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.