I Thess (7)

True believers can have hope.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NKJV

13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will 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 thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Intro: The rapture of the church. Not going to get into get detail. I want to preach on the Hope we have as believers in Jesus.

Rapture. (What will look at today)

7 Years Tribulation. 3 1/2 peace (Anti-Christ)

2nd coming of Christ.

1000 Year millennium reign

Some to not believe in the Rapture because the word Rapture in not in the Bibe

John 14:3 NKJV

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

We have hope when others do not.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 (NKJV)

13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.

Ignorant: Greek word “agnoeo”, (pronounced as, ag-no-eh'-o) which means - not to know, through lack of information or intelligence.

Paul is saying,

They knew Jesus would coming back. They heard what he told His disciples They were expecting to happen in their life time. I believe Paul was too. Look at

VS 17 say “we that remain........

They were ready for Jesus to come back. But there was something that concerned them.

What about their loved ones that had died while they were waiting?

Their thinking was that those that had already died, would miss out.

So Paul wants to give them some hope. And this should give us some hope too.

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep

People who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus, have no hope. Now they have some false security.

Our dear miss Ms Jackie has passed. One week ago today, she playing the piano in Church for the last time.

The last song she played, was my favorite Hynm. “When the roll is called up yonder I’ll be there”

Met with her family on Wed night. Were they sad? Yes. But they could be joyful too. Why? Because of a real hope.

A real hope (not as in I hope so) Hope here means expectation.

Look at how Paul describes death of a believer.

Fallen asleep: Those that have died.

We can have hope because. When a born again Christians dies, they go to heaven .

That moment leave the physical body—and that’s what death is; it’s a separation of the soul and spirit from the body.

Then as a Christian, you are in the presence of the Lord. We go from life to life; we step from this world to the next world, and we will be looking at Jesus face to face.

2 Corinthians 5:8 NKJV

8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

Jesus used this word sleep when He spoke of Lazarus.

Luke 8:52 NKJV

52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.”

Sleep indicates a restful conduction of the body.

When someone dies, they are put to rest in a cemetery. RIP

The word cemetery is taken from the Greek word Koimeterion, which is the word for ‘sleeping place.

For a Christian, death of the body is the best thing to ever happen.

Philippians 1:21 NKJV

21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Philippians 1:23 NKJV

23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

Paul is saying, when I die, I am far better off.

What Paul says in these verses is to comfort grieving Christians about their loved ones who had died in Christ.

He said, “I do not want you to be ignorant” about where they are. When someone dies in Christ, you haven’t lost them; you know right where they are.

“lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.”

Paul doesn’t say, “Don’t sorrow,” but he said, “You don’t need to “sorrow as others who have no hope.”

You hurt, you cry, you are sad because of the they are no longer with, they are buried in a grave, but you have hope in the midst of your sorrow.

Even Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus before He raised him from the dead.

Paul started this VS with the word ignorant, he ends with the word hope.

They (the lost) have no hope, but you have hope.

1 Thessalonians 4:14 (NKJV)

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

“if we believe,” but the word “if” could be translated, “since we believe….”

Paul wasn’t questioning whether they believed that Jesus died on the Cross; he was affirming that Jesus died on the Cross for our sins.

As Christians we believe that Jesus’ death for our sins; He paid the price for us.

Your sins were placed on Christ, who paid the them on the Cross

So He was our substitute; He died in our place. His was for everyone, but you have to believe and act out on what youe believe in.

Look at the second part of the believer’s hope: the Resurrection of Christ, verse 14. “Jesus…rose again.”

There is the death of Christ, and you have the Resurrection of Christ.

As Christians we believe that Jesus died, was buried and three days later He rose from the grave.

Why should we fear death? We shouldn’t. Jesus took the sting out of death. Jesus died in our place. Jesus conquered sin and the grave and conquered over death.

even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus

Paul encouraging them about those who have died.

1 Thessalonians 4:15 (NKJV)

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

This is some good news, or better yet, some encouraging news.

By the word of the Lord

Paul uses this term, “by the word of the Lord” to assure them what he is writing to them came from the Lord.

Paul was a chosen vessel, ordained of God as an apostle to the Gentles.

Paul is going to be talking about the Rapture, 2 groups

“We who are alive and remain…”—that’s the first group—“…until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede…”—here’s the second group—“…those who are asleep.”

These are the two groups that will participate in the rapture: those who are alive and those who are dead.

The Christians who have died aren’t going to miss the rapture; They go first.

Those who are living at the time aren’t going to miss it; they’ll be VS 17 “caught up…to meet the Lord in the air.”

We do not know when the rapture will happen. It will be sudden.

We have a hope knowing Jesus will come back

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 (NKJV)

16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will 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 thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Lets look at some things about His return.

First of all, “the Lord Himself” is coming back; He’s not sending a representative.

In Acts 1, two angels appeared when the disciples saw Jesus ascend toward heaven.

Acts 1:9–11 NKJV

9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”

His return is that He will “descend from heaven.”

John 14:2 says, “In my Father’s house.” He’s been there preparing a place, and He’s back coming from heaven.

The next part of the plan is that there will be “a shout.”

This word “shout” is the word “command.” It’s a military term. He’s going to command us to come up to Him. I think that’s awesome.

Then there will be “the voice of an archangel.” We don’t know if it’s Michael or another archangel.

Then there will be “the trumpet of God.” In those days, they used trumpets to bring people together, to celebrate and to give marching orders.

The next part of the rapture is the resurrection. We’ve already mentioned it. Verse 16 says, “And the dead in Christ will rise first.”

So the order of resurrection is that the bodies of the dead saints will be resurrected first. The grave will open.

Here it is talking about their physical bodies. Their souls and spirits are already with the Lord. Their bodies are going to be resurrected.

The third category of the plan is rapture,

1 Thessalonians 4:17 (NKJV)

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 thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Caught up It’s the Greek word “harpodzo.” That word literally means “to snatch up” or “to take up by force.”

Paul says, in 1 Corinthians 15:52, that it will happen “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.”

That the time for light to re flick off your eye.

Next we see the rapture is the reunion, verse 17. It’s the phrase “together with them.” The “them” in this phrase is your loved ones: your mother, your father, your brothers, your sisters, your aunts, your uncles, your friends—all who died trusting in Jesus. You’re going to be with them. You’ll be “together with them”—a reunion.

Janet: Jerry

Julie: Harry

Curtis: Mary

We’ll see Jesus and we’ll see our loved ones. We’ll embrace each other, be reunited.

So don’t sorrow as others who have no hope. Jesus died, Jesus rose, Jesus is coming again.

This is the blessed hope of the believer: “together with them,” with our loved ones who have died in Christ.

And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:18 (NKJV)

18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

My heart is comforted by these words. “…looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”

First, it comforts us to see our loved ones again. There is hope beyond the grave.