The Coming of the Lord (Part 2 of 6)

Devotional

Day 1: The Voice That Wakes the Dead

When Jesus shouted "Lazarus, come forth," death itself obeyed. His voice holds power to reverse decay, disrupt graves, and summon life from dust. This same voice will one day pierce every cemetery, calling believers from tombs with unstoppable authority. Just as creation sprang from God’s command, resurrection begins with Christ’s cry. Those who trust Him need not fear the grave’s grip. His word is the first and final answer to death’s silence. [01:28]

"Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment."
(John 5:25, 28-29, ESV)

Reflection: When has Jesus’ voice broken through a “dead” area of your life? How does His power over tombs shape your view of current struggles?

Day 2: Graveyard Hope in a No-Hope World

Cemeteries maze-like and final to the world become launchpads for believers. Tombstones marked with dates and dashed dreams will shudder when Christ returns. The Thessalonians feared their dead would miss the grand finale, but Paul insisted: graves get front-row seats. This hope isn’t wishful thinking—it’s the certainty of a Savior who treats burial plots as temporary storage. Death’s stench cannot overpower resurrection’s dawn. [02:37]

"But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep."
(1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, ESV)

Reflection: What “no hope” situation have you been tolerating? How might resurrection certainty reframe your grief or fear?

Day 3: Snatched Up When the Sky Splits Open

The rapture isn’t about escape—it’s about collision. Christ’s return will hijack funeral processions mid-mourning, yanking believers from hearses and hospice beds. The Latin “rapturo” means violent seizure, not gentle uplift. This cosmic snatch-and-grab declares Christ’s total dominance over death’s domain. Details about timing or mechanics matter less than the thunderous truth: when He shouts, we’re gone. [08:10]

"For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."
(1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, ESV)

Reflection: What earthly attachment would feel most jarring to leave behind? How does anticipation of this moment clarify your priorities today?

Day 4: The Party That Never Says Goodbye

Eternity won’t be a hymn-sing in the clouds but a family reunion exploding with joy. Imagine Moses swapping stories with your grandmother, Lazarus high-fiving a coworker who led him to Christ. Every painful farewell—college drop-offs, hospital goodbyes, airport hugs—finds its redemption here. The “meeting in the air” isn’t a somber court session; it’s the wildest welcome-home bash creation has ever seen. [17:45]

"Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord."
(1 Thessalonians 4:17, ESV)

Reflection: Which strained or severed relationship do you most anticipate restoring in eternity? How does this hope soften present loneliness?

Day 5: Fuel for Faithful Feet

Certainty about Christ’s return isn’t for speculation but mobilization. Paul ends his rapture talk not with charts but a charge: “Encourage one another with these words.” Hope’s job isn’t to make us stare at skies but to steady shaky knees. Every gospel invitation, every act of love, every choice to endure becomes a down payment on the coming reunion. The best way to wait for the party is to keep recruiting guests. [20:00]

"Therefore encourage one another with these words."
(1 Thessalonians 4:18, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your circle needs to hear “Jesus is coming back” this week? What’s one tangible way to offer them resurrection courage today?

Sermon Summary

Paul moves from Christ’s return to the resurrection, declaring that “the dead in Christ will rise first.” Christ’s voice, which called creation into being and summoned Lazarus from the tomb, will penetrate the darkness of every grave. God’s saving work in conversion supplies the ground for this hope: those once dead in trespasses and sins were brought from darkness into light by the word of Christ. Christ’s voice that gave spiritual life will also give bodily life to those laid in the tomb.

The Thessalonians’ fear that departed believers might miss Christ’s appearing receives a firm answer. Christ will not leave any of his people behind, because those who are in Christ remain in Christ forever. Paul’s logic runs straight: those who die in Christ will rise in Christ and be eternally with Christ. Christ’s coming will be no small, local event, but a cosmic appearing in which his gathered people accompany him and are reunited, body and soul.

Paul calls the gathering of living believers the rapture: they will be “caught up,” seized, grabbed, snatched away with the resurrected saints to meet the Lord in the air. The text gives the church solid facts but not a pile of speculative details. Christ’s return will be personal, visible, cosmic, glorious, and certain. The resurrection will happen. The rapture will happen. The details that Scripture does not plainly settle must not become tests of orthodoxy or grounds for dividing Christ’s people.

