A theif in the night

OPENING THE THEIF IN THE NIGHT

MARCHING ORDERS: Be On the Ready Know the Mission Trust the Plan

1.Be On the Ready: (1-4)

1. PREPAREDNESS DOESN’T NECESSARILY MEAN DETAILS:

a. Military Story of Readiness

b. Street Preaching About the End

In vs 1 Paul is telling the Thessalonians that he has no need to write to them…meaning that these things pertaining to the end times are not needed for the Christian life. Our curiosity drives to want to these things.

But has Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 3 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every [a]matter under heaven— denoting that the matters of the coming times are not important like the Christian witness you live out every day is.

Our lord tells in Mark 13:33-37 33 “See to it, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time [p]will come. 34 It is like a man away on a journey, who, leaving his house and giving authority to his slaves—each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35 Therefore, stay awake—for you do not know when the [q]master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you I say to all, ‘Stay awake!’”

a. The two words from the Greek found here are Chronos and Kairos and mean length of time and sequence of events. It was clear from what Paul had already written just before this that Thessalonians were afraid of being caught of guard or unprepared. So just has he gave them assurance about those that had already passed he wanted to also assure them that the did not need to know this info and would not, if found in the faith be caught off guard.

2. STAY AWAKE

a. Alert in Military

b. Awake does not mean alive physically

Vs. two is the Thief in the night passage describing the swiftness and suddenness of our Lord’s coming. A thief comes when, if you are trying to be proficient at it and this is no way a Pro Tip…I would not come when people might be able to see me. When people are on alert and I surely would not make my presence known. NO, a thief come when you least expect it. When would this be, when you are asleep.

It is sad to think today how many “Christian in Name Only” folks are out there today. Many who say things like, I am ok with God or JC is my man. Even many who step into churches that have no commitment to real teaching but have brought a sense of entertainment and seeker sensitivity to what has become an ethereal or non-Christ Exalting social club. Now we do have do have brothers and sisters in these places who have in this sense fallen asleep and it’s with vigor we should awaken them.

a. “The day of the Lord” is an expression that was not new these people. It has it’s roots in the prophets like Amos and Ezekiel. It signifies the coming of God to judge His enemies in fiery wrath. Amos warned of God’s coming to the wicked people of Samaria: “Is not the day of the LORD darkness and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it? (AMOS 5:20) The day of the Lord is a time of reckoning for sinners who have transgressed the law and oppressed God’s people. Ezekiel wrote: :”It will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations” (EZEKIEL 30:3) This day sits in contrast to the image of Christ return for believers. To say it another way: it’s a day of destruction for people and whole nations who stand opposed to God while at the same time being a day of salvation and deliverance for His people.

b. Certain popular end times systems would have you believe that these are separate events sighting The day of Christ found in Philippians 1:10 and or 1 Cor 5:5. But has you’ve already learned earlier in Chapter 2 of 1 Thessalonians in, Paul says the return of Christ is THE DAY OF THE LORD. These are one and the same to which the or scripture concludes in Rev 22:20 with Christ saying “Surely I am coming soon and the believers response is Amen, come, Lord Jesus!

SO I ENCOURAGE YOU BELIEVER Read The Word, get into community, be strengthen by one-another and breath it back out unto a sleepy world

So prepare yourself now and stay awake

3. DON’T GROW COMPLACENT

a. MATTHEW 37-39…37 For just as the days of Noah were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and they did not [y]understand until the flood came and took them all away; so, will the coming of the Son of Man be.

b. Paul is echoing the same language used by Christ. And in no way is Christ suggesting that it is wrong to eat or drink but that this is what consumes the unbeliever. No care of their eternal sole or that of other around them. In a sense the unbeliever if functionally gnostic. I know Josh as mentioned the Gnostics to you and how their view of this body is so ethereal, so who cares that what we did here in the time you had this vessel was meaningless. You get the same sense from the modern secularist today. Most of them are not atheist as they may proclaim but if pressed do have a sense of something passed this but not to include this. Friend this body will rise again and we as believers will enjoy a radically renovate earth with a radically renovated body and some of us are glad to hear that more than others. But the unbeliever today has no reason to care or shouldn’t care if they were being consistent with the things they presuppose and in that state of unbelief they won’t know what hit them on that day!

c. Strong breeds strong, complacent…….

Vs 3-4 starts off by saying “when there is peace and security” that’s when the sudden destruction come like the labor pangs of a pregnant mother.

Remember this was written in a time known as the Pax Romana…The time of Roman Peace. Lasted about 200 years. Not that there was no fighting at all but the amount of overwhelming peace and lack of full-scale war was unprecedented. But Paul is reminding them that this is a false sense of security because of how this peace was obtained and those still being persecuted under the rug of this Peace.

Dutch reformed cleric Allen Boesak wrote There is no peace but the Pax Romana, a "peace" maintained by violence and threat of violence, by the greed of the privileged and the oppression of the weak and the lowly.

