2 Thessalonians: Praying for the Gospel, Part 4

November 26, 2017 Pastor: John Fonville Series: The Glorious Second Coming of Jesus

Topic: Second Coming Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3:1–5

Paul is not only burdened to see the gospel spread rapidly and be glorified, but he is also burdened to see his young converts living faithfully in the face of intense opposition from both outside (persecutions and afflictions, 1:4) and inside the church (false teachers, 2:2-3). Thus, Paul concludes his prayer in vv. 3-5 by praying for the faithfulness of those who believe the gospel (i.e., the persectued and alarmed Thessalonian believers).

This message will focus mainly on v. 5 where Paul prays for the Lord to direct the hearts of the Thessalonians deeper and deeper into God's love for them and into Christ’s patient endurance with them in their struggles and sins. Paul understood that as God’s love for the Thessalonian believers is pressed deeper into their hearts they will be compelled to obey the commands he is about to issue (3:4, 6, 12). And, he knows that as Christ’s patience with them in their struggles and sins is pressed deeper into their hearts they will be motivated to obey his commands.

 

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