'When God Makes Wrongs Right' - Sermon Outlines. Org
"When God Makes Wrongs Right"
2 Thessalonians 1:6-12
INTRO. The Believers at Thessalonica were suffering fierce persecution and all kinds of trouble at the hands of their neighbors and the local city government because of their strong faith in Christ. The majority of the citizens of Thessalonica wanted nothing to do with Christ, so they sought to stamp out His Name, threatening and persecuting all who confessed Him. Just how serious the situation had became at Thessalonica we do not know, but it was very serious according to Acts 17. The persecution they were facing is mentioned several times in these two letters. The suffering they were facing was terrifying, so they needed encouragement. This was Paul's main purpose in writing this second epistle to the Thessalonians. But he also had a secondary purpose.
The persecutors and unbelievers had to be warned. They needed to know that if they continued in their persecution and rejection, then they must face the wrath of God! I want to speak on the subject, "When God Makes Wrongs Right." We live in the midst of an evil and unjust people. Much of this world's behavior--much of man's behavior--is evil and unjust. 1 John 5:19 says, "...The whole world lieth in wickedness." God will not let the wickedness and injustice of man go unpunished. He will make things right! I want us to see several things in this passage concerning, “When God Makes Wrongs Right.”
(1) The Righteousness Of Judgment
2 Thessalonians 1:6—“Seeing it is a righteous thing with God
to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you.”
*God must judge the world, for judgment is the righteous and just thing!
Paul calls it a "righteous thing." The word "righteous" here means "just,
without prejudice or partiality." All that God does is righteous and
true (Psalm 145:17). Even so is the execution of judgment. His
Judgment is impartial and unbiased (Eccles. 12:13-14)
*The injustices of man must be judged and righted. God is just and
righteous and His very nature demands that all injustices and wrongs
that men have inflicted upon others be judged and punished.
*Note Paul said, [God will] "Recompense tribulation to them that trouble
you." The word "recompense" means "to repay." We know that the wicked
do not always receive their just reward in this life. This has brought
discouragement to many a Believer. Even the Psalmist said in Psalm
73:2-3, 17, "But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well
nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of
the wicked. Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their
end."
*Many out of discouragement have asked, "why live a godly life if your only
experience is that of suffering?" As Christians, we must live for eternity
and not just for the present. Living with "eternity's values in view" is what
makes our Christian life meaningful. We walk by faith, not by sight! (1)
ILLUS. There is a story of two farmers, one a believer and the other an atheist. When harvest came, the atheist taunted his believing neighbor because apparently God had not blessed him too much. The atheist's family had not been sick, his fields were rich with harvest, and he was sure to make a lot of money. "I thought you said it paid to believe in God and be a Christian," said the atheist. “It does pay,” replied the Christian. "But God doesn't always pay His people in September." (2)
*God will repay man for his injustices and wrongs in His own time! Galatians 6:7-8
(2) The Revelation Of Jesus
2 Thessalonians 1:7--"And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the LORD Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels."
*The Scripture tells us that "When God Makes Wrongs Right," the executor of Judgment will be Jesus Christ Himself. The same Jesus who hung on an old Cruel Cross to die for the sins of mankind will one day sit in Judgment against man.
a) His Return in Judgment will be spectacular. The word "revealed" means "to be unveiled and uncovered." The day is coming when Jesus Christ shall rent the heavens and return to judge the earth (3).
John 5:22; Acts 17:31
b) His Return in Judgment will be with the angels of His Power. Why the angels? Two reasons:
1) To add to the majestic glory and triumph of His person and presence (Matthew 16:27).
2) To execute His Justice (Matthew 13:49-50).
c) His Return shall be in flaming fire. This is a reference to the brilliance and glory and holiness of His appearance and to the fact He is coming in Judgment. One of the symbols for Judgment used in the Scripture is fire (Ps. 97:3; Revelation 1:7).
