1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 “People of Hope”

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:

• Christ Is Risen – Matt Maher
• Christ Alone – Passion ft. Kristian Stanfill
• Forever – Kari Jobe

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

• Build Others Up | Douglas Talks – Lesson for Kids
• God’s not dead – Newsboys with motions – Song for Kids
• He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands | Maker Fun Factory Music Videos | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• This Train Is Bound for Glory | Rocky Railway VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Discussion Questions for Children & Youth arelocated in the section after Explanation, Meditation, and Prayer (at the end of this email/blog).

Explanation:

The apostle now shifts topics to address the “issue of those who have fallen asleep” (v.13). The term “fallen asleep” is a metaphor for death. After Paul left Thessalonica, one of the believers passed away, and the congregation was deeply grieved. Hearing about this situation from Timothy, Paul writes, “You must not grieve like others who have no hope.” He means that believers ought to have a different attitude toward death than unbelievers do. This is because believers have hope. That hope is grounded in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus rose as the “first fruits,” showing what is to come for all who believe in Him. The statement, “God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him” (v.14), means that on the Day of the Lord, those who have died in Christ will participate in His resurrection.

Therefore, whether a person is physically alive or dead on the Day of the Lord is not of great significance. The phrase “According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that…” (v.15) means that what Paul is saying is grounded in the words of Jesus. The imagery, “The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God” (v.16), is also metaphorical. It expresses that the return of Jesus will be an unimaginably glorious event.

On the day of the Lord’s return, “the dead in Christ will rise first.” Then, “we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (v.17). This is the basis of the doctrine of the “rapture,” which resulted from interpreting figurative language as literal. In truth, we cannot know exactly what will happen on that day, and even if we did, we could not fully express it. All we can say is this: “And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

“These words” (v.18) refer to the teachings about the resurrection and the Day of the Lord. Jesus’s resurrection means that death is not the end. The promise of His return means that whether we live or die, we will always be with the Lord. If we truly believe this, we will not fear or grieve over death as if it were the end of everything.

Meditation:

The Christian faith is rooted in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He was crucified, buried in a tomb, and rose again on the third day. He did not merely recover in a mortal body—He was transformed into an entirely different kind of body. The Apostle Paul called it a “spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:44)—a body that dwells in a divine dimension, beyond linear time and three-dimensional space. Because this was a completely unprecedented event in human history, even the disciples who saw His body could not fully grasp what had happened. That is why Jesus stayed for forty days after His resurrection—to reveal Himself to His disciples.

Accepting the reality of Jesus’ resurrection changes one’s entire worldview. Resurrection means that what is visible is not all there is, and that physical life is not the ultimate reality. It tells us that the world we call “reality” is not the whole story, and that death is not the end of our existence. It means that this world is part of another world—one we cannot fully comprehend yet.

Scripture calls that world “the Kingdom of God.” The Kingdom of God does not exist in a specific corner of the universe—it is a dimension that includes and transcends the entire cosmos. After His resurrection, Jesus ascended and returned to that world. He will return again to renew all creation. This is what we call the “Second Coming.” On the day He returns, all who have died in Him will be clothed in the same kind of spiritual body and will enjoy eternity with Him.

This is the ultimate hope of all believers. Just as the resurrection is an event beyond human history, the Second Coming is also a transcendent event. Therefore, attempting to speak in detailed or specific terms about the Second Coming only leads to misunderstanding. Predicting the timing, describing what will happen as if it were a scenario, or portraying it in concrete detail is problematic because it cannot be adequately expressed in the language we currently use.

Every biblical description of the day of the Lord’s return is metaphorical. As Jesus Himself said, the Kingdom of God must be explained in parables. To read metaphorical language as literal fact is a dangerous misinterpretation. Through those metaphors, all we truly need to believe is this: “Whether we live or die, we will always be with the Lord.”

Prayer:

Lord, we so often and so easily forget how we have been transformed by Your grace and what has been promised to us. Because of that, there are times when we become discouraged or grieve as if everything has come to an end. Lord, renew our hope. Let that hope help us overcome sorrow and keep us from falling into despair. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: Because Jesus rose from the dead, we have a living hope that goes beyond this world. Even when we face death or sadness, we can trust that we will always be with Jesus—forever. That changes how we live, how we grieve, and how we look at life.

• For Preschool-Elementary
  • Have you ever been sad when someone went away or something ended? What helps you feel better?
  • What do you think it means that Jesus is always with us—even after we die?
  • If you could ask Jesus one question about heaven, what would it be?
• Youth
  • Why do you think it’s important for Christians to have hope, even in hard times like death or loss?
  • How does believing in the resurrection of Jesus change the way you think about your life right now?
  • When you feel discouraged or overwhelmed, what are some ways you can remind yourself of God’s promises?