We Will Be With The Lord Forever
WE WILL BE WITH THE LORD FOREVER
7/21/01 AND 7/22/01
1 Thessalonians 4
13 ¶ Brothers, 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.
14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
15 According 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.
16 For 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.
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 for ever.
18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.
CHAPTER 5
1 ¶ Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,
2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
3 While people are saying, "Peace and safety", destruction will come on them suddenly, as labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
6 ¶ So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.
8 But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.
11 ¶ Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
PRAY
Introduction
We are going to leave this world asleep/dead or awake in the rapture. Last week we looked at just accepting the encouragement of the Lord. If we have failed we should get up and go on. This week we are looking at our future. One of two things is going to happen to us, either death or we will be a part of the catching away of the church. Either way we have a bright future. I want to preach a real pastoral sermon to encourage you. The Scripture here says to encourage each other with these words. I often get to quote this at funerals; I want to do it while you are here.
Background
The church in Thessalonica had heard Paul’s teaching about the end times. They were living, as Paul was with an expectation of Jesus’ returning at any time. The early church didn’t even begin to record the gospels and early letters for decades because they weren’t expecting to have to leave them to someone. They expected Jesus to come for them at any moment.
Chapter 1
8 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,
9 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,
10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
(NIV)
Then people began to die. This was totally unexpected. Where were these believers who had died? How did the future play out for them? Where they already in heaven before them? Where they living in my mansion? What was up?
Paul addresses both issues at once in a very clear and short presentation.
1. THOSE WHO DIE BEFORE JESUS COMES
-Paul talks about those who sleep in Jesus.
-If you or a loved one dies before Jesus returns, the Bible tells us what will happen.
O.T.
Ge 25:8 Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.
Ge 25:17 Altogether, Ishmael lived a hundred and thirty-seven years. He breathed his last and died, and he was gathered to his people.
Ge 35:29 Then he breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, old and full of years. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
Ge 49:29 Then he gave them these instructions: "I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
Ge 49:33 When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.
N.T.
Ephesians 3
14 ¶ For this reason I kneel before the Father,
15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.
John 11
25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
-Paul tells us and Jesus tells us that when we believe we never really die.
-The best definition for death is separation. The second death is eternal separation from God.
(DEATH-SEPARATION FROM YOUR BODY/SPIRITUAL DEATH-SEPARATION FROM GOD IN YOUR HEART
ETERNAL DEATH-TO BE SEPARATED FOREVER)
-The whole idea of death is aloneness and separation. Don’t die without Jesus. It isn’t anything you want any part of.
2Co 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
(KJV)
Philippians 1
20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
21 ¶ For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!
23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
-You get the point.
-To die in Christ is gain.
-The worst thing that could happen to me is that I die and go to heaven.
-EXAMPLE-Boy allergic to Bee stings/Death lost its sting when it stung Jesus!
2. THOSE WHO ARE ALIVE WHEN JESUS COMES
1 Corinthians 15
16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
20 ¶ But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.
22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
23 But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.
25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
51 ¶ Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--
52 in 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. (atomos-atomic second)
53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.
54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
-That’s the same event Paul is talking about in Thessalonians.
-There are tons of people who have read and are reading the “LEFT BEHIND” series by Tim LaHaye. The ninth book is coming out soon. They have made a movie about the subject.
-That event is called “THE CATCHING AWAY”.
1 Thessalonians 4
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 for ever.
-That term is CAUGHT UP/HARPAZO in the original.
-Some use a term from the Latin-rapture.
-It means literally to carry off, take or snatch away, catch up, seize.
Bible examples
Matthew 13
19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. (same term)
John 10
28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one can snatch them out of my hand.
29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no-one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. (same term)
2 Corinthians 12
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know--God knows.
3 And I know that this man--whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows--
4 was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell. (same term)
CATCHING AWAY EXAMPLES
Ge 5:24 Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.
(NIV)
2Ki 2:1 ¶ When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.
2Ki 2:11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
Acts 1
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. (JESUS)
3. DO WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH HELL AND PUNISHMENT TO GET THERE?
-We should occupy/carry on and do business until Jesus comes.
-We should help the weak and the poor.
-We should accept responsibility to preach the gospel to the whole world.
-That is the theme and point in Acts 1 when Jesus is leaving…don’t try to figure out everything about the future and times and seasons….get filled with the Holy Spirit and preach.
-When I became a Christian and saw good people in disagreement about this… I put it on the shelf.
-Jesus said let no man deceive you….I began to look at the Bible and I began to see a pattern developing.
NOAH
-When God judged the earth in Noah’s day He first placed the righteous in an ark to keep them from danger and then brought them back to earth to finish the plan of God.
Abraham / Sodom and Gomorrah
Genesis 18
16 ¶ When the men got up to leave, they looked down towards Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way.
17 Then the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?
18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.
19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him."
20 Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous
21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."
22 The men turned away and went towards Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.
23 ¶ Then Abraham approached him and said: "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?
25 Far be it from you to do such a thing--to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
26 The LORD said, "If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."
27 Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes,
28 what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?" "If I find forty-five there," he said, "I will not destroy it."
29 Once again he spoke to him, "What if only forty are found there?" He said, "For the sake of forty, I will not do it."
30 Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?" He answered, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."
31 Abraham said, "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?" He said, "For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it."
32 Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?" He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it."
33 When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.
(NIV)
chapter 19
12 ¶ The two men said to Lot, "Do you have anyone else here-- sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here,
13 because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it."
14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters. He said, "Hurry and get out of this place, because the LORD is about to destroy the city!" But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.
15 ¶ With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished."
16 When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them.
Na 1:2 ¶ The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on his foes and maintains his wrath against his enemies.
Ro 5:9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!
1Th 1:10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
-Don’t be afraid of the future.
-Put your heart at rest in God’s peace.
-Whether you sleep in Him or get caught up to meet Him, you will be with the Lord forever.