1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,480 Men. Now we're going to turn in God's 2 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:07,640 Word, reading again from First Thessalonians, turning to the 3 00:00:07,640 --> 00:00:14,640 chapter 4 for those who are visitors. 4 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:18,920 I'm very conscious that we're working our way through one of 5 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:22,680 Paul's epistles, his first epistle to the Church of 6 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:27,600 Thessalonica. We're in chapter 4 and we're 7 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:34,520 going to read verses 13 right through to verse 18, First 8 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:40,640 Thessalonians, chapter 4, verse 13 to verse 18. 9 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:44,200 For those online, the words will come up on screen and we pray 10 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:45,920 that the Lord will richly bless you. 11 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:49,400 For those who would like a Bible, please feel free to 12 00:00:50,160 --> 00:00:54,440 contact us and we'll distribute you a Bible free. 13 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:57,880 We're reading, of course, from the King James Bible. 14 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:03,000 Let's hear God's word, First Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 15 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:07,440 13. But I would not have you to be 16 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:13,480 ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye 17 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:17,320 sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 18 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:24,040 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, Even so 19 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:28,160 them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 20 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:33,760 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which 21 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:37,640 are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not 22 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:42,040 prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall 23 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:46,760 descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Archangel, 24 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:51,960 and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise 25 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:55,040 first. Then we which are alive and 26 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:57,560 remain shall be caught up together with them in the 27 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:03,440 clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be 28 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:09,199 with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another 29 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:13,920 with these words. Amen. 30 00:02:13,920 --> 00:02:16,920 We know God will stamp with His own approval and blessing this 31 00:02:16,920 --> 00:02:20,200 reading of His own precious and infallible word. 32 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:28,240 Now this morning as we continue our series of expository sermons 33 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:32,480 on 1st Thessalonians, my text today is taken from First 34 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:39,560 Thessalonians chapter 4, verses 13 all the way through to 18, 35 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:45,160 and I've entitled the message today, the Christians Greatest 36 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:48,400 Comfort at Christ's Coming, coming. 37 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:52,240 So you've got the text First Thessalonians 413 to 18. 38 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:56,120 Here's the subject, the Christians greatest comfort at 39 00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:59,400 Christ's coming. Now as I have looked at this 40 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:03,320 passage of Scripture, there were three things came to mind. 41 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:09,800 First of all, here there's a word of explanation needed. 42 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:16,080 You see, as I read First Thessalonians 413 to 18, there 43 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:19,840 was three things came at me. First of all, there was a 44 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:24,160 problem discussed. Notice the word in verse 13. 45 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:29,000 But I would not have you to be ignorant, Catherine. 46 00:03:29,040 --> 00:03:32,800 Underline the word ignorant. You see, we think when we read 47 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,320 the word ignorant that that's about being cheeky. 48 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:37,560 That's somebody who's bad mannered. 49 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:41,200 That's somebody who's rude. Such an ignorant boy. 50 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:45,520 Such an ignorant girl is the word ignorant. 51 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:49,360 But that's not the biblical use. The word ignorant means 52 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:52,680 uninformed. I would not have you to be 53 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:56,640 uninformed, brethren. I would not have you to lack 54 00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:59,400 knowledge. I would not have you to lack 55 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:04,200 understanding and perception. You see, here was a 1st century 56 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:08,160 church and they were asking this question, probably asked at the 57 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:13,000 Timothy when he came to visit. What about the true state of our 58 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:17,560 dead loved ones? What about our martyred dead who 59 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:20,600 die in Christ? You see, they believed in 60 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:24,640 Revelation 14 and 13. And I heard a voice from heaven 61 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:29,760 saying unto me, Right, blessed are the dead which die in the 62 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:33,240 Lord from henceforth. Yeah, saith the Spirit, that 63 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:36,640 they may rest from their labour, All of them. 64 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:39,880 See, this Christian Church knew the difference between somebody 65 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:42,920 who died in their sins. Remember Jesus said that three 66 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:47,240 times, John 822 and 24. If you die in your sins, where I 67 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:51,760 am, there you cannot be. And that's how people sadly 68 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,520 choose to die. But there's a difference between 69 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:57,400 dying in sins and dying in the Saviour. 