God Encourages and Challenges His People

0 (8s): Welcome to everyone around campus who is watching right now. Hello to everyone at home. We just send our love. When does welcoming God's presence this morning to be in our midst all over this County, wherever you're gathered. So let's go before the Lord together and prayer, as we begin today, heavenly father, we look to you. We don't look to the left. We don't look to the right to you. Would you set our hearts on your truth on your goodness, on your faithfulness towards us? 0 (51s): So we weighed upon your presence. Holy spirit, would you come we're in need of you today? Would you touch every heart that is hurting every mind that is racing with anxiety? Would you come and bring peace passes our understanding today? Would you restore our souls and lead us beside those still waters? Refresh us, renew us, strengthen us and the weekend. Thank you, Lord. 0 (1m 25s): . 0 (18m 45s): Thank you. Thank you that you always find us. There's no pit too deep or too dark that your love can't meet us there. So thank you, God, that we're never out of your sight. It's your love can always reach us with your hope can always find this. So we just welcome your presence in this season of our life. Would you come in and bring light and bring healing? We just open our hearts to receive all that you have for us to stay free, that you would help us to receive your word as it's preached this morning, that would just take root deep in our hearts. Those seeds that are planted. 0 (19m 27s): Welcome you Holy spirit to come and have your way in our hearts and in our, in our lives, in the precious name of Jesus. Amen. Amen. Awesome. Well, this would be a great time to say hello to someone around you. If you're here on campus at home, this hug someone that's with you, or take a moment to just spend some time with the Lord if you're by yourself this morning, but just know that his love was in our hearts, that we share that with one another. So would you take a moment just to greet those around you went back in just a few minutes with some announcements. 1 (20m 5s): Hey, good morning. Harvest Church glad to see you all here. I'm glad for those of you who joining us in person. And then for those of us who are for those of you who are joining us online as well. We're so glad you're, you're, you're connecting with us and yeah, another Sunday. And if you are joining us for the first time in person, we'd love for you to stop by the info center. That way you can get a free gift and just find out ways to connect to Harvest Church. So please do that at the info center right next to the coffee station, just heads up. We have a few different in-person venue options this week. So in case you didn't know, we are back in person this week, but the, the changes are as follows. 1 (20m 48s): So we have the loft and parsonage, which are our mask only options. We have the patio outside, which we've expanded more seating out there. So we've got some, you know, that's, that's where I think the majority of folks are gathering in the outdoor patio. We've got those heaters. Hopefully those are keeping you guys warm. We have currently at this time, the sanctuary is close to in-person. We're hoping to open that up in the future. And then also kids and youth are resuming this week as well. So they will be open up a second service. We'll have the youth group. There's a few ways to give. You can give online at AGU Harvest dot org or there's some collection boxes throughout the campus. 1 (21m 28s): There's a one in the parsonage as well as one on the patio for you to give. And let's see, we got some great winter life groups coming up. That is the season we're kicking off right now. So we got S we have some home groups. We have a yarn crafting group men, and women's Bible studies, young adults and golfing. I didn't know there's a golfing group. I am not a golfer, but I think what I might have to do is start a rock climate adventure group. So we got a groups ticket for your, for you to join. You can find those. If you go to the info center, as well as online, you go to the website on the website, you go to the next steps and then there's a connect option. 1 (22m 10s): So click that connect. And that gives an email so you can send out and find out ways to connect to our church. And then lastly, next week is the sanctity of life, Sunday, sanctity of life Sunday. So the lifeline we're having a lifeline baby bottle drive, and that will be next Sunday. So just be prepared to come pick up a bottle, fill it with change or some cash. Cause I guess there's a chain CA change shortage going on. So maybe fill it up with some cash and then you'll bring it back the following Sunday. So come find out what lifeline is doing in our, within our community and amazing ministry. So find out more next week and then I want to welcome up pastor Steve. 