Amen, so if you want to keep something there in 1st Thessalonians 5 do so but go to Acts 14
I want to just touch on something
I really to have time for on Thursday night and inside it's this idea of the fact that we as Christians are going to go
through tribulation
However, as we just read in 1st Thessalonians 5 Bible clearly says that God has not appointed us unto wrath
Okay, if you're there in Acts chapter 14
You'll read there verse 20
It says when they had preached the gospel to that city and it taught many the return again to Lystra and to Iconium and to
Antioch confirming the souls of the disciples and
Exhorting them to continue in the faith. Now. Why does he need to exhort them to continue? Right? Why is he saying?
Hey, don't quit don't stop serving God continue in the faith and that we must through much tribulation
That's what he's reminding them say. Hey don't quit because here's the facts. We are going to go through much tribulation
That's what he's saying
That's what Paul's saying that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God
And obviously he's not talking about you know
We have to do a lot of work in order to be saved
but that as we enter into the kingdom of God as we serve God as we
Tarry here until the Lord's coming or as first Thessalonians 5 if we sleep and we live under the Lord in the meantime
You know our life spent here on earth as Christians. We're gonna have tribulation. There's going to be trials. They're gonna be difficulties
Things that we go through that's why Paul is saying hey we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God
Okay, that's something I didn't really have time to point out in acts chapter 14 on Thursday
But if you want to go back to first Thessalonians chapter number five, we'll pick it up there
So I want to preach a sermon tonight entitled appointed to wrath appointed to wrath
I'm gonna talk about how we are and not are not appointed to wrath as
Christians because as you read in first Thessalonians chapter 5 the Bible is real clear that we're not appointed to wrath
So you're saying why would you call the sermon appointed to wrath if the Bible saying you're that were appointed not appointed to wrath?
Okay. Well, let me explain
You look there in verse 8 it says
But let us who are of the day
Be sober putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for an helmet the hope of salvation
Why for God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ
So we're to be saved by the Lord Jesus Christ from wrath, but here in first Thessalonians 5
He's being real specific
He's talking about the return of Christ the second coming of Christ and the fact we know that at the you know
Prior or after rather the coming of Christ. God is going to pour out his wrath on this earth
So when he's saying in first Thessalonians 5, there's the first Thessalonians 5 that we're not appointed to wrath
He's being very specific about that instance
Okay
He's being it's it's very specific set of circumstances referring to a very set time right the time of wrath that comes after
The return of Christ after the opening of the sixth seal
Okay after the opening of the seventh seal when he begins to pour out his wrath. Okay, that's what he's referring to here
and so we have to we can't just misapply this to our entire Christian life and think that just because
We're saved that God's never gonna get angry with us and that we could never perhaps
You know bring the wrath of God upon us in our lives because if you've ever read the scripture
You would know that God judges his people and even that pouring out of his judgment is called wrath throughout the Bible, okay
So yes, we are not appointed to we're not appointed to wrath
But that's really specific to the second coming of Christ if you would go to first Thessalonians chapter number one
You're there in fives go back a few chapters to verse one
He says there in verse 9 for they themselves show of show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you
How you turn to God from idols to serve the truth the living and true God and
To wait from his son from heaven whom he raised from the dead even Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come
So he's not saying he's delivered us from all wrath, right? He's being real specific in first Thessalonians
He's saying he's delivered us from the wrath that is to come right and it's the wrath that we know is coming upon the whole
World we are going to be delivered from that wrath
Okay, and of course in Revelation chapter 6 if you want to turn there in Revelation chapter 6, I'll begin reading a verse 12
We'll start to read about when that wrath comes and this isn't an end time sermon
Okay, we're gonna talk about it a little bit here, but this isn't a prophecy sermon. So don't get too excited
It says in verse 12 and I beheld and when he opened that sixth seal and lo there was a great earthquake
It's the Sun became black as sackcloth of hair and of moon the moon became as blood and the stars fell from unto
Fell, excuse me
and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth even as a fig tree cast at their untimely flicks when she is shaken of a
mighty wind and the heavens departed as a scroll and is rolled together and
every mountain and
Island were moved out of their places and the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the chief captains
And the mighty men and every bond man and every free man hid themselves in the dens and the mountains and they said to
The mountains and the rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath
Of the Lamb, okay
So this is what they're saying all these mighty men
Right when when he's opening up the sixth seal if we know where prophecy we know that we have been here
God's people have been here through all of those seals. Okay, and I've just preached a sermon about this not too long ago
So I'm not gonna go into it length. I think everybody in the room gets this
This isn't something that needs to be really expounded
Okay
But you know
It's always interesting whenever you read that how they're crying out that the mountains and rocks would fall on them how they're going into the dens
And the rocks of the mountains and isn't it a coincidence that you know, there's all these underground areas these these places that you know
High-ranking officials had to go to they all go underground, right?
So you can see how that already ties in with what we see going on around us
All right, so I believe that's what it's gonna be that kind of a thing
I don't think it's gonna be you know them climbing up into a mountain and going into some little, you know bat-infested cave
They're probably gonna be going down into some underground complex that they've constructed
You know deep in the earth and saying hey fall on us right hide us from the wrath
of the god of
Hide us from the face of him that's in that on the road for the wrath of the lamb, right?
What I'm pointing out here is verse 17 for the great day of his wrath is come, right?
