Nov 7, 2025
Full text of sermon. (Detailed notes original to authour -
Script filled out by Chat GPT)
Sermon: Standing Firm Until He Comes
(Based on 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17)
a. The Fear and Confusion About Christ's Return
The church in Thessalonica was confused and fearful. They had
been told that "the Day of the Lord" had already come - that Christ
had either already returned or was about to come at any moment.
Rumours were circulating, false letters were being passed around,
and people were unsettled.
It might sound strange to us, but we can understand how easy
it is to get caught up in panic when people start predicting the
end of the world. Let me tell you a story from much closer to
home.
Back in 1999, one of the churches around the Boyne
Island-Tannum Sands area became very concerned about the so-called
"Y2K bug." They were convinced that when the clock struck midnight
and the new millennium began, every computer would crash, planes
would fall from the sky, and power systems would fail. Believing
that chaos was coming, they began preparing for survival - storing
food, water, and other supplies. Some even bought barrels of grain
and hand grinders so they could make flour without electricity.
They were absolutely convinced that the end was near and they
needed to prepare.
We might smile at that now, but the truth is that fear and
confusion about Christ's return have always been part of the
Christian story. Throughout history, people have looked at world
events and said, "Surely this must be the end." Think of September
11, the Bali Bombing, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even today,
people look at Donald Trump's political rise, the wars in Israel,
or the effects of climate change and wonder whether these are signs
of the end.
It is a core belief of all Christians that Jesus will return
when time itself comes to an end. But the question that worried the
Thessalonians - and still worries some today - is: When? and How
will we know?
Bruce Johnstone once told the story of a man who was so
worried about Christ's return that he rang all the ministers in
Gladstone telling them that Christ would return soon and they must
all prepare. Bruce’s response was to say that he hoped the members
of his congregation always lived their lives as if Christ was about
to return. It turned out the man had a brain tumor. There is
nothing wrong with being expectant to use a phrase I’ve often heard
we should “live as though Jesus is retuning tomorrow but plan as if
he is returning in 300 years”.
To put it another way, we should live ready for Christ's
coming - but Paul's message to the Thessalonians reminds us that we
are not to live in fear or confusion.
b. Paul's First Response: Christ's Coming Will Be
Obvious
Paul's first response to the fear and confusion is to remind
the church that when Jesus comes again, it will be absolutely
obvious. There will be no mistaking it. No one will have to whisper
rumours or send secret messages claiming that He has already
come.
Paul says in verse 8 that when Jesus returns, "the lawless one
will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the
breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendour of his
coming."
Now, I'll be honest - I'm not sure exactly what to make of
this "wicked one" or "lawless one." Many have speculated that it
refers to a powerful, godless leader - someone who sets themselves
up against God and deceives the world. But the key point is not the
identity of this figure - the key point is God's complete
victory.
When Jesus comes again, all opposition will be swept away as
easily as blowing out a birthday candle. Nothing can stand against
the power of Christ's return.
So Paul's first word to the Thessalonians is this: don't be
frightened by rumours or false prophecies. When Jesus comes again,
you won't miss it. His coming will be as obvious as lightning
flashing across the sky.
c. Paul's Second Response: Remember What Your Faith Rests
On
Paul's second response is pastoral - he reminds the church
what their faith truly rests upon. He tells them to hold fast to
that foundation and not be shaken by the latest story or teaching
they have heard.
He reminds them of who they are in Christ. The Thessalonians
are:
i. Chosen - selected by God before the foundation of the
world, loved and called His own.
ii. First fruits - the beginning of God's great harvest of
salvation, a sign that His saving work is already underway.
iii. Saved by the Spirit's power - made holy through the
imparted righteousness of Jesus, through faith and trust in
Him.
Their faith, Paul reminds them, didn't come from nowhere. It
came through God's calling - through the preaching of the Good News
by Paul and his fellow workers. It came through hearing about
Jesus' death and resurrection, through believing in Him, and
through the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit.
And through this calling, this salvation, and this gift of
holiness, Paul says, "you will share in the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ" (2 Thessalonians 2:14).
In other words, Paul tells them to focus not on what they
don't know - the timing of Christ's return - but on what they do
know: that they belong to God, they are loved by Him, and they are
destined to share in His glory.
d. The Call to Stand Firm in the Truth
In the light of all this teaching - in light of the truth of
God's love and the certainty of Christ's victory - Paul gives a
simple command: "So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold
fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth
or by letter."
To "stand firm" means to remain grounded in the gospel, not
tossed about by every new idea, fear, or conspiracy. It means
trusting what Christ has already done rather than worrying about
what the world says might happen.
While we wait for Christ's return, our calling is not to live
in fear, or to stockpile supplies, or to withdraw from society in
panic. Our calling is to be strengthened in faith and to live in
hope.
Paul says in verse 17 that God's purpose is to "encourage your
hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." That is
what it means to stand firm - to keep doing good, to keep speaking
truth, and to keep living as people of faith until He comes.
e. The Result: Hope, Strength, and Service
If we truly understand and hold fast to the promises of God
that Paul outlines - that we are chosen, that we are the first
fruits, that we are made holy by the Spirit through faith in Jesus
- then the result will not be fear or wild speculation about when
Jesus will return or who the Antichrist might be.
Instead, the result will be:
i. Eternal comfort - a deep assurance that whatever happens in
this world, our future is secure in Christ.
ii. Good hope - a living, confident expectation that God's
promises will be fulfilled.
iii. Strength - strength that reaches to the very core of who
we are, empowering us to live faithfully and to serve others.
When we hold fast to the truth, our lives become marked not by
panic but by purpose. We become people of peace and stability in a
world that often feels out of control.
And this strength doesn't end with ourselves - it overflows
into action. We are encouraged in every good deed and word. That
means serving our neighbours, speaking words of life, sharing the
Gospel, and showing God's love in all we do.
So while others may be anxious about what the future holds, we
can stand firm in faith. We can live in hope. We can serve with
joy. Because we know that Christ will return in His time, and when
He does, His victory will be complete.
Until that day comes, we are called to stand firm - not
shaken, not fearful, but faithful and strong in the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.