We're going to worship this morning by singing to God's praise.
We're going to sing in Psalm 96 in the Scottish Psalter.
We're singing from verse 9 down to verse 13 to the end of the psalm.
Psalm 96 at verse 9.
In beauty of his holiness, so do the Lord adore.
Likewise, let all the earth throughout tremble his face before.
Among the heathens, say God reigns.
The world shall steadfastly be fixed from moving.
He shall judge the people righteously.
We're going to sing from verse 9 to 13 on the tune of Kilmarnock.
We stand to sing.
Let all the earth through a tremble his face before.
Among the heathens, say God reigns.
The world shall steadfastly be fixed from moving.
He shall judge the people righteously.
Let heaven take up before the Lord.
How may the earth rejoice?
Let Jesus across the voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voy voyque voyque voy voyque voy voyque voy voy voy voyque voy
singing,
Before the Lord be caused to judge the earth of thee,
He'll judge the world with righteousness, that we will pray for thee.
We'll bow our heads in a word of prayer. Let us pray.
Our gracious Father in heaven, we thank you for this day.
We thank you for the joy of praise to you,
that we are able to gather here in this place or gather around at home as well on such a wild day.
We thank you that we can still join together in worship of you.
And we just pray for your peace over us.
Peace over us as we are sitting here in the pews or sitting at home.
Peace over us, Lord, in these days as we look for your blessing upon us.
Thankful for every remembrance of you that we have through your word and by your spirit,
by the seasons of the year in which we go through.
We are thankful for every reminder we are given that you are God and Lord of all,
the one who made the heavens and the earth and all that is in them,
and the one who, in the midst of all that is so sad in our world,
the sorrows that we suffer, the sadness that we see around us,
has reminded us that you gave your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ,
to come and save his people, to be a saviour for this world.
And so we pray that our thanks and our praise would be lifted up to you today
and in all the days ahead,
that we rejoice not just at this time of year in the celebrations of Christmas,
but that we will recognise that you are with us through all our days and all our seasons
when we put our trust in you.
So, Lord, may you help us in our hearts today to be glad and rejoice in you.
And may you bless us in our homes and in our families and our communities
with your peace and protection over us and your blessing with us.
As we thank you for one another, we thank you for all our young people,
we thank you for our schools and for the Sunday schools
and for all the work that they have been doing throughout this year.
And as they enjoy a time of holiday just now, Lord,
may your blessing and refreshment be upon all involved in that work.
And we thank you too, Lord, for the holiday tweenies and the creche that goes on.
And we just pray, Lord, that you will bless all these activities
that we are involved in for our young people, Lord.
We ask your blessing over each one of them.
So, Lord, be with us now.
Go before us throughout this day.
Keep us safe in it and help us to have our eyes towards you as our Lord and as our God.
As we ask all with forgiveness of our sins.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
But before some of the young ones go out to the holiday tweenies
and those who are staying in, just a wee word to you.
The last few weeks we've been thinking about Advent and what it means.
And at the holiday club last week,
the young people were making their Advent calendars.
And I don't know if you've been working your way through it.
But day by day, if you've got an Advent calendar,
it might not be the one you had at this holiday club.
Maybe you've got your own at home.
What you do is, as we heard from Alistair Macaulay when he was here as well,
you open up the wee doors and you find out what's inside it.
Now, hands up if you've been doing it one day at a time.
You've been doing it one day at a time.
Yeah, a few hands going up.
Hands up if you're just someone who just,
I'm just going to pop them all off.
I'll just have them all at once.
One day and it's all done.
Hands up if that's the way you do an Advent calendar.
Not hands going up.
That's good.
Because that would spoil it, wouldn't it?
It takes the fun away from the excitement of each day you're counting down towards Christmas one day at a time.
And then you open it up and you see what's in it.
This had a mixture of little gifts or little sweets.
And you use that or you eat that.
And other Advent calendars are full of chocolate.
And you're counting down the day to Christmas Day when you get the last one.
But also in the holiday club, we had this little book that we were working in.
Join the Adventure, as it was called.
So every day of the Advent calendar, there was also a few questions that went with it.
So I hope as well as eating the chocolate or looking at what's inside,
you look at what the questions say.
And inside each part of the Advent calendar, there was a verse or a scripture reference.
And today, the 22nd, the scripture reference was,
A Saviour has been born.
And it's great for us to come together today and remember that.
We remember that every week.
But we remind ourselves today, as we're going on into Christmas week,
remind ourselves each day a Saviour has been born.
And one of the questions says is,
it's speaking about the angels who came and appeared to the shepherds
and said there's good news of great joy.
A Saviour is born.
It says, who did the angels say the good news was for?
Who was the good news for?
Was it just certain people?
Was it just them?
No.
It was for the whole world.
And not just them, but every day of the year.
And all the years of this world,
that is the good news that this world hears.
A Saviour is born.
Now an Advent calendar, it doesn't last very long, does it?
