1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:28, Are You Awake?, Dr. John B. Carpenter

First Thessalonians chapter 4 reading from verse 13 to end of chapter 5 verse 28 here the word of the

Lord But we do not want you to be uninformed brothers about those who are asleep

That you may not grieve as others do who have no hope For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so through Jesus God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep

For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord That we who are alive who are left until the coming of the

Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep for the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command with the voice of an archangel and with a sound of the

Trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise first Then we who are alive who are left will be caught up with with them in the clouds to meet the

Lord in the air And so we will always be with the Lord therefore encourage one another with these words 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 are 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

We ask you brothers to respect those who labor among you and are over you and the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very

Highly in love because of their work be at peace among yourselves and we urge you brothers

Admonish the idle encourage the faint -hearted help the weak be patient with them all

See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone rejoice always

Pray without ceasing Give thanks at all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you

Do not quench the spirit do not despise prophecies, but test everything hold fast to what is good abstain from every form of evil

Now may the God of peace himself Sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our

Lord Jesus Christ He who calls you is faithful he will surely do it

Brothers pray for us greet all the brothers with a holy kiss I put you under oath before the

Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you

May the Lord had his blessings to the reading of his Holy Word Are you awake?

You ever got a call asking you you're awake I am now, of course, they're trying to be polite.

They don't want to interrupt your sleep But sometimes waking people up is exactly what you should do I've had people fall asleep when

I'm preaching and I'll intentionally raise and lower my voice dramatically To see if I can wake them up After all the purpose of this speaking to you right now is to wake you up so that you're no longer living in a dream

World to make you aware of real life So that you're not Dream walking through it

About three weeks ago on Monday night in the middle of an NFL football game DeMar Hamlin a player for the

Buffalo Bills suddenly collapsed He didn't like stagger first or clutching his chest or asking for help or gasps for breath

He literally just fell straight back His heart stopped the trainers call it football means like the medics at EMT He's kind of rushed to him minister

CPR then a defibrillator on the field Seeking desperately to rescue him from death a healthy young athlete was on the verge of being dead

The other players looked on in horror. It's common for players, of course to be injured in football

But it's usually it's a strain or maybe the worst maybe a broken bone This is something far beyond what they're normally see it was looking on in horror and the whole team knelt in prayer

Everyone realized that the football game Was a dream compared to life and They couldn't play anymore in the end of the first quarter.

The game was just canceled teams walked off the field Fans left the stadium

Have you ever been awakened? like that Maybe you just learned something

Something that you'd heard before Not something that necessarily you learn new facts, but something sunk in that changed you and woke you up Ever been awakened that there's a reality that you never saw before When I went to seminary

I was given an assignment of reading a collection of reports on racist attacks mostly in the south many of them in Alabama where I was from I Knew many of the places that I was reading about sitting in California I knew that town some of them in Birmingham itself where I was from I could see where these atrocities had happened

The church that was bombed were four little girls were killed was blocks away from where my father was buried

I'd been by it. I'd live my whole young life Among that in that world with no awareness that that had been going on And going on not long before my time about 20 years earlier

It made me awake People live in dream worlds and they come some shock some realization maybe some diagnosis some loss

Some struggle that shakes them awake Jeff Bridges said Appreciate the struggles as an opportunity to wake up some people come awake when they get a diagnosis you have terminal cancer and Then they've realized they've been living in a dream

Thinking life is all about making money and going to work and then they realize it's time to wake up before it's too late

Some people finally come awake to the reality that their family is dysfunctional The parents or maybe the spouse doesn't really love them

They figure out that they grown up assuming that their families are like this or they're just living under some delusion

And then they see reality One thing after another happens and they begin to realize the way things really are some people find these conclusions so horrible

They'd rather stay asleep preferring their dream world to reality Some people think that that's what religion is all about.

It's about concocting dream worlds I think that they think that's what we're here for right now to reinforce some

Fantasy dream world to keep you asleep lull you into complacency Make you think well your love

God loves you. You're a saint You're special your marriage or your family your church is all great and all that really so that you can just keep

Bearing your dreary humdrum empty life that is periodically interrupted by tragedies and Hopefully you can just make it through Karl Marx famously wrote while sitting in the

British Library that religion is the opiate of the masses. It's a sedative It's a it's a drug to numb you to the reality.

