August 11, 2024 – 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Lesson Date: August 11, 2024

Focal Scripture Passage: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

AIM: To lead students to discover some of God’s timeline for earth’s future and the confidence they can have in God’s plan, and to urge them to have confidence in God when worries arise.

Before class: Read the notes on 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book.  Write the words “Don’t Worry” on the board.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Direct everyone’s attention to the words “Don’t Worry” written on the board.

Ask: “Has anyone ever told you that, or have you ever told that to someone else?” (they undoubtedly have).  Ask: “What are some things that cause us to worry?” (personal sickness or the sickness of a loved one, loss of a job, uncertainty about a decision, trying to keep up with the obligations of work and family, etc.).

Tell the class that much of our worry is caused by fear of the future; when we don’t know what the future will bring or the outcome of some event.  Tell them one example is when we face surgery; we worry because we haven’t ever experienced that surgery and don’t know what the outcome will be, but the surgeon is not worried because he has performed that same surgery hundreds of time before.

Ask: “If I tell you not to worry about something you are facing, does that give you complete confidence?” (no, because I don’t know any more than you how everything will turn out).

Erase the word “Don’t” on the board and add “vs. Confidence” after the word “Worry” so it now reads, “Worry vs. Confidence.”  Tell the class we worry when we are fearful and don’t know what to expect, but when God tells us something about the future, we can have absolute confidence in His word.

