Good evening everyone. Tonight's
message is called Asleep in Christ. Turn if you would to 1 Thessalonians
chapter 4 and let's read verses 13 to 18 together which bring
forth the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verses
13 to 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 until 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 an archangel, and with the trump of God. 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. The last few weeks in
this study we've been looking at the first 12 verses of chapter
4 of 1 Thessalonians. Tonight we'll begin looking at
the return of Christ which is spoken of in verses 13 to 18
of 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. Now we're only going to cover
two verses tonight. These wonderful first 12 verses of this chapter,
which we've looked at, gave us instruction in righteousness.
And we have seen that the subject that Paul has been bringing forth
is the responsibility of God's born-again blood-washed children
to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, which
is brought forth in Ephesians chapter 4 verses 1-3. Again written
by Paul under the inspirational Holy Spirit of God, he writes
in Ephesians chapter 4 verses 1-3, I therefore the prisoner
of the Lord beseech you that ye should walk worthy of the
vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness,
with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring
to keep the union of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We've been
taught in these first 12 verses of 1 Thessalonians chapter 4
that we're to abound more and more in our endeavors to walk
pleasing in the sight of God. And we've also been taught in
these first 12 verses of 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 that we're to learn
to know how to possess our vessel in sanctification and honor.
We've also been taught in these first 12 verses that we are to
abound more and more in our love for our brothers and sisters
in Christ. We've also been taught in these first 12 verses that
we are to walk honestly in the sight of all men. And we've also
been taught in these 12 verses of 1 Thessalonians chapter 4
that we are to live holy lives for the glory of the Lord Jesus
Christ, our sovereign Lord and our blessed Redeemer. A few weeks
ago in our Sunday night service we looked at the ascension of
Christ in the book of Acts in chapter 1. And the angels which
spoke to the apostles said in verse 11 of Acts chapter 1, You
men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same
Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall come in
like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Now we are going
to see Paul moved by God the Holy Spirit and by inspiration
of the Holy Spirit of God to declare these comforting words
concerning the imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ and
our loved ones who have gone to be with him before us. Paul's
going to switch gears to another topic away from the instruction
for righteousness in our daily walk to the return of Christ
in the state of those who had died in the faith of the Lord
Jesus Christ. And let us remember that these
words in these verses of Holy Scripture were written to comfort
God's chosen blood-bought children in every generation, to give
us comfort while we are on this earth. All of us have weakness
in the flesh. We're still plagued with that
old sinful nature that rebels and sins against God. We long
for that day when we'll be delivered from the body of death and be
ushered into the presence of our Lord, where we'll see Him
in all His glory and we'll be with Him forever. And all of
us have loved ones who have fallen asleep in the arms of the Lord
Jesus Christ, whether they be family, kinsmen according to
the flesh, or whether they be from our church family within
the body here in Almonte or in other places and all around the
world. And just like the Thessalonian
believers, sorrow fills our heart when the loved one is taken from
us. But for the believer in Christ, we are comforted by the God of
all comfort. We are comforted by His Holy
Word concerning our loved ones who died in the faith, who died
trusting and resting in Christ alone, who is the eternal hope
of their souls. Let's read verse 13 again of
chapter 4. But I would not have you to be
ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye
saw not even as others which have no hope. As I mentioned
earlier in this passage, the Apostle is here declaring to
the Thessalonian believers words of comfort about the brethren
who have died in the faith, who have died trusting and resting
in the Crucified One, the Lord Jesus Christ. And we see it brought
forth as that they are asleep. And this was a matter of concern
for the young Thessalonian church, a subject of concern to them.
And Paul has obviously received word that the brethren at Thessalonica
have concerns about those who are asleep. And the Holy Spirit
has Paul pen these words of exhortation to comfort the brethren. Now
remember the setting that they are living in. And remember what
they have come out of. They've come out of pagan religion.