1 (22m 55s): You're very good to be here. Welcome. Good morning. It is 2 (23m 0s): So good to be back in. Church good to be here. Last week, we had Brad Degas speaking from Pacific justice Institute and he did a great job. And then we had Brad come and speak to our pastor's group on Wednesday. So we had about 25 pastors gathering for lunch, and then Brad talked about his ministry to, and, and, and the ministry that supports religious liberties in our nation. And so anyway, good stuff. A lot of really wonderful things have been happening this year already. I'm really glad 2020s behind us. I'm looking forward to 2021. I've got some re five reflections on 2020 before we get into our texts. 2 (23m 41s): This morning, we'll be in second Thessalonians chapter one, but five reflections really quick. The dumbest thing I ever bought was a 2020 plan 3 (23m 49s): Planner in tonight do not 2019. 2 (23m 54s): We were to stay away from negative people and in 2020 we're to stay away from positive people. So a number three old folks are sneaking out of the house and their kids are yelling at them to stay 3 (24m 6s): And doors. And number four, 2 (24m 9s): This virus has done what no woman has been able to do. Cancel sports, shut down all bars and keep men at home. So that's been a good thing. And then number five, never in a million years that I ever think that I'd be going up to a bank teller with a mask on asking for money. So there we go, 20 things we learned in 20, 20, happy 20, 21. It's a new year. We've got a new president, but we've got the same God who is on the throne. And so with that, let's go ahead and stand up. We're going to pray as we jump into second Thessalonians. So Lord, we stand in honor of you. We pray, we thank you for this time. God, I pray that as the ministry of the word, it goes forth. 2 (24m 51s): God, that you'd speak to us. And I know that you've been speaking to me as I've prepared the message. I pray that you would just continue that good work and speak to everybody who might be listening online or in the loft, in the parsonage, on the patio, wherever we may be. Lord God. And whenever this message is listened to, I pray that you would encourage and not just with the message, but also with the worship. The worship was just so powerful this morning. And we pray that as we worship God, that we'd worship in spirit and in truth, God, that we would approach your throne of grace with such gratitude, with such excitement, with such appreciation God, that we would grow in our faith this year, that we'd grow in love this year that we grow in Endurant this year that we would grow in every area and arena of our lives. 2 (25m 41s): Lord God. So be glorified as we do, as we trust you, as we look to your word this morning, Lord in Jesus name, amen. Amen. You can be seated 3 (25m 52s): Jumping into second Thessalonians 2 (25m 54s): Today. This letter was written by the apostle Paul, like the letter of first Thessalonians. It was written from Corinth like the first letter was, and it was written very shortly after, shortly after the first letter, some would say as soon as a month after. So anywhere from 12 to one month to 12 months after the first letter was written, Paul wrote the second letter. He wrote it to clarify truth and to combat lies that the people in this church had begun to believe. So Paul communicated a letter about the second coming of Christ, and there were some misunderstanding about that. The people were experiencing great persecution during this time for their faith in Christ. 2 (26m 37s): And some were telling them that the day of the Lord had already happened and they missed it. And they began to believe that you might imagine the great persecution that they were under. They were discouraged. It's never fun going through hardship through persecution. And it actually leaves us a little vulnerable sometimes. And we're vulnerable to maybe the lies of the enemy. Maybe we begin to misunderstand what the scriptures said, and maybe we've missed God maybe we feel like we've missed God. And so Paul writes this second letter to address the issue of the second coming. We get to that. And chapter two, Paul talks in chapter two about the second coming and chapter three, Paul addresses the, 4 (27m 20s): He Challenges the People 2 (27m 23s): The followers of the Lord Jesus to continue to work, to support themselves and to work for the kingdom as they trust and obey the Lord. And so that's kind of chapters three and two chapters, two and three, and then we'll get into chapter one today, 4 (27m 34s): The sermon title God Encourages and Challenges His People okay. 2 (27m 40s): And I've found throughout the course of my life as a follower of the Lord, Jesus Christ, that he does 4 (27m 44s): Both he Encourages Andy Challenges, what do you need today? What do you need in your life? 2 (27m 52s): Do you need to be encouraged? Maybe you're doing some things really well and you just need to be reminded that God is pleased with you. Maybe you're struggling a bit and you need to be challenged in your faith and God will, God will do that for you as well. And I say for you, because 4 (28m 6s): He does it with your best 2 (28m 9s): And, and, and, and his heart and mind, he wants to bless you. And everything he does is for our good and for his glory. And so Paul, and as he's under the influence of the Holy spirit, writes this letter to the church 4 (28m 22s): To both encourage and to 2 (28m 25s): Challenge the people of God. So Paul Encourages the Thessalonians for their faith, their love, and for their adherence. 