[Anglican Devotional 2 November 2022] Topic: The Comfort Of Christ’s Coming

Posted by: Henry || Categories: Devotional

TOPIC — The Comfort Of Christ’s Coming

READ: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NKJV)

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive [and] remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Therefore comfort one another with these words.
THE MESSAGE:

Many times, we have sorrow that our loved ones are not here – we miss them! It is natural to feel grief – Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus, His friend – but we are not to be sad for them, but encouraged by the hope and promise Jesus gives us of the resurrection to eternal life.

St. Paul in our text today, speaks about those who have died in hope, describing them as asleep in Jesus until the general resurrection. He maintains that when Jesus appears again, those who are asleep will rise first and those who are still alive, shall be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

We must prepare ourselves now through repentance and faith, purifying ourselves by the Body and Blood of Christ that we might draw closer to God and to our faithful departed loved ones. Paul assures the believers that people who die in the Lord will not miss out on that great event. They will have places of honour as the saints rise to meet the returning King. Those who died in the Lord are not left out of the party – they will be raised so everyone can celebrate together. The bottom line is simple: “And so we will be with the Lord forever” (verse 17). This is our comfort.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, grant us grace to prepare ourselves for Your coming and to be faithful to the end so Your coming will not take us unawares in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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