2 Thessalonians 3:1-2

In fact, we're going to read two passages.

So first of all, in 1 Thessalonians, we'll read chapter 1.

And then we're going to turn over to the next letter and read from the end of that letter,

2 Thessalonians chapter 3, verses 1 to 5.

2 Thessalonians 3:1–5

We begin with 1 Thessalonians chapter 1.

1 Thessalonians 1 · chapter mention

Let us hear God's word.

Paul, Silas, and Timothy, to the Church of the Thessalonians,

in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, grace and peace to you.

We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers.

We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith,

your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

For we know, brothers, loved by God, that he has chosen you,

because our gospel came to you not simply with words,

but also with power and the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.

You know how we lived among you for your sake.

You became imitators of us and of the Lord.

In spite of severe suffering,

you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.

The Lord's message rang out from you,

not only in Macedonia and Achaia,

your faith in God has become known everywhere.

Therefore, we do not need to say anything about it,

for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us.

They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.

And to wait for his son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead,

Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

Then if you'll turn with me to the next letter, 2 Thessalonians,

we're going to read in chapter 3, verses 1 to 5.

Finally, brothers, 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 men,

for not everyone has faith.

But the Lord is faithful,

and he will strengthen 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.

If you want to follow with me this evening,

I want us to look at two verses from 2 Thessalonians chapter 3.

2 Thessalonians 3 · chapter mention

The first two verses where Paul writes,

Finally, brothers, pray for us that the word 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 men,

for not everyone has faith.

In this text then, we have simply an exhortation

for the church to gather to pray corporately

for the ministry of God's words.

Paul gives two reasons, two aspects to this prayer.

The first is that the word of the Lord would advance successfully.

would speed ahead and be honored.

And the second aspect to this

is that God's servants would know his protection

and his deliverance from those who are opposed to the gospel

in light of the fact that not all have faith.

So this text is teaching us

that the prayer for the gospel to advance

is not just the responsibility of the ordained ministry

of the pastors and the elders,

that it is the duty of every Christian

to pray that God's word would be successful

in penetrating the hearts of sinful human beings.

It is true that prayer is a special duty

of those who are set aside to preach.

The apostolic model in Acts 6-4

is we will give ourselves to prayer

and the ministry of the word.

And yet Paul, who would have lived on that principle,

frequently covets the prayers of the churches

in his letters.

Romans 15, 30-32.

Philippians 1, 18-20.

Let's just read a couple of examples.

Ephesians 6 and verse 19 and 20.

Pray also for me, Paul says,

that whenever I open my mouth,

words may be given me

so that I will fearlessly make known

the mystery of the gospel

for which I am an ambassador in chains.

Pray that I may declare it fearlessly

as I should.

It requests that the Colossians would pray

that he would have a door opened wide

for the ministry of the word.

So it was his special duty as a preacher

to give himself to prayer.

And yet he exhorted the churches

to join him in praying.

Paul then had a clear mission.

The Lord told him what he would suffer

on his behalf.

And he had a comprehensive message.

He preached the cross of Jesus Christ

as the power of God and to salvation.

He preached the whole counsel of God.

But he knew that he wouldn't have

a completed ministry

if he was left on his own.

He knew there was a sense

in which he could only fulfill

what the Lord had laid on his plate

through the prayers of God's people.

So he exhorts them,

finally, brothers, pray for us.

The formal preaching of the word then

is in the hands of a minority

within the church.

But that can only continue

and that can only have its maximum effect

as the whole church joins

in prayer behind the preacher.

Often we find it easier to recognize

the need to support ministers and missionaries

in practical, visible ways,

like finances and so on.

Prayer is by nature invisible

to the public eye.

Jesus said,

when you go to pray,

go into your room and shut the door

and pray to your Father who is in secret.

And perhaps because here we're engaging

with matters of spiritual importance,

things which we can only see

with the eye of faith,

not with the eye of the flesh.

For that reason,

we need to be reminded regularly

and exhorted,

like these Thessalonian Christians,

to take this responsibility seriously.

A carriage will pick up speed

as all the horses pull together.

An Olympic rowing boat requires

that everyone is pulling on the oar

in the same rhythm.

The gears of the gospel,

if you like,

the gears of gospel preaching

turn most smoothly

when they're oiled with the prayers

of the whole church.

