The End Times: 1 Thess 4:13-5:11
Notes
Transcript
IMPERATIVES: #1 Determine Your Goal;#2 Pick A Point (It’s important to have a one point message. That way you only have one thing to remember.);#3 Create A Map (Me-We-God-You-We);#4 Internalize The Message (Tell a story that takes them on a journey) (Whether it’s a journey to your childhood home or a journey to a life-changing truth, it’s a story that will take you there.) (People make it difficult when they try to communicate points instead of telling a story.) (When you stand up and speak without notes and without having to read your sermon, you’re saying, “This is so important that it’s a part of me — and I think you should make it a part of you, too!”);#5 Engage The Audience;#6 Find Your Voice;#7 Find Some TractionPrayer, Checklist Questions: What do they need to know?Why do they need to know it?What do they need to do?Why do they need to do it?MAP:ME - Explain who you are and what you’re all about. Pastor in his church uses as introduction of idea or topic.WE - It takes me from what I’m thinking or feeling to what WE are thinking and feeling. I have to find an emotional common ground with them around the topic or idea of the message. My goal is to raise a felt need with as many people in the audience as I canGOD - where I take this emotional common ground I’ve established and introduce biblical truth into the discussion. Now I’m providing a solution to the need I just raised. Remember, we are not teaching the Bible to people; we’re teaching people the Bible. First, we connect with the people; then we move to the Bible.YOU - Once I’ve introduced God’s view on the subject as the answer to the need, it makes it easy for me to then ask, ‘What are you going to do about it? This becomes the application segment, and if I’ve followed my map well, instead of having to stir up interest in making the application, the application comes as a relief or it’s always the answer to a question they’re already asking. Communicate the challenge at a personal level because life-change is going to come when people apply the truth to their lives. You just go back, and everywhere you raised a need, now you make an application and make sure you don’t raise a felt need that you aren’t going to cover from God’s Word and answer with an application. The worst thing a communicator can do is overpromise and under-deliver. You’re building trust with your listeners. Not just trust in the information, but trust in the relationship.WE - the place to cast a common vision. A vision of what our lives, our church, and even our world would look like if only we would apply the truth of God’s Word. It’s the inspirational part of the message. My goal at this point is to inspire people to make a change. Sometimes being faced with God’s Word can leave the listener feeling defeated, if all they think about is how far they have to go. But, if I can give them a picture of what life will be like once they apply the truth, then they have a little hope.
GOAL: To Build Up and Encourage the saints and to be a Light in the Darkness to those who don’t know!
GOAL: To Build Up and Encourage the saints and to be a Light in the Darkness to those who don’t know!
POINT: Jesus is Coming and Each New Day is Closer!
POINT: Jesus is Coming and Each New Day is Closer!
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Good morning everyone! It is a great day to be alive! It is a new day and it is full of life! I’m so excited to bring you a Word from the Lord today . . . and I’m so excited that I can bring a Word of encouragement to you. I want to address something that has come up over and over again . . . and believe me when I say that every time we face a crisis in our country it happens again. Now, that doesn’t mean it is a bad thing, but it is something that needs to be talked about. I know already you’re thinking . . . well what is it? It is the topic of END TIMES! You see every time we face a crisis it raises people’s awareness to the last days . . . and that’s been happening for 100’s of 1000’s of years. Why? Because people know just enough sometimes to be dangerous! LOL! And, please know that I’m not trying to be funny . . . because this is an important topic to understand as a believer . . . and when you are not a believer! Why? I’m going to et to that in today’s message.
(ME)
(ME)
Me, I’m a believer! I believe that Jesus Christ is exactly who he says he is, and that God the Father has a plan for Him, and for every one of us. I believe the Word of God when it says that Jesus Christ will come back for His church one day . . . and on that day He will retrieve us (the church that believes His Word) from this earth and those that do not will be left here for a time for what is identified as one of the most terrible times ever recorded. Now, to me, that is a sad story . . . the part about people being left here; and I know that is the way God, and His son Jesus Christ feels about it too.
(WE)
(WE)
But, it does not have to be that way. Everyone has a chance to believe and receive Jesus Christ as Lord. You see, each day that goes by gets closer to His return. We don’t know when, but we know that the day is coming. The times that we live in continue to reveal that. Like I said before, every time we have a crisis, it is brought up; and we as people come up with all kinds of things . . . true and not true! I want to encourage each one today in the direction of one thing or another!
The first, as a believer, to be encouraged by this Word, to be confident in what Jesus has done for you and in your relationship with Him; to not believe every theory out there in the world, but to believer God’s Word!
The second, to the person who doesn’t believe, to be encouraged to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! To believe that He is who He says He is, and to receive Him as Lord, to follow Him and what He says in His Word.
MESSAGE
MESSAGE
I want to read this passage: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11 which talks about the Coming of the Lord. Please listen to His Word and then I want to break it down for you in conversational style.
(GOD)
(GOD)
Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.
We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Therefore encourage each other with these words.
Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,
for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.
But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
In this passage there are several themes . . . like Peace, Hope, Spiritual Warfare, and definitely a theme of Urgency!
He speaks of “A Confidence (Hope) that brings Peace in the midst of chaos!”
Let’s break this down and just talk through it very simply . . .
