INTRODUCTION
• What happens when you do not know or understand the truth on a subject?
• We can easily fall prey to false teachings and to fear.
• Failure to know the truth about God will have eternal ramifications, and as we examine our passages throughout this series, a lack of understanding of the truth can cause one to live life in a way that can negatively impact our relationship with Jesus.
• In our passage today, Paul continues with a subject about which he has already said a great deal.
• Even though Paul had already said a lot concerning the subject of the Second Coming, there was still some false information people were falling for.
• "The main object of this chapter is to correct an erroneous impression which had been made on the minds of the Thessalonians respecting the second coming of Jesus, either by [Paul's] own former letter or by one forged in his name.
• They had received the impression that that event was about to take place.
• This belief had produced an unhappy effect on their minds, 2 Thessalonians 2:2.
• It became, therefore, necessary to state the truth on the subject, to free their minds from alarm" (Albert Barnes, "II Thessalonians," Barnes' Notes on The New Testament).
• After all that has been written today on the subject of the Second Coming, there is still a great deal of false teaching on the subject.
• As it was during Paul's writing of 2 Thessalonians, not understanding the truth can lead to bad theology and possibly impact how we live our lives, along with perhaps waiting for certain "signs" to come before we would consider coming to Jesus.
• The undercurrent to the message today is as follows.
• Where do you go for truth?
• When it comes to faith in Jesus, we go to the Bible.
• I cannot tell you how often people have ideas about God, Jesus, or any other faith issue, and they will share their views with me.
• If the view does not appear to line up with Scripture, I will ask where they find their thought in the Bible.
• Most of the time, their thought or view is not found in the Bible or taken out of context from the Bible.
• When Paul deals with incorrect teaching, Paul combats the teaching with the truth of God's Word.
• In our sermon entitled "Know The Truth," we will delve into the depths of this passage to uncover timeless wisdom that resonates with our lives today.
• Those who call themselves Christians or followers of Jesus are called to seek and know the truth.
• Many subtle traps can lead us astray, and the consequences of being swayed by falsehoods can be devastating.
Big Idea of the Message: Paul encouraged believers not to be misled nor afraid concerning the Second Coming of Christ.
• SNORKLE TIME!
• Let's begin by turning to 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3.
2 Thessalonians 2:1–3 (NET 2nd ed.)
1 Now regarding the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to be with him, we ask you, brothers and sisters,
2 not to be easily shaken from your composure or disturbed by any kind of spirit or message or letter allegedly from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here.
3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not arrive until the rebellion comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.
SERMON
I. Don't be deceived.
• In the latter part of 1 Thessalonians, Paul explained the events that would occur as Jesus returned.
• Some had deceived some of those in the church into thinking they were in the midst of the Day of the Lord.
• This deception led people to live in a way that was not pleasing to God.
• The wrong ideas folks were being tricked into believing were having a negative impact on some in the church.
• In verse one, Paul uses the phrase "being gathered" that Jesus used in Matthew 24:31
Matthew 24:31 (NET 2nd ed.)
31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
• The same word translated as "WILL GATHER" used by Jesus is used by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:1.
• While "our gathering together to Him" does picture both writers and readers as being among the Christians so caught up to meet the Lord, the following verses in the text (that gives us what must happen BEFORE the Second Coming) makes it clear that both writers and the original readers are going to be among the dead who are raised first, before the redeemed are caught up to meet the Lord in the air. (Gareth Reese- 1 & 2 Thessalonians Commentary p.120)
• Any notion that the 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 might imply belief in an imminent return of the Lord does not fit with all of the teachings on the subject and, therefore, must be rejected.
• The people were shaken because they were not taking the teachings that Paul had given them and then lining those teachings up with what they had been taught.
• In 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, we encounter a powerful warning about the devastating effects of deception.
• The passage highlights the importance of remaining vigilant and discerning in the face of misleading influences.
• Being deceived can have profound implications for our lives.
• It can lead us astray from the truth, causing us to embrace false beliefs and misguided paths.
• Deception can cloud our judgment, distort our perception of reality, and hinder our ability to make wise decisions.
• The consequences of being deceived are far-reaching.
• It can fragment relationships, sow discord, and create divisions among people.
• It can erode trust, leading to broken bonds and shattered communities. Deception can also rob us of our peace and inner stability, leaving us feeling lost, confused, and disillusioned.
• In verse 2, SHAKEN was used for sea travel when a storm threw a ship off course.
• Begins verse 3 with the words, "Let no one deceive you in any way."
• Let's move to verses 3-12.
2 Thessalonians 2:3–12 (NET 2nd ed.)
3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not arrive until the rebellion comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction.
4 He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, and as a result he takes his seat in God’s temple, displaying himself as God.
