A Word of Comfort and Encouragement

Aaron Whitmire

1 Thessalonians • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

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Believers should comfort and encourage one another with these words.

Notes

Transcript

Introduction

When I was at the seminary there was one particular class that I took where we talked about controversial issues of the Christian faith, and how to deal with them. You know, the issues we disagree about, but all think we’re right about. The professor told us that two of the most famous preachers of the 18th century were George Whitefield and John Wesley. Whitefield was a Calvinist and Wesley an Arminian. Once a fiery Calvinist parishioner posed the following question to George Whitefield, he said, “Mr. Whitfield, I should like to know if you think you will see John Wesley in heaven?” Whitfield answered with the following, “No, I don’t think I will see John Wesley in heaven because he will be so close to the throne of God, and I so far away!” The answer George Whitfield gave should give us all a little more humility when dealing with a brother or sister in Christ with whom we disagree. I say that as we go into this short section of 1 Thessalonians because these verses have been the source of a seemingly unending controversy, especially within Baptist circles over the last 50 or so years. Why(?), it’s because this is the portion of Scripture, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, is where we get the notion of what we call the rapture. Friends, these verses have been so controversial among us Baptists, that they’ve even led to church splits over when the rapture will happen, pre, mid, or post tribulation. Now, what’s really interesting about that is this, it’s not even Paul’s point in these verses, his point here is to bring pastoral comfort to a congregation of persecuted and struggling believers. That said, my goal in preaching this portion of Scripture is not to tell you when I think the rapture will occur in relationship to the tribulation, but to emphasize what Paul says in v.18, That you would comfort and encourage one another with these words. So, with that said, let’s read the text and then pray over it and ask God’s help in making application of it to our lives.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NKJV

13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Prayer

Paul’s reason and basis for giving this information

1 Thessalonians 4:13–14 NKJV

Let’s start by looking at vv.13 and 14 because it’s here that Paul presents his reason and basis for giving this information to the Thessalonians as well as to believers today. Verse 13 contains the reason, and then v.14 gives the basis. Paul begins here by saying that he doesn’t want the believers to be uniformed. (I’m not a fan of the translation “ignorant” because there’s too much baggage connected with that word in our modern context.) The point here is that there’s something Paul knows that they don’t, that’s the point in v.15 when he says “… this we say to you by the word of the Lord…”. What Paul speaks about in these verses was evidently something he received in a direct revelation from God, and it centered on something that the Thessalonians were really concerned about. What’s going to happen to those who are “asleep”, that is, those who have died? Are they going to miss out on Jesus’ return? Now, from our perspective as 21st century western Christians that might sound like a rather odd question, but you’ve got to remember that the Thessalonians lived in a Hellenistic and Romanized culture that was highly influenced by Platonic philosophy. You see, “in Greek thought, the soul lived on but with no hope. It existed in sort of an ambiguous afterlife (see Ephesians 2:12).[1] So with that in mind, you can certainly see why these people would ask questions concerning their relatives who had passed away. But why would Paul feel the need to give them this information? The text tells us that it’s so the believers there wouldn’t grieve like unbelievers who, because of their unbelief, had no hope.

(Appeal) Let me pause there and ask you upon what you’re placing your hopes. If it’s not Jesus, then you’re in the same predicament that the unbelievers at Thessalonica were in nearly two-thousand years ago. Why not place your faith and hope in Jesus today!

Take a look at v.14. In the last verse (v.13) Paul gave his reason for sharing this information with the Thessalonians, here he gives the basis for his being able to do so. Paul’s foundation is built on solid ground. Look at what he says in v.14, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” In his letter to the Corinthians Paul said the following, “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” The point is this, our resurrection is based upon and insured by the fact that Jesus has already been raised from the dead. The end has already come in Christ, we’re now in the process of catching up to him. The kingdom is here now, but there’s still more to come!

[1] Bruce B. Barton and Grant R. Osborne, 1 & 2 Thessalonians: Life Application Commentary, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1999), 65.

