As we come to the end of this little letter, Paul’s attention is focussed on the spread and honour of the gospel, the Good News about Jesus.
He’s helped the church think through the persecution they’re suffering. And he’s pointed them to the Bible as an antidote to false teaching. So now the thought is how the spread and honour the gospel itself.
Every church has things to deal with – whether it’s persecution, theological differences, building issues, money, etc. But we must be careful to keep the clear focus that Paul has here. Though as we’ll see, it can be demanding.
These notes accompany a sermon on YouTube delivered at Bromborough Evangelical Church, Wirral in November 2025. You can find more in the series in our sermon index.
Pray for gospel growth (1-5)
Paul begins with two things that he asks the church to pray for.
Firstly he begins with “the word of the Lord”: Read 2 Thess 3:1.
It’s no surprise that he begins with this. The gospel itself is the power of God to save people. That’s because it is the word of the Lord; it’s God’s gospel. Paul asks the church to pray that the word of the Lord would “spread rapidly and be honoured.” Literally, that it would “run and be glorified” – like Mo Farah running a marathon, being cheered along the way.
But Paul had experienced plenty of opposition, often violent. So the second part of his prayer request is no surprise either: Read 2 Thess 3:2.
Notice how he’s asking for prayer for attack and defence. A winning team knows how to score goals and to prevent the other team from scoring them: You need both. So he wants the word of the Lord to spread rapidly and be honoured, while also for him to be protected from harm.
It’s good to ask people to pray for you. So he asks them to pray to the Lord of the word. Read 2 Thess 3:3.
Not all have faith, but the Lord is faithful.
- Firstly, Jesus is faithful to his own word. The gospel is the power of God to save sinners. As the inspired word of God, the Bible is full of God’s own promises both to saved people and unsaved. He won’t go back on his word, so have confidence spreading it.
- Secondly, Jesus is faithful to his own people. He has said he’ll be with you and never leave you. He gives you commands and will work through you as you are obedient to him.
But then you think about our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world in the suffering church, and you wonder: Is Jesus actually guarding them from the evil one (as in v3)?
Many do pay with their lives as they testify to Jesus.
- On 16th October, 13 Christians were killed in Nigeria in an Islamic attack. 30 were killed in D.R.Congo on the same day.
- On the following day, 30 church leaders were arrested in China for being in an “unofficial” church network, while a pastor in Islamabad survived an attempt on his life.
But whether a Christian comes under persecution or not – even to death – the devil has no hold on them. Jesus guards all his people from the evil one. They go to be with the Lord forever, more than conquerors in him.
Back in Thessalonica, Paul knew that the church were persevering, and so he knew that they must be being strengthened by the Lord, by Jesus. So read 2 Thess 3:4.
He is confident that are doing and will do as he commands.
Now some people might feel a bit uncomfortable with the word “command.” Isn’t it a bit strong? A bit controlling? Who is Paul to be commanding anyone?
- Firstly, Paul is an apostle by God’s command (1 Tim 1:1).
- Second, he doesn’t teach his own words (Gal 1:11-12).
- So these commands are from God himself, using Paul as human agency. And God is God!
So what commands is Paul thinking of? Read 1 Thess 4:9-12, 5:11-22. Plenty of direct commands there.
But remember, these are not commands to save you.
These commands are for those people who have turned away from rebellion and have accepted Jesus as Lord, King, ruler.
A Christian is someone who knows they’ll never be able to keep enough commands to reach heavenly perfection. I can’t do it, and neither can you. No amount of religion can save you either. Not mass, not penance, not pilgrimage. Nothing you can do. You deserve to die and go to hell for your sins, but Jesus is God who came into the world to die in your place. His death – and his death alone – atones for all your sin.
Turn from your sin today if you never have, and ask God to forgive you. Claim Jesus’ death as full atonement for sin. He will forgive you everything you ever did or will do. And you enter his kingdom. Jesus is your king.
His kingdom is holy because he is holy. So the king has commands for you. Of course he does. If someone who’s not your boss gives you a command in work, you might well ignore it. But if your boss tells you to do something, you have to obey. He’s your boss. A Christian is someone who has chosen Jesus as King!
How can you enjoy the rights of living in the Kingdom of God if you’re going to be picky about obedience to the king?
Remember the prayer in verse 1 (read 2 Thess 3:1)? “Honoured” there is largely about the obedience of Christ’s disciples. That’s you, if you’re a Christian. As you live for Christ, like Christ, others will see him in you and praise your Father in heaven.
But if I couldn’t keep the commands before, why should I think I can keep them if I become a Christian?? Read 2 Thess 3:5.
It’s another prayer for the church:
- “May the Lord” – Jesus himself
- “Direct your hearts” – an internal change of desire
- “To God’s love and Christ’s endurance” – you like him: Enduring in passionate prayer and love for others. You’ll be part of the word of the Lord running! If you don’t pray, you have no expectation of growth.
