The Light and the Darkness
1 Thessalonians 5v4-7
28th January 2022
We've been thinking about the second coming of Jesus Christ, as described in 1 Thessalonians, Chapters 4 and 5. In the first 3 verses of Chapter 5, Paul reminded us that nobody knows when this will happen:
1 Thessalonians 5:1-3
Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,
for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
While people are saying, "Peace and safety", destruction will come on them suddenly,
as labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
Paul continues:
1 Thessalonians 5:4-7
But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a
thief.
You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to
the darkness.
So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and
self-controlled.
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.
When Jesus comes back, all those who've denied Him, who've tried to live without Him, who've tried to build a life, a society, a world without God, will be terrified, will be judged, will be lost. But all those who have surrendered to Jesus's love, and chosen to follow Him, however imperfectly we do that, will be absolutely thrilled when He returns.
We don't know the day of Jesus's return any more than our neighbours do, but when Jesus comes back, we won't be surprised as if we've been burgled, we'll be absolutely delighted!
On the Day of Judgement we will stand justified. We are sons of the light.
Paul's metaphor here is that the church age in which we live is darkness for those who haven't responded to the Gospel of Christ, but it's light for we who've surrendered our lives to Jesus.
Paul describes those who don't love Jesus as either spiritually asleep, unaware of what God has done, what God is doing and what God will do, or as drunk, intoxicated. They're drunk on sin, drunk on humanism, drunk on their own ideas. Drunk on Extinction Rebellion, drunk on ambition and money, drunk on Black Lives Matter, drunk on Gay Pride, drunk on vegetarianism, drunk on Brexit, drunk on Remain, drunk on football, drunk on whiskey, drunk on whatever distracts them from the kingdom of God.
You may believe that some of the things in that list are good things. But even good things are bad for us if they distract us from the best things, from the necessary things. Anything that distracts us from God is harmful to us.
Jesus said:
Luke 9:24-25
… whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will
save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his
very self [or his soul, or his life]?
When Jesus returns, those who chose to focus on worldly matters, and push God away, will be condemned to an eternity without God. And they can't complain, because that what they chose on earth. Paul wrote about this in:
Romans 2:5-10
But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath
against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be
revealed.
God "will give to each person according to what he has done."
To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality, he will
give eternal life.
But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will
be wrath and anger.
There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the
Jew, then for the Gentile;
but glory, honour and peace for everyone who does good."
We receive on the Day of Judgement, and for all eternity, what we choose on earth.
Be clear: We can choose to live in the light of God, or we can choose to live in the darkness, and there are consequences. Refusing God's grace and mercy, denying God's authority, despising God's moral teaching, neglecting God's work, is sin. We can choose to follow God, or we can choose to ignore God. And eternally, we'll get what we choose.