Let's consider, first of all then,

an explanation of why we need prayer

in relation to the ministry of the words.

Paul makes this request for himself.

Pray for us.

Pray for me.

Pray for my team, he is saying.

But then he doesn't ask them

to pray for his personal success.

He doesn't say pray for me

so that I can be the best missionary,

the best preacher in town.

He doesn't say pray for me

that I would have a comfortable life,

plenty of money in my pocket

and not too many opponents.

His prayer for himself is this,

that God's word would advance,

that scripture may speed ahead.

Paul is dedicated

to the service of Jesus Christ.

He's so set aside

to advance his master's kingdom

that his agenda is

that Jesus would be known,

not that Paul would be known.

He says, doesn't he,

in the letter to Galatians,

I've been crucified with Christ.

It's no longer I who live,

but Christ who lives in me.

And so preaching for Paul

was not about making himself known.

It was about making the words

of God known.

He preached as he lived,

not to show off his intellect,

his knowledge, his achievements,

his abilities,

but to present the glories

of God's wisdom

and God's righteousness

and God's power.

The word of Christ

was dwelling richly in Paul's heart

and he couldn't help but overflow

in his prayers

that the word of the Lord

would progress

regardless of the cost

to him.

We often pray

that the preacher

would know God's help

and God's assistance

and that's important.

It's a fearful thing

to stand in a pulpit

on a platform

and speak from God's word

to God's people.

It's demanding spiritual work.

It can leave a strong man

feeling physically

and emotionally drained.

Preachers need your prayers.

But the goal

is not to get

the pastor

through this week

in a fit state

to preach again next week.

The goal

is to get God's word

into people's hearts.

To get God's words

into the hearts

of unbelievers

with power

to convict them

and to convert them.

To get God's word

into our own hearts

with power

to make us grow

in holiness

and in knowledge

of the Lord.

The goal

is not the success

of the preacher.

The goal

is the success

of the gospel.

Imagine a boxer.

He might have

the perfect physique.

He might have

great stamina

but he doesn't win

the bout

until he lands

that killer punch.

And you might have

the perfect preacher

with the perfect

sermon illustrations

and the perfect outline.

But it all comes

to nothing

unless the gospel

gets deep

into the hearts

of the people.

Do you value

God's word

like Paul

valued it?

A true Christian

sees the scripture

as spiritual light,

as spiritual food.

Our whole eternity

depends on this book.

So like the disciples

we would say

where else

should we go?

You have the words

of eternal life.

Our appetites

for spiritual things

can ebb and flow.

But if you've never

delighted

in God's word

like that,

if you've never

tasted this

and seen that it's

sweeter than honey,

if you've never

craved it

as a baby

craves milk,

you need to examine

your heart.

Do you have

that eternal life

which is received

by faith

when you hear

this word?

Those of us

who are Christians,

we may have

a degree of success

as preachers

with natural ability

and so on.

But the success

of the word

is something

that only God

can give.

We can't stir

that up,

we can't achieve

that.

God gives it

as you pray.

James stands

here regularly,

other men

stand here regularly

and preach

God's word

faithfully.

It will only

have its maximum

effect

as you join

behind them

in seeking

God's blessing.

But you might

raise an objection

at this point.

You might say

that God's word

cannot fail.

It must succeed

because it has

a life and a power

of its own.

It's living and active.

It's sharper

than a two-edged sword.

God himself

has said that

it will not return

to me empty

but will accomplish

what I desire

and achieve

the purpose

for which I sent it.

Why then

shall we pray?

All this objection

is both right

and wrong.

It's correct

so far as it goes.

The scripture

is God's word

objective fact.

Every time

this is read

God speaks

and we should

be listening.

It has divine

sanction

and authority.

That's why

Paul could rejoice

even when evil

men were preaching

for evil

motives.

But this is only

one side

of the truth.

Yes

God is sovereign

and powerfully

at work

in his word

but that doesn't

give us an excuse

to be fatalistic

to be passive

or to be indifferent.

It is the sovereign

Lord's word

and he gets

to choose

where and when

it is most effective.

He's given us

the responsibility

to listen

to his word

and to preach

his word

by his design.

For example

in the Westminster

larger catechism

question 155

says how is the word

made effectual

to salvation?

