A Thief in the Night (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11- Jeff Kliewer)

It's awesome to be together with my brothers and sisters in the Lord. Do you know where we are right now? Paula says I'm in row 6, seat 2. We are actually in God's very presence right now. And he's here with us.

We're joining in together. I want to read, opening up out of Psalm 107, verse 1 and then verse 9. Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. That's just enough right there. For his steadfast love endures forever.

And then in verse 9, it says he satisfies the longing soul. Do you ever feel the need or the desire that you want God in a certain way? It says he satisfies the longing soul and the hungry soul. He fills with good things.

In the Beatitudes, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. I like Twinkies. For the moment they satisfy, but they don't really satisfy. God is the one. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

That is a promise. A couple of announcements I want to give to you. First of all, tomorrow is our annual, we call it the election meeting. It's a congregational meeting where we will do the final step of affirming the new board members, new elders, the chairman, all this other kind of stuff.

We've been working, praying with the Lord since September on this, and tomorrow we finally affirm that new board. I really desire that you be in prayer because having a board that is called by God, as opposed to called by man, and having a board that is unified in the Holy Spirit, and quite frankly, we have a senior pastor who leads us in truth and holds us in truth.

Be in prayer for the new board, and also tomorrow we affirm the budget for the following year. If you're a member, please come. If you're not yet a member, please come. I guess the message is, please come.

We started today another starting point class. We have eight more people taking the class. If you have not yet taken a starting point class, you're interested in our church, love to know more about our church, you can still join us because the first session, not today's session, but the first session is actually on YouTube.

It can be watched. So if you desire it, please come next Sunday. We meet during first service in one of the classrooms up there. We have two more weeks to do that. This coming Saturday is the third Saturday of the month, and it's our Love Life ministry.

What an opportunity we have to be in a concert of prayer, beseeching the Lord to protect those unborn who potentially are at risk in the hearts of the young women and the young men that are making decisions.

Saturday morning is our prayer walk for Love Life. Next Sunday, please come back in the evening. We have, we've done this before. We're launching it again. We call it a hymn sing. And basically what we'll do is we come together, did we say six o 'clock?

Six o 'clock. And we're going to open up the hymn books and we're going to sing songs out of the hymn books. We're organized this time a little bit more than before. We're going to have a little more musicians involved, but it's a time just to worship God in some of these great hymns.

And we have a surprise. We have a youth choir that's actually going to be there. And ministering to us during it. So next Sunday, please come out. I want to encourage you to our typical, our normal routine of schedule activities.

We have a prayer meeting tonight. Please come out at six o 'clock. On Monday's big night, we have the men's apologetics class. I guess they're getting close to 30 guys at the apologetics class. And at the same time, the women have the precepts study.

And I guess they've got a similar number of people. This is awesome to see people going deep into the word of God. We have small groups that meet. You can go online or see myself, Pastor Jeff, and we can guide you towards the different small groups.

At this time, I'm going to ask Louise if you would come forward.

Good morning. Good morning.

So Louise, thank you. It has been a real blessing, Louise, working as our coordinator, as our facilitator for information, and to make it more real for us. I do like the fact that we had the picture up there.

That kind of helps put a face to what's being said. But always, always being in prayer. Let's go to prayer right now. Father God, we lift the Cantani family to you. We thank you that from a young age, you started to prepare them for this ministry call.

And that you've blessed them as a family. You've blessed them with a young child. But most of all, Lord, we thank you that their heart is to reach into Portugal, a country, as in all countries, that needs your word.

Watch over them, protect them. We pray for them specifically. We also pray for our other missionaries. We thank you, Lord, that they have answered that call. We thank you, Lord, for what's going on here at Cornerstone, and to be enjoying the fellowship.

I think of the depth of growth with the apologetics class, with the precepts, with the small groups. And even this past week, having the preaching camp. And seeing how even the young men in this church are desiring, desiring to spread your word.

We thank you for that teaching. Lord, we do pray for those that we know of that are in need of healing. We think of Ryan down in Texas, from the Burns. We think of Bill Rondelp's friend who has had heart issues.

