Encouragement during Persecution (continued)
Introduction
Good news and bad news!
Good news:
In this passage, Paul is encouraging believers who are suffering persecution. He reassures them that God’s justice has not failed and that their present suffering will be addressed by God.
Bad news for the unrepentant sinner:
The justice of God brings punishment on unrepentant sinners.
2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 NLT
Encouragement during Persecution (continued)
7 And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. 10 When he comes on that day, he will receive glory from his holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him.
Examine the Scriptures:
Encouragement during Persecution (continued)
2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 NLT
Review 2 Thessalonians 1:6
6 In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you.
- God is just.
Galatians 6:7 NLT
7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.
- God’s judgment flows from His holiness.
God will not allow evil to go unjudged.
When God repays and how God repays are to be determined by Him.
Romans 12:19 NLT
19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”
says the Lord.
- The justice of God brings punishment on unrepentant sinners.
It may be in the here and now, but for many it will be on judgment day.
In his justice God will pay back those who persecute believers.
7 And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted
Biblical rest can mean a lot of different things.
Here are a few meanings for rest:
Relief from suffering.
Peace and security.
Relief for the soul.
Eternity in God’s presence. (Heaven)
Relief or rest for the persecuted is certain, but for the most part this rest will come in the future.
God does not ignore suffering. He promises justice, but on His timetable.
Remember: Suffering is temporary — glory is permanent.
- Relief or rest for the persecuted is certain.
and also for us
Paul was suffering persecution just as the Thessalonians were.
Paul understands what the Thessalonians are experiencing.
Repeat (And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted)
when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven.
Persecuted believers will get relief when Jesus appears from heaven.
1 Peter 1:6-8 NLT
6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.
- God does not ignore suffering. He promises justice, but on His timetable.
He will come with his mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire,
Isaiah 66:15-16 NLT
15 See, the Lord is coming with fire,
and his swift chariots roar like a whirlwind.
He will bring punishment with the fury of his anger
and the flaming fire of his hot rebuke.
16 The Lord will punish the world by fire
and by his sword.
He will judge the earth,
and many will be killed by him.
- Christ’s return is portrayed as public, powerful, and authoritative, accompanied by angels—symbols of divine judgment and execution of God’s will.
bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus.
Bringing judgment on:
those who don’t know God
and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus.
- God’s judgment is real and unavoidable.
9 They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power.
They will be punished for rejecting the message about Christ.
John 3:18-21 NLT
18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”
There are severe consequences for the unbelievers.
Matthew 25:41 NLT
41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.
The phrase “eternal fire” stresses the gravity and finality of judgment.
Revelation 20:15 NLT
15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.
Eternal separation. Forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power.
- The horror of the judgment for the wicked will continue throughout eternity.
10 When he comes on that day,
- There will be a day of final judgment.
The final judgment:
Read the story about:
Sheep and goats
Right and left
Matthew 25:31-33 NLT
The Final Judgment
31 “But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.
Read through:
Matthew 25:46 NLT
46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.”
he will receive glory from his holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him.
John 3:16 NLT
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
The event that brings judgment on the unbeliever brings wonder, joy, and honor for the believer,
- Believers are not passive spectators on the day Christ comes back; they are part of Christ’s glory.
Christ’s power and grace are put on display through the transformed lives and resurrected bodies of his followers.
Reflected Glory: Just as a mirror reflects the sun, the transformation of the believers serves as the primary evidence of Christ’s power. He is “marveled at” because of what He has done in and through flawed human beings.
