1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 (Part A)

This is a breathtaking moment. The coming of the Lord this out a voice of an archangel in a blast of a trumpet, and this is going to be unlike anything ever known before. But when I sit command is the command of execution.

No ready aim fire so a very exciting moment. This is what happens. This is the Lord saying to the church, 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, and now past Rick's going to continue in first Thessalonians chapter 4 of this edition of cross reference radio blitz open our Bibles to first Thessalonians chapter 4 we will resume at verse 15 have a brief introduction to the section that probably helpful to both unbeliever and believer alike. At least that's the plan.

All those of you who are students of the word. You know the Bible is filled with fulfilled prophecies. There are those things that were foretold, and they have come to pass.

Peter course points out to the believers that this is a big reason behind our faith and trust in the Lord and the Scripture second Peter chapter 1 verse 19, Peter right so we have the prophetic word confirmed means it's been fulfilled.

Watch this and nothing else like this around. Where else are you going to find someone telling about the future and then it coming to pass outside of Scripture. Others may claimant they just can't back it up. He continues Peter Duddy says what you do well to heed love that is a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, we cannot continue examining what Peter has to say.

But we've extracted from that. I hope enough to know that the Scripture itself most of its power to fulfill those things which were told in advance, but much remains unfulfilled. Much is being fulfilled right now lifetime right before our eyes.

For example, both the rebirth of the nation Israel prophesied done. Globalization prophesied of happening it is done it is happening. It will continue to happen.

There's much more of this to take place. The dawn of the nuclear age, you cannot have some of the prophecies fulfilled in the book of Revelation and Ezekiel. Without nuclear exchanges. The rise of the Russian Islamic alliance. There has to be an alliance between those two to enter into this realm for antichrist wipe them out.

Tough spot, wherein both of them against Christians who you root for you root for Christ. That's who you root for you root for righteousness.

But anyway, we see this taking place.

Why do you think Russia has her finger so deeply embedded in Iran. Well, that's going to end up being expanded in prophecy of sodomite society prophesied of happening. It's the new racism you know if you got on with this. You're some sort of the big Bob call me a bigot write my name down bigot in Christ because of his wrong is wrong and not that we don't love the opportunity to share Christ with those in there would we don't side with that northerly, aside with adultery or stealing a line murdering bad haircuts anyway technology fill. You cannot have some of the prophecies fulfilled in Scripture without the expansion of technology.

For instance, a global currency and ID system that belongs to that global currency the apostate Falls Church on a global level happening right before our eyes in this country in this neighborhood then global persecution of Christians actually believe in Christ. These things are taking place we're watching prophecy being fulfilled and there's others, but that's not what were going to limit our discussion for this morning. Now, some don't know these things because they listen to sources outside of Christ. They deserve better, but doesn't mean the going to get better so the choice is up to them, but there are people who listen will get their information from unauthorized dealers of truth. Therefore, they are doing the truth doling out something else. You know, we don't go to church to learn accounting, engineering, various sciences don't go to the University is going Christ that is the role of the church. Paul writes this in first Timothy, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourselves in the house of God love that because he saying you know Christians don't just know this automatically think the because they survived another church. They think they know what is the Scripture say so. Then he continues this is how you want to conduct yourself in the house of God is echoing Ecclesiastes. Also, Ecclesiastes 5, but he continues, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth. The church is where we learn the truth about human beings and their behavior. There are no auxiliary sources authorized by God. Paul instructed these Thessalonians in prophecy and improper behavior and morality not going to find morality lessons in the universities they might call it that ethics committee. You gotta be kidding me well what were coming to now is God's program for the day of man versus day of the Lord. Neither one of those are limited to a 24 hour period they of man has been going on since Nebuchadnezzar went really since the fall, but with the church involved in the Gentile since that you can as her but it has been happening since the fall of Adam the day of the Lord will begin to make visible reverses to this day starts with the rapture of the church. The extraction of the church find you don't want it, you're outta here. They don't want you you no need for you now. That's what the rapture is about. It is a statement you want to have it your way is. I'll turn you over to your own perceptions well with that we now come to the 15th verse of Thessalonians in Paul is now going to continue to school them on how things are going to wrap up in the end so that we will know how to behave right now is as for this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep to give you a brief background what's happening. He's talked to them about morality and persecution. And now he's talking to them about what's going to happen in the last of the last days the end times and he is going to give detail on the rapture all the way through this. The remainder of this letter and then is going to resume that tribulation teaching in the second Thessalonian letter which will get after we've some finished the first but where he says, for this we say to you by the word of the Lord these things I'm going to say to you about what's happening with the church. What will happen with the church. In the end they don't come from men. These things come from the Lord himself is it will where in the New Testament does the Lord teach this, the only explicit place that removes the challenges because there are other verses that I think folks get a little confused and didn't really don't apply to this except this verse John chapter 14 verse three Jesus speaking to his disciples and beyond beyond the disciples were there in front of him. He speaking down through the generations, he says, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also will now this is fulfilled when we die, but also this is something that belongs to the church. Paul is going to open it up a little more where he says that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord whether concern was that the dead Christians in Thessalonica, perhaps even killed and persecution was going to happen to them. You know when you have a keen understanding of what the Scripture teaches about the end times and you share that with someone they don't get it in one sitting takes time to begin to put it together to draw out lines and graphs and charts and try to get out what's happening. So you may find yourself having to explain over and over again just how the Bible lays out what's going to happen because it's scattered throughout various books in Scripture will that's what Paul was up against.

