You would please open your Bibles to 1 Thessalonians 4. 1 Thessalonians 4, beginning in verse 13. This is God's Word. Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men who have no hope. 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. According to the Lord's own word, 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, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore, encourage each other with these words. Now, brothers, about times and dates, we do not need to write to you. For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying peace and safety, destruction will come on them suddenly as labor pains on a pregnant woman and they will not escape. But you brothers are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others who are asleep. but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath, but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up just as in fact you are doing. Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord, and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard and love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone, make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire. Do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it." Brothers, pray for us. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. May God add His blessing to this reading from His holy and inspired Word. I really ought to spend about three more weeks just dealing with what we read in those moments. But let me try to highlight just a few things as we go through these verses together. I have made it clear to you that I have a special fondness for food. because that's one of the ways God deals with me and speaks to me. So I want you to just think with me about something that happened recently. I was planning on going out to eat a wonderful meal, one of my favorite foods. I have various favorite foods. But I have certain things that I'm especially fond of. In fact, so much so that sometimes I have them over and over and over, day after day. When I grew up taking a bagged lunch to school, every other day I wanted the thing I didn't have the day before. But those were the only two foods I wanted my mom to fix for me to take to school. The two things were peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and tuna salad sandwiches. And I mean, I love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. And I love tuna sandwiches. And so I would have a tuna salad sandwich one day, and a peanut butter and jelly the next, and a tuna salad sandwich the next day. For years. Now, I mean, I realize that seems bizarre, but we were limited in our finances. That's pretty much the good stuff we could afford. And those, to this day, I'm 60 years old, I love peanut butter and jelly. I had peanut butter last night. And I love tuna salad. I had tuna salad earlier in the week. But I want you to picture with me, I'm going out for a steak dinner. I love steak. I mean, woo-hoo! I'm going out for a steak dinner. And in preparation for going out, I remember that I have some tuna salad in the kitchen. And I think, oh, wow, we've had that a couple of days. I'm not sure how much longer it'll be good. I really ought to go ahead and eat that now because I don't want that to go to waste. It all goes to waste. That's a pun. But I don't want that. So what do you think? Should I go in there and finish off the tuna salad right before going out for a steak dinner? Or is that going to diminish the pleasure of the steak dinner? I mean, what do you advise me? You don't have to answer. Let me tell you. I wisely did not eat the tuna. Okay? Because it would be foolish to be focused on something that is of far lesser value when you are about to receive something that is magnificent. And what Paul is telling the Thessalonians and what God is telling us is that the way we live here and now needs to be lived in light of what is coming. Jesus is coming. Jesus is coming again. And if we live as if all we've got is the stuff we like in this life, we are completely wasting our lives. We need to be living now a life of self-denial, saying no to our appetites and worldly pleasures. Not that you can't enjoy stuff in the world. I don't have to swear off tuna forever. But if I live now without regard for what's coming, I'm wasting my life. Do you get the connection? Does the illustration work for you? I hope. Please understand this. He says, brothers, we don't want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep or to grieve like the rest of men who have no hope. He doesn't say that when your loved ones die, you can't be sad, you can't grieve. But he says don't grieve as those who have no hope. The world doesn't have hope. But those who are in Christ Jesus, When they die, go to be with the Lord. They are much better off. Now down here in the Bible Belt, this part of the country, a lot of people seem to think that anytime anybody dies, well, they're in a better place. No, actually, if they didn't know Christ, they are not in a better place. They are in eternal torment. And that should not give anybody comfort. But if a person dies in Christ, When they die, they go to be with the Lord, and that is better by far. The apostle Paul said, I'm kind of torn, because I would rather be with the Lord, which is better by far, and yet I know that if I stay here in the flesh, I can minister to you, and so I believe the Lord will keep me here a while longer. But don't ever forget, for those who know the Lord, it is better by far to be in heaven. I will probably live to be about 100 years old, because that's what people in my family generally do. I will probably have my wits about me for some of that time, because that's what people in my family also do. Toward the end, they're like, don't I know you? I will probably live a long time, but here's what I want you to know. If something happened to me and I died, don't feel badly for me. I am going to be in great shape. It's going to be wonderful. Okay? Not because, well, he lived a good life, so I'm sure he's gone to a reward. It's because of Jesus. It's because of what He did for us. We believe, verse 14, that Jesus, this is in chapter 4, verse 14, we believe that Jesus died and rose again. That's the gospel. 