1 Thessalonians 5, 1-11.
But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
For you are all children of light, children of the day.
We're not of the night or of the darkness.
So then let us not sleep as others do, but let us keep awake, be sober.
For those who sleep, sleep at night.
Those who get drunk are drunk at night.
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love,
and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we might live with Him.
Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Amen.
Many of you know that I spent my teenage years in a tiny mountain town in East Tennessee.
The town is called Unicoi.
It's a weird name. I don't know where it came from. It's odd.
It matches probably the personality of the town, to be honest.
It's a little bit odd.
The high school I went to, though, it was near Bristol, Virginia, Bristol, Tennessee.
If you know anything about the area, the city sits on the border of the two states,
so I don't really know how you're supposed to refer to it.
But that's where my high school was.
It was just outside of Bristol on the Tennessee side of the city,
which was about a 45-minute drive at the time from where we lived.
But our house was just far enough away that whenever the school sent mail,
the letters or whatever it was that they were sending
typically would arrive at our house in Unicoi about a day later than the rest of my classmates.
And this was before schools digitized everything and communicated everything virtually.
And every nine weeks or so, the school would mail to my parents a report card.
The audacity of such a thing to tell on me to my parents.
They would do that every nine weeks.
And unfortunately, there were a few times that awaiting that report card was a bit torturous, to be honest.
Knowing that I had not applied myself to my studies as my parents expected me to do,
I grew anxious about what we might call the coming day of judgment.
One of the problems is that I didn't know exactly when the report card would make its way to the mailbox.
I didn't know exactly when they would be sent out.
And I didn't know exactly when it would arrive even after it was sent.
And as the inevitable day drew closer, as my anxiety about what might happen grew,
I would start pestering everybody at school about it.
I'd stick my head in the guidance counselor's office.
She seemed to like me.
And I'd say, you know, have you sent out the report cards yet?
I'm just curious when my parents will get to see what I've been doing for the last nine weeks.
And she might would let me know.
And then I'd start going to all my classmates because I told you,
typically the mail would arrive to their house about a day earlier,
usually, than what it would arrive at my house.
And I'd start asking my classmates, did you get your report card yet?
I was trying to prepare myself as best as I could for what was to come,
fearful that what awaited me was the wrath of Harold and Peggy Blankenship.
And sometimes that's exactly what it was.
We come to 1 Thessalonians 5.
We find that some of the Christians in the church of Thessalonica
seemed to have a similar kind of anxiety,
but it was about the second coming of Christ.
That future event is at the heart of this entire letter.
We're learning that now.
Now that we're approaching the end and we're able to start piecing together
all the things that we've seen and heard and read,
we're starting to see there is an underlying theme to the book,
something that Paul continues to drive chapter after chapter after chapter.
And then when we get here, we realize what it is.
The undercurrent of this letter has to do with the return of Jesus.
And from chapter 4 verse 13 through chapter 5 and verse 11,
Paul directly addressed some of the concerns that the Thessalonians had.
In 4, 13 to 18, we understood last week that the issue there
was that they had a lack of information about the future resurrection of the saints
and their lack of information had led to a hopeless grief.
They were beginning to grieve the loss of their brothers and sisters in Christ
in a way that looked more like the unbelieving world where that had no hope
than like those who had the hope of Christ.
But the problem was a lack of information.
And Paul addressed the lack of information in order that they might be comforted in their grief.
When we get to these verses in chapter 5,
the issue isn't a lack of information.
The issue here is a lack of assurance.
And with the lack of assurance came a fearful anxiety
as the day of the Lord, the return of Christ, approached.
Now, I want to be clear about the nature of the problem
by acknowledging that there is a difference
between a lack of assurance
and what we would say is a lack of faith.
A lot of times we lump the two things together
where we would see someone who perhaps is struggling
with the assurance of their salvation
and we would automatically equate that to a lack of faith
in Christ and His gospel.
Those two things are not the same.
A believer may have all of his or her hope and trust
resting in the person and the work of Jesus Christ
and still at times battle a sense of insecurity
as to whether or not he will be able to stand in the judgment.
