1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

I believe that was a blessing to many of us this morning.

Would you take the Word of God with me and turn to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5?

1 Thessalonians 5 · chapter mention

We're beginning our last chapter in 1 Thessalonians as we've been on this book going through for

several months and, well, last couple of months anyway.

And, Lord willing, this Sunday and the next, we will finish up Paul's first letter to the

church in Thessalonica.

1 Thessalonians chapter 5, we'll read beginning in verse 1 in just a moment.

1 Thessalonians 5 · chapter mention

Before I get into that, I want to share two verses from Luke chapter 12.

Luke 12 · chapter mention

Luke chapter 12, you don't have to turn there, stay in 1 Thessalonians unless you want to

Luke 12 · chapter mention

flip over quickly, but Luke chapter 12, verse 2, there is nothing covered that won't be uncovered.

Luke 12:2

Nothing hidden that won't be made known.

Therefore, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light.

And what you have whispered in an ear in private rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

Let's go over to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 in verse 1.

1 Thessalonians 5 · chapter mention

About the times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need anything to be written to you.

For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord, remember that phrase, will come

just like a thief in the night.

When they say peace and security, then sudden destruction will come upon them like labor pains

on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

But you, brothers and sisters, watch this, are not in the dark for this day to surprise you like a thief.

For you are all children of light and children of the day.

We do not belong to the night or the darkness.

So then, let us not sleep like the rest, but let us stay awake and be self-controlled.

For those who sleep, sleep at night.

And those who get drunk, get drunk at night.

But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled.

And put on the armor of faith and love and a helmet of the hope of salvation.

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, speaking of whether we live or die,

we may live together with him.

Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.

Would you pray with me?

Lord Jesus, I thank you for your word that pierces to the heart.

I pray that you would shine your light into the dark places.

That you would remind us that we belong to the day.

And it's in Jesus' name we ask it.

Amen.

That's the theme this morning.

We belong to the day.

Taken straight from 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 1.

1 Thessalonians 5 · chapter mention

The takeaway I hope that we can all walk out of here with this morning.

The challenge to carry into our week is to let Jesus light up the darkness in and around us.

Let Jesus light up the darkness in and around us.

Back in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, down there in verse 2, it talks about the day of the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 5 · chapter mention

So what does it mean when it says the day of the Lord?

What is the day of the Lord?

The day of the Lord is God's future plan of His return, His rapture, His reign, and reckoning.

So what do we mean by that?

We don't know exactly the order or the timing of when these events will take place with certainty.

And if you ask different theologians or different pastors exactly how that's all going to play out,

you'll get a different answer every time just about.

There are all kinds of different views on the millennium, God's thousand-year reign here on earth.

There are all kinds of views, viewpoints on the tribulation time that the Bible says will be happening here on earth.

And even Christians may or may not go through the tribulation time, the church here.

And there's all different kinds of views of what events and at what point of that event is the rapture,

God bringing the church home to heaven.

We don't know exactly when with certainty, but we know it will happen.

God will return.

He will rapture His church.

He will reign.

And there will be a day of reckoning.

There will be a day of judgment.

So that's what it's talking about.

Generally speaking, the day of the Lord.

Malachi chapter 4 and verse 1 references the day of the Lord.

Malachi 4 · chapter mention

It says, look, the day of the Lord is coming, burning like a furnace when all the arrogant and everyone, watch this,

who commits wickedness will become stubble.

The coming day will consume them, says the Lord of armies, not leaving them root or branches.

You think God hates wickedness?

You think God hates darkness?

You think God hates sin?

Oftentimes, we love to cling to the parts of God that are most appealing and attractive to us.

But just like we have to take the whole counsel of this book,

every page, every word inspired by God and given to us for direct application to our life,

we must also take the entire scope of what we read about our God.

You can't pick and choose and cherry pick the parts of God that you like and the parts you don't like.

God hates wickedness.

And in the end, God will judge the wicked.

But then in verse 2 of Malachi chapter 4,

Malachi 4 · chapter mention

But to you who fear my name,

to you who fear my name,

the son of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings.

Who's he talking about when he says the son of righteousness?

Talk back to me, church.

Jesus.

Thank you.

Whoever said that.

I think it was Aubrey.

There you go.

Good job.

That's right.

The son of righteousness is Jesus.

