 to put your glory and majesty on display, to put your mercy revealed to your people in Christ on display. Help me. Help them understand their identity in Christ. And if there are any men and women here who do not believe, may you use my poor, babbling words to grant them life. In Christ's name I pray. Amen. Okay, so this evening, the title for this sermon is Confidence at Christ's Return. And it's from 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verses 1 through 11. 1 Thessalonians 5 verses 1 through 11. Let me read the text. I have two introductions, I think. But let me read the text first. Hear the word of God. Now, as to the times in Epoch's brother, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying peace and safety, then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child. And they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness that the day would overtake you like a thief. For you are all sons of light and sons of the day. You are not of night nor of darkness. So then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober for those who sleep, do their sleeping at night. And those who get drunk get drunk at night. 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. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with him. Therefore, encourage one another and build up one another just as you are doing. Amen. Amen. So this is our second sermon. Looking at the eschatology of first Thessalonians, where as the elders, we're trying to develop the eschatology of the New Testament for you and Pastor Mark preached, I don't know how many sermons through Matthew preached a lot of sermons on the Olivet discourse, but they were helpful to clarify a lot of things. When I sent this passage to Ms. Karen this week and she said, how many sermons, what part is this? How many sermons are you preaching? I said one. I'm not preaching one sermon from the second. But what I want to do is this. So I want to, and this is Pastor Mike made a good request and it was to help synthesize these sermons into or integrate them into the eschatology that we're developing as we preach. So that might be helpful. So I want to do that. So to do that, I want to go back to chapter four just to review what we saw there, chapter four versus 13 through 18. And then after that, what we'll do is we're going to take first a look at the structure of chapter five versus one to 11. I think that a text like this, if we try to split it up into four or five sermons will kind of get lost. But there are a couple of phrases, the reason why we're going to preach more than one sermon, there are two phrases that I want to take the time to explain. So if you look at chapter five verse two, the day of the Lord. And so part of the purpose of these sermons is to have a comprehensive understanding of eschatology. So we need to understand what the day of the Lord is and to try to do that tonight while preaching this text would be impossible. You can't do that in 30 minutes. And next, verse nine, for God has not destined us for wrath. Most dispensationalists would take this text as a proof text that the church is not going to go through the tribulation. So we need to deal with that also. So those will be two sermons. So first, to review chapter four verses 13 through 18. First, I want to show, look at the close relationship, not only the fact that chapter four ends and chapter five begins, but look at the structure here. Look at verse 13, chapter 4, 13. But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. And if you remember the past sermon, there was an issue going on in Thessalonica where they did not know what would happen to those who had already died when Christ returned. So he answers that question for them. But now look at verse one in chapter five. Now, as to the times in Epoch's brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. Verse two, for you yourselves know full well. So we're chapter four, 13 through 18. Deals with something they didn't know regarding a scatology. Chapter five deals with something that they knew. Now look at chapter four verse 18. Therefore, comfort one another with these things, with the things he just taught them. Following that in chapter five verse 11, therefore, encourage one another and build one another up just as you are also doing. So you see, the structure of these two sections is similar. They're related, chapter four, chapter five. They're to be taken together. Now look at chapter four verse 16. And here, this will help us with a little bit of synthesis, right? And bringing this together. So Paul lets them know that believers who have died before the coming of Christ, when Christ returns, they will be raised. And then those who are alive at Christ's return will be glorified and they will meet the Lord in the air. That's what he says. But they don't have to worry. But look at verse 16 now. And this specifically is dealing with now the rapture of the church. Generally, when we use the term rapture, what comes into people's mind is a secret rapture where the church is caught up, the term is in this chapter, verses here we're going to look at. The church is caught up, disappears, a seven year period of tribulation begins, all that stuff. But here this is the way Paul explains the second coming, for the Lord will descend from heaven. The same term is used, this descending from heaven to his first coming. Look at John, John chapter six and verse 38. For I have descended from heaven. That was his first coming. He descended, same term, catabino. He's come down from heaven. Now during this, Jesus came to earth during his incarnation. He was on the earth. That's what catabino means. It means to come down. He came down. That's what it means in 1 Thessalonians. Jesus is coming down. He is descending from heaven. Secretly? No, not at all. Not at all. He's descending from heaven with a shout. That's how he's descending with a shout. The preposition used with the date of case here, you can interpret this along with. He's going to come along with a shout, along with a voice of the archangel, along with the trump of God. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. He is going to descend. That's visible and audible. That's not a secret rapture. That is not a secret rapture. It's that people will visibly see him. He will be heard. You will hear him. You will hear trumpets and angels. He is coming to judge the world. That's why he's coming. He came the first time to bring salvation and now men from every tribe, tug-and-nation, are commanded to repent and believe in him, that he is the Christ, that he descended from heaven and lived a perfect life and died for sinners upon the cross. He rose from the dead and he is coming back to judge the living and the dead. That's his second coming. It's not secret. The entire world will see him. He is descending from heaven. The dead will rise first so the tombs will be open. Then we who are alive and remain with him are caught up. But what is he doing? He's descending and we're caught up and then what are we doing? We're always with him from that point forward. The paroussia, the appearing of the Lord Jesus, is at his second coming, which is not hidden. It's very visible and audible and the people of God are caught up with him and they return to earth with him. Briefly, we'll take a look at 2nd Thessalonians. More in depth, but let me just read these texts. What will he do? What will he do? Look at verse 5. This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God for which indeed you are suffering. For after all, it is only just for God to repay with afflictions those who afflict you and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire. At that point in history, our eyes will see as they have never seen and they will behold the Savior of the world and we will be filled with joy. That's what's going to happen for believers and we'll be transformed, completely, radically transformed. But the unbeliever, absolute terror because the judge of the universe is coming to judge. He's coming with fire, with flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God. If you do not know God, these texts ought to frighten you. And us, the preacher, his heart should be broken for those who don't believe it. And the church also, because this is terrifying. The wrath that is coming is not temporary. It's eternal. And we hold the message that can deliver sinners from their state of deadness, the gospel of our Lord. So he's going to come and he will come visibly. We're caught up with him and we return to the earth. And he is coming in judgment. To read the end of Revelation 19, the same truth is communicated there. So with regards to integrating 1st Thess 4 into our eschatology, that's what we get from 1st Thess 4. Now, how will he appear visibly, audibly from heaven, to raise dead believers and believers who are alive to glorify them and they will return to the earth with him as he is descending. They're caught up and he descends. Now, chapter five. And you see how you can't preach one sermon here. Chapter five, what I'll do is I'll give you the structure. Let me give you the structure of chapter five, because I think it's important to do what Paul does and make the practical application. Let's not theorize. Paul doesn't just theorize. Here's theology. No, he always makes it practical. So verses one through three, verses one through three, I think they could be summed up in verse two. So if you look at verses five through three, but verse two there, for you yourselves full know, full know full well, that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. Remember, we did a survey at Thessalonians and Paul is there and he, he's there teaching for three Sabbaths, maybe after that he was there two other times, but not very long. But he was there long enough to explain to them that the Lord is coming like a thief, which means unexpected. His return will be an unexpected return, right? We don't plan for thieves to come over, right? Make plans for Pastor Mike to come over, make plans for other folks to come over the house, but I don't make plans for thieves to come. And believers know that that's how Christ will return. In an instant, he can be back. So, but he says to them, they ought to have confidence, right? Confidence, because you know that this is how he's coming back versus one to three. Now in verse four through six, he says something very important. Look at the contrast. He says, but you brethren are not in darkness that the day should overtake you like a thief. A believer does not have to worry about that. Why? Because we are in the light as he is in the light. So he grunt, he contrasts the destiny of the unbeliever with the destiny of the believer. And in verse five he says, for you are sons of light and sons of the day because of our identity, because of who we are as Christians, as redeemed sinners. We have confidence that is coming. If you're a Christian, you should not fear the coming of the Lord at all in any way. He is coming for us to bless us. So that's verses four through six. Now, six through eight really has to do with the conduct. If this is the case, how ought we to live? Verse eight, be sober, be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. This is how we ought to live, sober minded. We ought to be clear, minded people. I mean, you can apply this this way. Where the day of the Lord is coming, where he will judge heaven and earth, where ought you put your money? Heaven. You can stuff your bank with it. You could stuff your mattress with it. You could waste it on your fingernails and in your hair, your beard or whatever. You could waste it eating and drinking and being merry and making merry. You're wasting your money. You're going to get horrible returns. Because even if you put it with a good investor for 50 years, you'll die and rot in the grave eventually. Even if you're a Christian, you're going to die. You won't have those toys anymore. They're gone. But if you put it in heaven, Jesus is going to come back with a recompense, with a reward for his people in heaven. Don't waste it here. Be sober. Be sober. Think well. First, nine through 10. So first, the first reason why we can have confidence knowing that Christ can return at any moment was because of our identity. We are sons of life. Second is because God has destined us to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now on earth, now, today, repentance and faith by faith, not by sight. I believe and am saved. You believe, you're saved. When he comes, that faith will turn into sight and we'll see him and we'll obtain what he purchased for us by his blood. That's why he's coming. So since that is what God has destined us for, he can come right now. No worries for the believer. Joy. Next point of application. Encourage one another and build up one another just as you also are doing. So Paul gives us his thesis. Jesus is coming like a thief in the night at any moment. But don't be worried because you're sons of the light, your identity. But if that's your identity, be sober-minded. Another encouragement. God has not destined you for wrath. He had destined you to obtain salvation. When Jesus returns, he'll bring his recompense, therefore encourage one another with these things. Let me ask you a question, a rhetorical question. Do, is this how you encourage your brothers and sisters? You sit in group, right? I'm on pick group for an example and somebody