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Sunday Worship 25 October 2020 : "Confidence of Standing Fast"

Text: 2 Thessalonians 2-3
25 October 2020

MORNING WORSHIP 25 October 2020
Text: 2 Thessalonians 2-3
Title: Confidence of Standing Fast

INTRODUCTION

1. The Faith of the Thessalonians

a) A genuine faith
b) A growing faith
c) A great faith

2. The Means to cultivate such an outstanding faith

a) God’s part
i) Through salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ
ii) Through the Spirit of God
iii) Through the Word of God
b) The part of God’s servants
i) The Apostles
ii) The pastors/ teachers
iii) Their lives
c) The part of the individual
i) Faith, Love, Hope
ii) Patience, Perseverance, Endurance
iii) Seeking to be established in the faith

EXTERNAL CHALLENGES

1. Persecution

a) Afflictions
b) Trials

2. Problems caused by False teachers

a) Doubts about the dead in Christ
b) Doubts about the Second Coming of Christ

INTERNAL CHALLENGES WITHIN THE CHURCH

1. Disorderly brethren (2 Thessalonians 3:6-11)

a) They do not work (2 Thessalonians 3:11b)

b) They are busybodies (2 Thessalonians 3:11c)

c) Social tension can arise

d) Quarrels among the brethren can affect the Church

2. Dealing with such brethren

a) Withdraw from such brethren (2 Thessalonians 3:6)

b) Remember good examples (Paul) (2 Thessalonians 3:7-9)

c) Wrong approaches can adversely affect the church too

3. The kind of admonishment to be given

a) Not as an enemy (2 Thessalonians 3:13a)

b) But as a brother (2 Thessalonians 3:13b)

4. The strong Christ-like spirit must be adopted

a) A call to exercise love

b) The challenge to exercise forgiveness

c) The need to cultivate the following

i) Patience
ii) Longsuffering
iii) Kindness
iv) Graciousness

CONFIDENCE OF STANDING FAST IN THE LORD

1. Confidence defined

a) Persuaded (Past)
i) Persuasion in the Lord
ii) Definite and deep
b) Persuaded (Present)
i) Certain
ii) Clear

2. Established Faith (2 Thessalonians 3:3)

a) God will establish
b) God will guard

3. Confidence expressed (2 Thessalonians 3:4)

a) Spoken out-loud
b) Shared openly
c) Convinced
i) By what God has done
ii) By what God continues to do
iii) By what is evidenced in the life of the Thessalonians

EVERY ENCOURAGEMENT TO STAND FAST

1. Not to grow weary in doing good (2 Thessalonians 3:13)

a) All too easy to grow weary
b) Loss of spiritual sight
c) Loss of energy
d) Giving up

2. The Peace of God (2 Thessalonians 3:16)

a) Always
i) In the here and now
ii) In the future
iii) In real-time
b) In every way
i) Heart
ii) Mind
iii) Spirit

CONCLUSION

1. Our faith in the Lord

a) Genuine
b) Great

2. Our Challenge to Cultivate this faith in the Lord

a) Personal
b) As a Church

3. Features hoped for

a) An outstanding faith
b) A faith that reaches out to many
c) A faith that will bring glory to the Lord