1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
~22 min read
TRANSCRIPT
Looking at this familiar passage this morning, we shall consider this message I titled "Wherefore, Comfort One Another with These Words", obviously taken from verse 18, the last verse of this morning's meditation, "Wherefore, Comfort One Another with These Words."
All throughout the history of the church, people have wondered about the events of the End Times and when will be the coming of the Lord. No doubt, all true believers look forward to His coming. It is our blessed hope. But the question remains: When will be His coming? When will be His coming? Yes, for true believers in the Lord, it is no longer about ‘Will He be coming?’ but it is more about ‘When will be His coming?’ Then comes more questions like: ‘Will He come physically and reign on Earth for a thousand years? Will there be a seven-year tribulation? Will the second coming of Christ occur at the same time as that of the Rapture?’
These are some of the many questions that continue to fill the hearts and minds of many, even among us this morning. I thought, since I preached to you last week on the perfecting of the faith, we might as well look into this very significant aspect of our faith, as well as that of our hope — the things that we all look forward to with much anticipation and expectation, that the Lord indeed would come again and to bring us up to our eternal home in heaven.
Then we can add to it more questions like: ‘Will the world get better and better in the end, or will things get worse?’ We have just heard and joined together in the Pastoral Prayer, in which we prayed for all that has been happening and the most recent events that we've heard. It brings us back and reminds us of what to expect in the last days. Then there are more questions like: ‘What about those that have died, particularly those that have died in Christ — a believer?’ Then, if I may add one more: ‘What about the nation of Israel?’
Yes, these are but the more common questions among the body of believers, which somehow has brought much confusion, at times contention, among fellow believers having different perspectives and views pertaining to the End Times. It is just sad because talking about the End Times, talking about the soon return of the Lord, it is supposed to be a source of our comfort. It is supposed to be the realisation of our hope. Meaning the thought about all these things ought to bring us much comfort and assurance, even peace. After all, that is what the Bible says.
But sad as it is, there is much contention. Some would even fight, ‘We are premillennial,’ ‘We are postmillennial,’ issues on the tribulation, ‘We are pre-tribulation,’ and ‘We are post-tribulation.’ It is just sad indeed, for as we think about these things, they are supposed to bring us comfort and assurance. They're supposed to establish us in the faith that one day soon the Lord will come and bring us with Him.
But what is happening in our time today? There has been contention and fighting. I trust that we know better, in such a way that we'd rather remain true and faithful, holding on, clinging on, standing on what the Scripture has clearly said unto us. And so, this morning, let us take time to consider what the Apostle Paul has laid out for us pertaining to the End Times, particularly that of the Lord's soon return.
I trust that you have your Bibles with you. Open to this portion of Scripture. Looking closely at our text, it appears that the Apostle Paul was trying to comfort and assure the believers in Thessalonica concerning those of their departed loved ones. There has been that concern, there has been that fear, there has been that trouble that haunts the believers in that place in regards to their dead loved ones, especially those that are dead in Christ.
Yet what is even more interesting is that all along his letter, Paul has been alluding to the Lord's return. He has been impressing upon them that it is one great and significant event that we all can look forward to. Turn with me for a while to chapter 1 of 1 Thessalonians and look with me in verse 9 and 10. Here we read of Paul writing: "For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come." Now if we are to look carefully at verse 10, yes, verse 9 comes as a commendation of the testimony of the church, yet in that commendation, it also comes a word in which to comfort the believers.
And what is it about? Look with me again and closely at verse 10: "And to wait for his Son.” Paul here is actually alluding to that event, that soon coming event: "to wait for his Son.” Where would His Son be coming from? Again, look closely at verse 10: "And to wait for His Son” — from where? — “from heaven, whom he raised from the dead". We know very well that Jesus died, was buried, and on the third day rose again. And after 40 days, He has gone back to heaven. He has ascended. And yet Paul here is alluding to that event of His own return — His coming again from heaven. And then look at the last part of verse 10: "which delivered us from the wrath to come."
