Wednesday Evening: May 23, 2007
Text: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
I WOULD NOT HAVE YOU IGNORANT
1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
BRETHREN
1 Thessalonians 2:12-14 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. 13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh [present middle indicative] also in you that believe [present middle participle]. 14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: …
OTHERS WHICH HAVE NO HOPE
Ephesians 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
COMMONWEALTH OF ISRAEL
Matthew 10:5-7 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT
Mark 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
WALK IN WISDOM
Colossians 4:3-5 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: 4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. 5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
GENTILES NOW HAVE HOPE
Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE
Titus 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
HOPE NOT SURE THING
Luke 23:8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.
ABOUND IN HOPE
Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing [present active infinitive], that ye may abound [present active infinitive] in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
ONE HOPE, YOUR CALLING
Ephesians 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
ONLY MANY ARE CALLED
Matthew 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.
LORDS AND KINGS, CALLED CHOSEN
Revelation 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
WITH ME
Revelation 3:4-5 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. 5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
REIGN WITH HIM
Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first [best] resurrection: on such the second death hath no power (overcomers 2:11), but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
THE MANY, ONE BODY IN CHRIST
Romans 12:5 So we, being [the] many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
LIFE SHALL BE GIVEN IN CHRIST
1 Corinthians 15:22-23 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all (in Christ) be made alive [future passive indicative, given life]. 23 But every man in his own order [rank]: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
GRACE ABOUNDED UNTO THE MANY
Romans 5:14-15 Nevertheless [the] death [qanatov, (soul death)] reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence [the verb, fall away], so also is the free gift. For if through the offence [the verb, fall away] of one (Adam) [the] many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto [the] many.
THE MANY MADE SINNERS
Romans 5:19 For as by one man's (Adam) disobedience [the] many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one (Jesus) shall [the] many be made righteous.
IF WE BELIEVE
1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we (Paul and the brethren) believe that Jesus (the person) died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
JESUS CHRIST WILL BE KING
2 Timothy 2:8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:
SONS OF GOD RULE AND REIGN
1 John 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth [present active participle] that Jesus is the Son of God?
THE GOSPEL THAT I PREACH
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved [present passive indicative], if (conditional) ye keep in memory (do not forget) what I preached (Paul’s gospel concerning the kingdom) unto you, unless ye have believed (what I have preached) in vain (not profitable). 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
FAITH AND HOPE NOT VAIN
1 Corinthians 15:16-19 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ
raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is
vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen
asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life [in Christ] only we
have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
CAUGHT UP TOGETHER
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 For this we say unto you (brethren) by the word of the Lord, that we (brethren) which are alive and remain unto the coming [presence] of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we (brethren) which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we (brethren) ever be with the Lord.
EXHORT ONE ANOTHER BRETHREN
1 Thessalonians 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
ABIDE IN CHRIST
1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.