Message 9 - 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5:9-11 – Exalted In Christ In Order To Encourage/Comfort One Another Series

MESSAGE 9 - 1 THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 5:9-11 – EXALTED IN CHRIST IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE/COMFORT ONE ANOTHER

[A]. THE CHRISTIAN’S EXALTED POSITION

{{1Thessalonians 5:9 “God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ 1Thess. 5:10 who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.”}}

(a). We have looked at verse 9 in two previous messages, but 9 and 10 go together. Paul says we have been destined for salvation, which is a blessing because all the cases where the New Testament mentions destined or predestined, it always means the end of that is a blessing. Here, it is salvation. I think many of you know that salvation is in three tenses. There is the past, the present and the future. The past is where believers have been saved through faith in the Lord from the penalty of sin. The present is where we are being saved from the power of sin in daily lives through the Holy Spirit. The future is when we will be saved from the very presence of sin itself in the presence of the Lord. How I look forward to that time!

In verse 9, Paul is using the idea of the future application of salvation.

THE PAST IS THIS – {{Ephesians 2:5 “even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” - Ephesians 2:8 “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God.”}} (Note the “have been” usage here – past tense.)

THE PRESENT IS THIS – {{Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” 1Peter 2:2 “like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.”}} (This process is a continuous one in the present as we develop in Christ.)

THE FUTURE IS THIS – {{1Peter 1:9 “obtaining as the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” Romans 13:11 “This do, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep, for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.” Revelation 12:10 I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night.” Romans 13:11 “This do, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep, for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.”}} (In the future the complete aspect of salvation will be realised. We will have salvation in full – completely saved.)

(b). Paul correctly, in 1Thessalonians verse 10, links all this together with the death of Christ and the outcome is that we will live together with Him. That is so marvellous because that infers His Bride, His glorious Church will live with Him. The Apostle uses the little clause “whether we are awake or asleep” to define those who partake of this great blessing in Christ. We will explain both groups.

Awake or asleep – which one do you long for? Is your greater desire to stay in this life and enjoy the beauty of the earth and the family; the hobbies and pursuits you love; to continue in a job you might like, OR is your desire to be caught up with the Lord and to be with Him; to depart from this world that is seeing increasing wickedness?

If I look back on my life I think I have altered my feelings with age. When you are young, you have all life’s challenges and interests before you, and prospect of marriage, and so many interests that I think many young Christian people want to hold onto, the ropes that hold them to this earth. On the other hand, many old, or older people see the world for what it is, and their spirits long more and more for heaven. I spoke on that in the past in a message titled “The Tug of Heaven”. (https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/the-tug-of-heaven-is-growing-stronger-ron-ferguson-sermon-on-death-268356)

Then again, when you are solidly engaged in Christian service your aspect becomes a conflict, almost as Paul realised when he wrote these words – {{Philippians 1:21-25 “for to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain, but if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labour for me, and I do not know which to choose. I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better, yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake, and convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith.”}} If the Lord is pleased to leave you here, then be active for Him, but first of all, desire to know Him better and better, by spending as much time as you can, as good stewards, in knowing Him.