The first thing we see is that the apostle Paul loved this church. This should be an obvious trait of all of God’s children--that they love God and they love His church.
Illus: Show me a person who professes to be saved and love God, and yet all week they constantly attack God’s church and I will show you a person who does not really love God. However, show me a person who truly loves God, and I will show you a person who truly loves God’s church.
Paul loved God, and He loved the church Christ died for.
We can see His love for the church at Thessalonica displayed in three ways:
(1) We can see it in the expressions of affection in his writings to them.
(2) We can see it in the fact that he cared enough to write this second letter to them.
(3) We can see it in the concern he expressed for them as they suffered for the cause of Christ.
Because of his concern, we have the letter of 2 Thessalonians.
Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:12, “Yea. and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
The members of the church of Thessalonica lived godly lives and they suffered persecution. Paul wrote to them, to tell them that while their enemies may have been getting great pleasure out of persecuting them, they were to continue to trust in God.
Often when people do us wrong, we want to retaliate.
Illus: This reminds me of the story of the farmer who had been pestered by a carload of people who delighted in climbing his orchard fence and eating his apples without asking permission.
One day, as he walked up to them, one of them smiled sheepishly and said, “We hope you don’t mind that we took a few a few of your apples.”
“No, not at all” said the farmer, “And I hope you don’t mind that I took some of the air out of your tires.”
Being recipients of evil, we are always to remember, THEY ARE DISHING IT OUT NOW, but one day GOD WILL DO THE
DISHING OUT FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO US!
Let us look again at this passage from the perspective that God is going to be the One DISHING OUT TO THOSE WHO HAVE DISHED OUT EVIL IN THEIR LIFETIMES.
In the previous message, we looked at THE GREETING, and THE GROWTH. Now let us look at...
III. THE GIVING
“God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...”
You would think people would fall on their knees and give Him their lives, out of love and gratitude! How can we think otherwise, when we consider how good God has been to all of us?
Some people remind us of the parrot who seemed to never learn.
Illus: A Christian lady wanted a parrot that could talk. She looked in several shops before finding one. The owner told her, however, that the parrot had previously been owned by a bartender, and though he could say anything, he also, on occasion, used profanity. She told him she would buy him anyway and teach him to say good things. Everything went well for about a month. He learned to say “Praise the Lord,” and a number of other Christian words and phrases. One day, she forgot to feed him. When she came into the house, she heard him cursing. She grabbed him up and said, “I told you not to talk that way. I’ll teach you never to do it again.” So she put him in the refrigerator and shut the door. A few minutes later she took him out and asked, “Have you learned your lesson?” The bird shivered and replied, “Yes ma’am.” She asked, “Are you going to talk that way anymore?” The parrot replied, “No...ma’am.” About seven months went by, and not a bit of bad language. Apparently the bird was cured of his rascally habits. Then one day she forgot to feed him, water him, and clean his cage. When she returned home that day, he was carrying on worse than ever. She grabbed him, and put him back in the refrigerator, but then decided this time she would place him in the freezer, since he had not learned his lesson the last time.
However, she got busy and forgot she had put him there. Then she remembered, and got him out and put him in his cage to thaw out. Finally he began to move and talk a little, and she asked him again. “Did you learn your lesson?” “Yes ma’am,” he retorted! Then he sat there quietly for a few more minutes shivering and said, “Can I ask you a question?” She answered, “Yes.” The parrot said “I thought I knew all the bad words there were, but just what did that turkey in that freezer say?”
Some folks are like that parrot. They do not seem to be able to learn from their mistakes. They continue, year after year, making the same mistakes, until God removes them from this life.
The easiest lesson in life to learn, should be TO SERVE GOD ALL THE DAYS 0F OUR LIVES, BECAUSE GOD HAS BEEN SO GOOD TO US. You would think that out of gratitude for His blessings, SINNERS would do that.
What seems to be an obvious lesson for people to learn, also seems to be the most difficult. A man’s first love in life should be the Lord. Instead, lost people seem to love everything except God.
They seem to love everything that is:
• Anti-God
• Anti-Bible
• Anti-Church
All they give to God is a life of rebellion and rejection. What they forget is this, one day God, Who has given HIS LOVE, will give HIS WRATH.
Look at 2 Thess. 1:6-10. We read, “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day..”
WHAT IS PAUL SAYING IN THESE VERSES? He is telling us some things that would shock lost men, if they could just comprehend what is going to happen to them.
For some reason, the lost people who do not know Christ seem to find comfort in knowing the same thing will happen to others.
THIS IS RIDICULOUS THINKING!
Illus: A man went to the dentist. While he was waiting, he could hear other people who had appointments before him, groaning and moaning. Finally, the nurse came and told him he was next. After a few minutes, he joined the chorus of MOANING and GROANING, but did you know it was no comfort to him at all, that others were suffering while he was suffering.
