The Comfort of the Lord's Return (Believers Who Have Died)

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

SECTION OUTLINE FOUR (1 THESSALONIANS 4)

Paul discusses the glorious hope of the church in view of Christ’s return.

I. The Challenges in View of the Return of Christ (4:1–12)

II. The Chronology of the Return of Christ (4:13–18)

A. The purpose (4:13, 18): Paul explains the Return of Christ for two reasons:

1. To clarify (4:13): He does not want them to be ignorant of God’s prophetic plan.

2. To comfort (4:18): This glorious event may be used to encourage each other.

B. The particulars (4:14–17)

1. The return of the Lord (4:14, 16a-c)

a. The saints (4:14): All believers currently in heaven will accompany him.

b. The sound (4:16a-c)

(1) A loud command (4:16a)

(2) The voice of the archangel (4:16b)

(3) The trumpet call of God (4:16c)

2. The resurrection of the dead (4:16d): The bodies of dead believers will rise first.

3. The response of the living (4:15, 17): The believers on earth will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

OPEN:

Who was the first family member you recall dying? Who have you been closest to through their dying days? How did this affect you? What else has shaped your view of death and dying?

DIG:

How would the Thessalonians have felt if they had remained ignorant of the Christian's resurrection and of Christ's return? How would Paul's words have encouraged them?
Do Paul's words about Christ coming as "a thief in the night" (at an unknown time) calm, or stir up fear? How does Paul's analogy of night and day speak to this fear?
How do faith, love and hope sum up what it means to "belong to the day" (1 Thessalonians 5:8; see 1 Thessalonians 1:3)?

REFLECT:

Of all the places you live (at home, work, school or church) where do you feel the need for more faith, more hope or more love? How can your group help you?
How can you be better prepared for Christ's return?
How does this passage help you as you consider your own death?