1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
5 But as to the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 When people say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as travail comes upon a woman with child, and there will be no escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brethren, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all sons of light and sons of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But, since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we wake or sleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Last week we talked about the return of Jesus–how no one knows the day or the hour.
Today’s passage continues that theme, but goes further in what it means to be prepared or not be prepared.
We are told to stay awake and sober. This can’t mean to avoid physical sleep altogether–we can’t do that more than a couple of days at a time even if we want to. Instead, this means maintaining an attitude of wakefulness day to day and not letting the concerns of daily life lull us into complacency regarding our relationship with Christ.
There’s a verse in Zephaniah, 1:12, that says, “I will punish the people who rest complacently on their dregs, those who say in their hearts, ‘The lord will not do good, nor will he do harm.'”
It is easy to forget that God is an active part of our life, especially when we don’t do things that focus our thoughts on him, like worship, prayer and Bible reading.