Children of the Day
October 18 | Rick Thiemke
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1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
The Day of the Lord
1 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Last week, Paul reminded the Thessalonians that death does not have the final word. Because Jesus died and rose again, those who belong to Him have the hope of resurrection and the promise of being with Him forever. Now Paul moves from what happens when believers die to how believers should live as they await Jesus’ return.
Paul moves from, “What will happen when Jesus comes?” to “How do we live ready for His coming?”
We Live Ready by Finding Our Security in Jesus
Paul begins by reminding the Thessalonians that the day of the Lord will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night (verse 2). Jesus Himself taught that no one knows the day or hour of His return (Matthew 24:36). Readiness, therefore, cannot depend on predicting the future.
In Thessalonica, the Roman Empire promised peace and security through its power. Paul challenges that confidence, warning that the world's assurances cannot guarantee what tomorrow will bring (verse 3). The coming of Jesus will reveal the limits of every human claim to ultimate security.
Our world is not so different. We look for security in financial stability, political leaders, successful careers, healthy bodies, and carefully constructed plans. These things may have value, but none can carry the weight of our ultimate hope. When they become the foundation of our security, uncertainty can easily become anxiety and fear.
Paul offers something better than certainty about circumstances. He reminds believers of who they already are: children of light, children of the day (verses 4-5). They belong to Jesus and His coming Kingdom.
Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38–39).
Living ready begins with knowing whose we are, not knowing what will happen next. We do not have to control tomorrow because we belong to the One who holds tomorrow.
We Live Ready by Embodying the Life of the Coming Kingdom Today
Because we belong to the day, Paul calls us to stay awake and be sober (verses 6-8). His language is a picture of spiritual attentiveness and clear-mindedness. Rather than drifting through life shaped by the world's assumptions, we remain alert to God's presence, purposes, and promises.
Living ready is not watching for signs or attempting to calculate when Jesus will return. It is allowing the certainty of His coming to shape our priorities, relationships, and decisions today.
In verse 8, Paul returns to faith, love, and hope - the same qualities he celebrated at the beginning of the letter (1 Thessalonians 1:3). These are not achievements we manufacture to earn God's approval. They are evidence of the Spirit forming the life of Jesus in His people.
Faith enables us to trust God when circumstances are uncertain. Love turns our attention toward the needs of others. Hope keeps us from surrendering to despair because we know where God's story is heading.
Peter similarly connects the promised renewal of creation with lives of holiness and godliness (2 Peter 3:11-13).
This means practicing generosity instead of fear, reconciliation instead of resentment, and compassion instead of indifference. We live as people who already belong to the future God has promised.
But our readiness is grounded in grace. God has destined us for salvation through Jesus, who died for us so that we might live with Him (verses 9-10).
Paul concludes by calling believers to encourage and build one another up (verse 11). We do not live ready alone. Together, we remind one another of God's promises and embody the life of His coming Kingdom.
Jesus is coming. Until then, we live ready - not by predicting tomorrow, but by belonging to Him and reflecting His life today.
Discussion Questions
Where are you most tempted to find security in your circumstances rather than in Jesus, and how might trusting Him change your response to uncertainty?
What does it mean to live as a “child of the day,” and where might the Holy Spirit be inviting you to become more attentive to His work in your life?
What is one practical way you or our church could embody the coming Kingdom of God through faith, love, and hope in our community?