Awake in the Light: Living with Assurance and Unity

Summary

In a world that often feels dark, uncertain, and discouraging, God calls His people to live as children of the light. The challenge is not just to avoid spiritual drowsiness or moral compromise, but to be fully awake—intoxicated, even, with the Spirit of Christ. This means living with a vibrant, contagious faith that is rooted in the assurance of salvation and the hope that Christ brings. The darkness around us is real, but we are called to armor up, to protect our hearts with faith and love, and our minds with the hope of salvation.

God’s desire is for His people to be united, to strive for peace and harmony, and to reflect the beauty of heaven here on earth. This unity is not always easy, especially when we encounter those who require “extra grace,” but the call remains: love one another deeply, even when it’s difficult. The breastplate of faith and love guards our hearts from the enemy’s attacks, while the helmet of salvation protects our minds from doubt and despair. Our assurance is not wishful thinking; it is a settled confidence that we belong to God, that our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life, and that nothing can separate us from His love.

Every believer, whether saved from a life of rebellion or raised in the faith from childhood, shares in this blessed assurance. God’s salvation is available to all who turn to Christ, and His desire is that none should perish but all should come to repentance. There are only two destinies: wrath or salvation. For those in Christ, the future is secure, and even now, we are together with Him—His presence is real and tangible among us.

In this spiritual battle, encouragement is vital. The world is quick to criticize, to find fault, and to tear down, but God’s people are called to build each other up. Encouragement is not just a nice gesture; it is a spiritual discipline that helps us persevere, rest in Christ, and grow more like Him. We are to remind one another of our identity as children of light, to spur each other on in faith, and to connect with a world that desperately needs to see the light of Jesus shining through us. Let us walk in this calling, armored up, assured of our salvation, and committed to loving and encouraging one another as we await the return of our Lord.

Key Takeaways

- Spiritual alertness is essential in a world that lulls us into complacency. Rather than drifting into spiritual drowsiness or being influenced by the darkness, we are called to be fully awake, filled with the Spirit, and living intentionally as children of the day. This requires a daily choice to pursue Christ above all else, letting His presence saturate our lives. [01:10:31]

- Unity and peace among God’s people are not automatic; they require constant effort and humility. Even within the church, differences and disagreements can arise, but the pursuit of one mind and one accord is a reflection of heaven on earth. True unity is achieved when we refuse to give up on one another and continually strive for harmony, even when it’s hard. [01:11:27]

- The armor God provides is not just symbolic; it is vital for spiritual survival. The breastplate of faith and love protects our hearts from bitterness, cynicism, and spiritual attack, while the helmet of salvation guards our minds against doubt and lies. Only by being disciplined, self-controlled, and properly equipped can we withstand the enemy’s schemes and remain steadfast in our identity as children of light. [01:13:41]

- Assurance of salvation is not based on feelings or wishful thinking, but on the finished work of Christ. Whether your testimony is dramatic or seemingly ordinary, the hope of salvation brings a settled confidence that you belong to God. This assurance should shape the way you live, freeing you from fear and empowering you to walk in the light, knowing that your destiny is secure in Christ. [01:19:03]

- Encouragement is a spiritual necessity in a world that thrives on criticism and discouragement. Building one another up is not optional; it is a command that sustains us in the spiritual battle and helps us become more like Christ. When we encourage each other in our salvation and identity, we resist the world’s negativity and foster a community where the light of Jesus shines brightly. [01:26:54]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[16:14] - Opening Blessings and Announcements
[18:58] - Setting the Spiritual Tone
[21:33] - Call to Spiritual Alertness
[24:01] - Living as Children of Light
[26:49] - The Importance of Encouragement
[53:42] - Expressions of Gratitude
[57:59] - Transition to the Word
[01:02:32] - The Battle: Armor Up
[01:05:52] - Protecting the Heart and Mind
[01:08:15] - Faith, Love, and Assurance
[01:10:31] - Spiritual Sobriety and Discipline
[01:13:41] - The Armor of Faith and Love
[01:17:56] - The Helmet of Salvation
[01:19:03] - Assurance and Hope in Christ
[01:24:07] - The Presence of Jesus Now
[01:26:54] - The Power of Encouragement
[01:29:21] - Living Out Our Values
[01:30:53] - Renewing Our Light
[01:31:49] - Closing Prayer and Blessing
[01:43:16] - Farewells and Final Blessings

