WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:02.200 Hey, everybody, we're the Bible guys, and if you're just 2 00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:05.320 tuning in recently, just know that we are showing a 3 00:00:05.320 --> 00:00:07.120 little bit of reruns for a few months, and then 4 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:09.839 we'll be back bigger and better than ever on August 5 00:00:09.919 --> 00:00:13.519 thirty first, because behind the scenes, we're taking a hiatus 6 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:14.720 to do some very important things. 7 00:00:14.759 --> 00:00:18.399 Yeah, we're building building out a new studio and we've 8 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:21.399 got some new structure. Super excited about it. So August 9 00:00:21.480 --> 00:00:24.359 thirty first, brand new content. But in the meantime, enjoy 10 00:00:24.440 --> 00:00:25.480 some of our greatest hits. 11 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:27.640 So today we're going to be talking about in my 12 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:32.159 Bible that says encouragement during persecution. So that's like, in 13 00:00:32.200 --> 00:00:34.439 other words, about just beating you up. I'd be like, smile. 14 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:37.000 I'm not exactly sure that that's what that means. As 15 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:38.359 matter of fact. He goes on, and this is also 16 00:00:38.439 --> 00:00:41.159 talking about Jesus coming back. So it's some pretty big 17 00:00:41.240 --> 00:00:43.520 topics we're talking about today. He's Chris, I'm Jeff. Were 18 00:00:43.560 --> 00:00:57.640 the Bible guys, Okay, Chris. Yes, it's a big day 19 00:00:57.640 --> 00:01:02.119 to day, is it. Yeah? Yeah, Because we're doing a draft, yes, 20 00:01:02.159 --> 00:01:04.400 another draft, yes, yes, And these drafts are fun. So 21 00:01:04.439 --> 00:01:05.599 what is today's draft. 22 00:01:05.760 --> 00:01:08.920 Well, it actually reads the you know, the show sheet 23 00:01:08.920 --> 00:01:10.799 that was given to us, says, if you could have 24 00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:15.040 dinner with any person, whether alive or dead. Oh okay, well, 25 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:19.120 who are the top five people dinner? So so listen. 26 00:01:19.159 --> 00:01:21.760 I actually normally we don't know what questions are coming, 27 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:23.640 but I actually read this question before we got here, 28 00:01:24.120 --> 00:01:25.719 so I actually thought it'd be a good idea for 29 00:01:25.799 --> 00:01:28.799 us to do like a draft in five different categories. 30 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:30.319 Ok let's choose a singer. 31 00:01:30.439 --> 00:01:33.439 So in the draft, we can't just draft five quarterbacks, right, 32 00:01:33.519 --> 00:01:35.040 so we have to have so we have to have 33 00:01:35.079 --> 00:01:36.280 different different positions. 34 00:01:36.359 --> 00:01:38.439 Yeah, okay, so if you could, if you could eat 35 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:40.799 on the team, you have dinner with five people alive 36 00:01:40.879 --> 00:01:44.319 or dead. Okay, let's choose the first draft singer, then actor, 37 00:01:44.439 --> 00:01:47.760 then author, then preacher, and then historical figure. 38 00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:52.079 Okay, okay, yeah, yeah, okay, so you go first. Okay, So, 39 00:01:52.280 --> 00:01:53.319 because you've got it in front. 40 00:01:53.200 --> 00:01:55.719 Of you, I do. So. My singer that I chose 41 00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:59.280 is Whitney Houston. Whitney Houston, Yeah, number one, one of 42 00:01:59.280 --> 00:02:02.280 the greatest voices of all time. Number two. You know, 43 00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:06.079 tragedy strikes right, died you young, but more than that 44 00:02:06.319 --> 00:02:09.599 she was a person who was an incredible faith, grew 45 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:11.439 up in the church, and I just think that I 46 00:02:11.439 --> 00:02:13.280 would have loved to have had dinner with her. 47 00:02:13.639 --> 00:02:17.400 Wow. Man, I've got several as far as singers go, 48 00:02:18.840 --> 00:02:23.240 So it's the singers, not musicians, just singer singers, Okay, singers, 49 00:02:23.240 --> 00:02:28.000 I think. Uh. Previously, I think I answered a question 50 00:02:28.039 --> 00:02:33.599 similars I said Bono, So, Bono was pretty high. Andrea Bocelli. Wow, yeah, 51 00:02:33.680 --> 00:02:38.520 I think so Andrea