So you'll work hard and you won't overthrow the bourgeoisie and Honestly, maybe that is what some religion is about if it's all about rituals and magic words

Even a language that you don't really understand they promise you absolution if you submit to it but if Marx had bothered to read more about My specialty 17th century

English history while sitting in their library He would have seen that some religion some

Christianity specifically is all about Waking you up Are you awake?

Well, you're here. So you're awake in one sense. That is you're not in a box underground and your eyes are opened.

I Think checking around So you're awake in another sense that you're not yet literally sleeping.

But still are you awake? We see here what it means to be awake and asleep in four parts first the issue

Second the doctrine then the time and finally the details

Well, what's the issue? Going in here starting verse 13. He deals with those who are asleep

Now obviously this is his way Paul's way of referring to death that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope now

Right away a critic like Marx, I guess would say see this is the opiate of the masses It's a drug to numb people the harsh realities of death

He's telling them that death is like sleep. And so don't grieve just don't take it seriously at all.

It's kind of ignore it Well, yes, and no You're saying that for we Christians death is like sleep

Because just like we believe a sleeping person see someone asleep and say someone's asleep Well, they'll soon rise up again, and they'll be awake again walking around and so we believe that another believer in Christ Even if dead will indeed rise again and be walking around again

Eventually when the time comes calling death sleep is a statement of faith that in verse 14

We believe that Jesus died and rose again We shouldn't be ashamed of that belief like it's unsophisticated or somehow on modern unscientific

Somehow we now we in modern world. We know better. No, we don't It's a miracle we don't know better to be a

Christian is to believe that Jesus rose from the dead now if he rose Then we can believe that he will raise us

So death like sleep It's temporary But no, that doesn't mean we don't grieve.

He doesn't say here. Don't grieve He doesn't say that he says we don't grieve as in the same way those who have no hope

Now the Greek poet Theocrates Gave the view of the Thessalonian native Greek culture

And this is the culture member of these people who are getting this letter their own poet had written hopes are for the living

The dead have no hope Well, that's kind of a hopeless philosophy, isn't it? Because we're gonna be dead eventually you're saying we're going to a place where we have no hope

But Paul says that we have hope now by hope He doesn't mean it's kind of a wistful or just desperate longing that things might turn out differently than they appear to be right now

Hopefully things will be better But you don't really have any real confidence that they will be like a quarterback throwing a last -second

Hail Mary into the end zone at the end of the game hoping by chance That one of his teammates might catch it and they'll win.

It's kind of desperate. It's not really realistic No, our hope here what Paul is talking about is not like that.

It is assurance It's faith. So that means that while we grieve When someone dies our grief is different.

It has hope mixed in it So when we buried Anne Scruggs two years ago, or mr.

Mrs. Perry recently We can hope as we can believe have an assurance that Energizes us and keeps us awake

Good hope I believe that we'll be reunited one day.

We can grieve That we're without them for now We're really grieving for ourselves.

We're not grieving that something horrible happened to them We're grieving for our loss that we are without them. But that but we hope

That it is temporary Now the issue of the church in Thessalonica is that they've lost some of their church members to death

They've he calls it fallen asleep now the Thessalonians have been waiting expectantly for the Lord Jesus to return that's their blessed hope now

They wonder if those who have died are going to miss out Now they're waiting for Jesus to return then some of their members die.

And well these these ones who died they're gonna miss Jesus returning That's the way they're thinking have the dead missed out on Jesus giving them glorified bodies

Gonna miss on the resurrection because they died. Remember their culture tells them that people die. They have no hope

It's the kind of way they're raised in that way of saying things. So the issue for them Do you have to be alive?

When Jesus returns to get his benefits to get his blessings Now that seems kind of like a ridiculous issue to us

I'm not sure. It's it's a I'm sure it's a really a ridiculous issue Seems like it to us because now we were honest.

We don't really expect Jesus to return I mean indeed I just said we're going to die eventually and Not one of you objected now.

What have you stood up with? Hey John? No, I'm hoping Jesus will return and I'll get to skip death Not one of you.

Maybe you're just well -behaved polite, but that's that's what but that's the truth We can miss death if Jesus returns first now

Nearly 20 centuries after this letter was written and so many generations have come and died

We're used to the fact that we might die before Jesus returns they weren't used to that fact

But we should really be more like them. I think We should have an expectation that Jesus can return before we die

That's what it means to be awake in this passage to live with the awareness That Jesus is returning and so you see everything else in your life everything

You see your job your marriage your money your family your recreation your business you see it through the lens of Jesus might return before all these things are needed are important or whatever before they reach their end

The issue is that some of the Thessalonian Christians have died they fall in sleep But since he says

Jesus died and rose again Even so in verse 14 in the same way as Jesus rose through Jesus That's through his return.

