Reading Through 2nd Thessalonians

I am continuing to read through the New Testament accompanied by the commentary series The Bible Speaks Today, edited by John R. W. Stott. This is the second of two posts from the book The Message of Thessalonians: The Gospel & the End of Time, written by John Stott. Each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I post quotes from these commentaries on my Facebook page and periodic summaries of the commentary here on my blog. I welcome discussion on these post on my Facebook page. As always, quotes from the author are in blue font.

After writing 1 Thessalonians Paul received news of the church at Thessalonica. This prompted him to write this letter within 18 months after 1 Thessalonians. The conditions in the church seem to be very similar to those at the time of the writing of 1 Thessalonians but Paul had been informed of more bad teaching in the church that was causing some confusion. The letter was probably written from Corinth (Acts 18:1) during Paul’s 2nd missionary journey. This makes 1 Thessalonians the 3rd letter written by Paul and a good view of the early church’s situation. Interestingly, this is the only time and place where Paul, Silas and Timothy are recorded in scripture as being together.

The letter was written to correct misunderstanding and false teaching in the church regarding the Day of the LORD, To correct disorderliness and idleness in the church, and to commend the Thessalonians for their growth in the faith. Paul wanted the Thessalonians to live expectantly because our sure future should impact every moment of our present. The main message of 2 Thessalonians is "Stand firm, keep growing and fulfill God’s calling with prayer, hard work and discipline because you can be confident that God will accomplish his plan to defeat evil and glorify Christ in you.”

After greeting the church, Paul thanks God for their growth in faith and perseverance despite (and because of) difficult trials. A correct view of present trials takes into account that God’s plan is right and He will give you credit in His Kingdom for your suffering; and that He is just and will bring relief to His suffering people and punish those who cause the suffering at the 2nd coming when Jesus is revealed in all His glory. God is glorified in us when, by his power, our faithful actions fulfill His purpose. The goal of Paul's prayer is that Jesus be glorified in us and we be glorified in Him. (1)

If we follow (Paul's) example, we will avoid both congratulation (which corrupts) and silence (which discourages). Instead, we can affirm and encourage people in the most Christian of all ways: ‘I thank God for you, brother or sister. I thank him for the gifts he has given you, for his grace in your life, for what I see in you of the love and gentleness of Christ’. 2 Thessalonians 1.3-4, 145

The glorification of Jesus in his people, and their consequent glorification, are not a transformation which is entirely reserved for the last day. The process begins now. Indeed, it must begin now if it is to be brought to its proper end when Christ comes. That day will not suddenly reverse the processes which are going on now; it will rather confirm and complete them. 2 Thessalonians 1.12, 155

Paul then corrects wrong doctrine about the Day of the LORD. It will not come until after the deception and revelation of the man of sin. They shouldn't be worried that the Day of the LORD has already come. It is still future. Any supposed communication from Paul saying that the Day of the LORD is here is counterfeit. That Day will be preceded by a great rebellion and revelation of the man of lawlessness when he will try to take God’s place, receive worship and set himself up in the temple as God. Paul taught this to the Thessalonians when he visited them. That person is presently being restrained until the proper time. Then he will be defeated and destroyed by a Word at the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ. In contrast, believers were chosen by God (based on His love) from the beginning to be saved so stand firm and hold on to apostolic (biblical) teaching. (2)

Yet all these, together with other evil leaders down the centuries, have been forerunners or anticipations of the final ‘man of lawlessness’, an eschatological yet historical person, the decisive manifestation of lawlessness and godlessness, the leader of the ultimate rebellion, the precursor of and signal for the Parousia. I agree with Geerhardus Vos that ‘we may take for granted … that the Antichrist will be a human person’.  2 Thessalonians 2.3-5, 167

Now is the time of restraint, in which the secret power of lawlessness is being held in check. Next will come the time of rebellion, in which the control of law will be removed and the lawless one will be revealed. Finally will come the time of retribution, in which the Lord Christ will defeat and destroy the Antichrist, and those who have believed the Antichrist-lie will be condemned. 2 Thessalonians 2.9-12, 173