70 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:00,880 Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. 71 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:05,120 Now in this context, in the 1st century, I believe that many of 72 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:09,400 God's people had been brutally martyred and the church was 73 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:12,120 filled with a great sense of sorrow and grief. 74 00:05:12,280 --> 00:05:15,920 Imagine if somebody was martyred in this congregation, taken out 75 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:19,320 and stoned to death, or taken out and had their head chopped 76 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:24,160 off or were burnt at the stake. Well, well, this church will be 77 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:27,320 filled with a great sense of grief and sorrow. 78 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:31,640 And here's Paul moved by the Holy Spirit to read a message to 79 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:37,160 them about the true state of their dead loved ones who died 80 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:40,680 in Christ. He wants to comfort them. 81 00:05:41,280 --> 00:05:43,800 He wants to help them. Notice what he says. 82 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:51,000 If you look at verse 13 again, that ye sorrow not even as 83 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:56,040 others which have no hope. And you see many people today 84 00:05:56,040 --> 00:06:00,840 and carried off lack hope. Thousands today all over 85 00:06:00,840 --> 00:06:05,600 Northern Ireland battled oppression and as they do so, 86 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:09,720 they lack hope. Lacking hope was one of the most 87 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:16,240 prevalent emotional disorders of our generation and lots of 88 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:22,520 things fueled this lack of hope. This current world affairs, 89 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:29,280 economic woes, maybe debt coming up, the Crest of the Christian 90 00:06:29,280 --> 00:06:34,000 Church and especially in Asia and African countries, increase 91 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:38,120 of godlessness in our own land, health concerns. 92 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:40,840 Maybe it even is the death of a loved one. 93 00:06:41,280 --> 00:06:43,840 Maybe it's even facing our own death. 94 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:47,200 And there's a lack of hope and a spirit of hopelessness. 95 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:52,160 You see, many are without hope in a hopeless world. 96 00:06:52,840 --> 00:06:57,440 And Paul writes of others here which have no hope, and I 97 00:06:57,440 --> 00:07:01,080 believe those to whom he was making reference to were the 98 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:05,800 pagans of Paul's day. You see, Pagan religion have no 99 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:11,040 real hope concerning the dead. Pagan religion has no doctrine 100 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:15,440 of the resurrection of the body of dead loved ones. 101 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:19,920 When they're dead, they're dead. They have no real genuine hope 102 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:23,800 and of comfort for the dead and the dying. 103 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:28,360 And all false religion, all false cults are devoid of real 104 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:32,400 hope concerning the true state and condition of the dead. 105 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:37,360 And Paul is teaching them here. Paul is telling them that as ye 106 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:42,240 sorrow not wrong to sorrow for your dead loved ones. 107 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:45,080 For as you sorrow for your dead loved ones. 108 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:53,720 Don't be uninformed, don't lack knowledge, don't sorrow as those 109 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:56,520 without hope and a state of hopelessness. 110 00:07:56,920 --> 00:08:02,440 For the true Christian has a real genuine hope because we 111 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:04,080 have believed in the God of hope. 112 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:10,360 Romans chapter 15 and verse 13. Therefore don't sorrow as those 113 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,720 who follow the Pagan false religion. 114 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:19,120 I believe that these genuine converts, some in Fest and Anka, 115 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:23,800 some of them sadly had lapsed back into the thinking. 116 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:29,640 There's no real hope concerning our believing dead. 117 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:32,360 They were thinking to themselves. 118 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:34,240 This was the question in their mind. 119 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:39,880 Would our believing dead miss out in Christ's glorious coming 120 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:43,360 for His Church? Would their resurrection be 121 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,320 delayed? Would their resurrection happen 122 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:49,400 at all, or would they just remain in the grave? 123 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:53,480 Would their bodies lie there in the grave and be forgotten? 124 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:58,120 Would the living Saints have an advantage over the dead sins? 125 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:02,680 All of these concerns, all of these questions were being 126 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:08,200 raised in their mind over their dead loved ones. 127 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:11,160 I have no doubt there was other questions as well. 128 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:17,640 So Paul discusses at length the problem in this whole passage of 129 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:21,080 Scripture. In this word of explanation, 130 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:24,640 there's a problem being discussed. 131 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:32,920 This one passage of Scripture was written for a specific 132 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:37,400 purpose of dealing with that particular problem. 133 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:43,080 In this word of explanation, there's a purpose disclosed. 134 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:47,400 Why did Paul write this? Why is this in the Bible? 