The Living Shall Not Precede

Paul's Purpose and Outline for 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

0:03 I invite you to turn with me again this morning to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4.

0:27 I trust by now that all of you who have been here for the regular exposition of this chapter will be able in your sleep to say what the theme of chapters 4 and 5 is. The Apostle had announced it at the beginning of the chapter. He is writing so that the people of Thessalonica may abound in a walk that is pleasing unto God, particularly in the area of practical sanctification. For he said to them, Ye know that as you received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, we now exhort you to abound more and more, and this is the will of God, even your sanctification.

1:11 He launches then into the subject of sectioning, sexual purity, longing that the people of God learn how to assess their sexuality and to conduct themselves in a way that will be pleasing to God in this area. Then he moved into the subject of brotherly love, beginning with verse 9. And then in verse 13 he takes up an entirely new subject, the subject of dead loved ones, but concerning those that have fallen asleep, I would not have you ignorant. And then he launches into a rather lengthy discourse on that particular subject,

1:54 which leads him into the whole area of the return of Christ, because it's what happens at the return of Christ that answers the question, what about my loved ones who've died in Christ? And then having introduced the subject of the return of Christ, he focuses upon that more particularly in chapter 5 and verse 1, but concerning the times or seasons, and then he moves into a new subject, the times and seasons as they relate to the subject of the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. In thinking our way through this section that closes out chapter 4, beginning with verse 13 and ending with verse 18, I gave you a simple outline last week, and I want to repeat that.

2:38 In verse 13 we have Paul specifically stating his purpose, for writing what he is about to write. He does not want them to be ignorant, with the end in view that they might not sorrow with a pagan sorrow. I would not have you ignorant, not simply to have information, no, but that you would not sorrow as those who have no hope. So we studied his purpose last week, and drew some implications from it.

3:08 Then in verse 14, he gives them, verse 14 through 17, a statement of the doctrine. If they are not to be ignorant, they must have some facts. And so he gives them the facts that they need to know. Verse 14 states the facts in general.

3:25 Verses 15 to 17 states the facts in specific detail. And then in verse 18 we have the third area of truth, his purpose, verse 13, 14 to 17, his doctrine, verse 18, his application of the doctrine, wherefore, comfort, comfort one another with these words. And I suggest that not only is the content of this section inspired, but the order in which it comes to us. Forget the purpose, and you'll abuse the doctrine.

3:58 Why is he giving what he gives in verses 14 to 17? For the express purpose announced in verse 13. I don't want you ignorant about those who fall asleep, and I'm going to tell you enough about them, that you'll have all the information, you need to be comforted, and to be delivered from pagan despair in the face of death. Now that's his purpose.

4:21 His purpose is not to make them eschatological geniuses, that is, geniuses concerning the doctrine of last things. His purpose is not to give fuel for prophetic congresses, that people may look at the Bible like a crystal ball, and concoct 30 foot wide charts to know all future things. That's not his purpose. And though this passage has been used for that purpose, it is an abuse rather than a proper use of the passage.

4:53 Again I say, if we get his purpose clear, and his doctrine clear, but fail to remember the application of it, that we're to take this now, and not tuck it away as a little jewel in the casket of our own hearts, but we're to use it in our interplay one with another, and we are to exhort and comfort one another, you're to use this truth. You as a common, ordinary child of God, not a professional preacher, not a teaching, ruling elder, wherefore, comfort one another with these words. So much then for the general drift of the passage as the thought develops, now let us move this morning to a study of verse 14. His purpose for writing,

The General Statement of Doctrine: Union with Christ in Death and Resurrection

5:37 dispel the ignorance which leads to despair. Now he states his doctrine in verse 14, in a general way. Verse 14 is the capsule, verses 15 to 17 is opening the capsule, and taking out some of the specific ingredients. Now what does he say?

