Participants: Chris Holland
Series Code: IIWC
Program Code: IIWC201616A
|
00:11 >>Announcer: It has stood the test of time.
00:15 God's book, The Bible 00:18 Still relevant in today's complex world 00:24 It Is Written 00:26 Sharing messages of hope around the world! 00:39 On October 14, 1987 18-month old Jessica McClure was playing with other children in the backyard. 00:48 Her mother, Reba, watched as her little girl bouncily played with the other children in the 00:55 backyard with flowers and the grass and picking up every rock she could find, I'm sure. Then 01:03 the phone rang, now in 1987 they didn't enjoy the freedom of having a cell phone in hand to 01:11 answer - so Reba turned for a moment to answer the phone quickly. She then began to hear 01:20 the screams of the little children, as she dashed outside to see what had happened.all of 01:27 the other children were there.but not baby Jessica. As she ran up to the children, she 01:35 saw the hole in the ground and heard the faint cries of her little baby. Baby Jessica had 01:43 fallen into an 8 inch well pipe and was deep down in the shaft. While in a moment of shock, not 01:52 knowing what to do, Reba instinctively returned into the home and called the police. The 01:59 emergency crews arrived just minutes later what were they to do. Baby Jessica was 22 feet 02:11 below the service in that pipe.almost a full 7 meters down. How would they get her 02:18 out, what would they do? They devised a plan to rescue her.dig a shaft parralel to where she 02:28 was and then cut a passage to her, that they might pull her out. The story of Baby Jessica, 02:38 while true, is also symbolic in a sense. It symbolizes the predicament of humanity. Like 02:47 Baby Jessica, we have fallen and are trapped. God has initiated a rescue plan, but we haven't yet 02:55 been extracted and saved. 03:01 In this series, Star Wars, we have seen the real and true epic battle between good and evil. 03:10 The struggle between Christ and Satan. It is a grand battle over you and over me and what side we 03:20 will choose. It is in that context that we turn to the scriptures today and see the 03:26 apostle Paul, who wrote a letter to the church of Thessalonica, sometime between 48-55 A.D. He 03:35 wrote to a church that he himself founded, according to Acts chapter 17. There in 03:42 Thessalonica as he founded the church, Paul fought against a particularly entrenched group of 03:52 pagans. Yet, he experienced a great deal of success. Now, the town of Thessalonica was located 03:59 in Macedonia and was a major metropolis, and today is a seaport city of the nation of 04:08 Greece, known as Thessaloniki. Paul's journey allowed a brief stay in Thessalonica, but 04:17 history seems to show that Paul had to leave there abruptly. The church he left behind was mostly 04:24 made up of pagan converts. Because of his sudden departure they had been left with little 04:31 external support and Paul was concerned about them. Paul sent Timothy to work amongst them and 04:39 he wrote to Paul about the work happening there. Timothy's report was good overall. So Paul 04:47 wrote a letter, two as a matter of fact, and we can deduce from Paul's writing however that they 04:54 were having some issues. In the first portion of the letter, Paul seems to be defending 05:01 against the idea that he is some sort of religious peddler, going from town-to-town, dazzling the 05:07 people and trying to make a buck or two. More than just a personal defense, Paul addressed 05:13 the subjects of unchastity, neglecting their daily duties for religious gatherings, and 05:19 their lack of hope. He spoke to the realities and necessities of daily Christian living. We have 05:29 studied this topic over the last six weeks, and if you have missed any of the series, Star 05:36 Wars, you can go to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/IIWCanada and 05:38 watch the archives of this series, that has traced the history of the great conflict 05:47 between God and Satan. We have seen since days long ago that Satan is a deceiver and his 05:56 primary concern is the defamation of the character of God. We have also seen and 06:01 experienced this battle moving from the heavenly realms to earth, where Satan was able to 06:08 tempt and attain victory over the human race through the fall of Adam and Eve. Yet, in the 06:14 midst of this tragedy came the promise of salvation. As this war has continued to wage on, 06:21 the promise of his own defeat did not discourage the evil one He has waged a fierce attack on 06:29 against the character of God through his attacks on the human race. Through looking at the 06:35 story of Job we were able to draw some principles of survival when the devil attacks. We have 06:44 recognized that when the fullness of time had come God sent forth His son. The promised 06:51 redeemer had arrived, not only for our redemption, but also to make the legal declaration of 06:58 adoption. We have seen that the provision for our redemption was completed on the cross - by 07:06 faith our redemption is guaranteed. 