Last Sunday, I started off the sermon by pointing to the gospel word of Christ that is marching through the Book of Acts from Jerusalem to Rome. Today in class, the freshman and I spent some time in 2 Thessalonians. There is a prayer in that letter that reminds me that we ought to pray regularly for the continued progress of the Word to the very ends of the earth. Paul just finished educating and correcting the Thessalonicans’ eschatology. They had an understanding about Jesus’ return that was faulty. Their faulty eschatology had ramifications for their ethics. This is important for us to remember. How we understand how Jesus is going to wrap up history has implications on how we live our lives. Do you remember what we said during our time in 1 & 2 Thessalonians some years back — That Day (i.e., Jesus’ return) ought to pour itself into this day (i.e., the day we are living). Right after he educates his people and before he jumps into how they ought to live, he asked for prayer — Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you ( 2 Th 3:1). One version says, “Pray for us, brothers and sisters, that the Lord’s message, may spread quickly and be honored as in fact, it was among you (NET). What a fantastic prayer that ought to be found in our mouths. As we continue to march through Acts and see the message of the Lord march, indeed, run ahead in progress, let’s pray that the Gospel would continue to do so in our city and this world. By grace, we trust in the message of the Lord, and it is honored among us. There are places in our city where this is not the case. Pray that God’s message would continue to be honored among us every time we gather and that it may spread quickly and be increasingly honored in this world.
A Prayer for Progress
Last Sunday, I started off the sermon by pointing to the gospel word of Christ that is marching through the Book of Acts from Jerusalem to Rome. Today in class, the freshman and I spent some time in 2 Thessalonians. There is a prayer in that letter that reminds me that we ought to pray regularly for the continued progress of the Word to the very ends of the earth. Paul just finished educating and correcting the Thessalonicans’ eschatology. They had an understanding about Jesus’ return that was faulty. Their faulty eschatology had ramifications for their ethics. This is important for us to remember. How we understand how Jesus is going to wrap up history has implications on how we live our lives. Do you remember what we said during our time in 1 & 2 Thessalonians some years back — That Day (i.e., Jesus’ return) ought to pour itself into this day (i.e., the day we are living). Right after he educates his people and before he jumps into how they ought to live, he asked for prayer — Finally, brothers and sisters, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you ( 2 Th 3:1). One version says, “Pray for us, brothers and sisters, that the Lord’s message, may spread quickly and be honored as in fact, it was among you (NET). What a fantastic prayer that ought to be found in our mouths. As we continue to march through Acts and see the message of the Lord march, indeed, run ahead in progress, let’s pray that the Gospel would continue to do so in our city and this world. By grace, we trust in the message of the Lord, and it is honored among us. There are places in our city where this is not the case. Pray that God’s message would continue to be honored among us every time we gather and that it may spread quickly and be increasingly honored in this world.
Praying with you,
Pastor Lew