The prophet Nehemiah describes a chaotic scene of what it was like to rebuild the wall that protected the city of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 4:15-18). At one time, half of the men rebuilding the wall worked with a trowel while the other half stood nearby holding a sword. Eventually, the builders became military men and the military men became builders with each being equipped with a sword and a trowel. The idea is that God’s people are called to both build and defend. Spiritually, we are called to build the church with God’s word and to defend the church from those who undermine God’s word. However, doing so causes spiritual fatigue and weariness. To combat this spiritual exhaustion, 2 Thessalonians 3:13-18 speaks to weary Christians and encourages us by this word: As you obey the Head of the Church, the peace and grace of Jesus will refresh you.
2 Thessalonians 1:3 shows two ways the Thessalonian Christians could become weary while doing good: 1) The growing of their faith and 2) the increasing of their love. More precisely stated, as you walk thru trials your faith in God grows. Likewise, experiencing valleys with Christian brothers and sisters increases your love (2 Thessalonians 1:4-5, 11). While growing in faith and increasing in love are both good, there is also no doubt that unending trials produce physical, emotional and spiritual exhaustion. Furthermore, by reading 2 Thessalonians 3:14, we see a third way that the Thessalonian church, and us today, could become weary; not obeying the words of this letter written to them. In this verse, Paul is reintroducing the concept of church discipline that Jesus himself taught (Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5:9-11, 2 Thessalonians 3:14b). Now, we must clarify who is subject to church discipline. This is not a brother or sister who sins and repents. Rather, we are speaking of one who is engaging in a lifestyle or pattern of sin and refusing to repent. In a case where church discipline is necessary, the church is not shaming the individual. Instead, the church is allowing them to be ashamed. One commentator states that shaming a person “leaves no room for repentance and restoration. It is spiteful, vindictive and punitive” (Swindoll 158). He goes on to say when church discipline is done properly in love, “the individual feels sorry for those sins and the pain caused to others” (Swindoll, 158). Brother and sisters, when administering church discipline, do not be so overly zealous that you treat them as enemies; rather, we should speak truth to them kindly with the goal of restoring fellowship with them (2 Thessalonians 3;15). Galatians 6:1 states the following: Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted”. Here, the Bible is clearly teaching that…
Obedient Christians can become weary Christians
Christian, we all, at times, become spiritually exhausted as we seek to obey Jesus. However, the Bible gives us the remedy for this. During those times when spiritual exhaustion sets in, we must do the following: “Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood” (Hebrews 12:3–4). By considering what Christ endured on our behalf, we find ourselves renewed. He endured the cross so that you might not grow weary. Consider Christ being bound and beaten by Roman soldiers. Consider the torture He endured before the cross. Consider Christ as He hung upon the cross forsaken by the Father and betrayed and denied by the disciples. In Judas’ betrayal kiss, we see ourselves. In Peter’s denial, we see ourselves. He died for you so that you might not grow weary in obeying Him!
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