The Day of the Lord

Transcript

GR 1125
6/16/1986
The Day of the Lord
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
Gil Rugh


We’re going to be in I Thessalonians and the 5th chapter in our study together. I Thessalonians chapter 5. Much going on in the world around us and the events of the day that we as believers ought to be sensitive to. And Paul is writing about prophetic matters in the latter part of I Thessalonians and I'm addressing particularly the issue of the 'Day of the Lord.’ And how the realization that the 'Day of the Lord’ is coming ought to affect us as believers and in the way that we live our lives. This particular theme continues over from chapter 4 in first Thessalonians. We’re in verses 13-18, Paul talks about the rapture of the church. The rapture of the church being that point in time when all believers are bodily removed from the earth. And the dead in Christ are raised incorruptible, then those who are alive and who remain bodily transformed and caught up to meet Jesus Christ in the air. That’s to be a source of comfort for us as be 1ievers—an encouragement to us as we confront difficulties, trials and particularly as Paul writes the death of loved ones. The realization that we as believers are destined to spend eternity together in God’s presence to be a source of comfort to us.

Then chapter 5 begins, ''Now as the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.’’ The Thessalonians have been well instructed by Paul regarding future events and I think that helps to put into perspective the importance of prophecy. Some believers have the idea that prophecy, whatever God is going to do in the future is alright with me. And I leave that in His hands. And yet Paul made the point when he had been at a place a short time like Thessalonica. He had led these people to the Lord and yet what did he ground them in? Now one of the areas was prophetic truth. And he says regarding the times and the epochs. The times are the spans of time; the epochs the events that go on in those time periods. You don’t have need for anything to be written to you. This doesn’t mean that they know everything. But Paul was confident that they have a good understanding and a good grasp of the events that will be coming. The time as God has laid it out and the events that will take place in the coming time.

Where he’s going to pick up is events following the rapture of the church. So he says in verse 2:
''For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.’’ And the subject at hand is the 'Day of the Lord.’ An expression that is drawn from the Old Testament and it encompasses a period of time beginning with the tribulation which follows the rapture of the church, running on through the millennium, including the new heavens and the new earth brought into existence by God at the end of the Millennium. So that’s the framework of the 'Day of the Lord.’ The tribulation, the seventieth week of Daniel, the millennial reign of Christ and the new heavens and the new earth created by God at the end of the millennium.

Come back to the Old Testament with me, Isaiah chapter 2. I want to look at several passages In the old Testament where the 'day of the Lord is referred to so we get some idea of what the flavor and the emphasis of that period of time is. We’re not going to look at all the references. I’ve just selected out a few as examples. Isaiah chapter two, verse 12: ''For the Lord of hosts will have a day of reckoning.’’ And the way we’re used to it being 'The Day of the Lord,’ we don’t have here, but the concept of that day. It is day of reckoning, ''Against everyone who is proud and lofty, and against everyone who is lifted up, that he may be abased.’’ So here you see that the context of the 'Day of the Lord,’ is going to be one of reckoning and a day of judgment.

Look over in Isaiah chapter 13. Isaiah chapter 13, verse 6. ''Wail, for the day of the Lord is near! It will come as destruction from the Almighty.’’ Down to verse 9, ''Behold the day of the Lord is coming, Cruel, with fury and burning anger, to make the land a desolation; And He will exterminate its sinners from it.’’ That idea of judgment is an analogy used here that we’ll see also in Paul’s writing in I Thessalonians 5 in verse 8. He talks about a woman in labor and that picture will be drawn out by Paul as well. So it’s a time of judgment and suffering and of anguish.

Look over in the book of Joel. You got toward the back of your bible. The book of Daniel, then the book of Hosea and then into the book of Joel. The book of Joel has much to say about the day of the Lord, really the theme of the book of Joel. In Joel 1:15, ''Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is near, and it will come as destruction from the Almighty.'' day of the Lord comes as a time of destruction. Down into chapter 2:1. ''Blow a trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, For the day of the Lord is coming; surely it is near, A day of darkness and gloom,’’ and so on.

Down to verse 11, ''And the Lord utters His voice before His army. Surely His camp is very great, For strong is He who carries out His word. The day of the Lord is indeed great and very awesome, and who can endure it? Down to verse 31, ''The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And in chapter 3:14, a very familiar verse. ''Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.