So that's what first Thessalonians 5 and 1 I believe are referring to the wrath that is to come
That's what we have not been appointed unto by God
Okay, God hasn't appointed unto this wrath that is going to come upon the face of the whole earth right and we know that
You know, we've already been taken out at this point the sixth seal, you know
You go and you read Revelation 7. We won't take the time after you have the ceiling of
144,000 that God, you know that all of a sudden that great multitude appears into heaven and
Paul says, you know, or excuse me, John says
Is asked, you know, who are these right and he says sir thou knowest right he said to me
These are they which came out of great tribulation. So Christians are going to go through tribulation
We just read it in Acts chapter 14. You know what just go to Revelation 7 just go over there
We got it. We got to get it in context go to Revelation chapter 7. So yes
We're not appointed unto the wrath that is to come
The wrath that all the mighty men and the rich men and the great men are gonna hide from in that day
You know, we're not appointed under that wrath, but that doesn't mean we're exempt from any and all wrath from God, okay
And we know that Christians will face tribulation
So we have you know as Christians these two things got one thing that has certainly guaranteed us in this life
It's called tribulation all they live God in Christ. Jesus shall suffer persecution
We know we're gonna go through tribulation Paul said that we must through much tribulation enter the kingdom of heaven
That is a given
We know we through our actions the things that we do the way we conduct ourselves
Can also add another layer of difficulty the Christian life called God's wrath. Okay, we don't want to misunderstand first Thessalonians 5
We want to make sure that we we understand it in its context that it's referring to that very specific
Wrath that is going to come upon the face of the old earth
If you look there in Revelation chapter 7 you have verse 9 after this the ceiling of the 144,000
I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kindreds and people in tongues stood before the throne
And before the lamb clothed with white robes and with palms in their hands
Okay, that's after the opening of the sixth seal. Okay, all of a sudden you have this great multitude appearing in heaven
Hmm. I wonder what that could possibly be
I wonder what that might be what major event where a great multitude of people are caught up into heaven
You know, it's called the rapture. Okay, and it happens after the sixth seal. Okay, that's when it this takes place
But that's another sermon, right?
And so they they cried a loud voice saying salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and under the lamb
And all the angels stood around about the throne about the elders and the four beasts that fell before the throne on their faces and worship
God saying amen blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be unto our God forever and ever
Amen, and one of the elders answered saying unto me what are which are these? Excuse me? What are these?
Which are rain and white robes and whence came they?
and
I said unto him sir thou knowest and he said to me these are they which came out of great tribulation
Right, so people a lot of time will say things like oh, you know
We're not gonna have to go through wrath because we're not gonna we're not gonna face that tribulation
Well, here's a group of people where it specifically says they did go through that great tribulation
now obviously these are safe people one they're in heaven to they're praising the God of heaven and
What does it say of them? Where did they come from out of great tribulation?
So it kind of goes against the grain, you know
You know this pre-trib doctrine that we're just never gonna go through tribulation in the end times
Okay, and I'm sure they have all kinds of cute little ways to work around this but you know here you have a perfect example
of somebody
showing, you know being showing up this great multitude and it says that they came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and
Made them white in the blood of the Lamb
Therefore they are before the God of the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple and he that sit at
The throne shall dwell among them
So he's kind of talking about what they're gonna get, you know, and it's just kind of a side note here
But it's interesting that you know, they have this kind of special reward, you know, this is something that's kind of reserved for them
This is some of the privilege that they have for having gone through the great tribulation, right?
This is something that these specific people are gonna get they are before the throne of God
Meaning I don't believe you know, I don't think the scripture teaches that we're all gonna be in the same proximity to Christ
You know maybe for a moment
But there's gonna be certain people that are gonna be forever much closer to the Lord than others
There's some people are gonna be a lot closer to that throne, right?
Because I mean heaven is a literal place, you know, and it's there's only so much space. There's only so much room
You know, it's not so obviously some people are gonna have the privilege of being closer while others are not gonna have that privilege
Okay, so showing us here
That these are they which came out of great tribulation
They are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple
So, you know and this you know, this is kind of I'm just kind of going off tonight
It's kind of a free-wheeling sermon tonight. So bear with me
Okay
But isn't it interesting that these people get to serve God day and night in his temple that they get to be in his throne
Before God they're closer to God. They're gonna be there serving the Lord God of heaven in his temple day and night and
What else do they get it says they shall no more hunger no more
Neither thirst anymore. Neither shall the sunlight on on nor any heat
For the Lord, excuse me for the lamb
Which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living
Fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes
So he's saying this about this very specific group of people who went through great tribulation
It's like and it's interesting because it seems that their reward is equivalent to their suffering
because think about if they're the ones that have gone through great tribulation if they've been there through all these seals being opened up the
Pestilence the war everything they're there at
You know, the the the the mark of the beast now they can no longer buy or sell or trade
they're living so these people are living through this very difficult time where they're going without and
They're being persecuted
Right. They're not able to go buy food
They're they're not a they're getting there probably have been
Destitute. I mean, that's why it's saying that their son shall know the light on them nor any heat nor more
They shall hunger no more meaning they were hungering. They were without things they were without shelter
What's their shelter now the temple of God?
They hungered on earth going through that great tribulation. Now the Lamb of God is going to feed them and lead them to living waters
You know, they were parched. They didn't have drink they were suffering
But now God is going to minister them
Well, you know specifically about those needs and minister them in a way that he's not necessarily gonna minister to everybody
At least to not this degree. That's what I see in this passage and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes
Obviously these people have seen some horrific things if they're going through
You know the great tribulation if they're seeing the devil come down with great wrath for his time is short
You know and trying to destroy God's people they're going through
Great tribulation they're suffering all these things and yet when they get to heaven their reward is far better
And that's you know something we need to understand
That's something that's gonna come back into play a little bit later in the sermon that concept
That our reward in heaven far outweighs the suffering we go through here on earth
You know we get to heaven we're gonna go to these, you know tribulation Saints and ask them and say hey
You know, don't you feel bad about having to go through all that all that hungering and thirsting and being destitute
And you know being out in the Sun and exposed to the elements and everything
They're gonna say no actually I don't because look at my reward
Look what I got in return. You know, I got a pretty good return on my investment
This is why it's so silly to me when people when Christians spend their life trying to prepare for the tribulation or something
They're gonna build some bunker. They're gonna get a bunch of food
They're gonna get a bunch of MREs and they're just think they're just gonna hunker down and just you know
And just see it through the tribulation
You know one that's that's not in our hands. We don't get to decide that
Okay, and two let's not forget that our God is a powerful God that works miracles, you know
The guy that's probably gonna make it all the way through the end is probably the person that's just gonna trust God for everything
You know just serve God the guy that's probably just gonna say, you know what I'm gonna do exploits. I'm gonna go out there
I'm gonna serve God mightily. I'm not gonna just go cower somewhere and hide
I'm gonna you know preach the word and if I get killed I killed if I perish I perish whatever
Yeah, that's why it's silly and look even if you go through the Great Tribulation and you end up having to be persecuted
And have your life taken from you during that time
Look at the reward you get you're gonna be closer to God than anybody else practically
You're gonna be in his throne serving him day and night
You know, and I know that there's other things that other people are gonna do in heaven
But that's kind of a pretty special thing, isn't it?