And he will arise with healing in his wings.

For those who what?

Fear my name.

So the challenge this morning,

walk in the light.

Walk in the light.

Would you turn with me over?

We don't have it on the screens,

and that's intentional.

Would you turn with me over to 1 John chapter 1 and verse 5.

1 John 1 · chapter mention

If you didn't bring a Bible with you,

there's one in the pew back in front of you.

1 John chapter 1 and verse 5.

1 John 1 · chapter mention

Let's read 1 John 1, 5,

down through verse 7 together.

For sake of time, I'm going to go ahead and read.

This is the message we have heard from him

and declare to you,

God is light.

And there is absolutely no darkness in him.

If we say we have fellowship with him,

and I think just about everybody in this room

would say I have fellowship with God.

You would lump yourself into that category.

So if we say we have fellowship with God,

and yet we walk in darkness,

we are lying.

And are not practicing the truth.

If we walk in the light,

as he himself is in the light,

we have fellowship with one another.

Folks, we cannot have fellowship with one another

if some of us are walking in the light,

and some of us are walking in darkness.

I didn't make that up.

It's in the Bible.

We must be united

in striving every day

to walk in the light of fellowship with God.

And abhor the darkness.

Run from the darkness.

Flee the devil and his wickedness.

Then we have fellowship with one another.

And at the end of verse 7,

the blood of Jesus Christ,

the blood of Jesus his son,

cleanses us from all sin.

That's what cleanses us.

Y'all, we're not talking about living as perfect people.

That will never happen.

As long, and we talked about it last week,

as long as we are wrapped in this sinful flesh,

there will constantly be a struggle

between this flesh and what this flesh wants,

and the spirit inside of us,

and what he wants.

And the key is to win more battles for the spirit

than you lose.

The key is to continue on striving

to listen to the spirit

and not walk in the darkness.

It doesn't mean that sometimes

the darkness isn't going to creep in.

It doesn't mean that sometimes

the darkness isn't going to overwhelm us,

and we have to then turn back

to the spirit.

Every one of us will fall,

but the righteous man falls seven times

and does what?

Rises again.

Gets back up.

You don't walk in the darkness.

You don't live there.

You don't stay there.

You get back in the light

because we belong to the light.

We belong to the day.

God saved us from the darkness.

He saved us from the wickedness.

You aren't trapped by that anymore.

Unless you still are.

Unless you still are trapped by that,

and you're playing church.

You're playing Christian.

You're putting on this front.

You're trying to act like

you're one of God's people,

and you're not.

And you're not hurting anybody

except you.

God loves you.

He wants you.

The invitation is stretched out to you,

and all you have to do

is give up and say yes.

We are to walk in the light.

There's a pastor that I read frequently

from time to time.

He's written some encouraging books,

especially on the Christian life and walk.

And he says,

walking in the light means

we pursue obedience

and are honest

about our remaining darkness.

darkness.

I think that's a great way to put it.

We are not perfect.

There will still be darkness

that creeps in,

but we are honest

about our struggles.

We are honest

about our frailties,

about our weaknesses.

We open up.

We're vulnerable.

And we get one another's help

and God's help

in dealing with it.

Walking in the light

means we pursue God.

We pursue obedience to Him.

And we're honest

about where we fall.

And when we fall,

we can lift each other up.

I might need you to lift me up.

You might need me to lift you up.

You might need one another

to help lift you up.

And fight back

against the darkness.

We're all prone to it.

We're all weak.

But we don't live there.

We don't walk in it.

We don't continue on.

Back in 1 Thessalonians 5,

you, brothers and sisters,

are not in the dark.

You are all children of light,

children of the day.

We do not belong to the night

or the darkness.

Number two,

wake up from sleep.

Walk in the light

and wake up from sleep.

Over in Romans chapter 13.

Romans 13 · chapter mention

And again,

I'd ask you to turn there

if you would.

Romans chapter 13

Romans 13 · chapter mention

and verse 11.

We've got a few verses

to read in Romans chapter 13.

Romans 13 · chapter mention

This is the prime soteriological book

of the Bible.

That just means it has to do

with the doctrine of salvation,

how to be saved.

Romans lays it out for us

that we are wicked,

but God loves us anyway.

He sent his son Jesus

to die for us.

And because of the sacrifice

that Jesus made on the cross for us,

you and I can be saved.

