0:05 [Music]
0:07 welcome to back to the Bible radio
0:09 featuring best-selling author an
0:11 internationally known Bible teacher
0:14 Warren where's being 1st Thessalonians
0:17 4:13 but I do not want you to be
0:19 ignorant brethren concerning those who
0:22 have fallen asleep bless you sorrow as
0:25 others who have no hope for if we
0:27 believe that Jesus died and rose again
0:30 even so God will bring with him those
0:34 who sleep in Jesus for this we say to
0:36 you by the word of the Lord that we who
0:40 are alive and remain until the coming of
0:43 the Lord will by no means precede those
0:46 who are asleep for the Lord Himself will
0:48 descend from heaven with a shout with
0:50 the voice of an archangel and with the
0:53 trumpet of God and the dead in Christ
0:57 will rise first then we who are alive
0:59 and remain shall be caught up together
1:03 with them in the clouds to meet the lord
1:07 in the air and thus we shall always be
1:11 with the Lord therefore comfort one
1:14 another with these words
1:17 now if you want comfort in time of
1:19 sorrow and bereavement this is what you
1:22 want to read you see the believers at
1:25 Thessalonica were really distressed
1:27 because some of their number had died
1:29 now we don't know if they died because
1:31 of sickness or died because of
1:33 persecution we have no way of knowing
1:35 but they were concerned they were
1:37 wondering now that our loved ones are
1:40 dead does this cut them off from the
1:42 Lord Jesus Christ if the Lord Jesus
1:46 should return what about the dead who
1:48 have gone before us now Paul had
1:50 explained some of these things to them
1:53 but now he wants to go ahead and explain
1:55 it even further and he points out that
1:58 the dead in Christ are not deprived in
2:00 any way there is nothing to worry about
2:03 as far as their future is concerned the
2:07 living have no advantages over the dead
2:09 in fact the dead are in a far better
2:12 place now if you want to have real
2:15 comfort and real hope you base it on
2:18 what Paul has to say here let's notice
2:19 the calm
2:21 forts that are found in first
2:23 Thessalonians chapter 4 verses 13
2:27 through 18 when you find yourself in
2:30 sorrow and bereavement and you're
2:33 concerned about the future hope remember
2:37 what death is now what is death for the
2:39 Christian well he talks about death as
2:42 sleep did you notice that but I would
2:44 not want you to be ignorant brethren
2:47 concerning those who have fallen asleep
2:50 you see when you are a Christian and you
2:53 die you don't just die you fall asleep
2:57 verse 14 even so God will bring with him
3:02 those who sleep in Jesus verse 15 we
3:04 will by no means precede those who are
3:07 asleep now these are interesting
3:09 pictures aren't they
3:11 death is pictured in many different ways
3:14 in Scripture death for the believer is
3:18 pictured as a departure Philippians
3:21 chapter 1 verse 23 Paul says he wanted
3:24 to depart and be with Christ second
3:27 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 6 at the
3:29 time of my departure is at hand
3:31 that's a beautiful word the Greek word
3:34 translated departure means to take down
3:37 a tent and move on to other territory
3:39 you see this body we live in is only a
3:42 tent it's only a temporary dwelling and
3:44 death means we just simply take down the
3:48 tent and we go on to higher ground that
3:51 word also means to loosen a ship and set
3:55 sail well when we set sail we know where
3:57 we're going and we know who the pilot is
4:00 that word departure also means to unyoke
4:02 the Ox and at the end of the day and
4:05 lead them into rest you know life is
4:07 difficult life has its burdens and its
4:09 problems and it's worries and the day is
4:11 going to come when we're going to meet
4:14 the Lord and he's going to take the yoke
4:16 off blessed are the dead who die in the
4:19 Lord from henceforth that they may rest
4:24 from their labors revelation 14:13 by
4:25 the way that word departure also means
4:28 to solve problems philosophers used it
4:29 when they were talking about solving
4:31 problems there are many problems in life
4:32 I don't understand
4:35 and but this I know one day I'm going to
