Author: missionspaul

On the day of my daughter’s wedding the greatest concern from the important people of the day was whether or not I was ready in time. There had been a lot of discussion on what I was going to be actually doing in the morning. Apparently I am well-known for getting ready at the last minute and this was a problem. I had offered the good thought that I go for my hair cut in the morning. I hadn’t realised how foolish that was in terms of time. I then suggested I go off for the morning and let the important people get on with things and I come back after I had enjoyed whatever I found to do. My suggestions were going from bad to worse. In the end I was permitted to walk 100 yards from the important people to a café for a full English breakfast. It was wonderful. On my own. Newspaper. Breakfast. And crucially, in sight of the important people. All went well. I was ready.

In the early 70’s Larry Norman sang, ‘I wish we’d all been ready’ and it is a line that has stayed with me all my life. Are you ready for Christ’s return?

“But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. ⁵ You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. ⁶ So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.” (1 Thessalonians 5 v 4-7)

Here are 7 signs that you are ready for the return of Christ.

1. You are not in darkness, v4. Israel was supposed to be the light (Isaiah 60) but their light had stopped shining and they were walking in darkness. Jesus came as the true light. Where Israel failed He succeeded.
2. You will not be surprised, v4. Though no one knows the date and time, His coming will not be a complete surprise to you, you know He is coming.
3. You are not a child of the night, v5. Venus is known as the morning star as the first to appear after the sun sets or the last to disappear before the sun rises. It heralds of course a new day, hope and a new beginning. At the moment when the night is at its darkest there is a belief that the morning will break soon and the morning star is that sign. His name is not Venus but Jesus! You are a child of the dawn, the new day, Jesus!
4. You are not a child of darkness, v5. You are not characterised by the darkness. When people see you they come to know your character. Character is so more important than your abilities. Your Father is not darkness. You are not a product of that. You are a child of God.
5. You are not like others, v6. This is you: I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, ⁷ to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.’ Isaiah 42:6.
6. You are not asleep, v7. This is a different word to the sleep of death that we have seen in chapter 4. You are alert, awakened to the world you are in. When it goes wrong it is never at the right time. It is either spoiling a positive time or it is a time where we can be the most weak. Be alert. Stand your ground. The next 24 hours starts now and you may not know what it holds but it will have no consideration to what is happening to you. You are not asleep.
7. You are not drunk, v7. You have not lost control, nor your confidence nor an awareness to the context of your life. Rather you understand what the Lord wants of you; you are edified and encouraged by Him and He is the Lord of your life as you live in this difficult world.

How much do you think about it?

A few verses before we read how Paul points to the Christian dead coming with Christ. He has already taught the Thessalonians this and he reiterates that teaching.

“Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, ² for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³ 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.” (1 Thessalonians 5 v 1-3)

Christ is returning and it may be in our lifetime!

Here are the 3 words that describe His return:-

1. Suddenly. There are no times and dates available. Whether you think of a thief or a woman in labour it will just happen, suddenly. The question is are you ready for the suddenly?
2. Unexpected. If you knew a thief was coming but you didn’t know when what would you do? Would you cancel your life and spend the entirety not moving out of the house, not properly sleeping, afraid to leave your possessions lest the thief comes when you are away? Is that the life you would choose to live? Or would you secure your house in readiness that the thief could come anytime? So being ready is not just sitting on top of the roof of your house with your eyes wide open waiting for the thief. It is to live your life in preparation by demonstrating you are ready by how we do life.
3. Inevitable. When mothers are expectant it shows. They eat differently, look differently and walk differently! Expectation is hard to hide. But expectation soon turns to inevitable, it is unavoidable, the baby is coming!

This morning I pray for a Christian man who barring a miracle in his body will be with the Lord soon. I pray for his wife and family. His loss will be great. I am sure you know these prayers and you probably also know what it is to experience this awful situation. Being separated is the hardest thing. The early Thessalonian churches were anxious about what happened to their loved ones. So Paul tells them to encourage one another with what he teaches them (v18).

¹⁵ According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4 v 15-18)

In what was most probably either a prophetic word or a passed on saying of Jesus comes clear teaching on what happens to the Christian dead.

