WEBVTT 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:07.879 We come now to the reading and the preaching 00:00:07.879 --> 00:00:11.580 of God's Word, and I ask then that you would 00:00:11.580 --> 00:00:17.920 open up to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. This morning 00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:21.600 will be in verses 13 through 18. We are continuing 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:26.059 our sermon series through this book, this letter 00:00:26.059 --> 00:00:29.519 from Paul to the Thessalonians. And as we come 00:00:29.519 --> 00:00:32.340 upon What is really a challenging section, this 00:00:32.340 --> 00:00:35.759 is going to deal with eschatology. If you're 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:38.719 unfamiliar with that word, here's kind of a brief 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:41.500 definition. Eschatology is the study of last 00:00:41.500 --> 00:00:45.299 things, the study of the return of Christ, the 00:00:45.299 --> 00:00:50.420 study of the resurrection, the study of the new 00:00:50.420 --> 00:00:52.119 heavens and the new earth. This is what we're 00:00:52.119 --> 00:00:55.679 talking about today. And this is indeed a difficult 00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:58.179 section, but we lean upon the help of the Holy 00:00:58.179 --> 00:01:03.250 Spirit. we go about and so we have the word before 00:01:03.250 --> 00:01:06.450 us let us read would you give special attention 00:01:06.450 --> 00:01:10.590 to the reading of God's holy word first Thessalonians 00:01:10.590 --> 00:01:15.030 4 13 through 18 but we do not want you to be 00:01:15.030 --> 00:01:18.969 uninformed brothers about those who are asleep 00:01:18.969 --> 00:01:24.230 that you may not grieve as others do who have 00:01:24.230 --> 00:01:27.950 no hope For since we believe that Jesus died 00:01:27.950 --> 00:01:32.609 and rose again even so through Jesus God will 00:01:32.609 --> 00:01:36.469 bring with him those who have fallen asleep For 00:01:36.469 --> 00:01:38.870 this we declare to you by a word from the Lord 00:01:38.870 --> 00:01:41.829 that we who are alive Who are left until the 00:01:41.829 --> 00:01:45.489 coming of the Lord will not precede those who 00:01:45.489 --> 00:01:48.469 have fallen asleep For the Lord himself will 00:01:48.469 --> 00:01:51.739 descend from heaven with a cry of command with 00:01:51.739 --> 00:01:54.140 the voice of an archangel and with the sound 00:01:54.140 --> 00:01:57.040 of the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:01.879 will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are 00:02:01.879 --> 00:02:05.439 left, will be caught up together with them in 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:09.080 the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so 00:02:09.080 --> 00:02:13.060 we will always be with the Lord. Therefore, encourage 00:02:13.060 --> 00:02:17.419 one another with these words. The grass withers. 00:02:17.599 --> 00:02:20.319 And the flower fades, but God's word stands forever. 00:02:20.400 --> 00:02:24.939 Let us pray. Father in heaven, we thank you for 00:02:24.939 --> 00:02:27.979 this text. We thank you for the hope that is 00:02:27.979 --> 00:02:30.520 in here, the hope of the return of our savior, 00:02:30.620 --> 00:02:34.439 the hope of the resurrection, Lord. But this 00:02:34.439 --> 00:02:37.240 is challenging for us. And so would you be with 00:02:37.240 --> 00:02:40.080 us and would you help us as we go along? These 00:02:40.080 --> 00:02:47.199 things we pray in Christ's name. Amen. This week, 00:02:47.819 --> 00:02:52.900 I saw a meme or a gif or a jif, whatever they're 00:02:52.900 --> 00:02:56.879 called, I don't know, on the internet. And it 00:02:56.879 --> 00:03:02.080 said this, don't let the guy who really wants 00:03:02.080 --> 00:03:07.280 to teach eschatology teach eschatology. Like, 00:03:07.460 --> 00:03:12.620 subscribe, amen. However, if we don't... let 00:03:12.620 --> 00:03:14.699 the guy teach eschatology, who wants to teach 00:03:14.699 --> 00:03:16.860 eschatology, there is a time when nobody would 00:03:16.860 --> 00:03:21.259 teach eschatology. Because throughout centuries 00:03:21.259 --> 00:03:25.740 of the church, at times, people have really shied 00:03:25.740 --> 00:03:30.639 away from these doctrines. Because it is challenging. 