1 Thessalonians 4:13

But I would not have you be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you 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 God will bring with him.

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent or precede them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God. The dead in Christ shall rise first, and 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.

Let's pray. Father, we do thank you for the comfort of the Scriptures. We thank you that you have revealed to us things that are going to happen before they do. And Lord, I ask that you would speak to us by your Spirit this morning, that you would teach us and instruct us. Lord, stir within our hearts a heart of expectancy, a heart that is looking forward to your soon return. But Lord, would you also give us boldness and determination to continue to do the work that you've called us to do until you come. For we ask it in Jesus' name, and all God's people agreed, saying, Amen. You can be seated.

Amen. In Romans chapter 11, the Apostle Paul said to the church, do not be ignorant concerning the role of God's people, the children of Israel. In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul exhorted the church that they not be ignorant concerning spiritual gifts. In 2 Corinthians chapter 1, he taught that we not be ignorant concerning trials and suffering in our own lives.

And here in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, Paul says, I don't want you to be ignorant concerning the coming of the Lord. It is interesting that although Paul would say, I don't want you to be ignorant about these things, these are the things that oftentimes churches do find confusion over.

Oftentimes, these are the things that believers have a hard time understanding. Just what is God's plan for the nation of Israel, the children of Israel? Why is it that we go through suffering? What exactly are spiritual gifts all about? And what about the coming of the Lord? These are areas of confusion within the body of Christ.

Already in 1 Thessalonians, we have seen that Paul has talked much about the second coming of the Lord. At the end of each of the chapters, we have seen the coming of the Lord spoken of. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 1, verse 10, Paul said, "and to wait for the Son from heaven, whom God raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath that is to come." In 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 19, he said, "for what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoicing? Are not even you in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?" In chapter 3, verse 13, Paul said, "to the end that God may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints."

Although Paul had only spent a short time among the believers there in Thessalonica, he had already taken the time to teach them concerning the return of the Lord. However, it seems that after Paul left the church there, certain events transpired that caused confusion regarding the coming of the Lord and his teaching. We see it in verse 13 of chapter 4: "but I would not have you be ignorant concerning those that are asleep, that you sorrow not even as others which have no hope."

It appears that after Paul left the city of Thessalonica, there were believers within the body of Christ who had died. You may read that they had fallen asleep, but that was a common way to express or explain death in ancient times. Paul had taught them that Jesus was going to return, and it seems that he believed the return of Christ to be something that would happen in his lifetime. He was expecting the return of the Lord at any moment, and so he taught the church there that Jesus could come at any time.

Then, there were friends and family members of theirs who had died after Paul had left. They wondered, "Well, what then? Have they missed the coming of the Lord?" They were very concerned and worried about their family members and friends. They were sorrowing in a way that was more than just the typical sorrow when someone dies.

But we recognize that when we lose a family member or a friend, when someone dies, we do sorrow. We do grieve. However, Paul says we do not sorrow as those who have no hope. I have had the privilege many times over the last 10 or 11 years to comfort those who are mourning and to be with those who have lost a close relative. Some, even within our own fellowship right here this morning, I have had the chance to be with as you grieve the loss of a family member.

From experience, and perhaps you have seen this as well, there is a marked difference between the death of an unbeliever and the death of a believer. We do not sorrow as those who have no hope. It seems that the church at Thessalonica had an overwhelming sorrow at the loss of someone from within the fellowship, not just because that person had died, but because they thought that individual had now missed the return of the Lord. That would probably cause you concern as well.

When Paul talks about them sleeping here, he is not developing the idea of what has been called in the church "soul sleep." There are some churches today that teach when a person dies, they enter a kind of suspended state of soul sleep, waiting for the day when Jesus will return and the Lord will resurrect them. That is not at all what Paul is teaching, nor does he teach that anywhere in the Scriptures.

