Thessalonians, Part 6

The lack of fall was a very interesting one, but it first started on this first trip, which is into the area which today we call Turkey, in the central area of Turkey. And that is basically an area which is, the book, the Bible refers to it as Galatian, into the area of Galatian, three geogalations. So, his first trip was basically into the Galatian area. So, he did that about 14 years after Christ's death. And there was a missionary trip which lasted about three years, from 45 to 48 AD, after the current year of Christ. So, it was 14 years after Christ's death. There, during that trip, there is the first recorded interaction of Paul talking to the Gentiles. And first he was talking to the Jews, but starting to get a lot of Gentiles to come and listen to him. That is in Acts 13, and we're going to look at that briefly, just to get the context. So, as a reminder of Paul, so that we understand better his writings when we put it into a correct context. In Acts 13, starting in verse 13, onwards 13-13, and I'm not going to read there, but I'm just drawing your attention to from there, onwards, he was in Antioch, Antioch of Assyria. There are two Antiochs referred to in the Bible. One is Antioch in Syria, which is kind of was like his own base, where he would go out from. So, that was in Syria, just kind of by the coast, just June north of Jerusalem. Let's put it this way. So, that was Antioch of Syria. That was his own place. But then there was the second Antioch, Antioch of Syria, which is in the Galatian area, or let's call it in Central Turkey area. Just to give you an idea of things in your mind. And there he started talking.

Charles the I, they came to Antioch, and he went into synagogue every Sabbath day. There you can see that in verse 14. Then if we jump to verse 38 and 39, it says, during his, let's call it his sermon or his discourse. He said, therefore, let it be known to you brethren, that through this man, that's Christ, he's preached to you the forgiveness of sins.

So, through Christ, it's preached to you the forgiveness of sins.

And by him, through Christ, everyone who believes is justified. It's through Christ, then you and I are made right with God. I'm made justified. In other words, made right with God.

From all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. By all things that you could not be justified by the law of Moses. And the law of Moses that applies to justification is the ceremonial law, the law of sacrifices. Obviously, so that's what he's talking about. The law of sacrifices, the one that they would look at the sacrifices, the ceremonial law as the one that would give them justification.

And in me, think about it, obeying the law does not pay a fine. That's in modern terms. How you would say obeying the law does not pay a fine through previous translations of the law? As simple as that. Right? So, justified means the fine is paid. Christ paid our fine. What is our fine? His death. Because sin, the penalty or the wages of sin is dead. So, Christ paid our fine. So, obeying the law does not pay the fine. Obeyed in the law is required, but does not pay for previous penalties. That's really what he's saying.

In other words, you could not have your penalty pay, in other words, you could not be justified by the law. In fact, no law pays any fine. No law pays any fine. The traffic law doesn't pay my traffic fines. No law pays any fines. So, that's what it is. And that's what people get so confused. But when you put it in some simple modern-day terms, it actually is very simple in the end, when you get down to it. And then, look at it in verse 42.

So, when the Jews went out of the synagogue, so the Jews left, so he's spoken in the synagogue, the Jews left, the Gentiles stayed behind. It's like, you know, we have the iron, some people leave, and then a few other people stay behind because maybe they want to talk a little longer. And the Gentiles stayed behind and wanted to talk. Hey, we want to talk to you. We stand here. They left. We want to talk to you.

We want to talk to you. And they said, and they begged that these words might be preached to them. Now, this is the Gentiles saying the following sound. Now, these are the Galatians. Very Galatians that the book later on, later Galatians, were written to. So, it's interesting. But there it is. And now, when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, environments, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue the grace of God. On the next Sabbath, verse 44, almost the whole city, I mean, that's a lot of people.

I mean, even in Shelbyville, if we had something out there, the whole, most the whole Shelbyville, I mean, there'll be a lot of people. And so, it would have been quite something. So, it says, yeah, almost the whole people, the whole city, came together to hear the word of God. And verse 45 is something interesting. Now, when the Jews saw the multitude, when Jews saw that this was drawing the crowds, and the crowds being Gentiles, were now able to be with that, having been justified and being forgiven, when the Jews saw the multitude, they were filled with envy.