All around them are still unbelievers stooped in pagan religion who
have no hope or concept of the resurrection which the scriptures
declare. And Many of the pagans were open
and very dramatic in their mourning of the dead. And verse 13 brings
forth that unbelievers have no hope. Now, there's nothing new
under the sun, beloved, as unbelievers all around the world and all
around us have no hope or concept of the resurrection as to what's
brought forth in the scriptures. And we do sorrow when a loved
one departs this life, but not as those who have no hope. Because
if a loved one departs this life trusting in Christ, oh, what
a hope they have. And what a hope we as believers
have. Those who do not have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in
them have no hope. Even God's elect in their unregenerate
state before we're born again, we had no hope. This is what
the scriptures declare in Ephesians 2, verse 12. It says, 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. That was our natural state. That's how we're born into this
world. We're born into this world with no hope. with no hope. In
pagan religion it was not uncommon for men and women to cut themselves
or shave their heads and almost riot in the streets as symbolic
gestures of the love they bore for the dead and the anguish
they felt. But oh, what a hope the believer has in Christ. We
have a hope of eternal life. We have a hope of a home in heaven.
We have a hope of being in the presence of the Lord forever. And in times of trial and sorrows
and sickness, we have a hope. And we have a hope in Christ.
Now let this just sink deep into your souls, beloved. We have
a hope in Christ that's the same yesterday, today, and forever. And this will cheer the heart
of a sinner, saved by grace. Because we know what we used
to be. And we even know what we are now, sinners saved by
the grace of God alone, all because of the sacrifice of Christ. So
what a great hope we have, as it is God himself who has saved
us from our sins. The word of God, Emmanuel, the
scriptures declare, God with us, he has saved us from our
sins. So what a great hope we have,
knowing as believers, that the precious blood of Christ, the
God-man has washed us and cleansed us from all our sins, redeemed
us, purchased us. God himself became a man and
purchased the eternal souls of his people on Calvary's cross.
It is He who satisfied His own law. It is He who satisfied His
own justice for us as our substitute. And all that was against us.
The law was against us. God's justice was against us.
But it's all being appeased in Christ. So what a hope the believer
has in Christ. What a hope the elect of God
has in Christ, the only Savior of sinners. And brethren, every
believer's hope is the Lord Jesus Christ. And what a blessed, blessed
hope we have in Him, in Him alone. Listen to this wonderful verse
in light of the hope that the believer has in Christ. Hebrews
4 19-20 says, which hope we have as an anchor
of the soul, both sure and steadfast, is unchanging, beloved, and which
entereth into that within the veil, whether the forerunner
is for us entered, even Jesus made an high priest forever after
the order of Melchizedek. All the Lord has conquered death,
beloved. He is entered into glory triumphantly,
and where He is, we shall soon be, beloved. We shall soon be.
And if we have fled the Christ for refuge, if by faith we have
laid hold of Him as our only hope that is set before us, it
is because God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, giving
us faith to embrace Him as our only hope. Colossians 1.27 tells
us that God is the only one who has made known this mystery among
the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. So we see that Paul tells the
brethren at Thessalonica, don't sorrow as one who has no hope.
Now we're going to sorrow as believers. He's not telling you
not to sorrow. This is not instruction to walk
around with a stoic look upon your face and to put on a fake
happy smile like so many do in religion. No, Paul's not saying
that we will not have any problem with the loss of our loved ones.
No, we go through sorrow and loss and grieving. Grieving when
we lose a loved one or a brother or sister in Christ. So Paul's
not at all saying you will not grieve. Sorrow in a time of loss
or in trial comes forth and is common to all believers as breathing
is for us. So the admonition here before
us is not the sorrow as others who have no hope at all, not
the sorrow as unbelievers do who have no hope. Now, the believer,
just as the unbeliever, again, has sorrows when loved ones die.
But if the loved one who passed away was a believer in Christ,
then our grief is undergirded with the hope of eternal life.
