Let's take our Bibles and turn
with me to the book of 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. 1 Thessalonians chapter
5. In these days of uncertainty,
there's one thing that every believer can rest his heart upon. God's word stands sure. The Lord said in Matthew 24 verses
35, he said, heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words
shall not pass away. Second Timothy 2 19 declares
the foundation of God standeth sure. Having this seal, Here's
the seal. The Lord knoweth them that are
His. Now, when we talk about the foundation
of God, that foundation that stands sure, it stands sure because
it's built upon the Lord Jesus Christ, His church, His bride. And that church that stands sure
has this stamp or this signet of being genuine. This is the
stamp. This is the assurance. The Lord
knoweth them that are His. He knows them as being the gift
from His Father. He knows those for whom He died. And He knows those who have been
made willing in the day of His power to, by faith, cast themselves
upon Him. He loves them. He's not going
to leave them. He's not going to forsake them.
So it doesn't matter what's going on around us. It doesn't matter. All things are being ordered
by God Almighty. He worketh all things after the
counsel of His own will. Now let me tell you what we need
to do. Thank Him in all things. Give thanks. This is the will
of God in Christ Jesus concerning his people. Now I want to give
us, just Lord willing, from the scriptures some comfort. I want
us to consider a passage of scripture that gives a struggling and needy
saint a firm foundation upon which to rest. A passage that,
for the moment, While everything seems to be crumbling around
us, assures the vessels of God's mercy, everything is okay. Now, I need to hear this. I need
to hear that everything's okay. In this passage, the Spirit of
God has moved upon the Apostle Paul to deal with two groups
of people. Us and them. We and they. And with the dealing between
these two groups, I want us to realize that there's one distinguishing
difference between them. The grace of God. It's the only
difference. Because, but for the grace of
God, there wouldn't be any difference. There wouldn't be any us and
them. They and us. Now, the Apostle Paul began dealing
with the subject we're going to look at for a few minutes
in chapter 4 of 1 Thessalonians, and he was dealing with the second
coming of Christ. He said in verse 16 to 18, For
the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God, and the dead
in Christ shall rise first Then we, which are alive and remain,
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the
Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore,
comfort one another with these words." So let me say this, in
obedience to the Lord's command, a word of comfort. to all that
believe and have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ and cast Himself
upon Him. Listen, the Lord's coming back.
The Lord's coming back. And He's coming back to get His
people. And it's going to be that time
that we shall, if we're on this earth alive, the dead in Christ
are going to rise We, which are still alive, are then going to
be caught up with them in the air. And we're going to be with
the Lord, listen, forever. Forever. Now, having spoken concerning
the second coming of Christ, The Apostle Paul now continues
with that thought, starting where we're gonna look at for the first,
you know, one to 10 verses. He says in verse one and two,
but of the times. Now he's coming back, we know
that. But of the times and the seasons,
brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you, for yourselves
know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief
in the night. Now, we know He's coming, but
we don't know when He's coming. But we know that when He does
come, it's going to be suddenly. The Lord spoke of this. If you
want to turn, hold your place, turn to Matthew 24. Matthew 24, and I'll read verses
42 to Matthew 24, the Lord said concerning His second coming, Watch therefore for you know
not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if
the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief
would come, he would have watched and would not have suffered his
house to be broken up. Therefore, Be ye also ready,
for in such an hour as you think not, the Son of Man cometh. I've said before, you could ask
someone, do you think the Lord's coming back really in this hour,
this hour right now? Do you think he's coming back
right now? Do you think it's gonna be the last hour? I don't know. I don't think so.
I don't know. I don't think so. I said, well, it'll be an hour
just like this when you don't think he's coming, when you don't
expect him. It'll be over in a moment. Apostle Paul was moved by the
Spirit of God to say this in 1 Corinthians 15. In a moment,
in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, when men are
not expecting it, like a thief that comes in the night, you
don't expect, that's when he's coming. Back in 1 Thessalonians
5 verse 3, it says, 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. Now when the Lord returns,
he'll come when many that are unconverted. Now this is the
they, when they shall say. Not us, you know, the scriptures
had said in verse 1, the times and the season ye, that we have
no need that I run you for yourselves, no, the day of the Lord shall
come as a thief in the night, but when they, when those that
don't know him, when they say peace and safety, when those
that are unconverted, are placing all their hope and security in
that which is not going to stand. Men's going to be speaking of
peace and safety, peace within their deceived hearts, supposing
that they're safe from God's judgment because of their false
hope in their own works. They're going to be comforting
one another, and the suddenness of The pain of their destruction
is going to come upon them as the labor pains of a woman giving
birth. Now, men, we don't know a whole
lot about that. But I do know just enough to
know that when those pains start coming, they came when you knew
about when they were going to come. You know, a woman knows
about when to come. But when they come, all of a
sudden, they were there. And based on the little bit that
I know, obviously they're severe. And the Lord is saying now when
they say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh as
travail upon a woman with child. And they're not going to escape.
It'll be so fast and so sudden and so destructive But in the
midst of the horror and the surprise of many who have placed their
confidence in the frailty of their own flesh, nonetheless,
there's going to be found a people who were watching. They didn't
know. They didn't know when the Lord was coming. They knew He
was coming. They knew it was going to be in a day when they
didn't expect it, but here it is. Verse 4 says, but ye, brethren,
are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a
thief. By the mercy and compassion of
Almighty God, many have been made ready by the Spirit's power
in regenerating grace. And though it was expected, and
they knew that it was certain, When He does come, they're not
going to be found in the darkness of ignorance and unbelief. God's people, right now, have
this attitude. Lord, keep me ready. I want to
be ready. Do you think He's coming today?
I don't know. I don't know. So many times I don't even think
about it. I'm going about doing my own
business and stuff, and I'm not just sitting there watching the
skies. And being in that state, Lord,
don't leave me to myself. What has happened with them being
ready? The Lord has shined in their
heart and has given them the light of the glory of God in
the face of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God is giving them
faith to believe and they've been made willing in the day
of God's power to cast themselves upon the Lord Jesus Christ for
life. And they've been taught, don't
put any confidence in yourself. And they're ready. They're ready and this is their
constant attitude. Lord, make me ready. Lord, don't leave me alone. And He's promised He won't. But
this is what they say, don't leave me alone. He's promised
to robe them in righteousness. The Lord robed me. He saved them by His grace. They
say, Lord, save me. He's never forgotten them. And
they say, Lord, remember me. God's people have been made alert. And those blessed of God were
found to be something now that they weren't before. Look at
verse 5. You're all the children of light,
children of the day. We're not of the night nor of
darkness. There's going to be found in
that day of the Lord some to whom the glorious gospel has
been taught in power. And they, though they're continually
struggling with the old man, that opposes everything that
is right and holy, they're truly awake. They're like the bride,
Shulamith, who says, I sleep, but my heart's awake. And they
know they're awake, and they know that there's a need of Him. And those blessed of God, been
given a heart to cast themselves upon the mercy of God, they're
not going to be found dead. in darkness and unbelief by the
mercy of God, and they're alert to what's going on right now.
I can tell you what a believer's thinking. You that believe right
now, I'm gonna tell you what you're thinking right now. Lord,
I wanna be alert. I want to be alert. When you don't know when it's
gonna come, and you know it's coming, you don't want to be
found in a spirit of not caring. not looking, you don't want to
be. Verse six and seven. Therefore, let us not sleep as
do others. Let us watch and be sober. For
they that sleep, sleep in the night. And they that be drunken
are drunken in the night. Let us seek, ask the Lord, keep
me Lord, from the temptation of being found in that drowsy
state of indifference. Lord, don't let me be taken up
with the cares of this world. Lord, cause me to be watchful
and spiritually discreet concerning my walk before you. Lord, remind
me I am a sojourner in this world. I'm not going to be here long,
and you're not either. We think we are. We think, well,
I'm not like all those people who are getting older and stuff
like that. My friend, you're going to turn around and be old
if God doesn't take you before. I told you about taking Glenn
over to a doctor's appointment a few months ago. And I was standing
there waiting, and a lady was talking to the receptionist.
And the lady told the receptionist, she said, I just turned 90. And she said, you know how I
got here? She said, I just woke up one
morning, and I was 90, all of a sudden. Lord, don't let me
be lazy. Don't let me be left to myself,
taken up Lord, with this world and its lying materialism that
would steal away the attention of sinners, it's going to stand
before God. Verse 8, But let us who are of
the day be sober, alert, putting on the breastplate of faith and
love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. We're in a spiritual
warfare. We're in a warfare of sin, Satan,
this world, but self. I am my worst enemy. There's
a battle going on inside of me, and I need to be reminded of
it. I know it's there. I need to be taught that the
Lord has graciously provided spiritual armor And we're admonished
to be on guard from the fiery darts and attacks of the enemy. So the Apostle Paul was moved
by the Spirit of God to say, put on the breastplate of faith
and love. And we do put it on when we believe
that the Lord Jesus Christ is the author and the finisher of
our faith. put on by faith. What am I saying? I have no protection for my heart. I have no comfort from being
kept, from being overcome, except I believe that the Lord is my
protector, my help in the time of trouble. And that helmet of
salvation, the only thing that keeps my thoughts and passions,
affections toward Him is that He is my salvation. Put that
helmet of salvation on. That salvation that's totally
of the Lord and not of me, my works. And then the Spirit of
God moved upon the Apostle Paul to write these last two verses
of Scripture. 9 and 10. He said, you do be
alert, be watchful, take these words of admonition for, because,
verse 9, for God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation
by our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us. that whether we
wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Now, all that he said, brethren,
the Lord's coming back. Brethren, we don't know when
He's coming. Brethren, don't be like those
that say peace and safety. trusting in themselves. Brethren,
you're not in darkness. God has opened your eyes and
given you light and has shown you that you're children of the
day, children of light. You're not of the darkness. God
has saved you by his grace. Don't be asleep. Wake up like
others. Watch and be sober. They sleep. because they're of the night.
