If you turn your Bibles now to 1 Thessalonians. I believe that’s on page 1,257 of your pew Bibles. I’ll be reading in chapter five this morning. The first 11 verses. Let’s give attention now to 1 Thessalonians 5, beginning at verse 1. Now concerning the times and the season, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you.
For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 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. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day.
We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 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. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we might live with him.
Therefore, encourage one another and build up one another just as you are doing. Let’s find the word of God. Amen. Please be seated. Would you pray with me? Father, our God, we need your word. I pray that you’d open it to us this morning. You know each of our needs. And so we pray, Father, that as your word is preached, you would meet each and every one. Help us, Lord. Conform our hearts. Change us. We ask this in Jesus’s name, amen. How are you preparing for Christ? How are you preparing for his return? That seems to be what this passage is speaking about this morning. Think of the flood. Think of Noah. Think of Noah and his sons.
How did they prepare? How did they prepare for the flood? Well, you’d say, obviously, they built the ark. They were ready. But what about everyone else? When the rain started to fall, when the floodwater started to come up, where were they? Why weren’t they at the door of the ark asking to be let in? What were they doing?
As Matthew records Jesus’s words regarding Noah and the ark, Jesus said that they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away. They were too busy eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage until the day when Noah entered the ark. In a sense, that brings us to our text this morning.
Paul has been called by the Spirit to go to Macedonia. He ends up in Thessalonica. He’s been preaching there for three Sundays, three Lord’s Days. He has been forced to leave. Persecution has come to the door once again, and now he’s writing a letter back to this fledgling church. He is seeking to encourage them. He’s seeking to remind them of the doctrines that he taught them while he was there, even during those three short Lord’s days. The doctrine of God’s election, the doctrine of the resurrection, He mentions Satan, he talks about suffering and certainly temptation and the need for holiness. And then he encourages them.
He uses those imperatives or commands, calling them, urging them to walk in a way that pleases God. and do so more and more and more that they abstain from sexual immorality, that they live quietly, work with their hands, keep to themselves in such a way, mind your own affairs.
And then we come to that question, are the dead going to actually be raised by Christ? Is the resurrection that powerful? Are they saved? And Paul answers with a resounding yes. And so now we come to this first portion of chapter 5. As a result of the truth of the resurrection of the dead, Paul now turns to more instruction. How were they to live that day knowing that Jesus was going to return, that the dead were going to be raised? What were they supposed to be doing? And the short answer is stay awake, be sober, and be encouraged.
We might sum up the teaching here in these first 11 verses of chapter 5 this way. The Lord speaks to reveal and to keep secret such that followers will stay awake and be encouraged. The Lord speaks to reveal and keep secret such that followers will stay awake and be encouraged.
We’ll see that in three points this morning. First, that secret things belong to the Lord our God. Secondly, that the revealed things belong to those given light. And then finally, the encouraging things belong to the followers of Jesus Christ. As we go through these 11 verses this morning, again, I’d like you to be asking yourself that question, how am I preparing for Jesus to return? Well, first, the secret things belong to the Lord our God.
Paul here turns to the how. How am I supposed to do this or what am I supposed to be doing? Remember that this is actually a continuation of that first verse in chapter four. Brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that as you receive from us how you ought to walk and please God. that you do so more and more. This walking then, this pleasing God, is directly connected to their knowledge and their understanding of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. And so Paul thus continues this instruction based upon their knowledge and belief.
Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. What does that mean? It’s a bit vague. Times and seasons. Well, he’s been writing about the resurrection and the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. In verse 14 of chapter 4, for since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in verse 16, for the Lord himself will descend from heaven. He’s been writing about the resurrection and the return of Jesus. Given that focus, the time and seasons that he writes about here in the first verse of chapter 5 seems to be directly connected to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. Excuse me. Indeed, Jesus used those same words as he was about to ascend to glory in Acts chapter 1.
So when they had come together, meaning the disciples, they asked him, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? They were thinking like kicking the Romans out and bringing Israel to that place of power once again. Will you restore the kingdom to Israel now?
He said to them, it is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. Jesus, on the other hand, was speaking about his return. It’s not for you to know times or seasons. It seems that this first verse in chapter 5 could read this way, now concerning the day of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, brothers. You have no need to have anything written to you, times and seasons, the return the day of the return of Jesus. It’s a bit curious that Paul writes, you have no need to have anything written to you about this.
