As a kid, I could never sleep on Christmas Eve. I was too excited. who knew what would be waiting for me under the tree when I got up? Would I get all the things I asked for? Expectation is a powerful force in our lives. It gives us hope, makes us excited, and helps us overcome obstacles and setbacks. But as believers, we aren't waiting for a present under a tree; we're waiting for the return of Christ!
As Paul traveled on his missionary journeys, he wrote to the churches he'd visited or helped start. These letters would eventually become many of the books of the New Testament. While on his second missionary journey, Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica. Like a child on Christmas morning, the members of the church were anxious for the return of Christ. But they also had some questions, such as, "What happens to those people who died before Christ came to earth?" Paul answered their questions in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
When Jesus comes again, everything will change. We'll get new bodies, we'll see our loved ones who have died, and we'll live forever with God. In the meantime God has given us a task to accomplish, and it may not always be an easy one. But if we keep our eyes focused on heaven, then we'll remember what we're fighting for. We should never settle for sin.
This week we'll look at the future of the Church and how that future helps us live here and now.
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