It can allude to the eternal torment, the outpouring of the wrath of God. It can also allude to the coming great tribulation: "delivered us". Now look at the word there, "delivered us”. It's in the past tense, and you can be sure that it surely will happen. And what surely will happen? That the Lord will deliver us from the wrath that is to come. So that means the Lord would take us and save us, deliver us from the tribulation that is to come. And it points us to one thing: that the Lord would come prior to the tribulation to bring His people with Him in order for them to be safe from the great tribulation that is to come.
Paul talked about the coming of Christ here as if it was going to happen in their lifetime. In other words, they so believed all that Paul had written and told them, believing and taking it so literally that it can happen any time in their lifetime. In chapter 2, look with me in verse 19 and see how the Apostle Paul here again refers to the Lord's return, alluded to it, and look at how Paul alludes to it. Verse 19 of chapter 2, 1 Thessalonians: "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?"
And you look at that event that is yet to come, the Lord's coming. And what is it about the Lord's coming? Look closely at verse 19 and observe carefully how the Apostle Paul described it as "our hope, our joy, and crown of rejoicing." Sometimes even among believers, even among true Bible-believing Christians, we can be so distracted by the allurements of the world, get enticed with all that the world can offer, and at times we get ourselves so engaged and entangled with it that we miss the point that this world is not our home. Our hope, our joy, and our rejoicing is not in this world but where? In the coming of the Lord.
And so, somehow going through these few verses in the earlier chapters of 1 Thessalonians, you would know that all along Paul has been alluding and writing. And yet if you still can remember the message we've considered last week, Paul was so burdened in his heart that he can go again to minister to the brethren in Thessalonica to perfect that which was lacking in their faith.
In fact, if we can move forward to chapter 5 of 1 Thessalonians, we read in verse 1 and 2: "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." So somehow, the Apostle Paul here is telling them of the many aspects of the Lord's return, that He surely will come again. And His coming is our hope, our joy, and the crown of our rejoicing. But what about the timing? The timing, he tells us: "But of the times and the seasons … ye have no need that I write unto you.” Because it is so common a knowledge among believers even among us today, of how the Lord would often speak of it in the gospels that it would be like a thief in the night.
Somehow with all these truths that the Apostle Paul was writing, they were living with that expectation that all this that the Apostle Paul was writing to unto them could happen in their lifetime. And perhaps they thought to themselves, ‘If the Lord would soon come again, what about our loved ones that have gone ahead of us? What about those that have died already? What would happen to them?’ All the while they may have had the thoughts or fears that those that have died will be left behind.
And it is one of the reasons why the Apostle Paul writes in this manner. With such a thought of seemingly imminent return of Christ in their lifetime, the believers in Thessalonica thought among them, ‘What about those believers who died before He comes? What will happen to them?’ In view of this matter of great concern that has been troubling, if not bothering, the believers in Thessalonica, notice carefully the words of comfort that the Apostle Paul brought up to their attention, even to our attention this morning.
I. The Promised Resurrection
Notice carefully the words of comfort that the Apostle Paul brought up to their attention, even to our attention this morning. Notice carefully how the Apostle Paul brought about in his writing, firstly the promised resurrection.
And look with me now in verse 13: "But I would not have you to be ignorant". Yes, that's the very reason why Paul was so burdened in his heart to go and see again, praying that he can go and meet again the believers in Thessalonica, so that he can perfect that which is lacking in their faith. In this case, they will have a fuller and clearer understanding of what will happen when the Lord comes again. Notice with me how Paul begins by saying, "I would not have you to be ignorant.” Yes, all along, I have been telling you and you have believed it, that the Lord will come, and He will so come to take us with Him. But there's more to it that you must know; there's more to it that you should know. That is why Paul said, "I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep,” concerning those that have died ahead of you, those that have gone ahead of you, those that have died in faith.
