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Nobleton Community Church
29084 Sentinel Street PO Box 224
Nobleton, Florida 34661
Rev. Paul V. Lehmann, Pastor
813-389-8683
Nobletoncommunitychurch.org
info@nobletoncommunitychurch.org
OUR VISION IS:
To experience SPIRIT-FILLED WORSHIP AND PRAYER
To be involved in EVANGELISM, DISCIPLINING AND TRAINING PEOPLE
To use our SPIRITUAL GIFTS
To SERVE AND REACH PEOPLE FOR CHRIST, BOTH
“ACROSS THE STREET AND ACROSS THE WORLD”
Nobleton Community Church
Date August 31, 2025
Text II Thessalonians 3:1-18
Pastor Paul Lehmann
(This morning, we want to conclude Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians. But first, I would like to review some things in I Thessalonians.
In his first letter, he praised them for the way they received the Gospel. It came to them not just in words but in power. They became models for all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. Their faith had become known everywhere. Paul had been suffering and longed to get back to see them again. When Timothy brought back a good report to him, he was encouraged to pray for them even more. He wrote to them and encouraged them to be sanctified. This is the only way to live to please God. They were to avoid sexual immorality and not live like the pagans. They were not to take advantage of a brother or sister in the church. The Lord will punish those who commit such sins. God did not call us to be impure but to live a holy life.
For those who had died, he told them it was natural to grieve their loss, but the good news is that we don’t grieve like those who have no hope. (Like the pagans do). Then we have that wonderful passage about the end times. He tells us that when Christ comes back again, He will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then all of us who are still alive will meet him in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Paul tells us to encourage one another with these words.
He reminds us not to quench the Spirit. Don’t put out the fire of the Holy Spirit. We look forward to the day of the Lord. It will come upon people like a thief in the night. They will be surprised, but we who are expecting him should be awake and sober, and not be surprised. We are to put on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now this is a key passage to realize that when God pours out his wrath on all of those who refused to believe in Jesus as their Savior, we won’t be subject to this. He will remove all believers from his judgment and wrath, which will be poured out at the end of the Great Tribulation. In chapter five of I Thessalonians, he tells us that we are not to be concerned about the times and dates.
In chapters 1 and 2 of II Thessalonians. The Lawless One has to be revealed, and there is a rebellion against God led by him. He will oppose God and exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. When all of this occurs, stand firm and hold fast to the Word. (the teachings). May the Lord Jesus Christ, by his grace, give us eternal encouragement and good hope.
Okay: Now let’s look at today’s passage: Chapter 3 verses 1-18.
Paul is asking the Thessalonians for prayer. I would like to ask each one of you for a prayer too. We live in a day when there are many changes taking place in our society. Ten years ago, there were five Supreme Court Justices out of nine who voted to allow same-sex marriages. In fact to declare that there is no State that has the right to refuse this. Fifty years ago, maybe even just twenty years ago, we would never have believed that this could happen. It is unclear where this will go, but one thing that those who are pushing this agenda will want to force all churches to comply. Some churches have no problem with this, but I declare to you, that if a pastor or church has no problem with this, they do not believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. They pick and choose only those passages that fit what they believe, rather than what God’s Word teaches.
Paul is saying in verse 2 that he would be delivered from “wicked and evil people, for NOT EVERYONE HAS FAITH. But the Lord is faithful and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.
There will be times when you may have to defend the position that the Bible definition of marriage is between one man, and one woman. Whatever man decides is “marriage,” is not the Biblical definition. Probably everyone of us has someone in our family, or a close friend’s family, that you have found out they are Gay. Not everyone, though, is pushing to get married. I find it ironic that in this day, when heterosexual couples are not getting married before they live together, and even before they have children, the Gay community is pushing their agenda to have the right to get married. One thing that is too often neglected is that sin is sin. Premarital sex is a sin, and homosexual sex is a sin. Neither one is excluded from what God calls sin. Therefore, we must continue to love Gays, just like we continue to love Heterosexual couples who live together but are not married. We must know God’s Word in order to talk to people in love, to let them know what the Bible says and not what society is accepting.
Then, in verse 6, we are told that we are to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching that they had received from Paul.
1.. Follow the example of integrity.
Paul says…in verse 7
For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example.
He said that because he had just finished saying …in verse 6
… keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.
Paul is saying you’ve got good examples to follow and you’ve got bad examples to follow. Follow the good example — my example.
Now, when Paul says “keep away from every brother who is idle,” he’s not talking about the Amish practice of shunning, where you cut off all social contact with a person. In fact, in verse 14, he says that we should not treat these people as enemies, but rather warn them as brothers.
So, when he says “keep away,” he’s talking about the amount of influence you let that person have in your life.
Paul says, “Follow the example of integrity.”
For everyone you know — every friend, every co-worker, every family member — you will have to decide: What level of influence will I extend to this person? Is this someone whose example I can follow? Or is this someone who desperately needs my good example?
