Time with god

GETTING STARTED

Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians taught that Christ could come at any time, and this caused some members of the church to stop working and idly wait for him. Paul’s second letter to them was intended to clear up their confusion about Christ’s return. He addressed the idle Thessalonians, reminding them about the example of discipline and hard work that he and his apostolic team had set for the church. He commanded the idle brethren to get back to feeding their families and doing the work of the kingdom.

• In what way have you struggled with the desire to be a spiritual consumer, avoiding the work that is needed to build Christ’s kingdom?

READ THE WORD: 2 Thessalonians 3:4-15 (ESV)

⁴ And we are confident about you in the Lord that you are both doing—and will do—what we are commanding. ⁵ Now may the Lord direct your hearts toward the love of God and the endurance of Christ.

⁶ But we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from any brother who lives an undisciplined life and not according to the tradition they received from us. ⁷ For you know yourselves how you must imitate us, because we did not behave without discipline among you, ⁸ and we did not eat anyone’s food without paying. Instead, in toil and drudgery we worked night and day in order not to burden any of you. ⁹ It was not because we do not have that right, but to give ourselves as an example for you to imitate. ¹⁰ For even when we were with you, we used to give you this command: “If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat.” ¹¹ For we hear that some among you are living an undisciplined life, not doing their own work but meddling in the work of others. ¹² Now such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and so provide their own food to eat. ¹³ But you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing what is right. ¹⁴ But if anyone does not obey our message through this letter, take note of him and do not associate closely with him, so that he may be ashamed. ¹⁵ Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

DIGGING DEEPER

1. Paul sternly warned the Thessalonians against being undisciplined and idle. Who did Paul command the Thessalonian believers to keep away from (vs. 6)? By contrast, how did Paul behave, and what example did he set that he wanted the Thessalonians to imitate (vss. 7-8)?
2. What command did Paul give to the Thessalonians while he was with them (vs. 10)? In verses 11-12, what did Paul command the Thessalonians who were “living an undisciplined life” to do?
3. What happened to those believers who lived an “undisciplined life, not doing their own work” (vs. 11)?
4. How did Paul advise the Thessalonians to treat those who did not obey Paul’s command to live a disciplined life (vs.14)? Would you be able to show the kind of tough love that Paul advised and isolate your undisciplined brother or sister?
5. If you struggle to live a disciplined life, how has your lack of discipline made you more susceptible to sin? What areas of your life do you need to surrender to God and ask him to help you exercise more discipline?

RESPOND TO GOD

How ironic that some believers stopped working because they thought that Christ could return at any time. They became so busy looking heavenward for Christ’s return that they failed to work for him while they waited. By working, they could have been a blessing to themselves and to others. Instead, their idleness made them a burden to those in the church who had to support them, and their meddling interfered with the work that the other believers were doing. The undisciplined believers were “spiritual consumers.” Paul’s command to the Thessalonians is a challenge to all of us to follow his example of laboring for the kingdom.

• Ask the Lord to help you to exercise more discipline in every area of your life with confidence that he will hear and answer.