We think of Loretta, who is continuing. We pray, Father, for a full recovery for her from the cancer. Lord, we pray for wisdom as our church continues to consider the option for land on Phillips Road.

We thank you, Father, that you are giving us options to consider. We want your wisdom. We want this to be for your glory. Lord, we pray that we not only expand perhaps land and building, but Lord, that we would be reaching out with your word to neighbors, in the workplace, to families, to hear the message of truth.

And Father, today as Pastor Jeff takes us into 1 Thessalonians 5, the day of the Lord, we know this is important teaching. We pray that your spirit speaks through him and that your spirit equips our hearts to hear.

And these things we pray in Jesus' name, amen.

Turned into wine. Open the eyes of the blind.

There's no one like you. None like you.

And tortured to die. Hung on a cross, crucified.

There's no one like you. None like you.

Our God is greater. Our God is stronger. God, you are higher than any other. Our God is healer. Awesome in power.

Our God Our God.

That conquered the grain Paid all my sin and my shame.

There's no one like you. None like you.

Risen from death and alive Reigning in heaven on high.

There's no one like you. None like you.

Our God is greater. Our God is stronger. God, you are higher than any other. Our God is healer. Awesome in power.

Our God Our God.

And if our God is for us Then who could ever stop us. And if our God is with us Then what could stand against. And if our God is for us Then who could ever stop us. And if our God is with us Then what could stand against.

Our God is greater.

Our God is greater. Our God is stronger. God, you are higher than any other. Our God is healer, awesome in power, our God, our God.

Our God is greater, our God is stronger.

God, you are higher than any other. Our God is healer, awesome in power, our God, our God.

He is greater and he is stronger than anything that this world can throw at us. So awesome, Lord you are so awesome. He is stronger. One of the attributes that goes along with being stronger is that there's faithfulness.

Our God is faithful. Beyond everything that we can imagine, things that we're going through, the biggest thing is he knows the future. He knows what he has in store. We don't have to worry because he is faithful.

Let's sing together, great is thy faithfulness. There are two other verses that are added on. Allow us to focus in a little bit more on his great faithfulness.

All I have is thy faithfulness. Then without warning, desire, I found my treasure, my pleasure. I see faithfulness.

A garden for sin and a peace that endureth.

Presence to guide, strength for today, hope for tomorrow. Blessings all mine with 10 ,000. Great is thy faithfulness.

Lord, we come before you this morning with humble hearts before your throne, knowing that you are stronger and that you are better, knowing that you are faithful, come before you this morning, singing praises to your name.

Son of man, tempted, healed, and never sinned. He who makes you righteous brings us back to life again. Dying, he reversed the curse, then rising, crushed the serpent's head. A true, humbled son of sacrifice, who would climb the fair to offer up his life.

Laid with faith upon the altar, father's joy and only son. Their salvation was provided, oh, what full and boundless love.

Amen, amen.

From beginning to end, Christ the story is the glory. Hallelujah, amen. All to lead to be known with his arms stretched wide to heaven. See the waters part in two. See the veil is torn forever, cleansed with blood we pass now through.

Amen, amen.

Christ the story is the glory. Hallelujah, amen. Lonely shepherd, mighty king. He the champion in the battle where, oh, death is now thy sting. In our place he bled and conquered. Crown him lord of majesty.

He shall be the throne forever. We shall hear his people be.

Amen, amen.

From beginning to end, Christ the story is the glory. Hallelujah, amen. From beginning to end, Christ the story is the glory. Hallelujah, amen. Christ the story is the glory. Hallelujah, amen.

Michael, thank you for introducing us to that song. It's a new one, guys. That was a 2020 song, but it sounds like an old hymn, doesn't it? It's got really rich theology and not just repetition. So, beautiful.

Thank you, Michael. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? Lord God, I pray that as I preach this morning, you would help me to preach without fear.

Give me courage to say everything that you would have me to say. I pray for all those who hear the preaching of your word, that you would fill them with courage to preach the word in season and out of season.

