The Coming of Christ to Earth

Transcript

GR 39
5/26/1974
The Coming of Christ to Earth
2 Thessalonians 1:1-12
Gil Rugh


2 Thessalonians, and the first chapter. I’d like to read this chapter, as you follow along in your bibles. II Thessalonians, chapter 1.
Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater;
therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.
This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgement so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when he comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed for our testimony to you was believed.
To this end also we pray for you always that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power; in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

As I noted this morning we're going to look at this short epistle the next few weeks then following our study of 2 Thessalonians, we're going to go back into the old testament. We haven't spent a lot of time in the old testament. We looked at the book of Hosea not too long ago. We're going to consider a book in the old testament. Probably the prophet Zechariah. So, if you want, you can read over Zechariah. However, if you get discouraged easily, well you just wait and come study it with us. It's an interesting prophet, although, if you read through it just sitting down, it's ah, one of those books that sometimes confuses you, symbolism used and so on.
Zechariah is not ah unconnected with what we're going to be studying in 2 Thessalonians. Zechariah is a prophetic book. Has much material relating to the messianic ministry of Christ in his earthly kingdom and so on, second coming. And 2 Thessalonians is a prophetic book as well. The central chapter of the book is chapter 2. And it's probably the best known of the three chapters. It forms the heart of what Paul has to say.

In the first epistle to the Thessalonians, as we observed in our study, noted Paul talked the coming of Christ primarily for believers. And the word used there was the Parousia. Where He comes for believers, and we call it the rapture of the church. Particularly discussed in chapter 4, the last part of the chapter.

In 2 Thessalonians, the coming of Christ is again the subject of attention. But it's the coming of Christ to earth. And would be some seven years following the coming that we talked about in 1 Thessalonians. In 2 Thessalonians the emphases in on the coming of Christ to earth to establish his kingdom. And here it's called the Apocalypse. And we have the book of the Revelation or the Apocalypse. As it's known, which is the revelation You, ah, noted that in the last part of chapter 1. And we’ll be talking about it and then it leads into chapter 2, the events of the tribulation. And, leading up to the second coming of Christ to earth.

The time of writing is basically, the same as 1 Thessalonians, separated only by a very short time. Somewhere around 53 AD. Paul wrote this epistle probably from Corinth. Right on the heels of I Thessalonian and we did the background for these epistles when we did 1 Thessalonians. If you weren’t here, why you can read something of Paul’s establishing the church here with the background for it in Act 16, then Acts 17 and surrounding the establishing of a church at Thessalonica. The Church established, you remember in tribulation, difficulty. Paul was persecuted and chased out of Thessalonica and these new immature believers just had come to know Christ personally were left to weather the storm. There was nothing Paul could do about it. Just leave them in the hands of the Lord. To encourage them by letter he had a representative go and visit them but he himself couldn’t go. Now the real concern that caused the writing of this epistle so soon following 1 Thessalonian was a letter that evidently was being circulated, under Paul’s name or some teaching that was being promulgated and Paul was supposedly the authority for it.

Chapter 2, opens up. Now, we request you brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to Him. That you be not quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. So someone was circulating teaching and possibly a letter. Because Paul mentions a message from us. And then look over at the end of 2 Thessalonians, chapter 3, verse 17, Paul notes what the distinguishing sign of his letters will be. I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand, and this is a distinguishing mark in every letter; this is the way I write. So, ah, it seems to indicate that perhaps someone had a letter and said; look what I got from Paul. And this letter was to the effect that the day of the Lord had come. And because of the tribulation and intense persecution, the Thessalonians were undergoing, they were being misled into thinking that they were in the tribulation. So Paul writes to correct it. And, um, as we'll see when we get into chapter 2, the tribulation couldn't have occurred because the Holy Spirit will be removed first. The man of sin, will be revealed at the beginning of the tribulation, and the rapture must precede the tribulation, as the opening verses of chapter 2 make clear. We'll see that when we get there.