We just have to turn to him,

turn away from our sin,

ask God for forgiveness,

and put all of our faith

that he will save us.

Then,

we can be saved.

And that's what Romans

spends a good deal of time

talking about.

So in chapter 13,

down in verse 11,

besides this,

since you know the time,

it is already the hour

for you to wake up

from sleep.

Because now,

our salvation is nearer

than when we first believed.

The night is nearly over,

and the day is near.

So let us discard,

watch this,

discard the deeds of darkness,

and put on the armor of light.

Let us walk with decency,

as in the daytime,

not in carousing and drunkenness,

not in sexual impurity

and promiscuity,

not in quarreling and jealousy,

but put on the Lord Jesus Christ,

and don't make plans

to gratify the desires of the flesh.

Don't make plans

to gratify the desires of the flesh.

Walk with decency,

as in the daytime.

Discard the deeds of darkness.

Put on, arm yourself,

protect yourself

with the armor of light.

We are equipped

with everything we need

to fight back

against the darkness

that surrounds us.

You walk out of this church,

and the truth is,

you look around inside this church,

and there is darkness.

You walk out in the world around us,

we are bombarded constantly

with darkness,

with wickedness,

with all those things

that we just read about

in Romans 13.

The sexual impurity,

the promiscuity,

the carousing and drunkenness,

quarreling and jealousy,

it finds its way

into the church,

and it's sure enough

outside the church.

It's everywhere.

So how in the world

can we,

who are surrounded

by so much darkness,

live in light?

But we have to arm ourselves.

Put on the whole armor of God

that you can be able

to stand in the evil day.

When all the darts

come against you,

all the temptations

come against you,

you are strong enough

to withstand

if you arm yourself

with the armor of light.

Otherwise,

you're a sitting duck.

You can't fight back

against the powers of darkness,

but with the power of light

inside of you,

it is strong enough.

It is stronger than anything.

Where sin abounded,

grace much more abounded.

God is stronger than the devil.

The spirit is stronger

than your flesh.

But you have to give in

to the spirit.

You have to stop

giving in to the flesh.

You have to say no to yourself.

We all do.

Time and time again,

we will face this battle.

I wish I could say

it's all going to get easier

from here.

But until we get home

to heaven someday,

that's why we look

with such great anticipation

to see our Jesus,

to see our Savior,

to see His second coming

and rapture us home to heaven.

It's going to be wonderful

and finally the battle

will be over.

Finally,

we'll quit losing

these battles.

Finally,

He'll bring us home

to heaven someday.

But until that day,

He did not leave us alone.

He did not leave us abandoned.

He left us with everything

we need.

His Holy Spirit.

His Word,

which contains every instruction

we need for life.

It's there.

What are we going to do with it?

Wake up from sleep.

Walk in the light.

Wake up from your sleep.

Maybe there's people

in here this morning

who are living in the dark.

You're walking in the dark.

Maybe there's people

who are asleep

and it's time to wake up.

It's time to put on

the armor of light.

It's time to walk

in the light

that Jesus gives.

You know who you are.

You know what you've done.

You know whatever it is.

There's no possible way

that I could know

everything that's going on

in your life,

in your heart.

But you do.

And God does.

And He's calling to you

this morning.

He's saying,

I can shine my light

into the dark areas.

Let me do it.

Folks, if you're walking

in darkness,

you know what you're going

to produce?

The fruits of darkness.

If you're walking

in the light,

you're going to produce

the fruit of God's light.

So what are the action steps?

Number one,

find self-control

by daily surrender

to spirit control.

It's a continual battle.

We're always going to face it.

Paul wrote about it

in the book of Romans.

He said,

the things I want to do,

I find myself not doing.

The things I don't want to do,

that's what I find myself doing.

We will all continually

struggle with this,

but it's about giving in

to the Spirit

and surrendering self-control.

You will get yourself

in trouble.

I will get myself in trouble.

The Holy Spirit

is the only one

that will keep me

from being ashamed.

Paul said in Romans 1.16,

I am not ashamed

of the gospel of Christ.

There was plenty other things

in Paul's life

that he had to be ashamed of.

He killed Christians,

for goodness sakes.

I really hope

there's nobody in here

who's killed Christians.

Otherwise,

we've got another problem.

We've got a security team,

though,

so just so you're aware.

