The Day of the Lord: Don't Quit

John Wesley’s Letter:

John Wesley wrote the following letter from his deathbed to William Wilberforce to encourage him in his prolonged fight against slavery in England:

“Unless the divine power has raised you up.... I see not how you can go through your glorious enterprise in opposing that [abominable practice of slavery], which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature. Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them together stronger than God? Go on in the name of God, and in the power of His might.”

If God has given you a task, be not weary in well doing.

I love and I am encouraged by that letter because I believe too many of us are becoming weary in doing good. Last couple years have been tough on all of us, whether on a global scale or a personal one, and you may have been tempted to quit fighting. My hope and prayer is to encourage you today that now is not the time to quit. Now is not the time to give in. Now is the time to be encouraged to keep fighting the good fight. Why? Because the glorious return of Jesus Christ is coming, and in that moment every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord and all the pain and sorrow will come to an end.

Main Idea: “In a season of discouragement, we must learn to be encouraged in Christ’s Second Coming.”

Let us go to the scriptures to see the encouragement the Apostle Paul has to give.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11 CSB

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For we say this to you by a word from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. About the times and the seasons: Brothers and sisters, you do not need anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the dark, for this day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness. So then, let us not sleep, like the rest, but let us stay awake and be self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled and put on the armor of faith and love, and a helmet of the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who 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 as you are already doing.

(Prayer)

Encouragement In Death:

A dangerous error was sweeping through the church.

“Death affects the mere individuals, but the coming of Jesus affects the whole church.”-Unknown.

We are called to grief with hope.

Hope: To anticipate with pleasure, expectation, confidence.

“Death is something that we no longer need to fear.” (Personal Story: Fear of Dying)

“The glorious return of Jesus Christ allows us to grieve with hope.”

(Story Example: Pastor Levi Lusko on losing his daughter)

“The grave is brutal, merciless, and uncaring. It swallows everything it touches and it’s never satisfied. The good news is that death has been devoured by the life of Christ, and it can’t fight back.”-Levi Lusko

Luke 18:31–33 CSB

Then he took the Twelve aside and told them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. Everything that is written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. For he will be handed over to the Gentiles, and he will be mocked, insulted, spit on; and after they flog him, they will kill him, and he will rise on the third day.”

The Last Days:

The exact day of the Lord’s return is unknown, but the scriptures give us an insight of what the seasons will be like as Christ’s return draws closer.

2 Timothy 3:1–5 CSB

But know this: Hard times will come in the last days. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people.

Lovers of Self: Concerned more about one’s self. (What’s in it for me?)

Lovers of Money: Never have enough money.

Boastful: Bragging of oneself.

Proud: Showing unwarranted importance. Acting above others.

Demeaning: Doesn’t respect what is sacred or holy.

Disobedient to Parents: Some of you know what this is like.

Ungrateful: No gratitude or heart of thanksgiving.

Unholy: Lacking in moral characteristics.

Unloving: Lacking affection for others.

Irreconcilable: Can’t keep the peace.

Slanderers: Attack the reputation and character of individuals.

Without Self-Control: Unrestrained by morality

Brutal: Fierce

Without Love For What is Good: People cheer on what is evil and criticize what is good.

Traitors: Violate allegiance with someone or something

Reckless: Disregard for danger and consequences

Conceited: Be “high-minded.”

Lovers of Pleasure Rather Than Lovers of God: Whatever makes them “feel good”.

Holding to the Form of Godliness but Denying Its Power: Pretending to love the Lord.

We can become weary just reading this. I think is why Paul alerts us to stay awake.

Stay Awake:

1 Thessalonians 5:4–8 CSB

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the dark, for this day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness. So then, let us not sleep, like the rest, but let us stay awake and be self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled and put on the armor of faith and love, and a helmet of the hope of salvation.

What does “sleeping” look like today?

Too much entertainment.

Being Busy.

Sports.

Drinking/Drugs.

Kicking the Can.

Comfortable with our riches.

Not regularly in the Word or in prayer.

Lack of commitment to be in spiritual relationships with other believers.

Lack of concern for those around us.

“We have too many sleep walkers roaming around waiting to be buried at 75.”

We need to stop “kicking the can” to the next generation. (261 kids and teens between both campuses. We are called to lead them, not manage them, or say.)

Armor of God: Ephesians 6:10-20

Belt: Truth

Armor: Righteousness

Sandals: Ready to Spread the Gospel

Shield: Faith

Helmet: Salvation

Sword: Word

While we need all of the armor, notice that Paul specifically talks about the shield and helmet. We can have all the others, but without these two, especially as the day of the Lord draws closer, we will become weary.

Conclusion:

Poem: Don’t Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a failure turns about,

When he might have won had he stuck it out;

Don't give up though the pace seems slow—

You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,

It seems to a faint and faltering man,

Often the struggler has given up,

When he might have captured the victor's cup,

And he learned too late when the night slipped down,

How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out—

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems so far,

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit—

It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.—Anonymous

Brothers and sisters, Satan is doing everything he can to keep the light of Christ from shining. Stay awake church. Be in constant relationship with Jesus through His word and prayer. Be in relationship with other believers. And let us show love towards others by sharing the eternal hope that is found in Christ Jesus. I know it seems difficult and it’s easy to quit, but the Lord has prepared us for this season. Put the armor on, fight the battle, and continue fighting the good fight.

(Prayer)