And the answer

is

the spirit

of God

makes the reading

but especially

the preaching

of the word

an effectual

means

to enlighten

convince

and humble

sinners

to drive them

out of themselves

and draw them

to Christ.

The spirit

then has chosen

to use

the preached

word

without question

160

says what is

required of those

that hear the preached

word?

And this is the answer.

It is required

of those that hear

the word preached

that they attend

upon it with

diligence

preparation

and prayer.

We can't

come to God's

words

in difference

with our

mind filled

with other

things

and expect

to be blessed

by it.

We come

dependent

on him

by prayer.

If you like

this is the

belt of truth

but it will

only protect

you

as a piece

of armor

if you put

it on

and pull

it tight.

The Lord

has chosen

to advance

his kingdom

through preaching

spirit filled

men

preaching

with love

and faith

in their

hearts

chosen by

Christ

and set

aside

by the

church

to that

task.

The Holy

Spirit

isn't a

bare

knuckle

fighter.

He takes

up a

sword.

He goes

into battle

but he

doesn't

leave the

sword

in the

sheath.

He takes

up a

preacher

like Paul

and puts

him on

like a

gauntlet

and then

wields

the sword

with almighty

power

and omniscient

precision

to make

every blow

count

whether to

strike a

sinner with

conviction

or to

heal a

grieving

saint.

It's his

choice to

do this

as the

whole church

prays

that God's

word would

speed ahead

and be

honored.

Preaching

doesn't happen

automatically.

It doesn't

happen

mechanically.

God has

designed it

to function

in the

relational

context

of the

church

or in

it

together

as a

body.

James

can put

the

arrow

in

the

bow

but he

needs

the

strength

of the

whole

church

to pull

the

string

back

and let

it

fly

with

God's

almighty

power.

God

has

ordained

that his

word

won't

come back

to him

empty

but has

he not

also

ordained

that true

prayer

won't

come back

to him

empty.

Jesus

said

if you

abide

in me

and my

words

abide

in you

ask

whatever

you

wish

and it

will be

done

for you.

Can you

join

Paul

in this

exhortation?

Is it

your wish

that God's

word would

speed ahead

and be

honored

because that

is a

prayer

that the

Lord

delights

to answer.

An

explanation

then of

the need

for prayer

in relation

to the

ministry

of the

word.

Secondly

consider the

experience

of answered

prayer in

relation

to the

ministry

of the

word.

Paul

asks them

to pray

that it

would speed

ahead

and be

honored

and he's

confident

that they'll

understand

what he

means

because he

goes on

to say

just as

it was

with you

just as

happened

in your

experience.

He's

confident

that they'll

know what

he's talking

about.

If we

combine the

story in

Acts 17

of how

the church

of Thessalonica

was formed

with the

passage in

1 Thessalonians

1 that we

read we

see that

the gospel

made rapid

progress

in

Thessalonica.

