2 Thessalonians 2
Ice Breakers
Has a “pursuit of truth” (think Googling medical stuff, trying to figure out a bible passage, investigating a home / car repair, etc.) ever led you to be [even more] upset, anxious, or fearful? Why?
What did you do about it?
How did you finally find rest or peace (…assuming you ever did!)?
Food for Thought
When it comes to the return of Jesus, what’s Paul asking the Thessalonians to do (…or to not be!)?
Why shouldn’t they be easily upset or troubled?
But why are they being upset? What’s happening that’s getting them all riled up?
Personal: How can your need for certainty (especially when it comes to bad stuff!) uproot the anchor of good news that you can be certain about? What does that look like?
Paul mentions that there are “things” that will happen before the Lord appears. What are some of those?
What does Paul say specifically about this “man of lawlessness?”
What characterizes this man? How would you describe him?
What (or who) can we be confident will bring him to an end?
Personal: What questions are you left wondering about this person / kind of person?
What is Paul’s greatest desire for his people in this section of his letter? If he’s not trying to rile them up, then why is he telling them about this “man of lawlessness,” his followers, and an apostasy (or turning away from the truth)?
Despite what this man and his followers are described as, what are we called to be known for?
How does Paul say we can do those kinds of things and be those kind of people?
What’s his certain confidence for us? Where does our help come from that can put us at ease and grant us the confidence to stand firm?
Personal: What difference can emphasizing our certainty in Christ make when so much in the world is uncertain? How can we pursue that kind of truth that does put our hearts at ease?
Reflection Questions
Where have you allowed the anxieties of this world or the deceitfulness of sin to pull your heart away from total dependence on God?
How does the broken body and spilled blood of Jesus assure you right now that your salvation is eternally secure and entirely paid for by His grace?
Armed with the sure promise of Christ's victory, what specific fear or compromise will you lay down today in order to stand firm in faithfulness?