What are you looking at?
Uncertain Times • Sermon • Submitted
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1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Background Context / Review
Background Context / Review
Last time we looked at this passage we concluded that Paul was drawing a contrast between the mindset of a believer and one who is lost. He does this by drawing the conclusion that the Christians mindset in the midst of troubling seasons should be different. The believers in Thessalonica were faced with the idea that Christ had already returned and judgement had commenced. Paul reminded them that what they were dealing with was preparing the world for that day, but it had yet to occur. He told them “ye yourselves know perfectly”, so he was reiterating what he had already taught and what they were familiar with.
He reminded them of their hope in Christ and the appointment they had on the horizon. It was an appointment, not with wrath, but with reward and hope of living in the presence of Christ for an eternity.
He reminded them that the unbelievers had minds that were not serious and sober and this should not characterize how we should be thinking. Our thinking should be sober (serious), and full of faith, love and hope.
Introduction
Introduction
In the other passage we are examining in 2 Corinthians we find a similar and complementary truth about dealing with difficult and trying circumstances and with it further instruction. It seems in much of the New Testament writings we find the apostles dealing with trying circumstances. The early church faced opposition from their own countrymen as they were persecuted and scattered out from Jerusalem. As the church grew and the composition of the body changed to gentile believers there was a different set of challenges faced by a pagan crowd that was resisting the convicting power of the Holy Spirit.
There has always been and will continue to be trying and difficult circumstances and Christians will continue to run to the truth contained in the Scripture that gives instruction for how to deal with it.
Transition:
With all that is going on the world I think it would do us well to consider what it is we are looking at. With all the distraction we face… the news stories, twitter posts, facebook posts and youtube videos etc. How do we cut through the noise and find a sense of stability among so much uncertainty?
Well… this is exactly what a relationship with Christ promises to accomplish in our lives and precisely what Satan would like to rob us of.