4 (28m 35s): And he Challenges they're wrong thinking he th th they needed to be challenged with 2 (28m 42s): They're wrong thinking, because if they're wrong, thinking were allowed to go on. Then the area of faith and love and endurance would begin to suffer, and they begin to waffle a bit in that area. 4 (28m 55s): They were doing well, but 2 (28m 57s): If they don't fix their stinking, thinking their faith love and endurance will be impacted. Maybe you're doing really well in some areas, but you've got some stinking thinking. You've got some under you just misunderstand what God is saying in the scripture. And you're beginning to believe some wise, I would just challenge you to always go back to the word of God. We understand best the word of God. When we just read the word of God, the word of God will speak to us. And God through the power of the Holy spirit will begin to enlighten and illuminate that truth to our understanding. And it will, it will fix errors in our thinking and our understanding. So again, if they continue to believe these lies that Jesus had already returned, they will begin to lose heart. So let's just talk about that kind of that the order of events before we get into second Thessalonians, let's kind of talk about the order of events, it's of an outline of the book of revelation. 2 (29m 45s): So revelation is 22 chapters, and we're not going to study revelation probably for a few months, but I think we'll probably get to it. And probably three or four or five months here sometime this year, I think, but just to help us understand. So first Thessalonians talks about the rapture in first Thessalonians, chapter four, and first Corinthians chapter 15, beginning of verse 51, we read about the rapture, and this is going to be a time when God comes from heaven and he doesn't actually land on the earth. But what he does is he comes in from the clouds and he raptures, he takes up so that in Christ will rise first. And then those who are alive will follow and we'll will be taken to heaven. 2 (30m 26s): This is what we believe. We believe that at the rapture, we, the believers in Christ and the dead in Christ will rise and we'll, we'll go to heaven. And then that will begin the tribulation period. The tribulation period is a time that begins in revelation, chapter four, all the way through revelation chapter 19 seven year tribulation period. It's, God's judgment on the earth for against those who refuse to obey and refuse to believe who he is and accept the mercy and grace of the Lord, Jesus Christ. And so we see that revelation chapter four through revelation, chapter 19 and the seven-year tribulation period. And then at the end of that, we see the return of price and the battle of Armageddon. 2 (31m 9s): We see that in revelation chapter 19, verses 11 through 21. So the return of Christ. So you've got the rapture that's when God comes to get us Church. And then at the second coming the return of Christ Christ actually returns with the Church to reign and rule for a thousand years on the earth. So when Christ returns in revelation, chapter 19, verses 11 through 21, it's at the end of the seven year tribulation period. And then the millennial reign of Christ. Satan is bound for a thousand years, that's revelation 20, and then Satan will be released again to deceive the nations. And that's in revelation chapter 20, verse seven. 2 (31m 50s): And then after that revelation, 20 verse 11 is the great white throne judgment. That's when not believers, but unbelievers will be judged and, and, and sent to the bottomless pits to hell. And then in revelation 21 and 22, we see the new Jerusalem, the new heaven, the new earth eternity, and that's where we will spend believers in Christ will spend eternity with the Lord. And so that's kind of a breakdown of revelation. The first three chapters of the revelation, one, two, and three are letters to the Church. And after revelation, chapter three, we don't hear mention of the church on the earth. And so, anyway, that's kind of what we believe. 