Bible Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 | Preacher: Rev. Dr. Lou Saldiveri | Series: Sunday Morning Worship

Do you want to know who you really are?

— Pastor Lou’s Notes —
Intro:

When I was young, 7-8 years old, I would spend time thinking about the future…

The truth about our identity in Christ and the future of His Second Coming should drive us to holy living! There are two major factors that hinder our ability to let the future draw us to holy living. For unbelievers, it is that there is no such thing as sin and “I ” am comfortable. For Christ followers, the first factor is unconfessed sin. The second is also sin, but we rarely think of it in those terms. It is complacency and self-righteousness.

1. The coming of Christ will be unexpected
1. Paul likens the second coming to a thief in the night.
1. If a thief is going to rob your house, he does not send you an invitation.
2. A thief comes when you least expect him
3. Therefore, the second coming will happen when we are living in a false sense of security and complacency.

2. Paul likens the second coming to birth contractions
1. The baby comes when he/she is ready
2. As the birth gets closer, the contractions will become more frequent and more intense
3. This probably refers to the tribulation e.g the last 3 and 1/2 years

3. The unbeliever doesn’t care about spiritual things
1. They go about life like nothing is wrong
2. They are comfortable living in the darkness and doing those things that are typically done in darkness

2. We should not be living as unbelievers in darkness
1. We need to be secure in our true God given identity
1. Review our identity statement
2. This is true even if we don’t feel it!
3. We need to be careful. Dr. Robert Cook would caution Christ followers that even we can start to rationalize sinful bad behaviors.

2. In view of who we are in Christ and the Second Coming, how then should we live!
1. Live as people of the day and light
2. Don’t be complacent!
3. Don’t justify sin!
4. Walk in Holiness
1. Be self-controlled
2. Put on faith and love (obedience to Christ and love for one another)
3. Put on the hope of salvation
1. All of God’s promises are true and will come to pass.

5. Enjoy the our great salvation in Christ
1. Live everyday in the freedom of obedience to Christ.

3. Challenge:
1. Some diagnostic questions:
1. Have we been complacent about our discipleship?
2. Do we have unconfessed sin in our lives?
3. Are we living according to who we are in Christ?
4. Are we living in light of the future?

Closing: Identity video.