Bocelli. He's a blind pop opera 52 00:02:39.159 --> 00:02:42.879 singer from Italy. Bonnie and I just went and saw 53 00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:46.800 him last December, so that was great. But he does 54 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:48.840 a lot of really good deeds and he has a 55 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:51.919 very vibrant faith in the world, very very public with 56 00:02:51.960 --> 00:02:54.000 his faith. I think that's okay. 57 00:02:54.039 --> 00:02:58.120 The next category is actor. Actor Okay, so I'm choosing 58 00:02:58.439 --> 00:03:03.319 Kirk Cameron. No, no, okay, that is a hard pass. Okay, 59 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:07.159 hard Okay, I just was although I liked him in 60 00:03:07.199 --> 00:03:07.719 Family Tied. 61 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:09.120 Sure, absolutely, So. 62 00:03:10.520 --> 00:03:11.759 I'm choosing Chris Pratt. 63 00:03:12.360 --> 00:03:15.080 Oh man, That's that's why I would have picked really 64 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:15.639 oh totally. 65 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:20.280 Yeah. His faith is incredible and his influence. Plus he's 66 00:03:20.400 --> 00:03:21.599 one of the funniest guys that I. 67 00:03:21.560 --> 00:03:24.680 Know, Yes, yeah, yeah, okay, I'd pick his father in 68 00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:26.000 law then, Arnold Schwarzenegg. 69 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:28.439 Oh really yeah, yeah, Yeah, that'd be a. 70 00:03:28.360 --> 00:03:30.400 Fun one, just because it's hard to sort out what 71 00:03:30.439 --> 00:03:32.759 he's saying, so they just make a really interesting conversation. 72 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:36.479 Well, it definitely be fun dinner with Arnold. 73 00:03:36.479 --> 00:03:38.520 Why we're just asking a bunch of questions about Chris Pratt. 74 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:40.680 There you go, that's funny. 75 00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:41.520 No, that's funny. 76 00:03:41.560 --> 00:03:44.360 So author, and I'm gonna pick C. S. 77 00:03:44.439 --> 00:03:49.000 Lewis, okay, why, oh. 78 00:03:48.960 --> 00:03:52.039 Just because he is both imaginative. 79 00:03:52.240 --> 00:03:55.000 He wrote, he wrote Chronicles and o Arnia. He helped 80 00:03:55.039 --> 00:04:00.360 helped invent the the science fiction concept. Yeah, fantasy fantasy 81 00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:01.120 right now? 82 00:04:01.159 --> 00:04:04.319 Yeah, plus incredible theologian, I mean, just a lot. 83 00:04:04.159 --> 00:04:07.520 Of mere Christianity's one of the great great thoughts. Yeah yeah, okay, 84 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:09.680 that's good. Well I would pick his best friend then, 85 00:04:10.759 --> 00:04:14.000 ja or Tolkien. Well, yeah, they were best friends. Yeah. 86 00:04:14.039 --> 00:04:15.719 Did you know he'd led him to christ I did 87 00:04:15.719 --> 00:04:17.360 not know. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, that's pretty neat. 88 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:20.680 Wow, Yeah, that's neat. Okay, so preachers. 89 00:04:21.480 --> 00:04:23.079 By the way, Tolkien's the one who wrote Lord of 90 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:25.279 the Rings in the Hobbit and all those Yes, yes, 91 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:27.480 so they kind of coinvented the fantasy genre. 92 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:29.600 So how about if I let you go first? Okay, 93 00:04:29.680 --> 00:04:33.079 I just kind of sort of took two of your No. 94 00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:36.319 No, I would have taken Tolkien over over Lewis anyways. 95 00:04:36.439 --> 00:04:38.639 Oh okay, all right, well then I'll go first. Then, okay, 96 00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:40.560 go ahead, preachers. I'd choose Billy Graham. 97 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:42.879 Oh, now, I would take that one too. Okay, So 98 00:04:42.959 --> 00:04:44.839 Billy Graham, Why well, he's. 99 00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:47.439 One of the greatest influencers, not only just of our 100 00:04:47.480 --> 00:04:50.639 generation but of all time. You know, probably led more 101 00:04:50.680 --> 00:04:53.800 people to Jesus than maybe anybody ever. 102 00:04:54.160 --> 00:04:57.680 Yeah, okay, so go to dinner. But if I can't 103 00:04:57.680 --> 00:05:01.279 have Billy Graham, Chris Sarbaugh one of my favorite. Hey, 104 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:02.120 we just went to dinner. 