The Hope that Thrills, Cheers, and Comforts

1THESS. 4:13-14

Subject: The Rapture

Theme: Our Rapture Hope thrills, cheers, and comforts us through life and death.  It gives encouragement and strength when facing death and fills each day with the anticipation of our coming Lord Jesus.

Introduction:

“Hope” is a wonderful word (1Thess. 4:13). In the Bible it sometimes refers to expecting something good, or the joyful and confident expectation of full eternal salvation. It is not referring to something that possibly may not happen, but instead to that which is certain to happen—a sure expectation. Four times “Hope” appears in this letter (1Thess. 1:3; 2:19; 4:13; 5:8). All of these references point to complete salvation with the coming of the Lord Jesus. Hope is our glorious anticipations because of salvation in Christ.

Paul’s design is to provide encouragement and hope to Christians whose loved ones have died (1Thess. 4:13, 14). The comforting hope he gives is based on three facts: 1) The Thrill—the dead will be resurrected and will participate in the Lord’s coming for us; 2) The Cheer— we all will be with the Lord eternally (v. 17); and 3) The Comfort— when Christ comes all Christians will be reunited forever with each other.

This compelling assurance of the Rapture is one of the greatest blessings for every Christian. Victory over death and discouragement is realized when we place absolute confidence in our Rapture Hope. Comfort replaces despair about the death of love ones. Beloved, when the trumpet sounds whether we are still alive or asleep in Jesus, we will be made completely alive and fully united with our Lord and each other forever. This is the Hope that Thrills, Cheers, and Comforts!

Lesson:

The Foundation of Our Hope (Vs 14)

1Thes 4:14, For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

The foundation of our Hope is the Lord’s Resurrection and it will be realized when Jesus returns for us in the Rapture.

          A.  OUR HOPE IS BASED ON OUR LORD’S RESURRECTION

1Thes 4:14, For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again....

                  1.  The Christian’s Resurrection Hope is Made Possible by Christ’s Resurrection. 1 Pet 1:3,  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

                       i. Our Lord is the First Born from the Dead

Col 1:18, And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.  (This is a promise of more resurrections)

The Lord Jesus was the first to rise from the dead to die no more, He was the first to rise with a glorified body, and He rose as the Head of a new creation. His resurrection is unique, and is the pledge that all who trust in Him will also rise. It proclaims Him as supreme in the spiritual creation.

Alfred Mace put it well:

Christ cannot be second anywhere. He is “firstborn of every creature,” because He has created everything (Col. 1:15, 16). He is also firstborn from the dead in connection with a redeemed and heavenly family. Thus creation and redemption hand the honors of supremacy to Him because of Who He is and of what He has done; “that in all things He might have the pre-eminence.” He is first everywhere. –Believer's Bible Commentary

                      ii. Our Lord is the First Fruits of them that Sleep

1Cor. 15:20-21, But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21, For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. (First Fruits Always Anticipates the rest of the Harvest from the dead—1Cor. 15:23)

                  2.  There Will Be a Resurrection of Life For Believers and another Resurrection of Damnation For Nonbelievers. There is no such creature as a ‘general resurrection’ at the end of the world.  John 5:29,   And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.  (NOTE: The Saints of Israel will be resurrected after the great Tribulation and before the Millennium. See Dan. 12:1-2; Rev. 20:5-6; 12-15).

          B.  OUR HOPE IS REALIZED IN OUR LORD’S RETURN

1Thes 4:14, …even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

                  1. Some Christians Will Pass Through Death into God’s Presence Prior to The Rapture. 2Cor 5:6-8, Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7, (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8, We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (Also Phil. 1:20-24)

                  2. These Disembodied Believers will Return with Christ to Receive their Resurrection Bodies. In the return of Christ for His saints, God will send the souls of those who were already with Him in Heaven to be reunited with their new and transformed bodies during Christ’s return.  Together with the Lord we will all go back to Heaven to the Judgment Seat of Christ.  It does not matter if our bodies were eaten by beasts or burned and sprinkled across the seas, He will raise our bodies from their sleep!  What a Powerful God we know and worship! I know He is coming don’t you?

He Knew He’d Come

The story is told about two young men, in the First World War, who had been friends for their entire lifetimes. Being neighbors, they had played together, gone to school together, engaged in the same athletic programs, and finally had enlisted in the army together. Fate determined they would eventually be in the same area of battle together.

After a particularly bitter battle one day, it was found that one of the boys was missing somewhere out in what is known as “No-Man’s Land.” The other boy, safe and unhurt, went to the commanding officer and requested permission to go out and look for his friend. He was told it was of no use for no one was alive out there after the withering fire of so many hours. After great insistence, he was finally given permission to go.

Some time later he came with the limp body of his friend over his shoulder. The commander said, “Didn’t I tell you it was no use to go?” to which the boy replied with radiance in his eyes, “But it was not; I got there in time to hear him whisper, “I knew you’d come.””—Earl C. Willer

Conclusion:

Our Rapture Hope thrills, cheers, and comforts us through life and death.  It brings encouragement and strength in the face of death and fills our lives with the enduring prospect of our coming Lord Jesus. Give God praise for the certainty about your eternal destiny that you as a child of God enjoy. Live this day in that confidence. Share this Rapture Hope with others, that no one you love will be left behind!