00:03:31.080 --> 00:03:34.719 Because we have so many questions. It's been 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:37.740 pointed out many times that Luther and Calvin, 00:03:38.300 --> 00:03:42.360 great reformers, great commentators, never wrote 00:03:42.360 --> 00:03:47.479 a commentary on Revelation. Something though 00:03:47.479 --> 00:03:51.379 has happened, really kind of in our lifetimes, 00:03:51.659 --> 00:03:56.400 where there has been extreme zealousness for 00:03:56.400 --> 00:03:58.960 the return of Christ. There has been a thirst 00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:01.319 for this knowledge of the return of Christ, which 00:04:01.319 --> 00:04:06.939 is good. And there are a lot of resources out 00:04:06.939 --> 00:04:11.439 there about eschatology these days. Unfortunately, 00:04:12.919 --> 00:04:16.800 a lot of it's unhelpful. There are a lot of resources 00:04:16.800 --> 00:04:19.800 out there that are unhelpful. Within our lifetimes 00:04:19.800 --> 00:04:22.319 there have been predictions about the return 00:04:22.319 --> 00:04:25.199 of Christ. They have been erroneous. There have 00:04:25.199 --> 00:04:28.000 been works of fiction that were written about 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:30.800 the return of Christ. They have been erroneous. 00:04:31.639 --> 00:04:33.860 People have written about the return of Christ 00:04:33.860 --> 00:04:37.620 and oftentimes it just doesn't hold up to biblical 00:04:37.620 --> 00:04:41.730 scrutiny. And today, friends, as we look at this 00:04:41.730 --> 00:04:44.829 text, we want to handle this very, very carefully. 00:04:46.470 --> 00:04:49.250 And so I'm not going to cover every eschatological 00:04:49.250 --> 00:04:53.149 angle. I couldn't do that. And I think this text 00:04:53.149 --> 00:04:57.170 compels us not to overdo it. Because as we look 00:04:57.170 --> 00:05:00.610 at 1 Thessalonians 4, 13 through 18, the Apostle 00:05:00.610 --> 00:05:04.629 Paul is hyper focused here. He's not writing 00:05:04.629 --> 00:05:07.850 to answer every single question that we have. 00:05:08.089 --> 00:05:11.870 He has a purpose for writing this. And actually, 00:05:11.949 --> 00:05:15.790 as I look at it, I see two big purposes for this 00:05:15.790 --> 00:05:20.990 text. Paul writes to clarify and Paul writes 00:05:20.990 --> 00:05:25.449 to comfort. Paul writes to clarify and to comfort. 00:05:25.550 --> 00:05:28.610 Let's start with clarifying. What is he clarifying 00:05:28.610 --> 00:05:31.949 here? I see that he's clarifying the saints, 00:05:32.209 --> 00:05:35.689 the sights, and the sounds. The saints, the sights, 00:05:35.689 --> 00:05:40.589 and the sounds. Look in verse 13. He does not 00:05:40.589 --> 00:05:43.290 want them to be uninformed. He does not want 00:05:43.290 --> 00:05:47.129 these Christians there to be ignorant about the 00:05:47.129 --> 00:05:50.209 return of Christ. And he says about those who 00:05:50.209 --> 00:05:53.110 sleep. This is talking about those who have passed 00:05:53.110 --> 00:05:55.949 away. This is a common metaphor. Sleeping is 00:05:55.949 --> 00:05:58.910 a common metaphor. for those who have died. He 00:05:58.910 --> 00:06:03.709 is clarifying what happens with deceased saints, 00:06:04.029 --> 00:06:09.009 with believers. There seems to be trepidation 00:06:09.009 --> 00:06:12.449 in Thessalonica, trepidation amongst believers 00:06:12.449 --> 00:06:15.170 that their loved ones who have passed away would 00:06:15.170 --> 00:06:18.709 somehow miss out on the resurrection, that they 00:06:18.709 --> 00:06:20.629 might miss out on the return of Christ, that 00:06:20.629 --> 00:06:24.389 they would miss out on some of the benefits of 00:06:24.389 --> 00:06:29.279 the resurrection. But maybe we're wondering why? 00:06:29.560 --> 00:06:32.600 Why would Thessalonians think that just because 00:06:32.600 --> 00:06:35.680 people have died that they would miss out on 00:06:35.680 --> 00:06:38.699 the return of Christ? Well, there's probably 00:06:38.699 --> 00:06:41.879 a couple different reasons. One, remember that 00:06:41.879 --> 00:06:45.399 Paul was only in this city for maybe three weeks. 00:06:46.379 --> 00:06:51.029 Acts 17 says three Sabbaths. That's a lot to 00:06:51.029 --> 00:06:54.170 learn in a little bit of time, right? And we 00:06:54.170 --> 00:06:56.350 ourselves are still learning this. I don't know 00:06:56.350 --> 00:06:59.730 of any eschatological experts within our sanctuary. 00:06:59.970 --> 00:07:02.069 We are still learning just like the Thessalonians 00:07:02.069 --> 00:07:05.529 were. However, there could be something else 00:07:05.529 --> 00:07:10.129 going on that they may have stuff to unlearn. 