Walking Dead - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

As I sat through a funeral today I was reminded of the hope we have in Christ. So often that hope becomes distant and our daily lives take front an center. The Lord breathed life into me during that funeral as he impressed upon me the need to live a real life on this earth; a life that is full. As those who are in Christ Jesus, let us live in the hope of what he has called us to. May we never walk around like living dead; functioning but not thriving. We were called to more than six hours of school a day or eight hours of work. We are called to be passionate followers of Christ, that we might be able to say with Paul, "To live is Christ and to die is gain!"

13Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep (we might use the term "pass away"), or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words.

Questions
1. What do you like in this passage?
2. What is difficult about this passage?
3. What did you learn about God?
4. What is He leading you to do?
5. What part will you take with you and think about today?

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