Key Thought: Despite the presence of difficulties in the Christian life, we should hope in the knowledge that God is with us to provide strength to overcome. [Teaching plan for Keeping the Church Faithful September 24, 2012] 1. Have a volunteer read 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17. A. Ask class members to share a short thought on … Continue reading –>
When Jesus walked this earth there was no New Testament. The Bible of Jesus was the “Old Testament.” But, from the start, obedience to Jesus’ spoken words was the wise thing that His followers did (Matt. 7:24-27). Jesus’ words and actions continued to be authoritative for the church in the years that followed (1 Thess. 4:15, Acts 20:35, 1 Cor. … Continue reading –>
“So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.” 2 Thessalonians 2:15, NIV I once had a 1963 Chevrolet Nova Super Sport convertible that I enjoyed restoring. It was a rare automobile that represented a meaningful tie to … Continue reading –>
In today’s world many people laugh at the idea of a literal Satan. In their mind, he’s a myth, a holdover from a superstitious and prescientific era. They feel that good and bad are simply the random consequences of cause and effect; or, in some people’s minds, good and bad are only culturally constructed concepts … Continue reading –>
The language of this section recalls the prayer at the beginning of 1 Thessalonians. It is almost as if Paul is returning to the place where he began, creating a natural conclusion to this pair of letters. Paul here expresses his concern that the believers in Thessalonica not deviate from the path on which he … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: 2 Thess. 2:13-3:18, Acts 17:11, Luke 10:25-28, Matt. 7:24-27, 18:15-17. Memory Text: “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter” (2 Thessalonians 2:15, ESV). Key Thought: Even with all the grand and glorious promises for the future, we have to deal … Continue reading –>
“…Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness…” 2 Corinthians 11:14-15, NIV “There was war in heaven” the Bible tells us in Revelation 12:7. The combatants were one third of the angels led by the Dragon and two thirds led by … Continue reading –>
“The apostle Paul warned the church not to look for the coming of Christ in his day. ‘That day shall not come,’ he says, ‘except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed.’ 2 Thessalonians 2:3. Not till after the great apostasy, and the long period of the reign of the … Continue reading –>
My name is Christian, and I live in Denmark. My family has no real relationship with Christ; but when I was a child, my grandmother had taught me to pray and to trust in God. My faith in God wasn’t popular with my classmates, and often they teased and tormented me. So when I was … Continue reading –>
Which would you rather hear? Be honest now. Wouldn’t you rather hear that your new haircut makes you look 10 years younger rather than that it makes your ears look really, really huge? Think back to when you were dating – when you first introduced someone you’d met to your friends, you wanted to hear … Continue reading –>
[Thought questions for The Antichrist September, 19, 2012] 1. Are we there yet? Living two thousand years ago with the recent memory of a Christ Jesus crucified and resurrected, what earthly reason did our Thessalonian brothers and sisters have for assuming Jesus would come that soon? What about us today? Why are we so sure that … Continue reading –>
Read 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12. Why does God allow so many to be deceived? According to this passage, what have the wicked rejected? Verse 11 is a text that many people find extremely challenging. Paul states very directly, “God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie” (2 Thess. 2:11, NIV). The knee-jerk response to … Continue reading –>