Another way to say it is: Will I be this person’s student, or will I be this person’s teacher? Now, in your best relationships, you will be both. It will be a case of iron sharpening iron, and one person sharpening another. As we read in [Proverbs 27:17] But you need to be selective with who you let sharpen you. Paul said, “Follow our example.” In his first letter to the Thessalonians, he said…You became imitators of us and of the Lord.
(I Thessalonians 1:6)
We need to determine exactly what it is about certain people that is worth imitating: The way this man leads his family; the way this woman speaks so kindly to everyone, even when people are rude to her; the way this person is always on time; the way this person always tells the truth, even when it hurts; the way this person exudes the presence of the Holy Spirit; the way this person can listen without interrupting; the way this person has an attitude of no condemnation; and on and on.
In fact, every time I think of a character quality that I need to develop, the first thing I ask is: Who do I know who has this quality? How can I learn it the way they learned it?
If you want to develop good character, make the intentional, on-purpose decision to always follow the example of integrity.
Here’s the second thing I want you to see today.
- Follow the path of responsibility.
Paul says..Verse.11: WE HEAR THAT SOME OF YOU ARE IDLE.
THEY ARE NOT BUSY: THEY ARE BUSY-BODIES
Verse 12: Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.
We’ve all heard the saying, “An idle mind is the devil’s playground.” You could also say, “An idle life is the devil’s playground,” because when you are idle and unproductive, you create a lot of room in your life for a wide variety of bad decisions.
That’s why Paul goes on to say…
Verse 13: And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.
What’s he saying? He’s saying follow the path of responsibility.
Here’s a good question to ask yourself — especially when you don’t really have anything to do. Ask yourself, “What’s the most responsible thing I can do right now?”
Sometimes the most responsible thing you can do is close your eyes and go to sleep. Sometimes the most responsible thing you can do is get out of bed. Sometimes the most responsible thing you can do is to give your undivided attention to your spouse, or your child. Sometimes the most responsible thing you can do is to read something, learn something, study something. Sometimes the most responsible thing you can do is to reward yourself with a movie, or some uplifting entertainment.
Get in the habit of asking yourself, “Is what I am about to do the most responsible thing I can do? If not, what is?”
Character is not something that you will just accidentally stumble upon. If you’re going to get there, you’re going to get there on purpose. Follow the path of responsibility.
Here’s the third thing I want you to see. If you want to develop character…
- Follow the practice of accountability.
Paul was saying to the Thessalonians that there were some among them who were idle and unproductive, then he said…
10 …when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” He also said…14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed.
15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.
There are people in this world who want to live according to their rules; they want to do things their way without having to answer anyone — and they still want everything they think they’re entitled to . As a person of character, this cannot be you. You need people in your life who will hold you accountable for what you say and do. At the same time, as a person of character, you can’t let yourself get talked into a situation in which you are carrying someone’s load, with no accountability on their part. If you do, it’s a disservice to the other person. We need accountability. We need to answer to someone for the decisions that we make. People who have no accountability usually fail in the area of responsibility.
I’ve seen it happen more times than I can count — in churches, in businesses, and in families. I’ve seen churches organized in such a way that the pastor answers to no one. I’ve never seen that model of church government work successfully over the long haul. Without accountability, it’s too easy to fall into the I’m not going to work, but I still want to eat mentality. People of character don’t take that risk. They set up accountability structures in their life to help keep them focused and on track.So let me ask you: How accountable are you? Think about your accountability in these areas.
Your work life. Most people have a boss. If you don’t, if you’re self-employed, do you have someone to answer to? Can you think of how maybe you could be more productive in your work if you set up an accountability structure?
Your personal life. Are there parts of your personal life that are hidden from everyone? Are you the only one who knows your password, for example? Do you panic when someone asks to borrow your phone or use your computer? Are you spending money that your spouse doesn’t know about? Do you make unilateral decisions without consulting anyone else? Can you think of a way that you could open up levels of accountability in your marriage and home life?
How about your spiritual life? Is there anyone to keep you on your toes? Can you go days without praying or reading the Bible — and no one would ever know? Is there some way you could establish accountability with someone whose spiritual leadership you trust? It’s as simple as this. People of character are accountable, and they hold others accountable as well. There’s a contagious nature to character. In fact, character must be caught before it can be taught. You can say it this way: If you want to develop character, be careful what you catch, be careful what you pass on.
What does that mean?
It means that if you want to become a person of character, you have to make a conscious decision to surround yourself with the right people of good influence and protect yourself from those who aren’t heading in the right direction. You also want to think about how you’re influencing others.
Look closely at the examples you follow, and the example you set for others. Look closely at your level of responsibility. Are you doing the best you can with what you have? Look closely at your system of accountability. Have you organized your life so that you’re not able to get away with anything, so to speak? Have you organized your life so that people of integrity have the right to offer correction? And are you willing to do the same for people who seek your leadership? Character doesn’t happen by accident. It’s intentional. So…
Make it your intention to catch the right qualities and to pass them on to those around you.