Charles Colson relates a story of a little know monk named Telemachus. While tending his garden one-day he felt God's call to go to the city of Rome. He laid down his hoe and began the long trek to the distant city. Finally arriving after many days on his journey he was immediately swept away by a surge of the crowd on their way to the great Colosseum to enjoy a day of festivity. The little monk stopped at the very top row of the Colosseum as the other people filed into their seats. The sounds and sights were incredible for this quiet man. Suddenly trumpets sounded and he watched as armed men entered through the gates and stood before the emperor and in unison shouted, "We who are about to die salute you."

Telemachus realized that these men were going to fight to the death just to entertain the motley crowd gathered to cheer and jeer. As they began their fight to the death he began to cry from the top of the Colosseum, "In the name of Christ, stop!" The noise of the crowd drowned out his pleas.

As the ritual of death began between the gladiators the monk became more agitated and began to shout louder. He pushed his way through the crowds to the front of the stadium and shouted, "In the name of Christ, stop." Finding that he was being ignored he literally climbed over the wall and dropped down to the arena's floor. The gladiators pushed his cries aside and kept on killing one another. At first the crowd thought Telemachus was part of the act, but then discovered he was not, and their laughter turned to anger.

Frustrated, the monk, decided the only way to stop this madness was to jump between the burly men who were determined to kill each other. As he jumped in between two gladiators he once again begged them, "In the name of Christ, stop." One of the men plunged his sword into Telemachus' body, and he fell to the floor bleeding and dying. His last words were, "In the name of Christ, stop!"

Colson writes, "Then a strange thing happened. The gladiators stood looking at the tiny figure lying there. A hush fell over the Colosseum. Way up in the upper rows, a man stood and made his way to the exit. Others began to follow. In dead silence everyone left the Colosseum.3

The year was A.D. 391, and because of the death of this courageous monk the Colosseum never again would witness men killing each other for the sake of entertaining a crowd. It was the last battle to the death between gladiators in the Roman Colosseum. One small voice that could hardly be heard above the crowd stopped the slaughter. One voice that defied death. Talk about courage n the face of death!

II. Christ's Return Offers Love for the Christian

John 3:16 and other verses are constant reminders to us of how much God loves and cares for us. The return of Jesus is just the proverbial icing on the cake for Christians who have discovered His love throughout their lives.

III. Christ's Return Offers Eternity for the Christian

The Thessalonians, like those of us today, probably could not grasp eternity very well. It staggers our minds, but they knew that it was a long, long, long time, and it would be with Jesus and their friends. The troubles that they faced here were but only momentary troubles in the light of eternity. Christ's return offered them those eternal moments. Are you ready for Christ's return? (Derl Keefer)