Reunited

First Thessalonians 4:13-18 is my favorite passage in the Bible because it

gives me hope beyond the grave. It reminds me that my loved ones who have

died and were believers in Jesus Christ are not lost. We will be reunited

one dayI will meet them after death or at Jesus’s return when He will make

all things new, free from sin and death.

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In Acts 17, after preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in Thessalonica, the

apostle Paul had to flee due to persecution. Separated from these new

Thessalonian believers, Paul wrote a letter to address certain questions

that arose among them during his absence. (We know this letter as 1

Thessalonians.)

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Some members in the church were worried about believers who had died. Paul

wrote to assure them that the dead believers were not lost but were with

Jesus and would not be left out of His glorious return. Paul also urged the

Thessalonians to continue working so as to have their needs met as they

awaited Jesus’s return, and to live godly lives pointing to the good news

of Jesus as the one true king of the universe who has defeated sin and

death through His death and resurrection.

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To the Thessalonians, this passage meant their suffering and persecution

were not in vain because, at the end of it all, they would have the joy of

meeting and living forever with the One for whose sake they endured. They

even had the promise of reunion with loved ones who had died in Christ!

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This passage teaches me the same thing: that the living believers in Jesus

Christ and those believers who are dead are separated only for a period of

time. We will be reunitedwe will all meet Jesus at His return and live

with Him forever. Charity Kiregyera

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How can the hope of Jesus’s resurrection comfort us as we grieve? Read

Mathew 28:20, John 11:35, and Hebrews 4:14-16. How can Jesus’s presence and

empathy help us?

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If you are dealing with the loss of a loved one, who are trusted people

you can talk withsuch as counselors, pastors, parents, teachers, or

friends?

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For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also

believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers

who have died. 1 Thessalonians 4:14 (NLT)

Read Verses:

1Thess:4:13-1Thess:4:18