First Thessalonians (12)

Watchful Till the End

Paul begins verse 8 by saying, “But let us, who are of the day be sober....”

He is contrasting us that are alert and awake with those that are drunk and asleep in verse seven.

We discussed the word sober a little bit last week, and saw where it ment that we are to be free from influence and intoxication of the world. [It is used in the context of being watchful.]

We have the command to be free of anything that will hinder our ability to be watchful.

There are many things in this world that can cause us to throw in the towel, raise the white flag, give up and get down.

We could easily say its not worth it.

We can get easily get so discouraged that we take our eyes off the prize and put them on the world and very quickly become intoxicated on the world desires

So Paul is telling us through his letter to the Thessalonians that we have a command to be sober i.e watchful,

We are soldiers in the Lord’s Army and we have no room for worldly desires and being drunk on the world

We have been called to duty

We have been placed on the wall

You know what happens to soldiers and Marines for that fact any service member that is caught drunk while on duty?

If caught enough times, they can be dishonorably discharged from service.

Now while you cant lose your salvation, God can place you on the dishonorable list and leave you inactive till He returns, but God has given us letters like this one to help us guard against such occurrences .

So through the inspiration of God, Paul is going to list out a few things for us, that will help us stay on the wall.

When you feel like giving up, remember we have a God in heaven that has given us the essential items needed to stand strong and be watchful till the return of His Son.

So lets look at what we have as children of the Day that can help us be watchful till the end.

I. The Armor of Salvation

Paul tells the church at Rome, Rom.13:12-13

Romans 13:12–13 KJV 1900

The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

In other words, because the end is approaching, it is time to wake up, clean up and dress up. And when we dress up we had better put on the Armor.

Later on in Pauls life he will write to another church giving them very similar advice for being watchful till the end. Eph.6.

But Here in verse 8 which is some 10 or 15 years earlier, tells the church at Thessalonica, that to be watchful till the end it is also going to take the armor of God.

Now Paul does not go into as much detail as he will when he writes to the Ephesians, but none the less he is still letting us know that it takes the armor of God to live in this world.

The first thing that Paul tells them is nessacary to be watchful til the end is

A. Breastplate of Faith and Love (8)

—Paul speaks of the breastplate of the soldier.

This was a vital piece of armor.

It protected the heart and the vital organs.

If a soldier’s heart is left vulnerable, he may not survive the battle.

The same is true for us.

We don’t wear physical armor, but we must ensure that we are dressed with the breastplate of faith and love.

These two are critical in defending the heart.

Faith

Without faith in the Lord we are tempted to abandon the cause and flee from the fight.

If we lose our focus and faith, we will not survive.

Through faith we trust in the power of the Lord and Like the shield of faith in Eph 6:16, it helps to deflect the firery darts of the wicked.

Love is also important within the heart.

When we shield our hearts with love we are willing to stand when others might fail.

Love creates an allegiance to our Master.

Love allows us to see as God does.

It allows us to feel the needs of others.

It is much easier to abandon a cause when there are few consequences, but when we love and care for those around us, we are more likely to stand and fight.

Love will compel us to endure for our children, for the church, and even for those who are unsaved.

A. Breastplate of Faith and Love (8)

B. Helmet of Hope in Salvation (8)

—This too is a critically important piece of armor.

The helmet protects the head and brain.

We all know that without the head, the body quickly dies.

If we dont wear out helmet of hope in salvation, it wont take long for the deceiver to get in your mind and start playing tricks.

That is why Paul would be so adamant about the helmet of salvation when he would write to the Ephesians several years later.

He told them to have their loins girt about with truth, have on the breastplate of righteousness and our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel. Then he says, above all.

The sheild, helmet and sword to paul were the three most important items.

The Helmet of hope in Salvation does not mean hoping that we will be saved.

A person can know today that he is saved and going to heaven.

Paul knew that the Thessalonican believers were saved (1 Thes. 1:4), and he was certain that he and they would meet Christ in the air (1 Thes. 4:17).

The person who confidently says, “I know I am saved!” is not exhibiting pride; he is demonstrating faith in God’s Word.

First John was written to help us know that we are saved (1 John 5:9–13

1 John 5:9–13 KJV 1900

If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Hope of salvation means “the hope that salvation gives to us.”

There are actually three tenses to salvation:

(1) past—I have been saved from the guilt and penalty of sin;

(2) present—I am being saved from the power and pollution of sin;

(3) future—I shall be saved from the very presence of sin when Christ returns.

The blessed hope of our Lord’s return is the “hope of salvation.”

Because when He comes we go!!!!

Unsaved people are without hope (Eph. 2:12

Ephesians 2:12 KJV 1900

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

This helps explain why they live as they do: “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die!”

[Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 2:184.]

A soldiers armor is one of the most important things that he is supplied with to help him stand in the day of battle.