And this knowledge and understanding does not eliminate the grief,
but tempers it with an inner peace that we have. that though
the loved one has passed away, there is a coming day that the
body which they were in will be raised to eternal joy and
bliss in the presence of God. Listen to this quote by Brother
Tim James on the understanding that for the believer who falls
asleep or dies in Christ, there is a great hope. He writes, this
understanding led to the concept and establishment of hospitals
during plagues of Chloria, Black Death, and Bubonic Plague. Believers
attended the sick and dying were able to do so because they believed
that this life was temporary and that if they died by attending
the sick, it would just prove an expedited transport to glory. I'd like to touch upon something
in these words in verse 13 of 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. Some
have taken these words and twisted them into a false doctrine called
soul sleep to promote their lies about death. Now soul sleep is
the belief that the soul rests after death in an unconscious
state or even ceases to exist until the final resurrection
and they use scriptures like this one to prove their false
doctrine. The being asleep here referenced in the scriptures
is to the body. The soul and the spirit, we are
told, returns to God. So the reference then to his
sleep here, and in other places in the scripture, is a reference
to the earthly body, not the spirit and soul. Let's look at
verse 13 again of 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. 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." Paul says
here that he would not have these brethren, the beloved brethren
at Thessalonica, the born-again blood-washed saints of God, he
would not have them be ignorant concerning them that are asleep.
Again, he's speaking of those who have died in Christ, and
the term asleep in the East was a generic term for the dead.
when people died they said they were asleep now listen to these
words of our master speaking in john chapter 11 if you want
to turn there john chapter 11 verses 11 to 15 listen to these
words and then put your finger in acts chapter 7 acts chapter
7 listen to these words again of our master here starting in
verse 11 of john 11 These things said he, and after that he saith
unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth, but I go that I may
wake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord,
if he sleep, he shall do well. So they thought he was just sleeping
like normal. How abate Jesus spake of his
death, but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest
in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly,
Lazarus is dead. and I am glad for your sakes
that I was not there to the intent you may believe nevertheless
let us go unto him. So we see there that our Lord
said Lazarus sleepeth and then we see plainly in verse 14 that
our Lord says Lazarus is dead. Now turn to Acts chapter 7 and
we see this word asleep again used in Acts chapter 7. We'll
read verses 54 to 60. When they had heard these things
and when the Jews had heard these things that Stephen preached
to them they were cut to the heart. And they gnashed on him
with their teeth. They were angry. But he, being
full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and
saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of
God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son
of Man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried
out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him
with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him.
And the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet,
whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen. calling
upon God and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled
down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their
charge. And when he had said this, he
fell asleep. That means he died. It doesn't
mean that he fell asleep and had a nap. No, he died. He fell
asleep. The scripture says here, meaning
he died. It is truly a blessed thing,
a thing to be desired to fall asleep in the arms of Christ.
It is for the believer and entering into his long-awaited Sabbath,
his rest with the Lord. The body falls asleep and the
soul awakes. Listen to Revelation 14, 13.
And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed
are the dead which die in the Lord. From henceforth, yea, saith
the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their
works to follow them. It is only the body which sleeps
in the grave, beloved. The soul never sleeps. At death
the soul enters into a state of activity such as cannot be
known in this world. And there's no such thing as
soul sleep. It's a false doctrine. Immediately upon death, the soul
enters into the presence of the Lord. Look at 2 Corinthians chapter
5 verses 1-10. For we know that if our earthly
house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building
of God, and house not made with hands eternal in heavens. For
in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with our house
which is from heaven. If so be that we are clothed,
we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle,
that's this body, do groan, being burdened for Not for that we
would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be
swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for
thyself same thing as God, who also hath given unto us the earnest
of the Spirit. Therefore, 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, I say, and
willing, rather, to be absent from the body, and to be present
with the Lord. Wherefore we labor that, whether
present or absent, we may be accepted of Him. For we must
all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. that every one
may receive the things done in his body, according to that he
hath done, whether it be good or bad." So Beloved, Beloved
of God, at the moment of the death of a child of God, we go
immediately into the bliss of heaven, while our bodies go into
the grave. Now listen to the words of the
penitent thief on the cross in Luke 23. 42, he said, and he
said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy
kingdom. Just remember me and listen to these blessed, blessed
words of the wonderful Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, the only
Savior of sinners. Listen to these wonderful words
that he spoke, that he spoke to this dying thief. which absolutely
destroys the false doctrine of soul sleep. Luke 23, verse 43,
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today thou shalt
be with me in paradise. The moment you as a believer
breathe your last breath, you are in the presence of the Lord.