1 Corinthians 15, I want to remind you of what the gospel is. This is the most important thing. Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, he was buried, and on the third day he rose again according to the scriptures. That's the gospel. That's what it's all about. So he says, because of the gospel, we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who've fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you, that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who've fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we'll be with the Lord forever. Therefore, encourage one another with these words. We ought to be encouraging one another, looking forward to the second coming of Christ. This is great news. We know what's coming. So it's all good. Well, not for everybody. Look at the next thing. Now, brothers, about times and dates, because some of them are like, hey, when's this going to happen? Well, he says, about times and dates, we don't need to write you for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. Oh, so there's gonna be a real element of surprise. Absolutely. While people are saying peace and safety, what comes next? Destruction will come on them suddenly as labor pains on a pregnant woman and they will not escape. You look back at what Paul says earlier And it talks about the wrath that is to come back in verse 16 of chapter two, the wrath of God. And when God comes again, when Jesus returns, the Lord is going to punish his enemies. He's not coming to do evangelism. He's coming to judge his enemies. And so if the Lord comes right now, it's real good news for some and real bad news for others. You understand that? Pastor, my eschatology suggests that there's going to be an invisible catching away of the church, and then there's going to be a seven-year tribulation. And then the Lord is going to come again, and that will be the time when it's bad news. Well, I understand that, and as a matter of fact, when I was 12 years old, I could give you a colorized chart explaining how all that was going to happen and plugging the scriptures into the right places as to how all that plays out. I've since discovered that if you take those same scriptures and put them in some other places, you have to get a whole new box of crayons. And so I would submit to you, we do not know the times and the dates and exactly how it's all gonna play out. What we do know is this, Jesus is coming, that's gonna be great news for us and bad news for those who don't know it. That's clear in the passage, it is irrefutable and it doesn't matter what your eschatology is, that's still true. Okay, that much absolutely guaranteed, no room for argument. Jesus is coming again, great news for the believers, bad news for his enemies. If you are his enemy this morning, if you have never yielded your life to him and really asked him to save you, to have mercy on you, I plead with you while you have the opportunity, ask him to save you now. because Jesus is coming again. And while people are saying peace and safety, destruction will come on them suddenly as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. I want you to know Paul's using an image there that is very powerful and that I have witnessed. If you are with a lady who is pregnant when she goes into labor, she can't say, oh, this isn't a good time. Okay, once the baby is coming, she can't say, oh, goodness, I had a hair appointment. Too bad about the hair appointment. Okay, I was gonna have my nails done. You can have your nails done later. Right now, it's happening. And when Jesus comes again, nobody is gonna be able to say, sorry, not a good time. People who have said to God over and over again, not now, not interested, not for me, they will not escape. And that's what he says. Please understand that. Right now, you can keep saying, not today. But there's coming a day, and it may be today, when it will be too late. So I plead with you, while you have the opportunity, Ask God to have mercy on you. Verse four, but you brothers are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. Well, if it's going to be a surprise, why wouldn't we be surprised? Well, not only because we see certain signs, but folks, this is a good thing. Jesus is not a thief. The difference between having a thief break into my house and one of my kids coming to visit, pretty significant, okay? When Jesus comes again, I'm not gonna be saying, oh no! I'm gonna be saying, oh yes. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. This is great. Are you looking forward to Jesus coming? Are you longing to see him? You're all sons of the light and sons of the day. We don't belong to the night or to the darkness. He says, in light of that, in light of what's coming, in light of who you are in Christ, verse six, so then let us not be like the others who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. That's verse six. Look at verse eight. Since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled. Earlier in our study of 1 Thessalonians, we talked about saying no to sexual immorality and yes to holiness. And there was a phrase in there that was used in the text that we said was very important. Do you remember what it was? Self-control. Self-control. It's a fruit of the Holy Spirit. You don't just do whatever you feel like doing whenever you feel like doing it. I was up kind of late last night. I had to pack for a trip, and I was up kind of late. And this morning, I always wake up right before my alarm goes off. Not always. I almost always wake up right before my alarm goes off. And sure enough, true, this morning, I woke up, looked over, saw the alarm, realized it was about to go off. reached out and reset the alarm before it went off. Why? Well, because I wanted just a little more sleep. Because I had thought last night when I was going to bed that even though it was late, I really ought to get up early tomorrow morning because I've got other things I've got to do. And I decided, no, I don't really have that much to do. Now, the reason I tell you that is because if I didn't have some measure of self-control, I wouldn't have showed up for devotions this morning. I came here because we have an appointment. This is when we meet together to worship the Lord and study his word. And so I'm here. All right? And now I've got a long drive ahead of me. And I'm not going to call the folks on the other end and say, hey, listen, I decided it's really pretty. It's going to be a holiday weekend. The weather forecast down here is calling for sunshine and balmy temperatures. I'm not coming to Chicago. Okay, I'm gonna stay here in my beautiful mountain home. I'm not doing that, because I have responsibilities. I've made commitments. Every day, if you're a follower of Jesus Christ, even when it's time to make sure you take a day off, every day you gotta do what you're supposed to do out of obedience to him, not live as if what I'm feeling in the moment is Lord. What I'm feeling in the moment, maybe I want some more sleep, or maybe I want another donut, or maybe I want... But you gotta say, I'm gonna do what's right. I'm gonna do what God says. I'm gonna do what pleases Him. I'm living to please Him, not to please myself. And so, self-control. Again, verse six, so then let us not be like others who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night. Those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God didn't appoint us to suffer wrath, but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that Whether we're awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up as in fact you are doing. Please notice this. When you think, man, I can't believe I have to get up this morning, or man, I can't believe I can't do what I want to do, think about Jesus dying for you. How do you think that felt? He prayed in the garden, Father, if there's any other way, please take this cup from me. Jesus didn't go to the cross because it was comfortable. Jesus didn't go to the cross because it was glamorous. Jesus didn't go to the cross because it was popular. Jesus didn't go to the cross because the people around him understood and encouraged him. Jesus went to the cross because it was the Father's will. He said, nobody takes my life from me, I lay it down voluntarily. But not because he felt like it. It's not about what you're feeling. It's about obedience. And so, He died for us. So that, so that, whether we're awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. The goal of His sacrifice was our union with Him, so that now He lives His life through us. And we do the things we do out of a desire to please Him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up just as in fact you're doing now We ask you brothers to respect those who work hard among you who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you that one verse I Just we need to just take our little scissors and snip that out because that really doesn't fit with American Christianity at all We are a democratic people. We don't want anybody over us in the Lord and So the idea that I'm supposed to respect somebody else as being over me in the Lord, please. I mean, you might as well add that verse over there in Hebrews that it talks about those who are over you, who will give an account for you, and that you're supposed to submit yourself to them. I mean, really. I mean, I guess there are some other verses that talk about those who rule well and govern and so forth. How's your attitude toward authority? Do you really think there ought to be authority in the church? Or do you think everybody ought to vote democratically? Pastor Rudolph, I thought you were a Baptist. Baptists believe in the priesthood of the believer. It's one of our cardinal tenets. That along with no creed but the Bible, which of course is a creedal statement, but we don't like to think of it that way because that would make it a self-contradictory statement. But we don't believe in anybody being over somebody else in the Lord. Well, here's what I would suggest then. You need to stop saying no creed but Scripture. Because in Scripture, there are people in the church who are over other people in the church. There's actually authority, hierarchy within the church, and by the way, in the home. Because in both the home and in the church, we have a picture of reality. And the reality in this universe is that it's not a democracy. If all the people on the planet get together and decide, we don't like God's laws, God isn't gonna say, oh no, I've lost control. God is still the ruler. He's the sovereign. And so the hierarchy that He created and ordained on the earth in various relationships, that hierarchy is supposed to mirror His loving, generous rule over His creation. Now, unfortunately, since the fall, because of sin, Many of the examples that we see of authority and rule and hierarchy are lousy examples that distort the image of God. So that a lot of people grow up basically hating corrupt authorities. But please don't let how many folks mess up keep you from embracing the truth of what God says about authority in the home and authority in the church and authority in society. Read Romans 13, written while Nero was emperor, and see what our attitude toward government is supposed to be. Hold them in the highest regard and love because of their work. and live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle. What does idle mean? This isn't spelled like the other kind of idle that we're not supposed to worship. No, this is the kind that means when a car is idling, it means it's just sitting there with the engine running. It's not going anywhere, doing anything, okay? It's just idling. When a person is idling, it means they're just using up oxygen and calories. and probably not many calories, okay? I mean, they're just there. Some of you long to be idle. When I was in bed this morning and I reached over to reset the alarm clock, it's because I wanted to be idle a little while longer, right? Can you relate? Wouldn't it be nice? I remember when I was a teenager and so much of my body's energy was engaged in growing. And I used to say to myself, if only I could be employed as a mattress tester for some company, I would love to be able to tell them, yeah, that bed was pretty good. I just wanted to sleep. I just wanted to relax. I just wanted to rest. He says, warn those who are idle. Warn them. Warn them? What do you have to warn them about? Warn them that they're supposed to be serving the Lord by serving others. Encourage the timid. Help the weak. Be patient with everyone. Be patient with everyone. I'm about to drive for hours. I will encounter various people on the highway. Anyone who goes slower than me is an imbecile who should not be on the road. And anyone who goes faster than me is a maniac who needs to be arrested. I, as I drive down the highway, am the perfect standard of what all others should be. And everyone else needs to say, uh-oh, here comes Jim Wood. Let's synchronize our speed. Okay? This says be patient with everyone. Do you realize how hard it is to be patient with some people? Well, self-control. Deny yourself. died to that fleshly thing that makes you think everybody else is supposed to work around you. Have you ever had somebody who they were texting and as a result drifted into your lane and then they look at you angrily because you honked the horn? I mean, they should be going, I'm so sorry. Throw my phone out the window. But the fact of the matter is, we're supposed to be patient with everyone. Make sure nobody pays back wrong for wrong. Did you hear that? Make sure nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and everyone else. We're not only supposed to treat our brothers and sisters in Christ well, we're supposed to treat everybody well. Everybody. That means letting people in. I mean, they're coming off the exit ramp. Do you slow down a little bit so that they can safely merge in? Or do you try and make sure they're going to have to get in line behind you? Be kind to everyone. Be kind to everyone. Pastor, OK, thank you for that. I appreciate it. But I'll tell you, I'm having a struggle in my life right now. I just need to know what the will of God is for my life. I'm so glad you asked, because we've just come to those verses. This is going to tell you what the will of God is for your life in Christ Jesus. Verse 16, be joyful always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Okay, okay, I got that. But I mean, I'm facing some decisions, and I need to know what to do. Well, are you doing these things right here? Joyful always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances. No, I can't really say I'm doing that. Well, then why would God tell you what else He wants you to do if you're not doing what He's already told everybody that we're supposed to do? We want special guidance about what course to take, what school to go to, what car to buy. And we're not doing what God says to do. It doesn't work that way. If you wanna know what God wants, do what God says He wants. And as you do what God says He wants, He'll show you as much as you need to know when you need to know it. Guaranteed, I say that not just on the basis of personal experience, but on the authority of God's word. If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously to all men, but let him ask in faith not doubting, because the one who doubts He's a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. He shouldn't think he's going to get anything from God. What does that mean about double-minded and doubting and all? Because sometimes I have doubts. It's talking about doubting God. It's saying, if you're asking God for direction but you're not sure you can trust God, what if God asked me to do this? I don't want to do that. Well, what if God were to ask me to do this one? I don't want to do that. So God, I'm asking you, would you please give me direction, but please make sure it's something I want. Jesus said, as we referred to