The Christians to whom Paul was writing
were not lacking faith in Christ,
neither were they wavering in their hope in the gospel.
That's not what's happening here
and we need to be clear about it.
The letter has repeatedly affirmed
that they were full of faith in Christ
which was proven through their perseverance in suffering.
Paul says all the way back in chapter one,
I know, I am confident that you are the elect of God,
you're chosen in God and here's why,
because your faith in Christ continues to flourish
and persevere despite incredible persecution.
That's reiterated once again in chapter three
when Timothy comes back with his report
and Paul rejoices because in their perseverance,
their belonging to God is proven.
So what we do not want to do is come to this text
and say, well, there is some kind of lack of faith
on the part of the Thessalonians.
That's not what's actually happening here.
They didn't doubt Jesus,
but it does seem that some of them worried
about his coming.
They worried that when he arrives,
maybe they wouldn't stand.
The reason for their fear,
as we'll find as we work through the text,
is a combination of the terrifying prospect
of God's judgment
with the reality of continued sin in their lives,
the presence of sin.
They knew Christ was coming
and they knew that when he comes,
he will come in judgment.
They also knew that despite trusting in him,
they still battled the presence of sin in their lives.
And when they brought those two things together,
it created a sense of anxiety and uncertainty,
lacking a sense of assurance
about their standing with God.
Now surely you can relate to this.
If you're a believing Christian,
surely you know what it's like to trust Christ,
to know that your faith is in him,
that your faith is in what he has done,
and yet also question at times
whether or not you truly belong to him.
That on that final day,
you might not escape his wrath,
not because of him and any lack in him,
but because you understand
your own shortcoming and failure and sin.
Surely you understand what that's like.
The point of this text is to reassure
and instruct believers of their destiny
at Christ's return.
The tone of what Paul writes here is not corrective,
even though he exhorts them in one place.
It's not corrective.
He's not frustrated.
He's not irritated.
The tone of the text is reassurance.
Like a parent coming alongside their child
who's discouraged and lifting them up
and saying, it's okay, doing all right.
That's what Paul's doing here.
He's reassuring believers.
He's instructing believers
of the reality of their destiny,
their true destiny,
when Christ returns.
And to fully grasp the comfort
that Paul sought to provide in the passage,
I want to point out three things in the text.
I want to show you
the reality of the coming judgment.
We want to look soberly at that.
I want to show you two reassurances
for those who are in Christ,
who belong to God by grace.
And then finally,
I want to show you the proper response
for those who have received
the assurance of their future salvation.
Okay?
That's kind of the path
that we're going to follow as we go.
First thing I want to show you
is the reality of the coming judgment.
Reality of the coming judgment.
Look again at the first three verses.
Now concerning the times and seasons,
brothers,
you have no need to have anything written to you.
For you yourselves are fully aware
that the day of the Lord
will come like a thief in the night.
While people are saying
there is peace and security,
then sudden destruction
will come upon them
as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman.
And they will not escape.
It's the reality of what is to come.
Now again,
this is not a separate event
from what is covered
in chapter 4 verses 13 to 18.
What it is,
is a different perspective
of the same event.
Christ's return,
what we often call
the second coming of Christ,
will begin
with the redemption of those,
both dead and living,
as we studied last week.
It will begin
with the redemption of those
who have trusted in Christ
for salvation.
Those who are His
will be redeemed
and saved
in the day of judgment.
And then the coming of Christ,
what's reflected
in chapter 4 verses 13 to 18,
will then give way
to what is referred to
as the day of the Lord,
in which Jesus will judge the earth
and all that's in it.
And it's this dynamic of judgment
referred to as the day of the Lord
that is the focus of 1 to 11
in chapter 5.
Same event,
different perspective of the event.
Now some of the Thessalonian Christians,
like I did in high school,
were concerned about
the timing of those things.
Worried that they would be unprepared
the day that Jesus did actually arrive.
And of course,
the times and seasons
of these things
are known only to God.
So Paul says,
you don't need me to write to you about that
because you know
that we don't know
when this is going to take place.
We don't know the times and seasons.
Now where is Paul getting that?
