September 18
Bible Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4
1 Thessalonians 4:13, “That you may not grieve as others who do not have no hope.”
Year ago, I was leading a men’s Bible study, when someone made an unexpected comment. He said he didn’t understand why Christians grieve the loss of a believing loved one, since they know where the person has gone. The comment was shallow and naïve, yet it led us to a healthy and corrective discussion. Grieving is the natural response to the loss of a loved one. However, it’s important to distinguish between grieving with hope and grieving with no hope.
Today’s Bible reading speaks of the rapture. Christ is coming again to rapture His church! “The dead in Christ will rise first. 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” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Herein lies our hope, and we are to encourage one another in this great truth (1 Thessalonians 4:18)!
Yet the fact we have such a hope does not mean we do not grieve. It only means we grieve in a different way. Since that long ago Bible study, I’ve conducted more funeral services than I can recall. For both believers and unbelievers. There were services for younger folks who had died unexpectedly along with older adults who had died after a long fight with some disease. I’ve witnessed the deep sorrow and many tears of those saying goodbye to the person they loved. From the moment of Laura’s cancer diagnosis until today, God has been gracious, yet that doesn’t mean there has been no sorrow. These past years, working as a hospice chaplain, I’ve witnessed much, much sorrow. I’ve led several GriefShare groups. Everyone who has come to those has lost someone–a wife, a husband, a child, a grandchild. They came because their hearts were broken over being separated from someone they loved. Indeed, there is much suffering in this world!
One good reason for hope is in Jesus we have One who cares. The “Man of Sorrows” is well aware of our pain and everything we face. Isaiah 53 describes him to be “despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3a). Jesus wept at a funeral. He sorrowed with those who were grieving, though knowing full well He would soon raise Lazarus from the dead. He shared their sorrow. But on the cross, He’d do even more than that, as Isaiah 53:4 puts it, “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” There is death, grief, and sorrow in this world because of sin. All that troubles this world can be ultimately traced back to that root cause. In dying for sin, Jesus experienced immeasurable grief and sorrow (Matthew 26:38, 27:46) in order to reverse the curse of sin. Through the blur of our tear-filled eyes, we look to the cross to the One who died for our sins! He is our comfort and reason to hope!
Jesus is coming again!! The One who “died and rose again” (1 Thessalonians 4:14), is coming for us! There’s no place on this planet to which we can escape the sorrow associated with suffering and loss, but Jesus has promised to come to take us home. Home, to a place where “he will wipe the tears from (our) eyes!” Home, where “death shall be no more!” Home, to that perfect, sinless place in the presence of God where there’ll be no more mourning, crying, or pain (Revelation 21:3-4)! We still grieve now, in suffering loss, but our sorrow is mixed with the confident expectation of a coming heavenly reunion in the presence of Jesus!
It’s okay to cry for now, but the Day is coming when there’ll no longer be any reason to!
Man of sorrows what a name
for the Son of God, who came
ruined sinners to reclaim:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
When he comes, our glorious King,
all his ransomed home to bring,
then anew this song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
LookingtoJesus 