But he’s writing to them. And so he qualifies it. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. They’re fully aware. First, they’re fully aware. that Jesus will return. It’s not a question. Those in Thessalonica, those new believers, were not questioning. That must be what Paul means in part. You’re fully aware. You’ve got no need for anyone to write to you about the return of Jesus Christ, for you believe it. You’re fully aware of it. It’s a certainty in your hearts and minds. It’s not a question.
But secondly, that they don’t know. You’re fully aware that he’s going to return, but you’re also fully aware that you’re not certain what that day is going to be. Exactly what Jesus told his disciples before he ascended. It’s not for you to know times or seasons that the Father’s fixed.
Do you live day to day knowing for certain that Jesus is coming back? That’s a foundational truth. It’s a foundational belief for every single Christian. Do you live that way? This conviction that Jesus is returning changes the way a sincere Christian lives. It leads to a particular lifestyle. It leads to a particular life. How are you getting ready for Christ’s return?
Let’s understand why Paul uses this analogy of the thief. What’s he comparing? Paul states that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. Paul is not saying that Jesus is coming as a thief. That’s not what he’s saying. He’s saying the day of the Lord, the coming day of judgment, that will arrive like a thief.
When the Lord comes, he’s coming in his glory with angels with him. You’re going to know it. The whole nation, all nations are going to be gathered before him. It’s going to be impossible not to know it. The voice of an archangel, the cry of a command, the sound of a trumpet, these things are announcing the coming of Christ Jesus.
His return will be very much the opposite of a thief in the night. But it’s the day, it’s the date on which this will happen. It’s the arrival of the day of judgment, or judgment itself is like the entrance of a thief into his place of thievery. That’s what Paul is saying. But what is it for the day to come to arrive like that thief in the night?
Well, first, we must remember that analogies are never perfect. And so the day of judgment doesn’t contain all the aspects of a thief. A thief proceeds using wicked and evil plans. The day of the Lord is not a wicked or evil plan. The thief is a criminal. The day of the Lord is not criminal. The thief seeks and desires to take what is not his. The day of the Lord will come and take or dispose of all that’s the Lord’s. So the coming, the arrival, of that day is going to be this way, unannounced, unknown. A thief comes purposefully in surprise. A thief sneaks in determined to be unnoticed. A thief comes when the homeowner does not expect him. A thief comes when the owner is not ready to be burglarized.
That seems to be the analogy. The day of the Lord will come for all unannounced, unexpected, as a purposeful surprise. And for those in the dark, in a sense, sneakily. And for those who are in the dark when they are not ready. So we see this truth that’s been accepted and believed by those at Thessalonica, that Jesus will return, but they don’t know when. Indeed, no one knows. Jesus himself said, concerning that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” And so the day of the return of Jesus will be as the day of a thief coming for all. It’s not been published. We can’t find out the date in the Bible. We can’t find the date on the internet. It’s not there. The return of Jesus will come as a surprise for some. The return of Jesus will be unexpected to those who are in the dark.
And so this should cause us to remember that the secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever. The Lord reveals much. The Lord is determined to reveal much about his plan of redemption.
He’s revealed that you’re a sinner. and that you have broken His holy and perfect law. And He’s revealed that the consequence or the ultimate punishment for sinning against Him is eternal death or torment in hell. He’s revealed that there’s a Savior, one who can and does save condemned sinners from the eternal torment and death.
And the Lord has revealed that the name of the Savior is Jesus Christ. The Lord has revealed that the way of salvation in this Savior is through the cross, which Jesus went to willingly and laid down his life in exchange for the lives of each and every child of God. He’s revealed that this Jesus, the sinless one, did truly die for those who sinned against his Father. And not only did he die, but that Jesus was buried in the tomb for three days. He revealed that on the third day, this one, the Savior, the Son of God, the Son of David, was raised to life, having paid the debt, your debt. He was raised after suffering the eternal wrath of God, which was laid upon him for the sins of the world.
The Lord revealed that this Jesus, whom he raised, has now ascended to sit at his very right hand, and he’s revealed that Jesus now rules and reigns over all things, interceding for each and every sinner who trusts in him. The Lord has revealed that you can benefit or take hold of the salvation purchased by the Savior, Jesus Christ, by and through believing upon him, trusting in him, the only one, Jesus Christ. Finally, the Lord has revealed that this one Jesus is returning to judge the world, every person, for sin. And on that same day, Jesus shall return for his unblemished bride, the saved sinners who are trusting in him, which we call the church, to take her to glory, to heaven, to be with him, and to live forever.
