2nd Thessalonians Part 1 – Lawson Perdue

Praise the Lord, friends, and welcome to the broadcast. I’m so glad that you’re here today. Today we’re beginning a brand new series live from our church where I’m talking from 2 Thessalonians about the hope of the coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus is coming to be glorified in the saints. This is called the blessed hope, and the great appearing of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Stay tuned and be blessed. 2 Thessalonians was basically written right after 1 Thessalonians. They were both written about 50 and 51 AD. And basically Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians and sent it over there, and they thought maybe somebody else was trying to be a con, so he wrote 2 Thessalonians to make sure they understood that he wrote 1 Thessalonians too. Amen. And he sent it on to the church and he said, no, this is really me and this is what I mean. So in 1 Thessalonians, Paul was talking about in hope and of eternal life, but in 2 Thessalonians he’s kind of writing in light of his coming. And what he’s talking about in chapter one is walking in grace, in light of impending judgment. How many of you know Christ is coming to be glorified in his church? And we read about that in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, it’s called the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, in Titus 2. Amen. Jesus is coming for his church. But he is not only coming to receive his church, he’s coming to judge the world. And here in 2 Thessalonians 1, he talks really on both sides of this. First he talks about, there is an impending judgment coming for the world, for those who do not know Christ, for those who have persecuted the church. But there’s also Christ coming for his church, and that’s great hope. And when you look in the scriptures, you can really see both of these things. Like I said, I already quoted Titus 2 and Titus 2 says, you know, that we’re looking forward to the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ. That’s Jesus coming for his church. And Paul talked about that, and we read the scriptures a couple of weeks ago in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:49-58, that talk about Christ coming for his church. And that’s something that we look forward to with great expectation, great anticipation, great hope. It’s wonderful thing. In fact, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:19, talking about the hope of the resurrection, that if we as believers do not have this hope, we are of all men most miserable. So thank God we have the hope of Jesus coming for us. But he’s not only coming to receive the church, he’s also coming to judge the world. And Revelation 1:7 says that every eye shall see him and all of the kindreds, or the families of the earth shall wail because of him. So that’s not something that might be very exciting, right? That’s not glorious hope in anticipation of his coming, that’s like a fear or a dread. And then Revelation 19 also talks about this. In Revelation 19 it says that he’s coming in righteousness to judge and make war. That’s in Revelation 19:11 through kind of the end of the chapter. So there’s two aspects of Christ coming. One is the hope of the church, he’s coming to receive us. We’re anticipating it. We’re excited about it. Thank God we have that hope. But there’s also this aspect, he’s coming to judge a world of unbelievers who have rejected Christ and who have fought his church. And Paul kind of talks about this here in 2 Thessalonians 1. So let’s begin here in 2 Thessalonians 1:1, he says, “Paul, Silvanus and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians, in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul has a message for the church. Jesus has a message for the church. Aren’t you glad Jesus has a message for the church? I’m glad I’m part. And so, no matter what’s going on in the world, God always has a message for His church. In fact, Revelation is written in three parts, right? Jesus said in verse 19, “Write the things which you have seen,” Revelation 1:19. He told John, “Write the things which you have seen.” He saw Jesus, the resurrected savior of the world, chapter one. He saw Jesus, the Lord of the church in chapter two and chapter three. And Jesus had a message for every church, of every time and every condition. And then in chapter four through chapter 22, he saw Jesus the coming king. Jesus is the Savior, Lord, and king. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Amen. He always has a message for the church. God has a message for the church, no matter what’s going on in the world. Now, let’s go and read what he talks about in verse two through five. “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We’re bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is sufficient because your faith grows exceedingly and the love of every one of you, all toward each other abounds.” Now, some of you have been taught very well in the Charis circle that you already have all the faith you need, and that is true spiritually, but you’re growing in the expression of that faith. It’s like a baby, it has every muscle in its body it needs, but it’s gotta, you gotta use them, right? You gotta develop ’em, right? It’s to grow with those things. So we grow in our operation of the things that God’s given us. So he says, “Your faith is growing exceedingly and your love is abounding,” and that’s a good thing. “So that we ourselves glory in you,” in verse four, “in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure.” Now, do you see that? He’s writing to the church and he says, “We glory in you and in the churches of God for your patience and faith in the tribulations that you endure.” So if you read the same Bible that I read, how many of you believe there’s a coming tribulation? There is a coming tribulation, however, the coming tribulation, in my opinion, and I believe I’m right, is not God dealing with his church. The coming tribulation, the church has really been in tribulation for 2000 years. In fact, Jesus said before his coming in Matthew 24, there would be some signs of his coming. And he said, “You will be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.” So Jesus prophesied persecution of Christians and Jews. So the church has really been in persecution, the church has been in tribulation in some form or another for the last 2000 years. Right? So the tribulation is not God dealing with the church to clean them up, and this is my opinion, I think I’m right again, because if the blood didn’t clean you, then tribulation sure not gonna do it. I’m talking about the blood of Jesus. Amen.