In fact, in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, Paul says we have this confidence: to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Paul had that exact same expectation when he wrote to the church at Philippi in Philippians chapter 1, verse 23. He said, "I am in a straight between two things. I am divided, having the desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better, but knowing that it is more needful for me to stay here with you." Paul desired to go and be with the Lord. He knew that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

Along the same lines, Jesus taught in John chapter 14, where He told His disciples, "If I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also." This is the confidence that you and I have as believers in Jesus Christ. As we have placed our trust and confidence in Him, we will be with Him eternally.

When a brother or sister in Christ dies, we sorrow that we will not see them here on the earth again. However, we have the same hope that Paul expressed in 1 Thessalonians 2:19. For what is our hope, our joy, our crown of rejoicing? Are not even you in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? Paul said we have this hope. We know we will see them again when we see the Lord, and what a great blessing it is to have that hope.

Now, it's not the kind of hope that the world often speaks of, like "I really hope I win the lottery." The word translated as hope in the Scriptures could be better defined as an absolute expectation of coming good. We absolutely know, based on the promise of Jesus and His resurrection, that we will be with Him. It is not the kind of hope where you think, "Well, I hope I'm good enough." No, it's not based on our works. Even as Nick shared this morning during communion, it is based on the work that Jesus did on our behalf. Therefore, we know we will be with Him, and we do not sorrow as those who have no hope.

But where does that hope come from? Look at verse 14: "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, them also which are asleep in Jesus, God will bring with Him." This is very similar to what Jesus told His disciples in John 14. Would you turn in your Bibles to the Gospel of John, chapter 14?

In John 14, Jesus is declaring to His disciples just prior to this that He is going to depart, that He is going to die. He will be betrayed into the hands of the Romans and crucified. At a certain point in that discourse, Peter stood up and said, "Far be it from You, Lord. This is not going to happen." His disciples were very troubled about the fact that Jesus was going to die. But notice what He said to them in verse 1 of chapter 14: "Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions. Were it not so, I would not have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."

Our hope is rooted in the reality of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Because He is raised to new life, He has given us also the power of the resurrection. Nick talked about that in Philippians chapter 3, that we might know Him and the power of His resurrection. We have been given a new life in Christ here on earth, but we know that this life will extend into eternity with Him, based upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Paul would tell the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 that the resurrection is really the cornerstone of our faith. If Christ be not raised from the dead, Paul said we are miserable; we are dead in our sins. But Jesus is raised from the dead, seen by over 500 witnesses. Because of His resurrection, we also shall live. If we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 14 states that even so, them also which are sleeping, or those that have died, God will bring with Him when He returns.

It is interesting that Paul speaks of the death of the believer and the idea of sleep. He clearly declares that Jesus died and rose from the dead. There may be many reasons for that, but I think at least two of them are these: Number one, Jesus tasted death for you and me. Hebrews chapter 2, verse 9 says that He tasted death for all men. In 1 Corinthians, we see that He took the sting of death so that you and I could boldly declare, "Oh death, where is thy sting?" In Christ, we are more than conquerors, even over death. Because He lives, we will live also.

Not only that, Jesus endured the worst death that anyone could possibly endure. He tasted death fully and completely for you and me, so that when we die, it is more like we are just changing location—falling asleep in this body and waking up anew and afresh with Him. When you take your last breath here, you will take your first breath in eternity. It is the hope that we find in the Scriptures.

He says that those who sleep, God will bring with Him. The Thessalonian believers were grieving the loss of some within the fellowship who had died, but they grieved out of ignorance. They were worried that those friends or family members had missed the coming of the Lord. The reality of the return of Jesus is that when He comes, He will bring with Him those who have died before us.

Continuing on in verse 15, Paul says, "We say this unto you by the word of the Lord." You see, 2,000 years ago, when Paul penned these letters, he didn't recognize that everything in them was divinely inspired by God. We today study and teach the epistles of the New Testament as being the divinely inspired word of God. However, there were certain things that Paul taught and wrote that he recognized were directly from the Lord. He states that this teaching about the resurrection and the coming of the Lord is not his opinion. He didn't receive it from the church at Jerusalem, and none of the apostles told it to him. It came by the word of the Lord.

