Message of the Week

The Little White Community Church

Scripture: I Thess. 4: 11-18 March 1, 2026

Message: “The Coming of the Lord!”

By Pastor George Gnade

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5:49

Introduction: 1. As most of you know, we have been studying the Book of I Thessalonians. Today we are considering this passage on the coming of the Lord.

2.The church in Thessalonica truly believed Jesus could come any time. As a result, many of them had stopped working while they were waiting! 

A. Let us consider this problem first.

1. We can admire them for their faith. But that put a burden on their church because they felt burdened to provide for them!  Some did this in all sincerity. Others took advantage of the generosity of their church.

2. So Paul advised them in I Thess. 4:11-12 to “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your hands, just as we told you so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so you will not be dependent on anybody.”

a. Paul himself set this example by making tents for a living while preaching the gospel to them at the same time.

b. That is what Paul recommends that we do.

3. It is like a balancing act. Yes, we do believe Jesus could come any time; but until He actually comes, assuming we can, we should continue to work to make a living. 

B. But their faith in the return of Christ also created another problem. What if you died before Jesus came, would you miss out on the blessings of heaven?

1. In I Thess. 4: 13, Paul writes: “Brethren, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who have fallen asleep, or to grieve like the rest of them who have no hope.”

a. Do you remember the story about Jairus’ daughter who died before Jesus arrived to help her?

b. Everyone was grieving. Jesus said them: “She is not dead, but asleep!” After putting everyone out accept the immediate family, Jesus brought her back to life (Luke 8:40-56).

2. Ever since that day, Christians have been taught that anyone who loves the Lord who dies before Jesus comes is considered to be asleep. Just one word from the Lord Jesus when He returns will wake them up.

a. That is exactly what Paul was trying to teach these new Christians from Thessalonica. 

b. A Christian who dies and loves the Lord is only asleep. Therefore, we do “not have to grieve like those who have no hope.”

C. Then Paul explains what will happen when Jesus comes again.

1. In I. Thess. 4:14, he wrote: “We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.”

a. That was the answer to their question! No one who loved the Lord would be left behind. 

b. Jesus would bring those who had died with Him. At the same time, the Christians who were still alive would also be changed. 

2. In vs.15-17, Paul continues: “According to the Lord’s own words, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a loud command and the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will forever be with the Lord.”

a. As Jesus ascended into heaven, an angel told the disciples that when Jesus returned, just as they saw Him go up into the clouds, they will see Him return in the clouds (Acts. 1:12).

b. This promise was meant for all of us who love the Lord. When the angels gather us together to meet the Lord in the air, we will all see Him coming again through the clouds of the sky at the same time.

c. That is also why Jesus told His disciples to never believe a rumor that Jesus came back, but only a few saw Him (Matt. 24:26-27). Not at all. When Jesus comes back through the sky, we will all see Him come back.

3. It is helpful to compare I Thess. 4:16-17 with I Cor. 15:51. In this passage, Paul wrote: “We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed – in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”

a. I believe the last trumpet is the seventh trumpet mentioned in Rev. 11:15 where it says: “The seventh angel sounded his trumpet… and said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.” 

b. This also agrees with Matt. 24: 30b, where it says: “They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

In conclusion: 1. Paul “did not want (them) to be ignorant” (I Thess. 4:13) about those who believed and died before Jesus came back.

2. When He comes again, those who fell asleep in the Lord will rise first. Then we who love the Lord who are still alive will also be changed. 

3. And so we will all be together and we will be with the Lord forever (I Thess. 4:17).

4. Paul told them and us to be encouraged by these wonderful promises.  Amen!