May 22, 2016
Evening Service

In the first part of Chapter 4, Paul introduced us to “Sanctification.”  It simply means to be “set apart” for God’s use.  He specifically targeted our sexual lives explaining it this way:

1 Thessalonians 4:3-4 For this is the will of God, your sanctification, for you to abstain from sexual immorality, (4) each one of you to know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor

·         If that message was needed back then, it is very relevant to the world we live in and its liberal views on sexual activity.  He commanded us to abstain from sexual sin, yet he again reaffirmed us to abound in love.

1 Thessalonians 4:9 But regarding brotherly love, you do not need that I write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.

·         The Christian faith and love are inseparable.  One cannot survive without the other.  Paul now closes this chapter with perhaps the clearest explanation of the Second Coming that is in the scriptures.

 

1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you be not grieved, even as others who have no hope.

·         At this time there was not a clear understanding of what the future held for those who had died, or as he refers to it here, sleep.  Many places in the scriptures refer to death as a sleep.  The word cemetery comes from a Greek word meaning “sleeping place.”

·         In our creation itself God has instilled a natural way for us to understand this principle as every night we act out our own death and in the morning our resurrection.  He now explains why we are not to be grieved by death but cling to hope in it.

 

 1 Thessalonians 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will also bring with Him all those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.

·         Notice the key to our hope; “if we believe that Jesus died and rose again.”  The hope of the resurrection is only for the believer.  Our hope lies in our faith that Jesus is our Savior and as we believe He has forgiven our sins, so shall He one day return and take us to be with Him.  Our death is not the end, only a step along our journey.

 

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18  (15)  For we say this to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not go before those who are asleep.  (16)  For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first.  (17)  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall ever be with the Lord.  (18)  Therefore comfort one another with these words.

 

·         At His return that shout or trumpet blast will awaken all those who have died in their faith (sleep) and they shall rise from the grave first.  It makes no difference where or how they were buried; God will miraculously reunite the body and spirit restoring that living souls and they shall rise into the air.

·         Next those that are still alive at His return will be caught up as well with them to “meet the Lord in the air and thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

·         This is often referred to as the “Rapture of the Church.”  The word rapture comes from a Latin word that means “caught up.”  It is similar to the wording used to describe how Phillip was “caught away” after baptizing the Ethiopian eunuch.  We will be caught away to be with our Lord and Savior forever more.

·         Paul says in verse18 to “comfort one another with these words.”  This is an event that we should be embracing and clinging to as the climax of our faith.  It is not a time for fear or unrest; it is the moment we all should be longing for.

·          The Jewish faith always looked to the coming of the Messiah as their hope.  We look on the second coming of Christ as our hope.  Let it be the thought that rings in your mind at the times of trials and troubles.  Jesus is coming again and in the end we win!

·         Paul continues his teaching on the final days and why it should be comforting to us as we begin Chapter 5.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11  But of the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that I write to you.  (2)  For you yourselves know accurately that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night.  (3)  For when they shall say, Peace and safety! Then sudden destruction comes on them, as travail upon a woman with child. And they shall not escape.  (4)  But you, brothers, are not in darkness, that the Day should overtake you like a thief.  (5)  You are all the sons of light and the sons of the day. We are not of the night, or of darkness.  (6)  Therefore let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us watch and be sober.  (7)  For those sleeping sleep in the night, and those being drunken are drunken in the night.  (8)  But let us, who are of the day, be calm, having put on the breastplate of faith and love and the hope of salvation for a helmet.  (9)  For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,  (10)  who died for us, so that whether we watch or sleep we should live together with Him.  (11)  Therefore comfort one another, and edify one another, even as you also do.

·         Jesus’ return (the Rapture) will come suddenly to the world at a time they least expect it, but we as His children will be able see it coming.  He commands us to not to fall asleep but to “watch and be sober” (verse 6).  The comparison is made between us being the children of light (God) and the children of darkness (world).  By being in the light, we are also enlightened to know what to be looking for and be found waiting expectantly not surprised.

·         By putting on the armor of God (vs 8), we have the assurance that we will not be subject to His wrath, but to salvation through Jesus Christ.

 

 John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  (17)  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.

 

Paul does not want us to be “ignorant” of what death holds for us or what lies beyond the grave.  He is also teaching us not to be afraid of the “Day of the Lord” because it holds no wrath for us, but only our salvation.  It is a time we should be looking forward to.  He explained his torn feelings between life and death to the Philippian Church like this:

 

Philippians 1:19-23 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, (20) according to my earnest expectation and hope that I shall be ashamed in nothing, but as always now Christ shall be magnified in my body with all boldness, whether it is by life or by death.  (21)  For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.  (22)  But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor. Yet I do not know what I shall choose.  (23)  For I am pressed together by the two: having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better.

·         As long as we are alive we have an opportunity to live for Him and serve Him bring Him glory.  In death we know that our work, suffering and trials have come to an end.  We will awaken again as we are “Flying away” to meet Christ in the air and to be with Him for eternity.

·         Should we be afraid of His return?  No we should embrace it!

·         Brothers and sisters, comfort one another with these words.

 

Lord may our hearts be full of a desire to live for You and a hope to one day be with You.