Participants: Tony Moore
Series Code: IFP
Program Code: IFP000009
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01:36 In our previous episode we traced Paul's footsteps down
01:38 to the great port city of Thessalonica. 01:42 The city that was the capital of the Roman province of 01:45 Macedonia, Paul and Silas left Timothy there and they 01:49 traveled out to the great city of Berea. 01:52 The home area of Philip of Macedonia and Alexander the 01:55 great, there they received a very a different reception from 01:59 the Jews but that will be the subject for our next 02:02 teaching in this series. 02:04 Soon Paul would leave Silas in Berea and would travel 02:08 down to Athens and Timothy would join him there in the 02:12 great university city of the world. 02:14 While Paul was there, the young Church at Thessalonica 02:18 weighed heavily upon his mind and he decided to send 02:22 Timothy back to encourage the young Church. 02:44 While Timothy was with them, something happened that 02:48 shattered the security of the young 02:50 Church at Thessalonica. 02:52 A believer in Jesus died, they didn't know what the 02:58 implications of this would be. 03:00 They had heard Paul talk about Jesus being the Messiah 03:03 and that one day He would return in a clouds of heaven as 03:06 King of Kings and Lord of Lords, but what would happen 03:09 to their dear loved one who had died? 03:12 What were the implications? 03:14 The church was devastated, Timothy brought this report 03:17 down to Paul who was at Corinth. 03:20 At Corinth he took out his pen and wrote some of the most 03:23 precious words ever written. 03:25 Words of assurance to assure the grieving church that 03:29 they would see their loved one again. 03:31 Let me read them to you. 03:40 What a precious passage, we don't want you to be ignorant 03:43 about those who have fallen asleep. 03:45 No Paul says, we want to be filled with hope. 03:50 It is not that Christians do not grieve when they lose 03:54 a love one, but they don't grieve like those 03:56 who have no hope. 03:58 Paul goes on to unfold what he means by this in the rest 04:04 of the passage. 04:48 Now this is incredible news for the young Church of 04:51 Thessalonica that was mourning the loss of one of the 04:55 members of their community. 04:57 They have been separated by death, but Paul said I don't 05:01 want you to be ignorant about those who have fallen 05:03 asleep or grieve like those who have no hope. 05:06 We have a hope of seeing our love ones again. 05:09 Paul wrote these precious words of assurance, to remind 05:13 them that they would not be left out, that their loved 05:16 ones would certainly be included when Jesus comes again. 05:19 Paul says don't grieve like those that have no hope, 05:23 your loved one who has died, professing faith in Jesus, 05:26 will live again and you will see them again. 05:29 They won't be left out of the picture. 05:31 Apparently the believers in Thessalonica believe that 05:34 Jesus will come back immediately in their day. 05:36 They were anticipating it. 05:37 We discovered later on in Paul's letters to them that 05:40 some of them had actually stopped working thinking He 05:42 would come any day. 05:44 But he said no, they won't be left out when Jesus comes 05:48 again, they will be raised from the dead and together 05:52 you will go up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. 05:55 Then Paul summarizes with the most precious words in 06:01 verse 18, therefore encourage each other with these words. 06:07 What encouraging words, what tremendous words of 06:10 assurance, yes we can be encouraged that we will see 06:14 our love ones again, that death is not the final reaper, 06:17 that death was defeated by Jesus' resurrection from the 06:21 grave and that one day when He comes again in the 06:24 clouds of heaven we will be reunited with our loved 06:28 ones who died in Jesus. 06:30 Paul writes precious words. 06:45 Paul refers to Jesus' own words. 06:49 Apparently this teaching of Jesus was circulating in 06:52 the early church before Matthew penned in his gospel. 06:56 He refers to a passage similar to the one we found in 07:00 Matthew 24, where Jesus Himself gives His own 07:04 teaching about His return. 07:29 Yes in our Lord's great teaching given there on the 07:33 Mount of Olives, He says that after the great time of 07:36 trouble there be the sign of the Son of Man appear. 