I Thessalonians 5:2-8

I Thessalonians 5

2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape…

8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

There is nothing more exciting for believers than the return of Christ. In this final chapter of I Thessalonians, there is a reminder to the believers at Thessalonica to be on guard- awake and ready for the return of our King.

As noted in verse two, we do know that the Lord will come like a thief in the night- no one knows when it will happen. A comparison in verse three is made that likens Christ’s return to a pregnant woman who suddenly has labor pains- the time cannot be predicted, but be sure, the baby is coming, just as we can be sure Christ is coming.

Some will be distracted by the peace and security that they have surrounded themselves with and so they won’t be looking for Christ. Others may be distracted by sin and the pleasures of the flesh as children of the darkness described in verse seven.

But we, as believers in Christ, should be sober and awake according to this passage, ready and waiting for His return. How can we be ready? According to verse eight, if we are ready we have faith, love, and hope of salvation. We are firm in our faith in Christ, love God and love others, and are looking to the return of the coming King.

So if the return of Christ is the most exciting thing for us as believers, why are so many of us not more excited about it? It should be the driving force of our mission for the Gospel. It should move us to action. Yet we often say, “I hope Jesus doesn’t come back until I…” Do you have any of these in your life? This is dangerous… it can become an idol in your life that you value more than God. Set it before God and relinquish control over to Him.

Join me in saying, Maranatha- Come quickly Lord Jesus!