Your Reward When Christ Returns

Before you start todays devotional, ask the Lord to use it to grow you up in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The Christian community has mixed views on the rapture, Jesus’ call of the church out of this world. All may trust Jesus as their Savior, but some may believe He’s coming after the Great Tribulation, some think before, and still others don’t believe He’s coming at all.

No matter what position you hold, ask yourself this important question: How does your interpretation affect your life? If your view doesn’t impact you in a practical way, then you should reconsider what you believe.

The expectation of the return of the Lord should motivate the life of the believer. It’s not a doctrine to argue about; it’s a doctrine to live.

What we think about end times events is not just casual speculation or else God’s Word is taught in vain. Paul told the Thessalonians, “When we came to you, we didn’t present some theoretical proposition to you. Our purpose wasn’t to share some new or novel philosophy that had no effect on you. We didn’t just entertain you for a few days and then leave.”

No, what Paul presented to the Thessalonians rocked the lives of a lot of people. Many came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. It brought a church into existence. Paul taught them something that worked in Thessalonica. The gospel of Jesus Christ walked down the streets of that city and into people’s hearts and homes and lives.

Paul tells us about the sermon he lived by his own example in Thessalonica (vv. 3-6) and pictures his relationship with them like family. He was like a mother to them in that he comforted them (v. 7). He served them 24/7 like a mother—night and day, because he genuinely loved them. He called them “dear ones,” meaning “beloved.”

He was like a father to them in that he charged them (v. 11). He walked alongside “his children” and helped them. Sometimes it was by teaching them, sometimes challenging them, spurring them on just as a dad does when he guides his children to live good lives. The father-side of us should call each other higher—to live lives worthy of God who saves and calls us into His kingdom and glory.

Paul was like a brother to them in how he challenged them (v. 14). What did Paul say drew the Thessalonians together as brothers? They were all suffering for their new faith in Jesus Christ; suffering is a cement that holds believers together. We might disagree on various points, but every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is your brother or sister. We are the family of God.

Paul’s hope was always tied up in being with the Lord Jesus Christ. He looked forward to the day when Christ comes to take His church in the rapture. Then he will be with these people whom he has led to the Lord. They were both a joy for him here and now, and they would be his joy in eternity.

By the way, will anyone in heaven come up to you and thank you for having a part in giving them the Word of God? That will be part of the reward we will get in heaven. How wonderful to know that someone trusted Christ because of your witness and will go along with you to meet the Lord. Invest your life well while you can!

1. How should the expectation of the return of Jesus affect how you think?

2. How can the example of motherhood help us minister to people around us?

3. Imagine one day in heaven that someone approaches you to thank you. What are you doing to give people God’s Word now so that they could thank you for it later?

Additional Resources

Listen to Dr. J. Vernon McGee’s complete teachings on 1 Thessalonians 2:1-7, 1 Thessalonians 2:7-13 and 1 Thessalonians 2:14-20.