November 19th, 2017 Saints Triumphant

I Thessalonians 4:13-18  We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you do not grieve in the same way as the others, who have no hope. 14Indeed, if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then in the same way we also believe that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. 15In fact, we tell you this by the word of the Lord: We who are alive and left until the coming of the Lord will certainly not go on ahead of those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. 18Therefore, encourage one another with these words.

THE SAINTS ARE JOYFUL AND TRIUMPHANT!

Grace and peace to you from the God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are not many things I can quote from the Grinch in a sermon, but one here’s one.  The Grinch had just stolen all of the Christmas presents from the Whos down in Whoville when the sounds of Christmas corals begin to make their way to the Grinchs green ears.  “Those Whos!  They’re joyful and triumphant!  Joyful and Triumphant- those words fit well for us as we head into the last weeks of this church year.  Regardless of what is going on around us in this world that breaks your heart- because of Jesus we are joyful and triumphant!  And on this second last Sunday of the church year we see a true picture of those who have gone home to heaven- they are joyful and triumphant!  As we look  at god’s Word this morning let’s look at our believing loved ones the way God’s Word presents them rather than the Grinch’s or the hymnwriter’s order, triumphant and joyful.

Remember last week Pastor Spaude mentioned that the Thessalonian church had some messed up ideas about Jesus’ return.  Some thought that since Jesus return was on its way that they could and should quit their jobs and spend their days doing nothing but waiting for Jesus’ return.  There were also people who somehow thought that if you died before Jesus return that you missed out on the party- in other words not very triumphant.  So Paul writes, “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you do not grieve in the same way as the others, who have no hope. 14Indeed, if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then in the same way we also believe that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.”   

A person who has died is not the picture of triumph.  The wages of sin is not very pretty.  It looks and maybe even feels like a person has lost.   So we can understand how some of the Thessalonians might have thought you missed out on the party if you died before Jesus came back.  But things are not always how they appear.  Those who trust is in Jesus who have died have won the victory!  A bliss won for them by Jesus: “We believe that Jesus died and rose again” (4:14). Jesus wanted so badly for us to experience heaven forever with him that he came down as man and experienced  death, the wages of sin,  in our place. He took all of our sins on himself and paid for them all with his death. But he didn’t stay dead. He rose to life three days later to guarantee that everyone who believes in him would have life too. And Jesus takes all who fall asleep trusting in Him to enjoy the bliss that he has won for Jesus will bring them back in victory!  

A triumphant return in victory is coming.  “In fact, we tell you this by the word of the Lord: We who are alive and left until the coming of the Lord will certainly not go on ahead of those who have fallen asleep.” If you are wondering how you know that your believing loved ones are basking in triumph, you have the Lord’s own word on it.  The one who won the victory over the grave itself assures you that his triumphant is your loved ones triumph.  On this side of Judgment Day, their souls are safe with Jesus.  On Judgment day, the Lord will raise their bodies and change them from dust and ashes to perfect flesh and our loved ones will be at Jesus’ side body and soul on the day Jesus comes again.  Maybe your believing-loved one who died had a battle with Alzheimer’s like my mom. For the last 10 years of her life she was not herself.  Maybe your loved one wasted away with cancer,  maybe they died in a car accident.   When Jesus raises our loved ones up at the Last Day their  minds, their bodies will be fully restored in a glorified resurrection body.   “16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” 

I can’t really say that the thought of loved ones who die before Judgment Day are missing out on heaven is a thought that bothered me so much.  But what does bother you about those who fall asleep?  Since my mom went home to heaven, there have been 5 grandchildren born in just our family along with many graduation and birthdays.  Does that bother you about your departed loved one?  That they missing out on weddings, birthday parties, graduations. Are they missing out? Not only are the saints triumphant, they are joyful! And one day we will be joyful with them. 

Remember the Lord takes our believing loved ones to heaven!   If we are thinking of them missing out we have been looking at this all wrong! We have been thinking about all the things that those who have fallen asleep in Christ miss out on. What we should be thinking about is what they are experiencing. Today is Saint’s Triumphant Sunday. This is the weekend  when we remember that those who have fallen asleep in Christ are right now enjoying eternal glory, bliss and happiness in heaven! Heaven is a beautiful place where nothing sad or bad ever happens.  

