Boonville Alliance Church and Park United Methodist Church

Rev. David Hedeen

The Gospel, the Church and the Coming Christ – 2 Thessalonians

The Community Gathers…

Psalm 3 of David

O Lord, I have so many enemies; so many are against me.

So many are saying, “God will never rescue him!” 
But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy mountain. 
I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me.
I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side.
Arise, O Lord! Rescue me, my God!
Slap all my enemies in the face! Shatter the teeth of the wicked!
Victory comes from you, O Lord. May you bless your people.

Dear God, From this confusing space, I plead for mercy. I need your strength and your grace. I desire to emerge
from this season with an enduring faith and a gracious spirit. Please use this desert to transform my life. I don’t
want this pain to go wasted. I don’t understand this space, and I want out of this space—but as long as I am in
this space, teach me to trust. I believe that You are good. I believe that You are wise. I believe that You love
me. Each day, surprise me with Your goodness and provision. Protect my heart from bitterness and despair.
Restore my joy and my laughter. During this barren season, my I experience Your faithfulness and taste of
goodness in ways I have never known them before. May I learn to trust You in ways I have trusted You before.
Amen*

*Jeff Manion, The Land Between: Finding God in Difficult Transitions (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010)
164-5. A Prayer From the Land Between

…To hear the Word

2 Thessalonians 2 NLT

The Man of Lawlessness

2 Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
and how we will be gathered to meet him. 2 Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that
the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual
vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. 3 Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will
not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one
who brings destruction. 4 He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object
of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.
5 
Don’t you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you? 6 And you know what is holding
him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes. 7 For this lawlessness is already at work
secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. 8 Then the
man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and
destroy him by the splendor of his coming.

“Becoming Fully Devoted Followers of Christ Jesus”

 Boonville Alliance Church and Park United Methodist Church
Rev. David Hedeen

9 
This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. 10 He will
use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love
and accept the truth that would save them. 11 So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they
will believe these lies. 12 Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.

…To Renew Commitment

The Gospel, the Church, and the Coming Christ

God is in Control

1. The Timing of Christ’s return (vs 1-3)

 Don’t be shaken
 Don’t believe them
 Don’t be fooled

2. The Lawless Man (vs 4-12)

 A defiant rebel
 A self-exalting man
 A deceptive leader of insurrection

3. The Lord is in Control (vs 5-8)

 He holds him back
 He lets him go to wreak havoc
 He will slay and destroy him with the breath of His mouth

…To Disperse in Mission

. 13 
As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always
thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the
Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. 14 He called you to salvation when we told you
the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 
With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we
passed on to you both in person and by letter.

16 
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us
eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, 17 comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do
and say. Amen! 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 NLT

Additional Verses for study:

1 John 2:18-25; 1 John 3:1-3; 1 John 4:1-6; 2 John 4-11

“Becoming Fully Devoted Followers of Christ Jesus”