1 Thessalonians 5:1-5

v1: "Christ will come, and a certain time has been appointed for his coming," but we don't know when this is.  It is not necessary for us to know, nor would it do us good to know either.

v2: When Jesus comes again, it "will be sudden and a great surprise to most people." Knowing that His return will be sudden and surprising is more useful than knowing its exact timing, "because this should wake us up to stand on guard, so that we may be ready whenever he comes."

v3: It will be terrible for the ungodly at Christ's coming because "the righteous God will bring ruin" on them, "and their destruction will be total and final."  This punishment will fall on them while they are full of "worldly self-confidence" and amusement, "dreaming of happiness and pleasing themselves with the worthless amusements of their imaginations or their senses."

v4-5: Followers of Jesus can hope to stand with "confidence before the Son of Man," when He returns, because they are not in the dark about His coming.  They know that He will come again and have been given "sufficient help to prepare for that day" so "it would be their own fault" if they are not ready.