Paul may have been referring to the passage we just looked at in John chapter 14, verses 1 through 3. He may have been referencing other teachings that Jesus gave that are not recorded in the Gospels. It is interesting to note that when Paul wrote the letter to the Thessalonians, the Gospels had not yet been written. It is also possible that Paul received the understanding of the resurrection and the return of the Lord Jesus by direct revelation from Jesus Himself. That is how he received the gospel. In Galatians chapter 1, verse 12, he states, "I did not receive the gospel by men, neither was I taught it, but it came by revelation of Jesus Christ." Thus, he gives this great truth directly from the Lord.

The clear teaching of the early church was that Jesus would one day return to the earth while Christians still remained here. Paul clearly had an expectancy that this could happen at any moment. Notice he says, "We which are alive and remain." He believed that the Lord could come at any moment, and it is important for us to have the same expectancy.

Paul's further teaching in 1 Thessalonians 4 was that those living, remaining believers who are here when the Lord returns will not precede those who have died in getting to heaven and getting to the Lord. In other words, those who die will instantly be with the Lord, and they will return with Him when He comes for His church. Now, you may be asking, "What in the world are you talking about? The Lord coming for His church?" Well, I would say that most of you here this morning have heard of this teaching before.

We often call it the doctrine of the rapture or the teaching of the rapture. This teaching is primarily built upon the next two verses. Look at it with me if you would: verses 16 and 17. The return, the coming of the Lord for His church, is often called the rapture.

Now, the word "rapture" is seen nowhere in the Scriptures. However, when we read in verse 17 that we shall be caught up, the words translated "caught up" in the English version of the Bible come from the Greek word "harpazo." It means to be snatched away with violent force. In the Latin Vulgate, which is the Latin translation of the New Testament, the word used for "harpazo" is "raptus," from which we get our English word "rapture." Thus, the idea of the church being caught up and violently snatched out of this world by the Lord when He comes calling for His church comes directly from this passage.

Remember, Jesus said in John chapter 14, verse 3, "And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself." For many, that reception comes individually when we breathe our last in this life. However, for some, there is coming a day when the Lord will wrap things up. He will come and take the church that is still here upon the earth and tear us out of here. And so we say, "Come, Lord Jesus, come."

When Jesus ascended into heaven in Acts chapter 1, His disciples stood gazing up into heaven. Two angels came and met them, saying, "You men of Galilee, why do you stand here gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him go." He will come again.

We read that He shall descend from heaven, which reveals to us where Jesus is right now. He is there in heaven, but He will return one day. When He does, we are told that He is going to return with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet.

Now, there is much speculation and discussion about the voice, the shout, and the trumpet. Some within the church teach that these are individually different things, while others believe they are descriptive of the same noise. Some will hear the shout of the archangel, some will hear the sounding of the trumpet, and some will hear the voice of the Lord saying, "Come up here." It is very plausible that all three are speaking of the same event, the same noise that will come.

This is interesting because in Acts chapter 9, when Paul was on his way to Damascus to injure the church, the Lord met him on the road and said, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" Saul heard the voice of the Lord, but those who were with him heard a sound that they could not distinguish. I believe that there is coming a day when the Lord will return and call us home.

We also read about the voice of the archangel here. This is not specifically saying that Jesus is going to send an archangel, but rather that He will be accompanied by angels when He returns for His church. We see this in other passages of Scripture that deal with His return and the snatching away of His church.

But what exactly is the voice of an archangel? What exactly is an archangel? In the Bible, there is only one specific mention of an archangel in Jude chapter 1, verse 9, which speaks about Michael the archangel. From what we can tell about Michael from the Scriptures, he is a pretty formidable figure. My assumption is that an archangel is a leading angel among the armies of God, strong and somewhat of a warrior.

So, God is going to return, and when He does, He will come with an archangel and the trumpet of God. There are many trumpets spoken of in the Scriptures, and often apocalyptic passages—those that deal with the coming of the Lord—talk about the trumpets. We see one right here in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, but also in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Turn just a few books to the left to 1 Corinthians 15. This chapter is another passage that deals with the coming of the Lord and the rapture of the church.

