Sharpening our Focus on Hope

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• By Rev. Devadosan Sugirtharaj
• Posted 11/08/2020
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Focus on Second Coming (Advent) Sermon Series

Sharpening our focus on hope

1 Thessalonians. 4:13-18

Rev Dr Devadosan Sugirtharaj

Introduction

• In the Christmas season, everyone mentions about the hope that Christ brought into the world as God-Son. However, many never understands that Christ’s second coming also brings the greatest eternal hope for all who believe in him.
• Some think that second coming of Christ should not taken as literally but metaphorically. It is wrong. Second coming of Christ will be real event and it is not fairy tale. So we must be aware of the false teaching of denying second coming of Christ in the world.
• The hope that the second coming of Christ is not only given for the living but also those rest in the Lord as believers. This hope is only for the people who believe in Christ the Lord.

Word Study

• Greek word: Parousia-  It means presence or arrival. In the New Testament, it signifies the second coming of Christ. It will not take place until Jesus returns to earth as an appointed time as the judge. It is also translated as new age or completion of history.

Context of the text

• Paul, Silas and Timothy planted the church in the city of Thessalonica within three weeks but they suffered due to persecutions and left the city. Then Paul sent Timothy to see how the believers were doing in the city and he went and brought back news of the church to Paul. So Paul wrote this letter to them.

1. Sharpening our focus on the hope of resurrection. 1 Thessalonians.4:13-14
   • 13 But we don’t want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you don’t grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
   • When Timothy reported that many God’s people had already passed away in the church and there was a lot of grief among the believers. Here Paul was talking about death as sleep. Paul did not use the term death. However, he used this biblical term sleeping for death from other scriptures such as Daniel 12:2; Matthew.27:52; Mark 5:39-42. He told the church that the people who do not have faith in Christ in the world do not hope.
   • We grieve for our loved ones resting in the Lord for a short time but with hope. In the world, people grieve without hope but we grieve with hope because we believe that Jesus died and rose gain. And also God will bring with him because God will bring them with him. This is the faith of resurrection. Because of the resurrection,
   • 1 Corinthians.5:5-7:5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as [c]a guarantee.6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
   • John.14:2-3:2 In My Father’s house are many [a]mansions; if it were not so, [b]I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
   • Biblical Example: Acts.9:4-6:4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. [a]It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
   • Sermon Illustration: In May 2008, singer/songwriter Steve Curtis Chapman and his family lost their youngest daughter and sister Maria Sue in a tragic accident. In an interview with Larry King Live show on August 7, Chapman’s manager Jim Houser said: “It’s the family’s hope that these appearances with serve as a chance to proclaim to a watching world what they know and are deeply convinced of even in these difficult days, the Gospel is true and faith in Christ is our hope.”

2. Sharpening our focus on the hope of meeting the Lord with all faithful believers whether they are dead or alive. 1 Thessalonians.4:15-18

• 5 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. 16 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. 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. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
• Paul wrote that the hope is given to all believers regarding the second coming of Christ. The hope is that all who are fallen asleep in Christ will rise first, not all dead and those who are alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord. The hope is that all faithful dead and alive together will meet the Lord in the air/clouds.
• We have the hope of meeting the Lord when we are alive or dead to meet the Lord when he comes back. This is a great privilege for us and so we should comfort one another with these words.
• Philippians.3:20-21; 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
• Matthew 24:30-31: 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His [d]elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
• Bible example: Daniel.12:1-3:“At that time Michael shall stand up,The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.2  and many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,Some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting [a]contempt. 3  Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.
• Sermon illustration: A mother was explaining, to her little girl, the death of her father. The mother said: “God has sent for your father and will send for us, but I do not know just when.” Finally, the little girl said: “If we do not know just when God is going to send for us, do you not think we had better pack up and get ready to go? God might send when we are not ready.”

Questions for Discussion

1. When our loved ones died, the word of God instructs us that we do not grieve in the same way as the others, who have no hope. How is your way of grieving different?
2. When you have lost hope in a time in your life, what renews your hope?
3. How does the hope of resurrection comfort you and others when you have lost your loved ones?