13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.  14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.  15 According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.  16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.  18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.  - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House) 1984.

Dear Friends in Christ,

A true story… A missionary from the British Isles named Eric Barker spent more than 50 years in Portugal preaching the Gospel, often under adverse conditions.  During the Second World War the situation became so critical that Barker was advised to send his wife and eight children to England for safety.  His sister and her three children were also evacuated on the same ship.  Although his loved ones were forced to leave, he stayed behind to carry on the work.

At the first service following their departure, Barker stood before his congregation and said, "I’ve just received word that all my family have safely arrived home!"  He then proceeded with the service as usual.  It wasn’t until later that his people knew the full meaning of his words…

Just before the service he had learned that an enemy submarine had torpedoed the ship and that everyone on board had drowned, including his family.  Because they were all believers, he knew they had reached a far better place.  Although overwhelmed with grief at such a loss, Eric Barker was able to rise above the circumstances by the grace of God and keep on working for the Lord.  The knowledge that his family had joined the heavenly ranks of Saints Triumphant comforted his heart…

Like last week, our Scripture readings for this morning reflect the fact that we are in the season of end times.  It is during these final weeks before the old church year ends and the new one begins with Advent that God’s people have customarily turned their thoughts to the "last things."

Although they predated any kind of structured "church year," the Thessalonian Christians whom Paul addresses in our text also had their thoughts on the "last things."  In fact, they had lots of questions along these lines and had, apparently, even received some rather troubling misinformation about the end times.  So Paul instructed them – and us – through the words we have before us today. Let’s turn to them now and learn:

"Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.  We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.  According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep."  What was it that was disturbing the Thessalonian Christians?  From the words of Paul here it appears that some of the original members of the Thessalonian church had died since the time Paul was with them.  The members of the congregation were concerned that because these Christians were not going to be alive at the time of Christ’s return, they were somehow going to be lost… or at the very least, miss out on something.

So Paul goes to work on laying out the facts.  He recognizes that the pain of separation through death causes grief for both the believer and the unbeliever alike.  Anyone who has lost a loved one certainly knows what Paul is talking about.  But he wants to make it clear that the grief we feel at the loss of a loved one is different than that of the unbeliever, whom he refers to as "those who have no hope."

It is indeed sad to see how the unbeliever deals with death, either his own or the death of a loved one.  What is it they look forward to?  What is it they cling to?  What gives them hope?  Sadly, the answer to all three questions is the same: nothing.  Consequently, death is something to be denied and avoided – which, of course, is impossible.  But that doesn’t stop people from trying…

So we see and hear of people doing truly strange things in their quest to beat death.  We hear about people who make arrangements to freeze themselves after they die and then be thawed out sometime in the future when science has discovered the key to immortality.  We hear about people going through extensive and expensive medical rituals in an attempt to reverse the aging process.  And then there was Ponce de Leon.  Remember him?  He was the Spanish explorer who tirelessly sought to find the Fountain of Youth.  And every person without hope after death is still looking for it in some form or another.

But there is no fountain of youth.  People die.  Both Christians and non-Christians.  But here’s the difference: when the Christian dies, there is the sure hope that death is not the end of the line.  Paul tells us why we have this sure hope: "We believe that Jesus died and rose again…"  He takes us back to Easter Sunday when Jesus rose from the grave, thus showing his complete power over death.  Paul said if they believed this – and he knew that they did – then a second point to believe goes hand in hand with it.  Jesus promised that His resurrection means we also will conquer death.  "Because I live, you also will live."  And that changes things.  Death is no longer the Grim Reaper or "the end of the line."  For us it is nothing less than the door to life in heaven…  Or, as Paul refers to it in our text, a sleep from which we will awaken in glory.

Paul continues to address the Thessalonians’ concerns.  What about those believers who are still alive at the coming of the Lord?  Will they have some advantage over those who have already died?  None whatsoever.  One group will not receive preferential treatment over the other…  He then goes on to inform them and us how it will all take place…  "For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we will be with the Lord forever.  Therefore, encourage each other with these words."

