 CE. He traveled with young Timothy, a clearly gifted pastor in the making from a mixed Jewish and Greek background, and Silus (also called Silvanus), a member of the Jerusalem church. The three year journey launched from the Christian center of Antioch and headed east, traveling through Philippi, Corinth, and Ephesus along the way.

The city of Thessalonica held a position of great influence as the capital of Macedonia. Previously known as Therma for its numerous hot springs, Rome conquered and renamed the city in 168 BCE. The metropolis had easy access to much of the world, lying along the large highway Via Egnatia which connected Rome with the east. Thessalonica also boasted a sheltered harbor making it a natural outlet for traffic along the Aegean Sea and helping the city grow into a major economic power. Wealthy Romans and Jewish merchants were attracted by the commercial advantages, and they fostered political and cultural power in the city as well. With a booming population of about 200,000 or so in Paul's day, the city was famous for its theaters and cultural centers as well as temples to Roman gods and other religious influences. A significant portion of the population served as manual and service labor to the wealthier class, creating a multi-level and multi-ethnic society from all over the known world. These people were not godless by any means. In fact, they had too many gods to choose from and were highly religious and superstitious. Paul entered this city to introduce them to the One True God mid-way through his journey.

As was his practice, Paul began preaching in the Jewish synagogue in Thessalonica and had limited success convincing the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah. Acts 17 points out that though some were persuaded, a larger number of God-fearing Greeks and many prominent women believed and comprised the church Paul planted there. However, Paul and his companions did not get to stay very long, perhaps only a handful of weeks. A group of influential Jews became jealous of the new religious influence in the city and tried to stamp it out, accusing the evangelists of defying Rome and trying to overthrow Caesar. When a mob formed and attempted to assault the evangelists, Paul, Timothy, and Silas fled the city and headed to Berea.

Already being a city of influence, the population of Thessalonica was used to looking outward to its neighbors and interacting with the world at large. So it was natural for the new converts to begin spreading their Christian faith to the surrounding communities of Macedonia. The Apostle praises the young church as a model for others, saying that the gospel "rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia - your faith in God has become known everywhere." (1 Thessalonians 1:7)

Paul and his companions were most likely in Corinth when these letters were penned. After sending a first letter of encouragement to the Thessalonican church sometime around 51 CE, word came back to Paul that trouble was brewing, and believers struggled on some key theological points. It's even possible that a forged letter had arrived in Paul's name sending the church into confusion, and Paul wished to correct the problem as quickly as possible. Though he was unable to personally attend to the church's needs, he corresponded as directly and quickly as he could to correct the doctrinal errors and help the church find solid footing once again. The two letters are only months apart, perhaps even weeks, and so are very closely related in themes and doctrine. In particular, Paul encourages the young church to continue sharing their faith in the midst of persecution, to not be idle in their daily lives, and to have a correct understanding of the second coming of Christ.

Today, Thessalonica exists as the modern city of Thessaloniki (or Saloniki) and boasts a population of over 300,000 in the metroplex area. Because the city continues as a bustling center of economic and cultural influence, very little of what Paul would have seen in the First Century has been excavated or even remains.

2 Thessalonians follows the basic structure of most of the Apostle Paul's letters. He begins with greetings and a blessing to the church. He then proceeds to explain important doctrine for his readers, followed by application points \-- how they should live in light of what he's taught them. Our study will follow a similar pattern. The early lessons will be heavy on doctrine and the later lessons heavy on application points.

Session 1: The Church That Pleases God

2 Thessalonians 1:1-4

The Apostle Paul wrings his hands with concern for the Thessalonian church. He shared the gospel with them earlier in the year and barely got a church planted before he and his companions, Timothy and Silas, were forced out of town. It wasn't the first time he had to leave a beloved church behind, and it wouldn't be the last. Anxious for the well-being of the infant congregation, Paul sent his first letter to the Thessalonians a few short weeks ago. Now he hears a mix of encouragement and disturbing news. Believers are standing up to fierce persecution, but someone is convincing them that Jesus has already come, the day of the Lord is over, and all their faith is for nothing now.

Naturally, Paul wants to rush back to Thessalonica, but if he does, he'll bring more trouble than comfort to the young converts. Wealthy Jewish merchants eager to hold on to their influence and power will see to that. Paul, along with Timothy and Silas, barely escaped a flogging last time. Their compassionate host, Jason, got dragged before the city's officials and forced to pay bond as a price for his hospitality. No, even though only a short time has passed since his last letter, he'll quickly send another and stabilize the faith of the new congregation. This young church has such potential, such promise. He can't allow false doctrines to take root.

This is where Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians and our study begins.

What strikes you most from the sermon this week? What do you need to apply?

Some debate exists over just how long Paul ministered at Thessalonica. Acts 17:2 tells us that "according to Paul's custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures." Some have understood from this that the Apostle only spent three weeks in the city. Others say that Paul preached in the synagogue for only three weeks, then moved his ministry to another location. The evidence may suggest that he was there for a little more than three weeks, but how much longer we simply can't say other than it was a relatively short time.

You can read more about the city of Thessalonica and Paul's visit at <http://www.bibleplaces.com/thessalonica.htm>.

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\- Let's talk about it -

The opening verses of 2 Thessalonians are standard enough, a formal greeting common to the correspondence in Paul's day, something like "Dear So-and-So" or "Salutations" when we begin a letter. 1 Thessalonians opens with almost identical language, and we see similar greetings in Paul's letters to other churches. No big deal, perhaps, but we have a couple of things to glean from these first two verses.

Paul identifies the authority he claims to write this letter, and in doing so, he uses the same words twice in two sentences. Never one to waste time, if Paul repeats himself, we should take notice. He claims authority given to him by God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

  What does it mean to you that God is our Father?

  What does it mean to you that Jesus is Lord?

Paul refers to Jesus as "Lord" a whole bunch -- twenty times in this short letter. He uses the Greek word kurios denoting highest authority and ownership in rank, the one in control, the sovereign, the master. In other writings, Paul will occasionally use kurios as a title for Jesus along with others like christos (messiah), or he'll simply refer to Jesus by His name. But in 2 Thessalonians, he consistently refers to Jesus as Lord -- not once does he refer to Jesus without this title.

With this declaration, Paul bestows grace and peace on the fledgling church of Thessalonica. Sure it is nice for him to say, but these early Christians were likely having a hard time finding such things. Persecution against believers in the city broke out fierce and early as we can see from Acts 17.

...the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus." When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go. As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. (Acts 17:4-10)

The jealous Jews would not likely let the church just do its thing once Paul headed out of town. Their methods included threats, working with local officials to arrest believers, economic hardships, beatings, even stoning believers to death. We can safely assume that Thessalonian believers faced all this and perhaps even worse.

Why do you think the Thessalonian believers needed to know that Jesus is Lord in these circumstances?

  Think of a time when you were in difficult circumstances, perhaps when the world felt out of control. Perhaps you feel that way now. How does knowing that Jesus is Lord even in times like this affect your faith?

We might dismiss Paul's kind wishes for grace and peace in the name of the Lord Jesus as nothing more than a greeting, insist on not reading too much into it. But no word of God is flippant or wasted, and if Paul desires grace and peace for believers in these hard times, then grace and peace are certainly needed and possible.

When Paul speaks of grace, he uses the Greek word charis. It means something that gives joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, or loveliness. Peace, or eirenie, refers to more than just the absence of struggle or strife. The Hebrew concept of peace (shalom) which Paul would have had in mind includes completeness, safety, soundness in mind and body, and perfection. Shalom is a full-person experience ranging from physical conditions to moral values and ultimately, a complete and settled reconciliation with God.

I would think fear and worry would be much easier to come by than grace and peace if I were in the Thessalonians' shoes. But with God, all things are possible. Perhaps grace and peace might be available even under persecution. Perhaps they are available to us, too, no matter how tough our own circumstances are.

How do you find grace and peace? When was the last time you felt them?

  According to Paul, charis and shalom come from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. But not everyone looks to God for these things, do they? Where else do people -- do you -- tend to look for grace and peace?

  In what areas of your life do you need grace and peace? Where is shalom missing in your life right now?

The Greek word "charis" is closely related to another Greek word "chairo," which means to rejoice or be joyful. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16, Paul commands the church to "Be joyful always" and Peter uses this same word in 1 Peter 4:13 saying that believers should "rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed."

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As soon as Paul finishes his formal greeting to the church, he begins praising them and building them up. His love for these early believers is so evident, and he approaches them with gentleness before dealing with some difficult topics. In particular, Paul commends the Thessalonian church for three things: their growing faith, their love for each other, and their perseverance under the difficult trials they face. Entire books have been written on each of these concepts, and believers will spend their lifetimes pursuing them. For now, let's focus on a high level view of how these three things work together for the health of a person and a local church.

Imagine a church today with growing faith, love for each other, and perseverance. What would that church look like? What impact would such a church have on the community?

Now take a look at this in the reverse and see if we can gain other insights:

If a church lacks faith or if their faith stops growing and stagnates, what kinds of problems would you expect to crop up?

What about a church whose members don't love each other well? What would happen then?

And when troubles come? What happens if a church doesn't have perseverance?

I love that Paul can say such wonderful things about this early church, and I pray God can say similar things about our church. The Apostle even says he's bragging to other churches about their stick-to-it-iveness and faith in God. When I hear that someone's been bragging on me to others, I feel pretty good. In fact, I find myself wanting to do whatever I was being bragged on for a whole lot more. I mean, it's nice when someone tells me that I did a great job on a project for sure. It's even nicer when I hear that they talked about it to family members or neighbors or other colleagues. That kind of boasting and spreading the word about what God does through me puts a little strength in my spine. I imagine the same is true for you.

Can you think of a time when someone bragged on you to someone else and word got back to you about it? How did that make you feel?

What do you want people in your life to boast to others about you? What do you want to be known for?

On the flip side, I have to think that Paul is strengthened to hear good news about the perseverance of this oh-so-new church. Like a proud parent seeing the A+ on a child's report card. Surely this is a source of joy for Paul, Timothy, and Silas as the gospel takes root in Thessalonica and all their hard work and sacrifice bears fruit, even with so much working against them.

\- From then to now -

Paul's usual method of church planting involves him building up church leaders over time with personal teaching and discipleship. He prefers to stay in one place for a number of months or even years to see a church firmly planted and in good health. But in the case of the Thessalonians, Paul may have only been able to stay for a few short weeks -- hardly enough time to help new believers dig deep roots. Instead, we see him train, exhort, and lead from a distance when he probably would have preferred to do these things in person. And we have a great opportunity to peek in on what was important to him as he mentored these young believers.

Mentoring is far from a new concept nor is it restricted only to Christian circles. Passing on skills from experienced folks to the next generation happens in businesses, trades, and parenting as well as in matters of faith.

Have you been mentored by someone in any way? Have you ever mentored someone else? What were these experiences like for you?

A mentoring relationship can take a lot of different forms, but the basic principles tend to hold true across them all. FastCompany magazine highlights the benefits of mentoring to both the mentor and the mentee in the business world.

How Mutual Mentorship Can Change Your Career:

Mentoring younger colleagues can benefit both sides. Here's how to get the most out of your mentor-mentee relationship

By Lee Caraher - October 7, 2014 (excerpts)

 http://www.fastcompany.com/3036700/the-future-of-work/how-mutual-mentorship-can-change-your-career

A 2012 Dimensional Research survey revealed that mentorship was the number one request by millennials worldwide, with 42% requesting help finding a mentor. In my discussions with more than 100 millennials across the United States, mentorship came up eight out of ten times, right behind access to senior management. "Young people want to be mentored," says Jennifer, 27. "All of my friends have mentors and we share what our mentors share with us with each other."

...We can't underestimate the mutual benefits of a constructive mentor-mentee relationship for both parties. For mentors, the satisfaction of helping someone else achieve her goals is undeniable. And what's not good about...paying it forward or paying back the time their mentors invested in them?

At the same time, mentoring younger colleagues provides a window into the mind-set, challenges, pressures, and lifestyle of the younger workforce, allowing us to better understand them. And, importantly, mentoring provides an instant tap into a mentee's network of friends and peers, which we might need to find future junior employees, particularly for smaller organizations that do not have a robust recruiting function in-house.

MUTUAL MENTORSHIP

Boomers and Gen Xers can also ask millennials to be their mentors on specific topics. If you continue to be flummoxed by Instagram or Pinterest, or don't know how to use Facebook or blog comments to your advantage, consider having a millennial colleague or acquaintance mentor you for a month or two.

Ask your mentee what she reads regularly, and read those blogs and newsfeeds to get a good sense of the information and sources that are informing your younger colleagues' points of view. Copy their Pulse or FlipBook feeds and page through daily for a month or two—your frame of reference will expand and you will have better insight into how millennials think.

You will learn a lot and, assuming you do it well, you will be setting a great example of how millennials should conduct their own mentoring relationships.

—Lee Caraher is an acclaimed communication strategist known for her practical solutions to big problems. She is the founder and CEO of Double Forte public relations firm.

What ideas or thoughts from the article above do you think best translate from the business world into spiritual mentoring?

Do you have someone mentoring you? What benefits do you get from that relationship? If not, why not?

Do you mentor someone else? What do you get out of pouring your life into someone else's? If you're not mentoring someone, why not?

What do you think would be the greatest benefit of being in a spiritual mentor relationship with someone else, whether you're the mentor or the mentee?

Put it into action

January is National Mentoring Month with organizations like Big Brothers/Big Sisters and United Way hosting events and promoting mentor relationships with young people all over the nation. Here are some ways you can participate:

  * Attend an event supporting mentor organizations like Trudy's Bowl for Kids, February 27-March 1.

  * Select one of the mentoring opportunities listed on the  Central Texas United Way website to get involved with local students. Opportunities include working with children of incarcerated parents, outdoor activities, and racial/gender specific programs.

  * Become a Big Brother or Big Sister for a young person in Central Texas (get more information  on the website)

  * Several college students in ECHO at Austin Oaks Church are looking for someone to come alongside them as a mentor. Contact Kirsten Weatherly in the AOC Offices for information on how you can connect with one of these students.

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The fact is that we can all be mentors, and we can all benefit from someone else pouring what they know and have experienced into us. Who couldn't use a little heads up on trouble that may be coming down the road from someone who's already been there? And ultimately, if we have Jesus, we have something to share with others, too.