They were jealous. They just envious. We said they didn't like it. Envy, this turned into a certain anger and turned into persecution and things like that. And contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken about Paul. And then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, it was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first, to you Jews. But since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. This is like a turning point in the troops of Paul and his missionary job.

They always talked and spoke to the Jews first. But the Gentiles came in big masses. And as they came in big masses, they made the Jews envious, jealous. So that was the environment. And this became a major issue in the New Testament Church. Throughout the New Testament Church, this became the major issue.

What is it? The major issue is that Gentiles could now have salvation. And they were jealous, because they belonged to the Jews. They were Jephers, they were envious.

That became, and therefore, when Gentiles would come in, they say, oh, yeah, yes, we are justified by Christ, but you have to now be circumcised, and you have to now do all these ceremonial ritual things, because you've got to be like us, because that's the Jewish way of doing things, which were right applicable for all covenant, but that all covenant was not to all nations, was only to the Israelite issue. So this became like, let's put it, a stumbling stone to them, really a stumbling stone. So because of that issue, when the mission trip ended, that first mission trip, which was between 45 and 48, then the issue became, was boiling, you know, started boiling, be boiling, boiling, and it became that to a point that they had to have a ministerial conference about. And therefore, the ministerial conference in 49, the following year, in Jerusalem, which you can read in Acts 15. So if you just, the next page, or a little bit further, in Acts 15, it says, "...and certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." And it was, yeah, you may just, but to be saved, you have to be circumcised. To be, to be, you've got to be, do this whole thing, not just, yeah, not just believing Christ. You've got to do a little bit more. And that became the issue. Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, I mean, this became a real hot issue. Really, I mean, no small dissension. So it became a big issue in the church. They determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question. And so that's what they went and reading verse 5. But some of the sect of the Pharisees, who believed? Who believed? Well, what do we mean, believed? In other words, they believed in Christ. They believed, they were Christians, but they had come from the sect of the Pharisees. Their previous, let's call it, alliance or connection was from the Pharisee called line. And so they believed, they were Christians, they rose up saying it is necessary to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the law of Moses, they're talking about, is to set them on the law, the sacrifices, because that's what they're talking about. These sacrifices are important, these rituals, these sacrifices. That's what they were telling them to do. So that became the big issue.

After that, there was a resolution, as you know, the resolution saying, look, the Gentiles, for the Gentiles, you don't have to do that. That's not applicable to the Gentiles. That was a promise that Israelites had to fulfill, part of the old covenant for Israelites. But for the Gentiles, that is not applicable. Yes, Christ is one for all Jews and Gentiles, but this, the Gentiles don't have to do that. And so Paul went back to that area of Turkey, and that was the beginning of the second, second trip, the missionary trip. He went back to Galatia with that letter and told them what had been agreed and discussed at the conference. So he went to give them an update of the conference. So he went back, and that was the second missionary trip. And then after that, he was intending to go further north and into Asia, and God's Spirit led him to go into Macedonia and Greece. And so that's where he went into Macedonia and Greece. And then we can see his message in that area of Macedonia and Greece had a very specific three-fold structure. Turn with me to Acts 17. Acts 17. Acts 17, verse 1.

When they had come, they had passed. So they were in Macedonia and going down towards, lower down into Greece. Macedonia is today like northern Greece, let's call it that. And they passed through Antipolis and Apollonia and then came to Thessalonica. Thessalonica, that's the area, the letter that we're going to be talking about. So they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul, as his customer was, went into them and therefore three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures. So, as you can see, he was giving the Sabbath for three Sabbaths, a reason with them from the Scriptures. Explaining them, demonstrating that Christ had to...Christ had what? Number one, he has a threefold structure of his messes. Number one, Christ had to suffer. In other words, he had to die, suffer and die. Number two, he had to rise again.

