So, the question I want to start with is, is our suffering pointless? Is our suffering pointless? It's an important, perhaps even controversial question, because suffering is something that we'll all experience at one point or another, and we have to learn how to cope with it. You might recall the first time your family faced real pain, or maybe when your children reacted the first time to seeing a movie or a show where there was maybe a death or somebody getting injured. And whether you were ready for it or not, you witnessed that weight of pain settle on them. The reality is we live in a world that's broken by sin. So suffering comes in many different forms. Sometimes it's a result of our own mistakes. I can't tell you how many times conflict in our marriage, Michaela's over there, she's my wife. She's great, but we have conflict, like any marriage. And a lot of the times it's caused by me, or things that I fail to do, and that's my fault. Other times, suffering comes out of nowhere, like disease or natural disasters, things that we didn't cause, but we still have to endure. Then there's another kind of suffering, when others sin against us. Maybe it's from people you know, like family, or complete strangers. And sometimes these hurts seem random, but for Christians, the Bible warns us that we will experience a particular kind of suffering more than others, suffering for our faith. And because of the exclusive nature of Christianity, the fact that Jesus is the only way to God, there are things that we can't agree on with the world. There are conflicts that we have to embrace as Christians because we can't accept everything the world tells us. And then our allegiance to Christ has to be above everyone. And oftentimes we face challenges with that because there are other things demanding our allegiance. so the world doesn't understand or accept Christ's rule. The church in Thessalonica knew this well. They're scattered because of persecution for their faith, so how do we see Paul encouraging them? Does he pray that their suffering would end immediately? No, he actually doesn't. Does he start a movement to overthrow their oppressors? No. Instead, he reminds them that suffering for them is not meaningless. Paul tells them that God's justice is at work, even in their trials, and that one day he will repay their enemies. You see, he shifts their focus from the present, what's right in front of them, and points it to the future hope of Christ's return. And this brings us back to this theme we've been discussing as we've read First Thessalonians and now Second, living in the already not yet kingdom. You see, we're citizens of his kingdom right now, presently, but the fullness of that kingdom reality has not yet come. We haven't seen the kingdom come to earth. And it's this certain future that gives us hope today, even in the midst of our suffering. So today we're looking at 2 Thessalonians 1, 5 through 12, and it speaks to us about God's justice and how it shapes our lives. So I've titled the sermon, Trials Today, Glory Tomorrow, Trusting in God's Justice. And the main idea is this, because God's justice is both present and future, we can trust him in our trials, await his judgment, and live in hope of his glory. Once again, because God's justice is both present and future, we can trust him in trials, await his judgment, and live in hope of his glory. And there are three calls that we see to trust God throughout this passage. So if you're following along with notes, I'd encourage you to write those down. The first call is trust God's justice in your trials. Trust God's justice in your trials. So Paul highlights that the Thessalonians' endurance and suffering is actually evidence of God's righteous judgment. That God uses our trials to demonstrate our worthiness for his kingdom. Worthiness here meaning that we have endured, not that we earned our place, but it's a truth of Christians, that they endure and therefore they are worthy. And to understand where we pick up in verse five, we should look back at verse four first, because the verse five starts with this, and the this that he's referring to is what he talks about in verse four. So verse four, read it with me. It says, therefore, we ourselves boast about you and the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. So the this that he's referring to, their endurance in faith, Paul explains, are evidence of God's righteous judgment. And we'll see more of what that judgment actually looks like in the verses that follow. So how does enduring persecution through judgment, through others afflicting us, how does enduring that affliction show us that God's judgment is right? The fact that believers persevere through afflictions show us that God is just and ultimately repaying those who caused their suffering. In his justice, he rewards those who endure and brings justice to those who inflict harm. One commentary explains it like this. A careful reading of verse five reveals that our suffering, God's judgment, and our worthiness to enter his kingdom are inseparably linked together. Paul writes, it is a clear evidence of God's righteous judgment that you will be counted worthy of God's kingdom, for which you are also suffering. What may appear at first to be a confusing statement is actually one of the most comforting statements you will find in the Bible. Only God can take the concepts of suffering and judgment and turn them into words of comfort and expectation. That is exactly the point Paul is conveying to the Thessalonians. Their suffering was not what secured their salvation. Their suffering was evidence of their salvation, which already occurred when they believed in Jesus Christ. Remember talking about that in 1 Thessalonians, they believe the word as it was preached to them. That's what secured their salvation, not them living through suffering. That just shows that they are worthy of this call. Stated another way, they were not made worthy of the kingdom because they suffered. They were counted worthy of the kingdom because