5:58 In stating the doctrine in general, that will comfort believers, in the face of the death of their loved ones. For if we believe, that Jesus died and rose again, even so, them also which sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him. In giving a general statement of the doctrine, will you notice that he starts with two cardinal truths, already known and believed by these people. He's going to give them some new doctrine, or some refinement of doctrine,

6:40 and he builds the superstructure upon the foundation of what they already know, and already believe. Now why does Paul assume that they believe very firmly, these two doctrines, of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Well for the simple reason that he founded that church, and it was founded in the context of preaching that focused on those two truths. How do I know that?

7:09 Well from Acts 17, I read verse 1, when he passed through, to Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, three Sabbath days, reasoned with them out of the scriptures, opening and alleging what? That Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead, and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas.

7:49 Paul can assume that the doctrine of the death and resurrection of Christ is common knowledge, because he himself imparted that knowledge. It was the basis of his evangelism. Not only that, it was the focal point of their baptism. When it says they consorted with Paul, and believed in the New Testament, the only way believers were recognized was by their profession.

8:13 And their profession was considered, valid only when they were willing to be declared openly in the waters of baptism. There's no such thing recognized in scripture as a true believer who's unwilling to confess his Lord in baptism. I challenge you to find such a thing in the New Testament. And so when they were baptized, these cardinal truths were symbolically displayed in the very act of baptism.

8:40 For in going into the water, and emerging from the water, there was the confession, not only of their subjective experience of dying with Christ, and rising to life with Him, but the objective truth of the gospel, that it's through the death and resurrection of Christ, that they have hope. As they met together at the table of remembrance, they were remembering the death of Christ until He came. So, Paul knows that this doctrine of Christ's death and His resurrection is common ground, firmly understood, or firmly understood, firmly grasped, clearly understood. Now he reasons from the death and resurrection of Christ

The Inseparable Bond: 'With Him' as the Core of Comfort

9:23 to the hope of the dead loved ones. Now what is the connection? Notice carefully the wording of the text.

9:33 If or since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, them also which sleep in Jesus could better be translated sleep in Jesus. sleep in Jesus. Through Jesus will God bring with Him. It's as though someone says, all right, Paul, yes, Christ died and rose again.

9:57 We believe that. That's why we're Christians. That's why we are found in the assembly. But what about my loved ones?

10:05 How does His death and resurrection affect them? That's the question. Well, we might say, in general, it affects them because of the simple truth clearly announced in the 5th chapter, of 1 Thessalonians notice carefully verse 9 verse 10 I'm sorry who died for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him what connection is there between the death of Christ and the resurrection of Christ and the state of these loved ones who died in Christ what Paul says the very end for which he died was that he might

10:48 enter into an inseparable relationship to his people that even death cannot sever he died that whether we live or sleep we should what live together with him and so there is this connection between the very purpose of his death and the state of loved ones who have died in Christ but more particularly in this very text he gives some hints that would have been clearly understood by these Thessalonians who listen to an elder or somebody read this epistle in Greek for the wording is as I rendered it very unique it's the only place in scripture where you find this rendering

11:31 those who sleep through Jesus in other words it's as though Paul is telling these people your loved ones could not pass into death but they had to pass through the Lord Jesus they sleep Jesus I wonder if Paul had in mind the 23rd Psalm yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil why because like the Christian science death isn't there no no for thou art

12:16 with me the valley of the shadow of death that murky pass through which I must go very real is

13:29 the one of this group of Christians first nine he turned to God from idols to serve the living in the true God and to wait for his son from heaven they were not ignorant of the doctrine of the second coming of Christ one of the key factors in their in the fruit of their conversion was this longing for the return of the Son of God just as surely as they turned to God from their idols just as surely as they were serving in the living in the true God just as surely as they were serving in the living in the true God they were waiting for his son from heaven Paul had mentioned the second coming to them in chapter two and in verse

