I was talking to one of my daughters the other day and she asked me about when Jesus was going to come again. She wanted to know if it would be on a Sunday. I told her I didn’t know, and that no one knows the day or hour when Jesus will come. Then she asked, “When Jesus comes will He be like a movie star, with people crowding all around him and getting really excited?”
Hmmm. Interesting question.
I don’t know what got my daughter thinking about Jesus’ return, but it was also clearly on Paul’s and the Thessalonians’ minds as well. Paul describes two different responses to Jesus’ second coming: one for those who do not believe and one for those who do.
To lay the foundation, Paul speaks of the persecution and affliction Christians experience in this world. He thanks God that the Thessalonians have been steadfast in faith during all of these trials. This world is not our home, as we often remember when we pray, “Our Father who art in heaven” and “Thy kingdom come.” (emphasis added) We are not to settle in this world, but look beyond, and we should realize that the rule of the day in this world is a mixture of God’s good blessings of love and grace with a heavy dose of the world’s pain and sorrow .
In the End, Paul says, the righteous judgment of God will be made clear. And this is where things get a little uncomfortable for me. Guided by the Holy Spirit, Paul says that God will repay, afflict, and inflict vengeance on those who do not know God or obey the gospel of Jesus Christ. The reasons this is uncomfortable is we don’t want to think of God punishing anyone, because we know that, in the whole scheme of things, punishment is what we deserve. God takes sin – and particularly the persecution of His children – very seriously. He is a jealous God, and He loves us. Everything and everyone who sought to pull us away from Jesus will come under God’s wrath like someone who stands between a momma grizzly and her cub. The Devil, the World and our Sinful Nature will be crushed that day and never again will anyone or anything stand between us and the One who loves us. But woe to those who fall under judgment. It will not be a good day for them, because they will be eternally separated from the presence of the Lord and His love.
On the other hand, for those of us who wait for the Lord, when Jesus is revealed from heaven it is going to be relief. He will be glorified in us, as a parent bragging over his children. We will marvel at Jesus and be amazed by Him. (So, maybe there will be a little feel of being in the presence of a movie star, only better!) Everything that separated us from God will be removed, and we will be able to stand in His glory and love and He will rejoice in us and the things He did through us in this life.
What’s the difference between these two groups? Faith in Jesus which receives His grace.
Perhaps we should think more often about that Last Day . . . both the judgment and the relief. The judgment should spur us to tell others about Jesus so they can be saved. The relief should give us comfort and hope when life is hard, which it is, but God is with us and Jesus is coming.
Lord Jesus, help me to look for Your return and long for relief, and please come quickly. Yet for now help me share your love and help someone be saved from the coming judgment. Amen.
Hmmm. Interesting question.
I don’t know what got my daughter thinking about Jesus’ return, but it was also clearly on Paul’s and the Thessalonians’ minds as well. Paul describes two different responses to Jesus’ second coming: one for those who do not believe and one for those who do.
To lay the foundation, Paul speaks of the persecution and affliction Christians experience in this world. He thanks God that the Thessalonians have been steadfast in faith during all of these trials. This world is not our home, as we often remember when we pray, “Our Father who art in heaven” and “Thy kingdom come.” (emphasis added) We are not to settle in this world, but look beyond, and we should realize that the rule of the day in this world is a mixture of God’s good blessings of love and grace with a heavy dose of the world’s pain and sorrow .
In the End, Paul says, the righteous judgment of God will be made clear. And this is where things get a little uncomfortable for me. Guided by the Holy Spirit, Paul says that God will repay, afflict, and inflict vengeance on those who do not know God or obey the gospel of Jesus Christ. The reasons this is uncomfortable is we don’t want to think of God punishing anyone, because we know that, in the whole scheme of things, punishment is what we deserve. God takes sin – and particularly the persecution of His children – very seriously. He is a jealous God, and He loves us. Everything and everyone who sought to pull us away from Jesus will come under God’s wrath like someone who stands between a momma grizzly and her cub. The Devil, the World and our Sinful Nature will be crushed that day and never again will anyone or anything stand between us and the One who loves us. But woe to those who fall under judgment. It will not be a good day for them, because they will be eternally separated from the presence of the Lord and His love.
On the other hand, for those of us who wait for the Lord, when Jesus is revealed from heaven it is going to be relief. He will be glorified in us, as a parent bragging over his children. We will marvel at Jesus and be amazed by Him. (So, maybe there will be a little feel of being in the presence of a movie star, only better!) Everything that separated us from God will be removed, and we will be able to stand in His glory and love and He will rejoice in us and the things He did through us in this life.
What’s the difference between these two groups? Faith in Jesus which receives His grace.
Perhaps we should think more often about that Last Day . . . both the judgment and the relief. The judgment should spur us to tell others about Jesus so they can be saved. The relief should give us comfort and hope when life is hard, which it is, but God is with us and Jesus is coming.
Lord Jesus, help me to look for Your return and long for relief, and please come quickly. Yet for now help me share your love and help someone be saved from the coming judgment. Amen.
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