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13 And regarding the question, friends, that has come up about what happens to those already dead and buried, we don't want you in the dark any longer. First off, you must not carry on over them like people who have nothing to look forward to, as if the grave were the last word. 14 Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave, God will most certainly bring back to life those who died in Jesus. 15 And then this: We can tell you with complete confidence - we have the Master's word on it - that when the Master comes again to get us, those of us who are still alive will not get a jump on the dead and leave them behind. In actual fact, they'll be ahead of us. 16 The Master himself will give the command. Archangel thunder! God's trumpet blast! He'll come down from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise - they'll go first. 17 Then the rest of us who are still alive at the time will be caught up with them into the clouds to meet the Master. 18 Oh, we'll be walking on air! And then there will be one huge family reunion with the Master. So reassure one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 The Message Bible)
"All I can say is that the MYF in Heaven is getting bigger by the day!" Those were some of the opening remarks I shared with the Saenz family on Saturday at the Service of Death and Resurrection of Mr. Hector Manuel Saenz. I also shared that I was blessed in seeing so many laughing, chuckling, and smiling at what usually tends to be a somber event. And I said the reason for this spirit in this room is that death has been defeated. Christ Jesus defeated death, we have believed and accepted that, and so hope is ours. And this is precisely what the Apostle Paul was addressing in this letter to the believers in Thessalonnia. Death in Paul's day was almost certain just for being a Christian in a pagan world. The persecution of the Church, as he well knew, was a real threat to all believers, and so he addresses the question family members and friends asked about those who had died as believers. Paul does not want them uninformed about death and what Paul knew about it. Paul begins by saying they should not weep and "carry one over them like people who have nothing to look forward to, as if the grave were the last word." Paul had seen, as have we, those who do mourn and weep as if they have been defeated by death. I was one of those kids whose parents took us to all the funerals and man what sights and sounds we saw and heard at some of those! It got to the point where as kids we would say, "And the Oscar goes to..." for those who seemed to be putting on more of a show than true mourning. God forgive us our childish sins!
Death has been defeated! Yes, Satan has been defeated and his attempts to ruin our lives are in vain, for he is a vanquished foe. The grave is not the last word; in fact, the grave is the first word on life of the eternal kind. Paul reminds us that Jesus is the victor over death, bringing back to life those who died in Him, and he states proudly, "And then this: We can tell you with complete confidence - we have the Master's word on it - that when the Master comes again to get us, those of us who are still alive will not get a jump on the dead and leave them behind. In actual fact, they'll be ahead of us."
Paul assures us that when Jesus returns, He will not leave the deceased behind. In fact, they will be the first to rise. The sequence of events on that day will include the command of the Master, the thunderous voice of the archangel, and the resounding trumpet blast of God. It will be a divine symphony announcing the grand reunion.
As believers, we will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Master. The imagery of this moment is breathtaking. We will be walking on air, entering into the presence of our Lord. The culmination of all this is a joyous family reunion with our Savior.
These words from Paul offer us profound comfort. They assure us that death is not the end but a transition to a glorious future. Our grief is replaced with hope, and our sorrow is turned into joy. As we walk through life's uncertainties, we can cling to the certainty of the hope of the resurrection.
So, let us take Paul's exhortation to heart and reassure one another with these words. Let us find comfort in the promise of resurrection, knowing that we will be reunited with our loved ones and, most importantly, with our Lord.
PRAYER: Loving God, we thank you for the hope of the resurrection through our Lord Jesus Christ. In times of grief and uncertainty, help us find solace in the assurance of your promise. Fill our hearts with the hope that one day we will be reunited with our loved ones and experience the joy of a grand family reunion with you. May this hope carry us through life's challenges and uncertainties. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord. YOUR CALL TO ACTION: Live a contagious hope-guided life!
Receive my blessings of joy and hope,
Pastor Eradio Valverde, Jr.