You see, the Lord has revealed much, but he’s determined to keep certain aspects of his plan secret. And here we find one, the day an hour of Jesus’s return. It’s unknown. Why? Why would God not reveal the way? He’s revealed so much. Why would he not reveal the day, the date?
First, we must recognize and acknowledge that this is the wisdom of God. This is the choice of the triune God. This is his determination. This is his will. It’s his perfect and holy will. And it’s above our ability to grasp. That’s where we must begin. Can we go beyond that? Again, Deuteronomy 29, 29 states that the revealed things belong to the people of God, but the secret things belong to God only. We could stop there. But can we reason a bit? Can we think as to why God might have chosen to withhold this day and hour?
What’s your nature? As a fallen, corrupt descendant of Adam, is it your nature to be ready? Think about your work as a student in school. How often were you ready for an examination ahead of time? How often did you prepare your paper that was due weeks in advance? For many of us, I think the answer would be seldom to never. We procrastinate. We tend to put off hard things. We tend to work on those things just prior to the due date. We have a tendency to pick up our work and accomplish it just in time.
What would the church look like if it knew the day? If you knew the day of the Lord, the day of the returning of Jesus Christ, the day of judgment was coming. Not this year, but let’s just say two years from now, 2028. What would your life look like this year and next year and into 2028? Would you be preparing? Would you be ready?
Or would you relax your spiritual thoughts and attitude, take off your spiritual armor, and set your heart and mind upon the more pressing physical needs and desires. Given our corrupt nature in Adam and the difficulty we have in times in setting our minds upon the things above, the tendency, I think, would be to focus on earthly matters. The tendency would be focus on worldly affairs and consider that spiritual matters can wait. I’ve got another two years. We would put off getting ready for the return of Christ.
Is that why God is determined to withhold the day and hour? I don’t know. None of us know. The secret things belong to the Lord. But that is something for you to consider this afternoon, isn’t it? That much has been revealed. That Jesus Christ is coming. Are you getting prepared? How? What are you doing? You’ve been given much. What are you doing with it? In a sense, that brings us to our next point. The revealed things belong to those given light. And that’s a description of those who are in Thessalonica. They were children of the light, children of the day.
And Paul knew it. He knew that they were fully aware. And he knew that they knew that they didn’t know the day. And so there are two primary responses to that truth, that they knew Christ was coming, but they didn’t know the day, and the first was to be ready, and the second was to tell others.
But you’re not in darkness, for that day will, for that day to surprise you like a thief. So he calls them to stay awake. Calls them to stay awake and be sober. And this comes directly from the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 24. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not let of his house be broken into. Therefore, you also must be ready for the Son of Man is coming in an hour you do not expect. Paul takes these words directly from Christ. You must stay awake. Stay awake for the return of Christ. It’s certainly not merely gazing up in the heavens and the sky with your eyes wide open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s not what Paul speaks of.
Staying awake is setting forth in concert with this readiness, or being ready, or being prepared for Christ to return like the virgins, the five virgins with the oil. versus the five virgins who didn’t have the oil. The five virgins were prepared for the bridegroom to come, and they could see their way into the reception, so to speak, into greeting the bridegroom. And the five without the oil couldn’t see their way. They weren’t prepared. Staying awake.
Friends, I think if we’re honest, there’s a tendency for even the regenerate The converted, believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, to be lackadaisical, half-hearted, even lazy, spiritually lazy. This is part of our corrupt nature in Adam. We get so caught up in the world, we neglect to look for Christ. We neglect to make preparations for Jesus’s return.
And Jesus devotes that entire parable about the virgins with regard to his return. He is returning. And the question is, what will the master find his servants doing when he does return? That’s caught up in staying awake. Will you be doing the will of Christ? Isn’t that preparing for his return? Isn’t that staying awake?
Think about preparing for a storm. I think you have many storms here. I don’t know. We’ve only been here half a month. But what do you do? If it’s forecast for a nor’easter to come, you buy food. You get the generator tested. You get gasoline cans. You fill them up. Candles are accumulated. Flashlight batteries are set aside. It’s an intense period of preparation for that possible event, that storm that’s coming. And that is not like preparing for Jesus.
For that storm is a once-in-time event. Yes, Jesus’ return is a once-in-time event, but it is a forever judgment. And so the call is to prepare for it day by day, hour by hour. Stay awake, because you can’t stop the judgment, just like those of Noah’s day couldn’t stop the flood. You can’t stop the flood of the eternal wrath of God for your sins. But Jesus can. He’s coming. He’s coming for all those who are trusting in him, who are trusting that he has taken care of the flood of God’s wrath for your sins.
