All right, let's look at 1 Thessalonians
chapter 5, verse 1 and 2. Paul said, of
the times and seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write
unto you concerning the time of our Lord's return and the
season and signs surrounding that return. He says you have
no need that I write to you. Not that Paul didn't expect the
Lord to return and not that he didn't feel that it was important
because it is. Our Lord said I go to prepare
a place for you and if I go I'll return and receive you unto myself. And the angels who announced
his birth to the shepherds also announced his return to the disciples. They said this same Jesus shall
so come in like manner as you've seen him go. But what Paul is
saying here, he doesn't need to keep writing about the return
of Christ because verse 2, he said you know that he'll be back. You know he's going to return.
You're looking for him. You're waiting for him. You're
expecting him. That's one of the things, one
of the marks of redemption in the first, very first chapter
of this epistle. He said, I know your election
of God, brethren, beloved, because our gospel came to you in power,
and you became followers of the Lord, and you became examples,
and you became witnesses, and you turned from the idols to
the living God, and you're waiting for his return. But what he's
saying, there's no need for me to keep reminding you that Christ
is coming, you know that. You know that. Back there in
chapter 4, verse 9, he said the same thing about loving one another.
In chapter 4, 1 Thessalonians, he said, but as touching brotherly
love, that you love one another as Christ loved you. You need
not that I write unto you. Is he not emphasizing the importance
of love? He's saying, no, you know it.
Why should I keep telling you the same thing over and over
again? You know! You're taught of God to love
one another. So, he's not discounting the
return of our Lord, he's simply saying these people know Christ
is coming. And verse 3, you also know the
attitude of the world. Natural men do not look for his
return. Natural men are like the foolish
wealthy man who was going to tear down his barns and build
bigger barns. He said, so take your ease. Eat, drink, and be merry. You
have many days. He was a young man, probably
in his 30s or 40s, and he figured on living until his 80s or 90s.
So he said, you've got plenty of time. And that's what verse
3 said, they shall say peace and safety. You've got plenty
of time. You don't have to worry about
the end of the world or the Lord coming or the end of your life.
You've got many days. But when they say that, then
sudden, suddenly, sudden destruction cometh upon them, like a woman
in travail with a child, just suddenly. It's time. That's what a woman says to her
husband. It's time. It's just... But I thought we
had plenty of time. No, it's time right now. That's
what he's saying here. The Lord's returning. And they'll
not escape. They'll not escape. Rather than
calling for mercy in those days, the scripture says when Christ
returns, and men are unaware of His return, and suddenly He's
returned, they don't cry for help, they cry for death. They
cry for the mountains and rocks to fall on them and hide them
from the face of him. You and I are different. When
he returns, we want to see him. We see him. When we see him,
we're going to be like him. We're anxious to see him. They're
anxious to be hidden from him. Hide us from the face of him.
That sits on the thumb. But brethren, verse 4, you're
not in darkness. You're looking for his return,
you're waiting for his return, and you rejoice to think of his
return. You're not in darkness that that
day should overtake you as a thief. He may come today. Wouldn't that
be wonderful? He may come tomorrow, but he
will come. He says in verse 5, you're children
of the light and children of the day. when not of the day
and not of darkness. So therefore, let us not sleep
as do others, but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep,
sleep in the night. They're not interested in God's
wisdom or God's will or God's way. They that be drunken, be
drunken in the night, not interested in God's way, indulging themselves. in carnal, fleshly, material
desires. No time for God. No time for
serious matters of the soul. And I tell you, even today's
preachers are taken up with this, this spirit, this attitude, slumber
and drunkenness. Not drunk on wine, but drunk
on materialism, drunk on the things of this world. See, this
sleep and drunkenness is a condition of the mind that forgets God,
forgets God. It's not keenly interested in
the things of God, but indulging, indulging, indulging ourselves
in carnal, fleshly, material desires, our time totally taken
up, totally taken up with materialism. Is not that our country? is not
that the condition of most of the folks you associate with,
your friends, just the conversation. A man told me at the steel mill,
there's three subjects, politics, sex, and money. I said, where's
God? Where's God? You know, the most
important thing of all. Those that sleep, sleep in the
night and be drunken, they're drunken in the night. But now
here's where I'm going to spend most of my time, the next three
verses. And I'm going to talk about them. Get off of them. Don't tell me what's wrong, Preacher.
