“Comfort One Another” – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
I. The Promise of the
1 Thessalonians 4:13-15 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
There are no second-class Christians only saved people.
II. The Promise of the
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17a For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up
1 Corinthians 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Matthew 24:40-42 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
Mark 13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
The truth of the rapture should comfort our hearts, call us to lives of commitment and urgency, and compel those who are unsure if they truly know Christ.
III. The Promise of a
1 Thessalonians 4:17b-18 Shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Our hope is not in the Second Coming of Christ, but in the Christ of the Second Coming.
Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
4 Major Signs:
1. He said that there would be an increase in .
Matthew 24:4b-5 Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
2. He spoke of among nations.
Matthew 24:6-7b And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
3. will take place.
Matthew 24:7b There shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
4. A growing for Christianity would occur.
Matthew 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.
A Christian organization called Open Doors published their findings from 2021:
1. More than 340 million Christians lived under high levels of persecution and discrimination.
2. 4,761 Christians were martyred
3. 4,488 churches and other Christian-affiliated buildings were attacked
4. 4,277 believers were detained without trial, arrested, sentenced, or imprisoned
Luke 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Ezekiel 38:1-2 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him.
“Magog” is the geographic region where the Scythians were, and it is where modern-day Russia is.
In these chaotic and uncertain times in which we are living, we can be comforted by faith in our God Who has given us enough information to know that this world as we know it will come to an end at some point.