"Sons of Light! Shine Forth!" 1 Thessalonanians 5:1-11

The Last Sunday In The Church Year                       21-November-2021
Sermon Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

I.N.R.I. Isaiah 35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” Welcome to Zion! The Holy Spirit teaches of the Sunday Divine Service.. “ Hebrews 12:22-24 ... you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, (23) to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, (24) to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.” Here in Christ’s Church - the local congregation- you have joy in a world of sorrow, hope in a world of despair, light in a world filled with darkness.
    The end of the Church year trumpets forth the wondrous news that history nears its goal. Christ Jesus is coming again visibly in glory. The Bridegroom comes to welcome His Bride - the Christian Church into the eternal wedding feast. Joyfully we anticipate the “resurrection of the body, and the life of the world to come.”  
    In less than a month of preaching the Lord had established His second Christian congregation on the European continent through the preaching of St. Paul, Timothy, and Silas. It was a congregation forged in persecution. You can read more about it in Acts 17. Christ’s kingdom came as God granted the hearers of His Word His Holy Spirit so that by His grace they might believe in Christ Jesus and lead holy lives of faith. God the Holy Spirit brought them out of darkness a making them sons of the Light.
    Dear Christians in these last dark days of world history do not surrender to darkness and despair. Remember Whose children you are by grace! “Sons of Light! Shine Forth in These Dark Days!”
    Where is light found in a world enslaved to darkness? Only in He who is the Light of the world - in Christ Jesus. He promises, John 14:23 "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” Within Christ’s Church the Light giving oil of the Holy Spirit flows freely for all sinners who will listen. Dr. Luther confessed, “We will now return to the Gospel, which not merely in one way gives us counsel and aid against sin; for God is superabundantly rich [and liberal] in His grace [and goodness]. First, through the spoken Word by which the forgiveness of sins is preached [He commands to be preached] in the whole world; which is the peculiar office of the Gospel. Secondly, through Baptism. Thirdly, through the holy Sacrament of the Altar. Fourthly, through the power of the keys, and also through the mutual conversation and consolation of brethren, Matt. 18:20: Where two or three are gathered together, I am there in the midst of them." (Smalcald Articles,Part III / Article IV: Of the Gospel)
        Sons of Light shine forth! (Vs.11) Starting at the end of our epistle lesson and working towards the beginning we learn to shine by caring for each other. Each of us are called by Christ to be our brother and sister’s keepers. Don’t wait for the pastor or board of elders to comfort a hurting member of the congregation. Comfort each other with God’s Words of promise in Christ Jesus. Weep with those who weep. Rejoice with those who rejoice. This is only possible by investing the time to know one another. Not just a quick handshake and wish of peace. Know one another by name. Learn to listen to one another. Can you name the young people who sit near you at church? Do you know their names, friends names, dreams, and fear? Do you know the older members who sit near you? Their families, where they grew up, what they do, their hopes, dreams, and fears? You can only bear each others burdens by taking the time to liste to each other inside and outside of this church building. Then you can use your words to build each other up - forgiving and being forgiven - singing hymns of hope and lamentation together. Praying for and with each other without ceasing. The mutual conversation and consolation of the brethren. The gospel en - fleshed in the real people Christ has knit you together with in this congregation. Shine forth knowing one another.
    Sons of Light shine forth!   Trumpet forth good news in these last days. (Vs.9-10). Our Risen and triumphant Lord Jesus has given His Church on earth the Key to open heaven’s gate. His cross shaped empty tomb empowered key fills us with peace for we are forgiven. God hasn’t appointed us to wrath. He has judged you - declared you forgiven. Your sin is forgotten. Jesus washed it all away with His blood. You are appointed to obtain salvation as a free gift through our Lord Jesus Christ. The full saving Name of our God - He died for us - He died for you! He purchased and won you back from all sins, from death, and from the power the devil. Comfort each other with the truth - Christ Jesus has graciously knit you so closely to Himself - that not even the sleep of death can tear you from His loving embrace. Our loved ones who have fallen asleep trusting in Jesus for forgiveness are not dead - they live with Him!   When Satan, the world, and your sinful flesh try to snuff out your gospel light with winds of doubt - come into Christ’s Church and receive private absolution - hear Jesus’ Word of life and peace, “I forgive you!” Shine forth forgiven forgive one another.