Well, he's getting that from Jesus,
isn't he?
Remember just before Jesus ascends
back to heaven in Acts chapter 1,
remember what the last question was
that his disciples asked.
They said,
Lord, will you now restore the kingdom?
Will you now bring the kingdom?
They couldn't get their minds off of it.
They were fixated on it,
longing for it.
There wasn't time for that.
Remember what Jesus said
in Acts 1, 7.
He said,
it is not for you
to know the times or seasons
that the Father has fixed
by his own authority.
In other words,
this is known only to God.
It is a day fixed
sometime in the future.
It is coming.
We don't know exactly when.
Paul didn't know exactly when.
And though they were clamoring
to try to get a sense
of when is this going to happen,
Paul just reminds them
right off the bat,
the times and the seasons,
brothers,
you don't need me
to write about that.
You don't need me
to speculate about it
because we don't know.
All of this was something
that the Thessalonians knew well.
We see that in verse 2.
For you yourselves
are fully aware.
You yourselves.
That's emphatic
both in Greek
and in English here.
He could have just said
you're fully aware.
No, he brings emphasis,
doesn't he?
You yourselves,
you know this.
You know.
You know that the day
of the Lord
is going to come
like a thief in the night.
It's intensifying
the assertion
that they were fully aware
of this truth already.
So in 4, 13 to 18,
their grief rose
from something
that they hadn't been yet taught.
In 5, 1 through 11,
here,
their anxiety comes
precisely because of something
that they had been taught.
Do you see the difference?
Before,
they didn't really know
how to fill in the gaps
and it was leading to grief.
But in this case,
the day of the Lord,
they know exactly
what's going to happen
on that day.
They know exactly
what that's going to be like
and it's their knowledge
actually that's producing
their anxiety now.
And what was it
that they were so
anxious about?
They were fully aware
of the reality
of the coming judgment
of God
on the day of the Lord.
The truth of what Jesus
is going to do
upon His return
made them afraid.
Now Paul used
familiar imagery here
to describe the day of the Lord.
The idea of a thief in the night
underscores that this event,
the coming of the Lord,
the day of the Lord
will be both unexpected
and destructive,
harmful.
You don't know
when it's coming
and you know
that when it does come,
it's going to be dangerous.
And then he explains
the image in verse 3.
Look at what it says.
While people are saying
there is peace and security,
then sudden destruction
will come upon them.
He's fleshing out
the illustration
of the thief in the night,
isn't he?
The people here
in verse 3
are unbelievers
who like the unsuspecting
homeowner
feel at peace.
They feel secure.
And for them,
Christ's return
will bring sudden destruction.
Peter used the same imagery
but he detailed the events
a little differently.
In 2 Peter 3.10,
but the day of the Lord
will come like a thief
and what will it bring?
Then the heavens
will pass away
with a roar.
The heavenly bodies
will be burned up
and dissolved.
The earth
and the works
that are done on it
will be exposed.
That's the reality
of the day of the Lord.
The Thessalonians understood
that that is the reality
of the day of the Lord
and in speaking of it,
Paul uses the same imagery
as Peter.
He says it will come
on unbelievers
with sudden destruction
like a thief in the night.
And then he uses
the second image
in verse 3
to drive home the point,
doesn't he?
The day of the Lord
will come upon unbelievers
like labor
comes upon a pregnant woman.
And what does he mean?
It will be sudden
and once it starts
you can't stop it.
Charlie will be a year old
next month.
We went to bed
on March 20th.
Julie felt great.
I woke up on March 21st
and Julie said,
I think I need to go
to the hospital.
The labor pains came
suddenly
and there was nothing
I could do
to stop it
at that point.
Paul says,
that's what this day
will be like.
It's like a thief
in the night.
It's unexpected.
It's destructive.
It's going to come
with sudden destruction
like labor pains,
like a pregnant woman
and they will not escape.
Once it starts,
once it's here,
there's nothing you can do.
It will be too late.
Nothing you can offer,
nothing you can argue
on that day.
will turn away
the wrath of God.
Zephaniah 118.
