Be Awake and Sober

When God brought Israel out of Egypt, He instituted the Passover, and it was supposed to be eaten in a particular way. First, they slaughtered the lamb and put its blood on the doorposts of the houses where they would gather. Then they could eat it roasted, but not raw or boiled. They could not leave anything until the morning.

They also had to eat it a certain way. Exodus 12:11 says, “Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste⁠—it is the Passover of Yahweh.”

After that, Yahweh would go through Egypt and strike down all of the firstborn, man and beast, in order to execute His judgments against all the gods of Egypt.

The key here is that they had to eat it on high alert, ready and watchful. Great danger was coming, and they did not want to be swept away in it with the Egyptians.

Our text tonight falls in a similar context, let me read it, 1 Thessalonians 5:4-7.

4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief, 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.

Last week Craig mentioned that he was starting verse 4 to provide context for the first three verses, and I want to pick up where he left off tonight. We’ll review verse 4 to get a running start as we work through this section. It lays a foundation for 5-7.

So, in 1 Thessalonians 5:4-7, I want to show you two pairs of contrasts that will teach you to stay awake and sober as we wait for the day of the Lord. First, we will see that you are not in darkness, but you are sons of light. Then we will see how you need to act accordingly—not sleeping, but being awake and sober. Let’s look at it now.

1. You are not in darkness

4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief,

“But you, brothers”

Contrast with v. 3 “they/them” - gets their attention

Endearment, comfort, reassuring

“are not in darkness”

Essentially a disability, blind, unable to perceive surroundings

Spiritually, it means that they lack understanding and are bewildered at heart

“Their foolish heart was darkened” Rom 1:21

“Darkened in their understanding” Eph 4:18

Deut 28:15, 28-29, “Yahweh will strike you with madness and with blindness and with bewilderment of heart; and you will grope at noon, as the blind man gropes in darkness, and you will not succeed in your ways; but you shall only be oppressed and robbed all your days, with none to save you.”

Unfortunate combination of least awareness and greatest danger

Darkness is known for the wicked actions it conceals:

John 3:19, "Men loved the darkness… for their deeds were evil”

Eph 5:11, “Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness”

2 Cor 6:14, Do not be “bound together,” “partner,” or “fellowship” with “unbelievers,” “lawlessness,” and “darkness”

Like a child afraid of the dark, be comforted that you have no reason to fear. You are safe. Everything is going to be okay.

“that the day would overtake you”

This is THE day, the day of the Lord from v. 2

What will the day of the Lord be like? READ Zeph 1:14-18

Not like being overtaken by daylight savings in the spring

It is a day of distress, bitter cries, and destruction

It is a day of bloody fury and divine wrath

You do not want this day to overtake you

"Overtake” implies that the day is stronger than the darkness.

You can never make a room so dark that it puts out the light; however, the opposite is true. Turn on the light, and the darkness will flee before it.

John 1:5, “the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.” It is not possible for darkness to overtake the light.

It is not possible for those in darkness to escape the day. READ Amos 5:18-20.

Rejoice that you serve Jesus, the light of the world whose victory is secure.

“like a thief”

Thieves love darkness, it is no surprise that those in darkness are robbed.

Generally, this implies that darkness is vulnerable on the day.

The day is judgment: John 3:18-21,

19 And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light lest his deeds be exposed. 21 But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been done by God.

Deeds of darkness cannot withstand exposure to light.

Like camera film, they are destroyed by exposure to light.

Specifically, this implies that the day will come suddenly.

Zeph 1:14 said it is “near and coming very quickly”

Matt 24:42-44, “Therefore stay awake, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming… the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

This thief will steal more than your iPhone. It will steal your soul.

Thieves are scary because they steal lives in addition to possessions.

Be thankful that Jesus will lose none of those the Father has given Him.

2. You are sons of light

5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day.

“you are all”

Brief encouragement that none have been left out.

Not like Jesus telling his disciples, “One of you will betray me.”