Keep going to the back of your bible to Zephaniah. Zephaniah, just a few books from the end of the Old Testament. Zephaniah chapter 1:14. ''Near is the great day of the Lord. Near and coming very quickly; Listen the day of the Lord! In it the warrior cries out bitterly. A day of wrath is that day. A day of trouble and distress, A day of destruction and desolation, A day of darkness and gloom, A day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of trumpet and battle cry, against the fortified cities and the high corner towers. And I will bring distress on me, So that they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord; And their blood will be poured out like dust, And their flush like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them on the day of the Lord’s wrath; And all the earth will be devoured in the fire of His jealousy, For He will make a complete end, Indeed a terrifying one, Of all the inhabitants of the earth.’’ And here in Zephaniah you see a stress on the second coming of Christ and the judgment associated with that second coming.

Go to the back of your New Testament to II Peter. The book of II Peter. We’re going to look at this verse just to give you some idea of the extent of the day of the Lord; that it goes all the way through the millennium and includes events after the millennium also. In II Peter 3:10, ''But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.’’ That event which occurs at the end of the millennium, when God brings into existence a new heavens and a new earth, destroying this present earth and the present heavens surrounding the earth. So far as the time frame work we’re look all the way from the tribulation through the tribulation, the millennium and the events and the end of the millennium. But the real focal point and the expression, 'The day of the Lord,’ is on the judgment that takes place. The judgment in the tribulation. The judgment that’s associated with the coming of the Lord. Even the judgments here and the destruction of this present earth and surrounding universe consuming the works that are characteristic of it as well.

So when you come to I Thessalonians 5, Paul's emphasis in this passage relates to judgment and destruction and he’s looking at it from the aspect of the coming of the day of the Lord and he wants to talk about the fact that the day of the Lord is coming and what does that have to do with us. So what, we’re going to be caught up in the rapture before the day of the Lord comes. So what difference does it make? In effect who cares? Does it really have a lot to do with me? And yet God says it’s very important for me to understand it and know about it so I live my life properly in light of the coming of that day.

In chapter 5 of 1st Thessalonians and in verse 2, Paul says, ''...you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.’’ This day will come suddenly and when people are not expecting it. That’s been an emphasis in a number of passage, you'll note that we read. That there is a suddenness about this event and people aren’t expecting it. So it's like a thief coming in the night. You're just not expecting him. Someone breaks in and robs your house, you don't say, 'I thought you’d be coming.’ It’s a surprise. We’re not expecting it.

Verse 3, ''While they are saying, 'Peace and safety!,’ the word is the idea of security to believer that they have peace and security now--then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.’’ Now interestingly in anticipation of this day, people will have deluded themselves into thinking they have safety and security. A certain comfort and peace. That'll be the attitude of the unbelieving world as they approach the day of the Lord.

Now perhaps the real time o£ this will be during the first period of the great tribulation--the first period of the seven year tribulation. Where that first three and a half years seems to be of relatively tranquility, primarily due to the power of the influence on the anti-Christ in the western world. It's going to be a time of peace and tranquility. But it’s a false peace and it is an unreal security. I think events going on in the world with the turmoil and so on today are very interesting in light of what the bible says about the coming anti-Christ. How the world would long for a man, we're talking about the western world right now with a revived Roman empire. An individual who would be strong enough to put things back together again. To put an end to the madness that begins to seem to tear apart the fabric of society and make living an faded dream. And yet the Anti-Christ is going to come on the scene as a man who has the power to solidify the western world and bring it into a state of peace and tranquility.

Jesus talked about this period of time. Look over in Luke chapter 17. Luke chapter 17! He talks about events preceding and leading up to the middle of the great tribulation when great persecution will break out and then the events through those last three and a half years climaxing with His dramatic return to earth in judgment to establish His kingdom. In verse 26, %%And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it shall be also in the days of the Son of Han: they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.'1 I mean, they weren't expecting it. No matter what Noah had preached, no matter what Noah had lived, the destruction and judgment of the flood, caught the unbeliever unaware and unsuspecting. It came as a surprise in spite of the fact that Noah was a preacher of righteousness and for 120 years they have been warned the fact that it was coming, when it came they weren't expecting it.