God will bring with him Those who have fallen asleep Remember, they're asking what about those who have died our members of our fellow believers in Christ.

Some of them died What about them? He says God is gonna bring with him those who have followed. So you got to bring him with them

They're coming back He's dealing with the issue selling their fears that the dead have lost out by dying before Jesus returned

And they will be brought back with Jesus again. Remember from chapter 1 the hope of the

Christian Is not us going to God to heaven, but our hope is in him who comes from heaven

So here chapter 4 verse 14 our hope isn't going to heaven for a family reunion but for a return from heaven of All those who are in Christ Other words, they're coming here second

The doctrine that was what's the doctor what's the theology behind his answer to their issue?

He's just given this answer What's the doctrine behind it in verses 13 and 14? He's just answered their question about those who have fallen asleep like mr.

Perry Now he recalls for them their doctrine their belief Where that answer came from?

What does Paul taught them about the second coming of Jesus? Oh in verse 15 for we declare to you by word from the

Lord In other words, I got this directly from the Lord himself. This is a Paul Paul's opinion something

Well, this is what I think is my this is what I came up with. Well reasoning My guessing my theologizing.

This is the doctrine the Lord taught me He's saying the doctrine that we who are alive who are left into the coming of the

Lord Those who haven't died yet when Jesus returns they will not he says precede those who have fallen asleep

Precede precede to what Precede means go before now the living when

Jesus returns. He's saying will not go before the dead To what exactly?

Well, he tells us at the end of verse 16 the dead in Christ will rise First rise will be resurrected first the dead in Christ get resurrection

Before the living the dead in Christ are those who are believers in Jesus They are seen by the

Father as in Christ. They are dead in Christ means that though they are dead And this is kind of their question.

What happened to those who are dead, even though they are dead. They are still in Christ They're not lost like Paul said at the end of Romans 8 remember a great passage neither death nor life

Or anything in all creation Can separate us from the love of God in Christ so they are in Christ, even though they are dead they will rise first They get resurrected first Mr.

Perry gets resurrected first if Jesus comes back right now The alive will not precede them in the resurrection the dead in Christ get resurrected first and then the alive will be resurrected

Glorified so that they get to skip death He says when this will happen in verse 16 the

Lord mean Jesus himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command now the word for their

Command. It's like what in for an army officer or a commander issuing an order.

He cries out a command. I Suppose here like like to Lazarus Come forth

Also, it comes with the voice of the Archangel and the sound of the trumpet of God in 1st

Corinthians chapter 15 verse 51 to 52 he's Paul there is talking about the same issue

Using many of the same terms I ideas. He says there we shall not all Sleep meaning not every

Christian is going to die the Thessalonian Christians back knew that already In fact, they were surprised that some of them had died fallen asleep.

There's going to be a generation of Christians Who will be surprised that they don't die?

In 1st Corinthians 15, we shall all be changed. We want all sleep. We will all be changed. We'll all get resurrection glorification he says in a moment and the twinkling of an eye at the last

Trumpet trumpet sound familiar from Thessalonians 1st Thessalonians for like here for 16 the trumpet of God for the trumpet will sound and The dead will be raised

Imperishable and we will all be changed Same doctrine is here first Thessalonians.

There will be the sound of the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise

First and then we're changed to have imperishable Bodies like them like resurrection bodies then after the resurrection of those in Christ in verse 17

We who are alive You Thessalonians to give me alive when Jesus returns We who are alive who are left who haven't fallen asleep

Then we will be caught up and this is the famous word that caught up for the rapture.

This is the Rapture verse this is it Notice the doctrine it is teaching without reading anything into it

You may have heard elsewhere or for many fiction books or movies you've seen first the dead in Christ are raised

So that's the resurrection. God's people are getting glorified bodies. They're imperishable. Now. Remember the living don't precede

The sleeping the dead Precede means they're going to the same destination, right? It's kind of implied precede you're going to the same place resurrection glorification

Imperishability all meaning the same thing the dead get there first And then the living are caught up and the twinkling of an eye

They're raptured which is also includes resurrection glorification Imperishable bodies now the word therefore to meet they're caught up to meet literally in Greek.

