Series: Encouragement [#7]
A MODEL OF CHRISTIAN HOPE
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Introduction:
A desperate need, (the need for hope) exists among Christians. I know, because it is true in my life. Christians need to remind themselves constantly that God is on the throne, in control, and moving purposefully in this world. Today the word hope has been weakened to mean an expectancy that something will happen but with much question as to whether it really will. “I hope” carries almost the same meaning as “I wish.” This is not the meaning of hope in the New Testament. Paul used the word in the New Testament sense of absolute certainty. It has been said that hope means being so sure about the future that we can enjoy it in the present.
Our hope is not like the world’s hope. Our hope is so sure because it is rooted in God’s ability to do what He has promised. Paul said an understanding of this hope will bring comfort in troubled times. I want you to see what our hope is. We cannot be vague at this point. The Thessalonian Christians apparently were experiencing strong anxiety over issues they did not understand. Paul obviously had taught them that Jesus was going to return. From what Paul said in our text, we can conclude that the Thessalonians were concerned about what would happen to believers who died before Jesus’ return. Their ignorance of the hope Paul spoke of had created anxiety for them, and it will create anxiety for us. Hope enables us to remain steadfast in difficult days. Our text suggests 3 things we should fasten our attention on in these troubled days. These things serve as the anchor that gives us hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-15 (NIV)
13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about 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.
Our hope is the…
1. Assurance of eternal life.
The Thessalonians were concerned that they never would see their loved ones who had faith in Jesus; but who had died. Very likely they also feared what would happen to them if they died before Jesus returned. Paul made clear to them that death is not to be feared. Our hope is eternal life, and death is a springboard into personal fellowship with Jesus. In fact, Paul said that when Jesus comes, “God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” Paul used the word sleep to describe the death of Christians. He spoke of the body, not the soul. As a sleeper continues to exist while the body sleeps, so the dead in Christ continue to exist, though separated from the realm of earthly existence. As sleep is temporary, so is the death of the body. That is our hope. We move from this life into a face-to-face relationship with Jesus; but that is not the Christians’ only hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 (NIV)
16 For 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.
Our hope is the…
2. Resurrection of our bodies.
We have a body, the material part of us; but as I mentioned earlier, we also have a part of us that is not material. The spirit is that part of us that communicates with God. It is this part of Christians that continues on in face-to-face relationship with God after death. This face-to-face relationship is a part of our great hope; but another part of our hope is God’s plan for the body. His plan is to give all Christians another body. The body gets tired; it wears out and breaks down; it is resistant to God’s will. A part of our hope is that when Jesus comes, these bodies of humiliation will be transformed into bodies that are equal to the needs of the spirit, God’s glorious presence, and the glories of Heaven.
Paul said that when Jesus comes, “the dead in Christ will rise first.” The 1st thing that will happen when Jesus comes back is that the saved who have departed this life will receive resurrected bodies. We are going to have a resurrected body like Jesus’ resurrected body. What a comfort to the Thessalonians to know that those who had preceded them in death would not be left out of the glory of the second coming of Jesus. In fact, Paul said, “We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.” Verse 17 makes clear that both living and dead Christians will be with Jesus in the air and always will be with Him. What a hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 (NIV)
17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will 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. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Our hope is the…
3. Coming of Jesus Christ.
Many have tried to explain away the second coming as being something other than the actual personal return of Jesus. Some say it refers to death; others say it refers to the new birth; still others say it refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit in His fullness at Pentecost; but Paul emphatically stated, “The Lord himself shall descend from heaven.”
According to Paul’s words, the coming of the Lord involves 2 aspects. He is coming to claim His own, and He is coming to restore order to a sin-cursed world.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 deals more with this 2nd aspect. Difference of opinion about the timing of these 2 events is widespread. Some believe these two events are simultaneous- That Jesus will come, take His own, and judge the world at the same time. Others believe a period of 7 years will occur between the 2 events. Our text is limited in scope to the 1st aspect of our Lord’s coming, that is, His coming to take His own.
These 3 words sum up what will happen when Jesus comes back.
? Resurrection.
The resurrection of believers is the 1st thing that will take place when Jesus comes.
? Rapture.
This word does not occur in our text, but the idea is present. Verse 17 says that Christians living at the time of Jesus’ coming will be “caught up”. The picture is of all living Christians being snatched away. Jesus will come and claim His people for Himself and move them from this world to His prepared place. The only people mentioned by Paul are saved people- Those who have departed this life to be with Jesus prior to His second coming and those living on earth at the time of His coming. Nothing is said about the resurrection of the unsaved dead or judgment. This tells us that our Lord’s second coming actually will have 2 parts. He will come secretly for His own at the rapture; and after a period of time, He will come again to judge the world.
? Reunion.
In verse 17 Paul said, “And so we will be with the Lord forever.” The we is composed of the saved dead whose bodies have been resurrected and the living saved who have been transformed into their glorified bodies “in a moment in the twinkling of an eye.” Actually,
1 Thessalonians 4 closes with another thought that could be summed up in the word rejoice. The practical value of believers’ great hope of Christ’s return and their resurrection is that we “encourage one another with these words.”
Conclusion:
I pray this morning, that each person here will be raptured out of this world with Jesus Christ. Do you know Him as Savior? Be ready.
