1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Today we are going to be in the book of 1 Thessalonians. One thing I have noticed is that the world is getting worse and worse. It seems like between wars, rumors or wars, the state of Israel, and the decline of God in America, that we are that much closer to the “Return of Christ.” Jesus is coming back soon! We don’t know the day or the hour, but it feels like it is going down soon.
However, what has always fascinated me is that while we believe that Jesus could be coming back any minute, the early church believed the same thing and felt exactly the way we do almost 2000 years ago! They too believed and shared the same truths we are sharing now with their fellow believers. I find that very intriguing. Today we are going to spend time on one of those passages written by Paul.
At the end of chapter 4, Paul is addressing a matter that was brought up in a report given to Him by Timothy. Timothy was sent to Thessalonica by Paul to do some research on how the church was doing after Paul and his team had been ran out of town. Upon his arrival, he was pleased to find out that the church was thriving and were fruitful in doing the Lord’s work. Timothy included these findings and more in his report. One of the matters was the return of Christ. Let’s read it together.
1
Thessalonians 4:13-15 ESV
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.”
Grieving as those without
Hope
According to Timothy’s report, some of the believers were grieving due to loved ones in the church passing away. Paul described it as “grieving without hope,” meaning that they were grieving as if they were not saved. Paul made it clear that there are a different set of circumstances for those who hope in Jesus than those who do not. Because their loved ones knew Jesus, there was hope. It was a true and living hope. Their hope was that they, along with their later loved ones, would be a part of the resurrection when Jesus returned.
These grieving believers thought that because their friends had died, their friends would not be a part of the resurrection. They imagined they would miss out when Jesus returned. They clearly had a base knowledge of the Second Coming of Christ, but they did not have the full picture. According to Paul, they had “gaps” in their faith. The Thessalonians believers had been uninformed or misinformed.
These were strong believers in the faith. They knew Jesus. They knew the truth that was passed down to them. They stood strong in it. They obeyed it. They were faithful. They were fruitful. They were examples of what it meant to follow Jesus. Yet, they were suffering. They were sad and depressed. They were mourning and in a deep distress. Because they were uninformed or misinformed.
Its incredible how much misinformation or not having enough information can impact our everyday realities. There is the truth, and there is the truth that you believe. Both are powerful. Proverbs says “as a man thinks, so is He.” Regardless if what we believe is true or not, that is who that man is because it is what he believes. It’s important to make sure what we are believing is the truth.
The truth brings faith, security, and hope. Anything else that is not the truth (which is a lie) brings fear, stress, and worry. When we find ourselves stressed, worried, depressed, in anguish, we have to stop ourselves and ask, what am I believing right now? Am I struggling because of something I am believing? A quick fix to our faith goes a long way.
Verse 13 said they had been “uninformed” of the truth concerning the dead in Christ. They were unaware of the full truth and consequently made assumptions because of it. We must be careful when it comes to making assumptions. Assumptions are based on part truth and part reasoning. At the end of the day, we have to ensure that we are believing the truth, and not simply an assumption.
The Coming of the Lord
That is what Paul did. Paul let them know that they didn’t need to grieve as those with no hope. He let them know that while Jesus is returning for the living, He is returning for the dead as well!
1
Thessalonians 4:16-17
16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
When Jesus returns, He will return in the clouds with a…
•
Cry of command
•
Voice of an
archangel
• Sound of the trumpet of God
- The dead in Christ will rise first
- The living in Christ will be “caught up”
- We will all be with the Lord forever
This is the coming of the Lord!! Jesus is coming back! Let us live our life with expectation. This is the truth. Let our hope and expectation be settled on it. Let our hope be anchored in it. Let us not be thrown back and forth outside of it.
Encourage One Another
Paul ends the chapter in verse 18 saying, “encourage one another with these words.” The resurrection of the dead was the antidote for the suffering of some of the believers in Thessalonica. He instructed them to encourage each other with this truth because it was the answer to their discouragement. While the situations may be different, the coming of Christ is still meant to encourage us today. Whatever you may be going through, things are going to get better. They will either get better here on this side of Heaven, or on the other. All things will be made right when Jesus comes back! Let us keep our lamps burning. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. Let us be ready when Jesus returns.
Matthew 24:36-37 ESV
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
Let us be encouraged and let us be ready. Jesus is coming back!!
TAKEAWAYS
I.
Allow
God’s Word to shape what you believe
II.
Grieve
with Hope
III.
Live
with Expectation
IV.
Encourage
others that Jesus is coming back
