The Four Eleven Foundation: 1 Thessalonians

5.3 AN IMMINENT RETURN (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

Unwavering testimony to the certain, personal return of Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout."

The Lord will fulfill His own promise to personally come to receive us. (John 14:1-3 ). He will not send some representative; He will descend. The same Jesus who ascended (Acts 1:11). The second coming of Christ will be personal and visible (Revelation 1:7-8 ). He will step down "with a shout", that is, with a word of command as that of a leader to his host when leading them into battle. This is followed by the shout of the archangel, followed by the trumpet of God. Just as shouts and trumpets announced the arrival of visiting monarchs in the days this epistle was written, so the heavenly equivalents proclaim the return of the Lord Jesus for His own. This hope is the expectation of believers, and as never before, is regarded as imminent - but we are not told the date.

5.4 AN INSTANT RESURRECTION (1 Thessalonians 4:16)

1 Thessalonians 4:16 "And the dead in Christ will rise first."

Those who precede us into the Lord's presence by death, will have their bodies raised in this instant resurrection, and so will be the first to receive their glorified bodies. Teaching on the method of the resurrection and the nature of resurrection bodies is given in 1 Corinthians 15:35-57. That the resurrected body will be a glorified body like Christ's is clear from 1 Corinthians 15:43; Philippians 3:20-21.

5.5 AN IMMEDIATE REUNION (1 Thessalonians 4:17)

1 Thessalonians 4:17 "Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."

"Then living believers will be "caught up' - from the Latin for 'caught up' comes the term 'rapture'." Ryrie

The living saints will be snatched, plucked away, their bodies changed in one flashing moment.

1 Corinthians 15:51,52 "Behold, I tell you a mystery: 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 will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."

Notice that "together with them" is referring to a grand reunion with loved ones - could it be that the Lord stands waiting while this reuniting of loved ones takes place? One thing is certain, the Lord takes delight in our relationships in Him. Then the united family of God, together, "meets the Lord in the air." In that supreme meeting we will only have eyes for Jesus - nothing is to be allowed to mar that tremendous meeting.

5.6 AN INDESCRIBABLE REJOICING (1 Thessalonians 4:17,18)

1 Thessalonians 4:17 "And thus we shall always be with the Lord."

With Him in companionship
With Him in union
With Him to behold His glory - to worship Him
With Him in participation of His glory

Then indeed we shall know joy unspeakable and full of glory. These truths are to be used to comfort (1 Thessalonians 5:18 ).

QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTION

On what is your assurance of your resurrection based?
- What meaning does it have for you that neither the physically alive nor the physically absent will have any advantage over the other?
Do you look forward to the imminent return of Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of His own promise to receive you to Himself?
- How is this personal reception of you all who are Christ's, to take place?
- In what order will His people receive their glorified bodies?
What will happen to physically alive believers when the Lord returns?
- Do you marvel at the grand reunion that is to take place?
- Do you anticipate the joy of the united family of God meeting the Lord?
What do you understand by always being with the Lord?
- Have you used these truths to comfort others?