Look at the Book
Episodes
God Is Decisive in Obedience — So Why Pray? 2 Thessalonians 3:1–5, Part 2
18 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
God works through prayer to establish and guard us in the faith. Prayer is the lifeline by which he holds us fast.
Offense and Defense in Prayer for the Word: 2 Thessalonians 3:1–5, Part 1
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Prayer is an offensive weapon and a defensive weapon. Do you utilize it in both ways?
How Paul Prays Eternal Comfort into Heart Comfort: 2 Thessalonians 2:13–17, Part 7
14 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The apostle Paul wants Christians to subjectively experience the comfort that is already objectively ours in Christ.
Are Traditions Good or Bad? 2 Thessalonians 2:13–17, Part 6
11 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The church ought to preserve traditions that evidence biblical fidelity — and discard those that elevate our ways over Scripture.
Stand! The Command. The Prayer. The Promise.: 2 Thessalonians 2:13–17, Part 5
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Christians stand firm by holding to the truth, depending on God in prayer, and hoping in his promise to keep us.
Called to Holiness, Called to Glory: 2 Thessalonians 2:13–17, Part 4
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
God’s call to his people is not merely a call to salvation. God’s call is for us to share in his glory.
How Sanctification Confirms Saving Faith: 2 Thessalonians 2:13–17, Part 3
04 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Are we becoming more like Jesus by the power of the Spirit? If not, we have reason to question whether our faith is real.
God Won’t Leave Salvation to Chance: 2 Thessalonians 2:13–17, Part 2
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
True salvation entails both faith in the truth and sanctification by the Spirit. God choosing us doesn’t render either irrelevant.
Chosen Before Creation for Salvation: 2 Thessalonians 2:13–17, Part 1
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The particular, electing love of God from before the foundation of the world is the reason why anyone becomes a Christian.
Why Does God Decree Carnage for the Church? 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12, Part 5
25 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Scripture says that the church will face terrible pain and opposition at the end. Why would God allow his people to suffer?
God Is Not Absent in the Great Apostasy: 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12, Part 4
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Satan’s efforts to lead people astray from the truth do not happen apart from God’s plan and design. And yet, many will fall away.
Saving Faith Involves Loving the Truth: 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12, Part 3
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The alternative to belief in the gospel is not merely unbelief, but a deep love for unrighteousness which opposes truth.
The Lie All Satanic Power Serves: 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12, Part 2
18 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Satan wants all of us to yawn at truth and salivate for sin. We must persistently resist him and cling to Christ.
Real Signs and Wonders Serving Unreality: 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12, Part 1
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Signs and wonders can serve both truth and deception. We should trust what we see in the Bible above what we witness with our eyes.
Lawlessness Doomed by Truth and Beauty: 2 Thessalonians 2:6–8, Part 2
14 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The man of lawlessness has an appointed time and an appointed end which Jesus will bring when he returns.
“Lawlessness” Can’t Come Until Its Appointed Time: 2 Thessalonians 2:6–8, Part 1
11 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
God sets the times and seasons. He has appointed a time for the man of lawlessness to appear. He is in full control.
The Man of Lawlessness Sits in the Temple: 2 Thessalonians 2:3–5, Part 4
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What is the temple of God in which the man of lawlessness takes his seat? This lab explores two possible answers.
Who Is the Man of Lawlessness? 2 Thessalonians 2:3–5, Part 3
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Lawlessness is the rejection of any authority. It exists in every sinful heart, and it will reach full expression in the man of lawlessness.
The Rebellion Must Come Before Christ Returns: 2 Thessalonians 2:3–5, Part 2
04 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Rebellion and lawlessness characterize every age in a fallen world, but they will crescendo before the return of Christ.
Will Christ Return Seven Years After the Rapture? 2 Thessalonians 2:3–5, Part 1
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The blessed hope for which we wait is not a secret rapture, but the terrible, awful, and glorious event of Christ’s return.
Don’t Lose Your Head About the Second Coming: 2 Thessalonians 2:1–2, Part 2
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
To avoid being influenced by false teachings about the second coming, the apostle Paul calls for careful thinking.
A Prophetic Distortion of the Second Coming: 2 Thessalonians 2:1–2, Part 1
28 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean when the Bible says that Jesus will come “like a thief in the night”?
Christians Made Glorious for the Glory of Christ: 2 Thessalonians 1:12–12, Part 3
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The glory of Christ shines through every resolve for good and work of faith because he empowers them according to his grace.
By God’s Grace, Through God’s Power, For God’s Glory: 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12, Part 2
24 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Every good work in the Christian life is rooted in the grace of God, empowered by the person of God, and designed for the glory of God.
Praying the Purposes of God into Reality: 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12, Part 1
21 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
God ordains that his people are made worthy of his calling through the faithful prayers of his people.