To be bold to tell others about Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray.

Amen.

When my wife and I were missionaries in inner city Philadelphia in the Kensington neighborhood, we were part of a missionary team. And so, there were a bunch of missionaries there all working together.

And one of the couples decided that they would buy an abandoned lot. You can get an abandoned lot very cheap in Kensington. They've knocked down a house that was condemned, and now it's just an open space.

And the reason they wanted to buy it was in order to plant a community garden. So, they brought in topsoil and they planted vegetables and fruit and all kinds of things to grow right there in the city.

It was a great thing. They had a father. So, the father of one of the missionaries, an older man, would come down from the suburbs once a week to tend the garden. So, he would pull the weeds. He would water.

He would, you know, pick the fruits and vegetables that were ready. And so, he did a great job. And that was his way of serving the kingdom, to come and tend the community garden of Cornerstone Community Church.

So, it was a great work that he would do. And he'd show up in the middle of the day and work hard. Well, one day, while he was tending the garden, kneeling down, picking weeds, a man in the neighborhood approached.

And as he came near the garden, he pulled a very long knife. And he opened the gate and entered in and raised the knife towards this man, this dear old man. But little did that man know that this old missionary father was wise and prepared and ready.

The thief came in the day. And so, because it was day, this old man was watching. And he noticed that someone had been milling about and approaching. And as soon as this man opened the gate, he heard the gate creaking.

He was watching him over his shoulder. He himself stood to his feet and gave the familiar sound of, ch-ch-ch, and showed his gun. And the man with the knife turned and ran away like a little baby. You see, the thief came in the day.

And the Christian was not taken by surprise. He was ready. Week after week, he expected that this might occur. So he came prepared. He came ready for the thief. This morning, we are going to study a passage, very familiar to probably all of you, most of you, called, A Thief in the Night.

Who is the thief in the night? Or better, what is the thief in the night? We'll answer that question. And we'll do it from 1 Thessalonians 5, verses 1 to 11, this morning. Before we read it, remember what we have just learned.

Two weeks ago, when I was last in the pulpit, we studied the end of 1 Thessalonians 4. And that is the famous rapture passage. That we should not be worried about those who have fallen asleep. In other words, those who have died.

Christians who have been buried in the ground and sleep in the earth.

Why?

Because when Christ comes, he's going to resurrect them from their graves. And call them up to heaven to meet him in the air. And we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, we will also be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

And so we will be with him forever. Encouraging words?

Amen.

And we talked about how this rapture of the church, the catching up of the church to meet the Lord in the air. Is near. It's coming soon. There are signs of the times. Has anybody noticed any signs of the times these days?

Like maybe a pandemic or wars and rumors of war. Things of this nature. Well, these are only birth pangs. And these things will come. In fact, they have been coming for 2 ,000 years. We've been in the end times since Christ came the first time.

We're waiting for his return. But the signs are increasing. That the coming of the Lord will be soon. And when Christ comes, we, the church, who believe in him, will be waiting for him. Looking for him.

Long expecting him. And we will not be surprised like someone taken by the thief in the night. So now let's read about the times and seasons. The coming of the Lord, the thief in the night. 1 Thessalonians 5, 1 to 11 today.

Now, concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying there is peace and security, then sudden destruction will come upon them.

As labor pains come upon a pregnant woman. And they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light. Children of the day.

We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep as others do. But let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night. And those who get drunk, are drunk at night.

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober. Having put on the breastplate of faith and love. And for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath. But to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Who died for us. So that whether we are awake or asleep, we might live with him. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up. Just as you are doing. So the main idea today is that the arrival of the day of the Lord.

Will be as surprising as a thief in the night. To unbelievers. But the opposite to us. We will not be surprised like a thief in the night. Coming into our house. We will be waiting and ready. Because the return of the Lord is imminent.

Now if you notice in the first three verses. It is not the Lord who is described as a thief. Look more carefully at the passage. What is the thief in the night? It says in verse 2. You are fully aware that the day of the Lord.

