The sermon 'A Friend or a Thief' by Jason Dohm focuses on the text from 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4, exploring the dual nature of the 'day of the Lord' as both a day of judgment and a day of reunion with Christ. It distinguishes the experiences of believers, for whom Jesus' return will be as a 'friend in the day,' from non-believers, who will experience it as a 'thief in the night.' The sermon emphasizes the unpredictability of the timing of Jesus' return, comparing it to labor pains and a thief's unexpected arrival. It underscores the importance of readiness and living as 'children of light,' in accordance with the revealed truths of God, while warning against the false sense of peace and safety promoted by those in darkness. The sermon also references Deuteronomy 29:29 and 2 Peter 3 to highlight the difference between secret things reserved for God and revealed truths meant to guide believers' actions. Ultimately, it calls for believers to live in anticipation of Christ's return, to evangelize with urgency, and for non-believers to repent and seek salvation.

Our scripture text this morning is 1st Thessalonians chapter 5, 1 through 4. We've already had the context introduced in our memory verses, so I hope you're paying attention to the words coming out of your own mouth. Verses 1 through 4, 1st Thessalonians 5. But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.

For when they say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness so that this day should overtake you as a thief. Father God we pause to say bless your name. We pray that you would speak clearly and completely through Jason. Let him get out of the way and let your message flow through His lips.

In Jesus' name, Amen. The title of the sermon this morning is A Friend or a Thief. Sort of a strange title, but I'm actually plucking it out of Matthew Henry's commentary on our text. Matthew Henry in making observations on today's text says that this day, the day of the Lord, which is described In verse 16 of last week's text, Jesus himself will descend himself with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. In continuing to describe that day, and in commenting on it, Matthew Henry says that this day, the day of Jesus' return, will come to believers, quote, as a friend in the day, not as a thief in the night.

To believers, the return of Jesus Christ, the second coming, will come as a friend in the day, not as a thief in the night. Now what is Matthew Henry doing there? He's doing exactly what Paul and Silvanus and Timothy are doing in their writing to the Thessalonians. He's merging together what the day of the Lord will be like for those who are in Christ, and what the day of the Lord will be like for those outside of Christ. Those experiences could not be more different.

And so, in last week's text, it ended by saying, thus we shall always be with the Lord, therefore comfort one another with these words. In other words, for Christians, these are the greatest words of comfort in the Bible. Those who are in Christ have nothing to fear from this day. In fact, they should have an expectation and a longing for this day. They speed it along if they can with their prayers.

But in this week's text, we get to see the other side of the coin. It's not all comfort. The returning of Jesus Christ again in glory to judge the earth is not all comfort. It doesn't come as a friend in the day to everyone, to some it comes as a thief in the night. That's what our text is about.

As we go to the text, let's go to the text in prayer. God, I do thank you for these words of comfort to believers, and thus, we shall always be with the Lord. What a glorious future your people have out before them. That this Jesus Christ who we have been loved by and who we know and love will be our companion. We as a bride and He as the great bridegroom throughout all eternity.

We relish this thought. This is a thought of great comfort to us that sustains us through all sorts of troubles in this life. God, I thank you that you show us the other side of the coin also, that the terrors of the Lord are also before us, and you make us circumspect and you make us sober minded in thinking what the day of the Lord will be like for those who are outside of Christ and who are still in their sins. Now I pray that you would use these texts in our lives to do both to comfort us, but also to revive a sense of the right kind of fear of the Lord. We would fear you as the all-consuming fire that is coming back to render justice to the whole earth.

Thank you for your truth. These are not things that we would have imagined had you not told us. Thank you for revealing so many things to us in your word in Jesus' name. Amen. I'd like to begin by looking at 1 Thessalonians 5 verses 1 and 2 together.

So I want to read them again and then develop some thoughts. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 beginning in verse 1. But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night." These two verses essentially say that the day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. If you're taking notes on the handout and filling in blanks, it's thief night.

The day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. The Lord here is Jesus. This is the Greek word that over and over and over and over again in the New Testament is used for the Lord Jesus. So this is Jesus' day. Anytime you see the day of the Lord in the New Testament, That's what it means.

Jesus' day. The day that Jesus reveals Himself a second time in glory. The first time He came in humility. He took on the form of a servant. When He comes back, it won't be like that at all.

It will be a day of great glory. He will descend himself from heaven with a shout with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God as we saw in last week's text. This is Jesus' day. And Paul says, again we have Paul exerting himself as an individual among three co-authors in the letter, he says, there's no need that I should write to you. Paul says that there's no need to write to these young believers in the Lord regarding the times and the seasons.