Brothers, (talking about other believers, both men and women, in Jesus Christ), I don’t want you to not know about those who fall asleep (in other words, those who have died and left this life before them), or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope (those who don’t believe in Jesus and what He did by dying on the cross for them). He was addressing this because some people had been talking that the Lord had already come back and they were left behind. He goes on in verse 14 and says . . . I believe that Jesus died and rose again and so I believe that Jesus will bring with Him those who have died ahead of us that were also believers in Him . . . in Jesus. It is according to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are believers and who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, we will certainly not precede those who have already died as believers. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, that those believers that have already died will rise from the dead first, and after that, we who are believers, and who are still alive and are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the the Lord Jesus in the air. And, so we will be with the Lord forever. Because of this, we want you to encourage each other with these words.
Then he goes into this second part . . . 1 Thess 5:1-11
Now, brothers, about the times and dates of when Jesus will return, we do not need to write to you, because we have taught you and you know that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While there are people saying “peace and safety” because of a false hope they have, trusting in something that cannot save them, destruction will come on them suddenly as a surprise, just as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape because they have trusted in the wrong thing.
But you, brothers and sisters, believers in Jesus Christ, you are not in darkness (you know about these things because we have taught you), so that this day will not surprise you like a thief. Because you are all sons and daughters of the light (you are believers in Jesus) and sons and daughters of the day (you live your life fully in front of others because you are not ashamed). You understand who Jesus is. You do not belong to the night or to the darkness. You do not belong to Satan and do evil things that are in secret. So, then, because of this, don’t be like others who are asleep (those that aren’t paying attention), in other words, don’t be caught unaware of the day that is coming, but be alert and self-controlled. Those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But, since we belong to the day, let us be people who live self-controlled, and wear our faith and love as a breastplate, and wear the hope of our salvation as a helmet. You see these things, our faith, our love protect us, just as a breastplate does, and our hope of salvation is just like wearing a helmet to protect our head and brains and what we believe.
You see, because we are now believers in Jesus, God did not choose us to suffer His wrath . . . but He chose us to receive his salvation, His protection, and bring us home, through Jesus Christ our Lord. As believers, Jesus died for us so that, whether we are awake and alive when He comes back, or we are dead when He comes back, that we may live together with Him for eternity and not die. Because of this, I want you to encourage one another with this truth, and build each other up with God’s Word, just as you are already doing.
I want you to clearly understand that what Paul was trying to do was encourage his brother’s and sister’s in Christ not to fear and have anxiety in the midst of a chaotic world . . . where all kinds of conspiracy theories were going around when the Lord was going to come back, and to be afraid that we weren’t ready. He was saying to them, trust Jesus and His Word, trust what He has promised you in His Word, live each day loving Jesus, following His Word, and doing what the Word of God tells you is right . . . and when you do this you do not have to fear when and where and how He is coming back. If you do this, you can live in confidence in His love and grace that His promise will come true just as He said. Ask God for wisdom each day as He says in James 1:5 so that you may live and know what to do each day as things happen; and do this daily not worrying about tomorrow. Our imaginations can cause a lot of worry when we start thinking about what could be . . . and most of that doesn’t happen anyway.
If we don’t believe in who He is, and what He has done for us on the cross, and we live doing evil, then we should sit down pray a prayer like this, “God, help me to understand what I read so that I can be who and what I’m supposed to be, In Jesus Name, Amen!” and then read the Bible starting in the book of John! Each time you read, ask God to help you to understand, and help you to believe in what He has done for you . . . and if you ever need help, if you ever need questions answer, I am here for you! I am not a “know it all”, but I will find out answers to the best of my ability! I know a lot of people that are a lot smarter than me that can help too!
God doesn’t want you to be fearful, or anxious! God wants you to have peace in your mind, in your heart, and in your soul! He wants you to be confident that you have salvation. 1 John 5:13 says . . .
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
He doesn’t want us to be wondering whether or not we are have a relationship with Him, or wondering whether or not we will be left behind when He comes; but He wants us to be confident and assured that when He comes we will be with Him! Better than that, He wants to have a relationship with us right now. He wants to give us confidence and assurance right now. He wants to lead us into good things right now.
(YOU)
(YOU)
So, what about you? If you are with us today for this worship time . . . do you have a relationship with Him? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He died for your sins, that He was buried in the tomb, and that He rose again on the 3rd day . . . defeating sin, death, and the grave? If you do, tell us in the comments section right now! If not, and you have questions, or you want to pray, or even just talk, call me, Pastor Terry at 701-400-9839! If for some reason it goes to voicemail, leave your name and number and I will call you back. God loves you and wants a relationship with you! I care very much about each person coming to know the truth about Jesus Christ in their life and I will talk with you and pray for you . . . in fact, as we close right now . . . let me pray!
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
Jesus, I ask you right now, that you would encourage those today that are listening, that are believers, that they are in right relationship with you, and that they are living daily just as you desire for them . . . continue to give them wisdom and peace, direction, and strength each day. For those that are still searching, I pray that you would help them to understand the truth of who you are Jesus, that you would reveal your love to them in a way that they have never experienced in their lives! I know that you will break down every wall to reach them, and that you will travel every mile that you need too as you pursue them! Help them today in Jesus name!
God Bless each one listening today and give them a great day and a great week!
In Jesus Name! Amen!
(WE)
(WE)