When a lost person faces the wrath of God, he will find no comfort in the fact that others were suffering along with him.
God is going to punish the wicked.
Look at verse 6. We read, “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you.”
The people who attack God’s people and make their lives difficult, may think they can do it and walk away, and forget about all the evil they have done. Some did their evil years ago, and they have forgotten about all the LIES, and SLANDEROUS THINGS they said to destroy one of God’s children, but GOD HAS NOT FORGOTTEN! For example...
Illus: In the Old Testament, God told Saul to “utterly destroy” the Amalekites -- every man, woman, boy and girl. Now that may sound cruel, but IS IT? No! Let me tell you why.
When God led the nation of Israel from bondage in Egypt, it was an awesome task. That is, can you imagine leading a nation of people, from the bondage of Egypt to the promised land? Often, some became stragglers due to:
• Old age.
• Sickness.
• Pregnancy.
• Carelessness.
• The dust and dirt.
The Amalekites would capture all who would be separated from the main group, and torture and kill them. They had no mercy on the ones they should have had mercy on. They took advantage of their helplessness, and later, when Israel got settled down, God said, (Paraphrase), “Saul, I have not forgotten what the Amalekites have done. You gather the army of Israel together and slay everyone of them. They, as a nation, participated in this, and they, as a nation, will suffer the consequences of it!”
In the sight of God, it was a RIGHTEOUS THING that they be punished for all the wrongs they had done.
Beloved, I tell you, people may do evil and forget about it, but
GOD DOES NOT FORGET!
The ungodly live whole lifetimes doing EVIL ONLY. At the end of each week, you could take all the evil that some have done, and it would pile up like cord wood. THEY DO THEIR EVIL NOW, BUT ONE DAY GOD IS GOING TO SEE TO IT THEY ARE PUNISHED!
You see, God believes in justice! God also sees to it that the punishment outweighs the pleasure of doing any evil. You can sow “...the wind...” but you will reap “...the whirlwind “ (Hosea 8:7)
God, in verse 6, tells ungodly man, “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you.”
Yes, God is a God of justice, and He believes evil should be punished. He has not changed. We live in an age when punishment has almost become a thing of the past. For example...
Illus: Some say, “Well, I spank my children and it doesn’t seem to do any good.”
Illus: Years ago, when we had less trouble with our youth, parents did not call chastisement “spanking.” They called them “whippings,” and “beatings”, and that was what they were. I have had a few myself that came close to being a Rodney King beating. But, I knew one thing. By the time my dad got through with me, I had made up my mind, if I survived that beating, I would never again do what I had done!
When God gets through with the wicked, they will wish they had never DISHED OUT EVIL TO ANYONE. God is a JUST GOD!
Look at verses 8-9. We read, “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; Who shah be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.”
Listen, this is going to be the most dreadful time mankind has ever faced. No longer will the sinner be able to stand before a Savior who will look at him with eyes of compassion. Instead, the Savior’s eyes will be of justice, punishment, and of flaming fire.
Did you know that the Lord has more to say about HELL in His Word than He does about HEAVEN?
Why? When you get to heaven you will find out how great heaven is, but God does not want you to get into hell and find out how bad that place is.
Illus: If I could convince you that when you leave this church building this evening, and when you get into your car to go home, that somewhere along the way you will plow into a gasoline truck, and flames of fire will shoot from that collision and destroy you; you would not leave this building until you were satisfied you would be safe!
The Word of God warns lost people that the Lord is coming back, “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God. and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ,” and yet those of you who are not saved, will still walk out of this building as if you have nothing to be concerned about! Friend, you may as well face the fact that there is a hell, and that Christ will return to meet out justice.
Multitudes of injustices occur every day. It seems that evil men and women are getting away with it, but one day they will find out they have to give account of even every idle word they have spoken.
We read about His coming in verses 8-9. It says He is coming to punish those who “...know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.”
Lost man, you can give God all the hate and rejection that you want to give Him, but you had better not forget, He will be the last one giving things out!
Illus: Sometimes young fellows will play a game called, “Trading licks.” That is, one will ball up his fist and hit another young fellow as hard as he can on the muscle of his arm. Then that young fellow will hit the first as hard as he can.
But the fellow who throws the first lick, had better not forget that if he can not take it, he had better not dish it out, because if he dishes it out, he can expect to receive the same, if not more!
The lost man needs to consider, he can give God all the rebellion he wants to, but he had better not forget, God will be the last one to give.
Conclusion/Summary:
Let me ask a question to those who do not know the Lord as their Savior. Do you want to go to that terrible place, called Hell, that was prepared for the Devil and his angels? The fact is, if you do not have Christ as your Savior, that is where you will go! Christ is the only way you will escape Hell!
One thing is for sure. You will have Him either for your Savior, or for your judge!
(1 of 2)
I. THE GREETING
II. THE GROWTH
(2 of 2)
I. THE GIVING
