Series: Continued Encouragement [#2]
GOD IS IN CHARGE
2 Thessalonians 1:5-12
Introduction:
This was a Church worth bragging about. This Church was being persecuted on a regular basis, yet they continued on faithfully. The evidence of this, was how they allowed God to lead regardless of the circumstances.
2 Thessalonians 1:5-6 (NIV)
5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you.
In order for God to be in charge of your life, you must…
1. Let God deal with those who hurt you.
God knows what He is doing. As verse 5 says, “All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right”. Christians are not to retaliate against those who hurt them. God will deal with those that hurt His children. My 1st thought was, “It doesn’t seem like it”. It seems like those who hurt me prosper; but it is not up to me. God is just, let Him handle it.
2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 (NIV)
7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.
In order for God to be in charge of your life, you must…
2. Let God give you relief.
I will use a phrase that my mother would use with my brother and I to sum this up- “I am sick and tired”. It does get old feeling like you are the world’s punching bag. Life wears us down and we need a break. Here is the interesting part of this text- This relief will happen when Jesus comes back. Jesus comes to give rest to the believer; but retribution to the unbeliever and the make-believer. The believer is released from injustice and suffering.
This is telling us that Jesus will judge those who are not saved. Those who die without Christ as Savior will be punished eternally. This also reminds us that the only way to know the Father is through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the only way to salvation. The greatest punishment of Hell is not the darkness, screaming, or burning; it is the eternal separation from God.
With this knowledge, you may not get relief from persecution or pain on this Earth until Jesus comes back. As I was talking to someone about the ups and downs of my health this week; I was told that “God never gives us more than we can handle”. I told the person that they were wrong. On my own, I can’t handle anything. The truth is, “God never gives us more than we can handle through Him”. When I am weak, God is strong.
2 Thessalonians 1:10 (NIV)
10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.
In order for God to be in charge of your life, you must…
3. Let God take care of the timing.
Verse 10 says, “On the day he comes”. It doesn’t tell us when He is coming back; but He will return. The timing is completely up to God the Father. It will be an awesome day, the day that Jesus returns.
Conclusion:
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 (NIV)
11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are to live like Jesus is coming back today.