\- For further study -

Our opening passage of 2 Thessalonians contains some super deep spiritual concepts like grace, peace, faith, love, and perseverance. Let's take a little bit more time with these before we move further into Paul's letter.

First things first: write down what you mean when you use these words. Use the verse references provided to help you define our terms.

Grace (Ephesians 2:8-9):

Peace (John 14:27):

Faith (Hebrews 11:1):

Love (1 John 3:16):

Perseverance (James 1:2-4):

Which of these characteristics do you find most challenging in your own life?

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Romans 5:3-5)

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According to the Apostle Paul, perseverance is closely linked with hope (see Romans 5:3-5). Look at the passage below from Paul to the church in Corinth where he discusses the importance of faith, hope, and love for those who follow Jesus Christ:

But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:8-13)

What is it about faith, hope and love that endure beyond all other things, even the world itself? Why are they so important?

Why do you think Paul says that the greatest of all of these things is love?

Paul says that it's not just faith and love he praises the Thessalonians for -- it's faith that is growing and love that is increasing. Just having a little bit of these things would be great, but it's even better if they don't just sit there and, well, do nothing. Like tiny seeds, faith and love are intended to grow into much bigger things than we can hold in our hands. When they stay small, they actually don't accomplish their purpose. A seed may be good to eat, but how much better is a full grown tree?

Take a look at the following verses. What do they have to say about a growing faith and increasing love?

  * Job 17:9

  * Psalm 84:5-7

  * Psalm 92:12-15

  * Philippians 1:9-11

  * 2 Peter 1:5-11

Session 2: The Hard Truth

2 Thessalonians 1:5-12

We have some deep waters to tread in our lesson this week. Paul's desire to encourage and strengthen the young Thessalonian church leads him to build on doctrines like the just judgment of God, the second coming of Christ, and the suffering of the saints. These aren't high-minded issues reserved for theologians in ivory towers to debate. For people who are in the middle of suffering and persecution in the early church, they're on-the-ground matters of faith. What kind of God lets them go through everything they're going through? How are they supposed to understand what's happening to them?

These aren't mere lofty debates for us today either. We in the Western Church don't suffer the kind of persecution Paul and the Thessalonians did. Not even close. But our brothers and sisters in some parts of the world do experience real and tangible persecution in the same way, even giving their lives for their faith. We have our own troubles, to be sure, and no matter the size of the trial, the same principles apply. And the character of God remains the same. We will do well to listen closely to what Paul says to this young Thessalonian church.

What interests you the most from our sermon this week? What do you want to learn more about, and how will you go about digging deeper?

\- Let's talk about it -

In our first lesson, Paul commended the church for their growing faith, their love for one another, and their perseverance under the trials they face. He continues this line of thought into 2 Thessalonians 1:5, saying these characteristics prove they're worthy of the kingdom of God, that God's judgment in their favor is right.

Okay. There's a lot to unpack here, so let's take it slow, starting with the kingdom of God.

What do you think of when you hear the word "kingdom?" What are the characteristics of a kingdom?

Look at the following passages for a sampling of what Jesus says the kingdom of God is like:

Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade." (Mark 4:30-32)

Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub. Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. (Luke 11:17-20)

Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:20-21)

  Using these verses and any others that come to mind, how would you describe the kingdom of God?

Paul says the Thessalonian believers have proved that they are worthy of such a kingdom. We might get confused and think that they made themselves worthy by enduring suffering and persecution in Jesus' name. But that can't be right \-- we know that no one earns the kingdom or any of God's gifts by doing anything at all. The kingdom is freely given by God to those who believe in Jesus and His death for us. In fact, Paul guards against this in verse 11 by saying it is God who counts us worthy and not we who make ourselves worthy. (See also Ephesians 2:8-9.) So what is Paul saying?

Instead of earning something through endurance, Paul says the Thessalonians' willingness to suffer for Christ proves they already have the kingdom of God.

Let me give you an example: suppose a friend tells you he can bench press an enormous amount of weight. He might look fit and strong, his arm and back muscles may be well defined. But you won't really know for sure he can do it until you see it done. When you stand next to him and see him push against gravity and successfully complete the lift, then you'll have definite proof. He had the strength all along. The "suffering" he went through simply demonstrates what he already has. Make sense?

In the same way, we might look good and say all the right things, but until we endure struggle and opposition, we haven't really proven anything to anyone, even to ourselves. Standing up to persecution doesn't earn us the kingdom of God or Jesus or salvation or anything. But enduring for the cause of Christ is irrefutable evidence that we have the faith in Him we say we have.

What evidence do you have for the faith that you claim? How could someone prove that you truly believe in Jesus and you're not just saying the right words, going through the motions of Christianity?

Kind of crazy and counter-intuitive, isn't it? Paul encourages these young believers that their faith is genuine and real because they endure suffering. They pass the test, and they can rejoice in that. Paul certainly does. So can we. When we struggle and suffer because we claim the name of Jesus, we know without any doubt that our faith is real. And when we have real faith, we know we have Jesus and the kingdom of God and all the promises that come with them.

That might not make suffering easier to handle in the moment though. Such perspective sounds great but is hard to maintain when pain is right in front of your nose. When rioters drag you into the streets and put you on trial, for example. When a relationship is severed. When the pink slip hits your inbox. When your kids are ridiculed at school. When the blade is about to fall. What then? Is all our suffering nothing more than God's test to see what we're made of?

Paul offers another way we can take heart in the middle of suffering: remember that God is just, and He's coming to put things right.

  What do you think it means that God is just? How do you define justice?

"So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do evil, from the Almighty to do wrong. He repays a man for what he has done; he brings upon him what his conduct deserves. It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice." (Job 34:10-12)

I thought in my heart, "God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed." (Ecclesiastes 3:17)

Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: "You are just in these judgments, you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged; for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve." And I heard the altar respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments." (Revelation 16:5-7)

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Some folks can't reconcile a loving God with a God who is also just. After all, a just God would do something about the jealous Jews creating trouble for Paul and the Thessalonians, wouldn't He? A just God would get angry about how His followers got treated and punish those responsible. Paul tells us what that will look like: "They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power." (2 Thessalonians 1:9) Gives me the shivers to think about it.

But I wonder if we've thought this all the way through. See, God can't really love those living in a broken world if He is not also just -- even wrathful. Parents can probably relate. If you want to see wrath, just watch out for whatever poor soul breaks my teenage daughter's heart. That young man, should he ever be so foolish, will experience the Wrath of Dad from my husband and will not forget it. Why? Because my husband loves his little girl. If someone mistreats her, he would actually be unloving to simply brush it off like it's no big deal. We expect the same thing from judges in our legal system. For the sake of the community they represent and (we hope) love, they must deal with those who do that community harm.

Have you ever become angry when someone hurt or mistreated a person you love dearly? Share that with your group.

Now magnify this a gagillion times over with our Heavenly Father. Not only does He have more authority than any human judge, He has infinitely more love for His children than even my husband does for our daughter. How much more do you think He feels when someone hurts one of us because we belong to Him? What do you expect a God who is love to do in response to the suffering and the persecution of a group of young believers in Thessalonica? Eternal punishment sounds about right. Love and justice -- even wrath -- go hand in hand.

I should note that God loves both the person harmed AND the person doing the harming and wants to see them both saved. My point is that when someone is treated unjustly, God's love demands Him to enact justice on behalf of the one He loves, either through the death of His Son Jesus, or if that's rejected, by dealing with the person directly.

"The doctrine of hell is crucial-without it we can't understand our complete dependence on God, the character and danger of even the smallest sins, and the true scope of the costly love of Jesus." Timothy Keller, "The Importance of Hell" August 2009 - read the full article at  http://www.redeemer.com/redeemer-report/article/the_importance_of_hell.

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  Let's solidify this concept by putting it into our own words. How do you explain how God can be loving and just -- even wrathful -- at the same time?

It's unpopular to talk about, even politically incorrect, but this eternal punishment is actually proof of God's love for us and for the world He made. Old Testament writers called it Sheol -- we refer to it as hell, and no one likes to think about it. Unbelievers point to it as a reason not to trust in God. Believers might prefer to sweep it under the rug. But this is the God we serve, and His justice and wrath are essential to His loving character.

  Does talking about hell make you uncomfortable? Why or why not?

In the context of 2 Thessalonians, this might be easy to talk about. After all, Paul says people have troubled and opposed those who believe the gospel and are working to extend God's kingdom. These are the bad guys, and bad guys should be punished. The conversation gets much harder when we talk about folks who don't seem so bad -- people who are morally upright, yet don't believe in God or trust in Jesus. What about them?

I get it. I'm in that boat. I have unbelieving family members and friends, people I love who have already passed away. We're treading on sensitive ground. Which means we should be serious about how we consider answers to tough questions, rely on the solid ground of Truth and not on emotion or opinion. We cannot afford to be backwards in our approach to this. God is just. His word is clear and true. His justice then informs us instead of the other way around. Our opinions of whether we like the way God carries out His justice or not won't change anything.

And before we get critical of God's justice, we would be wise to remember that He was just when He sent Jesus to die on our behalf. I'm just saying...

Friends, we know that morality, good works, even suffering for the name of Christ doesn't earn anyone's place in God's kingdom. It's the freely given gift of grace from God. And while we can sympathize and deeply love people who reject that gift, reject it they have, as surely as if they had slapped God's hand away. Can we really claim that God is unjust for not forcing upon people a gift they've turned away?

How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:29)

 . Do you wrestle with the idea that God sends "good people" to hell? If so, what bothers you most?

The question of hell and how a loving God could allow anyone to go there is complex and difficult to answer. ExploreGod.com has a number of articles and videos that can help including:

  *  Would a Loving God Send Someone to Hell? (article)

  * Is There a Hell? (article)

  *  The Question We All Ask (video)

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The last piece of our struggle is often the timing of God's justice. On the one hand, we want God to come right now and deal with people we consider "bad," wipe them off the face of the planet. On the other hand, we want God to give our unsaved loved ones more time to know Him and be saved. I live in that tension all the time. Jesus is coming back to execute justice on the earth "in blazing fire with His powerful angels." (2 Thessalonians 1:7) When He does, the time for choosing will be over. What if He had come thirty years ago when I'm sure faithful believers wanted Him to? Would you and I get into the kingdom of God? In His wisdom, He knows the perfect time to execute justice and return to make all things new. Until then, He delays. And we can choose to trust Him.

\- From then to now -

How Christian leaders talk or don't talk about it became a topic for debate and a couple of books in recent years. Most notably, Pastor Rob Bell from Mars Hill endured a great deal of criticism for "being soft on hell" or even dismissive altogether in his popular book Love Wins. The controversy sparked a lot of discussion among Christians and non-believers: what is hell, does it exist, what do we really know about it? In response, popular author, speaker, and Pastor Francis Chan co-wrote the book Erasing Hell to examine the biblical passages and find out what God really says. Christianity Today interviewed Chan on what he learned in the process.

Q&A: Francis Chan on Rob Bell and Hell

Why 'Erasing Hell' was his most difficult book, how 'Love Wins' prompted repentance, and whether 'Believe in Jesus or you'll go to hell' is good news.

Interview by Mark Galli - July 5, 2011

 http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/julyweb-only/francis-chan-hell.html

(excerpt)

In several places in your book, it's clear that you are conflicted about even addressing this topic.

It's weird. I've never felt a need to really respond to someone else's writing. And yet reading Love Wins set a lot of things spinning in my mind. Some of it was concern, but some was doubt: Am I sure of what I believe? Let me go back and study. Several times in the middle of the night I couldn't even sleep. I really believe the Lord wanted me to do this, but there is a wrestling on that point because I thought, "Gosh, that's just not me. That's not what I'm comfortable with. I really don't think I'll enjoy this at all. I'm not looking forward to all the backlash and everything else."

The other side was that I was really hoping to discover some things I hadn't discovered before—or maybe this was an opportunity to soften my stance on hell. I was hoping to find that in Scripture. And so when I didn't it find it, it made me even more sick to my stomach...

When you say that your study caused you to realize that you had some sins to repent of, what type of things are you talking about?

As I reread the Gospel passages, Jesus' words are much harsher than I remember. There's a tone in some of the things that he said that are really difficult to stomach, and he says things in a way that I would not have.

Because we in America read certain passages over and over to the neglect of others, we start to believe that Jesus had a friendly tone all the time. And that there isn't any wrath or anger or judgment. When you read it all like you are reading it for the first time, you walk away going, "Wow, he was pretty hardcore."

Here's what I had to repent of: I had felt the need to soften a lot of Jesus' statements, because in my arrogance I think, "Okay Jesus, I'm not going to say that like that. Trust me, people will like you more and be more willing to accept you if I say it like this." Obviously I've never said that to God. But that's the attitude I've taken, and it made me sick. Who in the heck do I think I am? To think that I can make God more palatable or attractive if I try and change the tone in which he says some things. I know people say, "Well it's just cultural this or that." That's garbage. People back then had a much deeper reverence for God than we do. Especially the religious community. Yet it's to those people whom he speaks so harshly.

What in the world would he say to us today? I don't think it'd be a softer message. I had to come before God and say, "Lord I feel sick." And I confessed to Mark [Beuving, who edited the book] and Preston [Sprinkle, the coauthor] as we were working on the book, "I confess to you guys, I confess to the church, I know I have backed away from certain things because of my arrogance. I thought I could attract more people to Jesus by hiding certain things about him." I had to confess my arrogance.

What do you think is the biggest misunderstanding contemporary Christians have about hell?

I don't know if it's a misunderstanding or just an unwillingness to think about it, or accept the fact that it's there, to live our life in light of it...But the main thing is that we have tried to block [hell] out of our minds. Yet because it's written about so often in Scripture, I think God does want it on the forefront.

Is that what makes it compelling for you to continue to affirm the reality of hell? That it's so frequently mentioned?

It comes down to God and people. I have to warn people. I don't want people going there. And if they ignore it, there's a much more likely chance that they'll end up there. Obviously I take that in light of the sovereignty of God, but looking at it from a pragmatic perspective, it's like canoeing before Niagara Falls if you don't know it's there or you've got yourself deceived that there's no drop off. So one reason is my desire to love people and care for people and warn people.