When I go through the gate every morning, you know what I see, Marines dressed in Armor. They are not in a battle, but they are ready to battle and watching if one does come.

In the same fashion, we need to be ready by putting on our armor and be watchful till the end.

II. The Authority of the Sovereign

After Paul addresses the armor believers are to possess he then reveals what God has done to make sure we can be watchful til the end

Notice:

A. His Promise (9a)

—For God hath not appointed us to wrath.

What a promise we have in the Word of God.

Keep in mind that the believers in Thessalonica were confused and concerned with the second coming.

They feared the dead in Christ would not be taken in the rapture and were unsure of their presence in the Day of the Lord.

Paul reveals that God has not appointed or “placed” the believer within His wrath.

In fact, He has promised to deliver us from the wrath to come.

1 Thessalonians 1:10 KJV 1900

And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

John 5:24 KJV 1900

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Romans 8:1 KJV 1900

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

God hath not appointed us to wrath.

Here the word wrath is not a reference to a sudden burst of anger or a quick and passing judgment. It speaks of “an abiding and settled state of judgment.”

We have the assurance of God’s Word that he has not appointed the church to endure that wrath.

A. His Promise (9a)

B. Our Provision (9b)

—Here Paul reveals wherein our hope and assurance lies.

The wrath of God is reserved for those who reject Him and deny the Lord in salvation,

but provision was made for our redemption upon the cross of Calvary.

We don’t have to face the wrath of God if we are cleansed in the shed blood of His precious Son.

The Lord provided a means of escape from the wrath of God as He offered Himself the perfect sacrifice to atone for our sin.

2 Thessalonians 2:13–14 KJV 1900

But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Aren’t you glad that the Lord bore our sin and received the judgment we deserved so that we might be forgiven in Him?

If you are lost in here this morning, you are still dead in your trespasses and sins.

The wrath of God is still promised upon you, but you do not have to leave here like that.

John 3:16-18 tells us

John 3:16–18 KJV 1900

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

until you believe you are condemned.

the only thing that can save you from the condemnation and wrath of God is Jesus Christ.

There is only two things required for you to be saved today, Rom. 10:9-10

Romans 10:9–10 KJV 1900

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Wont you be saved today.

III.The Assurance of the Savior

This reveals what the Lord did for us and the hope that we have through Him.

Consider:

A. His Sacrifice (10a)

—Paul reminds them that it was Christ the Lord who died for us.

He bore our sin; He faced the wrath of God for our sin; He offered Himself as the only sacrifice that was worthy to atone for the sins of humanity.

Christ died in our place; He became our substitute.

1 Peter 2:24 KJV 1900

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1 Peter 3:18 KJV 1900

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

A. His Sacrifice (10a)

B. His Security (10b)

—that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

This ought to have put all their fears and doubts to rest.

As Christ died upon the cross for our sin, He secured eternal life for those who believe upon Him in salvation.

Whether we live or die we will live eternally with Christ our blessed Lord!

Romans 14:8–9 (KJV 1900)

For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

What a blessed assurance we have in the Lord.

We have no way of knowing what we will face or endure in this body of flesh.

We have no way of knowing what a day will bring forth, but we do know that we are secure in Him.

When all is said and done upon this earth and in this life, the saved will enjoy the glorious presence of the Redeemer throughout eternity!

IV. The Advantage of the Saints

If these words sound familiar, that is because they are. Paul used similar wording at the end of chapter 4.

They were so concerned and confused about the day of the Lord that after explaining that they have nothing to worry about Paul mentions a couple things that set the believers apart from the world.

Notice:

A. Our Comfort (11a)

—Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

He exhorts them to comfort themselves together by considering and rejoicing in all that they have in the Lord.

Life is difficult, at best, but this is not all there is for the child of God.

We are a people of hope.

We have the assurance of our salvation based upon the finished work of Calvary and the empty tomb.

We can take comfort even in the most difficult of times.

A. Our Comfort (11a)

B. Our Commitment (11b)

—Paul was well aware that there were those who were weak in their faith.

There would be those who would not understand or embrace truth as they should.

This is an exhortation for the strong to edify the weak.

He wanted them to maintain their commitment to each other.

We too need to be reminded and challenged in that regard.

Those who are strong need to encourage those who are weak.

We need a steadfast commitment to encouraging and edifying one another.

There is enough tearing down already; we need to be committed to building up for the glory of God and the good of the church!

Conclusion:

I trust that these verses brought a measure of comfort to you today.

I also hope that they challenged us to persevere in the trials of life and seek to encourage one another.

We need the Lord’s help and we need the help of each other.

Times are difficult and they will only get worse, but we are more than conquerors through Christ the Lord.

This passage reveals a sobering reality.

The wrath of God will one day come upon all who have rejected Him.

Do you know Christ as your Savior?

If not you will face God’s wrath.