4:37 meet him and it's going to be a time of
4:40 departure and all the problems are going
4:41 to be solved
4:44 of course Jesus compared death for a
4:46 Christian to going home in my father's
4:49 house are many mansions if it were not
4:52 so I would have told you and so for the
4:54 Christian death is just simply going
4:57 home going to be with the father joining
5:00 the rest of the family now Paul uses
5:04 sleep as a picture and this is not a new
5:05 picture in the Old Testament you find
5:08 the very same picture in fact our word
5:11 cemetery comes from the Greek word that
5:13 means to sleep a cemeteries of sleeping
5:16 place it is important to recognize that
5:20 it is the body that sleeps it is not the
5:23 soul that goes to sleep nowhere are we
5:26 told in the Bible that the soul goes to
5:28 sleep it's the body that sleeps in
5:32 Daniel chapter 12 and verse 2 we read
5:36 and many of those who sleep in the dust
5:39 of the earth shall awake he's talking
5:42 about resurrection now the soul doesn't
5:44 sleep in the dust of the earth the body
5:47 returns to dust and so he's talking here
5:50 simply about the body sleeping I suppose
5:53 the best proof of this is a Luke chapter
5:56 8 when Jesus is going to go home with
5:58 gyruss because his daughter is about to
6:01 die verse 42 then he was delayed by this
6:04 woman who wanted to be healed well by
6:07 the time Jesus got to the house already
6:10 the girl was dead and so Jesus took
6:13 Peter and James and John and the father
6:15 of the mother and went into her little
6:17 room and here were the mourners weeping
6:21 and wailing and Jesus said do not weep
6:26 she is not dead but sleeping verse 52 he
6:28 put them all out and he took the little
6:30 girl by the hand and he said to her
6:33 little girl arise now verse 55 then her
6:36 spirit returned and she arose
6:38 immediately now where was her spirit
6:39 with the Lord
6:42 you see the Bible definition of death is
6:46 James 2:26 better market in your Bible
6:48 as the body without the Spirit is dead
6:51 what is death as far as the Bible is
6:52 concerned when the spirit leaves the
6:56 body then the body seems to be asleep it
6:58 is the body that sleeps it is not the
7:01 soul her soul had gone out her spirit
7:04 had gone out into eternity to be with
7:07 God now Jesus called that spirit back
7:09 into the body and the body was awakened
7:11 that's why Jesus said she's not dead
7:13 she's only sleeping now these people
7:16 knew that she was dead you can be sure
7:17 that that mother would not have called
7:20 the mourners if the girl were not truly
7:24 dead so the Bible pictures the death of
7:27 a believer as sleep we ought to think
7:30 about that for a while when the Stephen
7:33 was stoned in Acts chapter 7 he went to
7:36 sleep notice what it says in verse 13
7:38 but I do not want you to be ignorant
7:40 brethren concerning those who have
7:43 fallen asleep lest you sorrow as others
7:44 who have no hope now how do you fall
7:47 asleep verse 14 for if we believe that
7:50 Jesus died and rose again even so God
7:52 will bring with him those who sleep in
7:55 Jesus now the Greek there can be
7:58 translated those who sleep through Jesus
8:01 or it can be rendered those who have
8:03 been put to sleep by Jesus now that
8:06 comforts me many times I've had to
8:09 conduct funeral services for people who
8:11 were all alone when they died humanly
8:13 speaking killed in an auto accident
8:16 there they were or they they had a heart
8:18 attack somewhere and so often the loved
8:20 ones and the friends would say to me Oh
8:23 pastor if only somebody had been there
8:26 well somebody was there when a Christian
8:30 dies he is never alone he's being put to
8:33 sleep by Jesus the Lord Jesus is there
8:36 even though we may not be there they
8:38 were put to sleep by Jesus if they are
8:41 Christians this is the meaning of Psalm
8:45 23 verse 4 yea though I walk through the
8:47 valley of the shadow of death I will
8:50 fear no evil for thou art with me a
8:54 Christian is never alone when he dies
8:57 you see Jesus Christ is with them and
8:59 they are with him
9:02 and he is with us and one day all of us
9:04 shall be together now that comforts my
9:06 heart I don't know how many times we've