God says,
neither their silver
nor their gold
shall be able
to deliver them
on the day
of the wrath
of the Lord.
In the fire
of his jealousy
all the earth
shall be consumed
for a full
and sudden end
he will make
of all the inhabitants
of the earth.
The reality is
that Jesus
is coming back
and though his
first coming
was to save,
his next one
will be to judge.
And if you do not
turn to Christ,
that day
will bring you
sudden destruction
and you cannot
escape.
That's why
over and over
again
the biblical writers
emphasize
today
is the day
of salvation.
Do not
delay.
Turn to God
while you can
because his
patience
will come
to an end.
It will come
to an end
on the day
that he is fixed
and once the day
comes
you can't stop it.
So Isaiah
says,
seek the Lord
while he may be
found.
Call upon him
while he is near.
Let the wicked
forsake his way
and the unrighteous
man his thoughts.
let him return
to the Lord
that he may have
compassion on him
and to our God
for he will
abundantly pardon.
What grace
of God
to say
I am coming
in judgment.
Come to me
now
for safety.
Come to me
now
for pardon.
Zephaniah 2
seek the Lord
all you humble
of the land
who do his
just command.
Seek righteousness.
Seek humility
before God.
Perhaps you may
be hidden
on the day
of the anger
of the Lord.
Hebrews 3
therefore
the Holy Spirit
says
today
if you hear
his voice
do not harden
your heart.
Why?
Because today
is the day.
Now
is the time.
And when
his day comes
there will be
no escape.
Why were
some of the
Thessalonians
anxious about
Christ's return?
It wasn't
because they
doubted him
and his gospel.
It was because
the reality
of his judgment
is absolutely
terrifying.
It's terrifying.
we will all
stand before
our maker
and only
those who
have obeyed
his word
by faith
will escape
his wrath.
And they
were fully
aware of it
and what
it produced
in them
was anxiety.
Now
that's the
reality of
the coming
judgment.
Now let's
look at the
reassurances
for believers.
The
reassurances
for believers.
Now the
verse around
which all
of this is
revolving
is verse
four.
Look at it
with me.
But you
are not
in darkness
brothers
for that
day to
surprise you
like a
thief.
Do you
see the
reassurance
coming in
now?
Do you
see what
Paul's
doing?
The first
three verses
he recognizes
that they
have questions
about this
and he
says the
day of
the Lord
the day
of judgment
it's coming
like a thief
in the night
it's coming
with sudden
destruction
it's coming
like labor
pains
on a
pregnant
woman
once it
starts
it will
not stop
and those
who are
subject
to his
wrath
will not
escape it
and then
immediately
he says
but you
brothers
you're not
in the
darkness
that day
will not
surprise you
like a
thief in
the night
it's like
all the
tension is
building at
this point
the tension
is building
in the
first three
verses
and it's
like whoever
is reading
this letter
to the church
in Thessalonica
at the time
that it
is delivered
to them
it's like
they can
take a
collective
deep breath
now
a sigh
of relief
tension
judgment
but
but you're
safe
we're safe
notice the
language
but you
he says
but you
stands in
distinct
contrast
to the
people
in verse
three
there's two
different groups
at play
here
will
Jesus
come
again
yes
will
his
judgment
be
devastating
yes
will
anybody
escape
it
yes
praise
God
yes
the day
of the
Lord
will come
upon the
people
like a
thief in
the night
but it
will not
affect
Christians
in the
same
way
the day
of the
Lord
is for
those
who are
in
darkness
but the
Thessalonian
Christians
were not
in
darkness
Colossians
1
12
to 14
we give
thanks to
the father
who has
qualified you
to share