they suffered. So think about it this way. There's a difference between being a guest in someone's household and being a part of the family. When you're a guest, the host might cater to your every need. He might set up the table, make sure the place is clean, looking all nice. and spotless, but once you become a part of the family, the responsibility of this housekeeping and contributing is now shared. So if you become a part of a family and you walk in expecting the same treatment as a guest without contributing, it will lead to a lot of frustration, to say the least. But the deeper joy, even though now you're part of the family and you have more responsibilities and it's harder for you, the deeper joy is in knowing you belong to the family. So in the same way, undergoing the persecution of unbelievers is a sign that you're a part of God's family. That's what Paul is trying to communicate to these Thessalonians. Their persecution and suffering wasn't a sign that God left them, that he was absent. No, it was a sign that he was with them and that they were children of God. So though it's harder, the joy of being counted worthy to suffer for Christ surpasses any hardship. So this has to do with direct persecution coming from unbelievers, but how does this apply to our trials that we experience just as a result of living in a broken world? So I want to share a quote from Tim Keller. He was asked about the highlights and lowlights of his life with cancer, which he dealt with until he passed, I think in 2023. He says this, I was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer in May of 2020. That's a very deadly kind of cancer. And yet I've just celebrated my third Christmas with my family. I had two years of chemotherapy, and now I'm in immunotherapy drug trial, and that is working too. So my cancer is still there. Pancreatic cancer can break out any time and take you. And yet we've been able to keep it somewhat at bay for a pretty long time. So we're very grateful. You have to constantly have scans and tests. We have a word, scansiety. Because you know that it doesn't matter how good the last one was, this one could show that it's out of control. So the lowlights are every time you're waiting for the test results. That's obviously one. And the other is that every little ache and pain that, for the most of your life, you say, well, that's probably nothing. Now you say, is that the cancer? The highlights are, and this is going to sound like an exaggeration, but my wife and I, and this is why I put this quote here, he says, my wife and I would never want to go back to the kind of prayer life or spiritual life we had before the cancer. I really thought I had a good prayer life. And when I broke through into another dimension, I realized that frankly, my prayer life wasn't very good. C.S. Lewis wrote, God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pain. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world. So you can see how God was using this megaphone of suffering for the Thessalonians, this megaphone to say, I am doing something in your life. Their pain was proving their legitimacy as his people. By enduring faithfully, they demonstrated their worthiness for God's kingdom. God could have stopped the persecution. Do you believe that? God could have stopped the persecution. but chose instead to use it as a tool to prepare them for the glory that was to come. And this is a theme we see throughout scripture. Philippians 1, 27 through 29, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, not being frightened in any way by your opponents. This is a sign of destruction for them, but of your deliverance. And this is from God, for it has been given to you on Christ's behalf, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him. And then James 1, consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. And then one more verse to illustrate this. 1 Peter 1 says, in all this you greatly rejoice. Though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials, these have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith, of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire, may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. So how should we view our trials? Don't see them as meaningless or that God is absent. Instead, view them as opportunities, as God demonstrates his judgment and you're being molded for his kingdom. So just as Keller's cancer led him to a deeper prayer life, your trials can lead you into a deeper relationship with God. So don't be surprised by trials when they come. They're not a sign that you're not blessed. They're not a sign that God is far away. Instead, trials show that God is shaping you for eternity. Yes, it's painful. And that's why we need to remind ourselves of our hope that is coming. So turn to God in your pain. Here's a prayer that you can use that when I'm going through something hard and I'm in the right headspace, I pray. I say, God, please use this season to make me the person you want me to be. I don't like it, but I trust you. And that's important. We can say, we can proclaim, I don't like this. It doesn't feel good, but I trust you, God. And I know you're doing something with this. And remember, church, that you don't go through this alone. Nothing you go through has to be in isolation. Invite your church family into it, share your struggles, and let them walk through these trials with you, trusting that God is preparing you for the glory to come. So the first point was trust God in your trials. The second point, trust that God's judgment will be certain. So Paul makes it clear as we move forward in this passage that those who oppose God will face judgment. And this is meant actually to encourage these believers that are undergoing the persecution of these unbelievers. Because for those experiencing suffering, they need to know that there's a day that God will actually vindicate them, he'll avenge them, he'll bring justice to them. And as Paul states, it'll bring relief to God's people. and it brings judgment to those who reject him. So for believers, this day that's coming, this day that brings judgment, it represents ultimately the greatest vindication we could ever ask for. Because while we may not feel the constant pressure of persecution in the same way that the Thessalonian believers did, There are believers around the world, even right now as we're gathered here today, worshiping God in this building, and we're safe for the most part, like, everything's pretty good here. But on the other side of the world right now, there are believers, brothers and sisters of ours, who are undergoing persecution for their faith. And that's something that's good for us to remember. As we pray for people groups around the world, we need to remember that the few Christians that are represented there, if there are any, are undergoing intense persecution for their faith. Because they're wondering if they're even going to make it the next day. They're wondering, how do I worship Jesus in a place that is surrounded by persecution and pressure to bow down to this God or that God? and it's constant for them. So we need to remember that that is happening right now and that their suffering actually amplifies the significance of the coming of the Lord. They long for that day and we should too. Now, verse nine, I wanna stop and focus on this a little bit, because there's a couple different ways that this verse can be interpreted. So let's read it. It says, they will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. So I paused because this second part that says away from the presence of the Lord, if your Bible's like mine, has a little number next to away from, and at the bottom where that number is, the reference, it says or destruction that comes from. So it would be or the destruction that comes from the presence of the Lord. So it can be translated either way, so there's some interpretation involved. So the two ways that it's being translated, the first way is focusing on eternal separation from God. This means being cut off from the source of all joy, all life, everything that's good, and it's a deep relational and spiritual loss. And this is our state apart from God. This is our state when we're born into a world as a sinful human being. We're born separated because of sin. But the reality is, if we never turn, if we never come to Him, we'll experience the full weight of that separation after we die. And we refer to that as hell, but the reality is it's not just some place that people who like to smoke and drink go and do things that the good people aren't allowed to do. No, it's a place of utter pain and sorrow and misery, because God is the source of all joy. And where God isn't, there is no comfort. We have to remember that, because the seriousness of that teaches us. And then secondly, you can view this as destruction coming directly from the presence of God. And the reality is both these translations would speak truths into the reality of who God is. Because God, the reality is he's everywhere. His presence is everywhere. God's presence is not necessarily absent from hell. He's still in hell as he is everywhere else. but there you're experiencing the presence of his wrath and his justice. So here, which we also see throughout the Old Testament on the day that the Lord returns, there will be an experience of God's full weight of judgment and wrath for those who have not been saved by Jesus Christ. So, When we see this in this passage, translators tend to lean towards being separated from God's presence because it's contrasting what believers will experience. Believers experience, as we see, being glorified in his saints and being marveled at because the testimony was believed. So we get to experience the joy of his presence as believers. And if you're not a believer, you're experiencing separation from that joy, separation from his presence and everything that's good. So this should prompt us to see the seriousness of rejecting God, but also recognize the beauty of his grace, because through Christ, we are not separated from God, but brought into his presence and mercy when we turn to him. To illustrate how God's judgment can help us in our lives, experiencing trials, I want to share about Elizabeth Elliott. So you may have heard of Elizabeth Elliott. She's a pretty famous missionary because of her testimony that she has shared. She even wrote this book called Suffering is Never for Nothing. And what she experienced was when she and her husband traveled as missionaries to an indigenous tribe that did not understand what they were doing there. They didn't understand what they were saying to them. But their goal was to go to this tribe and share Jesus with them, because they were convicted to love these people and bring the gospel to people without hope of knowing Jesus. And tragically, with them being there in this place, the tribe ended up murdering her husband. They took his life and slaughtered him. And why I share this story of suffering for her is because of her response. So understandably, like many would, I would probably be running far away if I saw that. I would be like, I'm never seeing those people again. Just quite frankly, I don't want to be around people who did something like that. But what did she do? She forgave them, and she actually returned to that place to preach the gospel to them. Because she knew that Jesus, who forgave her of all her sin, could forgive those people of their sin. She chose love, showing faith in God's ultimate justice and redemptive work. Because the only way you can forgive somebody who would do something like that is knowing that ultimately God is going to get the last word. God is going to right all wrongs. So her faithfulness resulted in many conversions in the tribe that took her husband's life. She'll get to see those people on the day that Jesus returns and be able to be worshiping Jesus with him, the ones who turned to Jesus as a result of her faithful gospel work. So this illustrates this key point. God's justice and judgment do not negate his mercy. There is time now for people to turn to him, just as these people in this tribe did. But at the same time, we have to remember that judgment is coming, and the day will come where God will right all wrongs. Now this is both an encouragement because we experience the pain that comes from people who are persecuting Christians, but it's also a warning to us. It's also an encouragement that these unbelievers who reject God, who don't experience his grace and mercy, are going to experience that judgment one day. So it should prompt us to share the gospel with unbelievers. So first, trust God's justice and timing. Even when you face opposition, we can trust God will bring justice. We can let go of our own internal desire for revenge, knowing that God is going to settle all accounts one day. And we can share the gospel while there's still time. So Christ's coming judgment, it's not just for those obvious opponents of God, like we saw in that story, or the vocal atheist who would never be seen in a church building and lives their lives trying to disprove Christianity. No, it's also for those who live good lives by society's standards. They have families, they're just like us, but they never acknowledge God. Romans 5 teaches us that justification and peace with God come only through faith in Jesus Christ. No amount of good works can save anyone from God's judgment. It is by faith alone that we are justified. So if you're sitting here this morning thinking you're safe and you can come into God's presence because of your good deeds, or maybe on the flip side, It was hard for you to come here this morning because you're like, oh, God only likes those people who do all the right things, and I'm not one of those people. I can't be seen in this church building this morning. Maybe that's you. I want you to know this, salvation comes through faith. It's not because of your works that you're allowed to enter into God's presence. Come to God as you are and let him transform you from the inside out. Because it's not righteousness that we earn ourselves, it's righteousness that's exchanged for us through Jesus Christ's righteousness. So Romans 3.23 reminds us of this essential truth. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but all are justified freely by grace, by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ. And that requires us to come to him in faith. So trust God's judgment. Thirdly, trust that God's future glory will be yours. In these verses, Paul prays that God will make the Thessalonians worthy of their calling, that their faithfulness would glorify Jesus. And this prayer reflects a fundamental truth. Our lives should reflect the glory of Christ. As we walk through trials, our faith and endurance showcase God's work in us, and they prepare us for the day when Christ will be glorified in his people. So I want to share one last story about another man who had a very great impact on my life, mostly just through knowing his family, but Michaela's uncle, Jay. Jay also went through the suffering of cancer. But throughout that time, he trusted in God even through the hardest moments. From the time we heard about his diagnosis, we heard his family's devastation, knowing that they were going to lose a father, a husband far too soon. But as things progressed, it became clear his time was short. And something incredible happened. No, he wasn't healed of the cancer, but stories began to emerge of Jay's life, story after story of him being a faithful servant of God. And his faith stood firm, even in the face of death. His hope in Christ remained unwavering. And at his funeral, we heard story after story of Jay's kindness, his forgiveness, his daily Bible reading, his love for his family. But more than anything, they talked about his faith. His enduring trust in God through the suffering left a lasting legacy. And it became clear that God had been working throughout Jay's life, preparing him for that moment when he would meet Jesus in glory. So like Jay's faith in the midst of this suffering, Paul is reminding the Thessalonians, and now he's reminding us today, that God is at work through our suffering. Their perseverance in trials is evidence of God's power, refining their faith and making them worthy of his kingdom. Their lives were a testimony to the justice of God, both in this world and the next. So one day we will all experience Christ being glorified among us. It will be a glorious day. This means when our suffering is over, when we have endured in faith, it will not be meaningless. God is using all of our trials to prepare us for the day that we will stand in his presence, vindicated and glorified with him. The life of a faithful servant, and this is what all of our aims should be, is at the end of our lives, just to be called faithful. It's a powerful testimony to the justice of God. So church, I want to encourage you just to live in a way that glorifies Jesus. Focus on being faithful in the little things, the everyday actions and decisions, knowing that your life can bring honor and glory to God. And this starts by spending time with Jesus. Because as John Owen said, we must see Christ's glory in this world. We will never behold the glory of Christ by sight in the next world if we have not, in some measure, beheld it by faith here in this world. Christ's glory has been revealed through the gospel. And we need to meditate on these gospel promises and trust that God will bring them to pass soon. So when I say gospel promises, those are real promises that we need to hold onto in our trials. When we go through those daily frustrations that are right in our face, and that's all we can see, and our emotions are welling up and getting the best of us, we need to remind ourselves. We need to preach to ourselves. God is with me in this and he's going to get me through this. This is not the end for me. This is not the last thing that I'm going to experience in life and God is going to use this. God is going to use this to shape me and make his glory known through me. And