Awake and Alive (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11)
Following Faithfully: Lessons in Discipleship from Thessalonians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 51:59
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Notes
Transcript
Sermon
Sermon
Key Passage
Key Passage
Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,
for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.
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 sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
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.
Introduction
Introduction
As we enter the last chapter of this book, I want to take a few moments and review our journey through this book.
Recap Series
Paul’s journey
MAP
Visit to Thessalonica
Some accepted the message
Others violently rejected
Paul was likely only there for a short time
Visit to Berea
Thessalonians drove him out of Berea
Paul ended up in southern Greece
From southern Greece, he desperately wanted to return to Thessalonica to help these young believers grow, but he was blocked from returning by Satan
So instead he sent Timothy to see how the church was doing.
When Timothy returned, Paul was overjoyed and sent this letter to them.
Paul encouraged them in his greeting by encouraging them about their faith, hope and love. The Gospel had been heard all through the region because of what God was doing within them.
Paul also acknowledged that they were likely undergoing severe suffering as a result of the Gospel.
Paul encouraged them that this meant they were embracing the Gospel correctly.
In the next chapter, Paul again highlights the Gospel that he shared with them.
He said, “This is the Gospel I gave you”
Then he spoke to them about the gospel they received.
When we looked through that text we saw that so many present a gospel that is really no gospel at all.
Many present a temporary gospel
A gospel that focuses on good news for everything connected to this life.
Paul reminded them that they gospel they received was connected to an eternal hope in Christ Jesus, even in the face of suffering in this world.
Paul then progressed in chapter 3 about the effect of the true Gospel within them.
Paul shares with them his heart as a discipler and how they are his joy as disciples of Jesus.
We then progressed into chapter 4.
Paul transitioned the message of this letter to instruction.
As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.
The theme of this letter now begins to revolve around a word that we covered a couple of weeks ago, “sanctification”
In 1 Thes 4:1 we see that he says, “We urge you to do this more and more”.
There is a growth and maturity that must happen within them as disciples and Paul encourages them to engage this, more and more.
We used the metaphor from the Gospel of John about Lazarus
Jesus is the resurrection and the life
He was the Thessalonians resurrection and life.
He is our resurrection and life.
When Lazarus resurrected from the dead, Jesus instructed those around to remove the stinking, decaying burial cloths from his body.
This is the picture of sanctification that we brought to our discussion
The stinking burial cloths that defined us when we were dead in our sins must be removed from our lives and replaced with the righteousness of Jesus...and to steal a phrase from Paul, “more and more”
This is not to earn our salvation or resurrection from Jesus.
We are resurrected by the Resurrection and the Life
This is because we are alive. We should no longer want the clothing of death on our lives.
We talked about topics like:
Sexual immorality
Conditional love
Laziness
Busybodies
Then last week, Christian did a fantastic job of continuing the discussion of the stinking old burial clothes.
He talked about the return of Jesus.
We might ask, “what does that have to do with anything?”
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
Paul reminds the Thessalonians that living with no hope is a burial cloth that we have to remove and that must be replaced with a life that is lived with a hope in Jesus and his return for the church!
This is a tremendous encouragement!
To recap this for us today:
This was a young church that was trying to navigate their newfound salvation.
They needed the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
But they also needed Paul’s encouragement
We are a church that is built on the principles Jesus demonstrated in discipleship.
We have highlighted these principles as we have journeyed through this book so far.
And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Matthew 4:19 Definition of Disciple
A disciple follows Jesus (Head)
A disciple is being changed by Jesus (Heart)
A disciple is on mission with Jesus (Hands)
With that, we will dive into today’s topic
As was read earlier, you can see this topic being a pretty exciting and even controversial topic for some.
I want us to understand that our topic today is not controversial. In fact, it should be massively unifying.
The Holy Spirit will not put anything in the Scriptures that, when used correctly, will divide the church.
We will consider the context and interpret this passage as it was written.
Topic
Topic
I want to start our journey today by starting with the conclusion of this passage like Christian did last week.
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Our text must drive to the conclusion that we will build each other up and encourage each other.
Any other outcome and we didn’t navigate this passage correctly.
If we end up with our passage, “Therefore, you now all know the details and secrets of the end times.” you will know that we have not come to the correct solution.
Also, we must begin our passage by understanding what Paul is saying as he leads into this.
He is talking about living holy and righteous lives, more and more.
