Dear Christian friends:

One thing that makes the Christian's death different from the non-Christian's death is hope. True, even many non-Christians have some hope about life after death, but their hope is not established on a strong basis or foundation.

But the Christian's hope is clear and is established on the strongest basis or foundation. In our text St. Paul tells about this hope. When a loved one dies we Christians should not grieve as those who have no hope. St. Paul says in the first verse of our text: "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. (verse 13) Then he explains what this hope is and its basis.

The same as the Christians of Thessalonica, we need this exhortation from St. Paul. Therefore let us attend to Paul's words here and be reminded about


What is this hope? What is its basis? St. Paul tells us clearly what this hope is explaining: "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. According to the Lord's word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For 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, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, 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. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (verses 14-17)

Therefore our hope is that although our body dies or the body of our loved one dies when Jesus comes again on the Last Day He will call our dead body to awake and live and go stay with Him forever in heaven's glory.

In 1 Corinthians 15:51-57, "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the Christian's wonderful hope when he meets death, either in himself or in his loved one!

True, this very hard to believe. It is so wonderful, like a dream. Many refuse to believe it, because it is beyond man's reason and understanding. Is it true? Yes, really! We can't understand it, but we believe it, because it is established on Jesus' death and resurrection, and is our hope because God Himself helps us believe it.

In our text St. Paul says, "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." (verse 14) Therefore, St. Paul is saying that the support, the basis of our hope is Jesus' death on the cross that first Good Friday, and His resurrection on Easter Morning.

Paul's argument is that because Jesus died on the cross and then arose from death three days later our sins are forgiven. And because our sins are forgiven we shall arise from death the same as Jesus died and arose from death. Jesus arose with a changed and eternal body. So, also shall we.

Notice! Paul says, "We believe that Jesus died and rose again and therefore we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him." So we need to believe! But who can believe such wonderful things? We can't ourselves. But through God's Word the Holy Spirit gives us faith. Through Baptism, through the Gospel preaching such as you are hearing today, through the Lord's Supper God's Spirit comes and enlightens our minds and hearts. So attend to God's Word regularly.

In closing his words about our Christian hope Paul admonishes us, saying, "Comfort each other with these words." (verse 18) We all need to hear these wonderful words again and again. Then our faith and hope will remain strong even when meeting death.

Amen.