“sons of”

To be known as a son can be either a privilege or a curse

Sons inherit the name of the family

Firstborn sons inherit a double portion of property

A title with “son of...” describes who your identity and heritage

OT phrase “sons of belial” in KJV, now translated “vile men” (Sodom)

Sons of Thunder - James and John’s temperament (Mark 3:17)

son of perdition - Judas’ divinely appointed fate (John 17:12)

Son of Encouragement - Barnabas’ spiritual gift (Acts 4:36)

Your identity as a son brings responsibility to act a certain way

Deut 14:1-2, You are the sons of Yahweh your God; you shall not gash yourselves nor shave your forehead for the sake of the dead. For you are a holy people to Yahweh your God, and Yahweh has chosen you to be a people for His treasured possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

Remember Uncle Ben said, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

“sons of light and sons of day”

Jesus is THE Light of the world

A “son of light” believes in Jesus and does not remain in darkness.

John 12:35-36, 45-46, 35 So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. 36 While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light… 45 And he who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. 46 I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.”

Many verses describe our transition from darkness to light

Acts 26:18, Jesus sent Paul to the Gentiles “to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God”

1 Pet 2:9, We were “called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”

Eph 5:8, Paul outlines our new moral responsibility, “for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light”

In the light, we have safety and security. We must also work industriously. When the sun comes up, it is time to go to work. Now we have responsibilities.

3. Do not sleep

We are not of night nor of darkness; 6 so then let us not sleep as others do,

“We are not of night nor of darkness”

v. 4 emphasized “darkness” but now “night” returns from v. 2 “thief in the night”

If you’re a night owl, just know that this is not meant as a condemnation.

Instead, it simply completes the thought from “sons of light and sons of day”

This is an emphatic comparison: day vs. night, light vs. darkness

“So then let us not sleep as others do”

As with the rest of our text, this refers to spiritual sleep, not physical.

This is not a biblical rationale for pulling all-nighters after you’ve procrastinated.

However, the physical parallel helps us understand the spiritual principles.

How can we avoid spiritual slumber? Why are we drawn to it?

READ Mark 14:32-42, observe some spiritual principles from this narrative.

Peer pressure is one of the main reasons, “as others do.” Yawn chain.

1 Cor 15:33, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals.’”

The disciples were not bad company, but they set a bad example.

Indulgence of the flesh dulls spiritual sensitivity. Passover feast.

Wine, lamb chop, sang a hymn, chilly spring evening, curled up against a tree

Ignorance deceives us into apathy. Didn’t understand Jesus’ urgency.

If we are not supposed to be asleep, the only alternative is that we must be awake.

Keep your finger in Mark 14 as we will return to it shortly.

4. Be awake and sober

but let us be awake and sober.

“let us be awake”

In the narrative of Mark 14, Jesus is the one who is obviously awake.

Jesus is alert. He is attentive. He is active. He is aware. He is alive. He is awake.

Jesus is our role model here. We need to watch and pray like Him.

Meanwhile, though, the disciples are just curled up sawing logs like they’re in the Forest of Gethsemane, not the Garden.

And this leads us to the critical question here. How can we stay awake?

Jesus said the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Isn’t that true?

You know you need to stay alert, but it’s like we all suffer from spiritual jet lag.

Let me share a few suggestions, just to get your wheels turning:

Stop procrastinating! In the Bible, procrastination is called presumption. It is when you presume you know the future, so you pass up opportunities now. If you really believe that you do not know when Jesus is going to return, then you have no excuse for presuming on extra time and delaying obedience.

Pray! I’m not talking about boring prayers that drone on and make you want to sleep even more. Colossians 4:2 says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” We must be devoted and watchful in prayer.

Be thankful! Bet you didn’t see this one coming. In that verse, Paul says a thankful heart is a watchful heart. Why? Because a thankful heart is attentive to God’s purposes. The Israelites in the wilderness were anything but alert. They were in darkness and were preeminently characterized by grumbling. We need to pay attention to how God is working all things together for good.

Fellowship! Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” The disciples should have been talking and praying together, keeping each other awake in the garden. They wasted an opportunity to fellowship and ended up forsaking their Savior.

Rest well! Jesus promises rest for the weary, not an eternal slumber party. I already mentioned how the disciples had just had a Passover feast when they went to Gethsemane. They were in a food coma. When you indulge your flesh, it will dull your spiritual senses. That’s not what biblical rest looks like. Use your down time and vacations to recharge your walk with the Lord, not as an excuse to escape responsibility and pander to sin in the flesh.

