The Return Of The King
1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11
Good morning Maple Grove!
NOW THIS MORNING – as we continue in our series, ‘Powerful Passages’ we are going to unpack 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11, in a conversation called, ‘The Return Of The King.’
Okay church, so are you ready!
Alright then – let’s do this.
NOW – I am going read the first half of this powerful passage and then pray us into our time in the Word. Sound like a plan?
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
For 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. According 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.
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.
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. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Prayer
UNDERSTAND – the return of the King, the second coming of Jesus (the first coming, being when He put on flesh 2000 years ago and walked on this planet, first as a baby and later on a cross)… IS A - major theme in the first letter that Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica.
IN FACT – Paul ended every chapter in this letter talking about the return of The King.
In Chapter One, Paul is telling these Jesus followers that their faith in God has become known everywhere, he says it literally rang out from them, and so Paul writes,
They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. – 1 Thessalonians 1:9,10
In Chapter 2, Paul is telling them how hard it was when he was forced to leave them, though they never left his thoughts, and then he writes…
For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
– 1 Thessalonians 2:19,20
In Chapter 3, Paul encourages them with these words…
May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
– 1 Thessalonians 3:13
In Chapter 4, Paul writes about the return of the King and how those who fell asleep in death ‘with Him’ will rise first.
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.
– 1 Thessalonians 4:17
In Chapter 5, Paul wraps up these letter with these words.
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
– 1 Thessalonians 5:23,24
UNDERSTAND MGCC – the Jesus followers in Thessalonica, were anxiously waiting for the return of Jesus.
AND LISTEN – (like most of the believers in the early church) they felt sure that He would return in their lifetime.
WHICH – resulted in them experiencing many different feelings in regards to His coming.
SOME - were anxious, because they had loved ones (fellow believers) who had already died, and they were concerned that they might miss out or be at a disadvantage when He returns.
OTHERS - were anxious, because they were worried about the same thing that many people are worried about today, "how can I be ‘sure,’ like ‘really sure,’ that I will be ready when Jesus Returns."
QUESTION……
DO YOU - have any concerns about ‘The Return Of The King,’ I MEAN …
• Do you feel ready? Like what if He were to return before lunch today?
• Are you concerned about what has happened to your loved ones who have died, AND what will happen to you, if you die before He returns?
NOW PAUL - knowing of these 2 concerns, addresses them in our text today.
AND – in so doing, he underscores 3 powerful truths about the second coming.
THREE TRUTHS - that are intended to give them, and to give us, encouragement.
AND MGCC – believe me when I tell you,
THESE - Jesus followers really needed some deep, long term encouragement, not only because they had concerns about the seconding coming because as one commentator that I read this week wrote,
As a small, young church in a big pagan city, the Thessalonian Christians faced challenges to their faith at every turn. Persecution, social pressure, temptations of the old lifestyle, conflict with new brothers and sisters in Christ, and surrender to despair were constant threats. Whatever the confidence with which they began their Christian pilgrimage, these believers were now faced with the daily ordeals of life in Christ in hostile surroundings. Paul reminds the readers repeatedly that the work of God began in them in Christ will not be complete until he returns. They can therefore look forward to his return with great expectancy, remembering that even death itself will then be utterly defeated, and living each moment in faithfulness as they await the fulfillment of the relationship with Christ.
The situation for Christians nearing the beginning of the third millennium is not much different from the one that Paul addressed. And so his reminders remain timely. The truth and power of the gospel, the love and integrity which characterizes Christ people, and the living hope of Christ’s return are especially relevant to people confronted with the diseases of relativism, hatred, selfishness and despair.
The conviction that this universe will end with God’s eternal triumph is as foreign to modern thinking as is the idea that it began by God’s command. But apart from such conviction, can humanity find meaning in what seems to be chaos? Without it, can humanity find a basis for moral decisions?
– Jon Weatherly
The Hope In His Return
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-15
NOW – I do not think I have to tell you that Grief is a very powerful human experience and emotion.
AND LISTEN – regardless of how firm our faith may be, the loss of a loved one, not only causes a profound emotional shock... IT OFTEN - calls on us, to make radical and painful life adjustments which may take months or longer.
A Canadian evangelist, put it well when he said, after the death of his first child, "The struggle, is to bring our faith and our emotions together." (ever had that struggle?)
AND LISTEN - grief can also lead to the stirring up, of some very unsettling questions about those who have died.