The other is what I mentioned about God himself. I want to make sure that I'm being faithful to present him as he presents himself. I'm not ashamed of this, I don't understand it completely, but I surrender to it, I submit to it. And I want to proclaim it boldly now.

Can you identify with any of Francis Chan's feelings about the doctrine of hell? If so, which ones?

Why do you think pastors and teachers might be tempted to soften Jesus' words about hell? What's the danger if they do?

Chan says he's felt the need to soften some of Jesus' statements in an effort to make His message more palatable to others. Have you ever felt that way? Why should we avoid that temptation?

Chan says love for people compels him to tell people about hell. How does that work? Do you feel more or less loving to talk to people about it?

\- For further study -

Hell, eternal punishment, and the wrath of God are not light and easy topics. Paul glances off the top of them with his statements in 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 as he encourages a new church to endure until the end. God reveals a great deal in His Word about His justice and eternal punishment for those who do not obey the gospel. Jesus Himself taught on hell more than anyone else in the Bible, so let's start with what He says.

For each of the following Scriptures, write down how Jesus describes hell and who is sent there:

  * Matthew 13:38-42

  * Matthew 25:41-46

  * Mark 9:42-48

  * Luke 16:19-31

Old Testament writers also had much to say about God's eternal punishment for sinners. How do the following verses describe the destiny of the unrighteous?

  * Isaiah 33:14

  * Isaiah 66:24

  * Daniel 12:2

How would you summarize what hell is like?

Pastor and author Timothy Keller says the imagery of hell is probably not to be taken literally, much like the Bible's imagery of heaven is inadequate to describe what that experience will be like. He says...

Virtually all commentators and theologians believe that the Biblical images of fire and outer darkness are metaphorical. (Since souls are in hell right now, without bodies, how could the fire be literal, physical fire?) Even Jonathan Edwards pointed out that the Biblical language for hell was symbolic, but, he added, "when metaphors are used in Scripture about spiritual things . . . they fall short of the literal truth." (from "The Torments of Hell are Exceeding Great" in volume 14 of the Yale edition of Edwards works.) To say that the Scriptural image of hell-fire is not wholly literal is of no comfort whatsoever. The reality will be far worse than the image. What, then, are the "fire" and "darkness" symbols for? They are vivid ways to describe what happens when we lose the presence of God. Darkness refers to the isolation, and fire to the disintegration of being separated from God. Away from the favor and face of God, we literally, horrifically, and endlessly fall apart. (The Importance of Hell, Timothy Keller, August 2009)

In light of what we've learned, how does this affect your perspective on:

  * Sharing the gospel with others?

  * The gracious gift of Heaven?

  * The consequences of sin and how God feels about it?

"Not to look at the severity of God is disobedient and dangerous and unloving. It's like a parent teaching a child how a red hot eye on the oven is good—it makes water boil to cook the spaghetti noodles; it turns clammy eggs into a tasty white and yellow breakfast; it pops popcorn—the oven is good; but then never telling a little child that it is also very dangerous and can hurt badly if misused is in itself dangerous and unloving. So the command to behold the severity of God is a very loving command. And those who discourage us from seeing and believing this severity—in spite of all their sensitive language—are not doing us a favor." John Piper, "The Echo and Insufficiency of Hell - Part 1" sermon, June 14, 1992

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Consider for a moment that Jesus rescued you from such a fate, that He endured the full and just wrath of the Father on your behalf and on mine. Spend a few moments in silence meditating on this and thanking Him for what He's done for us and for others who accept His Son.

Before we leave this topic consider what Paul says in 1 Timothy about the heart of God:

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

God doesn't get any joy from someone going to hell. He'd much rather have them saved and safe with Him. As we consider this difficult teaching, we need to remember not only to be grateful for what we've been saved from, but also to share the heart of God and help others be saved, too.

Session 3: The Man of Lawlessness

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

In this lesson, Paul gets to the heart of why he's writing this letter. Believers in the Thessalonian church are confused about the second coming of Jesus Christ. The Apostle writes with urgency and a desire for the young converts to have a clear grasp on this doctrine.

We also need a clear grasp on what things will be like at the end of time when Christ comes back. Some find this doctrine very practical while others may prefer to keep it in the realm of the theoretical and distant future. In either case, if Paul thinks this issue is important enough to go to the trouble of a second letter to the Thessalonians so soon after his first one, then it must be an important issue indeed.

This week's passage is so rich and complex that we'll spend two lessons working it through. First, we'll discuss the man of lawlessness Paul refers to in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. Next week, we'll talk more specifically about Christ's return to earth.

  How often do you think about the end times? Do these thoughts trouble you? Why or why not?

What from this week's sermon is new information for you? What teachings do you now have a better grasp on or better understand?

\- Let's talk about it -

Paul taught the Thessalonian church about Jesus' return to earth before. It's evident from our passage this week that he spoke to them in person about such things, and he urges the young church to bring those teachings back to mind. It'd be nice if WE had those words of Paul, but we'll just have to make do with what he says in his first letter to the Thessalonians.

Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

The point in time Paul refers to is known as the Rapture. Theologians with doctorate degrees and decades of study under their belts debate exactly when this wonderful event will take place -- what comes before and after in end times chronology. We certainly won't settle those issues here. But God clearly intends for us to know certain things about that time. When Paul hears that Thessalonian believers are confused and think they might have even missed out on it, he immediately takes action to clarify his teaching lest the church be led astray.

  Why do you think believers need to understand about the Rapture and the end times? What's the risk of not having good instruction on this topic?

Why do you think it's easy for people to be led astray on this topic?

Apparently, someone is sowing seeds of trouble. Perhaps they've even forged a letter in Paul's name with false teachings. To understand why confusion about the end times can be dangerous, we're going to have to define what we mean by "the day of the Lord."

Old Testament prophets refer to the day of the Lord frequently, proclaiming God's judgment on unrighteous people and calling Israel to return to Him. They speak of this day as one of of darkness, violence, and terror when God pours out His wrath on those who have rejected Him:

Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. Because of this, all hands will go limp, every man's heart will melt. Terror will seize them, pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame. See, the day of the LORD is coming — a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger — to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. (Isaiah 13:6-11)

For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near — a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations. (Ezekiel 30:3)

"Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side. Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow — so great is their wickedness!" Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel. (Joel 3:12-16)

As we consider these prophetic passages and others like them, we'd best know what we're dealing with. Interpreting prophecy correctly can be a tricky thing. That's because prophets often spoke of two events simultaneously: a near term fulfillment of the words of God in human history and an ultimate or eschatological (end time) fulfillment by God at the end of time. When we read about the day of the Lord, we can easily see events in human history that seem to fit. The fall of Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple in 70 CE for example. Or the Jewish Holocaust during World War II. It's not hard to find periods of destruction and see them as God's judgment of a sinful people.

Yet some aspects of these prophecies don't quite match up, a vastness to their scope that doesn't seem to have been accomplished yet. This is the eschatological -- the end times aspect of the prophecies that will happen in the future when Jesus comes to earth not as a Savior but as a Judge. (See Isaiah 45:23-24, Revelation 19:11.)

Bible commentaries provide some guidelines for discerning if an apparent fulfillment of prophecy regarding the day of the Lord is a near-term smaller one or an indicator of the ultimate eschatological fulfillment. In near term fulfillments, God usually sends humans or natural means to execute His judgment against the unrighteous - sending Babylon against unrighteous Israel to take them into exile, for example. His intent is always to turn His people back to Himself, and the ultimate end for them has not yet come. However, in the final day, God Himself will be the instrument of judgment. There will be no question of Who's bringing destruction to sinners and an end to all that opposes the Almighty, the unraveling of sin, and permanent undoing of evil. And there will be no turning back to Him -- Revelation 16 says they will choose to curse God and perish.

Okay, interpretation lesson over. Let's get back to the Thessalonians.

Given that this young church was suffering a great deal of persecution and trouble -- dark days similar to the description of the day of the Lord in the Old Testament -- it's not hard to imagine them wondering if the time had already come and they had missed out on something.

  People today often look at our world and see similar things that look like the day of the Lord is near and get alarmed. Paul says believers should not do this. What's the danger Paul wants us to avoid?

When the end of the world does come, CNN has a video already prepared for the occasion. CNN Founder Ted Turner prepared the video to be played by the last surviving employee. The video contains a short clip of a Navy band playing "Nearer My God To Thee" on the White House Lawn. You can view the video online.

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The fact is that evil is a part of the broken world we live in. The ebb and flow of this darkness can be traced throughout history and cultures. How are we to know when the final cycle begins?

Paul gives us two signs that must happen before the final day of the Lord will come: a great rebellion and the man of lawlessness. In the Greek, the word for "rebellion" is apostasia meaning falling away or forsaking -- we get our word "apostasy" from this Greek word. The Great Apostasy will be a time when true faith in God is openly rejected by the world at large, when persecutions cause many to denounce belief in God. Some apostasy did take place in Israel before the fall of Jerusalem under Nero in the First Century, and others are easy to find throughout history. But we're talking about a much larger scale and with more vitriol and open opposition to everything of God than we've ever seen. Early Christians were thrown to the lions, set on fire and used as torches at Roman parties, had holes drilled into their heads and molten lead poured in, all sorts of atrocities that are simply beyond what we see today. The Great Apostasy will be worse still.

With the Great Apostasy will come the man of lawlessness. Paul lists several characteristics of this person:

  * Doomed to destruction

  * Opposes and exalts himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped

  * Sets himself up in God's temple

  * Comes in accordance with how Satan works

  * Uses all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders

  * Will be overthrown by the Lord Jesus by the breath of His mouth.

We might be more familiar with this man by another name: the Antichrist. The Book of Revelation says he will be inhabited by Satan himself, working with another who will perform great signs and miracles to deceive people into worshiping him. The imagery in Revelation is perhaps hard to understand, but the overall picture is one of violence, disease, and destruction, a celebration of everything sinful, and a persecution of anything of God. Many believers will lose their lives in this Great Tribulation. It's a seven year period that will usher in the final day of the Lord -- the man of lawlessness will be revealed smack in the middle.

Understanding how the man of the lawlessness will be revealed and set himself up as a god is a difficult thing to do. On one hand, some scholars believe that the Jewish Temple must first be rebuilt, and the Antichrist will set himself up to be worshiped there in a very literal way. Others, however, believe that the Temple refers to the church, the body of believers where the Holy Spirit dwells, and that the Antichrist will come initially as a false leader within Christian circles, ultimately usurping God as the object of worship.

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Put yourself in the place of the Thessalonian believers in the middle of fierce persecution. If you believe that the ultimate day of the Lord has already happened and you missed it, what are you feeling and thinking?

  Many times in recent years, people have claimed that the end is near and some have believed them. How have you seen people behave when they think the world is coming to an end?

Such a person has not yet appeared on the world's stage, though we certainly can think of some examples. Hitler comes to mind, and he was openly worshiped by some of his followers -- so this is not out of the question. Yet even he is not the ultimate fulfillment of Paul's prophecy. Without the Great Apostasy in play and with no unveiling of the man of lawlessness, we can know for certain that the ultimate day of the Lord has not yet arrived.

  Even though the man of lawlessness hasn't yet been revealed, Paul says the "secret power of lawlessness is already at work." What are some effects of this power that you see in our world today?

With what we've learned, how can we respond to claims about someone knowing exactly when the day of the Lord is coming?

Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. (1 John 3:4)

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. (1 John 4:1-3)

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\- From then to now -

We often hear stories linking current world events to end times prophecies. It doesn't seem hard to find parallels between what we see in the daily news and prophetic descriptions that herald the day of the Lord. Some Christian leaders caution against having too great an interest in finding these links. Randy Alcorn of Eternal Perspective Ministries wrote a blog post on this issue for the Christian Post in recent months.

What do you Think About Linking Current Events to the End Times?

By Christian Post Guest Voices

July 18, 2014 | 12:05 pm | Randy Alcorn

 http://m.blogs.christianpost.com/guest-views/what-do-you-think-about-linking-current-events-to-the-end-times-22132/

What do you think about linking current events to the end times? Is this a good thing for Christians to focus on?

I certainly believe in the return of Christ. But I do not put much faith in prophecy buffs, who have been getting it wrong for so many years. What international conflict in the past century, especially involving the Middle East, has not inspired books and sermons affirming "this is it"? (Lenin, Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin, JFK, and Henry Kissinger are just a few of the "Anti-Christs" who have come and gone.)

Eventually some of the prophecy "experts" will be right about some things. Will it be this time, and will recent events trigger the real end times? It's possible, of course. But I've heard dozens of theories about "men who must be the Anti-Christ", as well as countless "the sky is falling" and "this is the beginning of the tribulation for sure" predictions, during the forty years since I became a Christian as a teenager. You will pardon me if I don't have much interest in the latest theories.

What exactly is going to be the outcome of today's current events in the Middle East and around the world? We simply don't know. That takes us right back to the Word of God, where we need to be in the first place: "Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.' As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil" (James 4:13-16).

This puts us in our place. We're not God, we don't hold the universe in the palm of our hands and we just don't know what lies ahead of us. I don't know if I'll be killed in a car wreck tomorrow or if a loved one will be diagnosed with terminal cancer. I'm not in charge—neither are you.

God is in charge, and He is not taken by surprise. He knew about today's events before He created the world. He can and will use it as part of His plan, which may or may not include judging society and disciplining his church. Rather than speculate on what will happen, we should focus on what the Bible has told us all along—fear God, trust God, be wise, be prepared, be faithful, be generous, care for your family, look after the body of Christ, reach out to those who don't know Him. We don't know the day or the hour of His return, and need to focus on faithfully serving our King until we die or He returns, either of which could happen any day.

Scripture tells us, "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). We should respond to current events not with a spirit of fear, but of power (knowing God has given us in Christ all the resources we need to face any difficulty), love (putting the glory of God and the good of others before ourselves), and a sound mind (a disciplined, self-controlled and Spirit-controlled intellect that evaluates the available information and acts in light of biblical priorities and wisdom).

If we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, we need not worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:24-34). The best way to prepare for tomorrow is to walk with God today.

The "blood moons" of 2014 and 2015 have drawn a great deal of attention and speculation about whether the day of the Lord is quite near. You can read about this phenomenon and the Christian debate surrounding it in the article by the Religion News Service,  "'Blood moon'  sets  off apocalyptic debate among some Christians"  \- April 2014.

