The Focus of a Christian

Romans 13:11-14

June 22, 2008

In our passage this morning,

Paul brings a conclusion to the point he started in chapter 12.

Romans 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”

Since that time, Paul has explained that verse.

When we serve to the best of our ability…

When we walk in purity…

When we walk in forgiveness…

When we walk in brotherly love…

When we walk in victory…

When we submit to authority…

When we love our neighbor as ourselves…

All of these are what it means to

“present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God,”

And therefore this is what worship truly is.

In short, we have been educated in regard to true worship.

BUT HONESTLY, LACK OF EDUCATION

IS SELDOM THE CHURCH’S BIGGEST PROBLEM.

God has never been One to withhold truth from those who seek Him.

God has never been One to keep His people in the dark.

His spoken word (prophets),

The Incarnate Word (Jesus),

His written word (Bible)

God constantly makes His will known to His people.

The issue with the Church has not been her knowledge,

It has been her willingness.

It is not a matter of: Do you know what God wants from you?

It is a matter of: Will you give what God wants from you?

The issue is not the Church’s tendency to fall into ignorance,

The issue is the Church’s tendency to fall into apathy.

We lose sight of the eternal…

We learn to get comfortable in this life…

We forget about the Kingdom…

We procrastinate about the mission…

And we become fat and lazy.

Too often we resemble the bride pictured in the Church at Sardis.

Revelation 3:1-2 "To the angel of the church in Sardis write: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says this: ' I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. 'Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.”

At some point, Sardis decided to sit down and take a nap.

She forgot about her duty…

She forgot about her calling…

She forgot about her mission…

How many Churches have fallen into that exact same rut!

Constantly living on the past laurels of faithful ministry,

Their Church is no longer a mission center to reach the world,

But is instead a museum filled with the relics of a day long past.

It is the danger of falling into apathy.

That is precisely the problem that Paul is confronting here.

He is not confronting an ignorant Church, but a lazy one.

And in so doing, Paul has three simple commands for the lazy Church.

#1 WAKE UP!

Romans 13:11-12a

Paul begins as direct as one possibly can.

He musters every ounce of his apostolic authority,

Looks each of us in the eye,

Points his finger to the page,

And says, “Do this”

We are simply called to read what he wrote and act upon it.

This is the Word of God…

This is “your spiritual service of worship.”

This is “the fulfillment of the law.”

“DO THIS”

And then Paul digs even deeper into the heart of the matter.

“Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep, for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near.”

The imagery Paul paints is absolutely too clear to miss.

He paints the picture of a person who was weary and tired,

And who went to bed and fell asleep.

Paul, like a barnyard rooster is sounding the alarm; it is time to wake up.

Too many Christians are sleeping…

Too many Christians are unconcerned…

Too many Christians are resting…

Too many Christians are sitting in the shade while the fields are white

The Church has been found sleeping in the garden,

And Paul says it is “the hour for you to awaken from sleep”

But, like a teenager on a school day,

The Church is slow to respond.

“Do I have too?”

And so Paul gives the reason.

“for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.”

WHAT DOES HE MEAN?

I’ve told you before, of the three stages of salvation.

1) JUSTIFICATION – when you were forgiven and made righteous before God.

2) SANCTIFICATION – the process of you becoming more like Jesus.

3) GLORIFICATION – when you die and the body of sin is gone.

YOU ARE ABOUT TO BE AT THE END OF YOUR RACE.

THE DEADLINE IS UPON YOU.

He then goes on to give another picture.

(12) “The night is almost gone, and the day is near.”

Again, we don’t have time to dive too deeply into this,

But when Jesus walked this earth, it was day.

John 9:4-5 "We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. "While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world."

Of course, the world would crucify Jesus.

In the upper room, Judas would go out to betray Jesus.

John 13:30 “So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night.”

And now the Church awaits “The Bright and Morning Star”

We long for the day of the dawn.

The Psalmist said:

Psalms 30:5 “…Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.”

We are those who now exist as lights in the midst of the darkness.

We are the watchmen who sit upon the city wall.

We are those whom Peter spoke of:

2 Peter 3:12-13 “looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”

BUT THE TRAGEDY IS, THE CHURCH HAS FALLEN ASLEEP.

And so Paul says, “Wake Up!” the Bridegroom is on His way.

1 Peter 4:7 “The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.”

James 5:8 “You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.”

Ephesians 5:14 “For this reason it says, "Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you."

DO YOU REALIZE THAT JESUS IS ABOUT TO RETURN?

Mark 13:28-29 "Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. "Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door.”

It will only be a moment until the Lord Returns.

Wake up and be ready for Him.

Mark 13:33-37 "Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come. "It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. "Therefore, be on the alert — for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning — in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. "What I say to you I say to all, 'Be on the alert!'"

It is time to wake up!

And get serious, the return of the Lord is near.

And when the Lord returns, we will each be

Immediately brought to task for how we lived our lives.

1 Corinthians 3:12-15 “Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

1 Thessalonians 5:1-8 “Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.”

The point is simple.

Jesus is about to return, make sure you are ready for Him.

Wake up Church and get serious about why He has left you hear.

WAKE UP!

#2 CLEAN UP!

Romans 13:12b

“Therefore, let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

Paul is here giving you another very vivid picture illustration.

He is picturing a soldier who spent the night in drunkenness and sexual immorality, and who has partied in night life all night long.

And now, it is morning, the trumpet is sounding,

And it is time for him to strap on his armor and report for duty.

He needs to shake off the activities of the previous night

And get ready to be a soldier.