Will come like a thief in the night. This day is not a 24 hour period. It is an age. Not like the age of Aquarius. That fiction.

It is the day.

A new age coming. Called the day of the Lord. And it will come like a thief in the night. Notice the element of surprise. In verse 3. What are people saying?

Peace.

Security.

If you ask me what is going to happen with this Russia Ukraine thing. I think whatever happens. There will be a return to some kind of normalcy. There is nothing new under the sun. Wars, rumors of wars.

These things will come in cycles. As the end times approach it will increase in frequency. But something will eventually bring the world back to a place where people assume all is well. Everything goes on like before.

There is nothing new under the sun. Here in verse 3 that is what people are saying. There is peace.

There is security.

Then.

Sudden. Notice that word sudden. This element of surprise. The thief in the night. You are not expecting him. You are laying in bed. Sound asleep. And then you hear the crack window. And as you jump to your feet.

You find he is in the house. It is surprising. It is a thief in the night and you were not expecting it in the least. That is what is happening in verse 3. And this day of the Lord is described as sudden destruction.

Destruction. That comes as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman. And they will not escape. Now this raises an interesting question. Is the day of the Lord. As many people say. The second coming of Christ.

When he arrives. And he slays the wicked and he judges the world. Is this something that the church must live through. And then the Lord comes in the day of the Lord to bring judgment on earth. I would say there is a major, major problem.

With that way of thinking.

Listen.

Time and again in the New Testament. The day of the Lord. The coming is described as imminent. This is like your big theological word for the day. Imminency. Not eminent like. He is an eminent. You know.

Prominent person. Imminent. What does imminent mean? Could happen any second. There is nothing that stops it from happening right now. While I preach. Jesus said that it would be like the days of Noah.

People will be marrying and giving in marriage and eating and drinking. And then.

Boom.

Taken away for judgment. Two men standing in the field. They are just hanging out. One taking the other left. By the way that is taken to judgment. Or left not having to experience it. Or the two women grinding at the mill.

Or the ten virgins and five of them. What did they do? They were so complacent. They had become forgetful so they forgot to keep their oil. And they fell asleep. They were just snoozing. They weren't ready.

But the other five virgins were ready. When the groom came. Get the idea? Imminency. It could happen at any second.

Now.

If anybody here. How many of you parents. Let your children read the book of Revelation. Especially your little kids. I would say you better not do that.

Unless.

You believe in the rapture of the church before the tribulation. I think that's your favorite book isn't it? Revelation. He loves it. And I love for him to read the book of Revelation.

Because.

The church will be raptured out of here. Now I need to underscore this point of imminency. Because not many people these days believe that the church will be raptured out. Look at 1 Thessalonians 4 17.

It says we will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord. Not many people believe that this will happen before the tribulation. It's now taught commonly that we have to live through the tribulation.

And endure that. Before the coming of the Lord. Let me remind you. Of what we read in Revelation 6 through 16. You guys remember this? A horseman. On a white horse.

Appears.

Now he's riding a white horse. Because he's posing.

Pretending to be Christ.

He is the antichrist. And he says that he's bringing peace. Daniel 9 26 and 27. He establishes a peace treaty. And all the world says there is peace and safety. The first horseman of the apocalypse is the antichrist.

Promising peace. But the second horseman comes right behind him. And he rides a red horse. And he brings war. The opposite of what was promised. War breaks out on earth.

All of the world.

Enveloped in a third world war. That's coming. Eventually. In God's timing. But then the third horse. Is famine. And the fourth is pestilence that breaks out on the earth. The fifth is martyrdom. Where Christians are being slain all throughout the world.

And then. The sixth. Is an earthquake. And this earthquake is so severe that the islands flee. And the mountains fall down. And the people are so terrorized. By what's happening on earth. That they hide in the clefts of the rock.

And they call on the rocks to fall on them. To spare them. From the face of him who sits on the throne. And from the wrath of the lamb. For the great day of their wrath has come. Revelation 6. 16 and 17.

Describes even the seal judgment. Which by the way. Who breaks the seals in Revelation 6? Jesus.