So pray for gospel growth – in spreading and obeying the word.
Work for gospel obedience (6-15)
There were things disrupting the church at Thessalonica:
- In chapter 1, we saw that they were struggling with persecution.
- Then in chapter 2, the issue was false teaching. The response was to remember the word of God.
- Here in chapter 3, disruption was actually coming from within the church, from some unruly members.
And the answer again was to go to the word of God.
This time, though, there’s clear call to obedience to the word. Notice the strength of the words Paul uses in 2 Thess 3:6.
The first thing to think about is that word translated “idle”.
- Some English translations use words like “disorderly” or “undisciplined.”
- It’s military language, and has the sense of someone not following orders, of falling out of line.
Many English translations use the word “idle” because that seems to be the specific issue going on at Thessalonica, but Paul is first making a general point about obedience. So read 2 Thess 3:6 again with “out of line” instead of “idle”.
But what does he mean by “tradition received from us”? Read 2 Thess 2:15. He doesn’t mean church traditions about music, liturgy etc. This is actual teaching from the apostles, from God.
So v6 is a command to the whole church – everyone here – to keep away from Christians who are out of line, not being obedience to God’s word, the Bible.
You might object: “It’s too severe to keep away like that!”
- But that’s because we’re too comfortable with sin.
- You must turn from the sin that Christ died for.
- Put sin to death; don’t live on in it.
- Keeping away from a Christian choosing to live in sin protects the church and (hopefully) challenges the person.
You might also object: “Jesus said, ‘Do not judge’!”
- He meant that you’re not to look down on others with a an air of moral superiority.
- What Paul is speaking of here is sinners lovingly urging others sinners not to live in sin.
The particular issue at Thessalonica was idleness. Some people were being idle and becoming a burden to the church: Read 2 Thess 3:7-9. Paul gave himself as an example to follow. As an apostle, he could have claimed an income from the church (1 Thess 5:12, 1 Tim 5:17-18). But he chose not to to be an example to them.
Why did he feel the need to be an example? Because of the command given: Read 2 Thess 3:10.
Why did he even give a command like that? Notice he doesn’t say, “not able to work” but “not willing.” And you can read about church support for widows who would have had no source of income back then in 1 Tim 5. The real problem was that there were some people sponging off everyone else and using their free time to cause disruption.
Read 1 Thess 3:11. They were idle, disorderly, out of line – and burdensome. So he gives them a direct command: Read 2 Thess 3:12.
When some people go to church and offer little help or encouragement, it can be draining on the few who seem to be doing all the work. So the command to freeloaders is simple: Do some work. But there’s also a command to those who do work: Read 2 Thess 3:13. Don’t let the sins of others deter you from doing good.
Paul reiterates his word of church discipline against anyone who continues in sin: Read 2 Thess 3:14-15.
By “don’t associate” he means a firm but gentle removal of warm fellowship. You still regard them as Christian, but as a whole church we’d have to cool off towards them. BUT: They would have to be told why! The aim is full restoration, not loss.
What kind of things might we as a whole church need to address in this way?
- A wilful refusal to pray? Unreasonably withholding forgiveness? A refusal to witness?
- Maybe a refusal to give financially, or even to love others.
- Remember these are not about ability, but wilfulness. The thought is of wilful ongoing sin and disobedience to God’s word.
- Certainly we wouldn’t be addressing more cultural things as church discipline, though some churches do get confused.
The point here is that we’re all to work for gospel obedience in ourselves and in each other. Why? So that the word of the Lord would spread and be honoured everywhere.
The whole point of your obedience to Christ is the spread and honour of the gospel.
Grace and peace in Christ (16-17)
So Paul ends his letter as he started. Read 2 Thess 1:2, 3:16-17.
Notice how he ended his first letter too: 1 Thess 5:23.
These final words are again for the whole church. It’s a blessing on them for peace. That’s peace of heart under persecution; peace of mind against false teaching; and peace with each other.
There is only one Bible, and we all serve one Lord Christ. So we seek to understand his authentic word, and we’ll hold the words of man at arm’s length at best. We are all indwelt by the same Holy Spirit, and have fellowship with the same Father.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is his supernatural aid, mediated to you by the Spirit in you – to us, by the Spirit among us. So grow in peace, by grace, as God himself works in us and strengthens us all.
And that will happen as you pray for gospel growth: The rapid, wide spread of the word of the Lord hereabouts. And the honouring of the word through godly disciples.
Which means we must all work for gospel obedience
- Know what God’s commands are and determine to obey.
- He is your God, your Lord, your Life.
- Obey him as you love others, encourage them, forgive them, be patient. Obey him as you witness to the lost and pray for them.
- This is glory and honour to the Lord in Wirral.