Sermon Tone Analysis

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

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.

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)

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)

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

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.

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!

Notice “with him”

Notice “at home with the Lord”

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)

So, to further comfort and to assure those who are alive in Christ he goes on to tell:

Procedure of Christ coming

In vivid detail Paul brings comfort in describing the return of Christ.

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)

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.

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

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.

Because we have the solution the problem of sorrow

Because we have the promise for those who are asleep