WORDS OF COMFORT FOR GRIEF --- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 | FATHOM CHURCH (Pastor Nathan Deisem)

WORDS OF COMFORT FOR GRIEF
FATHOM CHURCH - Pastor Nathan Deisem

1 Thess. 4:13-18; Acts 17; Matt 5:2-4; Philippians 1:21-24; 2 Cor. 5:6-8;

• INTRODUCTION: Hey Fathom Church!
o I had intended to return to the Proverb’s Series this week…
As many of you know my uncle Tim Mindek went on to be with the Lord this week.
• When someone else experiences this kind of personal loss, does it stir up past feelings of your own losses???
o Today’s message is meant to be an encouragement, because the text is meant to be and encouraging!
o I have read this text a hundred-bazillion times…
Today is not a day for comparative eschatology
Today is about God’s comforting words in times of grief when we’ve lost loved ones in faith!

o The vision of FATHOM CHURCH is to be a diverse body of complete disciples who pursue intimacy with God, find identity in Christ, and impact the world through the power of the Holy Spirit.
--- What do we want?
• Intimacy. Identity. Impact.
--- How do we get it?
• With God. In God. Through God.

o C&MA - DNA
Fourfold Gospel – Christ Our…
• Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who ‘are asleep,’ that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
• UNINFORMED – The people were scared for their departed loved ones!
o “ARE ASLEEP” – Is Paul peculiar to call death “fallen asleep?”
Matthew 27:52 “The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised,” [[[Immediately after Jesus’ death on the cross]]]
John 11:11-14 – Lazarus’ Death
• Believers who have died

o “NOT GRIEVE AS OTHERS DO”

Philippians 1:21-24 “ 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means FRUITFUL LABOR FOR ME. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.”

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 “ 6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”

o “NO HOPE”
Grief for the believer is far more complicated than for the non-believer … but I wouldn’t trade it!
• This contradicts “UNIVERSALISM”
o The “FRUITFUL LABOR” is necessary!

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 cont…

14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, EVEN SO, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have ‘fallen asleep.’
• EVEN SO = “In The Same Way”
Bring with him … From the Grave!

15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
• By a word from the Lord – Jesus told Paul this!
Think about how specific Paul is being here!

16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a CRY of command, with the VOICE of an archangel, and with the SOUND OF THE TRUMPET of God. And the dead in Christ will rise FIRST.
• This is the noisiest verse in the Bible!
o This is an epic event!

17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, AND SO WE WILL ALWAYS BE WITH THE LORD.
• Always – Forever – Ever lasting – Eternity – The remainder of eternity in finite sequence
o “When we’ve been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise, then when we first begun”
18 Therefore ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER with these words.
• This is meant to be an encouragement to those of us who have lost loved ones in the faith!
o There is only HOPE for those who are in Christ Jesus!

APPLICATION

1. Don’t be uninformed or fail to remember! Christian Grief is different because the spiritual circumstances are different!
A. It still hurts …
B. But it is tempered with encouragement!
2. If we believe in Jesus, we will all be reunited with our deceived loved ones who also believed in Jesus, AND WITH JESUS!
3. It is critical that we share the Gospel, because outside of Jesus there is no hope!

#NathanDeisem #FathomChurch #WordsOfComfort

WEBSITE:
https://fathomcma.org

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/fathomcma

TWITTER:
https://twitter.com/NathanDeisem