14:10 nineteen what is our hope for joy or crown of rejoicing are not even ye in the presence of the Lord Jesus at his coming then in chapter three verse thirteen to the end he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God at the coming of our Lord Jesus you see they were not ignorant of the doctrine of the coming of Christ but they were not ignorant of the doctrine of the coming of Christ you see they were not ignorant of the doctrine of the coming of Christ but they were not ignorant of the doctrine of the coming of Christ and they apparently had no question that when he would come all who would be alive that is coming would be in a good condition their particular problem is what about our loved ones who have died and gone on what about them that was the specific problem and that's why I spent so much time on verse thirteen Paul says that's what the problem was

14:54 now notice how subtly and yet in a very forceful way he does some what we call behind the scenes reasoning here now he says you people know that Jesus is going to come back again right and they say sure we're waiting for the son of God from heaven he said well I've got news for you when he comes back again you know he's going to bring with him all those that fell asleep and someone says wait a minute if he's going to bring them with him that means they must be with him now and they get the point that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord how can you bring with him something that isn't with him if I'm to bring my handkerchief with me this morning and sometimes I forget I've got to

15:38 stick it in my pocket there at twenty-five meadowbrook lane I can't bring it with me and if the Lord Jesus is to bring these dead loved ones with him they must be there in his presence even now and so in giving this general statement of the doctrine he tells them something of the nature of death for the believer they sleep through Jesus an element is in through Jesus an element is in Introduced into death so that death, though it may sever the body from the soul, cannot sever soul or body from the Savior. And also that when He is manifested, He will bring them with Him.

16:21 Now some commentators say, well that doesn't mean He'll bring their spirits with Him. It may mean that when Christ comes and the Lord resurrects Him, then He'll bring them to the Savior. And either way, you've got the Savior and His saints together and you can't take them apart. And that's the whole point of the passage.

16:37 And I would suggest to you that as I've poured over this passage many hours and tried to catch the beat of the Apostle's heart, that the key to the whole comfort that He gives them is in that little phrase, with Him. For He starts in His general statement of the doctrine in verse 14 by saying, If Christ died and rose again, those that sleep in Jesus, God will bring with Him. And then He ends or brings to a climax His specific treatment of the doctrine when He says in verse 17, And so, here's the end of it all, shall we ever be with the Lord. And the same word is used in the original, with Him.

17:23 So His initial comfort is in statement stating the doctrine, where Christ is, they are. Well, what's the prospect? The prospect for eternity, where Christ will be, they will be. Ah, that's the core of comfort.

17:36 That the people of God are inseparably joined to their Savior. They sleep through Jesus. They come with Jesus. We shall be forever with Him.

Union with Christ: Spanning Eternity and Life

17:49 And that's the core of the teaching of this text. That there is an inseparable bond between Christ and those whom He came to redeem. This is the biblical doctrine of union with Christ. One of the most basic doctrines and one which must be grasped if you and I are to have comfort in life and in death and in hope of the resurrection.

18:17 Paul had addressed these believers as those, chapter 1 in verse 1, who were in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. And in the Lord Jesus Christ. And in the Lord Jesus Christ. And in the Lord Jesus Christ.

18:30 In so designating the people of God as those who are in union with Christ, he announces the theme of the very truth that will bring comfort as they think of their loved ones who've gone before. This relationship of union with Christ literally spans eternity.

18:54 It spans eternity. We cannot comprehend this, and yet it's revealed in Scripture and revealed for our comfort in our instruction. When we seek to press back as far as we go, God's relationship to His people, what does He say? According as we were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world.

19:21 When does union with Christ begin for a believer? It began in eternity, when in the mind of God, in the counsels of eternity, when God laid hold of that people, when God conceived those who would be His people. He did not conceive of them apart from union with Christ. He chose us in Him.

19:45 When the Lord Jesus came forth from the presence of the Father to die, in all of His saving acts, He acted as the one who was the head of His people, so that the truth of Romans 6 is that when Christ died, we died. With Him. The truth of Ephesians chapter 2. We were put to death with Him.

