A Study (Feast [For Your Soul]) of 2 Thessalonians 3

I read 2 Thessalonians 3 today. Then the Lord directed me to write about it, which turned my reading into a study. I used the ESV Study Bible for background work and did my reading in the NASB.


To best understand this chapter, let me lay down a contextual foundation, beginning with historical considerations and proceeding to literary analysis and a brief look at the preceding two chapters.


History (The Salad [Primes the Appetite])
Thessalonica was the capital city of Macedonia. It was the center of commerce, having a harbor and trade routes. About 100,000 people resided there--a significant population for N.T. times--and the majority of them belonged to the Greco-Roman pantheon and cults. Paul, Timothy, and Silas (Silvanus) visited Thessalonica around A.D. 49-51 during Paul's second missionary journey. They preached there for about three weeks before having to leave because of a mass riot (see Acts 17). Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica after some months to evaluate how the young church was doing. Timothy met up with Paul in Corinth and reported both good and bad news. Though enduring persecution, they were continuing in the faith. Ignorance, however, caused worry among the Thessalonians on behalf of those in the church who died; they were unsure whether these martyrs would have part in the Lord's second coming. The Thessalonian church also had some members who were lazy and continually relied upon other members instead of working themselves. Paul wrote 1 and 2 Thessalonians (3:17-18) because of Timothy's report. The second followed the first in short succession probably because it was a reaction to new developments since Paul sent the first letter.


Literary Analysis (The Drink [Cleanses the Palate])
This letter to the Thessalonians includes the normal elements of a first century letter, like most N.T. epistles and letters. Atypical of Paul, the elements are not embellished but concise. The elements are as follows: opening greeting (author, audience, and words of benevolence; almost identical to that of 1 Thessalonians), thanksgiving, body, conclusion/benediction.


Summary of Chs. 1-2 (The Complimentary Roll [To be Eaten with the Main Course])
After Paul's greeting, he explains why he thanks God for them and lifts them up to the other churches, namely for their ever-increasing faith and love in regard to the former and for their perseverance and faith amid persecution in regard to the latter. He then explains how God will justly vindicate those who are remaining steadfast in persecution and punish those who are persecuting. At the close of the chapter, Paul informs the Thessalonians that he, Timothy, and Silas are praying for them. They are praying that God will count them worthy of their calling and make them complete so that they will glorify Jesus Christ and be glorified in Him by God's grace.


In Chapter 2, Paul addresses their worry about the day of the Lord. He reminds them of the truth he spoke to them while he was with them and informs them of what the Antichrist will be like. The overarching point Paul addresses is the timing of Christ's second coming. The Thessalonians were told that the day of the Lord had already come (v. 2). The chapter ends with Paul repeating his thanksgiving and encouraging them to stand firm. He then prays that God would comfort them.


Second Thessalonians 3 (The Meat of This Post [Use All Five Senses])
I see great care from Paul to the Thessalonian Christians. He requests prayer from them in the opening of the chapter, which tells me that he believed in their faith. He affirms this in v. 4 in saying that he and the other missionaries "have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command."

He expresses love to them also in the next paragraph. He follows up vv. 4-5 with a command in v. 6: to stay away from a Christian who lives an unruly life. He equates "leads an unruly life" (ataktos peripatountos) with "act in an undisciplined manner" (hetaktesamen) in v. 7. We see "undisciplined" again in v. 11: "For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies." Basically Paul is saying, "Follow our example of working hard and earning our food. Don't associate with your Christian brothers and sisters who are mooching off the wealthier in the church. And you who are the wealthy these lazy Christians are mooching off of, don't grow weary in doing good." Paul commands and encourages the lazy to work quietly and eat the food they earn.


For those who do not listen to Paul, Silas, and Timothy's instructions, Paul orders the Thessalonians in vv. 14-15 not to associate with them. He says to admonish the disobedient as brothers (those of whom he writes are Christians) and not regard them as enemies. The distinction Paul draws between brothers and enemies leads me to think that this disassociation is temporary. By not associating with them, Paul says they will "be put to shame." Shame humbles us and motivates us to clean up our act. Perhaps Paul was behaving like the father in the faith that he was and willing that some people experience pain (the shame of disfellowship), knowing the outcome was well worth it--obedience.