135 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:50,200 What's his purpose? What's his goal? 136 00:09:50,560 --> 00:09:53,800 Well, look with me at verse 18. Very important. 137 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:58,200 Notice the word wherefore. See that? 138 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:03,000 Wherefore? It means in light of this, in 139 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:07,120 light of what I've just told you from verse 13 down to 17, 140 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:13,440 comfort one another with what? Notice again for the emphasis 141 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:19,760 with these words. Now I want you to catch that the 142 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:23,520 word comfort here means a calling to come alongside 143 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:28,360 another and offer help to one another in a variety of 144 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:32,400 situations. Remember, these are spirit 145 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:36,640 inspired words. These are life giving words. 146 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:40,080 These are words of comfort and words of truth. 147 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:45,960 These words drive away the false empty ideas of false Pagan 148 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:51,320 religion concerning the dead. These spirit inspired words 149 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:57,560 delightfully embrace the message of the Spirit of God. 150 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:02,440 Paul's whole purpose was to bring comfort to the souls of 151 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:07,040 living Saints. He was deeply concerned about 152 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:10,800 the bodies of loved ones who had died in Christ. 153 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:15,720 Now, in order to do this, in order to bring comfort, he 154 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:19,360 employed the use of the doctrine of the second coming of the Lord 155 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:23,000 Jesus. The second coming of the Lord 156 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:26,760 Jesus Christ is a major focus in the book of First Thessalonians 157 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:30,920 and 2nd Thessalonians, and Paul uses this doctrine to press on 158 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:34,440 the truth that all true believers who sorrow about their 159 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:39,160 loved ones who have died in Christ can't find comfort and 160 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:42,840 help. Now Paul's primary focus, listen 161 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:48,160 to me carefully, is not to teach the doctrine of Christ second 162 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:52,240 coming. His primary purpose is to 163 00:11:52,240 --> 00:12:00,000 comfort the Christians and he employs and uses the doctrine of 164 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:04,240 the second coming to show what is going to happen to the dead 165 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:07,720 in Christ. There can be no doubt the 166 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:14,080 certainty of Christ's glorious coming gives us hope, gives us 167 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:18,000 comfort. Now let me emphasise that this 168 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:23,520 text of scripture is not explicitly teaching a pre 169 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:27,840 tribulation rapture of the church unless you choose to read 170 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:31,320 that into the text. And many sadly within 171 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:33,960 Christendom read that into the text. 172 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:37,560 But that's not what's being explicitly taught. 173 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:42,760 Nor is Paul writing this so we can draw out an elaborate 174 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:49,400 prophetic chart to satisfy our mind about world future events. 175 00:12:50,560 --> 00:12:56,080 Paul's concern is pastoral. He wants the church to 176 00:12:56,080 --> 00:13:01,800 experience hope and comfort in the Lord regarding our loved 177 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:05,720 ones who have died in Christ. And that's the purpose that's 178 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:08,080 disclosed. And I just wish those that would 179 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:11,520 preach would, would preach with that thought in mind. 180 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:15,080 That was his purpose in writing, his primary purpose. 181 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:17,680 Now he did bring in some teaching about the second 182 00:13:17,680 --> 00:13:20,600 coming, but that wasn't his primary purpose. 183 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:25,000 He was just employing the second coming to bring comfort and help 184 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:28,560 to God's people. The third thing by way of 185 00:13:28,560 --> 00:13:34,720 explanation is the prospectus declared Now the promise of 186 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:39,120 Christ's coming is certain because he was raised from the 187 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:41,640 dead. Look at verse 14. 188 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:46,360 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, you Even so 189 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:49,760 them also would sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 190 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:52,280 I want you to think of his announcement here. 191 00:13:53,200 --> 00:14:00,960 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, the word if 192 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:05,320 doesn't imply uncertainty. In the Greek, we could put the 193 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:12,160 word sense we believe. Now notice the word Jesus here. 194 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:20,200 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, that's the 195 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:24,880 human name of our Lord. He has used it once before in 196 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:32,600 chapter 1 and in the verse 10, and it's used in connection with 197 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:40,800 his death and resurrection. And he did this, I believe, to 198 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:50,040 show that our faith in Christ coming again is based on the 199 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:56,160 historical fact of his birth, His life, his death, and his 200 00:14:56,160 --> 00:15:00,080 resurrection. Jesus is a real historical 201 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:01,800 figure. I was in a home yesterday. 