20:07 We were raised up together with Him. Colossians chapter 3. Mortify therefore, He says, on what basis? Ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

20:20 Follow the train of thought. With Him in eternity in Christ. In time when the Lord Jesus died and was buried and was raised again, we were conceived of. As in Him.

20:33 Then in the actual impartation of spiritual life, how does it come to us? Ephesians 2.10. We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works.

20:44 If any man be in Christ, he's a new creation. There is no saving experience apart from union with Christ being vitally experienced. And then when it comes time to die, how do we die? Revelation 14.13.

21:00 Blessed are the dead who die. Lie in the Lord. Those that sleep through Jesus. A union begun in eternity.

21:11 Carried on into time in the saving acts of Christ. Coming to light in the experience of the believer when he's regenerated by the Spirit. Even death cannot sever it. And then at the resurrection, the scripture says in 1 Corinthians 15.22.

21:29 In Christ shall all be made. Made alive. And it's by virtue of union with Christ that we shall be raised to life again. Oh believer, may God the Holy Spirit make this real.

21:43 It isn't often that I literally get shouting happy in my study. But as I've considered this thing, I just couldn't keep it within my own heart. I'm glad that there was a lot of noise downstairs. My wife and the children perhaps didn't think I was getting a bit deranged.

22:00 But to think that as... As a believer, eternity encompasses and spans this union with the Lord Jesus.

The Unthinkable Severance: Christ and His Members

22:11 Our union with him spans eternity. All that he does is the head he does so that his members might experience the same. Christ is called the first fruits of them that sleep. How unthinkable that the head should die and be raised.

22:30 And that the members should be left to extinction. Shall Christ be without every member of his body? Shall the head be without the full corporate body for which he died? Shall the bridegroom be without his bride for which he gave his life?

22:48 No. Perish the thought. And it's that thought of union with Jesus Christ which the apostle sets before these believers as the ground of their consolation in the face of death. Dear child of God, I would ask you this morning, has this fact been brought home to you by the illumination of the Holy Spirit?

23:11 That you are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh? It is this fact assimilated and treasured up in life that will give you confidence for yourself and your fellow believers in the face of death. When you look at the cold lifeless form lying there wherever it may be, you'll say they entered that state through Jesus. Their spirits have ascended to be with Jesus.

23:41 And in a way we cannot comprehend, even those mortal remains are still united to Christ and so they shall be resurrected in Christ.

23:56 That'll take away the dread of death. That'll take away the hopeless despair. I would not have you sorrow as those who have no hope. Jesus died and rose in all that he did.

24:08 Paul, Paul says he did as the head of his people and their destiny can be read in his history. Did he die? Yes. You may die.

24:18 Yes. Was he raised? Yes. You shall be raised.

The Great Issue for Unbelievers: No Union with Christ

24:23 Your destiny read in his history. But I say to you this morning who are strangers to the grace of God, this is the great issue. You're not in Christ. There is no vital union established with him.

24:40 To experience the joy of death through Christ, you must here in life experience resurrection to new life in Christ. Don't be content with the profession of faith. Don't be content with the mere semblance of the form of Christianity. If you're a stranger to what it is to be joined to Christ in a living vital bond,

25:06 then my friend, death should hold the worst terrors for you. For it's the most terrible, terrible thing to face severed from the Son of God.

Paul's Specific Unfolding of Doctrine: Source and Correction

25:18 So much then for the general statement. We have time to just introduce his specific unfolding of the doctrine this morning, which he begins to do in verse 15. You're following now the general outline statement of purpose, verse 13, 14 to 17 statement of doctrine. In general, verse 14, specifically verses 15, 16 and 17.

25:43 And is he? He goes to lay out the specific doctrine. Notice how he starts. He starts by giving them the source of his information.

25:53 We say unto you by the word of the Lord. Then he corrects a false notion. We that are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent those that are asleep. And then he expands the facts as they are, for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven.

26:11 The source of his information, correction of a false notion, and expansion of the facts as they are. Now, what is the source of his information? He's given his general doctrine. Now he's going to enlarge it specifically.

