Hope in Death

Our reading today is from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. 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. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. 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. 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. 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. Therefore, encourage one another with these words. When significant events occur in our life, our emotions can spill over and reveal what lies underneath in our hearts.

I was at a wedding recently and the room seemed quite calm, relaxed, not too many emotions. Once the bride entered the room, the music started and she walked down the aisle. All of a sudden, there were tears in the eyes of those next to me. There were tears in the eyes of the groom. The emotions spilled over.

Or perhaps you can consider the relief when you pass a big exam or test. I can still remember the time when I got my driver's licence. I'd finished that exam and you're waiting for the result, and the examiner tells you, you've passed. This weight just comes off your shoulders. Or the overflowing joy of a newborn baby entering the world.

These events reveal our hearts. But events like these, big events in our life, can also reveal our doctrinal insecurities. For instance, I might know God is sovereign, but when I lose my job, what happens all of a sudden? Do I still trust Him? I might know God is just, but if an innocent life is taken, well, do I still believe in His justice?

And especially for us today, you might have the hope of eternal life in Jesus. But when you're facing death or a loved one is facing death, does that hope remain? Does it remain strong? That is such a real question for us, isn't it? Perhaps you've lost a loved one recently or you expect that a loved one might pass away soon. Or maybe you still grieve the past.

You've lost a husband, a wife, a mother, a father, a sibling, a son or a daughter. For any of us who've ever attended a funeral, this is very real. Just the other week, I was watching a funeral online of a young lady. She grew up her whole life with significant health struggles, and at the age of 35, the Lord took her home. And at the funeral, a story was shared when this little girl was four, and she asked her father, Dad, will you cry at my funeral?

Before her dad could even respond, this four year old girl said, don't worry, Dad. You don't need to. I'll be with Jesus. You see, what we believe directs and dictates our emotions, and this is especially true with what we believe about death. And children, if you've never been to a funeral before, sadly, one day you will.

And so this is also important for you to hear and consider. And for parents, when that day does arrive, that is a wonderful opportunity to be able to instruct your kids about the hope we have in death because our emotions flow from what we believe. And the most important belief that we have that we're gonna be looking at this morning is our belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because believing that He died and rose again, it provides us with three things. Firstly, it provides us with hope while grieving death.

Secondly, assurance of our Lord's presence. And thirdly, encouragement for one another. Hope, assurance, and encouragement. Let's dive in. We're gonna start by looking at hope while grieving death.

In the opening three chapters of this letter, the authors have thanked God for the Thessalonians' faith. They've thanked and praised God for their love for Jesus. But since the end of chapter three, the authors, Paul, Silas, and Timothy, have been seeking to build up the Thessalonian church and provide what is lacking in their faith. And on this occasion, in this passage, we read in verse 13 that they want to inform them about those who've fallen asleep. Now a minority group argue that this term asleep is referring to soul sleep, which is the view that after death, the soul is unconscious until the final judgment.

But this term asleep was simply a common, it was a widespread euphemism referring to those who were dead. We even see this throughout scripture, but we even see this in a case in Acts 7 where Stephen is stoned dead, and it simply states he fell asleep. On top of that, we also see the idea of soul sleep refuted in other parts of scripture. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus or Jesus telling the thief on the cross that today you'll be with me in paradise. They're just a few examples.

While that might be a debate today, that wasn't the issue for the Thessalonians. Their issue was that they had a misunderstanding that caused them to grieve like others who have no hope. Now to be clear, the issue isn't that the Thessalonians were grieving death. Death is something that should be grieved. Death is not a natural part of creation.

Death is a curse. Death is a result of the fall. Jesus Himself weeps when His friend Lazarus died. He grieved that a friend was dead. He grieved that death had become a part of this world, of His creation.

And so that's not the Thessalonians' issue, grief. Their issue was that they were grieving without hope. And isn't that the way most people grieve in our world, without hope? The ancient Greek poet Theocritus said this, hope is for the living. The dead are without hope.

Death is filled with tragedy and despair, and most people don't know how to respond in the face of death. It grieves them. If you've ever been to a non-Christian funeral, you've probably experienced this hopelessness, this void that words can't fill. And yet the Christian's grief should be vastly different. Why?

Verse 14 states, since we believe that Jesus died and rose again. This is the foundation of our faith. In a different passage in 1 Corinthians 15, Paul declares, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile. You are still in your sins, and we, of all people, are most to be pitied. If Christ has not risen, then you and I have every reason to join the rest of the world in grieving without hope.

Yet Paul goes on to say, but in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. You see, Jesus has faced death. He has tasted death, but He has conquered death. He rose triumphantly. He defeated the curse of sin that has haunted humanity ever since the fall.

And so because He rose, well, we have hope that we will also rise with Christ. One commentator, A. W. Pink, puts it this way. For the believer, death can no more harm him than could a wasp whose venomous sting has been removed. Though it might still buzz and hiss and attempt to disturb him, it has no sting. And so because Christ died and rose again, you and I can join Paul in declaring, oh death, where is your victory?