Far from relaxing, they must brace themselves. Far from lying down and falling asleep, they must stand firm. That is, Paul’s assurance regarding God’s stable purpose for his people, instead of justifying irresponsible slackness, is the very basis on which he can urge them with confidence to be stable themselves. 2 Thessalonians 2.15, 177

Paul closes the letter by commanding that the church pray for one another and hold each other accountable. They should pray that the gospel will spread through the world and its messengers be protected and that his people would love like the Father and persevere like the Son. They also must hold each other accountable for bad conduct and bad doctrine and not allow them in the fellowship. Paul‘s example of good conduct is to work hard to serve others without demanding your rights. He counsels the church to settle down, work hard and never quit serving other people. He reminds them that the purpose of church discipline is to shame the offender into repentance to win back a brother and that God gives the peace of His presence entirely by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. (3)

God wants his church to grow both extensively (by its spread of the gospel) and intensively (by its own obedience to the gospel). Each is incomplete and unbalanced without the other. Both also demand time—world evangelization on the one hand and church formation on the other. 2 Thessalonians 3, 184

We have to divest our gospel of the cultural clothing in which we have received it and sometimes even of the precise cultural garb in which Scripture presents it. We also have to reclothe it in cultural terms appropriate to the people to whom we proclaim it. 2 Thessalonians 3.1-3, 187

To be sure, there is an important work of interpretation and application to be done, in order that the apostles’ teaching may be related to contemporary situations and cultures. Nevertheless, their essential teaching retains a permanent and universal validity. For if Christ spoke through them and they spoke in the name of Christ, to disagree with their teaching is to disagree with him. The well-being of the church, in the twentieth century as in the first, depends on our listening to Jesus Christ and obeying him as his word comes to us through his apostles in the New Testament. 2 Thessalonians 3.4-15, 196–197

Paul’s repeated commands, with their expectation of obedience, also condemn those churches whose attitude to the Word of God appears to be subjective and selective. They wander at random through Scripture, choosing a verse here and discarding a verse there, like a gardener picking flowers in a herbaceous border. They have no concept of a thorough study of the Bible, or of a conscientious submission to its teaching. Let not such a church imagine that it will receive the blessing of the Lord!  2 Thessalonians 3.16-18, 199

A Wet and Windy Weekend

I woke up to a dark, rainy and windy morning today (left). I checked the National Weather Service web site and found that Chan-Hom, has not re-strengthened to a typhoon, but it has turned South a little and is now expected to pass between Guam and Rota with winds of about 50mph. This means a lot of wind and rain for us today, but we did have an active 4th of July weekend despite the storm warnings. The picture of the sunset was taken from my car window as I drove into my neighborhood Friday evening.

Thursday we spent the afternoon preparing the campus for possible typhoon winds

Saturday we spent most of the day at the funeral services for our friend Annie Rosenberger. The Rosenbergers were our first neighbors on Guam when we moved here in 1993. In fact, they were the ones who gave us shelter, breakfast and lunch after our house was destroyed in typhoon Paka in 1997. Our PIU worship team played at the graveside service.

Yesterday we enjoyed our family 4th of July celebration with lots of food and the traditional game of dominoes. Joyce won as always.

Sunday Reading “The Lord and His Prayer” by NT Wright #3

This is the third week for my Sunday reading series on the book, The Lord and His Prayer, by N. T. Wright. The book was a result of a series of sermons preached in 1995 for Advent and published in 1996. In this book Dr. Wright looks at the Lord’s prayer phrase by phrase in six chapters. Each week we will look at one chapter. My plan is to pray through the book as well, each Sunday focused on one phrase of the prayer. This week, we focus on the 3rd phrase in the prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread.” I have already posted some quotes from this chapter on my Facebook page and there will continue to be a weekly chapter summary here on my blog. I welcome comments on my Facebook page. It would be cool to hear from you as you pray the prayer along with me. Quotes from the book are in blue.