And what about them? Notice carefully what Paul said here: "I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not". You don't worry; you sorrow not. You don't be like the unbelieving. That is what Paul is referring to on the last part of verse 13, as he said: "even as others which have no hope." He's actually referring to the unbelieving, for the unbelieving can never hope, and there's nothing for them to hope in the Lord's return.
a. A Word Of Comfort
So, as we look at the words of Paul here, I want us to see the words of comfort when Paul said, ‘I don't want you to be ignorant.’ Putting it another way, ‘I want you to be established. I want you to know this truth very well, in order for you to be established in this truth, that regardless of whether you are dead or alive when the Lord comes, all will be covered. All would be reached out, and all shall be taken up. No one of God's elect shall be left behind.’ That's the word of comfort that Paul gave to the church, and the word of comfort is in the promised resurrection. He does not want the church to be ignorant on this matter. As far as those that have died in Christ, that they don't need to grieve as the unbelieving do, meaning those that have no hope, we don't have to grieve the way they would grieve.
Of course, it is always be sorrowful, painful, when we lost a loved one, but not in the same way that we would grieve as if there is no hope. No hope of seeing and meeting Christ. That is what Paul is telling the church there: ‘You sorrow not, even as others which have no hope,’ referring to those unbelieving. Their sorrow is due to the fact that their departed loved ones have been separated from them by death and have no hope whatsoever in regards to the future life.
b. A Word Of Assurance
But what about the believers? What about us? We need to be reminded that there is a promised resurrection. So, looking closely at verse 13, we find there a word of comfort. Coming down with me to verse 14, there's also a word of assurance. Word of assurance. Look with me now at verse 14: "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." It is indeed a great assurance that Paul is telling and giving and writing to the church. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, that obviously is in reference to believing the gospel of the Lord, receiving Him as our Lord and Savior. If you are in that condition, in the faith, if you believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus, even those that are dead in Christ, what happens? “will God bring with him.”
So there we see the assurance. Don't worry about your dearly departed. Yes, they may have gone ahead, they may have died, but when the Lord comes again, there is that promised resurrection. You can see Paul's word of comfort and Paul's word of assurance. Here is the very foundation of our hope of the resurrection, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is what the Apostle Paul is impressing upon the church. If you have believed that Jesus died and rose again, you also can have this blessed assurance. That blessed assurance is in the promised resurrection.
c. A Word Of Hope
Remember what Jesus Himself said in John 11:25, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live". Yes, a word of comfort on the promised resurrection, a word of assurance. There also is a word of hope. As Jesus died and rose again, those who died believing in Him shall also rise again, as Jesus had said.
Paul gave us a vivid picture of what will happen on that day. Paul gave us a glimpse of the event and even of the order or sequence as we now come down to verse 15. Verse 15 and 16. I want us to observe carefully how Paul describes that event that is yet to come. Look with me now at verse 15: "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." Paul here is telling the church, even us today, that yes, this is what is going to happen. Just as when you are concerned and worried about what could happen and what will happen to those that have died in Christ, Paul is telling them you don't have to worry for them. In fact, the truth of the matter is they will go ahead of us.
That word "prevent” is not much about preventing but simply means that we will not precede. In fact, they will go ahead of us. They shall be first. That's the order and sequence of what will happen when the Lord comes. The dead in Christ shall rise first. In other words, they will be the priority in a sense, the first in order. Now look carefully at the words of Paul in verse 15: "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." Why? "For the Lord himself” (verse 16 now) "shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God”. And what happens first? First things first: “the dead in Christ shall rise first".
Amazing. Just when the believers in Thessalonica were mindful, concerned, careful, bothered, thinking that their departed loved ones, per adventure when the Lord shall come, be left behind, Paul was burdened in his heart: ‘I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning these great matters of your faith.’ The dead in Christ shall rise first. If we truly believe in the gospel that Jesus died for our sins and was buried and on the third day rose again, putting your trust in Him as your Lord and Saviour, this comfort, assurance, and hope is for you.
Remember the words of comfort, the words of assurance, the word of hope. It is for you. You and all of the believers can look forward to their own, even our own resurrection. After all, it is our blessed hope. Remember Titus 2:13, "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ".
