That is a comment that is often made by nominal Christians and non-believers. When they come to a funeral

or a memorial service for a believer in this church, the comment is often made, we have never been to a

funeral like this before.

And if I heard this once through the years, I've heard it a hundred times.

While they often do not know and don't even ask or comprehend why the reason for having an uplifting and great worship time and celebration in many ways,

we know the secret.

And it's found in verse 13 of chapter 4 of 1st Thessalonians.

Turn to it with me as we continue in this series of messages.

Verse 13 says,

we do not grieve like those who are without hope.

See, the Bible does not say we do not grieve.

Paul does not say that we don't grieve over our loved ones when they go to glory, that we don't

shed tears over our loss, or that we don't feel deep sorrow in our hearts, or that we don't

feel that emptiness that their departure brings, no. He said, we just don't grieve like those

who have no hope. Our grieving is

very different. Our grieving is saying goodbye to someone whom we're going to meet again. And meeting

again, make no mistake about it, we will. I've been saying throughout this series of messages

from First Thessalonians, the reason for writing this epistle to begin with is that Thessalonian believers in that church were deeply troubled.

They were confused about this whole issue of Christ's return to take the believers home to heaven.

Their trouble and their confusion created deep anxiety,

not only about the return of future, but the future of the loved ones in Christ who died.

They were really concerned. What happened to them? Those are the questions that will pause to the

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