2 Thessalonians 3:16-18 The Lord of Peace

Good morning, everyone! It’s been awhile, but I finally reached the end of our 1 and 2 Thessalonians series today. Praise God! As we have studied, there have been some difficult and debatable theological issues mentioned in these two short books. For example, the rapture, the Anti-Christ, the end times, etc. Last time, we even studied about church discipline against lazy and trouble-making believers in the church. Some have called these two short books as tempestuous books. But in his final words to the Thessalonian believers, Paul wanted to bless them with God’s peace and grace. Like the calm home stretch at the end of a roller coaster ride. It seems appropriate because that’s what we really need in our nervous and stressed-out society. In fact, according to one of Forbes magazine studies people are longing for the following: happiness, money, freedom, and peace. But even the rich and famous cannot, with all their possessions, procure peace. In one interview, the famous actor Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones and Han Solo) [Pic 1]) said that we all want what we do not have. When asked what he wanted he answered, “peace.” With all his fame and riches peace escaped him. Fortunately for us, the Bible has a great deal to say about peace. Peace is a dominant theme in the Bible. It’s mentioned over 350 times. God who made us really knows what we need and desire. Perhaps, this is why the Apostle Paul prays for the Thessalonian believers to experience peace in every circumstance in their lives. We also pray for peace in the world and in our daily lives. Let’s learn from Paul how we can receive peace from God.

The Lord of Peace
2 Thessalonians 3:16-18
Key Verse: 16:
16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

Look at verse 16. “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” In the previous verses, Paul was writing about the Lord Jesus Christ (6). Now in verse 16, he calls Jesus “the Lord of peace himself.” It’s an emphatic pronoun. Paul is telling us clearly here that the only place we can ultimately find peace is in Jesus, who is God himself. He is the Lord of peace. He is the one who has peace. If you really want peace, you must get it from him. It’s noteworthy, to talk a little bit about what peace is. We see this word mentioned many times in our nightly news because there are wars going on around the world. People want world peace. We want the wars to end. Governments want rival countries to have a peace treaty. We want peace among different religious groups. We want peace in our household. One man really wants to win the Nobel Peace Prize. One person said that peace time in the world means the time when people are reloading their weapons. This is why some countries cannot trust a cease-fire because they know it means their enemy is only reloading their weapons and stacking up their ammunitions for the next attack. A good example today is the Russian war against Ukraine. In fact, this morning one of my Ukrainian friends posted this about Alexander Dugin, one of Putin’s political supporters. He wrote, “When Ukraine is completely under our control there will be no peace either. There will be greatness and sovereignty, but we won’t be able to relax…Therefore, there will never be peace again. It’s best to think this way. Wartime is now forever…” To a certain degree what he says is right. Jesus said that there will be wars and rumor of wars until his second return, when he will set up his eternal kingdom. Better get God’s peace now while you can. There are different kinds of peace that we can think about and hope for.

First, peace with one another. Though we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, there can be strife between believers over practical and sometimes, minute matters. I was just reading the other day about a famous Orthodox priest Mar Mari Emmanuel on YouTube because he broke some church stipulations. Just to mention a few. One of them was because he lived with his mother. Another because he used a mobile phone and ear phone. So, sometimes believers give bad examples to the people of the world because they do not have peace with one another. Not only here, but Paul writes to believers to have peace with one another in other letters. Ephesians 4:2-3, “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” The Bible calls us to be peacemakers in the world. To do this we need humility, gentleness, and patience. On our Wednesday Bible study, Ben encouraged us to read the book, The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas Kempis. In chapter 11, he says in acquiring peace we should avoid meddling in other peoples’ business and causing distraction. Instead, we should do our best to keep the bond of peace among believers.

