Thieves, A Midnight Snack and a Pregnant Woman
1 Thess 5:1-11
Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But 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. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
(from New International Version)
Scripture Explanation: What is this part of Scripture all about?
what is the day of the Lord anyways?
When the Lord comes and makes a reckoning
The judgment at the end of the age
Mixing of metaphors:
Thief and pregnant woman- apparent contradiction?
Sleep and Night- "The DAY of the Lord"- currently we are in a "NIGHT" stage- "we belong to the day"- yet we are living "self-controlled" in the middle of the night. In this text Paul is encouraging disciples to focus on doing the work of the Lord- and avoid that which is out of their control, such as the Day of the Lord and Death
Good News:
Don’t worry about times and dates-
have you ever been mistaken?
Story of my youth and the freckle counter- my mother intentionally led me to believe there was a device that could determine how many freckles a person has on their body. Since I am freckled, this interested me.
Millerite Story- Great Disappointment 1843. Miller had determined that Christ would return on April 3rd, 1843- this obviously didn't happen.
If Paul is Not concerned with "figuring" out the day and the time- and if Jesus said "only the Father knows"- then my advice to you is to not worry about the day of the Lord
Thief In the Night:
Borrowing Paul’s Images: The Day of the Lord should not be like a robbery experience for us- but rather a birthing experience
We know the time is coming- but were not sure of the actual delivery date
Where as when you are robbed- you have no expectation and are completely surprised
Pregnancy is full of times and dates. One wants the pregnancy to go well of course- so each Dr. appointment is both an chance to find out something is not going well- or just the opposite. But as Tina and I went through her pregnancy each date meant we were closer to the birth of someone new-
When labor finally comes- if it is natural- it doesn’t arrive when you expect it- sometimes late- sometimes early Either way, the pains come in their own time for the purpose of preparing the mother to give birth
It is somewhat intriguing that Paul likens the "Day of the Lord" to both a Thief And a Pregnant Woman
They are both metaphors for how the day of the Lord will arrive- it will arrive suddenly with surprise-
Painful life-giving surprise for some and Painful life-stealing surprise for another
We are to be middle of the night people-
Maybe not literally- but figuratively
We are to be people who are awake in the midst of darkness-
We are alert when the rest of the world seems to be asleep
We should be attuned to detect injustice because we are God-lovers, and growing closer to God helps us to detect hate and injustice in the world- hate and injustice are the darkness
We are the spiritual night-watch of our community
We see the thieves before they attack and we drive them away
Spiritual thieves that come stealing faith, hope and love
We are midnight people- we are up SNACKING on the Word of God- Feasting on Prayer to God- while others are sleeping we are looking out for those in the darkness who try to sneak in leave addiction, despair, pride, greed, lust- in place of the true treasures in life
Good news there is "Peace and safety," in Christ
There are people living under illusions in this life. People believing that life with relative peace and safety is sufficient- that relationship with God is non-essential. This is an illusion.
You can say "Peace" all you want- but one does not have true peace until one has made peace with God- has embraced God’s love
Leaving God intentionally out of your life- or even worse- denying God’s existence- is folly
When destruction comes- when bad times come- when disease comes- when death comes- and it all will come to God People and Non-God People, people who deny God will be crushed by the pains
What is real peace? What is real safety? It is not the absence of conflict or loss in your life- it is trusting and embracing the love of God so that you can be a radiating source of love and trust for others as they and you go through the conflicts and losses in life. The safest place, the home of peace, is resting in the arms of Our loving God.
Good Habits: Be a humble hero- v.6 be alert and self-controlled
v. 8: "putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet"- Paul uses an ARMOR metaphor- he is saying- "you have seen heros of war put on their armor and go to battle- your armor is made of faith, hope, love and salvation- put it on and go to work."
The means to being unsurprised at the day of the Lord is to live a self controlled, faithful life- notice it has nothing to do with attending prophecy seminars or reading books with Bible codes that have it all figured out- that stuff is a waste of your God-given precious time.