‘Give us this day our daily bread’; this clause in the Lord’s Prayer, then, reminds us that our natural longings, for bread and all that it symbolizes, are not to be shunned as though they were of themselves evil...The Kingdom-prayer isn’t a prayer, such as some religions would advocate, for our desires to be taken away or annihilated. In bringing them into the prayer within the setting of the earlier petitions for God’s honour, his kingdom and his will, it asks for our desires to be satisfied in God’s way and God’s time. And, since God himself is most truly the deepest object of our hunger, this clause asks that we may be fed with God himself. And there can be no question of God failing to answer this prayer. 43–44.

As with the other requests in this prayer, this one is Kingdom focused. After the first two phrases in the prayer draw us into God’s presence and focus Us on His kingdom we are now ready to bring our requests before the King of the Universe. We understand who we are and where we are on God's kingdom timetable and our needs, trials and desires take on a proper perspective. This is why Jesus could “party” in the midst of going to the cross. It was a pictures of the heavenly banquet that was coming. To the Jews he was celebrating at the wrong time (they didn’t realize the king was there despite the Romans’ presence) and with the wrong people (the outcasts, sinners, and poor). We are in the “already” phase of God’s kingdom and he meets our needs now, but the prayer also points toward the “not yet” when all enemies are defeated (death) and we celebrate our reigning with Christ.

The banquet, the party, is a sign that God is acting at last, to rescue his people and wipe away all tears from all eyes. Jesus’ parties, and his feeding of his followers in the wilderness, were intended, for those with eyes to see, to pick up this whole theme and celebrate it. 39.

Daily needs and desires point beyond themselves, to God’s promise of the kingdom in which death and sorrow will be no more. But that means, too, that the promise of the Kingdom includes those needs, and doesn’t look down on them sneeringly as somehow second-rate. 41.

This means that we trust God, not only with our daily mundane needs but also with our deepest longings, fears, desires and secrets. He knows them already anyway. “Scripture is full of stories of people who brought their deep natural longings into the presence of God, and found them answered by being taken up within his purposes.” (43) We can, and must, pray for specific needs, but this kingdom focus raises those daily needs and connects them to Our Father’s eternal purpose.

God knows our desires in order that we may turn them into prayer; in order that they may be sorted out, straightened out, untangled and reaffirmed. If we truly pray this prayer, with due weight to each clause, we are taking the first steps from the chaos of our normal interior life towards an order and clarity which will let the joy come through to the surface. 44

This kingdom focus should also raise our eyes beyond our own needs to the needs of others. This request on our behalf should prompt prayer for those who have no bread or are under persecution. Our needs should not drive us to selfish prayers but to also praying for those who have the same needs (often greater) as us.

We should see ourselves, as we pray the Lord’s Prayer, as part of the wider Christian family, and human family, standing alongside the hungry, and praying, in that sense, on their behalf. 45–46.

Finally this should remind us of the bread and wine that celebrates the Lord’s presence and His coming kingdom as we celebrate the Eucharist, the Lord’s Supper. In a way, there we are eating and drinking with Jesus and with our brothers and sisters in Christ, throughout the world and, even, throughout the history of God’s people. How can we do that? Wright closes the chapter with this suggestion…

The next time you come to the Eucharist, bring with you, in mind and heart, someone you know, or know of, or have seen on television, who desperately needs God’s bread, literally or metaphorically, today. Bring them with you; let them kneel, in your mind’s eye, with you at the altar rail; and let them share the bread and wine with you. And, as you return, strengthened by God’s food, ask yourself what this new friend would mean when she or he prays ‘Give me this day my daily bread’. Then ask how you might be part of God’s answer to that prayer.

After all, we ourselves are only at Jesus’ table because he made a habit of celebrating parties with all the wrong people. Isn’t it about time we started to copy him? 48.

Update on Chan-Hom

I woke up this morning to dark skies and the sound of wind. But when I looked out the bedroom window I also saw unexpected patches of blue sky. So I immediately checked the Weather Service web page and saw that the storm is still downgraded to a tropical storm, but is expected to strengthen tonight. The good news for Guam is that the storm is now expected to track north of Saipan and Guam is completely out of the storm track. We know the storm is erratic and this could change but this means our 4th of July barbecue can be outside. We ask for prayer that the storm will go further north and miss Saipan too. Here is the projected path as of 7am July 4th.

According to this morning’s Pacific Daily News Article…

Tropical Storm Chan-hom is tracking to pass north of Saipan Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service's latest forecast graphic issued at 1 a.m. today.

Maximum sustained winds were 50 mph.

A typhoon watch remained in effect as of 5 a.m. today. The graphic shows Guam it outside the predicted tropical-storm force winds zone.

The storm is expected to gain strength to once again be a typhoon, the graphic shows. It is expected to have sustained winds of up to 105 mph.

Reading Through 1 Thessalonians

I am continuing to read through the New Testament accompanied by the commentary series The Bible Speaks Today, edited by John R. W. Stott. The next two posts will be from the book is The Message of Thessalonians: The Gospel & the End of Time, written by John Stott. Each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I post quotes from these commentaries on my Facebook page and periodic summaries of the commentary here on my blog. I welcome discussion on these post on my Facebook page. As always, quotes from the author are in blue font.

Thessalonica was the chief seaport of the Greek province of Macedonia, one of the most important commercial cities of Greece along with Corinth and Ephesus. Its population was about 200,000.  Paul founded the church there on his 2nd missionary journey. (Acts 17:1-9) Though some say that he was there only 3 weeks (Acts 17:2), he was probably there somewhat longer (1 Thess. 2:9, 5:12, Phi. 4:16). The letter was probably written from Corinth (Acts 18:1) during Paul’s 2nd missionary journey. Paul had sent Timothy back to Thessalonica from Athens to find out how they were. This letter likely is a response to Timothy’s report. This makes 1 Thessalonians the 2nd letter written by Paul and an excellent view of the early church.

The letter was written to express Paul’s affection for the Thessalonians and to explain the delay in his return to see them. to correct their lack in doctrinal knowledge, and to correct misapplications of his teaching and errors in the church concerning daily life. Paul wanted them to “be holy now so that you will be ready for Jesus to come.” Thus, the main message of the letter is “God produces holiness in us as we stand faithfully on his promises, allow him to love through us and focus on the sure hope of his return to take us to be with Him forever.”

First Paul focuses on what God has done in the past (1:1-3:13): God’s work in the lives of His faithful people is evidenced by holy changed lives. The changed lives of the Thessalonians were evidence of the holiness that God produces through faith. The church is a spiritual family of real people in whom God creates the attitudes of faith, love and hope in His people as evidenced by the people’s hard work, labor for one another and endurance in the faith as they wait for Jesus’ return . Their changed lives, attitudes and actions, love that imitates Jesus, and active, joyful hope that focuses on serving Jesus Christ are the indisputable evidence of their salvation.

It is still correct to say that every church has two homes, two environments, two habitats. It lives in God and it lives in the world. Thessalonians 1.1-4, 28.

Every Christian without exception is a believer, a lover and a hoper (not necessarily an optimist, since ‘optimism’ is a matter of temperament, ‘hope’ of theology). Faith, hope and love are thus sure evidences of regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Thessalonians 1.1-4, 30.

No church can spread the gospel with any degree of integrity, let alone credibility, unless it has been visibly changed by the gospel it preaches. We need to look like what we are talking about. It is not enough to receive the gospel and pass it on; we must embody it in our common life of faith, love, joy, peace, righteousness and hope. 1 Thessalonians 1.5-10, 44.

The ministry of Paul‘s missionary team was also an example of holy living and holy ministry. Their ministry was characterized by boldness to speak the truth despite opposition, the right motives and right methods, and loving labor and integrity. Faithful response to God‘s Word produces holy living and effects the world. The Word of God works inside believers with God’s power to change them into the image of God. Faithfulness to the Word produces persecution from unbelievers and Satanic opposition, but also deep fellowship and love for other believers and our perfect righteousness when we stand before Christ.

