What Now?
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.
For we say this to you by a revelation from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly have no advantage over those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are still alive 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.
5 introductory thoughts.
This whole sections presupposes a belief in the literal death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 14 a
Jesus death, burial and resurrection are the prototype of Christians who die before Christ’s return. 14b
Paul’s teaching on this is a Revelation or Word (LOGOS) from the LORD JESUS. 15 A
Paul’s teaching assures that those who have died in CHRIST are not at a disadvantage when it comes to eternity. 15
Fallen asleep in 13, 14, 15 is a hopeful term that it is not over when a Christian dies.
Jesus Will Come Down
Jesus Will Come Down
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.”
With a Shout of Command
With a Shout of Command
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
There are three things said about this.
He comes with a shout.
He comes with the voice of Michael, the Archangel.
He comes with the trumpet.
Are these all the same thing? Who makes the shout? is that the voice? This could all be the same thing, but for sure if it is separate, it is boom, boom, boom.
I believe this is a command to “Come up here”
Dead in Christ Respond First
Dead in Christ Respond First
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
Here Paul speaks to their fears directly.
People who have died in Christ will be just fine when Christ returns.
As a matter of fact they will RISE FIRST.
Further to go?
Living Christians will be Raptured
Living Christians will be Raptured
Then we who are still alive 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.
Caught up= harpizo- seize, snatched away, take away, like a robber seizes and runs.
This is where the concept of rapture or snatching away comes from.
This verb is
plural- all living Christians
Indicative- a statement of fact.
Passive- something that happens to us.
Future- Still to come.
We All End Up Together
We All End Up Together
Then we who are still alive 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.
Jesus, Living Christians, and resurrected Christians.
This occurs in the air
This occurs in the air
Then we who are still alive 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.
This is not the same event as the 2nd coming where Jesus comes and puts his feet on the planet.
The word “encourage” that occurs in verse 18 is the very first time Paul gives a command in 1 Thessalonians. We can’t get so hung up in the details that we miss the point: We are commanded to encourage each other with this “Word from the Lord”