"The day of the Lord will come"
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
Christ will return! How should we live in light of this truth?
#hopeinChrist
#children
#dayoftheLord
Published May 29th, 2020
Main Point
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 - Paraphrase
Takeaways
Next Steps
notes
Main Point
As children of light, live soberly in faith, love, and hope in Christ always ready for his swift return.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 - Paraphrase
editing
NT
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
esv
mine
Now concerning w the times and the seasons , brothers, 1 x you have no need to have anything written to you.
As for when the Lord will come for us, I do not need to tell you anything.
For you yourselves are fully aware that y the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
Because you already know that the Lord will return with no warning in the manner of a robber coming under cover of darkness.
While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then z sudden destruction will come upon them a as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman,
Even as people say in the their hearts, "We have achieved peace and stability for ourselves," Christ will come and shatter their illusion of control as suddenly as contractions start in an expecting mother,
and they will not escape.
and nothing they try will allow them to flee from the coming king.
But you b are not in darkness, brothers,
However , you do not live in darkness, blinded to truth, as they do,
for that day to surprise you like a thief.
so as to be caught off guard by the coming of the Lord like a robber.
For you are all c children 1 of light, children of the day.
And this is because you have been changed and everyone of you is a son or daughter of light, living in the clarity of day.
[And] We are not of the night or of the darkness.
And we are no longer blind as those who belong to the darkness and night.
So then d let us not sleep,
This should effect our lives! Let us not remain in the fog of deception,
as others do,
as those blinded by darkness are,
but let us e keep awake and f be sober.
instead let us remain alert and fully conscious.
For those who sleep, sleep at night,
For it is evident sleeping is when it is dark,
and those who get drunk, g are drunk at night.
and also carousing is done under cover of darkness.
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober,
In contrast, we are children of day so we should live with alertness and clarity of mind.
h having put on the breastplate of i faith and love,
Because we have donned, as a breastplate, faith in and love of Christ,
and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
and , as a helmet, the eternal hope and confidence is the salvation which is ours in Christ.
For God has not destined us for j wrath,
For we are secure in the truth that God has not made us to demonstrate his justice and wrath.
but k to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Instead He has made us to be saved through the work of Christ,
l who died for us
that is, God showing both mercy and justice through the death of Christ on our behalf.
so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.
And this salvation results in our living with Christ both while we live in the flesh and when this body has died.
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up,
For this reason offer encouragement to all the believers reminding them of Christ and his work and building them up in the knowledge of Christ.
just as you are doing.
Continue in the manner that you are already doing and persevere in the good work.
discourse
Takeaways
In this passage, Paul encourages the Thessalonians, and by extension us, to live soberly in Christ always ready for His return. He gives two direct commands: Let us not sleep, but keep awake and sober (v6); Let us be sober (v8) Encourage one another and build one another up (v11) These commands are anchored in three truths that frame why we should do them: We know that the Lord will return (v2) We are children of light and not of darkness (v5) God has destined us for salvation and not for wrath (v9) Paul also reminds us of the means of obedience. He does not say muster up our own strength, but rather look to Christ in three specific ways: H aving put on the breastplate of faith and love , and the helmet of the hope of salvation (v8) To motivate us Paul reminds us that Christ has died for us and we live in him (v9-10) and warns that destruction is coming for all those who think there is peace with God apart from Christ (v3).
Next Steps
I am starting to lead a small group through our church which will include children. We are hoping to study a Gospel (Matthew or Luke most likely). I am excited to use the things I have learned in the Paraphrase course to focus on the main point of passages with the children. As well as being able to summarize and paraphrase for them in a way that is true to the text.
Comments
Disclaimer: The opinions and conclusions expressed on this page are those of the author and may or may not accord with the positions of Biblearc or Bethlehem College & Seminary.