It's only maybe a few days.
The ones we made were 12 days.
The ones maybe you get for December,
you have 25 days counting down to Christmas.
But there's other calendars that maybe aren't as exciting.
Here's a calendar from our house.
It's not as exciting, is it?
You can't pop open anything to get a chocolate.
And it lasts all the years,
starting from January last,
at the beginning of this year,
right through we're into December now.
It's not very exciting.
It's got little things written on it.
There it's telling me what day the bins go out.
Not very exciting.
It's at other parts of the calendar,
so maybe there's a dentist appointment
or a doctor's appointment.
Sometimes it'll be marked days of going back to school
or being off school,
days of particular things happening throughout the year.
And it's just the ordinary day-to-day things.
Maybe it doesn't seem as exciting as an Advent calendar.
But if we see what's exciting about the Advent calendar,
not the chocolates or the little treats you get,
but a reminder that a Saviour is born.
And if we see that in Advent,
counting down to Christmas,
then we enjoy every day of the year.
It doesn't seem as exciting putting out the bins,
but even that can be exciting if we're trusting Jesus.
Everything we do can be exciting
when we're trusting Jesus.
Whatever we're doing is exciting
when we know that God sent a Saviour to this world.
And when we trust in Him,
we look to Him, we believe in Him,
then we rejoice every day of the year,
no matter what is going on.
So may we remember today
and in all the days ahead,
a Saviour who is born,
who is Christ the Lord.
He has come that we might have life in Him
and enjoy life to the full.
So may you enjoy this week in the holiday times,
but may you enjoy every day
as we, God willing, go into a new year
as we start a new calendar
with all the ordinary things that are going on.
May we rejoice in the Lord who is good to us.
We're going to say the Lord's Prayer together now.
Our Father, which art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our debts
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power,
and the glory forever.
Amen.
We're going to sing again to God's praise
now in Psalm 46a.
Sing Psalm's version,
Psalm 46a.
And this is from verse 7
down to verse 11.
Psalm 46a, page 60 of the psalm books,
a tune is Evan.
We're going to sing from verse 7
down to the end of the psalm.
And these, the two verses
at the beginning and the end
that remind us of that great promise of God
that the Lord Almighty is with us
to strengthen and sustain.
For Jacob's God,
our strong defense and fortress,
will remain.
So we're going to sing from verse 7
down to the end of the psalm.
We stand to sing to God's praise.
Amen.
For Jacob's God, our strong defense,
and fortress will remain.
Come, see the words the Lord has done,
the judgments He commands,
the desolations He has brought,
to pass in many lands.
In every land throughout the earth,
in the midst of all great seas,
He shatters,
The Lord's cross and spirit and shield and brings its great peace.
Be still and know that I am God on earth exalted high.
And all the nations of the world, my name will glorify.
The Lord Almighty is with us to strengthen and sustain.
For Jacob's God has strong defense and fortress will remain.
Amen.
I'm reading at verse 13, reading into chapter 5, down to verse 11.
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the sound of the trumpet of God.
And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.
And so we will always be with the Lord.
Therefore, encourage one another with these words.
Now, concerning the times and the 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.
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 are not of the night or of the darkness.
So then, let us not sleep as others do.
But let us keep awake and be sober.
For those who sleep, sleep at night.
And 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.
And may the Lord bless that reading from his word.
We'll again just engage in a word of prayer.
Let us pray.
Our gracious Father in heaven, we do thank you for your word.
And we thank you for the reminder in these readings that we have had from chapter 4 and into chapter 5
that both end with that word to encourage one another.
And we thank you that we can do so, basing that on the foundation of your truth,
the word of God, which is the foundation for life and for all that we do,
and for all that lies ahead of us, Lord, for all eternity.
Your word of truth is there to guide us and direct us into the paths of life and into the ways of salvation.
And we thank you for the great reminders that your word gives to us.
As we think of the verse that we were sharing with the children,
that to you is born this day in the city of David a saviour who is Christ the Lord.
We thank you that there is a saviour who has come,
that we have had that first advent where he came into this world to save his people.
And we were reminded through his names that he was given Emmanuel, which means God with us.
We are thankful for that promise that remains to this day.
The promise that we have sung about in Psalm 46,
as well, that the Lord Almighty is with us to strengthen and sustain.
We thank you that there is that promise for each day of our lives.
And we pray, Lord, that through faith you might bring us to lean upon you and to trust in you
and the one who you have given for our salvation.
And we do pray, Lord, that we would know what it is to have your light upon us.
We know the world has so much darkness in it.
There is so much evil, so much sin, so much going on around us, Lord,
that leaves the world in so much pain and anxiety and fear.
We see it day by day, O Lord, when we think of all the different things that are going on,
whether it's natural disasters or war or just individual situations that we see where grief and sorrow comes in.
And each and every day we hear of something new.
And, Lord, we know that in this world we will have troubles,
that the Lord Jesus himself reminded us of that.
