July 21, 2025 • 23 mins
Pastor Lance continues our series in 1 Thessalonians exhorting us to live a Model Life of Alertness. In order to model the kind of life Christ wants us to have, we need to be reminded, responsible, relieved at the hope of His return, and reliable to encourage other believers!Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
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(00:00):
Take your Bible, if you would please, and turn with me to 1st
Thessalonians, chapter 5, verses1 to 11.
We're going to conclude this section this morning and move on
to the final section beginning next week.
But we're looking at what the Bible says concerning the model
life and what it means to live alife of alertness.
So I'm going to read to you these 11 verses to set them in
(00:20):
your mind, and then we'll conclude them this morning.
First one of chapter 5 says. Now as to the times in the
epics, 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 thiefin the night, while they are
saying peace and safety. Then destruction will come upon
(00:41):
them suddenly, like labor pains upon a woman with child, and
they will not escape. 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
(01:02):
and sober. For those who sleep do their
sleeping at night, and those whoget drunk get drunk at night.
But since we are of the day, letus be sober, having put on the
breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of
salvation. For God has not destined us for
wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus
(01:23):
Christ, who died for us, so thatwhether we are awake or asleep,
we will live together with Him. Therefore, encourage one another
and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
(01:43):
Paul wants them to understand their responsibility, so he
tells them by way of reminder inthe first 3 verses about the day
of the Lord. And then he moves on and says,
based on what I'm reminding you of, I want you to be responsible
in three areas as a witness, as a watchman, and as a warrior.
(02:08):
You are a witness because you'resons of the day, you're sons of
the light. You are not sons of the night,
nor are you sons of darkness. In other words, he contrasts the
people who are saved versus the people that are unsaved.
People that are in the light areborn again.
People that are in the darkness are not.
(02:31):
And so he contrasts them and encourages them to live
according to their witness as lights to the world.
This is not a New Testament concept.
It was widely proclaimed throughout the Old Testament.
In fact, over in Psalm One O 7. Listen to the words of the
psalmist in verse #10 There werethose who dwelt in darkness and
(02:55):
in the shadow of death, prisoners in misery and chains,
because they had rebelled against the words of God and
spurned the counsel of the Most High.
Therefore He humbled their heartwith labor.
They stumbled, and there was none to help.
(03:15):
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble.
He saved them out of their distresses.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and
broke their bands apart. Let them give thanks to the Lord
for His loving kindness and for His wonders to the sons of men.
(03:36):
So the psalmist describes those who live in rebellion against
God, who those who spurn the words of God as those people who
wander in darkness, who so desperately need the light of
life to shine down upon them. And when God rescues them,
that's exactly what he does, because he is the light of the
(03:58):
world. He is the truth.
And therefore, when he shines his light, the truth is spread.
Earlier the psalmist would say these words in Psalm 43.
He would say in verse 3, O send out your light and your truth.
Let them lead me. Let them bring me to your holy
(04:20):
hill and to your dwelling place.Then I will go to the altar of
God, to God my exceeding joy, and upon the leer I shall praise
You, O God, my God. In other words, when the Lord
sends out His light, when He sends out His truth, it leads us
in the proper direction. Psalm 119105 says that God's
(04:42):
word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
Therefore God's Word is a lamp as well as the light, and it
leads us in the way of truth. And so Paul picks up on all that
and says in First Thessalonians 5, listen, you are children of
the day, you're children of the light.
(05:03):
Therefore this is your witness, this is your testimony.
Live this way because you are not in darkness anymore.
In fact, the Bible says over in the book of Colossians, the 3rd
chapter, these, these words, Colossians chapter 3, I'm sorry,
(05:24):
class chapter one verse #13 For you rescued us from the domain
of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of his beloved
Son, in whom we have redemption,the forgiveness of sins.
You see, the unbeliever is in the domain of darkness.
(05:44):
That's where Satan dwells. And therefore they are sons of
disobedience, not sons of obedience.
But when God saves you, He transfers you from that domain
of darkness into the domain of His light, His truth.
So therefore we walk as childrenof the light and children of the
(06:04):
truth. And so Paul admonishes those in
Thessalonica to live in like manner.
And then he says, not only are you a witness, but you're,
you're a watchman. You're to, you're to be alert,
you're to be sober minded. You are, you are to be vigilant.