Say what would you want to do in heaven would you want to serve God day and night or be over?
You know X amount of cities
Would you want to be in the temple day and night for all eternity close to the Lord or would you want to be?
You know ruling and reigning on the earth or whatever and checking in with the Lord every so often
Man, I'll take that being close to God in the throne you can you know, I've I've had enough this responsibility stuff on her
I've done enough ruling and reigning as it is, you know, I can barely keep this together, right?
I'll take that put me through that tribulation bring it on
So their reward is equivalent to their suffering
So I'm kind of bringing this up because the problem with pre-tribbers is that they conflate wrath and tribulation
They take those two concepts and try to make them the same thing. Okay, those two ideas. They're not they're two separate things
Wrath and tribulation two different things. Oh, you know, you're saying that God's gonna you know, God's not we're not appointed under wrath brother
Exactly but wrath is what comes after God raptures the church, right?
We're not appointed under wrath, you know, yeah, but we're gonna go through tribulation Paul said it Paul said, you know
We must we must through much tribulation under the kingdom of heaven
Right, and these are people here that have gone through great tribulation. Okay?
So we don't want to miss apply or misunderstand what it means to not be appointed to wrath, okay
We don't want to make the mistake of thinking that means all tribulation that we're gonna get away Scott
Without having to suffer for Christ in this world or in the end times. That's not what the Bible teaches at all
And look setting people up for that isn't doing them any favors and saying oh, don't worry
Jesus could come at any moment. We're just all just gonna be snatched out of here
You know, that's that's not doing anybody any favors people ought to be prepared
Spiritually for that possibility, okay
But also the another way people can miss apply
First Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 8 is they can think that Oh God has an appointments in the wrath meeting
we can just do whatever we want and
You know, there's there's no condemnation to us right go to Romans chapter 8
This is another thing that I've heard, you know
This is something that I heard very early on in my Christian life by a couple of Christians who were you know?
getting involved in the sin of fornication and
Some other young people kind of called him on it and he said well, you know
My pastor told me that there's no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus
That's literally what some pastors will get up behind a pulpit and teach
That hey you could sin you can do whatever you want doesn't matter, you know, you should know
It's not what God's wants for you. But if you do it, you know, there's no judgment
God's not gonna condemn that because you're saved
You know, you're in God's grace
You know, that's that's all done away with in Christ
That's why Christ died on the cross
So we could go out and you know
Just live lewd and lascivious lives so we could just go out there and be just as wicked as everybody else and commit fornication
And look fornication is a wicked sin
The Bible condemns it it's one of those sins that I'll get you kicked out of church
There's not a lot of sins that I get you kicked out of church
There's a lot of things you can do and not get kicked out of church
You could still suffer God's judgment, but you know fornication drunkenness covetousness idolatry extortion
Those are same things that will get you removed from the local church and not allowed back until you get it, right
That's what and that's what the Bible says about fornication. Okay, and
And look people out there teach it there's there's nothing wrong with it
That's the world's philosophy and there's even pastors that get up behind Paul behind pulpits and think oh, you know
We're not appointed to wrath God's not gonna ever judge us, you know first Thessalonians 5 is about a very specific
moment in time
That wrath is about a very specific, you know a particular instance of what God pouring out his wrath. It's in the end times
It's not right now you and I can still suffer the wrath which is the anger of God, okay
They miss apply first Thessalonians 5 they miss apply passages like Romans 8
verse 1 there is now therefore no condemnation of them which are in Christ Jesus and
They want to put a period right there
And when this guy quoted it to me, that's what he said and that's how a lot of these preachers will preach it
They'll just where there's that little comma right there
They'll just put a period and just act like the rest of the latter half the verse doesn't exist
You know, yeah, there is no condemnation them which are in Christ Jesus
Who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit that seems like a pretty important part of that verse
Meaning if you're walking out of the flesh, there's condemnation to you. What's condemnation judgment? There's wrath
God will judge us if we walk after the flesh and not after the spirit, right?