But we thank you that there is hope in him,
that as he came into this world, as he was born as a man,
as he lived in this world among the people,
as he saw their great needs, as he saw their sorrows and sadness,
he was able to say that they could be of good courage and we could be of good courage
because he has overcome the world.
And we thank you that his life led him to that place
where not just he lived for his people and among his people,
but that he died for his people,
that he gave his life as a ransom for many.
And as we are read in these words before us today,
we are reminded of another Advent,
another time when the Lord will return,
that he will come to take his people to himself.
And may we see that message today in the midst of everything else that's going on as well,
as we think of counting down to Christmas Day
and so much that takes our attention just now.
May we remind ourselves and be reminded through your word and by your spirit,
there is another great day of the Lord to come,
a day that we do not know when it will be,
and yet a day that we are instructed and guided to be ready for.
And so we pray, Lord, for your spirit to help us to that end,
to help us to know that our lives,
which seem to maybe have such a distance ahead for us,
that we are so indebted to you for the life that you give,
but we are so aware too, Lord,
of how quickly circumstances can change.
And so we pray today, Lord, that you will help us
by your spirit, by your grace,
to know your love towards us,
to know your warnings towards us,
and to know your grace that is able to save.
So may you bless us and keep us and watch over us,
watch over all who are so busy at this time,
traveling to and fro.
We know that so many plans have been disrupted
with the weather over these last few days.
Many people will be longing to maybe get away to family
or come home to family.
We pray for safety and help to all who are in that position.
We pray for safety and help to those who are involved
in all the aspects of traveling,
whether it's by plane or boat or train or car.
Whatever it might be, Lord,
we thank you for all who look after us
and look out for us in that way.
We pray your blessing on all who are involved
in all of these things for safety in the midst of it all.
We do pray, Lord, for these days ahead,
for your peace and protection over us
as so many families come to enjoy a time together.
May we remember the joy of family and friendship
and encouragement to one another in that.
But may we give praise and thanks to you above all,
for you're the giver of every good and perfect gift.
And so we pray, Lord, that your spirit
will be in the midst of all that we do.
Remember those who are maybe lonely at this time,
those who have maybe no family or friends around them,
those who feel very isolated,
for those whom this time of year is a difficult
and even a painful time of year,
especially those who maybe come to a first Christmas
without loved ones.
We know, Lord, that there are all these times
when grief and sorrow comes,
maybe in an overwhelming way.
But we pray, Lord, for your comfort
and for your blessing to be in the midst of it.
Thankful for those who we have read of
that are assured that to be absent from the body
is to be home with the Lord,
that there is that hope,
that we do not grieve without hope,
for there is hope in Christ.
And so we pray, Lord, for your comfort
and for your grace towards us.
Pray for those who are unwell,
for those who are struggling with ill health
in homes or hospitals or at their own homes,
for those who are concerned for loved ones,
for those whose hearts are heavy just now, Lord,
maybe with great burdens of loved ones upon them.
We thank you that we are able to cast our cares upon you.
That prayer is such a wonderful gift
in the midst of these times.
And maybe when we feel we cannot pray,
we thank you for those who pray for us and with us.
And so, Lord, we pray that you would bless us and keep us
and make your face to shine upon us
and upon your world,
upon all the nations at this time,
that we would bring peace in the midst of all
the troubles that we see surrounding us.
Guide us, then, we pray.
Be with us in this day.
May we rejoice in your goodness
as we worship you,
as we fellowship with one another this morning
and also this evening too.
And in the service,
be with Kenny I as he leads it
and in our fellowship in the evening as well.
May you be pleased to bless us
in the midst of all that we do
and to rejoice in your goodness to us
in the hope of the gospel
and the salvation that is in Christ.
Hear our prayers and continue with us now
as all we ask.
We ask the forgiveness of our sins
in Jesus' precious name.
Amen.
We're going to worship God
by singing to his praise again
in Psalm 20
in the Scottish Psalter,
page 224.
Psalm 20.
We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 6.
The tune is St. Andrew.
Psalm 20 at verse 1, page 224.
We'll sing from verse 1 to 6.
To God's praise we stand to sing.
Amen.
Let the singing,
O let him have sent from above,
and on his sanctuary.
From Zion is the holy hill,
let him give strength to lead.
Let him remember all my gifts,
accept thy sacrifice,
and may thy hearts wish and fulfill
thy thoughts and counsel wise.
In thy salvation we will join,
in our God's name we will.
This may our banners and the Lord,
thy prayers all fulfill.
The Lord, thy God,
his kingdom say,
he from his holy hand,
will hear him with the saving strength,
by his own right can give.
Amen.
Well, you can turn back with me to a reading,
in particular in chapter 5 of 1 Thessalonians.
1 Thessalonians chapter 5.
We're going to look at this section,
verse 1 to verse 11,
although it begins really at verse 13 of chapter 4,
but there's two separate sides to what the Thessalonians are looking for,
or asking for from Paul here.
