Sermon Tone Analysis

Thessalonians #4

*A Thief at Midnight*

*1 Thes.

4:13-5:11*

 

*1.

Believe*

  A.

*1st Coming*

    1.

*born* of a virgin

    2.

fulfilled *prophesy* - *Bethlehem* - Daniel said he would come

    3.

*Died* - gave up his life *as* *he* *said* that he would, as the *prophesies* *said* he would

    4.

*Rose* - on the *3rd* day *as* he *said* that he would

 

  B.

*2nd Coming*

    1.

The *Prophesies* of his *1s*t Advent *were* *true*, so will the *prophesies* of his *2nd* Advent be *true* as well

    2.

when *many* *thought* that the *Messiah* would *never* come - He *came*

    3.

*when* other *fanatics* *pointed* to *every* new leader as the *Messiah* - *He* *Came*

    4.

So *when* it *seems* he will *never* come he will split the skies

    5.

when *fanatics* are pointing *falsely* *here* and *there* - He *will* *Come*

    6.

Just *like* *some* *knew* the *time* was *ripe* for *Messiah* to come the first time by *knowing* the *prophesies* and the times and were *watching* for Messiah to come, *So*, *some* will be *reading* their bibles and so *watching* the times and *looking* for *Christ* to *Return*

    7.

*Acts 1:11* - /"... *this same Jesus*, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."/

8.

An *angel* will *not* *come*, not *Gabriel* or *Michael*, but *Christ* *himself*, will *return* in the clouds to *split* the Eastern *Sky* and of this you *CAN* *BELIEVE*

 

He will *come* *Down* from Heaven, with a *LOUD* *Command*, a CRY, and SHOUT

With the *Voice* of the Arch Angel *Announcing* his Return and

The *Trumpet* Call of God

 

- The *one* who *made* the *blind* to see will *cause* every *blind* eye that *knows* *Christ* to *see* *him* for Eternity and the *spiritually* *blind* eye to *see* him and *mourn* their rejection

 

- The *One* who *healed* the *sick*, *lame*, and *deaf*, will *touch* those *blood*-*washed* saints for the *last* time and hey will *hear*, *walk*, and be *whole* for eternity.

- The *One* who said, "let *not* your *heart* be *troubled*, believe in God, *believe* in me" will *respond* to the *trust* we've placed in him and will *wipe* every *tear* from our *eyes* and there will be *no* *more* *tears* and no more *pain* because he will *take* them *away* and they will be forever *banished* in his *presence*

 

*SOMEBODY SAY YES*!

 

*If* you can *Believe*,

then you *can* also …

 

*2.

Be Encouraged*

 

  A.

*Death is not the End*

    1.

our *body* is *sleeping*

    2.

our *soul* is *NOT* sleeping, our soul is with the Lord at death

*Phil.

1:21, 23-24 */"for to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain … I am torn between two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body."/

*2 Cor 5:6-8*/ "we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.

We live by faith, not by sight.

We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord."/

    3.

the *Thessalonians* were *worried* about what would *happen* to the *believers* who *died* before Jesus returned.

Since *Jesus* had only *left* a relatively *few* *years* before, they literally *expected* his *return* *any* *day* but as *some* were *dying* for various normal reasons they *wondered*, what about them.

4.

*would* *they* *miss* out on the glory of Christ's return?

 

    5.

*Dead* in *Christ* will *Rise* *First* - *not* only would they not *miss* it, they would get a *front* *row* seat as if perhaps an *honor* by the Lord because they went *first*

 

  B.

"*Caught* *Up*" - "*Meet* the *Lord*"

    1.

*caught* *up* - greek  - */har-pad'-zo/*

DEF --

      a.

- *catch* away speedily as *quickly without warning*

      b.

- *seize* by force - *Satan wants you but Christ will lay claim*

      c.

- *claim* for one's self - as a *bridegroom claiming his bride*

      d.

to *rescue* from danger

      e.

to *take* from the hand - *the hand of the evil one will not be on these  people any longer*

      f.

to *carry* off or away - *return with him to heaven*

* *

*  *2.

*/meet/*/ *him* in the air/

    the *picture* here in their culture is the *picture* of a group of *citizens* going *outside* the town to *meet* a *dignitary* and *accompany* him *back* into the city.

*We* will be *caught* up to *meet* him and will *return* *with* him

 

    3.

WE *WILL* *meet* him in the air THAT is a *fact*,

      a.

*how* that happens *chronologically* and what that *means* is up for *debate*.

b.

My *personal* study *leads* me to *believe* that this *event* recorded is "*parousia*" what some *call* the *Rapture* of the Church.

This is, in *my* *belief*, *NOT* the *final* *2nd Coming* of Christ to this Earth.

*Because*, when he *comes* and *sets* *foot* on this earth, he will *bring* *judgment* in his *wings* as is described in *2 Thess.

Chapter one*.

c.

*Paul* seems to be *obviously* *talking* about *two* different *events*.

d.

Thus *we* will be *caught* up to *meet* him in the air and *return* *with* him to *Heaven* and this *earth* will go through a *period* of *judgment* for *7 years* followed by us *returning* with him to *end* this age.

<IF you *disagree* with me on *this* *part* of the interpretation, I will *give* *you* *freedom* to *disagree* as *long* as we *agree* that *he* *IS* *coming*, we *WILL* be *caught* up to *meet* him and we will be *transformed* to be with him *forever*!>

*AMEN?

AMEN*

* *

*Mt 24:30-31 *- /"at that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn.

They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.

And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other."/

C.

*Changed*

Be *Encouraged* you will *NOT* have to *carry* this *broken* down *clay* *vessel* that our *soul* calls *home*, into *Eternity*

This *body* as it is *NOW* will *NOT* *make* it into *Eternity*, but *when* the *Thief* *Comes* at Midnight we *will* be *CHANGED*

    1.

*perishable* to *imperishable* (*dead* in Christ)

- When our *bodies* go into the *ground* as believers *in* *Jesus* it is just *sowing* ~/ *planting* for a *future* harvest

*1 Cor 15:42-44* / "the body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body/

    2.

*mortal* to *immortal* - (*alive* in Christ)

*1 Cor 15:52* /"in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the Trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'death has been swallowed up in victory.'"/

<*MIDNIGHT* *CRY*>

 

  D.

*FOREVER* -

    1.

*living* *forever* is a *great* proposition

    2.

but *all* *mankind* will live *forever*, the question is *where*?

    3.

*we* who have *trusted* him and *given* our *lives* to him will *be* *with* the *Lord* *Forever*!

4.

Is that *encouraging*?  *It* *is* to me and Paul tells us to *ENCOURAGE* one *another* with these words

    5.

if you've *lost* *someone* recently, and you *know* that they *knew* Christ, be *encouraged*, we will be separated for a time, but we will *be* *with* them, with the Lord, forever

    6.

this *struggle* a little tough?