A Christian who dies:-

1. Falls asleep but not in some forever limbo state. From earth’s point of view it is not an end of all ends. But similar when we go to sleep at night, it is only an end of that day, we rise again the next day. This is what the phrase means ‘fallen asleep’ v15.
2. Meets Jesus Christ before anyone who is still alive on earth, v15. Imagine what that has been like!
3. Takes part in the return of Christ, they come with Christ back to earth, v16.
4. Will rise in the return of Christ, v16. This is not necessarily that they are some disembodied spirit right now, or as I say in limbo, they are definitely alive and active with Christ (Paul says that elsewhere, 2 Corinthians 5:8). The resurrected Christ (recognisable to us) will be accompanied by His resurrected people (recognisable to us also). You will see them again and they will be recognisable!
5. Will experience the presence of God with those who are alive. They will be with those who are still alive on earth, in the clouds, v17. The clouds have always been seen as symbolic of the presence of God whether on Mount Sinai or the mountain of Transfiguration and everything in between. So we can safely say that we who are alive will join those who died together in the presence of God.
6. Will experience the victory of God with those who are alive. They will be with those who are still alive on earth, in the air, v17. The air has always been seen as symbolic of the place for the devil and his kingdom (see Ephesians 2:2). So we can safely say that we who are alive will join those who died together in the final victory over Satan.
7. Will along with us be with the Lord forever, v17.

So be encouraged today, v18.

We all know bereavement eventually. When it comes it is traumatic, shocking, physically altering our very compass of life. It leaves us with questions maybe even years later like the ones in the title.

Paul writes, “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. ¹⁴ For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. ” (1 Thessalonians 4 v 13-14)

The Thessalonians seem to have had teaching from Paul regarding the Second Coming of Christ and they have questions. One being what about those who have passed away?

1. Grieve but not without hope. If Jesus wept at the graveside of Lazarus then it is expected that we too will weep at the loss of our loved one. But we do so in the place that Christ’s resurrection has over death. It is not hopeless grief..
2. Death is temporary. They did not enter a place of unconscious state, or some limbo, far from it. Paul describes death as sleep to show that it is temporary, it is like the body is resting, but then comes the waking, the resurrection.
3. The Christian dead will come again. They will come with Jesus. Can you now begin to imagine the glorious scene of not only the return of Jesus Christ but the return of your Christian loved one?

So in answer to the 2 questions:

• They are getting ready to return with Christ. You will see them again!
• Very much so!!

We all have met one. The busybody. The meddler.

“What has this got to do with you” are the words of Christ to His closest friend when John tried to interfere with what will happen to Peter. We are all grateful for a friend who sticks by us and even for us. But we know there are times when some people just want to interfere. Paul says don’t and gives reasons for why.

“and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: you should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” (1 Thessalonians‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬-‭12‬)

1. You have your own life to lead. In a world where the goal is to be noticed and where loud is better, Paul says strive to live quietly, peacefully, with calm and hidden even. You can’t do that when you’re meddling.
2. You should be too busy working. God wants us all to work and to get tired because of work that we need to take rest. Nothing comes easy. Success and the growth we seek doesn’t happen through laziness. 
3. Your way of life should be in such a way that you are respected. Those outside the church are watching you. When you’re not there how do they speak about you? How will they ever come to know Christ if they are not influenced by the way you contribute to their world?
4. Your aim is to lack nothing and so having to rely on others. This does not mean independence. It does mean spiritual maturity and growth as a follower of Christ. 

“We don’t have to write you about the need to love each other. God has taught you to do this, and you already have shown your love for all his people in Macedonia. But, my dear friends, we ask you to do even more.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭

Love.

We know He does.

We know we should.

And we do. 

We don’t need telling.

Love.

God has taught us in a variety of ways through His Word and Spirit.

We had to be taught for it doesn’t come naturally. 

But we know now.

We don’t need telling. 

Yet we all need to do it more.

There’s always more.

More Love is the Christian’s motto.

We don’t need telling.

Perhaps we do?

What world are you living in? It maybe a strange question to ask. We share some things eg greed, immorality, anger, hurt etc.  But the ‘world’ we live in with all its temptations and trials varies so much. What you have to face and what I face can be quite different. 

I’m not sure how comparable the nation and culture that you live in and that of the Thessalonians is. But for these Christians they had to live in a highly sexualised Roman world where commitment to one man one woman was difficult to see. 

So as he does in his other letters Paul writes speaking into their world. What he says to them can certainly be applied to our world.

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honourable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no-one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians‬ ‭4‬:‭3‬-‭8‬)

Paul’s lists are set within important truths. If the truths are not brought to the forefront as to the reason why we do or don’t do certain things then all that will happen is we become legalists. We keep rules but we don’t have the correct reason for doing so.

This is why. These are the reasons. This is the higher purpose. This is the kingdom.