202 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:06,080 I'm not mentioned where or who, but the man was asking me, do 203 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:09,760 you believe that Jesus is a real historical figure or is he a 204 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:13,040 mythological figure? Well, I want to tell you, he's 205 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:18,440 not a mythological figure. He's not a mere legend created 206 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:26,960 in the minds of men. No, the Lord Jesus is a real 207 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:30,360 historical figure, and I would put it to you that none of the 208 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:34,360 apostles who suffered for Christ and gave their lives for him and 209 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:37,320 proclaimed him as Lord and Saviour would have done so if 210 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:42,040 it'd been a mythical figure or the stuff of myths and legends. 211 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:45,800 And that was true not only of the apostles, but it had to be 212 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:49,200 true of those who were the martyred, dead out of the church 213 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:53,040 in Vestanenka. Paul's point is this, that the 214 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:57,760 bodily return of Jesus Christ to this earth is just as certain, 215 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:03,040 as is physical birth, as is physical life, as is physical 216 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:07,080 death, as is physical burial, as is physical resurrection. 217 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:14,480 All historical validated facts. Notice the words Jesus died. 218 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:22,040 Stop there. The word dead or died is a 219 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:26,960 reference to Christ's death of penal substitution. 220 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:30,680 See, Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures was 221 00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:35,760 buried, was rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. 222 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:39,480 Corinthians First Corinthians 15 verses 3 and 4. 223 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:43,040 Whenever Christ died in the cross, His death was a 224 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:48,080 substitute in the debt that we couldn't pay to the Brooklyn 225 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:49,760 Law. He died as a sin bear. 226 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:51,840 He's wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our 227 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:53,840 iniquities. The chastisement of our peace 228 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:55,680 was upon Him. And with his stripe through your 229 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:58,680 heel, He died as a sacrifice. Behold the Lamb of God, which 230 00:16:58,680 --> 00:16:59,920 taketh away the sin of the world. 231 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:03,520 He died as a sin offering. He bore the wrath of God. 232 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:08,440 Remember, the Lord Jesus bore the full wrath of God for us. 233 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:13,400 He died in our guilty room instead and and and and Paul 234 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:18,640 seems to contrast Jesus death over against the believers 235 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:21,720 sleep. Look at the text, he says, for 236 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:25,079 we believe that Jesus died and rose again even through them 237 00:17:25,079 --> 00:17:29,880 also, which sleep in Jesus will God bring with them? 238 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:34,320 You see, if we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, if we know Him as 239 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:42,120 Lord and Redeemer, if we die in Him, then our death will be like 240 00:17:42,120 --> 00:17:47,640 asleep. Notice the used here in the 241 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:50,960 verse 13 concerning them which are asleep. 242 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:55,560 It's used in the verse 14. Even so them also which sleep in 243 00:17:55,560 --> 00:18:03,160 Jesus will God bring with Him. You see, sleep is a euphemism 244 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:10,360 for death, not soul sleep. Sadly, the 7th Day Adventists 245 00:18:10,360 --> 00:18:16,160 and others believe that when we die, our souls go into a sleep 246 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:20,720 until the 2nd coming. But that's not so because when 247 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:22,800 you compare scripture with scripture, remember 2nd 248 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:26,240 Corinthians 5 and 8, Paul talked about being absent from the body 249 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:28,760 and present with the Lord. Well, what is absent from the 250 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:30,240 body? What leaves the body at death? 251 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:34,160 It's the soul and spirit. Paul says I have a desire to 252 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:37,840 depart to be with Christ, which is far better. 253 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:43,560 Philippians 123 Remember Jesus said to the dying thief, What 254 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:46,880 did he say today shall thy be with me in paradise? 255 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:50,440 How was that possible? His, his, his body was on the 256 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:57,480 the, the tree being crucified reference to his soul. 257 00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:01,720 And remember Stephen when he was being martyred and they were 258 00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:04,000 throwing stones at him, putting him to death. 259 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:09,200 The Bible tells us in Acts Chapter 7 verses 59 and into 260 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:15,920 verse 60 that he fell asleep over there in First 261 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:19,840 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 10, who died for us that 262 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:23,360 whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 263 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:27,560 Souls sleep is not biblical. So I want to under you to 264 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:31,480 understand that sleep is a euthanism for death. 