“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

The reality of aging is the growing list of those who have preceded us in death. From my current vantage point, it is staggering to consider all those who have died that I have known. And, there will be more. For that reason, these precious words from 1 Thessalonians 4 take on greater meaning and assurance.

The dead are those who are asleep. Several years ago, my wife and I visited one of the oldest cemeteries in the United States, in Charleston, South Carolina. Numerous grave markers bore phrases such as, “asleep in Jesus,” or “awaiting the resurrection,” or something similar. In bygone years there was obviously an understanding of the truth that the dead are asleep, until the resurrection call.

Death is a grievous reality, without question. But, present grief is diminished in light of resurrection hope. Jesus, the firstfruits or, we might say, the prototype of what is to come, is the source of our hope. His resurrection is inseparably tied to ours. With a note of authority, Paul writes “by the word of the Lord” to inform us that the dead in Christ, rather than being forever consigned to death, will precede us in resurrection. Announced with very specific signs, the risen Christ will personally descend from His exalted heavenly position to greet His resurrected followers midair even as he makes his way to the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:4) to return as the victorious King of kings and Lord of lords.

Perhaps you especially needed to be reminded of these wonderful comforting words from 1 Thessalonians 4 today. The sting of death may be especially strong today at the recent loss of a loved one, or at the painful memory of loss. As surely as Christ lives, our loved ones will live again, even as we shall be changed if we live until that day.

“Therefore comfort one another with these words.” These are words we are to often mention to one another for comfort. I pray that the mention of them today has brought you a special measure of needed comfort.

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