The Return Series

INTRODUCTION

• Today, we will begin a new series through part of the book of 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians entitled "Faith In Uncertain Times."

• We live in uncertain times, and every generation faces the same feeling.

• Big Idea of the Series: In a world filled with death, war, and evil, how can we face what feels like an unknowable future?

• What do we do with our anxiety regarding the days ahead?

• What do we do about the anxiety that awaits us concerning the grave?

• This 6-week series guide is based on the books of 1 and 2 Thessalonians and provides comfort and reassurance to those living in uncertain times.

• These letters discuss the future of Christ's Second Coming and what believers should do while awaiting his return.

• Paul encourages believers to be prepared, to cling to the truth of what they have been taught, and to live responsibly in light of the future.

• How can we take these words to heart and face the future without fear?

• One of the things that drives fear in one's life is the unknown or not having the correct information on a given subject matter.

• The church at Thessalonica dealt with a subject that caused a great deal of anxiety and grief within the body of believers at Thessalonica, which means other Christians were facing the same anxiety and fear.

• In a 2022 study by Chapman University, called The Chapman University Survey of American Fears (https://blogs.chapman.edu/wilkinson/2022/10/14/the-top-10-fears-in-america-2022/).

• This study is now in its ninth year.

• They reported the fears Americans face, and they ranked them by the percentage of Americans who reported being afraid or very afraid.

• 1. Corrupt government officials 62.1%.

• 2. People I love becoming seriously ill 60.2%.

• 3. Russia using nuclear weapons 59.6%.

• 4. People I love dying 58.1%.

• 5. The U.S. becoming involved in another world war 56.0%.

• 6. Pollution of drinking water: 54.5%.

• 7. Not having enough money for the future, 53.7%.

• 8. Economic/financial collapse 53.7%.

• 9. Pollution of oceans, rivers, and lakes 52.5%.

• 10. Biological warfare 51.5%.

• Corrupt government officials topped the list for a few years now.

• These lists used to be spiders, public speaking, death, etc.

• This study focused on a random sample of 1035 Americans who were asked from a list of ninety-five different fears ranging from topics about the government, the environment, natural disasters, COVID-19, and many more.

• Today and next week, our text will deal with fear number four: people I love dying.

• There is a lot of fantasy-based information concerning the Second Coming; over the next couple of weeks, we will look into the Word to see if we can gain some knowledge and insight concerning the return of Jesus.

• Let's begin in 1 Thessalonians 4:13

1 Thessalonians 4:13 (NET 2nd ed.)

13 Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest who have no hope.

SERMON

I. A grave concern.

• Death is a time we do not like to face.

• We have many people here today who have lost loved ones to death.

• When death comes, our hopes and dreams for the future seem crushed.

• Some have lost loved ones at an early age, some after many years together.

• Losing a loved one can be a life-changing event in our lives.

• There never seems to be enough time.

• One day, unless the Lord returns first, we will all face our own death and or the death of our loved ones.

• What happens when we die?

• Is it game over?

• When we are immersed in Christ, one of the promises we have from God is eternal life.

• As Christians, we have hope; we believe what Jesus says concerning our eternal destiny in Him.

• Death is not something we look forward to, BUT it will bring us significant changes.

• We must maintain our sense of anticipation and hope in the face of death.

• 1 Thessalonians, written around 52 AD, only about 20 years after Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection took place, yet the people were seeing their loved one die, and no return of Jesus yet.

• They did not know what to do or what to think.

• People during this period were so sure that Jesus would return in their lifetime that some quit working and were waiting for Jesus.

• We see a hint of this in 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12.

• Paul's recipients were "concerned that those who had died would be at a disadvantage not being alive when…the coming of the Lord would be realized" (Spiros Zodhiates, The Key Word Study Bible [AMG International: 1990], 1585).