in the
inheritance
of the
saints
in
light
he has
delivered
us
from the
domain
of
darkness
and
transferred
us to
the kingdom
of his
beloved
son
in
whom
we
have
redemption
the
forgiveness
of
sins
there
are
two
groups
of
people
at
work
here
there
are
the
people
who
will
face
his
wrath
and
then
there
are
the
people
who
will
face
his
forgiveness
and
in
verses
5
to
10
Paul
issues
two
reassurances
to
support
the
affirmation
of
salvation
for
believers
the
first
one
is
this
you
are
in
the
light
you
are
in
the
light
Christian
hear
me
this
morning
you
are
in
the
light
that
day
will
not
come
upon
you
like
a
thief
in
the
night
you're
in
the
light
verse
5
for
you
are
all
children
of
the
light
children
of
the
day
were
not
of
the
night
or
of
the
darkness
the
day
of
the
Lord
is
for
those
in
darkness
but
those
who
are
in
Christ
are
not
in
darkness
they
are
in
the
light
this
is a
statement
of
identity
and of
one
standing
before
God
as a
result
of
that
identity
those
who
trust
in
Christ
stand
in
the
light
and
there
are
so
many
verses
we
could
point
to
here
I
want
to
give
you
two
John
5
12
Jesus
said
to
them
I
am
the
light
of
the
world
whoever
follows
me
will
not
walk
in
darkness
but
will
have
the
light
of
life
Jesus
is
the
light
that
brings
life
to
escape
the
judgment
and
you
are
in
the
light
therefore
what
you
face
in
your
future
is
life
2
Corinthians
4
to
6
speaking
of
unbelievers
in their
case
the
God
of
this
world
has
blinded
the
minds
of
unbelievers
to
keep
them
from
seeing
the
light
of
the
gospel
of
the
glory
of
Christ
who
is
the
image
of
God
and
then
he
speaks
of
his
preaching
of
the
gospel
for
what
we
proclaim
is
not
ourselves
but
Jesus
Christ
as
Lord
with
ourselves
as
your
servants
for
Jesus
sake
and
now
listen
to
what
Paul
says
here
for
God
who
said
quoting
Genesis
1
let
light
shine
out
of
darkness
that
same
God
who
brought
all of
this
into
existence
with
the
power
of
his
word
has
shown
his
light
into
our
hearts
why
to
give
us
the
light
of
the
knowledge
of
the
glory
of
God
in
the
face
of
Jesus
Christ
Christian
you
are
not
of
the
darkness
you
are
not
in
the
darkness
that
is
not
who
you
are
you
are
in
the
light
and
what
awaits
you
is
not
wrath
what
awaits
you
salvation
freedom
forgiveness
if
you
are
in
Christ
the
light
of
God's
grace
in
Jesus
has
shone
in
your
heart
through
faith
you
are
a
child
of
the
day
the
coming
judgment
is for
those
in
darkness
but
that's
not
who
you
are
that's
not
who
you
are
now
for
those
of
you
who
sit
in
the
seat
of
the
Thessalonians
your
faith
is in
Christ
you've
turned
from
sin
you profess
faith
you're
doing
what
you
can
but
you
still
have
sin
and
you're
not
exactly
sure
you're
concerned
that
on
that
day
you
won't
stand
hear
my
words
you
are
not
in
!
that
day
will
not
surprise
you
like
a
thief
in
the
night
you're
of
the
light
take
courage
take
courage
you're
in
the
light
now
as
often
as
the
case
in
the
scriptures
the
indicative
of
verse
five
that
they
are
children
of
the
light
is
immediately
followed
by
an
imperative
command
or
instruction
in
verses
six
to
eight
Paul
says
so
then
let us
not
sleep
as
others
do
let
us
keep
awake
and
be
sober
for
those
who
sleep
at
night
those
who
get
drunk
are
drunk
at
night
but
since
we
belong
to
the
day
let
us
be
sober
having
put
on
the
breastplate
of
faith
and
love
and
for
a
helmet
a
hope
of
salvation
now
this
gives
us
another
clue
into
another
likely
source
of
their
anxiety
why
did
I
fear
the
arrival
of
the
report
card
in
high
school
because
I
knew
I
hadn't
obeyed
my
parents
and
that
I
deserved
their
punishment
for
my
disobedience
right
why
might
some
of
the
Thessalonians
