What Happens When Jesus Returns? 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

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Believers Who Have Died

13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For 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. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 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. 17 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. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
One of the things the Thessalonians were worried about was what would happen to those who had already died when Jesus returned.  Paul and the early Christians believed that Jesus would return within their lifetime.  So Paul clarifies that those who have died, he uses the term "fallen asleep", will be the first to be raised from the dead when Jesus returns.  Just because they died first does not that they will miss out on any of the glory of their own bodily resurrection when Jesus returns.  
So what about those who are living when Jesus returns?  The passage teaches that they will be caught up in the clouds to meet with Jesus.  The word also has the connotation of believers being "swooped up" to be with Jesus.  The Latin term for "caught up" is "rapturus", which is where we get the word "rapture".  There have been a lot of speculation about what this means that Christians will be raptured when Jesus returns.  But to keep it simple, when Jesus returns those who believe in him will be caught up in the air with him and then go to heaven to be with him forever.   The bottom line is when Jesus returns all who believe in Him will be with him forever in heaven.  
So when a Christian dies, we don't grieve as those who have no hope.  Our hope is anchored in the truth of the bodily of resurrection of Jesus.  Because Jesus lives, we too will live.  Those who live and believe in him will never die. Do you believe this?

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