TIMELESS TRUTH FOR A TROUBLED CHURCH

CHALLENGE FOR A PRAYING CHURCH #4 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5

I. THE CALL FOR PRAYER A. His petition was personal

B. His petition was purposefulII. THE CAUSE FOR THE PRAYER

A. Some without faith will resist the truthB. Some without faith will receive the truth

III. THE CONFIDENCE THROUGH PRAYER A. Paul was confident of the attribute of

the Lord B. Paul was confident of the ability of the

Lord

We now come to the final chapter in Paul’s recorded dealings with the Thessalonians. Having dealt with some pretty immense and intense prophetical issues, Paul now turns to some more practical aspects of Christian living.

He has answered some of the questions that had been troubling them because of some false teaching they had heard. Now he is going to address some practical matters.

Paul is now going to tell us what he expects from these Christians in this church. With ought a doubt the expectation of the people toward the pastor is very high, and the people have every right to expect a high standard out of their pastor.

  However, there's another side to this responsibility between pastor and people, and that's your side.  I believe Scripture is equally clear on the duty and obligation and responsibility of the flock to the shepherd.  I have a serious and demanding and formidable duty before God to fulfill on your behalf, but you have a serious, demanding, formidable duty to fulfill on my behalf.  As I have a ministry to you, you have a ministry to me.  As you have, and rightly so, certain desires for me, I have rightly so certain desires for you.  In fact, Scripture has much to say about your responsibility to your pastor. 

When the pastor fulfills his responsibility,

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the people their responsibility, that mutual responsibility then makes the church what God intended for it to be, effective and blessed.

Here Paul opens his heart and lets them

know what he wants from them

I. THE CALL FOR PRAYER (1,2a)

“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men”

Paul desires that they be prayerful.

"pray for us" - The shepherd wants the prayers of his people. Now think about it for a moment. Paul was without equal as a gifted, powerful, competent, and effective minister. He was brilliant, logical, persuasive, educated, perceptive, and experienced; but he still desired their prayers.

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No one ever arrives at the place in the Christian life and ministry where they no longer need people to pray for them.

Paul needed their intercession. Paul knew he couldn't succeed in his own human flesh, and he was dependent upon the power of the Lord. He fully knew that power was released through the prayers of his people

A. His petition was personal - "Brethren, pray for us."

Paul, the man of prayer, requested prayer for himself. He requested continual prayer.

The little phrase "for us" means around, pray around us, surround us with your continual prayers, surround us with your continual intercession. Here the most spiritually strong man used by God above other men

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shows his meekness and humility by asking for the prayers of the weakest of saints. That ought

to tell you something about prayer.

The strongest should pray for the weak, and the weakest should pray for the strongest.

AN EFFECTIVE MINSITRY OF THE WORD OF GOD IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO PRAYER. Many churches have books about prayer in their library. Classes are taught and sermons are preached every week about why we should pray; however, in the final analysis, many do not take prayer seriously enough to

pray!

Five ministerial students were visiting in London on a hot Sunday in July. While they were waiting for the doors [of the church] to open, a man approached and asked, "Gentlemen, would you like to see the heating apparatus of the church?"

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They thought, "How queer he is to want to show us the heating system on a hot day in July!"

Following him, they came to a door. He quietly opened it and whispered, "There, sirs, is our heating apparatus!" Some seven hundred intercessors were kneeling in prayer, seeking an outpouring of God's Spirit upon the service which was soon to begin in the

Tabernacle. That unknown guide was C. H, Spurgeon [the great pastor of the pulpit] himself!

What is fueling the fire in this church's furnace—a powerless program or a praying

people?

The greatest thing you can do for anyone is to pray for them. Every lack in your life and in the lives of your loved ones may be traced to the lack of prayer.

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B. His petition was purposeful – “that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you”

Paul has two things that he wants

them to pray about.

1. Pray for the spread and success of the message

He wants them to pray that the Word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be glorified.

Any preacher should ask this!

Pray for the success of the message.

It's your business and mine to hasten the sowing of the seed of the gospel and not hinder it.

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One man once said to a preacher about the spread of the gospel, "I'm not interested in it."

"No," the preacher answered, "I imagine not. It's like getting

interest at the bank. You have to put something in before you get any interest. The more labor and love,

time and talents, money and might you put in, the more your interest will grow."