He had told them these things, but they were still tell me again what's happening up what happened to the dead and so is now going over with them again is going to assure them in the second letter also going to say there before antichrist can be revealed.

The church has to be removed then antichrist comes into power. We have much to say about the beast we won't say much about his little prophet who is a just a monster but our focus is on Jesus Christ, not antichrist, but we still have to have a working knowledge of the Scripture.

If we can get it. And so again we says and that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord is believers who have not died will not die when the Lord comes back for the church because they leave this world through what is called the rapture and I will get into the word and the details of it and precedence for it, and illustrations of it and as we move forward. But why, why will the church be extracted.

It was miraculously given to mankind at Pentecost.

That was a really miraculous moment boom that was the church. All of a sudden the Jews couldn't even understand the prophets did not even understand church didn't even see the church, Jesus began to release information about the church that houses Gentiles and Jews together and makes them no longer Gentile and Jewish Christians, one antichrist, without division. But why pull them out because there be no need. It will be time for rat and Paul is very careful and so was John in Revelation very careful to point out that the Lord will spare his church. This time that will be trouble on earth, such as never known before. So what about the flood of Noah was wet, but jokes aside flood of Noah was relatively instant compared to the seven year period of tribulation with three of them gone wild 3 1/2 of them gone wild with someone's clinic be feeling it all the way through and so will try to come in on that again. He continues in verse 15 he says will by no means precede those who are asleep. Now that's a euphemism for those who have died in Christ believers who are already dead will be the first ones made ready with their supernatural bodies given to them by the Lord and then those who are on earth, and so he's breaking it down for them. These things will happen in twinkles of our you can measure that. I don't know that you can in verse 16 he continues for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise first cousin reading is slowly getting muscles and feeling stronger like I'll have my spinach and got the flip over some tables. It is such a glorious passage of Scripture. The Lord himself. That's how it starts out with this.

This is not going to be delegated. This is a critical feature of what the church is all about, brought on by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost brought up by the Lord Jesus himself says he will descend. This is still obviously a future event. If it were not, we would not be here now who gets left behind. That attends church services or say they believe in the Lord.

Those who truly don't they just playing games and they're very good at this should not cause you any concern because you blessed assurance, you know the Lord you love the Lord. Many of you as have the spirit of God, your sons of God. That should cause you courage God saying to you listen to treat you like an adult. I have so you have a mature faith as though that which I poured into you mean something to you to.

Would you rather me treat you like an infant all the time. The Lord want to behave like men and women we want to show that the Holy Spirit can develop us that were not when we were five, six years ago in our understanding, we may still have some of the same struggles take some of the struggles to our brave that's as far as they go they been washed away by the blood of Christ, but he says it will descend the future event, not the second coming when the Lord descends is coming for the church, not for judgment on the world directly judgment will begin to happen. You know the seven seals. The seven trumpets the seven bowls of the book of Revelation that is going to be unleashed and I don't know why many otherwise good Christians don't see this is inescapable to me inescapable to many others also but my 46 from heaven with a shout.

That's where he's coming from. Again, not sandals on the ground. Most would be no need for the shell. But this word for shout is a command in the Greek command of execution. This is a breathtaking moment.

The coming of the Lord this out a voice of an archangel and a blast of a trumpet, and this is going to be unlike anything ever known before. But when I sit command is a command of execution. You know ready aim fire so a very exciting moment. This is when it happens. This is the Lord saying to the church, now as you read through the book of Revelation.

You'll find that there is a lot of angels who are blundering commands with loud voices.

It's inescapable and is very exciting because growing up under the Savior.

Let them go the summons to living believers to heaven without death. It accompanies the trump of God rapture.

That's what he's talking about.

I want to read Psalm 50 verse five gather my saints together. To me those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. Well first off, we get to the sacrifice. The covenant is signed on our side with a single act. Repentance.

Repentance is more than just okay I'm wrong is much more than that.