Not because they already know all they would like to know, but because they already know all there is to know. All that God has chosen to reveal, which is so simple and can be summed up in a single sentence, that no man knows the day or the hour. Not even the angels in heaven know the day and the hour. So you know all there is to know. You know all that God, who is the only one who knows, has decided to reveal on this matter.

That's why Paul says that there is no need to write to them. Because what there is to know can be fit into a sentence and they already know that sentence. It reads very much like Acts chapter 1 verses 6 through 8. Just listen as I read this. You probably can't turn there in time, so just listen.

In Acts chapter 1, this is after Jesus is raised from the dead, and He's actually been appearing to His disciples. This is the Last time he appears to the apostles, I'll be reading Acts chapter 1, 6-8, Therefore, when his apostles had come together, they asked Jesus, saying, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? Now the question itself betrays, looking back in hindsight, the question itself betrays that there's a lot of what Jesus has taught that they don't really understand. They're wanting to know, I think, essentially, is the time of the Romans at an end with your resurrection. That is so far off the beaten track, according to what Jesus has taught.

But this is what they want to know. Lord will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And Jesus said to them, it is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in his own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and to the end of the earth." So they want to know if this is when the kingdom is going to be restored to Israel. And Jesus essentially tells them it's none of their business.

It's not for you to know the times or the seasons that God has set in His own authority and has not desired to reveal to His people. He proceeds to say that you know enough to do your duty. In other words, there are things that God has given to His people and there are things that God has withheld and kept to Himself. And the times and the seasons regarding the things that they have asked him about is something that God has decided to keep to himself. And it's his prerogative as God to do that.

And so he tells them, it's not yours to know those times are seasons. It's yours to know this, you're going to be my witnesses to the end of the earth. That's your duty. That's your turf. That is the area where you need to concern yourself, I've given you this to do and I've reserved this other thing to myself.

This reminds me of Deuteronomy 29 verse 29. This is a verse that really everyone should have memorized. It's so important and it helps us not go down rat holes where Christians have no business being. And it's easy to remember because the chapter and the verse are the same number. Deuteronomy chapter 29 verse 29 which reads, The secret things belong to the Lord our God, But those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of the law." That's essentially what Jesus is saying after he's been resurrected, when he's speaking to his apostles at the last.

The secret things, the times and the seasons, the things that you want to know but God has chosen not to reveal, those are His. The secret things belong to the Lord. But the revealed things belong to us and our children. Why? So that we can do what God has said to do.

So the focus of Christians should never be on the things that God has reserved to Himself and chosen not to reveal to His people. They should be on the things that he has told us to do. This is just like our structure in 1 Thessalonians, where no one knows the day or the hour. In our text, in the verses that we're looking at carefully right now, he says, there's no need that I should write to you. This is a secret thing.

You know all there is to know. You know everything God has chosen to reveal. And then as we look at the structure of chapter 5, He's going on to say, forget about that, except for that you should live in expectation, here's your duty. You're children of light. You're sons of light.

We should live like sons of light, not sons of darkness. So we're headed exactly the same place where Deuteronomy 29.29 leaves us. There are secret things, those are God's. That's not our turf. They are revealed things and they are our possession and the possession of our children forever so that we can do what God has told us to be busy about.

And That's exactly what we have in Acts 1. Lord, are you restoring the kingdom of Israel now? That's not your business. It's not for you to know the times or the seasons that God has set in His own authority, but you'll be my witnesses. This is what I'm making your business.

The times and the seasons. This is exactly what we see in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. Same structure. You wanted to know the day and the hour. You don't get to know the day and the hour.

You get to know that you're sons and daughters of light and you should walk accordingly. And what is it that they know with perfect accuracy? Right isn't that what the text says? You yourselves know perfectly. You know with perfect accuracy something.

It's in verse 2. That the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. Paul, how many days between now and then when Jesus descends from heaven with a shout? It's not for you to know the times. Paul, what's going to be happening leading up to that day?

Like give us the clues that will let us know when it's happening. Tell us all the things that are going to lead up to that. It is not for you to know the seasons. That day will come like a thief in the night. What does that mean?

It means that it will be unexpected. That's why the thief comes in the middle of the night, because you're not expecting him then. So it will be like a, that day will come like a thief in the night in that respect. It will be unexpected. It will be sudden.