have
been
anxious
about
Christ's
return
because
they
were
children
of
the
light
they
weren't
living
like
people
of
the
light
perhaps
some
of
their
lives
looked
more
like
those
who
were
in
darkness
and
they
knew
they
were
worthy
of
God's
wrath
now
let's
get
something
clear
neither
their
assurance
nor
your
assurance
can
rest
on
any
moral
or
ethical
effort
that
is
not
the
foundation
of
assurance
in
this
text
or
in
any
other
text
Paul's
not
insinuating
here
that
their
obedience
is
the
basis
of
their
assurance
of
escaping
God's
judgment
you
can
be
the
most
moral
person
in
the
room
and
still
go
to
hell
Jesus
made
that
clear
our
assurance
rests
entirely
on
our
identity
in
Christ
that
we
are
children
of
the
light
not
that
we
are
somehow
worthy
of
the
light
but
that
we
belong
to
the
light
now
that
being
said
who
will
ever
feel
assured
as
a
child
of
the
light
when
their
life
is
lived
in
darkness
asleep
to
the
things
of
God
intoxicated
by
the
ways
of
the
world
and
Paul
doubles
down
on
this
in
verse
8
doesn't
he
just
look
at
verse
8
again
since
we
belong
to
the
day
let
us
be
sober
having
put
on
the
breast
plate
of
faith
and
love
and
for
a
helmet
the
hope
of
salvation
the
imperative
is
let
us
be
sober
but
that
imperative
in
verse
8
is
built
on
two
other
indicatives
do
you
see
it
but
since
he
says
since
we
belong
to
the
day
the
participle
at
the
end
of
the
verse
having
put
on
that's
past
tense
since
you
have
put
on
faith
love
and
hope
what
we
saw
in
faith
in
Christ
love
for
Christ
hope
in
Christ
Paul
says
since
you
belong
to
the
light
since
you
belong
to
Christ
by
faith
because
of
that
he
says
be
sober
you're
a
child
of
the
light
live
like
it
he
says
moral
behavior
listen
moral
behavior
is
not
the
basis
of
our
assurance
it
is
the
result
of
our
assurance
you
belong
to
the
light
live
like
it
now
there's
ditches
on
both
sides
of
the
road
here
isn't
there
we
can
have
full
trust
that
we're
in
Christ
and
somehow
allow
that
assurance
to
let
us
slip
into
sinful
intentional
willing
behavior
well
no
that
is
not
right
either
that's
not
actually
indicative
of
someone
whose
heart
has
been
transformed
by
the
gospel
of
Christ
right
but
on
the
other
hand
we
can
be
so
intent
on
obeying
the
imperative
that
we
don't
rest
our
salvation
on
the
indicative
some
of
us
get
so
caught
up
in
this
fruit
based
works
based
form
of
evaluating
true
Christians
that
it's
like
we
abandon
the
gospel
that
our
assurance
and
our
salvation
is
no
longer
resting
in
who
Christ
is
and
what
Christ
has
done
but
on
my
ability
to
live
in
the
way
that
he
has
commanded
both
are
wrong
are
we
to
live
soberly
righteously
holy
yes
but
only
because
we
know
that
our
standing
before
God
is at
peace
and
at
rest
because
of
what
Christ
has
done
and
because
of
who
Christ
is
not
because
of
anything
in
us
second
he
says
you're
of
the
light
second
you're
destined
for
salvation
you're
destined
now let's
just catch up
on where
we are
he says
here's the
reality of
judgment
it's
going to
be
terrible
it's
going to
be
sudden
it's
going to
be
destructive
and
once
it
starts
you
can't
escape
it
that's
bad
big
problem
lots
of
tension
and
then
he
relieves
the
tension
and
he
says
but
those
of
you
in
Thessalonica
you're
not
of
the
darkness
that
day
won't
surprise
you
like
that
it's
not
going to
be
the
same
for
you
as
it
will
be
for
them
and
he
and
he
says
let
me
give
you
two
reasons
why
first
you're
in
the
light
you belong
to
Christ
second
because
you're
in
the
light
because
you belong
to
Christ
your destiny
determined
by God
is salvation
verse 9
for
God
has
not
destined
us
for
wrath
but
he
has
destined
us
to
