HERE HE COMES-BE READY

1 Thessalonians 1

When you have been baptized into Christ and you start your walk with Him…you are going to encounter all kinds of obstacles and hindrances that will try to knock you off course.

That was true for these Christians at Thessalonica that Paul writes to…and to encourage them to stay on course…to encourage them to be steadfast in their walk with Christ…and to encourage us as well…Paul repeatedly, all through this letter, reminds us of a basic truth that we need to remember and hold on to.

But before we get to that basic truth …let me give you the background to this letter.

Over in Acts 17, Paul and Silas have come to Thessalonica.
And in verse 2 of that chapter, Paul teaches for 3 Sabbaths in the synagogue.
And as a result, some of those who heard his teaching, along with a number of Greeks, as well as some of the leading women…become Christians.

But some of the Jews become jealous…and they gather some wicked men…and form a mob…and they “set the city in an uproar.”

And this mob of people begin searching for Paul and Silas…and things are so bad that the brethren are afraid for Paul and Silas…so they send them out of the city to Berea.

Now Paul and Silas begin preaching at Berea and they are have success…when some Jews from Thessalonica come to Berea and they stir the people up again…and Paul leaves Berea…and goes to Athens.

Now, even though Paul is in Athens he can’t help but think about that little band of new Christians back in Thessalonica.

Far too often more mature Christians get discouraged and fall away.
But here these Christians were…they were just babies in Christ…and they were going to be experiencing the wrath of the Jews…and they would have to endure hardships at the hands of the Romans because of the accusations that the Jews would make.
Would any of them remain faithful? Would any of them survive?

Well, Paul is so concerned that he sends Timothy back to Thessalonica to find out how those new Christians are doing.

And Timothy goes back…and in the mean time Paul leaves Athens and goes to Corinth…and while at Corinth, Timothy meets up with Paul again.
And Timothy has some bad news…and some good news.

The bad news is, the church in Thessalonica…those new Christians, were being persecuted just like Paul said they would be.

But the good news was, they were holding on to their faith in Christ.

So Paul, in Corinth, gets some paper and a pen…and he writes a letter to encourage that little group of new born Christians to hang on.

And that letter is 1 Thessalonians…and in this letter I want you to notice what Paul mentions over and over again.
The one basic thing that will hopefully motivate them to hang on…to remain faithful no matter what.
In fact, every chapter of 1 Thessalonians ends with this one basic truth that Paul wants these new Christians to be reminded of.
Look what it is:
Notice chapter 1:9-10: For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, {that is} Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.

Look at the end of chapter 2 and verse 19.

For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?

1 Thes 3:12-13 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also {do} for you; 13 so that He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

1Thes 4:16-17 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of {the} archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall 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.

1Thes 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Do you see what it is? The one basic truth that Paul stresses and wants these new Christians….in the midst of persecution and hardship to remember is: Jesus is coming back!

When you are tempted to quit and give up: Jesus is coming back!
When they curse you…and mock you…and strike you for following Christ: Jesus is coming back!
When things are hard…and loved ones die…and life seems so unfair: Jesus is coming back!

That is what Paul wanted these new born Christians to remember in the face of hardship and persecution…and I want you to notice something. Look at chapter 4: 17:

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 didn’t want the fact that Jesus is coming back to be a thing of fear for these folks.

He wanted it to be an encouragement….a comfort.

Look at chapter 5:11: He says: Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

Your faith is not in vain!
The hardships and suffering is going to end!
You will see you loved ones again!
You aren’t a fool for rejecting the temptations that many give in too.
You are doing the right thing…because Jesus is coming back!

In the midst of a world that seems to have gone mad…

In the midst of a world where there is so much religious confusion and indifference…
In the midst of a world where there is so much to tempt us…
In the midst of a world where things often seem so unfair…
The one basic truth that we need to remember and let encourage us to remain faithful no matter what is: Jesus is coming back!

Paul is not the only one who mentions this.

There are 260 chapters in the NT. In those 260 chapters the fact that Jesus is coming back is mentioned 318 times.
318 times in the NT God reminds us that Jesus is coming back!
And it is enough for God to just say something 1 time…but when He says it 318 times you can count on it happening!
And the reason he tells us Jesus is coming back is so we, as Christians, will hang on…and be ready when He comes.

Are you ready? Let me give you 4 things that being ready involves.

