The Scrolls is a weekly Bible study written by pastors and other leaders at Central Bible Church, based on that week’s sermon topic. Use The Scrolls as a personal Bible study tool, for family devotions, and for small group discussions. You can read part of it below. The downloadable PDF also includes discussion questions, more in-depth commentary, end notes, and a kids’ page designed for families to study the topic together. This lesson goes with the Easter sermon "Getting the Last Word."
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul explains what will happen to those who have died before Jesus’ coming to rescue (1Th 1:10; cf. 5:10). Evidently, since leaving Thessalonica six months earlier, at least one person in the church died, leaving the community “uninformed” about their loved one’s participation in Jesus’ return. Scholars have proposed a variety of different explanations to account for their angst in this regard—none of which has earned a consensus. Still, one commentator writes: “The reconstruction of greatest merit argues that at the moment of confronting the reality of death, the Thessalonians did not allow their confession to inform their reaction to this human tragedy. Alternatively, they may simply have not understood fully the reality of the resurrection from the dead, especially in light of the general Gentile consensus that such things simply do not happen” (Gene L. Green, The Letters to the Thessalonians, PNTC, 215). In any case, to comfort them, Paul affirms the presence of those who have died at the Lord’s coming and their participation in the resurrection that takes place at that time. Those who “sleep in death” miss out on nothing that takes place when he returns.
Paul’s pastoral response to their concern includes the assurance that believers in Christ will be together with the Lord forever—in resurrection bodies like his resurrection body. It’s important to understand that resurrection pertains to the material part of a person and not the immaterial part. The body is resurrected, not the soul. This means that people are not resurrected spiritually when they believe in Jesus, nor are they resurrected spiritually when they go to be with him at death. Perhaps the following definition will clarify things: “The meaning of ‘resurrection’ as ‘life after “life after death”’ cannot be overemphasized, not least because much modern writing continues to use ‘resurrection’ as a virtual synonym for ‘life after death’ in the popular sense” (N. T. Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God, 31). In general, first-century Greeks and Romans believed in life after death, that is, in a disembodied life of the soul after death, but not in resurrection, that is, in a new embodied life of the soul following a period of death. Regarding new life after a period of being dead, the same commentator writes:. “Pagans denied this possibility; some Jews affirmed it as a long-term future hope; virtually all Christians claimed that it had happened to Jesus and would happen to them in the future” (Wright, 31).
When it comes to the subject of resurrection, the following three complementary passages must be read together: 1 Corinthians 15:35-57; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; and 2 Corinthians 5:1-10. At times in these passages, Paul speaks as if our mortal physical bodies will be transformed into immortal spiritual bodies (see 1Co 15:36-37, 51-54; cf. 2Co 5:2, 4) at times he speaks as if our mortal physical bodies will be exchanged for immortal spiritual bodies (1Co 15:44; 2Co 5:1, 8). Both notions, namely, exchange and transformation, are present in 2 Corinthians 5. One writer explains: “In verses 1 and 8 Paul refers to a destruction (katalusis) and a departure (ekdēmia). He alludes to the replacement of the earthy house by the God-given dwelling (v. 1) and of one place of residence or sphere of [bodily] existence by another (v. 8) . . . But balanced against this ‘exchange’ principle is the motif of change evident in the dual concept of super investiture (ependusis, vv. 2, 4) and ingestion (kataposis, v. 4). Paul longed to put on his heavenly habitation over his earthly tent-dwelling (vv. 2, 4) so that his mortal body might be swallowed up by life (v. 4)” (Murray J. Harris, Raised Immortal, 128-29). While the process entailed by the resurrection of our mortal bodies is difficult to comprehend, the result of the process is easy to identify. As a result of this complex process, believers end up with immortal resurrection bodies like Jesus’ resurrection body—the bodies in which they will live with him throughout eternity.
Central Message of the Text:
Encourage one another knowing that the dead in Christ will be resurrected, those who are alive will be changed, and together they will be caught up to be with the Lord forever when he comes.
Family Talk:
There’s a lot of stuff I don’t know. I don’t know how to dance (really, it’s terribly embarrassing). I’m pretty sure I couldn’t solve a chemistry equation if my life depended on it. My mouth takes on a hillbilly life of its own, ensuring I can’t speak other languages besides English. The other day I needed help making a discipline decision and had no clue what to do, so I called my 21-year-old and asked for advice. I’ve got “knowledge gaps” and I’m not afraid to admit it. One thing I do know with absolute certainty is Jesus is returning. I am 100% confident in this truth and it gives me overwhelming peace and hope. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for His followers. Think about how you painstakingly prepared a nursery to bring home your little one. Consider the care and concern to make it a special and unique space with everything your newborn might even think about needing. You carefully chose the perfect paint color and a theme specific for your child that included a quilt, chair, crib, books, carpet, toys. Every part of this room was specially prepared with your child in mind. How humbling to know Jesus Christ is doing this for you right now. The King of the Universe is preparing a room with your name on it. He’s promised to return and gather you to be with Him and He is faithful to fulfill His promises. Don’t miss an opportunity to talk with your kids about this certainty this Easter season. There will always be moments of unknown and uncertainty, but in Jesus’ return, we can be sure. Happy Easter!