1. God wants us to be different, v3. Holy and honourable, v4. Jesus took the form of a Jew, so He looked Jewish and yet the image of God the Father was seen in Him. That’s the same for us. Jesus lowered His position so that He came to serve not be served. If we think less of ourselves as Jesus did going to the cross then we move into holiness and cross is seen in us.
2. God will punish us if we do not live holy lives, v6. Jesus created a way through His shed blood for us never to be in a place of punishment. Ignore that way and the promise is punishment. We live in times when this is clearly being seen. It’s a strange title for point 2. Some will disagree. But God is not punitive. He is patient with us. However what does He do with sin that is not brought under the blood of Jesus (the above point in 1) nor prevented by being in alignment with the Spirit (in the point below)? There is a way of life (not the Christian sanctified life) that will not remain unpunished by a Holy God.
3. God gives you his Holy Spirit, v8. Our kingdom lifestyle, our sanctified life, it isn’t for man. We don’t get a medal. This is for God who pours out His Holy Spirit on our lives and who enables us to live a holy and honourable life.

. 

Paul is bringing this letter to a close. Some translations have the word ‘finally’ and we know that for any preacher that may not actually mean anything!

Here in the NIV we have ‘as for other matters’ and it is giving us an understanding that Paul is wondering what else needs to be said, he knows of course. 

“As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.”

‭‭(1 Thessalonians‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭2‬)

1. He speaks to a family, ‘brothers and sisters’, v1. The church is family. Over my lifetime I have seen the breakdown of the family. When I was in school there were only a few children who had sadly experienced family breakdown. Now the few are those who haven’t seen a breakdown. I have witnessed it first hand, to special friends, even to my Pastors, no one is exempt from such an attack. What has happened in the community of people’s homes has happened in the community of the church. I have been in the church all my life and I have never witnessed so much division as is what is happening all across the world. The family, God’s family are at war with each other, brothers and sisters are divided. The call must be that the family makes a comeback. That brothers and sisters act and speak like brothers and sisters.
2. He highlights the good, v1. His focus is not on what is not happening but what is. The church that you attend is not perfect. The network or denomination you belong to is not perfect. Anyone can point out what is wrong but the church needs encouragement of the good that is happening.
   1. He has shown them how to live. All disciples need instructing. All disciples need accountability for those instructions.
   2. He congratulates them for he has heard from Timothy that they are continuing to live the life of a disciple he set out for them.
   3. He encourages them to continue more and more. Oh that we all would be the encouragers of the church that it will continue! To thank people who willingly and sacrificially volunteer their lives for the church, including those who are called to lead and care for the church.
3. He reminds them of who leads the church, v2. This is not anyone’s church but Jesus’ church. There is no authority in the church except that of Jesus. That authority was given by His own blood not anyone else’s. Authority is seen through the cross. Any other display of authority is man’s not of God. 

It is the one thing that the world sees or doesn’t see within the church: love. It is the one thing that either unites or divides the church: love. It is the one thing that is the evidence of God’s presence: love.

“Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.” (1 Thessalonians‬ ‭3‬:‭11‬-‭13‬)

1. He clears the way for relationships to flourish, v11. What is in the way? What is blocking your route? The problems of you connecting with someone can be many. That may be circumstantial as here for Paul or it could be the hardness of heart. Whatever the reason God can remove it. God can make a way for love no matter what is obstructing it.
2. He increases love in our hearts for each other, v12.  I find loving people difficult at times don’t you? In fact I can think of some people who I love less today than yesterday. But the love I have is only what I have been given. In fact everything that God wants me to share is what He has first given me. So today our prayer is: give me more of your love to love people; help me to love how you love; let love pour out of my life. 
3. He strengthens so that our faults and sins are dealt with in his presence, v13. Love is the only path that takes you to holiness. For holiness is the expressed overflow of love. If we don’t love people then we cannot love God. If we love God then it is seen. Loving God causes us to turn away from ourselves and it then leads to being able to love people. When our lives are turned away from us then God sees us as blameless and holy.

Satan had blocked Paul’s path to go to the Thessalonians who he loved. However, he sent Timothy and he has now returned with good news for Paul. Read these verses slowly and think in terms of the relationship between Paul and the churches. 

“But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.” (1 Thessalonians‬ ‭3‬:‭6‬-‭10‬)

What Paul had been anxious about was unfounded because Timothy’s report was of a strong community of believers who spoke well of Paul and who wanted to see him. This was of huge encouragement to Paul. We see the keys of kingdom friendship in these verses.

1. The gospel/ ‘good news’ of the kingdom is not only a glorious message but it is a lived out message within the Christian community, v6.
2. All kingdom community is a shared faith (our walk with God) and a shared love (our walk with each other) and you cannot have one without the other, v6.
3. The kingdom relationships are those of family; ‘brothers and sisters’ who have a great history together filled with memories and who desire to make many more, v6-7.
4. The reason why we keep going in the faith are the stories of what God is doing in His people’s lives, when we live our lives not for the promotion of what God is doing in us but what He is doing in others then we have understood the kingdom, v 8-9.
5. Thankfulness and regular praying are the results of kingdom relationships, v9-10.