Another example, verse 28, %'It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: They were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building; but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed,'' and so on. Life going on. People enjoying life, relative security that goes on the world today. We still go about our routine few in this part of the world even though in other parts of the world hundreds and thousands of people will starve to death today. That's sad! But life goes on. Even though there are people being persecuted and suffering indescribable kinds of atrocity, that's terrible--but life goes on. We go through our normal routine. We'll go out to dinner this week, or we'll get together with friends. I'm not saying that's wrong, I'm saying that's the way the world goes. And generally that's the way the world will be going in the face of impending judgment. And when the wrath of God breaks forth it will be on an unsuspecting world who is not thinking that judgment is coming at all. In fact, with the false peace and security that the antichrist brings, people will think that they have achieved a greater tranquility and security than they’ve been able to have prior to this.

Look over in Ezekiel chapter 38. Ezekiel chapter 38. Here we’re told by the time you get to the middle of the seven year tribulation, Israel, of all people will be living with a false security having disarmed themselves. Because they feel so secure and that peace. So in Ezekiel 38:11, here you have the enemies of Israel led by Russia in the north. In verse 11, ''and they will say, 'you will say referring to those enemies, I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely, all of them living without walls, and having no bars or gates.’’ Down to verse 14, ''Therefore, prophecy, son of man, and say to Gog, 'Thus says the Lord God, 'On that day when My people Israel are living securely will you not know it?’’ That’s not the way Israel is today. They are ready for war. They are prepared for battle. They have their defensive up. They are a military power in that portion of the world but interestingly also, they are unable to maintain that in these days and the weight of their military costs are consuming the country for the first time. I understand Israel has an exodus rather than an influx. When we were in Israel they shared with us, to keep people from leaving now, they put a tax, if you go on vacation, the person we were talking to, estimated it would cost them some 1500 dollars in taxes just to leave the country just to go on vacation. Think of something of the pressure that’s there. That's not the cost of your vacation. That’s the tax that you want to leave. And yet the time is going to come when there's going to be a person representing the western world is going to offer Israel the opportunity to take all the resources and energy and money and time that have been invested in military might and channel that into the development of the nation. Because the western world will guarantee the security of Israel and Israel is going to accept that offer. And so the first part of the tribulation they will be dwelling at peace. And evidently as a result of the influence of the antichrist, the revived Roman Empire, will have relative peace and tranquility. People will say, 'At last we've come to the place where we can enjoy life.’ But it’s a false and security.

Over in Revelation chapter 13 we may get some indication of how he’s able to pull this off. It’s a supernatural event. So the fact you say, 'I will have a hard time conceiving of that.’ And in one sense you may and in another sense it’s not so difficult. You put the supernatural power of Satan behind this individual and the withdrawal of the spirit, and you have a combination that enables Satan pull off a false Messiah with relative peace.

In revelation 13:4 ''and they worshiped the dragon, the people of the world, ''because he gave his authority to the beast, (and this is the antichrist, the political ruler of the western world during the tribulation), saying who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?’ Here is one who is sovereign and powerful and no one can stand against him. Is it any wonder people feel, now they can have security? That Israel feels safe in this army. No one can stand against this individual and He stands behind us.

Back in II Thessalonians, Paul’s second letters to the Thessalonians, he addresses this issue. Again you see how this all can come about. In II Thessalonians 2:8. Verse 7 talks about the removal of the Holy Spirit, which I take it will happen at the rapture of the church. Not that the Holy Spirit will not be present on earth but He will not present in the way that He is today: Permanently indwelling believers, but be present as He was in the Old Testament. Present on earth as He was during the earthly ministry of Christ. But He came in a special way at Pentecost, He will leave in that special way at the rapture of the church. And the restraint on wickedness and lawlessness will be removed. Verse 8, ''And then that lawless one will be revealed,’’ the lawlessness is another name for the antichrist, the political ruler of the western world. You note this: It is idle speculation to try to guess who the antichrist is or identify him. He will not be revealed until after the Holy Spirit leaves the earth. And that is when the rapture of the church occurs. So all of our guesses or idle speculation an indication from Daniel, which calls him a 'little horn,’ will indicate that he will be an irrelevant person at the beginning. So not one that we would pick out or identify. But following the rapture of the church, he’s going to rise to power very quickly. So if the rapture of the church is going to occur this week, he is a man positioned by Satan to move very quickly, to take control of events in the common- market nation and to rise to power under the control of Satan. ''And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.

