Tonight at First Love. Check the website for more info. firstlovechurch.net.. DO NOT GROW WEARY - 2 THESS 3:5-18 PASTOR PETE CROPSEY / FIRST LOVE CHURCH 7/31/13 Tonight is our last night in 2nd Thessalonians and next week we will be moving into 1st Corinthians. But tonight’s passage is and interesting one especially given that our last verse from last week said; 2 Thessalonians 3:5 Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. Let’s go ahead and read it and you’ll see what I mean; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. 10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. 13 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Benediction 16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all. 17 The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Let’s kick it off by looking into verse 6; 2 Thessalonians 3:6 But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. So chapter 3 verse 5 again; Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ. So what can you take from this except that having our hearts directed in the love of God and displaying the patience of Christ does not mean allowing mischief making to go unchecked and as we shall see further on laziness in the church or in the people we keep company with. On the other hand where the love of God and the patience of Christ do come in is in verse 15. Let’s look at that and then we’ll flesh out the rest of the passage. 2 Thessalonians 3:15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Man this is already sounding like work! I mean first we are to withdraw from disorderly people and at the same time we are to keep them in the family. Negotiating those boundaries will require a lot of discernment, thought and first of all prayer. Isn’t it so much easier when someone is bugging to just put the scissors to it? Just put the kibosh on the whole deal and just tell them to kick rocks, vacate the space homie, take a vacay, far away. But God says, “Keep em at a distance but don’t let them split.” So the idea here is laid out when Paul in the next few verses reminds them and us of his own conduct. 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. Paul shows by his example that the logical method for dealing with the disorderly or even the lazy brother is to be an example to him. But check it out,[ this place is a hospital for sinners and not a museum for saints. Some of us show up here with the kind of traits Paul describes in verse 11; 2 Thessalonians 3:11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. So many people show up at church just plain broken, character defects run rampant. So much so that when I see someone show up that appears normal I go into waiting mode because probably the normal will wear off and the broken parts will come out. So what is Paul really saying when he says we are to withdraw from the brother who is disorderly. What it means is that we are not to get caught up in their sphere of influence but somehow draw them into ours. But we must ourselves be in the position in our own walk where we can say with confidence what Paul said in verse 8, “For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you.” So then are we to ignore them, not even acknowledge their presence? Well let’s look at verses 13-15. 2 Thessalonians 3:13-15 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Do not keep company with him and so forth. I learned something about people from working with horses. When I worked on the Princeville ranch on Kauai I got a rescue horse named Butter. Big beautiful horse, have Belgian and half quarter horse. To say that Butter was disorderly was a bit of an understatement. When he showed up on the ranch in the trailer he was busy trying to kick a new door in the side. Working with him in the round pen, if I tried to direct him he would charge at me and then I realized that when I ignored him and faced the other way he would kind of inch up trying to get close to check me out. So I began driving him away and then I would stop and turn my back to him. Within a week he was nuzzling the back of my neck or knocking my hat off with his nose. Kind of like, “ Hey dude don’t ignore me here.” In the same way lavishing attention on a disruptive person often makes maters worse while putting them on the, “Pay him no mind list”, often has the effect of drawing them in. In the AA big book it talks about the futility of the frothy emotional appeal. Lets look at verses 13-15 again. 2 Thessalonians 3:13-15 But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this epistle, note that person and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Don’t grow weary in doing good. What is doing good? Is making transformed disciples out of broken and dysfunctional individuals doing good? Don’t keep company with that individual should then be interpreted as, “Don’t buy what they are selling! Don’t tarry in the playground where they play!” When your example is one of adherence to the truth and you walk away from nonsense then hopefully they will see the foolishness in their way of doing things and be ashamed. But the shame has to be tempered by the knowledge that you are in fact a brother, and phileo, brotherly love must prevail. Verse 15 Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. What this says to me is, and I say this because I know that sometimes my reaction to the chronic bad decider is to cut them loose, in a way they become the enemy in that I no longer want anything to do with them. Paul is saying, “They are a brother, treat them like a family member.” Flip over to Galatians. Galatians 6:1-10 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load. Be Generous and Do Good 6 Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Commentary as the Spirit moves and close with prayer and invitation.... Praise Him all you saints of the Lord and let the redeemed say so!
Posted on: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 22:53:37 +0000
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