Study Guide

Small Group Bible Study Guide: Children of Light – Living Awake, Armored, and Encouraged

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### Bible Reading

1 Thessalonians 5:4-11 (ESV)
4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.
6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.
8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.
11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

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### Observation Questions

1. According to 1 Thessalonians 5:8, what two pieces of armor does Paul say we should put on, and what do they represent?
2. In the sermon, what does the pastor say is the difference between being “spiritually awake” and “spiritually drowsy”? [[01:10:31]]
3. What does Paul say is God’s desire for us in verse 9, and how does that contrast with the alternative?
4. How does the sermon describe the way we are to treat each other, especially those who are difficult to love? [[01:15:51]]

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### Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Paul uses the imagery of armor (breastplate and helmet) to describe faith, love, and the hope of salvation? How does this help us understand the spiritual battle we face? [[01:13:41]]
2. The pastor said, “Encouragement is not just a nice gesture; it is a spiritual discipline that helps us persevere, rest in Christ, and grow more like Him.” Why is encouragement so vital in the Christian life, especially in a world that “thrives on criticism and discouragement”? [[01:26:54]]
3. The sermon mentions that assurance of salvation is not based on feelings or wishful thinking, but on the finished work of Christ. How should this assurance shape the way a believer lives day to day? [[01:19:03]]
4. The pastor talked about “extra grace required” (EGR) people. Why is it important for unity and peace in the church to love even those who are hard to love? [[01:15:51]]

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### Application Questions

1. The sermon challenges us to be “fully awake—intoxicated, even, with the Spirit of Christ.” What is one area of your life where you tend to drift into spiritual drowsiness or complacency? What practical step can you take this week to “wake up” in that area? [[01:10:31]]
2. Think of someone in your life or in the church who might be an “EGR” (extra grace required) person. What is one specific way you can show them love this week, even if it’s difficult? [[01:15:51]]
3. The pastor said, “The breastplate of faith and love guards our hearts from the enemy’s attacks, while the helmet of salvation protects our minds from doubt and despair.” Is there a recent situation where you felt your heart or mind was under attack? How did you respond, and how could you “armor up” differently next time? [[01:13:41]]
4. Assurance of salvation brings confidence and freedom. Do you ever struggle with doubt about your salvation? If so, what truth from this passage or sermon can you hold onto when those doubts come? [[01:19:03]]
5. The world is quick to criticize and tear down, but God calls us to build each other up. Who is one person you can intentionally encourage this week? What will you say or do to build them up in Christ? [[01:26:54]]
6. The sermon said, “Unity and peace among God’s people are not automatic; they require constant effort and humility.” Is there a relationship in your life or in the church where you need to pursue peace or unity? What is one step you can take toward that this week? [[01:11:27]]
7. The pastor mentioned that sometimes we need to “renew our light” or “change our batteries.” What is one spiritual practice (prayer, Bible reading, worship, etc.) you can focus on this week to renew your sense of being a child of light? [[01:30:53]]

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Close in prayer, asking God to help each person live as a child of light—awake, armored, assured, and encouraging others.

Devotional

Day 1: Living as Children of the Light

Believers are called to live awake and alert, not spiritually drowsy or influenced by the darkness around them. Instead of falling into the patterns of the world, Christians are to be fully alive in Christ, embracing the light and preparing for the challenges that come with living in a world that often opposes God’s ways. This means striving for unity, peace, and harmony within the body of Christ, and never giving up on the pursuit of being of one mind and one accord. The call is to belong to the day, to fight for the light, and to armor up as spiritual warriors, ready to stand firm in faith. [01:10:31]

1 Thessalonians 5:5-8 (ESV)
"For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you sense spiritual drowsiness or compromise with darkness, and what practical step can you take today to “armor up” and live as a child of the light?

