1 Thessalonians 4:16

HIMSELF!

‘The Lord Himself.’

1 Thessalonians 4:16

Nothing is of any value that does not spring from personal love to, and communion with, Christ Himself. He came to earth and returned to heaven, and what has He left us to cheer our hearts, to occupy our souls, and to feed our hopes? Himself!

I. Would it rejoice our heart if we were sure to live to see the coming of the Lord, and to see His glorious appearing and retinue?

II. Death, as death, is an enemy.

III. But the thoughts of the coming of the Lord are most sweet and joyful.— It is the character of His saints to love His appearing, and to look for that blessed hope. ‘The Spirit and the Bride say, Come; even so, come, Lord Jesus.’ Come quickly, is the voice of faith, and hope, and love. If death be the last enemy to be destroyed at the resurrection, we may learn how earnestly believers should long and pray for the Second Coming of Christ, when this full final conquest shall be made.

Illustration

‘I have not the shadow of a doubt that we shall be in the closest intercourse again with all we have ever loved upon earth. But mark the jealousy of the Holy Ghost for the solitary glory of Christ. As the passage goes on, the “them”—“the dead in Christ”—is dropped, and “Jesus” stands alone; “we shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be”—not “with them,” but, so prominent and solitary is Jesus, “ with the Lord.” As when He said, “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am”—not where the families in the “mansion” are, though they are there—but “ where I am, there ye may be also.” ’