And then he says you are a warrior.
And therefore, because you're, you're a warrior, put on the,
(06:25):
the breastplate of of faith and love and put on the, the helmet
as a hope of, of your salvation.Such a such an important
aspects. And he wants us to understand
that, that we're involved in warfare.
And this is how you as sons of the of the day and sons of the
(06:45):
light live accordingly. Remember, in Ephesians chapter
6, he talks about the armor of God.
There he calls it the breastplate of righteousness.
Here he calls it the breastplateof faith and love.
There he called the helmet the helmet of salvation in Ephesians
6. Here in First Thessalonians 5,
he calls the helmet the hope of salvation.
(07:05):
They're both the same thing, just described in different
ways. The the the breastplate of
righteousness means that not my positional righteousness is in
Christ, but the fact that I'm going to live practically a holy
life. Well, how do I do that?
By living in accordance with faith and love.
The breastplate of faith and love.
Faith is believing in what God has actually said, and because
(07:29):
you believe in what God has actually said, you live in
accordance to it. Love is living in admiration of
who God is, because you love Himwith all your heart, with all
your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength.
You want to obey the things thatHe says.
So the breastplate of, of righteousness is the breastplate
(07:51):
of, of love and the breast parade of, of faith.
In other words, when we believe what God says, we walk by faith.
We don't walk by sight. We believe in what God says, we
don't believe in what we see. We believe in what God says
because that's the truth. And so we live in accordance to
(08:11):
the truth of the living God. Paul would say in first Timothy
6 verse #12 fight the good fightof faith.
In secular 4 verse #8 he says I have fought the good fight.
I've run the race right. But notice he calls the the
fight always a good fight. It's a noble fight.
(08:32):
Why? Because we're in warfare against
Satan in the Kingdom of darknessand we are fighting for the
truth of God's word, the gospel of God and the Kingdom of God.
It is the noblest of all battlesthat were engaged in so many
times we we wake up each day anddon't realize that we're engaged
in warfare, but we are every dayis a battle.
(08:53):
Why? Because we battle against the
the forces of darkness. And so Paul says protect the
most intimate part of your life.Protect your heart, put on the
breastplate of faith and love. Remember Solomon says in
Proverbs Sector 4, guard your heart for out of the flow all
the issues of life. Proverbs 423 and how do we guard
(09:15):
our heart by putting on the breastplate of faith and love.
In other words, we believe what God says.
You see, Satan is against you inall kinds of manners.
And so he's going to attack you emotionally.
He's going to attack you mentally.
So Paul says put on the helmet as the as the hope of salvation.
(09:35):
Why? Because he attacks the, the
head, you're, you're thinking, he wants you to have doubts.
He wants you to be discouraged. He, he wants you to be
depressed. And Paul says, put on the helmet
because that is your, your hope of salvation.
You see, we, we were saved. We are, we're, we're justified.
We are being sanctified. One day we will be glorified.
(09:56):
And that is our hope. That is our assurance.
That is our security. That's how we live our lives.
We live our lives in anticipation of the
glorification of our lives when we see him face to face.
And Paul says when you do that, when you do that, you're able to
ward off the attacks of the evilone.
You'll live as children of the day, not children of the night.
(10:18):
You will live as those who honorand glorify the name of the
Lord. You will be alert, you will be
sober, you won't be asleep. So be a warrior, be a watchman
and be a witness. And they won't moves on to the
next point. And that is, not only are you to
be reminded and not only to be responsible, but you are to be
(10:38):
relieved. Look what he says.
He says these words in verse #8 But since we are of the day, let
us be sober. Have you put on the breastplate
of faith and love, and as a helmet with the hope of
salvation? For God has not destined us for
wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus
(10:59):
Christ who died for us. So whether we are awake or
sleep, alive or dead, we will live together with him.
He says be relieved, for God hasnot destined you for wrath.
Now we know that's not eternal wrath.
(11:20):
Why? Because the context of First
Thessalonians five is talking about the Day of the Lord.
And the day of the Lord is called the day of God's fury or
the day of God's wrath. You can read about it in
Revelation 6 and Revelation 11, Revelation 16, Revelation 19,
It's a day of God's wrath. It's a day of the Lord's fury.
