Michael Jordan’s return to the NBA was treated like the Second Coming. He was absent from the NBA for 21 months while pursuing his baseball career. The day before the nationally televised Indiana game, his written statement was simply two words, “I’m back.”

There was incredible anticipation and hope among fans and the media as everyone wanted to know more about his return, but he remained silent. When he finally spoke about his return during the postgame press conference after the Indiana game, he said, “It was a little embarrassing. I’m human like everybody else. Everyone was treating me like a god.”

1 Thessalonians 5 – Stay Ready

First Thessalonians 5 picks up where Chapter 4 left off, with the promise of Jesus’s second coming. His return was meant to be a source of hope and comfort for the believers and to motivate them to live Christlike lives. Knowledge of the future was intended to positively affect how Christians live in the present.

These believers were encouraged to anticipate Jesus’ return by demonstrating love, faith, and hope in their lives (1 Thess. 5:8). It should be no different for us as we eagerly anticipate Jesus’ return.

The second coming of Christ will be His return to fulfill His remaining prophecies. In His first coming, Jesus was the Suffering Servant. In His second coming, He will be the conquering King. In His first coming, He arrived in the humblest of circumstances. In His second coming, He will arrive with the armies of heaven at His side.

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete place their hope in the second coming of Jesus. They know they will meet their loved ones who have gone on before them, now transformed into glorious bodies, as we are all taken to heaven to be with our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Bible Memory Verse – “So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.”  2 Thessalonians 2:15 (LSB)

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