Second, peace with oneself. We all want peace and try to find it in our own ways. Some try to take many vacations seeking peace. I read one sign, “Calm down, do yoga.” Another one, “If you want peace, go fishing.” These things may give us temporary human peace, but not the inner peace that our soul longs for. We cannot have this peace in ourselves because we have a fallen sinful nature. We may not know it, but the Bible says that sinners are in war with God. Before salvation we are enemies of God. This is why we cannot find inner peace until we come to God—the source of peace. We can only have inner peace through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ purchased peace for us. Jesus took our punishment for our sins on the cross and gives us peace. Isaiah 53:5, “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we can have inner peace because we know that our guilt and shame due to our sins, have been forgiven and washed away with his precious blood. Jesus’ blood, shed on the cross, purchased this peace for us. We have been declared righteous before God by faith in Christ. We no longer need to seek the temporary and false peace in the world. By God’s sovereignty we have been studying the book, The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas Kempis this week. He wrote that it’s the poor and humble who have a world of peace. [Pic 2] In connection with this, he also added in his book, “Why were some of the Saints so perfect and contemplative? Because they endeavored to mortify entirely all their earthly desires, and therefore could cling to God with their inmost hearts, and had time to attend to themselves. We are too much occupied with our own passions, and too anxious about transitory things.” [Pic 3] His advice to find inner peace is not to focus on the transitory and temporary things of the world, but on eternal and spiritual matters that are truly valuable in the sight of God.

Third, the peace of God. If you’re a believer you have peace with God. You have it all the time, whether you feel it or not. But as believers the peace of God can ebb and flow in our souls depending on how much we access the peace that God gives us. Our Lord Jesus himself will continually grant his peace to us. We just need to believe in him on a daily basis. We need to believe in the presence and the power of God. It’s a submerged sense of calm and tranquility in our hearts. The deeper we go in God, the deeper God’s peace is in our soul. It’s like a submarine hidden in the deep sea. Even if there is a terrible and powerful storm above, it’s not affected because it’s in the deep. Those who worked and lived in a submarine call this spot as the cushion of the sea. [Pic 4] God’s peace gives us a sense of sufficiency and a sense of calm in every circumstance. And this peace with God leads to peace with other people. I think that all of us here, know someone whose life is just a wreck because they don’t have the peace of God within. They go through life with broken relationships because they don’t have the peace of God on the inside. They are just in a warfare wherever they go. This is why we need the peace of God.
As aforementioned, Jesus is the Lord of peace. This is why it’s important for us to maintain a personal relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. He gives us the peace that the world cannot give us. John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” The three persons of the Trinity gives us peace. God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. For one of the fruits of the Spirit is peace. We cannot procure the peace of God by our own efforts. Only God can give it to us. It’s the impregnable peace of God. It is grounded in eternal hope. One pastor called it the serenity of the trinity. It’s derived from the Father and purchased by the Son. It is installed in our hearts and minds by the Holy Spirit. When we read about God in the Bible he never worries or is anxious about anything. It’s because he knows the end from the beginning. His infinite power merges with limitless love to reassure his people. All our worries in this world will pass away someday because this world is only temporary. Eternal and transcendent peace comes from God.

With our modern technology, we have been discovering more and more how vast and measureless is our universe. It’s continuously expanding and we don’t know exactly where the edge is. I remember in Noah’s message he mentioned that there are 2 septillion stars. In the same way, God’s peace is measureless and inexhaustible. Because God is unchanging his peace is unwavering. Because he is almighty, his peace is all-powerful. Psalm 119:165, “Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.” God’s peace is great peace. (Maybe I should change my name from John Peace to John Great Peace.) Strong enough to break down the strongholds of anxiety in our lives. Because he is omnipresent his peace is available to everyone of us everywhere. It’s interesting and sad at the same time that though America is such a rich country, Americans consume the most anti-depressant medicine. Many, even as young as 12-years old take illicit drugs, like marijuana and opioids, to find some kind of peace. But instead of finding peace they find more trouble and even death. But the peace of God is a constant flow. It’s steadfast and boundless source for God’s people. In the Modern English Version, it reads in Psalm 29:11, “The LORD will give strength to His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace.” God blesses his people with many things, but most of all his blesses them with what so many people are seeking, and that is true inner peace. And it’s in all circumstances.

