1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18
"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
Text:
St. John 14: 2-3
"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
Here in the scripture portion (1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18), we have recorded the great message of the Lord's return as written by the Apostle Paul. His topic....The King Is Coming! Jesus is our King. He is the King of Kings...and He is coming again. There is no message that comes through with more repetition, especially in the New Testament, than the message of our Lord's return; His coming again.
Truly, He is coming again. The signs are everywhere. (The subject of "the signs of the times" is another sermon of its own.)
Recently someone made the comment and suggested that our Kings return was so close that we needed to stop looking for the signs and start listening for the sound. The sound of a "shout from Heaven" by our King. "...The voice of the archangel and the sound of the trump of God." The Psalmist David said in Psalm 89:15 "Blessed is the people who know the joyful sound...."
The message of our Lords return - "The King Is Coming" is...
**A Great Historic Event.
It will certainly be just that. Our King is going to make an invasion into time and into history.
When the Bible speaks of "the coming of the Lord", it is not referring to an experience of death or some other mystical experience. The return of the Lord is not something to be spiritualized. It is the literal, personal return of the risen Christ. It will be the same Jesus that was born of the Virgin Mary. It will be the same Jesus who walked this earth, was crucified, died, was buried and who rose again. That same Jesus is going to break into the history of this sinful world. The above scripture states, "For the Lord Himself - (get that) "The Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven." It is going to be a great historical event. It is going to be the next great love act of our Lord.
Notice also that this message of our Lord's return conveys
**A Great Dramatic Event.
Note -Verse 16
Can you think of anything more "dramatic than that?
Actually, Paul was using terms here that were well understood in his day; military terms. When a Roman army was asleep at night it took 3 blasts of the trumpet to bring them to order.
1st blast - AWAKE - get up from your sleep.
2nd blast - GATHER around in your respective groups.
3rd blast - ADVANCE.
This whole military concept is revealed here as Paul speaks of "the Shout - the Voice -and the Trump."
The SHOUT - those asleep in Jesus will arise.
The VOICE of the Archangel - assembling of respective groups. It it not only be the dead in Christ but those that alive and remaining.
The TRUMP of God - they will advance. " caught up together to meet the Lord in the air..ever to be with the Lord.
What a dramatic event that is going to be!
The message of our Lord's coming again also carries
**A Specific Intent.
What is the specific intention that God's Word is conveying to His people? Why was Paul given this great message of the Lord's return? Verse 18 - It is intended for our comfort. How does this message comfort the people of God?
A - It strengthens our faith. The fact of Jesus coming again is the greatest faith builder and strengthener in the Bible. Our King is coming for His people. He is coming to deliver His people and destroy their enemy. I sure do not want to miss His coming! All of our great space exploration deeds that have caused the world to marvel and wonder are nothing compared to what is about to take place....the Great Operation Uplift into the clouds of Glory. As stated in the scripture above ..." we shall be caught up together." We will be caught up away from the crime, the drugs, the danger, the sin, sadness, sorrow, pollution, politics, poverty, and the wickedness of this evil world. Praise God the church, God's people will be caught up and everything will be made right and straightened out. The King is coming to right this old world.
One of the great English preachers of the past once gave a message about what's wrong with the world.
He talked of the things that were "out of place." Friends, the believer, the followers of Christ may get out of place, but Jesus is never out of place. He has every thing well timed, well purposed and planned. When He comes again He is going to set everything right.
B - The message of our Lord's return comforts God's people by stimulating our hope. The context of the scripture (Verses 13-16) reveals that these words were directed to people who had lost their loved ones. They had put them in their graves and were sorrowing, saying "now what is going to happen? We thought Jesus was coming back before they died. Now they are dead. Will we ever see them again?" These people were sorrowing. Paul said to wait for "the shout."
C - Finally, this message of our Lord's return searches our hearts. Are we ready for the King to come? Are we living in such a manner that we will not be ashamed at His coming?
The King is coming.........
Are YOU ready?
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