lawlessness and the coming of Christ

Good morning sisters and brothers,
This passage is sort of a strange one and can confuse us with images of "the lawless one." The gist of the passage is a warning not to think the final day of Christ's return is already here. There was a movement of Christians who believed that in the early years of the church. The writer warns the people not to believe it. Beyond that, he also warns them that before the end there will be a powerful movement of evil led by Satan through "the lawless one." In other words, they should expect evil in the world to be powerful but at they shouldn't loose heart at that because it is actually a sign of God's coming triumph. The call is to persevere through hardship, knowing that God is victorious in the end.

Blessings on your perseverance and ministry today,
Sam

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, 2not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here.

3Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction. 4He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God. 5Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you?

6And you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed when his time comes. 7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who now restrains it is removed. 8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of his mouth, annihilating him by the manifestation of his coming.

9The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders, 10and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion, leading them to believe what is false, 12so that all who have not believed the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness will be condemned.

demons and kingdoms

Good morning friends,
Our reading picks up from where Sunday's reading left off: Jesus taught the disciples how to pray and promised that God would always give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. It's unclear if today's conversation takes place in the same place or if there is a break between that conversation and this one. Jesus' opponents accuse him of casting out demons by Satan's power. Jesus responds that a house divided against itself can't stand, and suggests instead that his exorcism is a sign of God's kingdom among them.

To go along with this point Jesus tells two stories, one a parable about a strong man guarding his home and the other about the fate of the cast out demon. What do you think the point of the story of the strong man is? Why does Jesus tell the story of the exiled demon? How does a healed person avoid the fate of the healed person in this story? May we have eyes to see signs of God's kingdom around us today.

God bless,
Sam

Luke 11:14-26
14Now he was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone out, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. 15But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 16Others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven.

17But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desert, and house falls on house. 18If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? —for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. 19Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. 21When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. 22But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his plunder. 23Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

24“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25When it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. 26Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first.”