I Love My Church (February 14th)

Do I have the title of my sermon this morning? I love my church. It is Valentine's Day after all and so husband's out there. Don't forget. I am the last person in the world. That should be reminding you as I do terribly it Valentine's day, but it is Valentine's Day. And so I just want to say I love our church this book. I'm going to spend the next three weeks in the book of 2nd Thessalonians and Paul wrote this to the Believers there and he begins by saying we are always to give thanks to God for you and I believe that Wesley Heights would receive this letter from Paul if he was on his missionary Journeys today not all of Paul's letters began this way when you read the book of Galatians. He says I'm astonished that you are so quickly deserting him and are turning to a different gospel and I I'm glad that that is not the truth about Wesley Heights. And so I left our church. We are committed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And I believe we would receive this letter to the Thessalonians. We always give thanks to you to God for you. And so I am thankful for our church this morning. Not that Galatians doesn't have anything for us. We can certainly learn from the whole Bible. But I just celebrate that Wesley is a church that seeks the Lord and is walking in faith with him. And so appalled is sent by God to the city of thessalonica. And if you just indulge me a moment, I love history and I just want to give you a brief background is to help all ended up coming to thessalonica. So Paul is on his second missionary journey the purple line at the top there and he's in the region of galatia. And he wants to go further there. He wants to go down into lisia and bring the gospel to places that haven't heard but God comes to him and says no, I do not want you to go that direction. I have another plan for you. And and I want you to go over into Macedonia and soap all heads up around Asia. He wanted to go into that region of Asia. And God said no, I want you to go over to Macedonia. And so he heads over to the city of Troy as gets on a boat and heads over to the city of Philip II in there. He speak into church and let's we get the book of Philippians and then he is driven out of that City goes down the road and then set up in thessalonica. He spent three weeks in the synagogue preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ 3 weeks and a church is planted. And so we know the reason why God asked him to not go to those other regions, but to head into the region of Macedonia because God had a harvest waiting for him and when he preached the gospel there were people who believed and accepted That's what I could do was say free in favorite City again. Just a little bit of History here. It was part of the Roman Empire but it has special status. It could choose its own leaders and it didn't have the might of the Roman Empire on it and interesting ly that holds to go back to the story of Cesar. You probably all studied Shakespeare in school. But Julius Caesar was installing himself as an Emperor as a dictator and Brutus and Cassius wanted to return to a republic and so Brutus murders Julius Caesar. Well Brutus and Cassius flee Rome and with their army they head over to this region in Macedonia and they set up camp between Tesla Nike and Phillipi and Marc Anthony and his forces come to to do battle. They want to continue the emperor's Reign and of course they They have a war. Well, Marc Anthony's far from home and he wants to resupply his army. And so he sends his Navy to Phillipi whereupon is abruptly defeated by Brutus and his forces and so he's in trouble far from home and no way to resupply his army. The city of thessalonica comes for and says will help you and so they are able to resupply Marc Anthony and he goes on to win and you defeats and kills Brutus and Cassius and becomes the emperor Caesar Augustus becomes the emperor and the Roman Empire goes on a trajectory of Terror and we see this when Jesus is born the decree goes out from Caesar Augustus that everybody must go and it's because the dictators role was strength. been through this little war that happened outside of Cecil and I can fill a pie and so The Empire grants thessalonica special status and one interesting fact is when Paul was preaching their the people became enraged and so he flees and they dragged some of his fault the followers of Jesus before the city of Thora tees and this word Authority is the word poly TARC which is where we get the word politician or politics from they were elected by the city to rule over them so very much like ajax's today. We live in a society where we choose our own leaders and and this was the case in testicle and I cannot the case in much of the Roman Empire. And the reason I just include that is because for almost two thousand years. This word politic was not found in any archaeology and people said wild the book of Acts must just be a made-up story and it's only been recently that they have discovered over. 50 different inscriptions on Stone and coin that point to the fact that yes when Paul was in pencil and I go all those years ago. There were these politicians chosen by the people and so we can trust the word of God. It is true. And this is one little example of how Paul on his journeys experience life and wrote it down in the Bible. And so we get to thessalonica a free City like us we choose our own leaders. And so we get what we get and just like Paul in the days of thessalonica. So the book of 1st and 2nd Thessalonians. We're only going to spend time in 2nd Thessalonians, but they're very similar and 2nd Thessalonians really just a follow-up to the first letter in the first letter. He covers for main topics Paul's Integrity people were doubting whether Paul was an apostle and had the authority to bring the word of God to them. And so he addresses that to the people obsessed when I got persecution of the Believers they were suffering because they were followers of Christ proper moral conduct. There were issues that were arising in the church until he addresses those and then the second coming of Christ. They were worried and confused on this on this issue in the second book. He doesn't deal with his Integrity. He's established that he has met them. They've gone to know him and they accept that this is the Apostle Paul who has the authority to bring the word of God, but the persecution of Believers is increasing and so he Dresses that in the second book proper moral conduct There's issues that have come up and he spent a whole chapter in the second book on what it is that God expects of us in our conduct and the second coming of Christ. They are more confused letters have come to them and they aren't sure what this means the second coming of Christ and how it affects them. And so he spends time dealing with that. So the two books are very similar one just a response to the other it so my first point Paul brings a commendation to the people of thessalonica. And as I said, I believed that Commendation can be made to Wesley Heights. He says we give thanks to God always for you constantly. Make sure you in our prayers. This is actually from the first book of Thessalonians. He begin saying we give thanks in the second book. He says we ought always to give thanks to God for you Brothers as is right because your faith is growing abundantly and you can see this increase their faith is growing between the first and second book and he says we are to acknowledge your growth and it is right that we acknowledge your growing faith and love and so this increase is happening because the word of God is in their lives Paul gives glory to God for this increase. We see in the last part of the first chapter that Julia read to this end. We always pray for you that our God may make you worthy. It is God who builds our faith? It is God who leads us in growth in him until he is the one that is accomplishing this growth. So why is he thankful. He's thankful for their faith and their love and the fact that it is growing until Wesley height. This should be our priority. Our faith in God should be growing. It shouldn't be a decision. We made years ago our love for each other should be growing. It should be active and decisions are should be being made that increases our love for each other.