Paul closes the chapter and, thus, the letter by requesting on their behalf peace from God in all circumstances. This had to be comforting for the Thessalonians given the persecution they were enduring. Paul then claims authorship by signing off the letter himself and wishing that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with them.


Personal Implications (The Potatoes [Always Save Your Starch for Last])
So what does this chapter mean for us? I think we need to examine ourselves to determine to which clan we belong. Are we the lazy or the hard-working? Do we follow the example Paul, Silas, and Timothy set, or do we give in to our comforts, always examining how we feel and what feels good to us? Are we disobedient or obedient? Do we earn our living or mooch off others? Are we busybodies? And if we are the obedient hard-workers, do we grow weary in doing good? Or do we give cheerfully and generously, even after giving over and over again seemingly without appreciation, reward, or result?


I'm writing to myself just as much as to anyone else. I am lazy, and I do grow weary in doing good. I am not always lazy in earning my keep, but I am lazy in other ways. I am not always weary in giving to those in need, but I am sometimes, and I do grow weary in speaking the gospel and showing love to others over and over, who seem to not receive it in faith or appreciate it. I think if Paul looked in on my status, he'd write a letter of disappointment and admonition to me. That admonition would be an impetus for hope. I should "work in quiet fashion" (v. 12)--v. 11 convicts me. I should follow the good example set for me and work diligently, glorifying the Lord through obedience. Am I to do this by bucking up? I am not without the power of Christ (2 Thess. 1:11-12)! It is by the Spirit that we mortify our flesh (Romans 8:13). God is making it more and more plain to me that I cannot be passive in my sanctification. Praise to God that He is with us!


"May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ" (2 Thess. 3:5).

Taking a Break to Blog on Break

I am a week into Christmas Break. I survived finals week and, with the grace of my Greek professor, the semester. Let me tell you as an aside, my Greek prof and advisor is a special person. He is simply someone you've got to get to know. Anyway, I have plenty of Greek homework to keep me busy over break, but am I doing it?

Nope.

The procrastination habit continues. It is not so much that I am being whole-heartedly lazy as it is wanting to spend time with family, especially my sister. So maybe I am improving. Saturday and Sunday were shopping days. Today, Rachel and I both had dentist appointments. Tomorrow, my mom and I have chiropractor appointments, and Wednesday, Rachel and I are heading to see our cousin at her salon for some much-needed hair trims. Thursday: Christmas Eve... Friday: Christmas... Saturday: Shawn, Megan, and baby Ella might visit!... I've got some time in there when I can do homework, Lord willing.

Maybe "Christmas Break" should be renamed....

Curse You, Procrastination!

Hmm... so since the last time I posted I have made zero progress on my Missions and Mercy assignment. Yeah, I know, it's due Wednesday. I just can't seem to get the laziness out of my system. I think I need a good kick in the seat of the pants. Instead of researching and writing, I've been looking at people's blogs, searching for free textual criticism tools, talking on the phone, and eating chips while my stomach hurts. What is happening to me?? I used to not be like this. I used to be Miss On-Task.

Kasia just came in. Yessss!!!! She helps me bear down on my work. Here it goes...

Just Checking In...

I was just looking at the blogs I "follow" and discovered that apart from Rachel's blog and Lisa's blog, we're all slackers. Some haven't blogged in a year! As you can deduce, it's been a couple months for me. I have been busy, but that is not the actual reason for my blogosphere absence. I simply have had little inclination to do so. I realize this is atypical for me, and I cannot at this time explain it.

Anyway, Thanksgiving break has officially ended. It was a good time with family at the homestead, full of hilarity and food. Though I remember lamenting on more than one occasion over forgetting to transport my coffee from the dorm, I can tell you that I was in no want of food or beverage--or television for that matter. I'm glad I was able to hang out with my cousin Jeremy and his wife Lindsey. They are laid back, pleasant, country, and in sync with the Hovis tastes (Elvis, cars, etc.), which makes them pretty much great. Jeremy is an outdoorsman who likes to hunt, fish, and ride horses. I like it.

Thanksgiving is a prime excuse for Rachel to come into town as well. Before driving south, we put her birthday coupon to good use at Cold Stone. Believe it or not, we ate at McDonald's beforehand. (We rarely grace the premises with our presence.) When back in STL, we ate at Jimmy John's and used my free cookie coupon at McAlister's. Mmm... Rachel and I, I am convinced, are pretty cool gals. I don't say that to be conceited; we simply have good tastes in food and music--making any trip a good time.