Oh death, where is your sting? It's gone. And so in verse 14, the authors go on to say that because we believe that Jesus died and rose again, therefore, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. There's a debate among commentators whether this statement is referring to God taking the dead to heaven with Jesus before Jesus returns or whether it is referring to God bringing those who are already dead from heaven back with Jesus when He returns. Now there are good arguments to be made either way, but that debate, I think, misses the central point of this passage.

The emphasis of this verse is on the certainty of the events. The certainty that because Jesus did die and did rise, well, all who have died in Jesus will remain in Jesus and will most certainly rise with Jesus. And so I must ask each of you here this morning as I ask myself, are you ready to meet God? Are you ready to stand face to face with God? Have you entrusted your soul in life and in death to Jesus?

Because there is no other remedy for death except our Lord and Saviour's own death and resurrection. And if you do believe this, if you do believe that Jesus is your Lord and Saviour, well, have you experienced this hope while grieving the death of a fellow believer? Several years ago after my grandpa's funeral, a day filled with many tears, I can remember returning home and my non-Christian housemates asked me, you know, how was the funeral? And I surprised myself with my answer, and I said to him, it was probably my favourite day of the year because through many tears, I was filled with such hope and even joy knowing that my grandpa was secure in the arms of his faithful Lord and Saviour. Now every funeral is different.

Some are more sudden and tragic, but perhaps you've experienced something similar before as well. While that hurt and that loss and that grief was still immense, hope filled your heart. And it's nothing but Jesus' death and resurrection that can provide us with that hope. A few years ago, I was chatting with an unbelieving friend soon after the sudden death of one of our mutual mates' mothers. And this is what he said to me.

It's occasions like this that I envy you because you have hope in times like this, and I don't. You see, what we believe dictates and directs our emotions, doesn't it? And the Thessalonians were grieving in an unnecessary manner because they were uninformed about the resurrection. But being informed and convinced that Jesus died and rose again, well, it enables us to be able to have hope even while grieving death because we know that all who die in Christ will rise with Christ. That's the first thing we see in this passage, hope while grieving death.

But secondly, this passage provides us with assurance, assurance of our Lord's presence. In verses 15 through to 17, the authors expand on their original argument and provide further details to ensure the Thessalonians that they will indeed rise with Christ. At the beginning of verse 15, the authors reinforce the credibility of this teaching by declaring to the Thessalonians that this word comes from the Lord. It is from the Lord. And what is this word from the Lord about?

Well, it's about the coming of the Lord. This word for the coming of the Lord, parousia, was a term used to describe the glorious coming of a deity or an official visit of a sovereign to a city. And so this occasion, well, it would be filled with great pomp and celebration. There would be banquets, huge banquets even bigger than the women's conference, I assume. Speeches full of praise, lavish gifts, and sometimes it would even inaugurate a new era in this kingdom.

And so we can picture the king's coronation or the queen visiting Australia. These are occasions that no one wants to miss. But that was the Thessalonians' fear, that somehow those who had passed away would miss this occasion or would be disadvantaged somehow at the coming of the Lord. And so to comfort them, the authors outline two main events that will occur when Jesus returns. Firstly, the dead will rise.

And secondly, those who are alive will then join them. And so let's look at these two events in more detail. In verse 15, it says that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven. The risen Lord Jesus is now seated on His throne in heaven.

But the day is coming when He will descend from His throne, and His descent is not going to be discreet. It's gonna be accompanied by three great noises. Firstly, a cry of command. This is most likely describing a military command that is given. An order that must be obeyed, and it's most likely the Lord commanding the dead to rise.

Secondly, the voice of an archangel is added to God's command, reinforcing it as they round up the dead to life. And then thirdly, the sound of the trumpet of God. You see, the trumpet was not primarily a musical instrument, but a military instrument. This is what we observe throughout scripture about the trumpet. In Joel 2:1, the trumpet blast in Zion was sounding an alarm to warn the inhabitants about the day of the Lord.

In Zechariah 9:14, the trumpet signals the Lord marching forth to protect His people and to destroy the enemy. In Matthew 24:30, the loud trumpet call signals the gathering and the rescuing of God's elect from the four corners of the world. And finally, in Revelation 11, the trumpet announces victory, the coming of a new kingdom where the Lord shall reign forever and ever. And so for the Thessalonians, the point being made was clear. When the Lord leaves His throne and descends upon the earth, He will be accompanied by these three great noises, and the dead in Christ will hear these noises, and they will rise first.

They will not miss this event. They will not be disadvantaged at all. God is ensuring that they will be raised as the first order of business. And then in verse 17, the second order of business will occur. Those who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them.

You see, they won't miss out either. Those who are alive in Christ will be swiftly plucked up, and they will join the dead in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Throughout scripture, the clouds are a meeting place between humans and the divine. Moses met the Lord in the thick cloud. At Jesus' transfiguration, the cloud overshadowed them.

But particularly relevant to our passage today is Daniel's vision where he saw with the clouds of heaven, there came one like a son of man. It's this most spectacular event that Daniel foresaw that the authors are encouraging the Thessalonians with because it's in that moment when the Son of Man returns that all God's people, dead and alive, will meet the Lord face to face in the clouds. And so the authors are reassuring the Thessalonians, and they do this at the end of verse 17, that those who are in Christ will always be with the Lord.