It's, it's that, it's that temporal time.
(11:41):
We know that we're saved from eternal wrath because there is
no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
And the wrath of God abides uponthose who live in disobedience
to the Lord God. We understand that.
But he's talking about that temporal wrath, that day of the
Lord, that tribulation. This is so important, why?
Christ is the bridegroom. We are the bride, and the
(12:05):
bridegroom does not want to subject the bride to the day of
God's fury. He's not going to do that.
That's why the Bible says in Revelation 3 verse #10 these
words, I will keep thee from thehour of trial which will come
upon the whole world to try themthat dwell upon the earth.
(12:28):
Revelation 310 so important. I'm going to protect you.
I'm going to keep you out of that hour, that hour trial
that's going to come upon the whole world, right?
Specifically designed for those who dwell upon the earth.
That phrase those who dwell uponthe earth is used over 10 times
in the Book of Revelation. And it always refers to people
(12:49):
of the world, not geographically, but people of
the world morally. That's how they live their
lives. That is their home.
That's what they love. They love the world.
And the hour tribulation is designed for the unbeliever, not
the believer. It's going to come upon the
whole world, those who dwell upon the earth.
And the Lord says, I'm going to keep you from that hour.
I'm going to protect you from that hour.
Paul says here in First Thessalonians 5, listen, God has
(13:12):
not destined you for wrath. He's not destined you for
judgement. He's destined you for joy to be
with Jesus forever. And that's what he says.
It says this is just so wonderful.
Listen, listen how he says it. He says that Jesus Christ verse
10 who died for us that whether we are awake or asleep we will
(13:36):
live together with him. Paul says he died for us.
He died for us over in Galatianschapter one.
This is how he says it Galatiansone verse 3.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ, who gave himself for oursins so that he might rescue us
(13:58):
from this present evil age according to the will of our God
and Father, to whom he or to whom be the glory forevermore,
Amen. He rescued us, He delivered us,
He saved us. Paul says he died for us.
(14:18):
And why did he do that? So that we could be with him.
We could be with him earlier. Paul says in chapter 4 these
words, and so shall we always bewith the Lord for 17 of chapter
4. That's the essence of heaven.
(14:39):
Heaven is a place. Heaven is a, a specific place,
but it's more than just a place.Heaven is the presence of the
living God. We, we, we tend to forget about
that and we forget about what's going to happen when we get to
heaven. We're always wondering, well,
when we get there, what are we going to do when we get there?
(15:01):
It's not about what you're goingto do when you get there.
It's about who you're going to see when you get there.
And so many times because we, wethink from an earthly
perspective that when we get to heaven, we're going to see our
our father or our mother or our brother or our sister, or, or
maybe John MacArthur's going to see RC Sprole or, or Charles
Spurgeon. You know what?
You're going to see them, but that's not your purpose for
(15:23):
going. You're not going to see them.
You're going to see the Lord. You're going to be with the
Lord. That's the most important thing.
We forget that a glorified body,a perfect body dwelling in
perfect righteousness does not have the same relationships it
did while on earth, because every relationship that you have
(15:44):
is tainted with sin. But in heaven there is no sin.
Everything is perfect. There is no memory of what takes
place on earth, in heaven. In hell, you have all the memory
of what takes place on earth. That's why there's weeping and
gnashing of teeth. But in heaven there is no memory
of what happens on earth. Why?
(16:05):
Because everything is new. There is no pain, there is no
sorrow. There'd be so much sorrow if we
remembered what happened on earth.
But in glory, it's all about theLord.
It's all about being with the Lord.
Think about this. John MacArthur wakes up in glory
on on on Monday evening. He dies and and closes his eyes
(16:25):
and wakes up in the presence of the living God.
How great is that? That's what heaven is.
It's the presence of God. To be in his presence is the
hope and joy of all of our lives.
And Paul knew that and we will be with him.
(16:46):
He wants to encourage him that way.
He wants to motivate in that way.
When we die, whether we wake or whether we're asleep, when
Christ comes again, we will be with him.
That's the prize, that's the reward, that's the joy, that's
(17:09):
the excitement. Yeah, there are crowns, but
those crowns will be cast at thefeet of the Lamb, at the feet of
the Lord. Why?