Number 1: Being ready means rejecting Satan’s attempts of seduction.

Satan loves to feast on believers and Paul knew it. Look at chapter 2:17-18

17 But we, brethren, having been bereft of you for a short while– in person, not in spirit– were all the more eager with great desire to see your face. 18 For we wanted to come to you– I, Paul, more than once– and yet Satan thwarted us.

The Jews were the ones who forced Paul to leave these brethren…and it was the Jews that prevented him from going back…but Paul knew who was really behind it…it was Satan.

And Paul knew in his absence that Satan would try to take advantage of them and try to discourage them.

Look what he says in chapter 3:5: For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor should be in vain.

Satan was doing all he could to get these new Christians to give up their new faith and go back to the way they were before.

And let me tell you, it is no different for us.

Satan doesn’t want you to stand firm in Christ. He wants to stop you.

And just like he used the Jews to try and stop these young Christians…
And just like he used persecution…and hardships…and suffering and mockery to discourage and stop these young Christians…
He will use whatever he can to stop you too.
It may take the form of a lost job or financial struggles.
It may take the form of sports…or recreation.
It may take the form of lustful desires…or greed…or popularity.
It may come in many various forms…but the reality is…it is Satan.

And if you are going to be ready when Jesus comes back you are going to have to reject Satan’s attempts whatever they are.

Number 2: Being ready means reflecting the Spirit’s influence.

I want you to imagine going to meet someone that you think is really important.
Maybe an employer that you are trying to get a job with.
Maybe a high ranking official.
Or maybe your girlfriends….or boyfriends parents for the very first time.
Would you put on your dirtiest clothes to meet them?

Look at chapter 4:1-8: Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may excel still more. 2 For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. 8 Consequently, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.

People eager for Jesus to come back need to dress like it…and act like it.

They let the Holy Spirit help them to clean up their act…He influences your attitude, your behavior, your values, and your decisions.

Jesus is coming back…and if you really believe that…you are going to shuck all those dirty clothes…and keep your nice clothes on.

Number 3: Being ready means expecting the Savior’s coming.

Jesus didn’t tell us how long He is going to be gone.
He did tell us that He was going to come back.

So, how do you live?

You live with hope? Look at chapter 4:13-14:

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do 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.

Listen, if you are IN Christ…your destiny is not in the hands of the undertaker.

Your destiny is in the hands of the UPPER taker…because when He comes back…whether you are dead or alive…you are going up.

Christians do not live in ignorance.

Remember back just before Y2K and all the predictions about what was supposed to happen.
Christians do not live like that.
We know exactly where history is headed…we know exactly how history will end and what the destiny of the world will be.
And we need to live like we know.

Look at chapter 5:4:

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. 7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvationthrough our Lord Jesus Christ.

God has made the appointment…and when God makes the appointment He keeps it.

God has appointed us as Christians to salvation when Christ comes back…not to wrath.
And we need to live…not in ignorance…but in hope!

And finally: Being ready means protecting the Lord’s body.

Paul closes this book with a long passage on how we are to treat each other and take care of each other. Look at chapter 5:12-15.

But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, 13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. 14 And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all men. 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all men.

Listen, a groom cares how you treat his bride while he is gone.

And you will be held accountable; you will give answer whether you took care of her, loved her, cherished her, honored her…or bullied her and mistreated her while He was gone.
The way you treat your brothers and sisters shows whether you really believe He is coming back…or not.

Jesus is coming back…we need to remember that.

In fact, that is why you hear us constantly say…”You need to be here on Sundays…and Wednesdays…and you need to be at the fellowships.”
WE don’t say that because we are interested in posting big numbers and statistics.
We say that because we understand what Paul is teaching and that is, if you think Jesus is coming back, you need to get together a lot and keep each other reminded.
In fact, that is exactly what God tells us to do in Heb. 10:25.

This morning there is a struggling single parent and it is hard…hang on…because Jesus is coming back.

Maybe there is someone involved in some things he shouldn’t be…you beware because Jesus is coming back.
There are some here whose health is failing them faster than they would like…keep the faith because Jesus is coming back.
New Christians…you are hitting some bumps…Satan is doing what he can to distract you…hang on…Jesus is coming back.

And there are some here who are not ready for Him…well, you need to know this…ready or not…He is coming back.