"Up, Up, And Away"
James Merritt
I Thessalonians 4:13-18
INTRODUCTION
1. This is a message concerning the second coming of Jesus. Now according to Paul, we ought to preach on the second coming for at least two reasons. First of all, we need to be informed. Paul said to the Thessalonians in v-13 that he did not want them to be ignorant concerning the second coming. Now the Greek word for ignorant is the word from which we get the word, agnostic. And as you know, an agnostic is someone who does not know whether or not God exists. Well, spiritually we do not need to be agnostic concerning the second coming of Christ.
2. If there's any subject of which the Christian should not and must not be ignorant, it is the second coming of Jesus. This is the doctrine that determines our destiny. One of the distinguishing truths of the Christian faith, and one of the distinguishing trusts of the Christian life, is the belief that Jesus is coming again.
3. History says, "look back". Science says, "look around". Philosophy says. "look within." But Christianity says, "look up". The difference between a lost man and a saved man is simply this. The lost man has no hope, while the saved man has a blessed hope.
4. When it comes to the second coming what you don't know can hurt you. Will Rogers once said, "It is not what a man does not know, but rather what a man knows that ain't so, that makes him dangerous." Some of the greatest heresies of the church have come from people who either misunderstood or out and out rejected the doctrine of the second coming of Jesus. So we need to be informed about this great truth.
5. But we also need to be encouraged. So Paul says in v-18 we are to comfort each other with this doctrine. You see, once we know the truth, we need to share the truth so that others can be encouraged by the truth. I know of no other doctrine in the Bible that ought to encourage us more than the second coming of Jesus.
6. It ought to cause us to be op ...
James Merritt
I Thessalonians 4:13-18
INTRODUCTION
1. This is a message concerning the second coming of Jesus. Now according to Paul, we ought to preach on the second coming for at least two reasons. First of all, we need to be informed. Paul said to the Thessalonians in v-13 that he did not want them to be ignorant concerning the second coming. Now the Greek word for ignorant is the word from which we get the word, agnostic. And as you know, an agnostic is someone who does not know whether or not God exists. Well, spiritually we do not need to be agnostic concerning the second coming of Christ.
2. If there's any subject of which the Christian should not and must not be ignorant, it is the second coming of Jesus. This is the doctrine that determines our destiny. One of the distinguishing truths of the Christian faith, and one of the distinguishing trusts of the Christian life, is the belief that Jesus is coming again.
3. History says, "look back". Science says, "look around". Philosophy says. "look within." But Christianity says, "look up". The difference between a lost man and a saved man is simply this. The lost man has no hope, while the saved man has a blessed hope.
4. When it comes to the second coming what you don't know can hurt you. Will Rogers once said, "It is not what a man does not know, but rather what a man knows that ain't so, that makes him dangerous." Some of the greatest heresies of the church have come from people who either misunderstood or out and out rejected the doctrine of the second coming of Jesus. So we need to be informed about this great truth.
5. But we also need to be encouraged. So Paul says in v-18 we are to comfort each other with this doctrine. You see, once we know the truth, we need to share the truth so that others can be encouraged by the truth. I know of no other doctrine in the Bible that ought to encourage us more than the second coming of Jesus.
6. It ought to cause us to be op ...
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