June 12, 2022
Our Victory With Our Glorious, Hero King’s Return
1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:28

READ: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:28

PRAY

INTRO

• The title of the sermon is “Our Victory With Our Glorious, Hero King’s Return”
• Some would have us believe that the understanding of the last things is unimportant, that one does not even need to study it.
• Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy knew better. They did not want the Thessalonian church to stay ignorant about some details regarding, what we call the rapture.
• We should conclude: anything God has left for us in His word—we should know also.
• The Rapture is when all of human history—as we know it—closes and our King’s realm becomes the physical, seen reality for His people for all time!
• For us this is the crème de la crème.

The Rapture

• No passage in Scripture that states explicitly when exactly it will occur.
  • The when and where has been at the top of the wish list for many Christians.
  • In fact no one can know the day—save the Father.
• Therefore, man is not content with now knowing.
• There has been countless barrels of ink “spilt” onto the pages of books explaining why this person understands better than the others before him the details God has left unrevealed.
• There are many theories on when the rapture is:
  • pre-tribulation
  • post-tribulation
  • mid-tribulation
    • "Revelation 6:9-11
  • Partial-rapturists—these hold that the Lord will rapture only the faithful Church and leave the rest to be refined by fire during the tribulation. (cf. Constable; he cited Walvoord, The Rapture …, 105 ff.; Pentecost, 156 f.)
    • Luke 21:36
    • Revelation 18:4-5
• Instead of a date —> we do have very beneficial and specific knowledge in this passage and others of the rapture.

PRAY

The Coming of the Lord

4:13 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.

• uninformed = Ignorant = there was a gap in their theology.
• Timothy may have communicated some of the coming of the Lord to the church upon his arrival. The church may have asked questions of Timothy that needed follow-up.
• Maybe in a context of how long they would have to endure suffering.
  • Perhaps someone had recently died from the persecution.
  • I think this may be the case. v. 4:18

QUICK APPLICATION
Gaps in our theology have consequences.

4:14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 4:15 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.

• There must have been an inquiry or confusion regarding the difference of times of resurrection for people who had passed.
• This is one of the specific points the ministry team wanted to clear up in the church.
• Start with the phrase: "Word from the Lord.
  • Direct revelation.
  • Orally from one or more of the Apostles —> to them
• “since” 4:14 in the ESV in verse 4:14 = “if” = = conditional causality
  • ESV sees it rhetorical
  • 19 of the 27 English translation I looked at keep the “if” written to the church. 8 are in the deep minority.
    • I think “if” is important here: the gospel is needed in the church.
    • THE GOSPEL
• “even so” = likewise = the sleeping —> shall rise to be with Him

• “In other words, the precious truth concerning the coming of Christ for His own is as certain as the central doctrine of the death and resurrection of Christ.” [AMEN] (Walvoord, The Thessalonian, 40.)

• The sleeping will beat the remaining—just a bit.
• There is GUARANTEED PROOF of our resurrections = Jesus’ resurrection
• “with him” —> those who sleep

4:16 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.

• “Himself”
  • Our hero. The Right Setter!
• “Will descend from heaven”
  • Not from here—not from anywhere!
• “With a cry of command”
  • “with the voice of an archangel”

  • It is a word of command used in classical Greek for the shout with which an officer gives the order to his troops or his crew. There is in the word a ring of authority and a note of urgency [cf. John 11:43]. (Ryrie, First and …, 65)

  • Order, command, call, summons, command for battle
• “and with the sound of the trumpet of God”
  • God’s trumpet sounds and God’s General descends upon the earth to make things right.
• 4:17 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. 4:18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
  • Together —> togetherness one more time!
  • encourage some use “comfort” one another with these words.