As much fun as it would be to have our moms and dads there with us on our special days, as great as it would be for our loved ones to play a round of golf with us or travel with us the fact remains that for a little while they are much happier than we are. They are not thinking about what it would e like to see Jesus, they are seeing Him, face to face. Paul said “I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.”

So is it OK for us Christians to grieve?  Sure, we are human.  Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus seeing the mess sin and death had made of His creation. Abraham grieved for Sarah. King David grieved for his best friend Jonathan. Christians cry at funerals and many go through a deep grieving process. They know that their loved one is in heaven. But there is a difference in the tone of their grief.  They don’t “grieve as those who have no hope”.  It has the tone of I’m sad because I can’t see and touch my loved one again but doesn’t have the tone of “I’ll never see my loved one again.”  The tears are tempered by knowing the day is coming when we will share their joy.   

On those days until then, if you are missing our loved one remember that they are joyful and coming again with Jesus.  “Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. 18Therefore, encourage one another with these words”  Caught up to meet the Lord in the air.  Jesus will be at the center of the picture that day.  But look down the line.  There’s your mom, your grandpa, your friend. No matter what your family didn’t get to experience together in this life because you were separated by busy schedules or geography or even death, one thing that you will for sure get to experience together is this meeting with the Lord in the air.  There’s Moses and Mary and Adam and Eve.  You’ll see and talk God’s people you’ve only known in your Sunday School folder. 

And remember from last week this is when Jesus will say, “I was hungry and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.” If your grandfather did not get to hear your name called at graduation, he will get to hear Jesus call your name and say, “well done, good and faithful servant,” and your grandfather will say “that’s my girl!”

5 or 6 years ago our family had to put our dog Archie to sleep.  Archie didn’t live with us his whole life.  He grew up on a farm with some of our family and then came to live with us for the last three years of his life.  When it became clear that Archie would not be able to go on, I talked with our relatives he grew up with and they came down to see him.  Archie had not moved from his spot all day.   He didn’t make a sound when the door bell rang but when he heard their voices he let out what I’m sure in dog language was an, “Oh it’s you!” “And so we will be with the Lord forever”   We look forward to saying, “Oh it’s you! Lord Jesus”  when Jesus comes again.  Oh It’s you when Jesus brings our parents, our grandparents, our children with him.   “Therefore comfort each other with these words” The Saints are joyful and triumphant.  Amen

November 11-13, 2017 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 JESUS DOESN’T LEAVE YOU IN THE DARK

LAST JUDGMENT

November 11-13, 2017

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

JESUS DOESN’T LEAVE YOU IN THE DARK

1. About His Return on Judgment Day.

2. About What To Do Until It Happens.

3. About What Will Come Next.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 (NIV 1984) “Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, ²for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. ⁴But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. ⁵You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. ⁶So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. ⁷For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. ⁸But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. ⁹For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁰He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. ¹¹Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

          Distractions can be deadly. That’s why we see so much advertising today about the dangers of texting and driving, so many avoidable accidents and deaths caused by distracted driving. But it’s not just the texting. Every driver here can think of a time when their attention was diverted by changing a radio station, dropped food, spilled drinks or rubbernecking. You thank the Lord when that happens and all you got was the scare and not the accident. Distraction has long been recognized as a successful strategy in war. Distract the enemy. Get them thinking you are attacking one place and then strike another. Think Normandy. D Day. Our real enemy Satan knows this strategy too. Distract believers from what is important and maybe they will give up their faith.