Be self-controlled! And do not confuse it with legalism! Nobody says soldiers are legalistic. When the battle is real, the soldiers must be disciplined. They must stay alert if they want to stay alive. Spiritual warfare is even more serious. Legalism is when you try to earn eternal life through good works. Discipline is when you live like spiritual dangers and eternal rewards are real.

“let us be sober”

While ‘sober’ refers to drunkenness, only the spiritual sense is used in the NT.

Several commentators point out that these two traits balance each other. The Thessalonians were hyper-vigilant and needed to also have sound judgment.

2 Tim 4:5, “be sober in all things, endure hardship”

1 Pet 1:13, “having girded your minds for action, being sober”

Sober-mindedness has the idea of resilience. Tested endurance. It also conveys a sense of maturity and sound judgment. Like knowing when to swing in baseball. Being awake means you are able to do the right thing; if you are sober you’ll do it at the right time and in the right way. This means you need wisdom and experience.

Here are a few suggestions for growing in sober-mindedness:

Pray! Yes, pray again! Prayer is the heart of being awake and sober. This time your sober spirit will contribute to and fuel your prayer life. 1 Pet 4:7, “Be of sound thinking and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.” When you realize the magnitude of spiritual danger, you will flee to God for help in prayer. If you’re not praying, it means you’re not sober and your judgment is bad. There is no question we are surrounded by spiritual danger. The question is, are you paying attention? Do you even know what’s going on around you?

Take heed! 1 Cor 10:12, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.” We tend to be least sober and most giddy when we think we’ve got it all together. It’s especially bad when we succeed at something difficult. Maturity knows that consistent accuracy is more important than a fluke bullseye. A great war of eternal proportions is not the place to rely on beginner’s luck.

Practice! Do what you’re supposed to do, and do it a lot. Strive for professional excellence. Bad athletes shave hours or minutes off their time. Excellent athletes count the seconds and tenths. They are reliable and precise. You need the humility that you will gain from repeated failures during practice. This seasons you with good judgment so that you do not get distracted by trivial things.

Imitate! In 1 Cor 11:1, Paul says, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” Experts know their field and can talk about who they’ve followed. Rookies should want to follow ace soldiers through the minefields so they don’t blow themselves up. Find a role model. Do what they do. Then, figure out why they do what they do. Spend time with them in a variety of contexts because we all know that more is caught than is taught. Don’t miss out on those things.

Fellowship! This one shows up again too. Don’t get fixated on one role model; learn in community and get gold nuggets from everyone. This requires humility. You’ll make mistakes in front of more people. Take your lumps, but get with the program! You’ll also succeed in front of more people and have opportunities to help those who follow your example. Paul says in 1 Tim 4:15, “Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.”

Encourage! This is the last one. If you judge your comrades for failure during honest attempts, you will skew their perspective and undermine their courage. Remember which side of the war you’re on. Discouragement dulls. Don’t make people feel like giving up. Remember, we are all brothers, sons of light. There is a place for exhortation, but do not judge and cause your brother to stumble. Look down at 1 Th 5:11, “Comfort one another and build one another up.” And look! He even comforts them with that command, “Just as you also are doing.”

These commands are the heart of our text. Be awake and sober. Remember Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. He was awake and sober. He was all of these things. He knew the dangers that lay around Him, the temptation before Him. That was the time He could have escaped the cross! But He stayed, and He died for you. Do not walk in darkness. Believe! Walk in His light. Be awake and sober like Him. Study His example, the ultimate Servant and ultimately, the King. He is our perfect standard.

5. Know basic principles

For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.

This seems like some kind of saying or Proverb that Paul has inserted to remind us of these realities. Like Proverbs, the general principle is what matters. Remember the deeds of darkness, and test your life against them. Make sure you walk in the light. Make sure that your thoughts, desires, and actions match your high calling.

Those who walk in darkness are characterized by sin. They look forward to secrecy. They think about when they will be alone again. They look for friends. Birds of a feather flock together. Do not go with them. Proverbs 27:12 says, “A prudent man sees evil and hides, / The simple pass on and are punished.” Be prudent, not simple.

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