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SURPRISED? I HOPE NOT.

2 Thessalonians 1:7-12

 

INTRODUCTION:

 

      A.  How many of you like Surprises?

            1.  Some surprises are good:  birthday parties, diamond rings, new car or truck, a raise, or winning the Clearing House Sweepstake.

            2.  Some are bad:  fatal disease, unexpected bill, flat tire, being fired.

            3.  But what about the Lord’s second coming?

 

      B.  The Lord is coming again.  Are you surprised to hear that?

            1.  Many people are not only surprised, they don’t believe it.

            2.  Their attitude is like those who we read of in 2 Peter 3:4 saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

            3.  And concerning this statement Peter says they are “willingly ignorant.”

 

      C.  When we survey the Scriptures we find that there are three times as many references to Christ’s second coming than to the first.

            1.  Listen to the testimony of the angels found in Acts 1:11 Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

                  a.  As people stood around watching the Lord ascend on that morning, there must have been amazement in their eyes.

                  b.  They were gazing – gawking – dumb-founded – surprised

                  c.  Think about the greater surprise when the angel said, so shall he come in like manner – that is visibly and bodily!

            2.  Over and over again the Scriptures testify that Christ will come again:  John 14:3; John 21:22ff; Acts 1:10ff; Acts 3:19-21; Phil 3:20ff; 1 Thess 4:16ff; Heb 9:28; Jam 5:7; 2 Pet 3:3ff; 1 John 2:28 & 3:2ff.

 

      D.  There should be no surprise concerning Christ’s second coming, however scriptures say that it shall be for some folks, listen to the words of paul to the Thessalonians found in 1 Thes. 5:2-4 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

 

      E.  Now, we will not get caught up I this game of trying to predict when Jesus will come again because Jesus said, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. Acts 1:7

            1.  Many have tried, in fact many tried to tell us that it would be in the year 2000

            2.  They had this biblical/mystical formula or a dispensational idea that this must be the magic number

                  -  But as you can see, it did not happen!

            3.  We do not know when Jesus will come again – we are told to watch and pray by Jesus himself in Mark 13:32-37

 

      F.  Rather than try and predict when it all happen I want to encourage you to watch and pray.

            1.  I don’t want you to be surprise

            2.  So let’s look at our passage for this evening and see what we can learn about His second coming.

            3.  2 Thes. 1:7-12 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 11Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: 12That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

            4.  Three things I would like for you to leave here with tonight – His resurrection following His first coming guarantees us of three things concerning His second coming – it will be with

                  a.  Power

                  b.  Retribution, and

                  c.  Gory & Reward

 

PRAY

 

Notice if you would the first  verse in our text, the Lord will come with

 

I.   POWER, 2 Thes. 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

 

    A.  His first coming was rather unusual – the King of Glory came meek and mild

          1.  Born in a manger

          2.  Called the Lamb of God

          3.  He allowed man to

                a.  Hit Him

                b.  Spit on Him

                c.  Mock Him

                d.  Put Him on the cross

          4.  He gave up His life

          5.  Men doubted Him then and still do

          6.  However, this will not be the case the next time

 

    B.  At His second coming

          1.  He will come as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah – not a lamb

          2.  He, who could have called on  over 72,000 angels to His aid while on the cross, will come with that many plus – He will not be hit. Spit upon, mocked or nailed to a cross this time

                a.  Remember, just one angel killed 185,000 men of the Assyrian army in one night (2 Kings 19:35)

                  b.  Look at the power of His second coming:  Rev. 19:11-16 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

 

      C.  He is not coming again meek and mild

            1.  You may mock, doubt, or flat out deny Him now but you will not then.

            2.  All will acknowledge Him as Lord, for the promise the Father gave to Him is That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil 2:10-11

 

When He comes the second time He will be coming as King of Kings and Lord of Lords with power and He has promised to bring

 

II.  RETRIBUTION, 2 Thes. 1:8-9 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

      A.  God has told us, Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Romans 12:19

            1.  The day is coming when the Lord Himself shall descend and take vengeance on all who have ignored, despised and refused him.

            2.  Listen to the words found in Jude 1:14-15 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

            3.  And Paul wrote, But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6Who will render to every man according to his deeds:… unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; Romans 2:5-9

            4.  Answer this question, For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? Rev. 6:17

            5.  Better yet, let me answer it for you – NO ONE!

 

      B.  If he decides to return or you die before you accept Him as Savior and Lord you have nothing to look forward to but His wrath

            1.  John wrote He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:36

            2.  Notice the final end recorded in Rev. 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.

 

When the Lord comes again He will be coming in Power; bringing Retribution and finally

III.      GLORY AND REWARDS, 2 Thes. 1:10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

 

      A.  Scripture makes it plain that God’s glory and our reward are connected

            1.  Matt 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

            2.  Rev. 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

 

      B.  He will judge what we have done and reward us accordingly, 1 Cor. 3:13-14 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 14If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

            1.  The rewards could be crowns as spoken about in 1 Cor 9:24-25; 1 Thess 2:19; 2 Tim 4:8; James 1:12; 1 Pet 5:8; Rev 4:4

            2.  There will be the reward of an Inheritance - Col. 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

            3.  The reward of Eternal life - Mark 10:28-30 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. 29And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, 30But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. PRAISE GOD!

 

CONCLUSION: (YELL)

 

    A. Did that surprise you? Well it is nothing compared to what will happen if the Lord’s return surprises you.

 

    B.  In 1 Thessalonians the Lord says, I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren,

          1.  The Lord is coming again – He is coming with

                a.  Power

                b.  Retribution

                c.  Glory and Rewards

          2.  Will you be glad to see Him?

          3.  Will You receive retribution or reward?

          4.  You have a decision to make.

 

      C.  I close with this passage of Scripture:  2 Peter 3:10-14 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

 

PRAISE THE LORD!

EVEN SO LORD JESUS COME QUICKLY!