“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.”
‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭4:13-14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

* Jesus doesn’t want us to be ignorant of His returning and not to sorrow without hope. We will meet those who are dead in Christ, who will rise again.

“For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.”
‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭4:15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

* the dead in Christ will rise first

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”
‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭4:16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

* when the Lord comes, it will be an open affair announced with great sounds from heaven.

“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭4:17-18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

* we will be caught up in the air to meet the Lord and those who are risen in Christ Jesus.

* why does He meet us in the air?
* “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”” Acts‬ ‭1:9-11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
* Jesus will return the same way that He left, in the clouds.
* Jesus meets us up in the clouds and does not come down to the earth
* ““Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it.” Matthew‬ ‭24:23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭4:18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

* we are meant to encourage one another for being prepared to return to the Lord or for His Second Coming

“For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.”
‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭5:2-3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

* the day of the Lord returning is sudden and without warning when we least expect it
* our life must go on as usual but prepared in our hearts and spirits for His return
* ““But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”Matthew‬ ‭24:36‬ ‭NKJV‬

“But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.”
‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭5:4-6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

* our spirit man in alive in God and ready for His second coming
* we are not made to be ignorant of His coming

“But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.”
‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

* we are put on the faith, hope and love
* we have faith to believe in His Word for His second coming
* when we experience the love of God, we keep wanting to come back to Him and express love in response to Him
* the hope of our salvation is in us and it is meant to be given to those who need Jesus
* the more we experience the love of God, the more we want to give them the hope of salvation

“For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.”
‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭5:9-10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

* God did not appoint us for hell but for salvation. It is His will that all be saved (2 Peter 3:9)
* We are saved so that we know Him and live together with Him.
* He is longing for His Second Coming so that we all together with Him

“Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.”
‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭5:11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

* We need to comfort one another that He is coming

As the church, we have the authority to bring hope to people. We do not need to feel overwhelmed in bringing salvation to those around us.

If we cannot go to save souls, we can pay for others to go. We can even pray and intercede for others salvation

Practical Applications For this Message:

* look for a notebook, write the names of people to pray for
* start being revived in prayer
* pray for immediate family first
* For spouses, pray for your spouse
* pray for extended families
* God who hears your prayer will send laborers to those harvest fields