We've worked our way through the book of 1 Thessalonians, and now the past few weeks, we've been in 2 Thessalonians. So far, I've been taking small portions of 2 Thessalonians. We're on verses 5 through 8a, you might say. We won't look at all of 8 this morning. So 1, sorry, 2 Thessalonians, chapter 1, verses 5 through 8 is our focus, but I'll read the entire chapter. hear God's holy word. Paul, 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 our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We are always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in all the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evident of judgment of God that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God for which you are also suffering. Since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might when he comes. on that day to be glorified in his saints and to be marveled among all who have believed because our testimony to you was believed. To this end, we always pray for you that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you and him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus far, the reading of God's holy word. May he add his blessing to it. And let's pray for that blessing. Our father, we do thank you and we praise you for your word. Your word is true. And you, Lord, are faithful. And we pray, Lord, that your word would ring true in our ears and our hearts this day. Bless he who proclaims it and bless us each that we would hear what you are saying to us. We pray it in Jesus name. Amen. Congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ, the church in Thessalonica faced some serious persecution. Remember, this is what happened when Paul went to Thessalonica and a church was formed there. Acts chapter 17 gives us the account of that. Acts chapter 17 verses 5 through 8 says, but the Jews were jealous. and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, these men have turned the world upside down and have come here also. And Jason has received them. And they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar saying that there is another king, Jesus. And the people and the city authorities were disturbed when they heard these things. Kind of reminds you of what's going on in other parts of the world even today. In communist places today and other places as well. I've already alluded in prayers about Eritrea and our missionaries. We had missionaries in Eritrea a number of years ago. And they were thrown into jail in Eritrea for the sake of the gospel. And our own missionaries, especially in Chengdu, China, had to flee for fear of persecution. Over 300 members of Early Reign Covenant Church have been thrown in jail because of the gospel. Persecution is something that the church has faced throughout the years, throughout the centuries. How many of you have heard of polycarp? Polycarp was a disciple of the Apostle John. And about AD 156, this 86-year-old Christian pastor from Smyrna in Asia Minor, or now modern-day Turkey, was arrested for refusing to worship the Roman emperor. And the Roman officials told him, unless you deny Jesus and worship the spirit of the emperor, I will throw you to the wild beasts. I will burn you at the stake. Polycarp refused to recant his faith in Jesus Christ, and his congregation recorded this prayer of their pastor. Oh Lord, I thank you that I have been counted worthy to be a numbered among your martyrs. Polycarp had obviously been familiar with 2 Thessalonians in verse 5, which we're looking at this morning. Verse 5 again says, this is evidence of the righteous judgment of God that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God for which you are also suffering. How many of you, if a government official threatens to throw you to the animals or to have you burned would consider that an honor. Verse five is a hard verse to swallow. Take a look at it again. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God for which you are also suffering. You're suffering, Paul is saying, right? You're suffering. Your persecution is evidence of the righteous judgment of God. And you might think about that and say, huh? How so? If God is sovereign and God is good, how is the suffering of his children, how is the suffering of believers evidence of the righteous judgment of God? In fact, the persecution of believers may seem to contradict, we might say, the righteous judgment of God. You see what I'm saying? If I'm persecuted for my faith, for loving and serving God, why would I be persecuted for that if God is sovereign? If God is in control? How does that indicate righteousness in God's judgment? Paul is telling us The righteousness of God's judgment is manifested even here. And this is what we'll be talking about this morning. Three things that we'll look at. First of all, your persecutions and afflictions. Secondly, retribution and judgment. And then finally, the revelation of Christ. Sometimes when believers suffer, the thought can be, why is it? that God doesn't care. Why doesn't He care about my trials? Why doesn't He care about my pain? Or God can't be in control. He's not involved here in my trials. Or He's forsaken me. Others may say, if this is the way that God deals with His children, why bother being a believer? That doesn't look like love to me. You say you're loved by God and yet you're being persecuted in the world and you say your God is sovereign? And remember the context here in Thessalonica. These are new believers, new converts, who immediately upon their conversion are facing persecution. One of the things that new as well as old believers need to remember is what Paul said in Romans chapter 8, especially verse 32. That he who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? What's