The Joy of Marveling Glorifies Christ: 2 Thessalonians 1:9–10, Part 3
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The goal of all creation and redemption is fulfilled when Christ is glorified in his saints and his saints marvel at his glory.
The Loss of All You Were Made For: 2 Thessalonians 1:9–10, Part 2
17 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You were made to see the glory of God in Christ and to be with him forever. This is what the damned will lose.
The Punishment of Eternal Destruction: 2 Thessalonians 1:9–10, Part 1
14 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
God is glorious and God is just. These realities ought to guide our thinking about hell, not our limited ideas of what seems fair.
On Whom Will Vengeance Fall? 2 Thessalonians 1:5–8, Part 6
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Those who do not know God are those who suppress the knowledge of him. So do you know him?
Mighty Angels, Flaming Fire, Holy Vengeance: 2 Thessalonians 1:5–8, Part 5
10 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When Jesus returns, he will give relief to those who obey the gospel and wreak vengeance on those who do not.
The Revelation of Jesus from Heaven: 2 Thessalonians 1:5–8, Part 4
07 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When Christ returns with his mighty angels, he will exercise full justice, repaying the afflicters with affliction and the afflicted with relief.
Justice for Tormentors, Relief for Tormented: 2 Thessalonians 1:5–8, Part 3
05 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
God’s work to provide relief for his afflicted people is not only a matter of his mercy, but of his justice.
God’s Kingdom: We Will Get in Because We Are In: 2 Thessalonians 1:5–8, Part 2
03 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The mystery of the kingdom of God is that it’s already here and yet it’s still coming.
God’s Righteous Judgment on Christians Now: 2 Thessalonians 1:5–8, Part 1
31 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
God uses afflictions to transform his church and thus make her fit for the kingdom of heaven.
Let Your Heart Exult Vertically and Horizontally! 2 Thessalonians 1:1–4, Part 7
29 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Witnessing growing faith and love should result in exultation to God and exultation to one another about God.
Why Do We Thank God for Our Faith? 2 Thessalonians 1:1–4, Part 6
27 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Faith and love (and growth in each) are the gifts of God, and therefore it is fitting that we thank him for both.
Mighty Grace Is More Than Pardon: 2 Thessalonians 1:1–4, Part 5
24 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
God’s grace does more than secure our pardon; it empowers us to walk in the good works he has prepared for us to do.
Why God as Father and Jesus as Lord? 2 Thessalonians 1:1–4, Part 4
22 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
To be in God means to have all the immeasurably great benefits of his electing and keeping love.
The Explosive Power of Translating ‘Church’: 2 Thessalonians 1:1–4, Part 3
20 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The church is not the building Christians worship in. It is the people whom God has called to himself through the Lord Jesus Christ.
A Church Founded in the Fire: 2 Thessalonians 1:1–4, Part 2
17 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We have much of our New Testament because of Paul’s relational, spiritual, and theological vigilance on behalf of the churches he planted.
Did Three People Write This Letter? 2 Thessalonians 1:1–4, Part 1
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The New Testament does not convey the mere opinions of men but the very words the risen Christ wanted his church to hear.
An Overview of 1 Thessalonians: 1 Thessalonians 1:1–5:28
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
First Thessalonians is a letter that affirms the election of the saints and calls them to live holy lives as they anticipate the longed-for return of ...
The Danger of Skipping 1 Thessalonians: 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Part 6
10 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The apostle Paul made himself clear that the entire church needed to read this letter.
Should We Still Give a Holy Kiss? 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Part 5
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The command to greet one another with a holy kiss is a call to grow in expressions of true, holy, familial affection in the church.
What Can We Pray for the Church? 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Part 4
06 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The prayers of ordinary Christians are the means God uses to cause his word to run and be exalted in the world.
All the Called Are Kept: 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Part 3
03 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is the connection between God’s effectual calling of believers and his constant keeping of believers? His faithfulness.
How Are We Kept Blameless for the Day of Christ? 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Part 2
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
By faith we are reconciled to God, and by faith we pursue the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
Sanctified in Spirit, Soul, and Body: 1 Thessalonians 5:23–28, Part 1
29 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Paul sometimes describes humans as body and soul, sometimes as body, soul, and spirit. What does man consist of?
How We Quench the Spirit: 1 Thessalonians 5:12–22, Part 11
26 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
One way to quench the Spirit is to have a cynical attitude towards spiritual gifts that he gives to the church.
Always Joyful and Thankful — Really? 1 Thessalonians 5:12–22, Part 10
24 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
While it may seem that sorrow and joy are exclusive, there is a pervasive joy and a pervasive thankfulness that is available in every circumstance.