I’m not saying that you can save yourself by and through your preparations. But I am saying that if you are saved, if you’re trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be preparing for his return. And that’s what Paul was doing. He was calling for them to prepare. And that preparation is doing the will of God.
Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of God, my father, who’s in heaven. Jesus was not speaking about a works righteousness. He was speaking about one who’s been saved by his blood and will want to do the will of God. What will the master find you doing when he returns?
This is a daily, an hourly, moment-by-moment event in your life. That’s how you follow Jesus. And there’s no secret formula. There’s no step-by-step. I’m not handing out an outline today. Go through this, one through 10, and you’ll be ready. It’s a complete change of heart. No amount of money can purchase what you need to prepare for Jesus’s return. You must have a complete change of heart from hating God and hating his sons, we’ve learned in Psalm 2, to loving him and following him. And so Paul says be sober. It’s in parallel with keeping awake, be sober.
Put on the breastplate of faith and love. and helmet. What’s the soldier’s attitude? Just think of that for a moment when he puts on his breastplate and helmet. He’s ready for battle. Not just externally, but internally. As he’s putting on his armor, as he’s girding his sword to his side, there is an There’s a change in his heart and mind. He’s ready for battle. He’s in the battle zone. Nothing else matters.
He soberly considers each and every one of his steps for the next step could be on a landmine. The next step could uncover an ambush or an enemy that’s waiting to attack. That seems to be the idea. Be sober. Like a soldier. Who’s dressed, who’s alert. Ready for the battle. Ready for Satan to attack. Ready for that besetting sin to arise itself again, and you’re ready there with a sword to cut its head off. What are you doing to prepare for Jesus to come?
Do you have that sober, that alert attitude as the day of the Lord approaches? There’s another exhortation here. Yes, be ready, keep alert, be sober, but then the second is to tell others. because there will be those on the day of the Lord who will be surprised.” Look at verse 3.
Well, the people are saying there’s peace and security, and suddenly destruction will come upon them. Paul is referring to those who are outside the church at this point, those who are in Thessalonica but who are not in the church, who have not been saved, who are not trusting in Christ. They’re saying there’s peace and security. There is a denial in their hearts and minds Those who are saying peace and security, they deny that a thief is coming. These words seem to fly in the face of this coming thief as Paul uses that analogy. How is it that anyone could say in light of the knowledge of the coming day of judgment, peace and security?
That’s Paul’s point. These are headed for destruction. That’s the problem. There’s a thief coming, so to speak. The day of the thief’s arrival is coming. In other words, the day of the Lord is coming. The day of judgment is coming. And these are saying, peace and security.
They’re living a life with blinders, with scales over their eyes, like Paul as he’s on the road to Damascus. He doesn’t know Christ. He’s seeking to persecute those who are following Christ. And he’s struck by the words of Christ. And ultimately, scales fall from his eyes.
That’s what needed to happen to those who could not see the day of the Lord coming. And so the call, in a sense, to these at Thessalonica were to tell others, tell others who were living in such a way that they were denying the coming thief, that they’re living in such a way that they’re not preparing for the coming day, that their homes are unlocked and unprotected, that they’re living in such a way that they’re not concerned for the coming judgment. They were not expecting the thief. They were not expecting Christ. Like those in Noah’s day who were saying peace and safety just before the flood took the ark up.
In the dark and there’s no escape. Do you see that? Well, the people are saying there’s peace and security and suddenly destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman and they will not escape. As Paul’s saying, you’ve got to tell them. Destruction is coming and it’s impossible for you to escape unless you trust in Christ. It’s something like a criminal who’s been charged with breaking the law, a murderer who’s standing now before the judge who’s been convicted and he doesn’t think the judge is actually going to sentence him.
That’s what these people are saying, peace and security, peace and safety. And that’s exactly what Paul is telling them. You need to tell them, you’re not in darkness. Do those words ring in your hearts this morning? You’re not in darkness. But there are others who are. And so go tell them what they don’t know. Go tell them about the one who’s coming. So that they will then expect the day of judgment, they have a great need.
The question is, are you telling them, those in darkness, God will pass over some for wrath. Are you telling that those who are in darkness, those who hate you, let me just put it plainly, those who hate you because you love Christ, are you telling them of the coming judgment? The Lord Jesus Christ has called you to love your enemies. What better way for you to love your enemy than to tell them about the coming day of the Lord Jesus Christ? What better way to love them but to tell them that they can be cleansed from their sins by the one who died for the sins of the world?