It's his wrath.

These judgments. When the seal is broken in heaven. Wrath breaks out on earth. Devastation of this nature. So now we have the seventh seal. And when Jesus breaks the seventh seal. It brings out. Seven angels.

And each of these angels is carrying a trumpet. When the first. Through the fourth angel. Blow their trumpets. The common grace of God on this earth. What people take for granted. The fact that we look outside.

And it's green everywhere. And there's trees. Your yard just gives birth to life. We take it for granted that. Vegetation springs up from the ground. With the first trumpet. One third of all green things are incinerated.

With the second trumpet. One third of all the fish in the sea die. And a third of all the ships. The third and fourth. You have the blue skies. Turned dark. You have the pure waters. Of the oceans and the lakes.

Destroyed. With the first four trumpets. Common grace is being eliminated. What happens with the fifth? It is the first woe. At this point with the fifth trumpet. Something supernatural happens. God opens some crevice.

And these disgusting.

Disgusting locusts. Come out.

But they're not ordinary locusts. Remember the book of Joel. How the locusts would be sent. For the day of the Lord. Here the locusts are like scorpions. They can sting you. And when they sting. The pain of that scorpion like bite.

Lasts for five months. People are being tortured. By these things. That's why it's called the first woe. It is actually the wrath of God. Bringing the first taste of hell.

To earth.

Punishment.

Wrath.

Unleashed. At the second woe. Which is the sixth trumpet. You have an army. Of 200 million people. Described as red and sapphire. Where on earth could you discover. A 200 million person army. China. But at the time that this was written.

There was only 300 million people.

In all the earth.

And most of those were unknown peoples. How could the author of Revelation know this? It's because it was God. Inspiring the writing of this book. An army. Probably China. Maybe another. Arises with 200 million soldiers.

And kills one third of the earth. You getting the picture? This is not peace and safety. This is not life as usual.

This is the day of the Lord.

What was promised. Through all the Old Testament prophets.

A day of wrath.

Where God begins to judge the world. He's been withholding his wrath. Staying his judgment. But in the day of the Lord. The last seven years. He's no longer staying his judgment. The seventh trumpet. What happens next?

Seven bowls of wrath. And those who took the mark of the beast. Break out in terrible sores. All over their body. And all the fish of the sea die. With the second bowl. No living fish. I grew up in Florida.

Anybody here ever been to Florida? During a red tide?

You go to the beach.

You're all excited for the beautiful. Clear water beach. And when you get there. You know what you find? The water is disgusting. It's red. And the fish and all the sea life. Have washed up to the shore.

And you're like. Mom can we go home? This is not what we wanted. Imagine at the second bowl. That every fish in the sea is dead. And the water is turned to blood. With the third bowl. Even the rivers and the springs turn to blood.

And God says. I have given them blood to drink. Because that is what they deserve. That's what I deserve. But he gave me. A different blood to drink. The cup of forgiveness. The blood of the lamb. We're going somewhere with this.

It says. At the fourth bowl.

Of wrath.

Hopefully this is making you uncomfortable. Because it doesn't get better. Here at the end. Until we bring it to the gospel. You know what he does with the fourth bowl of wrath? The angel pours out the bowl.

And God supercharges the sun. So the global warming people. They're worried about the wrong kind of judgment on earth. When God supercharges the sun. It will immediately scorch the people of earth. To the point where they curse God.

And they are enraged against him. Because they know it's judgment. He scorches the earth. And then he blacks it out.

Fifth bowl.

Darkness. Everybody is in utter darkness. And the bible says they gnaw their tongues. Because of the agony of their sores. And the terror of night. Because these are children of.

Darkness.

And then the sixth bowl. Of course that's the demonic frog spirits. Things get increasingly supernatural. At this point. Remember the false Christ. And the false prophets of Matthew 24. Once you have the abomination of desolation.

The antichrist proclaims himself to be God. Now things get really weird. Supernatural. You have false prophets who can do miracles. So astonishing. That even the elect would be deceived. If that were possible.

