BE NOT WEARY
Brent Logan – Missionary to Romania/Eastern Europe
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2 Thessalonians 3:13-18 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all. The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Once you get some people who are doing the work of God, the next challenge you face is getting people that are doing the work to keep doing the work.
When there are some people not doing the work and others who are doing the work, it makes those doing the work tend to get weary.
The passage does not say don’t quit. The passage says don’t get weary. If you are weary, you’re not in the will of God.
If we’re not careful, we’ll spend all our time and energy holding up those who are weary so they won’t quit instead of dealing with the root of the problem – weariness.
Question: How can you work and not get tired? Obviously, he’s not speaking about your body.
We are commanded to study (2 Timothy 2:15) and much study is a weariness OF THE FLESH (Ecclesiastes 12:12-13). Jesus was weary, physically (John 4:6). Paul was often weary, physically (2 Corinthians 11:27). And that’s good for you. But don’t get weary in well doing.
BECAUSE:
1. It hasn’t even gotten hard yet (Jeremiah 12:5).
2. It’s God’s work (Micah 6:3; Malachi 1:13; Proverbs 3:11).
HOW:
1. Just stop it. Just don’t do it. God said not to. Don’t just read over it. Pay attention to what he said, and be obedient. Stop making excuses and just do what God said to do. You don’t need a seminar. You need to obey God. Do not allow yourself the sin of being weary. If the people that are working get weary, we are finished.
2. Have patience with and for the Lord. Get close to Him. (Isaiah 40:28-31; James 1:2-4; Hebrews 10:36)
3. Consider Him (Hebrews 12:3).
REMEMBER WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU:
The antichrist exalts / shows himself (2:4). The Lord gives comfort (2:16-17) and peace (3:16). It’s a gift, like salvation, which means you need to receive it (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 1:12; Colossians 3:15).
THE TOKEN OF EVERY EPISTLE:
See 2 Corinthians 3:2-4; Philippians 1:6; Hebrews 12:1-2