Look down at verse 51. 1 Corinthians 15 says, "Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed." We want to put that on the nursery wall: "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

There's coming a day when that trumpet will sound, and we shall be raised up to the Lord. We are going to be changed in a moment. We will receive a resurrection body, similar to the body that Jesus had when He rose from the dead. This body was clearly different from the one He had before His crucifixion. Two of His disciples, when they walked with Him on the road to Emmaus in Luke chapter 24, did not recognize Him. However, it was similar enough that He could say to Thomas, "Behold my hands and my feet, and put your hand on my side." He maintained some sort of visible appearance that resembled His former appearance.

The amazing thing about that new body was that He could just appear anywhere. As His disciples were gathered in a locked room in the upper room, Jesus appeared in their midst. It was a different body than He had before His death.

We read about the trumpet sounding and the church being gathered to the Lord in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 and also in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. There is a similar incident in Matthew chapter 24. Jesus is speaking about the end of days in Matthew chapter 24. In verse 31, we read, "And He shall send His angels with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

Now, there is some discussion as to whether or not Matthew 24 is speaking of the exact same incident as 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. There do seem to be some apparent differences, but they could be speaking about the same event.

There is going to be a trumpet blast, and when the trumpet blast sounds, the Lord is going to gather together His church. This is not just mentioned in these three passages, but also in the Book of Revelation, specifically in Revelation chapter 11. The Book of Revelation speaks of the judgments of God upon the earth during the tribulation period. We believe that there will be a seven-year time of tribulation here on earth, just before God returns and establishes His kingdom.

During that time of tribulation, God will pour out judgments upon the earth, which are described in three different symbolic terms in Revelation. First, there are the seven seals that are broken. There is a scroll in heaven with seven different seals, and Jesus takes the scroll. When He opens each seal, a new judgment comes upon the earth. When the seventh seal is broken, seven angels appear in heaven, and each one has a trumpet. These seven angels sound their trumpets, and each time they do, judgment is poured out upon the earth.

At the seventh trumpet, the last trumpet in Revelation chapter 11, we read, "And the seventh angel sounded, and there was a great voice in heaven saying, 'The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.'" There are some who believe that this event in Revelation chapter 11, the last trumpet, the seventh trumpet, is the same trumpet mentioned in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 and 1 Corinthians chapter 15.

Now, you may ask the question, "Is it the same?" I don't know. We will find out, though. In 1 Corinthians chapter 15, Paul said, "The dead in Christ shall rise first," and they will be changed. We will receive these resurrected bodies. Some people wonder, "What kind of bodies do they have right now, those who have died and are with the Lord?"

There are some who say that they are disembodied spirits, having no body that God has given to them yet. They are with the Lord but are disembodied. Others hold that God has given them temporary bodies until the day of the resurrection. Yet others speculate that the dead in Christ immediately experience their resurrected bodies when they die.

So, you may ask, "What's the answer?" I don't know. We will find out. But Paul continues in 1 Thessalonians, "We which are alive and remain shall be caught up." This refers to the rapture.

In eschatology, which is the study of end-time events, it literally is the study of the last, or the study of the end. There are four commonly held views about the rapture and when it takes place.

The first one is the pre-tribulation rapture. This is the view most commonly held by Calvary Chapel. It holds that believers will be caught up to be with the Lord before the seven-year tribulation.

The second view is the mid-tribulation view. This view posits that at the middle of that seven-year tribulation, the Antichrist will be revealed by what is called the abomination of desolation. I know I'm talking about things that some people may find confusing. The Antichrist will be revealed, and then God will snatch His church away, after which wrath will be poured out upon the earth.

The third view is what is called the pre-wrath view. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 9 says, "God has not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation." The pre-wrath view states that at some point in that seven-year tribulation, most specifically in the last three and a half years, God will pour out wrath upon the earth. Just before that, God will take His church out of here.