Alright, the opening verses of chapter one, ah, basically the same as the opening verses of the first letter. We're not going to consider the details. Paul, Silvanus and Timothy are joined in the writing of the letter. Although, again, the apostle Paul is the authority. Silvanus and Timothy are joined with him as those who are together, but Paul is the authority for the letter as the closing in chapter 3 makes clear. Silvanus, you remember is Silas in the book of Acts. Same person, Silas, Silvanus. Timothy, the son of Paul in the faith. And Paul perhaps had a closer relationship with this young man than any other person and writes very warmly about him and to him.

To the church of the Thessalonians, and God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The same as the first letter. Writing to the Thessalonians in intense persecution. He doesn't write to the church of the Thessalonians in persecution and suffering. But stressing the fact that they're in God and in Christ. So, it’s comforting to have this in mind as they're being persecuted as they are suffering. Their position in Christ and in God. This is the realm in which they reside.

The greeting of grace and peace. Again the standard greeting. Grace would have reference to the provision of God for their lives as believers. Grace an encompassing word. All that we are and have in Christ. But here, seemingly to refer to the fact of God giving the special need that they have. Grace to you. In other words, may God provide for you. We might say today, more commonly, God bless you, the same idea as, grace to you. The common Greek greeting and peace from God a common Hebrew greeting, as we've noted, joined together.

And here we're talking about that daily peace. Not the peace that we have with God as a result of salvation in Christ. But that inner peace. Cause he doesn't have to pray, ah, for this or encourage them to have it. They already have peace with God as a result of their salvation. But that daily peace that God gives to believers.

Important for those who are in tribulation and distress to be enjoying the peace that God provides and gives, and he notes that it's from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Again we see the equality of the Father and the Son. Grace and peace comes from both the Father and the Son. And we'll be talking about that some more at the end of the chapter as well.

Alright, with that greeting we move into the letter. First chapter breaks down to verses 3 to 5. Ah, the thanksgivings. Paul, characteristically, has thanks to offer. Then verses 6 to 10, something of Gods' judgement. And then verses 11 and 12, Paul closes with his prayer for these believers. Picking up with verse 3 about the thanksgiving. And, three basic areas will be included as we'll note.
We ought always to give thanks to God for you brethren, as is fitting. And, ah, unusual way to put this statement of thanks. We ought always to give thanks. A word that denotes a personal obligation or response. Ah, we’re, is a debt here. We are obligated, we ought always to give thanks to God for you. So, Paul is going beyond here just saying, we give thanks to God. Not that he’s not sincere when he says that. But he notes, this is a way to your issue. I feel the obligation, and the indebtedness to offer my thanks to God for you, brethren. As is fitting; you note the stress here. Paul wants them to understand how burdened he feels to give thanks to God for them. And the reason, because faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater. So two areas in this verse and there'll be a third area in verse four.

Your faith is greatly enlarged. And Paul says, I am motivated to thank God for you because of your ever increasing and growing faith. Now, again he's not talking about the faith that resulted in their salvation. Of course this isn't separated from that faith. But he's talking about growing faith as their reliance upon God increases, they learn through persecution to trust him more. And that is one of the benefits of persecution, tribulation and trial is to drive us to God, because it causes us to leave go of our own means and gold and so on and rest on His sufficiency. And it was being accomplished in the Thessalonians. Their faith is greatly increasing and growing.
We take it that ought to be true of every believer. Our faith ought to be growing. The more I walk with God the better I get to know him. The more in love with Him I become and the more I place my trust and confidence in Him. It's that way in our human relationships. Inner personal relationships on the human level. What happens? A stranger you don't quite have the confidence and faith in as you do the person that you've come to know and love and understand something of that person's faithfulness. Then you feel completely secure in trusting yourself to them. And that’s the way it is in our relationship with God. It is to be a growing thing. The more I walk with Him, the better I get to know Him. The more I see His faithfulness being manifested to me, why, the more I ought to be trusting Him.

