Suffering Leads to Comfort

I heard a story years ago about a woman who while traveling in Chicago O'hare airport had a fairly wild experience she'll not soon forget.

She was very early for her flight and picked up a small bag of cookies and a magazine to read while waiting in the terminal, which at this point was very empty. As she read her magazine, about in the middle of a row of seats, a man came and sat down beside her. I mean, right.... beside her....A little annoyed at this invasion of her personal space, she glanced in either direction and, the seats were still empty, prompting her to ask in her mind, "why the heck is this guy sitting right here like this? Right next to my purse and everything?" Slightly miffed, but also intimidated by the man, she decided not to confront him on it. She went back to reading her magazine. After about a minute or so she reached down for a cookie. He bumped her hand with his. She looked down and, HE WAS GRABBING A COOKIE FROM HER BAG!!! She nearly came unhinged at this point, but still, somehow she did not confront the man. This kind of evil cookie thievery continued all the way to the last cookie and all the while her anger burned within her (sorry had to throw a bible reference in there--this is a Theological Blog after all).

Pretending at this point to still be reading the magazine, she was on the verge of lashing out at this man verbally, when he abruptly stood up and walked away. As she cast daggers at his back, she glanced down to see half a cookie. "Wow" she thought, the nerve of this man. Just as she rolled her eyes, she noticed something, and a look of complete horror set in her face. Her bag of cookies was still in her purse and they were UNOPENED!! She had been eating out of his bag of cookies, and while she fumed at him, he kept sharing and was even nice enough to share the last half with her......

Interesting story on perspectives isn’t it. It’s about how you’re looking at the facts. Are you seeing them as they truly are? We can look on with humor at a story like that, but while we look at 2nd Thessalonians 1 (verses 5-10) it is quite clear that the topic or theme is about one thing; Jesus' return and there's not much humor in that.

5 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— 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 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 8 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. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from[b] the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.

In this portion of scripture there are really only two perspectives to view such a return. One is from the unbelievers perspective and the other is from the perspective of the believer. The bible doesn't equivocate on its own authority so we won't either. So then, both views as we shall see, are from the standpoint of God's ultimate sovereignty to do as he wishes in His universe.

Scripture endeveours to illustrate Gods glory through his power. In doing so, it (God—through scripture), uses the power of His ultimate foreknowledge to tell us the reaction of the believer and the unbeliever alike when the truth is revealed. So both perspectives, from the negative or the positive, will eventually draw conclusions like this after revelation from verses of scripture like the verses we just read in 2 Thessalonians chapter 1. First let us focus on the negative aspect of what happens to the unbeliever. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells an amazing story, about Lazarus and the Rich Man.

We read Jesus's parable in Luke 16:

19”There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side.[f] The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

As a side note, notice how the Rich Man, does not ask for an angel or even God himself to come and give relief but asks that Lazarus be the one to bring water to comfort his anguish. That's because in his former life he was used to being served or "blessed"--as he may have told himself during his life--by those like Lazarus. He is not repentant here. He is looking for what he can get to ease only himself, this is not remorse for sin. This ties directly into the heart of the unbeliever, or the unrepentant sinner. How often have we heard someone said, "If God would do '_________', then I'd believe...." Maybe you have felt that in your own heart. The warning is clear from the mouth of Jesus. Chilling words from our savior, who died and in fact did return from the dead, that even then they wouldn't believe. As a friend, I can only urge you....to beg you as someone who had not taken it seriously previously in my own life, to take deadly serious the words of Jesus, if you feel the pull in your heart today for Him do not harden it.

What the verse does not say is that being rich is wrong. Remember the verse in the story, it doesnt say the Rich Man received the rich things, but your rich things. The implied meaning here is the things that were closest to  his own heart.

All that of course is from the negative viewpoint. There is much to fear from the unbelievers side of the eventual return of Jesus Christ.  So let's look now from the positive. 

16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (1st John 4:16-18) 

The last half of vs 18 goes directly to the heart of the subject of fear of the unbeliever, while the two verses prior are all about comforting the believer. Verse 18 alone, says it all. Perfect love casts' out fear. Look at verse 16 again, it says that God is love, if He is Love and He is perfect (and He is. Amen?!), then who is it that is casting out the fear? Isn't it in the Book of Revelation that says that God shall wipe away every tear...

There is really only two aspects of the return of Christ. One of retribution from God to the rebelling unbeliever, and the other is of relief to comfort the believer who has endured hardship and suffering.we see this played out in verse 6 & 7, "repay with affliction those that afflict you" & likewise "grant relief to you." Further evidenced in verse 9 as "they will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction," and verse 10 when "He is gloryfied in his saints." 

As we bring this blogpost to a close, look back to verse 5 of 2nd Thessalonians 1, concerning suffering. Like Lazarus and Paul and every other beleiver though history we will suffer for the sake of the gospel. Why? Because its message is offensive to the unrepentant heart. We learn as we grow spiritually, that it is God, who has ordained for the believer to suffer. This is ordered by God. Not just for the sake of it. But for the sake of Christ. For the sake of furthering the gospel, and also to grow us in our faith. Through suffering we are strengthened. We learn to trust in him, and to lean only on him. That is the point after all of salvation to bring us to a place of true worship. What’s the number one commandment? Though shalt not have any other Gods before me. This is true religion. This is a hard truth to swallow for many. Jesus told this truth to the rich young ruler who said, of the keeping all the commandments "all these I have kept from my youth," to which Jesus replied (paraphrased)  "Then go and sell all you own and take up your cross and follow me."  He went away sad because he knew what Christ meant. Following Christ is not an easy road. All but one of the Apostles were martyred. The reign of England’s Bloody Mary hundreds of years ago had 283 Christians killed for claiming Christ the head of the Church and not the Pope.... 

