Well, may God bless the reading
of his word. And now, once again, we'll turn
to the first epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians, and the
second chapter, and we'll read verses 14 to 16. So the first epistle of Paul
to the Thessalonians, chapter 2, and verses 14 to 16. For ye, brethren, became followers
of the churches of God, which in Judea are in Christ Jesus. For ye also have suffered like
things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews,
who both killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have
persecuted us. And they please not God, and
are contrary to all men. forbidding us to speak to the
Gentiles, that they might be saved, to fill up their sins
always, for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. Well, the Apostle Paul continues
this letter to the church at Thessalonica, and really he's
bringing to the attention of the church there what they should
expect, and not be surprised, therefore, if they are true followers
of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so he commences by saying,
for ye brethren became followers of the churches of God, which
is in Judea, which in Judea are in Christ Jesus. So that's a
wonderful blessing. And that's a wonderful blessing
if we as a people and individuals are true followers of the Lord
Jesus. Ye brethren became followers
of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus. So quite clearly in their case,
like that is in the case of all God's people, there was a time
when they were not followers. what a blessing it is if today
we are followers, or if we are not desire to be followers of
the churches of God, which in Judea are in Christ Jesus. So the important truth is that
it's those churches who are in Christ Jesus, the true church,
not a false church. And what a great blessing that
is for us today if we are followers of the churches of God like that. And then he says, for you also
have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as
they have of the Jews. Well we know how vociferous the
Jews were against those who turned away from the Jewish religion
to follow the Lord Jesus Christ and to become Christians. and how the Jews who were satisfied
generally with their religion, it was of course the religion
of works, do this and live, and that's what they were used to,
and they were dependent therefore upon that. And now there were
those who were encouraged to be a follower of the Lord Jesus
Christ. to follow his glorious example. And the effect was the Jews hated
that, and now Paul is telling the Thessalonians that ye also
are suffering like things. And of course, the reality is
the whole church of God also always has and always will. And we today, by the grace of
God also, suffer like things. And so we should remember what
the Lord Jesus spoke when he was on the earth, when he spoke
to that great crowd and preached what we call the Sermon on the
Mount. And in that first chapter, the fifth chapter, he tells us
this, verses 11 and 12, blessed are ye when men shall revile
you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against
you, falsely, for my sake. See, that's really the secret,
isn't it? They shall revile and persecute
us and shall say all manner of evil against us, falsely, for
the Lord's sake. And he carries on and says, what's
the result of that? Rejoice and be exceedingly glad
for great is your reward in heaven, for so persecuted they the prophets
which were before you." So it's not really something that you
and I should be surprised at, if we are true followers of the
Lord Jesus Christ. It's that which we should really
expect, and to expect it because it is an evidence that we are
a true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. And rather than being
sad and sorry because of that path, the Lord Jesus tells us
to rejoice and to be exceedingly glad, for great is our reward
in heaven. And surely that should be our
objective, to obtain that great and glorious reward of eternal
life. Not that we merited it, but it's
that which God graciously and lovingly gives. And so what cause
there is then to rejoice? And the apostle goes on, having
said that, even as they have of the Jews, He says, who both
killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted
us, and they please not God, and are contrary to all men. And surely as we look around
the world today, we see a continuance of that situation. We're very
favored really in our country today. because there aren't those
in the present time really in our nation who are killed for
believing, for following the Lord Jesus Christ. But nonetheless
the apostle sets this before us, sets this before the Thessalonians
to encourage them who both killed the Lord Jesus, remember that's
the Jewish nation, the ancient people of God, and their own
prophets, those who were against the Lord Jesus Christ, and have
persecuted us, and they pleased not God, and are contrary to
all men. Well, there was that occasion
written by Luke for the Acts of the Apostles, which again
speaks of this really. And he says, but the Jews, which
believed not those who were against true Christians, moved with envy,
took unto them certain lewd fellows of the basest sort, and gathered
a company and sent all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the
house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
And when they had found them not, they drew Jason and certain
brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have
turned the world upside down are come hither also, whom Jason
hath received. And these all do contrary to
the decrees of Caesar, saying, and that there is another King,
one Jesus. Well, how that was true, my friends,
how true it is today. And what a blessing for us if
we worship the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, this one who
Jason spoke of so well, King Jesus. I wonder how today we
view this great and glorious savior. Do we view him as the
king of kings and the lords of lords? And then we read also in Matthew's gospel,
chapter 23, verse 31. Wherefore, ye be witnesses unto
yourselves that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. You see, there were so many occasions
when those Jews that turned against the Lord Jesus Christ and his
followers were told plainly of their condition and their situation. But of course, they didn't want
to hear. They were satisfied with their
own religion of work. So my friends, so many people
today are satisfied with their religion of work. What a blessing
it is if we rely upon that religion which God has given, through
his grace, to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, the
Apostle Paul carries on this letter to the Thessalonians,
and in verse 16 he says, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that
they might be saved. You see, Paul's great concern
always was that the Jews and the Gentiles might be saved. Therefore he preached unto them,
Christ Jesus and him crucified. And so they were forbidding us
to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved, to fill
up their sins always, for the wrath is come upon them to the
uttermost. Well, remember, This was true
of the true Church of God. And as the apostle, when he wrote
to the Romans, what a wonderful account he was able to give in
the eighth chapter. And he tells them, and it's referring
really to the Thessalonians here. And if children, then heirs of
God. And that's what you and I need
to have the assurance of. Heirs of God and joint heirs
with Christ. Again, that's amazingly humbling,
surely. To think that we are blessed,
we suffer with Him, and we are heirs of God and joint heirs
with Christ. If so be that we suffer with
Him, that means really no suffering, no union, no heirs. that we may be also glorified
together. That really is a wonderful prospect
to think upon, to meditate upon, to realize if we, as we walk
on this earth, suffer for his sake, if we are persecuted, yet
to realize that we shall be by his grace also glorified together. We won't be left out. For I reckon
that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared
with a glory that which shall be revealed in us. To mercy, God gives us grace
to look beyond the battles of this life. the hardships, the
difficulties, the sufferings, the oppositions of this life
to realize that they're not worthy to be compared with the glory
which shall be revealed in us. And then as he says, be saved
to fill up their sins always. for the wrath is come upon them
to the uttermost. Yeah, we should realize the Lord
does bring his wrath upon all those who are not believers,
those who turn away from God. And yet what a blessing if we
are amongst those whom the Lord has come and touched our hearts
and cause us to consider our ways. And therefore we can concur
with the words that we read together in the second epistle of Timothy,
in the second chapter, in the 12th verse. It's a wonderful
verse. For if we suffer, we shall also
reign with him. If we deny him, he also will
deny us. Well may it be that none of us
deny the Lord Jesus Christ. And may we expect therefore to
suffer not alone, but to suffer with Christ, to be united with
Christ, and to realize that there will come that day when by his
grace we shall be joined with him for eternity. Well, may the Lord be gracious
to us and bless these few remarks.