We come now to the reading and the preaching
of God's Word, and I ask then that you would
open up to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. This morning
will be in verses 13 through 18. We are continuing
our sermon series through this book, this letter
from Paul to the Thessalonians. And as we come
upon What is really a challenging section, this
is going to deal with eschatology. If you're
unfamiliar with that word, here's kind of a brief
definition. Eschatology is the study of last
things, the study of the return of Christ, the
study of the resurrection, the study of the new
heavens and the new earth. This is what we're
talking about today. And this is indeed a difficult
section, but we lean upon the help of the Holy
Spirit. we go about and so we have the word before
us let us read would you give special attention
to the reading of God's holy word first Thessalonians
4 13 through 18 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 For since we believe that Jesus died
and rose again even so through Jesus God will
bring with him those who have fallen asleep 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 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. 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. Therefore, encourage
one another with these words. The grass withers.
And the flower fades, but God's word stands forever.
Let us pray. Father in heaven, we thank you for
this text. We thank you for the hope that is
in here, the hope of the return of our savior,
the hope of the resurrection, Lord. But this
is challenging for us. And so would you be with
us and would you help us as we go along? These
things we pray in Christ's name. Amen. This week,
I saw a meme or a gif or a jif, whatever they're
called, I don't know, on the internet. And it
said this, don't let the guy who really wants
to teach eschatology teach eschatology. Like,
subscribe, amen. However, if we don't... let
the guy teach eschatology, who wants to teach
eschatology, there is a time when nobody would
teach eschatology. Because throughout centuries
of the church, at times, people have really shied
away from these doctrines. Because it is challenging.
Because we have so many questions. It's been
pointed out many times that Luther and Calvin,
great reformers, great commentators, never wrote
a commentary on Revelation. Something though
has happened, really kind of in our lifetimes,
where there has been extreme zealousness for
the return of Christ. There has been a thirst
for this knowledge of the return of Christ, which
is good. And there are a lot of resources out
there about eschatology these days. Unfortunately,
a lot of it's unhelpful. There are a lot of resources
out there that are unhelpful. Within our lifetimes
there have been predictions about the return
of Christ. They have been erroneous. There have
been works of fiction that were written about
the return of Christ. They have been erroneous.
People have written about the return of Christ
and oftentimes it just doesn't hold up to biblical
scrutiny. And today, friends, as we look at this
text, we want to handle this very, very carefully.
And so I'm not going to cover every eschatological
angle. I couldn't do that. And I think this text
compels us not to overdo it. Because as we look
at 1 Thessalonians 4, 13 through 18, the Apostle
Paul is hyper focused here. He's not writing
to answer every single question that we have.
He has a purpose for writing this. And actually,
as I look at it, I see two big purposes for this
text. Paul writes to clarify and Paul writes
to comfort. Paul writes to clarify and to comfort.
Let's start with clarifying. What is he clarifying
here? I see that he's clarifying the saints,
the sights, and the sounds. The saints, the sights,
and the sounds. Look in verse 13. He does not
want them to be uninformed. He does not want
these Christians there to be ignorant about the
return of Christ. And he says about those who
sleep. This is talking about those who have passed
away. This is a common metaphor. Sleeping is
a common metaphor. for those who have died. He
is clarifying what happens with deceased saints,
with believers. There seems to be trepidation
in Thessalonica, trepidation amongst believers
that their loved ones who have passed away would
somehow miss out on the resurrection, that they
might miss out on the return of Christ, that
they would miss out on some of the benefits of
the resurrection. But maybe we're wondering why?
Why would Thessalonians think that just because
people have died that they would miss out on
the return of Christ? Well, there's probably
a couple different reasons. One, remember that
Paul was only in this city for maybe three weeks.
Acts 17 says three Sabbaths. That's a lot to
learn in a little bit of time, right? And we
ourselves are still learning this. I don't know
of any eschatological experts within our sanctuary.
We are still learning just like the Thessalonians
were. However, there could be something else
going on that they may have stuff to unlearn.
There is an apocryphal book called Second Estrus.