It's to a meeting They're caught up to a meeting and it refers to going out to meet an important person be important to you

Important person Who's coming? You know, he's coming and there's an announcement you see him coming you go out to meet him or her like a king

But maybe it comes to a city the Senate a message a head to the city That he's coming like here cry of command and the city would send out a delegation to meet him

Somewhere outside the city and give him an official escort in The same word same phrase that's here to meet is in the parable of the ten virgins in Matthew chapter 25 or 6

They are waiting for the groom to come to their wedding. They're waiting around It's a Jewish wedding custom and when they hear the announcement

Here is the bridegroom Then they go out to meet him

Literally again same phrase to a meeting and then they escort him back.

This is really a common practice We often practice this herself. You have an expected visitor comes to your home

You probably don't sit back when you hear the knock you just say come in Maybe you're really informal maybe but if you know that they're coming and they're special to you

You probably at least meet them at the door. Maybe it's a driveway and you welcome them in Maybe you're looking out the window in your home to see if they're coming in and if you see their car

Coming from a distance you go out to meet them and so you can walk them in here last

Christmas time We went to visit my aunt and uncle in Chattanooga We drive up into their driveway and as soon as we got in they came out to meet us in the driveway and then they walked us in here when

Jesus returns he expects a Delegation to escort him back to earth and if we're alive

Will be that delegation will be caught up Along with the resurrected dead in the clouds to meet the

Lord of the air and so in this way glorified imperishable With the resurrected we will always

Be with the Lord Therefore he says because of that Don't make up elaborate fictional stories about the rapture and argue with people about it

Encourage one another he says especially those who are wondering about those who fall in sleep those who have died with these words

Comfort each other. I was you're gonna see them again. If you're alive when Jesus returns They'll be in the they'll be in the escort party to comfort each other especially when they're grieving that they'll wake up the dead one and we'll all be together with the

Lord and Imperishable bodies forever don't be asleep to that reality third the timing

When will these things happen? That's what everyone wants to know. I'm gonna give you a date and time So get your calendars out.

I'll mark it down concerning the times and the seasons brothers in verse 1 Times are the sequence of events the chronology the order of events

The seasons are like the ages when the season is right like in winter. It's the season for snow for cold weather

So do you know the season for when Christ returns Paul says the Thessalonians don't need to know anything more now

We might but they didn't they know that they are He says that they are fully aware in verse 2 that the day of the

Lord will come like a thief in the night That is

Jesus is coming at an unexpected Unpredictable time as Jesus said in Matthew chapter 24 verse 43 if the master of the house

And it's like Satan is the prince of the power of the heirs Master of this world the master of the house had known and what part of the night the thief was coming

He would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into the coming of Jesus is that day of the

Lord and the day of the Lord is coming like a thief in the night the Day of the Lord their phrase comes from the Old Testament.

It's like from the book of Amos It's the the day of judgment that day is coming suddenly coming unexpectedly

Coming unpredictably like a burglar would come, you know burglars don't call you up and say

I'd like to break into your house Like 3 a .m. Are you gonna be sleep at that time? No, of course not Unplanned so Jesus is coming is gonna be like that to us now that immediately correct some popular ideas about the coming of Jesus if It's coming is unpredictable that it cannot be exactly seven years after the rapture takes all his believers away

I mean everyone would kind of catch on. Hey, wait Those people were talking about he's gonna come seven years after they disappeared and they disappeared

So we're gonna mark it now So obviously that gives away that can't be Besides notice the day of the Lord the coming of Jesus the resurrection the rapture is all at the same time

They're all different ways of describing the same event It also can't be after a long process of everything just gradually becoming more

Christian and Society develops under Christian influence to be better until is it's just so good

Jesus comes back to congratulate us on what's up? What a great job we did there can't be a period when we know that Jesus can't come yet Because things are just not set up right yet.

Can't come now Jesus because we're not ready. We haven't set it up for yet No, indeed here in verse three people are saying worldly people.

The world is saying there's peace and security Because of their ungodly utopia, however, they set it that up and then

Paul says then when they say that there's the lulled in sleep then Sudden destruction will come upon them

Then comes the day of the Lord When they don't expect it Christ not congratulating people for what they come but coming

Destroying it it comes as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman now not an induced delivery, but a sudden

Unexpected one they will not escape They don't escape because they're asleep in another sense of the word

They aren't dead physically yet. They're just asleep to reality. They've been dreamwalking their way through life chasing dollars thrills puffing their ego so absorbed in their world whatever their life is about of Video games or online relationships or sports or business of money -making that they're asleep to watch real and so they're unaware and sudden destruction comes now the world

Tries to sedate you It tries to put you to sleep So you're dreaming that?