2 (32m 33s): And so when we read about the second coming and the, the rapture, they're two separate events. And so we just need to be aware of that. So first Thessalonians deals with the rapture second Thessalonians deals with the second coming of Christ. So let's just jump, jump into second Thessalonians chapter one, and we'll unpack it and see what the Lord has to speak to us. This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy. We are writing to the Church and festival Anika to you who belong to God, our father and the Lord Jesus Christ. So Paul's writing to the Church to the Church at the festival and Church, but also to us in this 21st century church called Harvest Church, God's speaking to us and the 21st century church, capital C church globally, the global church, he's speaking to the church then. 2 (33m 23s): And he is speaking to the Church. Now may God, our father and the Lord, Jesus Christ, give you grace and peace, grace and peace, but it's something we constantly need. We need the grace of the Lord, Jesus Christ, and the Shalom of God, the peace of God, you're brothers and sisters. We can't help, but thank God for you because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. So in spite of persecution, in spite of very difficult, difficult circumstances in their life, a couple of things are happening. Their faith is flourishing and their love for one another is growing number one. And your notes is your, I just want to ask you this question is your faith. 2 (34m 6s): Flourishing is your faith flourishing. And we're saved by grace through faith. And so we're, we there's this powerful faith element involved in our salvation, but then our faith has the opportunity to grow and in endure through difficulties, and sometimes our faith waivers, meaning we're not believing God as much as we should. We're not trusting God as much as we should. We're not following God as much as we should. When Paul talks about their flourishing faith, he's talking about their ability to remain faithful in the face of difficulty, but what a great opportunity that it is for the church to grow in this area of faith. 2 (34m 48s): As we face difficulty, they haven't quit. These people of God haven't quit because things have gotten difficult. This letter is to us to encourage us not to quit when things get difficult, no matter how long you walk with the Lord, whether you're mature or brand new in the faith, you're going to face, difficulty in your faith will be tested. These people haven't stopped because God is allowing persecution. They haven't stopped believing because God is allowing persecution. They have declared till they are. They have decided to live as Christ and to die is gain. So whether they lived or died, they were going to live on to the Lord and die. 2 (35m 29s): Knowing that they'd be with the Lord in heaven, they realized that suffering is part of the call to follow Jesus. I think, especially in the Western church, In this 21st century world that we live in, we need to be reminded of some things in scripture about suffering. The apostle Peter wrote in first, Peter four 12 through 19, he talked to a lot about suffering and, and Peter suffered. He was martyred for his faith history tells us he was crucified upside down and 4 (35m 58s): Martyred for his faith. 2 (35m 60s): This is what he said. Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials. These are not just light little things that happen to us, but difficult, deep, deep difficulties in our lives. Don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through as if something strange were happening to you. And that the way we feel sometimes like Lord, what's going on. And we forget that this is part of the deal. We forget that trials and tribulation are part of the deal. We see it throughout the scripture. Well, the people of God suffered in the old Testament. People have got suffered in the new Testament instead. Be very glad, 4 (36m 38s): Interesting. Be very 2 (36m 40s): Glad for these trials, make you partners with Christ in his suffering so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed for the glorious spirit of God rests upon 4 (36m 59s): You. So if you're 2 (37m 1s): Suffering persecution, because of the name of Jesus, hang in there on this side of heaven 4 (37m 7s): Or the other God will, God will, God will bless you. And I think it's both. I think 2 (37m 14s): God will bless us and our spirits and in our lives, when we separate persecution, giving us the grace to endure it. And then obviously on the other side of heaven, there's going to be amazing blessing for those who endure. But verse 15, Peter says, if you suffer, however, it must not be for murder for stealing, for making trouble or prying into other people's affairs. So if you're suffering because you're doing dumb stuff, you're not going to, you're not going to be blessed. So don't be involved in, in bad behavior and expect that the Lord is going to bless you. There's a difference here. We sometimes suffer because we are meddling in other people's affairs, making trouble stealing murder. 2 (37m 55s): There's, there's all kinds of dumb things that we do that get us into hot water. So Peter saying, Hey, be careful. Make sure that you're living above reproach. And that the suffering that you're experiencing is really for standing up for the Lord. And not because you're just causing trouble for 16, but there's no shame. We're still in first, Peter. It's no shame to suffer for being a Christian praise God for the privilege of being called by his name for the time has come for judgment. And it must begin with God's household. 