And number three, rise from the dead. And number three, this Jesus is the Christ. It was his side. Look at the Messiah that you believe, the ruler, the one that is going to rule the wonderful kingdom of God, the Messiah. He has to first suffer. And you shut it from the Scriptures. So, before he can rule, he has to suffer. Then he has to be resurrected. And then, then, he, this one, he is the Christ. He is the Messiah. Jesus is the Messiah. So, he is saying, the Messiah had to die, had to be resurrected, and this man, Jesus Christ, he is the Messiah. He is the one. So, that was his message. We are saved through him. We justify through him. That's what he's saying. That brings us just with God. There's no other man who we know, can we ever be saved through Christ? He says, he is the one. So, he pointed that. That was the structure of his message. And it continued. And some of them were bespoke, were persuaded. And again, a great multitude of the devout Greeks. So, these are gymnasts. A great multitude of devout Greeks.

And not a few of the leading women joined all in silence. But the Jews, who were not persuaded, became, amazing, the same word again, envious, became jealous, became envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace and, gathering them all, settled sitting on the floor. Based on envy, they started breaking the law, which they knew they should break. And it was all because of envy. They were jealous of the Gentiles, that they could have opportunity to be saved. So, that is the background of Paul. Then he left Thessalonik, as you know, the area. They persecuted them. And he left. He went further down into Greece. In fact, he went into Corinth. And he settled in Corinth. And then, from Corinth, he sent Timothy. He sent Timothy out to see, I wonder how those people in Thessalonik are doing. Then he sent Timothy, just check how they're doing. In a sense, very similar. I went to Brazil. Things went in Sao Paulo. There's a few things happening there in Sao Paulo. And it's very difficult for me to go to Brazil again. And so, the man that we're working with in Montesotrado, one of the brethren in the church for 20 years, I sent him this week, this weekend, to see the brethren in Sao Paulo and see how they're doing. And obviously, I'm looking forward to get a report back. You know, the same thing. Paul could not go there, but he sent a man that he trusted and says, okay, let's see how they're doing and get the report back. And that's what he's done here. And so, he gets a report back from Timothy that they really being faithful and loyal and that. And he stays in Corinth for about a year and a half, as you can see in Acts 19 verse 11. He says he continued there at 18 verse 11. He continued there in Corinth a year and a half, a year and six months, teaching the Word of God amongst them to the ones in Corinth. But from there, he wrote then first the salons. Because he got the report back from Timothy, they're doing well, and then he wrote them a letter saying, I am encouraged that you are doing well. I'm encouraged that you're reminding loyal to God. And so, he wrote a letter to encourage them because they are encouraged both. So, he wrote to them this letter to encourage. But then, there was a little issue developing in that area. And in every area we go, you hear there are little things that you've got to address, little things, whatever it is, there's always little issues that crop up and you've got to address. And so, there were a few issues that you have to address. One of them is that he believes Christ was going to come very soon. He's a messiah. He's going to come soon.

Very soon. And because of that, some of the people had been ill, and maybe some, maybe a widow or an old person had died, or two or three, I don't know. Some people had died and they were concerned, well, these people had died. They're not going to have the joy of seeing the messiah come back.

And so, he writes to them, 1st Thessalonians, saying, hey, the ones that have died are going to be resurrected first. And they're going to see him first, so they're not losing out on anything. So, if we go into 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 now, so we're just going straight into the letter of 1st Thessalonians and see what he was writing to them.