is struggling, having difficulty. Do you ever say, not in these exact words, but further rejoice. A Lord can come at any moment. What are we worried about? What are we so busy about with, you know, six-pack abs and convertibles and all these little bubbles and crazy things? Right? Why are we so caught up with all those things? Don't be. Jesus is coming back. Be encouraged. And also, we can encourage each other to pray for those who do not believe because he is coming to judge the living and the dead. All right. So that's just, that's just to give you an outline of chapter five. So you have an idea what Paul is doing, right? The day of the Lord is going to come like a thief in the night at any moment, unexpectedly. But because of your identity, you have no need to fear. Be sober minded. Be sober minded in light of his coming. You have no reason to fear because of your identity. You also don't have any reason to fear because God has destined you to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ. Therefore, comfort others one another with this truth. Okay? So that's, that's the outline of the text. Now let's get through, have seven minutes. Let's get through verses one through three. And we can do that. Okay? All right. So verses one through three. Now, as to the times in epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. The Thessalonica was a second major city Paul visited for evangelism during his second missionary journey. Remember this is after the Council of Jerusalem, the apostles come together and, yes, well, God is expanding the tent of David and Gentiles are bringing brought in. Let's go preach the gospel to all the Gentiles. And Paul says, let's go. So he goes and he arrives in Thessalonica. He preaches there for three Sabbaths acts 17, two. And then he has to leave town because he's being persecuted. And as I said, he may have returned two other times. But while he was there, he teaches them. He imparts to them this truth regarding the coming of the Lord. But listen to the way Paul states this. Paul says, as to the times and the epochs, what does what do these terms mean? The two terms are used together only three other times. We'll take a look at those three uses. But if you grab just a Greek lexicon or if you had, you know, some word study tools to look up what these words mean, you would see that these words mean very closely related things. They kind of overlap in meaning. They're not exactly the same term, but they do overlap. And since they can mean the same thing, look at this example in Acts. This is one of the uses where it's used together. But it also illustrates this point that they're the terms are overlapping epochs and times acts one. And this is the question. The disciples now realize that the Messiah is to be raised from the dead and they are rejoicing. And they ask the question that every Jew would have asked. So when they had come together, they were asking him saying, Lord, is it at this time that you are restoring the kingdom to Israel? Every Jew would have answered ask the Lord that question. Look at the term they use. Is it at this time? It's one of the terms, right? Times epochs. Is this the time? Is it now? Now look at Jesus's answer. He said to them, verse seven, it's not for you to know times or epochs. He uses the two terms. Times are epochs. He says basically, Jesus says, run your business for a while. Right? It's not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father has fixed by his authority. They ask about times. Jesus answers times in epochs. What does that mean? You have a close synonym, right? These things mean almost the same thing. And they make reference to the eschaton, the end, when God establishes the period of time when God establishes his kingdom on the earth. That's what they're asking about. And that's what Paul is talking about in 1 Thessalonians chapter five, that period in history, when God comes to establish his kingdom on earth, that's what they're asking about. So Jesus answers the question about time with a little phrase, times or epochs. Now if you think a little bit here, times or, that or can be confusing, right? Is it two distinct things? The or in the verse, in verse seven, marks alternatives with times or seasons. It functions to connect related and similar terms where one can take the place of the other or supplement the other. That's basically all you have. It means the same thing. It means the same thing. In Daniel, this is second, the third time it's used, Daniel, in Daniel 221, the phrase is related to Nebuchadnezzar's dream. And remember, the dream was of a statue, right? And this statue had four parts, right? That's right, four gold, bronze, yep, silver, plain and iron, right? But what did those four parts of the statue represent? Kings, but also it represented the periods of the epochs in which they rule. So time, right? So when they're used together, and even independently at times, these terms, if you look them up, the question or what Paul is saying to the Thessalonians is, you don't need me to tell you about the eschaton, about the end. Why doesn't, why doesn't mean? We'll end here. Look at 1 Thessalonians 5. This is why I have no need to write to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief and the night. That four is important, right? He can either be grounding his statement from verse one, or he can be drawing an inference from it. But the point he's making is that I don't have to tell you about the end because you know about the coming of the, about the day of the Lord. What is Jesus saying? What is Paul saying? Synonymous with the end is what? The day of the Lord. What's the next event in God's prophetic calendar? Not a secret rapture. The day of the Lord. That's the point Paul is making. I don't need to tell you about the end. Why? Because you know full well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief and the night. While they are saying peace and safety, then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with a child and they will not escape. We live in a country where we do a lot of proclamation of peace and safety. If you are not a Christian, you are not safe. There is no peace for you until you have peace with God. If you do not know Christ, I've called you this very evening to turn from your sins, to trust in Him. If you're a Christian, rejoice. Rejoice in the confidence you have that Christ is coming at any moment. Christ is coming at any moment and He will bring His reward with Him. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this time together. We ask that you would help us, my Holy Spirit, to process all of these things, to think over them well and to live in light of them, anticipating your return. Amen.