Look at verse 12 therefore brethren
We are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh for if you live after the flesh ye shall die
God will judge you but if you through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live
What's what's Paul getting at here, you know to kind of just sum it up
I think basically what he's saying is you don't own the flesh or excuse me. Don't owe the flesh
You're not in debt to the flesh
So if you live after the flesh, it's like you're paying and freely and that's gonna upset God
It'd be different if we were unsaved and we were debtors to the flesh. We were just in bondage to the flesh
We didn't have any just the old man living after the flesh. We'd be indebted to it
But we're you know, there is no condemnation which are Christ's which walk in the spirit
We've been freed from the the bondage of sin of death. We've been freed from this flesh
We have the power to mortify the flesh
So if we sit there and act like debtors to the flesh and just keep paying the flesh its dues
You know, we're gonna be we're gonna die God's gonna judge us
Okay, you know, you don't know own the flesh owe the flesh anything. So don't spend any money on it
Don't be forking over, you know your time and your energy and everything else, you know spending your life in the flesh
Okay, I think that's what he's getting at
So obviously we're not appointed unto the specific wrath that's mentioned in first Thessalonians 5 and Revelation
But we are more than capable of suffering God's wrath on a personal level. Okay
This is the reality of the Christian life and look you got to bring this to people's attention
because it you know
We're gonna we don't want to make the Christian life more difficult than it already is
I mean it isn't the fact that Paul said exhort them and say hey
You're gonna go we're gonna have to go through much tribulation and we're to enter the kingdom of heaven
That's already kind of like a you know, really
Paul you came all this way and that's what you preached right? But let's not forget what Paul went through. Okay, Paul
just got done, you know getting stoned right and
Like and not the way a lot of people think
He wasn't like passing the doobie, right? He was getting rocked to death and not sung a lullaby
Right. He was getting stoned. They were throwing rocks. He's he's he could talk him. He's saying hey, I've suffered
This is how it's gonna be for us. So let's not add another layer of difficulty
Let's not make it more difficult by living our lives in such a way that God is going to be angry with us
Okay
God we God will cause us to suffer on a personal level. God does punish his own people
Okay
In fact, God punishes his own own people on this earth more harshly a lot of times than he does the wicked
Because the wicked have this thing called hell waiting for them. You ever wonder why wicked people seem to get away with everything
It's because ultimately they're gonna end up in hell
Right Psalm 73 until I went in the sanctuary of God then understood I their end
He set their foot in slippery places
You know, once he got in there
He stopped being envious of the wicked once he got in the sanctuary of God. Look that the wicked have it coming
Unless they get saved
We suffer on this earth. He chased that every son who receiveth
Okay, we all go through that punishment, especially if we're asking for it, okay and look
Just go read through the Bible read the Bible and just notice how many times God's judging his own people and specifically calling it wrath
I will pour out my wrath upon you, you know, it's like you read through
You get you know, you read through it and and he starts, you know, you get into you know Exodus
Numbers Deuteronomy where he's basically saying here's what hurts how it's gonna be and if you don't obey
I'm going to pour out my wrath upon you
Then you get into like Joshua and first chronicles second Kings and all that
It's like them breaking all the commandments that God pouring out his wrath
He's doing exactly what he warned him of and then you get into like Psalms right where it's like him
Like where they just start recounting it all. Yeah, God warned us. We did it
Here's what happened and they're just like explaining how it all happened
I mean, that's like a major theme in the Old Testament God punishing Israel for their disobedience
Whoa, but God doesn't judge his own people God would never pour out wrath
It's like that's that's like one of the major themes of the Old Testament
God God punished his own people the tunes of to the tune of millions of people. I
Mean just hope and we pretty much just wiped the nation off the face of the earth
Northern Kingdom was just you know, just dismantled and gone and
Then he causes his you know, the southern kingdom to be carried off into captivity
You know, so why would we sit here today and think oh God wouldn't punish me
You know, you'd think that if you never read your Bible you think that if you listen to some liar behind the pulpit who just says
Well, there's no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus
period
You know, we're not a point under wrath
You know if that guy is either deceived or a deceiver or both
Likely the latter
Anyone that would say that I mean, it's just the Psalms
There's so many passages we could turn to where Bible talks about how the wrath of the Lord was kindled against his people
Insomuch that he aboard his own inheritance, right? God gets angry at his own people
So, how does that happen? All right, you convinced me, you know, we could possibly be appointed to wrath again
Not the wrath the first Thessalonians 5 not the wrath of
Revelation 7 and onwards not the wrath of the end times not the wrath that the
Wicked of this world are going to fear at the coming of Christ
We're not appointed under that but you know, you convinced me. Yeah, we can suffer wrath in this life
It's nothing new, you know, hopefully I don't have to pound that drum too much for you for you to understand that
You know, hopefully you agree with me
You say okay. Well, what's the solution what brings wrath?
What is it that's gonna make God angry right? Well, we read in Romans
Right Romans ain't there that if we walk in the flesh, you know that God will judge us
There's no condemnation them which are in Christ Jesus who walked out after the flesh but in the spirit
Meaning if we do walk in the flesh, we will suffer wrath. That's what brings it. How does that happen?
How does a Christian get to a place where they're gonna live their life in such a way that it makes God mad?
And this you know, and this is I understand this isn't some mind-blowing sermon I'm not rocking anyone's theology tonight
Probably everybody in the room understands this concept
That you can make God angry and then he'll judge you
That God's wrath can be poured out upon individuals in this life on a personal level. You can suffer God's wrath
God can make life miserable
You know, that's not the message you're used to hearing in church though, is it?
Right, that's not what the televangelist is gonna tell you call now, you know
Put place your hand on the screen and God will make your life miserable
Right. That's not what he says
you know, he's lying to you and saying and look obviously God can bless and we can live a
Joyful life we can live a blessed life if we walk in the spirit
But you know what a lot of Christians today don't walk in the spirit
They walk in the flesh
They they please the flesh they do the things that that they want to do in the flesh
You know, that's fine. But just understand that's what make God's man. That's what makes God mad
And that's gonna bring God's wrath. That's what's gonna bring God's chastening into our life
Okay
So but so you ask like how does that happen in a Christian's life? Why is it that Christians do that?
In a nutshell if I could just you know, put it into you know
Put it on the back of a postage stamp. It would be the fact that it's misplaced affection misplaced affection
Okay, if you would go to Colossians chapter 3, I don't know if I had you there earlier
I didn't go to Colossians 3 when you get there put a bookmark. We're gonna go there
We're gonna leave for a second and then we're gonna come back
Again a lot of Christians were probably even agree with me a lot probably wouldn't but there's you know, probably there's some people
I'm sure everyone in the room and agree with me
That you can bring God's wrath into your life
So, how does that happen? How does a Christian get to the place where they just think that happens to them?
That's you know, God's wrath is a part of their experience
It's because of misplaced affection
Look at Colossians chapter 3 verse 1 if then if ye then be risen with Christ
Seek those things which are above
Where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God?
