July 3, 2016
Evening Service

Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonian church was one of encouragement in the face of persecution and also perhaps the clearest teaching on the Second Coming of Christ that there is in the Bible.  He closed the letter in a flurry with a list of things to be doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-23 (16) Rejoice evermore.  (17)  Pray without ceasing.  (18)  In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  (19)  Do not quench the Spirit.  (20)  Do not despise prophesying.  (21)  Prove all things, hold fast to the good.  (22)  Abstain from every appearance of evil.  (23)  And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blamelessly at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

·         We looked at each of these as we closed out our study on the first letter.  The second letter again begins with words of encouragement to the church that was still holding firm to these practices despite the persecution it was facing.

 

2 Thessalonians 1:1-2 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  (2)  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

·         This is one of Paul’s signature greetings from many of his letters.  He does not wish them fame, fortune, health or great times of pleasure but grace and peace.

·          Grace given from God enables us to have fellowship with Him and enjoy a personal relationship that comes only from our sins being forgiven.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God,

·         Peace is a promise from God that comes after we first know His grace.  It grants us a serenity to face any and all circumstances knowing He is in control.  Jesus said this:

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 heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

·           Our true peace comes from trusting in His grace.  Are we living in God’s grace and peace?

 

2 Thessalonians 1:3-4 We are bound to thank God always for you, my brothers, as it is right, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of each one of you abounds toward one another; (4) so much so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations which you endure.

·         Paul is thankful for their steadfastness in the face of persecution, tribulations and trials.  He exhorts them for during this time of trouble; their faith grows, their love abounds and their patience is proven.

·         Are there people along your journey that you have seen this to be true as well?  In their times of trouble they allow God to continue His work in their lives sharpening their commitment and relationship with Him rather than allowing circumstances to drag them the opposite direction.

·         What about you?  Can you say that is true for you as well?  With God’s help we can be.

 

2 Thessalonians 1:5 For this is a manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which you also suffer,

·         The church standing strong in the face of trials is evidence that God is faithful and will support us as well in our time of need.  We can endure all suffering given to us through His strength and in the end bring glory to Him and prove He is faithful.  Look at the perspective Paul encourages us to have.

 

 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10  since it is a righteous thing with God to repay tribulation to those who trouble you,  (7)  and to give rest with us to you who are troubled, at the revealing of the Lord Jesus from Heaven with the angels of His power,  (8)  in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God and who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ,  (9)  who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,  (10)  when He shall come to be glorified in His saints and to be admired in all those who believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that Day.

·         God is in control.  He has our back.  He will repay those who trouble us, we don’t have to.  “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay” says the Lord (Deut. 32:35).  Our enemies are already defeated and our true victory has already been won.  Our reward (rest) lies ahead of us at Christ’s return.  Take comfort in those words.

·         He will punish those who do not obey Him by removing them from His presence.

·          He will reward those who bring glory to His Name by allowing us to enter into His perfect rest and enjoy His fellowship for eternity.  Love wins!

·         The journey to get to that point is not always easy.  It can be extremely hard, but the reward is worth the effort.  Many things we strive so hard for in this life end up letting us down.  We worked so hard for that promotion, house, or degree but when we get it is not all we had hoped for and we wonder if all that effort was worth the reward?

·         No one in heaven will utter those words.  We will have gladly suffered all things that were asked of us just for a glimpse of heaven.  God, as He always does, exceeds our expectations by not only letting us see it, but to live there forever!

·         We, as the apostles did, need to take joy in our suffering as it will make our reward that much sweeter.  Look how Paul closes this chapter.

 

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 (11) Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of the calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, (12)  that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

·         Paul was always praying for the church in Thessalonica to be able to fulfill the calling God had given them.  They were asked to suffer persecution and in so doing brought glory to God’s Name.

 

 

 

·          What suffering has God called us to? 

·         Each of our callings is different.  Some are called to endure sickness, some loneliness, and some persecution.  Many of us will be called to suffer with others through these circumstances by helping them carry their burdens.  We all have different crosses to carry, yet our desires should all be the same.  To glorify God through it.

·           Jesus spells it out for us in this:

Matthew 16:24-25  Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.  (25)  For whoever desires to save his life shall lose it, and whoever desires to lose his life for My sake shall find it.

·         We are asked to deny ourselves trusting Him and faithfully carry whatever cross He lays before us.  In so doing, we fulfill our calling and bring glory to our Heavenly Father.

 

Lord may we be found worthy of the calling you have laid upon our lives and may we bring glory to Your Name.