Paul saying there? He's saying God gave for us his beloved son, the father gave His Son for us, therefore we ought not doubt His love. If He's loved us enough that He would not spare His own Son, but give Him up for us, how can we ever think that He'll give us anything that will ultimately harm us? Will He not therefore, if He's given us His Son, the gift of all gifts, how will He not give us everything else that we need? But also look at verse 5. This is the evidence of the righteous judgment of God that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God for which you are also suffering. Now, part of the key to understanding verse 5 is to understand when Paul says here, this is the evidence, is to ask the question, what does that refer to? What is the evidence? This is the evidence. What evidence? What is this evidence that he's referring to? Does it refer to the believer's persecution as evidence of the righteous judgment of God? I don't believe that's what's central here exactly. To understand verse five, we need to remind ourselves of verse or which says, therefore, we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is the evidence of the righteous judgment of God. Believers are being persecuted. and their suffering, but they have been growing in steadfastness. They have been growing in faith. Their love for one another is abounding. It is not first and foremost persecution that evidences the righteous judgment of God. It is God's presence with his people, even in the midst of trials and sufferings and persecutions, which evidences the righteous judgment of God. Because when these persecutions, when the sufferings come upon us, Paul is telling the Thessalonians, look, I see in you that God hasn't abandoned you, that he's with you, and you are growing precisely because God is using these things in your life, that he hasn't abandoned you. That's why James could say as well, in James chapter one, verses two to four, count it all joy, my brothers. when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness, and let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Count it all joy when you're suffering. Not count the suffering and the pain as joy. Oh wow, the pain feels so good. That's not the point. Count it all joy when you meet these trials, because you know that God's at work. testing your faith, and that testing is producing that steadfastness. Count it joy because God hasn't abandoned you. Count it joy because He's working in you. You see, sometimes suffering Christians are tempted to ask, why doesn't God do something? It's really not a right question, is it? Or it's a question that has some misunderstandings. Why doesn't God do something? Though perhaps we've been tempted and have asked that question ourselves at times. As we think of China, as we think of Eritrea, why doesn't God do something? That's really not the right question to ask. Or as I say, the question shows some misunderstandings. For one, God has already done something. He gave up his own son to redeem his children from their sin. He sent his son into the world to pay the penalty in our place. He kept the law in our place and took the punishment that we deserved in our place. God has done something. And so the question, why doesn't God do something, really fails to misunderstand. He has done something. He gave us his son. And he's upholding you in the midst of trials and persecutions. so that you will be saved in the end. See, that's the second thing. One, he has done something, but he also is doing something. He has gave us his son and he is in the midst of these trials with us, encouraging us, strengthening us. We ought to count it all joy because he's doing what he's increasing our faith. He's increasing our steadfastness. He's using all the trials that we suffer every single one for the good of those who have been called according to his purpose. Non-Christians regard suffering as a disaster to be avoided at all costs. And sometimes Christians can fall into that thinking too. And perhaps some believers in Thessalonica were thinking that way. If God is sovereign, if God is loving, how can we be experiencing persecution? If God loves me, how can he stand by and let unbelievers harm me? Well, God was not letting the Thessalonians down. when they suffered. And God does not let you down when you suffer or are persecuted. What He is doing is preparing you for glory. He is working in your midst through trials, through sufferings, through persecutions. Now brothers and sisters, the scriptures are quite clear. Trials are something that we will face in the Christian life. Yet so many times Christians think, why am I facing trials? Why am I suffering? Why am I struggling? Yet the Bible is clear. We will struggle. We will face trials. We will face persecutions. He told the Thessalonians back in the first epistle, chapter 3, verse 3, that no one be moved by these afflictions for you yourselves know that you were destined for this why are you surprised he's telling the Thessalonians you were destined for this or Jesus said in John chapter 15 verses 18 to 20 if the world hates you know that it has hated me before it hated you if you are of the world the world would love you as its own because you are not of the world But I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember, the word that I said to you, a servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours. Think about that. Why do I suffer? Why do Christians face persecution? Because they persecuted your master. What else do you expect? Or Peter said, 1 Peter chapter 4, 12 and 13. Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in so far as you share the sufferings, or share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. Trials and sufferings and even persecutions are inevitable, but they actually are beneficial for preparing us for glory. According to John Calvin, there are at least four ways in which sufferings can be a blessing to us. One, they make us long for heaven. Can you not attest that's true? When you're going through a trial, when you're going through pain, when you see your children suffering, when you lose a loved one, Does that not make you long for heaven? Does that not make you long for that day when you'll be gathered in God's presence? We suffer in this world and that helps us long for the next. Second, they stir our hope for Christ's return. The book of Revelation was written to a struggling church. A lot of people have trouble understanding Revelation and I know there are a lot of hard things in the book of Revelation The key to Revelation is it's written to the struggling church, to give comfort to the struggling, persecuted church. And at the end of the book of Revelation, chapter 22, verse 20, it says this, He who testifies to these things says, Surely I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. What do we say often when we're struggling, when we're suffering? Come, Lord Jesus. It makes us long for the coming of Jesus Christ. Third, suffering destroys our longing for the things of this world. You know it, right? Look at your own heart. There are cravings we have for this world. And when we suffer, what do we look to? Otherwise. Fourth, it teaches us to value the eternal life purchased by Jesus Christ. So much sin, so much death, so much persecution in the world, but there is eternal life purchased by Christ. Sufferings help us to cherish that and value that. Paul said as well, Philippians chapter 1 verse 29, for it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him, but also suffer for his sake. We Reformed people sometimes like to emphasize the fact that faith, look, Philippians 129, faith is a gift. It has been given to you, granted to you for the sake of Christ that you should believe. And we stress, faith is a gift. And it is a gift, and that's proper to stress that. But that's not all that Philippians 129 says. It's been granted to you for the sake of Christ. that you should not only believe in Him, but also suffer for His sake. Your faith is a gift of God. Your sufferings are a gift of God. How? Because He grows our faith through our sufferings. When we suffer for His name's sake, we are also being identified with Jesus Christ and His sufferings. No servant is above his master. It doesn't mean that suffering is enjoyable or pleasurable. It isn't. It doesn't mean that we say, oh wow, I can't wait to suffer. It's going to be great fun. It's not. But what a blessing to be identified with Jesus Christ. Hence, Polycarp, as I pointed out, at the beginning counted it in honor to be considered worthy to suffer for the sake of Christ. My Savior suffered. We are saved by grace alone. Our suffering doesn't make us worthy, but isn't it a blessing to be counted worthy to suffer for the sake of Christ? Now most of us, of course, if we're honest with each other, still prefer not to suffer. I don't want to suffer. Do you want to suffer? We don't want to suffer. That's understandable. But here's something for us to consider and think about. Right now, we're quite free to worship the Lord in this nation. And persecution is very minimal. What kind of persecution might we face at times here in this nation? I remember when I was converted as a teenager, 18-year-old. You're going to church? What are you, some moralistic Jesus freak? Words. Words aren't comfortable. Words do hurt at times. There's no doubt about that. But we don't have to worry about, at least at this stage, do we, in this country, being thrown into jail because we love the Lord Jesus Christ. But if persecution becomes intense, would you still come to worship the Lord? If some government officials came into the building right now and arrested us and we were let out, would you be here next Sunday morning to worship the Lord? Do you count it worthy or an honor to be considered worthy to suffer for Christ and be here even if we go to jail? I mentioned our missionaries in Eritrea. I want to tell you a little bit more of that account when our missionaries were thrown into jail in Eritrea a number of years ago. The authorities, the Eritrean authorities showed up one Sunday morning and arrested the church and our missionaries who had been there. The local Eritrean pastor was away ministering in another village, yet the whole church was thrown into jail, including our missionaries. And that Eritrean pastor, though he had already been well acquainted with suffering, because earlier on, he had been arrested and left in a metal can in the sun. but hearing the church that he loved and pastored was in jail along with the missionaries there, rushed back with the legal paperwork to kind of show and debate that they had a legal right and he retreated to meet, even though he knew that most likely he would be back in jail as well. Considered an honor, a worthy, an honor to be considered worthy to suffer for Christ's sake. And I could also tell you as well that when our missionaries were in jail, that service, when they were arrested, a man was to be ordained as a deacon during that worship service. That worship service was cut short or didn't happen. So you know what they did? They worshipped in jail and they ordained the man in jail anyway. Which did what for that man? identified that man as one of the leaders. So who's gonna get the greatest persecution? These folks counted it worthy by God to suffer, counted it an honor to be considered worthy to suffer for Christ's