Sanctification
Stop doing wrong things
Start living with hope.
This is going to revolve around the lives we live.
Now there is going to be what I call a massive black hole in this text.
A black hole is an outer space term. It is a burnt out star (or something like that) that sucks everything into itself. It’s like a gigantic Hoover vacuum cleaner in outer space.
In this text, we are going to feel the pull from our context into the “When, where and how” of the end times discussion.
If Paul, or the Holy Spirit for that matter, wanted us to know in detail these things, He would have written it in absolute clarity.
Instead, Paul writes here that there are events that are going to happen. It doesn’t matter when, but it does matter that they will happen.
Paul is writing this so we will live lives focused on the activity of God in this world, not focused on our own hope.
Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,
for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
In our last text, Paul spoke about the return of Jesus.
He then begins this segment of his letter by saying, we don’t need to write you.
I think the logical question we would ask is, “Why?”
Why would he not need to write this to us?
I think the answer is very simple. He even says it in verse 2.
Because that day will come like a thief in the night.
Jesus Himself used this language as well.
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
Paul says, “about the day and the hour, it will be like a thief in the night.”
Jesus says, “No one knows the day and the hour, not even me.”
Jesus even goes on in that passage to say that it is like a thief in the night.
But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
I want to start here.
This is where so many get distracted and fired up.
They will take the passage we look at today and tie it to Revelation, then Matthew, then Zephaniah, then Daniel and create this detailed and complex description of their views of the end times.
These people will then often move to the newspaper and start to show how this world event connects to that Bible verse and so on.
It is not wrong to have an opinion of the end times. It is not wrong to study this.
But to make the study of something like this central to your theology puts the rest of your theology out of balance.
While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
Paul gives a very small snapshot of the Day of the Lord
Paul first describes the return of Jesus.
Then he describes the “Day of the Lord”
There are some who think these are the same event.
There are some who think these are different events
There are some who have no idea.
Who is saved?
All that matters in that regard is your faith in Jesus Christ.
This is a topic that may grow a theologian, but it won’t grow a saint.
the purpose of this text will draw us closer to Jesus in holiness and that is what I want to focus on.
The topic of the rapture was discussed in chapter 4
The result of that was to encourage each other
The topic of the day of the Lord is here in chapter 5
The result will be to encourage each other
Are these the same event or different events?
Paul describes them separately, but people have differing views.
We will show grace in the details of this, but emphasize the main point.
The main point shows up here in verse 4.
While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
From here, we will see Paul describe what a disciple looks like in view of the end times compared to a person who has no hope/
In verse 3 we see that people will believe in the myth of “peace and safety”
Start here, this is a sinful and broken world. Will there ever truly be “Peace and safety”?
No. So anyone who is promising that is not capable of keeping that promise.
But like labor pains on a pregnant woman
Once those things start, there is no going back. A baby is coming, whether you like it or not.
Those who are embracing “peace and safety” in this world will experience the exact opposite.
We are going to begin by calling that category of person “THEY”
Slide: They You 1
Paul begins to show the difference between how a disciple of Jesus looks and acts compared to someone who is lost.
A disciple is in the light whereas compared to darkness
A disciple is of the day, not of the night
A disciple is informed, not surprised
I want to pause here and talk through these things, specifically the idea of being informed.
Paul doesn’t say, “I’m going to give you so much information that you’ll figure out the pattern of the entire end times theology.
That is not the “informed” Paul is talking about.
“Informed” means that you know something is coming, and you are prepared for it.
I’ve used this example before, but I want to use it again, because I have limited creativity and if it works, keep using it.
Lisa and I go on a date and we ask our kids to clean the house and do the dishes while we are gone.
We tell them that we are returning, but not when.
The kids could get distracted
Or the kids could claim to be uninformed that they didn’t know we were coming back
But by telling them, they can’t use that excuse...
Paul wanted the Thessalonians to be informed enough to motivate life change.
But he didn’t over-inform them.
The same is true for us today. This is why we are taking the position we are, which is not too much detail about the event and more detail about how to live.
Being in the day and in the light means that we can see. We are informed. We know what we need to know and our lives are in Christ
So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.
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 sober,
Here is the next set of descriptors for those in the light and those in darkness
Those in darkness are asleep.
We are awake, and also Paul mentions sober.
The word “sober” here means: temperate, in moderation, and self-controlled.
The idea here is that we are in control of our responses to things.