In verse 13 to the end of chapter 4,
they're asking,
what's the coming of the Lord going to be like?
Paul speaks about the sound of the trumpet,
how he's going to come in this way.
He's not going to forget his people at all.
He's going to come for them.
But then in the second part,
we're looking at this morning in chapter 5,
it's more when is it going to be?
When is it going to take place?
Advent is the season that we've been hearing about so much just now.
Advent is a countdown,
but today we're thinking of Advent with a twist,
if you like.
We've been thinking very much about the Advent
of the first coming of Christ.
This time of year,
when that's what's being remembered by so many people
around the world,
that God sent his Son into this world,
that a Savior would be born into this world,
that that was a countdown to remembering
that God has sent his Son.
But Advent is all about counting down.
Counting down to an event,
to something.
And it's something that we're often doing.
All of us are doing it.
Maybe every day of the year,
we're counting down to something.
We're counting down to maybe when holidays will come.
I'm sure many teachers and pupils
are counting down the days
till the Christmas holidays would come,
and they've arrived.
And there's a sense of relief in that,
a sense of joy,
a time to relax,
and to enjoy a time of holiday.
Work,
closing down for this period of Christmas
and into the new year,
it's a sense of counting down towards that,
and that time comes,
and you're able to relax a bit more.
And all throughout the year,
there's a sense of counting down
to different things that might be going on
in our lives,
counting down to birthdays,
counting down to weddings,
just counting down to different times
and events in our life.
And if we're counting down,
it means that we're looking forward
to something.
The Advent calendars
that we've been thinking about,
they're counting down to Christmas Day,
and when we remember
that God sent His Son.
So we're counting down
to a particular thing.
We're counting down to the holidays.
We're counting down to that last day
when we come out of school
or the workplace for a time
and enjoy a time of holiday.
We're looking forward to something.
Advent is about counting down
to a particular situation.
Well, another Advent situation
is what we have here
in 1 Thessalonians.
And as I say,
particularly the end of chapter 4
and into chapter 5 here,
we have an Advent
of something else
that is going to happen.
Not looking to the coming of the Lord
in the first place
where God sent His Son into the world.
That has happened.
But we're looking to another Advent,
to another time
when the Lord will return.
The day of the Lord
as the heading is there
in your ESV Bible of chapter 5.
The day when the Lord will return.
And the church at Thessalonica
was like,
it was an early church.
It was a church that was young in the faith
and therefore it had many questions.
Many things that they'd maybe known
or learned before
that were very different now
to the gospel that they were hearing.
The good news of Jesus
and the salvation that He brought.
So there was a very different teaching
that they were hearing.
And you see it especially there
in chapter 4
when it's speaking about those
who have already passed away.
Their understanding before this
would maybe,
well, that's it.
They're gone.
They're forgotten about.
But Paul says,
no, they're not forgotten about.
They've gone,
but they will come.
Again, they will return.
The Lord will return
and take them to Himself.
And so there's this wonder
of the gospel
that God
not just sent His Son
into this world,
but they sent them
with a purpose
to save His people.
And that this salvation
is not just for this life,
but it's for eternity.
And that He is going
to come again.
And this then leads into
the second question
that they have.
And that is the question,
well,
if this is to be so,
when?
When will it be?
Can we count down the days
until this will happen?
When we think of Advent
counting down,
it's with a particular day in mind.
We have a particular number of days
we're counting down towards.
But is that something
that we can have
in this situation,
the coming of the Lord?
That's the question
that they have.
When will this be?
Is it a question
you have today?
In the midst of everything,
all the preparation
for Christmas just now
and coming together
as families,
all being well
on Christmas Day
and enjoying this season
of holiday,
is the question you have,
when will the Lord
come again?
Or is that just pushed
to the back
of your minds?
How often do you ask
the question,
or do you ever
ask the question,
I wonder,
when will the Lord
come again?
Or even maybe the question is,
will he come again?
So many people
have that kind of attitude
where they think,
well, we're seeing the world
in so much chaos,
so much pain,
so much grief
and heartache
for so many people.
Surely if the Lord
was going to come,
he would have come by now,
but he would write
all of these things.
And so the coming
of the Lord
is dismissed
as it will not happen.
As we think
of counting down
the days,
these days
towards Christmas,
as we think
of counting down
towards the coming
of the Lord,
may we see
that we are to remember
not just that
he has come,
but that he will come
again.
And this is not
to take the joy
out of Christmas,
because the more
we understand
that he came
in the first place
as a saviour
for the world,
and the more
that we understand
that he will come again,
the more we are able
to rejoice
in the praise
that he has come
to remember us,
and that he will come
to take us
to himself.
To enjoy Christmas
is not to have
everything ready
for this Wednesday,
but it's to have
everything ready
for each day of life,
living in light
of the fact
that the Lord
will return.
It's not about
one day,
but every day.
And so there's
three things
in this passage
I want us
to be aware
of at this time.