  • [C. S. Lewis wrote, ] And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before. (165)

ILLUSTRATION

• J. Oswald Sanders’, Heaven: Better By Far

APPLICATION

• Do we think enough on the rapture? Have we stopped thinking about where we are headed in an accurate way?
• Be encouraged with these words!
• Biblical Hope >>>
• Get our minds off of the here and now >>>
• Apostles were focused on two things:
• Today and the heavenly future.
  • Church: you are suffering >>> you knew that was coming.
  • Church: people are dying from the faith >>> Don’t grieve like those who have no hope.
  • Church: Will we see the people we love soon >>> We are going to meet Jesus in the air.

TRANSITION
Now that you are encouraged. Let’s look at when the rapture will take place thus taught by Paul to the church at Thessalonica.

5:1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 5:2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 5:3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

• Times and seasons …
  • There are some gaps from what God choose not to reveal to us and the thing we really want to know.
  • BUT He has revealed many things about the last things to us.
  • Focus on what “is there” not “what isn’t.”
  • Truth statements.
• V. 5:2 We know something “perfectly”—“fully aware” in the ESV:
  • The destruction of those who think they are secure during the The Day of the Lord will come like a thief.
    • Excell said, “Wicked men are never more secure than when destruction is nearest.”

Luke 12
35 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, 36 and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! 39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” ¶ 41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

Look at verse 5:3 again.

• Their destruction will be swift, unexpected, and compass every person that God has willed = “the will not escape.”
• “Peace and safety” = boom!

ILLUSTRATION

• BABY COMING

APPLICATION

• The wicked’s treasure, perceived peace and security will be utterly useless in purchasing anything before God. They will reap what they have sown: the whirlwind of God! The Church’s short periods of suffering will be over theirs eternal will be starting.

QUOTE

[Sutcliffe wrote,] The church is awake to behold the whole scheme of providence developing the goodness of God to his people. He sits calm in the heavens, and makes the persecution of the church, and Stephen’s martyrdom, to fill the Roman world with the gospel. [But He will bring] blood on the [Judaizer] to avenge the innocent blood of his saints; he [will bring] the Roman lions to his bar, … for the havoc they had made of his flock. (Sutcliffe; edited for charity)

VERSE 5:4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.

• Christians are contrasted with the lost: The Day of the Lord will not surprise the watchful us as it must with the lost. WHY?
• REASON = 5:5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.
  • COMMENT
  • We may not have all the details we need; but we (as they) “have enough.” (Nicoll)
• We have a duty due to the light we have:
  • 5:6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.
  • Awake = watchful = expectant living
    • Scripture repeats a lot! Pay attention! Walk…watch…
    • Watchfulness and ready - Mind and life focused on the Lord’s return (2000 years later–still focused). Or should I say two days later.
  • “Be sober” = clear thinking = self restraint by the power of God (cf Nicoll)
  • We must keep a constant diligence on your Christian lives; they are prone to slippage.
  • 5:7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.
    • “For” = reason
    • people who sleep… people of the night… people who are drunkards = unbelievers.
    • Don’t join the unbelievers.

5:8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

• But = contrast with night and drunkenness = worldly living and thinking
• “since” = But we who are of the day
  • Again “Be Sober” = evaluating life in light of the Scriptures.
    • Be sober instruction by implication implies that Christians may have the focus that mirrors the people awaiting destruction.
• How we remain sober?
  • “Having put on” = past reality = faith hope and love became real in our lives when we came to know the Lord Jesus.
  • We have to keep them at the forefront of our minds and hearts.
  • “Having put on” = choice
    • When one puts on the virtues of the gospel, one thinks clearly about life.

  • And so Christian sobriety must be based upon a reasonable estimate of the importance of life and the seriousness of all things here below. The trifler, who has no higher ambition than to amuse himself, mistakes the meaning of all things on earth. … Christian sobriety and Christian [joy] have their sources lying closely side by side in the devout and earnest soul. (Nicoll; edited for clarity)

• Be Day people = put on the armor of God
  • The armor is made of the three highest Christian virtues. Put on faith, hope, and love.
  • Biblical hope ≠ hope in man

ILLUSTRATION

• Fifty people who were over ninety-five years old were asked one question: “If you could live your life over again, what would you do differently?” Many different answers were given, but three answers were seen repeatedly. They were: If I had to do it over again, I would . . . 1. Reflect more. 2. Risk more. 3. Do more things that would live on after I am dead. (Campolo)

• COMMENT ON 1…2…3

APPLICATION

• We need to train ourselves to think and act like God. Then to rely on God to do the work in our lives.
• If you have a meeting with Jesus–in person–today. What would He say about the priorities in your life?
• Am I focused on things that they cared about or on the temporary?

