The Greatest Return - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-5;8 - October 19, 2025

 

The Greatest Return – 1 Thessalonians 4:16-5:8 – October 19, 2025

As I write this study, President Trump has wrapped up the peace deal in the middle east.

What a joy to witness all of hostages being returned to their homeland and loved ones welcoming them home. A picture of our homegoing when we exit this life upon earth.

I thought about our scripture and about the hostages being released in the middle east. What joy when the hostages got home!!! JESUS is coming again. What joy when those in CHRIST get home, through faith in JESUS. All people are sinners and as a result will not get to their final potential eternal destination, without faith in JESUS. Let’s explore!!!

I thought about earth. Earth, as we know it, is not the end point for the people of earth. The Bible reveals to Christians that they will go to Heaven when they die physically. Then at the instant GOD chooses, there will be a new heaven and earth to be the eternal home for all “born-again” Christians.

2 Peter 3:13

But based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Revelation 21:1:

The New Creation               

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

Some of the people of earth desire to be rescued. Others do not think there is anything beyond death or GOD deciding a person’s entrance into Heaven being based upon a person’s good outweighing his/her bad. That is nonsense. Eternity is not a guessing game. It is a fact. A person’s faith in JESUS, THE CHRIST, results in any person, the most egregious sinner, of any ethnic group, who places his/her faith in JESUS is born-again by the Holy Spirit and instantly becomes an eternal member of GOD’S Family.

JESUS had something a say about life after physical death:

John 11:25:

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live.

2 Corinthians 5:8 Christian Standard Bible

⁸ In fact, we are confident, and we would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

The “born-again” Christian will NOT experience the death of his/her physical body. The “born-again” persons’ citizenship is already in Heaven as confirmed in Philippians 3:20 - Christian Standard Bible

²⁰ Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.

What other honor does the “born-again” Christian have according to:

2 Corinthians 5:20 Christian Standard Bible:

²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”

Just as the Middle East welcomed their loved ones back home from captivity, there is great rejoicing when a sinner asks JESUS to forgive him/her for all his/her sin and asks JESUS to come into his/her life.

In essence, WELCOME HOME!!! When a person asks JESUS to forgive him/her for his/her sins and asks JESUS to come into his/her heart, HE does. It is all about the attitude of the heart. I have heard of some people saying “LORD JESUS, I give up. GOD knows a person’s heart. The person who was captured by sin is set free from the consequence of sin, which is Hell, when that person accepts JESUS a his/her Savior.

JESUS willing gave HIS sinless life for all who will place their faith in HIM and HIS eternal redemption that is secured by HIS sinless human life and HIS shed blood upon the cross.

If it stopped there, so what? But it doesn’t! JESUS willingly gave HIS life to pay, in full, for all the sins of the person of faith in JESUS and the fact that GOD, JESUS FATHER, raised JESUS from the dead to be the proof that all who place their faith in the passion of JESUS will also have eternal life.

This step of faith, results in a person being “born-again” in his/her spirit by the Holy Spirit and that person, quicker than the twinkle of the eye, is born Spiritually into GOD’S eternal family, never to be unborn Spiritually.

This Spirit born person will go to heaven before his/her physical body dies. My basis for this statement is my witness of a lady walking with JESUS before she was pronounced dead. If you care to read about it, access actsclass.blogspot.com and in the top left is a blank. Type in Mrs. Green. It should go to the experience I had years ago. I have also spoken to people who have died and been brought fact to life to live upon earth longer.

Back to our scripture - This has been written for those who will die. But there is another path to Heaven for those who are Spirit-born and experience the rapture or often referred to as “The Great Disappearance.” Let’s explore!!!

The Apostle Paul wrote Thessalonians.

Let’s read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:8:

1 Thessalonians 4:13: We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, concerning those who are asleep (died), so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep (died but are in Heaven). 15 For we say this to you by a word from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep (died). 

¹⁶ For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout,^[e] with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.(The dead in CHRIST will be raised from the dead, FIRST to get their Glorified Eternal Bodies.) ¹⁷ Then we who are still alive (Spirit-born believers who are physically alive upon earth at the rapture, will receive our/their Glorified bodies and all 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. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage^[f] one another with these words.

Keep in mind that JESUS bodily ascended into Heaven after HIS passion.

