1 Thess 5:1-11 Ready for His Return
Two things often fascinate people, if they do not know what God says in His Word.
• One is regarding the end of life and the other, is the end of the world. What happens when we die, and what happens at the end of the world?
• Paul addresses these issues as he concludes his letter to the Thessalonians, assuring them that as Christians our lives are secured in Christ, in life and death, now and for eternity.
• We will be resurrected like Christ one day and Jesus Himself will return at the end.
Last week’s section addresses what happens after we die.
• Jesus will return for us and the dead in Christ will rise first, and those who are alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord (4:17).
• Whether we are dead or alive then, no one is at a disadvantage. We will all be transformed and raised to meet Jesus together.
As Christians, this is our end. Not a sad end but a glorious one.
• Paul says, “Do not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” (4:13-14)
Paul went on to address what happens at the end of the world when Christ returns.
• Three things he highlighted in today’s text:
(1) Christ’s Return Is Certain, Its Timing Is Not
5:1-2 1Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
• Paul has already taught them. He does not need to write again because they are fully aware, that Jesus Christ is returning.
• The only uncertain part is that we do not know what day or time, which is not so important. He will “come like a thief in the night”, meaning unexpected and sudden.
The truth is, no one knows the day except God the Father; not even Jesus Himself.
• He said in Mark 13:32 “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
• He told His disciples in Acts 1:7 “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.”
• So if someone comes and says Jesus is coming back on this day and time, or worse, that he is the Christ who has returned, don’t believe him.
The Thessalonians knew that Jesus would return for them.
• So the concern is not “Will He Come?” but “Are they READY for His return?”
Paul went on to explain:
5:3-5 3While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labour pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.
Both illustrations point to the coming of Christ as being unexpected.
• For the thief that comes, it is unexpected and sudden. He does not announce his coming. “You wake up and find your house broken into.”
• For the labour pains that come to a pregnant woman, it is unexpected but unavoidable. It will surely come.
• For the thief, there is no warning. For the labour pains, there is no escape.
Paul went on to illustrate the TWO REACTIONS of different people.
• One will be those who say there is “peace and security” and do not believe in Christ. Paul describes them as being in darkness and of the night.
• Christ’s return will come as a shock. “Sudden destruction will come upon them like labour pains upon a pregnant woman.” (5:3)
• It would be devastating because they did not believe in Christ.
Jesus illustrated the same in Matt 24:37-39.
“37For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, 39and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
• The people were enjoying life oblivious to His coming. They refused to heed the call of Noah. The signs were there but the people ignored him.
But Paul says there is ANOTHER GROUP who are willing to believe in Jesus.
• They are the “children of light, children of the day” (5:5) which the Thessalonians belong to. They believed in Christ and knew that He would return for them.
• They were certain of it even though they did not know the time of His return.
• They will not be taken by surprise like a thief entering a house (5:5).
Which group do you belong to?
• The group that does not know Christ or the group that believes in Christ and knows that He is returning soon.
• Paul reminds his readers in 4:14, “…we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep.”
(2) Christ’s Return Is Certain, We Can Be Ready for Him
Even though we cannot predict when a thief might come, we can still be prepared.
• We can install a security alarm and CCTV system, put up more locks or fix up a gate. There are things we can do to prevent break-ins.
• The same with the birth of a child even though we do not have the exact date. We prepare everything that a baby needs.
So HOW CAN WE BE READY to see Him?
1 Thess 5:6-8 6So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8But 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.
Paul expresses it in 3 ways. I put it this way:
Negatively, do not sleep.
Positively, keep awake and be sober. Don’t be drunk and confused.
And practically, put on the armour and stay active in serving Christ.
• “Sleep” means the person is indifferent and complacent, not knowing what is about to happen. Jesus is coming but he is oblivious to it.
• “Keep awake and sober” means being alert like a security guard on duty, watching out for whoever may come.
• “Put on a breastplate of faith and love and a helmet of the hope of salvation” is a picture of a Roman soldier dressed up and ready, but the work is the spiritual work of faith, love and hope.
• Which the Thessalonians were known for and have been actively doing - the work of faith, the labour of love and steadfastness of hope in Jesus. (1:3)
Paul encourages them to stay active in serving Christ as we wait.
• Be READY for His return. We do not be distracted into loving the world or the things of this world, because we have to leave them all behind.
• We want to be alert because His return is near. And since His return is unpredictable and will come unexpectedly, we want to be READY at all times.
Listen to what Jesus said to His disciples – Matt 24:42-44
42Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43But 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 have let his house be broken into. 44Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Jesus then gave an EXPLANATION of what He meant by “staying awake” – Matt 24:45-46
45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.
Staying awake does not mean we just sit there and wait but be ACTIVELY and FAITHFULLY doing the work of our Master.
• We are called to be FAITHFUL and WISE servants actively serving our Lord, and not caught “sleeping” when He returns.
• As good and faithful servants, we are expected to put food on the table at the proper time, the Lord says. (24:45) We are to do the work of His household while we wait.
You are doing well today. Many here have been serving God actively.
• Whether the ministry is big or small, seen or unseen, we do it faithfully and with joy.
• This is what it means to STAY AWAKE and not sleep. We live for God and serve Him wholeheartedly.
• We do this faithfully means we will serve Him UNTIL we see Him again.
Time is short. We are nearer to His return than Paul’s time.
• Let us live with eternity in mind and set our minds on things above, not on earthly things. (Col 3:2) Let us live purposefully for God.
(3) Christ’s Return Is Certain, We Have Nothing to Fear
Paul ends with this very important note:
1 Thess 5:9-11 9For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Our future is glorious and certain because God has not destined us for wrath but to be saved through Christ.
• It does not matter whether we are alive or already died when Jesus returns, we shall be all transformed and raised to be with Him.
• We are saved by Christ so that we can LIVE WITH HIM. That’s the goal of our salvation.
Jesus said it personally, “I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:3)
• To be with Him is the goal of our salvation. We are reconciled with God so that we can LIVE WITH HIM forever.
• The thrust is not in the “FOREVER” but in “LIVING WITH HIM”. That’s a relationship. It’s a relationship of love that lasts forever.
Rom 8:38-39 says nothing – not death, not angels, not anything in the future or anything in all creation – can “separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Dear friends, our salvation is entirely the work of God. He saved you.
• You can put your trust in Jesus Christ. “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
CHRIST’S RETURN IS CERTAIN, its timing is not. We can be READY for Him and we have NOTHING TO FEAR. He has destined us to be with Him forever.
