LAST
JUDGMENT
November
11-13, 2017
Pastor
Timothy J. Spaude
Text:
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
JESUS DOESN’T LEAVE YOU IN THE DARK
1. About His Return on Judgment Day.
2. About What To Do Until It Happens.
3. About What Will Come Next.
1 Thessalonians
5:1-11 (NIV 1984)
“Now, brothers, about times and dates we
do not need to write to you, 2for you know very well that the day of
the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3While people are
saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor
pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4But you,
brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a
thief. 5You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not
belong to the night or to the darkness. 6So then, let us not be like
others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. 7For
those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8But
since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love
as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9For God
did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord
Jesus Christ. 10He died for us so that, whether we are awake or
asleep, we may live together with him. 11Therefore encourage one
another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
Distractions can be deadly. That’s why
we see so much advertising today about the dangers of texting and driving, so
many avoidable accidents and deaths caused by distracted driving. But it’s not
just the texting. Every driver here can think of a time when their attention
was diverted by changing a radio station, dropped food, spilled drinks or
rubbernecking. You thank the Lord when that happens and all you got was the
scare and not the accident. Distraction has long been recognized as a
successful strategy in war. Distract the enemy. Get them thinking you are
attacking one place and then strike another. Think Normandy. D Day. Our real
enemy Satan knows this strategy too. Distract believers from what is important
and maybe they will give up their faith.
We see an example of that in God’s
Word today. The believers in Thessalonica, the Thessalonians, had a strength.
When they were told the truth that Jesus could return for a day of Judgment at
any time, they believed. They believed it wholeheartedly, so much so that some
of they quit their jobs, stopped working. I mean, why should they? Jesus is
coming soon. But it’s good to believe that. Jesus said it. Here though the
Devil started to distract them. They got all caught up trying to figure out
exactly when Jesus would come. So the Lord had the Apostle Paul remind them. He
hadn’t left them in the dark about His return on Judgment Day. “Now, brothers, about times and dates we do
not need to write to you, 2for you know very well that the day of
the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3While people are
saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor
pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.” Hey Thessalonians,
why are you so concerned about trying to figure out when? We aren’t going talk
about times and dates. You know it doesn’t work that way. By God’s design it is
not revealed. Not known. It’s like a thief. Everyone knows it can happen but
when it does it’s not expected. Mothers here can tell that about labor pains.
By the calendar they know it’s coming. But when it actually does it’s like
what? It’s an unexpected expected.
That’s all we need to know too. If you
are reading a book or watching some TV show where they are using Bible
prophecy, Daniel and Revelation and telling you this is when the end will come
throw it away, turn it off. The Devil is distracting. Many over the summer
months with hurricane after hurricane and wildfire after wildfire and
earthquakes wondered is the end coming soon? Yes. It is. Jesus said so 2000
years ago. Don’t hold him to human timetables. No one will know the time and
date. He’s not left you in the dark. It is an expected that will still come
unexpectedly.
So don’t waste your time trying to
figure out when. Don’t fall for the Devil’s distractions. Focus on being ready.
Jesus hasn’t left you in the dark on that either. “But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise
you like a thief. 5You are all sons of the light and sons of the
day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6So then, let
us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
7For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get
drunk at night. 8But since we belong to the day, let us be
self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of
salvation as a helmet.” Some people are in the dark, the darkness of sin
and unbelief. They yuck it up now mocking God’s ways, feeling like they can
make laws that allow the murders of unborn children through abortion, that mock
God’ gift of marriage by putting immorality and perversion on par with what God
ordained. They call sin good and make people like us who call sin sin feel like
we are unloving. Laugh now. Pay later. When Jesus comes on Judgment Day their
laughter will turn to wailing, their mockery of God and His people to pleas for
mercy but it will be too late. Not so with you. Jesus didn’t leave you in the
dark. You are children of the light. You belong to Jesus, the light of the
world and while you wait for Him to come live as children of the light. Twice
we are encouraged to be self controlled. That means to have some self discipline.
To be able to say No. I am not taking this job that will keep me from
worshipping the Lord. No, we are not putting our children in this activity that
will overload us so we know what will give. Yes, I will plan my weekly worship.
Yes, I will make sure I have time for God’s Word each day. That’s how the
picture of spiritual armor plays in. Faith, love, hope all listed as pieces
that are put on the Spirit who works through the word. Who goes to battle
naked? Only a fool and you are not fools. Jesus hasn’t left you in the dark
about what to do until he returns.
Nor about what will happen then. “For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath
but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10He died
for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11Therefore
encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
Did you hear that? You have an appointment. You have an appointment on Judgment
Day. It’s an appointment to receive salvation. It’s an appointment to live with
Jesus forever. Think about the connotation of Judgment Day in our world. It’s
ominous, right? If they put Judgment Day as the sequel to a movie or video game
title it’s to give the impression it will be bad, dark and scary. Now it’s true
that the thought of Judgment Day should be scary and it will be for some and
ought to be for us. Just think if we had to stand before God and try to explain
or justify our sins. Just think of the dread we would have if Judgment Day
meant a video replay of the sins of our youth and the thoughts of our old age.
And then the punishment. You think your heart beats fast when you get pulled
over for speeding and you are afraid of getting a ticket. Try standing before
God without Jesus and waiting for Him to pronounce judgment.
But that’s not what Judgment Day will
be like for us and for one reason only. Through Jesus. His perfect life is
recorded as ours and our shameful sins were placed on to Him and now through
Jesus Judgment Day means salvation, joy, happiness, a life where we are in full
communion and harmony with God and each other. So encourage one another and
build each other up just like you are now doing. You do realize that right? You
could read your Bible all on your own at home. You could watch a worship
service live streamed and if that was your only option to worship in spirit and
in truth that’s great. But what you can’t do at home by yourself is encourage
and build others up. Here those who know they are not alone because Jesus is
always with them see that they are not alone here in this community. There are
others who believe the same, others who care. Others who will put their
spiritual armor on each day to fight the good fight. Others who will help you
to avoid distraction. Others who have not been left in the dark and look
forward to the day and the time known by the Father, a wonderful day where we
have an appointment to be at Jesus right side and be surprised at all the
wonderful things he says about us, all because He has not left us in the dark.
Amen.
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