I Thessalonians 4:13-18

¹³ Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. ¹⁴ For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. ¹⁵ According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.

What constitutes the hope that a Christian possesses? What is it that we really base our confidence in the future? The answer to that question depends upon your viewpoint. Some say my hope is in Jesus Christ and the assurance that is mine in the resurrection. Another says my hope is in Jesus Christ and the assurance that I have of being with Him upon death.

This issue comes to center on what the Bible says about the matter of death and the future.

1. The Place of the Dead
   1. What happens to a person at death.
   1. Where do they go?
2. The State of the Dead
   1. What is the condition of the dead?
3. The Hope of the Dead
   1. What hope can the dead hold?