1 Thess 5:1-11, Today is your last day

Tuesday April 18, 2023

Paul continues to encourage and comfort the Thessalonian believers.

After encouraging their hope and comfort in 4:13-18 in what we pretribulational rapture folks would term the Rapture of the church, he now informs (reminds) them that the Lord will come like a thief.

Theme: Paul reminds us of the coming of the Lord so that we will have hope, be comforted, live godly by faith, and be alert.

Subtheme:

Since the Lord is coming imminently, be spiritually watching, vigilant, and alert.

Believers have a tendency to go to sleep spiritually.

The imminent coming of the Lord means that every day is the last.

Why is it important to live in anticipation of the Lord and enjoy the fruits of godliness that result from living as a heavenly citizen here on earth?

Paul writes about the coming of the Lord in order to encourage the Thessalonians to not get their eyes seeking the things of the earth. They are suffering and being persecuted. These can easily lead a believer to focus on earthly things, seeking relief in the manipulation of earthly things and people; trying to fix the problem rather than seeking the Lord’s will.

In Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, he is encouraging them to live holy and sanctified and to increase even more. He has used himself as an example. He has commended them for their faith. He gives them hope and comfort that the dead in Christ will actually rise first. And he reminds them that the Lord is returning any day.

Our passage is 1Th 4:13-5:11. We’ll pick it up in 5:1.

Today, we’re just going to focus on alertness and watchfulness.

1Th 5:1-11

Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. 3 While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. 7 For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. 8 But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

The coming of the Lord may be expected in their lifetime. They are urged to be ready and alert for it.

Mat 24:42-44

“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 43 But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

Jesus taught generally to the effect that we are to be vigilant.

Luk 21:34-36

“Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; 35 for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. 36 But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Luk 12:39-40

“But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 40 You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”

1Th 5:3-4

While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief;

None of us know when this day is coming. It is imminent. So how is it that those who are in the light are not overtaken like a thief? Imagine the surprise of the unbeliever on that day in comparison to your own surprise. I’m going to assume that all believers will be surprised, but our surprise will not be of the same type as the unbeliever. We will very quickly understand what is happening. That understanding will very quickly turn to joy and exultation. For the sons of light, it’s not being overtaken by a thief, but being overtaken by a loving, perfect, saving husband whom we have loved and longed for.

The Day of the Lord will come unexpectedly; it is important therefore to be on the alert, watchful, and doing the Lord’s will at all times.

The Day of the Lord includes the Great Tribulation and the Millennial Reign of Christ. Therefore, the Day of the Lord would begin with the Rapture of the Church which will come like a thief in the night.

However, the Day of the Lord includes the times of the Tribulation and so has aspects of signs that are detectible.

2Th 2:1-5

Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?

At first it looks like this passage conflicts with the “thief in the night” passage in 1Th 5. But on closer examination, there is no conflict. It seems that someone had tried to convince the Thessalonians that the Day of the Lord had already come and that they were now living in that time. Paul uses a perfect indicative (“has come” 2:2) meaning that it had come and was still present.

If that were true, they would be in the Tribulation which is full of prophesied events, and in particular, the antichrist or beast is displayed.

Paul is writing to the Thessalonians about the future coming of the Lord so that they will have hope and be comforted, and so that they will by faith exercise self-control and be alert.

1Th 5:1-6

“For you are all sons of light.” All believers.

Light and darkness play a significant role throughout the entirety of Scripture. Sons of light are to walk in the light.

Joh 12:35-36

So Jesus said to them, "For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. 36 "While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light."

We are sons of light due to our union with Christ.

Eph 5:6-21

Let no one deceive you with empty words [1Th 2:5, flattering speech], for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them; 8 for you were formerly darkness [unbeliever], but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; [1Th 4:1-8; the will of God is your sanctification] 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. 14 For this reason it says,

"Awake, sleeper [1Th 5:7, those who sleep do their sleeping at night and get drunk at night],

And arise from the dead,

And Christ will shine on you."

15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil [1Th 5 closes with Christian conduct]. 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine [1Th 5:7], for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

We could add to the phrase “the fear of Christ,” that His coming is imminent. That does not mean that we fear it, but that we do not want the Day of the Lord to overtake us like a thief.

We desire to be overtaken by a loving husband rather than a thief. For those in darkness, it will always be like a thief.

1Th 5:1-11