I know what's wrong. Tell me what's right. All right,
let's get on with what's right. Let's forget about that. But
verse 8, let us who are of the day. with children of the light. Our Lord said you've been translated
out of that kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear
son. John says we walk in the light as he is in the light,
we have fellowship one with another. So you who are of the day, you
who are of the light, you who are not in darkness, here's the
first command, be sober. Be sober. What's that word? That's
just a plain word, serious. Let's be serious. Serious in
mind and heart about the things of God. Think on these things. We have those instructions over
here in Philippians. Turn to Philippians chapter 4.
We have those instructions. Let's be serious, sober. concerning the things of the
Lord, serious in mind and heart about the things of God." Philippians
4 verse 8, finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever
things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things
are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are
of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise,
Think on these things. Think on these things. I jotted down four things that
ought to occupy, if we're children of the day and children of God,
ought to occupy our thoughts continually. Here are four things. Number one, soberly and seriously,
we should be reflecting on the grace of God to us. So grateful,
so thankful that God didn't pass us by and leave us in our waller
and sin and wickedness and false religion, but that he in mercy
and grace delivered us. Think seriously, continuously
on the grace of God to us. Think about what we were and
what we deserve and what God did. And how he did it, let's
read about it over here in Ephesians chapter 2. What we were and what
he had done for us in Philippians chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2, I beg your
pardon, Ephesians chapter 2. It says in Ephesians chapter
2 verse 1, you hath be quickened who were dead in trespasses and
sin. In times past you walked according
to the course of this world, according to the prince of the
pie of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of
disobedience, among whom also we all had our citizenship and
behavior in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling
the desires of our flesh and of the mind. And we were by nature
children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy
for his great love wherewith he loved us, we didn't love him,
he loved us. We weren't seeking him, he sought
us. We didn't choose him, he chose us. But God, who is rich
in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were
dead in our sins, right then he quickened us by the power
of his Spirit, by the power of his word, he quickened us with
Christ. By grace you're saved, he raised
us up together, made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ,
already seated with him in the heavenlies. That in the ages
to come he might show exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness
for us in Christ Jesus. By grace are you saved through
faith. That's not yourselves, it's the
gift of God. My days should be spent, much
of it, He's thinking about the grace of God to me. Richard Baxter saw a drunk staggering
down the street one day, and he said to his friend, there
but for the grace of God goes Richard Baxter. Think on that,
seriously, soberly. The grace of God, the goodness
of God to me and to you. Don't take this for granted.
It's mercy. Second thing we need to seriously
reflect upon, think about, is the glory of Christ compared
to the vanities of this world. Every one of us have more than
we need. A whole lot more than we need. Turn to Hebrews chapter 11. Every one of us, we're living
in the day of plenty, plenty, plenty, plenty. We have so much
riches of this world, and it looks like we're going to have
even more, more and more and more. But let me remind you of
this. There's something better than
anything this world has to offer. And Moses saw this. Moses was
down in Egypt. He was 40 years old. He had been
educated with the best education. He was second in command to the
Pharaoh. He was a general in the army.
He had the riches and treasures and everything this world could
possibly lay at his feet was his. But he made a decision. Look at it in Hebrews chapter
11, verse 24. By faith, Moses, when he was
come to years, when he got a little sense at 40 years old, he refused
to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing, choosing. He made this choice rather to
suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures
of sin for a little while. And that's all they're good for,
a little while. That's all they're going to be enjoyed is a little
while. pleasures of this world. Esteeming, he's sober minded,
esteeming that even the reproach of Christ, the offense of the
cross, is greater riches than even the treasures of Egypt,
because he had respect to the recompense of the Lord. He compared
the glory of God to the advantages of this world. That's what he
was thinking about. That's what he was considering.
This is all temporary, that's eternal. This is of the flesh,
that's of God. This is for just a season, that's
forever. This is of man, that's of God.
It's eternal misery, that's eternal glory. It's a pretty good thing
to think about, isn't it? That's what he's saying here.
He's saying, let us, let's don't be like those people that are
drunk on materialism and sleeping, saying, I've got plenty of time.