If you are living a life of dedication to God, Family and Community- striving to keep your sinful nature in check- then you will not be surprised by the Day of the Lord
Let us not be lulled into being un-alert. Maybe its not drunkenness for you- maybe it is countless hours of television or trashy novels, conversations full of gossip- all these habits left uncontrolled cause you to be un-alert
There won’t be TV in heaven- did you ever think about that? Life will be real life- not vicarious living through shows, entertainment and such- if we are too invested in things on earth that have no eternal reality, this is a sign that we will be surprised at the Day of the Lord- but if we invest in the eternal parts of life- if we invest in love- if we act in kindness, if we serve others- we will be in practice for the eternal reality of God
If we’re not alert the question is: Are we really living in Christ- Or are we trying to live life our way?
Be a humble hero builder
V.11encourage one another and build each other up
What is the substance of our encouragement? We remind each other that we are called and loved by God. That we have been forgiven our sin- the first, last and all the sins in between were disposed of at the cross of Christ.
What do we build each other up into?
We are helping each other become humble heroes of faith, hope and love. That’s my job too. I encourage all of you, to encourage and build each other up to become humble heroes of the faith. People wanting to spread love. People who hope and light into dark places and times. People who share faith with those who linger in despair, lost in unbelief.
Beautiful Verses:9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.
God did not create us so that we would be in everlasting punishment forever- even the idea seems odd. God calls us instead to salvation- to seeing life as it really is- this we receive through worshiping and knowing Jesus Christ. Whether we die or whether we live= we are with Christ. We must embrace this truth not as dogma= not as a mere required belief statement or a certain uttered prayer= no it is much deeper than that
We must embrace that Christ died for us- live with that as our total foundation of our identity- our source of self-worth , our drive to love self and others. He loves us so we build up and encourage others. To be Humble Heroes- working in the midst of the night
Story of one such hero: At the height of WWII, Protestant theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer was imprisoned for taking a stand against Hitler. Yet he continued to urge fellow believers to resist Nazi tyranny. A group of Christians, believing that Hitler was the Antichrist, asked Bonhoeffer, "Why do you expose yourself to all this danger? Jesus will return any day, and all your work and suffering will be for nothing."
Bonhoeffer replied, "If Jesus returns tomorrow, then tomorrow I’ll rest from my labor. But today I have work to do. I must continue the struggle until it’s finished."
Don't worry about the day that your life will end, or the day that the world will end. This is beyond your control. Instead, be humble heroes of the night- until Christ calls you home, you have work to do.
amen.
Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But 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. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
(from New International Version)
Scripture Explanation: What is this part of Scripture all about?
what is the day of the Lord anyways?
When the Lord comes and makes a reckoning
The judgment at the end of the age
Mixing of metaphors:
Thief and pregnant woman- apparent contradiction?
Sleep and Night- "The DAY of the Lord"- currently we are in a "NIGHT" stage- "we belong to the day"- yet we are living "self-controlled" in the middle of the night. In this text Paul is encouraging disciples to focus on doing the work of the Lord- and avoid that which is out of their control, such as the Day of the Lord and Death
Good News:
Don’t worry about times and dates-
have you ever been mistaken?
Story of my youth and the freckle counter- my mother intentionally led me to believe there was a device that could determine how many freckles a person has on their body. Since I am freckled, this interested me.
Millerite Story- Great Disappointment 1843. Miller had determined that Christ would return on April 3rd, 1843- this obviously didn't happen.
If Paul is Not concerned with "figuring" out the day and the time- and if Jesus said "only the Father knows"- then my advice to you is to not worry about the day of the Lord
Thief In the Night:
Borrowing Paul’s Images: The Day of the Lord should not be like a robbery experience for us- but rather a birthing experience
We know the time is coming- but were not sure of the actual delivery date
Where as when you are robbed- you have no expectation and are completely surprised
Pregnancy is full of times and dates. One wants the pregnancy to go well of course- so each Dr. appointment is both an chance to find out something is not going well- or just the opposite. But as Tina and I went through her pregnancy each date meant we were closer to the birth of someone new-
When labor finally comes- if it is natural- it doesn’t arrive when you expect it- sometimes late- sometimes early Either way, the pains come in their own time for the purpose of preparing the mother to give birth
It is somewhat intriguing that Paul likens the "Day of the Lord" to both a Thief And a Pregnant Woman
They are both metaphors for how the day of the Lord will arrive- it will arrive suddenly with surprise-
Painful life-giving surprise for some and Painful life-stealing surprise for another
We are to be middle of the night people-
Maybe not literally- but figuratively
We are to be people who are awake in the midst of darkness-
We are alert when the rest of the world seems to be asleep
We should be attuned to detect injustice because we are God-lovers, and growing closer to God helps us to detect hate and injustice in the world- hate and injustice are the darkness
We are the spiritual night-watch of our community
We see the thieves before they attack and we drive them away
Spiritual thieves that come stealing faith, hope and love
We are midnight people- we are up SNACKING on the Word of God- Feasting on Prayer to God- while others are sleeping we are looking out for those in the darkness who try to sneak in leave addiction, despair, pride, greed, lust- in place of the true treasures in life
Good news there is "Peace and safety," in Christ
There are people living under illusions in this life. People believing that life with relative peace and safety is sufficient- that relationship with God is non-essential. This is an illusion.