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What do you think of Alcorn's perspective? Is he on target or off-base?

As believers, we are called to transform the world we live in by expanding the Kingdom of God and working for justice. How does this fit in with what we know about the end times?

What do you think represents a dangerous disinterest in end times events and awareness of world today? What problem does this create?

How does a healthy balance help us share the gospel and love our neighbors well, particularly those who don't believe in Jesus?

\- For further study -

We could spend an entire year studying the end times, the day of the Lord, and the man of lawlessness who will be revealed. Rather than try to condense all of that here, let's focus on what the Book of Revelation has to say about the man of lawlessness -- the Antichrist -- and see if we can get a better picture of him in our minds.

Read the following passages and write down how the Antichrist is described. He is also referred to as a beast or the king of the North.

  * Daniel 7:23-27

  * Daniel 11:28-45

  * Revelation 13:1-18

How will the ultimate Antichrist be different from wicked men who have come before him?

Paul refers to the man of lawlessness as the one "doomed for destruction." Only one other person in Scripture is described this way: Judas, the betrayer of Jesus. [Jesus says] "While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled." (John 17:12)

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Revelation 13 gives important details as to the power behind the Antichrist and who supports him. With our ancient enemy, Satan, empowering the man and a prophet-like person working wonders in his name, we have the appearance of a false trinity: Satan corresponding to the Father, the Antichrist corresponding to the Son, and the prophet corresponding to the Holy Spirit. This Satanic triune represented by Antichrist gets a number to identify him: 666. The number six in Hebrew culture is understood as the number of man since he was made by God on the sixth day of creation. The number six also represents imperfection and sin since man is fallen. Thus, a trinity of sixes is an apt representation for the false trinity that will appear during the Tribulation, one that will fall by the very breath of God in the day of the Lord.

With the Antichrist being represented by a trinity of sixes, man's number, what does this tell you about man's condition apart from the true Son, Jesus Christ?

Scripture says that the Antichrist will successfully deceive many into worshiping him. How is this deception also connected to the unsaved heart of man? How easy or hard do you think it will be for him to deceive people, even those who know the Lord (Matthew 24:24)?

We've spent a good deal of time focusing on the man of lawlessness this week, but he is not the only One for us to be watching and waiting for at the end of time. Our next lesson will focus on the second coming of Christ who will destroy the man of lawlessness and all evil with just the power of His breath. I'm looking forward to that.
Session 4: the Second Coming

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Sometimes, folks want to reduce Christianity to a nice philosophy or way of life. Sure, Jesus' teachings contain a lot of instruction for day-to-day living. But our topic this week highlights one of many ways our faith is more than just a set of morals or good rules to live by. We follow a real Person who has already walked this earth and will be coming back in the flesh. Our belief in a literal Second Coming of Christ separates us from other world religions, from a philosophical debate to an on-the-ground reality to come.

We spent time last week uncovering some important aspects of the end of time, the day of the Lord. When the man of lawlessness is revealed, we know that Jesus' return will shortly follow. This lesson focuses on what happens when Jesus returns to rule on earth.

What impacts you from the sermon this week? What do you need to spend some time talking with God about?

So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:6-11)

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\- Let's talk about it -

In our last lesson, we learned that the man of lawlessness, the Antichrist, will be revealed as part of a false trinity empowered by Satan himself. Paul teaches the Thessalonians that this appearance is delayed by "one who now holds it back." (2 Thessalonians 2:5) Before we move ahead in end time chronology past the Antichrist's appearance on the scene, let's take a little bit of time to understand what Paul is saying.

Commentators vary widely on who or what this restraining power is. We don't have the advantage of Paul's direct teachings and he only refers in passing to what he's told the Thessalonians. Our best interpretation is that the power of the Holy Spirit in the world is what keeps the man of lawlessness from being manifested in the world. We call this common grace. (See Matthew 5:45.) Since God is the One in control, He's the One who will determine when the end will come and, therefore, is the power restraining the embodiment of evil that will immediately precede the Second Coming. The Holy Spirit primarily lives in God's Temple -- believers who make up His church. (See 1 Corinthians 3:16.) If this line of thinking is correct, then the removal of the church to join Jesus may signify the removal of the One who restrains the man of lawlessness. In other words, the Antichrist would be revealed after the Rapture of the church.

How might the presence of the Holy Spirit living in believers on earth restrain evil in the world in general?

How have you sensed the Holy Spirit restraining the power of evil in your own life?

Once the man of lawlessness is revealed, he won't be on the scene long. Paul doesn't even give him half a sentence before noting that Jesus will destroy him swiftly and completely. We'll spend the rest of our lesson looking forward to this glorious event.

Paul says the man of lawlessness will be destroyed by the Lord Jesus with the "breath of His mouth and the splendor of His coming." What does this say about the power of Satan compared to the power of God? How does this compare with end time narratives that have good and evil pitted in some sort of heated and tense battle?

  When you look at the world we live in today, which power appears to be stronger? What evidence do you have for your point of view?

One out of every twenty-five verses in the New Testament refers either to the rapture of the church or to Christ's coming to reign over the world. (cf. Jesse Forrest Silver, The Lord's Return, p. 29)

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I fluctuate back and forth between feeling like evil is winning and sensing the overwhelming power of God. I confess there are times when I get sucked into thinking Satan is getting the upper hand -- when I consider the unfathomable darkness of human trafficking, child abuse, rampant greed, and the like. When I take my eyes off the Lord and put them on the grim realities of our day, I tend to lose heart. But God reminds us through Paul that the worst evil we can imagine -- Satan incarnate in the form of the Antichrist -- will get blown away like so much dandelion fluff in the breath of God. Our enemy's greatest powers don't have a chance against the glory of our God.

  Knowing this, how can we face the evils of our world today? What about the evil in our own hearts? What can our attitude and actions be?

The book of Revelation gives us the most detailed account of what the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will be like:

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great." Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. (Revelation 19:11-21)

Can I get a "HALLELUJAH" and an "AMEN" from someone? This stuff is real, ladies and gentlemen. While there certainly is imagery we can't fully comprehend, we can know with certainty that Jesus WILL come back and He WILL stand again upon the earth and He WILL throw the beast into the fiery lake and He WILL judge the nations.

But this is not a happy, flowery image, is it? Not at all. This is war -- bloody, ugly war between the armies of earth and the armies of God. While the outcome is certain, the picture is not pretty. This clearly connects with images of darkness and destruction Old Testament prophets used when they foretold of the day of the Lord. While those who belong to God will rejoice in victory, those who do not will suffer and pay the ultimate price.

How do you respond to this picture of the Second Coming of Christ? What do you think and feel?

Let's put this back into the context of the Thessalonian believers. They're confused and think that the day of the Lord, the Second Coming, has already happened, and they missed it. That's because they don't understand how the end will come, someone is spreading false teaching, and they are in the middle of persecution that looks an awful lot like the destruction that the prophets spoke of. If Jesus has already come back and things are this bad, what are they supposed to believe? Has God rejected them for some reason and left them behind to suffer forever? What good is their faith now?

So we can see why Paul was so anxious to correct their doctrine, to assure them that Jesus hadn't come back yet. He's also bringing back to mind something he said in his first letter to them:

For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

  Knowing that the Second Coming is still in the future, how would that help the Thessalonian believers endure their suffering? How does it help you face whatever trouble you're facing today?

When we put it all together -- what we've learned about the end times, the man of lawlessness, the Second Coming, and the justice of God - we find a source of great strength for facing persecution and for sharing our faith. Since we know God loves us and is just, we can trust Him to come and make all things right one day -- we don't suffer for His name for nothing. Since we know God's power is much greater than the worst the enemy can throw at us, then we can be confident relying on God for everything we need. Since we know those who don't trust in Jesus are destined for destruction, we can share God's heart for the lost and work diligently to tell them about His free invitation to stand with Jesus when He comes again.

This is all fine and good, but it's more than fun theology. Let's give this doctrine some wheels and put them on the road.

How does (or should) the reality of the Second Coming of Christ affect your priorities?

  What are some ways that you acknowledge the reality that Jesus is coming back in how you live? What are some things you need to change in light of this truth?

  Whether the Second Coming occurs in our lifetime or not, the end is coming for each one of us sooner or later. How do we find balance between us all becoming sidewalk prophets proclaiming that the end is near and not caring about these events at all?

\- From then to now -

The Second Coming is a topic of debate among Americans in general and Christians specifically. A Pew Research poll conducted in 2010 reveals a wide range of opinions on what people believe about the end of time and whether Jesus really is coming back.

Who's Waiting for the Second Coming of Jesus? (Infographic)

by Live Science Staff | October 21, 2011 11:18am ET

LiveScience.com -  http://www.livescience.com/16657-coming-christ-doomsday-infographic.html

Jesus Christ's Return to Earth

Pew Research Center - July 14, 2010

 http://www.pewresearch.org/daily-number/jesus-christs-return-to-earth/

By the year 2050, 41% of Americans believe that Jesus Christ definitely (23%) or probably (18%) will have returned to earth. However, a 46%-plurality of the public does not believe Christ will return during the next 40 years. Fully 58% of white evangelical Christians say Christ will return to earth in this period, by far the highest percentage in any religious group. Only about a third of Catholics (32%) and even fewer white mainline Protestants (27%) predict Christ's return to earth by 2050. One-in-five religiously unaffiliated Americans also see Christ returning during the next four decades. Americans with no college experience (59%) are much more likely than those with some college experience (35%) or college graduates (19%) to expect Jesus Christ's return. By region, those in the South (52%) are the most likely to predict a Second Coming by 2050.

Do any of the findings above surprise you? Which ones best describe your beliefs?

In sifting through the numbers, about 80% of people don't believe that Jesus is coming back anytime soon. How do you think this affects their choices in how they live?

Only 21% say they don't believe in the Second Coming at all or don't know what they think about it. How does this affect your willingness or confidence in talking about Jesus coming back with others in your life?

How can we approach someone who doesn't believe that Jesus Christ is coming back at all about this truth? What are some ways we can start that conversation?

\- For further study -

In this lesson, we focused on what the New Testament writers like Paul and John had to say about the second coming of Christ. But Old Testament prophets had much to say about the day of the Lord and His coming to earth as a King as well.

Read the following passages. How does each one characterize God's coming to the earth to live among His people?

  * Daniel 2:31-45

  * Daniel 7:13-14

  * Ezekiel 43:1-9

  * Zechariah 14:1-9

For each of the images presented in the Scriptures above, match it with the corresponding New Testament passage that identifies Jesus Christ as the One spoken of:

  * Matthew 16:13-16

  * Revelation 1:15

  * Mark 15:2 with Luke 19:38

  * 1 Corinthians 10:4 with 1 Peter 2:5-8

Why do you think the coming of Christ to rule the earth is described in violent and destructive terms? What is God communicating to us through these images?

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. (Matthew 11:12)

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Anyone who has done battle with the evil in the world and the evil within their own hearts understands the violence and upheaval inherent in the victory. Our enemy and our sin do not tend to go down quietly. Yet the power of God is such that the victory is sure. We need only choose to stand with our King.

What happens after Christ's return is a subject of great debate. Our church and denomination's doctrinal statement affirms our belief that Jesus' arrival will initiate a one thousand year reign of peace on earth known as the Millennial Kingdom. However, others believe that Christ will come back at the end of the thousand years, interpreting the arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost as the Second Coming, ushering in a church age when Christ rules on the earth through the hearts of His people. While this is certainly no cause for breaking faith with those who disagree, we believe that a plain reading of the Scriptures best supports a literal, physical return of Jesus Christ to the earth before the thousand year reign begins. (See Revelation 20:6)

From the Austin Oaks Church Statement of Faith: "Christ's Return: We believe in the personal, bodily, and premillennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, requires constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service, and energetic mission.(See Matthew 24:30; Revelation 20:1-10; 19:11-21; Matthew 24:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Titus 2:13; 2 Peter 3:10-14)." Read the Austin Oaks Church full statement of faith online at our website.

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Let's wrap all this doctrine up into one place. Imagine you are talking with someone who doesn't know anything about the Rapture, the day of the Lord, the Antichrist, or the Second Coming of Christ. How can you explain these events in simple terms so that they might understand them?

Session 5: Standing Firm

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

If our first weeks together in 2 Thessalonians felt a bit heady, they were. Paul tends to pack the front of his letters with doctrine and the second half with application or answers to specific questions. We've waded through the deep waters of the truths Paul impresses on the Thessalonian church. Our passage this week turns the corner from teaching theology to putting faith into practice.

But these next verses aren't going to go easy on us. In them we see such important teachings as what characterizes a follower of Christ and how to stand firm in our faith through trying times. While Paul encourages and lifts up the believers in his time, I think you and I will be encouraged as well.

What impresses you the most from this week's sermon? What do you need to remember and take to heart?

\- Let's talk about it -

The attitude of gratitude Paul opens with in his letter to the Thessalonian church continues here as he repeats himself, giving thanks to God for their faith. He's a proud spiritual father and points out several truths about these believers, things that are true for all of us who have faith. As children of God, we are:

  * Loved by the Lord

  * Chosen by God

  * Saved by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit

  * Called through the gospel

  * Sharing in the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Which of these truths is most encouraging to you?

When you face tough times like the Thessalonians were, which ones do you have the hardest time believing?

Paul follows this list with his first command. In light of everything he's taught them about God's justice, the man of lawlessness, and the Second Coming, the Thessalonians must do one thing: stand firm.

What comes to your mind with those two short words? I think of the recent terrorist bombings at a newspaper in Paris, France, and how they motivated world leaders to stand firm together for freedom of speech and expression. Or the movie "Selma" depicting Martin Luther King, Jr. and others standing firm against racial prejudice and oppression. Leaders are often called to stand firm for their ideologies, their politics, their interests, their constituents, and their principles. In the world of sports, teams are called to stand firm and stick to the game plan, play a strong defense, not allow the other team to push them around on the court or field.

Paul tells the Thessalonians they need to stand firm and hold on to the things he's already taught them, whether in person or by letter. While we can't know what he said to them while he was in Thessalonica, we know what he wrote in 1 Thessalonians and what he refers to in this second letter to the church. They must stand firm for the gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:4-10), living a life holy and pleasing to God (1 Thessalonians 4:1-12), and looking forward to the Second Coming (1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11 and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12).