The agenda now is to finish my Missions and Mercy paper for Wednesday afternoon and a wealth of Hebrew homework for Thursday morning. Then I get to Greek it up!

Tazo!

Last night I had the blues, so I created ambient lighting, "brewed" herbal tea, and set my iTunes to Norah Jones. Therapeutic it was. Sipping Tazo's Calm usually soothes my soul. Have you tried Tazo? Tazo offers a variety of caffeinated, decaffeinated, and caffeine-free black, white and green, and herbal teas and a small line of tea lattes. Which do I recommend, you ask? It's a toss-up between Calm and Wild Sweet Orange. Zen is also a good choice, offering a minty freshness. Where can you find Tazo teas? At your favorite Starbucks or at natural foods stores and grocery stores like Wal-Mart. Hopefully, I'll get to try Sweet Cinnamon Spice soon (not sold in Starbucks stores but available online).

If you experiment with Tazo and discover it is not your cup of tea (couldn't resist), then give its competitor a chance. Numi organic teas are very similar and sold at Whole Foods and Wild Oats. I prefer Tazo's varieties over Numi's, but I did try an impressive Rooibos from Numi.

Finally, as a third option, if neither Tazo nor Numi suits your fancy, immerse yourself in Celestial Seasonings' plethora of 100% natural teas. Boasting a range of about 100 different flavors, you are virtually guaranteed to find something you like. Also, for you coffee enthusiasts, Celestial Seasonings offers organic, Fair Trade whole bean coffee.

All this talk about tea has stirred my senses. Tea anyone?

Chick-fil-A

I have a draft that I intend to publish when I set about to re-research the semantic ranges of two Greek words and their relationship. I began word studies for Matthew 22:14 after school let out last spring but never finished writing down my findings. In my Redemption and Reconciliation class this fall, my professor discussed these two words, which prompted me to return to my draft. I hope to post it for all to read and comment.

At the present, I'd like to share with you a fantastic YouTube video that my dear Lindsey brought to my attention recently. It is a tribute to Chick-fil-A--one of the best places to buy a chicken sandwich. As of late, Chick-fil-A has been the buzz among my classmates and myself. If you have never enjoyed Chick-fil-A, I extend my deepest condolences to your deprived palette and encourage you to correct the error of your diet. Your body will thank you! Now join me and Tim Hawkins in singing this love song (or click here to view the vid from Tim's website).

A Brief Lamentory Note

The semester is coming to a close, and there is still so much work to do! But the Lord is with me.... Anyway, my point in writing tonight is to share a little bit of my sorrow over finishing a couple of my classes. Now, I know you're probably thinking, "What? You're actually sad that school's about over?" Yes!

The two classes I have in mind are Intermediate Koine II and Biblical Hermeneutics. These guys (and one other gal) are family to me. I've been privileged to have class with them. I say these things especially in regard to Greek. We're a small clan; besides Doc, it's three young gentlemen and me. They are my brothers in Christ and good friends of mine. I consider that I have a special attachment to this class that I probably won't have with another one. Two are graduating (half the class), but Mark and I will be going on to third-year Greek and first-year Hebrew in the fall! I am passionate about Greek. It's a beautiful language--especially New Testament (Koine) Greek, the original language of the New Testament. This past year (fall and spring semesters) we've translated Paul's letter to the Ephesians. It's been like Bible study almost every day, and sometimes we get to listen to Doc's preaching. Going to miss that in the fall--third-year Greek is online.

I am thankful for these classmates and profs, Dr. McClain and Dr. Greever, and know that the Lord has worked through them to help me grow spritiually and--go figure--mentally. I hope I've aided them in some way too. It's been fun, guys, and a lot of hard work. I'm glad to have had the pleasure of working alongside you all.

Okay, I'm done with the sappiness.... Love you, guys.

Return to Him. He Will Restore You.

Recently I shared with a few people how God's Word convicted and humbled me. This is just one instance of what seems to be a season of conviction. It is good that the Lord is working on me. It is when we are not experiencing conviction or fighting our flesh that we should raise concern and question our continuance in the faith. To put this in context, this particular time of conviction happened after God convicted me about control, especially self-control, and before He convicted me about being obstinate toward the Holy Spirit.

