Thank you once again for taking the time to read the sermon this week. This has been a rough week in my part of the world. Just north of where I live there has been a lot of flooding. Thank God, the weather is supposed to be nice for the next couple of days at least. I hope that all of you are doing well.
This week, we are again looking into what the Lord has to teach us from the second epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians. Last week, we saw that just before Jesus returns to this earth, the man of lawlessness will be revealed. Paul was making sure that the people understood that the Second Coming has not already taken place. The antichrist would come on the scene before Jesus would come back.
Those who have not followed the Lord Jesus in this life will be the ones who are deceived by the antichrist. He will perform signs to lead people into believing that he is really God. However, the antichrist will be overcome when Jesus returns.
When Jesus returns, there will be a judgment. Those who have chosen of their own free will to reject Jesus will be forever separated from Him. They will have no part in the New Heaven and the New Earth that the Lord Jesus will bring about.
On the other hand, Paul makes it clear in our passage today that those who have believed in the Lord and have been set apart by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit will enter into the joy of the Lord and will part of the Lord's eternal kingdom. Paul says that those who have believed in Jesus will share in the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. This means that we will be with Jesus forever. Those who believe will see the restoration of all things. They will see the New Jerusalem, and they will be able to go in and out of the gates of that great city. Those who believe will see Jesus high and lifted up in all of His glory. And those who are in Christ shall ever praise and glorify the Lamb with all the saints.
I want to backtrack a little and speak about Paul's mention in this chapter of people believing the lie. The lie that Paul is speaking about is twofold. First of all, many who are alive when the man of lawlessness is revealed will believe the lie that he tells that he is God. They will fall for his lying signs and wonders and worship him. However, I think that there is another component to this.
Humanity is in a great rebellion against God and the things of God. This world and this world system is already trapped in believing the lie, the great lie, that man does not need God. The vast majority of people want to do what they want to do when they want to do it regardless of what God has revealed to be His will. People do evil things and are continually going against the moral and ethical standards of the Lord.
In order to make themselves appear to be righteous, people create their own false belief systems in order to justify themselves and their actions. This is all a lie, because it denies the True and Living God. The Bible says that their is a way that seems right to men, but the end is the way of death.
People want to believe the lie that there are many ways to God, or they believe that they can justify themselves. Many nowadays reject the idea of God altogether. However, the Word of the Lord is very clear. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through Jesus. We can only be right with God and end our rebellion against Him by coming to faith in Jesus. We have to turn from our sin and turn to the Savior. We must acknowledge Jesus as Lord.
I hope that you have asked Jesus to be your Savior and Lord. He invites everyone to come to Him. Those who come to Him will be part of His great kingdom that is to come. Amen.
Prayer Requests
Please continue to pray that I will get to feeling better. Thank you.
Pray for those who were impacted by hurricane Beryl. Pray that they will get the aid that they need to recover. Also, pray that this storm will weaken and stop hurting people.
Let us keep praying for peace. Remember to pray for peace in Sudan, Israel, Gaza and Ukraine this week.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Guinea-Bissau and Laos. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
Next week, we will continue in II Thessalonians. I will post the verses on Monday. May God bless you all.
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