Let's be sober. Let's think about the grace of
God. Let's think about, reflect on the glory of Christ compared
to these vanities. And then thirdly, let's solemnly
reflect upon our duties and responsibilities to God and to his gospel. God put me here for a purpose,
to glorify Him. God put you where you are for
a purpose, to glorify Him. The chief end of every human
being is to glorify God. That's the chief end of every
human being, is to glorify Almighty God. And I just feel desperately
that in any of my decisions, I need to reflect upon this responsibility. God put me where he put me to
glorify his name, glorify his gospel, to glorify him, glorify
his church, to be responsible for my family, for my friends. I've got a responsibility, a
solemn, serious responsibility to glorify God. It does matter which direction
I take. It does matter which decisions I make. It does matter
what I'm pleased to do. It matters a great deal. I'm
not here to please me. I'm here to please Him. Think
about it. Don't sell your soul for a mess
of pottage. Esau did. Don't sell your soul
for 18 pieces of silver. Judas did. Don't sell your soul. What shall a man profit if he
gains the whole world and loses his soul? What will man give
in exchange for his soul? Very little sometimes. Very,
very little. It's shocking. But God's going
to hold us accountable. To whom much is given, much is
expected. That's right. A whole lot's expected. The fourth thing I think we need
to seriously consider is the brevity of our days. So teach
me the number of my days that I may apply my heart to wisdom.
Where did the time go? I stood here the first time 46
years ago in November 1956, 45 years ago I stood in this pulpit
the first time. Where'd the time go? Some of you were sitting
here. That's been 45 years ago. How
much time we got left? Just a little while. I mean a
little while. My days are swifter than a shuttle,
swifter than a post, less substance than a shadow, like a vapor of
steam. Gone. Place here, know it no
more. So don't be drunken on the things
of this world and sleep, the sleep of indifference. You that
are of the day, be serious. Think on these things. Then he
says, put on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet
the hope of salvation. Do you see those three graces?
Put them on. Put them on. Put them on. This
is an act. This is an act of the will, made
willing by God. But put them on! Put on faith
and love and hope. Same thing, put off the old man
deliberately. Put on the new man. Put on the
breastplate of faith, hope and love. These three are mentioned. Let me just read about these
three, and you listen while I quickly turn. Remembering without ceasing
your work of faith, your labor of love and your patience of
hope. Now abided faith, hope, and love, these three. And then
Paul said in Galatians 5, for we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness
by faith, and faith which worketh by love. Faith, hope, and love. This is our shield and our helmet,
our best plate and our helmet. And when a man is born of God,
he has all three, when he's born of God. These faith, hope, and
love do not come by profession, they come by regeneration. They don't come with religion,
they come with the Spirit of God. Let me show you that. I
do want you to turn to this now, 1 John chapter 4. Now those are the crowning graces,
aren't they? Faith, hope, and love. I just read to you over
and over and over again. Now by the faith, hope, and love,
he said. These three. These three are our breastplate
and our helmet, our protection, our security. 1 John, listen. And what I'm saying is that they
that are born of God have these three things. In 1 John chapter
4, verse 7. Beloved, let us love one another. Love is of God. And everyone
that loveth is born of God. Everybody in whom you find true
spiritual love, they're born of God. Decidedly, without doubt,
they're born of God, because love wouldn't be there if they
weren't born of God. The love of God is shared in
our hearts by the Holy Ghost. We're born of God, and we're
born of God, we have love one to another. For love is of God. He that knoweth not, he that
loveth not knoweth not God. God is love. All right, look
at 1 John 5, verse 1. 1 John 5, verse 1. That's faith, isn't it, believe
it, that Jesus is the Christ? He's born of God. If a man loves, he's born of
God. If a man believes, has faith in Christ, he's born of God.