I have been distracted by something since last fall and did not, until now, realize the negative effect it was having on me--the strain it produced on my relationship with God. I still don't know its exact impact, and maybe I never will, but it is one of those things that is not inherently bad but becomes bad--more precisely, sin--when I follow it instead of Christ, when it leads me astray and not to Christ. Instead of my taking its related thoughts captive to obey Christ, it captured my attention and became my frequent thoughts. This led me to apathy in my walk with the Lord because I drew more pleasure from my new thoughts than from my fellowship with Him. I began to neglect the disciplines, including prayer and daily Bible intake. At first I allowed the "something" but was strict about how much attention I gave it and what kind of attention I gave it. I first devoted it to prayer and trusted God with the outcome. Slowly, like wearing down a knife to the point of dullness, it, through intermediary means of my flesh, ground down my will to keep it within the bounds I had formed.

Now that I have described the progression of sin, let me briefly account for the progression of pain. The consequences of my actions above were trouble and weakness. Sin always brings trouble eventually, and I was weak, or at least weakening, because I was not being strengthened in the Lord through the disciplines. The resulting pain I experienced stemmed not just from this "something" but virtually from my whole life, for this sin problem surpassed the "something." It was like a virus unleashed on my life. By this time, my attitude had changed, and the pain had reached major infiltration. It was not a physical pain that can be felt with the body but a spiritual pain. Do you see the snowball effect of sin? Sin leads to more sin.

All of the last two paragraphs, I remind you, happened over the course of last semester and the beginning of this one. While I was going through this, I did not realize that I was causing my own pain by my sin, spurred on by distraction. (Do you see how dangerous distractions from Christ can be? They easily lead to sin when we submit to them.) Keep this in mind as you read the rest of this post.

The Lord convicted me of this distraction--this "something"--after coming off a weekend at my roommate's house, where He had convicted me of control (see first paragraph). He used a portion of Jeremiah 15 to do it. I like this passage of Scripture very much and had read it several times before: Jeremiah 15:10-21.

Jeremiah had a hard ministry, in which, as a prophet, he had hard words to deliver from the Lord to the people of Judah. They were facing God's judgment and wrath for disobedience. Jeremiah pressed on in his ministry, though encouragement was sparse. (How much more shoudl we press on in sharing the Good News of the Gospel!) The events leading up to the passage at hand consist of Jeremiah praying on behalf of the people and God rejecting his prayer. Jeremiah's reaction to God's rejection is complaint, even doubt. He tells God of the good things he's done (vv. 15-17) then asks, "Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you be to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail?" (v. 18). When I read this, I adopted it as my own prayer, thinking the questions he asked expressed exactly how I felt. It was the first time I had caught a glimpse of what Jeremiah's pain might have felt like, though my pain was not synonymous with his.

I read on to read what I saw as the turning point: "Therefore thus says the Lord: 'If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them'" (v. 19).

God turned on the light for me. He gave me understanding--I had strayed from the Lord, not in a salvific sense but as a sheep who ignores--disobeys--his Shepherd. It is because I turned away from the Lord that my pain was "unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed." I had caused my own pain; I had brought it all on myself. To think that I had the audacity to blame God, complain in my heart to Him, and doubt His faithfulness! And what does God say? "If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before Me." Meditate on that for a moment. How beautiful is God that He should lavish such love, mercy, and grace upon us! Do you see how in my state of sin I was black and He is White, I was darkness and He is Light? And He promises me the privilege of standing before Him! His character is overwhelming--indeed, incomprehensible and never adequately described. Do you see how even in convicting me of this sin He is expressing His great love toward me? He awoke me from my dreary slumber. More than that, He delivered me from my deceitful dreams, the working of my own flesh.

Beginning with verse 19, seen above, and continuing through to the end of the chapter (v. 21), God makes promise after promise to Jeremiah. God is faithful. We are unfaithful, yet He loves us, desires us for Himself, is jealous for His praise from us. If any of us are faithful, if any obey Him, it is because He has enabled them to do so through the powerful working of His Spirit.

Get Involved in Helping Your (Distant) Neighbors.

The poor are always with us, but may we not let that discourage us from reaching out to our fellow man. I pray that the Lord will grip your heart to have compassion on those in need--here and abroad--and find ways in which YOU can help them. When you watch videos or read articles about what some people living with AIDS or living in the midst of persecution, or perhaps being persecuted themselves, go through, imagine yourself in their shoes (if they have shoes). I have been influenced and immersed in American culture just like you probably have, and therefore, having not been exposed to many different cultures firsthand, I cannot say that I know what they must be going through. But if I just try to imagine, with what little knowledge or idea that I have, what it is like, my heart breaks, my soul burns, and I want desperately to help.