105 00:05:02.279 --> 00:05:05.319 I know it was great. No, come on, I can't be. 106 00:05:05.240 --> 00:05:12.199 Your real okay, famous preachers. I would go dead, could 107 00:05:12.879 --> 00:05:17.199 yeah Spurgeon, Yeah, yeah, Charles Spurgeon. I think it's what 108 00:05:17.319 --> 00:05:19.959 I take because one, yeah, he knew how to eat 109 00:05:19.959 --> 00:05:22.759 good meals. He was a big boy. Yeah. 110 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:25.839 And then the last one is historical figure. Historical figure, 111 00:05:25.959 --> 00:05:27.959 And I'm gonna choose Abraham Lincoln. 112 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:29.639 Abraham Lincoln. Oh, that's a good one. 113 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:31.519 Well, let let me tell you. You read a book 114 00:05:31.519 --> 00:05:33.879 about Abraham Lincoln's life, you knew that this dude did 115 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:36.839 not mess around. I mean he would get chased by 116 00:05:36.839 --> 00:05:39.720 people on horseback with axes like. I mean, he was 117 00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:43.199 a tough, tough, tough dude. And no I mentioned you know, 118 00:05:43.240 --> 00:05:45.680 I mean, you gotta be super tough and be a 119 00:05:45.720 --> 00:05:47.120 political genius. 120 00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:49.000 Well, you can get him telling all kinds of stories 121 00:05:49.000 --> 00:05:51.160 and then you can see it with other than that. 122 00:05:51.319 --> 00:05:52.920 What did you think about the play? 123 00:05:53.040 --> 00:05:53.879 Right right now? 124 00:05:54.000 --> 00:06:05.319 That's terrible. It's terrible. Okay, he died laughing historical figures. Yeah, okay, man, 125 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:12.000 this is a huge one. That's a hard one. Oh man, 126 00:06:13.160 --> 00:06:14.040 Alexander the Great? 127 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:15.399 Wow? 128 00:06:15.480 --> 00:06:19.199 Why because he achieved so much at such a young 129 00:06:19.279 --> 00:06:22.000 age and then kind of hit a wall and got 130 00:06:22.040 --> 00:06:24.000 frustrated with his life. And so I'd like to talk 131 00:06:24.040 --> 00:06:26.560 about purpose and so I once said, he's brilliant as 132 00:06:26.560 --> 00:06:29.920 a leader. On the other side, really struggled with his purpose. 133 00:06:30.600 --> 00:06:30.879 Wow. 134 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:32.360 Yeah, I think it'd be neat to talk to him. 135 00:06:32.360 --> 00:06:33.720 Well, there it is, folks. That'd be a heck of 136 00:06:33.720 --> 00:06:34.120 a dinner. 137 00:06:34.160 --> 00:06:35.279 Wow, that'd be amazing. 138 00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:39.000 Yeah, So writ in your comments. Which dinner would you 139 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:42.000 like to be at? Think about the five people around 140 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:44.920 my dinner, the five people around Jeff's. Just let us 141 00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:47.000 know or email us at info at the Bible guys 142 00:06:47.040 --> 00:06:48.439 dot com just to see who wins. 143 00:06:48.519 --> 00:06:51.879 Yeah, okay, well I would win. But no, yeah, no, no, 144 00:06:52.040 --> 00:06:52.879 I had great ones. 145 00:06:53.160 --> 00:06:54.120 No, not necessarily. 146 00:06:54.480 --> 00:07:00.120 Okay, So we are now flipping from First Thessalonians to 147 00:07:00.360 --> 00:07:03.279 the Book of Second Thessalonians. He writes two letters in 148 00:07:03.319 --> 00:07:04.360 a very short amount of time. 149 00:07:04.439 --> 00:07:07.000 Yeah. So, just a few months after Paul had written 150 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:10.279 the first letter, he get word back that people misunderstood 151 00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:12.639 his teachings about the Second Coming. That's right, and so 152 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:15.439 he decided to write a second letter. And let's be honest, 153 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:18.839 a lot of times there's overlapping sort of themes, right, yes, 154 00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:22.120 and so there's there's gonna be an overlapping theme of 155 00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:25.800 encouragement with persecution, and then he's going to sort of 156 00:07:25.839 --> 00:07:28.519 reteach and bring more clarity to the Second Coming. 