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1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
We’re continuing this morning to discover the many avenues and aspects of hope that we find in the Bible. And today’s passage is probably one that’s a little unconventional. Let me invite you to take your copy of God’s Word and turn with me to 1 Thessalonians 4. Now Paul’s letters to the church in Thessalonica are among some of his less studied pastoral epistles, but they contain some very encouraging words to believers living in difficult days.
If you’ve read through the Acts of the Apostles, then you know some of the historical background of Thessalonica and Paul’s visit to that city. You’ll remember, for example, that Paul and Silas had been in prison in Philippi and when they’re released they travel over to Thessalonica and stay there for three Sabbaths (Acts 17). Paul preaches about Jesus Christ in the synagogue, as the Passover Lamb, and many of the Jews listen and convert to Christianity. The others get extremely jealous and they drive him out of the synagogue and ultimately out of the city.
Paul eventually makes his way down through Athens and ends up in the city of Corinth. And while he’s there teaching and discipling, some of the believers come down from Thessalonica and tell Paul that the church is all in an uproar because of some misunderstandings about some of the things he had previously taught. And there are two things in particular that they had gotten mixed up.
First, the Thessalonian believers had misunderstood Paul to teach the immediate return of Jesus, rather than the imminent return of Jesus. Now those two words sound familiar (immediate vs. imminent), but they’re very different. Paul did NOT teach the immediate return of Jesus. After all, no one knows the day or the hour not even the Son. But he did teach the imminent return, the forthcoming return, the fact that Jesus would return was a sure thing.
The second thing that the Thessalonian believers had misunderstood was what happened to their loved ones. See, what they understood Paul to say was that unless you were still living when Jesus returned, then you were lost. So, you have people that are understandably concerned and upset because they had a spouse die, or a child die, or a parent die, or a friend die before Jesus returned and they were distraught. They were spiritually panicked. They were anxious doctrinally. They were restless personally. And so, Paul comes and provides clarity and hope on these issues.
Pick up with me as I read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18:
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Verse 18 is the entire reason why we’re considering this passage in our series on hope. Paul explicitly tells the Thessalonians, and by extension, you and me, to encourage one another with these words. The fact of the matter is this. Many churches have forgotten the importance of teaching the second coming of Jesus.
Orthodox Christian teaching has always asserted that Jesus will one day visibly return as Judge and King of creation. The ecumenical creeds of the early church all affirm that Jesus will “come again to judge the living and the dead,” and the Reformed confessions that have followed them also endorse this understanding. Here is our hope. In the days of greatest fear, that fear will dissipate if we will focus on the return of Christ. Yet, when was the last time that you remember hearing a sermon that called you to look forward with great anticipation the Day of the Lord’s return?
Majestic Return
As always, there are three things that I want to highlight for us and the first is this – when Jesus returns it will be majestic. That’s what’s described in verse 16, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” It will be majestic.
Now there are three things that Paul says will mark this majestic return. The first is a cry of command. Some of your Bibles might even call it a shout. But make no mistake about it, it’s going to be majestic. I don’t know what it was like on October 19, 1781 early in the morning when Gen. George Washington rode out to watch the rebel troops firing on the city of Yorktown, knowing that the French had blocked Cornwallis’ retreat and that he would witness victory for a young America. I don’t know what it sounded like that day when Washington spoke with those troops, but I bet it was majestic.
I don’t know what it sounded like when Napoleon gave command to fire at the Battle of Austerlitz, but I bet you it was majestic. I don’t know what it sounded like when Lord Nelson stood on the deck of a British ship and commanded bombardment of the French fleet, but I bet it was majestic. I don’t know what it sounded like Hancock warned the Second Corps of the Federal Army, up on Cemetery Ridge, “Here come the Rebels!” But I bet it was majestic. I’m tell you, when Jesus returns there’s going to be a shout and when you hear that shout it will sound like majesty has spoken.
The second description or mark of this majestic return will be the voice of an archangel. Did you know that there is never a time in the Bible where angels speak that the people hearing them have to go and find an interpreter? You never find a person that says, “Hold on minute, your accent is too think. I don’t understand what you’re saying.” When angels speak it’s with great clarity and great power. In that day we will hear the voice of an archangel and that angel’s voice will be understood and it will be as majestic as the Word of God itself.
There’s a third thing mentioned here and that’s the sound of the trumpet of God. Now many of you have heard of the shofar, or the ram’s horn. You might have even seen one or heard one being played, but this is not that kind of horn. Numbers 10 describes the trumpets that I believe are going to be played here. Listen, “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Make two silver trumpets. Of hammered work you shall make them, and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for breaking camp.’” Those trumpets described in Numbers 10 were made from the silver that was given as the redemption price for the firstborn. And one day you and I are going to hear the sound of a trumpet of redemption (amen?). And when that trumpet toots we gonna scoot.
Paul writes to the Corinthians and says, “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, 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 imperishable, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). That’s what I believe he’s saying here too. When Jesus returns in all of His splendor and glory it will be majestic.
Triumphant Return
Now the second thing I want to highlight for us is this – when Jesus returns it will be triumphant. Look at verse 17, “Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” The Greek word that’s used in the middle of that verse is the word harpazó. It means “to be grabbed up,” “to be snatched up,” “to be pulled up,” “to be caught up,” and every time you see this word you’ll see a parenthetical comment indicating that it’s a violent snatching up and it’s irresistible. Now this word harpazó was taken by Jerome and translated from the Greek into the Latin Vulgate as raptio, which is where we get the English word “rapture.” When Jesus returns for His own it will be triumphant. There won’t be any resisting or hesitation – it will be triumphant.
In John 14 we read these comforting words, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:1-3). Listen, nobody is going to stop Jesus from doing that. His return will be majestic and it will be triumphant.
Personal Return
Finally, when Jesus returns He will come for each of His children personally. Look back at verse 16 again, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven…” Jesus isn’t going to send Michael or Gabriel or Billy Graham to gather His children. The Lord Himself will come. Do you remember a few weeks ago when we were looking at Acts 1, and the angels said to the disciples, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.” If we live long enough, and the time comes for us to be called up to heaven, it will be Jesus Himself that will come for us.
As I close this morning, listen to me closely. In those moments where you and I begin to despair because of the news, because of our health, because of our finances, because life is just too difficult, Paul says you encourage one another with these words. Encourage one another with the truth and the reality and the hope that Jesus is going to come back for us so that we will always be with the Lord. Be encouraged! Jesus is coming back!
There’s no fear that this news can’t overcome. Listen, you’ve been treated unfairly, that’s okay Jesus is coming back. You’ve been struggling in a situation . . . lift up your head brother, lift up your head sister. Jesus is coming back. Oh, what a majestic and triumphant moment it will be when Jesus comes back Himself for you and me.