Don’t Be All Shook Up

II Thessalonians 1:11-2:6

The Thessalonians had demonstrated strong spiritual life. Paul and his companions prayed that it would always be so. We cannot focus on what we have done, good or bad, nor can we dwell on what will happen tomorrow. We have the responsibility to live today. As they let Christ have control day by day, he would produce the results he wanted.

“Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (II Thessalonians 1:11-12)

When we walk in the Spirit, we see the power of God in our lives. Christ gets the glory for the results, and we receive God’s glory for allowing it to happen. In I Thessalonians four and 5, Paul spent a fair amount of time dealing with the return of Christ. It is a sure thing, but as he stressed, God has not told us when his return will be. Our job is to serve the Lord until it happens. Unfortunately, there are some who are teaching about the second coming in a manner that focuses attention on it rather than day to day obedience. He wants to warn them of this danger,

“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.” (II Thessalonians 2:1-2)

Hundreds of books have been written and thousands of conferences held dealing with the second coming. Many of them have been designed to whip people into a frenzy of soul winning and church attendance. People have been desperate to be doing the thing they should when the Lord comes. Paul instructs not to let ourselves be shaken in such a manner, regardless of how authoritative the claims may appear. While it appears to many to serve a useful purpose, it distracts from the most important.

Remember the story in Luke 10:38-42? Jesus came Bethany, and was invited into Martha’s house. Martha got so caught up in making sure everything was just right, she became angry that her sister was not helping her. “And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her,” (Luke 10:41-42). I have seen people do this, so busy fixing nice meals and presents that they were unable to enjoy their visit.

One lady was so involved in making sure a meal was just right she never even sat down at the table to enjoy thanksgiving dinner. She spent all her time serving and making sure everything was just right. She was glad when the guests finally left. One of the guests later commented he didn’t really feel like they even had a visit with her. At another dinner, the meat was a little over done, and the potatoes weren’t quite done, but we had so much fun sitting around talking that nobody cared. There was genuine regret at having to leave. This last is the relationship Christ wants. Some teaching on the second coming makes us like Martha, really unable to enjoy the Lord’s presence, because we are busy trying to do for him.

In an effort to stimulate greater effort on the part of Christians, many have tried to set dates or periods when the second coming would happen. A focus was placed on various signs to prove when it would happen. The scribes and Pharisees wanted Jesus show them a sign. “But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth,” (Matthew 12:39-40).

Notice he said it was an evil and adulterous generation who demanded a sign. They have no commitment to Christ, but are like the girl who dates a boy just as long as he brings her things. He told them the only sign would be when Christ was crucified and resurrected. The sign would be the actual event. Paul tells the Thessalonians the same thing. The sign will be the beginning of the event itself.

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.” (II Thessalonians 2:3-6)

The ever increasing levels of sin, and of natural disasters does not establish a time table. They just indicate that prophecy is true. Earthquakes, hurricanes, wars, even global warming are only evidence that God told the truth in his predictions. We need to draw close to him, trusting him to take care of it. Don't get distracted by prophecies about the second coming.