Untitled Sermon (5)

ARE YOU INCLUDED IN THE CELEBRATION

INTRODUCTION

MANY PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO DIE, MAYBE IT’S BECAUSE OF THE UNKNOWN WHAT HAPPEN AFTER.

THE YOUNG CHURCH OF THESSALONIANS THOUGHT THAT ONCE A PERSON DIE IN CHRIST, THEY WOULD MISS OUT ON THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST.

DEATH IS THE GREAT ENEMY THAT EVERY BELIEVER MUST FACE.

BUT BECAUSE OF JESUS , DEATH,BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION THE POWER OF DEATH HAS BEEN BROKEN.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT

WHO’S NOT INVITED.

WHO IS INVITED.

WHO WE CELEBRATING.

A. WHO’S NOT INVITED.

1 THESSALONIANS 4:13 BUT I WOULD NOT HAVE YOU TO BE IGNORANT , BRETHREN, CONCERNING THEM WHICH ARE ASLEEP, THAT YE SORROW NOT, EVEN AS OTHERS WHICH HAVE NO HOPE.

PAUL HERE DESCRIBE THOSE WHO WOULD MISS OUT ON THE CELEBRATION AS OTHERS.

THEIR ARE TWO THINGS THAT DISQUALIFIED OTHERS.

THEY GRIEVE OR GET DISTRESS WITH NO UNDERSTANDING OF DEATH. MEANING THEY LOOK AT DEATH AS A FINAL DESTINATION. I AM NOT SAYING THAT WE DON’T HURT WHEN WE LOSE A LOVE ONE , BUT WHAT I AM SAYING WHEN A CLOSE ONE IN YOUR FAMILY DIE IN THE LORD IT’S NOT A FUNERAL, BUT A CELEBRATION.

THEY HAVE NO HOPE. MEANING THEY DON’T HAVE ANYTHING TO LOOK FROWARD TO AFTER DEATH. THEY DON’T HAVE A DESIRE TO CHANGE OR LOVE, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO GIVE THEIR HEART TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

EPHESIANS 2:12 THAT AT TIME YE WERE WITHOUT CHRIST, BEING ALIENS FROM FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OF ISRAEL, AND STRANGERS FROM THE COVENANTS OF PROMISE , HAVING NO HOPE, AND WITHOUT GOD IN THE WORLD.

B. WHO IS INVITED TO CELEBRATION.

1 THESSALONIANS 4:14 FOR IF WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS DIED AND ROSE AGAIN, EVEN SO THEM ALSO WHICH SLEEP IN JESUS WILL GOD BRING WITH HIM.

THE PASSWORD TO GET YOU INTO THE CELEBRATION IS BELIEVE. THEN YOUR QUESTION MIGHT BE , WHO DO I BELIEVE? YOU BELIEVE THAT JESUS DIED AND ROSE AGAIN.

THE WORD BELIEVE MEAN THE ACT OF BELIEVING OR TRUSTING IN THE LORD ON THE BASIS OF HIS TRUTHFULNESS AND RELIABILITY.

THE LORD PROMISE THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT HE WOULD PREPARE A PLACE THEM THAT WHERE HE IS THEY WOULD BE ALSO.

THE LORD NEVER PREPARE WITHOUT A PROVISION. MEANING THE LORD PLANS BEFOREHAND.

THE ONE THING THAT A BELIEVER CAN BE ASSURED OF, THAT CHRIST JESUS IS COMING BACK FOR THOSE WHO ARE SLEEP IN CHRIST AND THOSE WHO REMAIN.

WHO WE CELEBRATE IS JESUS BECAUSE HE IS THE LIFE OF THE CELEBRATION. THE WORD OF GOD SAID THAT HE SHALL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN WITH A SHOUT, WITH THE VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL, AND WITH THE TRUMP OF GOD : AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST: THEN WE WHICH ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN SHALL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS, TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR: AND SO SHALL WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD.