Well, good morning to everyone. It's good to see you all this morning. Looks like we're finally going to get some rain. It's been about three weeks at our house.

Well, we come to a most fascinating text in our study of 1 Thessalonians this morning. It's written to a group of believers who were struggling with questions concerning their lost loved ones, those who had died in Christ. It seems that Paul, when he had been with these new believers in Thessalonica, had taught them about the rapture, had taught them about the coming of the Lord; we're going to see the day of the Lord. And they had become so excited, were so anticipating this great event that it consumed their thinking and their lives. 

We addressed some of the problems last time that came from a bit of an overzealous desire for the coming of Christ. But here Paul is addressing their concern about their loved ones in Christ who had died. They were worried about what had become of them, where they were, what might happen to them, and if they were going to miss this most monumental event to which they so looked forward. 

So Paul's intent here, and this is really important for us to understand, is not so much a theological treatise on all the ins and outs and the doctrine of the rapture, but rather to comfort and encourage the believers addressing their concerns. And he's going to do that with teaching, with doctrine, with truth. He will set their mind at ease and let them know that those who die in Christ will by no means miss the rapture of the church. Rather, Jesus will bring them with him when he comes. 

And the dead in Christ will rise first to be glorified in their bodies. It is truth that will drive away confusion, teaching that will take away the ignorance, and doctrine that will give them a solid confidence and hope concerning what is yet to come. And so this is what Paul gives them in our text today, and it's an amazing assurance and hope for us as well as we contemplate what is to come, the promises that we have in him, and what happens to believers when they fall asleep.

If you turn to our text with me, please, 1 Thessalonians 4.13. Paul writes, "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. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus. 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. 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. 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. Therefore comfort one another with these words."

I've given you four points on your outline. First, ignorance and sorrow. Second, those who have no hope. Third, standing on the promises, and fourth, comfort one another. 

Well, first in our text we see that ignorance leads to sorrow. We see this very clearly in the lost all around us in the bondage in which they live to fear of death. For the lost man and Adam there is no knowledge, no understanding of or faith in the truth. And this results especially concerning death and eternity and the loss of loved ones and sorrow and uncertainty. It results in fear. 

In Ephesians 2.11 Paul said, "Therefore remember that you once Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision made in the flesh by hands, that at that time before Christ, that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenant of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." 

For he himself is our peace, who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, that is the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in himself one new man from the two, thus making peace. Before we came to the knowledge of the truth, Paul says we were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise. We had no hope and we were without God in the world. 

What an amazing truth this is, and we see it continually in the lost men of our world. No hope without God in the world. What would it be like to live without God in this kind of world, in all the fear and uncertainty and the turmoil and chaos that is this cursed world? If a man does not have Christ, what does he have? The government? Himself? Psychology? The wisdom of the world? 

Hebrews 2.15 says that lost men are held in bondage to fear of death all their lifetimes. Ignorance of Christ, of the gospel, means that men have no peace, have no hope, and live in constant fear and uncertainty. And as a result, men try to fill this emptiness in all kinds of ways apart from Christ. And this leads to further pain and suffering and fear.

Turn over to Ephesians 4 with me, please, at verse 17. We see a description here of who we were. Ephesians 4.17. Paul says, "This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk." How do the Gentiles walk? "In the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart, who being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness and to work all uncleanness with greediness." 

Well, this is an apt description of our world. But then Paul says in verse 20, "But you have not so learned Christ." We have learned. We have knowledge of the gospel. We have knowledge of salvation, of hope and promise. We have peace and joy and confidence because of Jesus Christ. But we can also be ignorant, not understanding truth concerning certain doctrines. We have not arrived yet. We have not come to perfect knowledge. 

And this was the case concerning the rapture of the church for the believers in Thessalonica. Because they did not understand, had not been taught some of the details of what is to come, they were sorrowing because they did not know. I love how the scriptures say over and over, "First we must know. You must know." We must know the doctrine if we're going to believe it. We must know it if we're going to reckon it to be true. 

And Paul says, "Listen, I don't want you to be ignorant concerning this event any longer. Let me give you some knowledge directly from the Lord, by the word of the Lord. As He gave it to me, these promises I give them to you, that you may no longer sorrow as others who have no hope." It's not that we don't sorrow when our loved ones, our brothers and sisters in Christ, depart from us to be with the Lord. It's not that we don't grieve and experience pain. 

But Paul says we should not sorrow as the world. We should not sorrow as those who have no hope and are without God. Rather, we should know. We should know and believe. We should reckon the word of God concerning these things and thus have peace and understanding looking forward to our reunion with those who sleep in Christ at His coming. 

Look with me again at our text. Here's the knowledge. Here's the understanding that dispels the sorrow. "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. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, in an equal way, God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus." 

"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." Here's what's going to happen. "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 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." 

Notice Paul says we who are alive and remain. Paul thought maybe it could happen in his lifetime. There's nothing that has to come first. It's imminent, we say, the rapture of the church. It could happen now, or now, or now. I always think about, I've told you this illustration before, when I was driving through Bessemer up Moore Street there a few years ago in the late winter, and there was a metal roof, and the snow had come out like four feet and was curled all the way under like this, and you just look at that when you drive by and you think, it's going to come any second, it's going to fall. 

Now, that's the way the rapture is. It's imminent. It's hanging over our heads. He's coming. He's going to come with a shout and a trumpet, and we're going to rise. We're going to go up with Him to heaven. We see ignorance and sorrow. We see those who have no hope, and next we see standing on the promises. 

In verse 14, Paul writes, "For if we believe," now this is not meant to imply doubt; it's something that's true. "Since we believe, since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus." God's going to bring those who have died in Christ, those who believe Jesus; He's going to bring them with Him when He comes. Sleep is a euphemism for death. 

But I was thinking about this. For the believer, we never really die. We certainly do not perish. Rather, our death is just a departure from this body. 2 Corinthians 5.1, listen to these words. "For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven. If indeed having been clothed, we shall not be found naked." 

"For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well-pleased. Rather, to be absent from the body, to die, to depart, we're well-pleased to die, to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord." 

Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4 as he was facing martyrdom, "For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand." It always makes me think like an airport, you know, you're waiting at the gate for your departing flight. We're going somewhere. We're not lost, we're not floating around, we're not perishing. 

The Thessalonians are like, where did our loved ones go? Where are they? What happened to them? We don't understand; are they going to miss the rapture? Are they lost? No, they're going somewhere when they die. They're going to be with the Lord. My departure is at hand, I've fought the good fight, I've finished the race, I've kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not to me only, but also to all who have loved His appearing. 

Think about that. Who loves His appearing? We do. Believers do. We look forward to it, we anticipate it. Unbelievers don’t love His appearing. Read Revelation 6, read Revelation 19. His appearing is not going to be good for those who reject Him. But for us, we love His appearing and there's a crown of righteousness awaiting us. Paul was in his death simply departing to be with the Lord. Death no longer has dominion over the one in Christ. There's no condemnation, there's no fear, there's no sting in death. 

Turn over to 1 Corinthians 15 with me, please. We'll read just beyond where Mark read this morning, 1 Corinthians 15, 51. This is a parallel passage to our passage. He says, "Behold, I tell you a mystery." This is something that has not been revealed before. The Second Coming is revealed throughout the Old Testament, right? This is something new that hasn't been revealed that Paul's revealing. "I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, we shall not all die, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 

"For this corruptible must put on incorruption, this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." 

Death has no sting. Death is better for the believer because he, at his departing, goes to be with the Lord. So many scriptures come to mind. Listen to Paul's testimony in Philippians 1:21. "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor, yet what I shall choose I cannot tell." Can you imagine that? Paul says, "I'd like to stay here and have fruit from the glory of God for your benefit, but I'd really like to die. Really like to die." I'm really hard-pressed, I really can't decide. "I'm hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart to be with Christ, which is far better." 

"Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you, and being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again." 

In Romans 6, 5, it says, "For if we have been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin, for he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over him. For the death that he died, he died to sin once for all, but the life that he lives, he lives to God. Likewise, you also, reckon yourselves." 

Death no longer has dominion over us. We see so many promises, find so much hope in the words of God, because we believe Jesus. The Lord will come and take us to be with him. He will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus, and we will always be with the Lord. We shall all be changed in the twinkling of an eye. That event is coming, my friends. Our hope will be fulfilled. 

Yesterday we had the memorial service here for Ruth Alice, and as I prepared remarks for that service here in this same text, it occurred to me that for Ruth, her hope has been realized. As we just read, Paul said it would be better for him to depart to be with the Lord than to stay here. Not better for the believers in Philippi, but better for him. And that's how we feel about Ruth and all of our loved ones in Christ who have fallen asleep. It may be sorrowful for us, but it's better for them, and we do not sorrow as others who have no hope. 

Her hope, her faith has been realized. Ruth now sees Jesus face to face. What a promise. What an amazing truth to ponder. And when Jesus comes to get the rest of us, Ruth will come with him, and her body will be raised first to meet her spirit in the air in glorification, and we, all those who believe Jesus Christ, will go up to heaven, and we shall always be with the Lord. 

We're studying the great rapture passage of 1 Thessalonians 4, and we've looked at Paul's explanation to the Corinthians concerning this in 1 Corinthians 15. But there's one more passage, the words of our Lord Jesus that gives us so much assurance and hope. 

John 14, turn over to John 14 with me, please, and look at verse 1. John 14, 1, "Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am, there you may be also." 

Jesus is here speaking to his disciples, and he's just told them that he's leaving. And they're confused, they're sorrowful and afraid. If we go back to John 13, 33, we see Jesus tell them this, "Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek me, and as I said to the Jews, where I am going, you cannot come, so now I say to you, a new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another. By this, all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another." 

And Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you shall follow me afterward." Peter said to him, "Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for your sake." And Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for my sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied me three times." 

They'd been with him for three years. They were expecting him to usher in the kingdom. Even after the resurrection in Acts 1, they say to him, "Lord, will you bring the kingdom now?" They were confused. They were afraid. Where is he going? And Jesus has the same intent here as Paul does in our text, to comfort them, to encourage them with truth.

Look at his words again, "Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am, there you may be also." What more do we really need to know? We trust Jesus. His words are true. 

I love when he says, "If it were not so, I would have told you." He's in heaven, preparing a room, a place for me in the Father's house, and he will come to get me, to take me to be with him where he is. This is so instructive for our understanding of the rapture as well. He's not coming to where I am. He will not come to the earth at the rapture of the church. He's coming to take me to be with him where he is, in heaven. 

And thus we shall always be with the Lord. We will even be with him when he comes back to judge at his coming to the earth. Listen to these frightening words of Revelation 19, 11. "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except himself. He was clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed him on white horses." 

"Now out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should strike the nations, and he himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He himself treads the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God. And he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, 'Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people free and slave, both small and great.' 

"And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gather together to make war against him who sat on the horse and against his army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire, burning with brimstone, and the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh." 

When he comes out of heaven to judge and set up his kingdom on the earth, we will come with him. Paul said we will always be with the Lord. And when he sets up his millennial reign, we will reign with him. In 2 Timothy 2.12 it says, "If we endure, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he will deny us." Revelation 20 verse 6 says, "Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection; over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years." 

My friends, the promise is sure and true from the words of our Lord. He's coming to take us to be with him, to catch us up in the clouds and to take us to the Father's house. But we're not true, he would have told us. And those who have fallen asleep in Christ will come with him, they are not lost, they have not perished, they are with Jesus, and he will bring them when he comes. We can stand on these promises. We can have confident assurance and hope. 

So what's the application for us from this wonderful text in 1 Thessalonians 4, 13-18? We've seen ignorance and sorrow, we've seen those who have no hope, we've seen standing on the promises, and finally we see comfort one another with these words. He gives us these great promises, and then in verse 18 he says, "Therefore, comfort one another with these words."

So what application can we make from these words of Paul? How is it we are to live day to day in this world with all of its trials and tribulations and temptations and distractions? How is a believer to be fruitful, to have no fear, to anticipate his coming and hope in his promise? What is it we need? What is it that brings comfort? 

