THE BOOK OF FIRST THESSALONIANS
(“Night And Day People”)1
I Thessalonians 5:1-11 (NASU)
CHRISTIANS ARE TO BE PREPARED FOR JESUS’ SECOND COMING
(1) The Boy Scouts of America have a motto, which simply says: “Be Prepared!”2 When asked to explain what that meant, the founder of the movement said it means you are always ready to do the right thing at the right moment.3
(2) Christians might do well to coop that motto when it comes to the Return of our Savior – seeing as how Scripture constantly exhorts us to be in a state of readiness for Christ’s promised and inevitable Second Coming.
Jesus Himself once told His disciples: 42“BE ON THE ALERT, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming” – and again: 44“For this reason you also must BE READY; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will” (c.f. Matthew 24:42, 44). Likewise, at the end of the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, Jesus said: “BE ON THE ALERT … for you do not know the day nor the hour (of My Return)” (c.f. Matthew 25:13).
In the Gospel of Mark, our Lord put it like this: 32“But of that day or hour (i.e. the day or hour of My Second Coming) no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 33Take heed, KEEP ON THE ALERT; for you do not know when the appointed time will come. 34It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. 35Therefore, BE ON THE ALERT – for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or … in the morning – 36in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. 37What I say to you I say to all, ‘BE ON THE ALERT!’” (c.f. Mark 13:32-37).
The same exhortation is found in verse six of this morning’s text, where right in the middle of his discourse on Christ’s Second Coming, and the Day of the Lord that will be a part of it, Paul tells the Thessalonians Christians – and through them all believers everywhere, in every age (including you and me) – “let us not sleep as others do, but let us BE ALERT AND SOBER” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:6).
(3) And if we inquire as to why it’s so important to be prepared and ready for Jesus’ Return – even though we don’t know exactly when that will be, or whether it will happen in our lifetime – at least part of the answer is found in a question asked by the Apostle Peter, where he said: 11“… what sort of people ought you to be in HOLY CONDUCT AND GODLINESS, 12looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God …” (c.f. II Peter 3:11-12). In other words, being ready and prepared for Christ’s Second Coming involves more than knowledge, or some vague awareness this great cosmic event is going to happen at some point in the future. It also involves living the kind of life our Savior will find pleasing when He comes again – living as becomes those who have repented of their sins and professed faith in Christ, as opposed to living like those upon whom the judgment associated with the Day of the Lord will fall.
(4) Suppose Jesus comes on a Sunday – do you want Him to find you in worship, with your brothers and sisters in Christ? – or do you want Him to find you at home, sleeping in, or watching TV, or out on the golf course, or in the woods hunting?! (c.f. Exodus 20:8; Hebrews 10:25).
Suppose Jesus comes during the evening or night – do you want Him to find you watching pornography, or getting drunk (c.f. Job 31:1; Ephesians 5:18) – or would you rather have Him find you playing with your children, talking with your spouse, or even meditating on His word?!
Suppose Jesus comes during the day – do you want Him to find you in the middle of an on-going adulterous (or some other kind of immoral) relationship (c.f. Exodus 20:14)? Do you want Him to find you still holding a grudge (c.f. Leviticus 19:18)? Do you want Him to find you in the middle of a broken relationship with a brother or sister in Christ, that you have not tried to reconcile (c.f. Matthew 5:23-24; Romans 12:18)? Do you want Him to find your heart filled with hate and unforgiveness (c.f. Titus 3:3)? Do you want Him to find you speaking a lie, or coveting something that belongs to your neighbor, or dishonoring your father and mother, or trying to undermine your boss, or taking the Lord’s name in vain (c.f. Exodus 20:7-17)? Is that really how you want to meet Jesus when He comes again?!?!
(5) Knowledge of Christ’s Second Coming is intended (at least in part) to spur us to the kind of holy and godly living He will find pleasing when He Returns – rather than continuing on with the kind of behavior that will be an embarrassment or shame or disgrace for us. As the first stanza of a hymn we sang earlier says:
“O Lord, how shall I meet You,
how welcome You aright?
Your people long to greet You,
my hope, my heart’s delight.
O kindle, Lord Most Holy,
Your lamp within my breast
To do in spirit lowly
All that may please You best.”4
(B) CHRISTIANS AND THE DAY OF THE LORD
(1) Paul refers to the Second Coming of Christ at least once in every chapter of his First letter to the Thessalonians (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:10; 2:19; 3:13). However, he really zeros in on it in the last half of chapter four (c.f. I Thessalonians 4:13-18), and the first half of chapter five (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:1-11). In doing so, he touches on two related matters – the Rapture (in chapter four), and the Day of the Lord (in chapter five) – both of which will take place when Jesus comes again (as I’ve tried to demonstrate in several earlier messages).5 The Rapture will only involve believers (c.f. I Thessalonians 4:14, 17) – while the Day of the Lord will only involve those who have never repented of their sins and professed faith in Christ (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:3, 9).