5 Surely you recall that I used to tell you these things while I was still with you.
6 And so you know what holds him back, so that he will be revealed in his own time.
7 For the hidden power of lawlessness is already at work. However, the one who holds him back will do so until he is taken out of the way,
8 and then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will destroy by the breath of his mouth and wipe out by the manifestation of his arrival.
9 The arrival of the lawless one will be by Satan’s working with all kinds of miracles and signs and false wonders,
10 and with every kind of evil deception directed against those who are perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved.
11 Consequently God sends on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false.
12 And so all of them who have not believed the truth but have delighted in evil will be condemned.
II. Fight deception with the truth.
• How does Paul help the church by sharing the truth with them on the subject at hand?
• The events shared in 1 Thessalonians 4 were not going to occur BEFORE the events Paul shares in this chapter.
• Paul will give us three events that will occur BEFORE the Lord's coming, not AFTER.
• Many today have falsely put these events after 1 Thessalonians 4, where they say Christians will be removed from the world before the events in this chapter take place.
• Once again, look at what the Bible says, not what people want it to say.
• The first event that the "day" (Second Coming) will not take place until it happens is the rebellion that comes.
• This rebellion had to happen before the Second Coming.
• The word translated REBELLION is APOSTASIA, which means to rebel against political authority or religious defection, to fall away.
• Taken by itself, this event looks to be in full swing.
• People will turn away from God in a big way, but that alone is it the sign.
• Paul's readers probably had more insight as to what this was than we do today.
• The second event is the man of lawlessness; the son of destruction is revealed.
• Some will say this was Titus, who destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70.
• When you look at our passage in its' entirety, he does not fit the bill.
• This man will be the one who leads people away from God.
• He will set himself above all God's and every object of worship.
• Now, it is true that the Roman Emperors did this, but they did not do what verse 9 says this person will do: perform all kinds of miracles and false signs.
• The man of lawlessness had not appeared; therefore, the audience of Paul's letter was not in the "Day of the Lord."
• The lawlessness was not a reference to the Law of Moses; since Jesus had fulfilled the Law, this was an all-out assault on God.
• Verse 4 speaks of this person taking the seat in God's Temple.
• This has led many to say that the Temple has to be rebuilt in Jerusalem.
• The problem with that is there are a couple of Greek words for Temple. One is used for a sanctuary where deity dwells (NANOS), the other is HIERON, a place where a priest works, and the entire temple complex with all its buildings and courts.
• The word used here is NANOS.
• The word HIERON is used when the "TEMPLE" in Jerusalem is spoken of in the New Testament.
• The phrase "takes a seat in God's Temple" is likely figurative language to denote another way this person declares himself god.
• In verse 5, Paul reminds the readers he has already taught them this.
• The other thing about this man of lawlessness is the fact that God is holding him back until it is his time to come.
• Lawlessness is already at work, but the man of lawlessness is not and will not be until it is time.
• God will let him roam free; that is the third event that will take place.
• The man of lawlessness is not Satan but is empowered by him.
• This person will use every trick in the book to delude people into following him.
• Notice that this person's work will be toward those who are perishing, those who reject Jesus.
• Look at verses 9-10
2 Thessalonians 2:9–10 (NET 2nd ed.)
9 The arrival of the lawless one will be by Satan’s working with all kinds of miracles and signs and false wonders,
10 and with every kind of evil deception directed against those who are perishing because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved.
• When we see this stuff, we need to buckle down and do what we can to help people come to Jesus.'
• It is almost as if God is saying, ENOUGH, if you want evil, you get it.
• Those who reject Jesus will be condemned to be separated from God for eternity.
• Verse 8 tells us that once this man of lawlessness is revealed, he will be destroyed when Jesus returns.
• Are you with me?
• Is your head spinning yet?
• You have to remember that these signs occur BEFORE the Second Coming, so any system that puts them anywhere else is incorrect.
• Let's conclude with verses 13-17
2 Thessalonians 2:13–17 (NET 2nd ed.)
13 But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.
14 He called you to this salvation through our gospel so that you may possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Therefore, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold on to the traditions that we taught you, whether by speech or by letter.
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope,
17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good thing you do or say.
III. Always stand firm on the truth.
• I will keep this brief because of time.
• Paul is encouraging his readers to stand firm on the truth.
• In verse 13, he speaks of being chosen.
• All who answer the call of the Gospel are chosen; it was not some random thing God did before time. He predestined those who accept Jesus as those who are chosen.
• We are sanctified (set apart for special service, made holy) through the Holy Spirit through the call of the Gospel.
• Paul says to hold on to what they have been taught, and God will come alongside of them and bring them eternal comfort and good hope!
• The hope is good because the blood of Jesus gives your life worth, joy, and fulfillment.
CONCLUSION
• Our application point today is: We can stand firm in the Lord when we know the truth.