00:07:10.910 --> 00:07:14.329 There is an apocryphal book called Second Estrus. 00:07:14.810 --> 00:07:17.600 And within this apocryphal work, There is in 00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:22.000 about chapter 14, it says those who survive until 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:25.560 the second coming are more blessed than those 00:07:25.560 --> 00:07:28.959 who died before. Those who survive until the 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:30.680 second coming are more blessed than those who 00:07:30.680 --> 00:07:33.540 died before. This is what this work says. So 00:07:33.540 --> 00:07:35.819 the Christians here, they need clarification 00:07:35.819 --> 00:07:39.339 on this. They need correction on this. And so 00:07:39.339 --> 00:07:43.540 look in verse 14. What Paul does as he writes 00:07:43.540 --> 00:07:47.949 about what Christ did. and what Christ will do. 00:07:48.389 --> 00:07:52.370 Christ died and rose again, he tells them. What 00:07:52.370 --> 00:07:54.930 Paul is giving the Thessalonians is the good 00:07:54.930 --> 00:07:59.250 news of the gospel. He is telling these believers 00:07:59.250 --> 00:08:01.730 who are upset, who are grieved, who are concerned, 00:08:02.250 --> 00:08:03.970 believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will 00:08:03.970 --> 00:08:06.430 be saved. He's telling them, he's reminding them 00:08:06.430 --> 00:08:09.490 that Christ has died for our sins, that Christ 00:08:09.490 --> 00:08:14.170 was sinless and yet was our substitute. So he 00:08:14.170 --> 00:08:17.149 tells them what Christ did and now he's gonna 00:08:17.149 --> 00:08:21.689 say what Christ will do. Christ will come again, 00:08:21.829 --> 00:08:25.910 he says. And really as they're concerned about 00:08:25.910 --> 00:08:28.529 perhaps missing out on the benefits of the resurrection, 00:08:28.949 --> 00:08:30.990 Paul writes this in such a way that it almost 00:08:30.990 --> 00:08:33.730 sounds like it's a promotion to have gone ahead 00:08:33.730 --> 00:08:37.450 to be with God. He's writing of believers who 00:08:37.450 --> 00:08:40.789 have died who go to Jesus, but then look there 00:08:40.789 --> 00:08:45.059 in verse 15. For this we declare to you by a 00:08:45.059 --> 00:08:47.779 word from the Lord those that we who are alive 00:08:47.779 --> 00:08:50.600 who are left until the coming of the Lord Will 00:08:50.600 --> 00:08:54.379 not precede those who have fallen asleep So rather 00:08:54.379 --> 00:08:57.220 than missing out on the benefits of the resurrection 00:08:57.220 --> 00:09:00.679 what Paul says here is that the dead in Christ 00:09:00.679 --> 00:09:06.200 go first, right? the dead in Christ are raised 00:09:06.200 --> 00:09:10.450 a Friend asked me not too long ago. He said Why 00:09:10.450 --> 00:09:13.490 did Jesus have to be raised? Wasn't it finished 00:09:13.490 --> 00:09:18.350 on the cross? The answer, why did Christ have 00:09:18.350 --> 00:09:22.210 to be raised, is so that we will be. Romans chapter 00:09:22.210 --> 00:09:25.830 six says that we will have a resurrection like 00:09:25.830 --> 00:09:30.509 his. And so the dead and Christ, they go first. 00:09:31.309 --> 00:09:34.129 But after that, then the believers who are alive 00:09:34.129 --> 00:09:38.490 are caught up into the clouds. And these are 00:09:38.490 --> 00:09:42.470 not ordinary cumulus clouds. Perhaps we are to 00:09:42.470 --> 00:09:45.649 think here of the very cloud in which Jesus ascended 00:09:45.649 --> 00:09:49.070 by the Spirit. And so what do they do when they 00:09:49.070 --> 00:09:51.110 get there, when they're in the clouds? Notice 00:09:51.110 --> 00:09:55.590 that it says that in verse 17, we who are alive 00:09:55.590 --> 00:09:57.889 who are left will be caught up together with 00:09:57.889 --> 00:10:02.029 them in the clouds. We have a glorious reunion 00:10:02.029 --> 00:10:05.690 of believers together with Christ in the air. 00:10:08.110 --> 00:10:10.210 This is wonderful, and I think this is a point 00:10:10.210 --> 00:10:13.750 that we oftentimes miss about that because we're 00:10:13.750 --> 00:10:16.929 caught up in other elements of this. We want 00:10:16.929 --> 00:10:20.629 to know when is this going to happen, right? 