(2) We noted last time6 that the idea of the Day of Lord comes from the Old Testament, where it’s always portrayed as that day when God will judge unrepentant sinners once and for all (c.f. Zephaniah 1:14-18). In the midst of these pictures of judgment, however, we find hints that God’s redeemed covenant people need not fear this day7 (c.f. Joel 2:12-13; Obadiah 1:17), thanks (we learn elsewhere) to the Person and Work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. Indeed, Scripture tells us He took the judgment we deserve on account of our sins upon Himself when He died on the cross (c.f. I Peter 2:24). In other words, the day Jesus was crucified, the wrath of God associated with the Day of the Lord, that should have fallen on us, fell on Him! Hence, Paul said back in chapter one that when Jesus comes again, He will “(rescue) us from the wrath to come” (c.f. I Thessalonians 1:10) (namely, the wrath that will fall on unbelieving and unrepentant sinners at the time of Christ’s Second Coming). And then again, in verse nine of this morning’s Scripture lesson that, 9“God has not destined US for (that) wrath (associated with the Day of the Lord), but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us …” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:9-10).
(3) All of which provides at least a partial answer to the Thessalonians’ question about whether or not the Day of the Lord had overtaken them – a question that may have been prompted by the severity of the persecutions they were undergoing – with the answer being, “No!” – because, while the Day of the Lord will be a day of judgment and sentencing for the unbelieving and unrepentant, it will also be a day of rescue and redemption for those who have trusted Christ. Hence, Christians have nothing to fear regarding the Day of the Lord – since the judgment associated with it will not fall on us, because our Savior has already taken it upon Himself.
(C) THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NIGHT AND DAY
(1) In studying this morning’s Scripture lesson, Paul’s use of personal pronouns makes it clear he’s talking about two different groups of people at different points within the passage – one of which consists of “you”, “us” and “we” – while the other is made up of “they”, “them” and “those” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:1-11). Look at verses two through four, as an example, where Paul says: 2“For YOU yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. (3)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. (4)But YOU, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake YOU like a thief” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:2-4). He then goes on to say, in verses five through seven: 5“for YOU are all sons of light and sons of day. WE are not of night nor of darkness; 6so then let US not sleep as OTHERS do, but let US be alert and sober. (7)For THOSE who sleep do THEIR sleeping at night, and THOSE who get drunk get drunk at night” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:5-7).
(a) From all this we see that one group consists of Christians, like those in Thessalonica – while the other is made up of the unbelieving and unrepentant. Moreover, one group has nothing to fear from the Day of the Lord – while the other group has everything to fear (although most of them aren’t even aware of their danger). Hence, we’re told that the “you’s” and “we’s” will be rescued from the wrath of God associated with the Day of the Lord (v. 9) – while the “they’s” and “them’s” will not (v. 3).
(b) All of which triggers this personal application question – a question each of us ought to ask ourselves (c.f. II Corinthians 13:5) – namely, “Which group am I a part of?” The one upon whom the Day of the Lord will bring “destruction” (v. 3) – or the one who is “not destined … for wrath, but for obtaining salvation” (v. 9)? “Which group are you and I a part of?” The one labeled, “sons of light” (v. 5) – or the one labeled, “sons of darkness”? The group that’s spiritually “asleep” and spiritually “drunk” – or the group that’s “awake and sober” (vs. 6-7). The group that has on “the breastplate of faith and love, and (the) helmet (of) hope” (v. 8) – or the group that stands unclothed and unprotected (as it were) against the onslaught of God’s wrath that is about to come upon them?
(2) Turning to our text, then, verse four says: “But YOU, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake YOU like a thief” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:4).