4 (38m 26s): Whew. 2 (38m 27s): And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits, those who have never obeyed God's good news. And also if the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to sinners? So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God keep on doing what is right and trust your lives to the God who created you for, he will never 4 (38m 45s): Fail you. 2 (38m 47s): Is your faith flourishing? Is it growing? Do you see a difference, an obvious difference in your faith from maybe a year ago or even six months ago, maybe even last week, you have the opportunity to, 4 (39m 1s): And endure and decide to believe and to allow your faith to flourish. I don't know what you're going through. I don't know, but God does. 2 (39m 16s): And as I said earlier, everything that God allows us for our good and for his glory. So if you can just rest and God and that truth and allow your faith to flourish, maybe just ask the Lord, Lord, I don't know how to make my faith flourish right now. I'm frustrated. I'm angry. I don't understand, but I want my faith to flourish. But what, what great opportunity that the Lord has in your life to just strengthen you, to teach you, to give you the grace that you need for your circumstance. So is your, is your faith flourishing? Are you growing and becoming more solid? Are you unshakeable? Are you fully in with God? If you've got a back door escape plan and your walk with God, then you're not fully in with God, but if you don't have that backdoor escape and you're saying, God, I'm all in unshakeable, I'm solid. 2 (40m 1s): I'm growing. I'm committed myself to you. Then, then, then your faith will we'll grow and flourish. And that's 4 (40m 10s): Really, it's really a lot of fun actually, when you're 2 (40m 14s): Coming out of something, reading in the midst of something. And you're, you're just saying, Lord, I'm, I'm, I'm hunkered down by your grace because you're good. I'm going to just stay with you. I, I want my faith to flourish. I think sometimes we, we, we get, we, we don't allow it to flourish. We waffle, we backslide and then we have to start all over again because God's not gonna relent. He's gonna take us down paths that mature us. And that grows up in our most Holy faith. So just go for it. Just allow God his good work in you grow to that next level in your faith and your next level of understanding and watch what God will do to bless you. That'd be great fruitfulness in your life. 2 (40m 54s): Number two is your love for one another growing. And that's what w that's what the church that Thessalonian church was, was praised for that their love for one another was growing. Hardships can either humble 4 (41m 7s): You or harden you hardships can either humble you or, 2 (41m 12s): Or hard. And you, I would just encourage you and ask you to allow hardships to happen. 4 (41m 20s): How, what does that mean? And I think it just means it, it, 2 (41m 23s): It takes you to a new level in your faith. You're saying, Lord, I don't, I don't like it. I don't understand it. I don't get it. But Lord, I, I trust your, your Lordship. I trust your leadership. I trust that you were the King of Kings and that, and you've, you're, you're taking care of me. And, and so I'm not gonna allow my heart to get hardened, but I'm gonna humble myself. If hardship is hardening you, you will find it more difficult to love people. If our chip is humbling, you, your love for people will grow. So a quick question, do you have a growing list of people you can't stand 4 (42m 6s): A growing list of people that you just can't stand, that you can't get along. 2 (42m 13s): You don't like. I think as we get older in our faith and get older just in our life, we, we either harden up or we humble ourselves. We harden up and just get more rigid. And like fewer and fewer people love fewer and fewer people distance ourselves from more and more people, or we just humble ourselves. And then out of that humbling, that decision to humble ourselves, our hearts grow our CA our capacity to love 4 (42m 43s): Expands. And we find the ability we find in us, 2 (42m 47s): The ability by God's grace, to love people that are just really challenging and hard. Of course, you know, that we can waffle and backslide at times, invited hard to love them, but that we, we, we, when we're humbling ourselves constantly, we find ourselves back in that place. We're saying, you know what? I don't necessarily agree with that person and this area or that area. I don't like the way they live their lives, but I, I just find a love for them. I, I find like I want to pray for them instead of judge them and that sort of thing, the Thessalonians through all of their hardship, we're choosing to love and growing in their love for one another. If you're having our time, loving people, invite God to love people through you. 2 (43m 30s): Love is, is part of the fruit of the spirit. So Galatians five tells us in 22, through 25, but the Holy spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives. The