I want you to take your Bibles
and turn with me to the book of 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. Often the Spirit of God brings
back to my memory this passage of Scripture. Not the one we're
going to look at this morning, but this one. Isaiah 40 verse
1 says this, Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem,
that is, speak to the heart, and cry unto her that her warfare,
her appointed time on this earth is accomplished, that her iniquity
is pardoned, For she hath received of the Lord's hand double for
all her sins. That word double, it's a folding
is what it means. It means they're covered, they're
hidden, put away by the blood of Christ. Now, listen, for all
of us, we are a people that are in need of comfort. We're tried within and without. We're in a world that is not
our home and we continually feel the struggle of that old man
striving against the new. And so many times instead of
experiencing what we read in the scriptures concerning what
The new man should always feel joy and peace. So often, we realize
we have sorrows and conflicts. We're oppressed by Satan's fiery
darts and we're harassed with temptations and grown under the
body of sin. Newton, in that song he wrote
that we sing so often, said this, Can I deem myself a child when
I look within and I see what's going on in me? Am I really a believer? Well,
if you're one that finds yourself with such struggles, you are
the very one to whom the Lord has got some comfort today. As I said, we all need it. We
all need comfort. Comfort in our souls. Everyone
that finds himself afflicted, poor in spirit, and recognizes
that he has no hope whatsoever unless the Lord lifts him up.
There's nothing, there's no other comfort. Believer, take heart. The Lord knows our sorrow. He sees that we have need. He's the one that has enlivened
that thought within and He knows how He's going to give it. And therefore He commands it
to be administered. Not that the preacher can administer
the comfort. No, no, no. They are the means
by which the Lord comforts His people. Now, in 1 Thessalonians
4.8, here is how God comforts His people. With His Word. This is the only comfort. Look at 1 Thessalonians 4. Verse
18, not only what was said before that verse, but what is getting
ready to be said. Wherefore, comfort one another
with these words. Like I said, don't look for any
comfort within. You're not going to find any. He is the God of all comfort. We look to Him. Now how do we
look unto the Lord? How do we seek the Lord's comfort? He who has promised, I'll never
leave you, I'll never forsake you. How is it found? Here it
is right here. In His Word. This is it. And we pray that the Spirit of
God blesses the Word to our hearts. I need to hear from God. He never forgets to be gracious. Express to Him in prayer. Ask
Him, Lord, help me. Lord, You're the one that's taught
me of my need. You don't forget. He says in
Isaiah 49, 15, Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should
not have compassion upon the son of her womb, yea, they may
forget, yet will I not forget thee. Well, knowing that the
only comfort that we're going to receive from the Lord is going
to be found in His Word. I want us to consider the fifth
chapter of the book of 1 Thessalonians. I'm just going to read this.
I'm going to make a few comments on it. And I just want to set
forth what the Spirit of God has said. This is all I'm going
to do this morning in this first message. I'm going to read what
God has to say. And based on His promise, wherefore
comfort one another with these words. Like I said, before and
after. It's all the Word of God. What
does the Lord have to say? That's what I want to know. All
right. For the comfort of God's people.
1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verses 1 to 3. 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. 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 here's
what the Lord has set forth. He's coming back. He's coming
back. He ascended into heaven on the
Mount of Olives while His disciples were there talking with Him. And He ascended up. Two angels
were standing there and said, you men of Galilee, why stand
you here gazing into the heavens? This same Jesus that you see
ascending. shall so come again, likewise,
same manner, just like you see, right? See, you were just talking
to him. He's coming back. 1 Corinthians
15, I'll read this to you. 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 52
says concerning him coming back, it's gonna be in a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpet shall
sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be
changed. We're going to be made in His
likeness. Now, this is a comfort to God's people. This is not
our home. We're in a world that we're not
of. We're in a world that despises
the Christ that we love and preach and trust. And His return is
going to be suddenly, all of a sudden, no pre-announcement,
the trump of God is going to sound, and all the unbelievers
that are trusting in themselves, in their works, in their wills, They're going to be surprised
at His coming. God's people don't know when
He's coming back, but while they're talking about peace and safety,
and shall not escape, we're going to be delivered. So, the Lord's
coming back. They're not going to escape.