9:09 gone through that Valley with people and
9:11 we've had loved ones of our own and
9:14 they've gone through that Valley and I
9:16 just keep saying to folks look Jesus was
9:19 with them they were put to sleep in
9:23 Jesus and they are with Jesus now and he
9:25 is with us and one day we're all going
9:28 to be together and that's the comfort of
9:30 knowing what death is now if you're not
9:33 a Christian this does not apply to you
9:36 death for you will not be sleep it will
9:39 be terror Oh your body will fall asleep
9:41 but you go out to meet God it is
9:43 appointed unto men once to die and after
9:44 that the judgment
9:49 remember what death is it'll comfort you
9:52 secondly remember what Jesus did for if
9:56 we believe that Jesus died and rose
9:58 again now that's the crux of the whole
10:01 thing he died that means he paid the
10:03 wages of sin what's the wages of sin
10:07 death what's the gift of God eternal
10:10 life who paid the price for eternal life
10:12 Jesus did that's the meaning of the
10:15 Cross the Lord Jesus Christ died he paid
10:18 the price for our sins he arose again
10:22 and now because he lives we live in him
10:25 and thank God someday we shall live with
10:30 him forever and ever and ever in 1st
10:33 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 26 Paul
10:35 says the last enemy that will be
10:38 destroyed is death and that's going to
10:40 happen when our Lord Jesus Christ comes
10:43 again that last enemy is going to be
10:47 destroyed well it's not become fertilis
10:49 today yes we sorrow God expects us to
10:52 weep God expects us to have a normal
10:55 kind of grief he made us that way it's
10:58 good for us grief is an opportunity for
11:00 us to have a broken heart healed by God
11:03 but let's not sorrow as those who have
11:06 no hope let's remember what death is
11:09 it's sleep and let's remember what Jesus
11:12 did he died for us and he arose
11:16 again and we have life eternal life in here
11:22 not only remember what death is for the
11:25 Christian it is sleep not only remember
11:28 what Jesus did he died for us and rose
11:31 again and if you belong to a living
11:34 Savior death cannot control you or
11:38 condemn you thirdly remember where the
11:40 believing dead are notice what he says
11:43 in verse 14 for if we believe that Jesus
11:47 died and rose again even so God will
11:50 bring with him those who sleep in Jesus
11:53 now the body is sleeping how can God
11:55 bring these people with him if they're
11:58 asleep in the grave well the soul is not
12:00 in the grave the spirit goes home to be
12:01 with the Lord
12:03 Paul says in Philippians chapter one to
12:07 depart and be with Christ this is the
12:10 word of God now where are the Christian
12:13 dead they are with him if God is going
12:16 to bring them with him they have to be
12:20 with him when a Christian dies he or she
12:23 goes to heaven to be with the Lord
12:25 the Bible says nothing about any
12:27 intermediate place we don't have to go
12:31 out to the alcove or the front porch or
12:33 some intermediate place where we have to
12:35 get ready if you know Jesus as your
12:39 Savior you are ready to go to heaven now
12:41 you may not be ready to meet the Lord if
12:43 you've not been living a clean life a
12:46 dedicated life an obedient life then
12:47 when you face the judgment seat of
12:49 Christ that's going to be something else
12:52 first John chapter 2 says that some
12:53 people are going to be ashamed before
12:55 him at his coming they're gonna be
12:57 embarrassed because they wasted their
13:00 lives and their opportunities but if you
13:02 know Jesus as your Savior and you should
13:05 die you go to heaven to me that's a
13:07 tremendous comfort to know where our
13:11 loved ones in Christ really are how do
13:14 we know that when believers die they go
13:14 to heaven
13:18 well the promise that Jesus made he said
13:19 in my father's house are many mansions
13:22 and I'm going to prepare a place for you
13:24 I know I'm going to heaven because of
13:26 the promise that Jesus made I know I'm
13:28 going to heaven because of the prayer
13:33 that jesus prayed john 17 24 here's what
13:34 jesus prayed
13:37 father I desire that they also whom you
