1. Paul’s Epistles to the Thessalonians Lesson 11: What Everyone Needs to Know About the Second Coming 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4 September 5, 2010

2. Introduction to Lesson 11
Is 2 Thessalonians a “Re-run”?
What we already know from Acts 17 and 1 Thessalonians
The birth of the church
Paul’s sudden (forced) departure
Thessalonians’ reception of the gospel
Apostles’ conduct; their identification with their Judean brethren (chapter 2).
Paul’s inability to return, sent Timothy
Sanctification
Second coming and dead saints (raised)
Second coming and living saints (watchful)
Final instructions, benediction, closing

3. So what’s new in 2 Thessalonians? Why the need for a second epistle?
Persecution – it may have intensified, or at lest raised questions, doubts (2 Thes. 1).
Paul’s teaching on the Second Coming was being twisted (2 Thes. 2).
Paul’s teaching on idleness must have been ignored (2 Thes. 3)
The structure of our text – 3 sections:
Vss. 1-4 Greeting, thanksgiving, praise
Vss 5-10 Encouragement for sufferers, based upon the Second Coming.
Vss Paul’s prayer for Thessalonians
My (changed) approach in this message

4. Greeting, thanksgiving, boasting (1:1-4)
Note three changes from 1 Thes. greeting
Paul prayed for growth in 1 Thes. (3:12; 4:10); he praises God for growth here.
1 Thes.: Praised God; 2 Thes. emphasizes the necessity (“ought”) & appropriateness (“rightly so”) of praise.
In 1 Thes., no need for boasting (1:8-10); here, Paul does boast to churches (vs. 4).
So what how should Paul’s words affect us?
Ecclesiology (how we do church)
Eschatology (the Second Coming)
Persecution
Prayer