A Family Matter

Please turn in your Bible to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 as we consider what I’m referring to as A Family Matter

My mother and her siblings were a very close knit family. They supported one another through thick and through thin. As I reflect back it seems to me that all of us would get together for virtually every holiday (in person, not virtual as in this day and age). I can still remember the raucous laughter of these folks when someone would relate a funny story. And I remember how they would come to each others aide when one of them was ill and suffering.

Though I don’t remember it, I remember hearing tales about how when I was 1 my mother was hospitalized with Hepatitis. My brother and I stayed with My Aunt Jo and Uncle Everett Pearson and their family. (Aunt Jo was my mother’s older sister). I was actually there on my first birthday.

Years later, my Aunt Linda Davidson was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. She had a 16 year battle with that horrible cancer. She would go through the radiation and chemo treatments and the cancer would go into remission. Then she’d swear that she’d never go through them again. Each time the cancer returned her sisters would come along side of her and help her through the treatments.

It’s a wonderful thing to belong to a loving family, and I was so privileged to have had such a family. Even greater is the privilege of belonging to The Family of God. And I see that our text for today focuses on this family.

A few weeks ago we began looking at the ethical portion of this very personal epistle which the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica. I’ve previously mentioned that it seems as if Paul is addressing issues or concerns which these new believers had expressed to Timothy while he was visiting them. One of the issues of concern had to do with the area of sexual fidelity — which was a very foreign concept to the people in this culture. Another concern seems to have to do the expression of brotherly love.

The issue in today’s text has to do with concern about their fellow believers who had since died. It would appear that Paul had taught them about the imminent return of Christ — it could happen and anytime. And he probably had taught them about the importance of persevering in the faith.

Acts 14:21–22 NASB95PARA

After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

I can imagine that the Thessalonians wondered if since their loved ones did not live to see the return of Christ, does that mean that they would miss out on the kingdom of God? Thus, as Paul wrote, he sought to straighten out their misunderstanding in this matter.

Because Christians have a hope that is founded on a sure foundation, there is a distinction between the way they grieve for one another and the way those outside of Christ grieve.

As we work through this passage we will look at the distinction between two groups of people, the foundation upon which the believer’s hope stands strong, the orderliness of the heavenly procession, and the comfort these things should bring to believers.

Let’s read our passage together.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NASB95PARA

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 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. 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. 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. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Let’s look first at:

An Important Distinction

Look at verse 13.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 NASB95PARA

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.

The Family

The Strangers

The Family = hopeful

Members of the family of God are hopeful because the separation caused by the death of a family member is temporary. Death has been swallowed up in victory.

To “fall sleep” is a euphemism for physical death. It emphasizes that physical death is only temporary. Edmund Hiebert pointed out that “The state of the soul after death is not in Paul’s mind in this metaphor; the body only is thought of as being asleep, no longer in communication with its earthly environment.”

In other words, this passage does not teach the errant doctrine of soul sleep, which teaches that in death the soul is in constant repose.

Let’s consider:

What Happens When a Person Dies?

For all people death is the separation of the body from the soul. Only the body dies, the soul lives on.

Note that:

For those who are a part of the Family of God, when their body dies, their soul is transported into the presence of Christ

2 Corinthians 5:8 NASB95PARA

we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

Therefore, believers — members of the family of God — are hopeful. Family members have further reason for hope, but we’ll unpack that in a few moments. Though the Family is hopeful:

The Strangers = Hopeless

The souls of both Family Members and Strangers live on after their bodies “go to sleep.” Unlike The Family, The Strangers’ soul begins the experience of torment and agony that awaits those who have not placed their faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus referred to this as a place:

Mark 9:48 NASB95PARA

where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

Jesus also referred to it as the place of outer darkness, where there will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

We’ve been looking at an important distinction between The Family who is hopeful and The Strangers who are hopeless.

Let’s look next at:

A Strong Foundation

Every building needs a good and strong foundation.

