2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

It is so encouraging to read a passage like this after dealing with the issue in v1-12.  Paul does not simply answer their question.  He then prays with them and encourages them in the Lord.  May we be so encouraged by these words, a prayer of thanksgiving, admonition and supplication.

·        Thanksgiving (v12-14). 

o   Note an amazing thing: Paul is bound (under obligation, required) to give thanks for the Thessalonians.  Certainly, he is bound because it glorifies God.  After all, God is the One who is working in and through these believers; God is the One who chose them from the beginning.  But we are also duty-bound to give thanks because our brothers and sisters in Christ need the encouragement.  We cannot simply engage in a ministry of admonition; we must encourage them, come alongside them, as well.

o   Then note what Paul is thankful for.  Paul very accurately (of course, he is inspired by the Holy Spirit) explains who a person comes to salvation.  Before time God made a choice.  In time two things came together: the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit and the believing in the truth by the person.  For these two things to happen someone had to preach the gospel to the person (Paul did this for the Thessalonians; who did it for you?) so that the Spirit had what He uses to bring the person to Christ.  The end result of this salvation is not merely our deliverance but it is that we obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We share in His glory, as He himself prayed for us (John 17:22; 2 Cor. 3:18).

·        Admonition (v15).  The Thessalonians had been troubled either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us (2:2).  Paul did not want them to simply write off preaching and teaching or even a ministry through letters.  He himself used these methods to build the Body of Christ.  So he tells them to stand fast in the things he has taught them through preaching and letters.  The traditions include the doctrine he taught as well as the way he encouraged them to live their lives as children of light.  He will address one of these in the next chapter.

·        Supplication (v16-17).  How we love the prayers of Paul.  And this is no exception. 

o   We love Paul’s view of God.  As he often does, he calls on the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (note the strength of that word Himself) and our God and Father.  The Father and the Son (as well as the Spirit, v13) are all at work in the believer.  They have taken up abode in us (John 14:23-26). 

o   We love God for what He has already done.  He loved us so powerfully at the cross of Christ.  And by His grace He has given us everlasting consolation and good hope through the resurrection of Christ. 

o   And we love God for what He will do for us when we are under pressure, especially the pressure of persecution.  He will comfort our hearts.  In persecution the issue is a heart issue, not really the pain of the body.  And then God will strengthen us in every opportunity we have to speak of Christ and do serve Him in this world.  Remember from 2 Thess. 1:11 that God is always at work in tribulation.  His plan is to use us to accomplish His will and for that we need to stand strong.  So Paul tells us to stand fast (v15) and then prays that the Son and the Father will establish us.

What a great prayer to pray for your children who believe!  And to pray for brothers and sisters in Christ!  Don’t just preach.  Pray!  Pray!  Pray!