WOW!!! Tell me more!!! Is there more?

1 Thessalonians 5:1-2: The Day of the Lord

5:1: About the times and the seasons: Brothers and sisters, you do not need anything to be written to you. ² For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 

So, stay ready for the coming of the Bride Groom (JESUS). JESUS is coming for HIS Bride, THE CHURCH. So, make sure you have enough oil in your lamps to give you light through the dark times or the night while we who are alive wait. ((The oil is the Holy Spirit, and the Gospel of JESUS ignites the eternal flame within every “Spirit-born believer. In other words, “Don’t lose hope in the second coming of JESUS. It is vital that all humans keep in mind, whether JESUS comes or we die, JESUS is our only hope for eternal life in Heaven!!!))

The Bride Groom (JESUS) is on HIS way, be ready. JESUS stands ready to return to rapture the church from earth at the command of GOD, HIS FATHER. So, stay ready!!! We read about this in Matthew 25 - The Parable of the Ten Virgins

Matthew 25:1-13 – 1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins^[a] who took their lamps^[b] and went out to meet the groom. ² Five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³ When the foolish took their lamps, they didn’t take oil with them; ⁴ but the wise ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps. ⁵ When the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

⁶ “In the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here’s the groom! Come out to meet him.’

⁷ “Then all the virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish ones said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’

⁹ “The wise ones answered, ‘No, there won’t be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

¹⁰ “When they had gone to buy some, the groom arrived, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut. (Do you recall who closed the door of the ark before the worldwide flood? It was GOD!!!) ¹¹ Later the rest of the virgins also came and said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’

¹² “He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you!’

On the day and time most, people seek but how sad that a number will be told, “I don’t know you!!!

¹³ “Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.^[c]

Back to our scripture - 1 Thessalonians 5:3-8:

³ When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. ⁴ But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the dark, for this day to surprise you like a thief. ⁵ For you, you are all children of light and children of the day. (Those who have been “born again.”) We do not belong to the night or the darkness. ⁶ So then, let us not sleep, like the rest, but let us stay awake and be self-controlled. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. ⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled and put on the armor of faith and love, and a helmet of the hope of salvation.

Are you a child of LIGHT through faith in JESUS?

How do you become a child of the light?

Dear JESUS, I am a sinner and I believe YOU willingly gave YOUR sinless life to pay, in full, for all of my sins and I ask YOU to forgive me for all of my sins and I ask YOU to come into my life and through the miracle of Spiritual-birth make me whole by the miracle of being “born again” never to be “unborn.”

If you said this or used your own words to express your desire to be forgiven for all of your sins and your desire is to be the eternal son or daughter of GOD through the miracle of Spiritual Birth into GOD’S eternal Family, through faith in JESUS and HIS Passion, which includes HIS bodily resurrection, you have been born again. You are GOD’S Son or Daughter. It is finished!!!

Being “Born Again” is just the beginning. Just like any newborn baby, it is vital that you grow Spiritually. You need Spiritual nourishment. You need to feast upon the milk of GOD’S word, The Bible and as you grow Spiritually, feast upon the meat of GOD’S Word.

If you are not already in a Bible teaching church or fellowship, I pray with you for our LORD to lead you to the fellowship or church where you can grow and develop spiritually. The Holy Spirit is your teacher and confirms your salvation.

I pray for all who have taken this step of faith. FATHER, YOU have welcomed into YOUR eternal family every person who has asked YOU to forgive him/her for his/her sins and placed their faith in JESUS. JESUS welcomes you into the eternal Family of GOD. GOD holds you in HIS mighty right arm and hand. Now, as a newborn believer in JESUS, I ask THE HOLY SPIRIT to help you grow Spiritually.

Luke 15:7

I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance.

Just think of the overwhelming joy you saw when the hostages were united with their loved ones. JESUS is waiting for you to come home. The choice is yours to make, however Satan wants you to put it off. Don’t because none of us are guaranteed tomorrow!!!

What does being a member of GOD’S Family mean to you? In GOD’S Kingdom you are a VIP: First, You are GOD’S Son or Daughter, and you have an eternal Home in Heaven. What else?

2 Corinthians 5:20 - Christian Standard Bible - Ambassadors

²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”

Through faith in JESUS!!!

Blessings!!!