2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 Settling the Score

Read 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5

Intro:

Dave LaLiberte Reads

Trunk or Treat Thanks

Get Out and Vote

Time away

Freddie Freeman’s grand slam

There is an unwritten rule that you don’t walk a good hitter to get to a bad hitter

It’s a sign of disrespect and opens you to the retribution from the baseball gods

The hitter who is slighted often comes up to the plate with a chip on their shoulder

They want to settle the score

More often then not it backfires on the pitcher and team and the batter gets a hit

That’s what happened over a week ago when Yankees walked Mookie Betts to load the bases

The problem was that Freddie Freeman was coming up behind him

He proceeded to hit a walk off grand slam to win the game

As Paul writes to the Thessalonians in his second letter he starts it off by telling them that Jesus is coming back to settle the score

We are going to see what that entails in this morning’s message

Praise for the Persecuted vs. 1-5

Why is Jesus going to settle the score?

Jesus is going to settle the score because the enemy is attacking the Bride of Christ

In spite of the persecution the church is growing

Paul says that he is bound to thank God for them and it is fitting

These are strong words from Paul but he felt obligated

Some scholars believe that the Thessalonians didn’t feel worthy of his praise so Paul doubled down

2 Corinthians 7:4 ESV

I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy.

Why was he thankful and heaping praise on them?

They were growing in faith, abounding in love, and patient in persecution

Growing Faith

In spite of being persecuted their faith was growing exceedingly

Paul doesn’t over exagerate his words, he doesn’t need to

The Thessalonians were suffering the same affliction that the Jews were experiencing in Israel

Trials, temptation, and tribulation are often three of the greatest accelerators of our faith

Don’t despise the trial, but ask God to grow your faith through it

You can’t control what governments will do to you

Kamala Harris was very clear that she is not a fan of the church

She told a Christian at a rally who yelled Jesus is King that they were at the wrong rally

She had an interview last week saying she would remove all exemptions from churches

It doesn’t matter who gets elected on Tuesday, the days are going to get darker for Christians

Faith is the only thing that is going help us endure to the end

Matthew 24:11–13 ESV

And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Abounding Love

Paul also praise them for their love for one another

We’ve seen this theme several times in the first letter

They haven’t stopped and are actually know for their love

visiting Daughters church

Went to visit my Daughters church last Sunday

It’s a good church with strong teaching

You can tell the people actually enjoy one another

What was interesting is that we stood in the center of the lobby after service for 15 minutes and not one person came up and spoke to us

I hope that is never the case with our church

I want us to be the most loving church in town

And it starts with making the community feel welcome

I watched that at our Trunk or Treat

Patience in Persecution

Paul also praises the Thessalonians for their patience in persecution

Patience = Ability to take a great deal of punishment from evil people or circumstances without losing one’s temper, without becoming irritated and angry, or without taking vengeance.

Times were tough in Thessalonica

People were losing their jobs for their faith in Jesus

Hardship was befalling many of the families

1 Thessalonians 2:14 ESV

For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews,

Yet, they didn’t retaliate

Paul uses the terms Steadfastness and faith to describe their patience

Steadfastness means to hold the line in the battle

Mel Gibson in Patriot

Gibson plays Benjamin Martin, a farmer who is called to lead a militia of farmers against the British

In one battle scene He tells them to hold the line even as the British advance

The farmers want to retreat but Gibson keeps saying Steady

Sometimes we need to remember the same thing

Counted Worthy

Paul wraps up this section by telling them the goal in enduring the persecution… to be counted worthy

God’s judgment is evidence of his righteousness

God is going to settle the score against those who have persecuted His children

Christ Coming Judgment vs. 6-10

Jesus is going to settle the score when he comes to judge the world

Revelation 6:10 ESV

They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

God’s judgment is threefold

Repay w/ Tribulation

First, God will repay with Tribulation

The tribulation upon these persecutors of God’s people is not like a purifying fire.

It is like the fire of a pure and holy judgment.

God considers it Justice to repay those who afflict His Saints

Many people question the righteousness of God’s judgment.

They believe that God’s love and His judgment contradict each other.

But God’s judgment is based on the great spiritual principle that it is a righteous thing with God to repay those who do evil.

Since God is righteous, He will repay all evil, and it will all be judged and accounted for either at the cross or in hell.

Rev 6, 8-9, & 16 Show us the three series of judgments

7 Seals, 7 Trumpets, 7 Bowls followed by Armageddon

The worst of all judgments is the removal of God’s Spirit from Earth

Relief for the Troubled

The Thessalonians couldn’t understand why they were still being persecuted

They were convinced that the rapture had happened and God’s judgment was being poured out

Paul assures them that Jesus is going to grant them relief in the midst of their affliction

Revenge on those who Reject

Jesus is going to exact revenge on those who reject Him

vs. 6b Jesus will be revealed from heaven with his angels in flaming fire

Not subtle at all

t It isn’t the fire that makes hell what it is.

In the fiery furnace, the three Jewish young men were completely comfortable, as long as the Lord was with them in the fire (Daniel 3).

What truly characterizes hell is that there, people are from the presence of the Lord, in the sense of being apart from anything good or blessed in God’s presence.

From the presence of the Lord sums up the Bible’s understanding of hell.

Nothing must be said more about its horrors, other than hell will be completely devoid of God and every aspect of His character, except one: His unrelenting holy justice.

It won’t just be on those who reject Jesus but on those who don’t obey the Gospel

Everlasting destruction: We must not be moved from the idea that the punishment of the wicked is everlasting.

As the blessings of heaven are eternal, the penalty of hell is also eternal.

Prayer to Fulfill God’s Goodness vs. 11-12

One day Jesus will settle the score so we need to pray that He fulfills his goodness

Counted Worthy

Colossians 1:12 ESV

giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Fulfill Goodness

Christ Glorified in You