Sound familiar? There are many today in a secular ideology that has pervaded our government and culture that are doing the same. Many doing so by redefining privilege and accusing other of being that while sitting on their self-made thrones looking down at everyone else. Perpetuating the same thing Jeremiah was talking about in chapter 6: They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ But there is no peace.

Vs 4 implores to realize that you (BELIEVER) are not in the dark and should not be surprised.

SO prepare, stay awake, and don’t grow complacent.

Paul wrote to the Ephesians in chapter 5

“Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”

KNOW THE MISSION (5-8)

Look back at what we read in in verses 5-8 and consider what Paul also wrote to the Ephesians in chapter 5

And do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead even [f]expose them. 12 For it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things become visible when they are [g]exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. 14 For this reason [h]it says,

“Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.”

15 Therefore look carefully how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 On account of this, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

What is this light but the light of The Gospel?

Man upset about preaching at the abortion mill

We are here to preach Christ and Christ Crucified 1 Corinthians 1:23 That he was made sin 2 Corinthians 5:21…. for “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13

This is what those who are asleep have a hard time grasping when it comes to evangelism

This is why those living darkness hate being exposed by the light.

Speaking this to those who believe and have a weak faith I would say that they complacent and they have rested only in the things of the world that can be corrupted but the ungodly.

I believe that there are many wonderful things in the world. Got created and no man can create like He can but human beings do corrupt the things that God has made. So, when we say do no be of this world, we cannot say to remove yourself from it. But use it while awake, use it in the light of the gospel and do your work, do your duty, Father to the glory of God, mother to the glory of God, children obey your parents to the glory of God. In all things labor to the glory of God, and even in your rest, rest to the Glory of God.

There are too many of use droning about during the day when this light that you have been given by God is for the purpose of stamping out the darkness in front of you.

b. Verses 4 and 5 represent one of The Bible’s main principles for Christian Living and sanctification. And I want you to right thos down or comit it to memory as best you can. CHRISTIAN LIVING IS DERIVED FROM CHRISTIAN THINKING!

c. Christians persevere in the faith by encouraging one another and when we strengthen each other in the word we begin thinking in the Light of the Word and by faith this yields the fruit of a regenerate heart given to us by God. Jesus says this himself when he prayed to the father in John 17;17 Sanctify them in truth, your word is truth.

a. As we come to verse 6 and 7 we have already said much about what it means to be asleep. We no the three disciples were found sleeping in the Garden of Gesemety and as we grow into the final garden at the final consummation there is a parallel there. Jesus was in in his final moment of being in a garden before his false arrest and the disciples were asleep and we are now, not to be asleep in this world as we grow into the garden of the final consummation at the end of times.

b. We also ought not be like Samson who was asleep spiritually and had made such piece with the world that his strength was waining long before deliliah cut it by night.

Now in vs 8 Paul uses an anology here that develops thoughout his writing. Namely in ephisians 6. This war like imagry and gearing up for battle. John Calvin noted in his commentary on thessolonians that Paul understands the Christian Life is a Life of Perpetual warefare.War with not only a world that doesn’t understand or want to understand you despite cries of everyone love erveryone even in this so called pride were love is love and in no way could pride possibly come before a fall….but also a war with ourselves against remaining sin

a. John Piper Make War!

Christian, Know and Understand the Mission

TRUST THE PLAN (9-11)

Vs 9 guarantees those who have assurance of their salvation through Christ that his plan is perfect. And those that have been destined to wrath do not.

I said a few minutes ago that this light is not to be shown on you but by you…on the flip side listen to Romans 2

Therefore, (SPEAKING TO THOSE WHO WOULD NOT ACHKOWLEDGE GOD IN CHAPTER 1)

you are without excuse, O man, everyone who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 And we know that the judgment of God [a]rightly falls upon those who practice such things. 3 But do you presume this, O man—who passes judgment on those who practice such things and does the same—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But [b]because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

When you trust the plan, it brings great joy and with that joy a heart brokenness for those who refuse. I believe in the sovereign grace of God so even though they will not hear it won’t stop me from trying because I do not know who the they are right now. I know there will be a they in the final times, those that did not trust Christ as their savior but my assurance tells me that there was one time in which I could have looked like they outwardly and thank God in providence there was someone there to preach.

So that awake or asleep we might live with Him Vs 10.

Vs 11 closes this section out with encouragement for one another.

I love this verse…Therefore, [h]comfort one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

There are lots of talk about church growth models and have been for the last few decades. This verse is the only church growth model.

Hearing come by preaching of the word. That word will edify you believers and strengthen your resolve to prop one another up when needed and link arms forever. When we do this, we launch each other into the world to find lost sheep.

This letter was written to a believing church. And all churches should be geared for believers. Not the seeker sensitive model of just get them in the door, entertain them and hope for the best. The real model works. Unbelievers are welcomed in but it needs to be clear that we serve sheep food here and you will either enjoy it or go off searching for the goat food church. Strengthen each other for that day and if you do that faithfully your community will thrive in Christ.

IN CLOSING

Jim’s optimistic speech of crushing the serpent’s head.

So be prepared, know and understand your mission and trust the plan!

LET’S PRAY!