Expecting Christ's Return - 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Expecting Christ's Return
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Audio of sermon

Dear friends in Christ, this Sunday and next are the last two Sundays of the church year. While in the calendar year, we celebrate with food and beverages and parties, in the church year we are called to somber awareness as we realize the fallen-ness of the world in which we live. We hear the words of Jesus, warning us of the end of the world will come about like a thief in the night. Too, the lessons warn of the signs in nature that will appear before Jesus’ coming, God’s way of giving us an early warning system alert that the end is soon approaching.

Some have made a business of trying to predict when that day will happen – the day of Jesus’ return. Watch the print rags at the grocery check out line – you’ll start to see the latest 2018 predictions as headlines. We laugh at these misguided and erring prognostications, and, like most people, tend to ignore them, reading about the Kardashian sisters or the latest Washington DC scandal instead.

But, then again, if headlines like these are a little too Chicken Little-esque for you, then perhaps we should instead consider the signs from creation. Earthquakes along the Iraq/Iran border? California seems to be a giant tinderbox, waiting to go up in flames. Speaking of tinderboxes, North Korea seems determined to start the next war. The Texas coast is still cleaning up from Harvey. North Africa is again in a time of extreme severe drought and food shortage. Is God getting our attention with creation and with headlines, letting us know the day of Christ’s return is getting close?

When I worked for Mr. Mickan, old timers would come to the shop and ask, “When’s it gonna rain, Raymond?” He always answered, “I don’t know…but I know we’re one day closer.” That’s true of Jesus’ return as well: we know that Jesus return is drawing closer and we’re a day closer than we were yesterday.  But, I have to ask you – whether it’s the curiosity of the calendar, the latest headlines, the rattling of creation, or your own study of the Bible, do you think Jesus is going to return in this generation?

As I read through this morning’s epistle lesson from 1 Thessalonians, I have to wonder – did Paul believe Jesus would return before he and his generation would die? We know Paul believed in the return of Christ and he was looking forward to that great day. We know that Paul was actually yearning for the day that Jesus would return – whether I live or die, I belong to the Lord, he wrote. But, do you think Paul believed Jesus was going to return before Paul tasted death?

I don’t think he did. He didn’t believe that – look at verse 10, where Paul says whether we are awake or asleep, meaning alive or dead, we might live with him. Too, in his letter to the Romans 14:8, whether we live or die we are the Lord’s. SO, did Paul believe Jesus would come in glory before Paul died? No.

But, did Paul expect it? Did Paul expect Jesus to return anytime? Did Paul expect the day of the Lord to be the day he sat down to write to the Thessalonians? Everywhere you read Paul, the answer to this question is the same: absolutely, positively, yes!

Now – I’m going to take all of you at your word. I’ll remind you of what you solemnly say every Sunday. Every Sunday you say you are waiting, you are expecting Christ to come. You tell the world you are waiting for the day of the Lord. Here’s what you say: you say you believe in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. You say you look for the resurrection fo the dead and the life of the world to come. Unless you are lying, and I’m not accusing anyone of that mind you, you say it, you confess it, you believe it. You are prostekaoing – you are looking forward, expecting, waiting for, yearning for the day of Christ’s return – the day when God puts down every evil and eliminates all injustice and sin and every evil.

Since you are looking forward to the day of the Lord, this reading is for you. Since you are expecting Jesus our Lord, this reading gives you three steps, three pieces, that build on each other as you prostekao – wait – for Christ’s return. V. 2-5, v. 6-10, v. 11.

1) v. 2-5: Since you are waiting Him to come, remember who you are. Paul contrasts the day of the Lord for those who are not looking for the Day of the Lord and have turned away from Him, and those who are looking for His return. V. 3 – for those who reject God’s son, the day will be destruction. In a world without real anesthesia, nothing like safety or life support, the return of Jesus will be sudden agony – like a woman upon whom labor suddenly comes. For the enemies of Christ, Paul says, they will not escape.

But not you. Not you. Baptized and believing in what God has done for you in Christ, Paul speaks to you because you are expecting Jesus. Remember who you are, Paul says.  V. 4 – you are not in darkness, brothers and sisters. V. 5 – you are children of light, children of the day. As you wait for the day of the Lord you are children of the day. Now, how can that be?

It’s because the day has already happened. The darkness, the earthquake, the agony. My God, why have you forsaken me. That was the day of the Lord. Do not be afraid. He is not here. He is risen as He said! That is the day of the Lord. Joined to Good Friday, baptized into Easter, you are children of the day. As you look forward to the day, as you expect the day of Jesus to come with glory and unthinkable power, do not be afraid. Remember who you are – you are children of the day.

2) v. 6. So then – SO THEN! – Paul is building - so, then, live out who you are. Here Paul uses a picture that we are tempted to misunderstand. Let us not sleep as people do but stay awake and be sober. This shows how perverse our culture has become that Paul’s words sound like a bummer and a downer. Don’t be drunk, be sober – almost sounds like “don’t have fun, be serious.” Be boring and dull - good Lutherans, right? WRONG!!! Let me remind you of what it is to be drunk – physically or spiritually.

To be drunk is to be a fool. So foolish that even when others mock you, you don’t notice and even if you do notice, you don’t care. To be drunk is to stagger and fall. You can’t get up and find your way home. To be drunk is to be defenseless. You don’t see the danger coming, let alone be able to protect yourself. To be drunk is to be a child of the darkness, to begin to forget who you are. It’s terrible, shameful and deadly thing.

To be sober. To be sober, however, means to see clearly. You can see things that are beautiful and true. To be sober means to be strong. To be sober means you are able to walk towards your neighbor in love. To be sober means you can follow the master carefully, deliberately, faithfully. To be sober is to be wise. To be sober is to be able to live well and be open to real and lasting joy and truth and beauty. It means you have your wits around you. And when you are sober and you see danger coming you can avoid it. To be sober, v. 8, is to be dressed well – the breastplate of faith and love, faith in Christ and love from God and for your neighbor. And the helmet of hope, the hope Jesus is coming the hope of salvation through Christ. To be sober is good. IT is the only way to live since you are waiting for Jesus to return. And since you are waiting, remember who you are and live out who you are.

3) V. 11 Therefore = Therefore, because of who you are and since you desire to live it out. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up as you are doing. Take your hymnal and open to the back cover. I’m going to ask you to say words you say weekly. Say with me the last two lines of the Nicene Creed.

Children of the day, encourage one another build one another up, speak with each other about the return of Christ, wait for him together. Sing it! Speak it! Confess it! Pray it! Expect it! Live it! Christ is risen! Christ is coming! He is coming soon! Amen!