There was a holy city…. and all who would might enter, and no one was denied. I love that song. I am listening to it tonight as I get ready for bed. I love it because it is majestic. I love it because it sounds so triumphant. I love that no one is denied entrance. All one has to do is come to Jesus. I love Jesus. I love that today I had the privilege of celebrating as one of my brothers made it Home to Jesus before me. I love that celebrating how Jesus robbed the grave and as a result my friend is rejoicing before the eternal throne of God this very minute. Tonight as I walked from one event to another, I stopped at a drugstore to get something to wash my hands. On the spur of the moment I decided to buy grape juice. Then it occurred to me that I could buy a bread like substance and celebrate communion on the pier as I waited for my friends to arrive for the candlelit vigil. It was beautiful to celebrate that the “wine” and “bread” I was eating represented why he was set free. How grateful I was for the Cross that set us both free.
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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Therefore encourage one another with these words. I Thessalonians 4:13-18
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