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1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
"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.
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 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."
Comfort one another with these words... what words? The words preceding the verse. All about having hope for those asleep, that is, those dead in Christ, and that Christ will come again to take us who are still alive and remain when he returns. That He will return is an absolute. Jesus said it, and He said it with the authority of the Father, for He does not and cannot lie. He said it, so He will do it! He will return again to gather His own, and to judge the world in righteousness.
Titus 2:13 - 14,
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."
First, we are told to be looking for that blessed hope. Are you looking for His return, or are you more concerned with this world? Examine yourselves in this matter. Many believe, but do not look for the blessed hope of Christs glorious appearing.
Matthew 24:30-31
"Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
He comes with power; He comes with great glory, He comes to gather His elect. Make sure you are a part of that body, a part of the elect. "Give diligence to make your calling and election sure..." (2 Peter 1:10)
Second, Christ came to redeem us from all iniquity - and this is part of making your calling and election sure. Those who wait for their Lord should not be living in iniquity.
Ephesians 5:27 - "That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."
Oh yes, we are to comfort one another with the words of His coming, the truth of His appearing. We should be expecting it, and sharing it. There are so many sceptics. Let's not be one of them. A lot of folk in the church deny His coming, delay His return. These things should not be!
Psalm 119:75-77
"I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.
Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight."
Jer. 31:13
"Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow."
You know those who wait for their Lord are compared to virgins in Matthew 25, the wise and the foolish. The wise are ready, with oil in their lamps, which we know to symbolize the Holy Spirit. but even more so than that, the Holy Spirit is the sanctifier. The Holy Spirit doesn't share with sin in the same body. You'll quench the Spirit if you're living in sin, you'll grieve Him. We need to be in the fulness of the Spirit, walking in the Spirit, abiding in Christ. Sin shall have no part in His kingdom when He returns, and it shouldn't have any part in our life right now.
"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." (Matt. 5:4)
If anyone is mourning the loss of someone close that died in Christ, you shall be comforted: Comforted by the blessed hope, knowing when He comes you will be with them where they are. And even if suffering, mourning anything, God promises to comfort us, yea, even in tribulation. He promises to comfort us in all our tribulation in 2 Corinthians 1:4.
Oh, we so need to be in Christ, to abide in Him, to wait for Him from heaven, when He shall come with His mighty angels. These things are our comfort and our hope. Amen.
"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.
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 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."
Comfort one another with these words... what words? The words preceding the verse. All about having hope for those asleep, that is, those dead in Christ, and that Christ will come again to take us who are still alive and remain when he returns. That He will return is an absolute. Jesus said it, and He said it with the authority of the Father, for He does not and cannot lie. He said it, so He will do it! He will return again to gather His own, and to judge the world in righteousness.
Titus 2:13 - 14,
"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."
First, we are told to be looking for that blessed hope. Are you looking for His return, or are you more concerned with this world? Examine yourselves in this matter. Many believe, but do not look for the blessed hope of Christs glorious appearing.
Matthew 24:30-31
"Then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
He comes with power; He comes with great glory, He comes to gather His elect. Make sure you are a part of that body, a part of the elect. "Give diligence to make your calling and election sure..." (2 Peter 1:10)
Second, Christ came to redeem us from all iniquity - and this is part of making your calling and election sure. Those who wait for their Lord should not be living in iniquity.
Ephesians 5:27 - "That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."
Oh yes, we are to comfort one another with the words of His coming, the truth of His appearing. We should be expecting it, and sharing it. There are so many sceptics. Let's not be one of them. A lot of folk in the church deny His coming, delay His return. These things should not be!
Psalm 119:75-77
"I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.
Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight."
Jer. 31:13
"Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow."
You know those who wait for their Lord are compared to virgins in Matthew 25, the wise and the foolish. The wise are ready, with oil in their lamps, which we know to symbolize the Holy Spirit. but even more so than that, the Holy Spirit is the sanctifier. The Holy Spirit doesn't share with sin in the same body. You'll quench the Spirit if you're living in sin, you'll grieve Him. We need to be in the fulness of the Spirit, walking in the Spirit, abiding in Christ. Sin shall have no part in His kingdom when He returns, and it shouldn't have any part in our life right now.
"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." (Matt. 5:4)
If anyone is mourning the loss of someone close that died in Christ, you shall be comforted: Comforted by the blessed hope, knowing when He comes you will be with them where they are. And even if suffering, mourning anything, God promises to comfort us, yea, even in tribulation. He promises to comfort us in all our tribulation in 2 Corinthians 1:4.
Oh, we so need to be in Christ, to abide in Him, to wait for Him from heaven, when He shall come with His mighty angels. These things are our comfort and our hope. Amen.
