I want to speak to you about something serious, something eternal, a great day that’s coming. And I want to start by asking you: Will that day be a day of rest and glory for you, or will it be a day of vengeance and punishment?
You see, I had to cut last week’s message in half because the truth God laid on my heart was too heavy, too deep to rush. And today, I brought you the conclusion. This isn’t just a continuation of thought, it’s a continuation of warning, of encouragement, and eternal importance.
Paul, in his second letter to the Thessalonians, wrote to a group of believers who were enduring persecution, real, painful, daily suffering for their faith. And Paul comforts them by reminding them that their labor is not in vain. He tells them plainly: There is a day coming when Jesus will return, and that day will be unlike any other.
When Jesus is revealed, unveiled from heaven, He won’t be alone. He’s coming with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, and He’s bringing both rest for the faithful and vengeance for the disobedient. That’s not my opinion, that’s the Word of God. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 lays it out clearly. For those who know God and have obeyed the gospel, it’s a day of relief, rest, and celebration. But for those who do not know God, and those who have rejected the gospel, it’s a day of everlasting destruction, away from the presence of the Lord.
And let me tell you, everyone will see Jesus on that day. He will be glorified, not only in the heavens, but in His saints, in those who have obeyed, those who have kept the faith, those who have clung to His promises. The honor Jesus will receive on that day will come in large part because of what He’s done in the lives of His people. And if you’ve obeyed the gospel, then you will be a reflection of that glory.
But if you’ve ignored Him, if you’ve mocked His name, if you’ve pushed off obedience, then it will be a day of terror, a day of judgment. Not because Jesus is cruel, but because justice demands it. Paul says it plainly: those who have troubled God’s people, those who have ignored God’s call, will be repaid.
I took you over to Matthew 13, where Jesus Himself described the wheat and the tares. And friend, they grow together for now, but the harvest is coming. And when that harvest comes, the tares will be separated and burned. It’s a sobering parable, but it’s the truth. Jesus Himself spoke it.
I know this isn’t a feel-good message. But I didn’t come this morning to make you feel good. I came to tell you the truth, because your soul depends on it. And the truth is this: there is a great day coming. And what that day brings depends on what you do right now.
So I’ll leave you with the two most important questions I can ask you:
- Do you know God?
- Have you obeyed the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ?
Not “Do you believe in God,” or “Do you go to church?” I’m asking: Do you know Him personally? Have you submitted your life to Him? Have you obeyed the gospel, believing, repenting, confessing, and being baptized into Christ?
Because if not, why not today? Why not take that step before it’s too late? And if you already have, then let Paul’s prayer in 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 strengthen you today, that God would count you worthy of this calling, that your faith would be powerful, that Jesus would be glorified in you.
You have a choice this morning. That great day is coming. The only question is, what will it bring for you? Rest? Or punishment?
I urge you—make the right choice while you still have time.
