May the mumbling commence!
CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN! I know that some of the passages that I have referred to in First Thessalonians to this point have been somewhat small. One could conceivably miss these references or dismiss them as less than the theme or subtitle for the letter.
But, before you make that judgment, you should look at the ending of chapter four and the beginning of chapter five. Here is a sustained discussion of the Second Coming of Christ – how it will affect those Christians who are already dead and buried, when it might come, and how we should be prepared for the coming. Read it below (NLT):
And now, brothers and sisters, I want you to know what will happen to the Christians who have died so you will not be full of sorrow like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, God will bring back with Jesus all the Christians who have died.
I can tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not rise to meet him ahead of those who are in their graves. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the call of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. 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 and remain with him forever. So comfort and encourage each other with these words.
I really don't need to write to you about how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, "All is well; everything is peaceful and secure," then disaster will fall upon them as suddenly as a woman's birth pains begin when her child is about to be born. And there will be no escape.
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. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don't belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be sober. Night is the time for sleep and the time when people get drunk. But let us who live in the light think clearly, protected by the body armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. For God decided to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. He died for us so that we can live with him forever, whether we are dead or alive at the time of his return. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. (4:13-5:11)
How’s that for sustained writing on the theme subject of First Thessalonians?!? Cannot rightly miss or dismiss that as secondary, now can we?
With this focus, what are we to do now – today? It does not mean that we sit idly by. Comfort and encourage one another with these words. We will be reunited with our loved ones when Jesus returns. We are saved through the obedience of Jesus. Build one another up, comfort one another, and encourage one another with these words.
What else can we do? Be on full alert. Stay sober. We are the watchmen and watchwomen of the Lord. We must faithfully watch for Christ’s Second Coming so that we might give him a royal welcome that he so richly deserves.
We can do this because we are protected by the faith and love of God that guarantees us a sure salvation. Praise God!
Come soon, Lord Jesus!
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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