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Day 4 1 Thessalonians 4 1 Thessalonians 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. 2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; 5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 6 That no man goes beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. 7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 8 He therefore who despises, despises not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. 9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. 10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; 11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12 That ye may walk honestly toward them who are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. 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. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 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. 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: 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. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. You know the strong points of your friends and family and encourage them to keep going. You also know what brings them down and you exhort them to change their ways before they end up in a bad situation. Even though Paul was in prison, he knew the state of the people he brought the message of hope and salvation to when he first came to their churches. He prayed for them, encouraged them, knew their strengths and weaknesses and exhorted them to throw off those things that hindered them as Christians, and strengthen those areas which honored the body of Christ. Paul also told them not to listen to false rumors of Jesus’ return and told them what to look for when He returned. As Christians, Paul’s message is the same to you. You are to strengthen those areas you are weak in, and get rid of those things which dishonor you. You are not to listen to false teachings, because you will know when Jesus returns. You will hear the trumpet call from heaven and Jesus will appear and take you to Himself. As for the statement Paul made regarding those who are asleep will rise first, the best explanation I found is from Matthew Henry’s Commentary. They sleep in Jesus. They are asleep, 1Th 4:13. They have fallen asleep in Christ, 1Co 15:18. Death does not annihilate them. It is but a sleep to them. It is their rest, and undisturbed rest. They have retired out of this troublesome world, to rest from all their labours and sorrows, and they sleep in Jesus, 1Th 4:14. Being still in union with him, they sleep in his arms and are under his special care and protection. Their souls are in his presence, and their dust is under his care and power; so that they are not lost, nor are they losers, but great gainers by death, and their removal out of this world is into a better. When a person dies, their soul is with Jesus in heaven, and the body is buried in the earth, the dust to which Paul referred. When the trump sounds, soul and body are joined. Then shall we ever be with the Lord. Paul told the church at Corinth how when they died, they were immediately in the presence of God. 2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (KJV) When Jesus returns, soul and body will unite once again. As Christians, you have much to look forward to because your physical death doesn’t separate you from God, but brings you into His presence. Let’s pray: Father, help me look forward to the day of my death with joy knowing I will be with You. Let me also look forward to the day when Your Son, Jesus, returns for His children, His bride, the church, and my soul and body will join together to be with You for eternity. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 7 May 2019 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay