August's Sermons

Church Period: Trinity 27th Sunday After
Sermon Title: Regarding The Times and The Seasons
Sermon Date: November 21, 1971
Rev. August Hauptman
Sermon Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Dear Christian friends:

On this Sunday another Church year comes to an end, and since we are still alive and sitting here this morning it is obvious that our Lord did not yet come to take us to His eternal home and ours.

However, since it is the last Sunday of the Church year the lessons for this day direct our attention to the Last Day, the end of this present world, the great Day of our Lord when He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

Our text which is the epistle lesson for this Sunday directs our attention to Christ's Second Coming. St. Paul writes about the times and the seasons. Quite frequently I hear people say that the end of the world will have to come soon, anytime, because the world has gotten out of control, men are so evil etc. Its true that Christ may come at anytime. Not because the days are evil, but because He said so.

St. Paul and the Christians of his day expected Christ to return momentarily. We can tell that by the way Paul wrote of Christ's second coming in the verses immediately preceding our text. (Explain and read, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

Certainly Christ may come at any moment, not because the days are evil, but because He said so. The days have always been evil, and they were certainly evil when St. Paul lived upon this earth.

Christ did not tell us the exact time of His great return and for some very good reasons. Number one, He wants people of each age to live in constant expectancy. We don't know when He is coming, but we know for sure that He is coming and suddenly. Paul says as a "thief in the night." He will come.

We should know this perfectly well for Christ Himself has told us, "In such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh." (Matthew 24:44) "Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping." (Matthew 13:25-36)

The knowledge that He is coming and that He will come suddenly is more useful for us to know than the exact time, because this should alert us to stand and watch, that we may be ready anytime, whenever He chooses to come.

For most people Christ's second coming will be a great shock like the shock of a thief, burglarizing your house when you least expected it, and you were not prepared for it. Not only will it be shocking, but it will be destructive. (verse 3) The righteous God will bring ruin upon all enemies of the Gospel, unbelievers destruction will be total and final.

It will overtake them and fall upon them when they say in their hearts, "we have peace and safety." (verse 3) In the midst of their vain pleasures and lewd amusements when they think not of it, then shall it come. As little as an expectant mother can escape giving birth to her child so little can they expect to escape the Judge of the living and the dead.

Although it will be surprising and shocking to Christ's enemies it will be most expected and most welcomed by His friends. Paul writes, "But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness." (verses 4&5) We Christians are not in a state of sin and ignorance, as the unbelieving people of this world. Paul says in Ephesians 5:8, "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light." So we Christians today: "But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings." (Malachi 4:2)

We are no longer under the shadow and condemnation of the law, but under the glorious gospel, which brings life and immortality to light. Paul writes in verses 9&10 of our text, "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him."

"Since we are children of the light and have the glorious gospel of Christ we must not sleep, but keep awake and be sober." Paul writes. We must not be secure in our own self-righteous and puny works of the law. This is spiritual sloth and idleness. We must not compare our selves with others and think, "well I'm not as bad as he is etc." This is spiritual darkness.

We must daily submit our thoughts and deeds to the scrutiny of God's perfect law and there see our sin and helplessness before the Judge. Then humbly confess our sins and look to Christ crucified for our forgiveness, peace and hope.

Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness
my beauty are, my glorious dress;
'midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
with joy shall I lift up my head.
Hymn TLH #371 - Jesus, Thy Blood And Righteousness


This is a good hymn for us to sing each day as we contemplate the return of our Lord. We sleep when we justify ourselves; we stay awake when we are honest with ourselves confessing our sins and trusting only in Christ's blood and merit to be justified before God. Lets keep awake. The Lord comes!

Amen.