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Are You Sleeping Like Others?

Sermon by  Thomas Thornhill Jr

Passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:6

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Our text for this lesson is 1 Thessalonians 5:6. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.  Paul has been addressing the return of the Lord.  He has assured these brethren that even though the Lord had not returned yet, there will be a day when He will return.  He further assures them that those who have fallen asleep will arise and be with the Lord on that day.  However, when He does return is unknown, like a thief in the night.  Therefore, Paul admonition is to always be ready and alert and to not sleep (spiritually).

The Bible has much to say about the subject of sleep, both physically and spiritually.  Tonight, I want to talk about some occasions where we find people sleeping.  While sleep is a good thing, there is danger associated with sleep.  You are vulnerable while you are sleeping.  So tonight, let us notice some accounts of people sleeping and what happened.  We will then make spiritual application to us.

1. Those who slept
   1. Samson – Judges 16 records the account of Samson and Delilah. In short, Samson had been successfully troubling the Philistines.
      1. Judges 16:18-21, In time, he finds and loves Delilah (the text never says they were married). She is enticed by the Philistines to find out the source of Samson’s strength.  After persistent pestering he finally tells her.  She then lulled him to sleep and while he slept, the Philistines cut his hair and the LORD departed from him.  He lost his strength and the Philistines bound him and put out his eyes.  There is much more to the account that we will address in another lesson next month.
      2. But here we notice that Samson was in a situation where he OUGHT to have NOT slept. With little effort he could have realized the character of Delilah that she did not care about him.  You don’t sleep in the camp of the enemy!  But he allowed his fleshly lusts to disregard the warnings.
      3. While he was asleep, he was powerless to defend himself.
      4. When he awoke, he was not aware of what had happened while he was asleep. But the damage was done.
   2. King Saul – 1 Samuel 26:7-12 – King Saul, later in his life, knew that David was the future king anointed by God, pursued and tried to kill David (as it he could stop God’s plans). But in his pursuits, he became exhausted and found a place to sleep.  (This is the second time).  While asleep, David has opportunity to kill him, but refuses because it was up to YHWH to deal with King Saul.  But he takes his spear and a pitcher.  The next morning, David reveals himself from a distance exposing Saul’s vulnerabilities.  For the moment, Saul relents and goes home.  This is the last we read of Saul pursuing David, though he keeps away from Saul.  Saul dies a few chapters later.
      1. Saul in his sinful pursuits was depending on others to protect him as he slept. But man cannot protect you from God’s will.  Saul had a false confidence that he was safe and thus he slept.
      2. It could have been disastrous, had it not been for the righteousness of David.
      3. Who do we have watching out for us? Are you confident in them? Do they have our spiritual interests in mind? I think of the illustration of the hireling watching the flock – John 10:11-13. He flees when there is danger.
      4. The company you keep can make all the difference in our spiritual pursuits – 1 Corinthians 15:33 – evil company corrupts good habits.
      5. How often have men slept in a sinful condition thinking they will be fine.
         1. Proverbs 6:4, while dealing with one who has put himself into debt and thus the mercy of his lender we read, So do this, my son, and deliver yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and humble yourself; Plead with your friend. Give no sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids.
         2. Luke 12:16-21 tells the parable of the rich fool, who placed confidence in his possessions. God called him a fool that “night” and called for his soul.
         3. Ephesians 4:26-27 – Be angry and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your wrath.  Take care of whatever is angering you before you sleep.
   3. The foolish virgins – Matthew 25:1-13 tells the parable of wise and foolish virgins. There were 10 virgins waiting for the bridegroom to come.  5 were prepared and 5 were unprepared (foolish).  While they slumbered and slept, the bridegroom came.  Those prepared got up and waited with their lamps trimmed.  The foolish virgins were unprepared.  When the bridegroom came, they were not there and were not permitted to enter.
      1. This is a parable about coming judgment.
      2. It is also about being prepared for that day. And TO be prepared, you must be awake while you are preparing.  THEN you can take your rest with no fears.
      3. The conclusion of Jesus in vs. 13, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. The word watch means to be awake and alert.
      4. Hebrews 9:27 – it is appointed for men to die… then the judgment. James 4:14 – our life is a vapor.  We are NEVER guaranteed another night.