first thing that he mentions is love the world will know that we're the followers of Jesus Christ, disciples of God, because of our love. One for another God wants to produce this stuff in our lives. Love. Let's go back to that verse, but the Holy spirit will produce this kind of fruit in our lives. Love 4 (44m 2s): Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 2 (44m 8s): Gentleness. And self-control, there's no law against these things. And there's no judgment coming from God against these things. This is, this is righteous stuff that God accomplishes in us. Those who belong to Christ Jesus verse 24 says those who belong to Christ. Jesus 4 (44m 24s): Nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. So 2 (44m 32s): Our desire to hate people or to be angry with people, but we we've nailed those things to the cross. 4 (44m 40s): And we take the 2 (44m 42s): Attitude of Christ for God. So loved the world that he gave. His only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. We have this grace perspective toward People this love perspective towards People. Since we are living by the spirit verse 25, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part 4 (44m 59s): Of our lives. 2 (45m 3s): If you're struggling to love people, invite the power of God through his Holy spirit to teach you how to love. But if your faith is strong and your love is strong, be encouraged. It's okay to be encouraged. It really is good to be encouraged. If your faith is strong and your love is strong, be encouraged. God is doing a good work in you. So you can be grateful. Say, Lord, I'm thankful that I don't think it's arrogant to say I'm, I'm thankful that my faith has grown. I, I probably would have responded differently to this circumstance a year ago, but I, I just, for some reason, by God's grace, there's spending growth there. And I think it's okay to, to, to recognize that you're becoming more and more like, God, it's the same. 2 (45m 44s): It's the process of sanctification. And it's good to rejoice in that. Paul obviously pointed to this Church as examples of people, of faith and love. So it's okay. If you're finding that you're, it's easier to love people or this you're deciding to love people rejoice in that if your faith is strong and your love is strong, be encouraged. Let that put a smile on your face, enjoying 4 (46m 7s): Your heart. I think sometimes 2 (46m 9s): We're, we don't know what to do when we're doing well, where we don't want to be proud and we don't want to be proud, but, 4 (46m 15s): And we certainly can be joyful. We can be happy 2 (46m 20s): And excited and grateful. And anytime God's doing something good in my life, I know that it's by his grace because he's good. Not because I'm good. And so I just want to walk around with gratitude saying thank you, Lord. I, I dunno know why I've all of a sudden had growth in this area, but I I'm so glad that I, 4 (46m 39s): I have certainly don't want to, you know, not yeah. 2 (46m 43s): Be growing. And so let's rejoice when we're growing, not brag about it, but just say, yeah, thank you, Lord. God is good. If you're struggling, I just want to encourage you. God will help. 4 (46m 55s): He's 2 (46m 56s): So loves you. He just is so much he has for you. And he knows the area of your struggle and he just wants to help you. That's why he's given us his word. That's why he's given us Church so that we can come together as the body of Christ and as iron sharpens iron. So one person can sharpen another so we can encourage one another praying for one another, challenging one another and loving on one another. All of that from the first few verses, verse four, we proudly tell God's other churches about your and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships. You are suffering. 2 (47m 36s): Number three, how has your endurance and faithfulness as you deal with hardships, how is your endurance? We've kind of been talking about this thing. Your endurance during hardships proves that you belong to God that you're empowered and filled with the Holy spirit. The Holy spirits has come into your life. And this filled you, the fruit of the spirit is obvious. And the power of God is obvious 4 (48m 11s): In your life. And 2 (48m 13s): You know, we talked about all this time. Ephesians five says to be continually filled with the Holy spirit. We just constantly need the Holy spirit to strengthen us, to give us in Durance and faithfulness. As we deal with 4 (48m 25s): Hardship in our lives, 2 (48m 27s): Verse five says, and God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his kingdom, for which you are suffering. So the enduring Thessaloniki sons would be counted worthy of God's kingdom because of their suffering. According to the word of God, their faithful endurance doesn't save them. Their suffering doesn't save them. They and we are saved by grace, through faith, the suffering saints, that Thessalonian church and us, that we demonstrate our faith by our willingness to suffer and not to give up our faith is demonstrated. 