The Church's Security and Preparation (1 Thess. 5)

The Church's Hope through the End of Time: Thessalonians  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Know who you are, and continue serving the Lord faithfully until that day comes. There’s not some other list of things to do to get ready. It’s being faithful to what He’s already told us.

Notes
Transcript

INTRO

Now concerning the times and the seasons… There might have been questions coming back to Paul from Timothy reporting on the Thessalonians wondering about the return of Christ.
First, this is not a new question. In fact, the question was being asked even before Jesus left the earth:
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”” (Acts 1:6–11, ESV)
The question might have been coming from a place of anxiety for the Thessalonians—maybe they would miss out on the blessings of the return somehow, or maybe they’d miss it altogether.
I say this because of Paul’s response.
He reassures them that already know enoughthey have no need for anything to be written to them. They know what is going to happen, and there is not some other secret knowledge they need in order to feel like they won’t miss out on it all.
He reassures them of their identity in Christ— they are “children of light” and because of that, they are not going to miss out or miss it at all. The return of Christ will affect all people, but it will be joyful for the redeemed.
He reassures them to continue living in righteousness.

Here’s the problem, then and now: Some have a False Hope (v.2-4)

2 phrases used to illustrate the return of Christ- thief in the night & labor pains.
One indicates that there will be no warning, (thief)and
one indicates that there will be no return (labor pains).
Some will say “peace/security” then sudden destruction will come.
Sudden Destruction, like the Flood/ Sodom & Gomorrah.
There will be no rude awakening for those who cling to true hope b/c the Redeemed should be living with anticipation of Christ’s return.
Many people think they’re safe; they might not even think about the return of Christ and any final judgment of God; others, though, are holding on to false hopes to escape destruction in the end- good works, intelligence, wealth, science----
If we put our hope in anything other than Jesus, it’s a false hope that will lead to destruction.

It seems that Paul addresses 2 major areas of their lives— security & preparation.

Security— they want to know that what God has promised will truly be theirs. They dont want to miss out.
Today, many believers struggle to still have confidence. We’ll look at Paul’s instruction to the Thessalonians and we’ll see it is highly practical and relevant today.
Preparation— We know from last week the command in the NT is to be ready. But how?
I want to summarize our text into two main points today:
Security comes out of our identity.
Preparation comes out of our faithfulness.

Security comes out of our identity.

You can know you are secure when the Lord returns and final judgment is poured out upon the earth if you are in Jesus Christ.
In other words, if you are a child of God, then you know you are secure in the Lord for all eternity. Security comes out of your identity.
See how Paul says it—
You are “children of light”
You are “children of the day”
V.4— because of your identity, you won’t be surprised when the Lord returns. You won’t have to live in fear like those who will because it is sudden destruction for them.
The contrast is light/darkness. We are children of the light, and we maintain the spiritual qualities of the light. The unredeemed are people of the darkness, and their lives are characterized by the spiritual qualities of darkness.
Children of light— patterned after Jesus:
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4–5, ESV)
Living in darkness is described well by the apostle John:
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”” (John 3:19–21, ESV)
Your security comes out of your identity. If you are truly a child of God/child of light, then you are living in the light. So when the promises of God, whom you serve, happen, you won’t be surprised. Nor will you suddenly somehow be transformed into a child of darkness.
You are a child of light. Your identity is found in Jesus Christ. So your life is found in Christ. And your eternity will be found in Jesus Christ.
He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13–14, ESV)
[READ v.9-11]
Be encouraged! You’re not going to miss out! You are secure in the Lord because your identity is in Christ.

Preparation comes out of our faithfulness.

How are we to be ready for the Lord’s return? How do we prepare?
When you think of getting ready, you probably think about some event that you need to go to. You start getting ready maybe a half-hour before you have to leave, maybe an hour.
You do all the things to get ready, and then there comes a point where you say ok, I’m ready to walk out the door.
We can’t think of being ready for the Lord’s return in that way. It’s not a progression of events that we accomplish and then we sit down and say, I’m ready. Come on, Lord, I’ve done everything I needed to. It’s time for you to come now...
Preparation comes out of our faithfulness. It’s ongoing.
Maybe another way to understand this simply is to say that being prepared is a lifestyle, not a set of activities to complete.
Why do I describe it like that? Look at how Paul ends this letter. He’s giving some commands for righteous living that should be characteristic of children of the light.
v.6-8
Sleep v. keep awake
Awake= to take heed lest through remission and indolence some destructive calamity suddenly overtake one (Strongs)
The redeemed don’t say some prayer or do something initially and then sit there or sleep. We stay awake.
Drunk v. sober
Sober= to be in a sober mood, to be calm and collected in spirit, to be temperate, dispassionate, circumspect, alert.
Reference to the armor of God, but there’s the triad again— faith, love, hope.
Keeping awake and sober should be 2 characteristics of the redeemed lifestyle. 2 characteristics of a life where one is being ready.
Then Paul gets very practical with some final instructions. While these could warrant much more teaching individually, I want to show how they collectively contribute to a lifestyle of being ready.
Respect those who labor among you
Esteem them highly in love
Because they are helping to promote your sanctification and keep you focused on God’s mission.
Be at peace among yourselves
Admonish the idle
Encourage the fainthearted
Help the weak
Be patient with all
Don’t repay evil for evil
Do good to all people
Rejoice always
Pray without ceasing
Give thanks in all circumstances
Do not quench the Spirit
Do not despise prophecies, but test everything and hold to what is good.
Abstain from every form of evil
Preparation comes out of your faithfulness. Keep living for the Lord, let him find you faithful when he returns.
How do you know you’ll go with the Lord when he comes? Security comes out of your identity.
What do you do to be ready when the Lord returns? Preparation comes out of faithfulness.
Know who you are, and continue serving the Lord faithfully until that day comes. There’s not some other list of things to do to get ready. It’s being faithful to what He’s already told us.
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