Relate story of shopping for houses in Mars Hill.

In the next couple of verses we see three tenants upon which the believers’ hope is founded.

Look at verses 14-15.

1 Thessalonians 4:14–15 NASB95PARA

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 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.

“If we believe” = “Since we believe”

Note that the first tenant is that:

The Believer’s Hope if Founded on the Death of Jesus

“For if we believe that Jesus died ...”

Hiebert again noted:

1 & 2 Thessalonians a. Assurance concerning Their Dead (v. 14)

It is not said that Jesus “fell asleep” but rather that He died. He experienced death, the result of sin, in all its grim horror. But His death brought the death of death; in dying as our sin-bearer He transformed death for believers into sleep with a future awakening.

Note that the second tenant is that:

The Believer’s Hope is Founded on the Resurrection of Jesus from the Dead

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again ...”

It is not enough to believe that Jesus died. We must also believe that He was raised from the dead. If Jesus was not raised from the dead then our faith is in vain!

His resurrection proved that He was who He claimed to be — God Incarnate

His resurrection conquered both sin and the grave

His resurrection provides expectant hope that the believer’s body will one day be resurrected from the grave because our text states that “God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.”

Note that the third tenant is that:

The Believer’s Hope if Founded on the Word of Christ

“For this we say to you by the word of the Lord ...”

Not recorded in Jesus’ teaching which are in the gospel accounts

It could be an extra-biblical teaching of Jesus since it was impossible to record everything He said and did

More likely, it was a special revelation by Jesus to one of the NT prophets — Paul, himself, was listed as being prophet

So far we’ve looked at the distinction between the hope of The Family vs. the hopelessness of The Strangers, and the three tenants of the foundation of our hope, Christ’s death, resurrection, and Word.

Let’s look next at:

A Heaven-Bound Procession

Remember that the issue Paul is addressing has to do with the concern of the Thessalonian believers that their departed family members will miss out on the glorious appearing of Jesus since they didn’t live to see that event.

Let’s look at verses 15-17 as we see how Paul specifically addresses that concern.

1 Thessalonians 4:15–17 NASB95PARA

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. 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. 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.

This heaven bound procession begins with Jesus descending from heaven. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven ...”

This is a partial descent and should not be confused with The Second Coming of Christ, which will be a full return to the earth.

Paul lists three things which accompany Christ’s descent: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God ...”

A Shout

A Voice

A Trumpet Blast (there is no definite article with either voice or trumpet in the Greek text)

It is unclear from the text whether the whole world will hear these sounds, or if on the members of The Family will hear them. The description of the scene is reminiscent of various battles in the OT such as under the leadership of Joshua and Gideon in which much noise was made. Some commentators see three distinct sounds, while others see the voice and trumpet blast as being descriptive of the same thing. Either way, it seems to be a noisy affair.

Note that:

Paul addresses their concern by stating that their dead family members will rise first

This “resurrection” is distinct from what is written about in Revelation 20:11-15 concerning the White Throne Judgment

This resurrection is for The Family and not for The Strangers

Note that:

After this resurrection those Family Members who are still living will be raptured

1 & 2 Thessalonians (2) Events at His Return (vv. 16b–17a)

The verb “caught up” (harpagēsometha) denotes a sudden and forcible seizure, an irresistible act of catching away, due to divine activity. It might also be rendered “snatch up, sweep up, carry off by force.” The Latin for the Greek verb is rapturo, from which we derive our English word rapture.

There will be a heavenly reunion of some type for the remain family members “will be caught up together with them ...”

Erich Sauer noted that: “With this catching up “for the first time the church of all times and all lands will be with one another.… Till then there exist only churches (in the plural, Rev 22:16) and the church of a generation living at any one time on earth.”

The initial location of this reunion will be “in the clouds.” Findlay remarks, “There is something wonderful and mystical about the clouds—half of heaven and half of earth; their ethereal drapery supplies the curtain and canopy for this glorious meeting.”Clouds are often associated, in Scripture, with Apocalyptic events.

