1 Thessalonians 4:9-14 (Part B)

Does not take pleasure in us ready so all load songs that we are to sing about times of the how many times as Jesus.

They fear not and he says it so tenderly, fear not, little flock, it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom would walk away from that will help him save the son makes you free bone baby your freight that said this is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Kasten. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of first Thessalonians. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching.

Now here's Pastor Rick with today's edition of cross reference radio in first Thessalonians chapter 4 the Bible teaches clearly in the New Testament that when a Christian dies they go right be with Jesus when Jesus said to the thief on the cross.

Today you will be with me in paradise. That's what he meant and of anybody had caused to go to that place known as purgatory.

That would've been that the that outlaw on the cross know he goes right to Jesus and he doesn't go to Betty by when he gets there is one thing for someone to teach something silly is certainly more irritating when you find people fall for what you doing well.

I know years ago when my mom is having already gone through a few strokes and was sit out on the porch and one day these Jehovah witnesses who were neighbors actually had become Jehovah's Witnesses. I came home and there they were on the porch with my mother. They don't know how close to death. They came I think Heather they were women.

You are not really my mom to help and so they were very shocked.

I can still remember their faces and I am not ashamed. Don't apologize for it. That wasn't true what they were trying to tell her and you feed your apostasy somewhere else is funny how we can remember things so long ago like it was yesterday. The soul does not get tired does not get old. As I mentioned, it is eternal and it never sleeps. The body dies. That is what sleeps. That's what's gone. That's what sold incorruption raised in incorruption.

It is corruptible.

It cannot even withstand heaven. It is not fit for it either altitude on earth, we have to have suit to forget the name of the book of the fighter pilots where it needs these things are designed to keep them conscious alive at high altitudes. So, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope you noticed that he is not saying we don't sorrow we Christians do sorrow and that remains part of life, but it is accompanied by divine whole which is eternal relief. Imagine serving a God who offered no hope there are Christians who have followed these hokey doctrines who are sure if you're saved or not who teach the Bible write books but the theologies got these bad boys and it that caused them to doubt and Jesus said, is surely you will be with me in paradise.

You think he just said that again of the outlaw on the cross. This blessed assurance.

You can have Army that's running around spooked afraid is no power and that legalism does this to us.

It makes it maybe didn't earn it. Maybe I didn't do enough right something wrong. Jesus didn't die for us to run around like that he says do you believe I died for you yeah enter into the faith that I made available now in his kindness he doesn't say oh you of little brains, but he does say you little faith, but he didn't say you know what you don't have any faith. That's it. Where did you doubt. But he still extracted Peter from the sea.

That was about to engulf him.

God does not take pleasure in us fretting songs are loaded with songs that we are to sing about times of fear.

How many times as Jesus, they fear not and he says it so tenderly, fear not, little flock, it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom would walk away from that will help him save if the son makes you free bone baby your freight that said but around up there because it is disturbing to have these folks teach such things because of again bad boy doctrine, doctrine it gets and then breaks things and puts graffiti on the joy in the beauty of the gospel that we have. So Paul wanted them to know that death did not have power does not have power over us and it is the last enemy because of we who live we suffer the sorrow of loved ones lost, but that's as far as it goes, the unbeliever has to guess I wouldn't want to base my eternity off of guesswork. I need something real and so these Thessalonian Christians fear that the Lord had already come and passed them by. And then they worried about what will wait a minute, maybe didn't come with the ones who died maybe some were killed and persecution is recovered in chapter 3. They were being persecuted. Maybe they going to miss out now so Paul's having to tidy all this up and so is taking time to talk about death in relation to the Christian and the rapture. And that's how he ends up. Where is he continues in verse 14 for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus. Now that are sleepwalking. He's talking again about death. Those who have died there coming back with him now this.

For if, in the Greek it is not the if of doubt, it is the if of since it is not built on fantasy, or fear, but faith and were told by the Greek scholars that there are four conditional if structures in the Greek New Testament, there is the if that is contrary to fact is not so. If I were to say if I could fly.

I can't. That's the if I can't, but not so if there is the if of remote. The remote Air France remotely so least probable if I said if pigs could fly my likely what you can from out of the window and is not blind of the following next time you clean your windshield. You be glad pigs can fly but anyway, back to this, there is the if of likely most probable if my guess is right thinking I'm right with them, leaving some space for doubt.

Then there is the if of since that we have here takes the position of it is. So if I say well if I'm human. I'm going to fail. While I am human. Since I'm human is not the if of doubt. So when he says, for if we believe things that you said your believers.

Since we are believers. This is what happens with us. He says since we believe that Jesus died and rose again that that right there is Christianity.

This is the fact that forms the foundation of our faith. Jesus died for sinners is not the whole story but that's the point.