   4. The parable of the wheat and tares – Matthew 13:25 – Jesus tells a parable (also dealing with judgment) of a man sowing good seed in his field, but “while men slept” the enemy comes and sowed tares (unwanted and likely poisonous weeds) trying to destroy the crop. When discovered, the land tells his servants to wait until harvest when they will be separated.  The tares will be gathered and burned (judged).
      1. This again emphasizes when Satan does much of his work – while men are sleeping.
      2. Sometimes, because we let our guard down, Satan will go after OTHERS that we are trying to watch for.
      3. That is why we must continually be looking out for one another. Recall the warning to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:29-31 that savage wolves were coming.  Therefore they needed to watch.
   5. The disciples in the garden – Matthew 26:40-41. As Jesus was praying in the garden, his disciples, exhausted, were sleeping.  Jesus warns them to stay awake and pray.
      1. Watch and pray lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
      2. Physical sleep is about letting down your guard and resting your body AND mind. Temptations are stronger at times when we are vulnerable and let our guard down, when we let down our spiritual guard.
      3. And while there is a time that we can relax our spiritual guard a little (e.g., in a home that “spiritually secure”, when we are assembled as saints, when surrounded by the godly), we CANNOT do that when temptations are stronger. That is when Satan attacks – James 1:14-15.
   6. Eutychus – Acts 20:8-9, while Paul was preaching to the brethren at Troas, we read that he preached till midnight. In the window, there was a young man named Eutychus, who sank into a deep sleep and fell out of a third story window and died.  But Paul raised him from the dead right then.
      1. Concerning this, someone asked if this was the first recorded instance of someone sleeping during a sermon.
      2. While such is said in jest, there is something to be said about adequate REST to be fresh as you worship God.
      3. Physically, we are reminded that, while sleeping the body is relaxed, and you lose consciousness. If you are in the wrong place, that can lead to disaster.  Again, spiritual applications can be made.  Don’t fall asleep.
   7. Peter while imprisoned – Acts 12:6 – we have here a different scenario from the others. I find it interesting that Peter is able to sleep being chained between two guards and sentenced to death.
      1. COULD it be that he was confident with his spiritual condition and if death was to be the outcome, he was ready? (I cannot say this definitively – TT)
      2. When one is in a ready state it is easier to sleep.  Consider David in Psalm 4:5-8, Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the LORD. There are many who say, “Who will show us any good?” LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us. You have put gladness in my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
      3. Similar to the confidence Paul had. Philippians 1:21, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.  Also 2 Timothy 4:6-8, etc.
2. Are you sleeping?
   1. Physically sleep is a good thing. It is a blessing from God.  And it is needed!
      1. Ecclesiastes 5:12 – The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, Whether he eats little or much; But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep.
      2. Psalm 127:1-2, Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.
      3. Proverbs 3:21-24, speaking of pursuing wisdom, Solomon said, My son, let them not depart from your eyes— Keep sound wisdom and discretion; So they will be life to your soul And grace to your neck. Then you will walk safely in your way, And your foot will not stumble. When you lie down, you will not be afraid; Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.
   2. But spiritually, we need to always be alert! There are powerful lessons to consider when we spiritually sleep.
      1. Satan does some of his best work while we are sleeping. 1 Peter 5:8 – like a roaring lion, he seeks to devour.  The lion typically devours the weak.  So does Satan.  He attempted to test Jesus while He was hungry and physically weak.  It did NOT work.
      2. Also, he lulls men to sleep. Satan will patiently wait for you to let your guard down.  That is the idea of temptation being a lure.
   3. We must continually be alert to what is going on.
      1. This IS the main point of our original text and this lesson. Note 1 Thessalonians 5:2—8.  The text is about being alert.
      2. Continually we are admonished to watch. 1 Peter 4:7 – But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.  1 Corinthians 16:13, Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
      3. In even stronger language Paul declared that we wake up.
         1. Ephesians 5:14 – Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”
         2. 1 Corinthians 15:34 – Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
         3. Romans 13:11-14 – And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

And thus we see some warnings and thoughts about sleep.  We need our rest, but our goal is to rest so that when we are awake, we are alert and ready to stay faithful to our Lord.  What about you?  Are you sleeping?  Think about it!