Look at verse 4. But ye, brethren, you're not
in darkness. that that day should overtake
you as a thief. Here's comfort to God's people.
The Lord has not left us in the darkness of sin and unbelief,
in the darkness of sin. The presence of sin is still
with us and we grieve over that. But the darkness and the deception
of a carnal heart, that heart that would lie To me, my heart that would lie,
the most deceitful thing in the world, the Lord has not left
you in darkness. God's people know He's coming
back. He's coming back to get them.
He said, I'm coming back. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I'm coming again. Verse 5 and 6. Ye are all the
children of light. children of the day. We're not
of the night nor of darkness, wherefore let us not sleep, as
do others, but let us watch and be sober. You've not been left
with a dead, indifferent heart and attitude of rebellion against
God. Be sober. Be careful to remember
where our safety is. This is what we've gathered together
this morning. This is what we're here for.
All God's sheep have gathered together collectively. We're
one body. One body. A body of believers
that love each other, seek each other's best, just praying for
one another. And listen, to comfort us. The
Lord has not left us in darkness and unbelief. Verse 7 and 8,
For they that sleep, sleep in the night. In the night of their
unregeneracy, they sleep in the night. They that be drunken with
the wine of this world's false religion, the great harlot, mystery
Babylon, It causes this world to drink of the wine of deception. They that be drunken, they're
drunken again in the night of unbelief and deadness of heart. They don't see that we're light,
they're darkness. 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. You've not been left to yourself
with a heart that shuns God. You're not left with a heart
that despises His Word, His will, His purpose. And that's comforting. God's not left His people to
themselves. Verse 9 and 10, For God hath
not appointed us to wrath. Now you talk about some comfort. You want a word of comfort? hath not appointed us, his people, to wrath. What has he appointed us to?
But to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, comfort yourselves
together and edify one another even as also you do. You want
to comfort one another? Remind ourselves. Let us be reminding
ourselves with this thought. God hadn't appointed us to wrath.
He's not appointed to leave us to ourselves. If Almighty God
would have left us to ourselves, I'm telling you, we would have
no hope. God Almighty has not appointed
His people to His own wrath and justice and judgment. He said,
I've loved you with an everlasting love and purposed you will not
perish. You're not going to perish. I have just enough sense to know.
I don't have much, but I know this. Had Almighty God not purposed
to save me, I wouldn't be saved. I had someone ask one time, you
say, they said, that unless God gives someone a heart to come,
they're not going to come. Well, what if they really want
to come? And the Lord's not appointed them to life in Christ. I said,
they won't. That's just like asking, what
if a dead man, a dead man? What if he really wants to get
up? Well, if he gets up and he's not dead, I'll tell you that.
I know this, the Lord has not appointed His people to wrath,
so what did He do? What did He do to those that
He everlastingly loved in Christ? He chose them. He selected them. because He's
not appointed them to wrath. I'm going to take and I'm going
to put you in the only place of your security. He put them
in the only one in whom He trusted. His Son. The only one in whom
He's well pleased. Apart from Christ, I know He's
not pleased with me. He's not pleased with you either.
Only in Christ. He chose them in Christ that
they should be holy and without blame before Him
in love. And then Christ the Lord came
into this world made of a woman, made under the law, made flesh, and walked before God Almighty
as the God-man mediator who could touch both parties and satisfied God. Why? Because
God has not appointed us to wrath. And then after having redeemed
us from the curse of the law, bore the guilt of His people,
made sin for them. Why? Because God has not appointed
them to wrath. No! No! He's not going to fail. Why? Because He's appointed us
to salvation by Christ Jesus the Lord. And when it pleases
God, because God has not appointed us to wrath, the Spirit of God
is going to save His people. He's going to regenerate them.