So, a believer who has walked with God for 20 to 30 years ought to have great faith in comparison to one who has been a believer a year or two. And that’s usually the way it is, and we’re glad for that. The maturity and stability that you have in believers who have known the Lord for a time. Their faith has grown and enlarged. And you have newer Christians saying, well how can you trust God for that? And you say well that’s no problem. I mean no problem at all. It’s not for you, because your faith has grown and increased and that’s the way it was for the Thessalonians. Paul was thankful. Persecution hadn’t driven them away from the Lord, it had drawn them to the Lord.

Connected with that, the love of each one of you all toward one another grows greater.
It's hard for you and I, in a situation where we don't have persecution and difficulties to amount to anything to appreciate what Paul is saying here. But Paul has been one who has been through persecution. He knows something of the difficulties that persecution involves and entails. And he has a great appreciation for the response for these believers to persecution. And their love for other believers is growing. You know it's easy when the pressure gets applied to begin to look to other people to blame for my difficulties and troubles. And, ah, I’m being persecuted even for my faith and testimony in Christ. But it’s easy to look around and find fault with other believers and, ah, I look at their short-comings and that's the reason I’m really suffering so much.
Thessalonians weren’t like that. As the persecution increased and intensified their love for the brethren grew greater.

It's simply an indication again of the Spirit at work in their life. As their faith was increasing their love was increasing because the Spirit is in control of molding the person, we see his fruits becoming evident. And naturally we would expect from a people whose faith is enlarging, that their love for other believers would be growing greater as well. And it's true of the Thessalonians.
Verse 4, therefore, we ourselves; and intense form here, we ourselves, stressing something that Paul does. And evidently is not his common practice, to speak proudly of you among the churches. We ourselves, Paul, Silvanus, Timothy, we can't help but speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance. To be a third area that Paul would be giving thanks for. Being included with faith and love. Your perseverance. A word that means to abide under. We've talked about it before. Often in the new testament, translated endurance. And Paul says he speaks proudly among the churches of God for your perseverance, endurance; bearing under, and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.

So it's the persecutions, the afflictions they were enduring, bearing under. And you can understand to a degree something of Paul's encouragement by this. If you had been used of the Lord to lead a number of people to a personal knowledge of Christ as Savior, and then were immediately removed from the situation and persecution broke out. Intense, bodily persecution and affliction and you were miles away without able, without being able to get on the telephone, you'd naturally be concerned. How are they going to stand up? They ah, haven't had the privilege of walking with Him as long as I have. They don't know the scriptures like I do. How are they going to bear up under these difficulties? And Paul was greatly encouraged at their perseverance.

Some of us were visiting about this issue of perseverance today. And, ah, key issue in the life of a believer. For you and I to recognize that when I am where God wants me to be, then persecutions and afflictions that come I am satisfied and content to trust Him to carry me through. You know, our faith starts out great, ah, greatly, however it does. You know the persecution comes and the difficulty. And I start out, boy, I'm going to pray about it and leave it with the Lord. And in the back of my mind, what I really mean is; I'm going to pray about it and God's going to take it away tomorrow and I'll praise Him for what he has done. But you know when the difficulty comes is when you pray about it and trust Him, and you get up tomorrow and it's still there. And worse than that you get up next week and it hasn't gone. You know what I begin to say. Lord, I've been faithful. I prayed about it and I trusted you and quite frankly it doesn't seem like you're holding up your end. Why didn't you take it away? The perseverance, bearing under, is something I don't care for. I mean as soon as it comes I can trust Him, but I'm trusting Him to take it away before it remains too long. But endurance and bearing under, that's when it takes real faith. When God says no, I'm not going to remove it but I'll give you the grace to bear under.