26:26 Now, where did he get his ideas? Well, he tells them, for this we say unto you by the word of the Lord. And I'm convinced after studying the passage in its different contexts, different usages, and seeing the commentators take both sides, that Paul is saying here, that he has, a special revelation from God. Now, the special revelation was not the second coming of Christ.

26:53 They knew that. They were waiting for his son from heaven. The special revelation was not the resurrection of believers. They knew that.

27:03 Or they should say the resurrection in general. The special revelation, according to this passage, and its parallel passage, 1 Corinthians 15, is the precise relationship of dead believers, and living believers, at the time of the resurrection.

27:23 That's the thing that had not been previously revealed. You read the Gospels, and Jesus talks about the end of the age, when the Lord comes back again, he'll send forth his angels, to gather his elect from the four winds, but he doesn't precisely say how. How will he gather living elect and dead elect? No specific teaching.

27:43 So Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15, in verse 51, Behold, I show you, a mystery, and a biblical mystery, is not some Ellery Queen novel, but a biblical mystery, is something hidden, that is now revealed. A fact, hidden, now revealed. Now what is the mystery? Notice verse 51 of 1 Corinthians 15, We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.

28:14 In other words, there shall be dead saints, living saints, and he's going to tell them, the precise relationship, of these two, when the Lord Jesus comes at the last day, to resurrect his own. So the source of his information then, is a direct revelation from God, which adds some specific details, in this particular area, that hitherto had not been revealed. Nothing, mind you, to contradict what had already been revealed, but to fill in some of the more detailed aspects. We might say that what our Lord revealed, or backing off further than that, what the Old Testament revealed about death and resurrection,

28:57 was like those curtains, from where you sit. What the Lord Jesus revealed, would be what I can see in those curtains from where I stand, more detailed. What the Apostle is revealing, is what could be seen by someone standing a foot away, even more detailed. Not different curtains, not rearranged, not changing the curtains, but a fuller, expanded understanding and revelation.

29:26 So the Apostle is giving us then, a view from two feet away, where the Gospels give it from ten feet away, and where the Old Testament does in general, from fifty feet away. So much then for that analogy. Now, how does he begin to give them those details? Well, you notice he starts by correcting a false notion.

Correcting the False Notion: The Living Shall Not Precede the Dead

29:49 Here's the false notion, that we, which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent or go before or have advantage of those that fall asleep. Now here are the two groups under consideration. We who are alive and remain, those of us who have not entered death through Jesus, and those who have. Now what was the apparent misconception?

30:19 Somehow word got around, that the living ones, at the return of Jesus, were the favored ones. The dead, were either gone forever, or were sort of second-rate citizens in the day of resurrection. So you have two groups, those alive, those who are dead in Christ. The apparent misconception, we living saints, we then enter right into all the full blessings of the kingdom of Christ, at his second coming.

30:51 But those dead saints, second-rate citizens, or we're not even sure if they're going to be citizens. So if you don't know that, you mourn like the heathen when you see them die. Now Paul categorically denies this assumption. He uses a strong negative, and if Paul were talking to us, he would say it like this.

31:15 We who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not, I say in any way, have it over those that are alive. That's it. Asleep. That word prevent means to have advantage over, to come before, to have a head start on.

31:37 So then, living saints will have no added blessing either as to time or to privilege at the second coming of the Lord Jesus. Now that's the correction of this false notion. Now what do we learn from it? I want to bring our study this morning to a very practical conclusion in the light of how Paul deals.

Practical Principles: Learning Truth, Emphasis on 'With Him', and Facing Death

32:00 He deals with this doctrine. Where we learn in the first place a principle of learning truth in general. Now notice what he's trying to do. He said now you people I don't want you to be ignorant about the facts of the relationship of living saints to dead saints at the second coming.

