Asleep in the Lord

I heard someone say they hoped to go peacefully in their sleep like their grandfather did, not kicking and screaming like the passengers in his car.

Next Sunday morning we will begin to look at the resurrection and rapture. Tonight I want to focus on one phrase in 1 Thessalonians 4.13

1 Thessalonians 4:13 HCSB

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.

THOSE WHO ARE ASLEEP

That phrase is in 13,14,and 15

the word translated asleep in this passage shows up 18 times in the NT

It is translated as asleep, died, or dies, and sleep or sleeping.

There are other words that are also translated asleep that appear a few times in the Bible.

As you can imagine, the contexts of these words fall into two categories.

Those who are literally asleep (like Jesus in the boat or the foolish bridesmaids who fell asleep waiting on the groom to appear), but these account for only 5 out of around 20. So 75% fall into the second category

Those who have died.

Only Believers

Specifically would include

OT believers

Saints who were resurrected after the crucifixion

Lazarus (Those saints and Lazarus died again)

A little girl who is brought back to life

NT believers who died and are waiting for the resurrection

Softens the Blow

She passed or passed away.

Not with us anymore

Gone

John 11:11–13 HCSB

He said this, and then He told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I’m on My way to wake him up.” Then the disciples said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will get well.” Jesus, however, was speaking about his death, but they thought He was speaking about natural sleep.

But even with Jesus and the disciples, sometimes it gets lost in translation.

Provides Hope

If someone is only asleep, then they wake up.

John 11:25–26 HCSB

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die—ever. Do you believe this?”

Not Soul Sleep

2 Corinthians 5:6–9 HCSB

So, we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight, and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord. Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to Him.

7th Day Adventist teach this concept of soul sleep. They will say that since when you fall asleep you are not aware of the passage of time it is like you fall asleep (when you die) and then you are present with the Lord in your next conscience moment.

I can think of at least two passages that would seem to contradict this.

One is the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16.

We find there the rich man aware.

He knows torment.

He sees Lazarus afar off.

He speaks to Abraham.

They all have existence before the resurrection.

Also

Revelation 6:9 HCSB

When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the people slaughtered because of God’s word and the testimony they had.

the word translated people here is the word we get psyche from… or soul.

They have cognizant awareness, even somewhat aware of what is happening on earth.

Yet they do not yet have resurrection bodies which come much later in the book of Revelation.

Encouragement

1 Thessalonians 4:18 HCSB

Therefore encourage one another with these words.

This is the first command in the whole book of 1 Thessalonians.

Our hope that extends beyond the grave is an encouragement that we must give each other. Some days I will lose someone dear to me and I will need it. Somedays you will lose someone and you will need it.

Its reciprocal