It is once again time for the Weekend Sermon. I hope that all of you have had a very good week. I am feeling a lot better. I thank the Lord for helping me to get through a rough time.
Last week, we began a new series of messages where we will be going through the book of II Thessalonians to see what the Lord would have to say to us in this book. We saw last week, that Paul was thankful that those in the church where growing spiritually especially in their love for one another. In spite of trials and persecutions, they were persevering in the faith.
As we begin today, we see in verse six that Paul begins by stating that "God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you." In the context of the time when this epistle was written, Paul is letting the people in Thessalonica know that those who are persecuting them will not get away with that type of evil. God sees all. Wrong doing is not going unnoticed by the Lord. He sees all, and He keeps a record of all. Those who do what is wrong and do not follow the way of the Lord will ultimately face a day of reckoning.
When will this time of reckoning take place? Paul says in verse 7 that it will occur when the Lord Jesus comes at the time of His Second Coming when He returns in power and great glory with all of the angels of Heaven with Him.
When the Lord returns a judgment will take place. Those who are in rebellion against the Lord and have rejected Him and His ways will be cast away from His presence forever. Paul says that they will go into everlasting destruction. They have refused to accept the way of salvation made available to them by the Lord Jesus.
At the time of His Second Coming, Jesus will make all things new, and He will make all things right. Those who have done the good will receive a reward from the Lord. Those who have chosen to do what is evil will receive the punishment that is deserved for what they have done.
When Jesus returns, the world will be restored to the state in which it existed before sin entered into the world and destroyed the perfect world that God had created. There will be no more wars, and there will be no more crime and conflict. Everyone all over the entire created order will bow the knee to Jesus Christ and declare that He is Lord. Jesus will rule and reign in righteousness, and He will execute justice with mercy over all that He has made.
When Jesus comes, Paul says that He will be, "glorified in His holy people." Those who have known the Lord in this life will be with Him in the age to come. The Lord will receive all of the glory because He is the one who has obtained the victory. Everyone who is with Jesus in the world to come will be there because of the grace of God. No one who is there will have earned their way there, and they won't be there because of some goodness on their own part. Salvation and participation in the world to come is by grace through faith and not of works.
Right now, the majority of the human race is in rebellion against God. All of the creation is groaning waiting for the day of redemption. One day, the Lord will put and end to the rebellion and He will reign. You have the opportunity to have a part in the Kingdom that is to come. Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins. Believe in your heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead, and ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life. The Lord Jesus will take away your sins and give you His righteousness. You will have new life now and in the age to come. Amen.
Prayer Requests
Please keep praying that I will continue to have improvements in my health. Thank you.
Pray for those in Florida dealing with the floods. Pray that they can get the help that they need.
Continue to pray for peace in the world. Sudan, Ukraine, Israel, Gaza and Syria all need our prayers at this time.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Malaysia and Gambia. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
Next week, we will continue with our current series. I will post the verses on Monday. May God bless you all.
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