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

There was incredible anticipation and hopefulness from the 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 – The Return of the King

First Thessalonians 5 starts 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, as well as to motivate them to live Christlike lives. The knowledge of the future was intended to positively affect the way 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 too eagerly anticipate the return of Jesus.

The second coming of Christ will be the return of Christ to fulfill His remaining prophecies. In His first coming, Jesus was the suffering Servant. In His second coming, Jesus will be the conquering King. In His first coming, Jesus arrived in the humblest of circumstances. In His second coming, Jesus 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)