00:10:21.149 --> 00:10:23.769 And we're going to get there next week, but for 00:10:23.769 --> 00:10:26.830 now, we need to understand that Christ is coming 00:10:26.830 --> 00:10:29.830 back, the dead in Christ rise first, and then 00:10:29.830 --> 00:10:33.110 those who are alive go up to meet him and them 00:10:33.110 --> 00:10:39.080 in the air. However, As we look at this, please 00:10:39.080 --> 00:10:41.740 let's see something else. Let's look at the sites 00:10:41.740 --> 00:10:47.679 here. Verse 16. See the Lord descending. As the 00:10:47.679 --> 00:10:50.460 Lord descends, this should cause us to remember 00:10:50.460 --> 00:10:53.740 how the Lord ascended. If you will, go to Acts 00:10:53.740 --> 00:11:05.620 chapter 1. Acts chapter 1, verses 6 through 11. 00:11:07.190 --> 00:11:13.210 to see how Christ ascended. So, when they had 00:11:13.210 --> 00:11:16.610 come together, they asked him, Lord, will you 00:11:16.610 --> 00:11:19.529 at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And 00:11:19.529 --> 00:11:22.549 he said to them, it's not for you to know the 00:11:22.549 --> 00:11:26.250 times or the seasons that the Father has fixed 00:11:26.250 --> 00:11:30.710 by his own authority, but you will receive power 00:11:30.710 --> 00:11:33.529 when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. and you 00:11:33.529 --> 00:11:36.690 will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea 00:11:36.690 --> 00:11:39.490 and Samaria and to the ends of the earth." And 00:11:39.490 --> 00:11:41.889 when he had said these things, as they were looking 00:11:41.889 --> 00:11:44.870 on, he was lifted up and a cloud took him out 00:11:44.870 --> 00:11:47.610 of their sight. And while they were gazing into 00:11:47.610 --> 00:11:50.450 heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them 00:11:50.450 --> 00:11:53.570 in white robes and said, men of Galilee, why 00:11:53.570 --> 00:11:57.090 do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus 00:11:57.090 --> 00:12:00.909 who has taken up from you into heaven will come 00:12:00.909 --> 00:12:05.120 in the same way. as you saw him go into heaven. 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:10.460 Friends, Jesus will return as he left. And it 00:12:10.460 --> 00:12:13.480 will not be a representative from Jesus either. 00:12:13.639 --> 00:12:18.080 It will be Jesus himself. Again, from verse 16, 00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:23.080 the text says, for the Lord himself. This is 00:12:23.080 --> 00:12:25.080 reflected in your English because it comes from 00:12:25.080 --> 00:12:27.620 the Greek. What Paul wants them to know is this 00:12:27.620 --> 00:12:31.429 is no one else coming to them other than The 00:12:31.429 --> 00:12:35.269 Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ comes 00:12:35.269 --> 00:12:38.950 to them. And friends, I want you to know this, 00:12:39.870 --> 00:12:45.190 that when Jesus returns, his return will be unmissable. 00:12:46.049 --> 00:12:50.350 His return will be unmissable. Some believers 00:12:50.350 --> 00:12:54.409 approach this text and think of a secret rapture. 00:12:55.070 --> 00:12:57.429 That everybody is going about their day, doing 00:12:57.429 --> 00:12:59.730 their thing, and then all of a sudden the believers, 00:13:01.580 --> 00:13:06.620 The problem with that is this text indicates 00:13:06.620 --> 00:13:10.779 a worldwide visible event. The text shows us 00:13:10.779 --> 00:13:14.259 his return will be visible, but not just visible, 00:13:14.659 --> 00:13:19.259 but also audible. Again, verse 16. There are 00:13:19.259 --> 00:13:23.460 three big sounds within verse 16. Let's look 00:13:23.460 --> 00:13:28.789 at these. The first one. the Lord himself will 00:13:28.789 --> 00:13:33.789 descend from heaven with a cry of command. Now 00:13:33.789 --> 00:13:36.830 it's not altogether clear who issues this cry 00:13:36.830 --> 00:13:39.490 of command, at least from our text, but if we 00:13:39.490 --> 00:13:42.049 go to some other texts, we might understand who 00:13:42.049 --> 00:13:45.809 this is, because Jesus talks about himself in 00:13:45.809 --> 00:13:50.009 John chapter five. He says, the hour is coming 00:13:50.009 --> 00:13:53.710 when all who are in their graves will hear his 00:13:53.710 --> 00:13:56.840 voice and come out. So this seems to indicate 00:13:56.840 --> 00:13:59.440 to us that the one issuing the cry of command 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:02.399 is none other than the one who is coming to them. 00:14:02.399 --> 00:14:05.740 This is Christ. The second sound, it mentions 00:14:05.740 --> 00:14:08.919 the archangel, the voice of the archangel. Again, 00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:12.220 doesn't say who it is, but if we go to the book 00:14:12.220 --> 00:14:16.159 of Jude, we see the archangel is identified as 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:20.220 Michael. And so this may refer to Michael. The 00:14:20.220 --> 00:14:24.220 third sound is the sound of the trumpet of God. 00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:27.679 In the Old Testament, the trumpet sound often 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:31.279 signals the very presence of God. I want to take 00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:34.919 you to one scripture in the Old Testament and 00:14:34.919 --> 00:14:37.679 one scripture in the New Testament to see a little 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:40.840 bit more about this trumpet sound. Zechariah, 00:14:40.840 --> 00:14:44.799 just listen, Zechariah 9 14. Then the Lord will 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:48.740 appear over them and his arrow will go forth 00:14:48.740 --> 00:14:52.360 like lightning. The Lord God will sound the trumpet. 00:14:52.750 --> 00:14:56.750 and will march forth in the whirlwinds of the 00:14:56.750 --> 00:15:00.850 south. And then from 1 Corinthians chapter 15, 00:15:01.389 --> 00:15:05.690 a chapter that is all about resurrection, 1 Corinthians 00:15:05.690 --> 00:15:10.870 15, or 15, 51 through 52. Behold, I tell you 00:15:10.870 --> 00:15:14.809 a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall 00:15:14.809 --> 00:15:18.389 all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of 00:15:18.389 --> 00:15:21.809 an eye at the last trumpet. for the trumpet will 00:15:21.809 --> 00:15:25.009 sound and the dead will be raised imperishable 00:15:25.009 --> 00:15:33.370 and we shall be changed. Friends, this is very 00:15:33.370 --> 00:15:36.850 audible. This is very vocal. Commentator Ken 00:15:36.850 --> 00:15:40.149 Jones says, to make all of this a secret, all 00:15:40.149 --> 00:15:42.629 of these sounds a secret, turns these sounds 00:15:42.629 --> 00:15:46.129 into something akin to a cosmic dog whistle. 00:15:46.669 --> 00:15:50.679 Friends, there is a genuine ruckus. going on 00:15:50.679 --> 00:15:55.340 in the heavens. And we cannot deny the visible 00:15:55.340 --> 00:15:59.059 audible evidence. If it's supposed to be a secret, 00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:01.500 why does Paul write as though this is the most 00:16:01.500 --> 00:16:04.879 public event of all time? I like how another 00:16:04.879 --> 00:16:07.440 commentator puts this. Daniel Hyde says here, 00:16:08.419 --> 00:16:12.500 let me say this as clearly as I can, but with 00:16:12.500 --> 00:16:15.710 love for you in my words. The hope Paul offers 00:16:15.710 --> 00:16:19.529 is not a secret rapture. There was nothing veiled 00:16:19.529 --> 00:16:21.570 about the birth of the Son of God upon earth. 00:16:21.889 --> 00:16:24.289 There's nothing hidden about what is going to 00:16:24.289 --> 00:16:27.210 happen when the Lord comes again. This hope for 00:16:27.210 --> 00:16:30.269 a dramatic public and visible return of Christ. 00:16:30.750 --> 00:16:32.929 But if you don't like his words, perhaps you'll 00:16:32.929 --> 00:16:36.269 like Revelation 1 7. Behold, he is coming with 00:16:36.269 --> 00:16:40.179 the clouds and every eye will see him. even those 00:16:40.179 --> 00:16:42.840 who pierced him and all the tribes of the earth 00:16:42.840 --> 00:16:50.539 will wail on account of him even so. Amen. Perhaps 00:16:50.539 --> 00:16:54.600 I'm belaboring my point because we're now asking, 00:16:54.799 --> 00:16:58.000 all right, Jesus is coming. He calls the dead 00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:00.159 in Christ and the believers who are alive up 00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:03.299 to himself. But then what? What happens after 00:17:03.299 --> 00:17:06.980 all of this? Well, friends, that's not addressed 00:17:06.980 --> 00:17:09.000 within our text. And so I'm not going to spend 00:17:09.000 --> 00:17:11.880 as much time on it here, but I do want to direct 00:17:11.880 --> 00:17:15.440 you towards the next book of the Bible, Second 00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:22.619 Thessalonians, chapter one. Second Thessalonians, 00:17:22.779 --> 00:17:25.819 chapter one, five through 10. This is lengthy, 