1 Thessalonians 4:1-18 (NRSV)
A life pleasing God to the end
Finally, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that, as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God (as, in fact, you are doing), you should do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from fornication; that each one of you know how to control your own body in holiness and honor, not with lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one wrong or exploit a brother or sister in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, just as we have already told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. Therefore whoever rejects this rejects not human authority but God, who also gives his Holy Spirit to you.
Now concerning love of the brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anyone write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do love all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, beloved, to do so more and more, to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we directed you, so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and be dependent on no one.
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Reflection
Wow! What a passage! A lesson on living, minding your own business, loving, compassion, working, and waiting for Jesus. God has called us not to live the life of a sinner but to live the life God has planned for us. I'm surely still a sinner, but I'm a forgiven sinner. I can live without the worrying about the ultimate punishment for my sin and walk boldly with Jesus, doing his will and following in his teachings. I don't have the fear and the total focus of my life on attempting to be free of sin because Jesus freed me. So now I can live for Jesus and love others as Jesus loved me. Well isn't that just peachy keen and all Christian like!
For sure it sounds all good, but for me, it's more than words, it's a way to live. It's not a way to be like the Church Lady and put on a show. It's the dirty, down to earth, living with the poor and sinful and sick and needy that makes Jesus real. The bells and smells are fine and needed for worship, but at some time you have to leave worship and walk in the kingdom with God.
Worship is for our falling before God in praise, honor and thanksgiving. Worship is where we meet God in Word and Sacrament. Worship is most vital, but Church is that union with the saints and that union with Christ when we go out into our separate worlds to live the calling God has given to us and use the gifts the Spirit has provided for the love of all people.
And then there is that great day... when we are united with our bodies... and Jesus comes to do the most awesome. When we are reunited in the clouds with all... body and spirit. That rapienur or rapture. The cloud reminds me of God's presence with the Israelites in the wilderness. They were led by a cloud by day and fire by night. The cloud reminds me of the transfiguration when God reunited our faithful Fathers of all times with Jesus. The cloud reminds me of the presence of God.
But until that day I'll wait and serve the Lord, knowing that one day Jesus will be escorted to the earth by His people and all will be reunited in the cloud. Those who died long ago and those still alive. Thanks be to God!
Prayer
Lord, hear my praise, honor and glory for all you have done. I worship you as you lead me and guide me and call me day by day and forever. --- Amen
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