Amen.

So the tribulation, it’s called the time of Jacob’s trouble in the Old Testament. I believe that’s in the book of Daniel, maybe a couple other places, maybe Jeremiah. It’s God dealing with the nation of Israel to bring them to Christ, one side. One side of the tribulation is secondly, God dealing with the world who has rejected him. But he says, “Hey, you guys, you have been in persecution, you have been in tribulation.” So he said, this is what I want you to do, in looking forward to Christ coming, grow in faith, abound in love, and be patient in trial. First thing I’d like to say about this is, just because there’s a trial doesn’t mean that you don’t have faith. Some people think if you, I don’t know how they got this, but they think if you have faith, you’re not gonna have any trials. And when I read my Bible in Hebrews 10, it says, towards the end of it, immediately after you were enlightened, you endured a great fight of afflictions. Because if you weren’t believing for anything, you’re not really any threat to the enemy and his kingdom. But when you start believing God and seeing the truth, all of a sudden you become a threat. But guess what? We win. So keep believing the promises. Jesus said this in John 16:33, he said, “In the world you shall have tribulation.” There’s gonna be trial, there’s gonna be trouble. There’s gonna be difficulty. “But cheer up for I’ve overcome the world.” James 1:2 says, “Count it all joy when you fall into different kinds of trouble.” Why is there trouble? Because we’re in a world that’s been affected by sin and by satan, and sometimes the world doesn’t like you either, okay? The trial many times has to do with persecutions and afflictions for the sake of the gospel. Let’s look at a couple of examples. Let’s go to Acts 13. I’ve used these a couple of times, but they’re so good. Acts 13:49. Paul was preaching. He was preaching at Antioch, the word of the Lord was spread to the whole region. It says in verse 49, “The word of the Lord was published throughout all the region, but the Jews, religious people, stirred up, devout and honorable women and the chief men of the city, and they raise persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them. They threw them out of their coasts, but they shook the dust off their feet against them and came to Iconium.” So they just shook it off and went forward. “And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Ghost.” You need to stay filled with joy and stay filled with the Holy Ghost. Acts 14:1, they’re in Iconium, “It came to pass in Iconium, they went together into the synagogue of the Jews and they spoke and a great multitude of Jews and Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and made their minds evil affected against the brothers. Long time therefore they abode speaking boldly in the Lord who gave testimony to the word of his grace.” How many of you glad that God gives testimony to the word of his grace? Where great grace is preached, great power is released. Friends, I certainly hope that you’ve been enjoying the word of God today. Did you know we have a website, and on our website we have hundreds of hours of free teaching, downloadable audio, downloadable video, a free children’s curriculum, and soon to come a free youth curriculum, plus much more on our website at Charis Christian Center. Check it out. I got a word from God. A lot of believers want shazam, and a lot of times the things of the kingdom of God aren’t shazam. Jesus said, everything operates according to the parable of the sower, the kingdom. How many of you know the devil is the enemy of the word? Because he knows if you get ahold of the word of God, the word of God is literally gonna change your life. “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to repay tribulation to those who trouble you.” Sometimes, you know, we’d like it to happen a little sooner. I just have to be honest, okay? But he says it’s a righteous thing for God to repay tribulation to those who have fought his church, fought his people. Listen, Barbara prayed with one of our members this week. Her dad was a missionary to Israel for over 20 years. He’s a retired Baptist minister that got filled with the Holy Ghost. And Barbara prayed that God would get involved and help Israel, and it seems like the last few days that God has got involved and is helping them. If you don’t know what’s been going on with the Hezbollah. Some of you have heard the news, so Barbara said, it looks like our prayers are being answered.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. Egypt thought they would wipe ’em out, and in six days, Israel won. That’s why they call it the Six Day War. God says it’s right, it’s a righteous thing for God to repay tribulation to those who trouble you. And to you who are troubled, rest with us. When the Lord Jesus, now look at this, shall be revealed. That’s called the revelation. So there is, okay, I’m gonna use a word that some people, it’s taboo. Some people don’t believe in it. It’s called the rapture.