• What has happened to them?
• Are they okay?
• Will we see them again?
AND LISTEN - such questions arise, not only because of our concern for our loved ones, but also because their death, reminds us of our own mortality, which can undermine our sense of security, and make us very uncomfortable.
NOW - as I said earlier, many of the Thessalonians were concerned that their loved ones who had died ‘in Christ’ would somehow be at a disadvantage when the Lord returns. Listen to verse 13 again,
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
QUESTION – have you ever witnessed people grieving who had no hope?
NOW - there was a time back in Orlando, when a funeral home contacted us about a family who wanted to use our church for a service.
We said sure, but we had no part in the service…
I was just there to unlock and lock the building.
And let me tell you, the grief and wailing that I witnessed that day was deep, heartbreaking and hopeless.
IN FACT – those images I saw, I can still see.
OKAY – so in verse 13, Paul says that there are 2 things that He does not want the Thessalonians to be…
FIRST - he does not want them to be ignorant about what has happened to those who have fallen asleep…
(the term of falling asleep is phrase that is used several times throughout the NT to describe physical death, body separated from our spirit).
AND SECOND - Paul doesn’t want them to grieve like the gentiles who have no hope.
QUESTION - is Paul here forbidding Christians to grieve?
I MEAN - is it wrong for a Christian to grieve?
Did Jesus, ever grieve over the death of someone?
Yes he did. UNDERSTAND - grieving is natural.
IN FACT – it is pretty much unnatural, for someone not to grieve after a loss of a loved one....
OKAY - let me make a brief practical application here.
MGCC - the worst thing that we can do, when someone has lost a loved one, is to not allow them the space and the time to grieve. "You shouldn’t cry, you should be happen, you know where he is..."
NO - they need to grieve because a very bad thing has happened in their life -- they have suffered a great loss.
SO - Paul is not forbidding us to grieve, but rather he does not want us, to grieve like unbelievers who have no hope.
NOW - the pagan world in Paul’s day had no hope of life after death... Theocritus (poet/philosopher) wrote,
"There is hope for those who are alive, but those who have died are without hope."
A typical inscription on a grave at the time read.
“I was not, I became, I am not, I care not”
OKAY – here’s the truth…
Much of our world, does not have hope after death.
I MEAN - that’s why so many people avoid talking about death, it’s why they try to put off death and prolong this life as long as possible...etc.
AND – if they ever do talk about death, they usually make jokes to cover up their real fear... like film producer Woody Allen who once said, “It’s not that I’m afraid to die. I just don’t want to be there when it happens.”
NOW - this lack of hope in death for an unbeliever is powerfully illustrated in the following encounter from the life of Alexander Campbell (one of the founders of the Restoration Movement).
ONE DAY - Alexander Campbell and Robert Owen (an atheist who he was about to debate) were walking together on Campbell’s Estate, in Bethany Va.
AND – as they passed by the Campbell family’s small cemetery, Owen stopped, and turning to Campbell said,
"There is one advantage I have over the Christian -- I am not afraid to die. Most Christian have fear in death, but if some few items of my business were settled, I should be perfectly willing to die at any moment.."
Campbell immediately replied, "you say you have no fear in death – but do you have you any hope in death?"
AFTER – an expressive pause the philosopher replied in the negative.
THEN - pointing to an ox standing contently in a near by field, Campbell answered, ’then you are on a level with that brute. He is fed till satisfied and stands in the shade whisking off the flies with his tail, and he has neither hope nor fear in death..."
BUT LISTEN – this is not the case for us as Jesus followers, because our King’s Return gives us hope in death.
AMEN?!
AND LISTEN – this hope as is based on 2 things…
AN - expectation and a belief...
An Expectation
An expectation that Jesus will return.
In John 14, Jesus said the following to His disciples. Who were troubled by thoughts of His death and, of His departure
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me, that you also may be where I am.” – John 14:1-3
UNDERSTAND - Jesus here is (clearly and intentionally) setting the expectation for His return.
And after Jesus had ascended into heaven, the 11 stood gazing upward at the sight -- and angel appeared to them and said; "Men of Galilee, why do you stand here looking into the sky? 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.” – Acts 1:11
So our hope is based on an expectation that Jesus, the King of Kings, someday, will return..