Acts 17

2 suggests

that Paul

may only

have been

there for

three weeks

reasoning

in the

tabernacles

and some

people were

persuaded in

that time

and then

because of

intense threat

of persecution

the Christians

sent Paul

away

and yet

look at that

description in

1 Thessalonians

1

a church

that had

formed in

just three

weeks

and yet

the gospel

came in

power

and in

the Holy

Spirit

and with

deep

conviction

and they

became

imitators

of the

apostles

experiencing

the gospel

receiving the

gospel with

joy

in spite of

much

suffering

the church

which formed

in this

pressure cooker

of a

short

intense

time

with much

persecution

became an

example to

all the

churches in

the surrounding

areas

verse 7

of 1

Thessalonians

1

tells us

so it

made rapid

progress

there

and it

was also

revered

and propagated

the progress

was rapid

because of

the way

they received

God's word

1 Thessalonians

2

13

says

they received

the word

of God

not as

though it

were the

word of

men

but as

it actually

is the

word of

God

they

recognized

what it

was

they

recognized

that this

is God

speaking

they

honored

the Bible

they

honored

the gospel

as they

ought to

as the

very

word

of God

receiving

God's

word

in that

way

they

turned

from

idols

to serve

the

living

and true

God

to wait

for his

son

returning

from

heaven

whom

he

raised

from

the

dead

Jesus

who

delivers

us

from

the

wrath

to

come

they

turned

from

pagan

lifestyles

in that

short

period

of

time

and

then

they

trumpeted

the

gospel

like a

like a

loud brass

instrument

like a

herald

hear ye

hear you

blow the

trumpet

and it

sounded

and it

resounded

through

Macedonia

and

Achaia

isn't

it

encouraging

to

remember

in

days

like

ours

where

the

gospel

often

faces

rampant

secularism

and

indifference

isn't

it

encouraging

to

remember

that

it's

not

always

been

like

that

that

we

can

read

in

the

Bible

of

situations

where

in

just

a

few

weeks

in

just

a

few

days

God

saved

many

many

people

turned

lives

around

changed

communities

changed

families

in

New

Testament

times

and

subsequent

history

there have

been these

periods of

reformation

and of

revival

where

the

Lord

adds

his

blessing

to

the

word

in

a

special

way

and

turns

the

world

upside

down

it's

thrilling

to

realize

that

well

we

may

be

feeling

a

spiritual

depression

here

in

other

parts

of

the

world

God's

word

is

speeding

ahead

and

being

honored

in

parts

of

Asia

and

Africa

and

South

America

the

church

is

growing

times

are

hard

here

then

perhaps

but

God's

word

is

still

having

an

impact

even

in

the

ones

and

twos

but

who

knows

that

through

our

prayers

God

may

even

bring

another

time

where

Scotland

is

known

as

the

land

of

the

book

because

the

word

of

the

Lord

is

speeding

ahead

and

being

honored

a

third

thing

then

the

essential

need

for

prayer

in

relation

to

the

ministry

of

the

word

the

very

fact

that

Paul

is

asking

for

prayer

tells

us

that

no

human

energy

or

activity

can

cause

the

word

of

God

to

go

forward

like

that

he

directs

this

prayer

to

almighty

God

who

alone

can

provide

that

dynamic

power

that

divine

omnipotence

why

is such

power

necessary

why

won't

the

gospel

make

progress

just

because

it's

true

simply

put

it is

because

our

sinful

human

hearts

have

no

native

desire

for

God's

truth

back

to

2

Thessalonians

3

not

everyone

has

faith

verse

2

here

refers

to

wicked

and

evil

men

who

will

do

everything

they

can

to

oppose

the

gospel

going

forward

verse

3

of

1

Thessalonians

2

talks

about

the

need

for

strength

and

protection

against

the

evil

one

it

could

possibly

mean

evil

in a

general

sense

but

most

translations

render

it

this

way

the

personal

spiritual

being

the

fallen

angel

who

initiates

and

inflames

evil

in the

world

the

word

of the

Lord

doesn't

advance

by

natural

means

because

not

all

have

faith

there

are

powers

of

supernatural

evil

opposed

to

God

vehemently

opposed

to

the

things

of

God

there

are

faithless

men

and

women

who

are

happy

to

align

themselves

with

that

anti

Christian

agenda

this

is

the

judgment

John

3

19

says

the

light

has

come

into

the

world

and

people

love

the

darkness

rather

than

the

light

because

their

works

were

evil

it's

only

the

grace

of

the

Lord

which

keeps

his

servants

faithful

and

fearless

in

gospel

work

even

Paul

himself

asked

the

question

who's

sufficient

for

these

things

and

the

only

answer

he

could

give

is

when

Jesus

met

with

him

and

said

my

grace

is

sufficient

for

you

whilst

not

everyone

opposes

the

gospel

with

quite

so

much

animosity

we

could

expand

verse

2

not

everyone

has

faith

we

could

expand

that

and

say

by

nature

no

one

has

faith

Romans

3

tells

us

that

no

one

is

righteous

no

not

one

no

one

understands

no

one

seeks

for

God

all

have

turned

aside

and

together

they

have

become

worthless

no

one

does

good

not

even

one

before

a

person

is

regenerated

by

the

spirit

of

God

and

converted

to

Christ

they

are

dead

in

trespasses

and

sins

they

walk

following

the

course

of

this

world

under

the

tyranny

of the

prince

of

the

power

of

the

air

the

spirit

that's

at

work

in

the

sons

of

disobedience

Paul

says

we all

walked

that

way

once

upon

a

time

by

nature

we

were

all

children

of

wrath

we

all

had

minds

set

on

the

things

of

the

flesh

which

were

hostile

to

God

why

Lord won't speed ahead by natural means because we're gripped in supernatural darkness by nature

spiritually blind living in a black world where Satan fills our minds with with his lies and his

deceit in order to keep us in utter darkness the word of the Lord speeds ahead then and is honored

only as the spirit of God converts hearts opens blind eyes and stops deaf ears so that they may

turn from darkness to light and the power of Satan to God so that they may receive forgiveness of sins

and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Christ

perhaps you are a person who hates God and actively opposes the gospel

or perhaps you're a person who sits quietly in church year after year

mouthing Christian words but staying spiritually dead and blind politely hostile to God

you don't need to stay in that condition forever God's word tells his people to pray

so that the word would have a penetrating life-changing effect in people just like you

the Christians around you even in this very room have been praying for people just like you

look into almighty God that he would take this gospel message and drive it into your spiritually dark hearts

God is willing and able to save people just like you

add your cry then as the Christians plead with him to make his word effective add your cry for mercy

determine that with his help you're going to turn your back on sin

because he has never yet turned away a soul who responded to Christ's call with sincere faith

and repentance God has charged us with calling down his almighty power to make the gospel effective

in hearts like yours and those of us a Christian have sat where you sit

those of us who are already believers have sat in that darkness

and it's only by this divine miracle

that we have come to value God's word

in this way

it happened to us

like it happened to those Thessalonians

as Christians

it is right that we should seek opportunity to share God's word

outreach activities

regular meetings

conversations in daily life

but we have to remember that none of these things

achieve anything unless the Lord adds

his blessing

unless the Lord builds the house

they labor in vain

who build it

but let this be our encouragement

to pray hard

and to preach hard

there's power available here

for all the obstacles to unbelief that we see

in the world around us

Jesus has said

I will build my church

the gates of hell will not prevail against it

this work of gospel transformation

is ultimately in the hands of one who is seated far above

all rulers and authorities

all the spiritual powers of wickedness

all those spiritual evils in heavenly places

far beneath his feet

and he has all authority in heaven on earth

including the authority to give eternal life

to whoever he chose

remember then that Christ doesn't always do his work

doesn't always build his church

at the same rate

in every place

every time

this work that took a matter of weeks in Thessalonica

took 18 months

in Corinth

and two years

in Ephesus

in our own lives

we know there are times when God's word comes with dynamic power

and there are other times where we seem

to be going through a bog or a marsh

everything is slow

progress is slow

there are times of refreshing

that come from the presence of the Lord

but there are dry seasons

and wilderness experiences too

we have to preach the word out of season

as well as in season

we wish we were always reaping

but there are times of plowing

and sowing

and watering

and waiting

and yet is it not

the hope of an abundant harvest

that motivates the farmer

to keep on

in his work

when the progress is slow then

and the word is despised by the masses

let us remember that we have a weapon here in prayer

that can change

that situation

can turn it around

so that by calling on the Lord

he can turn the tide

and his word can once more

go forward

quickly

and powerfully

one day winter will give way to spring

one day the seasons of decline

will give way to seasons

of new growth

finally

reflecting on this

is there not some great wisdom

in the age old advice

people used to give the advice

when you become a Christian

prioritize the Sunday meetings

that's where the preaching is done

prioritize the midweek meeting

that's where we join together

to pray

to get behind the preacher

to call God's blessing down

I can't think of greater advice

it seems to me

that that rings true

that proves true

perhaps you've proved

that true

we cannot simply

be content

with listening to the preaching

we can't simply be content

with a group fellowship

midweek

we're about God's business

we're about the advance

of his kingdom

and that means we need

these two sides of the coin

the preaching and the praying

and we need to be in that

together

we want to make sure

that we're not going through

the motions of hearing

God's word

without seeking

his blessing

both

for

ourselves

and for others

God is willing

to answer our prayers

this is a prayer

that he's inspired

by his spirit

it's the spirit

who tells us

to pray like this

can we not go

confident

of God's willingness

faithfulness

to listen

to such a prayer

and in his way

and in his time

to answer

finally brothers

pray for us

that the word

of the Lord

may speed ahead

and be honoured

as happened

among you

and that we may be

delivered from evil men

for not all

have faith

and I'm sure

Paul could say

of this congregation

as he said

of the church

we have confidence

in the Lord

that you are doing

and will continue

to do

that which the Lord

commands

Amen