That brings us to our third point, the encouraging things belong to the followers of Jesus Christ. If you remember what Paul began with in this short letter to those at Thessalonica, he says this, brothers, beloved by God, that he has chosen you. For we know, brothers, loved by God, that he has chosen you. And now this last truth that Paul wants to leave with this fledgling church, this last truth, is set forth in verse 9. For God has not destined us for wrath.
But to obtain salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we might live with him. Remember, they were concerned that those who had already died would not be saved, would not be resurrected by the Lord Jesus Christ. They were concerned that the power of the resurrection wasn’t great enough to raise those who had died. And so Paul is saying, once again, Jesus Christ died.
So whether you’re asleep or awake, that you’re going to live with him. God has not destined you for wrath, but to obtain salvation. That’s the truth that he ends with. He began with the same statements of truth and praise for the work of the living God.
And so we might take it as a bookend, a continuing work of God throughout this whole letter, the whole letter being bookend by these proclamations of the work of God, the choice of God, and the destination that the Lord has given these who are in Christ. It’s an ongoing, a continuing work. which will not end until Jesus returns. And that may be one reason why Paul refers to the return of Christ so often in this very short letter, a continuation of the work of Jesus Christ. And so Paul is, in a sense, saying that Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you.
That’s the teaching, isn’t it? And it’s throughout this letter. He has destined you not for wrath. Did you read that? Did you hear that? Do you know how significant that is if you’re trusting in Jesus Christ this morning? The truth is you deserve wrath. I deserve wrath. We all deserve the wrath of God. All men, women, and children deserve wrath because we’ve all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And the wages of sin is death, meaning the wrath of God, eternal death. That’s what we’ve earned.
But Paul says that you haven’t been destined for that. God has not destined you for that because you’re in Christ. And so from before birth, you’ve been destined not for wrath. God has fashioned you, not for death, but for eternal life in Christ. He saved you. And that’s what Paul ends with. He’s not destined you for wrath, but he’s destined you to obtain salvation through his son. He’s destined you for eternity and for glory. That’s the truth that will keep you in the will of God. Do you see how he ends?
He’s been urging them to walk in such a way that they would please God, that they would be doing more and more in their love for the brethren. And this is how they’re sustained in it. And this is how you’re sustained in it, by knowing, believing, trusting that you are not destined by God for wrath, but for life. That’s how you will pursue the will of God and be awake and be sober.
It’s not by your strength. It’s not by your determination, it’s by God’s determination. It’s by the determination and intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ to continue to be with you, to move you, to convict you that you’re not destined for wrath, but for life, for glory, for paradise with the living God. Just meditate upon that for a moment. Webster is defined, destined to fix unalterable. That’s the idea. God has fixed it. You are destined, if you’re trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are not destined for wrath, but for life.
Now there’s one more urging, isn’t there? Encourage others. We’ve heard that, haven’t we? Encourage others with that truth. Encourage those who are sick. Encourage those who have lost a loved one. Encourage those who are struggling with besetting sin. Encourage those who are depressed, who have lost joy.
Think of Job for a moment. What did his friends bring to him? Job needed to hear, for God has not destined you for wrath, but to obtain salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for you, so that whether you are awake or sleep, you will live with him. Those are the encouraging words that Job needed to hear.
And those are the encouraging words that our brothers and sisters who are sick, who are grieving, who are struggling with a besetting sin, who have lost joy, those are the words they need to hear as well. Encourage one another for this truth. And for all those who are in Christ, God has not destined you for wrath. but for salvation in Christ. Yes, the Lord speaks to reveal and to keep secret that followers will stay awake and be encouraged. Those outside Noah’s ark died. They fell into internal damnation outside of the Lord God, their maker, but Noah, Noah was prepared.
He was prepared for the flood. The question this morning is are you staying awake? Are you soberly staying awake waiting for Christ? And if your answer is yes, yes I am. Praise be to God for it’s only because of what he’s done in your heart that you are indeed even this day ready for Jesus to come.
Amen. Father and our God, we thank you, we praise you for this passage. What an encouragement it is for all those who are in Christ. And Father, for those who are in Christ and have heard you this morning, help us, help us to be those who have the light, who have been given the light, take that light out to those who are in darkness even this day. Father, there are so many who will be surprised by that day, the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. We pray, Lord God, that you’d help us to overcome our fears and to tell others about this coming day, about the possibility of salvation and the one who paid the sin, the debt for the sins of the world, even Jesus Christ. We ask all this in Jesus’s name. Amen.