265 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:35,560 But it's not about soul sleep. It's a reference to the body. 266 00:19:36,360 --> 00:19:40,160 It implies a sweet sleep. It implies a time of rest. 267 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:46,240 The believers not suffering death as a penal suffering like 268 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:52,520 Christ did, because in Christ by faith, he has rest in peace. 269 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:56,040 Oh yes, as physical earthly life, as bodily life has come to 270 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:58,480 an end. Whenever he Braves his last, the 271 00:19:58,480 --> 00:20:02,200 soul leaves the body and the body goes into the earth as if 272 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:08,720 it's gone to sleep. And it's a sweet sleep in Jesus. 273 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:12,280 And it implies something else asleep, that death is only 274 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:14,240 temporary. You see, you wake from sleep 275 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:16,240 each morning. So do I. 276 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:20,360 Jesus said of Lazarus. Our friend Lazarus has fallen 277 00:20:20,360 --> 00:20:26,240 asleep, but I go that I may awaken him out of sleep. 278 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:34,080 John 11 and 11. You see, after death, our souls 279 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:39,840 will be in a disembodied state with the Lord until Jesus Christ 280 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:43,560 returns in power and glory. And at His return He will bring 281 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:47,640 our souls and spirits with Him, and He will raise our dead 282 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:51,120 bodies from the dead. See, here's a question. 283 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:54,120 Will we see our loved ones again? 284 00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:57,040 These Thessalonians believers were saying, but the 285 00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:01,360 relationship was broken. They had this morbid dread. 286 00:21:01,360 --> 00:21:04,760 We'll never see them again. They're gone forever. 287 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:07,000 Their bodies are gone. What are they going to do? 288 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:12,240 Remember what Daniel said in Daniel 12 and two? 289 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:15,160 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall 290 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:22,360 awake, some to everlasting life, some to see him and everlasting 291 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:26,720 contempt. Yes, their bodies are decayed. 292 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:30,520 They've been in the ground for centuries, maybe eaten by 293 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:36,320 vultures, maybe bodies blown apart because they've exploded 294 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:38,520 in a bomb. Think of members of the Royal 295 00:21:38,520 --> 00:21:43,360 Ulster Constabulary, members of the Royal Ulster Regiment. 296 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:52,440 Remember as well, even if the body has been cremated and the 297 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:56,640 ashes have been scattered over land or sea, or maybe the body 298 00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:59,320 has been burned in the fire, like our martyr dead. 299 00:21:59,880 --> 00:22:04,640 Death is only temporary for the bodies of those who die in 300 00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:07,440 Christ, all who die in the Christ. 301 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:12,160 It's a bit like bedtime. It's a bit like retiring for 302 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:17,720 rest and relaxation to await the resurrection. 303 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:22,840 Over years here in carried off FPC, we've so many gone home to 304 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:25,720 be with the Lord. Their bodies are still in the 305 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:29,120 graveyard, I think, and I mention their names, not all 306 00:22:29,120 --> 00:22:32,440 deliberately. Alice Crawford. 307 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:35,960 May Boyd. Jack Anderson, senior Frank 308 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:39,600 Campbell, he sat at the back and we loved him in the Lord. 309 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:41,560 Billy Coulter, great help to the church. 310 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:46,520 Ernest Patterson, Missus Lowe, James Lowe, Mary and Jim Ellis, 311 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:51,080 Alex Corel. Their bodies are buried and many 312 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:54,600 others with them. But their bodies have been 313 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:57,240 buried in the grave and it's a temporary thing. 314 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:01,280 They're waiting and they're waiting. 315 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:04,400 Oh, yes, we miss them. And you miss your loved ones you 316 00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:07,880 have buried this year. But here's the comfort. 317 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:12,840 You're going to see them again. Yes, their souls are with 318 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:15,640 Christ, their bodies are in the grave. 319 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:18,240 But we're going to see them again. 320 00:23:20,120 --> 00:23:23,600 This also implies the sleep relief from bodily aches and 321 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:26,320 pains. Rest from our earthly 322 00:23:26,320 --> 00:23:28,680 neighbours. Sleep is not something that's 323 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:32,200 harsh and fearful. I go to sleep whenever you're 324 00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:34,800 tired, you go to bed at night and you're really weary. 325 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:37,280 And I can testify to that. It was like that last night 326 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:41,400 after a very busy week of meetings and distributing the 327 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:43,840 outreach hampers. And I'm pleased to say I have 328 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:47,320 them all out. So we're thankful to God for 329 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:51,280 that. And but when you have got bodily 330 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:54,640 aches and pains, maybe it's an illness and it struck your body 331 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:59,840 and you and you want rest well, well that's the picture This 332 00:23:59,840 --> 00:24:03,800 sleep gives you rest from your bodily aches and pains, rest 333 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:06,240 from earthly labour. Not something harsh, not 334 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:13,560 something fearful. And Paul's point in this is our 335 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:16,520 resurrection from the dead depends on Christ's 336 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:20,600 resurrection. He said because I live, ye shall 337 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:23,080 live also. So our loved ones who have 338 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:27,760 fallen asleep in Christ, like those in theften, and I got like 339 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:31,760 those from the dawn of time. God will raise you up. 340 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:36,920 I'll tell you something else. Notice his authority very 341 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:40,360 quickly, verse 15 For this we say unto you, by the word of the 342 00:24:40,360 --> 00:24:43,920 Lord. You see, the promise of Christ's 343 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:47,160 coming was certain because Paul had got God's word in it. 344 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:50,360 And what follows is Christ's word on the order of the 345 00:24:50,360 --> 00:24:53,760 resurrection. And here's new information not 346 00:24:53,760 --> 00:24:56,960 found in any part of the Old Testament Scriptures, not found 347 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:02,240 in any part of the gospel. So this was new revelation from 348 00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:05,960 the Lord. But Paul was telling them 349 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:09,240 something that they needed to to comfort their hearts. 350 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:14,520 And I believe this was revealed directly to Paul by the Holy 351 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:18,960 Spirit for the comfort of God's people. 352 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:23,640 Not presently, no one a word directly from the Lord, not his 353 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:28,080 speculation, not his opinion. Here's his authority. 354 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:33,200 He says, for this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, 355 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:37,000 Notice what he says, that we which are alive and remain unto 356 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:39,800 the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 357 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:43,440 Here's his assertion. Not only his announcement about 358 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:47,160 sleep, not only his authority, but think of his assertion 359 00:25:48,360 --> 00:25:53,920 people alive and remain, people asleep and resurrected. 360 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:57,600 Notice the word prevent here. The word prevent means come 361 00:25:57,600 --> 00:26:01,320 before. What advantage have got the 362 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:03,560 living over the dead? No advantage. 363 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:06,600 What precedent have the living over the dead? 364 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:11,720 No precedent. See the idea is this. 365 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:15,680 Those who are alive and remain. This is what was thought about 366 00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:17,800 in Thessalonica. They have an advantage over the 367 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:20,360 dead in Christ. Paul says there's no advantage 368 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:24,560 when Christ comes. Here's the order, here's what's 369 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:28,160 going to happen. Here's the two companies, the 370 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:32,240 living and the dead sins, Those who are as bodies are asleep in 371 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:34,840 the ground awaiting the resurrection, and those who are 372 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:38,760 alive still in the earth. And he expected the people to be 373 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:42,120 alive and remain in the earth when Jesus Christ comes. 374 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:45,920 And he says, here's the impact that it's going to have. 375 00:26:46,120 --> 00:26:47,960 Here's the order that's going to take place. 376 00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:51,520 This is what was revealed to me. So that's the word of 377 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:54,880 explanation. Very quickly, and it'll have to 378 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:57,920 be quickly, there's a word of exhortation. 379 00:26:58,760 --> 00:27:05,440 Listen to me carefully. Christ's coming will reunite us 380 00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:09,040 with deceased loved ones in Christ. 381 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:13,000 So if your father, mother, brother, sister has died in 382 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:17,000 Christ, and you've stood and wept at the grave, and you sit 383 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:20,520 and look at an empty chair and your heart's broken at home, 384 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:23,280 then I want you to comfort your heart with this truth. 385 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:27,880 Christ's coming will reunite us with deceased loved ones who 386 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:32,560 have died in Christ, and all will have a new resurrected body 387 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:35,320 like Christ. And Christ will bring us 388 00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:38,280 together, and forever we will be with the Lord. 389 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:41,720 And that's his exhortation. You see the word comfort in 390 00:27:41,720 --> 00:27:43,840 verse 18. It means exhort. 391 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:47,040 Wherefore exhort one another with these words. 392 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:51,600 I've given you a word of explanation, but look very 393 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:56,160 carefully at the word of exhortation as we finish. 394 00:27:58,120 --> 00:28:01,040 There's a number of things here. You've got the return of Christ. 395 00:28:01,280 --> 00:28:04,200 Look at verse 16. And we'll come back to this a 396 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:06,960 different time. For the Lord himself shall 397 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:10,080 descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the 398 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:12,720 Archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ 399 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:15,880 shall rise. First notice the word shite, the 400 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:17,880 voice of the Archangel, the trump of God. 401 00:28:18,360 --> 00:28:21,440 Now let me ask this question to those who believe in a secret 402 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:24,360 silent rapture. How could that be secret and 403 00:28:24,360 --> 00:28:28,120 silent? I believe it's open, I believe 404 00:28:28,120 --> 00:28:30,920 it's public, and I believe in the rapture of the church. 