Making money or having this successful business being somebody important being rich having the big house the luxury car

Able to spend on expensive vacations and restaurants and the newest gadgets that that's what life is all about To the dream about that all the time not notice real real world or maybe

They're just not able to People just think they can while away the hours and the days in the years

Engrossed in sports or online relationships with people who don't know you and if you suddenly stop

You know putting things on Facebook or Twitter or whatever because you fell over dead They wouldn't know why you stopped and they really wouldn't miss you because they don't know you

That's the dream world many people around us are walking in here. Paul calls it because it darkness and sleep

These people are living like they're asleep and they're caught in dreams But you he says to the

Thessalonians, but you you're in Christ And you are not in darkness. You're not asleep

For that day to surprise you like a thief It's not gonna surprise you Now, I don't think he means that if you're a

Christian and you'll know the exact day or the hour Jesus returns So, you know, you know when you can quit work and stop paying your mortgage or rent without having to worry about being evicted because Jesus will comes before the before the sheriff takes you out

No He means that if you're awake and living in the light And you're not living for money or the weekend or the game or whatever the newest gadget you can buy

But you're awake To what's real to real life? Well, then that's the case.

You won't be a you won't be caught off guard When Jesus returns or when death sneaks up on you

You won't be the kind of person who lived his whole life to get rich or play the game and then is surprised

Either by Jesus or by heart attack By suddenly falling over with a stopped heart like DeMar Hamlin that life is over and you dream walk through it

For you are all to those in Christ to Christians. You are all children of light

Children of the day. That's your character That's where you're from you're from light if you're a believer in Jesus seeking first the kingdom of God We are not of the night or the darkness.

So we're not asleep we're not deluded into thinking that our our dreams of wealth or dreams of pleasure of Squandering life or online or wrapped in a game that that is real life

When you become a Christian you realize that all those things are passing away like a dream

As CS Lewis said to know that one is dreaming is to be no longer perfectly asleep

When you become aware that all these things that others spend their life on that they're fading away then

You're waking up So then Chapter 5 or 6 so then the necessary the logical the inescapable conclusion

To the fact that we are as Christians children of the light awake so then Let us not sleep

You're a child of the light. Why are you asleep as? Others do let's not sleep like others do like people in the world do dreaming about their wealth or their thrill

But let us keep awake and so be sober Unintoxicated if you're awake and sober you're not lulled into sleep by money or the distractions of the world are

Intoxicated by the pleasures of the flesh then when Jesus returns whenever that is You won't be startled a surprise maybe pleasantly surprised

But you'll be ready to go Your bags are packed You're not so attached to this world that you can't go now.

Hey go now Jesus. I got so much to do here No, you're not that in that condition. You're alert with that cry of command comes and You're eager for it

For and verse 7 because you're eager for it because those who sleep sleep at night and those who get drunk are drunk at night

They are of the night and they show it by their life. They show it by living for things that don't matter

I love football as entertainment and this is NFL playoff season. This is like the highlight of the football year

I mean right now this next couple weeks. This is it, but don't be like the man whose tombstone

I saw a Few weeks ago when we buried mr. Perry Under the name and the dates of this person the last epitaph he left behind was right there carved in the tombstone was

How about them Cowboys? I? Thought that's so sad. I mean your whole life is

Summed up by devotion to a corporation It's all about making money by putting on football games

And that's what you have to say. That's it at the end of your life Don't be like that Don't your life be about making money or acquiring stuff or achieving what the world calls success?

That's sleepwalking through life. But in verse 8 in contrast to that life of unconsciousness.

He says belong to the day Be awake

See that life is about God's what you see when you're awake in the daytime It's about God and him who rose

Christ from the dead live for the Lord see it's about that and then when you see that be sober be

Unintoxicated by this world Yes, you couldn't earn a living and you can play and you can live in the world and you can watch

NFL playoffs, but don't let it drug you Only it put you to sleep with its things

Instead he says put on the the breastplate of faith Breastplate goes over your torso over your chest faith is what your heart trust in so trust in Jesus Breastplate of faith and he says love love the

Lord in his church. Love is what your heart Cherishes and that's the armor for your body.