07:40 Jesus will return in the clouds of the sky, and when 07:43 He returns He will send His angels out to the four 07:46 corners of the Earth to gather His elect. 07:49 Those who died in ages past will be resurrected, 07:53 they will come forth from the tombs with new life. 07:56 Yes Paul assures them that even though our loved ones 07:59 are separated from us by death, they will not be left 08:02 out of the picture when Jesus comes again. 08:04 Jesus will resurrect them from the grave, and together with 08:07 the righteous living they will be caught up in the air 08:11 to meet the Lord. 08:13 Jesus refers to Himself a very special and exalted title. 08:18 He says that they will see the sign of the Son of Man 08:24 coming in the clouds of heaven. 08:27 This is very specific language found in Daniel 7:13. 08:43 Jesus is the Son of Man and coming in the clouds of 08:47 heaven, He comes to receive His kingdom and sends His 08:50 angels out the four corners of the earth. 08:53 He send them out to gather His elect. 09:26 Daniel describes a great time of trouble. 09:28 A time of trouble unlike any other since 09:31 there was a nation. 09:32 But he says that during this time of trouble, 09:35 that Michael will stand up, the great Prince who stands 09:39 for His people and there will be a tremendous time of 09:43 deliverance, even those who sleep in the dust of the 09:46 earth will be delivered. 09:48 He said the time is coming when multitudes who sleep 09:51 in the dust of the earth will rise, some to everlasting 09:54 life, and some to everlasting shame and contempt. 09:58 Yes there will be a tremendous time of resurrection, 10:02 a tremendous time when those who died in Jesus will 10:06 come back to life. 10:07 Jesus takes these words and describes how the Son of 10:11 Man will come and send his angels out the four corners 10:14 of the earth to together His elect from around the world. 10:18 Daniel describes a great time of trouble, Jesus seems 10:23 to interpret Daniels words in Matthew 24, when sitting 10:27 on the Mount of Olives He teaches His disciples about 10:31 the timeline and the events that would happen from His 10:35 day on down to the end of time. 10:37 While they were in the temple, Jesus saw a widow giving 10:40 her two mites and said that she gave more than all of 10:44 the others that day. 10:45 The disciples are shocked by Jesus' words. 10:48 As they walk out they say but Lord, 10:51 look at these majestic buildings. 10:54 Jesus takes them across the Kidron Valley up to the Mount 10:58 of Olives and they look back across. 11:00 The disciples are saying look Lord at the Majestic 11:03 buildings, certainly two mites are not enough to keep all 11:06 this going, Jesus you are naive about this. 11:09 Then Jesus gives His most detail teaching about the 11:13 sequence of events that would take place in the future. 11:17 He says the time is coming when not one stone would be 11:21 left upon another in this great temple complex that 11:25 you see today, it will all be torn down. 11:28 The disciples are shocked and say Lord, tell us when 11:30 this will be and what will be the sign of Your coming 11:33 and the end of the world. 11:35 But they assumed something as great as the destruction 11:38 of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem to be 11:42 the end of the world. 11:43 Jesus masterfully blends His answer of signs that 11:47 would take place before the destruction of the Jewish 11:51 temple and signs that would also be repeated before His 11:56 return at the end of the world. 11:58 He describes how there would be wars, and rumors of wars. 12:02 How there would be earthquakes and famines, but He said 12:06 the end is not yet. 12:07 Then He comes down and talks about the great sign that 12:12 we would see from Daniel, the abomination of desolation 12:16 standing in the Holy place. 12:18 He says to take note of that. 12:19 He says there will be a great time of distress, unlike 12:24 any other distress that has take place before that time. 12:29 Then He warns of false prophets that would come in His 12:33 name, of false Christ's who would come claiming to be 12:38 Messiah, Jesus says don't be taken in by this. 12:41 Yes we see indeed before the destruction of the Jewish 12:45 temple there were many false prophets that were 12:48 coming, they are coming in Jesus' name. 12:50 There are false Messiah's coming claiming to be the 12:53 Deliverer, they are coming to the Jewish nation and 12:56 saying they can deliver with arms, they can rid the 12:59 dreaded Romans of their occupation. 