When the world goes sideways, we look to our hope and don’t overreact.
The contrast is the sleepers.
They sleep because they are in the night. And those who get drunk get drunk in the night.
There are a lot of things that correspond with daylight and nighttime.
Paul highlights that those who are in the night or darkness sleep in the night.
The night corresponds with sleep.
Also, the night corresponds with drunkenness.
Paul is making a couple of points here.
The secondary point is that drunkenness is not advisable for any disciple of Jesus.
But, the extension of that is the metaphor of drunkenness.
He is not saying disciples should not sleep. Of course we should sleep.
In the same way, he is talking about drunkenness in a way that highlights the control of our lives by other things than the hope we have in Jesus.
Think about this.
If we don’t have a hope in Jesus, how do we live?
We live our lives hanging on everything that is connected to this world.
If we get a bunch of money, we celebrate.
If we lose a bunch of money, we mourn.
Our circumstances blind us and control us to living exclusively in this world.
This is living intoxicated by the world. We cannot make decisions, nor can we see the world in an appropriate manner, because we are in darkness; intoxicated by this life.
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
Paul then gives the Thessalonians instruction.
These are instructions for those living in the light. Disciples of Jesus.
We must be sober and self controlled and put on faith and love as a breastplate and hope of salvation as a helmet.
In the book of Ephesians, Paul talks about the armor of God and goes into greater detail about the armor.
This passage is a simplified view of that passage.
He is using language of a battle
A breastplate is the large piece of armor that covers our vital organs.
It is a defensive and protective piece of equipment.
Our faith and love protect us
There is a battle going on in our world. There is a battle that is going to be won by Jesus as we see in this passage.
As we live our lives, we must embrace faith
Relational knowledge of Jesus
Surrender to the authority of Jesus
Obey Jesus
Love others as Jesus has loved us
The helmet is the defensive piece of equipment that protects our head
This is embracing the hope we have in salvation
Our minds will either be consumed by this life or the next.
Paul brings to vivid description the reality that this world isn’t going to amount to much when Jesus returns.
Our hope is with him.
He says we must put it on—it is not inherent to our salvation
Paul is speaking to disciples of Jesus.
They are saved, but Paul is still telling them that they must protect themselves by building their entire lives upon Jesus.
We don’t protect ourselves—God does
Keep in mind this isn’t a physical protection.
These people were being persecuted and would continue to be persecuted.
During that time, almost every Christian suffered tremendously for their fain in Jesus.
We cannot embrace a “peace and safety” mindset in our salvation either.
We embrace the hope we have in Jesus Christ. The hope of our salvation guards our minds.
He reinforces this by restating the Gospel
He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.
Jesus died for us.
We are sinners and he died in our place.
Whether we are dead or alive, we will live together with him.
This is our hope.
It outweighs all other considerations in this world.
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Here is the result of this passage.
We need encouragement.
Encouragement in faith
Encouragement in love
Encouragement in hope
We know Jesus is going to return
We know there are hard days ahead.
We cannot get too caught up on the timelines. We need to get caught up on the purpose of these passages.
I love 2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
God isn’t in Heaven waiting for stupid humans to figure out the end times code.
God is waiting for people to come to repentance.
This is His heart. We must embrace His heart.
We must not live like we once did in darkness
Darkness is alone, lost, and even painful.
We are in the light
We know the truth. There is a timer on this existence and we need to get to action and encourage each other.
Encourage and build each other up
Very simply, our instructions are to remember that Jesus is in control.
We encourage each other to protect one another.
We encourage faith, hope and love
Conclusion
Conclusion
What are some responses someone might have toward hearing about the events that are to come?
Fear
Worry
Sorrow
These are not sanctified living. This is burial clothes life.
We must embrace the hope of Jesus
This is sanctification. This is living according to the truth.
There is a way to live holy and follow Jesus.
Live for Him, not for this world.
Paul doesn’t want us to respond like the rest of the world.
Here is the reality. This world is broken. And our broken world will break us.
If this world is all that there is, then we ought to be pitied.
But Jesus Christ is real.
Today, we get to talk about the hope we have
We are awake, alive, informed and in the light.
We are forgiven. We are people who are loved
We must embrace the identity Jesus has given us
Real Life in Action
Head- Does my hope in Jesus motivate my action?
Heart- How does my heart truly respond to hearing about the “day of the Lord”?
Hands- Who can I encourage or build up by reminding them of our hope?