Three things
that Paul
answers in light
of the questions
that they have.
And he puts it
in this way,
the first thing
is to be aware
of the seasons.
He speaks there
in verse 1
of,
now concerning
the times
of the seasons,
brothers.
So he wants them
to be aware
of the seasons.
The second thing
is to be aware
of the situation.
In verse 4
he says,
but you are not
in darkness.
To be aware
of the situation.
And then the third
thing is
to be aware
of the solution.
In verse 8
he says,
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.
So there is
to be aware
of the seasons,
to be aware
of the situation
and to be aware
of the solution.
And so the first
thing we want to see
is to be aware
of the seasons.
The people
in Thessalonica
they had questions.
Questions are
quite natural
for every one
of us to have.
We all have
questions of
different things.
And when it comes
to questions
about faith,
when it comes
to questions
about eternity,
we're so often
looking for answers,
but where are we
going to find
the answers?
Well the people
in Thessalonica
they had already
been taught
different things,
but now they're
hearing a new
teaching about
Christ who has
come.
And they want
to know more.
And so they bring
their questions
to Paul.
They bring their
questions to him
in the hope
that he will be
able to answer
the questions
that they have.
And there are
some questions
as you see
as you read
through Paul's letters,
not just this one,
that he answers
many of the
questions that
people have
about faith.
People still
have to this
day about faith
and what it
means.
But there's
one question
that almost
just seems
unanswerable.
They're trying
to pinpoint
something here.
The end of
chapter 4
they've heard
what the day
of the Lord's
return is going
to be like.
It's going
to be amazing
in so many
different ways.
But now
they've got
this question
when?
When will
this be?
When will
God return?
Now why
would they be
asking this
question?
Well surely
it would help
them to prepare
for his return
if they knew
when he was
coming.
If we're
looking ahead
to something,
if we're
preparing for
something,
whatever it
might be,
whether it's
Christmas or
holidays or
weddings,
whatever it
might be,
if we've got
a date in
mind,
we're able
to work
towards that
date.
We're able
to make
preparations
in light
of the
moment of
time and
how much
time we
have left
to prepare.
So they're
saying to
Paul here,
wouldn't it
help us to
know when
Jesus is
going to
come again?
So therefore
we will be
able to
prepare ourselves
in the right
manner for
his coming,
his second
coming,
his second
advent.
Think to
yourself just
now,
what difference
would it
make if
you knew
what day
the Lord
was coming
again for
the second
time?
What would
you do
differently
in your
life if
you knew,
for example,
that he was
coming two
years today?
What would
you change?
What would
you alter in
your life?
Would you
think, no,
I don't have
to change
anything,
I'm quite
happy the way
things are,
I'll be
ready when
he comes?
If you're a
Christian,
you would
hopefully have
that hope.
You would
say, well,
I know I
am ready
for his
coming.
But if
not, if
you had
said, well,
two years
today is
going to
come, how
would that
change your
life?
Would you
think, well,
I've got
more time to
do my own
things now
because I
know exactly
when he's
coming.
I'll spend
maybe 18
months just
doing what I
want to do,
fulfilling my
own desires,
and then maybe
the last six
months, then
I'll start
getting ready
for the
Lord's
return.
then I'll
start making
things right
in that
sense.
Is that
the way
you would
live if
you knew
a date
when he
was coming?
It's
certainly
not the
way you
should
live.
Because even
if we were
told and we
knew and we
don't, we
had two
years till
he came.
The reality
is we
might not
have two
years.
We might
not have two
weeks, two
days, two
hours, because
we don't
know what
will happen
in our
lives.
And so
it would
be foolish
to live
in a
sense of
Advent,
counting
down with
that mindset.
That would
be wrong.
And so
what Paul
says here
is he
answers the
question about
well when
is this
going to
be?
He says
now concerning
the times
and the
seasons,
brothers,
you have
no need
to have
anything
written to
you,
for you
yourselves
are fully
aware.
You already
know the
answer he's
saying here.
And so
do many
of you,
I'm sure
you know
the answer
to this
question.
When will
the Lord
come?
Well, we
realize it's
not a date.
It's not a
day that we
can count
down towards.
He says
for you
yourself are
fully aware
that the
day of the
Lord will
come like
a thief
in the
night.
It's going
to come
suddenly.
The reason
that he's
not able to
answer it
is the
same reason
that it's
never been
able to
be answered.
In the
Old Testament,
even in the
teaching of
Christ in
the New
Testament,
it's not
a day that
can be
pinpointed
with a
date and
a time
and a
year.
It's a
day that's
described in
this way
suddenly,
like a
thief in
the night
when you
least expect
it.
That's the
way it's
described.
You go
back to
Joel in
the Old
Testament,
and especially
chapter 2,
and you read
through that
chapter,
and it's
talking about
this day
of the
Lord's
return.
It's
amazing the
kind of
picture it
gives of
the way it's
going to be.