    Sons of Light shine forth fortified with the food of immortality! (Vs.6-7). Paul isn’t teaching you to be insomniacs - we need rest - so our Creator called us to find our rest in Him and His Word weekly. Do not to be lulled into spiritual slumber by the world, Satan, or our fallen reason. Be wide awake spiritually. Alert and sober minded. Satan lulls many into slumber with his religions of self-improvement. Assuring people their lives have been good enough to earn a spot in heaven. They don’t need to come into Christ’s presence in the local congregation. They can be spiritual by themselves on the deer stand, or at the lake, or sleeping in on Sunday morning. Satan lulls many into self-security as he steals them from the feast of life. Wake up! Salvation is found only in the flesh and blood of Christ Jesus. Trust in only in Jesus to save you. Feast on His flesh and blood it is salvation. False religions are only spiritual sleep and drunkenness that lead to hell. Drunkenness makes you the fool, not even understanding the shame and vomit you wallow call fun. This is the darkened drunken stupor the world stumbles in towards judgment day. Drunk with its own imagined wisdom it rejects science and cannot even distinguish between male from female. Drunk calling evil good and good evil. Drunk trying to destroy Christ’s Church which alone preserves this dying world.
      Sons of Light shine Christ’s strength alone! (Vs.8) Soberly come to Christ’s feast. Confess your sins. Look only to Jesus for forgiveness. Let His body in bread be the breastplate guarding your heart against the devil’s attacks. His meal strengthens you in faith towards God and fervent love towards one another. Drinking His living blood in wine it protects your mind filling you with salvation’s hope. Life is in His blood - the very life of God. Forgiveness is in His blood - real forgiveness for real sins committed by real sinners. Shine forth! Trust Christ’s Word, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins!” “For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is life and salvation!”
      Sons of Light shine forth - it is your birthright! (Vs.4-5) God calls you His own in baptism. Never doubt His Word, “I baptize you in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” His Word and promise that you belong to Him. Sons of Light are born by His Holy Spirit through His Word spoken and water poured. In his letter to the Galatians Paul teaches us, Galatians 3:26-28 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (27) For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Paul isn’t a woman hater. The blessed reality of your baptism is you are clothed with Christ’s perfect life. Your sins washed away daily with His holy precious blood which flooded from His pierced side. God the Father sees you as His own beloved Son - the firstborn Son - all that He has is yours- now and forever. Jesus intimately knit you into Himself in baptism - you are bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh.
        We in this sin darkened world held captive by the prince of darkness - Satan. He has no claim on us. Judgment day on earth happened for you at the font. Sons of the Light shine forth daily remembering you are baptized into the Christ The Light of the world!
      Sons of Light shine forth hearing! “2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (Vs.1) Paul didn’t need to write the congregation at Thessalonika of Judgment Day. He preached Christ’s Word to them and they listened. He wrote, 1 Thessalonians 1:5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.” Receive Christ’s Word with joy they sent it forth into the world. The Holy Spirit freed them through Christ’s Word preached. It was a marvelous change, “1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, (10) and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” Clinging to Christ’s promise to come again they did not calculate the time or seasons of His return but sent the saving Word forth to the world.
      Christ’s Word spoken frees us sinners with forgiveness filling us with a sure and certain hope in these last dark days. (Vs.2-3) Christ Jesus promises His day will come like a thief in the night. When Satan, the world, sin, and death think victory is theirs and Christ’s Church has been snuffed out through persecution. Christ Jesus will come like a thief in the night stealing all who trust in Him back from sin, death, Satan, and the grave.
      Our world lives on in false security. Like a pregnant woman who refuses to acknowledge her due date nears. Denial cannot prevent labor. Suddenly she is helpless in pain with no escape. Our world is pregnant for judgment. It boasts that it can win its own peace and safety with carbon credits, vaccines, masks, wokeness, and governmental power - it is a dark delusion. Judgment day will break. Christ Jesus will return visibly in power and great glory. Then their darkness will be exposed and sentence of an eternity in hell be sealed.
      Sons of Light Shine Forth the Hope Christ Jesus gives to us sinners. Paul concludes this letter encouraging you: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 Rejoice always, (17) pray without ceasing, (18) in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (19) Do not quench the Spirit. (20) Do not despise prophecies. (21) Test all things; hold fast what is good. (22) Abstain from every form of evil. (23) Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (24) He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”   Amen.