Rescued From The Wrath To Come
Preaching
Life Everlasting
The Essential Book of Funeral Resources
Object:
Paul, Silas and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace and peace to you.
We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia -- your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead -- Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
I personally am not big on pointing to the "coming wrath," but the truth that in Christ we have been rescued from destruction, both in this life and in the next, is a powerful theme in scripture. Redeemed, rescued, saved, ransomed, are all terms that are used in reference to our relationship with God through Christ. This is one of the reasons we can be at peace, we have no need to fear the wrath. "God is love." Says John in his first letter, "and perfect love casts out all fear."
This passage gives us an opportunity to praise God for rescuing us from a sad future, and, for some of us, we might also use this passage to talk of how God rescued us from a sad past as well. The theme of rescue from whatever had kidnapped or hijacked our lives in the past, and whatever threatens our lives in the future, is a good one for many funerals.
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace and peace to you.
We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia -- your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead -- Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
I personally am not big on pointing to the "coming wrath," but the truth that in Christ we have been rescued from destruction, both in this life and in the next, is a powerful theme in scripture. Redeemed, rescued, saved, ransomed, are all terms that are used in reference to our relationship with God through Christ. This is one of the reasons we can be at peace, we have no need to fear the wrath. "God is love." Says John in his first letter, "and perfect love casts out all fear."
This passage gives us an opportunity to praise God for rescuing us from a sad future, and, for some of us, we might also use this passage to talk of how God rescued us from a sad past as well. The theme of rescue from whatever had kidnapped or hijacked our lives in the past, and whatever threatens our lives in the future, is a good one for many funerals.
