“The Hope Against Death"

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (ESV)13 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. 14 For since we believe thatJesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those whohave fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that wewho are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those whohave fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry ofcommand, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will becaught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we willalways be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.