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Stand Firm in Benediction!

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“Stand Firm in Benediction!”

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 (2:16-17) – November 9, 2025

            It’s sometimes difficult to be persistent! To hold on, and continue working, continue trying, despite delays and disappointments and detours. Isn’t it? Continuing to work all alone, standing by and standing up when others fall away. Even just being faithful, and doing what you promised to do can be a real trudge up a long, winding road, up a steep and lonely hill.

            It’s a good thing that as we live the Christian life, so often we are in community with each other! Isn’t it easier and more companionable to be traveling together, or working on a project together, or carrying a load together, with a group of friends?

            That’s what the Apostle Paul was writing about, here in this second letter to the young church in Thessalonica. When Paul and his friends were on their second missionary journey, they had only spent a short time in that city before they needed to leave. This was a young church that Paul planted, and Paul had already sent one letter to the believers there. He sent this second one to correct some misunderstandings and to renew the Thessalonian believers’ hope in Christ.

            We are focusing on this small section right in the middle of Paul’s letter. He breaks away from giving further instruction on the confusing timing of our Lord Jesus Christ’s return to giving encouragement to his fellow believers. “But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

            When I hear about churches and pastors today who really focus on the “end times,” and about the prophecies in both the Hebrew Scriptures as well as the few times in the New Testament that refer to the Second Coming, I often roll my eyes. If you have ever read or heard of the books on the End Times, the books are so much dominated by fear and anxiety, by persecution of Christians by cartoonish bad guys. Those same churches and pastors so often advise their congregations of strict rule-following, and black-and-white do’s and don’ts.

            Yes, I did read that first portion of the assigned reading from 2 Thessalonians 2 this past week, and I did not feel led to write a sermon on it. However, I continued reading in chapter 2, and found Paul encouraging his Thessalonian friends, and thanking God for them!

As commentator Mariam Kamell says, “Christians can be confident, encouraged people because we know that we are held as first fruits by God’s choice, preserved through the Spirit. In Paul’s paradigm there is neither room for pride in our efforts to improve the world, nor despair at the state of the world around us. For Paul, all of this talk about the end is to encourage us in our security in Christ and draw us ever further in the Spirit’s sanctifying work.” [1]

            So, we are not to despair over the End Times! We are not to be fearful and cower in the shadows, dominated by fear and anxiety! Instead, we are to rejoice, and be hopeful in our security and salvation in our Lord Jesus Christ.

            Paul then says, “so then,” which is very similar to his connecting word “therefore.” As one of my Bible instructors used to say when I was attending a Christian college for undergrad, “See what “therefore” is there, for! Why is Paul using this particular connecting word?  “15 So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachingswe passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.”

            I know things and people and situations in this world today can be really scary, and even make us want to hide under the covers! Especially when we consider persecution and lawlessness – however, God has the final word. “Don’t worry about what will happen when you (or people you love) die and don’t worry about what will happen when you grow up or get to be a teenager or [grown-up].   Instead, think about today.  Live as God’s person today.  Do the best you can and know that God is with you.” [2]  

            Isn’t that wonderful encouragement for all of us? Instead of cowering in fear, or being a strict rule-follower or else! We are to know we are God’s people, followers of Jesus Christ, and led by the Spirit of God. Paul prays that the Thessalonian believers are to be encouraged – in their inner being.

“This is clearly a ministry of the indwelling Spirit of Christ. Against the wiles of this age, may we look in faith to the one who constantly surprises us with his love and inspires us with courage and confidence, enabling us to stand firm and not be overwhelmed by the vagaries of life. Our God will buttress us in our faith; this we can rightly ask in prayer, believing.” [3]

            The apostle Paul is truly being encouraging to his friends. Yes, they had some misunderstandings about what Paul preached to them, which Paul clarified. Yes, some of these believers were acting in ways displeasing or disappointing to our God, but at the end of the day and the end of this letter, Paul wanted to give encouragement and hope, not fear and dismay! We are to be cautious around churches and ministers who want to fix, manage and control every aspect of life! Paul leads with the grace of Christ, and the love of God. Period.

            And then, what should burst out of Paul but a benediction! Just as in the middle of the letter to the Ephesians, here at the end of the second chapter to the Thessalonians is a marvelous benediction. We will close with Carolyn Brown’s wonderful paraphrase of Paul’s words:

            “Remember that God loves you.  God chose you to hear about that love and to know the stories of Jesus.  Do not forget them.  Live by them every day.  And may God who created the whole universe, Jesus who showed us how much God loves us, and the Holy Spirit who guides us be with you giving you courage and strength to be God’s people every day.” [4]

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!

[1] https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-32-3/commentary-on-2-thessalonians-21-5-13-17-3

[2] https://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com/2016/09/year-c-proper-27-32nd-sunday-in.html

[3]  https://www.lectionarystudies.com/sunday32caiie.html

[4] https://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com/2016/09/year-c-proper-27-32nd-sunday-in.html

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Trinity Benediction

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“Trinity Benediction”

2 Corinthians 13:11-14 – June 4, 2023

            This is one of my favorite Sundays in the whole church year. Trinity Sunday! Today is a different kind of Sunday, one where we focus on a theological concept and place it in the center of our service today.