1st Thessalonians chapter 4, and if you read in verse 15, he says, 1st Thessalonians 4, 15, he says, for this we say to you by the word of the Lord that we, who we are to lie and remain, will, until the coming of the Lord, will by no means proceed those who are to see. So, those of us who will be resurrected first, because verse 16, the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. So, we want to proceed. So, we that we live in, and I mean, even today there are certain people that say, oh well, the church will be taken away. You know, some people believe in the rapture, but there's even some people that say they are in God's church, that say, oh no, we'll be taken away about six months before Christ come, because yes, Christ will come on the day of trumpets, but those people will be taken away about six months, because that's what's the meaning of Pentecost, it's the first harvest and things like that. And it's not true, because it says, yeah, the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, with the trumpet of God. And you read elsewhere, it will be at the last trump, and it's symbolic of the day of trumpets. So, and it says, the people that are living will not perceive. It's very clear, will not perceive. And as we read, for instance, when we are covering the Passover, and no, covering Pentecost in Acts 2, it says, when the day has fully come, the word there, the day has fully come, means that the day, the meaning of the day had been completely fulfilled. It was not just that it was not fully daytime, no, it was fully come, it was the day Pentecost has been fully fulfilled. And the Greek word implies that as well, if you look in the concordance and look at that. So, the point here is, we will not perceive those that have died. Those that have died will be resurrected first. And the dead in Christ will rise first. So, he was clarifying a misunderstanding in the church. He was clarifying that problem. It was a misunderstanding. And then furthermore, he goes on, you can see that in verse 18, he says, they've both conquered one another of these words. So, be encouraged. Be encouraged. You know, these people have died. They have not lost anything. In fact, they will be there. They'll be resurrected. Be comforted. There's a resurrection. Be comforted. And then, will be raised up after them and will be changed, rather, transformed after them at the lost throne. And then in chapter 5, verse 1, he says, but concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. You see, concerning when, the big question was always when. When is Christ coming? When? I mean, even though last year there was somebody that said, oh well, Christ coming on the 21st of March or May or whatever it was today. And that came and went and caused a lot of it. Really cool for that man. But, you know, there are some groups, Church of God groups today, today, saying that Christ was come going to be coming on the very finished cost. Then it's just cost. And the very finished cost came and go and that man has now said, no, no, you made a mistake in this operations lecture.

But those people are still there. And the point is, concerning the times of the seasons, Paul says, yeah, brethren, we have no need that I should write to you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. In other words, we do not know when. You and I do not know when He's coming. Now, it doesn't have to come to us as a thief in the night if we are watching, and we've been ready all the time. And that's what he says in verse 4. But you brethren are not in darkness, so this day should not overtake you as a thief. Why? Because you should be ready all the time. You should be ready all the time. Be prepared all the time. So it doesn't catch you in a ways, but we do not know when. And this, and so that's why you wrote to them first is love.

So, Thessalonians was written to them, number one, to encourage that they will remain faithful and encourage them, but also to correct them on a few issues, particularly about the resurrection. In other words, about the coming of Christ, about the wind, and also to encourage them about being pure, as you can see, and if you are the verses here in Thessalonians, and to not be spiritually lazy. If you are the points that we are likely to get, but those are the main issues. Now, after you wrote this little Thessalonians, you know what it is. You, you say something to patch it up, and the moment you say to patch it up, because you create the focus in this way, indeed the people must understand you to be something else. I mean, that is normal. Isn't that what happened? You say something, no, no, no, it's not this, it's this. Oh, therefore, it's something else, and they go in a different direction, and that's exactly what happened. So that, again, had further misunderstandings about the coming of Jesus Christ. Therefore, you have to immediately write to them, say in Thessalonians. And say to the Thessalonians, he's therefore, to address to the brethren in Thessalonians, address to them a misunderstanding, a further misunderstanding they had about the coming of Christ. And so, with that as a background, let's go then into 2 Thessalonians. Paul, Sylvanians, and Timothy, the three, they're writing to the Thessalonians. He's writing from Corinth during that year and hour that he stayed in Corinth, as I showed to you. And he says to the church of the Thessalian Thessalonians in God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, grace to you and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Holy Spirit? No, not the Holy Spirit, because He's not a person. You see, He doesn't mention the Holy Spirit because He's not a person. Even when you read writing the book of Revelation right at the end, it says there's the Father and on His right inside Jesus Christ. There's no third chair. There's no third chair. There's only two. The Father and His right inside Jesus Christ. So there He is. They were only two. So He addresses them and He says, grace to you and peace. In other words, all of the best, all of graciousness, all goodness from God to you, and peace. Above all, I want your brethren to be in peace, to be harmonious, to be happy, to be in peace. And then it says, we are bound to thank God always for you. And that ties in beautiful to sermon today, because when we sing, when we sing praises, we sing thanks. It's a way of singing, a way of giving thanks, and that's what it is. We thank. We sing with understanding, and we thank God. And it's a wonderful opportunity to thank God always for one another. And then it says, because your fight grows exceedingly and the love of every one of you all abounds. Now look at it. Your fight grows exceedingly, is positive, is encouraging, and is showing them there is growth. There is growth towards one another in fight and in love. This is very much the opposite of what it could happen in a lot of churches, where people, instead of growing in love, they're growing cold in love. You know, that's that's what Christ said in Matthew 24, you know, the love of many will wax cold. And so that's an opposite. But when the love is growing hotter, that is a positive sign. That's an encouragement. So there he is encouraging them, showing that the love is growing colder. Then verse four.