Because the only reason we have a crown is because of what
Christ has done in our lives. And so we're just going to give
him back to him because he receives all the glory and all
(17:30):
the honor and all the praise. And Paul says God is not
destined us for wrath. Why?
Because he delivered us. He saved us.
He rescued us so that whether wewake or sleep, that one day we
will be with him. That's the greatest of all
(17:53):
relief, knowing that Christ in his presence is my destiny.
And then he says, I want you to be reliable.
Verse 11. Therefore, encourage one another
and build up one another just asyou also are doing.
Be reliable to be an encourager.Be reliable to, to edify others,
(18:17):
to build them up to, to, to encourage them to have the
strength and, and the stability that they need each and every
day. And you're going to do that
through the words that I've given to you.
I want you to understand that these words are so important
that you are to be engaged not in, in finding flaws in one
another, but building up one another.
Time is short. Life is so short.
(18:40):
We only have this life before usand Paul says in the short
amount of time that you have encourage one another, build up
one another. That's why the right of Hebrew
says don't forsake this so many of yourselves together.
Why as you see the day approaching, the day of what the
day of Christ that is coming, but to encourage one another, to
(19:01):
stimulate one another to love and good deeds.
That's why we gathered together to to be involved in each
other's lives, to to motivate one another to move each other
on to action. And then that's what that's what
Paul is saying here in First Thessalonians chapter 5.
And then he's going to embark onthe very nick section and
explain to you how you encourageand how you edify the body.
(19:26):
Listen to what he says. He says these words in verse 12.
But we request of you, brethren,that you appreciate those who
diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the
Lord, and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very
highly in love because of their work.
Live in peace with one another. We urge you, brethren, admonish
the unruly, encourage the faint hearted, help the weak.
(19:47):
Be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another
with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good
for one another and for all people.
Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing.
In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus concerning you. That's how you encourage and
build up one another. And so next week we'll we'll go
(20:10):
into those verses and explain toyou exactly how God wants to use
each of us and each other's lives.
But this is so important as to living the model life.
Paul says listen in chapter 4. This is the will of God.
Even your sanctification that you abstain from sexual
immorality, you want to live a model life, live a life of
(20:30):
abstinence. And then he says if you want to
live a life, a model life, live a life of aspiration to loving
abundantly and living appropriately.
Verses 9 to 12 of chapter 4. And then he says, live a life of
anticipation as to the day of Christ.
He's coming again. Because one day the Lord will
descend from heaven with a shoutand with the voice of the
(20:52):
Archangel, and the dead in Christ will rise 1st.
And then we who are alive and remain shall be cut up together
with them in the air. And so shall we ever be with the
Lord. Live in anticipation of that
event because it's a nixed eventon God's prophetic calendar.
And all the while, live a life of alertness.
You're going to be sober. You're going to be vigilant.
You're going to be a warrior, a watchman.
(21:13):
You're going to be a witness. Why?
Because you dwell among the people of the night need to be a
testimony to them and as you do be an encouragement to one
another and build up one anotheras you are doing.
That's just so great because Paul recognizes the fact that
they're already doing that. He says I want you to excel even
all the more in doing that as you seek to honor the Lord.
(21:37):
That's the model life and trust that God will give us the grace
to live for the glory and honor of his name.
Let's pray together. Father, we thank you for today.
We thank you for all that you do.
We thank you, Lord, that we can gather together to praise your
glorious name. We thank you, Lord, that you're
our God. And I pray Lord, for for us as a
church, the Lord, we would be the kind of people that live a
(21:58):
model life, that live the kind of life that brings glory and
honor to your name, that lives the kind of life that truly
wants to put you above ourselves, the kind of life that
really wants to honor others above ourselves.
And that, Lord, we would truly live in anticipation of your
coming. Again, Lord, you are coming.
We know it's going to be soon. We just want it to be even
(22:20):
sooner than we can imagine. We pray that it be today, if not
today, tomorrow. But Father, we know that when
you come, we will be with you. Our prayer, Lord, is that if
there's someone here today who does not know that when they die
they'll be with you, the Lord you would burden their heart
(22:43):
that they would know to confess their sin, to repent and turn
from their evil ways. Give your life to the living God
and follow you in obedience for the rest of their lives.