405 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:33,720 But I want to tell you the timing of it may be different 406 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:35,680 from what you think. I don't believe it's pre 407 00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:38,160 tribulation. I believe it's at the end of the 408 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:43,240 tribulation when Jesus comes. So there's a return here. 409 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:47,840 Let's think about the resurrection he he mentions 410 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:50,600 here. And the dead in Christ shall 411 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:51,920 rise first. Here's the order. 412 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:56,520 There's no advantage to those that are alive and remain when 413 00:28:56,520 --> 00:28:59,360 Jesus comes, because here's the order. 414 00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:02,640 The dead in Christ shall rise first. 415 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:07,800 The souls and spirits of our departed loved ones who are now 416 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:12,200 with the Lord. He will bring the souls and 417 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:14,760 spirits with him when He returns. 418 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:19,760 And He will rejoin and reunite their soul and spirit with their 419 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:24,320 dead body in the grave. And He will resurrect the body. 420 00:29:26,200 --> 00:29:33,680 And He will also receive our resigresic bodies as we rise up 421 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:37,480 to meet Him in the air. This is the first resurrection. 422 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:43,640 The unbelieving dead, they'll not be raised for another 1000 423 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:46,320 years. They will not come to life until 424 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:48,680 the end of the Millennium revelated. 425 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:53,920 There's not only a return here and a resurrection, but very 426 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:55,800 quickly there's a relationship here. 427 00:29:56,280 --> 00:30:00,040 If you look again at verse 17, then we which are alive and 428 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:02,440 remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds 429 00:30:02,440 --> 00:30:05,720 to meet the Lord in the air. This relationship was one of 430 00:30:06,560 --> 00:30:12,920 unification, the unification of the entire body of Christ. 431 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:17,200 It's never been seen before to come. 432 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:22,560 These dead Saints and living Saints, the entire company of 433 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:25,440 the elect people, the Old Testament Saints from Adam and 434 00:30:25,520 --> 00:30:29,120 Abel and Abraham, all the redeemed of God, all here saved 435 00:30:29,280 --> 00:30:32,880 right up to the last believer who who dies in Christ just 436 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:37,680 prior to Christ's return. They will be resurrected, They 437 00:30:37,680 --> 00:30:42,320 will be reunited body and soul, but they'll also be reunited 438 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:45,640 with the living Saints. And when he comes, we'll be 439 00:30:45,640 --> 00:30:48,680 caught up together. And this will be the first time 440 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:53,240 in all history that the Church of God met together in the 441 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:56,760 United Company. We get a little hint of that in 442 00:30:56,760 --> 00:31:01,120 the Book of Revelation. In Revelation chapter 4 and in 443 00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:07,760 the verse 4 we read these words and round about the throne were 444 00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:11,560 4 and 20 seats, and upon the seats I saw 4 and 20 elders 445 00:31:11,560 --> 00:31:14,200 sitting clothed in white raiment, and they have on their 446 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:18,040 heads crowns of gold. 24 seats, 24 elders. 447 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:20,280 Who are they? I believe 12 are from the Old 448 00:31:20,280 --> 00:31:23,560 Testament, the 12 tribes of Israel. 449 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:28,480 The 12 are the 12 apostles of the New Testament, the Old and 450 00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:33,840 New Testament, 24 elders, the entire body. 451 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:37,720 And over there in chapter 5 of Revelation and we read in 452 00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:42,000 chapter 5 verse 8, he says, And when he had taken the book, the 453 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:45,840 four beasts and four and 20 elders fell down before the 454 00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:49,200 Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of 455 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:51,040 odours, which is the prayers of the Saints. 456 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:53,920 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou word worthy to take 457 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:55,560 the book and to open the seals thereof. 458 00:31:55,760 --> 00:31:58,920 For that was slain and has redeemed us to God by thy blood, 459 00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:02,600 out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation, and has 460 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:07,200 made us unto our God, kings and priests, and we shall reign on 461 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:10,400 the earth. This relationship is 1 of 462 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:13,480 unification. Here's great assurance. 463 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:19,920 Your departed loved ones who have believed in Christ, who 464 00:32:19,920 --> 00:32:23,440 have died and their bodies in the ground, they're going to be 465 00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:25,920 resurrected. The body's going to be 466 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:28,040 resurrected. We believe in the resurrection 467 00:32:28,040 --> 00:32:30,000 of the body. We believe in the redemption of 468 00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:32,040 the body. Jesus just didn't die to save 469 00:32:32,040 --> 00:32:33,960 the soul. He died to redeem the body. 470 00:32:34,360 --> 00:32:38,040 And on that day when body and soul is reunited, it'll be 471 00:32:38,040 --> 00:32:41,520 before the living Saints, and it'll all happen when Christ 472 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:44,120 returns. The relationship was one of 473 00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:46,160 indemnification. We'll know one another. 