obtain
salvation
through
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
who
died
for
us
so
that
whether
we
are
awake
that
is
living
or
asleep
that
is
dead
that's
a
reference
back
to
chapter
4
we
might
live
with
him
Christian
this is
amazing
this is
better
than
Red Bull
that gives
you wings
this is
awesome
you belong
to Christ
your
destiny
not
self
determined
but
divinely
determined
is
salvation
not
wrath
chapter
1
Paul
tells
them
he's
confident
that
they
were
chosen
of
God
because
of
their
persevering
faith
in
Christ
and
here
he
reminds
them
that
because
they're
chosen
in
Christ
they
have
a
different
destiny
than
the
people
in
verse
3
they're
not
destined
for
wrath
but
for
eternal
salvation
through
Jesus
and
how
is
it
that
Jesus
made
possible
this
eternal
salvation
to
which
God
chosen
are
destined
he
tells
us
in
verse
10
he
died
for
us
what
is
this
death
it
is
God's
wrath
it
is
God's
judgment
it
is
what
will
be
repaid
to
the
people
in
verse
3
at
the
return
of
Christ
but
he
says
now
remember
loved
ones
he
says
Christ
faced
the
wrath
for
us
that
Jesus
died
for
us
means
he
suffered
that
wrath
so
that
we
will
escape
it
and
because
of
his
resurrection
we
are
confident
that
he
will
bring
with
him
at
his
return
all
who
have
believed
in
him
for
salvation
those
who
believe
who
are
in
Christ
are
destined
to
live
forever
with
the
Lord
Romans
8
is
the
quintessential
text
for
exactly
this
point
Romans
8
verse
29
those
whom
he
foreknew
he
predestined
to be
conformed
to the
image
of his
son
in order
that he
might be
the first
born
among
many
brothers
and
those
whom
he
predestined
he
also
called
and
those
whom
he
called
he
also
justified
those
whom
he
justified
he
also
glorified
what
shall
we
say
to
these
things
if
God
is
for
us
who
can
be
against
us
he
who
did
not
spare
his
own
son
but
gave
him
up
for
us
all
how
will
he
not
also
with
him
graciously
give
us
all
things
who
will
bring
a
charge
against
God's
elect
it
is
God
who
justifies
who
is
to
condemn
Christ
Jesus
is
the
one
who
died
more
than
that
who
was
raised
and
is
at
the
right
hand
of
God
interceding
for
us
oh
Christian
you
are
not
destined
for
wrath
not
because
you're
unworthy
of
wrath
but
because
Christ
took
it
for
you
it
always
comes
back
to
the
gospel
doesn't
it
your
assurance
for
escaping
the
judgment
is
not
who
you
are
it
is
who
you
are
in
Christ
it's
not
found
in
what
you
do
it
rests
!
in
what
Christ
has
done
for
you
and
if
you
trust
in
him
you
are
a
child
of
the
light
destined
for
salvation
so
take
courage
be
assured
that's
who
you
are
we
get
to
the
third
part
in
verse
11
we've
seen
the
reality
of
judgment
we've
seen
two
reassurances
for
believers
and
now
we
see
the
proper
response
to
Christ
salvation
how
are
we
to
respond
to
these
things
Paul
gives
us
another
inference
he
did
the
same
thing
in
chapter
4
didn't
he
gets
to
the
end
and
he
says
because
of
all
of
this
is
what
I
think
you
should
do
and
he
does
the
same
thing
here
verse
11
therefore
because
of
all
of
this
encourage
one
another
and
build
one
another
up
just
as
you
are
doing
just
as
you
doing
just
as
in
4
13
to
18
Paul
closes
with
an
important
application
so
he
does
it
here
he
wants
them
to
be
comforted
in
their
anxiety
why
because
there
was
no
reason
for
them
to
fear
and
based
on
everything
that
he's
just
written
he
issues
two
applications
for
them
and
for
us
first
we
are
to
encourage
one
another
how
with
the
assurances
provided
in the
gospel
provided
in this
text
this
means
that
it's
inevitable
that
some
of
us
will
battle
with
some
of
the
same
uncertainties
that
the
Thessalonians
experience
do
not
be
surprised