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:29.119 but listen, this is God's word. This is evidence 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:33.359 of the righteous judgment of God. that you may 00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:35.960 be considered worthy of the kingdom of God for 00:17:35.960 --> 00:17:38.519 which you are also suffering since indeed God 00:17:38.519 --> 00:17:42.200 considers it just to repay with affliction those 00:17:42.200 --> 00:17:45.160 who afflict you and to grant relief to you who 00:17:45.160 --> 00:17:48.279 are afflicted as well to us when the Lord Jesus 00:17:48.279 --> 00:17:51.799 is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 00:17:51.799 --> 00:17:55.180 in flaming fire inflicting vengeance on those 00:17:55.180 --> 00:17:58.140 who do not know God and on those who do not obey 00:17:58.140 --> 00:18:01.380 the gospel of our Lord Jesus They will suffer 00:18:01.380 --> 00:18:05.539 the punishment of eternal destruction away from 00:18:05.539 --> 00:18:08.039 the presence of the Lord and from the glory of 00:18:08.039 --> 00:18:10.660 his might. And when he comes on that day to be 00:18:10.660 --> 00:18:13.319 glorified in his saints and to be marveled at 00:18:13.319 --> 00:18:16.140 among you who have believed, because our testimony 00:18:16.140 --> 00:18:20.660 to you was believed. In a word, what comes next, 00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:25.579 friends, is the judgment. What comes next is 00:18:25.579 --> 00:18:29.750 the judgment. Still, there are some who try and 00:18:29.750 --> 00:18:33.349 insert a thousand -year gap in between the return 00:18:33.349 --> 00:18:36.569 of Christ and between judgment. But there are 00:18:36.569 --> 00:18:40.410 so many passages that speak of the judgment occurring 00:18:40.410 --> 00:18:43.369 right after the return of Christ. Consider the 00:18:43.369 --> 00:18:46.369 book of Daniel chapter 12, one through two. At 00:18:46.369 --> 00:18:50.529 that time shall arise Michael, the great prince, 00:18:50.930 --> 00:18:53.529 who has charge of your people. And there shall 00:18:53.529 --> 00:18:57.500 be a time of trouble such as never has been since 00:18:57.500 --> 00:19:00.779 there was a nation till that time. But at that 00:19:00.779 --> 00:19:04.339 time, your people shall be delivered. Everyone 00:19:04.339 --> 00:19:06.819 whose name shall be found written in the book. 00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:09.539 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the 00:19:09.539 --> 00:19:13.759 earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and 00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:20.259 some to shame and everlasting contempt. What 00:19:20.259 --> 00:19:23.920 a premillennious does then is not just advocating 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:27.289 for a second coming. but advocating for a third 00:19:27.289 --> 00:19:29.890 coming. It's almost as if there's people who 00:19:29.890 --> 00:19:32.549 would say, Christ has died, Christ has risen, 00:19:32.809 --> 00:19:34.710 Christ will come again, and then he'll come again 00:19:34.710 --> 00:19:37.390 after that. Friends, I don't think that's what 00:19:37.390 --> 00:19:40.349 this text is telling us. There's also an assumption 00:19:40.349 --> 00:19:43.430 back in 1 Thessalonians 4 that when Christ comes 00:19:43.430 --> 00:19:47.509 to take believers, he comes to take them to heaven. 00:19:48.329 --> 00:19:50.829 But you'll see within the text that is not stated. 00:19:51.670 --> 00:19:54.150 This is challenging, I know. but it's not stated. 00:19:54.410 --> 00:19:56.509 And so we have to look to other scriptures that 00:19:56.509 --> 00:19:58.970 can help us. Perhaps you remember the parable 00:19:58.970 --> 00:20:02.150 of the 10 virgins and the bridegroom in Matthew 00:20:02.150 --> 00:20:05.730 25. The bridegroom comes and the women go to 00:20:05.730 --> 00:20:08.829 meet him. And then what do they do? They all 00:20:08.829 --> 00:20:12.549 go the rest of the journey to the wedding feast. 00:20:13.150 --> 00:20:15.549 It's the same thing in Acts chapter 28. Paul 00:20:15.549 --> 00:20:18.690 goes to Rome, the believers meet him and they 00:20:18.690 --> 00:20:21.890 accompany him on the remainder of the journey. 