Always Joyful, Prayerful, Thankful, and Good: 1 Thessalonians 5:12–22, Part 9
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How can Christians always rejoice, give thanks, pray, and do good towards others? By resting in God’s goodness towards them in Christ.
How to Not Return Evil for Evil: 1 Thessalonians 5:12–22, Part 8
19 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The strength to do good towards all, even our enemies, comes from an unshakeable hope in the reward God has promised.
How Can People with Short Fuses Become Patient? 1 Thessalonians 5:12–22, Part 7
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Patience with others comes through trusting in the providence of God to turn every detour into a pathway to something better.
Are We Drained or Filled by Serving the Weak? 1 Thessalonians 5:12–22, Part 6
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The call to serving others in the church — admonishing, encouraging, and helping them — is not a call to misery. It’s a call to joy.
God Makes People the Means of Persevering Faith: 1 Thessalonians 5:12–22, Part 5
12 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We must never belittle or overlook the fact that God employs human means to strengthen his church.
Tough Love Toward Idle People: 1 Thessalonians 5:12–22, Part 4
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Christian idleness is unloving to outsiders because it sets a bad example. It is unloving to insiders because it adds to their burdens.
Does Christian Love Esteem Some More Than Others? 1 Thessalonians 5:12–22, Part 3
08 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Love looks on those who are doing the work of God with high esteem, and on those who are sinning with a longing to see them honor God.
Elders, Overseers, Bishops, Pastors, Deacons: 1 Thessalonians 5:12–22, Part 2
05 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Because God loves the church, he has provided a leadership made up of elders and deacons.
A Vision for Leading and Being Led: 1 Thessalonians 5:12–22, Part 1
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In a healthy church, the elders labor, exercise authority, and admonish the members, and the members respect and esteem the elders.
A Text for the Day the Doctor Says Cancer: 1 Thessalonians 5:6–11, Part 3
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
First Thessalonians 5:6–11 is a gravestone text. It reminds believers that wrath is not their destiny, but unending life with Christ.
Drunk People Make Bad Soldiers: 1 Thessalonians 5:6–11, Part 2
29 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Drunk people make bad soldiers and sleepy people make poor watchmen. That is why we need to remain spiritually awake and sober.
Sons of the Day Stay Awake and Sober: 1 Thessalonians 5:6–11, Part 1
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Power for Christian obedience lies in being reminded of our new identity in God. Who we are grounds what we ought to do.
The Sons of Light Will Survive the End: 1 Thessalonians 5:1–5, Part 3
25 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean that saints are sons of light? It means that spiritual light shines in our loves, our wills, and our works.
What Is ‘the Day of the Lord’? 1 Thessalonians 5:1–5, Part 2
22 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What is the day of the Lord? And how does this day relate to the arrival of the kingdom of God?
How Is the Day of the Lord Like a Thief? 1 Thessalonians 5:1–5, Part 1
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What does Paul mean when he says that the last day “will come like a thief in the night”? And how do we remain ready?
Did Paul Expect to See the Second Coming? 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, Part 4
18 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Whether we will be alive when Christ returns is not for us to know. Rather, we ought to focus on living faithfully in the present age.
Will There Be a Rapture? 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, Part 3
15 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Does the Bible teach that believers still on earth will experience a rapture when Jesus returns?
When Will the Dead Be Raised? 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, Part 2
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The dead in Christ are not going to miss out on the spectacular return of Jesus to earth. All the saints will participate in this event together.
What to Say to the Grieving: 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, Part 1
11 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The promise of the resurrection doesn’t minimize grief, but it does provide a ballast so Christians can grieve with hope.
Should Christians Be Quiet Toward Outsiders? 1 Thessalonians 4:9–12, Part 2
08 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean to “live quietly?” What does a life characterized by this kind of quietness sound like?
Was Paul’s Letter Needed or Not? 1 Thessalonians 4:9–12, Part 1
06 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When Christians love one another, they show that they are not just taught, but God-taught. Our love shows God is on the move.
Sexual Immorality Is Against God and Man: 1 Thessalonians 4:3–8, Part 5
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Setting yourself against God’s command for sexual purity means you’re resisting his active, present working in your life.
The Sovereign Call to Sexual Purity: 1 Thessalonians 4:3–8, Part 4
01 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The command to pursue sexual purity is empowered by the promise that God sanctifies everyone he saves.
Should Sexual Purity Be Motivated by God’s Vengeance? 1 Thessalonians 4:3–8, Part 3
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
God gives husbands and wives the promise of divine vengeance as a motive to maintain holiness and honor in marriage.
Five Reasons for Marital Faithfulness: 1 Thessalonians 4:3–8, Part 2
27 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Treating your wife in holiness and honor demonstrates that you rightly value God, your wife, and your brother.