So that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God. So we are speaking to other congregations, to other groups of people, to other congregations of God's church. And we're speaking about you and we're boasting about you that you are remaining faithful. And we're sending that message to other areas like Jerusalem and to the church in Jerusalem and things like that. They were sending those messages back. So you're boasting about them for your patience and faith.

Patience and faith. It's two different things. Patience and faith. Look with me, for instance, in Revelation 14 verse 12. Keep your fingers there. We're going to come back to Thessalonians. But Revelation 14 verse 12.

Revelation 14 verse 12. The eye is the patience of the saints.

The eye goes and keeps the commandments of God. So the patience, and with that patience, we are keeping God's commandments, patiently being loyal and faithful to God, being patient. And it says, and the faith of Jesus. We keep that faith. We believe we have that faith and we're growing in that faith. And so they were growing in patience and faith. And Yah is, again, in the book of Revelation saying, you know, Yah is the patience of the saints. Yah, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. So we have to grow in patience and faith. Patience of keeping God's laws and faith. And so Yah is talking about in verse 4, it says, for your patience and faith in all, in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure.

Persecutions and tribulations. Again, two different things. A persecution is something that it's against me, against you, against us individually. We persecute it. People don't like the religion and then they persecute us. So its persecution means they're making our life difficult. Let's put it this way. They're making our life difficult because of what we believe.

That's being persecuted. A tribulation is, it's the pressures. It's the stresses we have. Might be financial difficulties. Might be pressures in life. Might be different types of anxieties we have. And those are the tribulations we have. Those are the stresses we have in our life. Maybe something is confronting you, which is very stressful. And those are the tribulations that we have. Those are the stresses we have. So persecutions and tribulations. So it says, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure. So you, being patient, you're growing in faith. You also, your love for one another is growing. And even though you're having people speaking bad of you, making your life difficult because of what you believe, and you have different stresses in life. And you're remaining faithful notwithstanding these difficulties. So that's what he's saying to them. Very, very true to us today. In church, we all go through persecutions and tribulations of our own different degrees. But that has happened, and we have to remain patient and faithful, growing in love and growing in faith. And then let's go on to verse five, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God. It's a manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God. So how can tribulations that we have, when people speak bad of us, when people talk bad of us in church, give us a hard time without preaching life, how can that be a manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God?

Well, let's just look at a few scriptures. First, let's look at 2 Timothy, chapter 3.

2 Timothy, chapter 3.

We're going to read in verse 12 and 13.

And he's talking about persecutions, afflictions, in verse 11, which happened to me. And then he says, verse 12, yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. All who desire to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. People will ridicule you or speak bad of your religion or our religion or our belief. They will, they'll make our life difficult because of our beliefs, of our religion.

He says, yes, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil man, verse 13, and impostors who grow worse and worse, those that are against us, will get worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

They are deceiving, trying to deceive us, but they themselves are deceived. They don't know, but they are deceiving and being deceived. But they grow worse and worse. So, that is, that shows that we will be persecuted. We are to be persecuted. Now, turn with that back to 1st Thessalonians in chapter 2. 1st Thessalonians chapter 2, which is a scripture we read when we were covering the first book. Chapter 2, 1st Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 14 and 16.

For you brethren became imitators of the churches of God. So, you brethren, as brethren, we, princes as Yahshua, we wrote, are imitators of the churches of God, which are injured here in Christ Jesus. You know, it was the churches of God that were raised in the early New Testament era. We are imitators of that. And then he says, for you also suffer the same things from your own countrymen.

You also suffer the same problems from those people that are of the same religion as you. In other words, it's basically saying, we in the church are going to have persecution from people in the church. But it's by tracking. And it says we are imitators. That's what's happening. Just as they did from the Judeans, who killed about the Lord Jesus and their prophets and have persecuted us. And they do not please God and are contrary to all men. So when people, they are deceived and being deceived, and when they are giving us a hard time, they are fulfilling, as we said, that evidence of the righteous judgment of God. Let's look a little bit more at that. And what we're going to do is look at Philippians chapter 1.

Philippians chapter 1 verse 27 and through 29. Philippians 1 verse 27 to 29.

Only Philippians 1 verse 27 to 29. Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ. In other words, let your be IJ, the way you behave, the way you act, be worthy of the good news of Christ. That He is our Savior and He's going to be our King and He's going to rule in all tomorrow. So that whether I come and see you or whether I'm absent, I'm a year of your affairs that you should stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. And not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, to them a proof of perdition. We're going to talk about that righteous judgment of God. To them it's a proof of perdition. But to you salvation and that from God. For to you, verse 29, it has been granted on the out of Christ. To you and I has been granted on the out of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake. It's been granted to us to suffer for His sake. Wow! I wish that was a granted to us. I have a way of looking at it, isn't it? But that's what it is. Having the same conflict with which you saw in me and out here and out here in me. So basically the same we are having sufferings for His sake. And that has been granted to us on the behalf of Christ, because Christ suffered.

But Christ's sufferings are not complete. And so we are suffering to complete Christ's suffering. Because we are the body of Christ. And so as the body of Christ, we are suffering the rest of the sufferings which Christ did not suffer. And so we're doing it on the behalf of Christ to suffer for His sake. God, let's go on and read 1st Peter chapter 2. 1st Peter chapter 2. 1st Peter chapter 2. 1st Peter chapter 2. Verse 20 and 21.

Mr. C., for what credit is it when you are beaten for your thoughts you take it patiently? For when you do good and suffer, when you're a true Christian and suffer for being a true Christian, if you take it patiently, see again you have patience, drowning in patience. Take it patiently. It is commendable before God. For this, or for to this, you are called.

The purpose of why we are called into the church. One of those purposes is to suffer on the behalf of Christ. It's quite a calling. For this, we are called. Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving as an example that you should follow His steps. This is pretty serious stuff and it's not easy. It's not easy. Not easy. Looking 1st Peter chapter 5. So in the same book, verse 9, it says, 1st Peter chapter 5 verse 9 says, resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are expected by your brotherhood in the world. It was we have to resist Satan, priests trying to devour us all. We have to resist him. But knowing that the same suffering, the same persecution, the same things that are making our lives difficult, are, as it says, experienced by our brethren around the world. As much as that. I mean, you look in countries, like for instance, I look at some of the people in Brazil. Once they keep the Sabbath, it really is a difficult thing for them to get a job. I mean, there is freedom of religion, quote unquote. But you know what? Let's say you want to keep the Sabbath. We've got a line of people we ought to prepare to work. Cheers, if it hits one in the line. And we don't get a job. And that's what happens in Brazil. The brethren struggle. They really struggle. And and so we don't have it that hard in this country because the freedom of religion is is in the Constitution. So is in Brazil. But in Brazil is kind of, it's written, but people don't practice. In this country, it's more practice. You can kind of stand up for your rights and say, and people do something about it. So they can't blatantly do it. They still do it, but it's more subtle. But what I'm saying is that in other countries, brethren are certain the same things. Brethren are certain the same things. The same sufferings are everywhere. And then in chapter 2 of Peter, verse 3, chapter 2 of Peter, second Peter, I beg your pardon, second Peter, it's not chapter 2. Second Peter, second Peter, chapter 3, second Peter, chapter 3, start reading in verse 9. Verse 4, 2 verse 9 says, yeah, and saying, where's the promise of this coming? So since the Father's coming, when it starts coming, when, when, when are we going to the slumming of them? And for this they will to be forgiven. What they do is they're forgetting one thing. That by the word of God, the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water, and in the water, by which the world had existed perished, being plied with water. But the heavens and the earth, which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of endowment. But beloved, do not forget this one thing that was the Lord one day, a thousand years, a thousand years one day. The Lord, verse 9, is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering towards us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God is allowing this, and therefore we are suffering. We trust. Why? Because He wants these people to have a chance to repent.