          We see an example of that in God’s Word today. The believers in Thessalonica, the Thessalonians, had a strength. When they were told the truth that Jesus could return for a day of Judgment at any time, they believed. They believed it wholeheartedly, so much so that some of they quit their jobs, stopped working. I mean, why should they? Jesus is coming soon. But it’s good to believe that. Jesus said it. Here though the Devil started to distract them. They got all caught up trying to figure out exactly when Jesus would come. So the Lord had the Apostle Paul remind them. He hadn’t left them in the dark about His return on Judgment Day. “Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, ²for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.” Hey Thessalonians, why are you so concerned about trying to figure out when? We aren’t going talk about times and dates. You know it doesn’t work that way. By God’s design it is not revealed. Not known. It’s like a thief. Everyone knows it can happen but when it does it’s not expected. Mothers here can tell that about labor pains. By the calendar they know it’s coming. But when it actually does it’s like what? It’s an unexpected expected.

          That’s all we need to know too. If you are reading a book or watching some TV show where they are using Bible prophecy, Daniel and Revelation and telling you this is when the end will come throw it away, turn it off. The Devil is distracting. Many over the summer months with hurricane after hurricane and wildfire after wildfire and earthquakes wondered is the end coming soon? Yes. It is. Jesus said so 2000 years ago. Don’t hold him to human timetables. No one will know the time and date. He’s not left you in the dark. It is an expected that will still come unexpectedly.

          So don’t waste your time trying to figure out when. Don’t fall for the Devil’s distractions. Focus on being ready. Jesus hasn’t left you in the dark on that either. “But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. ⁵You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. ⁶So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. ⁷For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. ⁸But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.” Some people are in the dark, the darkness of sin and unbelief. They yuck it up now mocking God’s ways, feeling like they can make laws that allow the murders of unborn children through abortion, that mock God’ gift of marriage by putting immorality and perversion on par with what God ordained. They call sin good and make people like us who call sin sin feel like we are unloving. Laugh now. Pay later. When Jesus comes on Judgment Day their laughter will turn to wailing, their mockery of God and His people to pleas for mercy but it will be too late. Not so with you. Jesus didn’t leave you in the dark. You are children of the light. You belong to Jesus, the light of the world and while you wait for Him to come live as children of the light. Twice we are encouraged to be self controlled. That means to have some self discipline. To be able to say No. I am not taking this job that will keep me from worshipping the Lord. No, we are not putting our children in this activity that will overload us so we know what will give. Yes, I will plan my weekly worship. Yes, I will make sure I have time for God’s Word each day. That’s how the picture of spiritual armor plays in. Faith, love, hope all listed as pieces that are put on the Spirit who works through the word. Who goes to battle naked? Only a fool and you are not fools. Jesus hasn’t left you in the dark about what to do until he returns.

          Nor about what will happen then. “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁰He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. ¹¹Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” Did you hear that? You have an appointment. You have an appointment on Judgment Day. It’s an appointment to receive salvation. It’s an appointment to live with Jesus forever. Think about the connotation of Judgment Day in our world. It’s ominous, right? If they put Judgment Day as the sequel to a movie or video game title it’s to give the impression it will be bad, dark and scary. Now it’s true that the thought of Judgment Day should be scary and it will be for some and ought to be for us. Just think if we had to stand before God and try to explain or justify our sins. Just think of the dread we would have if Judgment Day meant a video replay of the sins of our youth and the thoughts of our old age. And then the punishment. You think your heart beats fast when you get pulled over for speeding and you are afraid of getting a ticket. Try standing before God without Jesus and waiting for Him to pronounce judgment.

          But that’s not what Judgment Day will be like for us and for one reason only. Through Jesus. His perfect life is recorded as ours and our shameful sins were placed on to Him and now through Jesus Judgment Day means salvation, joy, happiness, a life where we are in full communion and harmony with God and each other. So encourage one another and build each other up just like you are now doing. You do realize that right? You could read your Bible all on your own at home. You could watch a worship service live streamed and if that was your only option to worship in spirit and in truth that’s great. But what you can’t do at home by yourself is encourage and build others up. Here those who know they are not alone because Jesus is always with them see that they are not alone here in this community. There are others who believe the same, others who care. Others who will put their spiritual armor on each day to fight the good fight. Others who will help you to avoid distraction. Others who have not been left in the dark and look forward to the day and the time known by the Father, a wonderful day where we have an appointment to be at Jesus right side and be surprised at all the wonderful things he says about us, all because He has not left us in the dark. Amen.