II. The Proceeding Rapture
From the promised resurrection of those that are dead in Christ, we move on to consider how Paul comforted the church, this time in regards to those that are alive in Christ. Notice how he brings to our attention here, from the promised resurrection referring to those that are dead in Christ, now he's bringing us to the proceeding rapture. What would happen next once the dead in Christ shall rise?
Then look with me now in verse 17: "Then” — look, notice the word "Then”. So it is a continuation of what he had stated and written in the previous verse, the event that will take place in the previous verse. What would happen next? “Then” — now he is addressing matters concerning those that are alive in Christ — "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds". So that has always been the order and sequence of events. When the Lord shall come, the dead in Christ shall rise, those that are alive shall be caught up. And I hope you are able to see now the order: there is that promised resurrection and there proceeds the rapture.
Indeed, the promised resurrection of those that have died in Christ will then be followed by the rapture of those who are alive in Christ. That word there, that phrase that is rendered "shall be caught up together,” it simply means they shall be snatched up. It is that sudden swoop of an irresistible force that snatches you away with the appropriate change that will take place in a twinkling of an eye.
In the words of Paul to his letter to the Corinthians, a portion of it we've read a while ago in our responsive scripture reading. The mortal to immortal, the corruptible to incorruptible, from vile body into a glorious body (1 Corinthians 15:51-54). To the true believer, dead or alive, Paul is telling us here, assuring us, comforting us, dead or alive, we are all safe in the arms of Jesus. No one can pluck us out of his hand.
In our responsive scripture reading a while ago, we've read beginning in verse 51 up until verse 54: "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep”. Yes, there will be that will be dead in Christ, but in His coming, there are those who will remain alive. We shall not all sleep, but one thing for sure, we shall all be changed. Whether you are dead in Christ or alive in Christ in His return, we shall all be changed.
And notice carefully the manner that that change can happen. It will be very sudden. How sudden? Verse 52: "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye". Now you can just imagine how short, how brief, how quick, split second or millisecond, nanosecond, however you would describe it. The Bible renders it in these words: "in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." Verse 54: "So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."
Also, in Philippians chapter 3, and verse 20 and 21, if you can turn your Bibles there quick, there we read this: “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." From mortal to immortal, corruptible to incorruptible, from the vile into the glorious body. Pause for a moment and consider, truly indeed, it shall be a glorious experience. It should be a wonderful experience.
Now before we move on any further, I want us to be clear on this. We need to understand that what Paul is describing in this morning's passage and the subject of our meditation should not be confused as that of the Lord's Second Coming when He comes back to reign on earth for a thousand years. Although we often look at it in a general sense that the last days or the day of the Lord can include all these events, but lest we get ourselves confused, we need to establish ourselves that what we are studying here is indeed the Lord's return, but not yet to reign on Earth for a thousand years. This is with regards to the catching up and the raising up those of dead and alive in Christ. The dead in Christ shall rise first, the resurrection, and then the rapture. Because as we have read earlier on in the previous verses and chapters of 1 Thessalonians, He has delivered us from the wrath that is to come.
So this event is actually pertaining to the specific event whereby the Lord will come but in the air to raise the dead in Christ and to catch up all that are alive in Christ, that they will be safe from the wrath that He's going to pour here on Earth. That means we are referring to here the pre-tribulation rapture, not yet the premillennial return. Pre-tribulation rapture, that those that are in Christ will no longer go through the period of tribulation. And that is what we are referring to here. This is not that event yet when He comes to establish His millennial kingdom. That event will take place after the Seven Years’ Tribulation. This text talks about that event that will take place prior to the Seven Years’ Tribulation to spare us, to deliver us, to save us from the wrath that is to come. And after which, yes, there will come a time after the Seven Years’ Tribulation that He will come and establish the millennial kingdom and He will reign. In fact, we will reign with Him for a thousand years.
Now I need to establish this because I know that there are other teachings, other groups, other denominations that somehow got these things confused. This is not that event yet when He comes to establish that millennial kingdom whereby He will reign on earth for a thousand years. I'm sure we know very well our statement of faith, what we believe in. And we believe in these two things pertaining to the End Times: we believe in the pre-tribulation rapture as well as the premillennial return of the Lord. Pre-tribulational rapture: we shall not and we will not go through the tribulation. Then, after which, after 7 years, Christ will come again and reign on earth for a thousand years.
