1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 says,...
Today's verses are 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, which reads,
v.1, 2 - Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.
Paul dealt last time with the topic of what will happen to those who have died in Christ before the coming of Jesus again. Their physical bodies will be raised and meet the Lord in the air before we, who could be living at the time, meet up with them and the Lord. Comfort words to know that we will see them again and be together again with them and with the Lord.
Now Paul brings up the topic of the end of times. This must have been something that he spoke about with them. He must have spoken about it in depth if there is "...no need of anything to be written to you."
A thief comes when you don't expect him to. The previous passage talked about Jesus coming for the resurrection of the saints in full view, not hidden, shouts, trumpets, etc. "The day of the Lord..." is an indication in Scripture of judgment. God's judgment will come when people are not expecting it.
v.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.
"They" are those who are not in Christ. They are saying, "All is well, nothing to be concerned about, and if we are wrong then we have plenty of time to make things right." God's judgment will come like labor pains. Labor pains come and then get more frequent and more intense and there is no escaping them. Once God's judgments start they will continue to the end until there is a birth of something new.
v.4-6 - But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
"But" is probably the most important word in this section. It indicates the difference between the one who is "in" Christ and the one who is not. The Christian does not live life with the attitude that all is well and we have plenty of time. The Christian does not live life like it doesn't have eternal consequences. The Christian lives this life in honor and glory to King Jesus.
We are to sleep (thank You God for this) but when we sleep it is in a state that we are "...alert and sober..." to the fact that Jesus is coming again and we are living a life of holiness to our Savior now. We are alert to our God and His ways. We are not allowing anything to get us drunk to the fact that Jesus has called us to be fully devoted followers of His now. We keep sober to that fact and live our lives as a testimony to Him.
It makes me think, when I put my head on my pillow at night to physically sleep, am I alert and sober to Him? Did my life today show that?
"Lord, thank You again for giving us instruction on the times that have been planned and directed just like the creation of it all and the coming of Jesus the first time. Thank You for pointing us to our attitude about this life and the things that You have written to us. May we heed and not hide from them. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.1, 2 - Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.
Paul dealt last time with the topic of what will happen to those who have died in Christ before the coming of Jesus again. Their physical bodies will be raised and meet the Lord in the air before we, who could be living at the time, meet up with them and the Lord. Comfort words to know that we will see them again and be together again with them and with the Lord.
Now Paul brings up the topic of the end of times. This must have been something that he spoke about with them. He must have spoken about it in depth if there is "...no need of anything to be written to you."
A thief comes when you don't expect him to. The previous passage talked about Jesus coming for the resurrection of the saints in full view, not hidden, shouts, trumpets, etc. "The day of the Lord..." is an indication in Scripture of judgment. God's judgment will come when people are not expecting it.
v.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.
"They" are those who are not in Christ. They are saying, "All is well, nothing to be concerned about, and if we are wrong then we have plenty of time to make things right." God's judgment will come like labor pains. Labor pains come and then get more frequent and more intense and there is no escaping them. Once God's judgments start they will continue to the end until there is a birth of something new.
v.4-6 - But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
"But" is probably the most important word in this section. It indicates the difference between the one who is "in" Christ and the one who is not. The Christian does not live life with the attitude that all is well and we have plenty of time. The Christian does not live life like it doesn't have eternal consequences. The Christian lives this life in honor and glory to King Jesus.
We are to sleep (thank You God for this) but when we sleep it is in a state that we are "...alert and sober..." to the fact that Jesus is coming again and we are living a life of holiness to our Savior now. We are alert to our God and His ways. We are not allowing anything to get us drunk to the fact that Jesus has called us to be fully devoted followers of His now. We keep sober to that fact and live our lives as a testimony to Him.
It makes me think, when I put my head on my pillow at night to physically sleep, am I alert and sober to Him? Did my life today show that?
"Lord, thank You again for giving us instruction on the times that have been planned and directed just like the creation of it all and the coming of Jesus the first time. Thank You for pointing us to our attitude about this life and the things that You have written to us. May we heed and not hide from them. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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