It is a lovely thing that a man as tough and masculine as the apostle Paul should have used this feminine metaphor. Some Christian leaders become both self-centred and autocratic. The more their authority is challenged, the more they assert it. We all need to cultivate more, in our pastoral ministry, of the gentleness, love and self-sacrifice of a mother. 1 Thessalonians 2.5-8, 52.

From these four metaphors we may discern the two major responsibilities of pastoral ministry for today. The first is to the Word of God (as both a steward to guard it and a herald to proclaim it), and the second to the people of God (as their mother and father, to love, nurture and teach them). 1 Thessalonians 2, 68.

Paul points out that holiness has matured as believers minister together, endure hardship together and pray together. The way to grow in ability to minister is to minister together to one another with self-sacrificing commitment by teaching one another the truths of the faith, by encouraging one another to do what is right even in trials, and by holding one another accountable to apply the Word to life. Christians grow in holiness (character) as the church stands firm on the truth of God‘s Word; when all decisions are made based on faith in God’s promises and commands, our love for one another is based on Christ and what He has done, our contentment comes through faith in God‘s promises not the circumstances, and we live joyfully, thankfully in God’s presence.

There is no greater stimulus to holiness than the vision of the Parousia, when Jesus comes in glory with his holy ones. In order that we may be ‘blameless and holy’ then, Paul prays that we may be inwardly strengthened now. For sanctification is a present, continuing process; perfection awaits the Parousia. 1 Thessalonians 3.11-13, 67.

In the present our salvation should be producing a growing holiness, likeness to the character of Jesus. Our lifestyles should reflect a growing desire to please God by being what He made us to be. Salvation should produce growing holiness, growing love and growing contentment. Christ’s character grows in our life as the Spirit teaches us to control our bodies, as we allow him to love others through us, and as we become content by making his ambition for us our own.

Exhortations to holiness, warnings of suffering and promises of the Parousia belonged together in Paul’s teaching. Within a few weeks or months he had taught the young Thessalonian converts not only the essence of the good news but also the essence of the good life, not only about faith in Jesus, but also about the necessity of good works by which saving faith is authenticated and without which it is dead. 1 Thessalonians 4.1-12, 77

Several points may be made in favour of ‘pleasing God’ as a guiding principle of Christian behaviour. First, it is a radical concept, for it strikes at the roots of our discipleship and challenges the reality of our profession. How can we claim to know and to love God if we do not seek to please him? Disobedience is ruled out. Secondly, it is a flexible principle. It will rescue us from the rigidities of a Christian Pharisaism which tries to reduce morality to a list of do’s and don’ts...Thirdly, this principle is progressive. If our goal is to be perfectly pleasing to God, we shall never be able to claim that we have arrived. Instead, we are summoned to please him more and more. 1 Thessalonians 4.1-2, 79.

Our future hope of salvation should produce holiness and endurance now. The hope of Jesus’ return should comfort us and encourage us to love and serve Christ now. We have hope because, it His return Jesus will resurrect the dead and rejoin them with their bodies and their living brothers, instantly give living believers immortal bodies & take them to be with Jesus eternally. This should provide comfort and encouragement to love and serve Christ.

It is not clear how literally we are to understand our being caught up … in the clouds. We know from Jesus himself that his coming will be personal, visible and glorious, but we also know from him that it will not be local (‘There he is!’ ‘Here he is!’) but universal (‘like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other’). Presumably, therefore, our going to meet him will also transcend space. 1 Thessalonians 4.17, 104

We will be wise to combine affirmation (we are eagerly expecting a cosmic event which will include the personal, visible appearing of Jesus Christ and the gathering to him of all his people, whether dead or alive at the time) with agnosticism about the full reality behind the imagery. 1 Thessalonians 4.17, 105–106

The coming Day of the Lord should warn believers to be vigilant, self-controlled and prepared for eternity. The hope of Christ’s coming should encourage alertness and present living focused on eternity. This means that 1) Church relationships should be characterized by faithfulness in ministry to one another; 2) Christians should have an attitude of joy, prayer and thankfulness; We must be discerning but cling to what is of God and avoid what is not; and 4) We must get ready for Christ’s coming by using the sufficient resources God provides for our holiness. God will make you ready for eternity, but you must cooperate by using the resources He provides.

