Behavior and Discipline

TEXT: 2 Thess 3

INTRODUCTION:

A.      CHURCH IN THESSALONICA - STRONG BUT TROUBLED.

B.      LETTER ADDRESSES SOME OF THEIR PROBLEMS.

C.      ch. 3 DEALS WITH THE PROBLEM OF IDLE BUSYBODIES AND WHAT TO

          DO ABOUT THEM.

I.      THE COMMAND:WITHDRAW FROM THE DISORDERLY( vs. 6 ).

A.WHAT DOES HE MEAN "WITHDRAW?"

          1.       stello, "to bring together, gather up... shrink from a person or thing..., trans.

                    'avoid' in 2 Cor. 8:21." Vine.

                    "Keep away from, stand aloof from." A&G

          2.       Other passages use other expressions.

                   a.       vs. 14."have no company."

                   b.       1 Cor. 5:9, 11, 13.

                   c.       Rom. 16:17-18;Titus 3:10-11;2 John 9-11.

B.      IS WITHDRAWAL AN INDIVIDUAL THING OR OFFICIAL CHURCH ACTION?

          1.       Withdraw yourselves( vs. 6 ).

          2.       Rom. 16:17-18; 2 Thes. 3:14. Seem to point to individual.

          3.       1 Cor. 5:3-5.Church sanctioned.

C.      WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF WITHDRAWING?

          1.       A temporal, fleshly punishment( 1 Cor. 5:5 ).

          2.       A spirit of love is to be maintained( 2 Thes. 3:15 ).

          3.       It is to move the offender to repent.

                   a.       1 Cor. 5:5;2 Thes. 3:14;1 Tim. 1:20.

                   b.       2 Cor. 2:6.Paul refers to the one withdrawn from in 1 Cor. 5.

                   c.       Passage tells how to deal with the penitent( v. 7-9 ).

                    d.       Paul makes it plain we should look beyond the sinner's welfare to

                              that of the church( 1 Cor. 5:6ff. ).

D.      WHO IS DISORDERLY?  MILITARY TERM: "OUT OF RANKS" Robertson.

          1.       vs. 14 and 6: "not after the tradition they received of us...

          2.       "if any man obeyeth not our word by this epistle."

E.      BE FAIR( 1 Tim. 5:21-22 ).

II.     PAUL'S COMMAND TO WORK( vs. 10 ).

A.      MISCONCEPTIONS CONCERNING THE 2nd COMING.

          1.       No need to work.

          2.       Interfering with those who did work.

B.      TWO ERRORS IN THIS - FIRST WE ARE EXPECTED TO LABOR.

          1.       Much good can be accomplished( Eph. 4:28 ).

          2.       We must care for our own( 1 Tim. 5:8 ).

          3.       A man that won't work ain't worth the food he might beg( 2 Thes. 3:10-11 ).

C.      AND CHRISTIANS DON'T DISRUPT THE LIVES OF OTHERS BY MEDDLING.

          1.       Busybodies are thoroughly condemned( 1 Pet. 4:15 ).

          2.       Busybodies & gossips the same ( 1 Tim. 5:11-13 ).

          3.       The solution( 1 Thes. 4:11-12;2 Thes. 5:12 ).

III.    FINAL EXHORTATION: "BE NOT WEARY IN WELL-DOING"

(v.13;Gal.6:9-10).

CONCLUSION:FOR THOSE WHO LABOR, THEIR REST IS

ETERNAL( 2 Thes. 1:7;Matt. 11:28 ).