00:20:22.279 --> 00:20:24.880 And so this is a possible view that as Christ 00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:28.500 comes and we are called up to him in the air, 00:20:29.019 --> 00:20:32.660 then we descend the rest of the way to be here. 00:20:33.640 --> 00:20:36.480 That is a view, and I think it's a good view. 00:20:36.900 --> 00:20:39.720 It's also a predominant view of the early church. 00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:43.240 Perhaps you've heard of the name John Chrysostom. 00:20:44.339 --> 00:20:47.380 He was the Archbishop of Canterbury in the 300s. 00:20:47.380 --> 00:20:50.619 He is the one called Golden Mouth because of 00:20:50.619 --> 00:20:53.440 his preaching. And he said this again in the 00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:58.079 300s, if Christ descends from heaven, why will 00:20:58.079 --> 00:21:00.039 we go up to meet him in order to be honored? 00:21:00.740 --> 00:21:03.660 Well, when a king enters a city, those whom he 00:21:03.660 --> 00:21:08.059 honors go out to meet him. And so it is a view 00:21:08.059 --> 00:21:11.140 within the reform camp that as Christ comes, 00:21:11.240 --> 00:21:14.220 we meet him and we come the rest of the way. 00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:17.660 Well, now at this point, maybe you're saying 00:21:17.660 --> 00:21:21.130 this is a lot. We're still wrapping our minds 00:21:21.130 --> 00:21:23.509 around it. What do we do with this? What kind 00:21:23.509 --> 00:21:26.750 of application do we have with a message like 00:21:26.750 --> 00:21:30.150 this? The application is do not delay knowing 00:21:30.150 --> 00:21:36.390 Jesus Don't put him off anymore everybody Every 00:21:36.390 --> 00:21:39.809 human being will be judged the just and the unjust 00:21:39.809 --> 00:21:43.049 But only the just only the believer only those 00:21:43.049 --> 00:21:45.690 who have the righteousness of Christ will be 00:21:45.690 --> 00:21:49.539 safe consider how Hebrews chapter nine, twenty 00:21:49.539 --> 00:21:55.599 seven and twenty eight puts this. And just as 00:21:55.599 --> 00:21:58.380 it is appointed for man to die once and after 00:21:58.380 --> 00:22:02.460 that comes judgment. So Christ, having been offered 00:22:02.460 --> 00:22:05.420 once to bear the sins of many, will appear a 00:22:05.420 --> 00:22:09.480 second time not to deal with sin, but to save 00:22:09.480 --> 00:22:12.559 those who are eagerly waiting for him. Christian, 00:22:12.599 --> 00:22:15.940 are you waiting for the return of Jesus? Are 00:22:15.940 --> 00:22:22.500 you ready? for him to come. Consider how 2 Corinthians 00:22:22.500 --> 00:22:26.480 6 puts this. Behold, now is the favorable time. 00:22:26.680 --> 00:22:30.660 Behold, now is the day of salvation. Friends, 00:22:31.359 --> 00:22:36.059 the day to believe in Jesus is today, not tomorrow, 00:22:38.140 --> 00:22:40.559 not when you get tired of that secret sin that 00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:45.440 you crave, not when you get the right job. Not 00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:48.680 when you have your life all cleaned up. Not when 00:22:48.680 --> 00:22:51.440 you get married and not when you have kids. Today 00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:56.799 is the day of salvation. But friends, our text 00:22:56.799 --> 00:22:59.160 also shows us something else. Today is the day 00:22:59.160 --> 00:23:03.460 of comfort. Today is the day of comfort. You 00:23:03.460 --> 00:23:05.980 all, many of you are in situations where you 00:23:05.980 --> 00:23:09.019 need comfort. You have been in that cemetery 00:23:09.019 --> 00:23:11.799 next door. On some of the heaviest, the hardest, 00:23:11.980 --> 00:23:14.160 the darkest days of your life, you know what 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:17.200 you needed then. You needed comfort from God's 00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:21.599 Word and Paul richly supplies. Notice here within 00:23:21.599 --> 00:23:24.099 this text, as Paul talks about this difficult 00:23:24.099 --> 00:23:26.880 doctrine of eschatology, he doesn't lead them 00:23:26.880 --> 00:23:30.039 through a systematic theology course on eschatology. 00:23:30.099 --> 00:23:35.539 What does he do? He gives them hope. He gives 00:23:35.539 --> 00:23:39.589 them comfort. Paul writes to help Christians 00:23:39.589 --> 00:23:45.170 grieve. This text helps us know how to grieve. 