2 Thessalonians 1:1-12

The Lord is going to return!  This promise should shape every aspect of our lives, be the motivating factor in all that we do and provide comfort in any circumstance we might face.  Christ’s second coming will be far different from His first coming and it will result in a radical transformation in the way that this world works.  It will mark the beginning of our eternal transformation and destiny.  God has reveled this to us, not merely to inform us concerning the future but to transform us in the present.  We certainly have a great hope that should bring us great help in all that we experience as we wait for that glorious day.
WE SHOULD BE PATIENT IN TIMES OF PERSECUTION: Paul has made in clear that suffering and persecution are and expected part of the Christian walk in this world.  Sometimes that suffering is due to our own sin, while at other times persecution is due to the sins of others.  In either case, God calls us to be patient, continue to demonstrate love to one another and to live at peace despite the difficult circumstances we might experience.  Our ability to be patient in times of persecution is a way that God uses to confirm His work in us and assure us of His presence in our lives.  We must not allow trials to distract us from the lives He wants us to live but use those trials as a motivation to love one another, serve one another and patiently wait for the Lord to return.
WE CAN BE PREPARED FOR GOD’S TIME OF RETRIBUTION: There are times on this earth where is seems like evil is rewarded and good is punished.  God never rewards evil nor does He ever punish good but it only seems that way in this sinful world.  The reality is that God is storing up eternal rewards for those who follow and serve Him faithfully and He is planning a great day of judgment, vengeance and retribution for all those who have rejected Christ and persecuted His children.  For those of us who have trusted Christ, we are prepared for this great and terrible day.  It is a great day because Christ will, once and for all, set things right.  It is a terrible day because it will inflict suffering such as this world has never seen upon those who have mocked the name of Christ and brought suffering on those who follow Christ.  We must make sure that we are prepared for this day and then do all we can to warn and prepare others of this day when God will bring retribution to this world.
WE WILL BE PRESENT AT CHRIST’S TIME OF GLORIFICATION: The return of Christ will not merely be a time of judgment, but it will be a glorious time of worship as the glory of Christ is reveled.  None of us have seen Christ in all His glory.  We use what He has revealed of Himself in Scripture and, if we are honest, we use our imaginations to try to anticipate what Christ will be like.  The truth is that we will all be blown away when He is clearly and personally revealed to us.  I have no doubt but that we will fall on our faces before Him and enjoy worshiping Him as we have never been able to worship before.  This will be the most thrilling experience of our lives to this point and will be our reality for all of eternity.  Oh what a glorious day that will be for all who are in Christ.

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