13:41 gave me that's Christians may be with me
13:44 where I am that they may behold my glory
13:47 now the father always answers the
13:50 prayers of his son Jesus prayed that all
13:54 who had been given to him all who were
13:56 saved be with him where he is how do we
13:58 know we're going to heaven well the
14:00 promise that he made and the prayer that
14:03 he prayed and the price that he paid
14:07 first Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 10
14:11 who died for us talking about Jesus who
14:14 died for us that whether we wake or
14:16 sleep whether we live or die we should
14:19 live together with him in other words
14:21 the price that he paid on the cross he
14:24 died for our sins he arose again that
14:27 assures us that we are going to heaven
14:28 you're not going to heaven because of
14:31 your good works your good intentions
14:33 you're going to heaven because you have
14:37 trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior well
14:40 remember what death is and remember what
14:43 Jesus did and remember where the
14:46 believing dead are there with him fourth
14:49 remember the assurance that we have
14:52 comes from the word verse 15 for this we
14:55 say to you by the word of the Lord not
14:58 philosophic speculation not the
15:01 revelation of some occult seance people
15:02 today are trying to figure out what's on
15:05 the other side well Jesus has told us
15:07 what's on the other side God's Word
15:10 tells us what is on the other side and
15:14 God's Word is sure now may I remind you
15:17 that what God teaches about death and
15:21 hell and heaven and the grave is
15:24 progressively given through the Bible
15:25 you don't find all of the answers in
15:29 Genesis or the Psalms or Ecclesiastes
15:31 some of these cults that come along
15:33 teaching that your soul is sleeping in
15:36 the grave and so forth and so on where
15:37 do they get those verses well they dive
15:41 into some of the obscure passages in
15:45 Ecclesiastes or in Psalms the Word of
15:48 God tells us that Jesus Christ has
15:51 life and immortality to light through
15:56 the gospel 2nd Timothy chapter 1 verse
15:59 10 but has now been revealed by the
16:02 appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ who
16:04 has abolished death that means he's
16:07 taking the sting out of it and brought
16:09 life and immortality to light through
16:13 the gospel a lot of teaching in the Old
16:15 Testament about death and the future is
16:18 in the shadows Jesus has brought all of
16:20 this into the light we get our truth
16:23 from the Word of God from the Lord Jesus
16:25 Christ how do we know that what we're
16:27 saying is true well it's based on the
16:31 Word of God finally we have comfort not
16:33 only because of what death is and what
16:36 Jesus did and we know where the
16:38 believing dead are and we know that we
16:39 have assurance through the Word of God
16:42 but we have comfort because we know what
16:45 God is going to do now Paul tells us
16:47 here what's going to happen there is a
16:50 sequence here of five events number one
16:54 return Jesus Christ is going to return
16:57 for this we say to you by the word of
16:59 the Lord that we who are alive and
17:02 remain unto the coming of the Lord will
17:05 by no means precede or get any advantage
17:09 over those who are asleep for the Lord
17:12 Himself will descend from heaven now how
17:14 is he going to do it well with a shout
17:17 of command that word means a military
17:20 command a battlecry the voice of an
17:24 archangel and the trumpet of God well
17:25 the trumpets going to sound and the
17:27 Lord's gonna call an assembly he's gonna
17:30 gather together all of his children it
17:33 also means a declaration of war the
17:36 Lord's gonna declare war the military
17:38 command the battle cry I think that he's
17:42 calling the dead out from the grave he
17:45 talks about this in John chapter 5 when
17:46 all that are in the graves shall hear
17:50 his voice so there's the return of the
17:55 Lord now Paul says we we who are alive
17:58 we who are alive and remain shall be
18:01 caught a Paul said it could happen to me
18:04 today someone tells you well as Paul got
18:05 older he lost that vision oh no he didn't
18:06 didn't
18:09 you trace his letters and find out that
18:12 he kept the same position we the return
18:14 of Jesus which could be at any time
18:16 that's the event number one he returns
18:19 number two resurrection the Lord Himself
18:22 will descend and then we which are alive
18:25 shall be caught up but between those two
18:28 events there is a resurrection and the
18:32 dead in Christ will rise first let me
18:34 remind you why there is a resurrection
18:36 the Greeks did not believe in
18:37 resurrection they laughed at it they
18:39 said who wants to be in the prison house
18:43 of a body again God's salvation is for
18:45 the whole person he doesn't just
18:48 sanctify and save the spirit and the
18:51 soul he also saves the body chapter 5
18:53 verse 23 Paul prayed that your whole
18:56 spirit soul and body be preserved now we
18:58 aren't going to have the same body
19:00 there's going to be continuity but not
19:03 necessarily identity it's like the
19:04 planting of a seed says first
19:08 Corinthians 15 the same seed doesn't
19:10 come up but there is continuity and
19:13 there's that beautiful flower or plant
19:16 that comes up from the seed resurrection
19:17 means we're going to be like the Lord
19:19 Jesus I don't want to float around
19:21 throughout all eternity in some kind of
19:25 ethereal State Jesus had a real solid
19:27 body a glorified body I want to be like
19:30 him we are going to be like him we shall
19:32 see him as he is first there is the
19:36 return then instantly resurrection
19:39 resurrection is not reconstruction God's
19:40 not going to put the pieces back
19:43 together again resurrection means there
19:45 is going to be a glorified body then
19:49 third rapture rapture he says we shall
19:52 be caught up together with them in the
19:54 clouds to meet the Lord in the air
19:57 rapture it's interesting this word means
20:01 to catch away speedily it's used in John
20:04 6:15 they were going to take him by
20:07 force God is going to take us by force
20:10 as it were and lift us up to meet the
20:14 Lord Jesus relocate us in heaven by the
20:15 way Jude
20:18 three uses the same word describing
20:20 pulling something out of the fire
20:22 God is going to pull us out of the fire
20:25 the judgment is going to come and God is
20:28 going to pull us out of the fire return
20:31 resurrection rapture Redemption what's
20:33 that mean it means the changing of the
20:35 person we who are alive shall be caught
20:37 up together with them to meet the Lord
20:39 we're going to be completely changed
20:43 first Corinthians 15:51 through fifty
20:45 seven talks about that we shall be
20:47 changed to be like him
20:50 we are waiting says Paul for the
20:53 redemption of our body the body hasn't
20:55 been redeemed yet but it will on that
20:59 day return resurrection rapture
21:02 Redemption and reunion we shall be
21:05 caught up together Oh death is the great
21:09 separator death separates loved ones it
21:11 hurts oh how it hurts but we shall be
21:14 caught up together with them to meet the
21:17 Lord the center of our reunion will be
21:20 the Lord and we shall be with him and we
21:23 shall be like him I don't know how many
21:26 times in funeral services I have read
21:31 from Revelation chapter 21 where the
21:34 Apostle says behold the tabernacle of
21:36 God is with men and he will dwell with
21:38 them and they shall be his people and
21:41 God himself shall be with them and be
21:43 their God and God shall wipe away every
21:46 tear from their eyes there shall be no
21:49 more death nor sorrow nor crying and
21:52 there shall be no more pain for the
21:55 former things have passed away oh it's
21:57 going to be a great day no wonder the
21:59 Apostle Paul says comfort one another
22:01 with these words
22:06 we shall always be with the Lord
22:10 eternity for ever and ever and ever no
22:13 more tears no more sorrow no more death
22:17 no more pain hallelujah what a wonderful
22:19 day it's going to be and it's going to
22:22 happen if we believe in Jesus Christ
22:24 this will happen
22:30 thanks for being a part of our back to
22:32 the Bible listening family so be sure to
22:34 come back again for more wisdom from
22:37 God's Word join us again on back to the
22:39 Bible radio you