Day 2: Guarding Your Heart and Mind with Faith, Love, and Hope

God calls His people to put on spiritual armor: a breastplate to protect the heart and a helmet to guard the mind. The breastplate is made of faith and love—faith draws us closer to Jesus, and love compels us to care for one another, even those who are difficult to love. The helmet is the hope of salvation, not wishful thinking, but the confident assurance that we belong to God and are saved. This armor keeps the enemy from attacking our hearts and minds, helping us to live with blessed assurance and to love others as Christ loves us. [01:13:41]

1 Thessalonians 5:8 (ESV)
"But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation."

Reflection: Who is one “extra grace required” person in your life you can intentionally show Christ’s love to this week, trusting God to protect your heart as you do?

Day 3: The Assurance and Hope of Salvation

The hope of salvation is not a vague wish but a confident assurance rooted in Christ’s finished work. Whether someone has a dramatic testimony or has always known Jesus, the assurance of salvation is available to all who trust in Him. God has not appointed His children to wrath but to receive salvation through Jesus, who died for all. This assurance should shape how believers live, giving them peace and confidence that nothing can separate them from God’s love, and motivating them to grow in Christlikeness as they await the final day of glorification. [01:19:03]

1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 (ESV)
"For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him."

Reflection: Do you struggle with doubts about your salvation? Take a moment to pray, asking God to give you renewed assurance and to help you rest in the hope of His promise.

Day 4: Encouraging and Building Up One Another

In a world filled with discouragement, criticism, and negativity, Christians are called to be encouragers—building up one another in Christ. The church is to be a place where believers are reminded of their identity in Jesus, where they are strengthened to persevere, and where they are spurred on to love and good works. Encouragement is not just a nice gesture; it is a vital part of spiritual growth and resilience, helping each person to not grow weary or lose heart in a sin-sick world. [01:25:47]

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV)
"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing."

Reflection: Who in your church family or community needs encouragement today, and how can you intentionally build them up with your words or actions?

Day 5: Shining the Light of Christ in a Dark World

Christians are called not only to avoid being influenced by darkness but to actively shine the light of Christ into the world. This means revisiting and renewing one’s relationship with Jesus, remembering who you are as a child of light, and letting that identity shape your actions and interactions. Sometimes, just like a flashlight needs new batteries, believers need to be recharged by God’s presence and truth so that their light can shine brightly for others to see, drawing those in darkness toward the hope found in Christ. [01:30:53]

Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

Reflection: What is one practical way you can “change your batteries” and let your light shine more brightly for Christ in your workplace, neighborhood, or home this week?

Quotes

But with Christ, we're supposed to see the things and live the way of God. We're not to fall asleep spiritually, morally, ethically. We're not to have drowsiness, and we're not to have spiritual drunkenness. Christians, we are to be drunk in the Spirit. By the way, that's actually in the Bible. You want to get drunk on anything? Get drunk on Jesus. Get drunk on the Spirit. Just be totally into Him. Intoxicate yourself with Jesus, and I guarantee you everything will be okay. [01:10:37]

You've come out of darkness. Now you're in this light, but the darkness still exists. There is still evil in our world. There are still bad things in our world. There are still things and people that do not agree with our belief systems and our philosophies and our ideologies. And even amongst us in this room, I would say still with some of us, some of us don't fully align with each other either, and we have to constantly be reminding ourselves we're supposed to be of one mind, one accord, one body. Amen? Constantly striving for that, and we cannot ever give up on that. [01:11:25]

