What Is Your Only Comfort In Life And Death? — 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11 | Video Devotion with Dave Miers
Aug 24, 2026 25420
What is your only comfort in life and death? Paul shows that Christians can have hope in the face of death and judgment because Jesus died and rose again. We still grieve, but not as those without hope. In life and death, we belong to Jesus.
[Watch this week’s video devotion with Dave Miers]
What is your only comfort in life and death?
That is the first question of the Heidelberg Catechism. The answer begins:
“That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ.”
What an incredible comfort. In life and in death, I belong to Jesus.
In 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5, Paul shows us why Christians can have this confidence. He shows us our hope in the face of death and our hope in the face of judgment.
What do we mean by hope?
We often use the word to describe wishful thinking: I hope my team wins. I hope there isn’t much traffic tomorrow. But Christian hope is not wishful thinking.
Hope is a joyful and confident expectation of eternal life through Jesus Christ.
1/ We have hope in the face of death.
Death is one of our great enemies. In fact, the death rate has remained at 100 per cent. Unless Jesus returns first, everyone watching or reading this devotion will die.
Paul is writing to Christians who are grieving believers who have already died.
Listen to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verses 13 and 14,
“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” (ESV)
Notice that Paul does not say, “Do not grieve.” Christians grieve. We feel the pain of death. We cry when someone we love dies.
But we do not grieve as those who have no hope.
Our grief is different because Jesus died and rose again. Paul describes Christians who have died as being asleep. Death is only temporary. Just as sleep is followed by awakening, death will be followed by resurrection.
Jesus lived the life we failed to live. At the cross, he took our sin upon himself and paid the penalty we deserved. He died, he was buried, and he rose from the dead. Jesus has defeated death and gives new life to everyone who trusts in him.
Paul then gives us this incredible picture of the return of Jesus. The Lord will descend from heaven. The dead in Christ will rise. Those believers who are still alive will be gathered together with them.
At the end of 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verses 17b and 18, Paul says,
“And so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (ESV)
Whether we have already died or are still alive when Jesus returns, everyone who belongs to Jesus will be with him forever.
2/ We have hope in the face of judgment.
When will Jesus return? Will we be ready?
Paul says that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. It will be sudden and unexpected.
But listen to what he says in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verses 4 and 5,
“But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.” (ESV)
A Christian is always ready for the day of judgment. Why? Because our trust is already in Christ. We are trusting what Jesus accomplished at his first coming, so we can be confident when he comes again.
So live like you’re ready. Live as a child of light.
Paul tells us to stay awake, to be sober, and to live like children of the light. He tells us to put on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
The call is to keep the hope of salvation at the forefront. Let it shield you and protect you. Be constantly reminded of the hope that is yours through Jesus Christ.
Check out the certain and bright future that is ours in verses 9 and 10,
“For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.” (ESV)
That is our hope in the face of death and judgment. We belong to Jesus. We will be raised by Jesus. We will live with Jesus.
So encourage one another and build one another up with these words.
The Good News Is…
Our comfort is not found in what we have done, but in what Jesus has done. Jesus lived for us, died for us, and rose again. He took the judgment we deserved and conquered the grave. Everyone who turns to him can have a joyful and confident expectation of eternal life.
Do you have that confidence? If you don’t, turn to Christ. He offers hope in death and judgment. In life and in death, we are not our own. We belong, body and soul, to our faithful Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Further reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11
Rev. Dave Miers
President, Good News Unlimited