1Thes5:1-11 Sons of Day

# Sons of Day
## 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

[Vietnam. Andreas Kind](https://unsplash.com/photos/bUhzlj3gGso "caption")

---

# Does Christ's future **return** affect me **now**?

>>>
+ does it really **matter**?
+ nothing i do will **change** whether it happens
+ probably won't even happen in my **lifetime**
+ I'm a Chr so I'm good: wait for my **reward**
+ **Reminder**: 
  + what is **coming**
  + who we **are** in Christ
  + what we should be **doing**
  + in preparation for His return
+ Behold the **Lamb**: (prayer)

---
(prayer)
>>>
+ Risen Saviour: by Your undeserved **grace**
  + we've received your new **life**
+ so we anticipate our own **resurr**
+ Shake us from our **sleep** + **drunkenness**
+ stand firm in **faith**, love, hope
  + until day you return

---

# Growing Together, While Apart

| *1* | Impact of **Faith** | 
|---|---|
| *2a,b* | Toil of **Love** |
| *3* | Accountability with **Hope** |
| *4* | **Growing in Purity + Love** |
| *5a* | **Hope** of Salvation |
| *5b* | Acts of **Faith** |

>>>
+ Theme of 1Thes: encouragment in **FHL**
+ 1st half: Thes' **rl** w/Paul 
  + and **response** to gospel
+ 2nd half: addr 4 specific **Qs** / issues:
  + 1: How to deal w/**sexual** temptation
  + 2: How to show godly **love** to others
  + 3: What happens after we **die**
  + 4: **When** is Christ returning

---

## Sons of Day [1Thes5](# "ref")
1. What Is **Coming** [[4:13-5:3]](# "ref")
2. Who We **Are** in Christ [[5:4-5,9]](# "ref")
3. How We Should **Prepare** [[5:6-8]](# "ref")

>>>
+ **Reality** of Chr's return:
  + inescapable, must reckon
+ **Identity** as sons of day
  + even though might not feel so
+ **Responsibility** to engage in 
  + Chr's work, 
  + equipped w/**armor** of God
+ The **teaching** starts back in ch4,
  + perhaps responding to Q about
  + believers who have **died**:

---
But we do not want you to be uninformed, 
brothers, about those who are asleep, 
that you may not grieve 
as others do who have no hope.

[1 Thesssalonians 4:13 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ "asleep": not annihil, not **ghosts** / angel
  + not look from heaven **guiding** us
+ but waiting in hope for Chr's **return**: v16

---
For the Lord himself will descend 
from heaven with a cry of command, 
with the voice of an archangel, 
and with the sound of the trumpet of God.

[1 Thesssalonians 4:16-17 (ESV) (p.1/2)](# "ref")

---
And the dead in Christ will rise first. 
[17](# "ref")
Then we who are alive, who are left, 
will be caught up together with them 
in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air,

and so we will always be with the Lord.

[1 Thesssalonians 4:16-17 (ESV) (p.2/2)](# "ref")

>>>
+ seems **unbelievable** bc far out of daily exp
+ but so was creation, flood, **resurr**
+ this is **real**, coming, imminent
  + might be those **asleep**, or still alive
+ **When** will this happen?
  + **Chronology** (num of years)
  + or **seq** of events

---
For you yourselves are fully aware 
that the day of the Lord will come 
like a thief in the night.

[1 Thesssalonians 5:2 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ **futile** to predict precise time/seq
+ Thief not at time of your **choosing**
+ World sees slow **continuity** of history
  + and assumes Chr will **never** return:
  + 2 Pet 3:

---
They will say, 
“Where is the promise of his coming? 
For ever since the fathers fell asleep, 
all things are continuing as they were 
from the beginning of creation.”

[2 Peter 3:4 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ Testimony of **creation** + **flood**
+ Cosmos of the **now** treasured up
  + for judgement by **fire**: v3

---
While people are saying, 
“There is peace and security,” 
then sudden destruction will come upon them 
as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, 
and they will not escape.

[1 Thesssalonians 5:3 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ not that having **baby** is **destruc**
  + though a **lot** of blood!
+ "labor pains": sudden, severe, inescapable:
  + can't **wish** the pain away
  + only way out is **through** it
+ Day of Lord is imminent **reality**:
  + it is **going** to happen
+ w/**trumpet** blast, **all** flesh will see
  + God's **glory** + authority

---

# Does Christ's return feel **real** to me?

>>>
+ **fantasy** / fiction
+ intellectually **know** it, but
  + practically, still have to **live** my life
+ as **real** as my **flesh** + bone?

---

## Sons of Day [1Thes5](# "ref")
1. What Is Coming [[4:13-5:3]](# "ref")
2. **Who We Are in Christ** [[5:4-5,9]](# "ref")
3. How We Should Prepare [[5:6-8]](# "ref")

>>>
+ To those who **ignore** the reality
  + of Chr's imminent return:
  + sudden, inescapable **destruction**
+ But take **heart**: you are not that way
+ Series of three **contrasts**:
  + not in darkness, but of **light**
  + not sleeping, but **awake**
  + not drunken, but **sober**

---
But you are not in darkness, brothers, 
for that day to surprise you like a thief: 
[5](# "ref")
For you are all children of light, 
children of the day.

