2 Thess 1:5-10. Dream the Impossible Dream and Live It.Sunday July 23, 2023
2Co 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction (in the spiritual realm and the physical) is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Theme: When the Lord returns He will make the world and humanity new, keeping the good from the old world, eradicating all sin and evil forever.
2Th 1:7 when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,
1Th 3:13 That He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints (hagioi – holy ones).
From these passages and several others, the second coming of the Lord is for the purpose of judgment to the unbeliever as well as the greatest blessing to the believer. Today we will joyously look to our blessing.
It cannot be accurately described, but know that what you are going to see and experience withing yourself is beyond comparison to anything in this world.
Rom 8:16-18 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
But we must go back further to the death and resurrection of the Lord. Without them, there would be no one to bless.
1Co 15:20-28 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, 24 then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 27 For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, "All things are put in subjection," it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. 28 When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.
Here he says, "For it is necessary that He be reigning [present infinitive – He is reigning now] until He has put all things in subjection under His feet."
Human history – a mediatorial kingdom where God rules while allowing mankind: To hear and see His mediators. Accept or reject them. Sin or do good.
The mediatorial kingdom (history) is the rule of God through a divinely chosen representative who not only speaks and acts for God but also represents the people before God. It is a rule that has especial reference to the earth; and the mediator is always a member of the human race.
When the last enemy of God has been put down by our Lord, the purpose of human history is completed.
Luk 10:22 “no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”
Joh 1:18 the only begotten God … He has explained Him.
And by His death and resurrection, He subjected to Himself the final enemy of God – death.
Rev 20:14-15 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
This second death is the death of death, or the final end of death.
With the end of this last enemy, there can be no more intermediate state. It is the last act in preparation for the new and eternal world (the start of chapter 21).
Rev 21:5 And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new."
This is the final order of things.
In the eternal kingdom heaven comes down to earth; God dwells with men. In the face of Jesus Christ men at last will see the face of God with no hindrance of circumstance or interruption.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
The divine good things that were done and the memory (history) of them enter the eternal kingdom – the greatest of these being the nail prints on our Lord. Some other things will be missing:
Rev 21:4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."
There will be no more sin.
How about now? What to do until then? Just wait?
There are many aspects of the future kingdom that are in the believer now. One such is the Lord’s victory and authority.
1Co 15:25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.
“must (it is necessary) reign” – present infinitive = Jesus is in the process of ruling now until everything is put under His feet.
Paul stresses that Jesus is in the process of ruling until the job of subjecting everything under His feet is complete. The remark about subjection is an allusion to Psa 110:1.
Psa 110:1 The Lord says to my Lord: "Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet."
This idea is important because some think only of Jesus' rule as one anticipated in the future. There will be a total manifestation of that authority one day (1Co 15), but the process has already started in the second Adam.
While He rules, we are weak. We still sin. We still experience the sorrow of sin. We die. But there is a subtle and incredible power and authority in this world that flows from the Lord Jesus at the right hand of God – He has reversed the power of sin.
While we are weak, in Him and through Him, we are strong.
The strength is not ours. He graciously pours His power into us. As soon as we think power is ours, we cease to be able to use His.
What power would we have if we were conquered by death?
We were never meant for this world, and so in its framework we must weaken and die within it. But because of Christ, and specifically because of His resurrection, ascension, and His return, we must live eternally in a new world and in a new body.
Heb 2:5-18 For He did not subject to angels the world to come, concerning which we are speaking. 6 But one has testified somewhere, saying, "WHAT IS MAN, THAT YOU REMEMBER HIM? OR THE SON OF MAN, THAT YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HIM? 7 "YOU HAVE MADE HIM FOR A LITTLE WHILE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS; YOU HAVE CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR, AND HAVE APPOINTED HIM OVER THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS; 8 YOU HAVE PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET." For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.
9 But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying, "I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN,IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE." 13 And again, "I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM." And again, "BEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME." 14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. 16 For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. 17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.
We can see in these passages that there is an ultimate ruling to come, but we also see that there is an authority or rule in time now.
And when we wonder about this eternal kingdom and perhaps hesitate to believe all of the wonderous things within it – the Lord Himself gives His own gracious assurance.
Rev 22:16 "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."
One of the many titles for Him:
Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True.
Of all that He has spoken, nothing can fail.
He states three times in Rev 22, His final chapter: “I am coming quickly.” That is His last word.
Until then we are wise in the simplicity of the word of God and respond in our hearts: Amen, come Lord Jesus (Rev 22:20).
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