And that is God's promise. His promise to never leave nor forsake His children is not just empty words. They are His guarantee that nothing in life or in death will be able to separate you from the love of Christ, not even death. I'm not sure if you've ever been in a situation where your parents have forgotten you. I'm the middle child of five, so I've certainly been forgotten a couple times.

And on one occasion, I was playing school footy, and we'd returned at the end of the day after school had finished and all the buses had gone home. But thankfully for me, my dad was a teacher and so he would be there and I'd be able to get a lift home with him. But on this occasion, as I stood around waiting, what slowly dawned on me, I'd been forgotten. Dad had gone home without me. But for all of us who have faith in Christ, we don't need to fear this happening to us.

God knows your name, and He will call you out on the day that He returns to meet with Him. None will be forgotten. None will be left behind, and so be assured. Jesus is coming again, and you will always be with the Lord. And so will your loved ones who have died in Christ.

They are with the Lord now, and when Christ returns, their bodies will be raised, and they will meet Him along with us in the heavens. Believing that Jesus died and rose again, it provides us with hope while we grieve. It provides us with assurance of our Lord's presence. But finally, it provides us with encouragement for one another. Unfortunately, some have used this passage to create unhelpful speculation about the rapture and the end times, but once again, they miss the main thrust of this passage.

The primary purpose of this passage was to encourage the Thessalonians. Verse 18 says, therefore, encourage one another with these words. It was not primarily for their heads, but for their hearts. Because what we believe shapes our hearts and it shapes how we live. And so these words were something that was to be constantly on the lips of the Thessalonians because it is this sole truth that Jesus died and rose again that they needed to hear, that it would reshape their hearts.

And it's this encouraging news that you and I need to hear as well. It's something that we need to hear constantly. And so there are three main ways I think we can encourage one another with these words. I think we can comfort one another. I think we can spur one another on.

And I think we can witness to others with these words. Firstly, we can comfort one another. We can speak regularly with those who are near death and aging of the hope that is found in the resurrection. We can speak to those who fear death of the comfort the Lord's death and resurrection provides us. We can speak to those who mourn death of the one who conquered death.

We can speak with those who are disheartened about the world that a new one awaits. And so we can comfort each other with this good news. But I think secondly, we can also then spur one another on. We can motivate our brothers and sisters that our service is not in vain. Victory has been won.

We can inspire each other, particularly those who feel defeated in life, reminding them that Christ has won. Victory has been accomplished. We can spur tired saints on, reminding one another to run the race well so that we will receive that prize on that most marvellous day. But then thirdly, we can also witness to others. We are in a privileged position to be able to share this unique hope with unbelievers who fear death.

As we sung before, we can share that we have no guilt in life, no fear in death. We can share that Jesus has overcome the greatest universal problem that no one is able to avoid. Jesus overcame the grave. What wonderful words we can share with those who do not have the same hope that we have. And so I ask you, how often do you talk about Christ's return with others?

Is it something that is regularly in your conversations? The authors are urging the Thessalonians that this is something they should talk about with one another regularly. Talk about Christ's death. Talk about His resurrection. Talk about that He's coming again.

What hope we have. As we do this, as we share these words with one another, I think it helps us sharpen one another. It helps us not to get so distracted by the many other things that are going on in our life, but to remember, yes, death is coming. But Christ has overcome the grave. And so we can spur one another on in these things.

We can be that friend, that encouragement that is willing to discuss these things because it's this truth. The belief in Christ's death and resurrection, that He died and rose again, that encourages us more than anything else. It rewrites the narrative. It changes everything. That great curse is destroyed.

A biblical scholar Joseph Addison Alexander once said, if men are prepared to die, they are ready for anything. And so I've already asked you, but I'll ask you once again. Are you ready to die? Are you ready to meet God? Because Christ destroyed the sting of death and rose victoriously. You can stare death in the face and not flinch.

You can have hope as you grieve the death of loved ones because Jesus rose again. And so let me close with these words from Psalm 23, same Psalm we opened our service with. I'll read verses four to six with us. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forevermore. Amen.

Let us pray. Lord, we thank you so much. We thank you so much, Lord, that while we deserve death, that we brought the curse of death into this world and that we cannot overcome it, you sent your Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross so that we no longer need to fear death, but we can have great hope that, Lord, this world is not all that there is, that there is much, much more to come. And so please fill our hearts with hope. Turn our minds to the death and resurrection of Jesus, and may these words be on our lips.

May it overflow from our hearts that we just long to encourage others with it, to comfort those who are mourning, to encourage those who fear death, to share this hope of eternal life with those who do not know it. Lord, please help us to be reassured both now of our own eternal destiny that we will be ready to meet God whenever that day may come. Help us to be ready now, but also help us to be ready for the future. Each day, continue to fill us with this hope. We thank you, Lord, that you died and you rose again.

Hallelujah. What good news that is. We give you thanks. We give you praise, and we pray this all in your name, Jesus. Amen.