Verse 13
[13] But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
Now — Herein the efficacy of Christianity greatly appears, - that it neither takes away nor embitters, but sweetly tempers, that most refined of all affections, our desire of or love to the dead.
Verse 14
[14] For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
So — As God raised him.
With him — With their living head.
Verse 15
[15] For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
By the word of the Lord — By a particular revelation.
We who are left — This intimates the fewness of those who will be then alive, compared to the multitude of the dead. Believers of all ages and nations make up, as it were, one body; in consideration of which, the believers of that age might put themselves in the place, and speak in the person, of them who were to live till the coming of the Lord. Not that St. Paul hereby asserted (though some seem to have imagined so) that the day of the Lord was at hand.
Verse 16
[16] For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
With a shout — Properly, a proclamation made to a great multitude. Above this is, the voice of the archangel; above both, the trumpet of God; the voice of God, somewhat analogous to the sound of a trumpet.
Verse 17
[17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Together — In the same moment.
In the air — The wicked will remain beneath, while the righteous, being absolved, shall be assessors with their Lord in the judgment.
With the Lord — In heaven.
Sermon Story "Joy and Grief" by Gary Lee Parker for Sunday, 2 November 2014
The confusion that Pastor Brent shares about why Jesus would cry when he knew that he was going to raise Lazarus back to life and that after his own death, He would be raised to life brings me to two theories. The first theory is that Jesus was not grieving over the death of Lazarus as much as he was grieving over the lack of understanding by te grievers about this life and the resurrected life for those who believe in God. The other theory is similar, but Jesus is grieving over His people who do not understand who he is. Now, we go to the Letter the The Thessalonians and Paul's explanation of why followers of Jesus or The Way do not grieve as the people who not follow Jesus. Paul was didappointed in the Followers of Jesus who were grieving the loss of their fellow Messianic friends and family just as the people who did not follow Jesus that once we died that was it. The grief that we have is the grief that we will no longer see our friends and family in this life, but we will see them in the resurrected life because Jesus, Himself, not only died but was raised to new life than ascended to set up a place for us who follow Him with His Father. There is another grief that each of us may have in our own deaths is that we will leave the people we care about and love and not see them again in this life, but our joy comes when we will see them again in the full Presence of Jesus in His own resurrected body. Jus as Paul said to the community in Philippi that I long for the presence of Jesus, but I struggle with now because now, "To Live is Christ, and To Die is Gain." With this message story, I am reminded of the Hymn "What A Day That Will Be:"
1. 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.
Chorus: What a day that will be,
When my Jesus I shall see,
And I look upon His face,
The One who saved me 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.
2. 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.
Chorus: What a day that will be,
When my Jesus I shall see,
And I look upon His face,
The One who saved me 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
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