Tell the students the title of today’s lesson is The Day of the Lord.  Tell them we will discover some of God’s timeline for earth’s future so we can have confidence in His plan for our future.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Remind the class that we are studying the New Testament book of 2 Thessalonians.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (Endure Persecution; we discovered God’s response to anti-Christian persecution and what happens when Christians are persecuted).
   • Ask: “Have you prayed for persecuted Christians this week?”
2. Don’t Be Worried or Deceived.
   • Ask a volunteer to read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2.
   • Ask: “What did Paul remind them about in verse 1?” (the Rapture of the church).
   • Remind the students of the following:
     • We learned about the Rapture last month when we studied 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
     • The Rapture is a future event when Christ will come to raise the dead bodies of His children who have already died and reunite them with their spirits which have been with Him in heaven, and snatch away all the living Christians on earth, taking all the believers with Him to heaven.
     • The Rapture could occur at any moment; there are no prerequisites for the Rapture.
   • Ask: “According to verse 2, what false teaching was troubling the Thessalonian believers?” (false teachers told them they had missed the Rapture and the persecution they were experiencing was part of God’s judgment known as the Day of the Lord).
   • Explain the following:
     • The false teachers even forged a letter, claiming it was from Paul, saying that the Day of the Lord had come.
     • The Day of the Lord is a future period of time when the Lord will unleash His divine judgment upon those who reject Jesus Christ and upon the earth.
     • The Day of the Lord begins after the Rapture and continues through the Tribulation and Jesus’ return.
     • Since the Thessalonians were worried and troubled that the Day of the Lord was upon them, Paul told them two things that must happen before the Day of the Lord.
   • Read 2 Thessalonians 2:3.
   • Ask: “What’s the first thing that must occur before the Day of the Lord can come?” (the “falling away” or apostasy; this is a worldwide turning away from God that will happen during the Tribulation).
   • Ask: “What’s the other thing that must occur before the Day of the Lord can come?” (the “man of sin … the son of perdition” must be revealed).
   • Explain the following:
     • The “man of sin” is the Antichrist, who will not be revealed and arise to worldwide power until after the Rapture, during the Tribulation.
     • The Thessalonian believers were worried that the Day of the Lord was upon them, but Paul assured them that it cannot come until two prerequisites are met: the great falling away must occur and the Antichrist must be revealed.
     • God has a timeline for future events, and we can have confidence that nothing will happen out of order.
   • Summarize: We must not be worried or deceived, because God has a plan for the future and the Day of the Lord has not yet come.
3. The Antichrist.
   • Tell the students that the next verses we will study tell us much more about the Antichrist.
   • Read 2 Thessalonians 2:4-5.
   • Ask: “According to verse 4, who does he oppose?” (God and every other so-called god).
   • Tell the class that when the Antichrist comes, he will exalt himself above everything that is worshipped so he will become the world’s only object of worship.
   • Ask: “According to the next part of verse 4, where will he sit?” (in the rebuilt Temple of God in Jerusalem).
   • Ask: “According to the rest of verse 4, who will the Antichrist claim to be?” (God, demanding the worship of everyone on earth; Rev. 13:8, 15).
   • Ask: “What does verse 5 reveal?” (Paul had already taught the Thessalonians these things during the brief time he was with them).
   • Ask a volunteer to read 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8.
   • Ask: “According to verse 6, what did the Thessalonians already know?” (what was holding back the Antichrist so he cannot be revealed until the proper time).
   • Explain the following:
     • Satan and his forces can do nothing more than Almighty God allows (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Luke 10:19).
     • Satan may want to bring the Antichrist to power and prominence now, but he cannot.
     • When the withholding, restraining power God’s Holy Spirit is removed, the Antichrist will be revealed.
     • We can have confidence that this will happen according to God’s timeline.
   • Ask: “According to verse 7, what is already at work in the world?” (the “mystery of iniquity;” in other words, the spirit of lawlessness and sin).
   • Explain that the word letteth in the KJV literally means restrain.
   • Ask: “What will happen to the Holy Spirit’s restraining power?” (in God’s perfect time it will be taken out of the way, which literally means it will step aside to clear the way).
   • Ask: “According to verse 8, what will happen next?” (the wicked, lawless Antichrist will be revealed).
   • Ask: “What will eventually happen to the Antichrist?” (the Lord will destroy him with a mere word from His mouth; Rev. 19:19-21).
   • Read 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10a.
   • Ask: “How will the Antichrist work?” (Satan will give him power to do signs, wonders, and deceive many).
   • Summarize: God has a plan and timeline for future events, so we can have confidence that the Antichrist will not be revealed or rise to power until the appointed time.
4. Those Who Believe His Lies.
   • Tell the class that the rest of the verses we will study today tell us about those who believe the Antichrist’s lies.
   • Read 2 Thessalonians 2:10b-12.
   • Ask: “According to verse 10b, who will believe the Antichrist’s lies?” (those who are spiritually dead because they refused to believe the Gospel and be saved).
   • Tell the students this verse reveals that those who hear and reject the Gospel before the Rapture will believe the Antichrist’s lies after the Rapture; in other words, there is no second chance for salvation during the Tribulation for those who reject Jesus now.
   • Ask: “According to verse 11, what will God send them?” (strong delusion, so they believe the lies of the Antichrist).
   • Ask: “According to verse 12, what will be their end?” (damnation, condemnation).
   • Ask: “Why?” (they rejected God’s truth and instead took pleasure in sin; Rom. 1:25-32).
   • Summarize: God has given us the opportunity during this present age of grace to believe Jesus and experience the salvation He purchased, but those who reject Jesus will follow Satan’s lies to their doom.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Remind the class that today’s lesson has been about The Day of the Lord.  Direct everyone’s attention once again to the words “Worry vs. Confidence” written on the board.

Ask: “Which do you prefer, worry or confidence?” (everyone prefers confidence over worry).  Ask: “Do you ever struggle with worry?” (everyone does at times).

Tell the students that there are many troubling and unsettling things going on in the world and in our individual lives, which can cause us to worry.  Tell them when we remember, however, that God has the future planned out and nothing will happen apart from His will, we can have confidence to go on living for Him and serving Him.  Stress the fact that when worries arise, we must have confidence in God and trust Him to carry out His will.

Tell the class the passage of scripture we studied today also revealed a terrible truth: those who refuse to believe God’s truth cannot be saved and will face eternal damnation and torment.  Explain that anyone who doesn’t know Jesus has real cause for worry, but those who know Jesus can have confidence in God’s promises.

Ask: “What about you?  Have you believed and received God’s truth?  Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior?”  Tell the students if they answered “no” to those questions, there is still time to repent and turn to Jesus for salvation.

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Ask: “Do you know Jesus?  If not, would you like to trust Him today?”  Tell them to turn from their sins and trust Jesus by faith.  Allow a moment for silent prayer, and then voice a closing prayer.

CONCLUSION: Offer to stay after class to speak to any who might have just received Christ or have questions about salvation.  Urge everyone to respond to worrisome situations with confidence that God is in control.