Lord, we love you. Thank you for our time together.
May this week be the greatest ofall weeks because we want to
(23:04):
live it for your glory in Jesus name, Amen.
Take your Bible, if you would please, and turn with me to 1st
Thessalonians, chapter 5, verses1 to 11.
We're going to conclude this section this morning and move on
to the final section beginning next week.
But we're looking at what the Bible says concerning the model
life and what it means to live alife of alertness.
So I'm going to read to you these 11 verses to set them in
(00:20):
your mind, and then we'll conclude them this morning.
First one of chapter 5 says. Now as to the times in the
epics, 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 thiefin the night, while they are
saying peace and safety. Then destruction will come upon
(00:41):
them suddenly, like labor pains upon a woman with child, and
they will not escape. 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
(01:02):
and sober. For those who sleep do their
sleeping at night, and those whoget drunk get drunk at night.
But since we are of the day, letus be sober, having put on the
breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of
salvation. For God has not destined us for
wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus
(01:23):
Christ, who died for us, so thatwhether we are awake or asleep,
we will live together with Him. Therefore, encourage one another
and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
(01:43):
Paul wants them to understand their responsibility, so he
tells them by way of reminder inthe first 3 verses about the day
of the Lord. And then he moves on and says,
based on what I'm reminding you of, I want you to be responsible
in three areas as a witness, as a watchman, and as a warrior.
(02:08):
You are a witness because you'resons of the day, you're sons of
the light. You are not sons of the night,
nor are you sons of darkness. In other words, he contrasts the
people who are saved versus the people that are unsaved.
People that are in the light areborn again.
People that are in the darkness are not.
(02:31):
And so he contrasts them and encourages them to live
according to their witness as lights to the world.
This is not a New Testament concept.
It was widely proclaimed throughout the Old Testament.
In fact, over in Psalm One O 7. Listen to the words of the
psalmist in verse #10 There werethose who dwelt in darkness and
(02:55):
in the shadow of death, prisoners in misery and chains,
because they had rebelled against the words of God and
spurned the counsel of the Most High.
Therefore He humbled their heartwith labor.
They stumbled, and there was none to help.
(03:15):
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble.
He saved them out of their distresses.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and
broke their bands apart. Let them give thanks to the Lord
for His loving kindness and for His wonders to the sons of men.
(03:36):
So the psalmist describes those who live in rebellion against
God, who those who spurn the words of God as those people who
wander in darkness, who so desperately need the light of
life to shine down upon them. And when God rescues them,
that's exactly what he does, because he is the light of the
(03:58):
world. He is the truth.
And therefore, when he shines his light, the truth is spread.
Earlier the psalmist would say these words in Psalm 43.
He would say in verse 3, O send out your light and your truth.
Let them lead me. Let them bring me to your holy
(04:20):
hill and to your dwelling place.Then I will go to the altar of
God, to God my exceeding joy, and upon the leer I shall praise
You, O God, my God. In other words, when the Lord
sends out His light, when He sends out His truth, it leads us
in the proper direction. Psalm 119105 says that God's
(04:42):
word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
Therefore God's Word is a lamp as well as the light, and it
leads us in the way of truth. And so Paul picks up on all that
and says in First Thessalonians 5, listen, you are children of
the day, you're children of the light.
(05:03):
Therefore this is your witness, this is your testimony.
Live this way because you are not in darkness anymore.
In fact, the Bible says over in the book of Colossians, the 3rd
chapter, these, these words, Colossians chapter 3, I'm sorry,
(05:24):
class chapter one verse #13 For you rescued us from the domain
of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of his beloved
Son, in whom we have redemption,the forgiveness of sins.
You see, the unbeliever is in the domain of darkness.
(05:44):
That's where Satan dwells. And therefore they are sons of
disobedience, not sons of obedience.
But when God saves you, He transfers you from that domain
of darkness into the domain of His light, His truth.
So therefore we walk as childrenof the light and children of the
(06:04):
truth. And so Paul admonishes those in
Thessalonica to live in like manner.
And then he says, not only are you a witness, but you're,
you're a watchman. You're to, you're to be alert,
you're to be sober minded. You are, you are to be vigilant.
And then he says you are a warrior.