And he rose again from the dead on earth. We saw him.

He got up death could not hold him the details to this are given to us in both old and New Testament. The fact that forms are old and New Testament.

First Corinthians chapter 15 this is the Christian statement.

This is Christianity. In a nutshell is moreover brethren I declare to you the gospel which I preach to you, which also you received and in which you stand. By which you also are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preach to you, that's a different condition unless you believe in vain. Even the context brings it out if you stand in Christ your fine, but if you believe for nothing because you can blend believe all the way you going to have issues exist for I delivered to you. First of all that which I also received that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures so there you have the Old Testament, the New Testament statements of Christ dying and rising again as he says here in Thessalonians 4. We believe that Jesus died and rose again. Christianity is not a church. Christianity is Christ. Christianity is life beyond this one, this one included. It is mechanical zero of God. It is not something extra or different.

It is what is right.

Hell is the anomaly hell is what went wrong.

Hell is something that never should have been, Satan has no reason that he can give for his rebellion to God that is acceptable and neither does man on earth.

Christ is the truth without competitor in a week. We can see also his confusion is not is not boot. Note Mohammed, certainly not in on we go down the list. All of them imposters. All of them only good for one spend at the life that life is over done can't take any further only Christ. Only Christ died for sinners only.

Christ came back to show you it worked, and shall be two minute number and so where one stands on this truth forms. The most important fact about them about every human being. And here comes the protesters waveform is the pattern of the itty-bitty feet. What about those never heard is not your business and you just him see my own business, God will do right. He does it every time's dislike kids play for him to care that you worry about you. You heard it. Now this is a second job gospel you know before you heard this, he really had no sin. Now, you heard it now is on you. God always does write that heart that says that he does not is a heart that is at war with God and therefore it is sold aside its destruction upon soul.

Now that word is not in the dictionary, but it should be so like homicide.

Will this mean side right anyway. I don't know you know at this point in the sermon, the pastor will say is there anyone here this morning doesn't have Jesus as Lord where you stand with this truth of Christ. I feel most of the time when I step into a pulpit on all the time here in this church. Most of the time they're all believers, but every now and then. I don't know we don't have like some sort of unbeliever counter like a Geiger counter rattling when it show up. We just preach and let the Holy Spirit do it but I would ask if there was someone that it was not a believer when you stand with this. You believe that Christ Jesus died for you. You know you need a Savior. You know you have troubles you got issues spiritually speaking, you're not perfect and God is, why would you expect to stand before perfect God with your imperfections.

You going to need help with that.

That help us, Christ Jesus, and no one else. And so don't suppose that any human being is so special or so important that heaven will be cheated if they don't get in no summer so shocked at the idea of hell as though God can't down a soul or that he won't which then charges him with being a liar, and the way they dispense.

This is very simply say what the Bible is not God's work to which we reply prove it to us they might reply prove it and we do then they either get converted or they don't like us, that is been my experience and that is my understanding, and so if God damns people to hell than there are people arrogant enough to then charge God with wrong or he's unloving he's mean he's wrong for doing this.

He can be God. So again don't suppose God won't do what he said he would do does not need us, but he wants us to get followers from rocks and mules. If you wanted to get in the pinnacle of arrogance instead God really is going to benefit from me, you know, the only thing we bring to heaven is sin gone, sinners saved by grace as we bring, but God in his goodness says I'm going to wash off all the dirty stuff to keep the good stuff as I love you is why major I made you to be loved by me and to love me back and the ones that opted out.

I'm sorry. They're just things in our nation right now. You can opt out of but I digress Nero care. But anyway, back to this hour.

God loves us and he truly does care and what makes heaven so special is that we as it is no longer what we are invited in and were treated as family and we are therefore ever Jesus Christ is not crucified, dead Jew.

He is risen is a living son of God, he is our Savior and that's the message we have to give and I affirm and I hope I preach and hope you can say the same thing that he is God the son equal with God.

That is the deity of Christ, I affirm and I preach the Trinity, the Godhead, the father the son. The Holy Spirit because the Bible teaches this.

If it taught anything less than you would have to charge the Holy Spirit with blasphemy for receiving worship, you would have to charge Jesus with blasphemy for receiving worship. They do receive worship in Scripture because they are worthy.

I believe in the immersion of the Holy Spirit. I believe that God wants to take up residence in our hearts. I believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, even though there are difficult spots and inconsistencies on the surface when you dig into the context and the facts you find there are no inconsistencies or errors. I believe in the virgin birth of Christ is a miracle that God has done and I will not restrict him from doing miracles. Science talks about miracles all creation is a miracle.

They just found another plan you.

Not good for science because the three of two of them, really. One is they finally decided that men and women are different.

They got a picture of the brain. Okay the different I know they don't say it that way but they do because they want to hold the controls and so it's not official until they say it's official and the other one is they found DNA of humans 400,000 years old.

