April 10, 2022
Lessons Learned
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
by Wayne Gaeddert
1. Sleep as a euphemism for death: John 11:11; Acts 7:60, 13:36; 1 Cor. 11:30; 1 Cor. 15:6, 18, 20, 51; 2 Peter 3:4.
2. Grieve means to feel pain, of body or mind, and so to experience severe mental or emotional distress.
3. “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” 1 Cor. 15:51-52
4. Some believers will not die because they will be alive on the day Jesus returns.
5. “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” Matt. 24:36
6. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21
7. “Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” 2 Cor. 5:8
8. “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” John 14:1-4
9. “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.” 2 Cor. 5:1-5
10. Physical death is a temporary state that will end when the physical body rises from the dead at the resurrection.
11. Application:
· Grieving the loss of a loved one is normal.
· Jesus will one day return to claim for Himself all who have ever believed in Him.
· At the time of the loss of a loved one, we need to be reminded of the truths of this scripture.
· Are you ready for the return of Jesus? The result for those not prepared is to be thrown into the lake of fire. Rev. 20:15