OK. We've got some fuel for discussion here. Because there's a difference between matters of absolute faith that we should stand firm on like Paul says we should and other matters that have some wiggle room where we can "meet in the middle" for the sake of unity. A whole lot of conflict comes up when we confuse absolutes with lesser things. We want to obey God's command to stand firm for our faith but we also want to be flexible where love dictates that we consider other's interests as well as our own. (See Philippians 2:4.) Where is the line and how do we know if we've crossed it?

  What do you think? What are the absolute matters of faith that we cannot compromise on? How can we tell the difference between absolutes and what's debatable or open for interpretation?

  What's the difference between standing firm in our faith and being stubborn or unteachable?

I believe without a doubt I have the spiritual gift of stubbornness. You won't find it listed in the Bible anywhere, but I assure you, I've got it. You too? High five. When we channel our stubbornness in the right directions, it can be a great strength as we face down opposition and dig in our heels against false teaching. But sometimes we get stubborn about things we don't need to be so inflexible on. Then we're just obnoxious or even selfish. And whether you share in my "spiritual gifting" or not, we all need guidance on when to stiffen our spines and when to relax. Paul doesn't leave us in the dark and neither does Jesus.

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!" Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' he is not to 'honor his father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: "'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'" (Matthew 15:1-9)

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (Acts 17:11)

Well, well, well. Looks like the Bereans in Acts 17 got it figured out when the Pharisees, Colossians, and even the Thessalonians got it wrong. Instead of taking even Paul at his word (at the time, he was unknown to them and his writings had not yet been recognized as Scripture), they looked to the Word of God for themselves. Perhaps we should follow their example.

  Gut check time. Do you spend time getting to know the Word of God for yourself, or do you rely on other people to teach and interpret it for you? Mark the line below to show where you are at this point in your life.

Rely on others <————————————————————————> Study for myself

What's the benefit of studying the Word for yourself? Conversely, what's the danger in relying exclusively on others?

When we know the Word of God for ourselves, we have a much easier time identifying falsehoods and heresies when they come along. We also have the confidence to stand for what we know for ourselves rather than what we think someone else knows and has told us. Even still, it's one thing to be told to stand firm. It's quite another to actually do it when the questions and alternate teachings come. Believers in Thessalonica had persecutors with names and faces pressuring them to abandon this Christian thing they were doing. For us, the pressure is probably more subtle, but it comes from a million directions -- jobs, financial pressure, social and political correctness, culture, media, you name it.

  What pressures do you feel that make it hard to stand firm for your faith?

Describe a time when you or someone you know stood firm in their convictions against opposing points of view or even persecution. What did they do and/or refuse to do?

What Paul does next gives us a huge insight into how we can stand firm no matter what kind of pressure we are facing to compromise. Paul prays for himself and for the believers. He asks God to give us all "eternal encouragement and good hope" so that we can be strengthened in every good deed and word. Anybody out there need some encouragement? How about some hope? I'm willing to bet that if we could hold on to both of these, our ability to stand firm for our faith would go way, way up.

Later, Paul will tell the Ephesian church more specifically what believers can do to stand firm against all opposition.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:13-18)

Once again, prayer comes into view as a primary way we can stand firm in our faith, both in personal times of prayer and praying for one another. Given the pressure and opposition we all face in big and small ways, prayer should be a very high priority in our lives. Yet a lot of people I know, including myself, often struggle being consistent with praying and spending time talking to God.

  How does this work? Why do you think prayer is essential to standing firm in our faith?

How is your prayer life right now? What struggles do you face? What's working really well for you in this area?

Can I point out one more thing before we move on? Paul says in verse 17 that we need to be encouraged and strengthened in every good deed and word. There's a tiny little three-letter word in there I think is so important -- it's the word "and." Because standing firm with our words alone isn't enough. Neither is being faithful with just our deeds. No, this Christian thing, this journey of faith is a full-on relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ that demands all of us and everything we say and do. We can't just give it lip-service or relegate it to what we do on Sunday mornings or in our small groups. We are called to hold fast to the gospel with our words AND our deeds.

Is one easier than the other for you? Do you find it harder to speak words of faith or do good deeds because of your faith? Why?

\- From then to now -

The ability to stand firm for our convictions and principles can be a highly valued trait, but we can also get into trouble. Let's take a look at a couple of examples from the blogosphere on how a firm stance on an issue can be a good or a bad thing.

From EvanCarmichael.com

SIMON COWELL - LESSON #1: DON'T COMPROMISE

 http://www.evancarmichael.com/Famous-Entrepreneurs/652/Lesson-1-Dont-Compromise.html

Accessed January 12, 2015

At the very first audition of "American Idol", fellow judge Paula Abdul got her first taste of what it was like to work with Cowell. Following a terrible performance by a young contestant, Cowell responded with one of his trademark criticisms. "My jaw literally – like a cartoon – must have hit the table," recalls Abdul. She proceeded to tell Cowell that he could not talk to people that way. Cowell responded that indeed he could. Abdul countered, saying he could not talk to Americans that way. Cowell said that he could and he would and the conversation abruptly came to an end.

"I think you have to judge everything based on your personal taste," says Cowell. "And if that means being critical, so be it. I hate political correctness. I absolutely loathe it." It is this attitude that has caused Cowell to come under attack by colleagues, the media and the public alike. Unafraid of speaking his mind and willing to suffer whatever consequences might arise as a result, Cowell has gotten to where he is in the industry due to his refusal to compromise.

...The ability to stand firm in one's beliefs is a characteristic Cowell would like to see more of in others, believing that it is one of the key ingredients necessary for success. Before every audition, Cowell talks to all of the would-be singers and encourages them to stand up for themselves. No matter how critical he may be towards them, Cowell would rather have the contestants argue with him than just walk out of the room. He knows that anyone who is willing to back down in the face of a challenge will never make it in the cutthroat music industry.

From Discover Your Awesomeness by Debi Feinman

STANDING FIRM IN YOUR BELIEFS

September 18, 2013 By Debi

 http://www.debifeinman.com/standing-firm-in-your-beliefs/

...There's been a bit of a battle taking place in my family recently. It's been an unfair battle of three against one. Instincts might tell you there is power in numbers, and in our house, that's often the case. But truth be told, the minority can overpower the majority if they stand firm in their conviction.

...My guy had this great idea of hosting a pool party at our home for his football team. The only problem was we didn't think it was such a great idea!

His purpose was two-fold. He believed the pool party would create a setting for team bonding, and give the boys the opportunity to experience the lifestyle we've worked for, so they could see, touch and feel what is possible with an education, commitment and hard work. Given that most of these kids come from broken families, some not even living with either parent, he felt it was critical that all four of us come together and participate in this event, so the players could experience being around an intact family.

Yet we still didn't support him!

We were quick to tell him all the reasons why we thought this was a bad idea, why it wouldn't work and why we didn't want to be involved. We debated, like lawyers trying to win the case of a lifetime.

But my guy stood so firm in his beliefs, you would think his feet were sunk in concrete! He willingly engaged in repeated verbal combat with both his teenage boys and his lovely bride (me!), because he knew in his heart and soul that what he was fighting for mattered more than the temporary discomfort of the argument.

ONE against THREE – my guy won. The team pool party was this past Sunday.

...When the day came to an end, the team thanked us for inviting them over and sharing our home with them. They were grateful, and they weren't afraid to express it. Once they found their seats for their ride back home, I boarded the bus, and for the first time all day, I spoke to the team as a whole. I thanked them for being respectful and polite, and I welcomed them back to my home any time! I told them to look in the stands because we would be there Wednesday night to cheer them on for their first football game of the season.

As I walked off the bus I felt the tears well up in my eyes. They were tears of sadness for the circumstances most of them were returning to. But they were mixed with tears of joy, because I believed the team had touched our hearts as much (if not more) than we touched theirs!

Looking at these two examples, what benefits do you see from standing firm in your convictions whether they are matters of faith or not?

What's the potential downside of holding on to such strong opinions and convictions? How do we obey the command to love one another while we stand firm in what we believe?

Have you ever been part of the minority opinion and stood your ground? What was that experience like and how did things turn out?

Do you think people who stand up for what they believe in no matter what are strong or weak in character? What is harder -- holding your ground or working out a compromise?

\- For further study -

In our lesson this week, we discovered that prayer is a key component in our ability to stand firm for our faith. Paul's prayer in 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 asks God to grant believers eternal encouragement and good hope so that we can be strengthened in every good deed and word. Let's take some time to look at some of Paul's other prayers and see what he asks God for on behalf of himself and the believers he cares so deeply for.

For each of the following prayers listed, write down what Paul asks God for:

  * Ephesians 1:17-23

  * Ephesians 2:14-21

  * Philippians 1:3-9

  * Colossians 1:9-14

  * Philemon 4-7

Go back and put a star next to the item or items that you need to ask God for so that you can stand firm in your faith today. Why do you think these things will be helpful to you?

Often when we pray, we ask God to change our circumstances, don't we? I would very much like Him to come and fix things in the broken world we live in, but that's not going to happen until the Second Coming of Jesus we talked about in our last lesson. It's also not what Paul asks for, and his circumstances were often very difficult indeed. No, instead of asking God to change his situation or the situation of the believers he prays for, he asks God to change THEM.

Where is your prayer life in this area? How often do you pray for circumstances to change, and how often do you ask for God to change you or the people you're praying for?

Any discussion on prayer would fall woefully short if we didn't at least mention the Lord's Prayer. Take a look at Jesus' words to His disciples below:

This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.' (Matthew 6:9-13)

How does this prayer build up our confidence and encourage us to stand firm in our faith?

Session 6: What to Pray

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5

In our last lesson, we found out that prayer is essential to help us stand firm in our faith. We'll focus in on prayer this week as Paul asks the Thessalonians to pray for him and his companions and as he prays for these believers he loves so much. Kneeling before our God is one of the most basic activities in the Christian life, asking for His favor, and listening for His guidance. Yet the ins and outs remain a bit of a mystery, like trying to catch light in a jar. We have a hard time articulating exactly what happens when we pray and how to know we're practicing the discipline well.

What to pray. How to pray. When to pray. Certainly Jesus, Paul, and others give us a boatload of teachings and examples. For the sake of our discussion, we'll zero in on what Paul asks others to pray for him and the short prayer he offers for them in the opening verses of 2 Thessalonians 3. In this, we will find insight into how to lift each other up and help our brothers and sisters stand firm in their faith.

  What is prayer? How do you define it?

What's one application from the sermon this week that you need to put into practice?

\- Let's talk about it -

Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2)

Paul's request for prayer reveals a lot about his heart and his priorities. He asks for the good news of Jesus Christ to spread rapidly in other cities like it did in Thessalonica. Looking back at 1 Thessalonians, we see that the gospel did take root in this pagan and idolatrous city in remarkable ways.

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. (1 Thessalonians 1:4-7)

If you're familiar with Jesus' parable of the soils in Matthew 13, then we can say the gospel seed fell on "good soil" in Thessalonica. Paul doesn't take credit for this, nor does he give the Thessalonians credit for having such tender and well prepared hearts. Instead, he points to the Holy Spirit as the One responsible for faith in Jesus Christ taking root.

If the Holy Spirit is the One who makes the gospel spread, how does prayer play a role in this process?

He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. (Psalms 147:15)

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10-11)

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Paul's second request is that he and his companions be delivered from evil and wicked men. A few observations and reminders: Paul writes from the city of Corinth where he continues to share the gospel and plant churches. He fled Thessalonica in the face of persecution and trouble follows him wherever he goes. Certainly, the Thessalonians have a very clear idea of what "wicked and evil men" look like. Some of them are still in town making life miserable for followers of Christ. So to their ears, this is a very practical and pragmatic prayer request, even if it sounds super spiritual to our ears today.

The word Paul uses for "wicked" here is the Greek word "atopos"; this is the only place it's used in the New Testament. Atopos means "amiss, unreasonable, misplaced, monstrous, extravagant, or out of place."

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In the "for further study" section of Session 5, I pointed out that Paul's prayers don't often ask God to change believers' circumstances but to change THEM so they can glorify God through their circumstances. Yet when Paul asks for prayer for himself, he asks for God to intervene, and who can blame him? Things are rough, and he wants them to change. I ask people to pray for me that way, too, when I don't like what's going on in my life. Lord, please come make things better! Except there's a big difference between the way I pray and what Paul asks for. I don't think Paul is focused on his comfort. He's all about the spread of the gospel.

  What about you? When you ask others to pray for you, what's your motivation?

When you pray for someone else, what kinds of things do you ask God for on their behalf?

Acts 18 shows us why Paul asks for prayer and protection. We might even catch a glimpse of how powerful prayer can be. When persecution against believers breaks out in Corinth, the synagogue ruler Sosthenes drags them before Roman proconsul Gallio and tries to have them punished. Before Paul speaks a word in his own defense, Gallio dismisses the whole matter entirely, and the Jews turn on Sosthenes. Instead of Paul and his companions getting flogged by the Romans or worse, Sosthenes takes a beating from the hands of his own countrymen, and Gallio does nothing to stop them. Paul must have been in awe of this turn of events. I wonder if the prayers of the Thessalonians played some part.

Have you ever experienced something like this when you faced a tough situation, asked others to pray for you, then watched God turn the whole thing around? Share this experience with your group.

There's no way for us to know how much the events in Corinth were affected by the prayers of believers in Thessalonica. Such is the mystery of prayer. Yet the Bible is clear that prayer is important and has an effect on real lives in the real world. James, the brother of Jesus and early church leader, says it perhaps most directly:

You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (James 4:2b-3)

James points to a balance between asking God for what we need and asking with the right motives. What are bad motives for going to God with our requests? If there are "wrong" motives, what are the right ones?

So if we don't see the gospel spreading in our community or if persecution seems to be winning, what can we do? What just might be the missing ingredient? Prayer.