It's going to be
an awesome day,
an amazing day,
a terrifying
day,
a day where the
people of God
can rejoice in.
happen.
But it's going to
happen suddenly
and quickly.
That's the
point that
Joel makes
very clear in
the Old
Testament.
Jesus himself
was asked this
question.
You think,
well,
surely Jesus
had the
answer.
Well,
you read in
Mark 13,
verse 32,
but concerning
that day,
the day of
the Lord's
second coming,
the day of
his second
advent,
or that hour,
no one knows,
he says,
not even the
angels in
heaven,
nor the
son,
but only
the father.
And so he
says,
be on your
guard,
keep awake,
for you do
not know
when the
time will
come.
He says
the same
in the
gospel of
Luke,
chapter 12,
verse 40,
you also
must be
ready for
the son
of man
is coming
at an
hour you
do not
expect.
We don't
know when
it's going
to be,
but we are
to live in
light of what
the scripture
tells us,
and what
the scripture
tells us
is to be
ready,
to be
aware of
the seasons,
he might
come like
a thief
in the
night.
December
the 7th,
1941,
was a
day,
the day
when a
devastating
attack
happened
in Pearl
Harbor,
in Hawaii.
A day
started like
an ordinary
day,
a sense
of peace,
but a
day that
ended in
complete
devastation
for so
many,
2,300
people,
or nearly
that number
lost their
lives that
day.
And yet
just a few
months earlier
in September,
someone had
said,
a Japanese
attack on
Hawaii is
regarded as
the most
unlikely thing
in the
world,
with one
chance in
a million
of being
successful.
But what
happened?
Devastation
came.
Are we
living in
a prepared
state or
a state of
denial where
there's false
comfort?
there's two
ways you
could look
at that
text which
says the
day of
the Lord
will come
like a
thief in
the night.
You can
live like
that thought
well a
thief in
the night.
Not every
house is
bargained.
It won't
happen to
me.
And so you
live in
denial,
it's no
concern.
But that's
not the
way to
live.
The way
to live
is to
think the
Lord will
come.
Without
focus on
that,
the Lord
will come.
He will
come to
you,
he will
come to
me,
he will
come to
us all.
The Lord
will come.
Just like
he did in
the first
time when
God sent
his son
into this
world and
people didn't
expect him,
didn't receive
him, didn't
look at him
the way they
should, as
the saviour
of the
world.
He's going
to come
again as
the judge
of the
world.
Advent is
about looking
back, but
it's about
looking ahead.
as well.
He will
come like
a thief in
the night.
Be aware
of the
seasons.
But the
second thing
we see is
to be aware
of the
situation.
And we
see that as
we move
on in
verse 4.
But you
are not
in darkness,
brothers,
for that
day to
surprise you
like a
thief.
You are
not in
darkness.
This is the
blessing the
church at
Thessalonica
had.
And this
is the
blessing that
we have
today.
We have
the word
of God.
We have
the guidance
of the
word of
God.
The Lord
has spoken.
We have
the gospel.
The gospel
that is
good news
as we
hear so
often at
this time
of year
when the
angels
sang
good news
of great
joy as
saviour
who is
Christ
the Lord.
That is
the good
news.
But there
is also
the warnings
in the
scriptures as
well.
The warnings
that we
have here
in Thessalonians
chapter 4.
For the
Lord himself
will descend
it says in
verse 16
from heaven
with a
cry of
command
with the
voice of
an archangel
and with
the sound
of the
trumpet
of God.
It's the
same message
that Joel
had.
The blessing
that he was
to his
people in
the Old
Testament
when Joel
in chapter
2 says
verse 1
blow a
trumpet
and sound
an alarm
on my
holy
mountain.
Let all
the inhabitants
of the
land
tremble
for the
day of
the
Lord
is
coming.
It
is
near.
There
is
warning.
The
trumpet
sound
is a
warning
sound
that there
is
danger
that there
is
a
major
event
coming
and so
the
trumpet
will
sound.
But who
was blessed
in Joel's
day?
Was it
everyone who
heard that
sound?
No.
It was
those who
took action
in the
midst of
that
sound.
Those who
are blessed
are the
ones who
heed the
warning.
And the
same is
true for
ourselves
today.
We need
to heed
the warning
of Scripture
to enjoy
this season
and the
joy of
it,
but to
realize
too that
it's
pointing
ahead
to
another
day,
another
advent,
another
coming
of the
Lord.
There
are
those
who
are
in
darkness
and
there
are
those
who
are
in
light.
And it's
to be
in
light,
that is
where we
need to
find
ourselves.
And that's
what he
says here,
you are
not in
darkness,
brothers,
for this
day to
surprise you.
You know
it's
coming,
he says.
You know
he is
coming.
So prepare,
be ready.
Don't have
a false
peace.
The peace
that Jeremiah
spoke of
in the
Old Testament
when he
said peace,
peace,
when there
is no
peace.
