The Hope of the Lord

Chapter 4 Review

Live a life pleasing to God (1-2)

Be sexually holy (3-8)

Love one another and others (9-12)

The church is called to live a certain way. In a way that is pleasing to God, that shows a concern to obey God and live in His will. But Paul’s concern for the here and now is informed by something beyond the here and now. Beyond the temporal is the eternal.

Over the next 2 weeks, I want seek to answer a question with you as we work though 1 Thess 4:13-5:11.

What are the consequences of living life without a concern for eternity?

Hopelessness

What do Christians have to cast out hopelessness?

Remember what we have said about some of the doctrinal confusion of the Thessalonians. They understood that Jesus was coming back at some point, but this fact caused concern among some about loved ones who had passed away. Essentially, they were concerned that those who pass away before Jesus returns would be lost.

A different kind of grief (13)

This is not to suggest that they should not be sad at the loss of a loved one, or that death is something that should not sadden us, or that we should not experience grief when a loved one passes away.

But the grief of those who are in Christ, for those who died in Christ should be different than the grief of those who are not in Christ. Hope, in other words, should not be absent from the Christian’s grief.

But why? We all know what it is to loose a loved one. We are familiar enough with grief. Death is sad for everyone. So what makes the difference? More specifically, what does Paul identify as the reason the Thessalonians should not grieve as though they have no hope?

The resurrection of Jesus (14-18)

What assurances do Christians possess as a result of the resurrection of Jesus?

Those who are dead in Christ will be raised to life (14)

death will no longer be a separator between those who are alive in Christ and those who are dead in Christ

Death is not an obstacle to hope for Christians (15)

Notice that when Christ returns, those who are dead in Christ will be raised to meet Christ before those who are alive at the time Christ returns.

I don’t want to presume too much here, but given the Thessalonians concern about the death of their loved ones and how it might effect their standing before God, this message that they will actually lead the way to meet Jesus when He returns emphasizes death’s inferiority to the resurrection power of Jesus. Death is no obstacle.

All Christians will celebrate Christ’s victory over death together with Him (16-17)

“cry of command” - imagery of official visits of Roman emperors to display their authority and rule.

When this happened, a delegation from where the king was visiting would go out to greet and accompany him back to the city.

There is military imagery here. This cry of command is a loud and commanding declaration to soldiers that their commander has arrived and that His authority is well in tact.

The dead in Christ are so far from being hopeless. They will lead the delegation, which will also include those living when Christ returns, to the clouds where they will all meet Christ.

Bottom line, the delegation will be comprised of all Christians, and they will all be alive together with Christ because He is resurrected from the dead.

It is the substance of our encouragement to one another (18)

This same phrase (therefore encourage one another…) shows up again in 5:11.

In both cases, Paul makes the point that the hope we possess as a result of the resurrection of Jesus should not only encourage us as we contend with trials (including death), but should also be what we use to encourage one another in our struggles.