Sermon Prepared by James McCullen
Email Preach Him with Dr. Jim
The Day Of The Lord
1 Thess. 5:1-11
The Day Of The Lord
1 Thess. 5:1-11
Introduction
To what does the Day of the Lord refer? This is a very important question
and many Biblical scholars will say that it relates to the time immediately
after the rapture of the church and all the way to the great white throne
judgment and the eternal judgment of our Lord. We do use the word Day to
refer to a twenty four hour period as well as to historical events in the
past or anticipated words 'days' in the future.
For instance, I might say in the day of the Revolution, and in the day of George Washington. I might say, in the future in the day when rocket travel is an everyday occurrence.
Suddenness . . and the Day of the Lord. v 1-3
Sonship . . and the Day of the Lord. v 4-5
Soberness . . and the Day of the Lord. v 6-8
Status . . and the Day of the Lord. v 1-3
1. Suddenness . . and the Day of the Lord. v 1-3
A. Information . . about the Day of the Lord. v 1-2
1. Informed
So . . Absence of Need. v 1
" Now as to the times and
the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.
a. "Brethren" The Spirit Informed earlier.
b. "times and epochs.
B. Informed So . . Aware of the Nightly News. v
2
" For you yourselves know
full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.
1. Like
a thief.
2. Relates
to suddenly.
C. Ignorance . . about the Day of the Lord. v 3
" While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction
will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with
child; and they shall not escape.
1. Ignorance
about their . . Sayings.
2. Ignorance
about the . . Suddenness.
Illustration
My oldest sister, Joyce, was in church one Sunday Night and she was
about 9 ½ months pregnant. Our pastor in recognizing the quest then
asked how many are glad your here tonight. Then he said how many of you
would rather be in hospital that here tonight and Joyce raised her hand.
Before the service was over her birth bangs started and she left church for the hospital. It was sudden.
Application
Matt. 24:50 -51 50 The master of that slave will come on a day when
he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, 51 and shall
cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; weeping shall
be there and the gnashing of teeth.
2. Sonship . . and the Day of the Lord. v 4-5
A. Contrast In . . Titles of Sonship
1. Brethren,
Sons, against they and then in v 3
2. Sons
of light and Sons of Day.
B. Contrast In . . Times of Sonship
1.
Not
in Darkness but in Light.
Illustration
One of America's greatest wartime heroes was a Confederate general
by the name of Thomas Jonathan Jackson. General "Stonewall" Jackson. He
got his nickname because he was a devastating fighter, impenetrable as
a stone wall. He was completely fearless, far too deep and masterful to
be showy like the other generals. He felt not a tickle of fear, even in
the chaos and terror of war.
His oblivion to danger drew the attention of many. Shortly after the
Battle of Manassas a newspaperman asked about the source of his unusual
bravery. He replied this way: "My religious belief teaches me to feel as
safe in battle as I feel in bed. God knows the time for my death; I do
not concern myself about that but to always be ready no matter where it
should overtake me. That is the way all men and women should live, then
all would be equally brave."
Application
John 12:36 a "While you have the light, believe in the light, in order
that you may become sons of light." NAS
3. Soberness . . and the Day of the Lord. v 6-8
These sub points were taken from Warren Wiersbe's book
on
1 Thessalonians titled Be Ready.
A. Soberness to . . Wake Up. v 6
"
so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
1. Contrast
a Morning Person and a Night Person.
Illustration
I am more of a night person than I am a morning person. So is Christa.
In recent years, it seems that I am becoming more of a morning person but
it would not be unusual for you to see me in my home early in the morning
sitting with a cup of coffee or a cup of hot tea and just staring off into
space. My grandchildren have seen me do this and they will say, "what are
you doing, Papa?" Or "Why are you doing that?" And I would answer them,
"Because I'm your Grandmother's child." You see my mom, when she wakes
up she just gets her cup of coffee and sits at the table and for maybe
ten or fifteen minutes she'll just kind of stare off into space with thoughts
going through her mind but not talking to anybody. This is my physical
makeup. Spiritually I should not be a person who is not either morning
or night type of person but one who is wide awake to every opportunity
that I have to be the Christian God wants me to be.
B. Soberness to . . Clean Up. v 7
" For those who sleep do
their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.
1. Our
life style is changed it is cleaned up.
Illustration
This week Bob Jones III was on the Larry King Live Show. He was asked
a question about the rule on campus that boys and girls cannot touch one
another. They are to maintain at least six inches separation between them.
A caller asked about this particular rule. Dr. Jones related that it was
an attempt to focus on that which is not physical and to help young people
to understand love in a relationship that does not emphasize the sexual
part of a relationship.
A few weeks ago, we had Reggie Saddler and you remember that he expressed about his daughters that they did not go out on dates. That the date was sitting around with the family getting to know the daughter in an intimate, spiritual way. And he humorously made the comment if you want some sugar from one of my daughters, you're going to have to marry her. Well, in our standard today, both of these men represent that which is extremely different.
But when you contrast that our state campuses have open dorms and young
men and young women are in one another's dorms and spending the night and
the sexual promiscuity that goes on, I want to tell you, Bob Jones' standard
and Reggie Saddler's standard sound a whole lot better. It is certainly
the aspect that we ought to clean up our life as we represent Christ.
C. Soberness to . . Dress Up. v 8
" But since we are of the
day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love,
and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
1. The
Breast Plate of . . "Faith".
2. The
Breast Plate of . . "Love".
3. The
helmet of . . . . . . "Hope".
1 Cor. 13:13 But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest
of these is love. NAS
Illustration
I like to dress up. If I were in this community attending this church,
I would want to come to the traditional service rather than the contemporary
service. I like to dress up. I think there is an emphasis that you ought
to put on the very best that you have when you come to church. Now, let
me hasten to say, if the best you have is a clean pair of Levi's, then
you are welcome in any church that I am ever a part of.
If you're best is not dressed like I am, then I do not want to make you feel inferior. I want you to recognize that you are welcome in the house of God with any kind of physical dress that you might choose to put on as you come to worship the living God.
This passage is not talking about the physical dress, it is talking
about the spiritual dress and he talks about us having the breastplate
of faith, the breastplate of love, and the helmet of hope. I want to know,
are you dressed in faith this morning, are you dressed in love this morning,
are you dressed in hope this morning?
Application Matt. 22:12-13 12 and he said to him,'
Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?' And he was
speechless. 13 "Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and
foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.' NAS
4. Status . . and the Day of the Lord. v 9-11
A. God's . . Destiny and our Status. v 9
"For God has not destined
us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
B. God's . . Death and our Status. v 10
"who died for us, that whether
we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.
C. God's . . Discipleship and our Status. v 11
" Therefore encourage
one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
Illustration
Our absent Lord has given special commendation to those who not only
WAIT for His return, but also earnestly WATCH for Him. The difference between
these terms is illustrated by the story of a fishing vessel returning home
after many days at sea. As they neared the shore, the sailors gazed eagerly
toward the dock where a group of their loved ones had gathered. The skipper
looked through his binoculars and identified some of them: "I see Bill's
Mary, and there is Tom's Margaret and David's Anne." One man became concerned
because his wife was not there. Later, he left the boat with a heavy heart
and hurried up the hill to his cottage. As he opened the door, she ran
to meet him saying, "I have been waiting for you!" He replied with a gentle
rebuke, "Yes, but the other men's wives were watching for them!"
Application
Rev 13:9-10 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 If anyone is destined
for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with
the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of
the saints. NAS
The Day of the Lord
Suddenness . . and the Day of the Lord. v 1-3
Sonship . . and the Day of the Lord. v 4-5
Soberness . . and the Day of the Lord. v 6-8
Status . . and the Day of the Lord. v 1-3