But it's not possible. For example. The Jewish false prophet at the right hand of the antichrist. You know what he can do? He makes an idol of the antichrist. But when people come to worship it. It responds.

The statue. Can talk and move. It's like AI. But no it's supernatural. Okay. Things are getting very supernatural at the end. Of the book of revelation. And the last bowl. Is an earthquake so severe. That it ruins the world.

Everybody is enraged. And the people that remain. Gnawing their tongues in the darkness. Make their way to Jerusalem. For the battle of Armageddon. Not all of them make it. Most of them don't. Because there's hailstones falling from heaven.

Just picking them off left and right. And the only people who make it there. Are those enraged. Wanting to kill the Jewish people. To get back at God. And Christ comes. And sets his foot on the Mount of Olives.

And splits it in two. And reigns from Jerusalem. And in that coming. He judges those who remain. With the breath of his mouth he slays the wicked. Isaiah 11. This is what's coming.

Now.

Here's my question to you. Maybe online. Because I know you guys are with me already.

How is it.

That these events must take place. And yet you say. That the return is imminent. Imminent is the issue. It could happen at any second. And people are saying peace and safety. And they're marrying and giving and marriage.

And everything goes on as normal. Until that day hits. Here's the issue. The rapture of the church. The coming of Christ. Is imminent. It could happen while I preach. And that sets off the day of the Lord.

The judgments.

So we can say. That the rapture. That the coming of Christ is imminent. It can happen like a thief in the night. When no one expects it. But by the end of the day of the Lord. Which is that seven year period.

When Christ comes to judge. People will know. Exactly what's happening. It will all unfold. Right before their eyes. Let's make this more crystal clear. From verse four through seven. Point being. God makes a distinction.

A distinction.

A distinction between the children of light. And the children of darkness. It says but you. Are not in darkness. Brothers.

For that day.

The seven year period of judgment.

For that day.

To surprise you like a thief. For you are all. Children of light. Children of the day. Church. I named my daughter.

Day.

She's Abigail Day Cleaver. Because of this verse. And I want all of you to understand something.

If you.

Have come to put your faith in Christ. You belong to him. You are a child of light. You are different from the world. Ephesians 5. 8 says for at one time. You were darkness. But now you are.

Light in the Lord.

So walk as children of light. The big point here. In verses 4 to 7. Is that you are. Children of light. God makes a distinction between his children. And those who are in the darkness. Treats them differently.

He says so then. Let us not sleep as others do. But let us keep awake. And be sober. For those who sleep. Sleep at night. And those who get drunk. Are drunk.

At night.

In the days of Noah. People were getting drunk. Totally unaware. There was a preacher of righteousness.

Named Noah.

Claiming that God was going to judge the world. And they scoffed. And they mocked. And they laughed at him. Until in a moment. God told Noah to get on board the ark. And his family with him. And God himself.

Closed the door. And that ark was lifted up from the earth. On the waters of judgment. While simultaneously God. Judged the world with a flood. There was a distinction. Between the children of darkness.

And the children of light. The sheep are different than the goats. The children of light. Are rescued. From this flood. Enoch. Walked with God. And he was no more. Because God took him. If you read Genesis chapter 5.

You find a repetition in that chapter. It talks about Mahalel and Jared. And all these people.

They lived.

They had children. Then it says. And he died. And he lived. And he had children. And he died. Then you come to Enoch. And a picture of the rapture. Right there in the text of the Old Testament.

It says.

He walked with God. And he was no more. For God took him. He was caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Elijah caught up to meet the Lord in the air. The picture here. Is a distinction. Between how God treats.

The children of day. And the children of night. When we even talk about. The contrast between two things. What do we say? It's a difference between night and day. Black and white. Light and dark. This is the distinction that our text makes.

That God treats the children of light. Differently. Very important as we move on. So children of light. Here's the exhortation to you. Says in verse 8. But since we belong to the day. Let us be sober.

Having put on. The breastplate of faith. And love. And for a helmet. The hope of salvation. Faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. Paul's very big on these three words. Right? First Corinthians 13.