We see this over and over again throughout the Scriptures. When Paul wrote to Timothy and Titus, young pastors with challenging roles to play in Ephesus and Crete, what did he tell them to do? Turn over to 2 Timothy 3 with me, please. 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 1. We see another promise here. 2 Timothy 3.1, Paul says, "But know this, get this straight, that in the last days perilous times will come for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power; and from such people turn away." 

Here's a promise we're seeing fulfilled today. Evil men are ruling. They're reigning in our world, deceiving and being deceived. They're manipulating, they're crafting evil plans through lies and deceit at the expense of innocent lives. David wrote of this in his Psalms in his time, nothing is new under the sun but it's growing worse and worse, just as Jesus promised it would. What do we do in this kind of world? How do we deal with the injustice all around us, evil prospering and wicked men succeeding? Even back in Psalm 73, David said his foot had almost slipped until he came into the house of the Lord and then he saw their end. 

Paul continues in verse 8 of 2 Timothy 3. He says, "Now as Janice and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth, men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith. But they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all as theirs also was." Jesus will bring justice. These men and evil rulers of our world will perish; they as the grass will soon wither. What do we do? Look at verse 10 of 2 Timothy 3. 

"But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions which happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived." 

Here's what we must do, my friends. "But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, in order that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." 

Timothy, it's going to get worse. Evil men are going to seem to be winning. There will be persecution and afflictions and trouble of all kinds. James says various and many trials. But you must continue in the things you have learned, in the scriptures, the truth, the words of God. Here is your assurance, here is your comfort, today and every day, not in carnal means, not in the ways of the world, not in the wisdom of the world, but in the wisdom of God, the words of God. 

And in chapter 4, Paul says in his last and dying words, "Timothy, preach the word." Preach the word. He said earlier, "In doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you." What do we need? We need the words of God. We need the promises of God. 

The Thessalonian believers were confused and troubled about their brothers and sisters who had fallen asleep. Would they miss the rapture? Were they somehow lost? What did those believers need? They needed sound doctrine, knowledge according to the word of the Lord. Jesus has those precious souls, and He will bring them back with Him at the rapture of the church, and we will always be with the Lord. The Thessalonians would have no more worries, no more confusion concerning those who have fallen asleep because of the word of the Lord, the truth about those who sleep in Jesus. It answered their questions. It set their mind at ease. They needed the word, the truth. 

What are you worried about? What are you troubled concerning? Many of us are worried about the condition and trajectory of our world, of our culture. What do we need? We need the words of God. We're not here to fix the world. We're not here to fret over the world. We're here to preach the gospel and to save people out of this world, to snatch them from the fire. And Jesus is coming, and he will make things right. We need not fret. God is in control. We need the words of God, the truth to reckon, to renew our minds. This is the answer to fear and worry and anxiety. 

Look unto Jesus. Go to his word. And my friends, comfort one another with these words. You have a friend, a brother or sister that's struggling, that's having a hard time in this life for whatever reason, because of whatever circumstances, point them back to Jesus. Comfort them with the word, the truth of God, and remind them who they are in Christ, what they have in him, and the hope, the promise that is ours, eternal life. And remind them of his sufficient grace for today and every day, and that he loves them, that he lives in them, that he will never leave them or forsake them.

It doesn't matter what the problem is. The answer is the same. The word is the key. The promises are our hope. You see how practical the teaching, the words of Paul are here in our text, and how they bring comfort. We have a great privilege to be in Christ, to be witnesses for him in this world, to be so blessed, so at peace with so many resources to encourage and minister to our brothers and sisters in Christ and to the lost. 

Our lives should be one of constant thankfulness for our salvation, for God's provision, for the great and precious promises that we have in him, in Jesus. May we continually live in light of these great truths and renew our minds to them constantly that we might love God and love people, that we might bring glory to him in all that we do, and that we might have the comfort, the consolation of Christ as we walk through this troubled world in this time, as long as God has us here. 

Let's close in prayer. Father, we're so thankful for Jesus Christ, for our salvation, for the promises that we have in him. Thank you that you're sufficient. Thank you that you're in control. Thank you that you have plans for us, and that you use us to accomplish your will that we can be ministers of the word, that we can be encouraging to one another, that we can bring the good news message to the lost and see lives changed for eternity. All by your grace, your power, and for your glory, in Jesus' name, amen.