157 00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:31.480 Yeah. So I'm just going to start in Second Salonius 158 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:34.560 chapter one. We'll start in verse three, the beginning he's seeing. 159 00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:38.240 Before you start. So I read in the notes here 160 00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:41.120 that it says that people misunderstood the teaching in the 161 00:07:41.160 --> 00:07:44.560 Second Coming because they thought Jesus was due at any moment. 162 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:46.240 So they stopped working. 163 00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:47.199 Right, and they put their jobs. 164 00:07:47.240 --> 00:07:50.319 There's right, there's no purpose. We're going to lay back 165 00:07:50.360 --> 00:07:52.879 and just enjoy our last week that we have live 166 00:07:52.920 --> 00:07:53.399 on the earth. 167 00:07:53.560 --> 00:07:56.120 Right, they quit their jobs, they sold their property. Yes, 168 00:07:56.160 --> 00:07:57.759 they were just like, okay, he's coming back. 169 00:07:57.839 --> 00:07:59.240 Yeah, that's important thing to know. 170 00:07:59.319 --> 00:08:02.120 We should live Jesus is coming back at any minute, Yes, 171 00:08:02.360 --> 00:08:05.560 we really should. But we should also keep working because 172 00:08:05.639 --> 00:08:08.759 night is coming. Jesus says that too. So there's the 173 00:08:08.800 --> 00:08:11.120 two things together, all right. So we're going to start 174 00:08:11.120 --> 00:08:14.000 in verse three of chapter one, the first couple verses, 175 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:17.319 he says greetings, and then he says, dear brothers and sisters, 176 00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:19.680 we can't help but thank God for you, because your 177 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:22.800 faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. 178 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:26.639 We proudly tell God's other churches about your endurance and 179 00:08:26.680 --> 00:08:30.040 faithfulness and all the persecutions and hardship that you're suffering. 180 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:33.039 And God will use this persecution to show his justice 181 00:08:33.159 --> 00:08:35.000 and to make you worthy of His kingdom for which 182 00:08:35.000 --> 00:08:37.519 you are suffering. In his justice, he will pay back 183 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:40.320 those who persecute you, and God will provide rest for 184 00:08:40.399 --> 00:08:43.240 you who are being persecuted, and also for us. When 185 00:08:43.240 --> 00:08:45.759 the Lord Jesus appears from heaven, he will come with 186 00:08:45.799 --> 00:08:49.360 his mighty angels in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those 187 00:08:49.399 --> 00:08:52.279 who don't know God and on those who refuse to 188 00:08:52.279 --> 00:08:54.679 obey the good news of our Lord Jesus. They will 189 00:08:54.720 --> 00:08:57.759 be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord 190 00:08:57.799 --> 00:09:00.279 and from his glorious power. When he comes on that day, 191 00:09:00.360 --> 00:09:03.399 he will will receive glory from his Holy people, praise 192 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:05.919 from all who believe. And this includes you, for you 193 00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:08.480 believed what we told you about him. So we keep 194 00:09:08.519 --> 00:09:10.799 on praying for you, asking our God to enable you 195 00:09:10.840 --> 00:09:12.960 to live a life worthy of his call. May He 196 00:09:13.039 --> 00:09:15.240 give you the power to accomplish all the good things 197 00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:17.559 your faith prompts you to do. And then the name 198 00:09:17.559 --> 00:09:19.480 of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the 199 00:09:19.480 --> 00:09:22.080 way that you live, and you will be honored along 200 00:09:22.120 --> 00:09:24.679 with him. This is all made possible because of the 201 00:09:24.720 --> 00:09:29.000 grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ. Now, dear 202 00:09:29.039 --> 00:09:31.799 brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the 203 00:09:31.799 --> 00:09:35.159 coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and how we will 204 00:09:35.200 --> 00:09:37.679 be gathered to meet him. Don't be so easily shaken 205 00:09:37.679 --> 00:09:39.639 our alarm by those who say that the day of 206 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:42.600 the Lord has already begun. Don't believe them, even if 207 00:09:42.639 --> 00:09:45.080 they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, 208 00:09:45.240 --> 00:09:47.639 or a letter supposedly from us. Don't be fooled by 209 00:09:47.639 --> 00:09:50.000 what they say, for that day will not come until 210 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:52.639 there is a great rebellion again us against God, and 211 00:09:52.679 --> 00:09:55.840 the man of lawlessness is revealed, the one who brings destruction. 