On December 24 and 25 we will gather together to celebrate the coming of Christ.  He came to us first as the meek and mild Babe of Bethlehem.  The second time around it will be completely different.  The next time the world sees Jesus He will be announced by the voice of a high ranking angel accompanied by the piercing sound of a trumpet.  It will be enough to literally wake the dead.  And it will take place, as Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians, "in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye."  In other words, the whole process Paul now describes should not be thought about in terms of hours or even minutes… it will be an instantaneous event.

As to the concern of the Thessalonians for those who had preceded them in death, Paul says they will rise from their graves first and join Christ "in the air."  Following that the Christians who remain alive at the time of the Second Coming will be "caught up together with them in the clouds."  The emphasis Paul makes is on our togetherness with Christ, not some sort of ranking system.

Why this gathering "in the air?"  Perhaps the Apostle Peter can provide us with an answer.  In his first letter he tells us that the Lord will subject the earth to fire, either to annihilate it completely (as some say) or (better understood) to refine it, purify it, and transform it into "the new heaven and the new earth, the home of righteousness."  However it is to be understood, this much is certainly clear: There – in heaven – in glorified resurrection bodies eternally free from the consequences of sin we will be "with the Lord forever."  And for all eternity we will be Saints Triumphant.

Ever wonder what heaven is going to be like?  I’d guess that most of us have.  Some of us with strong imaginations might even have some pretty vivid impressions, while others of us are content to simply know it’s going to be great…  In the Book of Revelation the Apostle John is given several glimpses of what awaits us in heaven.  I’d like you to hear some of what he has to say.  Without any commentary on my part let’s listen to a few of these sections – and then draw our own conclusions…

A final consideration on this whole topic is: How do we use this information today?  What practical value does all this have for our everyday life?  Recall the final words of our text.  Paul tells us to "encourage each other with these words."  This information has been given to us for our personal and inter-personal encouragement.  Specifically, it encourages us…

To look ahead with confidence.  The Gospel message is a sure thing.  Jesus wants us to be secure now in where we will be spending our forever.  In the Gospel of John Jesus says: "… Everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."  Jesus came to provide us with eternal life.  Heaven is not just some nice pie-in-the-sky concept that well-meaning people have devised to take the edge off of death.  It is real.  And it is ours.  Shortly before His passion Jesus told His disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them – and us – and that He would come back for us so that we could live there body and soul eternally.  Likewise, heaven is not an "I hope I make it" proposition.  It is guaranteed to those who know and trust Christ as the Savior from sin.  This is encouraging.  And this allows us to look ahead with confidence.  "I’m but a stranger here, heaven is my home."

Secondly, this information allows us to look ahead with joy.  This world is not all there is.  This is worth pondering, especially in our dark days.  Recall the words of Paul (who had plenty dark days himself): "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."  Or, in the words of the hymn, Jerusalem the Golden: "I know not, oh I know not, what joys await us there, what radiancy of glory, what bliss beyond compare…"  The knowledge that the best is yet to come is encouraging.

Finally, this information emboldens us to look ahead with anticipation.  This is especially true for those of us with loved ones already in heaven.  We think of what they are now enjoying.  We think of what awaits us.  We think of the grand reunion that is coming up when the thin line of time that now separates us will dissolve into the seamlessness of eternity.  And we are encouraged to know that we will see our loved ones again…

The point: The reality of heaven doesn’t just kick in when we die.  Knowing it is there has a profound impact on our lives and our outlook on life now.

We’ll bring our thoughts to a close.  We began with the story of a missionary who found comfort in his grief.  His family had safely arrived in heaven.  Someday, he knew, he would join them.  And together they would be Saints Triumphant.

This is the same comfort Paul holds out for all believers in Christ in our text for today.  Christ will come again.  Christ will take us home.  Christ will reunite all believers in heaven.  This is our comfort.  This is our confidence.  Let us be encouraged by these words.  Amen.