He's long-suffering so that they should come to repentance. But don't take it lightly, because it'll be a day where God says, that's it, that's enough. The clock has run out, the time is out, cheers, and God knows when the time is, not for us to know when the time is, says the clock has run out. That's it, that's enough. But in the meantime, God is allowing it because He wants to give people an opportunity to repent. But let's not forget, this is an evidence of the righteous judgment of God, because His judgment is righteous because He's giving people an opportunity to repent. And that's why we have to suffer. And so let's continue where we were in 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 5. It says, which is the manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God? Why do we have to have patience and faith in all these persecutions and tribulations? Why? Because we're suffering on the behalf of Christ. Why? Because God in His righteous judgment is giving them a chance to repent.

And that is the evidence of God's righteous judgment. He will execute judgment, but when He does, it will be so righteous because people will not be able to decide that they do not have the chance.

It really is beautiful when we put it all together and we see it in that context. So let's go on reading in verse 5.

It was that Queen's 60th Jubilee year, I think that's what they called it. Diamond, yes, diamond, diamond, jubilee, where it's called. And you think about all the palm and all the ceremony, and the people in that family that are in that kingdom are part of that ruling family. Now think about the ruling family of God. It won't be... once it's been so much more gracious and glorious than that. That is a tiny little sample that you and I can watch and say God's kingdom will be far greater than the kingdom of England. And that ruling family, well, which you and I are blessed to be part of, will have a far greater glory. But for us to be glorified with Him, we have to suffer with Him. And that's what it says.

So it says that you may be count worthy of the kingdom of God for which you also suffer. Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation, battles, and trouble, you mean. So leave it up to God to sort out. As you can read in Romans, it says, vengeance is mine. So leave it to God. You guys ought to sort it out. You'll sort it pretty well. And so, it is... it is ethical, but it is one thing that we have to. It's a righteous thing with God to repay. So leave it up to God, because it's a righteous thing. You'll sort those people that will persecute us, or persecute us, and will persecute us in the future, even more in the future.

Verse 7. And to give you raw trouble, rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. You give us rest.

The Sabbath is a rest, but there remains a rest, a sabotism for the people of God, right? We read that in Hebrews 4. Turn with me to Hebrews 4. Hebrews 4, verse 9 through 11.

There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. And again, it's duality. The Bible always talks in duality. So it remains a rest for us. Yes, so it's sabotism, which means observing the Sabbath. But it means pointing to the kingdom of God, which will be our ultimate rest.

Where you and I want subtle with pains, whatever pains you may be having, or could be joint pains, could be headaches, could be migraines, could be back ache, it's a sore that it's finger that it's sore, whatever. Maybe you're getting dizzy, but you will have a rest from all this in the kingdom of God. We won't have this pain. We won't have this difficulty. That'll be a rest. Therefore, remains a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered his rest as himself also sees from his words as God does from his. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest. Lest anyone fall according to the same example of this, of this. This whole business we have to go by. So the Sabbath is a rest pointing to the meridian, but pointing to the ultimate rest who will actually be the kingdom of God beyond the meridian.

Meridian is in itself is telling a stepping stone. The real rest is the kingdom of God. And so continuing back where we were in 1 Thessalonians, who says, and to give you our trouble, rest. That rest in the kingdom of God. With us, when? Again, when? When is when? When the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. When Christ comes and when is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. In flaming fire, taking vengeance. When Christ comes, you will come.

You'll come to execute judgment on earth. But he's the same person today and as yesterday and tomorrow, you'll execute judgment with love and care. He's compassionate, he's loving, he's caring.

He's a caring God. As Jesus lives on earth, he won't be a different person. He's the same person, but he will execute judgment with the rod of iron when he needs to be done.

But even then, you'll have love and care. But to the wicked, he says that is enough.

And you'll bring in flaming fire and you'll wipe them out. For they are God! For they are God!

