2010-04-18
2 Thessalonians
Step into the River of God's Love
Steve Lane

A. Review/Introduction
Compact package of the church: faith, love and hope, unity, sharing their lives and...
They get to participate in the greatest cause in all of eternity. Should we not pursue...
The bookends of 2 Thessalonians 1: 11 and 2: 16 - 17

Don't be Unsettled. Don't be Distracted (The Dangers of Moab)

The Day of the Lord is complex, and can refer to the seven-year tribulation period.

2 Thessalonians 2: 1 - 3
The Day of the Lord, the man of lawlessness and the rebellion.
"You are not in the middle of the Day of the Lord. It is not here now, or you would be seeing these things."

2 Thessalonians 2: 4
The abomination that causes desolation spoken of in Mark 13: 14
The beginning of the second half of the seventieth week of Daniel's prophesy (Daniel 9: 24 - 27)

2 Thessalonians 2: 5 - 9
I told you what was holding this man back.

2 Thessalonians 2: 10 - 15
Within the election and God choosing us before creation (Ephesians 1: 4) is a responsibility. The responsibility of man, and the sovereignty of God. (See The message of 3/29/09 'An Antinomy'

Notice the hardening of the heart of the unbeliever.
When we submit and follow wholeheartedly, He empowers and uses us. (See Samson.)

From last week's conclusion:
2 Thessalonians 2: 16 - 17 and the other book end of 2 Thessalonians 1: 11 - 12
Paul encouraging them to get focused. They were being distracted and unsettled.
Live for the purposes of God, and fulfill that to which He is calling you.

2 Thessalonians 3: 1
Pray for us/prayer for them to be intermingled.
They became imitators of the missionary team, and the gospel began going out from them (Colossians 4: 2 - 6). We have seen this type of prayer throughout.

2 Thessalonians 3: 2 - 3
Paul was having some resistance to the gospel in Corinth.

2 Thessalonians 1: 11 - 12
What good purpose do you have? What are your plans?

2 Thessalonians 3: 4 - 5
Growth can be painful and risky. We are afraid of what we might loose. But, you cannot come in contact with an infinite, sovereign God and come away with less!
What happens when you surrender and allow Jesus to direct your heart into God's love?

Step in the river of God's love. The current will take us where it took them.