I Thessalonians 5 – A Life Being Protected
Tuesday, 14th February 2023
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-5 To Know Our Identity
Paul brought down peace and hope to the church of Thessalonica. Even though they were in confusion, in darkness, in distress, but Paul brought the message of peace to the church. Recently we have been facing terrible weather brought by the cyclone in New Zealand, the news given to us made us unsettled, but true peace is from God. With this peace, we are willing to come to the House of God and to light up His House early in the morning. Who can give us this peace and who can protect us? Only the God who gives peace.
V1-2 ‘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.’ Do we know our true identity? When we do, then we will understand how the day of the Lord comes as a thief. We will know to be alert and prepared for the day of the Lord.
V3 ‘For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labour pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.’ We can never save ourselves with our own strength, do not think that we don’t need the presence of God. We always think there are more important things than praying and coming to the House of God. But we do not realise that the day of the Lord is coming, it will be a day when the wheat and the weeds are to be separated.
V4-5 ‘But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.’ Do we know that we don’t belong to the darkness? The darkness belongs to the world, but we don’t belong to the world. Therefore, do not be deceived by the world, which tells us to stay in depression, to stay in darkness, to stay in unforgiveness, to stay in self-pity, to stay in sickness… instead, cry out to God, be determined to stay out of darkness, because we are the children of light.
Section Two V6-11 To Be Watchful and Sober
V6-7 ‘Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.’ We must be watchful and sober, because it’s easy to run away from our problems and it’s easy to fall asleep, but we must strive to stay watchful and sober. We don’t want to face our problems, but when we seek God, He can solve all our problems for us.
V8 ‘But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.’ When we put on the breastplate of faith and love, then we don’t need to be afraid. Why do we stay in darkness? Because we don’t allow love and faith coming into our lives. We don’t believe God can do it, we don’t believe God loves us, we don’t believe the Words in the Bible… when we rely on our own emotions and our own strength, then we will continue to stay in the darkness and in sleepiness.
V9-10 ‘For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.’ We thought once we become believers, then we will not need to worry about anything else. But it already says in the Bible very clearly, every one will be judged by God at the end times, but God’s Will is for His people to be saved. When we stay watchful and sober, then we will be saved. The salvation of Jesus and the blood of Jesus is full of power. When we put on this armour then we will not easily fall.
V11 ‘Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.’ We need fellowship, when we are with the body of Christ, we can help each other, edify each other, build up each other, and to show the love of Jesus to each other.
Section Three V12-28 To Live in Love and Trust
V12-13 ‘And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labour among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.’ We must honour our leaders and recognise them. Can we see that all our authority did was to support us and not to harm us? Furthermore, we must love one another, do not try to fight for the love of the authority with each other, and do not be jealous of them.
V14-15 ‘Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.’ When we look down on others, then we cannot love one another. We must seek goodness, strive to do good, and don’t take other people’s kindness to us for granted.
V16-18 ‘Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.’ Paul reminded us to rejoice always, even when we cannot feel the joy, through the strength given to us by God, we will be able to rejoice always. Furthermore, we must continue to share the testimonies of what God has done in our lives. When we share, God will do it again and again, when we testify, we are also giving thanks and remembering all the wonderful things God has done for us in the past.
V19-22 ‘Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.’ God has always been talking to His people since the beginning, through prophets and His servants. But somehow people always ignore the teaching of the servants of God. What is our attitude when we hear the prophecies from God? Do we only want to hear what we want to hear? Or can we be watchful and alert of what we are hearing?
Let us live under the Tree of Life, to love and trust, and our lives can be protected.
帖撒罗尼迦前书 5 – 蒙保守的生命
2023年2月14日 星期二
潘锡安牧师
我们无法从这个世界和自己得到平安，唯有耶和华所赐的平安才是真平安。
一、v.1-5 要知道我们的身份
V1-3 当我们明白自己的身份时，我们就会知道“主的日子来到好像夜间的贼一样”。不要以为我们不需要有神同在，不要以为自己有更重要的事。主再来的日子就是审判的时刻，没有人知道那日子何时来到。
V4-5 我们要知道自己自己是不属于黑暗的，相信我们不属于世界的负面，我们是属于白昼的，所以要愿意祷告寻求神，不要再停留在自己的黑暗、忧虑、小剧场之中，而是在光明里。
二、v.6-11 总要警醒谨守
V6 我们不要像其他人一样沉醉在幽暗的享乐中。当我们觉得被冒犯、心灰意冷的时候，是否就想放弃、任意将自己的情绪放大? 不要再在黑暗中沉睡，当我们在黑暗中享乐时，就失去自己的身份，所以“总要警醒谨守”。
V7-8 当问题发生的时候，不要以为睡一觉就好了，反要更加“谨守”。我们不相信圣经所讲的话时，我们就只相信自己的感觉，最后就在幽暗中睡着了。
V9 主再来时首先要审判的是我们，但他“不是预定我们受刑，乃是预定我们借着我们主耶稣基督得救”。耶稣基督在十字架上流出的宝血是大有功效的。唯有持守对主的信心，才能得救。
V10 只要我们持守得救的盼望，我们这些光明之子都能得以存活。
V11 我们不要成为独行侠，而要有团契、小组，才能“彼此劝慰，互相建立”。小组里不是只讲“爱”，也要能够建立彼此。我们不要用人的爱，而要在人前显露耶稣基督的爱。
三、v.12-28 要活在爱与信任里
V12 “敬重”就是尊荣。我们不仅要尊荣神，也要尊荣那“在主里面治理你们、劝诫你们的”人。我们在天国文化的自由里，是否有“纪律、规矩”？我们知道天父爱我们，所以才愿意活在生命树的气息下，谦卑顺服，舍己利他。我们不要用天国文化的自由当作放纵的借口。
V13 我们要看见神给我们在地上的权柄是来帮助我们的，所以要用“爱心格外尊重他们”。并且我们“也要彼此和睦”- 当我们看见周围的人尊荣权柄的时候，是否会觉得心里不舒服？当我们看见别人能做到我们做不到的事情时，是否心生嫉妒？保罗劝慰我们要彼此和睦、彼此学习。
V14 “不守规矩”就是不服从的人。当看见他们不服从规矩的时候，我们要警戒他们，而不要只想说讨人喜欢的话。有时我们会觉得自己已经教导过别人了，但他们还是不听，我们就想置之不理，但这样的态度是骄傲。我们也不要以为别人饶恕我们是理所应当，谁知也许别人是“忍耐”我们。
V16 我们是否能常常喜乐？还是在不开心的时候用“这就是我”当作借口？圣经教导我们，无论得时不得时，我们都要喜乐。
V17-18 不要以为自己蒙保守是应该的，每一件事情都是神的恩典， 所以要“凡事谢恩”。
V19-20 圣灵来是让我们为罪为义为审判自己责备自己；先知说的话是神借着他们讲出我们的生命。今天的经文不是在讲几千年前的教会的问题，而是神在对我们说话，我们愿意对神有爱有信任吗？
V21-22 对于“预言”，我们要察验 – 从神而来的就是善美的，若是顺从我们情欲的、听上去好像很“灵”的话，就是“恶事”。
V27 神的话是说给众教会听的。
V28 当我们活在生命树的气息下愿意有爱有信任的时候，神的恩就常与我们同在，我们就能经历蒙保守的生命。