Sermon Tone Analysis

It would be a terrible feeling to miss your plane.

A number of years ago, Charity and I arrived at the Columbus airport, ready for vacation.

It was shortly after the airports increased security, and they were telling everyone to arrive at least two hours before your flight was going to leave, but that sounded excessive to me, until we got there and saw the long lines.

First, you have to check your luggage at the counter, and then make your way through the checkpoint.

While you wait your turn to pass through the metal detector, you take your shoes off, and place your carryon items in a bin to be x-rayed.

Don’t forget to empty your pockets of loose change and car keys.

Once you have finally reached the end, you’re free to continue through the airport to find the right gate… unless they happen to choose you for a more thorough screening.

As fate would have it, Charity was lucky enough to be the special person selected by the agent.

(I guess she looked suspicious).

We were looking at the time.

It was going to be close, so I went on ahead to find our plane.

It wasn’t far, but passengers were already boarding.

I explained our situation to the stewardess, “my wife is right behind me and will be here any minute.”

She replied, “I’m sorry sir, the plane must take off as scheduled, but you’re welcome to board without her.”

I didn’t think that was a good idea.

Leaving my wife behind in Columbus would not be the best way to start a vacation.

Fortunately, she made it with a few minutes spare, and we didn’t get left behind.

Maybe you have had that experience.

Just as your arrive at the gate you watch through the window as your plane barrels down the runway and lifts off into the sky.

There is nothing you can do but wave as your flight disappears into the clouds.

Maybe you have had that experience.

Just as your arrive at the gate you watch through the window as your plane barrels down the runway and lifts off into the sky.

There is nothing you can do but wave as your flight disappears into the clouds.

Maybe you have had that experience.

Just as your arrive at the gate you helplessly watch through the window as your plane barrels down the runway and lifts off into the sky.

“Wait for me…” you plead as your flight disappears into the clouds.

That’s how believers in the city of Thessalonica felt, when Paul wrote his letter to them.

They were confused about the return of Christ and mistakenly believed they had been left behind.

Apparently, someone had written a letter to the church pretending to be Paul telling them the Day of the Lord had already come.

It didn’t take much to convince them.

They felt the pressure of persecution, and it sure seemed like the world around them was getting worse by the day.

So when this letter arrived, it sent the people into a panic.

“Oh no!

This isn’t good.

What are we going to do?”

That’s how believers in the city of Thessalonica felt, when Paul wrote his letter to them.

They were confused about the return of Christ and mistakenly believed they had been left behind.

Apparently, someone had written a letter to the church pretending to be Paul telling them the Day of the Lord had already come.

It didn’t take much to convince them.

They felt the pressure of persecution, and it sure seemed like the world around them was getting worse by the day.

So when this letter arrived, it sent the people into a panic.

“Oh no!

This isn’t good.

What are we going to do?”

That’s how believers in the city of Thessalonica felt, when Paul wrote his letter to them.

They were confused about the return of Christ and mistakenly believed they had been left behind.

Apparently, someone had written a letter to the church pretending to be Paul telling them the Day of the Lord had already come, they were living in the last days, and the great tribulation was upon them.

The letter seemed authentic.

Paul had spoken to them in the past about future events, and it sure felt like the end had come.

They felt the pressure of persecution for their faith, and it seemed like the world around them was getting worse by the day, so they began to panic.

“Oh no!

What are we going to do?

How could we have missed the Lord’s appearing?”

They remembered some of the things the apostle taught them about events leading up to the end times.

At the end of this age, Christ will come in the air to gather his people.

We call this the rapture.

Believers who have already died will accompany the Lord from heaven, and those who remain will be caught up together to meet them in the clouds.

From that point on, we will be in the presence of the Lord forever.

But after the rapture, a period of judgment will fall on the unbelieving world.

There will be war, famine, and natural disasters, unlike the world has ever seen.

Since the beginning of history, humanity has been telling God, “we don’t want anything to do with you,” and finally God will give them what they want.

He will step back, allowing the evil of this world to run its course, unchecked.

Scripture calls this the “Great Tribulation,” or the “the Day of the Lord.”

Believers in Thessalonica thought they were living in that day.

No wonder they were so upset.

In his first letter to the Thessalonians, the apostle tried to calm their anxious hearts, reminding them, “God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” ( ESV).

But these Christians had forgotten God’s promise and were living in fear.

They remembered some of the things the apostle taught them about events leading up to the end times.

At the end of this age, Christ will come in the air to gather his people.

We call this the rapture.

Believers who have already died will accompany the Lord from heaven, and those who remain will be caught up together to meet them in the clouds.

From that point on, we will be in the presence of the Lord forever.

But after the rapture, a period of judgment will fall on the unbelieving world.

There will be war, famine, and natural disasters, unlike the world has ever seen.

Since the beginning of history, humanity has been telling God, “we don’t want anything to do with you,” and finally God will give them what they want.

He will step back, allowing the evil of this world to run its course, unchecked.

Scripture calls this the “Great Tribulation,” or the “the Day of the Lord.”

Believers in Thessalonica thought they were living in that day.

No wonder they were so upset.

In his first letter to the Thessalonians, the apostle tried to calm their anxious hearts, reminding them, “God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” ( ESV).

But these Christians had forgotten God’s promise and were living in fear.

Apparently, they had already forgotten what the apostle said in the first letter that he wrote to them.

He explained that one day Christ will come in the clouds to gather his people.

It could happen at any moment, when the church age has come to its completion.

Believers who have already died will accompany the Lord from heaven, and those who remain will be caught up together to meet them in the air.

It will happen suddenly, and without warning.

From that moment on, we will be in the presence of the Lord forever.

We call this the rapture, and Scripture tells us that it is our blessed hope.

It you know Christ as your Savior, you won’t be left behind.

We should look forward to that day with longing and expectation knowing that this is our destiny.

Sadly, there are many Christians today who have a fearful attitude when they think about the future.

As we feel the world around us drifting further and further away from God, it is easy to become discouraged, forgetting that God is still in control.

Maybe we are worried that he will abandon us.

Maybe we are afraid that the forces of darkness are too strong to overcome.

Maybe we are nervous out being left behind.

We need to stop worrying, because Christ is coming again to deliver his people.

Even though things might get worse before they get better, in the end, the Lord will prevail.

Good will conquer evil.

God’s light will triumph over the powers of darkness.

Satan will be defeated once and for all.