Written by: John Sernaque
Call to Worship
1 Thessalonians 4: 13- 18
4:13 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.
4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
4:15 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.
4:16 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:
4:17 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.
4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Errors Regarding Christ’s Coming—
There was still another reason for Paul’s communication to these brethren. Some who were newly brought into the faith had fallen into errors in regard to those who had died since their conversion. They had hoped that all would witness the second coming of Christ; but they were in great sorrow as one after another of the believers fell under the power of death, making it impossible for them to behold that desirable event—the coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven. {7BC 908.18}
Some, who had fallen into the error that Christ was to come in their day, imbibed the fanatical idea that it was praiseworthy to show their faith by giving up all business, and resigning themselves to idle waiting for the great event which they thought was near ( Sketches from the Life of Paul, 110). {7BC 909.1}
The Last Trump—
When Christ comes to gather to Himself those who have been faithful, the last trump will sound, and the whole earth, from the summits of the loftiest mountains to the lowest recesses of the deepest mines, will hear. The righteous dead will hear the sound of the last trump, and will come forth from their graves, to be clothed with immortality, and to meet their Lord (SpT Series B, No. 2, p. 24). {7BC 909.2}
Sleeping Saints Guarded As Precious Jewels—
The Life-giver will call up His purchased possession in the first resurrection, and until that triumphant hour, when the last trump shall sound and the vast army shall come forth to eternal victory, every sleeping saint will be kept in safety and will be guarded as a precious jewel, who is known to God by name. By the power of the Saviour that dwelt in them while living and because they were partakers of the divine nature, they are brought forth from the dead.—Letter 65a, 1894 quoted in The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 4:1143. {Hvn 38.2}
Sadly, there are fanatics still in this day that resign themselves to idle waiting for the Lord. They cease from carrying out all life activities as well as discouraging the youth from going to school and pursuing an education, marrying, working, and exercising the gifts and talents God has blessed upon them. Jesus is coming, but He did not tell us to just sit and wait until His great day to come. This supposedly is to show their faith. The error of their way is foolish and lazy. God desires for all His children to live life abundantly, not to sit around doing nothing. Show your faith by telling others that you believe that Jesus died and rose again and is coming back to gather up His saints to bring them home to the heavenly kingdom. It will be no secret, He will come and every eye will see Him and every ear will hear the coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven. 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. The dead in Christ are not in heaven today and do not go to heaven until Christ returns. To believe otherwise is error and is the teaching of spiritualism. Keep the faith and hold fast the blessed hope that one day all will witness the second coming of Christ.
Dear Heavenly Father, God Almighty
We thank You for giving us this day and every day that You give us. We come before You this day on behalf of our dearly beloved brothers and sisters that have gone to sleep. For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything. We know that for us to live is Christ, and to die is gain. We thank You for the sacrifice You made for us all, and we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, that He should taste death for every man. You have written blessed are the dead, which die in the Lord that they may rest from their labors. We pray that we may continue to abound in Your work for we know that our labor in You is not in vain. We thank You for teaching us to not be ignorant concerning them which are asleep and that we sorrow not as others do which have no hope. We thank You for giving us this faith and the Blessed Hope that You will come for us, as the dead in Christ will rise first and then those which are alive, so shall we ever be with the Lord. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised? Thanks be to You Dear God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, for He will swallow up death in victory. We thank You for preparing a place for us in New Jerusalem where God will wipe away all tears from our eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away. We thank You for these promises wherefore we can comfort one another with these words. Keep us faithful that one day we may hear Your voice speak to us, well done thou good and faithful servant. Save us and forgive us of our sins. We thank You for hearing and answering our prayers and for giving us the victory over sin. Glory be to You Dear God. We thank You and praise You, in the name of Christ Jesus, we pray. Amen.