Sorry. How do you know that.

Is there an update on their there's no equipment in existence with anything near accuracy like that, and yet it doesn't stop them from saying and their people as well decided that it is true I told you they lie every so many years there find an older skeleton so they can get a newer grant and this is what they do because they get some things right, people tend to believe that there always right is not the case. Be very careful. We need Christians who are scientists. We don't need any Christian scientists, we need Christians who are scientists and we have them do great men and women of God who no better anyway.

I just wish they would stop sort of playing by the other team's rules and claiming God's rules. You know I don't have to leave certain things open for debate. I can condemn it as wrong as God is already done.

I don't have to say well you know I can say, thus saith the Lord and leave it at that well but I want to finish this list of doctrines, not all of them, not an exhaustive list, but I do affirm and preach the doctrine and I love this substitutionary atonement well you know when you're dealing with a lot of writing. It does help to make things boil things down to that lowest common denominator I guess. But basically that's the cross of Christ. I believe Christ died in my place and made me right with God. I believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Not only do I affirm these things I preach them not only from the pulpit, but any chance I get to someone doesn't know better and God will open the door.

I believe in the sanctification of the saints. I believe that it is a process. I believe we are justified.

We are sanctified and finally, we will be glorified. I know the world does not know this won't stumble into it so I am here to tell them when mom and friend what her favorite little sayings was here to tell you but you never told me the gospel want me to tell you now no slight on her. What it just came to my mind, you know. Funny how things are what I am here to tell. That's why I'm here to preach the gospel because without it. It doesn't take long for men the mess it up. Consider no no no, God, how long did it take before the Tower of Babel hard at work at Babel. What I believe in a literal devil in a literal hell. A devil who preaches that there is no hell while he is going to be sentenced to when the Lord funds with the voice of an archangel in Revelation. There are some powerful angels.

But my favorite one is the one who snatches hold the devil that Dragon role costs him and tosses him into the scout. I love that scene.

I bet she's eating a sandwich while he's doing it so at least I picture him. That way we think of Michael the Archangel.

Well, listen to some other guys up there really tough. But anyway, I believe in the imminent return of Jesus Christ, that on any given day at any given moment, he can say to his church you're done come here. I also believe that we are supposed to believe these things and we are supposed to be excited about them.

And when you lose the excitement over these doctrines and others you're not where you should be, regardless of how many times you've studied it, heard it should never get old. Breathing never gets old doesn't. This is more than breathing.

This is eternal, and so he says here in verse 14. Even so God will bring with him. There is the coming of Christ for his church. The rapture there is the coming of Christ with his church separated by seven years. The second coming and those who sleep he says here also in verse 14. In Jesus, the Bible teaches that there are those that are dead and shall receive the resurrected body. Then there are those believers who have not experienced death, who shall be called to him and receive their spiritual bodies. First Corinthians chapter 15 says now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery now. Second, to be a mystery. Once he tells them. The mystery is gone. We shall not all sleep that is die what we shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an at the last trumpet.

For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised incorruptible, no more acne, asthma, bad knees burping all this is going to be gone. He continues and we shall be changed because we need is anybody not good. I say like I am back alignment because I want to be upfront anyway.

He continues for this corruptible. That's this week.

Body must put on incorruption this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immorality, then shall be brought to pass the saying. As it is written, death is swallowed up in victory. Yeah man that's going to happen. The men who taught this have lived through the entire cycle. Paul taught this and now he's lived through it. We are teaching it and learning it. We will live through it. So there are three kinds of death in Scripture there is physical death and day you eat of the tree. You shall surely die.

We come to chapter 5 in Genesis. After that whole ordeal with Adam and Eve sinning in the cane murdering his brother, and then we come to the fifth chapter and after each one is his and he died and he died and he died fulfillment of God's word is physical death.

But there is also spiritual death, and that is the person that's not right with God alive in this life but spiritually dead, being born again is a way to overcome that. And then there is eternal death, and that is the judgment upon those who don't make it to heaven because they don't want to be there. They want what heaven has to offer. They just don't want the one who offers Aaron's rod that but it is an illustration of God's life-giving powers. Imagine taking it and ask handle nice hickory stick and putting it in your shed and coming back the next morning and there it has looming right hickory nuts really hard to get open but anyway this is the little knot in their what you say that about a lot of pulpits anyway Colossians 3 will close with this for you died in your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. In other words, take this to the bank. Be assured of these things.

Paul wrote that from jail when he himself was not absolutely sure that he would survive this round of imprisonment move. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of first Thessalonians cross reference radio is the teaching ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia to learn more information about this ministry. Visit our website cross reference radio.com once you're there you'll find additional teachings from Pastor Rick.

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