*When shall His Revelation and Return be? We must not confuse this with the Rapture. In the Rapture, He is coming for His saints. At His Revelation, He is coming with His saints (2 Timothy 4:1; Jude 14-15).
(3) The Recipients Of This Judgment
2 Thessalonians 1:8—“ln flaming fire taking vengeance on them that
know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our LORD
Jesus Christ.”
*The Bible teaches that there one of two Judgments that mankind may face: 1) The Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10), or 2) The Great white Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). In which Judgment a person stands depends on what that person has done with Jesus. If saved, The Judgment Seat of Christ; but if lost, the Great white Throne Judgment.
*Those described in our text tall into the latter. How do we know? V8, “...Them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our LORD Jesus Christ.” Who are these persons? They are those who sin against natural revelation, who look at creation and fail to see God or fail to live by the laws that are clearly seen in nature and creation.
a) Man has the capacity to know God because of his Conscience.
(Romans 1:19). But those who reject God and know not God,
choose not to know Him (Romans 1:21-22).
b) Man has the capacity to know God because of Creation
(Romans 1:20: Psalm 19:1; 97:6). Man is without excuse. He
has every imaginable evidence within creation to direct him toward
God, yet he rejects the knowledge of God given unto him.
*Man can know that God is the giver of life and that He personally cares for and loves them. Men can look at nature and see that God is great and good. But instead of seeing God and coming to know God, men have rejected Him!
*All who do not obey the gospel of our LORD Jesus Christ shall be judged! That means:
-Every person who has ever heard the gospel and rejected it.
-Every person who has professed Christ yet never repented of their
sins (Luke 13:4).
-Every person who has been baptized yet never have obeyed the
commands of the Gospel.
-Every person who had joined the Church yet never have obeyed the
commands of the Gospel (Matthew 7:21-23).
(4) The Remorse Of The Judgment
2 Thessalonians 1:9--"who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the LORD, and from the glory of His power."
*The penalty of Judgment will be terrible, but it will be deserved! Why? Because those who are to be judged had the opportunity to know God, but they chose to deny and curse Him and to walk as they desired throughout life (Proverbs 14:12; Matthew 7:13).
*The word "who" in the Greek here means "persons who are such as".
Such as what? Know not God and obey not the Gospel (v8). The Greek
word clearly shows that these persons deserve this punishment. The
word "punished" means "to pay the penalty." Matthew Henry says, "They
did sin's work, and must receive sin's wages." (Romans 6:23a). Sinners
may get away with their sin and rejection of God while on earth, but in
the end they will be punished.
Revelation 21:8—“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the
abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and
sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in
the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the
second death.”
*They shall be punished with "everlasting destruction from the presence of
the LORD and from the glory of His power." "Everlasting destruction" does
not mean annihilation or ceasing to exist. It means exactly what is says
in this verse: To be separated from the face of the LORD and from the
glory of His power--an eternity of woe! It means complete ruin and loss;
to be cut off, excluded, removed, separated, extinguished, abhorred, and
banished from all that is good!
-Complete ruin and loss: from all life should be.
-Cut off: from the presence of God and the glory of His power.
-Excluded: from all joy, pleasure, and satisfaction. Utter
emptiness.
-Removed: from all companionship and associations. Being left
alone. Utter loneliness!
-Separated: from the presence of all goodness and righteousness—
From God and all who are his. With no prospect of the separation
ever ending, not even for an hour.
-Banished: from all hope. Being eternally lost forever, and there is
no prospect of this banishment ever ending!
*The Remorse of all this is that no one has to suffer any of these things (1
Timothy 1:4; 2 Peter 3:9). But many will (Luke 13:23-24). One of the
great agonies of Hell will be remembrances of opportunities wasted.
Many wanted to be saved before it is eternally too late, but put it off until
it is too late!
ILLUS. According to an old fable, a man made an unusual agreement with Death. He told the Grim Reaper that he would willingly accompany him when it came time to die, but only on one condition-that Death would send a messenger well in advance to warn him.
