Courage in Death

We all grieve, but Christians grieve differently. “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.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:13 1. Grief is good. Grief and faith are friends. 2. Our grief should be accompanied by 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 4:14 How to Grieve - Don’t bury it. - Do it with others. - Turn to Jesus. How to Minister to the Grieving - Pray - Be present. -Join in their grief. We grieve differently because we live expectantly. “For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And 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, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.'" — Revelation 21:3–4