13:02 But this was a false message, a false teaching. 13:08 Jesus came as the Prince of peace, Jesus came as a 13:15 suffering Servant, as the true Messiah. 13:19 The false Messiah's came and encouraged the Jewish 13:23 resistance and ultimately that led to Rome coming down 13:26 and crushing the city of Jerusalem and indeed 13:31 destroying the temple. 13:33 It is curious that the very day the temple was destroyed 13:36 according to Josephus, a prophet when out in the streets 13:40 of Jerusalem and said today God will bring deliverance 13:43 for His people in this city. 13:45 They encouraged the zealots to go out into the temple and 13:48 fight and watch for God's deliverance. 13:51 That day the Jewish Temple was destroyed. 13:55 To get the zealots out of the Temple a Roman soldier 13:59 threw a firebrand inside, the firebrand caught 14:02 the Cedars of Lebanon on fire. 14:05 As the fire raged through the temple the gold melted. 14:10 To get the gold the soldiers took the temple apart and 14:14 they threw the great stones down into the Tyropoeon Valley 14:18 where they have now been excavated and 14:21 we can see them today. 14:23 Yes it was a tremendous destruction, a destruction that 14:27 Jesus had predicted and it was fulfilled according to 14:31 what He had said. 14:32 He had left the temple and said today your house is left 14:36 to you desolate, you have rejected Me as Messiah and now 14:39 I leave you your house is left to you desolate. 14:43 It was just a matter of time until 14:45 the temple was destroyed. 14:48 It is very interesting that Titus, the Roman 14:51 general who commanded the Army's of Jerusalem there 14:54 said don't destroy the temple. 14:56 It was the most beautiful building ever constructed 14:59 upon the earth. 15:01 Don't destroy the temple, preserve it. 15:03 That was amazing for a Roman general to take that stand. 15:06 Typically when Rome conquered they exacted a tremendous 15:10 punishment on rebellious people, but Titus said no it was too 15:15 beautiful, leave it. 15:16 But because the zealots were fighting from the temple, 15:20 because a false prophet had gone out in the name of the 15:24 Lord and said today God will deliver His people, we are 15:28 God's special people that God will 15:29 send a great deliverance. 15:31 Going to the temple and fight, they went into the temple 15:34 and they fought. 15:35 This was in fulfillment of Jesus' prediction. 15:38 He said that not one stone will be left upon another. 15:42 Yes not one believer perished in the flames of Jerusalem. 15:47 While there were hundreds of thousands who died during 15:51 that siege, not one believer perished, for Jesus had given 15:55 signs to the believer's on the Mount of Olives saying 15:58 when you see the city surrounded by the armies, you know 16:01 that it is time to leave the city, to go out to the 16:05 hills and indeed the true believers did. 16:08 Those who had rejected the teachings of the Prince of 16:11 peace, stayed in the city. 16:14 They thought when the Roman army withdrew that this was 16:18 a sign of weakness in Rome and they pursued the Roman 16:22 armies out, the Roman army would return with 16:26 great vengeance later. 16:28 They set siege to the city and there was tremendous 16:33 devastation, the city Temple would be destroyed. 16:37 Hundreds of thousands of people would lose their lives, 16:41 but not one true believer in Jesus died. 16:44 For they had heeded the words of Jesus and that important 16:48 teachings He gave on the Mount of Olives. 16:51 Jesus also predicted a coming time of trouble that would 16:56 take place after the destruction of the Jewish Temple. 17:00 He said there were be false Christ's and false Messiah's 17:05 that would come. 17:33 Yes Jesus warns against false Christ's and false prophets 17:38 that would come. 17:39 He said that if anyone would come to you and say here's 17:41 the Christ in some secret place, don't believe it. 17:44 Or here is the Christ in some wilderness place, 17:47 don't go out. 17:49 There's so many times, when so-called Christ, or messiahs 17:54 appear that perhaps in some secluded temple somewhere, 17:59 people believe it. 18:02 Or perhaps in some wilderness location, Jesus says don't 18:06 buy into that, there is so many New Age teachers that 18:09 claimed to be the Christ, or claimed to be the Messiah. 