Listen up, little ones
Listen for the word sleep.
Reading
1 Thessalonians 4:13—What Happens at Death?
Optional Reading
1 Cor 15:54-58
Keys for kids
- When someone dies, we might speak of them “sleeping.”
- When we do that, we refer to their body.
- The soul of believers is united to Christ when they die.
Questions
- Why does Paul speak of Christians sleeping in death?
- How is death like sleeping?
- Is it loss or gain for a Christian to die? Explain.
Notes
(See Saturday for authors. Today’s notes are from a commentary on 1 Thessalonians by Mark Howell.)
Three times in this passage Paul refers to Christians who “sleep” (4:13, 14, 15). He is using the word sleep as a euphemism for death. Paul recognizes the source of the Thessalonians grief and confusion. His primary focus is to address the question that was weighing so heavily on the Thessalonians’ minds: What happens to Christians who die prior to the return of Christ?
We cannot overlook the significance of Paul’s use of the word sleep to describe death. There is a reason the biblical authors, including Jesus, describe believers who die as being asleep…. Sleep is never final; it is always temporary. Paul uses the word sleep to refer specifically to the physical body. When believers die, their bodies sleep. Paul is not referring to “soul sleep.” The concept of soul sleep is completely foreign to Scripture. … there will never be a time when a person ceases to exist or ceases to be conscious of his existence. …
Paul wanted the Thessalonians to understand that those who die suffer no defeat and experience no loss. Their bodies may be asleep in the grave, but a day of awakening is coming! The Thessalonian Christians therefore had every reason to be hopeful and optimistic (1 Cor 15:54–57).
Swedish Method questions
Praise
Psalm 16d, 111d
Prayer
- Thank God that for a Christian to die is gain.
- Pray for a specific application from yesterday’s sermons.
- Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.