And look if you're saved you're risen with Christ
You know, that's what we read in first first Thessalonians 5 whether we live or whether we sleep we live unto the Lord
We're all it's like our resurrection has already happened in a sense. It's as good as done in God's eyes
And we already have the earnest of our inheritance the Holy Spirit
You know to live, you know
Excuse me to to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord
It's gonna happen if you're saved the moment you die you're in heaven
if
Then if ye then be risen with Christ, you know, he's it's kind of a
He's kind of putting it to them like, you know, if it's a hypothetical though
He's kind of assuming everyone understands. Look you are risen with Christ
So if ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above
Look if you're saved if you're God's child
If you're on your way to heaven, you might as well start living like it might as well start acting like it
You know and not make give God a reason to get angry at us on our way to heaven
We're only gonna have to go through much tribulation
Let's not you know upset the Lord along along the way
Let's not make it even harder by having God, you know, trying to get us back on the right path and tan our hide
Seek those things which are above
You know that takes effort that's not something that people just are naturally going to do
Naturally going to do people are gonna have to start seeking the things of God or suffer for having not done. So
Okay, seek those things
Set your affection on things above is what he says in verse 2 set your affection on things above
Not on things on the earth
Yet, this is what so many Christians do they just make their life about all the things of the earth
They set their affection on things of the earth
And
They think well, there's just not gonna be any consequences for that that I'm just gonna set my affection on things of earth
I'm gonna disregard the things which are above I'm not gonna seek those things which are above
I'm not gonna set my affection to heaven. I'm gonna make my life all about the things on this earth
I'm just gonna make my life about what I want what I'm gonna get out of it
I'm gonna make my life about wealth and abundance and things and and and playtime and you know
Just pleasures and just whatever I want to do and I'm just gonna enjoy my life and kind of just disregard the things of
God and they think that life's just gonna be you know, a
Basket of peaches and I'm here to tell you that's not the case
That you will be appointed to wrath if that's your attitude. I
Mean do we let our kids just do whatever they want? I mean, I hope not
You know, I don't we don't just let our kids, you know wake up in the middle of the night and start eating cookies
Or do we I don't know
Boy, maybe I finally brought some conviction in the room
right
We don't just let them make you know
Get away with every little thing that they want to do be chasing them. We correct them we get them back on the right path
You know, it's no different than with with us and God
If we just start ignoring his commandments ignoring the things that he has for us to do and you know
Not setting our affection on things above we just
Decide we're gonna make our life all about us and all about the things of this earth. God's just gonna come down on us
And people don't like to think about that but that's true that's who God is
Set your affection on things that
Above and not on things on the earth. Why because Paul's a big meanie
Because Paul's just uh, he just wants to make life miserable, right? Just make life hard. He's just trying to ruin your good time
He's just trying to steal all your fun, that's what Paul's doing
Because we all know that live in the Christian life being just some old, you know
Independent fundamental Baptist fuddy-duddy is just such a you know a miserable existence
You know that the Christian life is just something that we have to just do endure to the bitter end
Does that why Paul's saying that does he just mean he just wants to steal your fun
You know, you can still have plenty of fun
Looks the best times I've ever had is that or as a Christian the most fun I've ever had is is out serving God. I
Got stories you were there
You know got there on the on the rez, you know in a Jeep preaching the gospel almost rolling down the side of mountains
You know, that was some of the best times I've ever had
You know out here preaching the gospel serving God
You know my life was so miserable because I decided to you know
Get married and have and be fruitful and multiply like God said and let me tell you it's just made life such a drudgery
You know, I find no joy. I find no pleasure at any of my children. Oh
But don't mean what if you weren't married didn't have kids you could be doing this that and the other thing
Yeah, and I'd probably be miserable doing it
Wouldn't trade that for anything who gave me that God who commanded me to do that God
You know setting your affection on things above it's gonna bring joy in this life
It's not like you have to wait to heaven to get there to enjoy that
You know
You could set your affection on things above and God can begin to bless you in this life and you'll actually have I'm not saying
You won't have tribulation
right
But you'll be able to rejoice in that tribulation you'll be comforted in that tribulation
It's a Paul said God comforted us in our all our tribulations
You'll be able to do as Paul said rejoice. And again, I say rejoice rejoice evermore. I
Mean Paul talks a lot about rejoicing and yet he's somebody who's suffered greatly for God
explain that
because there's a difference between
tribulation and wrath and
We are guaranteed tribulation in this life if we're gonna live for God
So it's like you can have your pick, you know
We can live for God and have tribulation or you cannot live for God and have God's wrath, but you're not getting out of difficulty
You're not it's not you're not gonna wiggle your way out of life being hard the Christian life being hard one way shape or form
It's just you know, the tribulation option. There's also a joy that comes with that
There's also blessings that come with that there's also victory that comes with that like tribulation isn't necessarily just a punishment
It's challenges. It's things that have to be overcome and when things are overcome we rejoice
You know, there's a sense of accomplishment that comes with that
People you know that they set their affection on just the things of this earth and
they think they're gonna make life easy and nice and comfortable and just not
Worry about the things of God and then what they're gonna get instead is God's wrath and that's way harder
But why is he saying to set their affection on things above again just to steal our fun
Because he just wants to make life miserable. No verse 3 for you're dead
For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God
Because you're not your own you've been bought with the price
And
Even if God decided you know what you're gonna live the Christian life and it's gonna be miserable
He would still have every right to say that
Because we are not our own and Christians need to get it through their head. You're not your own you're saved. You're not your own
Your life isn't yours anymore
It's Christ's and it should be spent serving him
Verse 5 mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth. What does it mean to mortify to kill them now?