18:12 He says no, don't buy into that, why? 18:15 Because in verse 27 He tells us. 18:24 When Jesus comes again, He doesn't appear in some secret 18:28 temple in some city in Jerusalem. 18:30 He doesn't appear in some city in Rome, or some other 18:34 great city in the world. 18:35 When Jesus comes it will be like the lightning shining 18:38 for the East unto the west. 18:40 You know there is something about lightning. 18:42 When lightning strikes it illuminates the entire sky, 18:45 it goes from one end of the heavens to the other. 18:49 Jesus says that is the way it will be when I will 18:52 return again, it will be like the lightning, 18:54 a very visible event. 18:56 People will see it with their eyes. 18:58 No Jesus is not coming to some secret place to reveal 19:02 Himself, He is not coming to some mountain hideaway to 19:06 make Himself known. 19:08 When Jesus comes it is like the lightning shines from 19:10 the East even to the West, it is a visible event. 19:13 He warned us about false Christ's that would come in 19:16 the last days, they would come after that great time of 19:19 trouble, and they would deceive, if possible, 19:22 the very elect. 19:23 Did you notice that it said, they even work great 19:26 miracles and great wonders. 19:28 People believe if it was a miracle, 19:30 it must be done by God. 19:32 Jesus warned us against miracles. 19:34 Three times in the book of Revelation He warns that 19:38 people are deceived by miracles. 19:41 Oh I certainly believe that God works miracles today 19:44 in the name of Jesus, I certainly believe that Jesus 19:48 is a miracle working God. 19:50 But the Bible tells us, Jesus Himself tells us, 19:53 be careful about miracles, seeing is not necessarily 19:57 believing, He says we must be careful and evaluate 20:01 those miracles in light of the entire word of God 20:04 for these false Christ's will come and will deceive 20:07 many, many people. 20:09 Jesus says, when the Son of Man returns He will be like 20:12 the lightning shining from the East even to the West. 20:15 The apostle John picks up the same theme in 20:19 Revelation 1:7. 20:28 Yes when Jesus comes it will be a very visible event. 20:31 Every eye will see Him. 20:33 According to Revelation 1:7, even those who pierced Him. 20:37 Jesus seems to promise a special resurrection for 20:42 those who rejected Him. 20:44 A few moments ago I shared with you how when on trial 20:47 before Caiaphas the high priest. 20:48 He was asked, tell me are you the son of God? 20:52 Jesus said yes, and here after will you see the 20:55 Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven. 20:57 He promised old Caiaphas, the high priest, I'll see you 21:01 again, today you condemn Me as a criminal. 21:04 Today you condemn Me as a false Christ, but you will see 21:08 Me again when I come in the clouds of heaven. 21:10 Yes Caiaphas will be raised from the dead to see the Lord 21:15 return in the clouds of heaven. 21:17 When Jesus comes, it is a very visible event. 21:20 In addition to this it is also a very audible event. 21:23 We read in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 those words of 21:28 encouragement that Paul penned to comfort the grieving 21:30 Church of Thessalonica. 21:41 Yes when Jesus comes again it is an audible event. 21:44 The very dead in Christ, those were resting in their 21:47 graves will hear His voice and will come out 21:49 to life everlasting, to immortality. 21:53 Yes when Jesus comes it is a visible event and it is 21:57 also an audible event. 21:59 When the disciples were standing there on the Mount of 22:02 Olives, outside of Jerusalem, Jesus ascended into heaven 22:05 right before them. 22:33 Yes they were standing on the Mount of Olives, 22:35 As they stood there Jesus began to ascend from the earth and 22:39 go up into the sky. 22:41 The disciples are looking up and cannot believe what is 22:43 happening, they look up and see their Lord going up. 22:46 Then two angels appear to them and say, men of Galilee 22:49 why are you standing here gazing into the sky? 22:51 This same Jesus that you see go up into the sky today 22:54 will so come in like manner. 22:56 Yes Jesus will come again, the promise of the Angels, 23:00 this same Jesus, He doesn't send the Angel Gabriel to get us. 23:03 He doesn't send His representatives, this same Jesus 23:07 that you see go up into the sky, 23:09 He shall so come in like manner. 