Sermon25-43 2Th1 Guide

2 Thessalonians 1:3-12 theme verse 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

The praise and honor and glory be to our heavenly Father who seeks true worshipers who worship Him with the Spirit and truth.

In this thirty fifth Sunday of 2025, on Pentecost Sunday, I pray that His grace of the application of all the benefits which Jesus earned for our salvation and also the glorious ministry of the proclamation of His kingdom by the power of the Holy Spirit may be full in our life. Last week, we looked at what the relationship between the church and the nation is, yet this week, we would like to end the Belgic confession series by looking at the last judgement together.

1)    First, 2 Thessalonians where we read today’s text, is Paul's second letter to Thessalonian church, written from Corinth around AD 51. He wrote this letter to commend the Thessalonian church for enduring persecution and trials, and to correct the false teaching about the "day of the Lord," that some taught that the day of the Lord has already come, and also to discipline those who were living in idleness. Today's text is a passage of thanksgiving, encouragement, and prayer. In this text, Paul Thank them and God for their abundant love and also for their patience and faith shown during persecution and tribulation. But he said such persecution and tribulation are evidence of God's election, through which God not only purifies their remaining sins, but also will reward them in the coming age. And also he said furthermore this will serve as a cause for righteous judgment on those who currently persecute them. Therefore in the coming age, those who are persecuted now will be granted with the rest, yet those who persecute them now will be afflicted. And finally, since God has chosen them to be His elect, he prays that they will become worthy of their calling and that they will accomplish a good work of faith, so that not only Christ will be glorified, but they too will be joining in the glory in Christ.

2)    As such, in today's text, Paul briefly introduces the final judgment. He tells that the Thessalonian believers who are currently suffering persecution and tribulation, on the day of final judgment, will be rewarded with rest, but those who persecuted them and caused them tribulation will be revenged with affliction instead by God.

3)    Here, the Greek word anesis(ἄνεσις) translated as "rest" means relief, rest or liberation. In a narrow sense, it means relief from persecution and suffering or absence of troubles and suffering. But also, in a broad sense, as verse 5 says, "that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God,” it can mean positive blessings to participate and enjoy the presence of the Lord and "the glory of his might” as verse 9 says.

4)    By the way, some of Thessalonians taught a false teaching that the Day of Judgment, had already arrived, so that many of them who believed that teachings were perplexed. But the date of the Day of Judgment is not allowed us to know, as in Acts 1:6-8, Jesus said 'It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." We, human beings, cannot know this day. Therefore, I hope we will not be deceived by those who say the Day of the Lord is now or later.

5)    Belgic confession article 37 confesses about this last judgement. Yet since it is very long, as a summary, it confesses that “Finally we believe, according to God's Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before the great judgement, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there "with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet.” For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed "in the twinkling of an eye” from perishable to imperishable. Then the books (that is, the consciences) will be opened, and the dead will be judged according to the things they did in the world, whether good or evil. Therefore, with good reason the thought of this judgment is horrible and dreadful to wicked and evil people. But it is very pleasant and a great comfort to the righteous and elect, since their total redemption will then be accomplished. They will then receive the fruits of their labor and of the trouble they have suffered; their innocence will be openly recognized by all; and they will see the terrible vengeance that God will bring on the evil ones who tyrannized, oppressed, and tormented them in this world. The evil ones will be convicted by the witness of their own consciences, and shall be made immortal but only to be tormented in "the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” In contrast, the faithful and elect will be crowned with glory and honor. The Son of God will profess their names before God his Father and the holy and elect angels; all tears will be wiped from their eyes; And as a gracious reward the Lord will make them possess a glory such as the human heart could never imagine. So we look forward to that great day with longing in order to enjoy fully the promises of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.”

6)    In this way, after the final judgment, we believers will enjoy eternal life in heaven, and share the joy of our Master. And not only will we enjoy eternal rest there, but we will also join the eternal reign of the Lord, being with the Lord forever.

7)    By the way, regarding the joy of being with the Lord after the final judgment, Paul confesses in Philippians 1:34, that "To be with Christ is far better than to remain on earth.” For this, Richard Baxter, a British Puritan, explains four reasons why being with Christ is better than anything else like this. The first, the reason being with Christ is far better is simply because it is the fulfillment of God's will. In other words, as we pray in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," the heaven is the place where God's good will is fully accomplished, and we live in the full enjoyment of His goodness. Although we, as finite human beings, cannot easily understand what it means to fully fulfill God's will of bliss and goodness, just as David said his life long desire was to dwell in the temple of the good God, meditating on and enjoying His beauty, living where His good will is accomplished must be far better than anything else, I’m sure. Second, he said because it leads to the perfection of the universe and the church. The kingdom of God, which came with Christ’s first coming to this earth will be consummated on that day, and the entire universe and the church will be filled with love and justice. And third, it is because it will ultimately become our own good and happiness. Dear friends, when we stay in the presence of God's grace and love, during meditation on the Word or in prayer, and taste His goodness, we experience immense happiness. Then, how much more better will it be, when we can enjoy all the goodness and blessings and glory of God? And finally, it will be good even for our fellow creatures too. As Paul says in Romans 8 that due to the first sin of mankind, as not only we believers groan for the day when we will be clothed in perfect ones, but also as whole creations groan too due to the corruption, then how wonderful it will be when that day comes, when all the imperfect and corruptible worlds of the old will be burned up, and in the new heaven and new earth God has created, the entire universe will be filled with His glory! That's why Paul said being with Christ is far, far better than anything else.

8)    Therefore as David said in Psalm 27:4 that “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple,” and also after he survived from his enemy, Abimelech, by pretending he was insane, as he said in Psalm 34:8 that “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!”, although we suffer and endure hardship for His kingdom on this earth now, yet in the world to come, since we will enjoy eternal rest and glory in the presence and glory of God, who will become our greatest goodness and greatest blessing, with this hope, I pray that we can all live even in the present, enjoying eternity.

Key Questions as Small Group Activity

Q1 Through today’s text, we became to know that in the last judgement, God will reward us who were afflicted for His kingdom with rest, while He will revenge with affliction to those who afflicted us. So, meditating on what kind of grace this last judgement will give us, I hope we could share our thought and experience with our team members together to learn from each other.

Q2 And, also Paul said to be with Christ in the heaven is far better than anything else. So after meditating on the joy and peace of the heaven, and how that fact comforts us, I hope we could share our thought and experience with our team members together to learn from each other.

Love you. Thank you. God bless you.

Prayer Note

Dear ( God’s attribute which you found Today ) God!

Thanks for ( something you received through the sermon or  even during the week )

Praise, gratitude and glory be to You, Lord!

Today, I realized my sin (pains) that ( the sin God reminded through the sermon ),

please forgive (or heal) me and help me not to repeat ( the sins you recognized   ).

I learned that ( something you learned through the sermon                                    )

Please help me to live in that (  learned way of life                                                )

I pray in ( Jesus’ attribute you find ) Jesus’ name. Amen.