Look at verse 16 again. “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” Here we see that the Lord’s peace is not temporary, but “peace at all times in every way.” It means continually and all times. Not just sometimes. So, as believers we don’t have peace today it’s not because God has interrupted it. Rather, it’s because we interrupted it because we failed to properly appropriate it. God’s peace is always available. So, whatever you are experiencing in life or turbulence you may be in, God’s peace is still available for you. According to verse 16, it’s peace in every circumstance. It’s not dependent on our circumstances or situation. Many people are looking for the right situation and right setting. Then they think they will find the peace they’re looking for. If I just have the right relationship. If I just have the right position at work. If I just have enough money. If I just have a bigger house, with a swimming pool, and 2-car garage. If I can just get rid of this problem. Some even think if I can just get rid of this person. Then I can finally have peace. They are looking for the right setting or situation instead of looking to the Lord—the giver of peace.
There is no perfect place on earth. My wife and I visited many countries and probably one of the best places to visit in regards to weather and natural beauty was Hawaii. But Hawaii is not a perfect place either. You can be hit by a tsunami or there can be a volcanic explosion. True inner peace is not found in a place but in a person. Peace is found in Christ. It’s not found in the circumstances of life. Divine peace is not conditioned on the shifting sands of outward circumstances. It’s riding out the storms of life with a tranquil calm heart knowing that God is with us now and forever. Someone said that travel means trouble. But we can also say that life is full of troubles. There is no way from escaping from the troubles and problems of life. Those who only try to escape troubles and problems of life may become mental patients because they don’t want to face the reality of life. It’s not about being in the ideal situation or dream home. It’s a matter of getting yourself in the right place spiritually. When you have a right relationship with God, then you can enjoy peace in every circumstance. The source of our peace is the Triune God. The setting of peace is through all and in all circumstances. So, how can we practice this in our practical Christian life so that it doesn’t just become a theory or theological idea for us?

First, is simply trusting in God in every situation. Look at verse 16b, “…give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” God is always with us because he is omnipresent. By faith we have a constant sense of God’s superintending presence over our life and over our circumstances. When we believe this, we can have perfect peace. Isaiah 26:3, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Our mind is stayed or steadfast on God when we are focused upon him and appropriating his presence. Sadly, we spend a lot of our time and days focused on self. Or we focus on things that only cause us more anxiety and stress. I remember a few weeks ago, I heard for the first time from David the phrase doom scrolling. For those who don’t know its scrolling through social media and news feeds for an extended time. When we consume such negative news on a daily basis it causes in us increased anxiety and stress. If we spend more time on focusing on God instead of doom scrolling, how much more peace we would have.

Second, to walk in the spirit. Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.” As we walk in the spirit and surrender our lives to him, he produces the fruit of peace. Paul says to keep in step with the spirit. To get up every day and surrender our life to God. When we are in step with the Spirit then spiritual fruits will automatically be produced like love, joy, peace, patience, etc. We cannot produce them on our own. But God can through the work of the Holy Spirit in us when we depend on him.

Third, read and meditate on God’s word. I refer back to Psalm 119:165, “Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.” God gives great peace to those who love the word of God. The deeper you go into theology and the more you know of who God is by reading the scriptures, the more peace you’re going to have. Charles C. Ryrie said, “The Bible is the greatest of all books; to study it is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.” [Pic 5] When you are struggling through stress and difficulties, it’s best to pray and read the Bible. Read about God’s love and sovereignty. Read about how God is in control of every situation. Then suddenly you begin to experience peace in the midst of the turmoil of life. Reading and meditating upon the word of God brings peace to our lives. I remember some years ago in my international school one director had his own agenda and was threatening to get rid of me. It was a difficult time because I supported my family and the church because of my job. Also, if I lost my job I could not stay in Ukraine. During that period, I was doing my daily devotionals, which was based on the book of Daniel. I was amazed to read that Daniel was also in the same predicament. I was more amazed by God’s sovereignty that the devotional spoke exactly about my situation also. How discouraged and worried I would have been if I decided to skip my Bible reading. In the readings, Daniel’s fellow administrators were jealous of him and wanted to get rid of him. They made up stories and lies and brought them to the king. Daniel’s life was threatened. He could not only lose his job, but his life as well. But Daniel did not give into the pressure and evil plans of his enemies. He just kept doing his work and praying and trusting God in every situation. He had the peace of God in his heart. In the end, the table was turned and his enemies lost their lives while he was promoted. Also, God gave me peace through meditating on this word. I could trust in God’s sovereignty and could keep working to support my family and ministry. One of my ministries was sports ministry, like volleyball at my school, with our church members. [Pic 6] It was not until the war started in Ukraine in 2022 when my work was no longer viable, did my family return to Chicago.

