Monday 10th March
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” (NIVUK)
Having urged the Thessalonians to live quiet lives (v11), Paul addresses the fate of those who lie in the quietness of death. It is not that the death of believers before the return of their Lord caught them by surprise, such that they feel Jesus should have returned before anyone died. No, Paul likely had to leave in a rush before he could teach them basic Christian truths concerning their resurrection hope.
Hope is novel for those in the ancient world, particularly Gentiles. They sought solace with one another in this life because being reunited with loved ones at death was too much to hope for. Christians can grieve, but their grief is shaped by hope. That hope rests on Christ and Christ alone. Augustine, in a sermon likely preached on Easter Monday, AD418 captured the heart of resurrection hope beautifully…
“He died, but he vanquished death; in himself he put an end to what we feared; he took it upon Himself and he vanquished it, as a mighty hunter he captured and slew the lion. Where is death? Seek it in Christ, for it exists no longer; but it did exist and now it is dead. O life, O death of death! Be of good heart; it will die in us, also. What has taken place in our head will take place in his members; death will die in us also. But when? At the end of the world, at the resurrection of the dead in which we believe and concerning which we do not doubt.”
(Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 233.4-5)
He is able to keep that which was entrusted to Him, therefore we grieve with hope.