when
you
have
a
day
when
you
just
feel
uncertain
not
because
your
faith
has
wavered
in
Christ
but
because
the
prospect
of
the
coming
judgment
perhaps
combined
with
the
presence
of
sin
in
your
own
life
has
caused
you
to
feel
uncertain
and
what
will
be
your
help
in
those
moments
for
another
faithful
Christian
that
loves
you
to
say
take
courage
you
are
not
of
the
darkness
that
day
will
not
come
upon
you
like a
thief
in
the
night
you're
of
the
light
take
courage
encourage
one
another
now
to be
able
to
encourage
one
another
necessarily
means
that
we
must
possess
a
clear
understanding
of the
gospel
and
we
must
learn
how
to
communicate
it
well
so
that
we
can
indeed
encourage
one
another
many
of
Christians
because
of
a
unclear
understanding
of the
gospel
have
shackled
burdened
believers
all over
again
with
the
law
or
with
foolishness
no
learn
the
gospel
and
learn
to
communicate
the
gospel
well
so
that
you
can
indeed
encourage
others
second
we
must
build
one
another
up
build
one
another
up
into
what
I
think
in
the
context
of
this
paragraph
we
are
to
build
one
another
up
into
the
spiritual
sobriety
that
is
rooted
in
those
gospel
assurances
we
need
to
help
one
another
live
as
children
of
the
light
and
avoid
the
spiritual
apathy
and
worldly
inebriation
that
is
pictured
in
those
who
are
asleep
and
those
who
are
drunk
at
night
sanctification
we
say
this
all
the
time
I
said
it
in
Lakeside
Connect
this
morning
sanctification
in
the
Christian
life
is
a
community
project
we
need
one
another
but
we
will
only
be
useful
to
one
another
as
we're
filled
with
the
gospel
and
with
sound
doctrine
so
let
us
be
joyfully
sober
and
continue
building
one
another
up
in
Christ
now
back
in
high
school
when
those
report
cards
would
eventually
come
as
you
might
assume
that
wasn't
always a
pleasant
experience
for me
the
experience
was
often
embarrassment
and shame
on my
part
because
I
understood
the
disappointment
on
the
part
of
my
parents
they
often
corrected
me
of
course
any
good
parent
would
but
you
know
what
never
happened
not
even
one
time
they
never
beat
me
never
berated
me
they
never
disowned
me
they
never
withheld
the
privileges
of being
their
son
that
wasn't
because
I
was
unworthy
of
their
judgment
but
because
I
belonged
to
them
and
nothing
was
going
to
change
that
now
if
Jesus
comes
back
today
and
we
would
do
well
to
pray
that
he
will
because
that
will
be
a
glorious
day
if
he
comes
back
today
there
might
be
some
embarrassment
for
some
of
us
as
we
acknowledge
some
disappointment
in our
Lord and
Savior
all our
works
Paul said
to the
Corinthians
will be
tested
by fire
to see
if
they're
burn
up
like
wood
hay
and
stubble
!
Or
whether
they
will
shine
as
gold
and
silver
and
precious
stones!
That
will
be
the
case
for
every
believer
we
will
all
stand
before
the
judgment
seat
of
Christ
our
souls
may
be
saved
but
our
works
may
be
burned
up
we
will
answer
to
him
but
you
know
will
not
happen
if
you're
a
Christian
you
will
never
be
cast
out
you
will
not
be
destroyed
you
will
not
be
kept
back
from
the
privileges
of
being
a
child
of
God
that's
not
because
you
are
unworthy
of
his
wrath
it's
because
you
belong
to
him
because
he
has
made
you
his
own
you
are
safe
Jesus
said
all
that
the
father
gives
me
will
come
to
me
and
whoever
comes
to
me
I
will
never
cast
out
never
not
today
not
on
that
day
the
only
reason
to
fear
his
coming
is
if
you
belong
to
the
darkness
but
the
glorious
truth
of
this
text
and
many
others
is
that
you
don't
have
to
remain
in
the
darkness
Jesus
is
the
light
come
to
him
trust
in
him
he
will
save
you
and
you'll
be
glad
when
he
does
eventually
come