Amen.

Some people don’t believe in the rapture, okay? I don’t care if you believe in it or not, Jesus Christ is gonna come for his church. And I’m not gonna tear out 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15 out of my Bible. If you don’t like me, forgive me, okay? Some of my good friends don’t believe in it, so it’s okay. But I believe Jesus is coming for his church, and I believe Jesus not only is coming for his church, I believe Jesus is coming to judge the world. I personally believe that they’re gonna happen at two separate times, a little bit apart, okay. Not a lot apart, but a little bit apart. I’ll just leave it there, okay. ‘Cause I don’t like to argue over church doctrine, I don’t think it does anything really. But he says “The Lord Jesus is gonna be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. In flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who know not God and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Listen, if you read the Old Testament, sometimes one angel came and just wipe out thousands of people in one night. He’s talking about angel warfare. He says it’s gonna happen. And if I read my Bible right, the antichrist, and we’ll talk about him next week, ’cause he’s in. Well, not next week, two weeks, ’cause we got a guess next week. The antichrist is gonna come, if I’m reading my Bible, and I may be reading it wrong, but I think I’m reading it right. And I used to teach this a lot, but I don’t teach it a lot, ’cause I don’t like to argue, right? But if I’m reading my Bible right, the antichrist is gonna lead a lot of people from the east and from the north. If you look at Moscow, it is straight north of Jerusalem. And if you look at the east side of the Ukraine that the Russians have taken it’s a straight line, they’re coming. But if the antichrist is gonna lead people from the east and from the north and from a lot of places, and they’re gonna come against Israel, and then Jesus Christ is gonna show up with his church with 10 thousands of his saints. And he is gonna defend, and he is gonna set up a kingdom on this earth. And he’s gonna reign for a thousand years of peace on this earth.

Yes.