So you see, this man is supernaturally empowered. He has the activity of satan with powers and signs and false wonders. And here you see Satan with a freedom to display his power. This is the Satan who took Christ up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and offered them to Christ if He would bow down. A being of tremendous power and now he has the freedom and liberty to manifest and direct that power through his false Messiah. I take it the antichrist is going to be a tremendous person. A dynamic person. A person that whom the peoples of the world will be attracted. He will be in the ultimate sense a charismatically magnetic personality and coupled with that, he will have the power to pull things together. Because he will be ruling the kingdom of satan under the authority of satan.

I take it we will be amazed. I think we'll hear about it in heaven, of what he is able to pull off, if you will, in this fractured earth very quickly in the opening days of the tribulation. Verse 11, ''And for this reason, God will send upon them a deluding Influence so that they might believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in it wickedness.'' So you see you have a combination of things of what is happening. You have Satan supernaturally empowering the man of his choice; the Spirit of God having been removed in His restraining influence, so Satan has a liberty now to take over the world that he has not had and to rule it through this one man who is the false Christ. That is coupled with the work of God in bringing the delusion upon people so that they are more susceptible to the influence of this satan antichrist. That combination will resolve in mass turning to the antichrist as the leader. It will happen in a very short time, I take it. If the rapture of the church would occur, I take it would be very quickly. When you put those two forces together, God bringing a deluding influence on the world, Satan free to demonstrate his power, well I think it would be overwhelming to see who quickly Satan's man is able to solidify his authority in the western world. And in fact there's going to be a false peace for the western world and for the, particularly, the nation Israel.

So you come back to I Thessalonians 5. You see something involved then, when the people are saying peace and safety our security and destruction is looming. You have the destruction coming from God and we have the trials of the tribulation that will be poured out on the earth and it will intensify in those last three and a half years when persecution breaks out. When
the catastrophes of nature that God brings on the earth break forth in all anticipation for the coming of Christ. This destruction will be eternal destruction that Paul writes to the Thessalonians, in II Thessalonians chapter 1:8, and says, these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.

Verse 4, ''But you, brethren, what a refreshing contrast to describe the day of the Lord of something that what it will be like, ''are not in darkness, that the day should overtake you like a thief. There's a sharp contrast. Believers are not in darkness. Remember Paul wrote to the Colossians 1:13 and he says, 'that we have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of His beloved Son. Those in darkness have no spiritual perception or spiritual understanding. Now it's important that we should not be surprised and overtaken by these events. Why? Because we know what is going on. Believers are to be sensitive to what is happening in the world and what is taking place around us. We are those who are expecting the coming of Christ at the rapture. We foresee the coming of judgment upon the earth, ''for you are sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;'' Over in Ephesians 5:8, Paul writes, 'You were formerly darkness, now you are light in the Lord.' That's what we were— darkness, people without spiritual understanding or spiritual perception. Now we are light in the Lord. We are sons of light. We partake of the quality of light of the day. We have the ability to perceive and understand spiritual truth. Here is a danger after we have been believers for a while, we begin to take this for granted.

How many people who are believers really excited about the word of God, really being excited about being in the word of God. We fail to understand the great privilege, the great responsibility. We are the sons of light. We are those who are privileged and responsible to know and understand the truth of God. And that's what Paul is writing to here. Remind us who we are and how we are to function. We don't have to be muddling around, well, Oh, I wonder what is happening today? The average Christian know more about the details of the sporting events than he does of coming events in scripture. Tragic situation--we're son’s of light and sons of day. We're not of night or darkness. That fine--so what? So then be alert and be prepared. That's what he has to say. You know that affects the way you live. You say, that's all fine but that's all the tribulation. That's all coming judgment we're going to be gone in the rapture. Yes but an understanding of this affects the way that I live. It means that I'm to be an alert person, first of all. Tell you about that in verses 6 & 7. And then I'm to be a prepared one in verse 8. I take it that a Christian who doesn't know anything about prophecy is walking around in a puddle, not quite sure of what's happening. And he's a pathetic case because he's a son of light but got his eyes closed. That pathetic and beyond that it is sin.

