Comfort of Christ Coming
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Comfort Food
Comfort Food
(Comfort Food)
Who does not like some comfort food? Paul is serving up some comfort food in the Epistle isn’t he? The focus of this series comes more into light now with the comfort of Christ coming for His church. Comforting for the soul, and the body too.
Previously regarding comfort of return of Christ
Assurance of rescue from wrath (1The1:10)
They are the hope, joy, crown of him and the Lord at the coming (1The2:19)
Encouragement about his coming (1The3:13)
This is going to be a great event, as Joel describes as the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
Our passage tonight which many may know from being at many funerals for there is comfort found in these verses. We will see:
Comfort in the fact of Him coming
Comfort by the events of Him coming
While there is comfort, there is sorrow (1The4:13), the promise for those whose hope has been fulfilled for those who have hope (1The4:14-15). Then the procedure for Christ coming for His Church (1The4:16-17); and the purpose Paul gives these words (1The4:18).
Sorrow
Sorrow
No doubt about it sorrow cannot be avoided in this life. What we do with it, how we handle it is important and Paul wants to encourage the church about sorrow.
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.
Sorrow and grief are hard to bear, but they are not unbearable
In dealing with death sorrow can be great; but not greater than God
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As Christians we can bear sorrow of separation (Act20:37-38)
As Christians we should not have despair in our sorrow as one who has no hope (Eph2:12)
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As Christians we can bear sorrow of separation (Act20:37-38)
37 And they began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, 38 grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they were accompanying him to the ship.
No greater sorrow of separation can we have when we loose someone we love, especially if we are unprepared for it.
Paul wants them to be informed, not surprised, and not grieve like those with no hope for we have hope, hope of reconciliation one day in heaven
As Christians we can bear sorrow of separation (Act20:37-38)
As Christians we should not have despair in our sorrow as one who has no hope (Eph2:12)
12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
We were all at one time without hope, but now we have hope and hope is what Paul is bringing to the church, reminding, teaching the church of the hope they can have in the coming of Christ for His church and of those who have gone on before.
While grief and sorrow cannot be avoided it does not have to be a problem, the problem can be alleviated by the promise.
The Promise for those asleep
The Promise for those asleep
Questions about death and resurrection of the saved have plagued the church. Then and now people may wonder for themselves and for those who have gone on before. Paul, again, is wanting to bring comfort in the coming of Christ to the church then and for us now.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep 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 not precede those who have fallen asleep.
God will bring them
Those who are asleep in Jesus will come with Jesus (v.14)
“In Jesus” - Paul is only addressing the believers
Paul is stating this to comfort those who are still alive (v.15)
But now, what does “asleep in Christ” mean?
Bodies of the saints who have “fallen asleep” (Mt27:52)
There is a belief that when the body dies that the soul goes to a place of waiting until the resurrection upon Christ return, a place called Hades (a home for disembodied spirits) also known in scripture as paradise. Others may refer to it is pergatory. I do not subscribe to that belief.
The passage here as well as others speak of the body, not the soul. We will discuss more in a few minutes.
Our friend “sleeps” (Jn11:11-14)
Speaking of the death and resurrection of Lazarus, remember he was dead and buried for 4 days and as they said “his body stinketh.” but Christ called him out.
“He fell asleep” (Act7:60)
At the stoning of Stephen they said “he fell asleep” that was that he had died.
(Rest in peace)
So to be “asleep” one is resting right? which means ceasing from activity, ceasing from working, ceasing from participating in anything.
So those who are “asleep” in Christ, what, and who Paul is addressing are “asleep” they are resting from their labors, ceasing from their participation.
Who would not think of this as peace. Don’t you peace for a peaceful nights rest?
So, having said that when you are asleep what comes next? An awakening, a rising. In our bodies we awake, and in our death as our body sleeps, rests, ceases to be active one day will rise again, there will be an awakening.
At the resurrection there will be an awakening, a glorious transformation in our body which houses our souls.
Paul assures them that those “asleep” will return with Christ (1The4:15; 1The5:10; 2Cor5:8; Php1:21-23)
With the assurance has a promise that they are with Jesus now and if we die and are “in Christ” we too will be with Jesus!
10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.
Notice “with him”
8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
Notice “at home with the Lord”
21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.
23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;
Notice “to be with Christ”
Those in who God will send with Christ will precede those who are alive.
This is a promise made by God, by the Word of God
The word of God that spoke the world into existence
The Word of God that brings faith
The Word of God that brings salvation
The Word of God that lives and abides forever
The Word tells us in other places of Christ coming (2Pt3:7-13)
7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. 8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.
9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!
13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
So, to further comfort and to assure those who are alive in Christ he goes on to tell:
Procedure of Christ coming
Procedure of Christ coming
In vivid detail Paul brings comfort in describing the return of Christ.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
We have the who, the what, the where, the how, and the why
The who: The Lord Himself (v.16)
The what: Will descend (v.16)
The where: From heaven (v.16) in the clouds (v.17)
The how: with shout, voice, trumpet (v.16)
The why: So we can be caught up (v.17) and be together forever (v.17)
Not a silent event, but a cosmic event with the fanfare of heaven!
This cosmic, fanfare event is linked in the coming and the gathering as one (2The2:1-2; 1The4:13-18; 1The5:1-3; 2The1:7-8)
1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
This coming, this gathering is what Paul is addressing and bringing comfort to the church in our passage today too.
While we don’t know the time and epochs of the return and gathering we do know that it will be sudden and like a thief in the night (1The5:1-3)
When it happens the mighty angels in heaven will bring retribution to those who do not know God or who have not obeyed the gospel (2The1:7-8)
The bodies of the dead in Christ will raise first (1The4:16; other passages to consider: (Jn5:28-29; 1Cor15:51-53)
There will be a bodily resurrection where body and soul will join again.
28 “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29 and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.
A resurrection of life! Where the perishable will put on imperishable, where mortal will put on immortality (1Cor15:51-53).
Then those alive in Christ will join Christ forever (1The4:17; Act1:9-11; Jn14:3; Jn14:1)
We have the location in the air, just as it says in (Act19-11).
Where the fulfillment of Jn14:3 is accomplished, for the way prepared was the cross; and now we will be with Him forever in the fathers house (Jn14:1)
what a blessed hope, promise, comfort we can find in these words, but they are also given purposefully and that is the last point.
Purpose of the comforting words
Purpose of the comforting words
The words of the Bible are true, if we believe it or not, they are true. The words of the bible are purposeful and Paul has spoken these words with specific purpose.
18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
Because we have the solution the problem of sorrow
Because we have the promise for those who are asleep
Because we have the procedure of Christ coming for His church
We can have comfort so as to, and here is the take away for today
(Comfort one another)
This is the kind of comfort that can help us when we sustain a loss of someone that can help us in our time of grief and sorrow so it does not become a problem.
Here is the how of the application, the take away for today.
It is natural to comfort and to console (Jn11:19); we need to comfort and console those who lose someone.
Weep with those who weep (Rom12:15)
We are to comfort as God has comforted us, we are to comfort others (2Cor1:3-4)
Not only are we to comfort, console, weep, we are to encourage and to build up one another (1The5:10-11)
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Words given with purpose so as to
Comfort and console (Jn11:19); to weep with those who weep (Rom12:15)
God comforts us so we should comfort others (2Cor1:3-4)
Comfort, console, weep, encourage and build up one another (1The5:10-11)
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(Invitation slide - comfort to convert) Encouragement: Best way to comfort someone is to lead them to the truth that they may be converted by the truth to have the hope that you have. (Invitation) - - - - - - - — - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
(invitation slide 2) song (Exit slides)