1 Thessalonians 5:1-9 / The Day of the Lord

1 Thessalonians 5:1-9 / Day of the Lord

1 Thessalonians 5:1–9 ESV

1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

1 Thess 5:1-3 / Concerning the Times and Seasons

1 Thessalonians 5:1–3 ESV

1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

Day of the Lord - Time when God will work more directly in the world.

(Old Test: Isa. 13; Joel 2; Zeph 1; Zeph 3)

Include Judgement & Blessing

When will it be?

Thief in the night. -

Unexpected

Unwelcome

Unprepared

“There is peace and security.”

As in the Days of Noah - Apathetic mentality

Luke 17:26–30 ESV

26 Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, 29 but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— 30 so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

Apathetic to the Kingdom.

walking dogs on beautiful Sunday morning...

Unbelief toward the promises of God.

They heard warnings of Noah and laughed

Seeking pleasure from this world.

Hedonism - Sodom & Gomorrah .

As if they will never answer to God.

1 Thess. 5:4-5 / Children of the Light

1 Thessalonians 5:4–5 ESV

4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.

Marked difference in the Church. Why?

“We are not in darkness”

“We are children of the light”

Describes the focus of the body of Christ.

Kingdom focused.

Constant expectation of Christ’s return.

Ridiculed like Noah

Outnumbered like Lot.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 ESV

8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

Since we have saved … act like it!

faith, love, salvation

1 Thess 5:9 / Destined for Salvation

1 Thessalonians 5:9 ESV

9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

It should never be enough to “get them in the door.”

It’s all about the decision to follow Christ.