So then, verse 6, So then, let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. Sleep here refers to indifference. And in indifference, the spiritual reality on the part of believers, now that’s the tragedy of this. He has the right of believers and tell them not to be asleep, (and sleep here does not refer to death, he used a different word over in chapter 4:13ff where he talked about the physical death of believers--he used the word to sleep there. It’s a different word than used here. Word here refers to moral and spiritual insensitivity.) He’s walking around unaware of what is going on. He’s spiritually insensitive. Some believers live like that. It’s hard to tell them from the world. What occupies their thinking when they get up in the morning? Their job, or the activities of the day and the things of this life. They don't have time for the word of God. You know I try to sit in a snatch once or twice a week. I can fit in a little passage, at least I try to get the truth on Sunday morning. You ought to get an hour in at least. And just get all caught up in everything else. Asleep, insensitive. Paul tells us we're not to be surprised by coming events. We're not to sleep as others do. And the world function that way. They're in a sleep. They’re running around trying to get all the possessions and all the treasures and everything life has to offer. And you know they are so dumb, and so stupid. And you know why? Judgment is coming and it’s all be destroyed. It's an exercise in futility. Now there's nothing wrong with having things. Nothing wrong with acquiring things. Put them in perspective. We need to be careful, they overwhelm me, the wealth of this world, remember.

But the world is consumed in it. They’re sleeping. They don’t regard real spiritual truth, they're asleep. This is Paul writing to believers. Isn't it amazing that you have to say to believers, 'Don't you sleep like others do.' 'Don't you close your eyes and pretend you don't understand and render yourself, though. You be alert and still sober. ''For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.’’? Picture here of when you sleep and when you're not sober. At night—but we're not children of night, remember, we're sons of the day! So don't go over here and live like a child of darkness who is sleeping regarding spiritual truth and spiritual reality. I'm a child of light for I'm alive and up and going. That's not hard to understand. You know there are parts of the world where it's the middle of the night. When we were overseas, then you go into their time change. You get all adjusted to that, and you come back home and you're on the wrong schedule. So the first few days we were at home, I woke up at three o'clock in the morning, I was just ready to go. But let me tell you when it's five o'clock in the evening, I was sleeping at the supper table. You know what, I was day time here but I was sleeping like those in the night time over there. Well some believers are like that. Here we are with the full light of God's word. I know what's coming. I know Jesus Christ is coming again. I know that wrath and judgment is going to be poured out on this world. I know reality and I close my eyes and go around like what really matters is the size of my house, my income and my influence and my social set and--you know what am I doing? I’m living like those who are asleep who have no sensitivity and no understanding of true spiritual reality and true spiritual significance. We're to be alert.

Note what else he says in verse 8. ''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.’’ Of those who are alert we have put our armament. And he develops the details of the armor of the believer in Ephesians chapter 6. But here me mentions two parts of this. The breastplate that protected the vital organs over the chest and the stomach area. The breastplate--that is faith and love, he identifies it. Faith our trust in Christ and reliance upon Him and Love that manifesting of the character of Christ with our relationship with one another as believers. And the helmet which is the hope of salvation. The hope of our salvation--we’re looking for the blessed hope as Paul wrote to Titus in chapter 2. The blessed hope which is what? The appearing of the glory of the great God is who is our Savior Jesus Christ. So I as a believer am to be outfitted in my armor. My faith and reliance in Christ and His word, manifesting love for other believers with my hope fixed on the coming of Christ. That’s how I live alertly as a child of God. Trusting His word, living for other believers and anticipating the coming of Christ. And that’s going to mark me off from the world because they're not trusting Christ in His word. They don’t have that love for other believers and a willingness to give of themselves for other believers, because they're not believers themselves. And they don’t have a hope that they have as the sinner and focal point of their lives.