(a) The “darkness” of which Paul speaks (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:4) is the spiritual darkness of sin and unbelief8 – the kind of darkness that comes from rejecting the Gospel – the kind of darkness that’s often associated in Scripture with being separated from and estranged from God.9 John MacArthur describes it like this – “the spiritual night that engulfs unbelievers includes both intellectual and moral darkness. It is THE INTELLECTUAL DARKNESS OF IGNORANCE on the one hand, and the moral darkness of sin on the other; of NOT KNOWING WHAT’S TRUE (or knowing it and rejecting it), and of not doing what’s right.”10
(b) The “darkness” of which Paul speaks is similar to that found in other passages of Scripture, like Proverbs chapter two: 13“those who leave the paths of uprightness … walk in the ways of darkness 14… doing evil …” (c.f. Proverbs 2:13-14) – Psalm eighty-two: “(the wicked) DO NOT KNOW NOR DO THEY UNDERSTAND; they walk about in darkness” (c.f. Psalm 82:4-5) – John chapter twelve (Jesus speaking): “he who walks in … darkness DOES NOT KNOW where he goes” (c.f. John 12:35). In Acts chapter twenty-six “darkness” is equated with being under “the power of Satan” (c.f. Acts 26:18, NKJV) – while in Romans chapter thirteen “the deeds of darkness” are said to include things like “carousing and drunkenness … sexual promiscuity and sensuality … (along with) strife and jealousy” (c.f. Romans 13:12-13).
(c) Here in First Thessalonians chapter five, the implication seems to be that the unbelieving and unrepentant are “in the dark” (so to speak) when it comes to the Day of the Lord – that they are “in the dark” when it comes to knowing that there is a Day of the Lord – or “in the dark” about that Day “overtaking” them “like a thief” – or even “in the dark” about what that Day will be like for them (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:4).
(d) On the positive side, however, Paul says Christians “are NOT in darkness” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:4) – i.e. we are not “in the dark” when it comes to the Day of the Lord – we are not “in the dark” intellectually or morally10 (at least we shouldn’t be). We know it’s coming – and thanks to Jesus Christ, we’re prepared for it (as Paul goes on to explain).
(3) Look then at verse five, where he continues on to say: “for YOU are all sons of light and sons of (the) day. WE are not of (the) night nor of (the) darkness” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:5).
(a) The phrases “sons of light” and “sons of day” are Hebrew expressions, that describe the dominant influence in a person’s life11 – in this case, “light” verses “darkness” – and “day”-like living, instead of “night”-like living (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:5).
(b) Scripture draws a similar contrast in other places – like Ephesians chapter four, where Paul says: 8“you were formerly DARKNESS, but now you are LIGHT in the Lord; (therefore) WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT … 11(and) Do not participate (any longer) in the unfruitful DEEDS OF DARKNESS …” (c.f. Ephesians 4:8-11). Along these same lines, Peter says we Christians have been “… called … out of DARKNESS into (God’s) marvelous LIGHT” (c.f. I Peter 2:9) – while in the Gospel of John, Jesus said: “I am the LIGHT of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the DARKNESS, but will have the LIGHT of life” (c.f. John 8:12).
(c) Everyone who has ever lived – everyone alive today – all of us here this morning, are either dominated by light or darkness. We are either “sons of (the) day” (spiritually, and morally, and intellectually speaking), or we are people of the “night” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:5) – our hearts are either filled with “darkness”, or flooded with “light” (c.f. Romans 1:21) – our understanding of what’s going on around us (or what’s going to happen to us if we don’t repent and profess faith in Christ) is either “darkened” by our sin and unbelief, or enlightened and illuminated by the message of the Gospel (c.f. Ephesians 4:18). In short, we are either day-people – or night-people.1
(4) Paul was confident the believers in Thessalonica were “sons of light and sons of (the) day” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:5). And because of that, he went on to exhort them (in verses six through eight) to live like the day-people they were, saying in verse six: “so then let US not sleep as OTHERS do, but let US be alert and sober” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:6).
(a) Earlier, back in chapter four, Paul used the word “sleep” to refer to those who had died trusting in Christ as their Savior (c.f. I Thessalonians 4:13-15). Here, he uses it in a different way – to refer to those who are “asleep” in the sense of spiritual death (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:6) – who are indifferent to spiritual matters, and the things of God – who are morally and spiritually disengaged (as one writer puts it)13 – who are living as if there is no such thing as the Day of Lord, and no such thing as a final judgment before the throne of God.12
(b) “Others” (that is, the unbelieving and unrepentant) may be “asleep” when it comes to anticipating and preparing for the Day of the Lord, but not those of “us” who are believers. On the contrary, we should be “alert and sober” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:6) – living each day with a conscious awareness of what’s coming.13 Literally, we should be “awake and watchful”, while also living a life free from the intoxicating influences of the world14 – especially since Scripture tells us elsewhere that the world and its lusts are in the process of passing away (c.f. I John 2:16-17).
(5) In verse seven Paul expands on the imageries of sleep and sobriety, saying: “for THOSE who sleep do THEIR sleeping at night, and THOSE who get drunk get drunk at night” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:7).
