Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
Continuing to study in 1 Thessalonians, Paul, Silas and Timothy were giving instructions in how the Thessalonians could live to please God.
We see in one chapter the need for holiness in our private lives and to love others so that we can be ready for the coming of the Lord.
As we come to the end of chapter 4, we will see these men teaching the Thessalonians on doctrine, helping the look for the return of Jesus, being ready to live in eternity and concluding with what to do in the meantime.
Learning (vs.
13-14)
The first thing we see here is that the apostles did not want the Thessalonians to live in ignorance.
So the first thing they desire is to teach them so that they could avoid ignorance.
The word ignorance means not to know, not to understand, to err or sin through a mistake, or simply to be wrong.
You may have heard the saying, “Ignorance is bliss.”
It is a phrase coined by Thomas Gray in his 1768 "Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College".
It means that sometimes it is best not to know something because you don’t have to worry about it.
It is kind of like an “out of sight/out of mind” kind of thing.
I have even heard it said that “if ignorance was bliss there sure are lots of blisters.”
Paul, Silas and Timothy found it necessary to teach the Thessalonians in a way that they would not be ignorant about believers who had died and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Some seemed to think that the Second Coming of the Lord was take place very soon and they were concerned about those believers that had already passed away.
The living believers were concerned that the believers who had passed away would miss out on the Second Coming.
Paul, taking advantage of a learning opportunity.
We learn in Acts 17:18 there Paul was teaching in the synagogue and there were some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers in the crowd.
Paul is teaching about Jesus and the coming resurrection of believers and it stirred a hornet’s nest.
The philosophy of the day was that when one died, there was nothing more.
Perhaps this can be illustrated with two letters that discovered from this time period.
It is an interesting comparison of the non-christian interpretation of death versus the Christian’s interpretation.
“Irene to Taonnophris and Philo, good comfort.
I was as sorry and wept over the departed one as I wept for Didymas.
And all things fitting, I did, and all mine, Epaphroeditus and Thermuthion and Philion and Apollonius and Plantas.
But nevertheless, against such things one can do nothing, Therefore, comfort ye one another.”
It goes on to speak of Irene as experiencing the difficulty of those whose business it is to console and have no consolation to offer.”
Key phrases: “One can do nothing.”
“No consolation to offer.”
Plutarch wrote: “Indeed, there are many emotions that affect the soul, yet grief, from its nature, is the most cruel of all.”
Now look at the letter from the same time period from a Christian:
“And if righteous man among them passes from the world, they rejoice and offer thanks to God; and they escort the body as if he were setting out from one place to another.”
Key phrases: “They rejoice and offer thanks to God.” “They escort the body as if (it were going somewhere else).”
The difference maker is HOPE.
Paul uses the words of a person that has died as one “who fall asleep.”
We will see it again in a similar fashion in verse 15.
We will also see the word “dead” in verse 16.
What does all this mean?
Does this mean the same thing?
The phrase “fall asleep” is from the Greek word koimao and it means to still, calm, or to die.
This was a common and universal way to speak of those who had died.
You might find it interesting to note that the deceased are also referred to as “those who sleep” in Greek and Latin literature and inscriptions of the day.
With that is mind, some scholars believe that these two words, asleep and dead, are simply synonomous in this time frame.
So what about scripture?
Does scripture mean that when a person dies, they are asleep until the resurrection that is talked about later in this passage.
There are many New Testament teachings in which there is a sense of awareness after someone passes away and before the resurrection takes place.
We have the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)
The words of Jesus with the criminal on the cross and Jesus saying, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:39-43)
The stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:55-60)
Paul discussing in 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 “as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord”
Paul discussing to live in the body or to die to be with Christ (Philippians 1:20-24)
John in the Book of Revelation sharing his vision of the souls that had been martyred and they cried out, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”
(Revelation 6:9-11)
There are also several that indicate the body is sleeping and the souls go to God.
With all this, I think it is safe to say that death is a calm and holy sleep for our bodies and at death, our souls are united with the Lord.
It is important not to get caught up in splitting theological hairs about whether your loved one is asleep or with the Lord and miss the point of all of us being caught up as it says in the Second Coming.
The Christian has hope.
The person that does not know the Lord does not have hope.
This abounding hope that Paul reminds his readers of moves him to give a declaration.
Again, listen to 1 Thessalonians 4:14
In the verses following, Paul tells the Thessalonians, and us, what to look for the day the Lord returns.
Looking (vs.
15-16)
First, he reminds us to look into the Word as he states, “According to the Lord’s own Word...”
Don’t miss this.
The word for WORD is LOGOS.
It is the same word that is in John 1:1
It is also the same in Hebrews 4:12
We are fortunate that LOGOS, the Word of God, is available to us in the printed form and so many other ways.
Paul is implying that we can look into the Word of the Lord and it can be trusted as we look at the details Christian living and of the Second Coming.
An example is found in the prophecy of Zechariah.
Additionally, we have the assurance from the word of Jesus as well.
We can look into the WORD to learn more about the Second Coming.
We can be assured that those believers who go before us.
Secondly, we can look up toward Heaven.
The Lord Jesus Himself will come down from heaven.
Jesus described it this way in Matthew 16:27
The purpose of Him coming down from heaven is to redeem those who have believed in Him, just as He has promised He would.
We will be looking up physically then but we certainly can be looking up spiritually and mentally for this to happen!
When we had all this snow, I would take my dog out so she could go to the bathroom.
Because of the weather and the ice and snow on the ground , I could not effectively clean up all the messes.
I would walk looking down so I would not step in the previous results of taking my sweet Hershee out.
A few days later, I was able to clean up the messes and I walked looking down a little less.
One night, being assured that my steps were better, I looked up.
Oh my what a beautiful display of the handiwork of our God.
I was reminded real quick that the One that made them also named them.
It is the same One that made me and through His love has redeemed me and will come back for me soon and very soon!
Glory Hallelujah!
You and I need look up to appreciate and trust the handiwork of our God and not just be looking down and at all the messes around us!
When Jesus comes, the Bible says there will be the voice of the archangel and the sound of the trumpet.
Jude 9 names the archangel as Michael, the chief of all angels.
We also see him referenced in Revelation 12:7 and Daniel 10:13.
The sound of the trumpet has long been associated with Divine authority.
There are many references listed that may help you with your study about that trumpet sound (Exodus 19:16; Isaiah 27:13; Joel 2:7; Zechariah 9:14).
Will it be a trumpet like we know?
I am not sure, but I am sure that it will certainly get our attention.
Then the Bible tells us that the dead in Christ will rise first out of the grave.
Living (vs.
17)
One might thing that would be the end of it all, but dear friend it is just the beginning.
We will move from this world into eternity with God Almighty!
Notice what happens as detailed in verse 17:
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