Falling Asleep

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 ESV). I am aware that today is Mother’s Day. So, though it is not much more than a nod to all of those who are Mother’s, I want to acknowledge their sacrifices and incredible contribution to all of us. Especially to the three incredible mother’s I know, Mary, Brandy, and Becca, may God continue to bless and give you great grace as your children honor you in all things. With that said, today, I want to continue our little study of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians. Our reading today mentions “those who are asleep.” Sleep was a common euphemism for death in Paul’s day. His task was to help the Thessalonians learn how to respond to death now that they had become Christians. For those with pagan backgrounds, the idea of resurrection was new and strange. Paul doesn’t go into detailed speculation about the details of our future life. He simply reassures his readers that they can trust in the power of God to do with the dead what the Father did with Jesus. He raised him from death to life, and so will he do to us. Notice that Paul doesn’t say they shouldn’t grieve anymore now that they know about the promise of resurrection. He says they will grieve differently now. For Christians, this means that we still mourn the loss of those we love. Their absence is hard to bear, even if we are comforted in believing that they are in God’s presence. But in the midst of our bereavement we also live into the mystery that death doesn’t have the final word. As a pastor and counselor, I’ve frequently witnessed the mysterious, sometimes heart-wrenching experience of watching a person depart this earthly life. I don’t have answers or explanations for the tough questions that loved ones may cry out, nor can I alleviate the grief they are going through. But often powerful comfort for the moment can come in the form of a prayer of commendation, where together we entrust the dying person into the hands and safekeeping of God, for all eternity. John Wesley preached his last sermon of Feb 17, 1791, in Lambeth on the text "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near" (Isa 55:6). The following day, a very sick man, he was put to bed in his home on City Road. During the days of his illness, he often repeated the words from one of his brother's hymns: I the chief of sinners am, But Jesus died for me! His last words were, "The best of all is, God is with us!" He died March 2, 1791. Death is not extinguishing the light from the Christian; it is putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.