07:11 For two thousand years, generations have waited for their salvation to be complete. 07:18 Don't get me wrong, the full price was paid on Calvary, but our salvation is still not 07:23 complete. We live in this world where there is death, sorrow and pain. This will not be ended 07:32 until Jesus comes in glory and takes away the sting of death and sin and rescues us to take 07:39 us home. It is in that context that we turn to 1 Thessalonians 4 and read how Paul addresses 07:49 the issue of hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. 13 08:52 Paul begins in verse 13 by issuing a warning against ignorance. In fact if you are 08:59 reading from a more modern translation, the NIV, for example says that..we.do not 09:05 want you to be ignorant, rather than I. Now this is a minor difference that has to do with 09:11 the oldest manuscripts have a minor difference in the orignal wording and is then translated 09:18 we rather than I. We can make the conclusion that from both the introduction and conclusion 09:28 of Paul's letter to the church in Thessalonica, that he is the writer, but the message itself 09:38 is a the work of he and Timothy, as they work together for the encouragement of the people in 09:45 Thessalonica. Most particularly, this message they are writing to specifically and to urgently 09:52 warn the Thessalonians against ignorance. Ignorance a failure to understand, a lack of 10:00 knowledge or to be unaware. What is it that Paul was warning them about their lack of knowledge? 10:09 In particular, the warning comes over the issue of hope. Paul doesn't want the Thessalonian 10:16 believers to fail to understand the true meaning of hope in the great star wars battle. The 10:25 Thessalonians lived with the belief that Jesus was coming again and coming soon. Yet as 10:33 time has wore on, they were seeing their friends and fellow church members dying. And the 10:40 reality of death is so imposing that it can dishearten even those of great faith. But the 10:51 passage says that this warning is coming, so they are not like those who have no hope. In the 11:00 original Greek the text actually reads, "in order that you do not grieve to the degree of those 11:07 who have no basis for hope." Now throughout this passage, Paul uses the word sleeping to 11:17 describe death. It is apparent that the Thessalonians were struggling as their friends and 11:25 family were dying. Paul doesn't want them however to be ignorant concerning the true meaning of 11:32 death. Because Paul indicates that our grieving should be different that those who have no 11:36 hope - actually more grammatically correct - those who have no basis for hope. 11:46 Our grieving is to be different. In just a moment Paul tells us why it should be different, but 11:52 make no mistake about it that with this verse Paul implies that for the Christian grieving 11:58 is an appropriate response to death. Yet, our grieving comes in the context of the basis of 12:06 our hope. Therefore it should be different. This grieving is made in the context of the basis of 12:13 our hope in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because of His victory over the 12:19 grave, we too shall have victory. Our grieving should be made with the understanding that 12:26 death's sting is only temporary. For, Paul gives us the basis of our hope. In verse 14 Paul 12:36 states, 12:46 This verse is often a misunderstood verse. Some use this verse to teach that the 12:52 saints are in heaven and will return with Jesus, however and in depth study of the passage 12:58 reveals that Paul is stating the exact opposite. I believe that this verse is the key to 13:05 understanding the entire passage. It is here in this verse that Paul lays before us 13:10 the basis of our hope. The first phrase of the passage gives us the context for understanding 13:17 the remaining portion. Paul states, "for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again." This 13:24 statement is not so much a question as it is a statement of fact leading to last phrase, 13:32 which is the misunderstood part. The next phrase in the NKJV begins with even so. Most 13:39 translations use even so, so, or so also, but the Greek word houtos indicates the idea - in 13:49 