Before we move forward into Paul's requests for the Thessalonians, let's make one more observation. If Paul and his companions needed prayers of support in their ministry, how much more do our own church leaders? Our Senior Pastor Rob Harrell? Our elders? At the risk of getting up on a soapbox, allow me to point out that wicked and evil people are around today just as much as they were in Paul's day, and the work our leaders do is not easy. They need our visible support, day-to-day help, and words of encouragement for sure. But they also need our prayers. Imagine how encouraged and joyful, how much easier it would be to endure the hardships they face if we as a congregation ask God to prepare the soil in our community, and they saw the gospel spread and take root. We can't leave them on their own to do this. WE MUST PRAY.

  Will you commit to praying for our church leaders? Write down your commitment here, and as a group, hold each other accountable to this commitment.

Now that we've seen what Paul asks believers to pray for him, we see him offer another prayer on behalf of these believers, what he's confident that God will provide for them. He asks for three things:

  * Protection from the evil one (sounds like the Lord's Prayer, right?)

  * That they'll continue to do the things Paul taught them

  * That God will direct their hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance.

No small requests. Protection from evil is of great importance and concern to all of us, for sure. Then when we see the list of everything Paul commands these believers to do in these two letters (see the margin), we're more than a bit daunted. And who, save Jesus Christ Himself, has ever had a heart of love and perseverance like Paul describes? If any of these things are going to be true in my life, I need prayer.

Paul commands the Thessalonians to:

  * Stand firm in their faith

  * Not become easily unsettled concerning the end times

  * Live lives pleasing to God

  * Be sanctified

  * Avoid sexual immorality

  * Learn to control your body to not succumb to passionate lust

  * Love each other

  * Lead a quiet life

  * Mind your own business

  * Work with your hands

  * Respect those who work among you as leaders and hold them in highest regard

  * Live in peace with each other

  * Warn those who are idle

  * Encourage the timid

  * Help the weak

  * Be patient with everyone

  * Always try to be kind

  * Be joyful always

  * Pray continually

  * Give thanks in all circumstances

  * Do not put out the Holy Spirit's fire or treat Him with contempt

  * Test everything

  * Hold onto the good

  * Avoid every kind of evil

  * Pray for him and his companions

---

Why is prayer essential for these things to show up in a believer's life?

  What gets in the way of God's people -- of us -- praying more? What can we do to remove these obstacles?

Which of Paul's commands listed in the margin do you specifically need prayer for? It's easy to say, "all of them!" but choose only 2-3 to focus on for now.

You may wonder if it's a good idea to focus on just a couple of things at a time in this prayer request, but allow me to explain. One way to know without a doubt that God hears and responds to our prayers is when we can clearly see how He moves on our behalf. If our prayers are very general or very broad, we often have a harder time making the connection. When we see God answer specific prayers in specific ways, our faith and our joy grow by leaps and bounds.

And it's often easier to see God answering prayer for someone else and for someone else to see God answer prayers in you. For example, if I pray that God will help my friend be more respectful in his words and live in peace, he might not readily see subtle changes in his life before those of us on the outside notice. Then we can point them out to him and encourage him, and we're encouraged, too, because God is on the move in his life. So prayer in community with one another is a really effective way for all of us to grow closer to God.

But what happens if we pray and then don't see any change? What if we pray for protection from evil and evil comes anyway? What then?

Often, discussions on prayer get to a point where someone asks "what if it doesn't work?" or "how should I pray so that I know I'm doing it the right way?" I'm never one to dismiss a question as irrelevant, and I understand the heart behind these thoughts. We don't want to be disappointed, don't want to get our hopes up, don't want to do anything to offend God in some way. But the questions do reveal a potential misunderstanding about what prayer is and what it's for. Prayer is not about "getting it right" or finding the right code to enter into the Machine and get what we want out of life. The Christian life isn't about formulas at all. It's about a relationship with a Person, and prayer is the conversation we have with Him.

  Think this through for a moment. Why might some prayers for ourselves or for others not seem to "work?"

Our passage in 2 Thessalonians 3 gives us some guidance on this, too. The better we know this Person we're talking to, we better we'll know how He tends to respond to certain things. I don't think I'm going out on a limb here to say that God has some priorities higher than others. The gospel is more important than our comfort, for example. Expanding the kingdom of God is worth more than our earthly lives, as many Christian martyrs can attest. Our holiness trumps our happiness in His eyes, too. Knowing this, we can shape our prayers and guide our hearts to ask for things that are closer to His heart and have more confidence in how He'll respond.

Paul shows us how well he knows His God. When he asks for prayer, he does so with the success of the gospel -- not his personal comfort -- in mind. When he offers prayer for believers, he doesn't ask for their happiness but their holiness and their perseverance in the face of trials. Personally, I would ask for God to shut the mouths of those jealous Jews sooner rather than later, but we've already learned that God is just and will take care of matters in His way and His time, so we don't have to worry too much about that. Instead, Paul focuses his prayers on what will bring glory to God and expand His kingdom.

How does he do that? What kind of heart does Paul demonstrate through his prayer life?

If you find yourself both impressed and intimidated by Paul's prayers, I'm in your boat. But instead of backing away in admiration and saying we could never achieve his level of spirituality, let's remember that Paul is quite human, the "worst of sinners" ( See 1 Timothy 1:16), even a murderer. So brilliant of God to show us not only the powerful prayers of godly men like Paul, but their faults as well so we can have hope for ourselves. The only difference between him and us is how much of his heart is given over to God. Instead of putting him on a pedestal, let's follow his example and ask God to give us hearts as devoted to Him as Paul's.

And let's pray that for each other, too.

\- From then to now -

It's probably not a very hard sell to convince believers that praying for one another is a good idea. Perhaps it's harder to understand how our prayers make a difference in the world we live in. Yet leaders in Nigeria apparently do believe prayer can have a powerful effect not just on individual people but on an entire nation. In December 2014, many prominent leaders asked their countrymen to pray as Nigeria prepares for a critical election in 2015.

Tambuwal, govs charge Nigerians on 2015 polls, others

The Guardian - Wednesday, 24 December 2014

Written by Abiodun Fagbemi (Ilorin), Gordi Udeajah (Umuahia), Joseph Wantu (Makurdi) and John Akubo (Lokoja)

 http://ngrguardiannews.com/news/national-news/191594-tambuwal-govs-charge-nigerians-on-2015-polls-others

Eminent Nigerians, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal and state governors, have admonished their fellow citizens to rededicate themselves to the unity and progress of the country towards making the nation a comfortable place to live in by all stakeholders, including generations yet unborn.

Essentially, the leaders appealed to Nigerians to shun ethnic, religious, cultural and political sentiments and practically exhibit commitment to loving, tolerating and appreciating one another with a view to achieving peaceful atmosphere for real socio-political and economic growth that will make life more meaningful to the citizenry.

They particularly charged Christians to use the celebration of Christmas to imbibe the spirit of togetherness, peaceful co-existence and love which the birth of Jesus Christ represents.

... Tambuwal said: "Despite the current difficulties confronting the nation, a new dawn is about to set forth in the country. We should all pray for the successful conduct of the 2015 general election because candidates who emerged through free, fair and credible exercise are more likely to serve the interest of the nation.

"The coming elections provide an opportunity for our country to start afresh. I am confident we will get it right."

Orji said: "We must make it a burden to pray for the success of the 2015 elections and must not at this time, forget our troops facing war in the North-east as their families need our prayers and support at this time, when we all have someone to hold tight while they, as families of our soldiers in a battle to save our country, are lonely without their loved ones present with them."

To Amaechi, "the reason for this season is nothing other than to show love to our neighbors and live in unity. We must also as a nation go to God in prayers for our political progress; to give us good leaders that will pilot the affairs of this country to greater heights. As we go to the general elections next year, we must remain resolute and committed to the course of Nigeria. We should collectively as a people say no to bad leadership in 2015 and elect leaders who will have the interest of the country at heart and champion the course of the common man."

According to the Pew Research Center, about 49% of the Nigerian nation is Christian, about 49% is Muslim and less than 2% participate in other religions.

---

What do you think about national leaders calling for their countrymen to pray? What about their requests? What do you think of those?

Do you believe prayer can make a difference for Nigeria in 2015? Why or why not?

What do you think will be evidence that God has heard the prayers of the people on behalf of Nigeria? How do you hope God will respond?

What about our nation? In light of what we've learned from the Apostle Paul, what can we pray for our leaders and our country? What do you ask God to do on behalf of our nation?

\- For further study -

Prayer is about communicating and building our relationship with God. As with any relationship, there aren't hard and fast rules for what "works" and what doesn't, but we do have guidelines about what will get in the way of our relationship and our communication with our Heavenly Father. Just like we have relationship and communication skills in our human relationships, we have skills that the Bible says will help us in our prayers.

What do the following verses say we can keep in mind when we pray?

  * 2 Chronicles 7:13-14

  * Mark 11:25

  * Luke 18:1-8

  * Romans 8:26

  * James 5:15-16

  * 1 Peter 4:7

What should we avoid to keep our communication with God healthy?

  * Matthew 6:5-6

  * Isaiah 1:10-15

  * James 4:2-3

  * 1 Peter 3:7

Why do you think these things interfere with our prayer lives?

Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." (Matthew 21:21-22)

Jesus says in Matthew 21 above that faith is the key to a powerful prayer life. Some have misinterpreted this verse to say that if we simply believe hard enough then God will give us whatever we want. Sounds nice but it's not true. Faith is not simply believing in whatever we want. It's the assurance and hope that God is who He says He is. So Jesus is saying that if we really believe that God is Who He says He is and don't doubt His character, then we'll know how to talk with Him and the effects of that relationship will be powerful. Prayers in the context of this kind of relationship will be in line with God's heart and desires, too. And when we ask God for what He already wants to give, then we don't have to doubt that He'll give it.

How does Jesus' teaching above shape our prayers for one another? For ourselves?

Pray for our Sunday worship services and our leaders before worship services each week. Senior Pastor Rob Harrell and others meet in the Prayer Chapel at 8:30 AM before Sunday worship services to ask God to do what only He can do: plant the Word in our hearts and change us from the inside out.

Participate in one of the other prayer ministries at Austin Oaks Church including prayers for healing and freedom, prayers for missionaries, prayers for cancer patients and their families, or prayers for a specific ministry or class. Contact Becky Grangaard (becky.grangaard@austinoakschurch.org) for more information.

Make prayer an essential part of your small group time. Use what you've learned in this lesson to pray for each other and keep a journal of how God responds. You may want to designate one group member as the lead on this, someone to keep records of what is prayed and what God's answers are. Go back through the journal and review your group's prayers from time to time and be encouraged by what God has done in and through you.

---

Maybe the hardest thing about prayer is that it sometimes feels messy and unclear. That's the nature of relationships when at least one party involved is broken and struggling with sin. Communication between people is plenty messy \-- both parties are broken people. In our relationship with God, we're the broken ones, so we're the ones who bring confusion and misunderstanding into the mix. But God gets us, even when we don't understand ourselves or know up from down, right from wrong, faith from doubt. No matter where we are in our prayer lives, we can know that God hears us and will teach us to do better if we'll just ask Him.

Session 7: The Calling of Work

2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

So far in 2 Thessalonians, we've seen Paul praise the believers, correct their doctrine, pray for them, and encourage them to stand firm in their faith. He's covered a lot of ground in a very short period of time. Our passage this week covers one more purpose the Apostle has in writing to this group of believers, one problem that must be addressed.

Idleness.

When we think about issues facing the church and people of faith, I'm not sure idleness tops our list. Yet Paul uses very strong language commanding the Thessalonians to deal with people who aren't pulling their weight, those who are lazy and draining the resources around them, contributing nothing but trouble to their community. The command for all of us to be about our business as members of the kingdom of God is one we should take seriously.

How does this week's sermon impact you? Is there something in particular you need to remember or apply?

\- Let's talk about it -

Paul invokes the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and commands the Thessalonian church to stay away from anyone among them who is idle. I'm not sure he could use any stronger language here, which makes me wonder what the big deal is. So we'll spend some time considering the concepts of idleness and work from a few different angles since Paul makes such a strong point of it himself.

This isn't the first time Paul has warned the Thessalonians about the dangers of not being about their business. Look at what he says in his first letter to them:

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)

Paul goes so far as to point out that he didn't take advantage of the Thessalonians while he was with them or depend on their charity, though he certainly could have used his spiritual authority to do so. No, he and his companions paid their own way, probably earning money as tent makers, instead of taking anything from the people they came to serve. That's a lot of hard work to make a point, and Paul's not about to give up on it now.

But apparently, some people chose not to follow Paul's example. They didn't have a job, or if they did, they didn't attend to their duties. Instead, they occupied their time with everyone else's business, creating problems for others to deal with. Paul says believers should stay away from them and not associate with such people at all.

To understand Paul's instructions on how the church should handle this issue, let's put a few truths on the table.

In the beginning, God made man in His image including having the purpose and ability to work. (See Genesis 2:15.) That means work is not a product of sin and the Fall. Certainly the world's fallen condition makes work a lot harder and more frustrating than it was in the Garden of Eden (see Genesis 3:17-19), but work itself is not evil. God worked when He created the earth (see Genesis 2:2-3) and we are made to be like Him.

  What's your attitude about work, both in the business world and inside the "church world?" Is it something you're enduring for now, something you find purpose in, something you look forward to?

Why do you think God made us for work? What's His plan for us when He designed us for work?

May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us -- yes, establish the work of our hands .(Psalms 90:17)

A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25)

---

For many of us, work might feel like a necessary evil, a way to pay the bills and keep food on the table, but not much more. We work for the weekends, make money to fund our play later. But what if that's not what God has in mind for us? What if the world's way of approaching work as drudgery and a grin-and-bear-it proposition isn't God's plan at all? Would that really be much of a surprise?

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

In America, we might find ourselves at the opposite extreme from the Thessalonian believers. Our problem may not be that we think too little of work but that we make too much of it. Our work can become our identity, our source of dignity and purpose, that which defines us. That's not what God designs for us either. He alone is our identity, our Source, and He gives us purpose.

  How can we know if we're out of balance on this? What are some symptoms of thinking too little of our work? What are the symptoms of putting too much weight into what we do for a living?

