Words of Comfort

“Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (I Thessalonians 4:18)

One of the memories of my childhood was the night the evangelist in our revival preached on the second coming of Jesus. I recall children and some adults going out into the church yard after the service to see if the stars had begun to fall. Frankly, the man’s sermon had put the fear of God in many folks that night. There are those who have a right to be afraid at the thought of the Lord’s return.

But, there is a side to the subject of the second coming of Jesus that brings comfort to troubled souls. Beginning in verse thirteen of this fourth chapter of First Thessalonians, the words are meant to bring comfort to those saved people whose saved loved ones have died. What a comfort to know that when the Lord Jesus returns all the saved ones whose bodies are out in a cemetery will be raised from their graves in the resurrection. Immediately afterward all the saved people who are still alive will be “changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye…” ( I Corinthians 15:51-52) and will be "caught up" to meet the Lord.  

If you are saved the second coming of Christ will be a comfort to you. If you are a lost person, certainly there is no comfort, but only fear and dread as you think of the coming again of Christ. That’s why Jesus said, “Be ye also ready, for in such an hour as you think not the Son of Man cometh.” (Matthew 24:44)