2 Thessalonians 2:15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.
When I was growing up in Southern Ohio, one of the things I looked forward to in the summer was family “cook-outs.” We would gather in Grandpa’s backyard to grill hot dogs or hamburgers. Later my aunt took up the mantle. Whenever I came home from college, we all gathered at her house where she grilled steaks for the “cook-out.”
I rarely hear the term “cook-out” any more. Maybe because I no longer live close to the Mason Dixon line. We “grill” in eastern Pennsylvania. But the other day my cousin mentioned she was having her kids and grandkids over for a cook-out to celebrate her husband’s birthday. And my thoughts traveled back to those early family gatherings.
I didn’t appreciate at the time how stabilizing those cook-outs were. Especially as life got more complicated. I had no understanding of how traditions bring stability in an unstable world.
In families as well as in the church.
The church at Thessalonica was being thrust into a whirlwind of confusion. Lawlessness and deception were robbing them of the peace and hope they had found in Christ through Paul’s preaching. Alarmed, they didn’t know what to believe. So Paul encourages them to be calm, to hold firm to the traditions he had taught them. In other words, the traditions he passed on to them would serve as a stabilizing force.
Scripture warns that in the last days deception in the church will run rampant. False prophets and teachers will be so compelling that, if possible, even the elect will be deceived (Matt. 24). Traditions combat deception. They help connect us to the past and counter whatever the present trend might be. They stimulate our memory of what is true. When Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me” he birthed a tradition that reminds us of his sacrifice every time we participate (Luke 22:19).
So traditions, whether in the form of Taco Tuesdays and summer cook-outs, or communion and candlelight Christmas Eve services, provide anchors in life. They nurture frazzled souls in a fickle world.
Please don’t discount the long-term effect of ordinary traditions. And enjoy a family cook-out!