QUOTE

… the 19th-century preacher A. B. Simpson: “Beloved, have you ever thought that someday you will not have anything to try you, or anyone to vex you again? There will be no opportunity in heaven to learn or to show the spirit of patience, forbearance, and longsuffering. If you are to practice these things, it must be now.” Yes, each day affords countless opportunities to learn patience. Let’s not waste them. (Simpson; Our Daily Bread, September 3)

TRANSITION
Why do we put on this armor? Why can we put on the armor of God? Look >>> v. 5:9

5:9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 5:10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.

• We can put on faith, hope, and love, “for” in v. 5:9 or “Because” God did not appoint us to His anger and wrath.
  • Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s focus was not on their trials. Name them.
  • Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy’s focus was not on the church’s suffer per se. Sure they were concerned on HOW THE CHURCH was handling their persecution.
  • They were already in a celebratory life driving state that they were going to miss the wrath of God and receive complete life with God instead!
  • Their view: the churches will face the drama of man here, but we are not going to suffer God’s wrath. NO COMPARE!
• Salvation for us; for the people of the night the unthinkable wrath of God
• Each day affords many opportunities to learn the things of 1 Thessalonians 4-5 1) Suffering is temporary and assured for Christians. 2) Suffering models the Lord’s ministry. 3) Love should continue through suffering. “Let’s not waste them.” (Simpson)

5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

• encouragement
• Build one another up = edification = to build a house or building

CONCLUSION

• Why do we always want to know the date of the rapture so much?
  • Being honest …
  • In my lifetime?
  • In my children’s or grandchildren’s lifetime?
  • “I may suffer or my children may suffer.”
    • Fix: Study Biblical suffering.
• What if you knew the date of the rapture. 2255 AD.
  • Loss of watchfulness
    - Since we don’t know the date, the anticipation of the rapture helps to hold us in the virtues of a godly life.
  • Watchfulness
  • Seriousness
• Here is the proper type of questions?
  • What would I change in my life right now if I knew Jesus was coming back on August 1, 2022?
    • Change it.
  • What would I change about my thinking and prioity list if I knew Jesus was coming back on January 2, 2023?
    • Change it.
• The Lord proves his wisdom in not telling us.

^{Source: Wesley Huff, https://www.wesleyhuff.com/infographics}

Works Cited

NOTE: Please see the following web-page for most of the works cited: https://insidecrosspoint.org/sermons/2022/june/bibliography.html. Works cited correspond to the verses they are are grouped or outlined with.

Campolo, Tony. Who Switched the Price Tags?. Thomas Nelson, 2008. As quoted by Ministry 127, https://www.ministry127.com/resources/illustration/if-you-could-rewind-your-life.

Edman, V. Raymond. They Found the Secret. Zondervan, 1984. As quoted by Ministry 127, https://www.ministry127.com/resources/illustration/god-meant-it-for-good.

Lewis, C. S. The Last Battle. New York: Macmillan, 1956). As quoted by “The Pastor’s Workshop.” https://thepastorsworkshop.com/sermon-illustrations-2/sermon-illustrations-heaven/.

Simpson, A. B. “Daily Bread.” As quoted by Bible.org, https://bible.org/illustration/always-hurry.

Walvoord, John F. The Thessalonian Epistles. Study Guide series (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House) 1979. As quoted in Thomas Constable. "Notes on 1 Thessalonians.” 2022 ed., https://planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/pdf/1thessalonians.pdf.