(a) Physical sleep and drunkenness are things people generally do at night, under the cover of darkness. In a similar fashion, spiritual sleep and spiritual drunkenness are things generally done by people whose unregenerate hearts actually prefer spiritual darkness. As Jesus Himself once said: 19“(even though) Light has come into the world … men (love) the darkness rather than the Light, (because) their deeds (are) evil” (c.f. John 3:19) – i.e. many people choose to remain in spiritual darkness because they love their sins, and don’t want to give them up – while others choose to remain in spiritual darkness because they think that way their sinful practices will never be uncovered. Hence, Jesus went on to say that: “… everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear … his deeds will be exposed” (c.f. John 3:20).
(b) Whatever the reason, the bottom line is that night-people are totally unprepared for the coming of the Day of the Lord. Those who choose to continue living in spiritual darkness have deceived themselves into thinking that God’s judgment (if there even is such a thing) will never overtake them – that if necessary, the darkness will hide them – not realizing Scripture says “darkness and light are alike to (God)” (c.f. Psalm 139:12). In other words, He can “see” just as clearly in the dark as He can in the light – neither physical nor spiritual darkness blocks His view – hence, Scripture says elsewhere that: “nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light” (c.f. Luke 8:17). And for the unbelieving and unrepentant, that exposure (along with a just and fitting sentence) will occur when Jesus comes again, to carry out the judgment that will be part of Day of the Lord.
(6) Finally, Paul draws one more contrast between day and night people, saying in verse eight: “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” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:8).
(a) Instead of sleeping, day-people are to be awake and watchful – always “conscious” of the fact that Jesus is coming again, and that His Return will usher in the Day of the Lord.15 Instead of getting drunk on the intoxicating influences the world has to offer, day-people are to be “sober” in body, mind, and spirit (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:8; see also I Peter 4:7) – doing one’s duty before God, and carrying out to completion whatever ministry the Lord has given us.15 As Scripture says elsewhere: “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes” (c.f. Matthew 24:46).
(b) Paul also draws upon a new metaphor in this verse to make his point about being prepared for the Day of the Lord – namely, that of a soldier standing guard,16 even a sentry whose job is to stay alert and watchful.17 Hence, he talks about “having put on the BREASTPLATE of faith and love, (as well as the) HELMET (of the) hope of salvation” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:8).
(c) One writer has called “faith, hope and love” the supreme triad of Christian virtues.16 He also said practicing these three virtues provides an excellent DEFENSE against the temptation to go to sleep, or get drunk spiritually – i.e. to become lazy or indifferent about spiritual matters – to become disengaged morally and spiritually from the things of God (things like worship and prayer, bible study and fellowship with other believers), (to cut ourselves off from these kinds of things) when we should be using them to help us wait for and watch for Christ’s Return with eager anticipation.
Faith involves having complete trust in God – complete trust in His power, His promises and His plan of redemption16 – not only when things are going the way we like, but especially when they aren’t (c.f. Psalm 62:8). Love involves our affection for God, and others – and includes loving the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul and strength – and our neighbors (both Christian and non-Christian) as ourselves (c.f. Matthew 22:37-40). While hope (in this instance) has to do with believing that the “salvation” promised to us will be ours (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:8) – especially in light of the coming of the Day of the Lord. Hence, Paul goes on to say in verse nine that, “God has not destined US for wrath, but for obtaining SALVATION through our Lord Jesus Christ” (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:9).
Nothing the world has to offer – nothing we might stumble across in the darkness – will give us more hope, or comfort (c.f. I Thessalonians 4:18), or encouragement than that (c.f. I Thessalonians 5:11), when the Day of the Lord finally comes.
1MacArthur: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary;
1 & 2 Thessalonians; p. 154.
2http://www.usscouts.org/advance/boyscout/bsmotto.asp
3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scout_Motto
4Trinity Hymnal: O Lord, How Shall I Meet You; #156.
5http://www.wpcpca.org/Archive/06-13-10-am.html
http://www.wpcpca.org/Archive/06-27-10-am.html
http://www.wpcpca.org/Archive/07-11-10-am.html
6http://www.wpcpca.org/Archive/07-11-10-am.html
7The English Standard Study Bible: Footnote on I Thessalonians
5:2-3; p. 2310.
8Hendricksen: New Testament Commentary; I and II
Thessalonians; p. 123.
9The English Standard Study Bible: Footnote on I Thessalonians
5:4; p. 2310.
10MacArthur: Ibid; pgs. 156-157.
11IBID; p. 158.
12IBID; p. 159.
13The English Standard Study Bible: Footnote on I Thessalonians
5:6; p. 2310.
14MacArthur: Ibid; p. 160.
15Hendricksen: Ibid; p. 125.
16MacArthur: Ibid; p. 161.
17Hendricksen: Ibid; p. 126.