And therefore, because you're, you're a warrior, put on the,
(06:25):
the breastplate of of faith and love and put on the, the helmet
as a hope of, of your salvation.Such a such an important
aspects. And he wants us to understand
that, that we're involved in warfare.
And this is how you as sons of the of the day and sons of the
(06:45):
light live accordingly. Remember, in Ephesians chapter
6, he talks about the armor of God.
There he calls it the breastplate of righteousness.
Here he calls it the breastplateof faith and love.
There he called the helmet the helmet of salvation in Ephesians
6. Here in First Thessalonians 5,
he calls the helmet the hope of salvation.
(07:05):
They're both the same thing, just described in different
ways. The the the breastplate of
righteousness means that not my positional righteousness is in
Christ, but the fact that I'm going to live practically a holy
life. Well, how do I do that?
By living in accordance with faith and love.
The breastplate of faith and love.
Faith is believing in what God has actually said, and because
(07:29):
you believe in what God has actually said, you live in
accordance to it. Love is living in admiration of
who God is, because you love Himwith all your heart, with all
your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength.
You want to obey the things thatHe says.
So the breastplate of, of righteousness is the breastplate
(07:51):
of, of love and the breast parade of, of faith.
In other words, when we believe what God says, we walk by faith.
We don't walk by sight. We believe in what God says, we
don't believe in what we see. We believe in what God says
because that's the truth. And so we live in accordance to
(08:11):
the truth of the living God. Paul would say in first Timothy
6 verse #12 fight the good fightof faith.
In secular 4 verse #8 he says I have fought the good fight.
I've run the race right. But notice he calls the the
fight always a good fight. It's a noble fight.
(08:32):
Why? Because we're in warfare against
Satan in the Kingdom of darknessand we are fighting for the
truth of God's word, the gospel of God and the Kingdom of God.
It is the noblest of all battlesthat were engaged in so many
times we we wake up each day anddon't realize that we're engaged
in warfare, but we are every dayis a battle.
(08:53):
Why? Because we battle against the
the forces of darkness. And so Paul says protect the
most intimate part of your life.Protect your heart, put on the
breastplate of faith and love. Remember Solomon says in
Proverbs Sector 4, guard your heart for out of the flow all
the issues of life. Proverbs 423 and how do we guard
(09:15):
our heart by putting on the breastplate of faith and love.
In other words, we believe what God says.
You see, Satan is against you inall kinds of manners.
And so he's going to attack you emotionally.
He's going to attack you mentally.
So Paul says put on the helmet as the as the hope of salvation.
(09:35):
Why? Because he attacks the, the
head, you're, you're thinking, he wants you to have doubts.
He wants you to be discouraged. He, he wants you to be
depressed. And Paul says, put on the helmet
because that is your, your hope of salvation.
You see, we, we were saved. We are, we're, we're justified.
We are being sanctified. One day we will be glorified.
(09:56):
And that is our hope. That is our assurance.
That is our security. That's how we live our lives.
We live our lives in anticipation of the
glorification of our lives when we see him face to face.
And Paul says when you do that, when you do that, you're able to
ward off the attacks of the evilone.
You'll live as children of the day, not children of the night.
(10:18):
You will live as those who honorand glorify the name of the
Lord. You will be alert, you will be
sober, you won't be asleep. So be a warrior, be a watchman
and be a witness. And they won't moves on to the
next point. And that is, not only are you to
be reminded and not only to be responsible, but you are to be
(10:38):
relieved. Look what he says.
He says these words in verse #8 But since we are of the day, let
us be sober. Have you put on the breastplate
of faith and love, and as a helmet with the hope of
salvation? For God has not destined us for
wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus
(10:59):
Christ who died for us. So whether we are awake or
sleep, alive or dead, we will live together with him.
He says be relieved, for God hasnot destined you for wrath.
Now we know that's not eternal wrath.
(11:20):
Why? Because the context of First
Thessalonians five is talking about the Day of the Lord.
And the day of the Lord is called the day of God's fury or
the day of God's wrath. You can read about it in
Revelation 6 and Revelation 11, Revelation 16, Revelation 19,
It's a day of God's wrath. It's a day of the Lord's fury.
It's, it's that, it's that temporal time.