He's going to remove that heart of rebellion. And He's going
to give them a new heart, a new will, a new mind, a new love. And they're going to love God
and they're going to love each other. That's what's going to
happen. Why? Because God has not appointed them to really. Verse 11. Wherefore, comfort
yourselves together, and edify one another. Therefore, comfort
each other, encourage each other, communicate these things to one
another. Tell one another what the Lord's
taught you. The Lord that's taught you has
taught them too. And the Lord hearkens as they communicate,
strengthen and build up one another by continued fellowship, worship
together, pray for one another, love each other. 12 and 13. And we beseech you brethren,
know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord,
and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for
their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves. Concerning God's pastors, this
is what the Spirit of God said. God's pastors and preachers know
them. What does that mean? Regard them, respect them, appreciate
them for the office that they hold. Hold them up before the Lord
and encourage them. I'm telling you, that's such
a needful thing. Let me just share with you. The
office of a pastor. Some might just think, well,
all they do is stand up, you know, two or three times a week
and just preach. Let me tell you something. This,
humanly speaking, is the loneliest position that you could ever
imagine. You feel the burdens of everybody
in the congregation. You feel the responsibility. I'll just share this with you.
I had two messages prepared yesterday afternoon when I left the church
here going home. And this wasn't one of them. And I went home and I had probably
one of the loneliest, I don't know if depressed is the right
word, I don't know. Went to bed last night just,
something's not right. Something's wrong. I thought
about what I heard Brother Henry say one time. He said, God's
preachers, they grow weary in the ministry. but never of it. Went to bed last night just burdened,
burdened, burdened, and didn't even know what it was. Woke up
this morning and had this passage on my mind. And got up early
and started writing and truly felt in my mind, this is. I knew what I needed. I needed
some comfort. I'm burdened within and without.
I need, I need, Lord help me. Lord help me. If I need comfort,
you need comfort. And I thought of Isaiah 40. But
really, 1 Thessalonians 5 is what kept coming back to my mind
and I couldn't get away from it. So I just went to 1 Thessalonians
5. I could breathe again. Now you
may not understand what I'm saying. Neil, you do. Fred, you do. You that have stood in a pulpit.
If you ever have, I'm telling you. This position right here. We beseech you, brethren, know
them which labor among you and are over you in the Lord and
admonish you. The responsibility of standing
in a pulpit And all I'm doing is telling you what God says.
That's all I'm doing. That's all I want to do. I'd
be silly to do anything else. Esteem them very highly in love
for their work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves.
Let me tell you, I encourage you. Hold up God's preachers. Pray for them. Encourage them. Be at peace. Among yourselves. Brother Henry, I'm going to write
just a quote. If you want to get this quote,
look in his little book. If you've got his book, look
in it. Here's what he said. Don't find fault over trivial
matters. He said, this makes the pastor's
work more difficult, and it hinders the growth and the unity of the
church. Verse 14, 15. Now we exhort you,
brethren. Warn them that are unruly. Disorderly
is what that means. Comfort the feeble-minded. Support
the weak. And be patient toward all men.
And see that none render evil for evil unto any man. But ever follow that which is
good, both among yourselves and to all men. Prayerfully advise. those who are unruly in spirit
and deed. Comfort those that are afflicted,
broken spirited. They need comfort. All of us
do. All of us need encouragement. We don't need to be beat down
and stuff. I'm telling you there's enough
of that inside us. We need to be prayed for and
spoken kindly to. Don't be rebuking. Be patient. Be patient toward
each other. It's only by the grace of God
that any of us would ever want to be. Trying to get even and render
evil for evil, that's not the way of Christ. That's not the
way. Don't seek revenge and show kindness and seek only the good
of others for Christ's sake and for the unity of this body, the
spirit. Verse 16 to 18. Rejoice evermore. Pray without
ceasing in everything. Give thanks. For this is the
will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Rejoice in that which the
Lord has done for us. Listen, the world's going to
be at odds with themselves forever. And that old man is still in
us. But rejoice evermore in what the Lord has done. He's not appointed
us to wrath. He's everlastingly loved us.