This is something that is deep down, as deep as it can go inside of the individual that in a flash. Realizes who God is and who they are to and when that happens in an instant. You see the high and holiness of God in the low in dirtiness of the sinner. You also see all at the same time God saying I fix this. That is true repentance on God's side is written in high priestly blood of the sun.

Calvary Golgotha.

Why would anyone cry foul about this as though it were out of bounds and yet they do. They're all over the place in the majority.

It's the world. The definition of the world and the definition of the world may be better explained, not by my mother what they do.

But who they don't have.

That's the world who they do not bow down to who they don't want to understand such for many of us where he says, with the voice of an archangel well remember the excitement that belongs to this passage. How else was Paul to say.

This moment is going to be so powerful. Every Christian will hear it and I don't know that it will be something we we hear with the ear and I don't rule that out either. All I know is that I'll be going up and I got my position ready about a few of them depending on how long it takes me how many poses can you strike in the twinkling of an eye there be no time for that. Why not enjoy this teaching will be miserable this life to be miserable about why not enjoy what the Lord promises or doubt go ahead and be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine, because you doubt the good things that usually happens. They doubt the good things since Gil still got them not guilty but I know that the blood is stronger than my guilt. I know the cross of Christ deals with all that stuff and I don't need to put it under a microscope. Love it. That's all I'm enjoying it. I plan to enjoy it until I'm home in heaven, in the Scripture only in Jude 9. Do we come across this arch Angel, there it is in reference to Michael, but the word does not denote chief Angel as much as it does say ruler of angels is a leadership position and when you go into the book of Revelation as I've been referencing this morning you find that there are many mighty angels in the Scripture and I said that I get into this this week and here we are, and I want to take a couple of them from Revelation. The first one is in Revelation 5. I remember Revelation chapter 1 is the introduction to the book you know who the characters are without which direction it's going to go and I want to speak you with symbols that he tells us that the beginning of the book. Then in the chapter 2 and three, we had the church age on earth but then suddenly in chapter 4. The church is in heaven. And so it is in chapter 5 the great tribulation. Doesn't start until chapter 6, and through that narrative running through chapter 19 the church is not mentioned she's not on earth.

Her absence is conspicuous.

Well, here it says. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the scroll and to lose it seals and so there's one in your organizers continue reading think we have more to do, but there's one example of another mighty angel no indication of it being Michael the Archangel, the Archangel mentioned in Scripture. Then there is Revelation 18 then a mighty angel verse 21 took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, thus with violence. The great city, Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore. That's a pretty strong guy picks up the millstone throws it into the sea as its faded that way for us to understand that God has got creatures in heaven that while they are puny to him to us and then my favorite one. In Revelation 20. Only rearward Michael VP goes to war with the devil and he beats them up and we get that in earlier chapters, but recast Satan out of heaven. Satan still has access to heaven far as we understand from the New Testament and from the book of Job and what is he the accuser of the brethren. He is the prosecutor.

He points to you.

Your guilty God deal with him and the Lord says is one of mine. I have dealt with him washed clean them up mine.

You can't touch him, not spiritually, physically, that's another matter, God will use us for his purposes, but here in the Revelation 20. John says, then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the Dragon that serpent of old to who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for thousand years, and he cast him into the bottomless pit shut him up and set a seal on him so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished.

But after these things he must be released for little while, you might create more questions and some of your minds than relief. It's a good ending.

Let me just put it that way for all of us who believe in a have to worry about these events but I bring the section up to point out there are other mighty angels. I mean how strong do you have to be to grab Satan and lock them up and thrown into a pit. I mean I want to be there for that.

There were timeless out okay. I don't want to be there within their other times I like to see it from a distance and binoculars and but anyway you get the ideas away. He says that with the voice of an archangel is not saying it is the Archangel, but it's thunderous I will there be archangels involved may be they have been involved throughout Scripture not worth arguing. But it sure is exciting to explore the possibilities and so you will find these things difficult to believe. If you have a tiny God. If you have a homemade God.

These things will be too much for you. You will believe other stupid things. The general problem with those but when it comes to God, who will suddenly he can't be God is why you lost that is your position. You have a problem within the beginning God created. I just don't get it, you know, even people who believe in the evolution of the species.

It is time to fish is more than child is a child would leave and figure that out. A child can look at the dog and cat running around the house and say those are my parents, in spite of other similarities and yet I'm a scientist will let me just bow down to you will get your lab coat is snow slide on the good ones with the bad one. They are duped by Satan, the lost souls move thanks for tuning into 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 will find additional teachings from Pastor Rick. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast. When you subscribe, you will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio. You can search for cross reference radio in your favorite podcast app as well.

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As Pastor Rick continues to teach through the book of first Thessalonians, right here on cross reference rate