474 00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:47,920 You miss your loved one, don't you? 475 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:50,440 So do I. You think you'll not see them 476 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:52,160 again? That's what the Thessalonians 477 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:54,160 were seeing. They were full of pain and 478 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:57,120 grief. I would love to see them again. 479 00:32:57,680 --> 00:33:00,520 You want to see them again? Well, we will. 480 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:02,560 Better than that. We'll not only see them, but 481 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:04,040 we'll know them. You'll know your mummy. 482 00:33:04,040 --> 00:33:05,640 You'll know your father. You'll know your brother. 483 00:33:05,720 --> 00:33:09,000 You'll know your sister. That resurrection body will be 484 00:33:09,000 --> 00:33:11,000 like Christ's glorious resurrection body. 485 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:15,560 How did Peter know Moses and Elias? 486 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:17,480 Moses had died. Elijah hadn't. 487 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:21,800 How did he know that God revealed it to him. 488 00:33:22,360 --> 00:33:27,200 How will we know God will reveal it to us over there in Second 489 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:31,400 Corinthians, in chapter 4 and in the verse 14, Paul makes this 490 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:35,120 tremendous statement, knowing that he which raised up the Lord 491 00:33:35,120 --> 00:33:44,040 Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with 492 00:33:44,280 --> 00:33:47,200 you. She's going to present us to the 493 00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:50,680 Father. He's going to name us by name 494 00:33:50,680 --> 00:33:55,520 and say here's so and so Father, and here's so and so right down 495 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:57,840 the line. It's one of unification. 496 00:33:57,840 --> 00:34:00,680 It's one of identification very quickly, and our time is gone. 497 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:05,960 It's one of restoration. Notice these words he says in 498 00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:08,800 verse 17. So shall we ever be with the 499 00:34:08,800 --> 00:34:11,679 Lord? So shall we ever be with the 500 00:34:11,679 --> 00:34:15,080 Lord. Here's the purpose of the 501 00:34:15,080 --> 00:34:19,199 rapture of the church and the word caught up literally means 502 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:21,440 rapture. We're caught up to meet the 503 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:23,719 Lord. There's a restoration of 504 00:34:23,719 --> 00:34:27,280 fellowship. The dead and living Saints meet 505 00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:31,239 around Christ. You see, Christ will be central, 506 00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:35,400 not thinking of anyone else. It'd be lovely to go to heaven 507 00:34:35,400 --> 00:34:39,800 and meet Adam and Abel and and meet Abraham and maybe go and 508 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:43,560 meet Martin Luther and John Calvin and maybe John Knox and 509 00:34:43,560 --> 00:34:46,040 have a chat. Maybe some of the other 510 00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:48,520 prophets, maybe some of the other apostles. 511 00:34:50,040 --> 00:34:55,480 But the primary, central thing is to be with the Lord, to meet 512 00:34:55,480 --> 00:34:59,200 the Lord in the air, to be forever with the Lord. 513 00:34:59,360 --> 00:35:03,680 The best part, the greatest part is to be with the Lord 514 00:35:04,600 --> 00:35:09,520 transfigured into his likeness, free from all sin and death. 515 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:13,120 The removal of every conflict and bad experience. 516 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:17,720 It's all gone forever because here's the point of the 517 00:35:17,720 --> 00:35:24,480 restoration. It's fellowship with the Lord. 518 00:35:26,960 --> 00:35:31,400 That's all part of this relationship. 519 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:36,080 I finish with this. There's a word of 520 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:40,360 experimentation here. If we go back to the word 521 00:35:40,960 --> 00:35:44,400 comfort. Wherefore comfort one another 522 00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:48,360 with these words. You see, there are pastoral 523 00:35:48,920 --> 00:35:54,680 practical benefit in knowing the biblical truth. 524 00:35:58,240 --> 00:36:06,080 Real hope, real hope in life, real hope and death. 525 00:36:06,840 --> 00:36:10,600 Do you have real hope in life? Do you have real hope and death? 526 00:36:11,520 --> 00:36:13,640 You're in the midst of trials of life now. 527 00:36:14,120 --> 00:36:16,080 You're knowing hardship and difficulty. 528 00:36:17,240 --> 00:36:21,360 Can I suggest even today, if your grief stricken over a loved 529 00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:25,640 one, don't suppress your grief, don't stop your tears. 530 00:36:25,760 --> 00:36:30,240 Grief is normal, grief is real. But you have to have hope in 531 00:36:30,240 --> 00:36:32,760 Christ. And if you have hope in Christ 532 00:36:32,760 --> 00:36:35,640 and know him as Lord and Saviour, then your loved one has 533 00:36:35,640 --> 00:36:38,480 gone to a better place. Your, your loved one's suffering 534 00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:40,520 is over, but it's only in Christ. 535 00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:47,040 It's only the abode of those who die in Christ. 536 00:36:47,320 --> 00:36:49,760 I finish. There's two ways to die. 537 00:36:50,280 --> 00:36:53,160 Die in your sins or die in the Saviour. 538 00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:55,440 Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. 539 00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:58,760 And I urge you to choose that if you're going to die and die, you 540 00:36:58,760 --> 00:37:03,040 will choose to die in Christ, die in the Saviour, faith in 541 00:37:03,040 --> 00:37:05,560 Him, rest in him alone for salvation. 542 00:37:05,800 --> 00:37:08,920 Come to Him and repent of your sin asked him to be your Lord 543 00:37:08,920 --> 00:37:11,640 and Saviour. Trust in him that you look 544 00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:13,440 forward to the day of his return. 545 00:37:13,560 --> 00:37:15,280 You live in light of His resurrection. 546 00:37:15,360 --> 00:37:18,760 You look forward to this time of reunion, where at the centre of 547 00:37:18,760 --> 00:37:21,840 that reunion will not only see and know your loved ones, but 548 00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:24,440 you will have real meaning forever. 549 00:37:24,440 --> 00:37:28,000 Fellowship with the Lord. The Lord bless you today. 550 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:31,240 Thank you for coming. I've only skirted this passage 551 00:37:31,240 --> 00:37:33,880 of Scripture. We've dealt with so many verses 552 00:37:34,240 --> 00:37:38,400 and we may return to the theme of the second coming in the new 553 00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:41,680 year, but we'll leave it there until the new year for now.