Feeding the Flock

"The Busybodies"
 
The Outline: 
Salutation   (1:1-2)
  I.  PERSECUTION: WAITING with COURAGE (1:3-12)
 II.  PROPHECY: WATCHING with COMPOSURE (2:1-17)
III.  PRACTICE: WORKING with COMMITMENT (3:1-15)
Signature  (3:16-18)
***
III.  PRACTICE: WORKING with COMMITMENT (3:1-15)
Confidence(3:1-5)
Command(3:6-10)
Confrontation(3:11-13)
Consequences(3:14)
Caution(3:15)
***
C.  Confrontation(3:11-13)
The Busybodies Exhorted (3:11-12)
The Breadwinners Encouraged (3:13)
***
Signature  (3:16-18)
A Benediction: “The Lord of Peace”
A Greeting: “A Distinguishing Mark”
A Closing: “Grace”

"The Disciplined Life"
 
The Outline: 
Salutation   (1:1-2)
  I.  PERSECUTION: WAITING with COURAGE (1:3-12)
 II.  PROPHECY: WATCHING with COMPOSURE (2:1-17)
III.  PRACTICE: WORKING with COMMITMENT (3:1-15)
Signature  (3:16-18)
***
III.  PRACTICE: WORKING with COMMITMENT (3:1-15)
Confidence(3:1-5)
Command(3:6-10)
Confrontation(3:11-13)
Consequences(3:14)
Caution(3:15)
***
B.  Command(3:6-10)
The Tradition (3:6)
The Example (3:7-9)
The Rule (3:10)

"The Spread of the Word"
 
The Outline: 
Salutation   (1:1-2)
  I.  PERSECUTION: WAITING with COURAGE (1:3-12)
 II. PROPHECY: WATCHING with COMPOSURE (2:1-17)
III.  PRACTICE: WORKING with COMMITMENT (3:1-15)
Signature  (3:16-18)
***
III.  PRACTICE: WORKING with COMMITMENT (3:1-15)
Confidence(3:1-5)
Command(3:6-10)
Confrontation(3:11-13)
Consequences(3:14)
Caution(3:15)
***
A.  Confidence(3:1-5)
The Word of the Lord (3:1-2)
The Faithfulness of the Lord (3:3)
The Confidence in the Lord (3:4)
The Direction of the Lord (3:5)

"The Truth and the Glory"
 
The Outline: 
Salutation   (1:1-2)
  I.  PERSECUTION: WAITING with COURAGE (1:3-12)
 II.  PROPHECY: WATCHING with COMPOSURE (2:1-17)
III.  PRACTICE: WORKING with COMMITMENT (3:1-15)
Signature  (3:16-18)
***
 II.  PROPHECY: WATCHING with COMPOSURE (2:1-17)
Gathered to the Lord Jesus Christ (2:1-2)— The “Day of the Lord”: NOT YET
Unalarmed by the Day of the Lord (2:3-12)— The “Man of Lawlessness”: REVEALED
Saved through the Work of the Spirit (2:13-17)— The “Gospel”: STAND FIRM
***
C.  Saved through the Work of the Spirit (2:13-17) — The “Gospel”: STAND FIRM
The Truth (2:13-14)
The Teachings (2:15)
The Strength (2:16-17)
***
The Content of the Gospel:
1Corinthians 15:1-8 (NASB95; Emphasis mine)
“Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that          He was buried, and that          He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that          He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that          He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; 7 then          He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to one untimely born,          He appeared to me also.”

"The Deception and the Delusion"
 
The Outline: 
Salutation   (1:1-2)
  I.  PERSECUTION: WAITING with COURAGE (1:3-12)
 II.  PROPHECY: WATCHING with COMPOSURE (2:1-17)
III.  PRACTICE: WORKING with COMMITMENT (3:1-15)
Signature  (3:16-18)
***
 II.  PROPHECY: WATCHING with COMPOSURE (2:1-17)
Gathered to the Lord Jesus Christ (2:1-2)— The “Day of the Lord”: NOT YET
Unalarmed by the Day of the Lord (2:3-12)— The “Man of Lawlessness”: REVEALED
Saved through the Work of the Spirit (2:13-17)— The “Gospel”: STAND FIRM
***
B.  Unalarmed by the Day of the Lord (2:3-12)— The “Man of Lawlessness”: REVEALED
The Apostasy (2:3a)
The Audacity (2:3b-4)
The Restrainer (2:5-7)
The End (2:8)
The Deception (2:9-10)
The Delusion (2:11-12)