The fourth view is the post-tribulational view. This view holds that at the end of the tribulation, as Jesus returns, as described in Isaiah chapter 63, Joel chapter 3, Zechariah chapter 14, the book of Revelation, and Matthew chapter 24, when Jesus returns to pour out wrath upon the earth, just before He sets down His feet on the Mount of Olives, He will catch His church away.

You may wonder which view is correct. I'm not going to tell you what I think; we will find out. However, I will say this: there are two things that all four views have in common. Write this down in your notes if you're taking notes.

Number one, each of these views believes that there is a rapture. They all agree that there is a rapture of the church where God will snatch His church away. On that point, there is no contention.

The second thing that these four views agree upon is...

The rapture will happen before God pours out His wrath. The only difference among the views is when that wrath is poured out. The pre-tribulation view holds that wrath encompasses the entire seven-year tribulation. The mid-tribulation view asserts that wrath is confined to the great tribulation in the last three and a half years. The pre-wrath view posits that God will pour out His wrath at a certain point in the tribulation, and before that, He will take His church out. The post-tribulation view maintains that wrath is not poured out until the Battle of Armageddon, as described in Revelation chapter 19. It all revolves around where God's wrath is poured out.

I would tell you today that I hold the pan-tribulational view; it's all going to pan out. Of course, I'm often asked which view I hold. As I mentioned, Calvary Chapel traditionally adheres to the pre-tribulation view. I don't usually disclose my personal view, and there are several reasons for that. I have studied each of these views in depth, and what I have found is that all four views are well supported by biblical texts. Each person who holds these views has a very intelligent reason for their beliefs.

Secondly, the doctrine of the rapture is not an essential doctrine for salvation. Therefore, it should not be a basis for division or disfellowshipping within the church. Sadly, we often become so passionate about the discussion of the rapture that when someone disagrees with us, we say, "I can't be your friend. I can't hang out with you. How dare you?" This is foolishness, I tell you. God desires that we, the body of Christ, remain watchful workers, waiting expectantly for His soon return. In the grand scheme of eternity, and considering the last 2,000 years, seven years is a very small period of time. It should not be a source of contention or argument.

I have a couple more personal concerns regarding the pre-tribulation view. I know some may think I am treading on dangerous ground, so let me explain. The pre-tribulation view sometimes breeds apathy within the church.

It sometimes breeds apathy within the church. How so? Well, we're going to see when we get to 2 Thessalonians that the church in Thessalonica, after Paul taught them these things in 1 Thessalonians, had some people who just checked out and stopped working. Paul had to rebuke them and say, "Get back to work."

Many of you who were living during the 1970s and 1980s, when the pre-tribulation rapture really came to the forefront through Hal Lindsey's book and Tim LaHaye, know that there were some within the body of Christ who did just that. They checked out, sold everything, dropped out of college, quit their jobs, and went up on a hill, saying, "We're waiting for Jesus," because there were 88 reasons why Jesus was coming in 1988. That book is really cheap on eBay now.

The first reason for concern that I have about this view is that it sometimes breeds apathy. Secondly, if there is not a pre-tribulation rapture, there will be those in the church who fall away. The Bible clearly speaks of a great apostasy, a great falling away just before the return of the Lord, as mentioned in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. We'll look at it when we get there in a few weeks. Jesus talks about it in Matthew chapter 24.

The fact is, Jesus will return for His church at an appointed time that God the Father has set. When He returns, we will not be disappointed that He didn't come on our date. I guarantee it. We're not going to argue about it; we're not going to be concerned about it. My favorite statement is this: "Pray for pre, prepare for post." He will come again.

The problem is that oftentimes people associate tribulation with wrath. They think that tribulation is wrath, but it's not. Paul said we are not appointed to wrath; we will not receive the wrath of God. Jesus said, "In the world, you have much tribulation." So clearly, wrath and tribulation are not the same thing.

When we enter into difficult times, we need to recognize that, yes, Jesus will come. But Jesus is not coming just to spare us difficulty; He's coming to receive us to Himself. When He does, we read that we will meet the Lord in the air. You know what I like about that? It doesn't say that Jesus is going to send an angel to get us. It doesn't say He's going to send one of His favorite saints to get us.