32:16 If you're ignorant of those facts, you're going to mourn like the world. Now before I give you the true facts, I've got to pull out the weeds of error. Now that's a very, very vital principle of learning. Before he can put the true plant of divine truth in the mind, he's got to pull out the weeds of error.

32:39 And may I suggest that that's the way you and I have to learn. For truth will not be established in the mind until error is exposed and driven from the mind. One of the problems in our day is that we expect the fair flowers of divine truth to grow in the weed patches of human error.

33:03 They won't do it. The weeds will always choke good plants. They did in the parable of the sower. The problem with that fellow was he scattered some seed out and thought, well, if I put enough seed there, those seedlings will choke out the weeds.

33:16 But it didn't. It worked the other way around. And one of the great responsibilities of every Christian is to continually pray, Lord, let truth grab the weeds and jerk them out by the roots and shake the dirt out and put them out on good dry rocky ground to get dried up by the sunlight of your presence. How often do you pray that God will expose your wrong thinking?

33:43 Do you often pray that? Now, I'd like to believe many of you pray, Lord, teach me the truth. But how often do you pray, Lord, take the cobwebs out of my head. Take the kinks out of my brain.

33:55 Spiritually, where it's not thinking right. Well, Paul does this. I don't want you to be ignorant about those that are falling asleep. I want you to know the truth.

34:03 But first of all, I want to see you. I want to straighten you out. You've let some error take root and it's got to go. Now, notice he's dealing with the subject of trying to give them fuel for comfort.

34:16 But he doesn't do so until first of all he sweeps away those things that are robbing their hearts of comfort to get them thinking straight. May I suggest that you and I will not understand what Scripture teaches about this subject in particular or about the rest of the world. I don't want you to be ignorant or the subject of the second coming of Christ in general until we're willing perhaps to have some cobwebs of error swept away. Things people have told us that aren't rooted in Scripture but are rooted in assumptions inferred by human reasoning and opposed upon Scripture.

35:00 In the second place, I see not only a principle of learning in general but a principle of emphasis on the second coming in particular. As we've studied this passage this morning I trust we've come to see that the blessed hope of the coming of the Lord must focus on these two simple words with Him. Paul begins there in verse 14 and he ends there in verse 17. Any approach that makes escape from the tribulation entrance into some millennium millennial glory as part and parcel of the blessed hope

35:43 is unscriptural emphasis.

35:48 Do you hear me? Any emphasis which makes part and parcel of the blessed hope of the Lord's return some wish that will be taken out of things when it gets too hot and will be taken to sit somewhere under a tree with apples as big as balloons and oranges as big as beach balls I submit is an unscriptural concept I'm reminded of the words of that hymn that is found in the inner varsity hymn Jesus wondrous treasure Christ of kings the king

36:30 and it goes on to say that heaven itself without him dark as night would be it's a real revelation of the state of your soul as to what your emotional response is to what I've pointed out this morning are you disappointed to say well you haven't said anything about whether or not we're going to be caught out of the tribulation before in the middle of it no because Paul doesn't say anything about it but I have tried to put the emphasis where Paul does and it's this those that sleep sleep through Jesus they pass into death with him they are with him now when he comes they'll be with him and after he's coming they'll be

37:13 forever with him does that make your heart leap within you and say oh lord hasten the day or does it leave you disappointed are you disappointed that's a good test of what your spiritual caliber is good test are you disappointed or is your heart filled with wonder at the thought that you're joined to Christ and when he comes you'll be with him and I see then not only this principle of learning in general principle of emphasis on the second coming in particular but in the last place I see a powerful correction to a current notion I believe there's an idea prevalent today that escape from death

37:57 is really the best way to go into the presence of Christ I asked someone the other day I said now tell me be very honest what is your idea of the blessed hope this individual said well it's always been conveyed to me that it will be taken out when things get too hot and that really it's much better than dying well that's the precise thing that Paul corrects he says we who have the privilege of being alive it is coming are not one win ahead of those who die I get disturbed about reading some of these moderns who write about the old saints who thought long and hard about death and they wrote books about how to prepare for death and they pooh paw this they say

