By
Tony V. Hammack
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1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
13Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words.
Introduction:
The point of my message today won’t be to convince you of a particular end times doctrine such as the pre, mid or post tribulational rapture doctrine but I will focus on the scriptural truths found in 1 Thes. 4:13-18 that bring encouragement.
End times dogma can be dangerous. Dogma is defined as : a doctrine or body of doctrines concerning faith or morals formally stated and authoritatively proclaimed by a church.
The dogmatic authorities missed the first advent of Jesus Christ. Matthew 2
A word on the concept of uniformitarianism as it relates to eschatology.
Uniformitarianism is: a geological doctrine that processes acting in the same manner as at present and over long spans of time are sufficient to account for all current geological features and all past geological changes
This type of thinking applies to a lot of people as they try to understand the past (The Bible), however it’s an error. It also applies to people’s thinking as it relates to the future.
Luke 17:26-30
26"Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. 28"It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 30"It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed.
The point of this passage (2 Thessalonians 4:13-18) is to give encouragement and hope. Hope to the living about those who have fallen asleep in Christ and hope for the living regarding the return of Christ.
The Message:
Our Outline
- Physical Death is Not the End
- God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him
- The Dead in Christ will Rise First
- The Lord Will Return Gloriously
- The Living will meet the Lord in the Air
I. Physical Death is Not the End
v. 13 13Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.
For the Christian, sleep is an appropriate metaphor for death because death’s finality and the fear associated with death are removed by the assurance of the resurrection.
Inscriptions on tombs and references in literature show that first-century pagans viewed death with horror, as the end of everything. The Christian attitude was in strong contrast.
Hebrews 2:14,15
14Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
Philippians 1:21-23
21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
Sleep as a Metaphor for Death
Matthew 9:23,24
When Jesus entered the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd, he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.”
1 Corinthians 15:20
20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Firstfruit – Aparche
Firstfruit means the chief or principal part, the earliest ripe portion of the crop or of the tree
II. God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
14We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
Revelation 19:11-16
11I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter."[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
III. The Dead in Christ will Rise First
1 Thessalonians 4:15
15According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
IV. The Lord Will Return Gloriously
1 Thessalonians 4:16
16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
Acts 1:11
11"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.
Matthew 16:27
27For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
Matthew 24:27,30,31
27For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 30"At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
Revelation 1:7
7Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.
Revelation 11:15
15The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever."
V. The Living will Meet the Lord in the Air
v. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Jesus wants us to be with us
John 14:3
3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
Colossians 3:4
4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
1 Corinthians 15:52
52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (Rev 11:15)
In Review
- Physical Death is Not the End
- God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him
- The Dead in Christ will Rise First
- The Lord Will Return Gloriously
- The Living will meet the Lord in the Air
Conclusion:
For the Unbeliever
The White Throne Judgment
Revelations 20:12-15
12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
For the Believer
Matthew 24:45-47
45"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
The believer in Jesus Christ should minister properly and faithfully.
It will be good if God catches you doing something good when he returns. Faithfully ministering to his people.
He will give you more responsibility and authority, specifically during the time when Christ returns to set up his Kingdom on the Earth.
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