Don't take this too literally
Okay
We're already thin out. We're thinning out enough in this church as it is
I don't need you people going home and taking this too. Literally, you know, you're gonna go home and drink bleach or something. Don't do that
Okay
Obviously he's speaking figuratively here's he's talking about the fact that we're not just gonna give in to the lust of the flesh
That when the flesh raises up its head and says I don't want to set my affection on things above
I want to set my affection on things of the earth
We're gonna you know, we're gonna mortify that flesh we're gonna say no, sir
We're putting our affection on things which are above we're gonna seek those things which are above where Christ sit on the right hand of
God that's what we're seeking
That's what it means to mortify the flesh not giving in to that's lusts having some temperance having some self-control
Mortify therefore your members which are on the on the earth
fornication
Uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness, which is idolatry
You know, he's being real specific about the things you need to mortify. Don't be a fornicator
Don't be unclean which kind of goes hand in hand with fornication because being a fornicator is unclean
Sleeping around with a bunch of people is unclean. It's unsanitary
That's why there's an STD epidemic in this country that never gets talked about
But it's out there there's it's an epidemic
Everyone gets bent out of she's always freaked out over kovat
It's like where have you been for the last, you know, 50 years or whatever when STDs have just been being
You know spread to and fro throughout this entire country
Because they're a bunch of it's filled with a bunch of fornicators because they're all being taught. There's nothing wrong with fornication
It's unclean inordinate affection evil concupiscence
It's all kind of the same thing right just just the lust of the flesh covetousness, which is idolatry
For which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience
He's saying look God judges people for this people who disobey the children disobedience who do these things
They get punished by forgot by God for this the wrath of God comes upon them
You
Know and if that's what we set our affections on if that's what we're gonna do in this life
But we're just gonna make our life just about pleasing the flesh
You know and even going to this place Christians can do it. You know, what's gonna come next?
wrath
Wrath
Well, at least I won't have any tribulation, you know, good luck with that
I'll take tribulation any day over wrath
I'll take I'll take trials and persecutions and tribulation
Entering into the kingdom of God and be able to walk there there and hold my head high. I
Mean look at what we read in Revelation 7 those people showed up and God's like, oh you went through tribulation, huh loser
That's what you get
No, he's like come a little closer. I got a special place for you at the throne
I'm gonna you're gonna be served by me. I'll lead you to living waters. Let me wipe away all those tears
You'll be in my temple day and night, you know, that's the reward for going for tribulation
What's the remind you again what the ward is for going through wrath? Oh, yeah, there isn't any
It's zero zero reward. It's just you know live for your flesh
Don't consider the things of God don't set your affection on things above
Suffer wrath through your entire Christian life and then go to heaven and have no reward. Yeah, it sounds great. Where do I sign up?
You know emphasis on the sarcasm
Okay
But that's how some people live their life as Christians and
It's sad
Go to Ephesians chapter number five
I'll begin reading a verse one keep something in Colossians 3 go to Ephesians chapter 5 begin reading a verse 1 Ephesians 5
be therefore followers of God as dear children and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and have given himself for
Us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling saver
Oh, you want me to live my life as a sacrifice for God you think I should give up things you should you think I?
Should dedicate parts of my life to God. Yes. That's what Christ did for us
He offered himself a sweet-smelling sacrifice for a saver unto God laid down his life for us
I think he has the right to ask us to do the same
You know
And it's not even a literal laying down of your lives the the chances of us any one of us ever having to actually die
For the cause of Christ is practically nil
You know in all likelihood it's not gonna happen
Even if we went into the tribulation, there's a good chance. God would just watch out for us if we're walking in the spirit
But yeah, God could ask us that of that of us God could has every right to ask us to mortify our members
Which are on the earth?
God has every right to ask us to clean up our lives and to get the sin out and start living for him
Well, what did he do for me?
bore the cross to Calvary
Suffered in hell and
Then resurrected that's what he did for us
but let's not forget the sinless life that he lived living up to that leading up to that and
All the shame and the mockery and the cruelty that he endured on the cross
All the persecution he went through. I mean, I think you know, he's done his fair share
I don't think it's much for him to ask. Hey follow me followers of God as dear children
And I love how he puts it there as dear children that's how God looks at us as dear children
Not are not his personal little slaves as I look at my children sometimes I'm scared
Ha ha slaves
Right, that's that's how we look at our kids. I mean from time to time
But that's how God looks at he looks at his dear children, right?
You know, he loves us he wants to bless us
He wants to you know guide us and lead us. He wants the best for us not what's easy
But what's best?
And you know what part of being a good parent is and what a part of you know, having your children be in dear to you is
That you punish them appropriately
You don't let them just go wayward
so we might as well follow God as dear children because if we don't follow God as dear children because if we don't follow God as
We'll still be as dear children. It just might not be as evident
You might feel like man does God really love me because I'm having a hard time sitting down lately
It just seems like life isn't really going the way I thought it was supposed to go
It just seems like you know ever since I quit church and quit think caring about the things of God that life's just getting harder
And harder and harder. Yeah, that's God coming down on you. It's called God's wrath. You can be appointed to it
You know, but oh living the Christian life is so hard, you know, God's wrath a lot worse and you're his dear child
That's what you are. You're saved. You're a dear child. You might as well just start following him
Because an endeared child doesn't get to just wander off without any
Consequences walk in love look at verse 3 brings it up again. He keeps coming back to this verse 3
But fornication there it is again
It just seems like the Bible has a lot to say about that subject and all uncleanness
oh, isn't it crazy how again fornication is just being equated with uncleanness and
Covetousness, let it not once be named among you has become the Saints
It's not something that should be in our lives folks. It should not be tolerated
Neither filthiness nor foolish talking or jesting which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks
Giving of thanks
We can't do all these things. I'm supposed to be thankful for it
Yeah, thank God that he's endeared you as a child and as it doesn't want you going out there and destroying your life
For this, you know that no whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man
Who's an idolater hath any inherits in the kingdom of God?
Let no man deceive you with vain words for because of these things come at the wrath of God. There it is again
It's just like back in Colossians. It's practically a parallel passage
Come upon the children of disobedience
God's wrath comes upon people who disobey
It comes upon the unsaved in this life and in hell
We're not exempt from that if we do these things if we are living for the flesh
You can bank on the fact that God's wrath will come upon you. So it's just a fact
Otherwise, why is Paul bringing it up in Colossians? Why is he bringing it up in Ephesians?