Christ’s meeting with his people in the air displays his mastery even in the realm where Satan is called the prince of the power of the air. Paul brings every truth to its great conclusion: “so we will be with the Lord forever.” The pain of life is so often the pain of saying goodbye, but Christ’s return means that every farewell will finally be dealt with. Heaven will be a reunion beyond the best party, the dearest family gathering, or the most cherished friendship imaginable, because God’s own Son will be the reigning one.

Paul gives this hope a practical edge: “encourage one another with these words.” Christ’s certain return calls believers to holiness, watchfulness, short accounts with sin, love, good deeds, and zealous evangelism. The church cannot sit in a corner merely enjoying its certainty while men and women live in a no-hope generation. Christ’s return, resurrection, rapture, and reunion establish a responsibility to seize opportunities and tell others that hope is found in him.

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Key Takeaways

1. Christ’s voice reaches every grave. Christ’s call is not weakened by death, decay, distance, or time. God’s word already brought spiritually dead sinners into life, and that same sovereign voice will summon the bodies of his people from their graves. Christian hope rests not in sentimental memory but in the living authority of Christ. [03:19]
2. Union with Christ outlasts death. Paul grounds resurrection hope in the believer’s enduring place “in Christ.” Death does not loosen Christ’s hold, because the new creation belongs to him forever. The believer dies in Christ, rises in Christ, and remains eternally with Christ. [06:35]
3. Certainty matters more than speculation. Scripture gives plain, immovable truths about Christ’s return, the resurrection, and the gathering of believers. Scripture does not give permission to make pet theories into tests of faithfulness. Christian unity must gather around what God has clearly said while allowing room where he has not spoken with the same clarity. [10:14]
4. No farewell has the final word. Christ’s promise that his people will be with him forever answers the deep ache of every goodbye. Heaven is not vague comfort but a real, final reunion in the presence of the reigning Son. Christ turns the sorrow of parting toward a future where separation is finished. [16:36]
5. Hope creates holy responsibility. Paul does not permit future hope to become present passivity. Christ’s return calls the church to encourage the weary, pursue purity, keep short accounts with sin, and speak of hope to those without it. The certainty of the end sharpens the urgency of faithful life now.

## [19:46]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:52] - The Dead in Christ Will Rise
[03:19] - Christ’s Voice and Resurrection Life
[04:55] - No Believer Will Miss His Coming
[07:56] - The Rapture and Being Caught Up
[09:12] - Avoiding Speculation and Pet Theories
[14:47] - What Scripture Makes Certain
[15:35] - Meeting the Lord in the Air
[16:04] - Forever with the Lord
[19:46] - Encouragement, Holiness, and Evangelism
[22:37] - Return, Resurrection, Rapture, Reunion, Responsibility

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” [01:03]

John 5:25, 28–29
“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” [03:20]

Ephesians 2:1–2
“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—” [06:56]

1 Thessalonians 4:18
“Therefore encourage one another with these words.” [19:58]

Observation questions

What events does Paul place in order in 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17, and who is included in each part of that sequence? [07:57]
In John 5, what two kinds of “dead” are described, and what does Jesus say his voice will accomplish for them?
What concern did the Thessalonian believers have about Christians who had already died, and how does “the dead in Christ will rise first” answer that concern? [04:49]
What does Paul tell believers to do with the truth of Christ’s return, resurrection, and eternal presence? [19:51]

Interpretation questions

Why does the fact that Christ’s voice has already brought spiritually dead people to life give confidence that he can also raise believers bodily from the grave? [04:08]
What does it mean for a believer to be “in Christ” even in death? How does that truth change the way a Christian understands the death of a fellow believer? [06:33]
Paul is very clear that Christ will return and believers will be gathered to him, yet he does not explain every detail. How should Christians distinguish between truths that must be held firmly and details about which faithful believers may differ? [14:24]
Why is the final phrase, “so we will always be with the Lord,” more than simply a promise of reunion with people we love? What makes this hope especially glorious? [16:09]

Application questions

Is there a particular goodbye, loss, or fear of death that still weighs heavily on you? How does the promise that believers will be with the Lord forever speak into that sorrow? [16:36]
When you think about your own death, what most strengthens your hope: being remembered by others, the thought of reunion, or being with Christ himself? Why?
Are you tempted to become overly focused on timelines, theories, or disputed details about Christ’s return? How could you keep the clear promises of Scripture at the center instead? [10:11]
Who in your life is downhearted, grieving, anxious, or overwhelmed right now? What specific word of hope from 1 Thessalonians 4 could you share with that person this week? [20:00]
Christ’s return calls believers to purity, watchfulness, and keeping short accounts with sin. Is there a sin, strained relationship, or unfinished act of repentance that you need to address rather than put off? [20:49]
The world is full of people living without hope. Who is one person you could intentionally invite, serve, pray for, or speak with about the hope found in Christ? [21:09]
In what practical way can this group encourage one another toward love, good deeds, holiness, and faithful witness as we wait for Christ’s return? [20:37]