212 00:09:56.279 --> 00:09:59.080 He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call 213 00:09:59.159 --> 00:10:02.000 God and every object of worship. He will even sit 214 00:10:02.039 --> 00:10:05.159 in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God. 215 00:10:05.600 --> 00:10:07.360 Don't you remember that I told you about all this 216 00:10:07.399 --> 00:10:09.960 when I was with you, And you know what is 217 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:12.320 holding him back, For he can be revealed only when 218 00:10:12.360 --> 00:10:15.759 his time comes, For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, 219 00:10:15.759 --> 00:10:18.159 and or remain secret until the one who is holding 220 00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:20.200 it back steps out of the way. Then the man 221 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:22.960 of lawlessness will be revealed. But the Lord Jesus will 222 00:10:23.039 --> 00:10:25.159 kill him with the breath of his mouth and destroy 223 00:10:25.240 --> 00:10:27.440 him by the splendor of his coming. This man will 224 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:29.559 come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power 225 00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:32.039 and signs and miracles. And he will use every kind 226 00:10:32.039 --> 00:10:34.360 of evil deception to fool those on their way to 227 00:10:34.399 --> 00:10:37.120 destruction because they refuse to love and accept the truth 228 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:39.799 that would save them. So God will cause them to 229 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:42.879 be greatly deceived and they will believe these lies. Then 230 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:45.919 they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing 231 00:10:46.120 --> 00:10:46.559 the truth. 232 00:10:47.399 --> 00:10:49.519 Woo, there it is. Yeah. 233 00:10:49.879 --> 00:10:52.519 So now he's talking about the end of time. I mean, 234 00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:54.399 this is the end coming up on the end of 235 00:10:54.440 --> 00:10:57.639 the world. He's kind of alluding to some of the 236 00:10:57.639 --> 00:10:59.519 things that John writes in the book Revelation. 237 00:11:00.639 --> 00:11:03.240 Yeah. So do you say the term Antichrist or do 238 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:07.840 you say antichrist Antichrist? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I just I've 239 00:11:07.879 --> 00:11:11.840 heard it both ways. Just curious. So as as Paul 240 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:14.720 is talking about this, he's talking about persecution, and by 241 00:11:14.759 --> 00:11:16.879 the way, I do like, first of all, before we 242 00:11:16.919 --> 00:11:21.679 get into the Antichrist. Before he as he's talking about persecution, 243 00:11:21.799 --> 00:11:25.720 I love how he says that God in his justice, 244 00:11:25.759 --> 00:11:28.919 will pay back those who persecute you. And if you're 245 00:11:28.919 --> 00:11:33.279 getting persecuted, you will find rest. These are promises given 246 00:11:33.320 --> 00:11:36.440 to people that may not be. You know, it's not 247 00:11:36.519 --> 00:11:39.320 like he's saying, Joe or Mary or Billy, I heard 248 00:11:39.320 --> 00:11:42.120 about you. You know, he's actually saying, these are godly 249 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:45.799 principles that they're going to be for you. And because 250 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:48.759 we believe this is a letter to the thessalonikeens, but 251 00:11:48.799 --> 00:11:51.759 it's also God's word inspired for us, we believe that 252 00:11:51.799 --> 00:11:53.840 this is true for us as well. That's right, So 253 00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:57.840 for those who persecute us, we believe that God will 254 00:11:57.840 --> 00:12:01.840 pay them back. So just apply that for a second. 