My hope is that we can obtain how beautiful it is for God's people to be in peace and unity and harmony. Amen? That is, should be every pastor's prayer. It should be every flock member's prayer that we can attain to that. We can attain a piece of heaven here on earth. I think Jesus might have prayed that. As it is in heaven, may it be here on earth. Do you think heaven has any of this garbage that we got going on? No. Never. Let's pray for it to be here as well. [01:11:59]

So we must belong to the day and live for the day and fight for the day and be a part of the light, and we must armor up. I love that Paul uses battle analogies a lot. He likes to use athletics, and he uses warrior stuff. Gentlemen, this is sermon for you. You are a warrior. Go ahead and get that, you know. We are warriors for Jesus. We are defenders of the faith. Women, you get to take it up, too. You get to be a part of that, right? You know, whatever, whatever, whatever. You get to be wonder women, all right? Guys, you get to be supermen in Jesus. We get to armor up. [01:12:34]

But the armor that we have portrayed here is a breastplate and a helmet. What does a breastplate protect? The vital organs right here, i.e. your heart. Your heart. God is concerned with your heart. He wants you to experience what it's like to protect this. And when we go into battle, you must armor up. And when you armor up, it says here, we must watch, we must be disciplined, we must have self-control, and we must be equipped. [01:13:27]

A drunken person cannot put on the armor of God. Put straps in the wrong place, you put the breastplate down below, and you're forgetting to protect what God wants to protect, your heart. And how does he protect your heart? When you put it on in faith, he's protecting it with what? Faith and love. [01:14:07]

Now what's faith do? Faith brings us closer to Jesus. By faith you're saved. You place your faith in Christ. So faith brings us closer to Jesus. I want to be close to Jesus. I want him in my heart. I want that doctor to go hear that beat and go, I hear Jesus. So should you. What's your heartbeat for? [01:14:26]

And then love. What's the love about? The love's about loving each other in this room. If we are close to Jesus and we know God's love and we've experienced Jesus' love, I should love you with the same love. [01:15:10]

We're to love the people that might be the porcupine and it's hard to hug them. We're to love the person that just might not get it even though you've told them a thousand times. Right? I've never would speak from experience. I know. We love the person when they're hurting. We love the person when they're happy. We love the person when they can be a little difficult. Say, I'm just going to pray for you. Come on. That works. That works. It might not help you, but at least for a moment you feel good about yourself. Amen? We love. [01:15:51]

So when we put on this breastplate, we're protecting that heart so the enemy can't attack our heart. The enemy cannot attack our faith. Blessed assurance. Jesus is mine. [01:16:29]

Protecting our heart so that our heart's filled with love and our heart's connected with Jesus through faith. And let all God's people say, amen. [01:17:00]

But what God is saying, I need to protect your head. You need to put that helmet on so you don't get a concussion, so the enemy can't put thoughts into your mind, so you won't have stinking thinking, and you won't believe things that are not true, because you're supposed to believe the things of the light. You're a child of the day. You're an heir of the day. You're an heir of the light. You have eternal salvation. These things we need to know, we belong to God. Nothing should steal that. You are saved. You should have the blessed assurance of that. [01:18:23]

So what he says here is this hope of salvation. It's not like we hope we're saved. This is not wishful thinking. This is the hope that salvation brings. The hope that salvation brings should make us live a better way. The hope of salvation should give us assurance. There's no wishful thinking. You are either saved or you are not. Either God has written your name in the book of life or he has not. [01:18:54]

But once you have that, don't let the enemy steal. Don't let the enemy degrade your salvation. Don't let him start to tear away at it and make you doubt it. Say, God, forgive me of my unbelief. I know I'm saved. [01:19:27]

All of us need Jesus where we're at in life. And that's the beauty and that's the assurance we should walk away with of the hope of salvation. [01:20:31]

