I don't know who to credit with
this phrase, but it is true to a certain degree: promises were made to be
broken. We who live in this "human condition" as my friend, Bob
Sweeney refers to living in the flesh, often fail to fulfill promises that we
make to each other. Fortunately for us, Jesus does not break His promises. One
such promise is the one He gave to His apostles about His second coming when He
said "...I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am,
there you may be also" (Jn. 14:3). The Second Coming of Jesus
Christ is a promise that we are still waiting on today, and we are confident
that it will be fulfilled.
In the first letter to the
Thessalonians, Paul takes some time to address some important matters
pertaining to the second coming. The text comes from 1 Thessalonians 4:9-5:11.
As we take a look at the message he wanted to get across to them, let us try to
understand these 1st Principles of the 2nd Coming.
Principles of Propriety (9-12)
Evidently some of the Thessalonians had quit working because
they wanted to make sure they weren’t going to miss the second coming of Christ
(11). He tells them to “...behave properly toward outsiders...” (12), which
would imply they were behaving improperly. Propriety is proper behavior (
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/propriety).
Paul goes on to provide more information in the second letter in chapter three
about these people who were living in an undisciplined manner, living an unruly
life and were therefore unacceptable. This was causing all kinds of problems
among the brethren. An inference I might make here is that their love for the
brethren in Macedonia was complimentary (10) but it seems the disturbances were
caused in Thessalonica due to their impropriety. Maybe I’m reading too much
into that, but it does seem likely given the context.
Paul gives them three specific commands to get them back on
the right track. The first thing he says is “make it your ambition to lead a
quiet life” (11). This word quiet is “said of those who are not running hither
and thither, but stay at home and mind their business” (
http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/hesuchazo.html).
It is interesting that phrase can be defined that way because Paul says as the
second thing “attend to your own business” (11). We can apply this even to our
lives today. We need to be bodies who are busy, but not busybodies. In the old
cartoon, Scooby-Doo, one of the villains is known for saying “I would have
gotten away with it if it weren’t for those meddling kids.” He was trying to
say they needed to stay out of his business.
What we need to do as Christians is find a way to avoid the
extremes pertaining to ourselves and others. Paul says “do not merely look out
for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil. 2:4).
However, Peter says one of the thing we shouldn’t suffer for is being a “troublesome
meddler” (1 Pet. 4:15). There are three neighbors nobody likes: Nosy Rosie, Busybody
Bobby and Snoopy Sally. We’ve got to find a way to be involved in the lives of
others without sticking our noses in their business. Hank Williams’ song had
the line in there “mind your own business and you won’t be minding mine.” That’s
what Paul was trying to tell the Thessalonians.
The third thing he commands them is to “work with your hands”
(11). Paul demonstrated this among them, as he says “...with labor and hardship
we kept working night and day so that we might not be a burden to any of you”
(2 Thess. 3:8). He goes on to say “...if anyone will not work, neither let him
eat” (2 Thess. 3:10). They wouldn’t have time to be busybodies if they would
stay busy with their bodies at work. People who are able to support themselves
should do that. There are others in the world whom we should help support
because of various reasons, but not those who are able to work.
Principles of
Precedence (13-18)
Sometimes children have a battle over who gets to go first,
such as lining up at school or for a ride, etc. There’s something about who
gets to go first. Paul takes the time to explain to the Thessalonians that
their dead loved ones were not only going to be there for the second coming,
but they were actually going first. As he’s telling them this good news, he
lays out the order of events on that day. “For the Lord Himself will descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet
of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in
the air...” (16-17).
Notice that Christians are the only ones being addressed in
this resurrection that Paul describes. Precedence determines residence.
Children of God, both those who are asleep and those who are alive will be
resurrected prior to the resurrection of the children of the Devil. Judgment
begins with the household of God (1 Pet. 4:17), and this resurrection described
in Thessalonians takes place before the judgment. Though there is one general
judgment, Jesus describes the fate of those who are saved and those who are
lost (Jn. 5:29).
Jesus is coming back prior to the judgment, according to Mt.
25:31ff. However, notice that it doesn’t say anywhere that He will set foot on
the earth. There is no rapture that will take place as some have advocated, nor
a reign by Christ for a thousand years (Rev. 20:4 is figurative). I won’t take
the time to elaborate on the falsity of this theory, but I did want to bring it
up since we’re dealing with the second coming of Christ. Regarding the outcome
of that day, notice that the Christians are the ones who will always be with
the Lord (17).
Principles of
Preparation (5:1-11)
There’s a song by the Temptations where they sing “get ready
cause here I come.” We know about the idea of preparation. We prepare for many
things in life: school, work, vacation, etc. We get prepared so that when the
time comes we are ready to act. Paul told the Thessalonians they knew the Lord
was coming as a thief in the night (2). This means we don’t know when He
coming, so we have to be prepared. Jesus said “...if the head of the house had
known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to
be broken into. You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that
you do not expect” (Lk. 12:39-40). Jesus elsewhere said that He didn’t even
know when He would be coming back, but only His Father knew (Mt. 24:36). Look
back to this great chapter for more descriptions of the return of Christ which
I will not place in this sermon.
Preparation station requires reservation. Are you one who
sleeps, or are you one who is sober? Paul uses these terms to describe the
preparation or lack thereof by people. Sleeping is something that people do at
night when bad things happen (7). Sober people are alert and are able to be on
the watch, especially pertaining to the coming of Christ (8). Paul uses the
word sleep in two different contexts here. He used it in chapter four pertaining
to those who had died. He starts out using it in chapter five pertaining to
those who are not ready spiritually for the coming of Christ, but then he
transitions back to the sleep of death in verse ten.
He finishes up this section by telling the brethren to “...encourage
one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing” (11). We’re
all in this together, and we need to encourage one another to be ready for the
day when Christ returns. In his exhortation to the church at Thessalonica, he
taught them about propriety: proper behavior was expected of them; he taught
them about precedence: their dead loved ones would actually precede those who
were still alive at the resurrection; he taught them about preparation: they
needed to be ready because the Lord was coming as a thief in the night. 1st
principles of the 2nd coming are just as applicable for those of us
today who are waiting on the Lord to return.
