Consequences of not having a Godly character
1Thessalonians 5:1-11
Bro. David Rogers
Last week we examined the true character of a Christian. This week as I prepared my sermon I thought about the many times I have not exhibit these characteristics. I look at other people who claim to be Christians and see the life that they are displaying. I ask myself how important is it for us to be living that life ordained for us by God. This week I want us to examine the consequences of not having the character of a Christian. The attitude of I am saved and I mostly come to church on Sunday mornings. This just may not cut it. I want us to examine what the bible has to say about the subject. How about the attitude I don’t have time to come to church during the week is this the attitude that God teaches us to have?
With this type of attitude what do we really expect to accomplish? With this attitude do we really hear what the preacher is actually saying and does it have any affect on our lives? Or are they often thinking about the big kick off, taking a nap, or dinner, or a thousand other things that in the long really mean nothing. All of these distractions cause us not to pay attention to the message that God sent to you that morning. This is the reason why they don’t feel that it is important to have a systematic study of God’s word.
In fact how many of us sitting here this morning can claim to have a daily study of God’s word? How many of us can claim that we have study God’s word every day this week? Let’s make it easier for us, how many here today can say we studied God’s word once a week? I would dare to say that a few of us would be able to answer in the affirmative to either of these questions.
How many sitting here this morning feel that it is important to come to church Sunday morning, night, and Wed. nights? Many Christians today are saying I come to church on Sunday morning and that is all that is required. Who requires you to come to church on Sunday? Can you take the Bible and show me where it says we are required to attend church every Sunday morning but the rest are optional. I don’t believe you can. In fact what God calls us to do and for us to do willingly because of our love for Him and our need for His word is to gather for worship and instruction, and comfort.
Others are saying I don’t have time to come to church on Sunday nights or on Wed. night. I got to fix supper, kids to bath, work to do, or what ever excuse we can come up with. Who gave you the ability to do and purchase the things that you have or to do the things that we think that we just have to do. We spend on average 8.5 hours a day at our jobs. Then we come home and we have PTA meetings, club meetings, yard work, housework, the kids have homework or sports to be rushed to. We all seemed to have acquired a religion of business. If we are not going full tilt then we just are not serving our GOD acceptance. How many hours do we spend in front of a T.V. set a day? We spend several hours a day doing nothing but what we want to do. I don’t have any free time you say. I been there I know what I am about to say is the truth. Everything that we think is so important that we can’t take time out of our schedules and worship our God is actually in grand scope of eternity is not important at all. Those who feel pressured because we can only manage 1 hour out of our schedule to go to church and that is all the time we can find. And time to study our bible I don’t have any more free time. But I manage to find the time to watch my favorite shows on t.v. or workout at the gym or whatever I enjoy doing.
How sad it is that we can’t find more time in our life to worship and talk with the One who gave us life. We may accepted His free gift of salvation but we ignore Him now and place Him on the back burner. WE wish that we had more time but there is not enough time now in the day to do what we want to do now.
Many believers don’t see the importance of regular church attendance. Members of the Northend Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Seattle received a special announcement in the mail, listing the many things that would be done for them at church on the following excuse-to-stay-home Sunday. According to the Pastor, cots would be available for those who say Sunday is their only day to sleep. Eye drops would be supplied for those who have red eyes from watching late Saturday night TV shows. There would be steel helmets for those who say the roof would cave in if they ever went to church, blankets for persons who think the church is too cold, fans for those who say it is too hot, scorecards for those wishing to list all the hypocrites present, TV dinners for those who can’t go to church and also cook dinner. Finally, the sanctuary would be decorated with Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies for those who have never seen the church without them.
So just what are the consequences of not developing a Godly character? Let’s look in 1Thessalonians Chapter 5:1-11 to get our answer.
1Th 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1Th 5:3 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.
1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
1Th 5:7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.
1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Th 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
1Th 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
Prayer
The Thessalonians were having difficulties. Some members were defaming Paul and some were confused about Christ’s second coming. Others were worried about the believers who had died before His return would they go to Heaven? Still others considered it unnecessary to work believing Christ’s return was going to happen at any moment and were living of the others. Some had even sunk back into their old life style. They were for some reason not grasping the teaching of God’s word. Paul wrote them this letter hoping to instruct them and guide them back onto the correct path.
The first thing He instructed them in is as follows. Paul said if you had been paying attention you would know that the return of Christ will be like a thief in the night, no one knows when it will be Verse 2. They were listening to people who were saying that Christ’s return soon, just around the corner. Some were even claiming that Christ had already returned. And Paul was saying look if you were studying and listening to the word being taught then we would not be having this conversation because you would already know the answer. You would know that no one can predict the time of His return but we can know the signs.
Today there are many who are like the Thessalonians. They are concerned about their salvation, they are always concerned about whether or not they are saved or if they can lose their salvation. They follow people who teach a gospel other than the one Jesus taught. They here someone say Jesus is over here no he is over there and they go running around and never find him. If they had taken the time to develop the characteristics of a Christian they would know how to react to the news that Jesus had been spotted again.
Paul warns us that if we don’t develop that Christian character that we would be searching for peace and safety among men and not from God. And that is exactly what man people are trying to do today. They believe that mankind can create lasting peace and safety. They depend on a man institution for peace and safety and instead meet with sudden destruction. Man can not create a lasting peace. Those who believe so shall not escape destruction as they place their trust in mans institutions and follow man’s peace.
Paul says that we should know better. Because we are the children of light and day. Therefore we are not to sleep like the rest of the world does. You see the rest of the world is blinded or asleep when it comes to things of Jesus Christ. That is why the world is not even looking for Christ’s return. They are going about their lives gaining material wealth and possessions, worrying about worldly things, turning their backs to God and not understanding the consequences of their actions. But just as in the Thessalonian Church, Churches all across America there are believers who are living in the dark world. They are caught up in worldly things and have allowed those worldly concerns and things to draw them away from their greatest source of joy, peace, strength and comfort.
They come to church maybe eve Sunday school but what ever they hear or see passes right over them. They don’t listen to the message because their thoughts are on other things such as what are they doing later today, or on their jobs, or their spouse, or the football game but it is not on God. They don’t have a sense that they are called to serve. They are to busy to worry with anything of God. They come and do their duty go home and do their thing. They may be saved but they still live in the world.
Now Paul says don’t be that way. We are made for better things than the mundane everyday hustle and bustle of this world. Don’t drink of the cup of this world. Paul tells us to put on the breast plate of faith and love. How do we do this? By studying His word. By setting time aside everyday where we can study His word, think about it and apply it to our life. We study His word at home and at church. Where we receive instruction from the pastor/teacher and fellow brethren. If we do this then we can put on the helmet of salvation. We want be afraid to face a hostile world. We will have the strength to turn off the tv and go to church. We will be able to say no to that which would interrupt our worship time.
You see Jesus died for us that whether awake or sleep we should live together with Him. Paul tells us that we are to comfort ourselves together and build one another up and we all are to do this.
