2 THESSALONIANS LESSON 1


     The second letter was probably written from Corinth, as well as
the first. Paul was the penman. It was probably written soon after the
first letter. It seems that the church at Thessalonica had the
mistaken idea that the Lord was coming back immediately. This letter
is about the second coming of Christ.

     We will begin now in II Thessalonians 1:1 "Paul, and Silvanus,
and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ:"

     We see the same three names associated with this letter as we did
with the first letter. We see in this greeting, Paul is agreeing that
these Thessalonians are in Christ. This is not a church that has
strayed away. It is a church that has made up it's mind that the Lord
Jesus is coming back right then. It is grounded and rooted in the
Father and in the Lord Jesus.

     II Thessalonians 1:2 "Grace unto you, and peace, from God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

     This is a greeting that Paul uses very often. It makes this
letter most assuredly Paul's letter.

     II Thessalonians 1:3 "We are bound to thank God always for you,
brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly,
and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;"

     Paul has no complaint about their faith, or their charity. This
is a church that is growing in the knowledge of God. They are more
than generous helping with the others needs. The only thing that could
be wrong with this is if they are doing this because they think the
Lord will be back immediately. If they are giving from a free heart,
there is no error in that.

     II Thessalonians 1:4 "So that we ourselves glory in you in the
churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions
and tribulations that ye endure:"

     Paul is using this church at Thessalonica as an example to the
other churches of how they should conduct their affairs. He knows the
persecutions have been great, they have endured them like good
soldiers. They are not only generous in their giving, but they are
patient, as well. It seems that Paul can find no fault with them. Paul
is simply amazed at their faith and patience under such tribulations
and persecutions.

     II Thessalonians 1:5  "[Which is] a manifest token of the
righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the
kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:"

     "Manifest" is to make real. It seems they are enduring this
suffering for the possibility of being counted worthy before God.
Romans 8:17 "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and jointheirs
with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also
glorified together."  I Peter 2:20 "For what glory [is it], if, when
ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if,
when ye do well, and suffer [for it], ye take it patiently, this [is]
acceptable with God."

     II Thessalonians 1:6 "Seeing [it is] a righteous thing with God
to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;"

     If these people remain patient and in the faith even when they
are being persecuted, the people doing the persecuting will be
punished by God. Romans 12:20 "Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed
him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap
coals of fire on his head."  God fights our battles for us. Vengeance
is His, not ours. We should be kind to our enemies, as well as our
friends.

     II Thessalonians 1:7 "And to you who are troubled rest with us,
when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty
angels,"

     There is a rest for the believers. Look, with me, at what Jesus
had to say about this very thing. Matthew 11:28 "Come unto me, all
[ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." The
rest for the Christian is in Jesus. Hebrews 4:9 "There remaineth
therefore a rest to the people of God."  There will be no sorrow in
heaven.  These mighty angels that are with Him are the ministering
spirits to do His commands. At one point, they are to put in the
sickle and reap the earth at His command. The Christians, themselves,
will be like the angels in heaven.

     II Thessalonians 1:8 "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them
that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ:"

     God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:29 "For our God [is] a
consuming fire." So many times in the Bible, God is associated with
fire. John the Baptist said, that he baptized with water, but Jesus
would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire. Holy God cannot look
upon sin, He will burn it up. We all know that the wheat will be
gathered into the heavenly barn, and the tares will be burned. Look
what Jesus said about this very thing. Matthew 13:30 "Let both grow
together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to
the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in
bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."  There are
only two choices a person can make. Following Jesus brings life
eternal, but to reject Jesus brings eternal damnation.  Revelation
20:15 "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was
cast into the lake of fire."  The question is, have you received Jesus
Christ as your Saviour and had your name written in the Lamb's book of
life? If you have not, read Revelation chapter 20 verse 15, one more
time.
     II Thessalonians 1:9 "Who shall be punished with everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his
power;"

     We see that the ones to be punished are all who do not accept
Jesus as their Saviour. This is the separation of the sheep and the
goats in the book of Matthew. The followers of Christ, of course, are
his sheep. The really sad thing is, that even some who proclaim
Christianity will not be acceptable as we read in the following verse.
Matthew 7:22 "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in
thy name done many wonderful works?" Matthew 7:23 "And then will I
profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work
iniquity."  You see, just professing Christianity does not make you a
Christian. We are  Christians when we become  new creatures in Christ.
I will say one more time, there are only two choices. It is up to us
where we spend all of eternity. We can choose Jesus and spend eternity
in heaven with Him. The other choice is to reject Jesus and spend
eternity in hell, totally separated from God.  Hell is not only a
fire, but a terrible darkness. One of the torments of hell is the fact
that the lost will not be able to see the glory of the Lord Jesus
Christ.