(11:41):
We know that we're saved from eternal wrath because there is
no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
And the wrath of God abides uponthose who live in disobedience
to the Lord God. We understand that.
But he's talking about that temporal wrath, that day of the
Lord, that tribulation. This is so important, why?
Christ is the bridegroom. We are the bride, and the
(12:05):
bridegroom does not want to subject the bride to the day of
God's fury. He's not going to do that.
That's why the Bible says in Revelation 3 verse #10 these
words, I will keep thee from thehour of trial which will come
upon the whole world to try themthat dwell upon the earth.
(12:28):
Revelation 310 so important. I'm going to protect you.
I'm going to keep you out of that hour, that hour trial
that's going to come upon the whole world, right?
Specifically designed for those who dwell upon the earth.
That phrase those who dwell uponthe earth is used over 10 times
in the Book of Revelation. And it always refers to people
(12:49):
of the world, not geographically, but people of
the world morally. That's how they live their
lives. That is their home.
That's what they love. They love the world.
And the hour tribulation is designed for the unbeliever, not
the believer. It's going to come upon the
whole world, those who dwell upon the earth.
And the Lord says, I'm going to keep you from that hour.
I'm going to protect you from that hour.
Paul says here in First Thessalonians 5, listen, God has
(13:12):
not destined you for wrath. He's not destined you for
judgement. He's destined you for joy to be
with Jesus forever. And that's what he says.
It says this is just so wonderful.
Listen, listen how he says it. He says that Jesus Christ verse
10 who died for us that whether we are awake or asleep we will
(13:36):
live together with him. Paul says he died for us.
He died for us over in Galatianschapter one.
This is how he says it Galatiansone verse 3.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ, who gave himself for oursins so that he might rescue us
(13:58):
from this present evil age according to the will of our God
and Father, to whom he or to whom be the glory forevermore,
Amen. He rescued us, He delivered us,
He saved us. Paul says he died for us.
(14:18):
And why did he do that? So that we could be with him.
We could be with him earlier. Paul says in chapter 4 these
words, and so shall we always bewith the Lord for 17 of chapter
4. That's the essence of heaven.
(14:39):
Heaven is a place. Heaven is a, a specific place,
but it's more than just a place.Heaven is the presence of the
living God. We, we, we tend to forget about
that and we forget about what's going to happen when we get to
heaven. We're always wondering, well,
when we get there, what are we going to do when we get there?
(15:01):
It's not about what you're goingto do when you get there.
It's about who you're going to see when you get there.
And so many times because we, wethink from an earthly
perspective that when we get to heaven, we're going to see our
our father or our mother or our brother or our sister, or, or
maybe John MacArthur's going to see RC Sprole or, or Charles
Spurgeon. You know what?
You're going to see them, but that's not your purpose for
(15:23):
going. You're not going to see them.
You're going to see the Lord. You're going to be with the
Lord. That's the most important thing.
We forget that a glorified body,a perfect body dwelling in
perfect righteousness does not have the same relationships it
did while on earth, because every relationship that you have
(15:44):
is tainted with sin. But in heaven there is no sin.
Everything is perfect. There is no memory of what takes
place on earth, in heaven. In hell, you have all the memory
of what takes place on earth. That's why there's weeping and
gnashing of teeth. But in heaven there is no memory
of what happens on earth. Why?
(16:05):
Because everything is new. There is no pain, there is no
sorrow. There'd be so much sorrow if we
remembered what happened on earth.
But in glory, it's all about theLord.
It's all about being with the Lord.
Think about this. John MacArthur wakes up in glory
on on on Monday evening. He dies and and closes his eyes
(16:25):
and wakes up in the presence of the living God.
How great is that? That's what heaven is.
It's the presence of God. To be in his presence is the
hope and joy of all of our lives.
And Paul knew that and we will be with him.
(16:46):
He wants to encourage him that way.
He wants to motivate in that way.
When we die, whether we wake or whether we're asleep, when
Christ comes again, we will be with him.
That's the prize, that's the reward, that's the joy, that's
(17:09):
the excitement. Yeah, there are crowns, but
those crowns will be cast at thefeet of the Lamb, at the feet of
the Lord. Why?
Because the only reason we have a crown is because of what
Christ has done in our lives. And so we're just going to give
him back to him because he receives all the glory and all
(17:30):
the honor and all the praise. And Paul says God is not
destined us for wrath. Why?