Here is a brief survey of reputable organizations you can get involved with:

For those of you unfamiliar with World Vision, I encourage you to visit their website and also check out this video from Good Morning America highlighting World Vision's Gift Catalog and the difference we can make by purchasing something from it. World Vision is well known for the child sponsorship opportunities they offer, but their work goes much farther than that. They also help with disaster relief, urgent care, major crises, etc. World Vision, World Help, and Compassion International are great organizations that really do help people in ways that surpass just physical care. For example, you can help World Help distribute Bibles to people in different parts of the world who are currently without the Word of God. (If you follow the link, you will see a very good video. Though it is long, I urge you to watch all of it.) You can partner with The Seed Company, an affiliate of Wycliffe Bible Translators, in providing the resources translators need to produce Bibles in peoples' mother tongues around the world. They set a goal to begin translation for 225 more languages in the next three years. LIFE Outreach International works to provide water wells for people without access to clean water, homes, mission feeding, etc. I encourage you all to get involved in what God is doing through these organizations. They are very good about keeping you informed on the progress they are experiencing as well as new needs that arise. Also--The Seed Company is very good about this--they will request prayer for specific needs. I much appreciate learning what the particular "cluster" to whom I am contributing is doing and for what they need prayer in particular. Thank you Roy Peterson (The Seed Company), Vernon Brewster (World Help), James and Betty Robison (LIFE Outreach International), and everyone involved in these organizations for all your hard work and your passion for the cause.

No Title. Just Read.

Okay, it's my bedtime right now, and I'm still up, but don't tell anyone.... It's a new year, and hoepfully this year I will post consistently--the sparseness of my posts last semester is shameful. Don't worry; I'm not going to bore you with a list of New Year's resolutions in this inaugural post. I happen to think all the hubbub over them is annoying. I would prefer instead to discuss other things.

First, school: I am taking thirteen credit hours this semester, but don't let that deceive you. My course load is as heavy as ever. I think this semester will turn out well though. My Greek class is excellent, as always, and Biblical Hermeneutics should grow and refine me considerably. Western Civilization II will not disappoint--how could it with Dr. Beutler teaching it? He's fantastic. I slept in his class only once last semester (after an all-nighter) even though it began at eight in the morning. Introduction to Logic should interest me, as for my fitness class, I think it will help me prepare for the mission trip to Romania this summer.

I plan to make efforts to cultivate deeper friendships with a few people in particular this semester. I will exercise strategy when I do this, for these people will have a positive influence on me, are on the same "page" with me, and will probably aid in my constancy in the spiritual disciplines. I truly admire them and want to share life with them more often. Does it sound funny or selfish that I want to surround myself more frequently with these people who will produce such fruit? Shouldn't I want to spend time with them just for the sake of getting to know them better and not for my personal gain? I am seriously asking. To add another dimension: I learned in Marriage and the Family last semester (this was in the context of mate selection, not friendships, but I think it still applies) that when we first meet a person, we weigh the costs and benefits of getting into relationship with that person. With that said, maybe we all have at least a semi-selfish motive for making friends with anyone.

Second, church: You can now listen, download, and, for some, even watch past messages on the redesigned site. Check it out by clicking on the Meadow Heights link in the sidebar.

Third, ministry: I'm not sure where to start. Thoughts are spinning in my head regarding current ministry and future ministry. I have more questions than answers, but I think that is where God wants me. I rely on Him and seek after Him much better this way. Though I am a junior, I've been asked the famous question, "What are you going to do after you graduate?" countless times already. My answer is probably the same as yours: I don't know. I've been thinking about my future much more lately, but I'm not getting anywhere, and I know why. God is pleased to only show me what's just ahead of me--just enough so that I can take the next right step. That's how it's been throughout college, and I doubt it''ll change anytime soon. Of course, I could be wrong; He can surprise me. :) I feel for my brothers and sisters who are seniors this spring and are unsure of what to do next. BUT God is the Lamp unto our feet and the Light onto our path. He is also faithful. "...The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works" (Psalm 145:13). Hold fast to His promises. "He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them" (v. 19).