Now look at 1 John 3. That is faith, belief, born of
God, love, born of God. Now, 1 John 3, verse 2. Beloved,
now are we sons of God. Who is a son of God? He's been
born of God. It does not yet appear what we
shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we'll be like
him. We shall see him as he is. And every man that has this hope, what hope? He's going to see
the Lord and be like him. That's his hope. He purifies
himself even as he is pure. So faith and love is our breastplate. What's a breastplate for? What purpose does it serve? Well,
the soldier back in these days had a breastplate, had a shield. And that breastplate covered
his vitals here. And it was his protection. of the very vitals of his body,
and faith and love is the breastplate of the believer, and it protects
the very vitals of our spiritual life. Because faith and love
have to do with Christ and his righteousness. It's our protection. Faith in Christ, in his word,
in his righteousness in blood, is our defense against Satan
and his temptations. He came to our Lord and tipped
at him with three observations, suggestions. And each time our
Lord said, it's written, it's written. I believe the word of
God. That's my shield. It's written. He can't touch me as long as
I'm behind that word. That's right, it's written. Faith
in Christ and his word is our defense against the fear of the
Lord. Fear of the law, fear of the law, and judgment and condemnation. Who can lay anything to the charge
of God's elect? It's God that justifies. When
the fear of the law and the fear of condemnation comes, I answer
with the word. It's written. Who shall lay anything
to the charge of God's elect? Who is he that condemns? It's
Christ that died. That's my shield. Faith in Christ
and his word is a defense against the fear of old age and death.
Old age is here, death isn't there. O death, where is thy
strength? O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be unto God, you've given
us the victory in our Lord Jesus Christ. That's the best way.
When these enemies of the soul, enemies of my Bibles of spiritual Grace and truth come when Satan
comes. I can answer him with, I believe,
therefore have I spoken. When fear of condemnation and
the law and the imperfections of this flesh come, I can answer
them by faith. Faith and love. Love for Christ.
When fear of old age and death and sickness are just right upon
me, knocking at the door, I don't need to be afraid. That's my breastplate. Put on the breastplate of faith
and love. It'll answer every objection.
It'll still and quiet every enemy. It'll turn away every enemy,
because it's written, he that believeth on the Son of God hath
everlasting life. Lord, I believe. Help my heart
believe. And then he says, put on the
helmet. By helmet, the hope of salvation. By helmet. What is this helmet? Well, let
me tell you. Let's listen to four things.
A helmet's for the head. Now that's no question about
that. A breastplate is for the body. For the vitals. shield and protection. A helmet is for the head. The
Greek word helmet, I don't know Greek, I looked it up, an encirclement
of the head. That's what a helmet is. And
the helmet here, clearly our Lord says, is the hope of salvation.
That's what the helmet is. Put on for a helmet the hope
of salvation. And if you listen, I'll read
you another scripture over here in Ephesians that says the same
thing. Listen. Take the helmet of salvation and the soul of
the spirit, the word of God. So the helmet's for the head,
and the circle of the head. My helmet, spiritually speaking,
is the hope of salvation. And my hope of salvation is in
the Lord Jesus Christ. It's not in my preaching, it's
not in my good works, it's not in my labors and love, it's in
Christ. Christ in you, that's the hope
of salvation. That's the hope of glory. Paul
says, I'm an apostle by the commandment of God our Savior and our Lord
Jesus Christ who is our hope. Look into that blessed hope,
the appearing of our Lord and Savior. God has begotten us into
a living hope of the resurrection of our Savior. Put on a helmet, which is the
hope of salvation. The helmet is for the head, the
helmet is the hope of salvation, and that hope of salvation is
Jesus Christ. What purpose does it serve? That
blessed, good, and living hope of life eternal in Christ Jesus
is a sure defense, a sure defense of my head and my mind against
false doctrine, against depression, against doubt, against fear,
against anything that works here, that works here. And there's
a whole lot of things that work here. Isn't that right? A lot
of things. Let's read about it in 2 Corinthians
4. 2 Corinthians 4. Paul had this problem. Paul had
the problem. Things that work on the mind.
false doctrine, affliction, pain, distress, doubt, fear. Verse 6 of 2 Corinthians 4, we
had this trade. For God who commanded, 2 Corinthians
4, verse 6, God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,
he shined in our hearts to give us the light and the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus. That's faith
and love. But we have this treasure in an earthen vessel. Oh, isn't
it? How often that comes home. It's a wheat vessel, it's an
earthen vessel, it's a clay pot. I have the treasure, the knowledge
of God Almighty, the life of Jesus Christ and the hope of
glory in a fleshly vessel. subject to the winds and the
rain and the storms, that the excellence of the power might
be of God, not of us. And we're troubled on every side,
but we're not distressed, we're perplexed. A whole lot the Lord
does I do not understand. Most of what, all of what the
Lord does I don't understand, I believe. Don't understand. I'm perplexed. But I'm not in
despair. Why? I have a hope of eternal
life in Christ. Working on my mind. You ever
lie awake at night? I tell you why we can't sleep.
Got too much on our minds. Got too many wheels blowing through.
Trying to solve problems. Worried. That's tax of the mind. I'm not perplexed. I'm perplexed,
but I'm not in despair. I'm distressed, troubled but
not distressed, perplexed but not in distress, persecuted but
not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed. Why not? Got that
helmet on. The hope of salvation. The hope
of salvation. Let's see if we can look at this
a few moments. Verse 9. But God has not appointed us
to wrath. There are some folks who are.
Did you know that? Could I take a moment and show you this? There are some people who are
appointed to wrath. They are vessels fitted for destruction. They are of old ordained to condemnation. They are reserved for the day
of evil. Pharaoh is another. God said
for this same purpose I raised you up. Judas is another. The son of perdition from the
beginning. Paul writes about that in Romans. We need to think
about this a moment now. You need to look at it with me
that you might give thanks that you're not appointed to write. In Romans 9, look at verse 17. Romans 9 and 17, for the scripture
said to Pharaoh, for this purpose, this same purpose have I raised
you up that I might show my power in you, my name might be declared
throughout all the earth. To use him as a vessel of wrath,
wrath against God and wrath against God's people. Who is the Lord
that I shall obey him, he said to Moses. of wrath. Romans 9, verse 22, listen. What if God, willing to show
his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering
the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction? Look at 1 Peter, chapter 2, verse
8. Read this, 1 Peter 2, verse 8. It says, "...a stone which the
builders disallowed, the same as the head of the corner." Now,
1 Peter 2, verse 8, "...and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense,
even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient,
whereunto also they were appointed." If you look at 2 Thessalonians,
you're right there at 1 Thessalonians 5. Look at 2 Thessalonians 2. It talks about the man of sin,
that no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not
come except there come a falling away first, and a man of sin,
the son of perdition, the son of God's wrath from the beginning,
the son of perdition. So let's read our text again
now. This is interesting. 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 10. God hath not appointed us to
wrath. He has some. And there are others who are
equally by nature children of wrath, that's us. By nature,
we are children of wrath even as others, by nature. And we're
deserving of wrath, isn't that correct? We're deserving of wrath
even as others. But we are not appointed to wrath.
But thank God we are appointed, look at verse 10, 1 Thessalonians
5, God has not appointed us to wrath as he has some, but he
has appointed us to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. God has appointed us to obtain
salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. Turn to 2 Thessalonians chapter
2. Second Thessalonians, chapter
2, verse 11. And for this cause God shall
send them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie, that
they might be damned who believe not the truth, but have pleasure
in unrighteousness. But God hath not appointed us
to wrath, but we are bound to give thanks always to God for
you, brethren, beloved of the Lord. Because God hath from the
beginning chosen you to salvation. He hath appointed you to salvation,
not to wrath, but to salvation. Through sanctification of his
spirit and belief of his truth, whereunto he called you by our
gospel to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.
To the obtaining of Christ. Now read my text again, 1 Thessalonians
5 verse 10. God hath not appointed us to
wrath. but to the obtaining of salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. He called you by our gospel to
the obtaining. He chose you before the world. He called you by his gospel to
the obtaining. We deserve wrath, and I'll tell
you this, if he had Like some of those instruments of old and
of today, that he's left in their rebellion to serve his purpose of judgment and wrath. If we were of that number, we'd
have no complaint, because it's what we deserve. Isn't that right?
David said this, he said, Lord, if you condemn me, you're just.
If you judge me, you're righteous. He hath not appointed us to wrath,
but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. And how
is this salvation? Look at verse 11, verse 10. Who died for us? He died for
us. Who did he die for? Those who
obtained salvation. Those who are not appointed to
wrath. He died for us. He didn't die as a martyr to
confirm his doctrine. He didn't die as an example to
impress us. He didn't die as a plan of salvation
for us to accept or refuse. He died for us. In order that, whether we wake
or sleep, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with
him. Whether we awake when he comes or whether we sleep in
the ground. Whether we awake like we are right now or sleep
tonight. we live together with him. Therefore,
this is given for your comfort. Comfort one another, comfort
yourselves together, and edify one another, even as you also
do. Look at verse 18 of chapter 4.
Comfort one another with these words. These are words of comfort.
And actually this is the only source of comfort. Only source
of comfort.