Category Archives: 2 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians 3:1-3 (The Message)

 

One more thing, friends: Pray for us. Pray that the Master’s Word will simply take off and race through the country to a groundswell of response, just as it did among you. And pray that we’ll be rescued from these troublemakers who are trying to do us in. I’m finding that not all “believers” are believers. But the Master never lets us down. He’ll stick by you and protect you from evil.

Dear God, I don’t normally read “The Message” translation, but I happened to see this from 2 Thessalonians 3 today and it really caught my eye. Eugene Peterson seems to have added some stuff here that the traditional translations don’t have. Here are some examples of other translations:

NASB (1995): 3 Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; ² and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith. ³ But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.

NIV: 3 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. ² And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. ³ But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 

ESV: 3 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, ² and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. ³ But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.

None of these translations contain even the sentiment of “I’m finding that not all ‘believers’ are believers” that Peterson includes in his translation. They say something to the effect of “not all have faith,” but Peterson puts this description on “believers.” It’s an interesting thing for him to do.

My wife and I were talking earlier today about whether or not there was a difference in being called a “Christian” and being “saved.” Are there people who are called Christians who are not saved? Are there people who are saved who would not be called a Christian? What makes someone saved? What makes someone a Christian? Are the terms synonymous?

I’m not going to try to answer that question here because I think there are some things that are simply mysteries that we cannot understand them on this side of the death veil. I just don’t know how you see all of this. It’s still so overwhelming to me that I might be saved and/or called a Christian through simply believing in your son and repenting before you. I know that I truly do believe in you, God the Father. I believe in you, Jesus the Son, and I believe in you, God’s Holy Spirit. I know that times like this are critical to my inner core. Communion with you makes all of the difference in the world in my life. Even if life on earth is all I have for these 53-100 years (I’m currently 53) and an afterlife was not part of your plan for any of us, I would still cling to you because I need you for my peace and happiness.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, help me to be a beacon that attracts others to you. For your glory, Oh Lord.

Amen

⁷ For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you. ⁸ We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you. ⁹ We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow. 

2 Thessalonians 3:7-9

Dear God, I was reading the June 12 devotion from Gary Thomas’s Simply Sacred devotional book, and it included this verse. He talked about setting an example for our children and pointed to the temerity Paul had to tell people to be like himself. That’s a bold thing to get tell people: “I’m doing it right. Be more like me.”

I don’t know that I am much of an example. I think some would see me as one and others would not. I was watching a two-hour interview with Tom Hanks yesterday, and it was really good. He is, overall, a seemingly great guy without a lot of guile or pretense. He doesn’t portray himself as a great, noble, honorable person. It just comes out naturally through his speaking. But then I wondered how his children and wife see him. I wonder what they think of how the public sees him. I live in a small town where I know a lot of people and they largely have a positive opinion of me. This can really be a burden for my children. I don’t try to portray myself as something I’m not. I’m not disingenuous, but I would still say that people can overestimate my “goodness.” I sometimes wonder if that doesn’t get in the way of my children wanting to follow my example because the way the community sees me isn’t realistic.

Father, I have a ton of insecurities when it comes to my children and how they see me. I feel like I failed in many ways even though I did my best not to fail. I told my wife recently that children never know how much their parents love them. We were talking about another set of parents we know, but it could apply to us as well. Our son gave us a great compliment one time, and I don’t think he meant to. When his girlfriend asked him before we met her what he thought we would think of her, he told her, “All my parents are going to care about are that I’m happy and doing well.” That was so true. That’s all we want for our children. Of course, that includes a life lived growing closer to you, but regardless, we just want our children to be happy. Sometimes that can include getting them to do things, like summer jobs, that they don’t want to do, but we know will be good for them in the long run. I guess all of this is to say, Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, help me be the man you need me to be in my home with my wife, for my grown children, for my extended family, for my friends, and for my community. Don’t let me miss any opportunities you are laying out for me.

I pray all of this through the grace of Jesus,

Amen

Pray, too, that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone is a believer. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.
2 Thessalonians 3:2-3

Dear God, I feel like this could really be misinterpreted by someone who would use a passage like this as a way to be confrontational with others who disagree with them. In our country, we have taken disagreement and turned it into attacks. We disagree with someone so we perceive their disagreement as an attack, and then we assume our job is to attack back. But that is not what Paul is talking about here. First, he’s talking about legitimate rescue from legitimate evil. He’s talking about being stoned, imprisoned, crucified, losing your possessions, etc. He’s talking about actual persecution, not the persecution as defined by 21st century Americans. What we as Christians have with our society is disagreements. As long as we keep attacking others with our opinions instead of loving them through them, we will not do one thing to change their mind.

One thing I need to study up on is “Critical Race Theory.” I need to understand what it is because it seems to have become a political flashpoint. People are for it or against it based on whether they have a “D” or “R” next to their political identity, but most do not know what it really contains. It’s like the person I was talking with a few days ago who was boycotting Coca-Cola. When I asked why they didn’t have their facts correct. In essence, they didn’t know why. They just knew someone they trusted had told them Coca-Cola was bad and they accepted it. Frankly, they were denying themselves a Coke product they enjoy for something that, if they really looked into it, might not be as big of a deal as they thought it was.