When a thief comes in the middle of the night, one minute you're fast asleep, not aware of anything, and the next second you're awake and he's there. This is the nature of a thief in the night. You weren't even conscious and then in the next second he's at your bedside. It will be unwelcome to many who are still lost in their sins. When a thief comes in the middle of the night, it's not a pleasant surprise, it's just a surprise.

It's an unwelcome surprise. And it's terrifying. When you just stop and take... We read right over the top of this, right? And we're on to the next verse, but when you stop and think, what it would be like to wake up, and he's at your bedside.

And the fear, And you don't know what's intended, you don't know how many. If you go to Exodus 22, Exodus 22 is a chapter about theft. It says that if you kill a thief in the night in your house, there's no guilt of bloodshed. But if you kill a thief in your house during the day, there is guilt of bloodshed. Why is that?

Because when the thief comes at night, you have the right to expect that it's your life or his. That anything that happens when the thief comes at night, it's self-defense because he's come at night for a reason. So that You're exonerated if you kill him in the middle of the night in your house. There's no guilt of bloodshed. And our laws still reflect that today.

Because it's a terrifying prospect, the thought of the thief that comes in the middle of the night. That is the sense in which the second coming of Jesus Christ will be like a thief being at your bedside when you wake up in the middle of the night. Here's what Jesus said, I quoted this last week, but I'll just go back to it. From Matthew 24, which is all about this subject, Matthew 24 verses 43 and 44, Jesus says this, but know this, if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Jesus has told us to expect that He is going to come when you don't expect. So that makes you ready. At any time. He has told you, you can expect that He's going to come at an unexpected time. So that we should perpetually, continually, in an ongoing way, Be ready for Jesus' return.

Now here is another place in the Gospels where Jesus has spoken of this. Turn to Luke chapter 12. Luke chapter 12. Jesus actually in the Gospels talks a lot about his return. And he doesn't tell us very much at all that would help us to know the day or the hour, but he does tell us over and over and over to be in a state of readiness.

Luke chapter 12, I'd like to begin in 35 and read through 40. Luke chapter 12 beginning in 35, Jesus says, Let your waist be girded, and your lamps burning. And you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master when he comes will find watching. Assuredly I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat and will come and serve them.

And if he should come in the second watch or come in the third watch and find them so, blessed are those servants. But Know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore, you also be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." Verse 35, the very first verse that I read here, describes one who lives in constant readiness. Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning. Ready every moment for Jesus' return.

So we've been told that this is straight from the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ. And now believers have a choice. Now that we've heard, we have a choice. Will we obey and be like those who wait for their master? And live like that every day, living like that.

Why would we do that? Because Jesus told us to do that. And now it's just a matter of simple obedience or simple disobedience. God has said live like people whose waists are girded and whose lamps are burning at every moment, always ready for his return. And it opens up the possibility of significant delay.

He says, what if the master comes in the second watch? What if the master comes in the third watch? If he comes in the third watch and finds those servants waist-girded, lamps burning, They'll be blessed. This to people who probably had an expectation that he was coming again in their lifetimes. They probably did.

It reads like he might. It should make you wonder what watch are we in. Can this be anything other than the third watch in 2016? Back to our text. That was verses 1 and 2.

The day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. Now verse 3, for when they say peace, safety, Then sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they shall not escape. In this verse we have the great chasm, what they say and what actually comes upon them. If you're taking notes on the handout and filling in blanks. Chasm, say, comes.

The great chasm. What they say and what actually comes upon them. What is a chasm? It's a great distance between cliffs. The Grand Canyon would be a great example of a chasm.

A great distance between cliffs from one side of the Grand Canyon to the other side of the Grand Canyon, way over there, is a chasm. So there's this gulf, this great distance between the cliffs of what they say, their own assessment of their times, and what actually comes upon them. Now the whole section is a contrast. Those who are of the light, and those who are of the darkness. We're working in that this week and we'll definitely be working in that all of next week as well.

The whole section contrasts those who are of the light and those who are of the darkness. The they here in verse 3 is those who are of the darkness. That becomes perfectly clear in verse 4 when our authors are going to say you're not that. Christians aren't that. Christians aren't of the darkness.

In verse 3, in view is those who are in darkness and of darkness. What do they say? Those who are in darkness and those who are of darkness, what are they saying? Peace. Safety.

Are prophets of comfort. They have a comforting message. These prophets of the darkness have a comforting message. I'm okay and you're okay. Peace.

Safety. That's their own analysis of their times. Those crazy Christians are always talking about a day when a righteous God is going to come in judgment. And that's not true. I mean, look around.

Several years ago, Taylor and I and David Vagnier and Chuck Laverdiere went to the Reason Rally, a gathering of atheists on the mall in Washington DC. They had a band kick off the Reason Rally, and the song that they sang was, When the Zombie Jew Returns. Jesus is the Zombie Jew. And it was, ha ha. Think of how ridiculous the second coming is.

Like that zombie Jew is never coming back. Those Christians are always talking about a righteous God and the judgment. But don't worry about any of that. We're going to have peace. We're going to have safety.

The prophets of comfort, Those who are in darkness and of darkness, they want us to live in perfect comfort in this life. They want us to think that there is always going to be peace and there is always going to be safety. They want us to be undisturbed. They want us to be drifting along unalarmed by our state. Everything is okay.

But Paul and Silvanus and Timothy want exactly the opposite to those who are out of Christ. They do want them to be alarmed. They do want them to be disturbed because they know a righteous God who won't wait forever. Who won't wait forever. The prophets of comfort who are in darkness and of darkness want you to look for your comfort in this life.

Look for peace and safety in this life. No, no, Christians don't do that. Christians are very disturbed about their state and so they go to the cross for refuge. And they look out there for comfort. That's what our text is saying in 1 Thessalonians.

Comfort one another with these words. What words? Thus we shall always be in the Lord. He's going to descend Himself from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, with the trumpet of God, and then the bodily resurrection, and then we will always be with the Lord. That's where our comfort is.

Any time anyone is selling you comfort in this world, beware. Beware. So they have been saying peace and safety, but what actually comes upon them? Sudden destruction comes upon them. Out of nowhere, like the thief in the night.

They wake up and there He is at the bedside. Jesus describes this in Luke 17. Just let me read it. Luke 17 verses 26 through 30. In Luke 17 verses 26-30.

Listen to what Jesus says. Luke 17, starting in verse 26. And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man. They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, as it was also in the days of Lot, they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built, but on the day that lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all Even so it will be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

That is the truth About the day of Jesus is coming it will be just like the days of Noah It will be just like the days of Noah. It will be just like the days of Lot where it seems like time will roll on forever. Peace and safety will just keep marrying and giving in marriage. We will just keep building and eating and drinking. Life will go on forever like this, but in that day, just like the judgment of the world in the time of Noah, just like the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Complete annihilation of the unrighteous. Back to our verse, verse 3 in Thessalonians. There are two things said about the sudden destruction. The first is this, it will be like labor pains upon a pregnant woman. This is what that sudden destruction will be like.

Like labor pains. Mothers-to-be relish the far side of childbirth. That's what they're looking for. They're looking for the time where they're holding that baby. But in the meantime, often there's great trepidation about what lies between here and there.

Remember, we're writing pre-epidurals. We're writing pre-mini pain medications. And there's no way out for the pregnant woman. It's the inevitability. No pregnancy comes without a future with labor pains.

It's the suddenness. The real labor pains, they just start. It's the irrevocability, meaning you can't pull it back. Once the real labor pains start, we're not talking about Braxton Hicks fake labor pains, we're talking about the real ones that lead to the baby being born. Once they start, You are stuck.

You're going to get nothing but increasing pain until that baby is born. Once it's time, it's time. And they start, and there's no backing out at this point. Oh wait, I didn't sign up for this too bad! When the labor pains come.

Which leads us to the second thing that's sad about the sudden destruction. The first was that they're like labor pains. The second is there's no escape. Here's what Matthew Henry says. By the way, I do read other commentators, they're just not as quotable as Matthew Henry.

So the other content, I put in my own words and fold it into the rest of the material so I don't have to cite them, but Matthew Henry says it in such a way that I often want to quote him. Matthew Henry says, There will be no place where the workers of iniquity shall be able to hide themselves. No shelter from the storm, nor shadow from the burning heat that shall consume the wicked." There's nowhere to run. There's nowhere to hide. You will not be able to run from this day or hide from this day.

It will all be before the Lord and there will be no escape from it for those who are in darkness and those who are of darkness. Now there's a chapter that really serves as commentary for this. And it's 2 Peter chapter 3. Please turn there. 2 Peter chapter 3.

Really, the whole chapter is about the day of the Lord. So I'm going to read a great portion of the chapter in bits, making comments as we go. But it's sort of a mini sermon in itself on our text verse 3. On the labor pains and not being able to escape the judgment and on the day of the Lord. 2nd Peter, chapter 3, beginning in verse 1.

Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle, in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of a reminder, that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior. Knowing this first, that scoffers will come in the last days according to their own lusts and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." This is just like our text. The prophets of comfort in our text are saying, peace and safety. They're actually contradicting what God has said.

God says, not peace and safety, but watch and pray, because the day of judgment is coming, and it might be today. Here in 2 Peter chapter 3, they are scoffing at the notion of a judge coming to make all things right and to render to each one according to his works. And they are saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they have from the beginning." They're like Jeremiah chapter 6, 14, where Jeremiah is speaking of the false prophets saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace. There's no peace.

These scoffers are saying there's no problem. Picking it back up in verse 5. For this they willfully forget, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished being flooded with water. The heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." Peter calls this, thinking that there will be peace and safety when there is really no peace, Peter calls this willfully forgetting. It's a certain kind of ignorance.

It's a willful ignorance. In other words, the Word of God gives us the days of Noah and gives us the days of Lot where we have examples that God is going to come and judge. He won't wait forever. We know He's going to because He has. So they willfully forget that God killed everyone but eight people in the flood.

To look at Our modern world and our modern education system through these lenses is stunning. Peter says that's a willful ignorance. That is a willful forgetting of what God has done in hopes that we won't be afraid that God will do it. Continuing, picking it back up in verse 8. But beloved, Do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." So why the delay? Peter explains the delay. God is merciful. It's the long suffering of God. That's why it's been 2016 years.

Because God is patient and he has a plan to send the gospel to the most people to bring in all the elect. And he's made the elect a large number. Think about Macedonia. Paul, Sylvainus, and Timothy are writing to new converts in Macedonia. Macedonia, a region that has been plunged into darkness for millennia, for thousands of years with no gospel presence.

What if Jesus Himself descends from heaven with a shout on the day they receive this letter? Hardly any part of Macedonia has been penetrated with the gospel. It's just starting there. Peter says, God's more long-suffering than that. God's more merciful than that.

God has a plan with more elect than that, to bring out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. It's His mercy. That's why the delay. Picking back up again in verse 10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise and the elements will melt with fervent heat.

Both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness? Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved being on fire and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells." When I talk about sudden destruction, Peter is describing a meltdown of the universe, like dissolved with fervent heat. And then he takes you to the logical question, therefore, what manner of persons ought we to be in holy conduct?

That's where we're headed next week in Thessalonians. The line of argument is exactly the same in 1 Thessalonians 5 as it is in 1 Peter 3. There's going to be a meltdown! The day of Jesus is coming, therefore, what manner of persons ought we to be in holy conduct? That's exactly where Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy are taking us next week.

And even so, even though it's going to be a meltdown of the universe as we know it, Peter speaks of the Christians' expectation and eagerness for the day. Christians aren't running from the day of the meltdown of the universe. Christians are running towards it. Why is that? Because the Christians have a hope on the other side of it.

That we'll always be with the Lord, that we get a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Christians look around at the corruption in this world, and they don't think that a meltdown in the universe sounds like that bad of an idea. They are looking for a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Finally, verses 14-16, Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligently to be found by him in peace, without spot in blameless. And considering that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation, as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you.

As also in all his epistles speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the scripture." Peter teaches this, and then he says, yeah, Paul teaches this too, and some of it's hard to understand. Peter and Paul have exactly the same understanding of how this day is going to come upon us like a thief in the night. Thank you Peter for the sermon on 1 Thessalonians 5. Fits together hand in hand. Now back to our text and the final verse of it, verse 4.

1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 4. Let me read it. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this day should overtake you as a thief. Here in this verse we have the difference for genuine believers. If you're taking notes on the handout and filling in blanks.

Genuine believers. The difference for genuine believers. This day should only overtake you as a thief if you are in darkness. Why? Because Jesus said, be ready.

Peter said, be ready. Paul said, be ready. They all said, watch and pray. So if we're not in the darkness, if we are in Christ, there's no reason that this day would overtake us like a thief in the night. There ought to be a profound difference in that day between the suns of light and the suns of darkness.

Listen to how Peter describes the kingdoms in 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 9. Two kingdoms and Peter lays it out in 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 9. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Darkness represents the whole other kingdom that Jesus Christ is plundering by taking its subjects out into his own kingdom of light. And this kingdom of darkness is marked by willful ignorance.

