Turn with me, if you would, back
to 1 Thessalonians chapter five. A couple of weeks ago, I was thinking about verses 16
to 18 here in this chapter. And I turned over here and I
read the verses and considered whether they would be our message.
And they weren't. We looked at something else. And then last week I came back
here. I kept thinking about it and I came back here and, uh,
I read verses 16 to 28 and thought they were going to be the message.
But as it turns out, they weren't. It was something else. Yesterday,
still couldn't get away from this. And so I came back here
again and I started in verse one and I read all the way through
this chapter and I immediately realized this is our message.
This is our message. Just reading these 28 verses
blessed me so much. So very much. It was so enjoyable. And that's all we're going to
do tonight is we're just going to share this enjoyment together. All right. These 28 verses in
this chapter. And I want to point out that
one of the things that was so enjoyable about this was everything
that needs to be said to a child of God is said right here in
this chapter. Everything that needs to be said.
And you'll see that as we go through it. Now I've told you
this, and I'll tell it to you again, that my personal goal,
I don't know why, but my personal goal for a message is 28 minutes.
And we have 28 verses. So here we go. Verse one, Paul said, but of
the times and the seasons, brethren, you 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." He
said, you know that Christ is coming again to receive us to
himself. You know that. And he said, you
know, that this same Jesus who ascended up is going to come
back down in the same manner that he went up. You know, he's
coming back, you know, how he's coming back. He said, you know, that in that
moment, the dead are going to be raised up. The dead in Christ are going
to rise first. And in the twinkling of an eye,
we're all going to be changed into his glorious image. And you know, we're going to
rise to meet him in the air. And from that moment on, we are
going to forever be with the Lord. You know that. You know every bit of that. He
said, and you also know that for me to try to write about
when that moment will come is completely unnecessary. It would be a complete waste
of time because you know that no man knows that hour or that
day, not even the angels in heaven. If an angel came into this place
from heaven right now, that angel would have no idea what time
the Lord's coming back, what day, what time. Verse one, he
said, but of the times and the seasons, brethren, you 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. It's
going to be unannounced, unannounced. It's just going to happen. And
he said, for all those who are not looking for Christ, it's
going to be an awful moment. It's going to be an awful moment.
Verse three, he said, 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. A woman who is carrying a child
knows that a delivery is coming, right? A woman knows a delivery
is coming, but until that moment happens, it's just life as usual. I know it's not, I'm not speaking
from experience here. I know it's not life as usual,
but every day is the same until the
moment that it happens. And that's how it is for this
unbelieving world. They continue on in life as usual,
believing that everything is peace and safety, you know, good
health, many years to come. People think they still have
many years to come. It doesn't matter how old they are. Many
years to come. And then all of a sudden, the
coming of the Lord is on them. You know, whether our Lord comes
to scoop everything up or just comes individually, The coming
of the Lord and then judgment and death is on them. It's just
that fast. There's no putting it off. There's
no escaping it for anybody. You know, this is and I can't
get too sidetracked because I got to move on. But this is what
the world calls foolishness. And every soul on this earth
is going to find out who the fool is when that day comes. It's going to come. This is coming.
There's no putting it off. There's no escaping it. He is
coming. He is coming. Verse four. But ye, brethren, are not in
darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. That moment is coming as a thief
in the night for all men and women, us included. But he said, God's people are
looking for it. It's going to come as a thief
in the night for all of God's people, for everybody, all men
and women, but God's people are looking for it. God's people
are sinners who have been called out of darkness. Oh, this darkness
that the world is in. The darkness of sin has put men
and women into such darkness. But God's people are sinners
who have been called out of darkness into the glorious light of Christ,
the truth, the knowledge of Christ. Don't turn, but first Thessalonians
chapter one says that God's elect people. Knowing your election. God's elect people have been
powerfully called to turn from their idols and to serve the
living and true God and to wait on his son from heaven, who he
raised from the dead, the Lord Jesus Christ, who delivered us
from the wrath to come. He said, we have been called
to wait for him. And that's what we're doing.
That's what we're doing right now. That's what you did all
day today. That's what you have been doing since he called you
out of that darkness, quickened your eyes, quickened your heart,
quickened your soul. That's what you've been doing.
And that's what I've been doing. We are waiting, waiting for and
looking for his return. That's what we're doing. We're
telling men and women daily he is coming back. And he's coming back in flaming
fire, taking vengeance on them who do not know who the true
and living God is. Therefore, I'm going to tell
you who he is. Waiting and looking for his return,
he's coming back quickly like a thief in the night. Our family
likes to vacation at the beach. I would say that that's our favorite
place to go. If we have the option of where
to go, we always pick the beach. And one of the beaches that we
go to sometimes in the Florida Panhandle is very near a naval
air base and an air force base. And because of that, fighter
jets fly over all day long. And because that's one of my
favorite things to see in the sky, I turn into a five-year-old
every time it happens. I sit, and I know, we go down
there, and I know they fly over. You know, it's changed over the
years. It was always F-15s and F-16s, and then it became F-18s,
and now it's F-22s. And Hannah tells everybody I
sit there all day looking up for a F-150 in the sky. And if
you don't know what that is, that's a Ford pickup truck. But
I do, like a kid, I'm waiting, I'm looking, I'm listening, I
am. And I'll hear a wave, a big wave
crash and think, is that a jet? No. Is that a jet? Yeah, that is a jet. And then
I get out from under that umbrella and I'm looking like an idiot.
There are two of them there, they are way up there. And I
get my phone out, it never takes a good picture. But that's what
I'm doing. I'm looking. And I'm waiting. I want to see it. And I love seeing it. Every time I see one, I love
seeing it. All capital letters, BUT. I love seeing them. They fly
by and they're up there way high in the sky. Every time I see
it, I love seeing it. BUT. Every now and then, One will
overtake me like a thief in the night. I don't know if it's legal or
not, but they come screaming down the beach. And if you're
not paying attention, it is on you. And that is a glorious moment
to me. I mean, it really is. I just
like. That's a glorious moment to me.
All right, now think about this. That same appearing to the enemies
of this country. That very same appearing to those
who are the enemies of this country, when that plane overtakes me
as a thief in the night, that's a glorious moment. But when that same plane overtakes
the enemies of this country as a thief in the night, dropping
missiles and bombs, it's a moment of terror, it's a moment of judgment. That's how it's going to be when
the Lord returns. It's going to be judgment and terror for
all those who are the enemies of Christ, but for every redeemed
child of God, it's going to be the most glorious moment they've
ever known. For every child who's listening
for it and looking for it and waiting and longs and has been
caused to desire it. It's going to be the most glorious
moment we've ever known. Verse one, Paul said, but of
the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write
unto you for yourselves know perfectly that that day, 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. But ye brethren are not in darkness
that that day should overtake you as a thief. You are all the
children of light and the children of the day. We are not of the
night nor of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as
do others, but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep,
sleep in the night, and they that be drunken are drunken in
the night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting
on the breastplate of faith and love And for in helmet, the hope
of salvation for God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to
obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. What he's saying
is because of everything that Christ has done for us. And because
his return for us is so certain and it's coming so quickly. Let's
not be lulled asleep. by anything that is of this world,
any insignificant thing in this world, nothing, nothing. Let's ask God to awaken our faith. Lord, increase our faith, increase
our looking to you. And let's ask God to increase
our love, our love for Christ, our love for the things of Christ,
our love for the people of Christ, the eternal kingdom of Christ,
because that, all of that, and He is the only thing that's needful. The only thing that's needful.
We're gonna see that real soon. We're gonna realize that real
soon. Verse eight, he said, let us who are of the day be sober,
putting on the breastplate of faith and love and for in helmet,
the hope of salvation for God hath not appointed us to wrath,
but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. And how did
our Lord Jesus Christ accomplish that salvation for us? Verse
10 says, who died for us that whether we wake or sleep, We
should live together with him. He hung on the cross and died
for us to settle our sin debt with God for us and to redeem
us and to prepare a place for us that whether we wake or sleep,
whether we're awake when he comes or whether we're, we call it
death, he calls it sleep. Whether we're in that moment
of sleep, either way, he's coming for us and it's going to be a
glorious coming. Verse 11 says, wherefore comfort yourselves
together and edify one another, even as also you do. He said,
just keep on doing what you're doing. Just keep on loving each
other and encouraging each other and exhorting each other and
edifying each other and reminding each other he's coming soon.
He's coming soon. Keep watching. Keep waiting is
going to happen. And while you wait, and that's
the title of this message, I've titled it while we wait for his
return. He ends this chapter by saying,
while you wait, do these things. He's coming. Keep looking, keep
waiting. And while you wait, do these
things. Verse 11. Wherefore, comfort
yourself, comfort yourselves together and edify one another,
even as also you do. And we beseech you brethren to
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 sake and be at peace among yourselves. He said, we
beseech you to know them that labor among you. That doesn't
mean remember their name and be able to point them out in
a crowd. Think about how the scripture
uses the word know when it says Adam knew his wife Eve. He didn't just know who she was.
That means something much deeper than that. It means he loved
her. He vitally joined himself together with her. And he's saying, love those who
labor among you and vitally join yourself together with them.
And I love how it doesn't say, know them which labor among you
and are over you in the word. It doesn't say that it says in
the Lord. I have been laboring in the word
this week. I am laboring in the word right
now. But I'm looking at a whole congregation
of people who labor in the Lord. Everything that needs to be done
in this ministry, I'm looking at a whole congregation of people who jump in together and do whatever
needs to be done. And as far as those who are over
you in the Lord, that translates those who stand before you and
help you and instruct you. I have been ordained to the title
of pastor. But our Lord said in his kingdom,
no one is above anyone else. No one. There's no rank with
God's people. There's only one who is above
us all. That's the only rank that there
is. Jesus Christ, the Lord. And for his sake, Paul said,
while you wait for him, love each other. Vitally join yourselves
together. I mean, vitally join yourselves
together. Family, friends, esteem each
other highly. Be at peace with each other.
The Lord is coming back. Let's be at peace. Peace Himself
is coming back. Verse 14 says, Now, we exhort you, brethren, Watch
this very carefully. Warn them that are unruly. Comfort
the feeble minded. Support the weak. Be patient
toward all men. See that none render evil for
evil to any man. But ever follow that which is
good, both among yourselves and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything
give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning
you. Quench not the spirit, despise
not prophesying, prove all things, hold fast that which is good,
abstain from all appearance of evil. That right there is the
Lord Jesus Christ. That is the Lord Jesus Christ.
We should strive for that because of Christ. We should while we
wait for his return, we should strive for that. But if we want
to know who that perfectly describes, it's the Lord Jesus Christ himself
in mercy and in grace. He has warned the unruly. This is his people. This is his
people. He warned the unruly. He comforted
the feeble-minded. He supported the weak. Oh, he was so patient toward
all of his people. His long suffering was our salvation. Thank God He did not render evil
for evil. Aren't you so glad for that?
This was us, evil, evil. Thank God He rendered good, only
good. He only followed that which was
good. He only went about doing good. He rejoiced in everything, even
the cross. He endured it for the joy set
before Him. He actually prayed without ceasing. Do you ever read that where it
says, pray without ceasing? You think, how can I do that? Well, He did. I'm telling you,
everything we need, Christ has provided. Everything God has
demanded, Christ has supplied everything. He was always in
communication with his father in everything. Not only did he
rejoice in it, he gave thanks for it. I just love, we had the
Lord's table Sunday night and 1 Corinthians 11 said when we
were, when I was reading it there, it just, I've read it so many
times before and I know it already, but it just really hit me in
the moment. It said though, on the night
that our Lord was betrayed, he took bread and after he had broken
it, he broke it, signifying what was about to happen to his body
for his people. After he broke it, it says he
gave thanks. He'd break it and he gave thanks
for what was going to happen for his people. He gave thanks.
Even in that, he gave thanks. Never did he quench the spirit,
the graces of the spirit, the fruits of the spirit. Never,
never did he despise preaching. Can it does it not strike you
that this is God manifest in the flesh? You know, that centurion
said, say the word and it will happen. That will it think it
and it's done. You just purpose to do it and
it'll be done. But our Lord spent his time in
his ministry going around preaching, doing this right here. He did
not despise preaching true God, God given gospel preaching. He
proved everything the Scripture declared concerning him. He proved
everything that the Scripture might be fulfilled, that the
Scripture might be fulfilled. He only held fast to that which
was good. Pilate couldn't even find an
appearance of evil on him. Pilate said, I find no fault
in this man. I can't even find an appearance
of evil in this man. That's Christ. That was all Christ. And that's the very reason why
God sanctified him wholly. That's what verse 23 says. God sanctified Christ and set
him apart for the glorious work that he. Would accomplish and
all of God's people have been set apart in him in Christ. Verse 23 says the very God of
peace sanctify you wholly, completely. And I pray God your whole spirit
and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you
who also will do it. We strive to do these things
for love's sake, but if Christ has begun the work, Christ will
finish the work. Faithful is he that calleth you
who also will do it. I was talking with Brother Todd
Nybert today and he asked me what I was going to preach on
and I told him this chapter and he quoted verse 24. He said that
was Walter Groover's favorite verse. And when he said that,
that blessed my heart. Faithful is he that called you
who also will do it. That's good news, isn't it? Finally,
Paul said, As we all patiently wait for our Lord's return, verse
25, he said, Brethren, pray for us. Pray for those of us who
preach the gospel. This message is the one thing
needful. It is the one thing needful.
Pray that God will give us the message. Pray that he'll give
us the clarity and the liberty to preach the message. Pray that we will never veer
from the message. Brethren, pray for us who preach
the gospel. Pray for us as a congregation.
Pray for us as God's collective church all over this world. We're learning, honestly, we
have brethren all over this world. Let's not forget to pray for
them. Let's not forget to pray for us and us all over this world. Verse 26 is greet all the brethren
with an holy kiss. I love how affectionate our Lord
is. Don't you love that? He's so
affectionate. The kiss of love, the kiss of family fellowship
in Christ. Verse 27, he said, I charge you
by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren, all the holy, spotless, sanctified,
righteous, redeemed brethren in Christ. Verse 28, he said,
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. He said, while you
wait for Christ's return, I pray his grace will be with you. Amen. All right, let's all stand together.