Father, guide me through your Holy Spirit. Give me ears to hear and eyes to see. Help me to look beyond the preconceptions and misconceptions that blind me to your truth, and see the world as you see it. Help me to be thoughtful. Help me to be diligent. Help me to be loving as I do my best to be the man you need me to be. Please forgive me for when I fail, because you know how much I do, indeed, fail.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering. And God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering. In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you.

2 Thessalonians 1:3-6

Dear God, why was Paul so proud of this church? Because they were accomplishing great things? Because they were fighting for their rights and influencing their community? No, because they were worshipping you through the legitimate harassment and persecution by others.

And who was persecuting them? The Romans? No, probably not. Or if the Romans were involved it was because the local Jewish church was behind it. So, yes, it was the local Jewish church who was most likely behind the persecution. And why? because these people were doing it wrong. They were blaspheming. They were teaching heresy. Frankly, from their perspective, their attitude is understandable. If I had been them, I’d have probably done the same thing. Going back to the Disney Princess Theology, I’m probably not the Thessalonian Christians in this story. I’m probably the old Jewish guard.

So how might I accidentally be making mistakes like this now? Or, on the other hand, is there any chance I bend too far in an effort to not be like them. Or, how do I need to be more like the Thessalonian Christians who are simply persevering in their worship for you in the midst of struggles? Frankly, as American Christians, hardly any of us know what persecution for our faith really looks like. We think that the government telling us not to meet in large groups (just like they are telling every other group in the country) is persecution. We are soft.

Father, I’ve asked a whole lot more questions than I’ve given answers here, but I think it’s important to remember that the odds are just as good that I am the persecutor as much as the persecuted. Either way, if I am the persecutor, please open my eyes so I can see. Give me mercy. Give me love. Give me grace for others. And if I am the persecuted (which I’m pretty sure I’m not), give me the right perspective that my life is no longer mine. It is yours, and I embrace whatever you have for me fully.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5

Dear God, what would I do if there were honest to goodness persecution of Christians in our country? What would I do if the shoe was on the other foot right now and the movement around our country had to be for “Christian Lives Matter” instead of “Black Lives Matter” because we didn’t have racial discrimination but religious discrimination?

I read this passage this morning and my first thought was that I am so soft. I’ve always enjoyed the life of the majority. I’ve been in the dominant racial group and the dominant religious group. In fact, other than a little bullying growing up, I’m not sure I’ve ever really had to fear other people. I don’t know what it means to suffer or have to struggle to survive.

But what if? What would it be like to be judged by every person the instant they looked at me? What if, as the Jews did in Hitler’s Germany, I had to walk around with a cross emblazoned on my shirt, and then a good percentage of people who saw that judged me and some even harassed me? What if I woke up this morning nervous about driving to work?

Father, I heard a podcast last night of black sports journalists talking about their experience with black athletes and being black professionals in a field where there are very few people of color. I need to go back and find the exact quote, but one of them said something to the effect of, “To the people who say that racism is a lot better than it used to be and it’s not that big of a deal anymore, I first as, ‘Are you white?’ And then I ask, ‘Do you have black friends and do you spend any significant time talking to them about this issue?’ ” Well, I get that there is still racism, but I still have no idea what it’s like to start each day behind the eight ball. To look at my children and know that their opportunities are limited and their lives could be in danger because of their skin color. I’m so sorry for those that do have to face that every day. Please show me how to use the advantages I have to affect change for them.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we ask you to pray for us. Pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you. Pray, too, that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone is a believer. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.

2 Thessalonians 3:1-3

Dear God, I look at the first couple of verses in this passage and I wonder what the “Lord’s message” is. Is Paul simply referring to salvation through Christ, or is he referring to the whole message of repentance, grace (both received and extended) and love? Is he referring to worshiping you?

I had a dream last night that I came across a person who was following their boss and crying. It was more than I could take so I got the person away from the boss and asked what happened. She and another person told me the boss was very mean to her that morning. I then asked the boss to meet with them and I got all over the boss (not in a healthy, constructive way, but in an angry, loud way) for not simply being kind. Frankly, my response to the boss wasn’t very kind either. It was obvious to me after I woke up that I have a lot of anger in me about all of the anger I see around me. It’s starting to feed on itself.

I heard about a situation this week when a business owner had a member of the President’s staff in their establishment and they asked them to leave because they don’t like the President, his staff, or their actions. As I thought about it this morning, this person allowed their anger to help further drive a wedge between people instead of taking the opportunity to say something like, “Mrs. XX, I love my country and I love you as a fellow person. You are welcome here any time. And while I have you here, I just want to express my concern. What I see you and the President doing [insert your concerns here].” This would have been so much more constructive than me reading about the incident of anger and rejection in the news.

Father, let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me. Help me to turn loose of my anger. Guide me in addressing the challenges that are around me. Whether they are work, family, or whatever, it starts with submitting to you, receiving your grace, extending your grace, and being about loving others as well as I can.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen