Sermon Tone Analysis

Second Thessalonians was written shortly after First Thessalonians, apparently Paul had received reports that three of the problems he addressed in his first letter had gotten worse, rather than better.

The Thessalonians were still confused about the Second Coming and they were still having problems with some of their members living a lifestyle of idleness.

In addition, the persecution the Thessalonians were suffering had only grown worse and as a result many had become discouraged and despondent.

We see evidence of this in 2 Thessalonians in the fact that Paul leaves out the virtue of “hope” when he praises them.

I think we can all identify with this.

All of us have experienced those times when the sufferings and injustices of this life leave us feeling hopeless.

Perhaps some of you are feeling that way today.

To counteract this growing despondency, Paul reminds them of our “blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”

(Titus 2:13) Let us now hear God’s Word to us this morning from 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12:

In this chapter, Paul reminds us that there is a day coming when we will “marvel at” Jesus and His “righteous judgement.”

On that Day all will be crystal clear: all our questions will be answered, and all our hopes will be realized, but until that Day we can get a preview to encourage us if we will listen carefully to God Word.

But first, in order for us to truly appreciate and marvel at the righteous judgement of God, it is necessary for us to first hear the bewilderment of humanity’s cry for justice.

Puzzled by the Delay in the Righteous Judgement of God

There are three directions from which we hear this cry coming.

The Fall

The first is a deep mournful cry that resonates from every corner of creation.

Paul speaks of this cry in Romans 8:22 where he speaks of the “groanings” of creation.

Creation groans and we groan because of the sin of one man—Adam.

People often point an accusing finger at God when they face tragedies such as a child born with a birth defect, the untimely death of a spouse or the diagnoses of a painful and life-threatening disease, but these accusations are misdirected.

Scripture is clear that the real culprit is Adam.

This curse of death effects not only humanity, but all of creation, but what punishment did Adam receive?

A slap on the wrist!

God has revealed Himself as a God of perfect retributive justice: “an eye for an eye,” the punishment is always to fit the crime, never more, never less.

God threatened death as the punishment if Adam ate of the forbidden fruit, because death is what his crime caused, but God showed Adam mercy rather than justice.

How could He do this and still be a just God?

The answer will come, but for now hear the cry for justice.

Common Injustice

The second direction from which we hear a cry for justice, comes from the sins committed by all who followed after Adam.

I am not a fan of Pablo Picasso, but I have always felt that his painting Guernica, captures the agonizing cry for justice better than any other work of art.

Slide of Pablo Picasso’s Guernica

Painted in response to the atrocities of the Spanish Civil War, Guernica, reminds us of all the atrocities.

We need to be reminded of the suffering caused by man’s inhumanity against man, because we all tend to close our eyes and ears to the sufferings of others, but if we will but stop and listen the cry for justice is deafening!

Injustice Against the People of God

But there is an even louder cry, the cry of the blood of the martyrs, it is the cry that John heard in his prophetic vision of heaven:

What makes this cry so loud is because God is so adamant in His Word that He will protect and defend His covenant people.

Long ago, when God made His covenant with Abraham, He promised this: “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you.”

(Gen 12:3)

This was the problem the Thessalonians were struggling with.

Paul had taught them that those who have faith in Christ become children of Abraham (Gal 3:7) and heirs of the promise (Gal 3:29).

In other words, how can they reconcile the promises of God with their present persecution?

This is a real problem, it is easier to reconcile the sufferings of the rest of humanity, because they are sinners outside the saving grace of Christ, but how can we who have been justified by Christ account for our suffering, especially our persecution?

I hope you feel the problem, because if you do when you hear God’s response and see His justice you will marvel!

Comforted by the Revelation of the Righteousness of God

As Paul begins to address the issue of their persecutions, he reminds them of their faith in the Gospel.

He calls their “steadfastness and faith” in the gospel “evidence of the righteous judgement of God.”

What does he mean by this?

I think part of the answer is found in Romans 3.

There he addresses the problem of God “passing over” former sins (like those of Adam, which we spoke of earlier) and pointing to Jesus he writes...

God was not unjust in having mercy on Adam, because Jesus died the death that Adam should have died!

This is true of all the elect.

This is true of you, if you are “obedient” to the gospel call.

Peter addresses the problem of the delay of God’s justice as well, writing this:

This time between the First and Second Coming of Christ is a very special time, it is called in Scripture “the Day of Salvation” (2 Cor 6:2).

It is time in which God’s judgement is delayed, so that all the elect will be gathered into God’s Kingdom.

This is why we as God’s people suffer as God’s justice is delayed, if Christ came now in His justice and wrath, those whom God has destined for salvation, yet have not believed, would not be gathered in.

Christ would never do that, because He has promised to gather in all His lost sheep and as much as we long for God’s justice, we would not want that either.

So, take comfort that God is delaying His justice for the salvation of His people.

But know this, God will not delay His justice any longer than is necessary.

This leads us to the third and final point:

Encouraged by the Certainty of the Righteous Judgement of God

The other way our “steadfastness and faith” in the midst of injustice and persecution acts as “evidence” is that it points to our Final Salvation and our opponents Final Judgement.

Beginning in verse 6, Paul encourages his readers with the certainty of God’s judgement:

For those who have not obeyed the gospel of Jesus, His Second Coming will be much different than His first.

Earlier we saw how His First Coming ushered in a “Day of Salvation,” but His Second Coming will usher in a “Day of Judgement.”

Jesus will come as a “flaming fire” and none will stand before His wrath!

In verse 9, the punishment He will inflict upon those who do not believe is said to have the following characteristics:

It is an eternal destruction.

It placed one outside of the presence of God’s favor.

It placed one outside of the glory of His might.

For those who have obeyed the gospel, that Day will be much different according to verse 10.

On that Day, they will be glorified in Him and He in them.

Best of all, on that Day, they will marvel at Christ and the outworking of Divine Justice and Salvation!

On that Day all our questions will be answered, all our objections will be silenced, and all our hopes will be fulfilled!

I know that this sermon is like “looking through a mirror darkly,” but I pray that it has thrown some light on how glorious and marvelous God’s righteous judgement truly is.

I hope it has giving encouragement to those who are suffering from living in what Paul calls this “present evil age.”

(Gal 1:4) Most of all, I pray that if there are any here today who have not obeyed the gospel of our Lord Jesus, that this will be the day they do so.

Today is the Day of Salvation, you may never have an opportunity to obey again.

Trust in the Lord Jesus and His death on the cross to satisfy the demands of God’s justice.

Let us pray.