BUT NOT ONLY - is our hope based on an expectation -- it is also based on…
A Belief
For 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. According 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. – 1 Thessalonians 4:14,15
MGCC - our hope is based on our belief that Jesus Christ died and rose again.
And Because Jesus rose, our faith has meaning,
UNDERSTAND - the resurrection of Christ is the very foundation and cornerstone of our hope.
And because Jesus has risen -- we too will rise ONE DAY!
Jesus said the following to a lady named Martha in John chapter 11, whose brother at the time had been dead and buried in a tomb for 4 days.
I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. - John 11:25
For 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. According 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. – 1 Thessalonians 4:14,15
The return of Christ gives us hope...
A living hope, an expectation of a new and better life in our forever home.
NOW – before we move on to the reality of His Return.
I want to briefly talk about the condition of our loved ones who have died in Christ…
#1 – They are with Jesus
Notice Paul says…
For 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
And He says in 2 Corinthians 5
We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. – 2 Corinthians 5:8
UNDERSTAND - the spirit of your loved ones who have died in Christ, are now at home with Christ in a place called paradise.
Now, Scripture does not give much detail about paradise, but if it is being with Jesus – it has to be AWESOME!
#2 – You loved ones are conscious
NOW – they do not have a physical body right now…
AND LISTEN - I have no idea how all that works (it’s way above my paygrade), but according to Scripture they are conscious.
• Jesus in Luke 16 talks about a rich man and a guy named Lazarus (not the brother of Martha and Mary) who had died and both were obviously awake and conscious.
• Luke 23:43, “Today you will be with me in paradise”
• In Revelation 7 John see a great multitude that no one could count from every – nation, tribe, people and language standing before the throne and in front of the lamb crying out in worship.
• Paul wrote… For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
– Philippians 1:21-23
• Again 2 Corinthians 5:8 (home with…)
QUESTION – do you find it encouraging to know that your loved ones who died in Christ… are with Him right now, totally awake and aware… having the times of their life in paradise!
No more sorrow
No more pain
OKAY – so that’s, the hope in His Return
Now let’s talk about…
The Reality Of His Return
UNDERSTAND MGCC - all of human history is moving towards 4 great climatic events…
A Return – A Resurrection – A Rapture – A Reunion
A Return
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.... 1 Thessalonians 4:16
MGCC – Jesus is coming again.
AND LISTEN – when our King Returns…
IT WILL NOT BE - like his first coming...
WHERE HE - was mocked, beaten, spit upon, pushed, shoved and crucified on a cross -- clothed only in the precious blood that poured from His suffering body.
UNDERSTAND - Men will not beat Jesus again, they will not mock Him again... they will not do anything to him again...
LISTEN…
SOMEDAY - and it may be real soon, all the activity and sounds of this world will be suddenly and dramatically interrupted, and the entire earth will resound will the a loud shout, with the voice of the archangel and the blast of the trumpet call of God (a loud call to gather His people and announce the arrival of her King).
AND THEN – the sky will crack open, and Jesus will return in glory, and He will be clothed in power... and all the earth will see Him…
AND - on His robe and thigh He will have this name written,
“King of kings and Lord of lords”
AND - every knee on earth and in heaven will bow down, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ, is Lord!!!
Yes, all of human history is moving towards this, climatic and culminating event. The Return of The King
Missionary Gregory Fisher writes: “What will He say when He shouts?”
The question took me by surprise. I had already found that West African Bible College Students can ask some of the most penetrating questions about minute details of scripture.
“Pastor, 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says that Christ will descend from heaven with a loud command. I would like to know what that command will be.”
I wanted to leave the question unanswered, to tell him that we must not go past what Scripture has revealed, but my mind wandered to an encounter I had earlier in the day with a refugee from the Liberian civil war.
The man, a high school principal, told me how he was apprehended by a 2 man death squad.
After several hours of terror, as the men described how they would torture and kill him, he narrowly escaped.
After hiding in the bush for 2 days, he was able to find his family and escape to a neighboring country.
The escape cost him dearly: 2 of his children lost their lives.
I also saw flashbacks of the beggars that I pass each morning on my way to the office.
Every day I see how poverty destroys dignity, robs men of the best of what it means to be human, and sometimes substitutes the worst of what it means to be an animal.
I am haunted by the vacant eyes of people who have lost hope.
“Pastor, you have not given me an answer. What will He say?” The question hadn’t gone away.
“Enough,” I said, “When He returns He will shout, “Enough!” The student had a look of surprise on his face, “What do you mean, enough?”
