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.           

We often think that we learn obedience to God by participating in the Parades, but in truth it is the obedience in the smallest of details that lead us to the pinnacle of praise.           

Jesus spent three years with the disciples. They didn’t have parades every day. The disciples learned the power in the daily details, in the everyday acts of obedience to His commands. It was in the smallest of details the disciples were given the opportunity to be tested, equipped and affirmed as they obeyed, they learned to experience the power of God in their lives.           

This parade mentioned in Thessalonians is Jesus returning with souls for the resurrection of new bodies and bringing His family from the graves.  We are the sons of God by faith. This parade is only by special invitation. It is only for those who are related to Jesus Christ. Not everyone can be part of it.  In returning parade there are no pretenders. No one can be part of the parade except His born-again children. He knows his own and only his own follow him.           

In another parable salvation is described as a wedding banquet. The invitation is passed out to all who are invited to come. Many have rejected the invitation. The King tells his servants to go to the highways and byways and compel the people to come.           

Jesus came to his own, but his own did not receive him. By God's grace the good news was giving to the Gentiles and a great number came to believe. But to be included in the wedding, the guests are required to wear special clothes. This is symbolic of the holiness and cleansing from sin provided by Jesus Christ. The parable continues to tell us at the dinner there are some uninvited guests without the wedding garments, that sought to come in another way and they are thrown out into great suffering.

           

Jesus uses that illustration to point out an important Biblical message. The invitation is to turn from sin and come to follow Jesus Christ. When you accept Jesus, you are forgiven of all your sins and made clean because of what he did on the cross. The celebration banquet is for only those who trust Christ you cannot come any other way.  There are people that try to come to heaven other ways, perhaps being good, or baptized, or joining churches, of working hard to earn salvation, but they are like those who seek to sneak in.  The only way is God's way. Jesus says clearly,” I am the way the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me." Jn 14.

The victory parade before all the unsaved, before the angels to their delight and as part of the judgment to the unbelievers, and the forces of Satan.  There is real joy for the participants and to the created heavenly forces that see the victory of the Lamb. He said, “ Lo, I am with you always, wherever you go. “

Now he carries out the work of priest.  Not until He entered the heavenlies to appear on our behalf in the very presence of God did He become a priest.  Interceding, preparing, being our advocate, instructing the Holy Spirit, adding disciples to the church.           

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. We can celebrate this truth of the blessing that is ours in the victory parade. The Grand Marshall is Jesus Christ. The participants are all who are saved by His grace. The celebration is for victory over sin, death and Satan and the audience is all of creation. We do not wait until that day when we proclaim the glory of our Lord. We are doing it now