Fourth, to have God’s peace pray with a thankful heart. Philippians 4:6-7, “…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” We should bring to God in prayer the things that cause us anxiety and stress. But we cannot stop there. We should also be thankful to God for the things he has given us. We can even thank God for difficult situations that will only help to strengthen and grow our faith in him. When we bring our requests to God with a thankful heart, then the peace of God will be a wall of protection surrounding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

One of the killers of peace in our lives is worry. Anxiety is a mode of worry that puts a load of unease and a nervous strain on our minds and souls. It is like a disease in our soul that will eat us up unless we get control of it. Many in the world suffer panic attacks or post-traumatic stress episodes. Paul says the way for us to experience peace is to go to God in thankful prayer. Then the peace of God that surpasses all comprehension will come upon us. It means that the peace of God is unexplainable. It surpasses the ability of the human mind to perceive or understand how it works. It defies all attempts to describe or analyze or explain it. God gives us this unexplainable peace. But it’s not only unexplainable, it’s also unassailable. It will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. The word guard is a military term for a contingent of soldiers that are assigned to protect somebody. God protects his people who trust in him from anxiety and fear. God’s peace is like God’s special forces that are arrayed as bodyguards at the entrance of our thoughts and emotions. God gives us mental stability, emotional stability, and tranquility. Because God is omnipotent, he can guard us around the clock with the peace of God. That’s the experience we can have through thankful prayer.

Let’s look at the last two verses briefly. Verses 17-18, “17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.” Paul wanted to let the Thessalonians know that it was really him who was writing to them. For there were some false teachers passing out a letter saying it was from Paul. Paul wanted them to know with his signature that this letter was genuine. But most of all, he wanted to depart to them the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. This was the amazing grace that Paul, who was once an enemy of the gospel, received from God. He had been an anti-Christian but now, by God’s grace, he was a lover of Christ. May God help us to remember his wonderful grace upon our lives every day. Remembering God’s grace, we received in Jesus is also another reason why we should go to God in prayer with a thankful heart. Then the peace of God can dwell in our souls and minds now and forever. Amen.

2 Thessalonians 3 16-18 presentation

Footnote:

Based on message by Dr. Hitchcock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kPwQ7F-E1c

Bible study questions:

The Lord of Peace

2 Thessalonians 3:16-18

Key Verse: 17:

1. What was the main purpose of Paul writing to the Thessalonians in this letter, and how do the closing verses reflect that purpose?

2. Verse16. What does Paul mean when he refers to God as “the Lord of peace,” and how can we apply the concept of peace in our daily lives?

3. Verse 17. Why do you think Paul emphasizes the importance of his signature in the letter? What does this reveal about the authenticity of his message?

4. Verse 18. In what ways can we encourage each other in our community of faith to remain steadfast and not be idle, as Paul mentions earlier in the chapter?

5. How can you cultivate a sense of peace in your own life, especially in challenging circumstances, based on Paul’s message?

6. How do these verses relate to the teachings found in Philippians 4:6-7 regarding peace and prayer?

7. What does this passage reveal about the character of God, particularly in relation to peace and guidance for believers?

¹⁶ Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

¹⁷ I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write. ¹⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.