255 00:12:01.919 --> 00:12:05.159 For those of us listening who are thinking, man, this 256 00:12:05.200 --> 00:12:07.440 guy makes fun of me, this lady makes fun of 257 00:12:07.480 --> 00:12:11.759 me because of my faith, or just putting me down 258 00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:14.000 because they see me as less of a worker. I'm 259 00:12:14.039 --> 00:12:16.720 soft because I'm a Christian, whatever it is. And as 260 00:12:16.759 --> 00:12:19.840 you're getting persecuted because of your faith, just know that, 261 00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:23.919 you know, vengeance is God's God's got this, and you 262 00:12:23.919 --> 00:12:26.279 don't have to worry about paying back that person. It's 263 00:12:26.279 --> 00:12:30.919 more important to show them that love conquers all those things. 264 00:12:31.320 --> 00:12:35.679 Yeah, you know, in our culture right now today, there's 265 00:12:35.720 --> 00:12:40.120 a lot of people who can point to disadvantages or 266 00:12:40.159 --> 00:12:44.440 difficulties or struggles, and for many of them, their response 267 00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:47.480 is to punish the people who have hurt them, or 268 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:51.159 to have consequences, or to find some kind of advantage 269 00:12:51.200 --> 00:12:54.600 over the people who have caused them or their people 270 00:12:54.639 --> 00:13:00.399 group struggles and disadvantages. And here Paul is saying, push 271 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:03.080 through it, be faithful. God is the one that is 272 00:13:03.080 --> 00:13:05.120 going to give you satisfaction. You're never going to be 273 00:13:05.159 --> 00:13:08.759 able to get satisfaction yourself. He ended first Thessalonians by saying, 274 00:13:08.759 --> 00:13:11.120 don't go get revenge, and then he starts off this 275 00:13:11.159 --> 00:13:13.840 one by saying, God's the one who's going to get revenge, 276 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:16.679 and God's the one that's going to bring justice, So 277 00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:20.759 don't go and seek justice like that. Instead, rely on 278 00:13:20.840 --> 00:13:22.639 him and he'll give you rest. He'll give you comfort, 279 00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:25.720 he'll give you strength, he'll make you worthy of this 280 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:29.120 struggle that you're going through. And it's a totally different 281 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:34.000 way of viewing persecution. Now, Jesus said you will be 282 00:13:34.039 --> 00:13:36.080 persecuted if you're a follower of Christ, if you're a 283 00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:39.200 real disciple of Jesus, they will hate you because they 284 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:42.679 hated Jesus. So if we're not as Christians facing some 285 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:47.320 level of pushback on our faith or some level of persecution, 286 00:13:47.799 --> 00:13:49.840 I think it's fair for every Christian to ask, why 287 00:13:50.440 --> 00:13:52.960 am I not living a life that's evident enough that 288 00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:55.320 I'm a follo of Christ? Do I not speak up 289 00:13:55.440 --> 00:13:58.639 often enough about the things of Christ that nobody knows, 290 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:02.440 or it's not getting anybody's attention, because it's natural back 291 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:05.240 then even today, Jesus said, they will hate you because 292 00:14:05.240 --> 00:14:06.080 they hated him first. 293 00:14:07.799 --> 00:14:10.320 You know, as you were talking, I was thinking about 294 00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:12.759 when I was a pastor and I was in transition, 295 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:16.240 moving from Atlanta to Michigan. I worked at a car 296 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:20.279 dealership for five months, and while I was there, there 297 00:14:20.360 --> 00:14:21.879 was a guy that used to poke fun at me 298 00:14:22.200 --> 00:14:25.200 being pastor boy. He said, oh, a pastor boy, preacher boy, 299 00:14:25.559 --> 00:14:27.919 and and he just pushed me to the point where 300 00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:29.840 I ended up just getting in a fight with him, 301 00:14:29.879 --> 00:14:31.159 literally getting a fight with him. 302 00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:34.200 And that's not what Paul is telling us. 303 00:14:34.440 --> 00:14:36.679 No, that is not what Paul is. Just to be clear, 304 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:40.440 you had to make sure that you throw it in there. Anyway. 