2 Thessalonians 1::3-7 / Participation with the Kingdom

Participation is Marked by Growth

2 Thessalonians 1:3 ESV

3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.

We should give thanks to God you. Why? ...

Faith is growing … abundantly

love of everyone for one another is increasing.

Cultural growth!

Hardest things to change in any group is the culture.

WBC has also experienced cultural growth.

Shouldn’t there be an expectation of growth in every church?

Think about Jesus’ response in the book of Revelation

Laodicia: You are lukewarm

I am about to spit you out of my mouth

This IS NOT, “Wow we are just stoked that you are actually growing.”

This IS, “You are growing, as is right, and we thank God for you.”

Considering the length that God has gone to make a way for us to Him...

Faith is proclaimed in Suffering

2 Thessalonians 1:4 ESV

4 Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

West Nickle Mines School Shooting:

OCTOBER 2, 2006 Charles Roberts

Walked into one room Schoolhouse Amish Community of Nickle Mines.

Shot 8 out of 10 girls (6-13) execution style -killing 5

Then commited suicide.

Media began to report how immediately the Amish community started showing forgiveness.

Surrounded the killers wife and family.

One Amish father is quoted as saying, “He had a mother and a wife and a soul and now he's standing before a just God.”

Some people criticized them for offering forgiveness

“It’s inappropriate”

Scholar on Amish life said, “… that the Amish willingness to forgo vengeance does not undo the tragedy or pardon the wrong, but rather constitutes a first step toward a future that is more hopeful.”

Do you think that Amish community had to decide that day what they believed about God?

They had to come to terms with it for sure.

But that had clearly already decided what they believe.

Nobody wants to face persecution for our faith.

When it does happen we have an opportunity to reveal what we truly believe about God.

Thessalonians had been facing persecution and yet were steadfast and faithful.

This made them stand out.

This spoke volumes about they had claimed to believe.

Suffering reveals Evidence of God’s Righteous Judgment

2 Thessalonians 1:5 ESV

5 This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—

How does this work?

You ever know someone who seems to take everything going their way.... “BLESSED BY GOD”

Highly Blessed doesn’t always mean faithful.

Consider the one who face many trials in life and yet remains steadfast and faithful to God.

This is God righteous judgment doesn’t focus on things of this world. He sees what is in the heart.

Our endurance to remain faithful in trials DEMONSTRATES our worthiness of the kingdom. (only by God’s grace are we even made worthy)

Further explanation ...

2 Thessalonians 1:6–7 ESV

6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 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

We have a hope!

God considers it just to repay those who afflict us

and also to give us relief!

(One of the most comforting passages in my life (for myself and shared with others…)

Psalm 37:5–6 ESV

5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

But this will likely be DELAYED JUSTIFICATION

2 Thessalonians 1:6–7 ESV

6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 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