23:12 Yes the second coming of Jesus is a wonderful event, 23:15 it is a visible event, it is an audible event. 23:19 It is also a literal event. Jesus literally comes. 23:23 Yes I recognize that some people say He comes with a 23:27 spiritual mind, He comes when you die, no the Bible 23:30 teaches it is a literal event. 23:33 This same Jesus you have seen go up into heaven shall 23:36 so come in like manner, this is called the blessed hope 23:40 in Scripture, let me read to you Revelation 6:14. 24:16 Yes John describes a time in Revelation where he sees 24:19 in a vision on the very sky recedes like a scroll, 24:22 what's happening, the lightning is from the East even 24:24 on to the West, the very blue sky is gone because 24:27 Jesus is coming. 24:29 It is a time when the mountains will fall into the sea. 24:32 A time when islands would disappear from the tidal 24:35 waves, a tremendous time of devastation. 24:38 He said it is a time when rich people and poor people, 24:43 when free people and slaves, when all kinds of people 24:47 will run and hide from the wrath of the Lamb. 24:53 Can you imagine? Have you ever seen an angry lamb? 24:58 I have to admit I was once bitten by a lamb in Israel, 25:03 but I really haven't seen an angry lamb. 25:06 Jesus came the first time as a suffering servant, 25:10 but this time He returns as triumphant King of Kings 25:14 and Lord of Lords. 25:15 The Bible says. 25:26 People who have not made their peace with Jesus, 25:29 people who have not accepted Him as their Messiah, 25:31 they can't look into His face on that great day. 25:33 They preferred death to seeing Jesus when He comes again. 25:38 But those who've accepted Him as their Lord, 25:42 they look up and say. 25:50 They have waited for the true Christ, and when Jesus 25:53 actually appears, they look up and say lo, this is our 25:57 God, we have waited for Him and He will save us. 26:01 Yes when Jesus comes again, it is a very visible event, 26:05 it is a very audible event, it is a very literal event, 26:09 and it is a personal event because Jesus comes Himself. 26:12 And it is a glorious climatic event. 26:15 It is the end of human history as we know it. 26:18 But it is also is for a purpose, Jesus comes to take His 26:25 loved ones home. 26:27 As Paul said in the Lord's own words, that He will send 26:31 His angels out to the four corners of the earth to gather 26:35 His loved ones home. 26:37 When Jesus comes the second time, there are only 26:39 two groups of people. 26:42 One group of people say. 26:47 Another group of people look up and say. 26:54 Which group will you be in? 26:55 By God's grace you can choose to be in the group that 27:01 will look up and say. 27:08 All you have to do is yield your life to Him right now. 27:13 Let's pray together. 27:15 Our Father in heaven, thank you so much for the 27:17 incredible message that Paul penned to the young Church 27:21 of Thessalonica, who was grieving the loss of one of the 27:25 members of their community. 27:27 They were concerned that this person would not be in Your 27:29 Kingdom when Jesus returns the second time. 27:32 Thank you for the precious encouraging words that we have 27:35 read and thank You for the blessed hope, the grand 27:38 assurance that one day Jesus You will return in the 27:40 clouds of heaven and that You will return to gather 27:43 all of Your loved ones home. 27:45 Whether we have fallen asleep and are waiting that great 27:48 day while sleeping in the graves, or whether we are alive 27:52 it doesn't really matter. 27:53 For we will all be caught up to meet You in the air. 27:57 Father I pray that each one who hears this message will 28:00 surrender their heart right now to the Lord ship of 28:03 Jesus Christ, we pray, in Jesus name Amen! 28:08 from the great city of Thessalonica, Paul and Silas 28:11 sent out to the city of Berea. 28:14 They would travel 50 miles inland to the area that was 28:18 the home to Philip of Macedonia and Alexander the great. 28:22 There they went into the synagogue's and met a group 28:25 of Jews who had a very different heart. 28:27 Luke tells us that they were more noble than those in 28:30 Thessalonica and our next teaching we will be going out 28:34 to Berea to see the Jews who have an open heart and 28:38 receive Jesus as their Messiah. |
Revised 2014-12-17