I'm just trying to fill space in the Bible
You know trying to please some editor. It's got to have so many words so many chapters
No, because this is the reality of the Christian life
that God
Will bring his wrath upon us that even as a saved Christian you can be appointed under wrath
But I thought I'd first s Sonya's fine. It said we're not appointed under wrath
Yeah, we're not appointed under the wrath. It's gonna come up on the face of the whole world
Well, praise God for that but you know what you can have all God's all the other forms got you can have God's wrath on
A personal level right up to the Rapture and then skip out on that wrath
That's the only wrath you're not appointed to
Verse 7 be therefore not partakers with them go back to Colossians go back to Colossians chapter 1 this time
You
Know we ought to we ought to desire the things of God we ought to seek the things of God and live for the Lord
Because one, you know, we're gonna avoid God's wrath that's a pretty strong motivation, isn't it?
But consider this already consider this at the end here consider the wrath that you've already been spared
Right. Yeah, we're not appointed in a wrath to come we can have wrath in this life
But you know you as a Christian as a born-again believer have already been spared from wrath called hell
Right and look that's the worst wrath there is
You will not you won't find a worse punishment
There's there's nothing worse in this life than to go to hell. I
Mean try to think of it there. It doesn't mean there's nothing that even comes close. We can't even begin to fathom
the horror that is hell
We can't even begin to think about it like if we try to wrap our minds around it we you know
We can't even come close to the how horrific a reality it is
And look, there's people that are going there
But we've been spared from that wrath
You know, why should I live for God because he spared you from the worth worst wrath that there ever will be
You've been spared that
But that's no reason to sit there and say well, I guess I'll just take the wrath that comes in this life
I'll just take the judgment of God then it's like why would you want any of God's wrath?
You're spared from the wrath of hell. You're not a point of the wrath
That's gonna come upon the face of the whole world at the return of Christ
It's like why not just skip out on the wrath in the Christian life
You know, it's it would be better is just to not be appointed to any wrath at all
You know and if we think about the fact that we've already been spared from hell maybe we'd be a little bit more motivated
To live for the Lord
To read our Bibles to pray to go to church to go soul-winning to start cleaning up our lives
So starts, you know making changes that they need to be made doing whatever we have to do
You know, maybe we need to just stop and think about the wrath that we've already been
spared
If the Christian life is just so hard if it's just such a drudgery well, it's not hell
And people make stupid comments like that all the time people someone said to me yesterday
I'm like, well, are you sure you're going to heaven? Well, you know, this is hell like
And I didn't like make fun of them or anything. I was just like, oh, okay
I would try to get on the gospel, but it's like people say all the time. It's like you don't really know what you're saying
This ain't hell I know it's summer and it might feel like it
This isn't hell
Because you know, it's light out and hell there's no there's no light it's dark
Look at Colossians chapter 1 verse 9 for this cause
we also since the day we heard of it do not cease to pray for you and to desire that you might be fulfilled with the
Knowledge of his will and all wisdom and spiritual understanding
It just looks like Paul has a real burden for people's spiritual growth
You know and that's the sincere desire of any pastor for his people that people would grow spiritually
And you know one of the big things people have to get over is the flesh
You know, that's a big hang up
It's kind of hard to get all the spiritual understanding and wisdom when you have this big hang up called sin and the flesh in your
life
He's saying we want this is what we pray for that. You might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing
Walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing
What does that mean?
It means there's a way to walk that pleases God
So the inverse is also true there's a way you can walk that doesn't please God
That will get you appointed unto wrath, right?
Being fruitful and every good work
Yes, there's work that were to do as Christians and increasing in the knowledge of God
Understanding more about his word understanding more about who God is
Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering
God
Want he wants him to be strengthened according to God's power
unto all patience and long-suffering
meaning enduring
Tribulation going through the difficulty that comes with living the Christian life, but notice what he says at the end with what?
Joyfulness
The Christian life is a joyful life
Not saying it doesn't have its ups and downs, but it's a it's a joyful thing to live for the Lord
You know if we live for God, we're walking pleasing unto all Lord. We're gonna have joy
We might not have everything the flesh wants you might not have everything that the world has to offer but we'll have joy
Look, and if you have joy, there's a lot of things you can go through in this life
There's a lot of things you can endure
There's a lot of things you can put up you can have a lot of patience and long-suffering when you have joy
Verse 12 giving thanks son of the Father which hath made us to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light
Giving thanks to God and look not just thanking God for all the things that he gives us all the things that we could thank
God for he's being he's saying in this passage giving God. Thanks for a very specific thing, right?
Being in thanks and giving thanks unto God which hath made us partaker to be partakers
With the inheritance of the Saints in light
Thank God that you're saved
You know, even if you are, you know being chastened by God even if you are out of sorts with the Lord
There's still no reason why you couldn't get down on your knees and just thank God you're saved
You know, and if you consider the fact that you've been spared from the wrath of hell, you'd probably be a lot more
Motivated to do that
You know give thanks God that we're made to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light
The inheritance of the Saints in light verse 13 who hath delivered us from the power of darkness
What you know, what have I got to thank God for that you're saved?
That you understood the gospel that Christ died for you
That you're not going to hell that you've been delivered from the power of darkness
You've been what translated into the kingdom of his dear son
God
What's so what what's so great about the Christian life i'm saved i'm going to heaven
Why were those people willing to endure that great tribulation
Because they were going to go to heaven and when they got there god blessed them abundantly
You know, that's joy right there that's where it's at
That's the joy of the Christian life
You know, it's it's meditating upon god's word it's it's it's knowing that you're saved knowing that you're on your way to heaven
That you've been translated the kingdom of his dear son in whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins
I mean all those great old songs about the cross and the blood
I mean, I remember just early on in the Christian life man those songs even to this day
But especially back then they spoke to me
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross
The emblem of suffering and shame was there on that cross what that the savior bled and died
Right for who for me I remember early on in Christian life just just I would just think about that
And look early on i'm not saying that's perfect folks obviously
And i'm still not obviously right
But I mean early on, you know as a young man coming out of the world getting saved
Giving up all the things that were you know
All the friends all the partying all the things of the flesh that the world had to offer just walking away from all say
You know that must have been miserable. No, it was actually quite joyful
Actually had a lot of joy as I was happier I had my low moments
But I was never as low as I would before before I was unsafe. Well, what made you so happy?