305 00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:43.720 It was. It was bad news. But I remember I 306 00:14:43.720 --> 00:14:48.039 went to a camp this past year. So this passed 307 00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:51.440 April or June. It was in June, and it was 308 00:14:51.639 --> 00:14:53.039 so that would have been just what four or five 309 00:14:53.039 --> 00:14:56.480 months ago, and I told that story and it was 310 00:14:56.799 --> 00:14:59.000 my whole big angel story of the whole day. And 311 00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:00.799 then one of the parents during a Q and A 312 00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:03.759 raised their hand and said, did you ever go back 313 00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:07.879 to the CarMax and apologize to the guy for beating 314 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:10.919 him up? And I made the mistake of saying, well, 315 00:15:11.240 --> 00:15:14.120 I said, yeah, I tried, which I really did. I said, 316 00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:16.080 but I didn't find him. He'd already quit. And I said, Dan, 317 00:15:16.120 --> 00:15:17.080 I didn't care that much. 318 00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:20.440 Oh uh oh, so you still have a little bit 319 00:15:20.440 --> 00:15:21.399 of flesh. 320 00:15:21.080 --> 00:15:23.159 In you, right, yeah, yeah, right. 321 00:15:23.840 --> 00:15:26.279 That Remember a couple a couple weeks ago, we were 322 00:15:26.279 --> 00:15:29.480 talking about living in the spirit and it's whichever dog 323 00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:31.559 you feed is the one that's strong and healthy. 324 00:15:31.639 --> 00:15:33.759 Yeah, yeah, yeah. I guess my point of telling that 325 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:36.360 is Number one, it's hilarious that I made that mistake. 326 00:15:36.679 --> 00:15:39.840 That's probably why they weren't too excited about my ratings 327 00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:42.679 of that Q and A. But the second thing is 328 00:15:42.679 --> 00:15:45.720 is just to say it's difficult, like it's really tough. Man. 329 00:15:45.799 --> 00:15:46.919 It's a struggle. 330 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:49.000 When somebody, when somebody really gets on you because your faith, 331 00:15:49.279 --> 00:15:51.440 it's difficult to treat them with kindness and let God 332 00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:52.320 take care of all of it. 333 00:15:52.519 --> 00:15:55.360 Well, some of that is it's we're not very strong 334 00:15:55.399 --> 00:15:57.639 in this area. The only way you can get strong 335 00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:00.759 in the face of persecution is the same way that 336 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:02.840 you are the only ways you can get strong in 337 00:16:02.919 --> 00:16:05.480 any other areas. When God says he wants us to 338 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:08.200 be more loving, the only way we can become more 339 00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:10.960 loving is to be around unloving people more often, and 340 00:16:11.000 --> 00:16:14.200 we strengthen that spiritual muscle. The only way to build 341 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:17.159 faith is to be in situations that challenge our faith. 342 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:20.080 Otherwise it's an unused muscle. And when it comes to 343 00:16:20.519 --> 00:16:23.399 us being strong in the face of persecution or in 344 00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:25.639 the face of struggle, or in those difficult moments, the 345 00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:27.639 only way that can happen in our life is for 346 00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:31.000 us to face those things, and it's otherwise it's an 347 00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:33.919 unused muscle. You know, I've been going back to the gym. 348 00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:36.200 My doctor told me I need to lose some weight, 349 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:38.519 and I agree, And you know, I'm fifty one, and 350 00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:40.080 so you know, I've got a lot of things I 351 00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:41.480 want to do in my life still, and so I 352 00:16:41.480 --> 00:16:43.120 got to lose some weight get strong. So I've been 353 00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:45.120 in the gym, been working out, got my trainer going 354 00:16:45.159 --> 00:16:47.159 with me, and I found a whole bunch of muscles 