We're all familiar with Pauls' discussion of this concerning his own problem in his letter to the Corinthians. So, characteristic of these believers; perseverance. And Paul says, I can't help it, I'm so proud, so excited about what God is doing in your lives as new believers that I have to speak proudly about it among the churches of God. And you'll note, it's God that gets the credit in verse 3. He says, always, we ought always to give thanks to God for you. God was using the Thessalonians as an encouragement and a blessing to Paul but it was in evidence of God's work that their faith was growing, that their love was increasing, that they were persevering under the difficulties. So, it's not that they get the credit. But it ought to be an encouragement to them that God is using them in such a clear way.

Perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgement so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. And ah, rather awkward connection as we read it here. This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgement; as we have it in the New American Standard. The words, this is, are inserted but they give the idea well. Not referring to the persecutions and afflictions but it's their perseverance and faith, their love which is a plain indication of God's righteous judgement. So, ah, the clear testimony of the work that God is doing in their lives is the positive elements that we have noted is in evidence that God is at work. Their faith, their love, their perseverance. It's a plain indication of God's righteous judgement so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God to which indeed you are suffering. Basically what it comes down to is that God's sustaining them by giving them the faith and the love and the perseverance is an evidence that they are Gods' children. That they are those that He has counted as worthy for his kingdom. It's not the idea that they are by their works demonstrating themselves to be worthy but God's work in them is a demonstration that He has made them worthy. Because if it wasn't for God's work in their life, they wouldn't have a growing faith. They wouldn't have an increasing love. They wouldn't have this continuing perseverance. And the fact that they have it is an indication that God has counted them worthy of his kingdom, and thus is operating and working in their lives.

And you know, it’s for this kingdom that they are suffering so, we have to take verse 5 in the context of verses 3 and 4. Ah, it's not their works that demonstrates them to be worthy. Although, their conduct is observable it is not to be able to be separated from what they are to explain just a little bit.

For after all, verse 6, it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well. So God’s righteous judgement here is going to be manifest. First, in the way He deals with them in providing for them. He doesn’t take away the persecution, you’ll note. But he has provided the faith, the love, the perseverance necessary to endure through the persecution. And secondly, God’s righteous judgement will be manifest in, there will come a day of reckoning. And verse 6 talks about that. It is just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you. So there will be a day when things are straightened out. Those who are afflicting the believers will be afflicted by God. Now, some read verses like this and say; well that’s a rather carnal motivation to hold out. Ah, you know you keep looking beyond the present difficulties to your pie in the sky type thing.

Well, Paul wasn't so self-righteous that he gloried in tribulations and was willing to say there. He could glory in tribulation because he had his eyes focused on the glory that was to be his. You know it’s easy for us who are not enduring persecution to say; well, we ought not to have such a carnal motivation. They ought to be satisfied there. Different thing when your under persecution. Then it is an encouragement to know that God is working and will provide the relief in His time.
It's just for God to replay, repay with affliction those who afflict you. No doubt about this is righteous. Those who are acting contrary to what God would expect will undergo punishment from the hand of God. And at that time God will give relief to those of you who are afflicted, and to us as well. So any persecution, any suffering has to be viewed in light of the fact that it is temporary. And in light of what Paul is going to say here, the affliction that the Thessalonians suffered is rather insignificant when measured in light of the affliction that those who were persecuting the Thessalonians are undergoing. God will give relief to those of you who are afflicted and to us as well. And you note, Paul identifies himself with them. Ah, this relief will come to all the believers together. And it will come when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire. That flaming fire can be connected with verse 7 as it is in the New American Standard or it can be put with the beginning of verse 8. It's simply a matter of where you want to put the comma. Ah, whether He's revealed from heaven with his mighty angels and flaming fire or whether He's revealed from heaven with his mighty angels and in flaming fire dealing out retribution. Ah, I don't think the issue is basically changed the difference. Although, I like the way the New American Standard has it better.

