As you walk out of a building today, heading toward your vehicle, all at once – BAM – it happens! Maybe you’re walking from your house to the mailbox to get the mail and you look up and see Him coming! Perhaps you’re driving down the road and all of a sudden Jesus appears! Life on earth is over in a flash – the history of the world from beginning to end – in the twinkling of an eye – DONE! Jesus comes to earth for the second time. He will bring judgment to those who have rejected Him and He will deliver and save those who have lived by faith in Him. Bottom line: it’s a matter of faith.

The first century Christians in Thessalonica lived on the edge of their seats as they waited for Jesus to hurry it up and come back to get them. They had been delivered from their pagan wrath to come and instead had the beautiful hope of heaven for the first time in their lives. Paul writes, “…you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come”. (I Thessalonians 1:9-10). Wait – for – His – Son doesn’t do justice to the ultra, eager anticipation these Christians had for Jesus’ second coming.

As you contemplate the future reality of Jesus’ return what thoughts run through your mind? Excitement? Panic? Terror? Joy? Relief? Are you like the Thessalonians? Do you live by faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus? Like them, we can know we are ready to meet the Lord. We imitate Jesus – just like Jesus died, was buried and was raised from the dead, we die to ourselves, are buried with Christ in baptism, and rise from the watery grave to walk in newness of life. We can AND should have that same kind of joyful anticipation of Jesus’ second coming. It’s really just a matter of faith.

After Jesus appeared to the apostles and others over a period of 40 days He went back to heaven BUT He is coming back. Luke records, “And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven’” (Acts 1:9-11).

Read I Thessalonians 4:13-5:11. Then listen to Matter of Faith by Peter Furler. Then look up to see if Jesus is coming! Do the same thing tomorrow and every day for the rest of your life as a matter of faith.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11

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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.