Title: No Naps!
Text: I Thessalonians 5:1-11
The Big Idea: It is imperative that we wake up to the imminence if Christ’s return.
Introduction
The talk today is a continuation of our discussion last week from I Thessalonians 4:13-18. The purpose of that text was to comfort and encourage those who were confused about what would happen to the dead when Christ returned. This week the purpose of the text is to challenge those who may be confused about what they should be doing in the interim as they wait for the return of Christ.
So we are given two words of exhortation:
• Comfort in regard to the dead in Christ.
• Challenge in regard to how those who live in Christ are to live.
The title of the message today is No Naps!
Play Napping Video Clip (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXggUnPJvd0)
The man’s determination to seize every opportunity for a power nap was amusing, but napping really is apparently a good thing for us.
“Our culture generally frowns upon mid-day sleep; however, even in those who get enough sleep (but particularly in those who don’t), many people experience a natural increase in drowsiness in the afternoon, about 8 hours after waking. And research shows that you can make yourself more alert reduce stress and improve cognitive functioning with a nap. Mid-day sleep, or a ‘power nap’, means more patience, less stress, better reaction time, increased learning, more efficiency and better health.
“Studies show that 20 minutes of sleep in the afternoon provides more rest than 20 minutes more sleep in the morning. The body seems to be designed for this, as most people’s bodies naturally become more tired in the afternoon, about 8 hours after we wake up. (Elizabeth Scott, M.S., Power Napping for Increased Productivity, Stress Relief and Health, About.com: Stress Management, July 7, 2008)
However, napping in regard to one’s readiness for the return of Christ may be harmful to your eternal health.
1. The historic understanding of the return of Christ is that it is imminent.
“I really don’t need to write to you about how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come unexpectedly…” I Thessalonians 5:1
Imminence is the view held from the earliest times that the return of Christ and the end of the world may happen at any time.
• It means there is nothing that must take place before it can happen.
• It means you cannot set a date because as soon as you set a date it is not longer imminent.
Despite the long list of signs that preclude the return of Christ cited in Matthew 24, Jesus said, “However, no one knows the day or the hour when these things will happen, not even the angels of heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.” Matthew 24:36
• It means imminency does not equal immediacy or soon.
It is important to distinguish between imminence and immediacy.
“While the return of Christ may not be ‘immediate,’ it is always ‘imminent.’” (Donald McKim, Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms, P. 138)
Imminence means that something is ready to take place. One aspect of the definition is that something that is imminent is hanging threateningly over one’s head. While that may be true in the sense of those who have something to fear… for the Christian it simply means Christ may return at any moment.
Three scenarios are used as descriptors of the concept of imminence:
a. The return of Christ is to happen unexpectedly… like the intrusion of a thief in the middle of the night.
“I really don’t need to write to you about how and when all this will happen, for you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come unexpectedly like a thief in the night.” I Thessalonians 5:1-2
The second descriptor is that it will be at a time of peace.
b. The return of Christ will take place when we are lulled by peace and security.
When people are saying, “All is well; everything is peaceful and secure…” I Thessalonians 5:3a
There certainly are times when the people of the world have longed for the return of Christ. Times of cataclysmic catastrophe: The horrors of war, ethnic cleansing, the fleeing before merciless mercenaries and insurgents, the desolation of refugee camps; the terrors of natural disasters when the earth quakes, the sound of wind screaming in our ears, the crashing of waves, and the spewing of molten lave; the collapse of governments and economies; and periods of persecution.
Who, living in eastern Congo today, fleeing before Tutsi rebels while being simultaneously victimized by Congolese government soldiers and opportunists, would not long for the return of Christ. And what young Latino man, being beaten nearly to death by members of the Kentucky Imperial Klan of America Ku Klux Klansmen, would not long for the return of Christ.?
When life is very hard it is natural to long for deliverance. But our text says it will occur when we may be tempted to be lulled into complacency… life will be good and we will be enjoying a period of peace and feeling pretty secure about the future.
And the third descriptor is that the second coming is likened to labor pains.
c. The return of Christ would happen unexpectedly… like labor pains.
“…then disaster will fall upon them as suddenly a woman’s birth pains begin when her child is about to be born. And there is no escape. I Thessalonians 5:3b
I’m not sure I like the comparison of the return of Christ to the onset of labor pains…after all, as they say, babies are such a nice way to start people.
I have also heard that the world does not want to hear about labor pains, they just want to see the baby.
The fact that the text suggests that the onset of labor pains is likened to something that will be disastrous, kind of skews the wonder of child birth. However, the point once again is imminency. Certainly when we are expecting the birth of a baby, we mark off each trimester and we look forward to a due date when the baby will be born (or in the case of the Hollywood celebrity trend… babies will be born).
However, more than just imminency is being implied here. The point Paul is making about the return of Christ is that once the event begins, there is no turning it back. There is no stopping a baby from being born when it is ready to be born. That is the point of the quote, “And there is no escape.”
I recently watched an educational video produced by Expert Village Mobile in which a midwife gave instructions on how to deliver a baby in the backseat of a taxi cab. Apart from being prepared with a blanket, a towel, or shirt in which to wrap the baby, she said, “You really don’t have to do anything because the baby is going to be born.” And when Christ returns, there is little we can do other than be prepared for his arrival. He is going to arrive, ready or not!
However, though the return of Christ may be unexpected, it is not unanticipated.
2. The return of Christ will not catch Christians by surprise. Christians live in anticipation of the return of Christ.
But you are not in the dark or ignorant about these things and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to the darkness and night.