Take Your Wife in Holiness — Not a Brother’s: 1 Thessalonians 4:3–8, Part 1
24 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sexual purity is more a matter of knowing God than of following a prescribed list of dos and don’ts.
Apostle, Comforter, and Champion: 1 Thessalonians 4:1–2, Part 2
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We all need comforters who commend us for our faithfulness and champions who challenge us to greater heights.
Can Christians Please God by Our Behavior? 1 Thessalonians 4:1–2, Part 1
20 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Faith that rests in the righteous work of Christ produces a life of good fruit which pleases God.
Made Holy to Meet the Holy Ones: 1 Thessalonians 3:11–13, Part 5
17 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How often do you dream about the return of Jesus? Does the hope of that day fuel your desire to be holy?
How Can We Be Found Blameless at the End? 1 Thessalonians 3:11–13, Part 4
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Does the apostle Paul expect believers to be sinless in this life? What does it mean to be found blameless at the day of Christ?
Love Establishes Us in Holiness: 1 Thessalonians 3:11–13, Part 3
13 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If God and his infinite worth are everything to you, then you are set free from the hindrances to love.
We Act God’s Miracle of Love: 1 Thessalonians 3:11–13, Part 2
10 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Our ability to love others flows from God working the miracle of love in us.
How Do We Break Through Satan’s Obstacles? 1 Thessalonians 3:11–13, Part 1
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Paul doesn’t need a road map to get to Thessalonica, but he does need God to shatter the obstacles raised by Satan.
Prayer Is Not One and Done: 1 Thessalonians 3:6–10, Part 3
06 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Christians who keep praying, even when they don’t see immediate changes, display a deep trust in their heavenly Father.
Inexpressible Joy Is the Essence of Paul’s Life: 1 Thessalonians 3:6–10, Part 2
03 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What things make you happy? What about witnessing the enduring faith of a brother or sister in the midst of hardship?
We Live If You Stand in Faith: 1 Thessalonians 3:6–10, Part 1
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The apostle Paul gladly said that the faith of others was a source of life for him. Can you say the same?
Can the Gospel Come in Vain to the Elect? 1 Thessalonians 3:1–5, Part 5
30 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Can the elect fall away? Can the gospel come to them in vain?
Does God or Satan Send Affliction? 1 Thessalonians 3:1–5, Part 4
27 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If the cross was a random act of evil, instead of a purposeful act of God, then there is no good news.
God Destined Your Afflictions — Don’t Be Shaken! 1 Thessalonians 3:1–5, Part 3
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
God destines afflictions for believers, not to shake our faith, but to bolster it. He often displays his love best when our conditions get worse.
How to Become a Coworker of God: 1 Thessalonians 3:1–5, Part 2
23 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The gospel doesn’t merely save us; it provides hope day by day to endure the afflictions we face.
The Messy Way to Know God’s Will: 1 Thessalonians 3:1–5, Part 1
20 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
God has willed to use us in specific ways. And we should expect and embrace messiness as we seek to discern what those ways are.
Is Boasting Bad or Good? 1 Thessalonians 2:17–20, Part 3
18 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Is boasting always bad? If we answer yes, we miss opportunities to glorify the power of Christ on display in the lives of others.
Who Is Paul’s Joy — Christ or the Church? 1 Thessalonians 2:17–20, Part 2
16 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Christians not only love Christ; they love what Christ loves. And since Christ loves his church, so do we.
Paul’s Extraordinary Affection for Believers: 1 Thessalonians 2:17–20, Part 1
13 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Can Christians love other Christians the way that Christ commands without liking them?
Has Wrath Come Upon Israel Forever? 1 Thessalonians 2:13–16, Part 10
11 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Jews rejected their Messiah and have been, for a time, rejected. How long will such wrath last?
How Does Israel ‘Fill Up Their Sins’? 1 Thessalonians 2:13–16, Part 9
09 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Scripture teaches that the sins of some needed to be “filled up” before God judged them. What does that mean?
God Hates When the Gospel Is Hindered: 1 Thessalonians 2:13–16, Part 8
06 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If the gospel is the way that souls are saved, it’s hateful to in any way hinder the preaching of the gospel.
Who Killed Jesus? 1 Thessalonians 2:13–16, Part 7
04 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For anyone who loves to wrestle with profound mysteries: Who killed Jesus? The Romans, the Jews, or God?
Was the Apostle Paul Anti-Semitic? 1 Thessalonians 2:13–16, Part 6
02 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The apostle Paul once said of the Jews, “Wrath has come upon them at last!” Did this make him anti-Semitic?
How Does the Word Produce New Preferences? 1 Thessalonians 2:13–16, Part 5
30 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Are you growing in holiness and love and courage? Then rejoice, the word of God is at work within you.