Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!

A salvage store called Crazy Eddie’s used to run silly commercials describing their incredibly low prices. Crazy Eddie himself would appear on screen at the end of the commercial to say, “Crazy Eddie’s prices are insane!” At the bottom of the screen would appear the following phrase. “Prices and merchandise available for a limited time only.”

Paul’s second letter to the church of Thessalonica was written in part to give them peace of mind concerning the rapture. Teaching the doctrine of the rapture, the first epistle to the Thessalonian church dispelled the fear that the dead would miss the rapture. Paul explains that Christians who die will actually meet Christ in the air before the living Christians will. Apparently, the church had misunderstood the teaching of the rapture, and they either responded in fear or in laziness. Paul says in chapter two in response to fear, “1Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.” In response to those who chose to do nothing until the Lord’s return, Paul says, “11For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.”1

Paul concludes his letter to the Thessalonican church with the words of our text. The source of the Christian’s peace is found in the presence of God. You may rest in God’s peaceful presence.

Unlike Crazy Eddie’s available for a limited time only prices, peace is always available through God’s presence. Hebrews 13:5 ends with these comforting words: “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,” The faithful, unceasing presence of God is a source of peace. Since God’s presence is all around us and in us, surrounding us, we live in a river of peace.

What are your thoughts on this verse?

What is Christian peace?

What does the text say is the source of our peace?

Why does a Christian lose his sense of peace?