1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (ESV)
The Coming of the Lord
13 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. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen
asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 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. 17 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. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
As a Christian, we should have no fear of death. If you do fear death, it is often a faith issue. Notice I said often, not always.
I’m not afraid of death. But I really don’t want to burn to death, or suffer a lot before death. However, I’m not afraid of death. Faith in God’s Word tells us that there is a heaven and those who believe in Jesus
will have eternal life (John 3:16). We know what is going to happen when our time comes. We will go to heaven! We will live eternally in the presence of God. There will be no sin in the world. These are not “I hope so”
ideas, but they are God’s promises to us. We could be scared if we don’t really believe in heaven, or if we doubt God’s promises. This is what makes the resurrection so great! It puts a “punch” behind God’s
promises in that he raised Jesus from the dead and we too share in this victory. Jesus resurrection is the proof in the pudding. Jesus didn’t have to say “I told you so!” He should the disciples his hands and his feet.
There was no doubt. Even doubting Thomas believed when he saw the resurrected Lord!
I pray: O Lord, I trust in your Word that I have been set free from death. I realize that I probably will
die unless you return before my last day. I would love that! But I’m not afraid of death because I know that I will be living in your presence. I look forward to that day. Help me Lord to stay focused until that day comes.
Amen.