Because he delivered us. He saved us.
He rescued us so that whether wewake or sleep, that one day we
will be with him. That's the greatest of all
(17:53):
relief, knowing that Christ in his presence is my destiny.
And then he says, I want you to be reliable.
Verse 11. Therefore, encourage one another
and build up one another just asyou also are doing.
Be reliable to be an encourager.Be reliable to, to edify others,
(18:17):
to build them up to, to, to encourage them to have the
strength and, and the stability that they need each and every
day. And you're going to do that
through the words that I've given to you.
I want you to understand that these words are so important
that you are to be engaged not in, in finding flaws in one
another, but building up one another.
Time is short. Life is so short.
(18:40):
We only have this life before usand Paul says in the short
amount of time that you have encourage one another, build up
one another. That's why the right of Hebrew
says don't forsake this so many of yourselves together.
Why as you see the day approaching, the day of what the
day of Christ that is coming, but to encourage one another, to
(19:01):
stimulate one another to love and good deeds.
That's why we gathered together to to be involved in each
other's lives, to to motivate one another to move each other
on to action. And then that's what that's what
Paul is saying here in First Thessalonians chapter 5.
And then he's going to embark onthe very nick section and
explain to you how you encourageand how you edify the body.
(19:26):
Listen to what he says. He says these words in verse 12.
But we request of you, brethren,that you appreciate those who
diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the
Lord, and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very
highly in love because of their work.
Live in peace with one another. We urge you, brethren, admonish
the unruly, encourage the faint hearted, help the weak.
(19:47):
Be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another
with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good
for one another and for all people.
Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing.
In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus concerning you. That's how you encourage and
build up one another. And so next week we'll we'll go
(20:10):
into those verses and explain toyou exactly how God wants to use
each of us and each other's lives.
But this is so important as to living the model life.
Paul says listen in chapter 4. This is the will of God.
Even your sanctification that you abstain from sexual
immorality, you want to live a model life, live a life of
(20:30):
abstinence. And then he says if you want to
live a life, a model life, live a life of aspiration to loving
abundantly and living appropriately.
Verses 9 to 12 of chapter 4. And then he says, live a life of
anticipation as to the day of Christ.
He's coming again. Because one day the Lord will
descend from heaven with a shoutand with the voice of the
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Archangel, and the dead in Christ will rise 1st.
And then we who are alive and remain shall be cut up together
with them in the air. And so shall we ever be with the
Lord. Live in anticipation of that
event because it's a nixed eventon God's prophetic calendar.
And all the while, live a life of alertness.
You're going to be sober. You're going to be vigilant.
You're going to be a warrior, a watchman.
(21:13):
You're going to be a witness. Why?
Because you dwell among the people of the night need to be a
testimony to them and as you do be an encouragement to one
another and build up one anotheras you are doing.
That's just so great because Paul recognizes the fact that
they're already doing that. He says I want you to excel even
all the more in doing that as you seek to honor the Lord.
(21:37):
That's the model life and trust that God will give us the grace
to live for the glory and honor of his name.
Let's pray together. Father, we thank you for today.
We thank you for all that you do.
We thank you, Lord, that we can gather together to praise your
glorious name. We thank you, Lord, that you're
our God. And I pray Lord, for for us as a
church, the Lord, we would be the kind of people that live a
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model life, that live the kind of life that brings glory and
honor to your name, that lives the kind of life that truly
wants to put you above ourselves, the kind of life that
really wants to honor others above ourselves.
And that, Lord, we would truly live in anticipation of your
coming. Again, Lord, you are coming.
We know it's going to be soon. We just want it to be even
(22:20):
sooner than we can imagine. We pray that it be today, if not
today, tomorrow. But Father, we know that when
you come, we will be with you. Our prayer, Lord, is that if
there's someone here today who does not know that when they die
they'll be with you, the Lord you would burden their heart
(22:43):
that they would know to confess their sin, to repent and turn
from their evil ways. Give your life to the living God
and follow you in obedience for the rest of their lives.
Lord, we love you. Thank you for our time together.
May this week be the greatest ofall weeks because we want to
(23:04):
live it for your glory in Jesus name, Amen.
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