Not Shaken, But Stirred

Order of Service

• Call to Worship — Psalm 33:20-22
• Hymn — I Will at All Times Bless the Lord (#34A)
• Prayer of Invocation
• Confession of Faith — Apostles' Creed
• Hymn — Come to the Waters (#444)
• Pastoral Prayer
• Scripture Reading — 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
• Sermon
• Hymn — Christ Is Coming (#390)
• Benediction — 2 Corinthians 13:14

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Sermon Title: Not Shaken, But Stirred

Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

I. The Pastoral Purpose of the Passage

A. Paul writes not to satisfy curiosity but to encourage faith B. The governing concern: believers must not be "quickly shaken in mind or alarmed" — the image is of a ship tossed loose from its moorings C. The central good word running through the passage: the Lord Jesus is coming again, and his people will be gathered to him

II. The Crisis That Shakes Our Faith in the Coming Again of the Lord Jesus

(2 Thessalonians 2:1-3)

A. The crisis concerning the timing of Christ's return

1. A false word had reached the Thessalonians — supposedly from Paul — claiming the Day of the Lord had already come
2. If Jesus had already returned and they were not gathered to him, they would have missed the very promise of being with him forever
3. Scripture elsewhere assures us the day will be public and unmistakable — trumpets, a loud call — there will be no way to miss it

B. The crisis concerning trust in Jesus's word

1. Paul had already spoken to the Thessalonians in person about these very matters (2 Thessalonians 2:5)
2. The false word contradicts the word of Christ delivered through his apostle — Jesus cannot contradict himself
3. The application: when shaken, do we run to the word of the Lord, or are we quick to believe another word — a popular book, a personality, or our own hearts?

III. The Correction That Stirs Our Faith in the Coming Again of the Lord Jesus

(2 Thessalonians 2:3-12)

A. The progressive rebellion before Jesus's coming (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, 9-12)

1. The Day will not come until the apostasia — the great falling away — occurs first; a general revolt of the visible church in which many who had the outward form of believers will be swept away
2. Warning and comfort: those truly born again will not be swept away — John 3 teaches we must be born again; all whom the Father has given to the Son will be kept
3. The rebellion prepares the way for the man of lawlessness — the son of destruction - He is a man, distinct from Satan (2 Thessalonians 2:9), but the instrument of Satan - He will exalt himself above every so-called god and object of worship, even taking his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God - Two possible understandings of "temple of God": (a) the church, the body of believers — consistent with Paul's normal usage; (b) the Jerusalem temple as the place of God's worship, used figuratively - He is not yet come in his fullness; many forerunners in history have partially fulfilled the description, but none have matched the full end-time evil — there will be only one final fulfillment - The mystery of lawlessness is already at work (2 Thessalonians 2:7)

B. The providential restraint until Jesus's coming (2 Thessalonians 2:6-7)

1. Something or someone now holds back the full unleashing of lawlessness — like levees holding back floodwaters
2. Possible identities of the restrainer: the angel Michael (cf. Daniel 10-12); the power of the state — both are under God's providential authority
3. Exact identification is not given to us; Paul had told the Thessalonians directly — it is not for us to know conclusively
4. The comfort: God is providentially sovereign over all of human history; things are bad, but not as bad as they could be and one day will be

C. The powerful result at Jesus's coming (2 Thessalonians 2:8)

1. When the restrainer is removed, the Lawless one will be revealed — but Paul cannot write that without immediately bringing us to the coming of Jesus
2. The Lord Jesus will kill the Lawless one with the breath of his mouth and bring him to nothing by the appearance of his parousia
3. The one who spoke all things into existence will destroy the Lawless one with a word — as he commanded the storm, "Peace, be still" (Mark 4:39)
4. As 1 John 3:8 says, the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil — begun at the first coming, concluded at the second
5. The making-right of all things depends not on gradual human improvement but on the final intervention of God
6. All who are found in Christ will be victorious with him — already now more than conquerors (Romans 8:37)

IV. Conclusion: Do Not Miss the Forest for the Trees

A. This passage contains many captivating details; we must not lose ourselves in them and miss the whole B. We may not have all the facts and details, but we know how the story ends C. The Lord Jesus says, "Surely I am coming soon" (Revelation 22:20) — let this stir your faith