we ask for God's help because we all experience things, whether it's the death of a family member, a dog or cat passing away suddenly. These things are constant in our lives, whether we're experiencing this right now and you're going through something or it's going to happen at some point. We don't have to worry about things that are to come because we know God is walking through us every step of the way. He will be with us in our trials, no matter how big and how small. But these are the things we need to hold on to and preach to ourselves. Because I'm a child of God, I know he won't forget me. I know he's not leaving me here alone, but he's holding me every step of the way. So Paul's prayer for the Thessalonians here brings our focus to an essential truth. And this is how we get through our trials, because it's God who is at work in you. He writes in verse 11, 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. He says, by his power. Notice that. It's by his power. This means the Christian life is not about being the best person we can be just so that we can go to the next level in our lives and be able to face things and be a stronger person at the end of the day. It's not about us. It's about God himself actively working in us, transforming our desires, and empowering us to live out our lives in faith. It's God who makes you worthy. That's why Paul's praying that God would do this. He says that God would make you worthy of his calling. He's not challenging them. He's asking that God would do it. God is the one doing the work. So you're not left somehow to make yourself worthy of God's calling. Paul prays that God himself would make you worthy. This is a work that God does in your life, sanctifying you and shaping you more and more into the image of Christ. So God fulfills every good intention and it's God's power and not yours. So as you go about your week, no matter what you face, remember that it is God who is at work in you, making you worthy of his calling and empowering you to live out your faith by his mighty power. Trust in him and let this truth shape your daily walk with Christ. So as we close, let's remember the three truths we've learned from this passage. The first truth, trust God's justice in your trials. We've seen that God's justice is revealed in how he avenges the suffering and gives them relief. So just as God worked in the life of Tim Keller, every trial we endure is a testimony to God's justice, making us more like Christ. So when you face trials, let your hope be anchored in the promise that God is at work in you, and let that hope fuel your longing for the day when all trials will cease. Second, trust that God's judgment will be certain. So remember, this is a harsh passage we see of God's judgment coming on unbelievers, but this was meant to be an encouragement to these believers and Thessalonians, because knowing that we are in Christ, helps us remember that we are free from God's wrath. And that is a glorious truth. And he uses this as a comfort because the people who are making life so difficult for these believers in Thessalonica one day will experience the vengeance of God. And no matter who has wronged you, no matter what you've gone through, no matter what hurt, far too great for me to even know, God sees every wrong and will set all things right. God sees every wrong and will set all things right. So when you see or experience injustice in the world, let it remind you that there is a day coming when Christ will return and justice will be fully served. And let this fuel your desire for his return, where perfect justice will reign. And the last point, trust that God's future glory will be yours. So remember, finally, we've seen that Christ's return will bring us into his glorious presence, a hope that shaped the life of Michaela's Uncle Jay as he longed to see Jesus face to face. and let this promise shape your own life. So as you go about your days, let your heart be filled with anticipation, like the biblical authors, for that glorious day when we will all see Christ and be with Him forever in glory. Now, I know you might be sitting there, maybe you're thinking, Tim Keller and Elizabeth Elliott, that's not me. Like, I could never measure up to that standard. And I know that these examples are extreme. But I promise you, these, these, strong faith believers, they didn't get there overnight. They had to exercise their faith by how they responded to every little trial they experienced throughout their life so that when the big trials came, they could walk through them in faith. So we read about persecution in the church here. And in our context, we might experience some, but we might also be thinking, how am I supposed to apply this to my life? I'm not experiencing this. But I believe God uses even the small trials that we experience. every single day to grow us to a point where even if we were to face persecution for unbelievers, we can stand firm. No matter how small, even something as simple as stubbing your toe, the most seemingly pointless trial I can think of, let God use it. Turn to him in your pain, and remember that one day you'll be given a body that won't accidentally run into walls. Isn't that amazing? So let us now take these truths and speak like the biblical authors, expressing our deep longing for Christ. In your prayers, in your conversations, in your heart, let these scriptures be the language of hope, anticipation, and your life. So like Paul, we should eagerly await the Savior, longing for the day when he will transform our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body. Like David, let our hearts cry out that we may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of our lives, gazing upon his beauty. And like John, may we look forward to the time when God himself will be with us, wiping away every tear from our eyes, where death and pain will be no more. And with the psalmist, let's declare that there is nothing we desire on earth besides God, for he is the strength of our hearts and our portion forever.