The time when retribution is given out is when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire. And we're talking about the second coming. At the rapture of the church when Christ comes in the air and takes us up to be with himself. That's not when he is unveiled in all splendor as judge of all the earth. That is a secret coming. And only believers will see Him. Because we'll be caught up into his presence. Here the Lord Jesus will be revealed. And we have the word, ah, that we get the word apocalypse from. An unveiling, a revelation. He's revealed, unveiled from heaven and he is with his mighty angels in flaming fire. And, ah, His angels accompany Him. The heavenly hosts, the angels of His power.

The fire, I take it characterizing the judgement that is coming. Ah, the purifying judgement that will take place, and that would be true rather you connected it with as it is in the New American Standard or with what follows in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

So, you note, he begins to emphasize here at this point the affliction of those who were persecuting the Thessalonians. You say, isn’t that unkind. Here he’s sort of holding out for the Thessalonians, a rather unspiritual type of attitude. Hang on because God is really going to punish these lousy sinners for persecuting you. Shouldn’t they be loving them. Well, I stand here and say, yes, they should be loving them. But if I was one of the Thessalonians, I would be saying yeah, they’re going to get theirs. Now maybe that would be carnal. But I don't think so in the light of the fact, Paul wouldn't hold out a carnal motive. It's simply a matter of being realistic. And that helps you in your attitude, toward others. When you realize their destiny and what awaits them, it does arouse something of compassion in your heart. You know it's not the matter that I would like to take vengeance on them myself, I would like to really get even with them. When you understand something of the total picture and the destiny that awaits them, then that helps you to have the proper attitude toward them. And I realize their destiny and I'm not seeking personal vengeance from them, they'll be in the hands of God. That even arouses some compassion as you see what they have to look forward to.
Dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. To those who have never come to know Him personally by placing their faith in Him. These will be the object of His vengeance or retribution.

Verse 9, emphasizing the fact, these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. So here is the sentence that awaits them. They will be sentenced to eternal separation, called eternal destruction. Not instantaneous destruction, eternal destruction. Because they will be separated from God and His presence for all eternity. Every single man and woman who have never come to know Jesus Christ personally. This is the sentence that God has appointed. Eternal separation from the presence of God. We note it in the book of Revelation. We're going to be talking about this in our men’s and women’s bible study.

We'll be moving into Matthew 24 and 25 now. In chapter 25, of Matthew, talked about this, these judgements. Look over in the book of Revelation, chapter 19. Pause. Chapter 19 describes the second coming to earth of Jesus Christ at the end of the tribulation period. And, we won't read all the chapter. But verse 7, chapter 19. Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him. For the marriage of the lamb has come as the bride has made herself ready. It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
And you and I are the bride, and it always excites me to read this portion, and know that that's talking about me here. I will be one of these adorned in these garments of righteousness, be present with Him. And, the theme continues.

Verse 11, to the second coming to earth. And I saw heaven open; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war.
His eyes are a flame of fire, and upon His head are many diadems; and He has a name written upon Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called the Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. And from His mouth comes a sharp sword; so that with it He may smite the nations; and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "King of Kings, and Lord of Lords." And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in mid-heaven, "Come, assemble for the great supper of God; in order that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great." And so on to verse 20, the beast & false prophet are seized and cast into the lake of fire and the rest are killed. And chapter 20 of course, is the judgement then on these unbelievers at the end of the millennium. And verse 11 to verse 15, why we have the sentencing to eternal separation from the presence of God, all unbelievers.

So, 2 Thessalonians, chapter 1, verse 9, is elaborated in many other passages. We just pick up that Revelation passage because it is a key one. These pay the penalty then, back in 2 Thessalonians 1, verse 9, of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.
Revelation, chapter 20, calls this the second death. That's what death is. It is separation. And we talk about eternal death or the second death, we're talking about separation from God for eternity. And that is in the place of torment, called Hell, where the torment is day and night, endlessly, forever and ever.

