Good Morning

The Topic Of Grief Grief for the Dead In Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) Paul comforts believers in Jesus who are grieving the loss of loved ones, that He does not dismiss the sorrow they feel, but rather he reminds them of the greater realization of their shared hope in Christ’s resurrection and promised return. This is because Jesus conquered death, when He arose from the dead. Friends we are not e’re bound together in belief but also in eternal hope and destiny. In those moments when we feel hopeless, when our grief overwhelms us and our life seems fractured, it is then that our love of Christ secures us, as we have build our lives on the rock, a firm foundation. So there for we do not grieve “like the rest of mankind, who have no hope” (v. 13), because our hope is rooted in a Savior who lives and who’ll return to take us to be with Him where He is forever. This promise unites hearts across generations, cultures, and death itself. In Jesus, separation is temporary, and reunion is certain. When everything else feels lost, His love holds us fast. Lets take a look. This topic is not an easy topic to talk about and or to deal with. The porton of scripture above speaks of it being easier for the believer in Christ, which I agree with, but I must say some deaths are harder to deal with than others, for me at least and I believe it is harder also for all believers, you will understand as we go through my divotional this morning and tomorrow morning as it is two parts because of the length of it. For me there are two type of death, there is the death of those we believe have given their lives to Christ and we are sure or pretty sure they will be meeting us in heaven one day. But then, this is the one that I grieve over a lot more, are those who die, and I know they have lived a rotten no good life, or they have lived a good life and have not acknoleged tha fact that they know or even want to know Christ. These deaths are a lot more grievious than the others. So, I want to take a look at both. Those who die in Christ today, and those who die without Christ tomorrow. But before I start I need to keep this verse in mind, because I will likely refer to it as I go.. its found in (1 Samuel 16:7) it says "But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart'" First I want to deal with those who I believe are true belivers in Christ, remember this ismy perseption, and this one I deal with better than the other. After a loved one whether family ot not passes, we all feel a certian saddness that comes over us at the time. This is a natural feeling in a loss. its a healthy, and holy expression of love and loss, its not a sign of a weak faith. But because we believe, the one who has passed from this life into the next is now in a far better place, in the arms of the Lord, they are singing and praise the Lord, for they have just came into their eternal inheritance. But it is those who are left behind that experience the pain of separation. yet rhe hope is there that this grief is not hopeless despair, but rather a temporary sorrow comforted by the certainty of a future resurrection and reunion. Because I believe and know Christ personally I will one day meet them again in heaven, or in the clouds when Christ returns. So therefore it is not a hopeless separation or good bye, but rather it is until we meet again. (1 Thessalonians 4:13) so as a Christian I grieve differently because of the assurance of eternal life. Even Jesus grieved and Jesus wept at Lazarus's tomb (John 11:35), validating the pain of loss, we all will have. Yet that pain does not last, but rather the good times and good memories stay with me forever. Because I know the dead in Christ are immediately with Him, enjoying, as stated in Philippians 1:21-23, a "gain" rather than a loss. The Hope and comfort for me as a believer, in knowing the loved one knew Jesus personally, is thos, that, "The "dead in Christ" will rise first, and as believers we will be reunited at the return of Christ in the clouds to take us home to heaven for eternity. Eternity, os forever, time without end. So, God is the source of comfort in all troubles (2 Corinthians 1:3–4), alive on earth or alive in heaven, God is there, for the believer. But even so, we who are left behind as believers are still human, so it is important to lean on the community of believers during times of mourning. It is a weaker time in our spiritual lives and the enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) Heavenly Father, Thank you for the comfort of my soul in knowing you, and in knowing that some of those who have gone before have known you. And I thank you that you are the judge and you look at the heart not at the outward appearance or what we look like from the outside. I am so glad that I am not the judge, and I have peace in my heart, because you are a just God.. In your name I pray AMEN. As I finish today, I want you to come back tomorrow and I want to approch the other subject of those who pass that do not know Christ and what the forever more looks like for them. Its not one that anyone likes to talk about bit because the scriptures adress it, so must we. See you tomorrow.