1Sing to the Lord Hymnal (Kansas City, Lillenas Publishing Company, 1993) 281.
2E. Glenn Hinson, The Early Church (Nashville: Abingdon, 1996) 158.
3Craig Brian Larson, Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1993), 43.
Proper 28 (A)
November 17, 2002
Staying Alert
I Thessalonians 5:1-11
People on the Titanic were enjoying their carefree evening when they felt a bump in the night. Thousands of pages have been written about that fateful night, and several movies have been made depicting the events and people on board. Many lives were lost, but it could have been avoided. Another vessel lay within a few miles capable of steaming to her rescue, but their radio officer decided to turn off his receiver and go to bed. Because he was not alert fathers and mothers lost their children, and children lost one or both parents, and husbands and wives were parted for life.
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It is so important that we be alert. Paul writes to his friends that the day of the Lord, His return, will come like a thief in the night, and they need to always be on the alert.
I. Being Alert is Avoiding Extremes
There are those who constantly talk about the second coming. They produce maps, charts, and documents pointing to a time that Jesus will return. Speculation may be great for discussion and study, but it must not occupy all of our time and energy while the world dashes to the borders of hell. There are also those who pay no attention or don't believe in the second coming of Jesus. His return is just a figment of our imagination, and talk concerning it should be avoided.
Both of these are extremes and should be avoided. Jesus is coming again according to the scriptures to take His followers to heaven, but we must not become so preoccupied that we miss opportunities to share Jesus in this life. The scriptures are very clear that Christ will literally come to take His people home to heaven, and to avoid conversation about it to others damages the opportunities to share Him with others for the afterlife.
II. Being Alert is Living Life to its Fullest
God has called Christians to be the salt of the earth. That means we give zest, flavor, and seasoning to a dull world.
Living life to its fullest includes living to please God. Jesus said to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness (Mat. 6:33). That ushers in prioritized living! The priority of living life to its fullest is following Jesus. The prerequisites for determining priorities are: a. Honesty before God; b. Sensitivity to circumstances; c. A willingness to pay whatever the price to fulfill God's purposes; and d. Dependence upon the Holy Spirit to reveal the precedence of the priority.
Living life to its fullest includes a clean heart. The great Calvinist Augustus Toplady wrote these words in 1776, "Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee. Let the water and the blood, From Thy wounded side which flowed. Be a sin the double cure, Save from wrath and make me pure."1 It was Charles Wesley who penned: "He breaks the power of cancelled sin -- Blessed be the name of the Lord! His blood can make the foulest clean -- Blessed be the name of the Lord!"2