And within this apocryphal work, There is in
about chapter 14, it says those who survive until
the second coming are more blessed than those
who died before. Those who survive until the
second coming are more blessed than those who
died before. This is what this work says. So
the Christians here, they need clarification
on this. They need correction on this. And so
look in verse 14. What Paul does as he writes
about what Christ did. and what Christ will do.
Christ died and rose again, he tells them. What
Paul is giving the Thessalonians is the good
news of the gospel. He is telling these believers
who are upset, who are grieved, who are concerned,
believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will
be saved. He's telling them, he's reminding them
that Christ has died for our sins, that Christ
was sinless and yet was our substitute. So he
tells them what Christ did and now he's gonna
say what Christ will do. Christ will come again,
he says. And really as they're concerned about
perhaps missing out on the benefits of the resurrection,
Paul writes this in such a way that it almost
sounds like it's a promotion to have gone ahead
to be with God. He's writing of believers who
have died who go to Jesus, but then look there
in verse 15. For this we declare to you by a
word from the Lord those that we who are alive
who are left until the coming of the Lord Will
not precede those who have fallen asleep So rather
than missing out on the benefits of the resurrection
what Paul says here is that the dead in Christ
go first, right? the dead in Christ are raised
a Friend asked me not too long ago. He said Why
did Jesus have to be raised? Wasn't it finished
on the cross? The answer, why did Christ have
to be raised, is so that we will be. Romans chapter
six says that we will have a resurrection like
his. And so the dead and Christ, they go first.
But after that, then the believers who are alive
are caught up into the clouds. And these are
not ordinary cumulus clouds. Perhaps we are to
think here of the very cloud in which Jesus ascended
by the Spirit. And so what do they do when they
get there, when they're in the clouds? Notice
that it says that in verse 17, we who are alive
who are left will be caught up together with
them in the clouds. We have a glorious reunion
of believers together with Christ in the air.
This is wonderful, and I think this is a point
that we oftentimes miss about that because we're
caught up in other elements of this. We want
to know when is this going to happen, right?
And we're going to get there next week, but for
now, we need to understand that Christ is coming
back, the dead in Christ rise first, and then
those who are alive go up to meet him and them
in the air. However, As we look at this, please
let's see something else. Let's look at the sites
here. Verse 16. See the Lord descending. As the
Lord descends, this should cause us to remember
how the Lord ascended. If you will, go to Acts
chapter 1. Acts chapter 1, verses 6 through 11.
to see how Christ ascended. So, when they had
come together, they asked him, Lord, will you
at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And
he said to them, it's not for you to know the
times or the seasons that the Father has fixed
by his own authority, but you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. and you
will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea
and Samaria and to the ends of the earth." And
when he had said these things, as they were looking
on, he was lifted up and a cloud took him out
of their sight. And while they were gazing into
heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them
in white robes and said, men of Galilee, why
do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus
who has taken up from you into heaven will come
in the same way. as you saw him go into heaven.
Friends, Jesus will return as he left. And it
will not be a representative from Jesus either.
It will be Jesus himself. Again, from verse 16,
the text says, for the Lord himself. This is
reflected in your English because it comes from
the Greek. What Paul wants them to know is this
is no one else coming to them other than The
Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ comes
to them. And friends, I want you to know this,
that when Jesus returns, his return will be unmissable.
His return will be unmissable. Some believers
approach this text and think of a secret rapture.
That everybody is going about their day, doing
their thing, and then all of a sudden the believers,
The problem with that is this text indicates
a worldwide visible event. The text shows us
his return will be visible, but not just visible,
but also audible. Again, verse 16. There are
three big sounds within verse 16. Let's look
at these. The first one. the Lord himself will
descend from heaven with a cry of command. Now
it's not altogether clear who issues this cry
of command, at least from our text, but if we
go to some other texts, we might understand who
this is, because Jesus talks about himself in
John chapter five. He says, the hour is coming
when all who are in their graves will hear his
voice and come out. So this seems to indicate
to us that the one issuing the cry of command
is none other than the one who is coming to them.
This is Christ. The second sound, it mentions
the archangel, the voice of the archangel. Again,
doesn't say who it is, but if we go to the book
of Jude, we see the archangel is identified as
Michael. And so this may refer to Michael. The
third sound is the sound of the trumpet of God.