2 (49m 10s): Faith without works is dead. And so we demonstrates that our faith is real when we decide to endure and remain faithful in S in, in, in, in, in, in spite of the difficulties and, and hard things that we are up against 4 (49m 31s): The suffering 2 (49m 32s): Saints demonstrate their faith by their willingness to suffer and not give up. If you can trust God, because he is faithful. And he is just, so what will ultimately happen to those persecuting God's people? 4 (49m 47s): Well, 2 (49m 48s): In his justice, God will judge them verse six in his justice. He will pay those who pay, pay those who persecute you. He will pay them back. They will be held accountable for their lives and for their decisions. God has just, and he will balance the scales in Romans 1219. And the new King James version says, vengeance is mine. I will repay says the Lord. And so we're not to take vengeance on people who are persecuting us. We just let the Lord handle that. 2 (50m 29s): We will see this, and we will, we will see that this judgment we'll see this judgment in verse eight, but let's look at verse seven. First. It says, and God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted. And also for us, when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven, the people of God will ultimately find rest and the coming of 4 (50m 48s): Christ, but let's 2 (50m 51s): Not forget that Christ has already come and go 4 (50m 54s): Two hour lives. And so we can have the rest of God, the peace of God in our life 2 (51m 2s): Lives in the midst of persecution. 4 (51m 6s): Rest means a relief. 2 (51m 8s): It's like a bowstring on a, on a bow it's when not in you. She released the string. Otherwise the most rain gets stretched out. And so that's kind of the picture. It's like the bowstring is taught. It's tight to be used for a purpose, but when not in use, you release the bowstring. So it doesn't get stretched out. So it can be used. So that release of pressure is what that word rest means. It means 4 (51m 35s): That the stress will be taken off 2 (51m 39s): It's it's a, it's a great picture. And it's, it's a wonderful promise from the Lord. It will happen in this life and in the next God will give us a 4 (51m 49s): Time of rest 2 (51m 51s): At his coming. Everything will be made, right? Again, first Thessalonians focuses on the rapture when the Church will be caught up and second Thessalonians deals with the second coming. 4 (52m 2s): And either way, when 2 (52m 4s): Rice returns there'll be arrest for the persecuted rest for the persecuted, but judgment for the unbeliever. I mean, now we're going to look into, in a verse seven, getting into verse eight, kind of what, what it will look like when Jesus returns, he will come with his mighty angels, verse eight in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don't know God. And on those who refuse to obey the good news of our life. 4 (52m 33s): Lord Jesus. So there's judgment. 2 (52m 38s): The punishment verse nine says with eternal destruction, it's a never ending hell experience that these people will be going through. It's for those who don't know God and those who refuse to acknowledge his Lordship, those who refuse to receive his grace message, 4 (52m 57s): They 2 (52m 57s): Will be punished with eternal destruction. Again, this is a never ending destruction that we're talking about here, eternal without and forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. So essentially God is giving the unbeliever what they've wanted. They've wanted to live their lives apart from the goodness of God, the mercy of God, the grace of God. And so God is honoring their 4 (53m 24s): Wish and their request by allowing 2 (53m 26s): Them to live forever and ever apart from His 4 (53m 29s): Great, grace and mercy. And that is indeed what hell is going to be in jail? 2 (53m 38s): One 17. It says every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. So everything that is good, that we experience in this life comes from 4 (53m 54s): God everything. And so when he turned a T and M 2 (53m 60s): This sense apart from God means that we don't get to enjoy the benefits 4 (54m 3s): It's of God and all of the gifts of God. 2 (54m 10s): I wrote down just a few names of God to help us kind of get a glimpse of what this will look like. Number one, he's called Jehovah Gyra. 4 (54m 20s): He is our 2 (54m 21s): Provider, right? So in hell, apart from God, there's no provision 4 (54m 27s): For our daily needs, 2 (54m 30s): The common grace over the earth that everybody's under common grace. It says God's prov, you know, providing we've got air to breathe. We've got food to eat. We've got a level of health apart from God. There's not going to be that grace of provision 4 (54m 48s): And for any person in hell. So none of your needs, none of your needs will be met. Not one of your needs will be met. 2 (54m 60s): You're thirsty. That need will not be met. You're lonely. That need will not be met. 4 (55m 7s): You're injured. Well, Jehovah Rafa Jesus is my healer. God is my healer. You will never be healed. You will never have health in hell because you 2 (55m 20s): Or forever separated from his presence. Jehovah Shalom, 4 (55m 24s): And God is my peace. You will be without peace in hell. Absolutely no peace will be present in hell. It will be peace less. Why? Because Jesus is the Prince of peace. And without Jesus, there is no peace. Jehovah Shalom without God. There is no peace Jehovah Shama. The Lord is there with his people. So the Lord will be absent. God will be absence and his gifts and blessings, his provision, his kindness, his mercy is absent there. 