Yes, this is not about the coming of the Lord in which He will reign for a thousand years, but this clearly is on how we should view the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the rapture of those that are alive in Christ. For as you can see clearly in verse 17: "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them” — where? — “in the clouds”. Where? — “to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." What a comfort it should bring to us, coming to a clearer and fuller understanding of this particular event that will happen in the last days. There will be that promised resurrection that will be proceeded by a rapture.
III. The Perpetual Reunion
Notice carefully in the third and the last part of today's meditation how the promised resurrection and the proceeding rapture will then be followed by a perpetual reunion. Perpetual reunion.
Come with me to verse 17, the last part of it: "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 look at this — “and so shall we ever be with the Lord." Notice how beautiful and how powerful and how assuring the words that we find here: "And so shall we” — we — “ever be with the Lord." No one will be left out. No one will be abandoned. All of God's elect shall be together with Him, and it will be for a perpetual reunion among the body of believers there in the very presence of the Lord.
Like how we often sing: ‘In the Sweet By and By, we shall meet on the beautiful shore. In the sweet by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore.’ True, but at times when we would sing it in the midst of a gathering that not everyone is indeed a believer, I would love to end it: "We shall meet on that beautiful shore,” and I would say, "Are you sure?" A kind of an evangelistic attempt to really impress upon everyone that coming to faith in the Lord is a must in order for you to be there in that perpetual reunion. Singing ‘Sweet By and By’, no matter how, cannot bring you up there. There has to be that faith, that saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. True, and there as Paul, he said: "so shall we ever be with the Lord."
And as we sing ‘In the Sweet By and By,’ we also think about how certain it would be if you are a true believer. Surely with joy and with much anticipation and expectation, we would sing: ‘When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the victory.’ That is our perpetual reunion. The thought about all these things, this wonderful and glorious experience that we all can look forward to, should remind us of what the Lord had told His disciples in John chapter 14.
Remember, in that particular chapter, the Lord was anticipating His imminent death at the cross of Calvary, and at that particular point, He was preparing all His disciples for what is to happen very soon. And so we find Him saying in John 14:1-3, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 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 He goes on: “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.” There is that promised resurrection, the proceeding rapture, and eventually the perpetual reunion.
Brothers and sisters in the Lord, in the midst of all the confusion and chaos, the dangers that we face, all the distresses of life, the trials and temptations of our time, the Word of the Lord gives us much comfort in the soon coming of the Lord, in which He will bring us with Him to the place that He has prepared for us in the Father's house, as He said, where there are many mansions. As we carry on with life, going through all life's vicissitudes, life's trials, difficulties, challenges that we face, let us not be distracted nor be discouraged nor be dismayed. As in the words of the Lord: "Let not your heart be troubled". Now I want to close with the words of the Apostle Paul in verse 18. Having gone through the promised resurrection, the proceeding rapture, and the perpetual reunion, verse 18, Paul said: "Wherefore comfort one another with these words." May the Lord be merciful. Let us pray.
Lord, thank You for speaking to us this morning through Your inherent, infallible, perfect, preserved Word that has continued to be the source of our comfort and even the foundation of our faith whereby our hope is built upon. Once again, Thou hast confirmed unto us and even established us in this wonderful and glorious experience that we all can look forward to. O Father, have mercy. Help us that as we go through life's difficulties, challenges, even great dangers that we may encounter along the way, may we remain firm and true, established, comforted, knowing of all this precious and wonderful truth that we all can look forward to, reminding us that our life, even our salvation, is for sure. Even our deliverance, not only from the cares and burdens of life but even from eternal torment. Even so, from the wrath that is to come. Thou hast purposed and ordained it from eternity past that we will be safe and secure from all alarms. O Father, have mercy. May every heart gathered together with us this morning find comfort, even strength and peace, in Thee and in Your Word. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
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