We can
easily think
we have
peace,
but all
around is
the trouble
that we
don't see
because we're
in darkness.
There's
a waterfall,
famous waterfall
in Africa,
Victoria Falls.
It's on the
border of
Sambia and
Zimbabwe.
A bit like
the Niagara
Falls,
they're world
famous and
many people
go to
visit them.
But they
both have a
similar thing
that happens
as well.
When there's
a raging
torrent of
water coming
down the
falls,
it creates
a mist,
almost like
a fog that
we would
see on a
calm day,
and you
can't see
properly.
But people
often want to
go and visit
these because
it's so
spectacular.
And one
day there
was this
man who
was visiting
Victoria Falls.
And he
was walking
around a
pathway that
skirts the
gorge.
And he
saw a sign
just towards
the edge
of the
gorge.
And he
couldn't see
it through
the mist
that the
water was
creating.
And so he
decided,
I need to
go and see
that sign,
see what it
says in
case I'm
missing
something
important
here.
And so he
started just
walking
towards it.
It was
quite muddy,
it was
quite slippery,
but he
just knew
he had
to see
the sign.
But as
he came
closer to
the sign,
as he
was just
about at
it, he
realised what
it said.
And on
the sign
it said
danger,
crumbling
edge.
So the
more he
was going
towards the
sign,
the more
he was
putting
himself in
danger.
The edge
of the
cliffs there
could just
collapse.
And that's
what it is
to be in
darkness.
We're
blinded to
the warnings
of this
world and
we're just
walking into
trouble as
it were.
But he
says here,
but you
are not
in darkness.
And so
the word
of God
guides us
away from
the edge
of the
cliff and
it guides
us towards
the safety
that is
the rock
that is
Jesus
Christ.
We have
warnings
in
scripture
again and
again guiding
us away
from danger.
When you
look through
your Bibles,
do you
think it
says more
of the
first
coming
of
Christ
or the
second
coming
of
Christ?
I mean
the first
coming
of
Christ
was
such
a
monumental
occasion
when God
sent
his
son
into
this
world
as a
saviour
for the
world.
Do you
think it
says more
of that
or more
of the
second
coming
of
Christ?
Well
the ratio
is about
eight to
one.
But it
says eight
times more
about the
second
coming
of the
Lord
than the
first
coming
of the
Lord.
And that's
a reminder
to us
of Advent.
It's great
to count
down towards
Christmas time
and the
first coming,
remembering the
first coming
of the
Lord.
But it's
to be
prepared for
the second
coming.
We are
not in
darkness.
Another
day that
people often
count down
to was
that yesterday,
what was
significant about
yesterday was
the winter
solstice.
So as of
today,
now the
days are
getting
longer.
You may
not see
it for a
while,
but that
is the
case.
Somebody
said that
today we'll
have five
seconds more
daylight than
we did
yesterday.
It sounds
insignificant.
It sounds
so small,
so minute,
and yet there's
a difference
day by day.
But imagine
the difference
between darkness
and light
through faith
in Christ.
Just a
glimpse of
the glory
of Christ
and the
joy of
his salvation
makes all
the difference
in our
lives.
Be aware
of the
situation
that we're
in.
There is
a danger
of drifting
away in
darkness,
but there
is a joy
and hope
of the
light
of the
gospel.
We are
not in
darkness.
We have
light.
We have
the gospel
before us.
And so
thirdly and
finally,
I just want
us to see
here,
be aware
of the
solution.
Be aware
of the
solution.
And you
notice that
verse 4
has a
but there,
but you
are not
in darkness,
so you
can be
ready for
the day.
Then again
in verse 8
it says,
but,
but since
we belong
to the
day,
let us
be sober
having put
on the
breastplate
of faith
and love
and for
our helmet
the hope
of salvation.
For God
has not
destined us
for wrath,
but to
obtain
salvation
through
our Lord
Jesus
Christ.
So if
we are
aware
that the
coming of
the Lord
could be
any time,
and if
we are
aware of
the different
situations
that we
can find
ourselves
in,
the darkness
or the
light,
well the
final thing
we have
to ask
is,
what is
the
solution?
What can
we do?
How do
we prepare
for the
return
of Christ?
You make
your preparation
for Christmas
Day,
you have a
shopping list,
you have a
list of
presents,
a list of
people you
want to
invite,
you have
preparations,
everybody is
preparing for
it.
If you are
in the
town or
around the
town the
last few
days,
the place
is busy
with people
all getting
ready for
that one
day,
but you
wonder,
are we
putting as
much effort,
as much
focus and
much attention
into preparing
for this
day,
for the
day of
the Lord's
return?
The solution
is yes,
we can
enjoy life,
we can
enjoy the
blessings of
families and
friendships and
seasons in
this world,
but it's
to be all
in light of
the fact that
the Lord
will return.
As Joel
spoke in
the Old
Testament,
and as
Paul speaks
here,
and as
Christ
himself spoke
about this
day,
it was
always with
like a
two-edged
sword.