Paul had done

terrible,

despicable things

that he was ashamed of,

but he said,

I found one thing

that I'm not ashamed of,

and it's the gospel of Jesus.

And so if you stay

in the light

and you walk in the light,

then you will not

be shamed by that.

You will not hang

your head in shame

when it's revealed

what you've done

in the light.

But how many times

have you and I,

you don't need to raise your hand,

how many times

have you and I

been ashamed

of what we did in the dark?

So we must find

self-control by how?

Man, you say,

you figured out

the secret to self-control?

That's great, man.

You should go make

a billion dollars

and sell a bunch of books

and speak at a bunch

of conferences.

It's by surrendering

to spirit control.

I'm sorry,

I wish there was

an easier answer,

but there's not.

For you or for me,

we must surrender

to the Holy Spirit

and give up self.

Secondly,

find an accountability partner.

That's where it gets sticky.

You can't fight

this battle alone.

God never intended

for you to fight

this battle alone.

You've got darkness

that's overwhelming you.

It's beating you up.

You can't seem

to shake it.

You can't seem

to find the light.

You need help.

This church

is here to help.

We're not a trophy club.

We're a hospital.

But sometimes we act

more like a trophy club.

There are people

all throughout this church

who would love

to help you

bear your burden.

Keep it confident.

Keep it quiet.

Deal with it only

in the circles

it needs to be dealt with.

But we,

as the body of Christ,

are here to help

and are called

to help one another.

If you're ignoring

that help,

that's on you.

It's not on us.

Find self-control

by daily surrender

to spirit control.

Find an accountability

partner.

I'd be happy to do it.

I'd be happy

to help you

find someone else.

Someone you love.

Someone you trust.

Someone who you know

and loves you.

Cares about you.

So the takeaway is

let Jesus

light up

the darkness

in and around you.

It's a hard sermon

to preach

but we're preaching

the text

as it comes up.

We are not

children of the dark.

So let us not

walk in the darkness.

Let us not live

publicly

or privately

like those

without Christ.

let Jesus

shine his light

because God

wants to do

incredible things.

Bear incredible

fruit

of his light

in your life.

We belong

to the day.

Let's pray together.

Lord Jesus

I don't know

what's on every heart

this morning.

I know what's on mine.

I just ask

that you would

convict us

God

as only

you are able

shine your light

into the dark

places.

In our hearts

around us

there's people

who want to share

the gospel

with others

in their

neighborhood

in their

community

at their

workplace

and it just

seems like

they're surrounded

by darkness.

Every time

we wake up

in this world

it seems like

there's so little

light

but your light

is more powerful

than the darkness.

Remind us of that.

Let us not be

overcome

by the darkness.

Let us not

be overwhelmed

by the night.

Joy comes

in the morning.

You do

incredible things

with sunrises

if we study

the scriptures.

You can make

a sunrise

in our day.

we claim

the healing

from the

sun of

righteousness

that you

mentioned

in Malachi.

God I ask

that you would

convict hearts

convict my heart

shine your light

into the darkest

areas of our

hearts

illuminate it

and then help

us to take

the steps

needed.

Daily go to

the word

daily go to

you in prayer.

Find an

accountability

partner

and daily

go to

seek spirit

control over

self-control.

Lord we need

it.

This town

doesn't need

any more

fruits of

darkness.

Our families

don't need

any more

fruits of

darkness.

This church

sure doesn't

need any

more fruits

of darkness.

Shine the

light God.

There's

somebody here

who says

God has

never

shined his

light into

my heart.

prayer.

I need to

ask him to

forgive my

sins.

Put my

faith in

him to

save me.

Would you

slip your

hand up

right now?

Nobody's

looking around

but I'd

like to see

you and

pray for

you.

Would you

slip your

hand up

right now?

I need

to ask

Jesus to

forgive me

of my

sins.

Put all

my faith

in him

as my

savior.

Thank you.

You can put

your hands

down.

God,

I mean if

you would

say I

need prayer.

I'm not

going to

get specific

of what

it is but

I need

prayer.

Would you

slip your

hand up

this morning?

Thank you.

God,

you know

every heart

and you know

every situation.

Just ask

that you

would convict

us through

your scriptures.

Let us

walk in the

light God.

it's in

Jesus'

name we

ask it.

Amen.

Brother

Gray.