Paul's concern is for those who aren't minding their own business, so to speak, so we'll focus on that end of the spectrum for now. And given the doctrinal confusion about the end times that we've been talking about, we probably can understand why neglecting work is a problem in the Thessalonian church. If people believe that the day of the Lord had already come and everything is going up in smoke, then why bother? Let's take this a step further -- whether Jesus is coming back tomorrow, next year, or in the next millennium, it's all relative and ultimately useless, right? Why should any of us do anything other than sit around and wait for it to happen? If we get too caught up in what's going to happen during the end times, we'll be tempted to neglect the here and now.

  Why should believers care at all about working for a living and for the kingdom when the Lord is sure to come back someday?

This line of thinking betrays a fundamental flaw in who we think we are and what Christ has done for us. See, we like to divide things up into nice neat little packages, put labels on them, and then set each piece where we think it belongs. There's our spiritual life in one box and our family life in another and our job life in another and our free time in yet another. We do that with our very nature, too, trying to separate the physical from the emotional and the mental and the spiritual sides of ourselves. Nice in theory, but it doesn't work in real life. We are whole human beings, each part of us mixing and mingling, interdependent on the other parts. Our jobs affect our families. Our physical health affects our emotional, mental, and spiritual health.

Jesus redeems and restores us as whole human beings, not just parts of us.

Which means there's no sacred-secular divide in our lives. No "this is my job" and "that is my ministry for God" boxes to carve our time into. When we are diligent in our so-called secular work, we are actually doing sacred ministry whether we recognize it or not. And when we neglect or opt out of the "real world," then we're opting out on God's plans for us, too.

Let's use our friend Paul as an example. How did his "secular" work of tent making serve as part of his overall ministry and service to God and His Kingdom (2 Thessalonians 3:7-10, Acts 18:1-3)?

  How might God use your everyday work to extend the kingdom of God?

There's a simple problem with those who decide to give up on work. They get bored. Bored people can be a lot like bored pets and go all destructive on you. I had a dog once who got bored enough to chew through the wooden panels on the outside corner of my house and eat the insulation and electrical wiring. Not only were the repairs expensive, but the dog very likely could have electrocuted himself or even started a fire and burned our house down. People who refuse to be productive with work of their own start meddling in other people's affairs like that, gnawing at stuff they shouldn't be and creating problems. That's what Paul means by "busybodies" (2 Thessalonians 3:11).

Have you experienced problems with someone who isn't minding their own business but meddling in other people's affairs -- maybe even yours? What kind of damage did they do to themselves and to others?

Paul wants to protect the church from such damaging people, so he warns believers to stay away from them in very stern language. They don't follow Paul's example, don't fulfill the image of God in them, aren't productive members of society, even give the gospel a bad name if they call themselves believers. If for no other reason than for the sake of the reputation of the gospel, Paul would have believers make it clear that the lazy and meddlesome do not represent Christ by refusing to associate with them.

This teaching might feel harsh to those of us who'd rather err on the side of grace. After all, if someone is hungry, even if it's their own silly fault, shouldn't we feed them? Aren't we supposed to forgive them over and over again for whatever their sins are?

(Jesus says)"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 18:15-18)

---

And now we've opened up a gnarly issue called enabling, where good intentioned people actually help the ones they love keep on making bad choices. It's understandable, but not loving. And Paul says we're not to enable lazy busybodies but do the harder things necessary to help them change their ways. That's what disassociating from them is intended to do -- make them look at their behavior and choose something different. Sometimes a shock to the system like an open rebuke from church leaders is what it takes. Not fun for anyone, but if it puts someone on the right track with God...

What other dangers might a person who refuses to be about his or her own work create for the church and others? Have you ever seen these things happen?

  What's the solution? What does it look like today to follow Paul's clear and strong command to not associate with believers who are idle?

\- From then to now -

All of this talk about avoiding folks who are idle and not working brings up some uncomfortable issues. We want to help others in need, and our faith calls us to love each other freely. How do we do this and understand Paul's statement that a person who does not work will not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10)? Perhaps looking at real and extreme circumstances will help us discern principles and guidelines we can follow both inside and outside the church. In particular, the issue of how we can best serve those who ask for money on street corners might be a good place to start.

Homeless People: You Want to Help But How Should You?

Here's how to do more than just "Walk on By"

By Pam Bailey, Aleteia News - January 15, 2015

 http://www.aleteia.org/en/society/article/homeless-people-you-want-to-help-but-how-should-you-58939

When I first began working in downtown DC two years ago, the homeless on the streets suddenly became very real to me. My previous jobs in the more affluent suburbs had ensconced me in a cocoon of sorts. Out of sight, out of mind.

But now they were so very visible — the homeless and the panhandlers (and many who were both). And I began to have an internal conversation with myself: Do I just walk by fast and ignore them? Do I put a dollar in their cups? But if I do that, I can't do it every day. So then what?

Chances are, you too walk by them on the way to the office or when running errands. You see them with their cup out at major intersections and by the metro station. Or they may be slumped on park benches or under bridges and underpasses.

Then again, perhaps not. Maybe you have stopped noticing them because they are so common they blend into the "landscape" — or because we all tend to block images that make us feel uncomfortable.

...According to Michael Stoops, community organizer for the National Coalition for the Homeless, "the single most frequent question we get when we speak at events is, 'What do I do when I'm approached on the street?' "

Some professionals in the field say unequivocally that doling out money to people who beg on the streets is not a good use of your funds — and doesn't do much for panhandlers either.

"The simple truth is that giving cash to panhandlers doesn't help," a page on the website for Montgomery County, MD, flatly states. "Those who work daily with panhandlers in homeless advocacy and other social service groups know that most panhandlers use the money they collect to support their addictions — drugs, alcohol and tobacco. None of that helps panhandlers to solve their problems."

The website adds that despite appearances, many panhandlers are not homeless. The US Department of Justice agrees, warning that "(panhandlers') sales pitches are usually, if not always, fraudulent in some respect." However, at least some data contradict those negative claims. A 2013 survey of people begging for money in San Francisco concluded that 82 percent were indeed lacking a place to call home. The survey also found that 60 percent collected less than $25 a day and 94 percent used the money for food. Fewer than half (44 percent) spent any of the money on alcohol or illicit drugs.

...Eileen Leichter, a DC-based tax lawyer, has chosen an in-between ground. She doesn't allow herself to get personally involved, but regularly keeps $50 in one-dollar bills in her purse to give away. It lasts a couple of weeks.

"I build it into my budget," she says. "They can get a cup of coffee with it, or match it with contributions from others and get a meal at a deli. Or, they can choose to buy booze. The way I see it, that's not my issue. If I gave a lot more, or if our society had a better system for helping people in need, I might see it differently. But I don't and we don't, so I treat it as a gift. They don't need to justify themselves to me."

Leichter says her actions are rooted in her religious values, which inspired a tradition of giving to the humanity she saw on the streets when she first moved to Los Angeles for graduate school. "I crossed through a park on the way to classes, and would see homeless people slumped against trees just 20 feet away from Rolls Royce cars. It was such a dissonant image that I never forgot it, and I'm glad I didn't.

It's a mystery to me how others can see that contrast every day and shut themselves off from it."

...Tina, one of the many panhandlers I have come to know in the course of my search for the "right" response, agrees with these findings.

Tina isn't homeless; she rents her own apartment. She also has a job, albeit at minimum wage, at two different McDonald's restaurants — a far cry from the cleaning service she used to own before the economic downturn began in 2008.

Her meager income, however, isn't enough to pay the $30,000 medical bill she says she owes for her 13-year-old daughter's heart treatment in Ecuador. Originally born in that country, Tina says she had sent her daughter to her homeland to visit her grandmother. When the girl's health suddenly deteriorated, she required expensive emergency treatment.

Tina begs for money every day near my local Metro in between her jobs, trying to bring in a bit extra. With her medical records in one hand and a sign broadcasting her need in the other, she says she used to station herself outside office buildings where she knew higher-paid executives work. But the "suits" didn't give much — not like the more diverse crowd that pours into the Metro station every day.

"My sign was like an invisibility cloak," she says wryly. "It was like I didn't exist to them. Look, I know not everyone can or wants to give money. But at least they could acknowledge my existence with a 'good morning' or a smile."

How do you typically respond to people asking for money on the street or on the corners in our city? Why?

What are the guiding principles God gives us to deal with people who ask us for help?

How does the practical situation of facing a panhandler help you understand Paul's instructions regarding idle people in 2 Thessalonians 3? What principles apply in both cases?

What can we do to be discerning in knowing who to help, who to associate with, and what to do in such situations?

\- For further study -

All of this talk about work might be disheartening for some of us who are discouraged by the work they do each and every day. Let's face it. Some of us have really tough and draining jobs that suck the life right out of us. What do we do with that?

We've already noted that God designs us in His image for work and that the Fall makes our work much, much harder than it was before sin came into play. But that doesn't mean our work is intended to beat us down and drain us dry, or that God intends for us to be slaves to our jobs. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Look up the following verses. What do these passages have to say that applies to our job situations?

  * Psalm 139:13-16

  * John 10:10

  * Acts 17:26

  * Ephesians 2:10

  * Titus 3:14

These verses together tell us that God designs us and puts us exactly where He wants us to do the work that He's prepared for us. Doing that work will bring us life and joy at least in some measure -- no job is perfect on this side of heaven. So if our jobs make us miserable and truly suck the life out of us, there are a couple of possibilities. On one hand, we may be bringing the wrong perspective and attitude to work and not looking for what God is doing in and through us in our jobs.

If this is the case, what can we do to turn things around in the job we have?

"... work is an act of worship. When people seek to fulfill their callings by glorifying God in their work, praising Him for their gifts and abilities, and seeing both their efforts and its products as an offering to Him, then work is an act of worship to God. On the other hand, when work is done to glorify oneself or merely to achieve more wealth, it becomes worship of false gods. How we work and for whom we work really matters." Brian Fikkert, When Helping Hurts: How to alleviate poverty without hurting the poor and yourself

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On the other hand, we might not be in the right place after all. Our misery and lack of joy may be an indicator that God would have us doing something else. Before you turn in your resignation though, be sure you've talked with your Heavenly Father about this, sought godly counsel, searched the Scriptures, and heard from Him. This is way too important to take the first excuse and leave a situation God just might be working through to work on you.

Based on our conversation about prayer in Session 6, how can you pray about a job you're miserable in? What can we ask God for, and how can we ask others to pray for us?

My husband and I have recently wrestled through this in our own lives. His job truly was sucking the life out of him, though God used it to provide well for our family. The first clue for us that he might be in the wrong place was when we noticed a large gap between what his strengths and gifts are and the job he was doing. Why would God make him creative and then stick him in a cubicle with computer code for the rest of his life? The ill-fit was rubbing him raw, so we began to pray and consider a change. God confirmed that He had a different plan for our family through some very clear circumstances (read "getting laid off") and opportunities to pursue far more creative employment. The transition has not been easy, but it has most certainly brought life back to my husband.

One thing that made it hard for my husband to consider leaving that life-sucking job was the fact that it provided financial stability for our family. He and I both had to learn something very important about God. Though God calls all of us to work, He alone is our Provider (see Matthew 6:25-34). My husband is not the one ultimately responsible for providing for the family, though God may choose to provide through him. We had to choose between opportunities that we knew would take care of us financially or my husband doing work more in line with what God designed him to do. We chose the latter, and we've never regretted it. God designed each one of us for good works which will lead to glorifying Him and expanding His kingdom. When we pursue those good works, even if we're not sure about the paycheck, we can trust God to provide.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)

What about you? Is the job you're in a good match for God's design in you, or are you in an ill-fitting position for some reason? How can you tell?

If you think God might have you move to a different job, how can you know? What are some steps you can take to move in that direction?

Friends, when we're doing the things God would have us do, we're going to find life and joy and peace and love and all of the fruit of the Spirit. Then the work will feel less like work and more like ministry, less like drudgery and more like purpose. We may not all reach that perfect sweet spot in life, and certainly having a paycheck and a roof over your head is better than nothing at all. Yet our Father is good, and He wants us to fulfill the purpose He created us for. Let's press into Him and learn what work He would have us be about in this lifetime.

Session 8: The Lord of Peace

2 Thessalonians 3:16-18

Here we are at the end of Paul's second letter to the Thessalonian church. As he often does in his letters, he closes his thoughts with a gracious blessing of peace for the believers. You might remember that he began three chapters ago with a similar blessing. Peace at the beginning. Peace at the end. May every thought and every issue in between be covered with the peace of God.

We only touched on this idea of peace in our first session together. Now, we'll explore it more fully as we finish this series.

What statements from this week's sermon impact you the most?

\- Let's talk about it -

It's probably not much of a stretch to say that we could use a little more peace in our lives. Whether you're a college student, a young professional, newly married, a parent of young children, empty nesters, divorced, recovering from major trauma, retired, or whatever, life is full of turmoil for all of us. God knows this and offers us a different way to live.

(Jesus says) "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27)

The Greek word for "peace" that Paul uses in 2 Thessalonians is eirene, meaning harmony and freedom from the havoc of war. Certainly we all want that, and the Thessalonians no less since they suffer under the scourge of persecution. Countries aren't the only ones that go to war with each other. Ideologies clash in bloody combat, too. So do we as individuals; we may not do violence to each other in a literal and physical way, but we can slash at each other with words and lob bombs into each other's hearts, can't we?

Have you ever been "at war" with someone? What affect did this lack of peace have on you and the people around you?

Is this situation resolved? If so, how did peace come about?

Plenty of people work for world peace and talk about it all the time. It's the perennial beauty queen stage response, the "who could argue with that" answer to what we would wish for if we had only one wish and all that. And I suppose if I did have only one wish, world peace wouldn't be a bad choice. But I also know that true and lasting peace won't come by human means. We are far too mortal and temporary to make it eternal. We need something -- Someone -- much more powerful to pull us away from each others' throats. Oh sure, we call our truces from time to time. But there's something fundamental to the human condition that makes permanent peace impossible on our own: it's our sinful hearts.

Yup. While we are still sinners, true and lasting peace is simply impossible. Why? Because our sin separates us from God who is the source of peace. No God = no peace. Which is a problem since we can't fix our sin problem on our own. In fact, our friend Paul says sin put us so far away from God that we were actually at war with Him.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— (Colossians 1:21-22)

  Look at the passage from Colossians 1 above. How would you describe the peace -- a ceasing of hostility \-- between God and men? How do we get it?

Why is peace - an absence of discord - among believers important? How does it help others see Jesus as the Lord of Peace?

