Anything that is extremely valuable will be counterfeited. Fake gems have been around for thousands of years, but as the technology for making fakes has advanced, fakes are now harder to detect with the naked eye.
Gem buyers today must be aware of three types of gems that are made to look more valuable than they are.
1. Synthetic gems are lab-grown stones that closely duplicate a natural gem’s physical and chemical properties.
2. Simulated gems are also manmade. The color of a simulated stone may be similar to that of a natural gem, but it is very different physically and chemically. Cubic zirconia is a well-known diamond simulation.
3. Enhanced gems are natural gems altered in some way to improve their look. Color can be enhanced through heat, radiation, oils and chemicals. Other methods used to imitate or enhance the value of stones are dying, waxing or smoking poor quality stones to make them look richer.
Experts advise buyers to verify a stone’s value with gem-testing labs, such as the Gemological Institute of America, before any sales are final. When paying big money for jewels, you want to be very careful about getting the genuine article. (Sermon Central)
When we read our text this morning from 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; we can see that we need to seek out Scriptural truth because there are those out there that are trying to deceive. Let’s read 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12:
2 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters,2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come.
3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
5 Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? 6 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time.7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming.
9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
I. Background
Much to my chagrin this has been labeled one of the most difficult passages in the New Testament by some scholars. The problem is Paul is making sense to the people of that day, but in our context it proves to be more difficult to understand or does it when we look around at our world today.
We talked about the situation the last time 2 weeks ago. The Thessalonians had thought they had missed the day of the Lord. They had listened to what others had said and they had even been deceived by who they thought was Paul into thinking the Day of the Lord had come. Paul is assuring them it has not happened yet, but was yet to happen.
II. The Situation
Paul is saying in this passage that there would be an age of rebellion against God yet to happen. Paul talks about a lawless one that is yet to come…some translations call him the Son of Perdition, the man of sin…it is an a secret evil power… This is the incarnation of evil…Satan…This is opposite of Jesus who is the incarnation of God…of all that is good.
Paul is saying that Satan will and is having his time here on earth…he is gathering people and deceiving people to join him. Just as Jesus gathers those that will accept Him, Satan is gathering those who reject Jesus. 1 Peter 5:8 states: Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
In verse 4 we see that the devil, Satan wants the glory for himself. He wants the world to worship him… He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. This goes against the very truth of God’s law… Though shall have no other God’s before Me.
Paul says in verses 9 and 10: 9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, 10 and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
Let me ask you today…Have you seen Satan’s displays of power, signs and wonders that serve to prove the lie Satan is promoting? Have you seen in this world what Satan is using to pull people from God?
- Society thinks it is okay to terminate pregnancies when God had His hand on conceiving that life.
- Every year television pushes the boundaries as far as they can go promoting promiscuity and alternative lifestyles contrary to the will of God.
- In the music that is produced and does have an influence on our society that promotes hate, violence, promiscuity, illegal and immoral behavior.
- The courts have all done everything to eliminated God from our children’s classrooms. (they have not eliminated Christian kids from the classroom so we need to raise our kids to be open about their faith in the classroom)
- We see violence on the rise, school shootings and stabbings. Last year I read about 3 machete attacks in this city and lots of gang violence.
- Morals have been redefined by the standards of the world. Even in the church we are seeing a slipping of morals
I think we can all agree we can see the work of Satan in our world, in our schools, in the media and in our governments.
Paul reminds the Thessalonians that they had talked about this lawless one in the past and Paul reminds them again in verse 8 that this will be dealt with. Now Paul is talking about the true second coming when Christ shall return and with the army of the Lord, the Lord will crush evil and the evil one.
Barclay states: Then would come a last Battle in which Christ would utterly destroy the Lawless One; Christ’s people would be gathered to Him and the wicked men who had accepted the Lawless One as their master would be destroyed.
So Paul is picturing a growing rebellion against God… Paul is picturing the devil trying to proclaim himself as God… and in the end there is this final battle…final struggle where the one true God will be victorious…
Revelation 21:10 says: And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
The devil is roaming and has been allowed to roam, but one day Jesus will return with the saints and the devil, the lawless one will be defeated… The day of the Lord is yet to come and we as believers need to take hope in this.
III. Three Truths
Well out of this I want us to take away three truths. Truths that may not be easy, but will help you guard yourself in light of what is going on around us.
First, we need to acknowledge that there is an evil one in the world and that there is evil around us. The worst thing we can do is deny this. For us to say “it is what it is” is denying the devil has power. We need not only be aware of his power and be aware of the damage it can do to us. And we also have to come against the devil on behalf of others.
We serve a risen Saviour who is in the world today and has far more power than the devil. We need to call on the power of Jesus at all times and be in tune with Jesus…We need to call on the power of Jesus on behalf of our family, our friends, our coworkers and our neighbours. This takes prayer and communing with God…don’t let the devil get the upper hand…we serve an all-powerful God.
Second, we need to remember that God is still in control. Just as humankind has made some poor choices in the past so did some of the angels. I have often asked myself…”how could these angels in the presence of God choose to go against God”? But they did and Revelation 12:7-9 states:
7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
When the angels acted up in heaven God is in control. When the fallen angels and the devil are causing havoc on earth God is still in control and one day Jesus will come back again and defeat Satan and his fallen angels for good. God is in control!
William Barclay says: Things may seem to be crashing to chaos but in some strange way even the chaos is in God’s control.
Third, we need to know; in the end the ultimate triumph of God is sure. Like we just said God is in control and in the end nothing can stand against God. The Lawless One may have his day, but there comes a time when God says it is time… We do not know when that time will be but we need to be certain of what side we are on when that time comes.
So many people have trouble accepting that there is a God and have trouble accepting the grace that is freely given. God does not wish any to perish but ultimately it comes down to our choice will we accept the grace that is freely given…?
No matter what we are faced with in our lives…In the end Jesus will triumph over evil and He will set up His perfect Kingdom here on earth and Satan and all evil with him will be banished. I want to be a part of that perfect kingdom.
Conclusion:
On August 30, 2005 Coast Guard Lieutenant Lain McConnell was ordered to fly his H46 helicopter to New Orleans and to keep that machine flying around the clock for what would turn out to be a heroic rescue effort. None of his crew were prepared for what they were about to see. They were ahead of every news crew in the nation. The entire city of New Orleans was under water. On their first three missions that day they saved 89 people, three dogs and two cats.
On the fourth mission, despite twelve different flights to New Orleans, he and his crew were able to save no one. None! They all refused to board the helicopter. Instead they told the Coast Guard to bring them food and water. Yet they were warned that this extremely dangerous. The waters were not going to go away soon. Sadly, many of those people perished because of their refusal to be rescued. (From a sermon by Michael P. Walther, Blessed is He Who Comes in the Name of the Lord, 5/25/2011)
The Day of the Lord is coming! There will be many… leading up to that time that will refuse the Gospel message that saves. Others will accept the life rope when offered. We need to stay strong like Paul told the Thessalonians. There is evil all around us and the evil one would like nothing better than to see Christians making poor choices. Here’s what we need to do:
1. Keep God’s Word in our heart
2. Develop a strong prayer life
3. stay close to God and resist the devil
4. Be aware there is a devil and that the devil is real
5. And…Test the spirits and the prophecies and see if they are from God. Just like the people buying precious gems, we need to be careful of the teachings and teachers that are out there…do they line up with Scripture?
And remember, It is God who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy.