He's given us a new heart. He's given us a love for His
Gospel, His Scriptures, His Word, His Son. Pray without ceasing
in an attitude of continual prayer. You may not be realizing someone's
praying. I may be right now asking the
Lord, right now in my heart, Lord help me here. Help us to
hear. Help us to understand. He said,
and give thanks, everything. Give thanks. Give thanks for
everything and everyone that crosses your path. Why? Because that's God's will. He's
ordered all these things. He's directed all this. None
of this is by accident. The Lord has ordered all of our
steps of His people. He's ordered the steps of His
people. And the scripture says, give
thanks for that. Lord, thank You. Thank You. You that are going through, I
know there's some of you going through some tough times right
now. I know you are. And I try to pray for you. Pray for me.
Pray for me, but I can tell you this, according to this Word,
right here, in everything, As I've said before, now if whatever
you're going through would fall under the category of everything,
well then, give thanks for it. Give thanks for everything and
everyone that's crossed your path. The Lord ordered it. Verse 19, quench not the Spirit. Not the Holy Spirit, but the
graces of the Holy Spirit. that grace, that fruit, love,
joy, long-suffering, meekness, kindness. Don't resist that. That's what the Spirit of God
is saying through the Apostle Paul. Don't resist that. The Lord, again, has not appointed
us to wrath, but to life, salvation in Christ Jesus. Don't resist
that which the Lord has been pleased to do. We've got an old
man. in us that does that, will resist
the old man. As Paul says, I am the old wretched
man that I am. Who shall deliver me from the
body of this death? Despise verse 29 prophesying. Don't be indifferent or make
light of the message that is preached by God's preachers.
Is it truthful? It's what they've said. Did they
preach the truth? Did they faithfully proclaim God's Word? Then don't
despise what they have said concerning what the Lord said. You despise
what they say, then you're despising what God said. And that's the
problem right there. Verse 21. Prove all things. What? By the Word of God. If a man
is standing up and preaching something, And it's according
to God's Word, God's Scriptures. Then bow to it. It wasn't Him. That preacher didn't come up
with that. I didn't come up with this. If you have a Bible in
front of you, look at it. Despise not prophesying, preaching
that is truthful and right. Prove everything. that you hear
by the Word of God, by the Scriptures. And then Paul says, or through
the Holy Spirit saying to Paul, hold fast, hang on, hang on to
that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of
evil. I told you, I heard Brother Henry
say this again and I'm convinced he's right. He said there's a
lot of People would say, don't go into dance halls and don't
do that. He said, if you're somewhere
and what is being preached has somewhat of a consistency,
but there's something about the way it's being set forth, the
clarity of it, if it's not according to thus saith the Lord. then there's an appearance of
evil there. There's a lot of truthful things
that's being said in pulpits. I mean, there's a lot of truth,
but it's what they're not saying. There's your key right there.
There's an appearance of evil. And Paul says, abstain from it. Avoid it. And the very God, verse
23, of peace, sanctify, set you apart wholly, completely, and
I pray God, your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved,
blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray God keep you, sustain
you. Faithful is he that calleth you. He'll do it. He'll keep you.
God's gonna keep you. Then he says, brethren, pray
for us. I'm gonna ask you something.
Would you do something for me? Would you pray for me? Would
you pray for me? I've told you before, every morning,
by God's grace, as the Lord, you know, every morning I think
of, is what I do. In my mind, I know where you're
sitting. I know where you're sitting. I go right down. Lord, have mercy. Lord, forgive
us. Lord, keep us. Brethren, pray for us. Greet
all the brethren with a holy kiss. Not a kiss of deception,
like Judas, you know, hail master, kissed him, deceived. I charge
you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
And then the Spirit of God moved upon Paul to say, the grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. So be it. I pray that God
comfort us with these words. Just to read the word of God,
what did the Lord have to say? And may the spirit of God bless
these words to our comfort, hope, peace for Christ's sake and for
our good. Amen. All right, let's take a
break.