Grace Community Bible Church Sermons

Pastor Rob Davis: 2 Thess. 3:6-18

In 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18 Paul closes this letter with 3 exhortations.

1. Paul gives an exhortation concerning the unruly.
1. Stay away from those who are unruly (v. 6).
2. Imitate our example:
1. We were disciplined (v. 7)
2. We labored for our food (v. 8)
3. We lived as an example (v. 9)
4. We taught you this before (v. 10)
3. The unruly must stop meddling and start working (vs. 11-12)!
4. Those who disobey must be disciplined (vs. 13-15).
2. Paul gives an exhortation concerning peace.
1. May God grant you peace and His presence (v. 16).
2. Don’t fret over the authenticity of this letter (v. 17).
3. Paul gives an exhortation concerning grace (v. 18).

Pastor Rob Davis: 2 Thess. 3:1-5

In 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 Paul makes three statements that reveal His passion for and dependency on the Lord, His Word, and His work.

1. Paul requests prayer.
1. “Pray that the gospel will spread rapidly and be glorified” (v. 1).
2. “Pray that we will be rescued from unrighteous and evil non-believers” (v. 2).
2. Paul professes his confidence in the Lord.
1. “The Lord is faithful!” (v. 3)
1. He will strengthen you (v. 3b).
2. He will protect you (v. 3c).
2. “The Lord will continue to work obedience in you!” (v. 4)
3. Paul prays.
1. “May the Lord clear the way for you to live in His love for you” (v. 5a).
2. “May the Lord clear the way for you to live in His steadfastness” (v. 5b).

Charles Sebold: The Cross of Reconciliation

In 2 Cor. 5:14-21 we see three things that the cross accomplishes for us and seven reconciliations that take place.

1. We are empowered and enjoined by the cross
1. Our will is reconciled to God’s love (v. 14)
2. Our life is reconciled to Christ’s death (v. 15)
2. We recognize Christ
1. No longer through the veil of His flesh:
   Our sight is reconciled to Christ’s image (v. 16)
2. In the new creatures that are in Him, not according to the old
   Our “now” is reconciled to Christ’s “not yet” (v. 17)
3. We reconcile and are reconciled to God
1. God is the source:
   Our need is reconciled to God’s provision in Christ (v. 18a)
2. Christ is the person of our reconciliation (v. 18b)
1. “God was in Christ” — salvation is of the Trinity (v. 19a)
2. Our world is reconciled to God’s Word
3. We are the ambassadors of reconciliation
   Our mission is reconciled to God’s commission (vv. 18c, 19b, 20)
4. The cross is the means of reconciliation
   Our depravity is exchanged for Christ’s righteousness (v. 21)

This sermon recording has been replaced with another version of the MP3, which is lower quality, but which doesn’t cause some Windows Media-based MP3 players (like my phone) to thrash and reconvert. The old one, for those who have decent MP3 players and a little more bandwidth, is here.

Charles Sebold: Godliness and the Glory of Christ

1. Godliness defined
2. Godliness shown in sound doctrine
1. Doctrine which leads to love, good conscience, sincere faith
2. Law is made for the ungodly
1. To make the gospel more glorious by convicting sinners
2. To demonstrate the overabundance of grace to sinners
3. Rejection of faith and good conscience = shipwreck, Satan
3. Godliness upheld in the Church
4. What is our godliness?
1. “How one ought to conduct himself in the household of God”
2. Truth universally recognized by the church
3. Mystery – a secret revealed in Christ, the earthly and the heavenly fully represented and intertwined
   
4. How Christ’s godliness is shown in us
1. Rom. 5:20
1. Law multiplied Adam’s sin in us
2. Grace multiplies Christ’s righteousness in us
2. 2 Cor. 5:14-17, 21
1. “We recognize no one according to the flesh”
2. “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come”
3. He became our sin so that we might become His righteousness
5. Conclusions
1. Godliness is not what we do, but who we are (”what does Jesus do”)
2. Partaking of Christ
3. Sacrifice and communion: how do we partake?
1. The resurrection means that the partaking is forever
2. Discern the body rightly, come, partake, be one with the Body and one in Christ
3. Godliness is as active and as passive as eating and drinking

Pastor Rob Davis: 2 Thess. 2:13-17

In 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 Paul gives thanks to God for four actions He takes in the lives of those who are loved by Him.

1. God chose those whom He loves.
1. from the beginning (13a)
2. for salvation (13b)
3. through sanctification (13c)
4. by the Spirit (13d)
5. by faith in the gospel
2. God called those whom He loves.
1. through the gospel (14a)
2. to gain the glory of Christ (14b)
3. God demands obedience from those whom He loves (15).
4. God provides obedience for those whom He loves.
1. by giving grace in the past:
1. He has loved us (16a)
2. He has given us comfort (16b)
3. He has given us hope (16c)
2. by giving grace in the present and future:
1. He will comfort us as we work and preach (17a,c)
2. He will strengthen us as we work and preach (17b,c)