There is
the threat
of judgment,
but there
is the hope
of salvation.
Verse 9,
for God
has not
destined us
for wrath,
for judgment,
if we are
putting our
trust in
him,
but to
obtain salvation
through Jesus
Christ,
our Lord,
who died
for us.
And so it
takes us
not just
to the
cradle,
to the
place of
Christ's
birth,
and to
that first
advent,
but it
takes us
to the
cross,
and to
the cross
where we
are able
to prepare
for the
day of
the Lord's
return,
because there
we see
the reason
Christ came
into this
world to
save his
people from
their sins
was by
dying on
the cross
himself,
by taking
the sin
that we
have in
our hearts,
and by
giving us
the hope
of salvation
through faith
in him.
So there
is the
solution.
Do you
need to
hear it
again?
You've
heard it
how many
times you
come towards
the end
of another
year,
2024.
It's hard
to believe
you in
just saying
it.
It doesn't
seem that
long ago
since we
were in
19-something,
but here
we are,
2024,
the end
of the
year again,
and how
many times
have you
heard this?
How many
times have
you remembered
the first
coming of
the Lord
and his
birth into
this world?
But how
important is
the second
coming?
How important
is the
second
advent when
he comes
to judge
the world?
The Lord
is coming.
We remember
that he
has come
and the
amazement
of that
that God
would give
his son
for us.
But let's
not forget
that he is
coming again.
The countdown
is on,
but it's not
a date you
can mark
on your
diary or
on your
calendar.
We don't
know when.
He will
come like
a thief
in the
night.
What's
the biggest
stumbling
block for
you just
now?
To stop
you from
being ready
for this
day?
Is it a
doubt that
this day
is not
going to
come?
Or this
day is
far in
the distance?
This day
is a day
I'll prepare
for later.
time.
The biggest
obstacle is
this,
that you
have plenty
of time,
or so
you think.
Time
is not
in our
hands.
It is in
the Lord's
hands.
And the
Lord says
today to
be ready.
Not just
ready for
Christmas and
this week,
but ready for
every day.
Lived in
light of the
Lord could
return any
time,
like a
thief in
the night,
and to
be ready.
Not saying
this to
take the
joy out of
Christmas.
I'm not
saying this to
be the
scrooge who
would spoil
Christmas Day
for anyone.
Quite the
opposite.
I'm saying
this so
that you
will enjoy
Christmas on
every day
to the
full.
Because if
you live it
in light,
not just
of his
coming
in the
first place,
but remembering
he will
come again.
That he
came, as
he says in
John 15,
that we
would have
life to
the full.
And that
we would
see that
life is
in him.
And that
we would
put our
trust in
him today.
He is
the solution.
Because if
we put our
trust in
him, we
are ready
for that
day.
Prepare for
this week.
prepare for
time with
family and
loved ones.
Prepare to
enjoy all
of these
things.
But prepare
in light of
the fact
that he
will come
again.
And when you
know this,
and when you're
ready,
then you can
rejoice
and be
glad
in him.
May he
bless you,
may he
guide you,
may he help
you to know
and to be
ready for
his second
advent.
let us
pray.
Our
Father in
heaven, we
do praise
and thank
you for
the very
fact that
you remembered
your people,
that you
sent your
son into
this world.
But we
thank you
too for
the fact
that he
will come
again.
And we
thank you
for the
word that
guides us
to that
end.
That is
not a
day that
we are
aware when
it will
be,
but a
day that
we need
to be
ready for
and help
us to
prepare our
lives
accordingly,
to look
to you,
to trust
in you,
and to
know the
joy of
salvation to
the full,
not just
in the
one who
was born
into this
world,
but the
one who
died on
the cross
for our
sins,
the one
who rose
from the
grave,
the one
who ascended
into heaven,
and the
one who
will come
again.
Look to
us, we
pray, Lord,
look down
upon us,
bless us,
we ask,
in Jesus'
name,
Amen.
We're
going to
conclude by
singing again
to God's
praise in
Psalm 43,
you'll find
this on
page 54
of the
psalm
books,
Psalm 43,
we'll sing
from verse
3 down
to the
end of
the
psalm,
the tune
is
Finart,
O send
your light
forth and
your truth,
let them
direct me
in your
grace,
and bring
me to
your
holy
hill,
and to
your
sacred
dwelling
place.
We'll
sing from
verse 3
to 5
to God's
praise,
we stand
to sing.
Amen.
singing,
To God my joy and my delight
And I will praise you with the heart
O God, you are my Lord of night
Why are you down as to my soul?
Why are you so disturbed in me?
Trust God, for I will praise you yet
I say you are my glorious King
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my left
We won't use the door to my right this morning
Just because of the wind outside
To stop the drafts coming through the church
So we'll just use the main door and the door to my left
We'll close with the benediction
Now may grace, mercy and peace
From God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Rest upon and abide with you all now and forevermore
Amen
έ
Amen
έ