1 Thessalonians 4 Hope Changes Everything

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

“Hope Changes Everything”

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 says, “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, let you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep 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 by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

There is a story about how the caverns north of Yellowstone National Park were discovered. As the story goes, one of the original explorers was walking along the top of that mountain and fell through a hole, and he dropped down several hundred feet into this cavern and was stuck in almost total darkness for over a week, no food, no water. He cried out every day, “Help me!” hoping that somebody would hear his voice and figure out that he was down there.

Sure enough a guy came along and heard this faint sound and looked around and found the hole. They dug him out and that’s how they found this giant cavern. They asked him, “How did you hold on to hope day after day in the dark without giving up?” He said, “There was one little pinhole ray of light that was coming through and I just kept focused on that ray of light.”

Over that last couple of weeks, we have been looking and dealing with the subject of Loss and Grief. Three weeks ago, we looked at James 4:13-16 and dealt not only with the subject of Life and Death, but that life and death brings losses into our lives. Two weeks ago, we looked at Lamentations 3:21-24, and learned that We Can Trust in God Even When Life is Tough. Last week, we looked at John 11:28-37 and was reminded Jesus Knows. Jesus sees our grief, He feels the affects of death, and He identifies with us in our grief. This morning, in our conclusion to this sermon series, we are going to see that Hope Changes Everything.

In the passage before us this morning, it is obvious that the believers at the church of Thessalonica were concerned about their loved ones who had died, obviously as believers in Christ. Christ would one day return, so what would that mean for their loved ones who have died (asleep) and for them that remain. Paul, not desiring for the believers to be ignorant about those who have died, revealed a wonderful and hopeful truth to the church, and that truth is this once again, Hope Changes Everything.

1. Hope Changes Our Grief (vs. 13)

In verse 13, Paul states, “But I do not want you to be ignorant brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.” The Apostle Paul did not want the Thessalonian believers to be ignorant. He did not want them to be clueless about their loved ones who have died in the Lord Jesus Christ. And the reason he wanted them to know this important truth is because this hope, this truth changes the way believers should grieve the loss of a loved one.

Notice something very important here. Paul never tells us not to grieve. Paul never tells us that we should not sorrow over the loss of someone we love. Paul never says not to weep over the loss of a child, parent, spouse, sibling, grandparent, or friend. In fact, in Romans 12:15, Paul says, “Weep with those who weep.” Church, it is not un-Christian to grieve over the loss of a loved one. It is not un-Christian to feel and experience all the emotions that come with the death of a loved one. In fact, if it was un-Christian to mourn, then why did Jesus mourn and grieve in John 11? Death rocks us all because it was never to be a part of our world as children of God. But when Adam and Eve rebelled against God and His Word, death is the consequence of sin, and death is something we will all experience.

So Paul is not saying we as believers should not be grieving, however, he does say “we don’t sorrow (grieve) as others who have no hope.” You see, according to the Apostle, hope changes the way we grieve over our loved ones who are in the Lord Jesus Christ. Church death is painful, but it is bearable for the believer because of hope. Hope is not wishful thinking for the child of God, it is rock-solid assurance based on the Word of the Lord.

For those who do not believe, there is no hope. John Phillips states, “Death is indeed a hopeless tragedy for those outside of Christ, regarding both those who die and those who are left behind to mourn.” For those who do not know Christ, there is no hope beyond the grave. But for us, and our loved ones who were saved by the grace of God, it causes us to grieve differently because of the hope we have in Christ Jesus. For the believer there is great hope and promise beyond this life. Church, the hope Paul speaks of here is faith in the unchangeable promises of the Lord.

The believer’s faith in Thessalonica was being tested over the loss of their loved ones. As Tom Elliff states, “Nothing test’s our theology like a life-altering problem.” Death is a life-altering problem, and Paul was taking this opportunity to remind them about their hope in Christ and His second coming. Why? Because our hope in the Lord changes everything, even the way we grieve. Yes, we will miss our loved ones. Yes, we will grieve over the separation that death has caused, but in the midst of our grief, we sorrow differently because we have hope! Hope in Christ changes the way we grieve!

2. Hope is Grounded in the Promises of Jesus (vs. 14-18)

Paul continues by saying, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” Paul is basically saying this. Church, do you believe that Jesus died for you on the cross? Of course we do. Church, do you believe that Jesus rose again from the grave? Yes! The cross and the resurrection is the gospel message. These are the central tenants of our faith. Since they believed this, and so do we, then we can trust in another promise of Jesus. Jesus came one time, and church, He is coming again!

And when He comes again, He is not coming alone. The text clearly states, “God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” The hope that changes everything is the glorious return of the Savior, and also a glorious reunion with our loved ones who are believers. John MacArthur says, “The blessed hope is not based on the shifting sands of philosophical speculation. Nor is it religious mythology, a fable concocted by well-meaning people to comfort those who grieve.” Church, the marvelous truth that one day Jesus will return is our blessed hope! And in this blessed hope will not only be united with the One who saved us, but with our families and friends that have gone before us. That is why we do not sorrow as those who have no hope. Death is the last enemy, but it is a defeated foe. It may separate us from those we love for a season, but one day there will be a great reunion on resurrection ground. N.T. Wright so rightly states, “If you are a Christian, your grief should be different. Why? If is infused with hope! The foundation of this hope is found in the promises of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Paul goes on to say, “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 by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead (our loved ones) will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.” What was the last thing Paul told the believers? Comfort one another with these words. What brings us comfort and hope during seasons of loss? The blessed hope of Jesus returning, and not just Jesus returning, but also our loved ones who are with Him!