355 00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:48.039 I didn't know I had. 356 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:49.320 That's fine. 357 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:52.559 A few weeks ago a man alive. My legs are 358 00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:54.799 so so I couldn't hardly walk. And now we go 359 00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:57.639 through those exercises that I'm doing fine. And so what 360 00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:01.919 happens is those are weak and it hurts particularly bad 361 00:17:02.320 --> 00:17:04.920 the first couple times you work out those muscles, and 362 00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:07.359 then after a while, those muscles get strong, and next 363 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:10.759 thing you know, that workout's enjoyable, it gets exciting, it's fun, 364 00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:13.680 it's beneficial, and I think it's the same thing most 365 00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:16.279 of us. We run away from persecution. We run away 366 00:17:16.279 --> 00:17:19.519 from people mocking us or harassing us because we're terrified 367 00:17:19.559 --> 00:17:21.680 of it, and because it hurt that first time we 368 00:17:21.720 --> 00:17:24.359 lifted that weight. But over time you get strong and 369 00:17:24.359 --> 00:17:26.960 it doesn't hurt it nearly as much. So in the 370 00:17:27.000 --> 00:17:31.160 first book, Paul told the Thessaloni's listen, stand strong in 371 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:34.680 this persecution. He faced persecution in Thessalonika, and so it's 372 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:37.279 not surprising that they're also experiencing persecution. And he said, 373 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:40.440 stand strong in this persecution. Jesus is coming back someday. 374 00:17:40.599 --> 00:17:42.559 And so they were like, oh great, we'll just sell 375 00:17:42.599 --> 00:17:44.359 our house and we'll quit our jobs, hold all this stuff. 376 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:45.720 We'll just wait for Jesus to come and get us. 377 00:17:45.720 --> 00:17:48.599 And he went, well, let me clarify that. Here's what 378 00:17:48.680 --> 00:17:51.000 I meant when I said that, And he said, it's 379 00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:53.599 not happening in this moment. He will. And so what 380 00:17:53.680 --> 00:17:55.359 he was trying to talk about is the bigger picture. 381 00:17:55.640 --> 00:17:57.920 And sometimes there is benefit when we're going through struggle 382 00:17:58.079 --> 00:18:00.680 to step back and try to get a at the 383 00:18:00.839 --> 00:18:04.680 bigger picture rather than just at the difficulty, that very narrow, 384 00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:08.000 small picture of this difficulty I'm personally facing. And the 385 00:18:08.039 --> 00:18:11.079 bigger picture is God's doing a greater work than even 386 00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:13.720 I can understand my part in it. And so if 387 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:16.319 I struggle today, that's okay. God's going to take care 388 00:18:16.359 --> 00:18:18.480 of me, and he'll take care of those who's, you know, 389 00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:19.480 causing this problem. 390 00:18:20.079 --> 00:18:22.400 So as he talks about the second coming of the 391 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:25.640 Lord and he talks about the Antichrist, you know, I 392 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:28.680 remember all those Left Behind books, Remember that you read 393 00:18:28.680 --> 00:18:32.440 those speaking of Kirk Cameron who started that movie. Yeah 394 00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:34.200 that's right, right, that's funny that you mentioned today. 395 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:34.799 Yeah, that's funny. 396 00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:38.920 But you know, the anti Christ. So the idea that 397 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:41.880 a person would come and claim to be God and 398 00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:43.720 a person who you know, would claim to be doing 399 00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:45.559 the things of God but doing the work of Satan 400 00:18:45.880 --> 00:18:50.839 or Satan deceiving people right and causing havoc. You know, 401 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:54.039