Day of The Lord

1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11 (NIV)

Intro- death…its a reality…every single one of us will at some point die.

Sometimes we can be so focused one thing that we miss the main thing.

The New International Version (Chapter 4)

13 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.

Everybody grieves but not everyone has hope in the midst of grief. Jesus gives us hope even in the midst of pain, death, grief, and uncertainty.

The New International Version (Chapter 4)

14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16

Faithfulness will not go unrewarded.

But his point is that we can be confident in God’s future purposes for those Christians who have died. There will be grief, of course; but there is also hope. There will come a day when God will put all wrongs to rights, when all grief will turn to joy. Jesus will be central to that day, which will end with the unveiling of God’s new world. There, those who have already died, and those who are still alive, will both alike be given renewed bodies to serve God joyfully in his new creation.

-NT Wright

The New International Version (Chapter 4)

16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The most important part of the end times is that time with Jesus will be never ending.

The New International Version (Chapter 5)

Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 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.

Jesus said that not even He knew the timing, only the father knows.

The end will be the end. Live now like your eternity depends on it.

Don’t worry about the time of the end but be concerned about living a life that is leading you be with Jesus and like Jesus.

The New International Version (Chapter 5)

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

The New International Version (Chapter 5)

6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 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.

We are called to be different. We are called to stay focused and stand firm.

The New International Version (Chapter 5)

9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

The blessing of following Jesus is for both now and later. The present and the future, because in both you get to be with Jesus.