Isn't that what Peter called it? They willfully forget about the flood and the judgment and the destruction. And It's marked by unforgiven sin. People still in their sins. Standing to pay for the penalty of their own sins.

It's marked by ongoing rebellion. There is no peace. They say peace and safety, but there is no peace. Peace is in Christ. They are out of Christ.

One of the reasons The kingdom of Christ is called a kingdom of light because it is a kingdom of truth. Jesus is the truth. And light is often symbolic for truth in the Scriptures. Our King has told us the truth about the future. That's one of the glories of 1 Thessalonians 4 and 5.

Our King is telling us the truth about the future. A truth that if you embrace it will bring you the greatest comfort and make you steadfast even under pressure. If we believe the truth that our King has told us about the future, we won't be taken by surprise. This is what verse 4 is telling us. As Matthew Henry says, this day will come to believers as a friend in the day, not as a thief in the night.

The day is coming. The day may come in our lifetime. I don't know whether Jesus is coming in our lifetime or not. I can't imagine that this isn't the third watch, to go back to our text in Luke where Jesus says, be ready and if he comes in the second watch or the third watch in the night if you find you ready you'll be blessed. It's 2016.

If the day comes tomorrow, if Jesus Himself descends with a shout tomorrow, Will it come to you as a friend in the day or as a thief in the night? That's really the question. The handout says applications. I think these are more exhortations. First to believers.

First to believers. Believers, listen again to what Jesus says in Luke chapter 12. I've already read it. This is Luke chapter 12, verses 35 and the first part of 36. Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning.

And you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, our master is coming. Our master is coming. Look to his coming. Have your waist girded. Have your lamps burning.

Let him find you in anticipation and longing for His return. Live on the edge of your seat. You know what that means? Live leaning forward like John. At the end of the Bible, Jesus says, I'm coming quickly.

John says, Amen to that! Come quickly. Secondly, for believers, that's the first thing. Just let your waist be girded and your lamp burning is the first thing. The second thing, and I would like you to turn there, it's 2 Corinthians.

2 Corinthians, chapter 5. Corinthians chapter 5. A consideration of Jesus returning again in glory and in judgment should move Christians in this way. Consider what Paul writes in 2 Corinthians chapter 5. I'm gonna read 10 in the first part of 11 and then I'm gonna skip down to 20.

I'll tell you when I'm doing it. 2 Corinthians chapter 5, beginning in verse 10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body according to what he has done whether good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men." Paul talks about the effect of a contemplation of the day of Jesus on him, and he says, I know the terror of the Lord, and so I persuade men. Now skip down to verse 20, and I'll read verses 20 and 21.

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ as though God were pleading through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf be reconciled to God. For He made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him through faith. Everyone who believes in him, though they're sinful and defiled in a thousand ways, becomes the righteousness of God in Christ because He was made sin. A contemplation of Jesus coming back in judgment should propel us forward to do the work that He's given us to do.

To go and make disciples of the nation to preach Christ crucified for sinners. Having received His mercy and knowing that he's coming and when he comes there will be no escape for those who are in darkness and of darkness. How can we keep this to ourselves? Have you Have you no pity? Have you no compassion to those who are just like you were?

Finally, to those who are not in Christ, having not repented and believed, one question, are you comfortable? It's sort of the nature of being in darkness, even though it's a willful, it's being willfully blind. It's sort of the nature of it. Being comfortable. Are you counseling your own heart, peace and safety?

Is that the counsel you're giving to your own heart, peace and safety? There's time, maybe in a few years. Maybe in a few years. Life and death are set before you today. Life and death.

Choose life. Choose life. Why would you perish in your sins? When he who knew no sin was made sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. God, thank you for our text.

Even this week I read right over the top of it, just skimmed right over the top many times. The top many times, but to just take a minute and think about that day with not one more nanosecond left to repent. Not one more opportunity to be in Christ. We do know the terror of the Lord. Pray God that you would use these things to move us with hearts of compassion for sinners.

Not knowing who your people are but having been sent as ambassadors to plead with people to be reconciled to God. And God, I pray that you would give us such fruitfulness. I pray over our year, Lord, that as we're out and about preaching Christ crucified, that you would bring in a harvest of souls bring many out of darkness into your marvelous light God when we think where you brought us from and what you brought us to. We're so grateful, Lord. Thank you.

The words thank you seem so small. God, please use us as vessels, as channels for your grace, Lord. People who are lost now, willfully in rebellion to you, would be cleansed, made right with you, and become our brothers and sisters. We pray these things in Jesus' name, Amen.