"The Restrainer Removed"
 
The Outline: 
Salutation   (1:1-2)
  I. PERSECUTION: WAITING with COURAGE (1:3-12)
 II. PROPHECY: WATCHING with COMPOSURE (2:1-17)
III. PRACTICE: WORKING with COMMITMENT (3:1-15)
Signature  (3:16-18)
***
 II.  PROPHECY: WATCHING with COMPOSURE (2:1-17)
Gathered to the Lord Jesus Christ (2:1-2)— The “Day of the Lord”: NOT YET
Unalarmed by the Day of the Lord (2:3-12)— The “Man of Lawlessness”: REVEALED
Saved through the Work of the Spirit (2:13-17)— The “Gospel”: STAND FIRM
***
B.  Unalarmed by the Day of the Lord (2:3-12)— The “Man of Lawlessness”: REVEALED
The Apostasy (2:3a)
The Audacity (2:3b-4)
The Restrainer (2:5-7)
The End (2:8)
The Deception (2:9-10)
The Delusion (2:11-12)

"The Man of Lawlessness"
 
The Outline: 
Salutation   (1:1-2)
PERSECUTION: WAITING with COURAGE (1:3-12)
PROPHECY: WATCHING with COMPOSURE (2:1-17)
PRACTICE: WORKING with COMMITMENT (3:1-15)
Signature  (3:16-18)
***
 II.  PROPHECY: WATCHING with COMPOSURE (2:1-17)
Gathered to the Lord Jesus Christ (2:1-2)— The “Day of the Lord”: NOT YET
Unalarmed by the Day of the Lord (2:3-12)— The “Man of Lawlessness”: REVEALED
Saved through the Work of the Spirit (2:13-17)— The “Gospel”: STAND FIRM
***
B.  Unalarmed by the Day of the Lord (2:3-12) — The “Man of Lawlessness”: REVEALED
The Apostasy (2:3a)
The Audacity (2:3b-4)
The Restrainer (2:5-7)
The End (2:8)
The Deception (2:9-10)
The Delusion (2:11-12)

"Prayer for Desire and Power"
 
The Outline: 
Salutation  (1:1-2)
  I.  PERSECUTION: WAITING with COURAGE  (1:3-12)
 II.  PROPHECY: WATCHING with COMPOSURE  (2:1-17)
III.  PRACTICE: WORKING with COMMITMENT  (3:1-15)
Signature  (3:16-18)
***
  I.  PERSECUTION: WAITING with COURAGE (1:3-12)
Thanksgiving (1:3-4)
Encouragement (1:5-10)
Prayer(1:11-12)
***
C.  Prayer(1:11-12)
Worthy of God’s Calling (1:11a)
Power for Your Purpose (1:11b)
Glorified in Our Lord Jesus (1:12)

"Marveling at His Revelation"
 
The Outline: 
Salutation  (1:1-2)
  I.  PERSECUTION: WAITING with COURAGE  (1:3-12)
 II.  PROPHECY: WATCHING with COMPOSURE  (2:1-17)
III.  PRACTICE: WORKING with COMMITMENT  (3:1-15)
Signature  (3:16-18)
***
  I.  PERSECUTION: WAITING with COURAGE (1:3-12)
Thanksgiving (1:3-4)
Encouragement (1:5-10)
Prayer(1:11-12)
***
B.  Encouragement (1:5-10)
God’s Judgment: Right (1:5)
God’s Temperament: Just (1:6-7a)
God’s Punishment: Sure (1:7b-10)

"Thanksgiving for Growth"
 
The Outline: 
Salutation  (1:1-2)
PERSECUTION: WAITING with COURAGE  (1:3-12)
PROPHECY: WATCHING with COMPOSURE  (2:1-17)
PRACTICE: WORKING with COMMITMENT  (3:1-15)
Signature  (3:16-18)
***
Salutation  (1:1)
From: “Paul and Silvanus and Timothy”
To: “The church of the Thessalonians”
Blessing: “Grace and Peace”
***
  I.  PERSECUTION:       WAITING with COURAGE (1:3-12)
Thanksgiving (1:3-4)
Encouragement (1:5-10)
Prayer(1:11-12)
***
A.  Thanksgiving (1:3-4)
Growing in Faith (1:3a)
Increasing in Love (1:3b)
Enduring in Perseverance (1:4)

"Navigating a Hostile Culture"
 
The Outline: 
Salutation  (1:1-2)
PERSECUTION: WAITING with COURAGE  (1:3-12)
PROPHECY: WATCHING with COMPOSURE  (2:1-17)
PRACTICE: WORKING with COMMITMENT  (3:1-15)
Signature  (3:16-18)
 