Watch with me, please, in Revelation 19. Revelation 19. He has an example of a nice description of Jesus Christ's return. In verse 11. Revelation 19, verse 11. Revelation 19, verse 11. He says, Now I saw heaven open, and be all the white books. And he was sat on the most called faithful and true and in righteousness. And righteousness means that it's with justice, with love, justice, mercy, and faith, the weight of matters of the law. So you have those, but you will in righteousness. He judges and makes war. And then if we read a bit further, in verse 19 and 20. Look at what he does on the 19, 19 Revelation 19, 19 says, And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against evil sat on the horse and against his army. And then the beast was captured with the false prophet who would sign to his presence by which he believed by those who received the mark. And these were cast alive into the lake of fire. So he comes with vengeance and with fire to execute righteous judgment. So there will be fire when he comes. There will be fire. So let's go back to 1st Thessalonians chapter 1, verse 8. He said, he's revealed. We'll receive the rest when he comes, when he's revealed. And that's this coming. And that's when he will do that. That's when we'll receive the rest. That's when. That's when we'll be at that time, the time of the resurrection and the lost trump. And then and then and then he comes with these angels and he wipes out the beast and the false prophet. It's all in that period of time, you know, that that last month, basically, the seventh month, the symbolism that it's all for full. And flaming fire, taking vengeance of those who do not know God, taking vengeance of those who do not know God. They don't know who God really is. They don't understand who Christ is. And on those who do not obey, obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. So, obedience is very important. And then in verse 9 continues, these shall be punished with everlasting destruction. These shall be punished from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power. They will be destroyed. They'll be putting the lack of fire with his soul and everlasting destruction. In other words, they destroy forever. You know, the destruction does not continue running, but they destroy forever. So, the lost destruction from the presence of Jesus Christ and from the glory of his power. So, they'll be destroyed. They won't have that blessing. Now, when it comes in that day, when Christ comes in that day, to be glorified in his sons and to be admired among all those who believe, because of our faith in Him, I'm to choose who was to lead. So, that's what happens when it comes.

Therefore, we also pray always for you that our God should count you worthy of his calling. Therefore, I pray to you that you remain faithful, worthy of his calling, and for full all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with our power. That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. So, He says, I hope that you're going to remain faithful to the end. He says, Therefore, we always pray, that for you that our God would count you worthy of his calling, and also that you remain faithful to the end. I pray that you stay on the track right to the end. Sure, there's going to be problems. Sure, there's going to be difficulties. But when Christ comes back, he's going to execute judgment. And so, have that hope. Have that hope. So, there was a problem in Thessalonica that they misinterpreted his letter, thinking that Christ was going to come soon, and he's saying, Listen, when Christ comes, he'll execute judgment. That's what B is usually saying in the first chapter. We have to suffer. We have to remain faithful.

Understand that this was written before the book of Revelation. So, the book of Revelation had not been given, but that was only given some 40 years later. So, it's quite a bit of time afterwards. So, you're saying, remain faithful to the end. And then in chapter 2, we've got a very important chapter. In the next study, we will cover the chapter 2 in a lot more detail, but I just, as a flavor, I just want to give you a flavor of what he's going to be tackling there. And you can study this in your Bible studies, so that when we go through this, you get a little bit more out of the Bible study. But he's saying, brethren, he's saying, don't be shaken or troubled by spirit or by word or by letter. In other words, don't be troubled by some people claiming to have a vision. That they have a vision, they have a spirit, they have a vision that God spoke to them in a vision or whatever it is, or by word, because maybe you went to a buttlock and somebody was talking in a buttlock and you heard this and somebody else in the church said this and that and that and you troubled by this word that you hear, you know, the CSI or whatever, or by letter which says, as if from us.

You know, we don't be troubled as if there's a letter that people start distributing out there, as if I've written a letter saying what?

As though that Christ had come. Reverend, there's going to be people saying Christ has already come. There's going to be people saying those things. And then he goes into saying that won't happen until two things happen first. And then he goes into more about what it's going to happen about the coming of Christ. So he goes and clarifies that a little further, because it looks like somebody was saying, oh, well, Christ has already come. What is this? It's already come and whatever. I don't know what people just distort. When you say something, people distort things into different. So he starts covering a lot about the apostasy that is going to come and or the deception that is going to come. And so on the next bubble study, we're going to go into that a little bit further and basically saying, therefore, remain faithful to the end. Don't be misled. And that is really basically the purpose of the second letter to Thessalonians. Hope you found it beneficial and then hope to continue that further next time.