Religions > Bible > If you had been here: Lazarus and 1 Thessalonians 4 - The Blessed Hope
| Topic: |
Religions > Bible |
| User: |
"te Aroha o te Kaiwhakaora" |
| Date: |
16 Nov 2005 04:15:55 AM |
| Object: |
If you had been here: Lazarus and 1 Thessalonians 4 - The Blessed Hope |
Note what Jesus says about Lazarus; "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep;
but I am going there to wake him up."
The disciples did not understand, hence Jesus had to put it in their terms;
"Lazarus is dead"
To the Lord, the passing of the flesh is not final death, but sleep. Why?
Look at what Jesus says to Martha: "Your brother will rise again." and
further: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will
live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never
die."
The resurrection is also a time of judgement, as can be seen in John
5:28-29; "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are
in their graves will hear his voice and come out - those who have done good
will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned."
So do not be concerned by thoughts such as that Martha had when she said
"if you had been here, my brother would not have died".
He may not be here on Earth at the present time, but he has left His Holy
Spirit, and the following promise for those who believe in Him;
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my
Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I
am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be
where I am. (John 14:1-3)
In 1 Thessalonians 4, we find Paul make mention of what is commonly
referred to as "the blessed hope".
Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or
to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus
died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those
who have fallen asleep in him. According 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. For 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. After 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.
[All scripture NIV]
.
|
|
| User: "Pastor Dave" |
|
| Title: Re: If you had been here: Lazarus and 1 Thessalonians 4 - The Blessed Hope |
16 Nov 2005 01:23:29 PM |
|
|
On Wed, 16 Nov 2005 23:15:55 +1300, te Aroha o te
Kaiwhakaora <aroha@manawa.o.Karaiti> spake thusly:
Note what Jesus says about Lazarus; "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep;
but I am going there to wake him up."
The disciples did not understand, hence Jesus had to put it in their terms;
"Lazarus is dead"
To the Lord, the passing of the flesh is not final death, but sleep. Why?
It was, but isn't anymore.
--
Pastor Dave Raymond
1st Century Church of Christ
Preaching the truth of Scripture,
from Creation to Revelation!
http://home.tampabay.rr.com/1stcentury
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But he who hates correction is stupid.
Go from the presence of a foolish man,
When you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge.
He who despises the word will be destroyed.
- Proverbs (assorted)
.
|
|
|
|
|
Related Articles |
|
|
