Second, I want to let you show you some pictures of the newest member of our family, and this is not John David. Let me introduce you to Elliana Renae Palmer, or Ella for short. Ella was born on Tuesday - three weeks early. Michael and Elizabeth went to our hospital for a check up and were holding her in their arms three hours later. John David and Ella were born 4 days and 32 minutes apart. Sarah and Elizabeth were in the same hospital, on the same floor, just across the hall from each other.
These are special times - full times - full of love and meaning and opportunity. We couldn’t have planned it like this if we tried. This was a beautiful, serendipitous blessing.
But these days will not last forever. These moments are passing. We can only experience them now. You know what parents say to each other: Cherish these moments. Before you know it, he’ll be riding a bike. Blink twice, and she’ll be entering college. They grow up so fast.
This is not far from our text today. This week, we are finishing our study on 1 Thessalonians, so we’ll read all of chapter 5. It’s pretty long, so we’ll take it in sections. Let’s start with just verse 1.
1 Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you.
You can’t catch it very well in English, but Paul actually uses two different Greek words for time here: chronos and chairos. Chronos is for the simple progression of time - tick, tock, tick, tock. One second after another, one hour, one day. Chronos is the kind of time when you say, “Their plane arrives Friday September 2 at 1:05 pm.”
But Chairos is a different kind of time. Chairos is focused on the quality of time rather than the quantity of time. Chairos is closer to the idea of an opportunity or when we look back on a particular period in our life and say, “Those were good times.” Chairos is like that moment of opportunity when there is an opening in a horse race, and the rider has to go fast before it closes.
To help explain the nature of Chairos, the ancient Greeks depicted Chairos as a young man moving fast, with wings on both his back and feet. He is tipping the scales in one direction for now, right now only. One scholar explains, “His hair is long in front and bald behind; he must be grasped, if at all, by the fore-lock.” If you want to catch Chairos, you have to get ahead of it, or it will get away.
I played American football in high school, and I played defense. My job was to tackle whoever had the ball. Everyday in practice we did tackling drills. Everyday, my coaches would shout, “Get your head in front! You’ve got to get your head in front!” When that running back is coming your way, you only have one chance. If you don’t get our head in front and wrap up, he’ll probably get away.
This is how it works with Chairos. You have to get your head in front because it’s moving fast. You have to tackle it with both hands and wrap up. If you want all the Chairos moments in life, you have to be very intentional about how you live. If you want real life, you can’t get lazy, or life will pass you by.
The next several verses describe the this charios moment.
2 For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. 3 When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.
4 But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief.
The first part of this chairos time is that Jesus is coming back, and we don’t know when. Paul says, twice that Jesus will come “like a thief.” No one can plan it or predict it. It could be today, tomorrow, or 10,000 years from now. We don’t know, but when he comes, it will be too late to make changes. When Jesus comes again, it will be wonderful for everyone who is ready and terror for everyone who is not ready. The simple message of Jesus’ second coming - the ultimate chairos - is: Live ready. Always be ready.
The second part of this chairos time is in the next few verses.
5 For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. 6 So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. 7 Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. 8 But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.
9 For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. 10 Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.
It is as if our world is singing us a lullaby, trying to get us to go to sleep. Our world is passing out the liquor, trying to get us perpetually drunk. So many things in this world are mere distractions. Money, entertainment, fashion, houses, cars, work, success, travel, test scores, self-righteous condemnation of others, email, Facebook, IPods, music, cynicism - don’t get drunk on this stuff. Don’t let this stuff lull you asleep. All of these things can get in the way of the One Real Thing - Jesus Christ, and Life in him.
Paul’s message to us today is: Don’t live like everyone else. Don’t work like everyone else. Don’t play like everyone else. Don’t talk like everyone else. Don’t let the darkness consume you. Instead, be awake. Be alert. Be sober. Live a life of light. Hold on to faith, love, and hope. The final truth about you is that God loves you and saves you through Jesus. Hold on to Jesus, and you will live with him forever.
Then, Paul gives the Thessalonians a long list of commands - 19 commands to be exact. Paul is telling us how to get ahead of this chairos opportunity of life in Jesus. How do we tackle this life in Christ thing? Paul spins off the commands in three basic breaths.
First, he talks about community.
11 So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. 12 Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. 13 Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other. 14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. 15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.
So this chairos opportunity - this life with Christ thing - is a team effort. We can’t do this alone. We need each other. My football coach used to say that we should be gang-tackling every play. Pile on. Load up. Every victory is a victory for the whole team. Don’t let each other go it alone.
Give strength to each other through your words. Build each other up. Be the kind of friend who adds to your friend’s character and life.
Honor your leaders. Sure we’re going to make mistakes, but nobody gains by taking hits on our leaders. Respect them, but don’t just respect their position as leaders. Love them deeply as brothers and sisters. Because whether you see it or not, they are working hard for you.
Don’t be afraid to tell people they are slacking. Encourage those who are shy or don’t think they have much to offer. Encourage them to get in the game and use their gifts. Be tender with the weak - whether they are weak physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Be patient with everyone - everyone! Hold each other back when they seek revenge - whether it’s in word or deed. Work together to do good for everyone - inside and outside the church - inside and outside your ethnic, social, economic, political, theological group.
Basically, this section is a deep affirmation of our mutual dependence. The God-Life is a fast moving opportunity, and we’ll never catch it by ourselves. We need each other’s help to live in the fullness of the chairos time. We need each other’s help to keep awake to the Spirit.