Enough suffering. Enough starvation. Enough terror.
Enough war. Enough hatred! Enough death.
Enough indignity. Enough evil people in power.
Enough lies. Enough deceit.
Enough lives trapped in hopelessness.
Enough sickness and disease.
Enough heartache & sorrow.
Enough pain and broken families.
ENOUGH!!!!”
YES – all of human history is moving towards a return, and towards…
A Resurrection
and the dead in Christ will rise first. – 1 Thessalonians 4:16
AGAIN - the Thessalonians were worried about their brothers and sisters who had fallen asleep (died) in the Lord.
They were concerned that these believers may be at a disadvantage. But such is not the case, for when Christ returns there will be a resurrection, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
UNDERSTAND - when we die (physically), we are separated from our body and our spirit goes to be at home with the Lord… BUT LISTEN - this is not to be our final state.
FOR YOU SEE - God has created us to be both body and spirit, and when he returns we will once again be body and spirit -HOWEVER - we will get a different body, a better body, an imperishable, an immortal body... (1 Cor 15:53ff)
I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 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.” – 1 Corinthians 15:53-54
NOW - exactly what this resurrected body is going to be like we don’t know for sure . HOWEVER – we do know that is going to be an amazing one!
A BODY – free from pain, disease, sin…
(free from the negative effects of eating too many carbs, you know the fun carbs). IN FACT – our new body, is going to be just like Jesus’ body. Seriously, for real, don’t believe me.
We eagerly await… the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. - Philippians 3:20,21
R U kidding me!
YES – all of human history is moving towards a return, a resurrection, and towards…
A Rapture
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up… to meet the Lord in the air. – 1 Thessalonians 4:17
NOW - the word rapture, is never used in the bible.
IN FACT - it is actually comes the Latin word "rapere" (Rah-Pier-A)… Which was used to translate the Greek word in our text "harpazo" – which is translated as ‘caught up’ in 1 Thessalonians 4:17
AND MGCC - the Greek word harpazo carries the following meanings which help to describe our future rapture...
To carry away speedily, To claim for one’s oneself, To move to a new place, To rescue from danger."
UNDERSTAND B/S…
AT - the final trumpet call of God, The King will return, TO…
Carry us away - to claim us as His own - to take us to a new place - to rescue us from danger.
AND LISTEN - it will all happen in a twinkling of the eye.
LIKE…
• Those who have died are already with Jesus, ‘boom’ new body – meeting Jesus in the air…
• And those who are still alive when He returns ‘boom’ new body meeting Jesus in the air.
Which brings us to the 4th thing that all history is moving towards:
A Reunion
LIKE – the greatest reunion ever?
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. – 1 Thessalonians 4:17
B/S – you will see them again! Those loved ones who have gone on before us (in Christ) We will see them again.
SERIUOSLY – can you just imagine how great this is going to be.
To BE - in your new body,
TO BE - in the air with Jesus
AND TO BE - reunited with your loved ones.
COME ON…
CLOSE - your eyes for a moment
AND THINK ABOUT - those you love who are with the Lord right now.
AND THINK ABOUT - one day, and it is true , it will happen!,
THINK ABOUT…
Seeing them again, holding them again, talking with them again,
giving them high 5’s as you streak through the heavens.
YES B/S – one day this will be our forever reality!
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Which by the way (being with the Lord forever is ultimate and best reunion of all)
AMEN!
YES – all, like every bit, of human history is moving towards…
A Return, A Reunion, A Rapture, A Reunion
SO – we have dug into God’s living and active Word and have heard Paul tell us about…
The HOPE IN His Return
The REALITY OF His Return
And so, we have one more truth to unpack
The PREPARATION FOR His Return
WHICH
I contend is an extremely important conversation.
Because if we are not prepared for His coming,
Our forever will not be, that great resurrected reunion but rather the eternals suffering of hell
Again, an extremely important conversation
A CONVERSATION
that I decided around 9:45 am yesterday
requires, deserves, demands more time than we have this morning… SO we will unpack this truth next week
AND – I gotta admit that I am pretty excited about holding off on this for one more week, because it will give me more time to study this powerful passage
(1 Thessalonians 5:1-11) about an eternity impacting truth.
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
For 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. According 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.
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.
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. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
QUESTION MGCC…
DO YOU - find any encouragement from these words?