We ought always to give thanks to you to God for you Brothers as it's right because your faith is growing abundantly and the love of every one of you is increasing and so Paul is commending them he is saying well done Church of thessalonica. And I think that we can say that to West me. Well done Wesley. We are doing well in our faith and our love but

God doesn't want us to be complacent. And so Paul says remembering before God our Father your work of faith. And so what is this work of Faith? Like I said, it's not just some belief that you made a decision that happened years ago. It's a work. It's something that you strive for everyday. It isn't just a concept. It's an action. It's something that we need to be working at. Paul was so concerned for their faith that he sent Timothy to investigate it. He says that we sent Timothy our brother and God's co-worker in the gospel to establish and exhort you in your faith.

And so Timothy goes and ministers to them and then comes back and reports. Timothy is come to us from you and it's brought us the good news of your faith and love and so Paul commence them on this report back from Timothy. But as we know as Christians, we are sinners and Paul is concerned Timothy reports back that there is something lacking in your faith. That's true of all of us. Yes, we believe that Jesus is our savior, but none of us are exempt from struggles of sin. And so Paul is reminding them. There's something lacking in your faith. It's a why is he concerned? He's concerned that these struggles that we saw highlighted whether it's Understanding God's place in the world and how when he comes again what that will mean for us or how we love each other and how we should conduct ourselves with each other Paul is concerned that there is something lacking and so I believe the reason why their faith is lacking is because they're enduring persecution and suffering.

We at Wesley Heights have many who are suffering. I don't believe that many of us are enduring persecution at this time. There are many around the world who are injuring persecution many countries where being a Christian is illegal and people are thrown into jail just for the fact that they want to meet like we are this morning to hear the word of God these Christians intestinal naika are experiencing persecution for the fact that they are followers of Jesus Christ. The Paul doesn't just talk about religious persecution he talks about suffering and they were suffering in their physical bodies with their emotions and so afflictions are both persecution of belief but also sufferings of just being human and so we know people have been meeting for prayer every Thursday at Westney and we are praying for people that are experiencing suffering and many are experiencing suffering of physical pain summer experiencing suffering of lost some of not knowing where Money will come from lack of employment. And so these are the things that will cause us to struggle in. Our faith is God going to meet my need is God going to relieve my pain?

We ourselves boast about you in the Churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecution and in the inflictions afflictions that you are enduring. So Paul is proud of the fact that they are entering but he's also concerned that these issues that have come into their life or going to cause them to struggle and are causing them to struggle and so he brings a word of comfort. First of all, he commends them for their faith in love. And now he brings a word of comfort to them because of the situation that they are going through with this suffering. Bruce 5 to 10 is the main part of this chapter and it has a literary feature that centers around the word righteousness. And so I just want to highlight this for you.

There is this word righteous which in Greek the root word is Deke de chaos righteous judgement. There's just repayments righteous repayment. There is Vengeance inflicted vengeance is righteous punishment, and there is punishment or righteous punishment. That is eternal. And so let's just read through these 5 versus and look at this word righteous, which is a main part of these 5 verses This is the evidence of the righteous Judgment of God that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God for which you are also suffering.

Since indeed God considered it just or righteous to repay with afflictions. Those who afflict you.

