In this life we have hope because of Jesus--but it is not only for this life, it is for eternity. The Apostle Paul addresses this aspect of our walks with Christ in our Scripture verses today. In the particular Bible that I am looking at this morning, the heading is "The Hope of the Resurrection."
Because of Christ's resurrection, we have hope. That very hope causes us to grieve, when we have loss, with a different perspective that those who do not have the peace and comfort that knowing Jesus brings to our lives.
We know that our walks with Christ are for eternity! When we take our last breath here our next breath is heaven's air. But what about the return of the Lord? Paul now brings us to the brink of clear understanding that Jesus will return for His bride--which is the Church--us!!! "We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet his ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. THEN WE WILL BE WITH THE LORD FOREVER!"
This portion of Scripture ends with: SO ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER WITH THESE WORDS!. Friends, our world is only temporary. One of these days the Lord will return so let us not get discouraged but keep encouraged in serving the Lord and keep looking up for our redemption draws near!
Even so come Lord Jesus!!!