Verse 9, it’s explanation. He’s been talking about wrath and judgment. But you know we as believers live with a different focal point. For the world--they’re walking around in a stupor not know that judgment is going to overtake them. But for me as a believer, I’m not looking forward to judgment. But I have a hope, salvation, the coming of Christ, the rapture to take me to be with Himself. Verse 9, ''For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.’’ How encouraging that is. When you talk about wrath and destruction to come, but you must understand as believers, God has not destined us to wrath. The wrath here would include the time of the tribulation, the 'Day of the Lord,’ is that time of wrath. It is designated, the book of Revelation, chapter 6:15, 16, and 17 and in chapter 14 and ending in chapter 19, talk about the wrath of the Lamb. The great day of His wrath having come. And you know what? We’re going to miss it.

Because we’re going to be in glory with Him when that all breaks forth and thunders down. That’s the hope I have, my salvation. God hasn’t destined us to wrath. So believers who is going through the tribulation note, that he’s been talking about the day of the Lord and in that framework of the judgment that will characterize that time. But we have been destined for salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us.’’ You ought to underline that! He died for us. You know this is the only time in Paul's letters to the Thessalonians that he makes a point of the personal issue of salvation, stressing the death of Christ on our behalf in providing Him. But behind everything He says this is the only place he makes that point. You can assume, if you will, in his discussion with the Thessalonians and here he reminds them of it. He died for us. That’s the message of the gospel. Christ died for us on behalf of us--it’s a personal issue that whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with Him. Now that’s the purpose he gives. Christ died for us that we might spend out life with Him. And I like the way it's put--whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. And the 'asleep' here, I take it, refers to the sleep he talks about in chapter 4, the sleep of death. So whether we are alive or died we will live with Him. And then He comes to the conclusion, ''Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing.’’ We are those who are destined to enjoy the presence of Christ. But let’s invest our lives, in affect he says, in one another to encourage one another, to build one another up to maturity. This is what you're doing. But continue you on and excel in it is the idea.

So you mean, all that, because you talk about the 'Day of the Lord.’ Doesn't that do something to us? Doesn't that do something to you? We talk about the fact that judgment is coming and this world is going to be consumed in the judgment of God. But God and His grace has provided salvation and He saved YOU! So your destiny is not destruction and judgment, although you deserve it, but it's light in it's presence.

Now until he comes and takes us to be with Himself, we are to invest our lives in serving Him and in loving one another, relying upon His word and anticipating His corning. What a privilege.

I wonder, how are we living our lives. Are we living as those who are alert, who are on guard, or who are sober, or equipped in our armor? Is that what our live is all about? I wonder. I wonder what life is about for us as a body of believers. What motivates us? What drives us on? What really matters? What fills my life through the week? The things that Paul is talking about here? You get up tomorrow morning. Are you going to be thinking about Christ maybe coming today? I'm going out to work, to live amongst a people who are spiritual insensitive. Who are destined for judgment? God give me the special grace to live my life before them in a way that will be attractive. Give me that special love and sensitivity to them that will enable me to reach out to them where they are; that they might here this message and come to know you.

Concern for other believers. God how are you going to use me this week in the lives of other believers. You know for the most people who come to even an evangelical bible believing church, they pack it up on Sunday morning and they're off and their minds are caught up with other things for the rest of the week. What a tragedy! We're going to live our lives asleep. When Christ is coming and we're privileged to know it as sons of the day. What a hope we have. I trust God that he'll use us to affect other believers. You ought to go around and grab hold of the shoulders of some believers and shake them and say, 'Hey, wake up.' 'What do you mean wake up? I'm awake!' 'Oh, you are— didn't think so. Sure haven't evidenced it in the last few months. Are you really alert? Are you really sensitive to the spiritual issues that are at hand? Really alive about those things? Excited that God has allowed us to live for Him in these days?' Trust that we'll be living it and trusting Him at any time. Let's pray together.

Father we praise you for your word. How privileged we are to be the Sons of light, Sons of the Day. Those who have the privilege of having a revelation from you. That we can know and understand and grasp and live. Father, that's our concern that we might take this truth that we've heard and allow the spirit of God to apply it to our lives. Father shake us from the lethargy, from the dullness that so easily overtakes us, as we get absorbed in this world and the things of this world. Make us a people sensitive to spiritual issues that we might represent you, properly. Lord that we might minister to one another effectively. That we might be those expecting and anticipating the coming of Jesus Christ to takes us to the glory of your presence. May we live that way, even in the days before us until Christ comes. We pray in His name. Amen.