The fact that i've been translated the kingdom of his dear son in whom he died
The fact that i've been translated the kingdom of his dear son
That i've been redeemed by the blood of the land and I just listen to those songs just think about he did that for me
And you could say that every person in this room could say that for themselves
Christ died for all of us. You could sit there and say he died for me and point it yourself
You get there and say i've been translated he shed his blood for me he did that for you
How often do we think about it
It's probably you know
You know the degree to which we think about it is probably directly proportional to the degree which we have joy in our lives
How much joy have you got well, you know how much have you really thought about what god has done for you what you've been spared
From what you haven't been appointed to
What you have been appointed to
You've been you know taken from the kingdom of darkness and made an inheritance of the saints and light
Yeah, but the creature life is hard yeah it is paul said
We're going to go through great tribulation. We must through much tribulation enter in the kingdom of heaven. That's what he said in acts 14
But tribulation pales in comparison to wrath, doesn't it?
One last passions passage second corinthians four i'm done
Look tribulation pales in comparison to wrath
If living for god means i have to go through tribulation that they have to have trials and difficulties i'll take it
Because it's a lot easier than wrath
There's no joy at the end of wrath. There's no reward at the end of wrath
It's just punishment and chastening and then disappointment
It doesn't sound like a good time to me tribulation it's hard but there's joy there's reward
Why do people why do christians go through wrath why do christians, uh, you know fail to uh,
You know avoid this. Why is it appointed unto them because they
Because of their misplaced affections
They care more about the things of the world and the things of god
Look at second corinthians chapter four verse
16 for which cause we faint not
But though our outward man perish yet the inward man is redoed day by day
For our light affliction now who's writing second corinthians? It's paul
And he calls this a light affliction now if you were here thursday and you and you've read acts and you were reading the
And we're just getting the ball rolling with paul we haven't even seen all the things paul's going to go through
But when you get stoned to death that's not exactly what I would call a light affliction, but paul did
Paul looked at all that and just said it's a light affliction
Why was he able to say that
Because where he had set his affection
He said he was a light affliction
Because where he had set his affection
Because he had the right perspective
Because he had set his affection on things above and not on things of the earth
That's why he was able to say to to die, you know to live is christ to die is gain
Can we say that tonight
It's gonna be hard to say that death is gain if we can't say that to live is christ
You know if we're not living for christ what we would end up saying is to die is
Break even
Not come out ahead it's not going to be gained there's going to be an old reward
Look to live is christ and then to die is gain
He's saying look we faint not though our outward mind perish verse 17 for our light affliction which is but for a moment
It's a moment
Whatever we're going to suffer in this life whatever tribulation we have to go through
in the comparison of eternity
and in comparison to the wrath we've been spared from
It's it's nothing look it's it's just a drop of water in a bucket
It doesn't move the needle
And he said our light affliction calls it light which is but for a moment
Worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory
The afflictions for a moment, but the reward is for eternity
You know those those saints that went through the great tribulation in revelation seven, you know, they went through great tribulation
They suffered greatly for a moment
And in comparison they would look back and like paul say it was a light affliction because look what I got now
Now i'm in the throne of god day and night
Now I serve I serve the lord i'm in i'm in his throne i'm in his temple
I I don't even the light doesn't even the sun doesn't light up on my skin. I'm royalty
I'm a lot closer to god than a lot of other people in heaven are
That's an eternal weight of glory
And it's going to be forever
It's not like god's gonna be like, okay your time's up next crew. You know, it's not like some it's not a it's not a roller coaster ride
Heaven it is an amusement park
Where it's like, okay that you got to spend time in the throne next batch. Let's get them in here
It's like no they get that position forever
You know, maybe that doesn't sound too exciting to you but let's not forget what that means they're beholding the face of god forever
They're in the glory of the lord forever. They're there before his throne
That magnificent marvelous beautiful undescribable throne is what they're going to be looking at
He says look our affliction is light it's but for a moment
It's going to give us an eternal weight of glory that far exceeds anything that we go for go through in this life
How does someone get that well verse 18 how does someone have the perspective that paul had how could paul have the perspective that paul had?
How could paul sit there and say a light affliction
I mean, we haven't gotten to the part where he's shipwrecked where he's you know in jail
Where he's imprisoned for years
Where he's bound in chains
You know where he's being practically torn asunder by people where you know
We're not even through some of the worst things that paul's gone through
How does someone like that go through that and say light affliction?
For a moment
Verse 18 is how you do it while we look not at the things which are seen with the things which are not seen
You must shift your perspective if you're going to get through
The tribulation that we must go through in this life to enter in the kingdom of god
For the things which are seen are temporal the things which are not seen are eternal
It's your perspective that affects your capacity
perspective affects
capacity capacity to endure
The ability to sit there and say the tribulation we must go through is light it's but for a moment
You have to you have to have a shift in perspective
You have to look at the things which are not seen you got to do what like you said in colossians
Set your affection on things which are above
You know, we we we're not appointed to wrath folks
That's going to come on the world. We're not appointed under the wrath that we deserve
But we can bring the wrath of god in this life
If we don't have the right perspective
And it's not going to be tribulation
No one's going to say about tribulation about wrath. Oh light affliction
No one's going to say about wrath that it's going to work eternal weight of glory because it's not there's no reward for going through wrath
Wrath is what god uses to get you back on the path through tribulation because that's where the rewards are
That's where the eternal weight of glory is
So let's not be appointed under the wrath let's go through the tribulation that we have to go through let's live the christian life
And take you know all the difficulty that comes along with it
And if we have the right perspective
We'll do it with joy. We'll be able to say it like paul light affliction. Let's go ahead and close