38:41 Christians shouldn't look forward to death look forward to return of the Lord come take us out of this won't go through death that's not a scriptural emphasis Paul thought of death and prepared for death and spoke about it he longed for death as well as for the coming of Christ he said I long to depart and to be with Christ which is far better Philippians 1 he said I finish my course the time of my departures at hand I'm ready to have my life poured out as a sacrificial offering he's talking about death death and he longed for death that he might be brought into the presence of Christ as well as longing for the second coming when he would be clothed upon with his habitation from heaven 2nd Corinthians

39:25 5 and so I say this passage is a powerful corrective to the current notion that there's something wrong with a Christian thinking of death or having holy longings for death when he's run his course it's unwholesome to long for death simply to escape reality that's a suicidal tendency that is wicked but when you've run your course and are weary of the battle and long to rest from your labors to long for death is scriptural and wholesome but if in your mind you see you think of those that remain to the coming of the Lord being first rate citizens and death second rate you won't be able to face death the way you ought to and let's face it

40:08 the majority of God's elect through the ages are going to get into the presence of Christ by going through the valley of the shadow and the few that remain they will be relatively few who are here at his coming we don't think much about death do we the old saints did they wrote books on it the saints everlasting rest old Baxter wrote a book good book on how to prepare yourself to die one of them wrote a book holy dying it was dealing more with mortification but this was their thinking it's easy for us little saintlets to pick up our stones and throw down but they sure lived better and died more gloriously than most of us are living and I believe will die and so if we

40:52 have that notion I hope this passage will correct it I hope you hear Paul say we who are alive and remain shall not in any way have it over those that sleep in Jesus if it's our privilege blessed be God if not we're not going to be second rate citizens for as we see next week and Paul uses some adverbs words of time if anything he says those that sleep they're going to get a head start they're going to be raised up first and then he says we'll catch them midway in the air some way and it'll be neck and neck when we meet the Lord but he says they're going to get raised up first it's beautiful

41:36 the way Paul corrects that false notion by saying they're going to have a head start on you and for the Lord calls you up he's going to take them up out of their graves and join their glorified spirits to their resurrected bodies and then he'll go to work on us to change these bodies and then we'll both be fit to meet him and so shall we ever be with the Lord well he corrects the false notion and I hope it's whetted your appetite now to dig into the next two verses where he expands in detail the proper teaching given by divine revelation of what's going to happen to living and dead believers at the coming of Christ if you're wondering what I'm going to say about the tribulation

42:19 you'll be disappointed if you come next week because Paul doesn't say anything about the tribulation if you wonder what I'm going to say about the millennium you'll be disappointed I'm not going to say anything because I don't see any millennium here but I do hope you long to know where you will be and loved ones who've gone before in the midst of that voice that shout and that trump this is what Paul tells us and that's all we need to know for our consolation in the face of death are you in Christ say well I don't know if I was in him in eternity how can I pry back to see

43:03 if I was in him in eternity that's none of your business but was I in him when he died that's none of your business you know what your business is to repent and flee to Christ by faith for it's by faith that we are joined to the son of God it's by faith that we are found partakers of all the benefits of his purchase and so I plead with you this morning if you are not in Christ flee to him cast yourself upon him and plead his promise him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out and child of God if the truth of your union with Christ in eternity

43:47 in his saving acts in the resurrection to spiritual life that he's brought in death and in resurrection if that hasn't permeated your soul and taken hold of you meditate upon those portions which teach it pray over them until the Holy Spirit inscribes it upon your inner fabric and you'll be able to face death with all of its formulations it is foreboding nature and it is foreboding but knowing this whatever death may do to dissolve and separate soul and body it cannot separate either soul or body from my savior I shall enter sleep

44:30 through Jesus thou hast made death glorious and triumphant for through its portals we enter into the presence of the living God and when he comes we'll be with him let us pray