1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 Preparing for the Day of the Lord

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 Preparing for the Day of the Lord

This past week was Thanksgiving. In our home, that means that we go to my parent’s home. We eat a full Thanksgiving meal. We sit around, play games, watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade on NBC (followed by the National Dog Show) and talk about life. At some point, we come together to prepare the Christmas tree for Christmas.

Everyone might have their rituals on Thanksgiving, but everyone knows that Thanksgiving is the beginning of the Christmas season. You see it everyday when you watch television. Since I can remember, we have watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. At the end of the parade, Santa Clause shows up. This ushers in the official Christmas season in America.

In the same way, we are living in the time of the end of the church year. Today marks the beginning of the season of Advent, which starts the new church year. There will be four Sundays before Christmas and these Sundays are called the Sundays of Advent. Advent means “coming.” It is referring to the coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus came during the first Advent to save the world. We live now preparing for the second Advent of Christ. Paul describes this process of preparing in this passage. He calls the second Advent the “Day of the Lord.”

“For you yourselves know very well that the Day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2, HCSB)

Whereas 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 concerns the fate of deceased Christians at Jesus’ return, 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 focuses on the fate of living Christians at the same eschatological event.1

The Day of the Lord is that time when God will judge the world and punish the nations. At the same time, God will prepare Israel for the return of Jesus Christ to the earth to establish His kingdom.2

He challenges us to do five things as we prepare for the return of Jesus Christ. Just as we are preparing for Christmas, we can also prepare for the return of Jesus Christ.

FIVE WAYS TO PREPARE FOR THE DAY OF THE LORD

1. Wait (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2)

“About the times and the seasons: Brothers, you do not need anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the Day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:1–2, HCSB)

The first way to prepare is to wait. Paul says “about the times and the seasons,” that the people know to get ready. They are waiting for the return of Jesus Christ. They actively wait by living a life that tells others that Jesus is coming again. The signs are there. We won’t be surprised and we can wait for the return of Jesus because we are watching.

2. Watch (1 Thessalonians 5:3-7)

“When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains come on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in the dark, for this day to overtake you like a thief. For you are all sons of light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness. So then, we must not sleep, like the rest, but we must stay awake and be serious. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:3–7, HCSB)

What are we watching? We are watching the predicted trends. Paul compares these trends to labor pains. When you watch a woman in labor, you know that the baby coming. When you watch the events going on in the world, you know that Jesus is returning soon. So we need to be aware that we are getting closer to Jesus’ return. We don’t sleep and find out in surprise that Jesus has come.

Thus there are two extremes to be avoided. One is the arrogance of pretending to have some special knowledge about the future and His coming, even if it claims to be based upon the Bible. The other is to live apart from the continuing awareness that on the day of God’s choosing, He will come!3

The world is caught by surprise because men will not hear God’s Word or heed God’s warning. God warned that the Flood was coming, yet only eight people believed and were saved (1 Peter 3:20). Lot warned his family that the city would be destroyed, but they would not listen (Gen. 19:12–14). Jesus warned His generation that Jerusalem would be destroyed (Luke 21:19ff), and this warning enabled believers to escape; but many others perished in the siege.4

Those living in darkness are portrayed as sleeping and as being drunk. In this case sleep and drunkenness picture someone who is not in touch with or in control of his or her own life. When we are asleep, we are pretty much out of touch with the world around us, except for our dreams. The drunk has lost control of his or her ability to make wise decisions and to coordinate responses. People who do not live in expectation of Christ’s coming are likened to sleepers and drunks—not really in touch with present or ultimate reality.5

We are actively awake. But we don’t just wait. We also work.

3. Work (1 Thessalonians 5:8)

“But since we belong to the day, we must be serious and put the armor of faith and love on our chests, and put on a helmet of the hope of salvation.” (1 Thessalonians 5:8, HCSB)

We are not lazy while we wait. Christians work while waiting for Jesus to return. Just as a person puts on a uniform when they go to work, we put on armor which we use while we are living the Christian life.

Faith and love act as a breastplate that protects the heart, and the hope of salvation is a helmet that guards the mind. Faith is that certain knowledge of God, his promises and salvation; love is a yielding to God in joyful obedience; and hope, which looks to the future, is an assurance of salvation which goes hand in hand with obedience. The breastplate and helmet are the spiritual defense we have against the world. With them in place, we shall be ready for the day of Christ’s return.6

We show love, faith, and the hope of salvation for those who need to know about Jesus Christ. Jesus told many parables that highlighted the rewards one would get when we served Him. He wants to later call us a “good and faithful servant.” That can only happen if we are working by serving.

4. Witness (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10)

“For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9–10, HCSB)

While we are waiting, watching, and working, we are also witnessing. Paul describes a brief summary of the Gospel in these verses. Paul wanted people to “obtain salvation.” That would only happen when we witness to other lost people.

Believers should encourage and build up one another in the faith because one day we will live with Christ. The simultaneous truths concerning the return of Christ and the resurrection of believers offer hope and meaning for living. The flip side is that at the Day of the Lord, God’s wrath will be revealed. There is no universalism in this text. People need to be saved from the wrath to come by placing their faith and hope in the Lord.7

The church spends as much time as possible to let people know about Jesus Christ and their need for Him. While we are waiting, watching, working, witnessing, we are also worshipping.

5. Worship (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11, HCSB)

Worship, when done properly, should encourage each Christian and build them up. Worship is when we focus on God. He strengthens us and then we can go back out to the world. Worship is a refreshing act for the Christian. As we are waiting, watching, working, and witnessing, we are worshipping together to help each other.

As we prepare for Christmas which celebrates the birth of Christ, let’s also prepare for the return of Christ.8