Edward Hoare

“ Death kills, He raises; death divides, He unites; death keeps us at a distance from those who are gone before, He brings us once more together, so that with them we should have the joy of one common life and glory. Nor will the ties of life be lost or forgotten in that new and sacred fellowship. The strong affections which God has planted will not be obliterated in the grave; for you remember that remarkable passage in this very epistle, in which the Apostle anticipates the joy of meeting these very Thessalonians at that blessed hour. ”

“ The tears of true sorrow, therefore, are in perfect harmony with the character of Christ. Sorrow is not eradicated by the Gospel, but has its character changed by it. The Holy Spirit does not harden the heart against grief, but comforts the mourner in the midst of it. The deep waters are not frozen, so that the child of God can coldly walk across dry footed; but they retain their character, and are deep waters still; and the believer is held up in passing through them, so that, though deep, they cannot overflow him. ”

“ The first point to be here noticed is clearly the resurrection. Death has been already said to be but a sleep, for it is not permanent. “She is not dead but sleepeth,” may be applied to her whom we left in the grave on Friday. That grave shall shortly give up its tenant, and very body, that tendering beloved body, shall arise again in fresh life and beauty. ”

“ This world is full of sorrow, for the simple reason that it is full of sin, and wherever sin is, separation and sorrow are certain, sooner or later, to follow in its train. So have they followed at this present time, for the event that has brought us together is a separation that has called forth a general sorrow throughout the place. ”

“ It is all life now, and life unfettered by the clogs and hindrances of decaying flesh. Memory is not dormant, for remember the vivid glow of gratitude with which the living ones before the throne adore the Lamb for having redeemed them by his blood from the various nations of mankind. ”

“ The blessedness of the departed is unbounded now, but there are greater things in store for them; their cup seems full, but it shall be fuller still when Christ comes. The resurrection, not the death-bed, is the hope of the believer. We look not so much to the day when we enter the grave, and dear friends in bitter weeping part with us, as to the happy hour when we shall quit it, and those same friends rejoicing rise with us.
To this long expected hour the passage clearly refers, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. ”

“ The great sorrow of this day is separation. It is a sense of separation, of loss, and bereavement, that has drawn forth so many tears. Indeed there is little besides to cause a tear. As far as she is concerned there is no cause for sorrow. ”

“ They are those who “sleep in Jesus”; or in other words those who are “dead in Christ.” The whole work is the simple result of the great p. 20and perfect redemption wrought out by our Blessed Lord. If it had not been for the atonement there could have been no forgiveness, and no fellowship with God; and without his resurrection there could be none to follow for his people. All springs from redeeming Love, and all is enjoyed simply though Christ. Those that are without Christ must be given up to hopeless sorrow, for to them the passage is without its joy. ”

“ There is first the resurrection, then the reunion, but the crowning promise of the whole is an everlasting fellowship with Christ himself. “So shall we ever be with the Lord.” Now this must ever be the longing desire of the child of God. Nothing created can ever satisfy the soul that is born again of the Spirit. Friends may cheer, and counsel, and animate, and sympathize, but they cannot really satisfy, and a union p. 18with Christ is the only thing that can give abiding peace. ”

“ It is impossible that any offer more magnificent could be made to the sinner. Here is pardon, peace, joy, union, resurrection, and everlasting fellowship with God, all offered to the most guilty sinner, and all without money and without price. Shall men remain hardened? Shall the sinner remain indifferent? Shall there p. 26be none this day resolved to cast themselves at his feet, that all sin may be blotted out through his blood, that when they depart hence, they may sleep in Him ”

“ Thus as to all that shall harass, distress, and grieve, there is repose or sleep. The world may be distracted by war and all its horrors, but the soul above is undisturbed by the tumult, for no storm can ruffle the calm surface of the sea of glass. There may be bitter sorrow filling many a broken heart, but it is unknown there, for as God p. ”

“ For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive p. 12and remain, shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. ”