Next, Paul tells the Thessalonians to live with prayerful gratitude.
16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
Easier said than done, right? Always be joyful ... uh huh. Never stop praying ... most of us are doing good to start praying. Be thankful in all circumstances ... even 3am poopy diapers?
Yet, this is God’s will for all who belong to Christ Jesus. Go back to verses 9 and 10: “God chose to save us ... Christ died for us so that ... we can live with him forever.” This overrides all our current circumstances. Sure, sometimes life sucks. Sometimes you’ll lose your spouse or your house or your job or your self-esteem or your friends - or in the worst times - maybe most of those all at once. But through it all, God still chooses to save you ... and Christ still died for you ... and you can still live with him forever. Choose to focus your attention there. Let Christ be your joy. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude, and amazingly you’ll find that there is so much to be thankful for.
Paul finishes his commands with a challenge to go all out for real life.
19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.
Paul is warning against two extremes here. On one hand, we can miss the Holy Spirit because the Spirit is unpredictable and uncontrollable. We can stuff down those holy urges to do the possibly inappropriate but wonderfully good thing. We can scoff when people speak the truth. We can live all tied up in knots. But on the other hand, we can accept anything and praise anything. We can become gullible Christians who believe everyone who puts on a good face and say amen - no matter what the preacher is saying.
Instead, Paul says, go for what is real. Really let the true Spirit out - even if it’s disruptive. Listen to what the prophet says - even if it’s uncomfortable. But, don’t be duped. Don’t let someone give you fools gold. Don’t let your boss or your society or your friends or your boyfriend define life for you. They’ll sell you a counterfeit. They will tell you, “This is real. This is what life is all about. This is the path to success and happiness and satisfaction.” Test everything. Go for the Real Life. Ditch the garbage. Go for the Christ-life, no matter the cost.
So, let’s review. Like any good preacher, Paul is happy to tell us what to do. With hardly taking a breath, Paul says:
- Encourage
- Build up
- Honor
- Respect
- Love
- Live at peace
- Warn
- Encourage
- Take care
- Be patient
- Prevent revenge
- Do good
- Be joyful
- Always pray
- Be thankful
- Give the Spirit freedom
- Avoid cynicism
- Test everything
- Hold on to good
- Trash the bad.
Is anyone else tired? Wow! Seriously, can you believe those preachers?! Paul is like, “Look folks, you’ve got to get serious. Chairos isn’t going wait around. When the chairos comes, it comes. You’ve got to be ready. You’ve got to get ahead of it and tackle it as a team, and that takes effort. You can’t be lazy or careless. Get up, and wake up, and go get this Christ-life!”
To be honest, I really jive with Paul here. I get what he’s saying. Living well takes hard work and intentional effort. Life will pass us by. Living Jesus’ way doesn’t happen by accident. Life in the Spirit happens through practicing the good spiritual habits. I get it. I want to tighten my shoe laces and flex my muscles and do this thing!
23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 24 God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.
25 Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brothers and sisters with Christian love.
27 I command you in the name of the Lord to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters.
28 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Paul says, “Time is going fast. Christ is coming suddenly. Be ready. Be holy. Be peaceful. Don’t mess up. Do this. Do that. DO, DO, DO, DO, DO, DO! Make sure you DO IT!”
Then, Paul says, “God, you do it. God, you are the God of peace, so make them thoroughly peaceful. Give them your shalom wholeness and holiness. Make them like you. Keep them in the Chairos moments until Jesus comes again. God, you do it.”
Then, Paul returns his attention to the Thessalonians and says, “This God who calls you to holiness is faithful, and God will do it.” The holy, faithful God will do the holiness. We just have to let him do it in us.
This is one of the great mysteries of the Christian faith. We have things we have to do. We have to participate in our own salvation. If we just lay down on the couch or go about our regular work, nothing will happen. We have to get involved. We have to stay alert and attune our minds to God. But we can’t actually do all of this. We actually can’t be the people God calls us to be. We can’t just lace up our shoes and run this race. God has to do it in us. We have to participate, but our participation is to stay open to God’s work in us.
It’s like the difference between a rowboat and a sailboat. On a rowboat, there is only one way the boat moves. You have to row it. You are the sole source of power for that boat. You have to pull and push and move the oars, and it is hard work. But on a sailboat, you are not actually the source of power for the boat. The wind provides the power. On a sailboat, your job is to catch the wind. You move the sails and adjust the rudder and let the wind move you.
Life in Christ is life in the Spirit. The Wind of the Spirit is always blowing all around us. Our job is to put down our oars and to work the sails. It feels a little awkward at first, but it gets better. We still have things to do. We still have to sense the direction of the wind. We still have to work our sails, but it is so much easier than rowing. God does the real work, and we just let God work through us.
This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are sinners, but God loves us anyway and chooses to save us. Christ died for us. Now we have a choice. Will we go it alone and try to do everything ourselves? Or will we trust in God’s grace and let Jesus transform us from the inside out?
Life - the eternal chairos moment - is all about living in God’s grace through Jesus. In the beginning, grace. In the middle, grace. In the end, grace.
Time is moving quickly. Is is it passing you by?
Jesus will come again. Would you be ready if he came today?
We have work to do. Are you doing your part?
We can’t do it alone. Are you helping others? Are you letting others help you?
God does the real work. Are you living open to the Spirit?
23I pray that God, who gives peace, will make you completely holy. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept healthy and faultless until our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 24The one who chose you can be trusted, and he will do this. (CEV)
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