If you’ve ever run a race, you might have experienced a sudden boost of energy when you saw the finish line. Or maybe you’ve entered a contest, and when it became difficult, stayed motivated by remembering the prize you’d receive if you won. Maybe you’ve pushed through challenging classes in school by remembering the hope of summer vacation.
In the book of 2 Thessalonians, we can see the church in Thessalonica was discouraged and not sure what to do with themselves. They were constantly being persecuted for their beliefs and were struggling to keep their faith as they faced false teachings about Jesus’ return.
So Paul decided to write the church a letter. He began by praising their faith and perseverance in difficult times. Then he corrected the false messages about Jesus’ coming. He warned the church against idleness and encouraged them to take action, to keep doing good and working hard.
We are still waiting for Jesus’ return today, and we are constantly being bombarded with false messages about the end of the world. What are we supposed to do?
In teaching about His return, Jesus said the “day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father†(Matthew 24:36).
When life gets hard, we can remember Jesus’ promise to return and make the world new one day soon. And those of us who have put our trust in Jesus—His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead—can know that we will be with Him forever. Let that hope be our motivation to continue to serve Him, serve others, and share the good news of the gospel here on earth. We don’t have to worry about what tomorrow might bring, and we can remember that each day is another day closer to His return and another day closer to being with Him. • Abby Ciona
• Read Matthew 24:35-51. What warnings does Jesus give about being prepared for His second coming to earth?
• How might knowing Jesus is coming back give you hope?
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NIV)
Read Verses:
Isaiah 53:1-5; Matthew 2:1-18; Matthew 4:1-11; Romans 6:9-11
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