Jesus, our Lord of Peace, brings more than an end to the hostility between God and men. And He wants more for us than just to lay down our weapons and harsh words. In other words, Jesus brings more peace than eirene can contain. As a Jew, Paul probably would have had in mind the Hebrew concept of shalom in addition to the Greek eirene. Shalom is a full-on and complete-person experience, a soundness of mind, body, and soul that's beyond simply not being at war. Shalom includes the idea of ceasing to strive within ourselves, an attitude and a state of being, not just a peace treaty with those around us. It's restoration. It's redemption. It's wholeness. It's an inner peace with God through faith in Jesus that makes an outer peace with others possible.

When Gideon met with God face to face, he built an altar and named it "Yahweh is Peace" knowing that peace with God is possible through sacrifice and faith. When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, "Ah, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!" But the LORD said to him, "Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die." So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. (Judges 6:22-24)

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If you had full shalom in your life right now, what would be different?

  Why can't we find shalom on our own? Why do we need peace (eirene) with God first?

One clue that Paul has both eirene and shalom in mind when he speaks of peace is found in these closing verses of 2 Thessalonians. He asks the Lord to give believers peace "at all times and in every way." I can see having peace when circumstances in my life are...well...peaceful. When life is good, everything is going smoothly, the sun is shining, the pastures are green, and the waters God leads me beside are still. Ah...peaceful. I can probably count five whole seconds of my life in the past year that felt like that.

The rest of life moves way too fast and has way too many problems for peace to come naturally. Got kids? Then you feel me. Live with someone else in the same house as you? Then you feel me, too. And that's before we've turned on the news or walked out the front door. Yet Paul seems to think peace is possible in every circumstance, even under the harsh persecution the Thessalonians faced every day.

In his letter to the Philippian church, Paul gives us some insight into how we can grab hold of such amazing peace:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)

  What are the keys to having peace in times when peace doesn't make sense?

What are some things Paul has taught us in 2 Thessalonians that can help us be at peace?

The feminine name Salome is derived from the Hebrew "shalom" and means peace. A woman named Salome appears as one of those who watched the crucifixion of Jesus from a distance (see Mark 15:40) and then went after the Sabbath to anoint His body but found an empty tomb instead (see Mark 16:1). Ironically, the daughter of Herodias who danced for the king and demanded the head of John the Baptist was also named Salome (see Matthew 14).

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We can't discuss the peace of God that the Lord Jesus brings without noting one important teaching Jesus gives us. All this talk of peace sounds lovely, and we might decide that the best way to be a disciple of Christ is to become complete pacifists, peace at all costs. Jesus tells us that this extreme view is not His view at all.

(Jesus says) "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.' Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 10:34-39)

After all this talk of Jesus being the Lord of Peace, His teaching in Matthew 10 seems confusing and contradictory. On one hand, He is the only source of peace with God and a peace that transcends even the worst circumstances. Yet here He clearly says that he comes not to bring peace on the earth but division. The only way this makes sense is when we take into account a third party we haven't talked about in this lesson yet. God has an enemy, Satan, who will not be at peace with Him. Satan is our enemy, too, and he's used his temporary and limited power in the world to set up systems opposed to God and to our obedience to Him. Jesus says that having peace with God and the peace of God means we can't have peace with the world and with God's enemies. Even if God's enemies are our closest friends and relatives. Following Jesus means He is truly Lord, first and foremost in our lives. Making peace with Him means making war against anything that isn't of Him.

What about loving one another and sharing the gospel with those who don't believe in Him yet? How can we understand the division Jesus talks about in Matthew 10 in light of His command to share Him with the world?

Jesus puts this divisive nature of the gospel in terms of human relationships. Certainly, some of His followers have lost relationships with family and friends because they choose Him over them. The pain of that division I'm sure feels just like a sword splitting them apart as Jesus says. While we do whatever we can to make peace with others here on earth (see Romans 12:18), what people feel and how they act towards us is out of our control.

But human relationships aren't the only way the division plays out. There's plenty in our hearts that we need to separate ourselves from, put to the sword, and choose to follow the Lord of Peace instead.

  What are some things we need to separate from in our lives and our hearts if we are to have the peace that Jesus offers us? How would giving these things up bring us peace? How would keeping these things create anxiety, trouble, even war in our lives?

I don't know if you've ever been caught in the middle of two people at war with each other, perhaps two friends who just aren't getting along. The tug-of-war is anything but peaceful, and relationships on both ends of the rope are bound to be strained. That's a kind of wimpy example in comparison to the pull of the world on us and the call of God, but I hope you get the picture. We cannot sit on the fence and try to have peace with God and peace with the things that pull us away from Him at the same time. It's impossible. No matter what the world says or what temptations Satan might whisper to us. If we want real peace, we follow the Lord of Peace and declare war on everything that would try to pull us off His path for us.

  Why is this true? Why is a whole-hearted commitment to following Christ the only way to whole-hearted shalom \-- peace?

Is there anything holding you back or pulling you away from the Lord of Peace in this season of your life? Would you confess that to your group and pray that God will help you put it to the sword and follow Him with everything you've got?

\- From then to now -

Throughout our discussion, we've acknowledged that Jesus is the Lord of Peace and without Him, no true and lasting peace can ever exist. Yet many would disagree, saying religion, including Christianity, is the source of strife in our world. The following article appears in the Opinion Section of the Pulitzer Prize winning global news agency The Guardian.

If peace on earth is our goal, atheism might be the means to that end

The Guardian - Opinion Section

Adam Lee - January 6, 2015

 http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jan/06/peace-on-earth-atheism

The quiet truth behind the inescapable headlines about man's inhumanity to man is that the world is actually becoming a more peaceful place. Deaths from war and conflict have been declining for decades – and, if current trends continue, we can make them rarer still.

What mysterious force is sowing peace among humankind? One possible reason is that there are more atheists and nonbelievers than ever before.

In America, millennials are the largest and least religious generation in the country's history. The trend toward secularization in the US mirrors the movement in Europe and throughout the developed world. And poll after poll have shown that the nonreligious also lean more progressive and more pacifist on a wide variety of issues relating to violence: torture, the death penalty, corporal punishment, military adventurism and more.

A Pew poll from 2009, well before the Senate released its devastating torture report last month, asked whether torturing suspected terrorists could be justified found that the non-religious were most opposed to torture, with a combined 55% saying that it could rarely or never be justified. Gallup has also found that people with no religious preference are less supportive of the death penalty than any group of Christians. The non-religious are also among the most likely to say the invasion of Iraq was a mistake. The religiously unaffiliated are also less likely than Christians to believe that the US is superior to all other countries in the world, a hyper-patriotic attitude that's hardly conducive to careful reflection about the use of American military power.

Religion's violent tendencies also tend to be reflected in its adherents' personal lives. The social scientists Christopher Ellison and Darren Sherkat found that conservative Protestants disproportionately support the use of corporal punishment, such as spanking or whipping, for children. The researchers speculate that this stems from theology: Christians who promote a literal interpretation of the Bible tend to believe that human nature is inherently evil, and that sin demands severe punishment. What's more, the Bible itself (among its many other bloody verses) specifically calls for beating children in verses such as Proverbs 13:24. (By contrast, freethinkers like the famous American orator Robert Ingersoll recognized the cruelty of corporal punishment as early as 1877.)

As long as humanity was in thrall to the violent morality of religious texts, our societies were warlike and cruel. As the American revolutionary Thomas Paine said, belief in a cruel god makes a cruel man. It's only in the last few decades, as we've begun to cast these beliefs off, that we're making real moral progress.

The influence of the non-religious show (sic) is also evident on an international scale. The nonprofit group Vision of Humanity publishes an annual Global Peace Index, which ranks countries on a broad spectrum of indicators, including violent crime, incarceration rates, weapon ownership, and military spending. Sociologist Phil Zuckerman summarizes their results in his new book Living the Secular Life:

"...according to their most recent rankings, among the top ten most peaceful nations on earth, all are among the least God-believing – in fact, eight of the ten are specifically among the least theistic nations on earth. Conversely, of the bottom ten – the least peaceful nations – most of them are extremely religious."

Of course, not every atheist is peaceful and not every religious person is violent. Avowedly pacifist faiths like the Quakers or Unitarian Universalists have played an important role in peace movements and, in the other direction, there are lamentably prominent atheists like Sam Harris or the late Christopher Hitchens who've been entirely too cavalier about imperialism and military aggression. But in general, the trend is that, as the world becomes less religious, we can expect it to become even more peaceful.

Can you relate to any of the sentiments expressed above? If so, which ones?

How have Christians contributed to the problem of violence in the world? How have Christians helped bring peace to troubled places?

In response to claims that all religions lead to more violence in the world, the Ravi Zacharias Institute published a blog post pointing out the difference between zealous religious practices and true Christian faith:

IS RELIGION VIOLENT?

Posted by Jill Carattini on July 14, 2014 (excerpt)

 http://www.rzim.org/a-slice-of-infinity/is-religion-violent/

While the vitriolic rants of the new atheists are filled with arrogance, oddities, and inconsistencies of their own, their well-voiced objections to Christian violence are hardly unique to them. For many, both in and outside the church, it is an issue deeply felt, a problem that needs a viable answer. Why is it that religion and violence often merge?And what is the solution?For the great majority of those who bravely vocalize such a question, the great "solution" of eradicating religion is simply unhelpful. And in fact some are suggesting the exact opposite, suggesting that the cure to religious violence does not rest inlessreligion ornoreligion (an argument that has been on the increase since the Enlightenment), but rathermorereligion.

In a carefully qualified sense, professor Miroslav Volf explains, "I don't mean, of course, that the cure for violence lies in increased religious zeal... [rather] it lies in a stronger and more intelligent commitment to thefaith as faith." That is, commitment to the kind of faith that is itself good news, truth and beautyincarnate, a story that reinterprets all others.He continues, "The more we reduce Christian faith to vague religiosity which serves primarily to energize, heal, and give meaning to the business of life whose content is shaped by factorsother thanfaith (such as national or economic interests), the worse off we will be. Inversely, the more the Christian faith matters to its adherentsas faithand the more they practice it as an ongoing tradition with strong ties to its origins and with clear cognitive and moral content, the better off we will be."(4) In other words, Christ's Incarnation properly understood as a nonviolent invasion of a violent world by the God ofshalomhardly fosters violence!

On the contrary, his violent death at the hands of a life-taking world is entirely reversed at the hands of the life-giving Father and the resurrection of a murdered son.His proclamation of a different kingdom is embodied in a God who steps near enough toconsumeus, but who offers instead a paradoxical alternative: "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my bloodremains in me, and I in him" (John 6:56). No, Christianity properly understood and entirely embodiedcannotbe used to incite violence.It instead takes the angry words of its staunchest critics and the vile abuse of misguided disciples, and, like its liberator, lives the radical alternative to the story they tell.

Do you think the blog excerpt above gives an adequate answer to the atheist complaint? What points do you agree or disagree with?

Do you think religion is the underlying problem or the solution to world peace? What role do you think religion plays in violence in the world?

As a believer and a follower of Jesus, the Lord of Peace, how can we answer those who hold the view that religion stands in the way of world peace?

\- For further study -

Throughout this lesson, we've talked about peace as something we seek and receive. Our Lord Jesus also speaks of peace as something we can give to each other. As we dig deeper into this concept, let's see if we can learn how to extend peace to one another and impact our world.

In Matthew 10, Jesus sends His disciples out to the Jewish villages to minister in His name. In His instructions to them, He includes this interesting command:

(Jesus says) "Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. As you enter the home, give it your greeting. If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town."

(Matthew 10:11-15)

We tend to think of peace as a state of being or an attitude without anxiety. But Jesus talks about peace as something more tangible, something we can give away or keep with us. What does He mean?

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:11-14)

(Jesus says) "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

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Our problem in understanding this passage comes in that Jesus is using a Hebrew turn of phrase that doesn't translate into English very well. Christ's instructions to His disciples were to conduct themselves in such a manner that the gospel message they carried would be honored and have the best chance of being received. It was customary of the time for guests to speak a blessing over the household when they entered as a guest. Certainly, Jesus commands His disciples to be on their best behavior and use good manners when they minister in His name. But He probably has a double-meaning for "letting their peace" rest upon the house -- both the traditional greeting of "shalom" and the peace which the gospel can bring. In this, we can learn a few things about how to bring the message of peace to unbelievers in a peaceful way.

Why do you think Jesus instructed His disciples to look for "someone worthy" instead of just staying with whoever they found? What do you think would be the characteristics of a "worthy" household for His messengers to stay with? What would that look like today?

Jesus shows great wisdom and understanding of human nature in this instruction to His disciples. They were to look for someone open to hearing their message, someone welcoming and perhaps even eager to hear about the kingdom of God. Note that He didn't say to look for the wealthiest folks, the most upright citizens, the leaders in the community, or the people in the largest house. He says to go to those who seem inclined to hear what they have to say about Jesus, the Lord of Peace.

What can happen if we bring the message of the gospel to someone who isn't interested in it or even hostile to it? Have you ever experienced this or seen it happen to someone else?

Jesus teaches us that discernment has a place in sharing the message of the gospel. We could go in all guns blazing and pepper everyone we know with gospel preaching, but that might not be the most effective method. In fact, it might hurt the reputation of the gospel and of Jesus more than it helps. Jesus tells His disciples to instead spend their time sharing with those who seem open to what they have to say.

Once the disciple enters the house, Jesus says that if the household truly is "worthy," then the disciples should let their "peace rest on it." This means they are to share the message of peace and introduce them to the Lord of Peace, doing whatever they can to help them understand how they can find true peace with God.

How can we let our peace rest on those we share the gospel with? In other words, what can we do to help others find the true peace that we know and experience as followers of Christ?

But Jesus says sometimes things might not work out the way we want them to. Even those who look interested at first may turn out to be "unworthy" and closed off to the gospel message. Sad, but true, even in Jesus' day.

What are Jesus' instructions in this case? How do we follow those instructions today?

Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered, I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother. (Psalms 35:13-14)

Take a look at Psalm 35:13-14 above. David's prayers for his enemies to find healing go unanswered. What is his heart towards those who are enemies of God and His children? What is your heart towards unbelievers and those closed off to the gospel message of peace?

Bibliography

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