Paul says all of this is the Word of the Lord. This news he is giving is divine revelation. One day Jesus is coming back, but when He comes back, we who are still on earth will not precede those who have died in Christ. Christ will come back with a shout, the trump of God shall sound forth, and when this happens the dead in Christ will rise. Those who have died, their soul went to be with the Lord. Paul states in 2 Corinthians 5:8, “To be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord.” When Jesus returns, their dead bodies will come forth from the grave to be reunited with their soul, and they will receive their resurrected bodies. After this takes place, those of us who remain shall be changed and caught up together with them in the clouds. And we will forever be with the Lord. Church, did you notice that important word? That word is “together!” In the song, What a Day that Will Be, it states, “There will be no parting there.” Oh brothers and sisters, what a glorious day that will be.

As Alexander the Great was setting out on his conquest of Asia, he inquired into the finances of his followers. To ensure that they would not be troubled over the welfare of their dependants during their absence, he distributed crown estates and revenues among them. When he had disposed of nearly all the royal resources, his friend and general asked Alexander what had he reserved for himself. The king answered, “Hope.”

What does the believer hold on to during seasons of loss and grief? Hope, but not just some hope, a hope that changes everything. Billy Graham once said, “Earth’s troubles fade in light of heavens hope.” This is the hope that helps when the troubles and heartaches of life come upon us. It is the hope that the Lord has our loved ones safe and secure, and that one day He is coming again! Paul’s words echo what Jesus states in John 14:1-3. Jesus says, “Let not your hearts be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

Church, the believer can have joy in the midst of sorrow because of hope. The believer can have peace in the middle of the storm because of hope. Hope in Jesus will make a way for us in the middle of our mourning and sorrow. The Christian Hope changes everything. There is coming a day when hope will replace despair. There is coming a day when hope will replace agony. There is coming a day when death will be swallowed up forever. Listen to what John the Apostle says in Revelation 21:4-5, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me. ‘Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

Have you noticed something very special about the blessed hope of a believer? Everything that death has caused and has caused us to feel, will one day be swallowed up in victory forever! Everything that is associated with death will be gone one day…No more tears, no more sorrow, no more crying, no more pain! Howard Eyrich describes grief with one word, “Pain.” But notice the blessed hope found in God’s Word…There is coming a day where there will be no more pain! Job is one of the individuals in Scripture that we know experienced great pain and loss. What got him through it? Blessed hope! He says in Job 25:19, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth.” That hope has not changed for us. Our Redeemer lives, and He keeps His promises.

Do you see now how the Christian hope changes everything? Jesus is the difference maker in our times of loss and grief. One day there will be a great reunion, and one day all of our grief will cease!

A little while ago, we sang a hymn entitled, “It is Well With my Soul” written by Horatio Spafford. Many of us have sung it quite a few times, but many may not know the story behind the song. Robert J. Morgan writes, “When the great Chicago fire consumed the Windy City in 1871, Horatio G. Spafford, an attorney heavily invested in real estate, lost a fortune. About that time, his only son, age 4, succumbed to scarlet fever. Horatio drowned his grief in work, pouring himself into rebuilding the city and assisting the 100,000 who had been left homeless.

In November of 1873, he decided to take his wife and daughters to Europe. Horatio was close to D.L. Moody and Ira Sankey, and he wanted to visit their evangelistic meetings in England, then enjoy a vacation.

When an urgent matter detained Horatio in New York, he decided to send his wife, Anna, and their four daughters, Maggie, Tanetta, Annie, and Bessie, on ahead. As he saw them settled into a cabin aboard the luxurious French liner, unease filled his mind, and he moved them to a room closer to the bow of the ship. Then he said goodbye, promising to join them soon.

During the small hours of November 22, 1873, as the liner glided over the smooth seas, the passengers were jolted from their bunks. The ship had collided with an iron sailing vessel, and water poured in like Niagara. The liner tilted dangerously. Screams, prayers, and oaths merged into a nightmare of unmeasured terror. Passengers clung to posts, tumbled through darkness, and were swept away by powerful currents of icy ocean. Loved ones fell from each other’s grasp and disappeared into foaming blackness. Within two hours, the mighty ship vanished beneath the waters. The 226 fatalities included Maggie, Tanetta, Annie, and Bessie. Mrs. Spafford was found nearly unconscious, clinging to a piece of wreckage. When the 47 survivors landed in Cardiff, Wales, she called her husband: Saved Alone.

Horatio immediately booked a passage to join his wife. En route, on a cold December night, the captain called him aside and said, “I believe we are now passing over the place where the liner went down.” Spafford went to his cabin and couldn’t sleep. He said to himself, “It is well; the will of God be done.”

Church, he later penned his hymn based off those words:

When peace like a river,

Attendeth my way,

When sorrows, like sea billows roll;

What ever my lot,

Thou has taught me to say

It is well; it is well, with my soul!

How could he pen such encouraging words during times of loss, grief and despair? Hope changes everything! Does it still hurt? Yes! Do times of sorrow still flood all of our lives in this place that have lost a loved one? Yes, but like Spafford, hope makes the difference!

I close this series with the words of “What a Day That Will Be.”

There is coming a day when no heart aches shall come,

No more clouds in the sky,

No more tears to dim the eye;

All is peace forever more on that happy golden shore,

What a day, glorious day that will be.

There’ll be no sorrow there, no more burdens to bear,

No more sickness, no pain,

No more parting over there;

And forever I will be with the One, who died for me,

What a day, glorious day that will be.

What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see’

And I look upon His face,

The One who saved my by His grace;

When He takes me by the hand,

And leads me through the Promised Land,

What a day, glorious day that will be.

Jesus is the Hope that changes everything!