For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still 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. Therefore encourage one another with these words. —1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

A FUTURE PROMISE: THE LORD IS COMING

I. THE CERTAINTY OF HIS COMING

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. —1 Thessalonians 4:16

II. THE SUDDENNESS OF HIS COMING

Listen, I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. —1 Corinthians 15:51-52

while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. —Titus 2:13

And you know what currently restrains him, so that he will be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one now restraining will do so until he is out of the way, and then the lawless one will be revealed. The Lord Jesus will destroy him with the breath of his mouth and will bring him to nothing at the appearance of his coming. —2 Thessalonians 2:6-8

III. THE TIMING OF HIS COMING

Because you have kept my command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth. —Revelation 3:10

IV. THE SPECIFICS OF HIS COMING

“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also. —John 14:1-3

A FITTING CONCLUSION: OUR HOPE IS SECURE

V. WE HAVE ASSURANCE ABOUT TOMORROW

Then we who are still 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

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes. —James 4:13-14

VI. WE HAVE HOPE FOR OUR LIVES TODAY

Therefore encourage one another with these words. —1 Thessalonians 4:18