He Died for Us!

“For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11)

Judgment Day is almost always depicted as scary. Movies depict the whole world falling apart. Lots of people die. There’s screaming and fire and destruction. Judgment Day seems like an awful day.

Is that accurate? Well, actually Judgment Day is going to be even worse. It will be much worse than they show in the movies. Know why? Because the movies only show the physical destruction here on earth. That will be awful, but it will be nothing compared to something else: The wrath of God. The worst pain of Judgment Day won’t be anything that happens on earth. It will be the eternal punishment and damnation that people encounter in the fire of hell. Can you imagine facing the wrath of God?

Thankfully, you don’t have to, as long as you have faith in Christ. In the face of this awful day, there’s good news for God’s people: “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” For Christians, Judgment Day isn’t a day of wrath, but a day of salvation.

Why? Here are the key words: “He died for us.” We deserve God’s wrath for our sins, but Jesus already suffered God’s wrath for us on the cross. We deserve hell, but Jesus already suffered hell for us on the cross. Because of Jesus’ death for us, Judgment Day will be a day of salvation. “He died for us.”

Don’t believe everything you see in the movies. While Judgment Day will include fire and destruction, while Judgment Day will even include eternal suffering in hell, you don’t have to be afraid. By grace, God did not appoint you to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Whether you are alive on Judgment Day or have already died, whether you are physically asleep or awake when Jesus comes, you will live together with him. “Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up.”

When that great day comes, this is our confidence and comfort: He died for me. Jesus died for me!

Dear Lord God, Judgment Day should terrify us. We deserve your wrath and punishment for our sins. But you sent Jesus to die for us. Through faith in Jesus, help me look forward to your salvation. Amen.

Pastor Nathan