God has appointed us to salvation. God does not want to pour his wrath out on you. We talked last week. The day of salvation is a beautiful day, but the day of the Lord will bring a wrath for those who don't know Jesus. Now, I don't say that to scare you, but I hope it will make you think, wait a minute, if I don't know Jesus, this ain't going to go good for me. Today, you can do something about that. Amen? Today could be your day of salvation. [01:20:41]

See, there's two destinies here. All of us will face. Either we will face wrath or we'll face salvation. And the salvation that comes, we've not experienced yet. It's called glorification. We'll be perfected. We're not perfected yet. We're in the sanctification process right now where we should be growing more and more like Jesus. [01:21:31]

If you're a child of light, he has appointed you into a day of salvation, not a day of wrath. Amen? That is for all. Now, listen, these churches that try to teach we're all going to heaven, that's just a lie from the pit of hell. That's not how this works. So, we got to be careful how we believe this. We believe when a person turns and receives Christ Jesus as the Lord and Savior. They are saved. Their name is written in the Lamb's book of life, and they will not have a day of wrath. They have a day of salvation. Amen? May that be you. [01:21:57]

Jesus died for you. Jesus died for you. That's why we can have salvation, because Christ died for your sins. Christ died for all of our burdens and all of our pains and all of our sorrows and all of our mistakes, thanks, and he died for everyone. [01:22:27]

Right now, someone may have their heart in their throat and they're like, man, I need this Jesus, but what do I do with this? There might be some of you in here that are like still watching your clock. Is he really going to go to 530? I might. There might be all kinds of things going through your mind because I can't read your mind right now. But we are together right now with him right now. And if you realize that, then you know God's in this place. [01:24:27]

So Jesus died for you so that you could be saved, you could become a believer, can become a follower of Christ. [01:24:54]

We live in a world that discourages. I said we live in a world that discourages. We live in a world filled with bad news. We live in a world of uncertainty. All y 'all live in that, right? You've experienced that. We live in a world where criticism is justified. We live in a world where fault-finding is normal. Come on now. We live in a world where ungodliness is praised. You know that stuff creeps in the church too? [01:25:41]

What we encourage each other is when we get it right. We encourage the things that need to be encouraged. We encourage and praise one another for doing the things of Christ. We encourage one another. Why? So we will not grow weary and lose heart in this sin-sick world. That we will rest in Jesus. [01:26:36]

Let's get it right. Let's encourage each other with what's encouraging. That we are saved. That we can win these spiritual battles. That God is with us and he's for us. Doesn't Romans 8 also tell us that all who are called according to his purpose, because they love him, he's with us. And also doesn't go on to the end that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. By the way, nothing in Greek means what? Nothing. It's a pretty good deal, isn't it? [01:27:56]

We need to constantly encourage each other in our salvation and encourage each other we belong to Jesus. When we mess up, we belong to Jesus. We belong to Jesus. When we get it right, we belong to Jesus. Let's encourage. Let's build one another up. We should add to one another, not take down from one another. [01:28:32]

Christians, we are pretty good at tearing things down. Let it not be so. We should be good at building things up. And we build each other up in Christ. [01:28:52]

We're building with love. We're building with the gospel. We're building each other up through encouragement. And we're connecting with a community that's in darkness because they need to see the light that's in us. They need to see the light of Jesus. [01:29:39]

So we do not discourage. We do not tear down. We are to encourage and build up each other as children of light. [01:29:54]

I want you to walk out of here today knowing who you are. A child of God. If you can't say that because you don't know what Jesus did for you, today you can leave this room knowing you belong to him. [01:30:02]

So wherever you may be in your faith journey, I pray you'll give your life to Jesus. If you already belong to Jesus, I pray that you'll just get that right. And if you're in here today and you know some of these things, I've been in the darkness, I've been, listen, children of light, if they're not careful, can start going into the darkness. And not going into the darkness to bring the light. Going to the darkness and letting the darkness influence their light. So that might be you. [01:30:17]

Sometimes we just need to go back, revisit those things, and let God remind us who we are. Today you're a child of light. [01:31:23]

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