The purpose of this resurrection/rapture is that the church “shall always be with the Lord.” Jesus, Himself, referred to this in John 14:1-3

John 14:1–3 NASB95PARA

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

We’ve looked at an important distinction between the family and strangers, the strong foundation upon which our hope is founded, and a heaven-bound procession. Finally, let’s look next at:

Comfort Within the Family

Look at verse 18.

1 Thessalonians 4:18 NASB95PARA

Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Note that:

These truths have been given, not for the purpose of mysterious intrigue, but for the purpose of comfort

One of the primary purposes of the church is to comfort one another in times of trouble and distress. Many passages attest to this truth.

In expositing Psalm 95, which we read this morning, the writer of Hebrews wrote that encouragement helps to keep believers from being hardened by sin.

Hebrews 3:13 NASB95PARA

But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Later, in this same epistle, the author stated that one of the purposes for gathering together as a corporate body of the local assembly is to encourage one another.

Hebrews 10:24–25 NASB95PARA

and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

And of course “the day drawing near” may very well be a reference to the rapture which we have been contemplating this morning.

For me, it’s a real encouragement when I see you on Sunday mornings as we gather for worship. When I compare my recorded sermons on YouTube to the ones presented here on Sunday mornings, I can tell that there is something missing in the prerecorded messages. That is because I draw energy from you folks as I preach. I don’t get the same kind of energy from a camera.

While Stranger grieve for the loss of a loved one as if there is nothing more to life than living and dying, members of the Family of God have a different form of grief. Yes, we still grieve, but not like the rest! Our grief if for ourselves. We grieve because we can’t imagine living life without our loved ones. We can forgive the Thessalonians for being confused on this issue for various reasons. First, if they hadn’t been confused then Paul wouldn’t have written this wonderful passage. Second, they were raised in a culture that new nothing of the hope of the resurrection from the dead. This was new territory for them to explore.

Because we know what awaits our “Family members” when they pass from this life to the next, our grief should be different. I love the song which Don Moen wrote from the viewpoint of one who had passed onto glory.

If You Could See Me Now

Our prayers have been answered I finally arrived The healing that had been delayed Is now realized No one's in a hurry There's no schedule to keep We're all enjoying Jesus Just sitting at His feet

If you could see me now I'm walking streets of gold If you could see me now I'm walking tall and whole If you could see me now You'd know I've seen His face If you could see me now You'd know the pain's erased You wouldn't want me To ever leave this place If only you could see me now

My light and temporary trials Have worked out for my good To know it brought Him glory When I misunderstood Though we've had our sorrows They can never compare To what Jesus has in store for us No language can compare

If you could see me now I'm walking streets of gold If you could see me now I'm walking tall and whole If you could see me now You'd know I've seen His face If you could see me now You'd know the pain's erased You wouldn't want me To ever leave this place If only you could see me now

Working our text backwards we see that we who are members of The Family can comfort one another because we know that our family members who have passed away will not be excluded from the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Rather, we have a hope which is founded on the sure foundation of the death, resurrection, and word of Jesus Christ. Because He lives we can face any of life’s challenges. Because He lives we are hopeful. Because He lives we can face tomorrow, and life is worth the living just because He lives!

Let’s pray.

Dear Father,

What a privilege it is to call You Father; to be part of the Family of God rather than a Stranger to You. I thank You for the hope that we have which is founded on Jesus. I long for the day in which we will join in that heaven-bound procession to meet the Lord in the air, and so to forevermore be in His physical presence. Until that time, may we be faithful to gather together and to encourage one another.

Father, I pray for those who are listening today, and at present are not members of the family, but are strangers. I pray that this would be the day in which Your Holy Spirit makes them alive in Christ so that they become, no longer strangers, but family.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

Closing Song: #358

Because He Lives