Sermon Clips

What's the toughest thing in life? I think the toughest thing in life is saying goodbye. That's what makes it hard for kids to leave for college. That's what makes it hard for lovers to say goodbye at the airport. That's what makes it hard to look into the eyes of a loved one and know that they will be taken from us in death. That's what makes it hard to watch as our friends and our neighbors are scattered throughout the country. It's parting. And if we could deal with parting, we could deal with everything. I got a news for you. It's all dealt with. We will be with the Lord forever. [00:16:36]

Well, think about it. We were blind and dead, weren't we? In our own trespasses and in our sins, we weren't seeking God. We were lost in our own confusion. We had nothing to look forward to and no God to whom we might turn. And then God shone the light of his word and the truth of his son into our hearts, illumined the dungeon of our experience, showed us our sin, showed us our savior, and we laid hold of his mercy and his goodness, and we were brought from darkness into light. [00:04:08]

We are stating categorically and absolutely that the return of Jesus Christ is an absolute certainty, that it will be personal, that it will be visible, that it will be cosmic, that it will be glorious. That there will definitely be his return. There will definitely be a resurrection. That there will definitely be this rapture out of 1 Thessalonians 4:17. [00:14:52]

And then the light of the glorious gospel of Christ shines into our lives and we respond in repentance and faith, then we become as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, a new creation. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. So now I am in Christ. For how long am I in Christ? Forever. Therefore I die in Christ. Therefore I rise in Christ. Therefore I will be eternally with Christ. [00:07:00]

It's going to be better than the best thing you ever conceived of, the most wonderful party you ever dreamed of, the best reunion you ever created. Imagine your most favorite family reunion, add in every friend you ever loved in all your life, put them all together for one night and multiply it to the nth degree and you still haven't come close to what heaven's going to be like. There's going to be a great big reunion. [00:18:23]

Because it's far more fun to get all the details than it is to live with a bold assertion of the central verity. Namely, there's definitely going to be a return. There's definitely going to be a resurrection of the dead in Christ. And there's definitely going to be a rapture whereby those of us who are still alive in that moment will be gathered up together with those who have had their new resurrection bodies. [00:12:06]

You see, this was the great concern of the Thessalonians because, you see, they were wondering about what would happen to the people who had died. They knew that Jesus was going to come back again, and they were concerned that they would miss the event. What a shame that our friends and our loved ones have died and they're going to miss the great day. No, no, says Paul, the dead in Christ will rise first. [00:04:49]

And so we will be with the Lord forever. So we will be with the Lord forever. This is the main thing. Everything leads up to this, and after this there's nothing more to add. [00:16:09]

Encourage one another with these words. Someone is downhearted. Someone is going through difficult days. Someone is Someone is just overwhelmed by the events of the week that await them. Listen, encourage them with these words. Remind them of this ultimate triumph, of this certainty which gives meaning to our existence. [00:19:58]

There is no possibility that those who have died in Christ will ever be separated from Christ. We are indissolubly linked to Jesus. We are inseparably linked to Jesus. Think about it. [00:06:33]

We are to encourage one another to purity, because when he comes, he's coming for the holy. He's coming for the five wise virgins, not the five foolish ones. We are to encourage one another to watchfulness and keeping short accounts with sin. We are to encourage one another in zealous evangelism. [00:20:49]

The issue there is not to disagree over peculiar inferences as to what is plain, but is to unite over what is plain and to respect the inferences which other people have. [00:13:52]

Jesus stands outside the tomb and he cries, "Lazarus, come forth." And the gathering crowd must have looked around and said, "Finally, we know that this Jesus is crazy because he is now speaking to the dead." And we know that the dead cannot hear. [00:01:37]

At the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus spoke and Lazarus came out. Even the sister said, "Jesus, I don't think you want to go to the tomb. Our brother has been dead now 4 days and his body has begun to show the signs of decay." [00:01:23]

I put it to you that most of the preoccupation with the return of Jesus Christ has been characterized by the emphasis of pet theories and the de-emphasis of absolute verities. Because what is secondary becomes primary, and therefore what is primary inevitably becomes secondary. That what is peripheral becomes central, and therefore the central event begins to become peripheral. [00:10:42]

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