0424. Paul's Third Message

Paul’s Third Message

"That this Jesus, Whom I preach unto you, is Christ. Saying that there is another King, one Jesus" (Act_17:3, Act_17:7).

Of course, Paul preached that Christ was the Messiah, and that there was another King, one Jesus. How could he help but preach this, the blessed hope of the Church?

Paul, in the Holy Ghost gave command concerning the "Blessed hope and the glorious appearing of Christ"–"these things teach and exhort, let no man despise thee." If he told others to preach this precious theme, should he not preach it, himself?

1. Paul preached that the Coming of the Lord was the comforting hope. Many of these Thessalonians had lost their loved ones, and their hearts were crushed by their bereavement. Paul wrote, in the Spirit, and told them that the Lord would descend from Heaven and that the dead in Christ would rise, and that the living in Christ would be caught up together with them–"Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

2. Paul preached that the Coming of the Lord, was the certified Hope. He said, "The Lord Himself shall descend." Christ’s coming was no speculative doctrine of men, no fable, fabricated by poetic minds–it was the Word of God, made sure.

3. Paul preached that the Lord’s return was to shelter the saints from the coming day of wrath. A day of trouble would come, a day when Christ would be revealed in flaming fire and indignation against the adversaries, a day of wrath; but that those in Christ should "rest with Him," those in Christ should "obtain salvation," they should "live together with Him."

4. Paul preached that the Coming of Christ would bring our rewards. The souls we had led to Christ, would be our hope and our crown of rejoicing at the coming of the Lord. That Christ was coming and His reward would be with Him.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR