The Days Of Life Series

For you are all sons of light and sons 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. - 1 Thessalonians 5:5-6

There is nothing wrong with growing old and dying. The problem is too many people die and then grow old. "Some people die at 30; but are not buried until 60." - George Bernard Shaw.

Losing your memory and staying alive for a long time is not a bad thing, but losing your spiritual life while staying alive for a long time is.

You can pray like this in your prayers, "Ageless God, Deliver me, from dying the spiritual life and then growing old. O God, let me grow both spiritually and physically, not just grow old. Let me grow and stay awake and not cause you grief."

To die and then grow old -- to just go to sleep. This morning, we are talking about "The Day is Not For Sleeping". The days of life.

Listen to our text again. Verses 5 and 6 of I Thessalonians: "For you are all sons of light and sons 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."

It's all going to be a surprise. People will talk about peace and security, and destruction will come upon them. Paul uses the words waking and sleeping, and in two different ways. First, he uses waking to express physical life, and sleeping to express physical death. But then, the other way that he uses it has to do with the moral attitude of Christians. To be awake means watchfulness -- to be asleep means apathy.

So, in the verses that we are focusing on -- verses five and six -- he calls us "not sleep as do others, but to watch and be sober."

So, we are using the term as Paul used it in this particular section -- apathy, drowsiness, dumbness, as opposed to alertness, watchfulness, wakefulness, and we are [What is the warning for Christians to stay awake?] sounding the warning that "the day is not for sleeping." Christians are to be awake.

Today, I would like to teach you about some important days. It's easy to fall asleep -- at every level of our life. In this chapter Paul is mentioning some important days. We need to be aware of the days, so let’s meditate on them one by one. Psalmist praying like this, “teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” - Psalm 90:12

1. The Day of the Lord:

For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. - 1 Thessalonians 5:2

Paul begins by saying that he should not have to spend time writing to the Thessalonians about the "times and the seasons" (1 Thessalonians 5:1). Nobody knows the time of God, the God who comes among us like a thief in the night. Thieves do not normally call ahead to announce their impending visit. Instead, they strike without warning when we are unprepared or have neglected to take proper precautions.

Paul is talking about the Second Coming of Christ. He has reminded the Thessalonians that as to the times and the seasons for that Second Coming, they don't need to have him write about it. Because he says to them in verse 2: "For you yourselves know well that the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night."

Last week we also meditated on the coming of the Lord from chapter 4:16. Paul answered by saying, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.”

We don’t know the day of Christ's return! Jesus answered himself in Mark 13:32, But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. The Bible says, when they say, “Peace and safety!” Then sudden destruction comes upon them, and they shall not escape. -v3) (Rev.3:3, 16:15, 2 Peter 3:10)

Paul pronounces good news for us, that nothing shall separate us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39).

2. The Day of Light:

You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. - 1 Thessalonians 5:5