the same manner or like this. Paul says Jesus died and was resurrected and in the same 14:00 manner God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. So, I must ask what is the context of 14:07 this passage? Jesus dying and rising again. Then the verse states in the same way. Now, 14:14 just so we can be clear on what Paul is not saying. When Jesus died did he go straight to 14:19 heaven? As a matter of fact, immediately following His resurrection to go right to 14:26 heaven? No you'll remember that He tells Mary that she cannot touch Him for He has not yet 14:33 ascended to the Father. So with that context, can we understand the last portion of this verse 14:39 as a statement of the fact that when people die they go straight to heaven? Absolutely not! In 14:47 fact quite literally in the Greek, the passage states, "For if we believe that Jesus died 14:52 and was raised, and in the same way God will lead or bring out by Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15:05 A thorough investigation of the passage reveals a promise rather than a point of contention. Paul 15:10 is simply stating that Jesus died and rose, and in the same way that Jesus died and rose 15:17 again, God will bring forth from the graves those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. Friends we have 15:24 the hope in the fact that death is like a sleep. Paul wants to emphasize the fact that death is 15:35 only temporary. Death is Satan's ultimate weapon of destruction, but it is only a temporary 15:42 victory for him. Jesus, Himself, states, 16:00 Death is nothing to fear it is simply a temporary sleep. Death, in fact is very much like having 16:08 surgery when you go under anesthetic. For me, there is no better description of the 16:14 temporary nature of death. As with all illustrations, it does have its limitations, especially 16:23 for someone who has lost a loved one during a surgery. However, for a normal, as planned 16:31 procedure, there is no better illustration of death than going under anesthetic. Clinical death 16:37 is defined as occurring when there is no brain activity on an EEG under the conditions of the 16:46 person not being too cold or being under the influence of any type of drugs or alcohol. This 16:53 lack of brain activity would be consistent over the course of a few days. And according to an 17:00 anesthetiologist that I personally interviewed on this subject, a sleep dose of an 17:07 induction agent such as sodium pentathol or the more modern drug of diprivan, commonly 17:14 referred to by anesthetiologists as Milk of Amnesia, has seen to induce a flat line in the EEG 17:24 for just a short period of time. What does all that mean? Going under anesthetic is a perfect 17:33 illustration for what death will be like. It is temporary It will seem as if you have missed no 17:40 time, although a great deal of time may have passed. It's like the snap of a finger. Your out 17:49 one minute, your awake the next. 17:54 My dear friends, we have no need to fear death because just as Jesus died and was resurrected 17:59 we are guaranteed the same. We place our faith and trust in Jesus. He provides our adoption 18:04 for us, and He provides redemption from sin. But Jesus completes our salvation by the 18:10 guarantee of our resurrection. But, no matter how good those three promises are, that leaves 18:16 some of us out doesn't it? What about those of us who are alive Do we have to die to experience 18:24 hope? No. That's why Paul finishes the passage, beginning in verse 15, 18:57 Paul continues to emphasize that which he has already stated, he continues to point out the 19:02 resurrection of the dead. Yet now, he adds the promise of hope to those of us who are alive. 19:09 First, Paul points out that we who are alive will not precede those that are sleeping in the 19:16 Lord. Second, he points out the manner of Jesus' coming. He will descend from heaven It will be 19:24 with a shout It will be accompanied with the voice of an archangel, And with the trumpet 19:29 of God sounding Friend what hope we have in the second coming of Jesus. 