The Thessalonians thought they could most easily get ready for Christ’s coming in judgment if they could know when he would arrive. It was naïve, to be sure, but perfectly understandable. Paul responds, however, that the solution to their problem does not lie in knowing the date...It is as if Paul wrote: ‘You know that nobody knows the date, and that therefore you cannot know it either.’ 1 Thessalonians 5.1-3, 108–109.

Pastoral care is parental care. The element of ‘management’ cannot be eliminated, yet here in relation to the leaders of the Thessalonian church ‘the emphasis is not on their rank or authority but on their efforts for the eternal salvation of believers’ 1 Thessalonians 5.12-13, 120

Looking back now over Paul’s teaching about public worship, we see that it should always include two complementary elements. On the one hand, there should be rejoicing in the Lord, praying, and giving of thanks, and on the other listening to God’s Word read, expounded and applied... Indeed, in every well-constructed worship service the pendulum should swing rhythmically between God addressing his people through Scripture and his people responding to him in confession, faith, adoration or prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5.18, 130–131.

If a local church is to become a gospel church, it must not only receive the gospel and pass it on, but also embody it in a community life of mutual love. Nothing but the grace of Christ can accomplish this. 1 Thessalonians 5.28, 135.

Friday Morning Typhoon Update

I woke up this morning to the sound of wind and rain. Typhoon Chan-Hom, yes it has officially received the upgrade to typhoon status, continues to move toward Guam and the Marianas as predicted. It does seem to be intensifying a little more than expected. We put up shutters and made the PIU campus typhoon-ready yesterday. This morning Joyce and I will put up our shutters and get our house and yard ready for the storm.

From the Pacific News Center…

According to the 7am public advisory from NWS typhoon Chan-Hom has maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour and it is currently on a track that would take it North of the island of Guam. However NWS forecasters warn that this forecast track could easily change as it already has over the past few days. NWS forecasters have told PNC that exact track and intensity of Chan-Hom is difficult to predict because of other systems in the area that have all been interacting with Chan-Hom.

Governor Calvo placed Guam in Condition of Readiness 3 (COR3) yesterday (Thurs). A typhoon watch also remains in effect for Guam Rota Tinian and Saipan which means that any one of these islands could possibly feel typhoon strength winds within 48 hours.

Chan-Hom is moving West at 3 miles per hour which is a significant decrease from it's previous speed of 23 miles per hour. It Is expected to continue Westward through today (Fri.). It is also expected to make a sharp turn Northwest tonight on a track that would bring it through the Marianas Saturday night.

Latest Storm Update

Here is the latest storm update from the Pacific Daily News. It look like the most likely scenario is a pass slightly to the north of Guam as a weak (75mph winds) typhoon. That whole lighter colored area shows the many possibilities for how the typhoon could pass us. We will be closing up PIU this afternoon and making the campus typhoon ready so our staff and students can “enjoy” their wet and windy 4th of July weekend. Please keep praying.

Tropical Storm Chan-hom is expected to pass through the Marianas as a typhoon over the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

The storm is expected to pass north of Guam, close to Rota, late Saturday or early Sunday, according to the Weather Service's latest forecast graphic posted at 7 a.m. today.  Maximum sustained winds are expected to be about 80 mph when the system makes its closest approach, the graphic shows.

Chan-hom is expected to bring rain and thunderstorms to Guam beginning tomorrow, and winds are expected to strengthen over the weekend, said meteorologist Brandon Aydlett.

In a release issued yesterday by Guam Homeland Security, meteorologist Chip Guard said conditions could change during the night. He said the Weather Service anticipated the storm slowing down yesterday evening and they would know more about the storm's exact track this morning.

As of 7 a.m. today, the tropical storm was positioned about 630 miles east-southeast of Guam, according to the Weather Service. The storm was moving west at 12 mph. The system had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, with tropical storm winds extending out up to 60 miles from the center.

Chan-hom is expected to continue westward through tomorrow with a slight increase in forward speed before slowing down just southeast of the Marianas, the Weather Service said.