Do unbelievers suffer in life? Yes, of course they do. Do believers? Yes, we al do. But we're not talking about merely everyday sufferings. It rains on the Just and the Unjust doesn't it? We're talking about suffering for the sake of Christ. As we cultivate a godly life and restrain from things like sex before marriage, or lying to gain position perhaps at work, or to get out of trouble and the list goes on and on and on....but we endure to show God's power in our lives. Through our lives. As we struggle through this life doing life the way Christ would have us, others will notice the strength given by God to endure the hardships that will likely result from taking a stand, or doing 'X' or not doing 'X'.

But by storing up treasures in heaven like Lazarus did, our obedience is our gain, from a gracious and merciful God in heaven, (and think deeply on this) who did not make a way for the angels to be redeemed, but he did for us......Whats the first commandment, 'Thou shalt not have any other gods before me'? Does that verse resonate with you. If so, you are his, and as his child you are bound for comfort, and eternal protection in his care.

Similarly like the woman in the beginning story, the ending to our eternal story, we too will never forget.

2 Thessalonians 1 (11/9/17)

2 Thessalonians 1 (11/9/17)

How often do we hear people complain about the church? Seems fairly frequent that we hear something like; “I would go to church but I don’t like all the hypocrites, or judgmental looks I get.” 

The church should be the model of Gods love to the world. Unfortunately, sin follows us everywhere, including inside the church. 

Next week pastor Zach Sutton, of my home church, Catalyst Church, will be preaching on 2nd Thessalonians Chapter 1. The first chapter really delves into the meat of deeper scriptural truths that help the believer grow, but I’d like to take a quick moment to look at the first few verses that often get overlooked. These first few verses address the congregation at Thessalonica.  They talk about being thankful for Gods blessing and the faithfulness of the church at Thessalonica. Let’s check that out real quick. 

3 We ought 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.

4 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. (2 Thessalonians 1:3, ESV)

This is a picture of what the church should look like. A church is supposed to be place for believers to gather to worship God. As believers grow in spiritual maturity, our love for each other as brothers and sisters in faith and Christ should be growing equally. And as the body of believers in the church grow, our worship should be greater as a congregation. The church should not be a place where we have trivial bickering, and groups of the have and have not’s, or the spiritual and the not so spiritual. 

As the unbelieving world wanders in and out of our churches, it is to be a place they see how we love and worship Him. They see true fellowship and friendship as a unified body of Christians and when they do hear the word of God, it should be to a message that is entirely based in scripture. Not some pandering message to entice them into thinking Christ and the church will give them the desires of their heart. God does things like this after true regeneration. But let them be reconciled back to Him first. That is a work of the Holy Spirit as the gospel is proclaimed. Let them judge for themselves based on our behavior toward each other and toward God, whether or not, this is something they feel drawn to. Nor are we to judge them into a corner, in the false hopes of scaring them into faith. Again, it is Gods word and the work of the Holy Spirit that convicts someone’s heart. We are to just preach the word, and worship. 

As the letter opens in this first chapter, it was the Apostle Paul writer of both books bearing the name Thessalonians, who even as he spent 18 months or more in Corinth was still receiving word back from the young church in Thessalonica. This 2nd letter is his response to hearing about the goings on back in the church he helped launch. Before he sets out to answer some concerns he has heard back, he addresses their growth collectively. 

Then Paul, comforts these young believers (not necessarily young in age) in that since receiving word of their spiritual growth he has been bragging about them to other churches and congregations—like the one in Corinth. I think there is a great truth here. As a believer you find such joy in the growth of friends as they learn, and mature, in their faith. As we see those who we love going through struggles, we can take comfort in our hearts, that their faith is being strengthened  and even through the fire of trials, faith remains. Why?  So glad you asked. Because persecution destroys false faith. Another way to say that is to say that if someone is a false convert, meaning they believe in God only for what they think they could get (i.e. like a better life , become wealthier, more successful in their business dealings, healthier etc.) persecution destroys all this. Only true faith remains. 

This passage of scripture is also an answer to Paul’s prayer which you can read about in the beginning of his first letter. (1st Thes 1:3, & also in 3:12), and why he is so thankful to God, because of this answered prayer for the churches steadfastness in faith. 

As I bring this to a close, (you’re welcome) here’s where the rubber meets the road.....So as we let God’s perfecting work take place in our lives and we endure temptations and struggles, and while we grow to be the church body we need to be to the world and each other let us remember to be thankful to God even in the midst of our deepest trials. He is at work, and He is answering prayer.

I invite you to come join us next Sunday, if you are local or if you can’t make it to the service we live stream the video of the service on Facebook via Catalyst Church FB page. I hope you’ll join us as Zach unpacks all that is in the first chapter of the second letter to the church in Thessalonica.