4. UNEXPECTED SOJOURNERS AND WIDER PATHS

4. UNEXPECTED SOJOURNERS AND WIDER PATHS

The first Christian church was established in Thessalonica.

I Thessalonians 3:1-3

A. Paul sent Timothy.

B. He reminded them of imminent persecution.

C. He gave them hope.

Today’s message is probably the most hopeful words that God anointed the Apostle Paul to give. It is the pinnacle – the utmost words of hope in Christ.

The original definition of “hope” is “anxious expectation.” It is something that we know from God’s Word we can expect. That is the Biblical meaning of “hope.”

I Thessalonians 4:13-18

Thirteen points Paul assures us in Scripture will give us hope.

1. Christians don't have to be uninformed about other believers who have already died (I Thessalonians 4:13).

“Falling asleep” means "to be out-stretched or to lie down" (2 Corinthians 5:6-9).

It was a visual of death. The spirit is released to go to the Lord, and body goes back to dust (in a casket).

2 Corinthians 5:6-9 – To be away from the body is to be at home with the Lord. The spirit-man goes straight to be with the Father, and the physical body goes to the grave. We will not have gotten our glorified bodies, but the spirit will be very visible. Heaven is a real live place, and it is ground under our feet.

2. Christians don't have to grieve without hope (I Thessalonians 4:13). The meaning for “hope” can be interpreted as anxious “expectation of something good.”

There is nothing more natural than pouring out your heart in sorrow to God at a time when you are hurting. Yes, we grieve, but not like those who have no hope.

3. Our hope is in a glorious future ingathering of all believers in Christ.

We are going to see those people in Christ, because we are going to have a huge ingathering of all believers in Christ, saved by grace.

4. This future resurrection of believers who have died in Christ is as certain as Christ's past resurrection (I Thessalonians 4:14).

As certain as Jesus lived, died, and rose again; there will be the resurrection of all the believers, and we will be in a huge ingathering.

5. We do not know the time this ingathering will take place (I Thessalonians 5:1-3; Matthew 24:36).

Matthew 24:36 – The Son knows everything, except the one thing God has sovereignly chosen for Him not to know. God wanted Christ to have the same wonderful experience as any groom. Too long for a date to come. To wonder if every day would be the day. We also long to see the face of our bridegroom. We have that daily expectancy.

6. God made a special provision for those who die before Christ's return for believers (I Thessalonians 4:15).

They did go for the journey, through the valley of the shadow of death, and experienced that. They will be the first in line for their new bodies; first for this awesome change.

7. The Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a loud command (I Thessalonians 4:16).

“Keleusma,” the original word for loud command means:

First, for the soldiers charging their enemies.

1 Corinthians 15:26 – Christ’s archenemy is death. In some terms it will take place at this ingathering. It will be a charging forth of one soldier in particular, who has come to battle a very, very hated foe, and that, is death.

Second, for charioteers inciting their horses (2 Kings 2:10-13).

2 Kings 2:10-13 – In Elijah’s experience of being taken up; of being gathered up with God; without ever seeing an earthly death, he saw chariots of fire.

If the heavens are filled with chariots of fire when Christ meets us in the air, the way we are driven to heaven is in chariots of fire.

8. Christ's coming will be accompanied by the voice of the archangel (I Thessalonians 4:16).

Archangels are chief angels that stand in the presence of God. Two are named in Scripture:

A. Michael.

Michael is the patron archangel of the Jewish nation (Daniel 12:1)

B. Gabriel.

Gabriel was the first archangel to announce Christ’s coming (Luke 1:30-33)

9. A trumpet will sound the ingathering (I Thessalonians 4:16).

In the ancient Hebrew nation, the way that they would call the people together for a celebration of God; one of the high holy days, would be to blow the trumpet. There would be someone on the edge of the city that with the wind would blow the trumpet to sound toward the next city, so that the man playing the trumpet in that city would be able to hear it, and blow his trumpet from there.

There will only be one trumpet blowing, and everyone in that particular day will hear it.

10. The dead in Christ will rise first; then those who are still alive will be caught up together with them (I Thessalonians 4:16-17). “Meet” means a "meeting from every conceivable direction."

1 Thessalonians 16:14 – The spirit is being brought with the Lord, but the physical body is being resurrected from the dead; and it will join back together again for a moment. We will come back from the dead in a pre-death form. It will be for such a short time, it will not make any difference.

11. We will meet the Lord in the air (I Thessalonians 4:17).

Christ meant it literally, and when that trumpet blows we will be there.

12. All Christians will receive new imperishable forms or bodies at this ingathering (I Corinthians 15:51-54).

The original Greek word “atomos” means "indivisble."

It is the most indivisible point of time; we will be changed from these crude, earthly bodies into the glorious forms that will last for all eternity. They will be imperishable, and we will receive bodies like the Lord Jesus.

13. All Christians will be with the Lord forever (I Thessalonians 4:17-18; Job 19:23-27).

The word “caught up” means "to rob, to seize."

Christ will rob this earth of His beloved people, the apple of God’s eye. We will meet Christ in the air, covered and surrounded by clouds.

Job 19:23-27 – No one will describe this event to you. No one will have to describe the face of Christ to you. When this event happens, you will see it with your own eyes. Our hearts yearn to see Him face to face. These stumbling feet of clay will leave their last set of footprints in the sky. Even so Lord Jesus, come home. Hallelujah!

One day I will meet you in the air when He shouts!