We talked this morning about the rewards of the believer. We are the heirs and to be heirs with Christ. And in millions and billions of years we’ll be enjoying our inheritance, and the gloriousness of that. And it is just as true of the unbeliever that in millions and billions and eons of time they will be conscientiously day and night enduring the torments of hell. And they'll be no closer toward the culmination to their suffering then you and I will be to the culmination of our inheritance. Because our inheritance is eternal. And the suffering of the lost in hell is just as eternal. There is no way you can get around an eternal hell without doing away with an eternal heaven because the same words are used. Eternal, everlasting translates you to the same word from the Greek and they're both, the same word is used both of the destruction of the law and of the salvation of the believer.
So the eternal destruction we're talking about in verse 9 is an eternal separation, eternal destruction from the presence of the Lord from the glory of His power. When he comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed - for our testimony to you was believed.
So, ah, striking contrast. These, who are sentenced away from His glory and those of us who are involved in His glory. He is to be glorified in His saints and you and I will be there to marvel at it and be amazed and to share in it, but all those who are unbelievers won't be there to share in it. They'll have been sentenced to separation from Him. You and I will be called to share in this glory that is so marvelous and amazing. The reason not because of our good works, not because we tried harder than somebody else did but simply because our testimony to you was believed. That's the word to have faith, to believe. And the reason the Thessalonians, that Paul is writing to, were looking forward to sharing the glory of Christ rather than the destruction of His enemies is because they believed. That’s all. And you think of all that hangs in the balance, isn't that fantastic. All on this one issue of have you have believed in Jesus Christ or you have not believed in Jesus Christ. Such a weighty issue as your eternal destiny of where you will be in millions and millions and millions of years of time sharing the glory of God or the sufferings of hell, hinges simply on one little issue. Have you placed your faith in Jesus Christ or have you not? That's the only issue.

So this little section on judgement is to be an encouragement to the Thessalonians because they are undergoing persecution but God hasn't abandoned them. It's part of His purpose and plan in demonstrating them to be worthy of His kingdom while he's sustaining them and they keep in mind that this will be balanced out. God will take care of those who are His enemies and their enemies and God will take care of them by rewarding them, giving them the inheritance they wait for.

Back in verse 11 and 12, Paul closes with a prayer: To this end also we pray for you always that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power; in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praying for you always that our God may count you worthy of your calling. Fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power. Three things involved here in his prayer. Counting you worthy of your calling. Again, it doesn’t matter, it’s not the idea that God is evaluating me now and am I worthy and someone else is not. He's writing to believers and the issue is the daily life of these believers. That their lives would be such that would be worthy of those who have such a glorious calling. We’ve been called to share in His glory and in His inheritance. And Paul prays that they would be worthy and He might count them worthy. It has to do with their daily walk as manifesting them as the children of God, that they would walk. In other words, in light of their position in light of their destiny.

Fulfill every desire for goodness. In other words, accomplish His work in their lives. Their desire for goodness talking about, not His goodness, as the King James has inserted the word His here but every desire for goodness. He’s talking about them and their conduct. He wants them to be counted worthy of their calling. It’s about their walk and their practice and the desire for goodness to be fulfilled.

You know, even the desire for the good thing, the right thing, can’t be accomplished by me. But He fulfills those desires in me. And the work of faith, here it's not calling faith a work. We've seen this expression before. But work which is a result of faith. The work of faith with power where the work is a result of your faith with power.

So again, the work that they attempt is a result of faith and again it’s God bringing them to maturity. It's no credit to the believer, it's God accomplishing the work that they’re trusting Him for, with power. The purpose of it all is in the order that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and you in Him.