You can say "Peace" all you want- but one does not have true peace until one has made peace with God- has embraced God’s love
Leaving God intentionally out of your life- or even worse- denying God’s existence- is folly
When destruction comes- when bad times come- when disease comes- when death comes- and it all will come to God People and Non-God People, people who deny God will be crushed by the pains
What is real peace? What is real safety? It is not the absence of conflict or loss in your life- it is trusting and embracing the love of God so that you can be a radiating source of love and trust for others as they and you go through the conflicts and losses in life. The safest place, the home of peace, is resting in the arms of Our loving God.
Good Habits: Be a humble hero- v.6 be alert and self-controlled
v. 8: "putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet"- Paul uses an ARMOR metaphor- he is saying- "you have seen heros of war put on their armor and go to battle- your armor is made of faith, hope, love and salvation- put it on and go to work."
The means to being unsurprised at the day of the Lord is to live a self controlled, faithful life- notice it has nothing to do with attending prophecy seminars or reading books with Bible codes that have it all figured out- that stuff is a waste of your God-given precious time.
If you are living a life of dedication to God, Family and Community- striving to keep your sinful nature in check- then you will not be surprised by the Day of the Lord
Let us not be lulled into being un-alert. Maybe its not drunkenness for you- maybe it is countless hours of television or trashy novels, conversations full of gossip- all these habits left uncontrolled cause you to be un-alert
There won’t be TV in heaven- did you ever think about that? Life will be real life- not vicarious living through shows, entertainment and such- if we are too invested in things on earth that have no eternal reality, this is a sign that we will be surprised at the Day of the Lord- but if we invest in the eternal parts of life- if we invest in love- if we act in kindness, if we serve others- we will be in practice for the eternal reality of God
If we’re not alert the question is: Are we really living in Christ- Or are we trying to live life our way?
Be a humble hero builder
V.11encourage one another and build each other up
What is the substance of our encouragement? We remind each other that we are called and loved by God. That we have been forgiven our sin- the first, last and all the sins in between were disposed of at the cross of Christ.
What do we build each other up into?
We are helping each other become humble heroes of faith, hope and love. That’s my job too. I encourage all of you, to encourage and build each other up to become humble heroes of the faith. People wanting to spread love. People who hope and light into dark places and times. People who share faith with those who linger in despair, lost in unbelief.
Beautiful Verses:9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.
God did not create us so that we would be in everlasting punishment forever- even the idea seems odd. God calls us instead to salvation- to seeing life as it really is- this we receive through worshiping and knowing Jesus Christ. Whether we die or whether we live= we are with Christ. We must embrace this truth not as dogma= not as a mere required belief statement or a certain uttered prayer= no it is much deeper than that
We must embrace that Christ died for us- live with that as our total foundation of our identity- our source of self-worth , our drive to love self and others. He loves us so we build up and encourage others. To be Humble Heroes- working in the midst of the night
Story of one such hero: At the height of WWII, Protestant theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer was imprisoned for taking a stand against Hitler. Yet he continued to urge fellow believers to resist Nazi tyranny. A group of Christians, believing that Hitler was the Antichrist, asked Bonhoeffer, "Why do you expose yourself to all this danger? Jesus will return any day, and all your work and suffering will be for nothing."
Bonhoeffer replied, "If Jesus returns tomorrow, then tomorrow I’ll rest from my labor. But today I have work to do. I must continue the struggle until it’s finished."
Don't worry about the day that your life will end, or the day that the world will end. This is beyond your control. Instead, be humble heroes of the night- until Christ calls you home, you have work to do.
amen.
posted by Palouse Fed. Church at 10:10 PM
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