“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!

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[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