Reassuring Ressurection

Reassuring Resurrection

test2

Opening:

QUESTION: Have you ever been knocked off your position, not so sure of your footing as you once thought?

· Did you ever play “king of the hill” as a kid and

SUMMARY QUESTIONS:

1.

TODAY WE WILL LOOK AT:

1. Certainty vs. Alarm

2. First Things First

I. Certainty vs alarm – The certainty of the Lord’s coming vs. the shaken and alarmed state of the Thessalonians

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way.

A. What was to happen upon His coming

1. Gathering of the saints , Matthew 24:29:31)

B. What they were hearing or reading

1. A spiritual misunderstand: The resurrection already occurred spiritually at the time of conversion , ,

2. A purposeful deceit: Christ will not come again and therefore there is no future resurrection of the saints that have died in faith

a) “Some today might think such heresies are only part of ancient history, but the first century did not corner the market on heresies. For example, in 1914 the leader of the Jehovah’s Witnesses claimed that Christ’s final coming had occurred invisibly on October 1 of that year.”

C. What is it happening in minds of the Thessalonians

1. The Thessalonians were quickly shaken in mind or alarmed – unsettled, uncertain,

APPLICATION:

1. Being uncertain about the future can cause all of us to become, anxious, unsettled, or even prone to live in a heightened state of alarm where we wrongly prophesy doom in our minds.

a) David holds the key to do away with this fretting of the soul.

b) In , he recalibrates his mind so that it dwells, not on the temporal challenges of the day, but the eternal blessing He has received through God’s relationship with him.

c) Watch how David’s mind not only focus on what He knows to be true about His situation, but how his mind drives his godly emotions that ultimately bring peace to his soul.

The Lord (Yahweh the god who keeps his promises) is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot (you are in control of my future). 6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places (he’s not talking about the distresses he currently faces in life); indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance (eternal, most important perspective). 7 I bless the Lord (YAHWEH – the God who initiates the personal covenant) who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. 8 I have set the Lord (YAHWEH and all of His truths and promises) always before me; because he is at my right hand (my strength), I shall not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure (it is at peace). 10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. 11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

II. First Things First

For that day will not come, unless the rebellion (apostasy) comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

A. The Rebellion – This has the sense of a rejection or refusing to accept or acknowledge the beliefs and teachings of Christ.

1. Other translations refer to “the rebellion” as the apostasy, the mass apostasy, a falling away, the final rebellion, the final rebellion against God

2. This “falling away” implies that this group of people once turned to God

3. This is consistent with O.T. prophecy of Isaiah in the latter parts of Chapter 11 where he foretold widespread apostasy and the coming of the one who would draw many away from the covenant.

4. This is a great and mass apostasy of professing believers as consistent with Paul’s warning against being deceived by these false teachings.

B. The Man of lawlessness identified

1. Though this anti-Christ or son of destruction is not identified by name, he will be known by all by what he does.

a) Note that “son” is a reference to a descendant that images his father. We who image properly image Christ are sons of God. This man of lawlessness is also a son of destruction. He both images a destructive force AGAINST God AND he will appropriately be destroyed BY God

C. The Son of lawlessness’ actions revealed

4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

1. Not only is he against or in opposition against the Triune, living God, he is against every other false god.

2. He wants to be the only god that is exalted, which is the exclusive right of the only True and all-powerful God.

3. Don’t think physical, rebuilt Jewish temple in geographic Israel when the “Temple of God” is referenced in this verse.

4. This phrase is referenced a total of 10 times in the N.T. by different authors and without exception it is referencing either Christ, the church as a whole, or believers within the church

5. In addition, just as Christ is metaphorically seat alongside the Father in heaven, but nonetheless is actually ruling and reigning, so the man of lawlessness is metaphorically seated within the professing Christian church and is having a destructive ruling influence which is causing many to fall away from their once professed faith.

A.

1.

Let us Pray