In the Old Testament, the trumpet sound often
signals the very presence of God. I want to take
you to one scripture in the Old Testament and
one scripture in the New Testament to see a little
bit more about this trumpet sound. Zechariah,
just listen, Zechariah 9 14. Then the Lord will
appear over them and his arrow will go forth
like lightning. The Lord God will sound the trumpet.
and will march forth in the whirlwinds of the
south. And then from 1 Corinthians chapter 15,
a chapter that is all about resurrection, 1 Corinthians
15, or 15, 51 through 52. Behold, I tell you
a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall
all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of
an eye at the last trumpet. for the trumpet will
sound and the dead will be raised imperishable
and we shall be changed. Friends, this is very
audible. This is very vocal. Commentator Ken
Jones says, to make all of this a secret, all
of these sounds a secret, turns these sounds
into something akin to a cosmic dog whistle.
Friends, there is a genuine ruckus. going on
in the heavens. And we cannot deny the visible
audible evidence. If it's supposed to be a secret,
why does Paul write as though this is the most
public event of all time? I like how another
commentator puts this. Daniel Hyde says here,
let me say this as clearly as I can, but with
love for you in my words. The hope Paul offers
is not a secret rapture. There was nothing veiled
about the birth of the Son of God upon earth.
There's nothing hidden about what is going to
happen when the Lord comes again. This hope for
a dramatic public and visible return of Christ.
But if you don't like his words, perhaps you'll
like Revelation 1 7. Behold, he is coming with
the clouds and every eye will see him. even those
who pierced him and all the tribes of the earth
will wail on account of him even so. Amen. Perhaps
I'm belaboring my point because we're now asking,
all right, Jesus is coming. He calls the dead
in Christ and the believers who are alive up
to himself. But then what? What happens after
all of this? Well, friends, that's not addressed
within our text. And so I'm not going to spend
as much time on it here, but I do want to direct
you towards the next book of the Bible, Second
Thessalonians, chapter one. Second Thessalonians,
chapter one, five through 10. This is lengthy,
but listen, this is God's word. This is evidence
of the righteous judgment of God. that you may
be considered worthy of the kingdom of God for
which you are also suffering since indeed God
considers it just to repay with affliction those
who afflict you and to grant relief to you who
are afflicted as well to us when the Lord Jesus
is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels
in flaming fire inflicting vengeance on those
who do not know God and on those who do not obey
the gospel of our Lord Jesus They will suffer
the punishment of eternal destruction away from
the presence of the Lord and from the glory of
his might. And when he comes on that day to be
glorified in his saints and to be marveled at
among you who have believed, because our testimony
to you was believed. In a word, what comes next,
friends, is the judgment. What comes next is
the judgment. Still, there are some who try and
insert a thousand -year gap in between the return
of Christ and between judgment. But there are
so many passages that speak of the judgment occurring
right after the return of Christ. Consider the
book of Daniel chapter 12, one through two. At
that time shall arise Michael, the great prince,
who has charge of your people. And there shall
be a time of trouble such as never has been since
there was a nation till that time. But at that
time, your people shall be delivered. Everyone
whose name shall be found written in the book.
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the
earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and
some to shame and everlasting contempt. What
a premillennious does then is not just advocating
for a second coming. but advocating for a third
coming. It's almost as if there's people who
would say, Christ has died, Christ has risen,
Christ will come again, and then he'll come again
after that. Friends, I don't think that's what
this text is telling us. There's also an assumption
back in 1 Thessalonians 4 that when Christ comes
to take believers, he comes to take them to heaven.
But you'll see within the text that is not stated.
This is challenging, I know. but it's not stated.
And so we have to look to other scriptures that
can help us. Perhaps you remember the parable
of the 10 virgins and the bridegroom in Matthew
25. The bridegroom comes and the women go to
meet him. And then what do they do? They all
go the rest of the journey to the wedding feast.
It's the same thing in Acts chapter 28. Paul
goes to Rome, the believers meet him and they
accompany him on the remainder of the journey.
And so this is a possible view that as Christ
comes and we are called up to him in the air,
then we descend the rest of the way to be here.
That is a view, and I think it's a good view.
It's also a predominant view of the early church.
Perhaps you've heard of the name John Chrysostom.