sake. And let me tell you more of Polycarp. It was said to him, if you will renounce Christ, and offer incense to the Emperor, I will let you go. All you have to do is recant His name, curse His name. And do you know what Polycarp said? He said, I have served my Lord for 86 years and He has never once done me wrong. How can I blaspheme Him now? Do with me what you will. What would you do in a similar situation? What would you do? If you can't, then I will let you go, and if not, you're going to be burned at the stake. I hope we don't have to find that out, what we'll do. But may the Lord increase our own steadfastness and love that we would consider it an honor to suffer for Christ if indeed needed. In verse five, we saw that steadfastness in persecutions gives evidence of God's righteousness in judgment. And God's righteousness in judgment is also going to be displayed when God avenges justice against the ungodly who persecuted his church, because verse six says, since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you. Paul states here the biblical principle of divine retribution. God's righteousness demands a precise repayment for sins. For those who are believers who are resting in Christ as he's offered in the gospel, Christ has made that payment himself on our behalf. He has taken the payment for sins in our place. We know the wages of sin is death and Christ paid that on the cross. But those who do not know Christ will have to pay that penalty themselves. The Lord will indeed afflict those who have afflicted his children. Earlier I stated that there are some who ask the question, why doesn't God do something? And I pointed out God has done something. He's given us his son and he is doing something. He's sustaining us in the midst of sufferings and persecutions. But there's a third answer to that question too. that he will do something by executing righteous judgment on the wicked oppressors of his people. We ought not to think that God is just going to allow his children to suffer unrighteously and do nothing about it. Just as salvation is sure for his people, a righteous and just judgment is sure for those who don't know him. Asaph, by the way, was one who struggled in this area. Asaph wrote some of the Psalms. He looked out at the world and he couldn't understand the prosperity of the wicked while the righteous suffered. And so he says in Psalm 73, the first three verses, truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped, for I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. He struggled at the prosperity of the wicked. It made no sense to him. God, I know you're good to your people. I don't deny that. Yet why is it that your people are struggling and some of the arrogant are prospering? And Asaph did something right. The psalm goes on, verse 17 of Psalm 73. He said it made no sense, basically. And then he says, verse 17, until I went into the sanctuary of God, then I discerned their end. He went to worship God and he realized the end of the wicked. Judgment's coming for them. God is a just judge. He will judge them. They're going to have their day. God will not let the world go on forever oppressing his people. And then Asaph goes on, verses 18 and 19, truly you set them in slippery places. You make them fall to ruin. How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors. And having seen their end, therefore Asaph was encouraged, his heart was strengthened. Verse 26, he says, my flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. This is the attitude that we're called to have. God is a righteous judge, and be encouraged that the Lord knows how to punish those who do not belong to Him, and He knows how to keep those who are His. So as you think of the end of the wicked and the end of the Christian, be encouraged by the grace of God in your life. Such love demands are all, demands our life as believers. We should face, you know, should we face persecutions, we should consider it an honor to be counted worthy to suffer with Christ. And then the question that is often asked or at least wondered, but Lord, when? When will this judgment be? When will you judge those who oppress your people? this and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us when the Lord Jesus is from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. The answer to when is that the second coming of Jesus Christ when the Lord is revealed from heaven, he is coming back Now again, we don't know when that is. But He is coming. When for Christ first came, He came humbly, born a babe to the Virgin Mary. When Christ comes again, He will come with His mighty angels, and He'll come in flaming fire. A picture of strength, a picture of power, a picture of judgment. He will relieve those who are His, and have been afflicted, and will punish those who are not with a righteous judgment. Remember what Jesus said as well in John 14, verse three. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself. And where I am, you may also be. So we look forward to the return of Christ. We look forward to when Christ will part the skies and gather his people. What a day that will be. Think about it. There will come a time. When the clouds will part, when the skies will part and Christ will descend and he will gather his people to himself. And he will afflict those who are not his. Wait upon the Lord, people of God, wait upon the Lord in good times as well as bad. He is coming again and to God be the glory. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we do praise you and we thank you for your faithfulness or mercy to us in your son. Lord, how we rejoice that Christ is coming again. How we rejoice that you never leave us nor abandon us. How we rejoice, Father,