Not Dead But Sleeping
Pastors Rodney & Adonica Howard-BrownePublish date: 07/21/2024
Foundation Scriptures:
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NKJV
1. Those Who Have Fallen Asleep.
a. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 AMPC –– Now also we would not have you ignorant, brethren, about those who fall asleep [in death], that you may not grieve [for them] as the rest do who have no hope [beyond the grave].
b. If the Bible exhorts us not to be ignorant about something, its usually because most people are indeed ignorant about the subject in question.
c. We are not to be ignorant about what happens to a believer when they die—or rather, when their body dies.
d. They are not dead and gone forever.
e. They have not gone to a lost and hopeless eternity like an unbeliever.
f. Unbelievers have no hope beyond the grave, but believers do.
f. We have hope that we—our spirit—will enter straight into the presence of God, in Heaven when our body dies.
g. 2 Corinthians 5:8 AMPC –– [Yes] we have confident and hopeful courage and are pleased rather to be away from home out of the body and be at home with the Lord.
h. We have the hope that we will see Jesus face-to-face and be reunited with our loved ones, who are born again and have gone before us.
i. Those believers who breathe out their last breath are not dead and gone and lost forever.
j. They live, and their bodies are merely “asleep,” awaiting resurrection.
k. Jesus told us as much before He raised both the young girl and Lazarus from the dead.
l. Mark 5:39 NKJV –– When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.”
m. The people mocked Jesus for this, but He threw them out and raised her from the dead.
n. John 11:11-14 AMPC –– He said these things, and then added, Our friend Lazarus is at rest and sleeping; but I am going there that I may awaken him out of his sleep. 12 The disciples answered, Lord, if he is sleeping, he will recover. 13 However, Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He referred to falling into a refreshing and natural sleep. 14 So then Jesus told them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
o. Even the disciples, who did not know Lazarus was already dead and in the grave, thought Jesus was referring to normal sleep.
2. Resurrection.
a. The bodies of everyone, from Abel onwards, who believed in God’s promise of salvation through Jesus Christ the Messiah, were (or are) asleep, awaiting resurrection.
b. When Jesus was raised bodily from the dead, so were many of the saints whose bodies were asleep in death.
c. Matthew 27:50-53 NKJV –– And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
d. The great earthquake split their graves open, and after Jesus’ resurrection, they were bodily raised from the dead and seen by many.
3. Hope.
a. 1 Thessalonians 4:13b AMPC ––…that you may not grieve [for them] as the rest do who have no hope [beyond the grave].
b. The Father does not want us to overly grieve and sorrow for our saved loved ones who have died.
c. The world has no hope and so it is a huge tragedy when their loved ones die.
d. Unfortunately, they will never see them again.
e. Unlike the unsaved world, we have hope beyond the grave.
f. Colossians 1:5 AMPC –– Because of the hope [of experiencing what is] laid up (reserved and waiting) for you in heaven. Of this [hope] you heard in the past in the message of the truth of the Gospel.
g. Yes, we do feel grief at the loss of our family or friends, but at the same time, we have hope.
h. We are comforted, knowing that we will be reunited with them in the future.
i. They cannot come to us, yet, but we will soon join them—whether we, too, fall asleep in death or are caught up alive with Jesus in the air.
j. 1 Peter 1:3-5 NKJV –– Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.