No Work, No Eat

As we move toward sermon preparations for the Second-last Sunday of the church year there remains one final lesson to study, 2 Thessalonians 3:1-13.

The Apostle asks this congregation to pray for him and his work of proclaiming the Word of the Lord. He request reminds us that the Lord is honored among us when we believe and trust His Word. Among the Thessalonians the Word had indeed sped ahead. Paul longs for that to happen in other places as he preaches and teaches. He wants his hearers to trust in the Lord's faithfulness and reliability. He knew the members of this group would indeed trust in the Lord and fulfill His commands, directed by the Love of God and the steadfastness of Christ.

Even as he says this he asks for prayers to be delivered from wicked and evil men. This is another sober reminder that we live in the final days of this era before Christ's return. In other parts of the letter Paul speaks about the destruction of the Roman Empire—a most unthinkable concept—and the rising up of the Antichrist. We don't have time today to get into a discussion of the Antichrist. If you own The Lutheran Study Bible, you will find good information there about the meaning of that widely misunderstood teaching.

The point the Apostle makes in our passage is that, yes, we live in the final days, but we still must live each day. That is to say, we will have to deal with evil men, the evil one and our own sinful natures every day while we wait for our Lord to return. One of the temptations we face is that of idleness or laziness. That refers to the habit of expecting others to take care of us and not being willing to do our part in the family, in the community and in the congregation of believers.

Paul invites us to look at him as an example. He did not ask for their support while he was there. He paid his own way, supporting himself by his tent making trade. He had a right to be supported, of course, even as everyone who devotes himself to full-time pastoral work. In 1 Corinthians 9:14-15 Paul had pointed to a command from the Lord Jesus Himself that "those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel." He taught the same thing in 1 Timothy 5:17-18 where he urges that elders or pastors be considered worthy of double honor as they labor in preaching and teaching. And yet, Paul himself refused to accept remuneration for his work. Why?

Paul wants his hearers to recall the Gospel. Jesus came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many. Paul imitated Christ. Now he wants them to imitate him. He wrote extensively about this understanding in his letter to the Ephesians 5:1-21. We are children of light, he says. Christ has shined upon us to open the eyes of our hearts to His love and His promised return. So we walk and live in that light, filled with the Spirit of Jesus and addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to the Lord with our hearts. At all times we give our Lord thanks and seek to serve one another, rather than being lazy.

So we have great encouragement as we wait for our Lord's imminent return. Even so, come Lord Jesus.