The Resurrection Brings Life
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13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Introduction
Introduction
We put our hope in a lot of things. We hope that our days will go well. We hope that our teams will win the super bowl or the world series. We may hope that this president wins the election or that this actor wins the Oscar. Well last time I spoke, I spoke on the importance of an eternal perspective. This time, I want to continue that line of thinking, but talking about how the resurrection gives hope. A hope that is eternal and never ending and never failing. A hope that we can continue to put our faith and trust into this truth. And this morning I want to focus on the doctrine of the resurrection.
Paul is speaking to these Thessalonian Believers and he is thankful for them. These believers believed in the word and they became imitators of Paul. Paul has spoken to them in the previous 12 verses concerning a life of godliness, and now he is is informing them of the doctrine of the resurrection. This letter is written to them 20 to 30 years after Christ has died, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven.
The question we must ask ourselves is, “Why is the resurrection important?”
The Resurrection is important because,
The Resurrection Gives Hope
The Resurrection Gives Hope
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
1 Thessalonians 4:13
So throughout the letter, its as if the Thessalonian believers know their stuff. They are hearing the Word preached, and they are applying it to their lives. They are the guys you look up to in church. These believers are solid people.
The only thing is that they are missing something important. Paul starts off, “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers,”
Paul is speaking as if he isn’t quite sure if the Thessalonians know. He is reminding them because he wants them to know this cause he thinks it is crucial to their walk in Christ.
“about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.”
Two assumptions are made here.
Christians will grieve. You and I have lost loved ones in our life.
My dog is on her last lap. She is closer to death than she has ever been before and it will be hard for me to say goodbye to her.
As you guys know, I met my dad about two months ago for the first time, and it was good to meet him. But three years ago, I lost one of the closest father figures in my life. He played an important role in my life, and I looked up to this man. Three years ago, his fight with colon cancer ended. I left the hosptial that day just wondering how someone who could not believe in God go through loss of a loved one without God in their life.
This is Paul in this text. You will grieve over loss of people in your life but
2. Christians must not grieve outside the context of the gospel.
As sad as it was my freshman year to get the news on the way to church that I had lost one of the closest things to a dad I ever had, I knew that one day I would get to see Jesus and I would also get to see Jaime Fisher.
Paul reminds these Thessalonian believers, believers 20 years before this letter was given to them heard of the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ are starting to lose loved ones. Fathers, Mothers, Brothers, Sisters, Friends are starting to die and Paul is reminding them that they have hope. Hope that is in the life to come. Life that will perfect. But in life here on earth, we will struggle and grieve, but we will have hope through it.
Now believers can have hope because of verse 14
14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
1 Thessalonians
We believe Jesus died and rose again! He came, he lived a perfect life, died, and rose again.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
1 Corinthians 15: The Gospel that saves us, frees us from our bondage to sin, and we can grieve with hope because of the gospel. And the next part
The Gospel is of first importance. And according to the Scriptures, the gospel happened. It did take place, and these Thessalonian believers believed that truth. We must believe that truth today. If we do believe it, then that our faith may not waver.
The Gospel that saves us, frees us from our bondage to sin, and we can grieve with hope because of the gospel. And the next part
even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep
through Jesus God will bring those who have already died with him. Our loved ones who have already passed away will be with Christ. When we get there, they will be there and it is the resurrection that gives us this hope. The resurrection is the truth believers believe that Jesus has defeated death and the grave, and we will see our loved ones who were gospel-believing people in heaven.
Now this point is all about hope, but I know that today we have lost people that we are not sure if they believed in the gospel. We may be more sad for them as we know they will spend an eternity away from God and their pain of suffering now and a billion years later when they are still suffering and they are nowhere near closer to it ending then when it started.
1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Hell, Reality Of
Walter Hooper, who was C. S. Lewis’s personal secretary, laughed when he read the following grave inscription:
Here lies an atheist,
All dressed up with no place to go.
Lewis, however, did not completely share in his laughter. He responded soberly, “I’m sure he wishes now that were true.” Hell is a sobering reality for those who don’t believe.