     II Thessalonians 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."

     The punishment, spoken of in the previous verses, will happen
when the things spoken in verse 10 above, occur. Paul is saying,
because his testimony was believed when he preached to them, they
would grow in the Lord until He comes. We know that the Lord is
glorified in the saints, when they become so full of Him that the
world looking on sees Jesus in them. This brings glory and honor to
the Father and Jesus. We, Christians, in the day of the Lord will be
clothed in white linen washed in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We will have taken on His righteousness. We have been made acceptable
in the Fathers sight through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. In my
opinion, admired is not strong enough for the feeling we have. The
feeling is great admiration and love for what Jesus did for us, but
even more for who He is to us.

     II Thessalonians 1:11 "Wherefore 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:"

     For Christ to be glorified in us, we must grow in him to the
extent that we will be a reflection of the Lord Jesus. Many are
called, but few are chosen. Paul is not speaking just to the heads of
the churches here, but to all who have been called of God to be
Christians. Every Christian is a minister for Christ. Paul prays that
they will live the salvation they have received. It appears that Paul
is trying to convey to them the necessity to walk uprightly before the
Lord. The very life we live is a sermon to the world around us. We
either draw people closer to God with our walk, or we drive them
further away. This prayer of Paul's is speaking of their walk, more
than just a one time conversion. The constant faith we have in Him
causes us to turn our will over to His will. The power to minister
comes from the Holy Spirit within us. Jesus told the disciples that
they would receive power after the Holy Ghost had come upon them.
Look, with me, at the power He gave them, and what it was to be used
for.  This is in the Words of Jesus. Acts 1:8 "But ye shall receive
power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be
witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in
Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

     II Thessalonians 1:12 "That 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."

     This is said best in Philippians 2:10 "That at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth,
and [things] under the earth;"  This shows great reverence for the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ. By grace are you saved. Salvation is
for whosoever will. God loved us while we were yet in sin. He sent
Jesus as our Saviour. He must be made Lord of our life for the things
we have been talking about to be. It is Christ in me, the hope of
glory. The name of our Lord Jesus Christ is glorified when we are
Christian in the true sense of the word. Christians are followers of
and believers in the Lord Jesus. We become Christ-like, if we make Him
Lord of our lives.



























                     2 Thessalonians 1 Questions


1.  Where was this letter probably written from?
2.  Who was the penman of the this letter?
3.  What mistaken idea did these people in the church of Thessalonica
    have?
4.  What is this letter all about?
5.  What complimentary thing does Paul say to them in the first verse?
6.  Quote verse 2.
7.  What two good things did Paul have to say about them in verse 3?
8.  What, possibly, could be wrong with what they are doing?
9.  What church did Paul use as an example for the other churches?
10. Paul says they are counted worthy for ______ _____ of ________.
11. What does "manifest" mean?
12. Quote Romans chapter 8 verse 17.
13. Who will God bring tribulation on?
14. Quote Romans chapter 12 verse 20.
15. Who does verse 7 say will be with Jesus at His return?
16. Quote Hebrews chapter 4 verse 9.
17. Who will be like the angels?
18. Who does He take vengeance on?
19. Quote Hebrews chapter 12 verse 29.
20. Who is cast into the fire?
21. Quote Matthew chapter 7 verses 22 and 23.
22. Besides the torment of the fire, what terrible thing occurs?
23. Jesus will be glorified in whom?
24. What will the Christians be clothed in at that day?
25. We should admire Jesus for what He did for us, but we should
    admire Him more for what?
26. Paul prayed that God would count them worthy of their _______.
27. Every _________ is a minister for Christ.
28. What is Paul trying to convey to them?
29. Where does the power to minister come from?
30. Quote Philippians chapter 2 verse 10.