Pray that the message will move powerfully through the land.

Then he adds "and be glorified” He is asking them to pray that message will be appreciated, honored, and respected. He's simply asking them to pray that the message will be received with the proper response.

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2. Pray for the safety and security of the messengers – “and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men”

"that we may be delivered" – He is not asking for personal comfort or safety alone, but if he is not protected then the message would not be heard.

Pray that the message will go forth successfully and the messengers will be unhindered. Paul was always facing hostility.

Pray for us that we will be rescued from the threats and the power of morally insane, perverse, aggressively wicked people who want to shut our mouths so the message can't be preached.

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J. Vernon McGee said, “I find that the spreading of the gospel is hindered more by people in the church than by anything else. No liquor industry, no barroom, no gangster ring

has ever attacked me -- at least I have never known about it. But I have had so-called saints in the churches attack me. As you know, in our churches we have the saints and the ‘ain'ts,’ and there are a lot of ‘ain'ts.’ They can give a pastor a rough time. It's too bad that we can't all settle down and give out the Word of God.”

II. THE CAUSE FOR THE PRAYER - “for all

men have not faith”

Not all men believe. Not all men are Christians. Not everyone embraces the gospel. The gospel divides people into two classes – those who personally trust Christ to forgive their sins and those who do not.

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A. Some without faith will resist the truth

B. Some without faith will receive the truth

Opposition to the gospel is no indication that we should stop preaching it. Opposition is really an opportunity; so Paul encourages them to pray.

More things are accomplished through prayer than this world can imagine!

III. THE CONFIDENCE THROUGH PRAYER (3-5)

“But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.”

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After making his request known, Paul returned to his concern for his beloved converts. Paul always thought and lived for others.

A. Paul was confident of the attribute of the Lord – “the Lord is faithful”

You can depend on the Lord. God is faithful. One of the things that we learn through the various experiences of life is that, though we may be unfaithful, God is never unfaithful. We can always depend on God to do what He has promised to do. God is always true to His character and true to His Word.

A little boy was very ill, and his mother was sitting by his bed, holding his hand. She was so very tired, and she was overcome by sleep, and her hand slipped from his. The boy, feeling all alone in that hospital, cried, "Dear Lord, mother has let go. Jesus,

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take my hand." Once He takes your hand, He'll not let go!

1. Faithful in a positive manifestation – “who

shall stablish you”

The word "establish" means to fix, make fast, set, confirm, establish, strengthen. Jesus is all we need. He is all sufficient.

2. Faithful in a protective manifestation – “keep

you from evil”

The word “keep” is a word used of military protection. God is our

defender. He stands guard for us. God will not allow Satan to go beyond a certain point that He himself

determines.

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B. Paul was confident of the ability of the Lord

“And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.”

The word "confidence" shows Paul had complete trust in and reliance upon God's

ability to work in their lives. Paul in the previous verse lauded the faithfulness of God; now he demonstrates his trust in God's faithfulness in working in the lives of the

Thessalonians.

Note that Paul does not say, "I have confidence in you Thessalonians." Paul did not put his confidence in people but in the Lord.

"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.  It is better to trust

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in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.” (Psalm 118:8-9).

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ,” (Philippians 1:6).

1. To develop them – doer of the Word

2. To direct them – lover of the Lord

Conclusion

What is your attitude about prayer? Prayer is the one think Satan hates most and, sadly, the thing most Christians do least!

What paralysis the lack of prayer has

brought on the church today.

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“What the Church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use--men of prayer, men mighty in prayer,” E.M.Bounds.

    A tale is told about a small town that had historically been "dry," but then a local businessman decided to build a tavern. A group of Christians from a local church were concerned and planned an all-night prayer meeting to ask God to intervene. It just so happened that shortly thereafter lightning struck the tavern, and it burned to the ground. The owner of the bar sued the church, claiming that the prayers of the congregation were responsible, but the church hired a lawyer to argue in court that they were not responsible.

The presiding judge, after his initial review of the case, stated that "No matter how this case comes out, one thing is clear. The tavern owner believes in prayer, and the Christians do not."

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How is your prayer life?

Prayer is the nerve that moves the muscles of omnipotence.

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