How does 1 Thessalonians 1:10 encourage us to wait for Jesus' return? The Heart of the Verse “and to await His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath.” (1 Thessalonians 1:10) What This Verse Gives Us to Hold On To • A clear object of our waiting: “His Son” • A certain location: “from heaven” • A proven credential: “whom He raised from the dead” • A present title: “our deliverer” • A future assurance: “from the coming wrath” Why This Waiting Is Encouraging • Certainty rooted in resurrection – Acts 1:11: “This same Jesus… will come back in the same way.” – 1 Corinthians 15:20 guarantees that the risen Christ will finish what He started. • Protection from wrath – 1 Thessalonians 5:9: “For God has not appointed us to suffer wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Romans 5:9: “Having now been justified by His blood, we will be saved from wrath through Him.” • Hope that purifies – 1 John 3:2-3: “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” – Titus 2:13: We are “waiting for our blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” How Waiting Shapes Daily Life 1. Active watchfulness – Luke 12:35-36 pictures servants with lamps burning, ready for the Master’s return. 2. Steadfast endurance – James 5:7-8 likens us to farmers patiently watching the harvest come. 3. Joyful anticipation – Philippians 3:20-21 reminds us that our citizenship is in heaven, and from there we eagerly await the Savior. 4. Bold witness – 1 Thessalonians 1:8-9 shows the Thessalonians’ faith “echoing” everywhere because genuine expectancy can’t stay quiet. Practical Ways to Wait Well • Keep Scripture before you—especially passages on Christ’s return (Matthew 24, 1 Corinthians 15, Revelation 22). • Cultivate holiness; knowing wrath is coming and rescue is promised urges clean living (2 Peter 3:11-14). • Encourage one another with this hope (1 Thessalonians 4:18). • Stay mission-minded; every day is an opportunity to point others to the Deliverer (2 Corinthians 5:20). Final Takeaway 1 Thessalonians 1:10 invites us to look up with confidence, live out our faith with consistency, and speak up with urgency—because the risen Jesus is on His way, and He’s our unfailing Deliverer. |