(Appeal) Now, with that said, let me give you a word of caution concerning the resurrection. Both believers and unbelievers will be raised on the basis of Jesus’ resurrection, the question you need to ask yourself is this, where will I go after I’m raised? Why? Well, it’s because you have only two options, either you’ll spend eternity with Jesus, or you’ll spend it in hell with Satan. The choice is yours!

No Pride of Place in the Resurrection

1 Thessalonians 4:15–17 NKJV

15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Illustration: Everyone likes to be first. I like to be first and be the winner, don’t you? No matter how lack-luster people might seem to be, I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t like at least little competition. Why? Well, I’d be willing to argue that we all secretly take a little pride in being king of the mountain. We love to win! Would you like to be able to say you met Jesus first at his return? In vv.15-17 Paul says that’s not going to happen because there’s no pride of place in the resurrection for believers.

Paul asserts this beginning at v.15 by saying that those who are alive at the coming of the Lord won’t precede those who are dead. Then, to prove his point he gives a very brief order of events in vv.16 and 17. Take a look at what he says there. “16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” Now, there’s something here that many people seem to fail to see and take note of, and that’s the fact that at this point in the chronology of what Paul is describing here, although the believing dead have been raised they haven’t gone to meet Jesus yet as he’s returning. They’ve only been raised here. Do you see that? Now, let’s move to v.17 because there Paul is going to tell us what happens to those who are alive at Christ’s return. Verse 17 says the following, “17Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” Did you notice the sequence of events that v.17 brings out? Remember, in v.16 we’ve been told the believing dead have just been raised but they haven’t gone to meet Jesus yet. Now, v.17, Paul says that those who are alive at the return of Christ will “be caught up together with them …” Who is the “them” referring to? It’s the believing dead who Paul said were raised back to life in v.16. What Paul is saying here, his point, is this, on the day Jesus returns there’s going to be a loud noise of some kind, everyone is going to know that something really big is happening. This isn’t some kind of “secret rapture” that only believers will know about. Paul doesn’t say that, people read it into the text. No, what Paul describes in these verses seems to be the polar opposite of something that’s secret. Then, the believing dead are raised back to life. (I’m not even going to attempt to even speculate about what that’s going to be like, although I imagine there’s going to be some sceptics who become un-skeptic REALLY quick!) Then, after that the believing dead, along with those who are still alive at Jesus’ return are “together” (in other words, both groups at the same exact moment) taken to meet Jesus. There is no pride of place in the resurrection. You, if you’re living at Jesus’ return, and your believing loved ones who have passed on will be raised to meet Jesus together, at the same time.

(Appeal) Friends, there is no first and second place in the kingdom, there are no big I’s and little you’s, and my question is this, whether living or dead at the return of Jesus, what will happen to you? If you have placed your faith in Christ as Lord and Savior, then you can answer that question clearly, and this text is describing you! If not, why not place your faith in Christ today and ensure your part in the events were talking about?

Now What?

1 Thessalonians 4:18 NKJV

18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

I want to conclude with v.18. It’s here that I think Paul makes his main point in this passage. Verse 18 says, “Therefore, comfort (encourage) one another with theses words.” Friends, often we do the exact opposite of what Paul tells us here with these verses. How so? (Pause) We argue over when the rapture will occur; will it be pre-trib, mid-trib, or post-trib? We disavow fellowship with those whom we see as disagreeing with us over these verses. Some even write into their statement of faith a clause that says anyone who is a member of their church must hold to a certain view of the rapture in order to join in fellowship with them. Paul does NOT say anything to that effect in these verses. I’m not saying that this isn’t something we should talk about in the church. We certainly should discuss it because it’s contained in the Scriptures! However, we need to discuss it with an air of humility and understanding, remembering that others might have a different opinion. Sure, I’ve got my opinion about when the rapture will occur, but in the big scheme of things, in the kingdom, God’s not into opinions, at least from what I can tell by reading his Word. Paul’s point here, in these verses, is that we as believers should use what he has written to comfort each other in the knowledge that one day our Savior will return and set things right, but in the meantime, we have work to do!

Invitation

Prayer

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