1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 - The Parousia: Part 4 - Eternity

11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Target Date: Sunday, 4 December 2022

NOTES:

Thoughts on the Passage:

References (inherent) to the Parousia:

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. - Ephesians 4:30

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. - Philippians 1:6

so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and without fault until the day of Christ, - Philippians 1:10

holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to boast because I did not run in vain nor labor in vain. - Philippians 2:16

conformed to His death, 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. - Philippians 3:10-11

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by His working through which He is able to even subject all things to Himself. - Philippians 3:20-21

When Christ, who is our life, is manifested, then you also will be manifested with Him in glory. - Colossians 3:4

On account of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience - Colossians 3:6

But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who WILL REPAY TO EACH ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and anger. - Romans 2:5-8

on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus. - Romans 2:16

For the anxious longing of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. - Romans 8:19

that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. - Romans 8:21

And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we eagerly wait for it. - Romans 8:23-25

For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day. - 2 Timothy 1:12

In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. - 2 Timothy 4:8

instructing us that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ - Titus 2:12-13

And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. - Hebrews 9:27-28

Again the high priest was questioning Him and *said to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am; and you shall see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE POWER, and COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.” - Mark 14:61-62

Events of the Parousia:

Return of Jesus Christ

Resurrection of the dead

Judgment of all people to eternal reward or punishment

Now while they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. 12 So He said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return. 13 “And he called ten of his slaves, and gave them ten minas and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come back.’ 14 “But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15 “And it happened that when he returned, after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these slaves, to whom he had given the money, be called to him so that he might know how much they had made in business. 16 “So the first appeared, saying, ‘Master, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17 “And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.’ 18 “Then the second came, saying, ‘Your mina, master, has made five minas.’ 19 “And he said to him also, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20 “Then another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I kept put away in a cloth; 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a strict man; you take up what you did not lay down and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 “He *said to him, ‘From your own mouth I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am a strict man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow? 23 ‘Then why did you not put my money in the bank, and having come, I would have collected it with interest?’ 24 “Then he said to the bystanders, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25 “And they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas already.’ 26 ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. 27 ‘But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.’” - Luke 19:11-27

Sermon Text:

We are now well into the Advent season, where we will celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the eternal God, in the flesh of a baby.

We speak of His coming in the flesh, the first coming, as the Incarnation.

the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us - John 1:14

And it was through that very Incarnation that God accomplished the redemption of His elect throughout history.

With every person who was ever saved being saved in the same way – by grace through faith in God through Christ Jesus.

But what is the purpose of that redemption – to what end are people saved?

The last few times I have stood before you, we have thought about the events surrounding the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, also known as the Parousia.

This is what Paul is talking about in verse 13 of our text today.

You may remember that we have looked at some of the great, unique events that will occur with our Lord’s return.

We looked first at the certainty, the sure hope, of His physical return, which has not occurred yet because it will be at the end of time.

And we looked at the other events that are associated with His Parousia as well:

The physical resurrection of the dead,

And the great judgment of all people.

And I would remind you that the way Paul speaks of the Parousia here in verse 13 shows that this was the most basic teaching the missionaries gave to new converts.

That brings us today to the final great event associated with the Parousia of Jesus Christ – the eternal state of the believer.

Whether we talk about our eternal home as heaven, paradise, or anything else, there are things that God has revealed in His Scripture to us about that place.

But we must keep one very important thing in mind: we cannot hope to understand everything about our eternal joy now.

We see only through the glass darkly; we know only in part.

Even the best of our fallen, imperfect imaginations can hold only analogy and likeness, not the full reality of what it will be.

It would be easier to explain the majestic glow of the most fiery sunrise you ever saw to someone who was born blind;

Or easier to describe a wondrous symphony that moves your very soul to one who was born deaf.

One thing you can be sure of: eternal life in Jesus Christ will be better than anything you can possibly conceive.

These are: THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” - 1 Corinthians 2:9

But that doesn’t keep people from speculating on what heaven will be like.

No, we will not be floating around on clouds, wearing halos and playing lyres.

And if heaven is just about golden streets and costly building materials (from Revelation 21), we are just missing the point.

These descriptions are analogies: the most valuable things you know will be the basest things in heaven.

Today, let’s look at three major descriptions of heaven with an eye toward what it means for how we shall live.

Because it is easy to discuss these things, even debating them, when we ignore the great question “So what?”.

Whenever we come to a doctrine, interesting or challenging, we should ask ourselves “So What?”.

Meaning “What does this doctrine compel me to change other than my opinion?”

“How shall I live differently because of this command of my Lord?”

Ultimately, “How does this teaching make me a better disciple of Jesus Christ?”

And I hope to show today that when the Bible teaches of heaven, there are specific things to which we are commanded that result from that teaching.

1. Heaven will be Creation re-created.

There are many who conceive of heaven as a place of pure spirit – no bodies, no matter.

The Bible does not teach that.

You really need to go no further than asking why the great resurrection would take place at all if heaven was body-optional.

But I would point you to Genesis 1-2 to illustrate this point.

When God completed each day of creation, what did He declare?

It was good.

The heavens (skies) and earth were exactly the way He intended to create them.

So, this very good creation is exactly where He intends us to live eternally.

Created, unfallen bodies living in the unfallen world He created.

When we see the final scene of the book of Revelation, chapter 22:2, we see the Tree of Life;

The same Tree of Life from Genesis 2:9.

So we see that the promised eternal home for followers of Jesus Christ is the re-purified Creation, returned to the innocence of before the Fall in the Garden.

2 Peter 3:10-13 - the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be found out. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens burning will be destroyed, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH, in which righteousness dwells.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain. The first things passed away.” And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” - Revelation 21:1-5

The perfect, innocent creation that existed before the Fall will be remade, restored, and repopulated by people God has called and made ready to dwell there.

No more will we live in a sin-spoiled world inside sin-tainted bodies with sin-born hearts.

The world will not simply be washed with water, but purified by fire.

It is the difference between wiping the tarnish or rust off a metal and entirely re-smelting it.

The water only removes the latest corruption, but it will be incomplete and will soon need to be done again.

But the fire burns away the impurities, leaving only the pure metal in the end.

The product of the refiner’s fire is an innocent, pure element.

Because it is that very innocence Jesus Christ came to restore in you if you are a follower of Jesus Christ.

From the innocence of the baby born to a virgin mother, not corrupted from Adam’s sin,

Jesus Christ came to make you innocent again.

Because such are the children of God.

Those blessed destitute in spirit.

Those blessed humble.

Those blessed hungerers and thirsters after righteousness.

Those things describe a newborn, don’t they?

The need for someone else to care for you.

The knowledge that you cannot care for yourself.

The hungering and thirsting as the primary drives of your life.

Peter, in commenting on this teaching, put it this way:

laying aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have TASTED THE KINDNESS OF THE LORD. - 1 Peter 2:1-3

But many believers don’t trust innocence: we don’t want to be innocent.

We might want to be thought of as innocent, or believed to be innocent.

But often our true motive is to get away with as much sin as we can.

Or to see how close we can get to sinning.

We read books or watch videos or engage in conversations designed to chip away at our innocence.

We cozy up with friends who are worldly-wise, and even if we dare not go to their extreme sin,

In our hearts, we WANT to go there.

We WANT to be grown-up;

We WANT to be wise.

You could even say that we WANT to be wise in ourselves, deciding whether that sin is as bad as God says it is.

But Christian, Jesus Christ came to begin the work to remake you innocent.

He was born as a baby to remake you in innocence.

He died on the cross to remake you in innocence.

He rose from the dead to remake you in innocence.

He sent His Holy Spirit to remake you in innocence.

This life you and I live is where we are PREPARED for the absolute innocence of heaven.

Where we repent of sin when we find it.

Where we reject sin in our heart when we recognize it.

I missed this meaning when we dealt with the second chapter of 1 Peter on Wednesday nights a while back, but he puts it this way:

you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. - 1 Peter 2:5

You see, the way I read that was as an analogy that found its fulfillment in the church; that the church was being built up to make those sacrifices here and now.

But that is too small. Too small and too weak.

To illustrate what I think a fuller meaning of the passage is, I would like to read a verse from the account in 1 Kings that relates to the building of Solomon’s temple.

The house, while it was being built, was built of stone prepared at the quarry, and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any iron tool heard in the house while it was being built. - 1 Kings 6:7

We who are in Christ are the living stones; this earthly life is the quarry from which we are hewn.

Everything in this life is ordained by God to shape us into perfect stones for the temple of God in heaven, not made by human hands.

That is why Peter can refer to Jesus Christ as the “Cornerstone” (1 Peter 2:7).

The hammers and chisels of life cut us and afflict us, but there shall be only praise of God in heaven for every strike and every blow.

Praise God for the things of this world He removes from you.

Praise Him for the sinful experiences you will never have.

Praise Him for the innocence the world may mock and hate.

Praise God and glorify Him because He is making you beautiful for Himself.