4 (56m 8s): Jehovah said, canoe. The Lord is my righteousness. We are, 2 (56m 14s): Hey, for those of us who know Jesus, we're saved because of his righteousness. We are, we are, we have righteousness imputed to us. And that's the only that we can stand in the presence of God. So there's an absence of righteousness in hell I could go on and on. There's lots of names for God. I think there's like a hundred different names for God and all of those attributes of God will be absent in hell Jehovah, Rohit. The Lord is my shepherd. Imagine Jesus, he's the good shepherd. He shepherds his people, keeping them from trouble, making sure they've got good resource food and water that they're protected from, from danger, no protection. 2 (57m 8s): God is honoring your choice to live your life without him and eternity. It's going to be hell for you. Literally firsthand. When he comes on that day, his second coming, he will receive glory from his Holy People praise from all who believe. And this includes you for you. Believed what we told you about him. As Church believed, they believe the gospel message that Paul preach. They believe the message of the gospel. And so they are saved. Now the second coming of Christ, 5 (57m 45s): They will offer praise to the Lord. So we keep on praying for you. Paul writes asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do? So you're here in the earth. You still got a pulse. What has God asked you to do? What has he asked you to do with your life? It's 2021, a brand new year. We have an opportunity to refresh our minds and make new goals and recommit our time, talents and treasure to the Lord. 5 (58m 26s): May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do? This is Paul's prayer for the church, the Fest Loney and Church. And this is Paul's prayer for us today that the Church down 2 (58m 42s): Throughout the ages would accomplish the good things. Our faith prompts us to do 5 (58m 46s): Verse 12. Then the name of our Lord, Jesus will be honored because of the way you live. I want to honor I as a church. I want us to honor the Lord and the way that we live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ God Encourages and Challenges His People what do you need today? And I feel like a little bit of both. I don't know about CA a little bit of encouragement and a little bit of challenge is your faith. Flourishing is your love for one another. How has your endurance and faithfulness as you deal with hardships, as I pray, I'm just going to invite the worship team to come forward. 5 (59m 30s): And I'm just going to pray for us as a Church and ask the Lord to help us, to encourage us and to challenge us in our faith. Lord, we love you. We bow our heads in prayer, and we thank you, God, that we have the ability to our His in prayer, that we, we have the privilege to talk to you Lord, and to be talk to you that you talked to us and thank you, Lord. I I'm encouraged in some areas and need some challenge and other areas, Lord, and I'm thankful for that Lord. I know that we are your church. Your people were working progress and, and you're going to be continuing that good work all the days of our lives, sanctifying us, changing us, challenging us, loving us to the next level. 5 (1h 0m 20s): God, I pray that every person will be encouraged where they need to be encouraged and, 6 (1h 0m 24s): And where they need to be challenged and worked on the end of the day. God each person will be growing, growing, and faith and endurance. We love you, Lord and Jesus. Amen. Amen. Let's worship. 6 (1h 0m 44s): yeah, everything we've heard today, everything we've sung today, which really take root in our hearts. 6 (1h 9m 54s): And could you remind us of your faithfulness towards us? Your promises never fail. I spray over every heart and every household, God be with us and keep us healthy feeling for your presence would go before us and behind us and your left hand. All right. And then she would cover us and protect us. We love you, Jesus. You for this time to gather together and you pay what you would keep a safe until we gather again and again in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Church thank you so much for worshiping with us today. We love you guys. We're praying for you and we look forward to worshiping again next week, have a wonderful day. 6 (1h 10m 40s): Enjoy the sunshine. We'll see you there.