earlier, Father, if there's any other way, please let this cup pass from me. God will often direct you to do things that don't feel good, but they're right. They're for his glory. They're for the good of others. And as you do what God says, as you trust Him, you'll get the direction you need and you can count on it. Don't put out the Spirit's fire. Don't treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. We're gonna have to come back sometime to this and expand further, but let me just tell you, each phrase there is essential, okay? Do not put out the Spirit's fire. What does that mean? Does that mean the Holy Spirit is squashed and goes away? No, it means we're supposed to be stirring up the gift that is within us, not trying to basically, I wish I had time for this, let me just tell you. When the Holy Spirit begins to work in your life, He changes things. And He'll direct you to do things for the glory of God. It is not only possible to not stir that up, it is possible to quench the Spirit. That means to suppress His work in your life. And likewise, in a church or in a ministry sometimes, People do not want to embrace what the Holy Spirit is saying and doing. Do not put out the Spirit's fire. Do not treat prophecies, the proclamation of God's Word, with contempt. Test everything. Please don't just accept whatever I say as being true. Check it by scripture. See if that is what it says. If I'm misstating what it says, don't buy it. Hold on to the good. Hold on to the good. and avoid every kind of evil. Remember what we said last time about avoiding immorality? Avoid every kind of evil. Steer clear of it. Stay away from it. Don't see how close you can get. And may God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. Hallelujah, I'm so glad God is the one who is sanctifying his children. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it. I'm going to be like Jesus someday. I am. I know that. 1 John tells me right now I'm already God's child. It doesn't yet appear what I shall be, but I know that when Christ shall appear, I shall be like Him, for I shall see Him as He is. How do I know that? Because God is the one who is sanctifying me, and God is the one who is faithful, and He will do it. God's going to get the job done. Okay, I'm not saying, I've been working and working to make myself like Jesus. And I think I'm getting near the end. No, God is working change in me from the inside out. I am becoming more like him, reflecting his character. And God will accomplish what he set out to do. He's the one who sent Jesus so that my sins could be forgiven, but also so that I could be changed from the inside out by the spirit of holiness. And, verse 25, brothers, pray for us. Now Paul, the apostle, desires the prayers of God's people. Your prayers matter. I hope you pray for me. Pray for us. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. Some of you would like to line up to do that, girls, right? Can I greet that brother with a holy kiss? It says holy kiss. Thank you very much. Somebody explain to me what a holy kiss is. That means a kiss that is very unselfish and no, you don't need to be practicing around here right now, okay? I'll never forget when I was in Ukraine preaching some meetings over there. It is their custom to kiss each other. The men kiss the men, the women kiss the women. I'm not used to getting kissed by men. My kids kiss me sometimes. Let's just say some of these dear brothers in Christ wore the same clothes every day, didn't shower often, had apparently never heard of deodorant. They were impoverished people who were precious saints of God. Some of them didn't have ready access to razors and shave cream, apparently. And so they had kind of stubbly faces. And one of them, I mean, they'd been prepped ahead of time. He's a Westerner. He's a germaphobe. You can shake his hands, but then he's going to use hand sanitizer. But he won't do it in front of you. And one of the guys just said to me, after several days of traveling with me in this bus, he said, his English, he was working on his English, he said, brother, may I give you a kiss? What am I going to say? No! I said, sure. And he reached out, wrapped his arms around me, and kissed me on both cheeks. That was a holy kiss, okay? That was Christian love for another brother. That's what Paul's talking about here, just so you know. So does that mean I can't do it unless I go for weeks without bathing and grow some stubble on my face? No, it means, I can assure you, there wasn't a speck of romance between that brother and me. Not even bromance, okay? He is my brother in the Lord. And he just wanted to say, I love you with the love of the Lord. That's what it was about. That's what Paul's talking about here. And that's the way we're supposed to love one another. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. And the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Folks, let me tell you something. We have a privilege that is absolutely beyond our ability to calculate or appreciate. God has made us part of his family and because of what he has done, we need to live now in light of Jesus coming. Don't waste your life on stuff that can't compare to the glory of Jesus. What's the takeaway? What's the thing? Don't waste your life on the things of this world. Live for Jesus. He's coming again. Live for Jesus. He's coming again. Let's pray. Father, thank you so much for loving us. Thank you so much for sending Jesus to save us. Please help us to love and trust you. And we'll give you all the praise in Jesus' name, amen.