"We Know Where People Go When Hit By A Bus"
Heal me this morning Jesus by your grace, so I may be a source of healing to others today by your grace..
“With flaming fire he will mete out punishment on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will undergo the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength, when he comes to be glorified among his saints and admired on that day among all who have believed—and you did in fact believe our testimony. And in this regard we pray for you always, that our God will make you worthy of his calling and fulfill by his power your every desire for goodness and every work of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-18)
I am not a “Doom and Gloom” preacher. I do not use shame as a motive to get those who don’t know Jesus, to change their ways and fall in love with Him. Paul declares a truth in this chapter, there will be an eternal separation from God for some one day. “With flaming fire he will mete out punishment on those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will undergo the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his strength.” However his words and this letter are not directed to unbelievers, those who have not repented and turned to Christ as a warning to them. His word are directed to the church, those who are in Christ, as a warning and to remind them of the eternal consequences that will happen to their neighbors, friends, family members who do not know Christ.
He is not asking the lost, “Do you know where you will go if you get hit by a bus today?” As the lost do not know. He is speaking to believers in the church who understand eternal security in Christ, “You know what will happen to those who do not know Christ that get hit by a bus today and will be eternally separated from me, what are you doing about it?” He reminds all believers in the church of Thessalonica that “among all who have believed—and you did in fact believe our testimony.” The reason they are believers, the reason they are saved is because they heard and believed Paul and his co-workers testimony about Jesus. The Holy Spirit speaks through this and reminds us in the church today that the only reason we are in the church of believers is because someone shared with us and we heard their testimony of Jesus or else we would be facing the eternal punishment of God.
Paul reminds those in the church that we were saved and made brides of Christ for a purpose, to be “worthy of his calling and fulfill by his power your every desire for goodness and every work of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” We in the church are called to the work of faith which is leading others into faith in Christ by the same grace in which we received it. God is to be glorified in us. How do we glorify God? By leading others to Christ. As every person that perishes robs God of their glory but every person we lead to Christ increases God’s glory.
My family, “doom and gloom” preachers try to scare and shame unbelievers into accepting Christ by asking them, ”Do you know where you will go for eternity if you get hit by a bus?” I . like Paul want to direct this question to you my family in Christ in the church to motivate you out of love, ”You know of the eternal separation from God that awaits your neighbors, family. Friends, co-workers and students sitting next to you, who do not know Christ, will you love them enough to share your testimony with them today? In Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
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