Friday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

E100:18.e – Paul to the Leaders

The Coming of the Lord – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11 (NLT)

The Hope of the Resurrection

1 Thessalonians 4:13  And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.

15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.

1 Thessalonians 5  Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you. 2 For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. 3 When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.

4 But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. 5 For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. 6 So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. 7 Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. 8 But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

9 For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. 10 Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. 11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
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Prayer

Lord Jesus: We wait patiently with faith-filled expectation for your imminent return. Prepare your Church in every way to receive you – as  a bride awaits her groom. Specifically, we pray –

• that those whose loved ones have died in Christ would rejoice in the certain hope of their resurrection
• that your people would live today with the end in mind – life with you forever
• that your people would live today alert and clearheaded – prepared for your return
• that your people would live in the light today – protected by faith and love and confident in our salvation

Gracious God: Thank you for choosing to save us through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. May we encourage each other today in faith and love and so be ready for his return in your good time. Amen.
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“Even So Come” – Chris Tomlin

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Closing Sentence

He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!”

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

Revelation 22:20 (NLT)

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!