Sermon Prepared by James McCullen
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Payday Is Coming
2 Thess 1:6-12

6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:   9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;   10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.    11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:     12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. KJV

Introduction
It all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison's Landing in Virginia. The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land. During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moan of a soldier who lay mortally wounded on the field.

Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier, the captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention. Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment. When the captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead. The captain lit a lantern. Suddenly, he caught his breath and went numb with shock. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his son.

The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out. Without telling his father, he enlisted in the Confederate Army. The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of his superiors to give his son a full military burial despite his enemy status. His request was partially granted. The captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for the son at the funeral.

That request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate. Out of respect for the father, they did say they could give him only one musician. The captain chose a bugler. He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of his dead son's uniform. This wish was granted.

This music was the haunting melody we now know as "Taps" that is used at all military funerals. In case you are interested, these are the words to "TAPS":

Every time taps is played that young man receives a type of payday. Memorial Day is a type of payday where we pay our respect for those who died for our country.

Today I want to look at the final payday. All of us will relate to a final payday. The text tells us about this.
 
 

A.    This Payday will be A Merited . . Repayment. v 6
        6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, "

        1.    This Merited Repayment will be . . Just. "Just for God"
        2.    This Merited Repayment will be . . Jarring. " affliction"

B.    This Payday will be A Merited . . Relief. (Rest KJV) v 7
        7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire,"

        1.    Many times Payday is a relief. (HUMOR)
        2.    Relief From something. "Afflicted"
        3.    Relief Toward Something. "Jesus revealed"

C.    This Payday will be A Merited . . Retribution. v 8
        8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus

retribution (rµt"r-by"shn) n. 1. Something justly deserved; recompense. 2. Something given or demanded in repayment, especially punishment. 3. Theology. Punishment or reward distributed in a future life based on performance in this one.

KJV = Vengeance

        1.    Retribution to those who . . Know not God.
Vincent 2 Thess 1:8 To know God is to know him as the one, true God as distinguished from false gods; to know his will, his holiness, his hatred of sin, and his saving intent toward mankind. Two words are used of such knowledge, (from Vincent's Word Studies of the New Testament, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft)

        2.    Retribution to those who . . Do not obey the Gospel.
                a.    Anyone with knowledge but without commitment.

Illustration
In a far country lived a band of minstrels who traveled from town to town presenting music to make a living. They had not been doing well. Times were hard; there was little money for common folk to come to hear the minstrels, even though their fee was small. Attendance had been falling off, so early one evening the group met to discuss their plight. "I see no reason for opening tonight," one said. "To make things even worse than they may have been, it is starting to snow.

Who will venture out on a night like this?" "I agree," another disheartened singer said. "Last night we performed for just a handful. Fewer will come tonight. Why not give back their meager fees and cancel the concert? No one can expect us to go on when just a few are in the audience." "How can anyone do his best for so few?" a third inquired. Then he turned to another sitting beside him. "What do you think?" The man appealed to was older than the others. He looked straight at his troupe. "I know you are discouraged. I am too. But we have a responsibility to those who might come. We will go on. And we will do the best job of which we are capable. It is not the fault of those who come that others do not. They should not be punished with less than the best we can give." Heartened by his words, the minstrels went ahead with their show.

They never performed better. When the show was over and the small audience gone, the old man called his troupe to him. In his hand was a note, handed to him by one of the audience just before the doors closed behind him. "Listen to this, my friends!" Something electrifying in his tone of voice made them turn to him in anticipation. Slowly the old man read: "Thank you for a beautiful performance." It was signed very simply--"Your King." --James S. Hewett, Illustrations

Application

Retribution comes as a result of service.

Who is your King? Let me ask you for whom do you serve

Gal 6:7-8 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life.
 
 

A.    This Payday will be Marvelous In It's . . Penalty. v 9
        9 And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

        1.    Absence .. Is Part of the Penalty of. "away from"
        2.    Awesome Power . . Is Part of the Penalty. "Destruction"
                a. They had questioned God's Power.
 

B.    This Payday will be Marvelous In It's . . Pomp. v 10
        10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed-- for our testimony to you was believed.

        1.    The Pomp of . . Admiration. v 10 a
                ". . . glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at . . . "

        2.    The Pomp of . . Accommodation. v 10 b
                " for our testimony to you was believed"

Illustration

Application

A.    This Payday will be Memorable In It's . . Prayers. v 11 a
        To this end also we pray for you always that our God may count you worthy of your calling, . . . "

        1.    Memorable Prayers of . . Consistency. "Always"
        2.    Memorable Prayers of . . Caliber. "Count you worthy"
        3.    Memorable Prayers of . . Calling. "Of your calling"

Illustration
After the Battle of the Cross, a soldier recounted to Chaplain Bennett his observation of General Stonewall Jackson: I saw something today which affected me more than anything I ever saw or read on religion. While the battle was raging and the bullets were flying,

Jackson rode by, calm as if he were at home, but his head was raised toward heaven, and his lips were moving evidently in prayer.

B.    This Payday will be Memorable In It's . . Passion. v 11 b
        ". . . and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power.

        1.    Memorable Passion In . . Preference.
                   "desire for goodness"

        2.    Memorable Passion In . . Power,
                "In the work of faith with power"
 

C.    This Payday will be Memorable In It's . . Praise. v 12
            " in order that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

        1.    Memorable In the . . Motivation of the Praise.
                    ". . . the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified. . . "

        2.    Memorable In the . .Motivation of the Praise.
                ". . . according to the grace of our God . . . "

Illustration
A few years ago a group of Christians from the United States visited war-torn Nicaragua. While there, a young man in this group was killed by the Contras. This left the group confused and full of questions. On the next Sunday a memorial service was held. From the altar the priest said, "The peace of the Lord be with you" and people from the congregation, Nicaraguan people, began to embrace these Americans and say, "Paz" or "peace." These people who had suffered in so many ways were passing the peace of Christ.

During the Communion service there was a pause. The congregation was silent. Then someone called out a name. In one voice everyone responded, "Presente!" Another name was called out. Once again the response was, "Presente!" During the service at least twenty names were called out and each time the same response: "Presente!" Ron DelBene, the pastor leading this group of Christians did not understand what was happening until he heard the name Oscar Romero. Then he realized that all the names were those of persons who had died. From that moment on he joined in shouting, "Presente!"

"Presente" is used by school children to answer roll call. At the Lord's table the word "presente" means "in our midst" or "present with us." Shouting "Presente!" in this worship service was a way of proclaiming the reality of the communion of saints.

        (1) Although those persons named had all died, their presence and influence was still felt.
 

This Payday Will Be . . Merited.

This Payday Will Be Marvelous

This Payday Will Be Memorable.