The exaltation of Jesus Christ. That is the ultimate end of it all. That's the ultimate end of the destruction of the wicked. That's the ultimate end of the salvation of the believer, the glory of God Himself. And thus Paul prays that our conduct would be such that He would be glorified and He would be glorified in us, and us in Him because you know when He is glorified and exalted in my life I'm sharing in that because I too am exalted with Him to share in His glory according to the grace of our God, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

And again the issue is grace. God's unmerited favor that makes it all possible. My daily life, it's got to be according to His grace. It's His provision for me. Not because I worked hard enough to earn it. Not because the Thessalonians had suffered enough. That now they had earned some of God's grace. Ah, you can't earn grace. So it's simply a matter of His provision in grace for their lives.
The expression here; according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grammatically, would be translated according to the grace of God, our God and Lord Jesus Christ. The definite article appearing only once, before God. The two names refer to the same person. The grace of our God and Lord, this person being Jesus Christ. Now sometimes Lord is used without the article so, it's not definite that that’s what is implied here. In other passages, you are close to Titus, why don’t you just turn over there. 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, so the third back from 2 Thessalonians. Titus, chapter 2, verse 13 you have the same type of diagrammatical construction. Granville Sharp’s rule of grammar applies, for you Greek experts.

Verse 13, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus. The way it was translated in the King James gave the idea that maybe we’re talking about God and Jesus Christ. But, the way it is grammatically in Greek, it’s the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. You could use the word even for and, it’s the same word in Greek. Of our great God even our Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Peter, chapter 1, verse 1. The same identification of Jesus Christ with God. That's the last verse we'll look at. 2 Peter, chapter 1, verse, 2 Peter, going back toward the back of your bible past Hebrew so you're getting almost to the book of Revelation. Back up a few little books to 2 Peter 1:1, Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Again, grammatically the construction necessitates that God and Savior refer to the same person, Jesus Christ.

And, just a clear evidence of the deity of Christ. And I take it, the same issue was probably involved in 2 Thessa1onians chapter 1. Although is noted, the title, Lord can be used without the article, so it’s not quite as clear here, but the grace of our Lord of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Even if two are in view, they're put equally. The grace comes from God and it comes from Jesus Christ. Whether you’re talking about the Father and the Son or simply talking about God the Son. Grace originates in God and he manifests grace and that gives us the power.

So an encouragement to us as believers. Daily sustenance comes from Him. He keeps us in the difficulties. You know you may not be stoned tomorrow, but the unsettling things that come into your life, the pressure that you find bearing down on you. Difficulties that close in on you. You simply allow your faith to grow as you trust Him more. Allow the Spirit to control you, to produce love, even in the difficulties, and the endurance because, maybe God’s not going to take those difficulties away. Maybe God’s not going to answer your prayer by saying, yes I’ll remove it tomorrow. Maybe He’s going to say, I’ll answer by giving you grace to bear through and His grace will be sufficient. The hope that we have is our destiny is glory.

If God ordains that I should suffer for Him for the next seventy years, that would be a long time. Because that would get me by the hundred mark. What’s that in relation to eternity. My destiny is glory. And I sift it in light of that. My glory is eternal. So no matter what the difficulty is, it’s of limited duration. Because the only thing eternal for me is glory and sharing in the inheritance that He’s prepared for me.

Let pray together. Father, again we thank you for the salvation that we have in Christ, the Lord of salvation, that is so complete. Lord, we’re thankful that it's a salvation that is complete from beginning to end. That it does not start with you and then depend upon us. But it starts with you, it is carried out by you, it is brought to its ultimate goal by you. Lord, pray that you’ll simply give us the grace to trust you more. As difficulties and obstacles arise in our live, as we feel the pressure being applied, Lord, pray that we might simply rejoice in the opportunity to trust you more. Pray that we might be growing as we submit to the Spirit and He produces your character in our lives.
Lord, pray that we’ll have our eyes fixed upon the destiny that is ours as believers. We'll be looking forward to the time when we shall be established with Jesus Christ. And we shall share with Him in the glory that you have prepared for those who have come to trust Him.
Lord, pray for those who may be here this evening who have not settled the issue of their destiny. Lord, pray that they might see very clearly tonight that they are appointed to eternal destruction from your presence. Not because you want it so but because they refuse to believe in the provision that you’ve made in Christ. Ask that even tonight that they might trust Christ in order that they might know what it is to be your child. In order that they might know what it is to have the hope of glory. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.