Hell is a real place, and people who do not confess and believe in Jesus Christ will go there. We may have loss people where we are pretty sure they are there, and that is a sad reality.
But we can leave here today with a stronger desire to go and share the gospel with those closest to us who do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We can leave here today with more courage and boldness to share the gospel and to give them hope here in this life and the life to come.
We remember that the resurrection gives hope.
The Resurrection Confirms Jesus as Son of God
The Resurrection Confirms Jesus as Son of God
14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:14-
Jesus died and he rose again. This truth here confirms the Old Testament prophecies that looked forward to the coming Messiah.
English Standard Version Chapter 53
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
ו
the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016. Print.
English Standard Version Chapter 53
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.
There are over 400 prophecies concerning the coming Messiah and Jesus fulfills all of them.
A professor named Peter Stoner worked with 600 students to figure out what the probability would be of just eight (of the over 400) prophecies being fulfilled in any one person who had lived up to the present time. The result: 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000.
https://yourbreathinme.com/my-case-for-god-my-case-for-christ/the-prophecies-about-jesus/
The Resurrection confirms that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He did not stay in the grave, but he rose from the dead.
Paul goes on to describe through verses 14-17 how everything will take place. He states that it was a by a word from the Lord that this will take place. These believers Paul is writing to seem to have a hard time understanding the second coming.
Paul explains how this will happen in verses 14-17. Those who have already died will go with the Lord first. It says that in verse 15 that those who are alive will not go before those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
The Lord himself will descend. There is emphasis there that he himself is coming down, and it will be known. There is a lot of noise in this world, but we will know. The shout of the archangel’s voice and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And once all of this happens the dead will rise first.
5 God has gone up with a shout,
the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
Then we get to verse 17
17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
Here is the promise that the resurrection confirms Jesus as the Son of God…HE IS COMING BACK FOR HIS CHILDREN. You can read this text and be reminded and encouraged that the Son of God lived, died, and he rose again. He is the Son of God and he is coming back for his children. And we will always be with the Lord.
What a truth…the suffering we face. The trials we go through. The loss of loved ones that may take months or even years to process the grief yet we have this hope. That the Lord is coming back and we will be with him forever and ever in perfect harmony.
The Resurrection Gives Comfort
The Resurrection Gives Comfort
18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Paul then has corrected or help these believers understand the importance of the doctrine of the resurrection. He has given them this information, but on a corporate level that will help these believers encourage one another. Give support and encourage one another
with these words
Words not of emotional support, but words of revelation. God’s Words used to encourage God’s people. Words that would help them grieve as believers with hope.
This text today was to encourage the Thessalonians in the face of loss. And for us today, it should comfort us in times of loss.
English Standard Version Chapter 16
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
English Standard Version Chapter 8
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We in the church today, and Lord willing future pastors and current pastor of the Word must teach our people biblical eschatology and a proper understanding of not only the resurrection but end times.
We in the church today, and Lord willing future pastors and current pastor of the Word must teach our people biblical eschatology and a proper understanding of not only the resurrection but end times.
Christians during suffering lose sight of a future hope and are thinking in the present time.
Conclusion
Conclusion
We asked the the question, “Why is the resurrection important?”
And the importance of the resurrection is that
The resurrection gives hope
The Resurrection confirms Jesus as son of God
The resurrection gives comfort
Studying for this text and being in prayer over it was convicting and challenging. I am convicted at how I can be so focused in the present and lose hope. I lose sight in the problem and forget that I have a God who loves and care about me, and you have that same God who loves and cares about you.
We all in this room are either in full time ministry or pursuing it, and we will face struggles and trials that will burden us. We can lose sight very easily and this text calls us to not lose hope. To not grieve as someone who has no hope, because we have the ultimate hope of the gospel. The gospel that saves us from sin. The gospel that saves us from an eternity separated from God, and we now have an eternity with God.
The resurrection is something we celebrate at Easter, but it is something we should celebrate more often. The challenge for all of us in the room today is to think more and rejoice more in the resurrection.