And to Grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. in flaming fire inflicting righteous judgement Vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. They will suffer the punishment of Eternal destruction. They will suffer the righteous judgement of Eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. When he comes on that day to be glorified in his Saints and to be marveled at among all who have believed because our testimony to you was believed. to this end I just want to highlight to this end. To this end. There's a righteous judgement coming and so he's praying for them to this end. We always pray for you that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of Faith by his power so that the name of the Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you and him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Pause praying for them their faith is coming under threat because they're enduring persecution and suffering. And so he prays for them and says because there's a righteous judgement coming I am praying for you. And so righteous righteous judgement, what does righteous mean? Simply it means to be right but in this day and age where Society is telling us, there's no such thing as rights. Live your own truth. We are trying to remold God's world into a society that we get to determine what is right and what is wrong and so many people are confused as to what righteous means just saying it means what is right is very confusing to some people and so we look to the word of God to Define. What does righteous mean? Righteousness is the quality of being right in the eyes of God. It includes your character your conscience your conduct and command your word righteousness is therefore based upon God standard. Because he is the ultimate lawgiver. We believe that right comes from God it comes from who he is and it comes from how he has created this world and the lost that he has put in place. Not only is God righteous. He reveals his righteousness in his mighty acts creation is his he gets to Define how creation works and what is right and wrong in creation. Not only is God righteous revealing his righteousness in his mighty acts. But he also expects righteousness of others. We are to reflect the nature of the Creator God and so Mike on duct has to come in line with what God expects of us. The expected response to God's rule is in the form of righteousness. Righteousness is my conduct based upon God's law.

The expected response to God's rule is in the form of righteousness that is Conformity to his Rule and will it so righteousness? What is Right comes from God we shouldn't let Society determine. What is right or what is wrong?

righteous the father In Deuteronomy, we really ascribe greatness to our God. The Rock his work is perfect. All his ways are Justice righteous a god of faithfulness and without an equity. Righteous, just and upright is he God is righteous. God is righteousness. In fact the sun in John 17, Jesus speaks of the father. So righteous father. Even though the world does not know you I know you and these know that you have sent me Jesus attributes righteousness to the father. And so righteous is our response to God in Psalm 1. The Lord knows the way of the righteous righteous. This just isn't a theory. It's actually a lifestyle the righteousness of God needs to be lived out and we seeing someone it is the way of the righteous that he is concerned about and so righteousness in this passage is a keyword to understanding what God wants to say to us.

so Fierce Five this is the evidence of the righteous Judgment of God that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God for which you are also suffering righteous is God and His standard judgment is coming and Paul says to this end there is judgment, and it is based on the person and character of God judgment is a word at its core means crisis. This is the evidence of the righteous Judgment of God. It's a legal decision in every legal Court. The reason that you're there is because there's a crisis there's a conflict between two parties. And so we stand before God the world stands before God in a crisis. There is a conflict between the character and nature and standard of God. Todd and his creation which is falling into sin and so all judgment is based on prices on a conflict and so we stand before God this morning. In a place of Crisis the world is in a place of Crisis. We have abandoned the standard of God and we have gone our own way and follow the path of sin. and so righteous God is going to make a righteous judgement. About whether you are considered Worthy. Of the kingdom of God we were singing about that this morning in a lot of the songs. Jesus is the one who has come to deal with this conflict this crisis of where we stand before God. And so just quickly. What does this look like depending on which side of this decision this crisis decision judgement. Will I be on verse 6 Cindy God considers that righteous to repay with Affliction those to afflict you and so this word affliction. Means to stress God will consider it right to repay just stress on those who do not follow him and to actually cause you distress.

He will grant relief to you who are being. distressed or afflicted and so our reward when we come down on the right side of God's righteous judgment is released. It is not distress and this happens when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels.

for the unrighteous God will inflict Vengeance. This is righteous punishment on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel and here is this pivotal point on what side am I going to fall on the righteous judgement of God? Those who do not obey the gospel will receive a righteous punishment for the righteous. Who do obey the gospel to Grant relief to those who are afflicted as well as to us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels I reward is to see Jesus right now. He is hidden but he is going to be revealed to us and we are going to be welcomed into his presence. His revealing is our reward to those who are Unrighteous is reviewing is not a reward and so am verse 9. They will suffer the righteous judgement of Eternal destruction destruction here means worthlessness their reward is to be put into a position of worthlessness. It's a terrible thought to think of people in this world who strive to be worth something. We spend our lives trying to achieve things. And God says if you are unrighteous when Jesus comes you're going to be spending eternity in a state of worthlessness what a tragic place to be for us who are righteous. When he comes on that day to be glorified in his Saints our reward is he comes in willing to Ellis and we will assume some of his glory. We aren't just in for a eternity of worthlessness. We're destined for an indwelling of glory and worth that we can't even imagine and so where are we going to fall on whether we are righteous or unrighteous verse 9 the unrighteous they will suffer the punishment deter the righteous judgement of Eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord. They are going to be lost.