[1 Thesssalonians 5:4-5a (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ sons of light + sons of day
+ don't **feel** like sons of day:
  + **impostor** syndrome
  + always-on, happy, holy
+ not **gen** light of self, but
  + **inherit** from Father of lights
+ not that we're **righteous**, but **forgiven**
+ skipping ahead to v9:

---
For God has not destined us for wrath, 
but to obtain salvation through 
our Lord Jesus Christ

[1 Thesssalonians 5:9 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ God **set** us on this **path**:
+ not heading to **condemnation** / wrath
  + but to attain of **rescue** / redemp
+ **Remember** what Chr has **done**
  + and who we **are** in Christ
+ **Forgiven**, on path to salvation, 
  + children of **light**

---

# Do I sometimes feel like an **impostor**?

>>>
+ Others look to me to be **stable**, 
  + wise, kind, bring **light**
+ But I wrestle with **darkness**,
  + temptations, weakness, depression
+ **Who** am I? Where does my **light** come from?

---

## Sons of Day [1Thes5](# "ref")
1. What Is Coming [[4:13-5:3]](# "ref")
2. Who We Are in Christ [[5:4-5,9]](# "ref")
3. **How We Should Prepare** [[5:6-8]](# "ref")

>>>
+ **Reality** of Chr's return
+ Remember in Chr we are sons of **light**
  + and sons of day
+ Push to **action** + life
+ "In Your **light** do we see light" (Ps36)
+ see **path** to walk, not **stumble**
  + nor meander **aimlessly**
+ no longer asleep but **awake**: 
  + 2nd **contrast** in v5

---
We are not of the night or of the darkness:

[6](# "ref")
So then let us not sleep, as others do, 
but let us keep awake and be sober.

[1 Thesssalonians 5:5b-6 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ **double** meaning of **sleep**:
  + 4:13 **died** in Chr, await resurr
  + **unaware**, unconscious
+ Fact we're not **destined** for wrath
+ does not mean we **passively** wait
  + for our salvation / reward
+ rather, bc Chr's **grace**
  + saving us beyond what we **deserve**
+ we are even more **motivated** by grat.
  + to live **worthily** of the calling:
  + Eph 4:

---
I ... urge you to walk in a manner 
worthy of the calling 
to which you have been called

[Ephesians 4:1 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ Call to be **awake** + **sober**-minded
  + in light of imminence Chr return
+ Not **alarmist**: stoking **fear** / panic
  + quit job, live in commune in woods
  + fight to overthrow gov, devil
+ But **alert**, attentive to God's calling
  + not **autopilot** going through motions
+ Calling in Eph4: **love** e.o. in Chr
+ 3rd contrast v7: drunken -> **sober**

---
For those who sleep, sleep at night, 
and those who get drunk, are drunk at night:

[8](# "ref")
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, 
having put on the breastplate of faith and love, 
and for a helmet the hope of salvation:

[1 Thesssalonians 5:7-8 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ "drunk": release of inhib feels **freeing**
  + but lets worst of **sinful** nature out
  + **uncontrolled**, self-indulgent
  + unfocused, **distracted**
+ e.g writing **dissertation**: clean house
  + "productive": busy
+ Fill day w/"necessary" **chores**
  + but neglect what **God** prioritises
+ Remember the **wise** servant in Mt24:

---
Who then is the faithful and wise servant, 
whom his master has set over his household, 
to give them their food at the proper time?

[46](# "ref")
Blessed is that servant whom 
his master will find so doing when he comes.

[Matthew 24:45-46 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ **Wicked** svt: believes master to be delayed
  + **beats** fellow servants
  + **indulges** w/drunks
+ Faithful svt: **stand firm** doing task
+ **FHL** theme in 1Thes:
+ **Faith** in God's promises, put in **action**
  + serving Him is **worth** it
+ Train up **love** for others as Chr loves us
+ Strength in **hope** of God's salv
  + duty/joy to **share** hope w/world
+ Armor **protects** from Satan's schemes
  + **equips** to engage in God's work
+ God who **calls** us forward:

---
For God has not destined us for wrath, 
but to obtain salvation through 
our Lord Jesus Christ, 
[10](# "ref")
who died for us 
so that whether we are awake or asleep 
we might live with him.

[1 Thesssalonians 5:9-10 (ESV)](# "ref")

>>>
+ Chr won **victory** over sin + death
  + both **life** + death under His dominion
+ When we **die**, it's only **sleep**
  + in hope of **resurr**
  + to live w/Him forever
+ As long as we **live** on earth,
  + let it be in **wakefulness**
  + **focused** on the work God calls us to
  + keeping **in step** w/Him

---

# Have I become **sleepy** or **drunken** waiting for Christ's return?

>>>
+ **Complacent** / unaware
+ worse: **self-indulgent**, uncontrolled
+ Is God reminding me of a **responsib**
  + as faithful + wise svt over house?
+ Have I neglected my **armour** of FHL
  + to equip me to **stand** firm?

---

>>>
+ Triumphed over sin + **death**
  + so we have **living hope** in resurr
+ Remind us: **reality** of coming judgment
  + **identity** as child. **light** + day
  + **resp.** as faithful stewards
+ Gird us w/**FHL**: get back in work kingdom
  + stand **firm** in faith til return