So he’s coming for his church, and then he’s coming with his church. To me, they’re two separate events separated by a little bit of time, okay. I could be wrong, but I think I’m right, but I’m not gonna argue. But listen to what he says. He says “He’s gonna come in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those that know not God and obey not the gospel. They’re gonna be punished,” he says in verse nine, “with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and the glory of his power.” That is judgment. There is judgment coming for those who have rejected Jesus and fought the people of God. If you’re reading the same Bible that I’m reading. And listen, I’m not wishing judgment on anybody. I believe Jesus Christ took our judgment, but for people who do not believe in Jesus. Andrew Wommack preached a number of years ago when we were on Elkton Drive, he had a summer camp meeting in our church and he preached on hell. And I’ve never. He preached like four nights or something on hell. And I’ve never heard anybody preach that good on hell. And Andrew Wommack, you know my grace friend who I love, my father in the faith, my father in the gospel, my father in the message of grace, he said, “If people don’t receive Jesus, there’s not a hell hot enough, and there’s not a hole deep enough to put ’em in.” Kind of like this scripture right here, okay. That is really good messages. I don’t know if they’re still available. It’s kind of like some of. Dr. Sumrall wrote a book, ‘Can A Christian Go To Hell?’ It was so popular, they put it where nobody could get it. I have a copy. You know people been fighting about that for 2000 years, so I’m not gonna tell you the answer tonight. Okay, so praise the Lord. So what’s he saying? He said, there is a tribulation for the world who has not believed. And God will repay tribulation to those who fight his people, his church. Jesus is gonna be revealed from heaven to judge a world of unbelievers. Let’s go and read in Revelation I quoted a little bit ago. Revelation 19 talks a little bit about this in verse 11, we’ll begin reading. “I saw heaven open, and behold a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true. And in righteousness does he judge and make war.” So when Jesus opens the gospel, when he starts his ministry in Luke 4, he goes to the synagogue, he’s 30-years-old, he’s been tempted by the devil for 40 days and 40 nights. They give him a copy of the book of Isaiah. He finds the place where it is written, we know it as Isaiah 61:1 and 2. He says, “The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he’s anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He sent me to heal the broken hearted, preach deliverance to the captives, the recovering of sight to blind. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” And he stops right in the middle of verse two, and then he closes the book and the eyes of everyone in the synagogue are fixed on him. And he said, “Today, is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” Because Jesus came the first time as a lamb. But the second half of that verse, verse two, Isaiah 61 says, “And to proclaim the day of the vengeance of our God,” the judgment of God. And then verse three says this, “To appoint unto them who mourn in Zion to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that he might be called, that they might be called trees of righteousness.” And he goes on and talks about the restoration of the nation of Israel. Jesus is coming again. He came the first time as a lamb, he came to die on a cross and to take our sins. He came the first time to save us full of grace. But he’s coming again to judge. And if you receive him as savior, you don’t have to worry about his judgment. You’re gonna be judged at the judgment seat of Christ, it’s a reward seat. If I’m reading my Bible right, for those, for what you’ve done with Jesus. But there’s a world that’s gonna be judged, that’s gonna be a separate judgment. And in this judgment it says, he comes in righteousness, right here, to judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire. I saw him on October 2nd, 2014. I saw the glory of God. I saw his eyes of orange and red and yellow fire. I saw the fire of his love. It took me a while to realize what I saw. “On his head were many crowns, and he had a name written that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood and his name is called, the Word of God. And the armies, which were in heaven, followed him on white horses, clothed in fine linen white and clean. And out of his mouth goes as sharp two-edged sword that he should smite the nations, and rule them with a rod of iron. And he treads the wine press of the fierceness and the wrath of Almighty God. And he has on his vesture and on his thigh a name written ‘King of kings and Lord of lords.’ And I saw a angel standing in the sun and he cried with a loud voice saying to the fowls that fly in the middle of heaven, ‘Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God that you may eat the flesh of kings and captains, and the flesh of mighty men and horses and those who sit on them, and the flesh of men and both free and bond and small and great. And I saw the beast, that’s the antichrist, and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him who sat on the horse and against his army. And the beast was taken with him, and the false prophet who wrought miracles before him, who deceived them that had not received the mark of the, that had received the mark of the beast, and those who worshiped his image. And these were cast alive into the lake of the fire, burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him who sat upon the horse, and the sword proceeds out of his mouth. And all the fowls were filled with their flesh.” That’s what we call Armageddon. Jesus is gonna judge the world of sinners who have rejected him. Jesus is gonna judge the nations of the world who stand against Israel. Friends, we’ve been sharing that Jesus Christ is coming again. Jesus is coming to be glorified in the saints, but he’s also coming to judge the world. And I want to be on the right side of that equation. If you have personally never received Jesus Christ as your Lord, or you’re questioning your salvation, I want to encourage you to call our trained prayer ministers. They are here to minister to you. They are to here to pray for you and encourage you in your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. So just give us a call today, we’re waiting to receive your call. Blessings. Hey everyone. I want you to mark your calendar for Family Camp Meeting. We’re gonna have great teaching with Mark Hankins and Pastor Max Cornell. Great worship with Philip Renner, sharing the grace of Jesus all around the globe. And we’re gonna have great children’s meetings, great youth meetings, something for the entire family right here at Charis Christian Center, in Colorado Springs. We want to see you here. Blessings. Friends, it’s great to have you with us today. And I want to invite you to attend services with us at Charis Christian Center in Colorado Springs. The atmosphere is amazing. Recently in one service I had people from 10 nations and several states, they watch us on a regular basis online. And they said, this is amazing. So if you can’t come physically, come and attend online at Charis Christian Center or YouTube. Blessings. Hey everyone, I want to invite you today to subscribe to the Charis Christian Center YouTube channel where you can get hundreds of hours of teaching and different materials absolutely free. We live stream all of our services there, and so check it out. Charis Christian Center on the YouTube channel. Thanks so much and have an awesome day.

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