We had a little incident in our lives back when my youngest son was only probably about three or four. We were in Florida on holiday, and we went to a shopping mall, which is my wife's favorite thing to do and so we were wondering around and I had two of the youngest kids with me and she was shopping and another store and this is one of those outdoor malls. There was a highway right beside and so we went into a Toy Story. Toy shop my youngest son and I jack and we're looking for things and then I wasn't really paying that close attention and all the sudden it turned around and there was no Jack and I just thought well my wife was shopping in the store next door. So he must have gone to find my wife and so I continued to shop and about five minutes later. I went into the find my wife and I said, where's John and she said he was with you and of course Panic ensues and we start running all over the place and your mind sees the highway and you think he's been abducted and it was a terrifying experience to go through. As a parent but it was far more terrifying for my young son who had gone out thinking he was going to find his mother turned the wrong way and in the crowd of people was lost and his Terror was visible when we finally found him about 15 minutes later as security guard had found him and take him to the booth and they actually giving him a nice Starbuck drink to drink and eat trying to calm him down because he was hysterical. He was lost. He was terrified and for 24 hours, he would just break out in sugaring as he thought about being lost a terrifying condition to be in that is The reward of the unrighteous is to be lost to be worthless. For those of us who believe in Jesus Christ Our reward is to be with him and to be glorified in him and so are challenged to Westney today and to the people who are watching is where are you when it comes to the righteous judgement of God. Have you obeyed?

the gospel today and so he will be glorified in us and we will Marvel at him when he comes we are invited into his presence today. He died on the cross for us. And so to this end Paul praise. Where are you in your standing with Jesus Christ? It's an important question. so this righteous judgement of God.

Jesus the son is also considered righteous Rejoice. Greatly o Daughter of Zion behold. Your king is coming to you right chest and having salvation is he Jesus is our righteousness. Out of the anguish of his soul. He shall see and be satisfied by his knowledge. Shall the righteous one Jesus my servant make many to be accounted righteous and he shall bear their iniquities.

Jesus is asking are you going to obey the gospel today? It is the key decision on how you will spend eternity. And so I'd invite you to gather the elements for communion. We are going to celebrate the Lord's Supper today.

I'll just pray for the bread father. We know there is a righteous judgement coming. And so we look to your son the righteous one. Who has purchased our Salvation on the cross who has allowed his body to be broken for us? And so we are thankful that we can obey the gospel and walk into perfect. glorious future with you and we praise you and thank you that you have given us that opportunity in Jesus name. I pray amen.

And when are you giving thanks, he broke the bread and said this is my body, which is for you do this in remembrance of me.

In the same way. He took the cup. and after supper, he said this cup is the New Covenant in my blood do this as often as you drink it in remembrance of Me by the Stream.

By his knowledge. Shall the righteous one Jesus make many to be accounted righteous because he died and bore our iniquities on himself. And so we Praise Jesus this morning for what he has done. And that is one of the reasons why I am thankful for this church why I love Wesley Heights because this is the key to our Salvation And so just very quickly. Why does suffering make us worthy for the of the Kingdom while it doesn't it doesn't it's a sign that we are part of the Kingdom that we suffer and Jesus has said for it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ. You should not only believe in him but also suffer for him either some other passages that talk about the suffering of those who believed in him and then to end before we sing our final song Paul brings a challenge verse 11 and 12 to this end. We always pray for you that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of Faith by his power so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you and him according to the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ. To this end. He praise God may make you worthy. It is God who makes us righteous. Nothing in ourselves brings righteousness to ourselves. God makes us worthy of his kingdom. But our responsibility doesn't end when we believe he says God will fulfill every resolve for good. The result is yours. It's up to you to resolve to do good working on your faith requires you daily to resolve to do good to do the work of God. And every work of faith. Faith is our trust in him. It's our belief that he is the god who will provide but it isn't just a concept. It's a work it so daily. You have to decide whether you're going to live by faith. I'll invite the team to come up for the closing song. The name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you when you make every resolve for good when you work at your faith. And so Wesley Heights has many opportunities for you to work many opportunities for you to work at your faith. And I would encourage you to look for ways to get involved in the life of Wesley Heights in the life of your neighbors resolve to do good for Jesus today because it is a sign that you have been accounted worthy of the kingdom of God and soda close on this Valentine's Day. What is the most loving thing that you can do? It is to obey the gospel. It is to believe that Jesus died for you. It is to make every resolve to do good. It is to work at your faith daily and follow Jesus, and he will make you righteous and he will be glorified in you and we will see him again one day and it's going to be a glorious day. Thank you team.