He was the Archbishop of Canterbury in the 300s.
He is the one called Golden Mouth because of
his preaching. And he said this again in the
300s, if Christ descends from heaven, why will
we go up to meet him in order to be honored?
Well, when a king enters a city, those whom he
honors go out to meet him. And so it is a view
within the reform camp that as Christ comes,
we meet him and we come the rest of the way.
Well, now at this point, maybe you're saying
this is a lot. We're still wrapping our minds
around it. What do we do with this? What kind
of application do we have with a message like
this? The application is do not delay knowing
Jesus Don't put him off anymore everybody Every
human being will be judged the just and the unjust
But only the just only the believer only those
who have the righteousness of Christ will be
safe consider how Hebrews chapter nine, twenty
seven and twenty eight puts this. And just as
it is appointed for man to die once and after
that comes judgment. So Christ, having been offered
once to bear the sins of many, will appear a
second time not to deal with sin, but to save
those who are eagerly waiting for him. Christian,
are you waiting for the return of Jesus? Are
you ready? for him to come. Consider how 2 Corinthians
6 puts this. Behold, now is the favorable time.
Behold, now is the day of salvation. Friends,
the day to believe in Jesus is today, not tomorrow,
not when you get tired of that secret sin that
you crave, not when you get the right job. Not
when you have your life all cleaned up. Not when
you get married and not when you have kids. Today
is the day of salvation. But friends, our text
also shows us something else. Today is the day
of comfort. Today is the day of comfort. You
all, many of you are in situations where you
need comfort. You have been in that cemetery
next door. On some of the heaviest, the hardest,
the darkest days of your life, you know what
you needed then. You needed comfort from God's
Word and Paul richly supplies. Notice here within
this text, as Paul talks about this difficult
doctrine of eschatology, he doesn't lead them
through a systematic theology course on eschatology.
What does he do? He gives them hope. He gives
them comfort. Paul writes to help Christians
grieve. This text helps us know how to grieve.
We grieve with hope. Notice the text does not
condemn grieving. There are some of us who think
it's a virtue to never shed a tear. We're stoic
like that, right? But if you'll remember, what
did Jesus do when his friend Lazarus died? Jesus
wept. He wept even though he knew that he was
going to raise Lazarus. And so what this text
helps us to do is to grieve with hope. There's
no greater pain than losing a loved one. But
from this text we realize those loved ones who
die in the Lord, they don't miss out on anything.
This should help us to grieve the next time something
sorrowful comes our way. This should help us
when we have a neighbor, a friend, a family member
who is grieving to give them this passage and
to help them grieve. Also, let's recognize who
this is talking about. This is talking about
those who die in the Lord. Psalm 116, 15. Precious
in the sight of the Lord is the death of his
saints. Friends, we need to share this text with
others. We need to help others grieve. Why? Because
verse 17 is so very important. So that they will
always be with the Lord. Being with the Lord
is the purpose of resurrection. Being with the
Lord is the best part of this passage. And friends,
eschatology without hope completely misses the
boat. Friends, I want you to know today that
nothing can separate you from the love of God
and Christ Jesus. Perhaps you know this passage.
from Romans chapter 8, 38 and 39. For I am sure
that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor
rulers, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything
else in all creation will be able to separate
us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Friends, that's pretty all -encompassing, isn't
it? Nothing can snatch you from the hand of Christ.
When He comes, He will not leave you. I hope
this is coming through loud and clear, that Christ
is coming, and He doesn't lose any of His children.
But also look at verse 18 as we close. This is
also what we can do with this text. Therefore,
encourage one another with these words. Paul
writes to a church. Paul writes to a family of
believers who are misinformed and grieving as
a church, as Fairview Presbyterian Church. Let's
not let others grieve in this way. Have this
scripture in your back pocket. Commit this scripture
to memory. Hide it in your heart and hide other
passages that speak to the glorious resurrection
and the coming of Christ. that speak to our heavenly
home, because our Savior, He laid His life down
and He was raised so that you too will be raised.
And so be comforted, Church. Christ is coming
for you. And whether He comes in your lifetime,
whether you're already with Him in spirit, you
will always be with Him, because Christ loses
none. Let's pray.