“For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11)
One of the problems at the Church at Thessalonica was that many believers there were speculating about the date of the Lord’s return. Some had stopped working at their professions and sold their possessions. They had become burdens on their brethren so serious was their obsession with being ready for the imminent return of Jesus. Paul reassured them that certain signs would take place before that happened.
Today we see many of these signs throughout our world, not just the violence and warfare surrounding Jerusalem, but the widespread acceptance of immorality, sensuality, and hatred as normal and the rejection of Godly truth and righteousness as ideals to be lauded. So although as we see these signs we can interpret them as heralding the return of Jesus’ return, in fact no one knows when the return of Christ will actually occur. Jesus will return unexpectedly like a thief in the night to set in motion a series of events which no one can change or forestall.
We who are in Christ do not have to worry for we will be spared the wrath of God which has already been poured out on Christ for us.
Therefore we believers must continue to meet and fellowship together so as to encourage each other. What is so encouraging about this is that, first of all we see and interact with fellow believers. We are also encouraged by partaking of the Lord’s Supper. We witness and share in the great miracle of bread and wine as the Body and Blood of Christ Jesus. As we partake of Christ’s Body and Blood we are blessed with forgiveness and the assurance of God’s mercy. This enables us to live in readiness awaiting Christ’s return. We live in righteousness, love, and charity, testifying at all times to the gospel of the mercy of God in Christ Jesus. We spread the good news of forgiveness, so that when Jesus returns He will find us doing His work.