Yes, we can talk about the Trinity, and have Bible readings about the Trinity. But, the most important thing is to center our worship, praise and prayer around the indescribable reality of that most holy of holies, the God who created heaven and earth. No matter how many intellectual arguments or theological books we read, all else falls woefully short.

We have two short Bible readings today, one from the beginning of all things, from Genesis 1, and one from the end of one of Paul’s letters. We span from the beginning to a benediction. As we approach the reading from Genesis, it is the very opening of the Bible. The very beginning of the world. I will examine these verses more in depth next week, as I start our Summer Sermon Series, a Biblical view of God as Nurturer, God from a Feminine viewpoint.

 I wanted to highlight something important. When God created all things, God was there as Trinity just as much as God is here today as Trinity. But – you might ask, and I would not blame you if you did – what on earth is the Trinity? Great question! We see Trinity as One God in Three Persons, as from the marvelous hymn, “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Yet, even this soaring hymn cannot give us much information about the definition or composition of the Trinity.  

We know about our Lord Jesus, our Savior, the Good Shepherd who cares for His sheep. We have some idea about the Holy Spirit, the Holy Comforter, the one who energizes God’s people (as we heard last week at Pentecost). And, we fall down before God the Father, the Almighty, the Holy One who created heaven and earth. We can say with the host of heaven, “Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty! God in three persons, blessed Trinity.” Just as I said a few minutes ago – as I do every week, after the Scripture Reading – “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end, amen, amen.”  

            The Bible does not give a clear definition of the Trinity; it mentions it in general, several times in both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament. A mystery: One God, three Persons. We can compare the Trinity to a green, growing clover with three leaves in one plant (as St. Patrick did, centuries ago). We can think of it as St. Athanasius described it, as the three stages of water, as liquid, solid (ice) and gas (steam). All water, and yet in different forms.

            Some people, younger people and small children, find it easier to grasp this challenging theological concept if we use the different names of a person. Talking about different names of a person can be more relatable. Although my children were small, they could certainly understand how my mother could be “Mom” to me, “Grandma” to them and “Sister” to my Aunt Bernice. Three different names, three different aspects, yet one person.

            Most of us, if not all of us, can relate to being called by different names. Daughter, Mom, Grandpa, Brother, Teacher, Nurse, Chaplain, Pastor. Sometimes these names are more functional, some less so. Yet, still, no matter which name is used, you are still you. It’s the same way with God. God can be called any one of dozens of names, describing different aspects and functions. [1] And, these are all various ways of understanding our huge God, just a little bit more!  

            As I have been going over several commentaries and articles about the Trinity and about our Bible reading from 2 Corinthians, this idea of God as Trinity being too immense for us limited humans to understand is one aspect that I am certainly aware of. Yes, we can get a bit closer to the idea of God in Three Persons, but never fully understand it. God is too huge.

As Rev. Janet Hunt said, “Over these last days, I have simply found myself with my eyes and heart open, hopeful to simply see the face of God, even the many faces of God, which is and are represented by the concept of the Trinity.” [2] Is it the marvelous gift of God’s very good creation we hear about in Genesis 1? Is it the holy connection which is ours through Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as described in 2 Corinthians 13?

            Perhaps, we are simply to be blessed by this theological truth, this mystery, and not worry about fully comprehending it? Just as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are in conversation one with the other, blessed One in Three, just as the Trinity is caught up in the eternal I AM, the constant and eternal present tense. How can we understand it, much less explain it, to come anywhere close to God’s reality or satisfaction?

            The apostle Paul shared these words with his readers at the end of this letter. Perhaps he did not understand it either! Yet, he spoke of the Trinity in his benediction with warm, loving words. “12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All God’s people here send their greetings. 14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

            Perhaps this prayer by my friend Rev. Jo Anne Lesco Taylor can add another view to the different understandings I have put forth today, to close this meditation on the Trinity. I hope and I pray these words may bless us all.

Holy One in Three and Three in One, Let me dance with you.

I may not understand how you can be three distinct persons living in unity,
how you can sing in unison and harmony at the same time,
But I do not need to understand in order to trust your Presence.

I need not Know in order to Love as you love, as you open the circle to me
and invite me into your dance, into your grace,
into your wholeness and holiness, into your love.

Let it be so. Let me dance with you, God. Amen. [3]

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!

[1] http://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com/2014/05/year-trinity-sunday-first-sunday-after.html

[2] https://dancingwiththeword.com/the-face-of-god/

[3] https://pastorsings.com/2023/06/03/a-prayer-for-the-eve-of-trinity-sunday/?fbclid=IwAR2DW8vuOxwd8OzkZnSS1gD9-w9R4AxHMb66tpWUycbaf2_Ou3G9ZAL-1ZM