The Church Is United in Hope
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 7 viewsThe Church Is United in Hope
Notes
Transcript
Hello everyone, Today we are going to be in 1 Thessalonians 4
Many time we hear the word Hope in the same discussion when we talk about Faith and its understandable because they are closely related.
Q: What is the difference between the two?
Faith is a trust in someone or something because they have proven themselves to be trustworthy. They could be trusted before and they can be trusted again.
Hope is an anticipation of what is going to come.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
In simpler words, we trust Jesus with out future because he has been faithful in the past and we anticipate or hope for what he will continue to do.
1. The church hopes in the return of Christ
1. The church hopes in the return of Christ
Before we jump into the text you should know something about the Thessalonians. They were an established church and they had a particular belief that we will see Paul responding to.
They believed that Jesus coming was right around the corner, they thought he was coming any minute within their lifetime. We say that the coming of the Lord is near but they meant it.
Some went so far as quitting their jobs to wait for Jesus to return which created problem in the church because the people what had no jobs expected the wealthier believers to pay for them to for food and shelter, it was a mess and not biblical.
On top of that, because they thought that Jesus was just about to come any minute they viewed anyone who died before Jesus return as missing out on that blessing to see his return. Some might have even thought that those who died was a sign of God’s judgement on them.
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. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 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. 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. 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. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Let take this step by step
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.
Q: What does this verse mean, especially about the sleeping people?
Sleeping is another term being used for people who have died. This is used in other places in the Bible.
Jesus speaking of Lazarus said in John 11:11
John 11:11 (ESV)
“Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.”
We know that Lazarus wasnt actually sleeping, he was physically dead for several days
This has even been passed on down the generations, the word for “cemetery” is literally translated as “a sleeping place”
Paul is talking about Thessalonian Christians that have died since Jesus ascended to heaven.
Q: What about the part on “dont mourn like those who have no hope” what does that mean?
Because they have no reason to to believe that there is joy or fulfillment after death.
We know that believers have nothing to fear and those suffering that has passed are no longer in pain.
This doesn't mean that at funerals we dont cry for the loved ones that we lost, Jesus himself wept at Lazarus grave.
What it does mean is that in the end we know that friends like Rebecca Philips or others that you have lost, we will see again. There is more to the story than our life on earth.
Let continue in Verse 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. 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.
Remember what I mentioned before. Paul is writing this part of the letter to the Thessalonians to reassure them that those who are “asleep” aka have died that neither us nor them are better off.
Q: Does this make sense? Any questions here?
Lets keep going, this next part Paul will describe specifics on how Jesus will return. If there are different views on the end times we can have that discussion 1 on 1, we’re going take out the plain meaning of the text here.
i will read this
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. 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. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Paul describe how Jesus return will be.
Jesus will return with a loud command
There will be a voice of an Archangel
There will be a trumpet sound
So from v 13 to 18 there are 3 keys areas
first relates to Jesus (he died and rose again, 14a),
second to the Christian dead (God will bring them with Jesus, 14b),
third to the Christian living (they will certainly not gain anything more because they are still alive when Jesus return, 15).
He is describing the rapture.
The take away point is the unbreakable bond between believer’s both living and dead to Jesus. Death is unable to destroy that bond. This is where the hope comes in. That is why we do not mourn like unbelievers.
2. The church prepares for the return of Christ
2. The church prepares for the return of Christ
Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
Q: What is Paul saying here?
Verse 1 mentions times and seasons. The Thessalonians wanted to know a date when Jesus would come back. Nothing has changed since then everyone still wants to know.
Q: Do you guys remember some of the people who predicted the end of the world or Jesus 2nd coming?
Some previous failed 2nd Coming Predictions.
In the 5th century 3 men used the dimensions of Noah's Ark to predict that Jesus was coming back in 500 AD.
Pope Sylvester the 2nd predicted that Jesus would come back at the millenium in 1,000 AD
Johannes Stöffler an astrologist calculated based on planetary movements that everything would end on 20 February 1524
Even John Wesley predicted the end of the world in 1836 (Methodist)
Joseph Smith predicted 1891
The Jehovas Witness in 1914
More recently Harold Camping
September 6th 1994
May 21, 2011
October 21 2011
Kenton Beshore that predicted that the Rapture would happen by 2021 at the latest.
Let hope for all our sakes he was wrong or else we are all in big trouble.
What does the scripture say though
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
It can be argued that the passage doesnt say anything about year, it only says day and hour but that still misses the point. The wrong solution here is trying to figure out when.
Lets get back to our passage
Q: According to the verse 2 how will Jesus come back?
Like a thief in the night.
Q: Why do you think is it compared to that?
Because thieves do not announce when they are going to rob a place. The coming of Jesus will be completely unexpected for some.
Now lets imagine that we did know the time that Jesus would come back, how would that affect how we live? Maybe some would
The right solution is being ready whenever it does happen, live everyday like it is your last. Which takes us into the last point
3. The church lives in light of the return of Christ
3. The church lives in light of the return of Christ
But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Q: What this children of the day and night talk? What does that mean?
For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.
Its an analogy to those who are saved and those who arent. Believers belong to the God who is light, darkness is sin and death.
As the saying goes, nothing good happens at night.
Why?
Because in the cover of darkness people commit horrible things thinking they will not be found.
We are called to be vigilant, awake, alert, sober minded waiting patiently for Christ to return.
Q:Why is it so hard for us to wait for Jesus faithfully?
Before I answer that let me tell you a story
Back in Romania when I was about 6 years old there was a time when my father was working in Germany to make some money for the family. So it was just my Mom, sister and I living in an apartment.
One day my mom tells me that she needs to go out the next day and she will be back late.
Next day she leaves and Im doing my thing, playing for a few hours, trying to stay out of trouble.
Eventually I get bored and start wondering when mom is going to get back.
Few more hours go by and still nothing.
Then the sun starts to set and I start getting worried. Where is mom, she said she would be back.
Its getting darker and darker and nothing. I become so worried that I go over by our windows. And at that time we had these iron rods in the windows. Dont ask me why
And I squish my face between those rods and stare outside the high window in the apartment looking at every person passing by.
Is that my mom? They pass by the entrance, no its not. It must be that lady, nope not her either.
As I’m sitting there waiting the minutes feel like hours and eventually I start to think.
Maybe my mom isnt coming back, maybe she will never come back. Maybe she abandoned us and doesnt love me.
Each one of those passing minutes with a though like that is like a dagger to your heart. Its very painful.
In this time Im not exactly sure where my sister was, she may have been there or not but my mom did eventually come back that day.
And looking back its easy to think.
You are being silly
Why would you ever think that your mom abandoned you,
She loves you
She will keep her word
Just be patient.
As we are waiting for Jesus to come back and time passes by, years turns into decades and then centuries. And then believers can start thinking, is Jesus ever coming back? Maybe not maybe he’ll never return. And beings in heaven look down and see how silly we are thinking.
Why would you ever think that God abandoned you,
He loves you
He will keep His word
Just be patient.
Jesus is coming back, he hasnt abandoned you in your struggles, in your pain. He loves you as much as he loved you when he laid his life down on the cross so that you may have eternal life.
All of us have a hope of salvation, an inheritance that God had given us that cannot be taken away. Its not affected by the stock market, it belongs to the saved forever.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.