They're drunken with the drunkenness of this world's false religion.
But you that are of the day, be sober and put on that breastplate
of faith, love, and a helmet of hope of salvation because
God has not appointed us to wrath. If the Lord had appointed us
to wrath, He left us to ourselves to do that which we wanted to
do. But if the Lord has been pleased
to give us some understanding concerning His love and compassion
to helpless sinners like us, be thankful. If Almighty God
has given you a heart to cast yourself upon the Lord Jesus
Christ, it was the Lord that made you willing. It wasn't you.
It wasn't me. And you consider this truth,
that the Lord has done what He's done for the remnant according
to the election of grace, because it pleased Him to do so. The
Lord was pleased. I know that this message of God's
sovereign grace, now you read this right here and you tell
the world, God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation
by our Lord. And I know what The old man is
going to say, I know what the world and its false religion
is going to say. It's going to say that's not
fair. But as I've said before, if Almighty God, then it's going
to be fair, just fair. And Adam all die. If the Lord
had not left a remnant, we'd all been like Sodom and Gomorrah.
And while men raised their hand of rebellion against God's sovereignty,
if the Lord had not chosen a people. Now you listen, we're all going
to die. And we deserve to die. But the Lord has not been pleased
to allow mankind to be obliterated in justice. We were all children
of wrath, even as others, and God was pleased to save some
people. And if the Lord would have dealt
with us after our transgressions and iniquity, we'd all been cast
into hell. We'd all heard these words. Depart
from me you workers of iniquity, I never knew you. Every regenerated
sinner is in agreement with that which was spoken by the prophet
Micah. Who is a god like unto thee?
that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression
of the remnant of his heritage. He retaineth not his anger forever,
because he delighteth in mercy. The Lord delighteth in mercy. Because he did not appoint a
people to wrath, but to obtain salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ,
It pleased the Father to bruise Him and to put Him to grief. Listen, God is not going to clear
the guilty. Now here's the amazing truth. God made Him to be sin for us. He who knew no sin. God made
him sin. Took that which was ours and
he made it his. He said, mine iniquities are
more than the hairs of my head. So he who was made sin for us
was made sin that we might be made the righteousness of God
in Him. He who bore our sins and carried
our sorrows, the sorrows and sins of His people. Verse 10
says again, who died for us. That whether we wake or sleep,
we should live together with Him. Whether we're alive or we've
died in the faith. We're going to live with Him.
Now again, in closing, I know that the world despises this
message of hope in Christ. Hope that is based totally upon
the mercy and good pleasure of God. But every sinner that has
been made sensible of his need, let me tell you something, this
is the greatest story you've ever heard, the greatest message
you've ever heard, the greatest truth, the greatest news you've
ever heard. And the evidence of having an
interest in this blessing is we believe God. And we don't
put any confidence in our flesh if the Lord has caused His glory. Remember when Moses said, show
me your glory. Show me your glory. And what was the Lord's answer?
He said, I will have mercy on whom I'll have mercy. And I'll
have compassion on whom I'll have compassion. And then I've
told you many times the Spirit of God moved upon the Apostle
Paul to take that passage of Scripture and in Romans chapter
9 say this, continuing the thought of that truth. So then, it is
not of him that willeth or him that runneth, but of God that
shows mercy. The Scripture has declared that
Almighty God has a people. that He's not going to let perish. He has not appointed us to wrath. He has not appointed us to wrath
but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. And you know
what the believer is going to say? The one that has been given
the heart to realize what is being said here? He's going to
say, Lord, like that thief again, Remember me. Lord, don't pass
me by. Remember when the Lord was walking
out on the water and he walked as if he would have gone by?
And he cried out to him. Lord, don't pass me by. Lord,
don't leave me. Don't leave me to my fickle self,
my rebellious and arrogant self. Because if you do, I'm gonna
die. He's gonna put me in hell. If
God be for us, who can be against us? I pray that the Lord bless
this to our heart. Pray that the spirit of God be
pleased to comfort God's people. Call out his sheep for his glory
and our eternal good. Amen. Okay, Gary.