It protects you it trust Stops the weapons of the world and the flesh and the devil from getting to your heart

Put on also he says the helmet The hope of Salvation again the assurance of salvation trust that God will save you from the sudden destruction that is coming

That hope in that protects your head keeps your mind straight

For the cousin verse 9 we can have such a hope at God's salvation That your mind is protected from doubts your heart is protected if you're trusting in him and you and you love the

Lord because God has not Destined us.

I didn't see this until this week, but I knew all the Calvinist verses of the Bible Here's one God has not destined us notice that God destines us for one thing or the other

Now if you're in Christ, God has not destined you for wrath

That is He's not made it your destiny To face punishment for your sins read chapter 1 remember chapter 1 verse 10

We wait now for the Son from heaven who is currently through our faith

Delivering you from the wrath To come wrath.

That's punishment judgment for sin. It is Coming and he's going to deliver us from that here.

It's not your destiny to face that wrath So let your mind be at ease protected because you hope you believe in that so your minds protected

He's not putting that by putting wrath in your destiny, but instead

Your destiny is to obtain salvation Through our Lord Jesus Christ.

It's your destiny It's your destiny to be saved

Jesus acquired it we get it through him. He died for us at verse 10

So that that's the product of him dying for us the purpose of him dying for us

That whether we are awake means here alive like you are now or asleep Dead we might live

With him will be resurrected will be glorified have an imperishable body and always with the

Lord like that therefore because of that the conclusion second time in verse 11 encourage

Not debate one another and build one another up with this you awake

Well, then live like it and here's the details from verse 12 to the end a lot of short rapid -fire instructions

Like respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and demonish you we have this in our Church Covenant as respect

As leaders under the word also in verse 13 be at peace among yourselves the yourselves is

The church and this assumes that every child of the light is a member of the church.

They know each other There's a your there's a body there. He's talking to there's no such thing as a child of the light He was roaming around by himself

He's under someone whom he respects and loves and he loves the other members of the body.

He is connected to details details Admonish that is gently correct

The idol there's the loafing the disorderly who won't work with the body or out of line

Encourage the fainthearted those who feel like giving up Discouraged maybe they lost someone in their family and they're wondering why they died

What's gonna happen they do they miss Jesus help the weak Be patient with them all more details.

Don't we pay evil for evil and said seek to do good to one another That's one another as the church again the people and to everyone rejoice always there's a two -word verse there in verse 16

I want to say you memorize the scripture today. Well, there it is. Rejoice always first Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 16

That's easy, isn't it? Pray without ceasing. There's a three -word verse You can memorize that to that live by breathing out prayer give thanks in all circumstances

You want to know what the will of God for you is there it is verse 18 give thanks since you are in Christ Jesus get more details of verse 19.

Do not quench the spirit That is don't put him out like you put out a fire just because you're rational and reformed you love doctrine

Don't quit the spirit. Do not despise prophecies. I think that includes what I'm doing right now, but test everything

Is it true I wonder is it really true what he said at the rapture That is part of the resurrection in the second coming.

We'll test it by scripture Am I willing to change hold fast to what is good a stuff about comforting each other with the assurance of salvation of your destiny?

Hold it abstain from every form of evil That all all that life that's in the dark this sleepwalking through life that just living just for chasing dollars

Abstain from that now after all these details in the church abstaining from evil

Now in the light awake in verse 23 made the God of peace. He's praying for them now

He just said pray pray constantly. He's praying for them. They the God of peace himself

Sanctify you that is make you holy Completely may your whole spirit and soul and body every part of you be kept blameless

At the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ This can't be at any time. So be ready and awake he who calls knows the president's calls right now

He was presently calling you is Faithful you can depend on him after all

You're destined for salvation He will surely do it

It's your destiny So pray for each other greet each other for that You got to come to church greet each other read the word have grace and every detail

Are you awake Have you let the world flesh lull you to sleep intoxicating you with cash or with things or with the business or with food or with games the

NFL playoffs or Whatever it is that it is trying to drug you with well time to wake up Stop daydreaming through life as if money and all the stuff was it was all that mattered one day.

You'll wake up Either rudely awakened by some tragedy. Maybe your own death Maybe suddenly falling over with a stopped heart or gently awakened by the

Spirit Don't wait Till you fall asleep until you're dead

To finally wake up To what life is all about? Wake up Now so you can live with the