Weeks winged into months, and months into years. Then one bitter
winter evening, as the man sat thinking about all his possessions,
Death suddenly entered into the room and tapped him on the
shoulder. Startled, the man cried out, "You're here so soon and
without warning! I thought we had an agreement." Death replied, "I've
more than kept my part. I've sent many of my messengers. Look in
the mirror and you'll see some of them." As the man complied, Death
whispered, "Notice your hair! Once it was full and black, now it is thin
and white. Look at the way you cock your head to listen to me
because you can't hear very well. Observe how close to the mirror you
must stand to see yourself clearly. Yes, I've sent many messengers
through the years. I'm sorry you're not ready, but the time has come
to leave."
*Friend, God maybe has given you similar warnings. while it there is still time, believe on the LORD Jesus Christ and be saved! It’s never too early to receive Christ, but at any moment it could be too late!
*Biblical scholar James Denny said, “If there is any truth in the Scripture at all, this is true--that those who stubbornly refuse to submit to the Gospel, and to love and obey Jesus Christ, incur in the end an infinite and irreparable loss. They pass into a night on which no morning ever dawns.”
*Friend, you can be saved today, if you will simply acknowledge your sin, repent of it, and ask Jesus to save you (Romans 10:9-10, 13)!
(5) The Release From This Judgment
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
*NO man has to stand condemned forever before God. God has made a way of escape. That way is Jesus (John 14:6; 1 John 5:11-12).
*Three things are necessary to escape this judgment:
a) A person must be counted worthy by God (v11a). How can a person be counted worthy? There is no worth in us, no man is perfect (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:10, 23; 7:18). Therefore, none of us has enough goodness to stand before God, for God is perfect. If a person is to be acceptable to God, he has to approach God through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. God accepts us not own our righteousness, but on the righteousness given us through His Son, Jesus Christ!
2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:6-7; Titus 3:4-7
b) God Must complete the work of faith in us (vllb). We age, deteriorate, die, and decay. We cannot complete anything, not permanently. Nothing that we ever do is ever perfected If we are to be saved from Judgment and given eternal life, God has to take our initial belief in Christ..
-and complete the good pleasure of His goodness in us.
-and complete the work of faith in us--complete it with His omnipotent power!
Phils. 1:6; 2:13
c) The Name of Christ must be glorified in us and we in Him. WE must let Him live and move and have His way in us. We must live and move and have our being in Him. We must let Him be glorified in us!
Ephesians 1:11-14
Closing: One day God will make wrongs right. The injustices and evil of men
will be corrected! You may say, "Preacher, I don't believe a God of
love would send anyone to hell." Well, consider this: A Christian
doctor had tried to witness to a very moral woman who belonged to a
Church which denied the need for salvation and the reality of future
Judgment. "God loves me too much to condemn me," the patient
would reply. "I cannot believe that God would make such a place as a
lake of fire."
The woman became ill and the diagnosis was cancer. An operation
was necessary. "I wonder if I should really operate," the doctor said to
her in her hospital room. “I really love you too much too cut into you
and give you pain.” “Doctor,” said the patient, “If you really love me,
you would do every thing possible to save me. How can you permit
this awful thing to remain in my body?” It was then easy for him to
explain what cancer is to the body, sin is to the world; and both must
be dealt with radically and completely. Just as a physician cannot
love health and not hate disease and deal with it; God cannot love
righteousness without hating sin and judging it(3).
Lost friend, God hates sin, but he loves you, the sinner. He has
made a way for you to escape this horrible judgment. But if you
continue in your rejection and unbelief, you will face Hell for all
eternity for your sins! Will you come receive Him today?
NOTES: 1. Warren W. Wiersbe. The Bible Exposition Commentary. Volume 2.
Pg. 194.
2. Wiersbe. Pg. 194.
3. Wiersbe. Pg. 194.
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