The Impact of Daniel
 
The Outline: 
  I.  THE STORIES  (1:1-6:28)
The Transfer: University of Babylon (1:1-21)
The Dream: A Statue and a Stone  (2:1-49)
The Stand: Four in a Furnace  (3:1-30)
The Tract: Testimony of a King  (4:1-37)
The Wall: Handwriting to Decipher  (5:1-30)
The Den: Appetite of Lions  (6:1-28)
 II.  THE VISIONS  (7:1-12:13)
The Four Beasts of Empires  (7:1-28)
The Horns of a Ram and a Goat  (8:1-27)
The Timetable of Seventy Weeks  (9:1-27)
The Man of Glory  10:1-9)
The Battle of Angels  (10:10-11:1)
The Wars and Intrigues of Kings  (11:2-28)
The Abomination of Desolation  (11:29-45)
The Time of Trouble  (12:1-13)
***
The Book of Daniel: Summary and Review
Text: Daniel 1:8a; “But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself …”
Daniel 12:13; “But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”
  I.  The Examples of the Remnant – Daniel:
Made up his mind (1:8)
Used discretion and discernment (2:14)
Informed his friends (2:17)
Rescued the ‘wise men’ of Babylon (2:24)
Delivered the interpretations (2:36; 4:19)
Declined the gifts from a king (5:17)
Continued to pray (6:10)
Sought understanding (8:15)
Observed the Word of the Lord (9:2)
Confessed the sins of his people (9:3-19)
Mourned for 21 days (10:2-3)
Went on his way (12:13)
                   Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah:
They were willing to follow Daniel’s lead (1:11-13)
They were willing to pray for Daniel’s ministry (2:17-18)
They were willing to take a stand in Daniel’s absence (3:17-18)
 
Text: Daniel 4:34–35; “But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation. 35 “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”
 
 II.  The Character of God:
He is Powerful (Omnipotent)
He is Knowledgeable (Omniscient)
He is in Control (Sovereign); Sometimes Instrumentally         Sometimes Providentially
He is Articulate
III.  The “Times of the Gentiles” Foretold
Text: Daniel 9:24–27; “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. 25 “So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 “Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27 “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”
 
A.  Revealing the Unrevealed – The Church as “The Mystery”
The Principle  of Prophetic Parenthesis: Messiah’s First and Second Comings
See: Genesis 3:15; “And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”; Notice: It is clear now after all that Jesus did not his first coming, these two actions are separated and in a reverse order of history; The Serpent ‘bruised Him on the heel’ at the crucifixion which was a temporary win; But the Seed of the woman will ‘bruise the Serpent on the head’ meaning a complete victory
Compare: Isaiah 61:1–2; “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; 2 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn”; With: Luke 4:20–21; “And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’”;        Notice: Jesus stops in the middle of the sentence right before the phrase “And the day of vengeance of our God”; This indicates His role in His first coming but delays the next role and action until later at His Second Coming
    The Principle  of Prophetic Parenthesis: The First and the Last Resurrections
See: Daniel 12:2; “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.”; Notice: The Revealer here predicts the resurrection only in terms of two groups; The saved and the lost;        With: Revelation 20:4–6; “Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.”;        And: Revelation 20:12–15; “And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”;        Notice: The saved are raised and take on responsibilities in the Messiah’s Kingdom; But the “rest of the dead” which are all the unsaved do not arise from the dead until after the “thousand years” have been completed
The Principle  of Prophetic Parenthesis: The Postponement of the 70th Week
See: Daniel 9:26–27; “Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27 “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”; Notice: Two events are clearly predicted to occur after “the sixty-two weeks” of years are ended and before the “prince who is to come” makes his seven-year treaty as the last of the Seventy Weeks Cycle;
         The Messiah is “cut off”
         The City and the Sanctuary is “destroyed” by the “people of the prince”
See also: Matthew 23:37–39; “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38 Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! 39 For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’”; Notice: With the word “until” Jesus designates an un-specified length of time between the “desolate”house to come at the destruction of Jerusalem and His Personal Return to the City
         The Setting Aside of Israel
See: Romans 9-11; (11:1) “I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.”; (11:11) “I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.”;       (11:25) “For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in”;       (11:28–29) “From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; 29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”
B.  The New Administration of Grace
The Mystery Revealed to Paul; Ephesians 3:1-12; 
     “For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you; 3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. 4 By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, 7 of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power. 8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; 10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.”