1. The Comfort of His Coming I Thessalonians 4: 13-18 Be Ready By Warren Wiersbe Chapter 7

2. Revelation: We have God’s Truth (4:13, 15) Death & Afterlife Philosophers, spiritualists, scientists Paul (4:15) Based on the historic fact of Christ’s resurrection Authority of God’s Word gives assurance & comfort

3. Return: Christ is coming again (4:14-15) Relation to salvation (1:9-10), service (2:19-20), & stabillity (3:11-13) It relates to sorrow as well, but it can comfort the broken-hearted Sleep – death of believers body sleeps, not soul James 2:26 – For as the body without the spirit is dead, … Body sleeps (dies), but the soul-spirit goes to be with the Lord

4. 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.” v. 14 – “For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” The fact of our Lord’s return is comfort to the believers in bereavement because He will bring with Him who died in the Lord

5. Jesus will return one day to bring His people with him (v. 14-17) When? No one know & it’s wrong to set date Imminent return of Christ I Corinthians 15:52a – “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,” In the air – where we meet Christ (v. 17) Resurrection: the Christian dead will rise (4:15-16)

6. To Greeks, the doctrine of resurrection was foolish and impossible. Resurrection is not reconstruction. Like the growing of a plant from a seed Glorified body like Jesus Christ (Phil. 3:20-21, I Cor. 15:47-58) Two resurrections – John 5:28-29 & Revelations 20:1-6

7. First resurrection or resurrection of life to those who are saved by faith in Jesus Second resurrection _ resurrection of judgment to the unbelievers Jesus rose from the dead proves there is resurrection Shout: Lord’s shout, the sound of the trumpet, & the voice of the archangel

8. Jesus gave “a shout of command” as He did outside the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:43) I Corinthians 15:52 – “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” Jewish people were familiar with trumpets which were used to declare war, to announce special times, & to gather for a journey.

9. The voice of the archangel Michael (Jude 9) Daniel 10:13 Doctrine of resurrection assures us that death & grave are not the end. Summary: the body will sleep, but the soul will be in the presence of the Lord. When the Lord returns He will bring the soul with Him, raise the body in glory, & unite body & soul into one being to share His glory forever

10. Rapture: Living believers caught up (4:17) Rapture: caught up, Latin word rapto meaning “to seize, to carry off” To catch away speedily “Caught away Philip”: Acts 8:39 We will be caught away quickly in a twinkling of an eye. Therefore, we should live each moment in expectation of Christ’s return. I John 3:1-3

11. “To claim for one’s own self” He comes to claim His Bride. “to move to a new place” Paul used this word when he explained his visit to heaven. (2 Cor. 12:1-4) John 14:1-6 To rescue from dangers Acts 23:10 the Church will be taken home before the Tribulation starts These shouts apply to Christians

12. Reunion: Christians forever with the Lord (4:17-18) We will meet the Lord in the air when He comes for us “meet” in Greek carries the idea of meeting a royal or important person I John 3:1-2 Glorious meeting because we will have glorified bodies

13. The suffering we endure will be transformed into glory when He returns (2 Cor. 4:17-18a & Rom. 8:17-19) Everlasting Meeting – “forever with the Lord” John 14:3 The goal of redemption is to relate us to Christ

14. Time of reckoning –Judgment Seat of Christ (Bema) (Romans 14:10, 2 Corinthians 5:10 –Judgment seat, a place where Olympic judges awarded crowns to the winners –Our workers will be rewarded & we will receive rewards I Corinthians 3:8-15

15. Judgment Seat of Christ Only believers Immediately after the Rapture Rewards for the services White Throne Judgment Only unbelievers After millennial kingdom Amount of judgment

16. Death is the great separator, but Christ is the great reconciler Saints will know each other in heaven including the believers we never meet I Corinthians 13:12 – “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” One mark of a true Christian is his eagerness looking for the coming of Jesus Christ (I Thessalonians 1:10)

17. We love His appearing (2 Tim. 4:8) Because of our hope in Him, we keep our lives pure, so we would not be ashamed at His coming. (I John 2:28 – 3:3) Death is not an accident, but an appointment Hebrews 9:27 – “And s it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”