19:40 Paul, leaves no doubt to the fact that Jesus' second coming is not a secretive matter, it is 19:45 not something that will be hidden from or unknown to people, but rather it will be a 19:50 visible, audible, climactic, joyous event. No one will be unaware of the fact that it is 19:56 happening. Paul then gives such wonderful hope the the understanding of that second 20:02 coming. First the dead in Christ will rise and join Jesus in the air. Then we who are alive will 20:08 join them. 1 Corinthians 15 points out, 20:30 Friends we are all changed, in that moment and Paul reveals additional hpe that, those of us 20:39 who have placed our faith and trust in Jesus will not only be changed but we will spend 20:45 eternity with Jesus Christ. The word always is rooted in the Greek word pan, meaning forever, 20:53 the entirety. We mustn't be fearful, for our salvation is complete in the Lord Jesus 21:00 Christ. He will have the ultimate victory and because our faith and trust has been placed 21:09 in Him, we will enjoy that victory with Him. Friends, the return of the master, the return 21:20 of Jesus Christ is the most glorious rescue mission ever to be seen on this earth. 21:29 Baby Jessica sat. She sat in that eight-inch pipe seven metres below the surface as the 21:36 rescue crews worked to save her. For 58 hours, they worked diligently, digging a parallel 21:44 hole to save her, all the while feeding oxygen into the other pipe to keep her alive. As they 21:52 dug that hole 29 feet down into the earth, it is there that they tunnelled their horizontal 21:59 passage. They were two feet below where she was sitting. After 58 hours, they extracted 22:08 baby Jessica, and she was saved. My dear friends, we have a hope, and it is based on the 22:18 promise of Jesus Christ. You see, while the devil attacks and gains these temporary victories 22:25 in these attacks through sickness and death, Paul tells us that when death happens, 22:33 grieving is an appropriate response to that death; yet, we have hope. And our hope is in 22:41 the fact that death is like a sleep. There's nothing for us to fear. It's only temporary. We 22:50 have hope also because Jesus, Jesus came to this earth, lived a life on this earth. He died. 22:58 He rose from the dead, and He ascended into heaven as our great High Priest. And He calls 23:06 upon us to place our faith and trust in Him. And through that, we are guaranteed the same 23:14 victory over the grave. We have hope because those who place their faith and trust in Jesus, 23:21 as the Bible says, will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, where this 23:28 corruptible body will become incorruptible, where this mortal body will become immortal. And 23:38 then we will spend eternity - first, we will spend eternity with Jesus Christ - but then we 23:44 will be reunited with our long-lost loved ones. We'll spend forever with them. It is 23:50 in Jesus that we find our salvation. It is in Him that the great battle of "Star Wars" is 23:58 won. You see, without His first coming, there would be no guarantee of the victory. 24:03 However, without His second coming, there would be no completion of the victory He won 24:09 on the cross. Today, my dear friend, we can place our faith and trust in Jesus and be 24:17 guaranteed that victory. We can be guaranteed the victory that He won. As Satan assailed Him in 24:26 the garden; as the weight of the sins of the world were placed upon Him; yet He chose you. You 24:36 see, Jesus could've selfishly chosen to call upon the angels of heaven to come and rescue Him 24:41 because the crucifixion would be too much. Three times, Jesus prayed there in the garden. 24:53 Three times, He prayed and said, "God, if there be any other way, let this cup pass before Me." 24:57 Yet He ended all three of those prayers with this simple phrase: "Not My will, but Thy will be 25:04 done." You see, Jesus put you first. Do you want to place your faith in Him? Do you want to 25:12 invite Him to change you today? I invite you to do so. I invite you to place your faith, your 25:20 trust in Him. It will be the best decision you've ever made. Heavenly Father, we take joy in 25:30 the promise of the soon coming of Jesus. Today we give our hearts to You. Today we commit 25:35 our lives to You. Today we place our faith in You, that we might live and look forward to that 25:41 day. We pray that it would come soon. We pray in Jesus' name, amen. 26:14 Friends, there is no fear in death. It is only temporary. There is no fear of the 26:20 tribulations happening around us. There is no fear in the events that we see. Jesus says 26:27 He's coming again soon, and we can place our faith and trust in Him. Death is only a temporary 26:32 separation from Him. Today I'd like to offer you the magazine Signs of the Times: What Happens 26:37 When You Die. Here's the information you need to receive today's offer. 27:44 My dear friends, we can take hope; Jesus is coming again soon. It is my desire that this 27:50 program provided that hope for you. I ask that you join us again next week. Until then, 27:55 remember, it is written: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds 28:03 from the mouth of God." |
Revised 2017-02-14