2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
This Week’s Main Idea:
God has loved us from all eternity, He has given us eternal encouragement for our present life, and He has given us good hope for the future. All these things come by grace: God’s undeserved favor. Because we have such a God, we can be confident He will hear and answer our prayers.
Icebreaker:
If you were going to have the CEO of your company, the governor of your home state, or some other important person over to your house for dinner, how would you prepare?
Introduction:
Most people’s tendency when preparing to host such a person for dinner is to focus on external things, such as what they will cook, and making sure the house is spotless. However, such preparations actually say very little about our personal relationship with those we host. If we hope to really get to know others and develop strong relationships with them, we should give less thought to such external things and more thought to how we might connect with the people we host on a personal level. Having taught extensively on the return of Christ and the coming judgment, in 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17, Paul challenges believers to prepare for Christ’s second coming by focusing on their personal connection to Christ. In today’s study we will see that standing firm in the gospel of Jesus Christ requires holding to the teaching of the gospel and connecting to God personally in prayer.
Read 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
1. Based on these verses, how and why will God save His people?
2. What do verses 13 and 14 remind you about God? How do we see the Trinity at work in these verses?
3. How might believing the truths about God in verses 13 and 14 help us to stand firm in our faith? Where do you need encouragement and strength from God now?
4. Read verse 15 again. In response to God’s initiative and Paul’s ministry, what are we to do, and how do we do that?
5. What makes standing firm in your faith difficult for you? What tools has God given us to help us persevere in our faith in the midst of difficulty?
6. What else does Paul remind us of regarding God and His work in our lives through these verses?
7. Why must we remember these things in light of Christ’s promised return?
8. Have you recently experienced discouraging or difficult times? What difference has the reality of God’s faithfulness made in the way you faced this challenge?
9. What is one step you could take this week to be more mindful of the reality of Christ’s return?
10. How can we, as a group, help each other live in light of Christ’s promise to return?
Suggested prayer request:
Thank you, God, that you are not slow to fulfill your promises, but instead you are working all things for good in your timing. I pray that I would have peace and patience as I live out today in the knowledge that Jesus will one day return in victory—a victory that has been secured for all who believe in Him through His triumph over the grave.
Other Scriptures to Engage with this week:
1 Corinthians 9:24-10:14; 1 Timothy 6:11-16; James 5:7-11; Hebrews 12:11-15; Hebrews 6:7-12; 1 Timothy 4:6-16