A Walk In Hope! Series

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Paul in his epistles compares our Christian life to a walk. When we study the book of Thessalonians, we find different walks mentioned in there.

1. Walk in holiness. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

2. Walk in Love. 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10

3. Walk in honesty.1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

Today we will take a look at a believer’s walk in hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-1813Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformedabout those who sleep in death,so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are leftwill be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage one anotherwith these words.

The blessed hope of a believer is the rapture. It speaks of the time when Jesus shall appear in the air. Those who have died in the Lord Jesus Christ in previous days and years will be raised from the grave and we will be caught up together along with them changed with our new glorious bodies to meet Jesus. This is called the rapture. We will all fly away.

How many of us come to times in our life where we just want to get away from everything? In Psalm 55:1-5 David is oppressed by his enemies. He is talking of all his troubles. He is tired of persecution and wickedness all around him. Thus, in his prayer to God, he says: Psalm 55:6 Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.

Have you ever felt like that? Well one day we will get away, for we will literally fly away from the troubles of this earth to be with the Lord forever.

Illustration:

Once a farmer had an old clock that was all gone. One night as he was listening it struck 16 times. He woke up and said, “Honey get up, it is later than it ever has been before.” That statement is true concerning the return of the Lord. We are close today to the return of Jesus Christ than ever before in human history. If Jesus comes now we will board the rapture flight, Boeing 777. We will fly away. That is the blessed hope we are waiting for.

I. The rapture involves a lifting up.

We are going to be lifted up.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the cloudsto meet the Lord in the air. (That is up.) And so we will be with the Lord forever.

Heaven is up. D L Moody was asked, why did he look up when he prayed? He said, “Because heaven is up where my Jesus is.”

Genesis 17:22 When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.

Acts 1:2 Until the day he was taken up to heaven.

Acts 1:9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. So heaven is up and we will be lifted up to heaven.

a. The lifting up to heaven involves a people.

1 Thessalonians 4:1 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to livein order to please God,as in fact you are living.

Who is this epistle written to: Brothers and sisters in Christ! Those who are saved are the ones who will be lifted up. Jesus is coming after the saved. He is not coming for the lost.

Will you be among those lifted up that day? Some of you say, “I hope so pastor.” Let me ask, “Are you are an Indian?” And you say, “I hope so.” Brother you know if you were born in India or not, and you know if you are born again by Jesus.

Did Job say, “I think my Redeemer liveth?” No. He said, “I Know that my redeemer liveth.” You either know Jesus personally or you don’t. There is nothing like, “I think, I might go to heaven.”

Christ isn’t returning for anyone who thinks they are saved, but for those who know it! If you’re saved and you know it, clap your hands! The rapture involves a people and if you are not sure, you can be one of them right now. Accept Jesus Christ as Lord and saviour.