As if He's up in heaven, saying, "Oh, can you go pick up the kids, please?" Jesus will come personally for you and me. This indicates to us that He is as excited about that day as we are. When He comes to receive us to Himself, we shall ever be with the Lord. Nothing will separate us from the Lord. Therefore, Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4, verse 18, "Wherefore, comfort one another with these words."

Now, remember, the church at Thessalonica was sorrowful because they were concerned that some of their brothers and sisters who had died had missed the coming of the Lord. Paul reassures them that this is not the case. Comfort one another with the fact that they are already with the Lord, and you will see them again. This is also a comfort in recognizing that the sorrows and sufferings of this present world are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. There is coming a day when we will see the Lord, and He will return for us. What a comfort it is to know that, especially as we look around this world and witness the sickness and wickedness present in it.

We've all been confronted in San Diego County this last week with just the evil that exists in the world. It makes us boldly say, "Maranatha, Lord Jesus, come quickly." For some reason, though, the return of the Lord causes more angst in some Christians than it does comfort. Why is it that many are actually uncomfortable with the idea of the return of the Lord?

As we wrap up, I have three reasons I want you to consider.

Number one is ignorance. Paul told the church there, "I don't want you to be ignorant of these things." Many within the body of Christ are unknowing; they don't understand the things concerning the day of the Lord and His coming. The Bible has a lot to say about the day of the Lord. In fact, there is more said about the return of the Lord, His second coming, than His first coming. We have much to study and learn about what Scripture has to say regarding these matters. Next week, we're going to talk even more about it.

Secondly, one of the reasons that people are uncomfortable about the return of the Lord is that they have unbelieving family members and friends. They worry that He is going to come.

Before those friends come to the knowledge of the truth, I would say, share the gospel. Get to work. Do the work of an evangelist as God has called us to do. There is ignorance, and there is that concern for unbelieving family members and friends.

However, the third and probably the worst reason that many people are uncomfortable about the return of the Lord is sin—specifically, their own sin in their lives. The idea that Jesus could come at any moment, that He could return this afternoon or this evening, is daunting. Imagine the moment when we hear the trumpet sounding, and yet you are still living and walking in sin. I have one word to say to you if that's the case today: repent. The day could come at any moment. Repent.

Remember what Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 3:13: "To the end that God may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all the saints." Don't you want to stand before Him without spot or blemish on that day? Repent. He could come at any moment.

I believe that God has given us the information about the rapture and His return in an ambiguous manner on purpose. There are people who are mid-tribulation, post-tribulation, and pre-wrath or pre-tribulation. They have good, intelligent reasons for their beliefs. You may disagree with them, but they have a solid argument. God has allowed some ambiguity in this area for a reason: He wants us to be waiting, watchful, and working. He wants us to be on our toes—literally—ready for His coming and praying that He would come quickly.

The last words of the Bible end with, "The Spirit and the Bride say, Come. Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen?" Oh, how we desire that He would come! But until He does, we must get to work. Next week, we will see in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 that the Lord...

He may come as a thief in the night. I have a totally different view on 1 Thessalonians 5 than you've probably heard before, and there will be some who disagree with me. But here's the fact of what it says: If you are taken by the Lord as a thief in the night, it's because you were not watching. You were not ready. Jesus told many parables about those who were not ready, such as the ten virgins and the unwise servant. Over and over again, the master came at an hour when the servant did not think. So may we be ready.

Everything that has happened in the world in the last 20 years cries out for the return of the Lord. The chessboard is set; checkmate is coming. Be ready.

Let's stand and pray together. Father, I thank you for the truth of your Word. Lord, I thank you that, as Amos said, surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants, the prophets. You have revealed to us what You are going to do before You do it. Even though there may be some ambiguity and it's not always perfectly clear, we know that You are on the move and You will come.

Lord, would You help us to be ready? Equip us so that we would be waiting, watching, and working. We look forward to the day when You will say, "Come home." Maranatha, Lord Jesus. It's in Jesus' name that we all pray. Amen.