Oh, praise be to God. What a great blessing. Paul wrote
these words to the Philippian believers. Philippians chapter
1 verses 21 to 24, he said, having the desire to depart to
be with the Lord and to be with Christ which is far better nevertheless
to abide in the flesh is more needful for you and then listen
to these wonderful words written in the book of revelation let
them warm your heart you who are the beloved of God revelation
chapter 7 verses 14 to 17 and i said unto him sir thou knowest
and he said to me These are they which come out of the great tribulation,
and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood
of the Lamb. This is speaking about the born-again,
blood-washed saints of God in glory. Therefore are they before
the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple.
And he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They
shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall
the sunlight on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in
the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them.
unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears
from their eyes." So contrast the state of the believing soul
at death to the state of the unbeliever. Unbelievers go immediately
into hell. Listen to what Luke chapter 16
proclaims verses 23 and 24 of where the rich man was. And in
hell he lift up his eyes being in torments and seeth Abraham
afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried, and said,
Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he
may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue,
for I am tormented in this flame. Now let's read verse 14 and we
will see the reason for the hope of the believer. Brought forth
very plainly and very clearly here in 1 Thessalonians chapter
4 verse 14. For if we believe that Jesus
died and rose again, even so them which sleep in Jesus will
God bring with him. Again what a hope we have in
Christ. And we see Paul here seeks to
give comfort to the believers at Thessalonica. to comfort their
hearts in regard to the believers in Christ who have died and who
have gone home to be with the Lord. And he, Paul, gives them
this wonderful instruction. And this is instruction even
for we who believe today as well. And the hope we have is based
upon Christ. And we believe that Jesus died
and rose again. And the hope that we have as
believers is the resurrection to life eternal based on the
person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ alone. It is he who has
shed his precious blood to redeem our eternal souls. It is he and
he alone who has rose from the grave for our justification.
it is he who is right now seated at the right hand of the father
interceding for his people and it is he who is coming again
to receive his people and our salvation our hope is all based
upon the work of our lord jesus christ in him alone who rose
from the dead and according to his own words he is the resurrection
and the life so marvel at this marvel at this truth you who
are born again believer in Christ, that we have already been resurrected
from the natural state which we were in. We have already been
resurrected from the dead in regeneration because we're born
dead in trespasses and sins. And we come into this world with
no hope, dead, dead spiritually. But we've been raised from the
dead, beloved, by the regenerating power of God, the Holy Spirit.
And you know what? To be absent from the bodies,
be present in the Lord. And one day God will raise our
bodies. Oh my. we have a hope in Christ, that
when we die, our bodies go into the ground, but our spirit and
our soul return unto our great God. Again, to be absent from
the body is to be present with the Lord. Praise his mighty name. Listen to the words in Ecclesiastes
chapter 12, speaking of aging and death. This text brings forth
that the body returns to the ground and the spirit back to
God. Ecclesiastes chapter 12, verses
five to eight. and also when they shall be afraid
of that which is high and fear shall be in the way the almond
trees shall flourish In the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire
shall fail, because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners
go about the streets. Or ever the silver cord be loose,
that's speaking of death, or the golden bowl be broken, or
the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken
at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to
the earth, there's the body, there's the body going into the
ground as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave
it. Vanity of vanity, saith the preacher, all is vanity. So we
have seen, beloved of God, in these verses in 1 Thessalonians
4, verses 13 to 14, that the apostle comforts the Thessalonian
brethren who grieve because of the death of their friends and
relatives who have died in Christ. He desires to turn them from
excessive sorrow and grief and to give them assurance and comfort
them in the hope that they have in the Lord Jesus Christ and
in the fact of Christ's return and in the fact of the resurrection
of all believers. And we will see that further
as we go into these verses. We will see even brought forth
more clearly the fact of the second coming of Christ and the
resurrection of the bodies of all believers. Actually the resurrection
of all. And beloved, these are both words
of instruction to the Thessalonian believers and words of comfort
to them, which was written by Paul. But you know what? These
are words of comfort for we who are alive right now, we who are
the people of God. So let us learn to confidently
rest in the hope of the resurrection that we have in Christ Jesus
our Lord. The resurrection of Christ secured
the resurrection of his people. Glory to God. Amen and amen.