I Thessalonians 5:4
There is a 46% likelihood that southern California will experience a 7.5 or larger category earthquake in the next thirty years. So, on Thursday southern Californians dropped to the ground, covered their heads and held onto furniture for a mock “Big One” earthquake drill aimed at testing everyone from state leaders to students…. Local television stations interrupted regular programming to announce the drill and covered it as they would a massive earthquake. Firefighters broke through facades in search of mock survivors, sirens blared, and students dived under their desks. Local governments, emergency responders, schools, hospitals, churches, businesses, and residents took part in the fake quake drill.
Seventeen year old student, Emily Loren spoke of the mock event as being nerve-racking but, she said, “It is exciting. It is better to be prepared.” (Alicia Chang, California has it covered with quake simulation, Associated Press, Denver Post, November 14, 2008)
People of the light are in direct contrast to people who are of the dark.
a. People of the light are on their guard. They stay alert and are sober.
So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and sober. I Thessalonians 5:6
Being on your guard infers vigilance… being aware and being prepared.
Following 9/11 our country embarked on a commitment to be vigilant about terrorism. Following the disastrous response to Katrina, Homeland Security and local governments were not caught off-guard when Hurricane Ike struck. Only those who foolishly ignored the warnings were lost.
Being sober is not about not being drunk… it is about self-control and being under the influence of the Holy Spirit rather than being incapacitated or overwhelmed by other influences that detract us from being ready for the return of Christ.
b. People of the night sleep or drink the night away.
Night is the time for sleep and the time when people get drunk. I Thessalonians 5:7
Those who are in the dark are those who are oblivious to the imminence of Christ’s return and consequently… unprepared.
Transition: Christians will not be surprised because they live in the light.
3. People who anticipate the return of Christ live in the light.
But let us who live in the light think clearly, protected by the body armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.” I Thessalonians 5:8
Those who live in the light are characterized by three things:
a. Those who anticipate the return of Christ think clearly.
God does not want us going to extremes in our beliefs and behavior regarding the second coming of Christ. God does not want us to either completely ignore or become paranoid about his coming. The idea is balanced and reasonable thinking and believing.
We are to think clearly with neither cold indifference…. nor feverish fanaticism!
b. Those who anticipate the return of Christ live in faith and love.
The image of armor, which may have been lifted from Ephesians 6, refers to protecting body and mind…
The armor for the body is faith and trust in God and in the love that comes to us from God, as well as the love we have for God and express to others.
The reference to body armor in Ephesians says the body armor is the armor of God’s righteousness, which implies readiness for the coming of Christ is both living by faith in the love of God and living a righteous or good life.
c. Those who anticipate the return of Christ are secure in their salvation.
The second piece of armor mentioned is the helmet of salvation. God is concerned not only that we live right… but that we also think right. God does not want us be in doubt or fearful about our eternal destiny. God wants us to be secure in our faith and hope of eternal life. Paul says, “I want you to be confident of your salvation.”
John wrote, “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. So whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son does not have life. These things are written to you who believe in the Son of God,, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” I John 5:11-13
Being prepared for the coming of Christ is about living right and thinking right.
In the interim between now and the time when Christ returns, live in anticipation of that event by continuing to encourage and build each other up in our faith.
4. The knowledge of the imminent return of Christ serves to encourage and build up those who live in anticipation of his return.
Christ died for us so that we can live with him forever, whether we are dead or alive at the time of his return. So encourage each other and build each other us, just as you are already doing. I Thessalonians 5:10-11
Paul concludes his thoughts with a word of encouragement… he encourages Christians to be involved in the faith community. The words “each other” or “one another” are together words.
I don’t know if you know it or not but if you nod off while driving a car at 60 miles per hour, you travel 88 feet without knowing it. Nodding off can be disastrous. There is a company that has developed a device called “No Nap” The No Nap fits over your left ear and essentially detects the movement of your head. If you nod off it senses it and sends a piercing beep into your ear. It is essentially a technological wake-up call. Homiletics, November . December 2008, Volume 20, P. 26)
For those who occasionally nod off during the morning message... you are probably more familiar with the nudge your wife gives you in the ribs to keep you alert.
Living in community may be less piercing but no less effective than a nudge in the ribs in keeping us awake and aware of the necessity of living in anticipation of Christ’s return.
We are best prepared for the coming of Christ when we live in community… where there is mutual encouragement and mutual building up happening. When we worship, study, pray, fellowship, and serve together… we enjoy the encouragement of others spurring us to stay awake and alive in Christ like living.
Conclusion
Robby Robins was an Air Force pilot during the first Iraq war. He was surprised when upon flying his 300th mission, he was ordered to fly his crew and plane home. They flew across the Atlantic, landed in Massachusetts, and drove all night across Pennsylvania where they dropped him off at his home just after sun-up. There was a big “Welcome Home Dad” banner across the garage.
He recalled going into the house… the kids were dressed for school and eating breakfast. They ran to him screaming, “Daddy’s home!” His wife, Susan, came down the hall looking terrific, hair fixed, make up on, and in a crisp yellow dress. “How did you know?” he asked.
She said, “We didn’t… we just knew the war was over and we knew you would surprise us, so we have been ready every day.”
Until Christ returns, we live in a state of readiness knowing that whether we are alive or asleep at his return, we will ultimately live with the resurrected and returning Christ forever. This is both comfort (4:13-18) and challenge (5:1-11).