00:23:45.450 --> 00:23:49.410 We grieve with hope. Notice the text does not 00:23:49.410 --> 00:23:52.589 condemn grieving. There are some of us who think 00:23:52.589 --> 00:23:55.130 it's a virtue to never shed a tear. We're stoic 00:23:55.130 --> 00:23:58.890 like that, right? But if you'll remember, what 00:23:58.890 --> 00:24:04.789 did Jesus do when his friend Lazarus died? Jesus 00:24:04.789 --> 00:24:09.210 wept. He wept even though he knew that he was 00:24:09.210 --> 00:24:12.410 going to raise Lazarus. And so what this text 00:24:12.410 --> 00:24:16.750 helps us to do is to grieve with hope. There's 00:24:16.750 --> 00:24:19.970 no greater pain than losing a loved one. But 00:24:19.970 --> 00:24:22.509 from this text we realize those loved ones who 00:24:22.509 --> 00:24:25.430 die in the Lord, they don't miss out on anything. 00:24:28.009 --> 00:24:32.930 This should help us to grieve the next time something 00:24:32.930 --> 00:24:36.960 sorrowful comes our way. This should help us 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:39.819 when we have a neighbor, a friend, a family member 00:24:39.819 --> 00:24:43.119 who is grieving to give them this passage and 00:24:43.119 --> 00:24:46.400 to help them grieve. Also, let's recognize who 00:24:46.400 --> 00:24:48.160 this is talking about. This is talking about 00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:52.680 those who die in the Lord. Psalm 116, 15. Precious 00:24:52.680 --> 00:24:55.859 in the sight of the Lord is the death of his 00:24:55.859 --> 00:24:59.140 saints. Friends, we need to share this text with 00:24:59.140 --> 00:25:03.420 others. We need to help others grieve. Why? Because 00:25:03.420 --> 00:25:07.920 verse 17 is so very important. So that they will 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:12.960 always be with the Lord. Being with the Lord 00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:15.880 is the purpose of resurrection. Being with the 00:25:15.880 --> 00:25:19.400 Lord is the best part of this passage. And friends, 00:25:19.779 --> 00:25:23.579 eschatology without hope completely misses the 00:25:23.579 --> 00:25:26.079 boat. Friends, I want you to know today that 00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:28.680 nothing can separate you from the love of God 00:25:28.680 --> 00:25:31.779 and Christ Jesus. Perhaps you know this passage. 00:25:31.980 --> 00:25:37.200 from Romans chapter 8, 38 and 39. For I am sure 00:25:37.200 --> 00:25:42.140 that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor 00:25:42.140 --> 00:25:44.740 rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, 00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:48.119 nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything 00:25:48.119 --> 00:25:51.119 else in all creation will be able to separate 00:25:51.119 --> 00:25:55.000 us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 00:25:55.289 --> 00:25:57.809 Friends, that's pretty all -encompassing, isn't 00:25:57.809 --> 00:26:01.170 it? Nothing can snatch you from the hand of Christ. 00:26:01.410 --> 00:26:04.789 When He comes, He will not leave you. I hope 00:26:04.789 --> 00:26:08.950 this is coming through loud and clear, that Christ 00:26:08.950 --> 00:26:12.789 is coming, and He doesn't lose any of His children. 00:26:14.190 --> 00:26:20.269 But also look at verse 18 as we close. This is 00:26:20.269 --> 00:26:23.779 also what we can do with this text. Therefore, 00:26:23.920 --> 00:26:27.859 encourage one another with these words. Paul 00:26:27.859 --> 00:26:31.119 writes to a church. Paul writes to a family of 00:26:31.119 --> 00:26:34.740 believers who are misinformed and grieving as 00:26:34.740 --> 00:26:38.500 a church, as Fairview Presbyterian Church. Let's 00:26:38.500 --> 00:26:41.279 not let others grieve in this way. Have this 00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:43.839 scripture in your back pocket. Commit this scripture 00:26:43.839 --> 00:26:46.839 to memory. Hide it in your heart and hide other 00:26:46.839 --> 00:26:50.880 passages that speak to the glorious resurrection 00:26:50.880 --> 00:26:53.660 and the coming of Christ. that speak to our heavenly 00:26:53.660 --> 00:26:59.740 home, because our Savior, He laid His life down 00:26:59.740 --> 00:27:03.920 and He was raised so that you too will be raised. 00:27:03.980 --> 00:27:07.420 And so be comforted, Church. Christ is coming 00:27:07.420 --> 00:27:10.740 for you. And whether He comes in your lifetime, 00:27:11.700 --> 00:27:14.299 whether you're already with Him in spirit, you 00:27:14.299 --> 00:27:19.160 will always be with Him, because Christ loses 00:27:19.160 --> 00:27:21.079 none. Let's pray.