HOW MUCH MORE TRUE IS THAT OF THE CHURCH!

We used to walk in darkness.

We used to be slaves of sin.

We used to be involved in all sorts of shameful deeds.

BUT NO MORE!

Titus 3:3-6 “For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,”

GOD TOOK THAT OLD MAN AND CHANGED HIM.

So Paul says to “lay aside the deeds of darkness”

The imagery here is of clothing

(which commonly symbolizes character)

And the idea is that if God has changed you, then look like it.

Remember when Jesus raised Lazarus?

John 11:44 “The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."

There was no need for Lazarus to wear his death rags any longer,

For he was now alive.

So it is with us.

“lay aside the deeds of darkness”

BUT ONCE AGAIN THE CHURCH GETS APATHETIC.

Apathy runs a lot deeper than just not doing

The job you are supposed to do.

Apathy also affects our righteousness.

Not only do Churches have a tendency to sit back and do nothing,

But sadly their apathy will even penetrate their doctrine.

Charles Spurgeon called it “The Downgrade”.

Before long, sin becomes “no big deal”

The struggle “not to be overcome with evil” gets too hard,

And holiness just isn’t worth the effort.

WHAT A TRAGEDY!

“let us lay aside the deeds of darkness”

1 John 1:6-7 “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Christian, you were not meant to look like the world.

You are not a chameleon, you are a Christian.

“put on the armor of light.”

“belt of truth”

“breastplate of righteousness”

“shod with the readiness of the gospel of peace”

“the helmet of salvation”

“the shield of faith”

“the sword of the Spirit”

IT’S TIME YOU STARTED LOOKING LIKE A CHRISTIAN.

Clean yourself up.

Wash all that old filth off of you,

And start looking like the man you were supposed to be.

1 Thessalonians 5:8-9 “But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

Wake Up! Clean Up!

#3 SHAPE UP!

Romans 13:13-14

Paul says, “Let us BEHAVE properly”

Where the previous point referred to what you look like,

THIS POINT REFERS TO HOW YOU ACT.

“Let us behave properly AS IN THE DAY”

I’ve already told you what “the day” refers to.

It refers to the return of Jesus.

If Jesus were to return today, and stand in this Church,

Would it change anything?

Would it change the way you sing?

Would it change the way you give?

Would it change if you even came back tonight?

Would it change how much you evangelize?

I have a feeling we would all live different if Jesus were actually here.

Paul says, that is how you ought to be living now!

Quit living like the world lives,

And live like you would if Jesus were right here next to you.

And then Paul gives some examples of exactly what he means.

1) SOCIAL SIN

“not in carousing and drunkenness”

That word for “carousing” can also be translated “reveling” or “rioting”.

It basically has to do with actions influenced and participated in

By those who are drunk.

And then Paul gets specific by actually listing “drunkenness”.

It is strange to me that we even have to mention this in the church,

You would think it would be a no brainer.

DRUNKENNESS IS WRONG!

It is ungodly…

It is unbiblical…

It is anti-Christian…

It is a fruit of the sinful nature…

It is an indicator of lostness…

Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Now I know the old adage.

“The Bible doesn’t say you can’t drink a beer,

The Bible just says not to get drunk.”

Proverbs 20:1 “Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.”

I’m not so much of a LEGALIST that I’m going to add to what the Bible says.

But I’m not so much a LIBERAL that I’m going to subtract either.

So let me say, you drink your beer.

But the second you cross that line,

And alcohol begins to altar your thoughts or actions in any way,

You are absolutely outside of the will of God.

THAT TYPE OF SOCIAL SIN

IS PRECISELY WHAT THE WORLD IS INTO

AND CHRISTIAN YOU OUGHT TO HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.

It is time you “behave properly as in the day”

Would you drink that beer in front of Jesus?

(Most won’t even drink them in front of a preacher.)

Paul says to drop the social sin.

2) SEXUAL SIN

“not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality”

Both of these deal with using sex

In a way outside of God’s ordained plan.

“sexual promiscuity” translates KOITE

Which is the Greek word for “bed”

It can even be the marriage bad.

Here it carries the connotation of a man

And having a sexual relationship outside of the confines of marriage.

“sensuality” speaks of wantonness.

A person who participates in any and all sexually forbidden behavior.

Could be pornography, could be caressing,

Could be the lust of the eyes, could be filthy talk.

I hope I don’t have to tell you that such behavior is absolutely wrong.

It is foreign to the Christian life.

“behave properly as in the day”

Social sin, Sexual sin

3) SELFISH SIN

“not in strife and jealousy.”

A person who is unhappy about what they have.

They want what others have.

They are quarrelsome about getting it.

James 4:1-4 “What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY WRONG

A Christian who loves the world is an absolute contradiction in terms.

You wouldn’t act that way if Jesus were here.

It is time you SHAPE UP!

And start living like a Christian.

(14) “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”

Paul says, look like Jesus.

“put on the Lord Jesus Christ”

Ephesians 4:17-24 “So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

It is time you shape up and start acting like Jesus in this world.

“and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”

Paul closes there with the secret to the battle.

If you truly are saved, then sin is no longer your master.

It can tempt you, but it has no power over you.

You need to win the battle before you fight it.

“make no provision for the flesh”

Everyone knows what it is to get “provisions”.

Paul says don’t do that “for the flesh”

The word literally speaks of “foresight or forethought”

Don’t spend time thinking about what the flesh might like to do.

Don’t entertain thoughts of social fun,

Don’t entertain thoughts of sexual fun,

Don’t entertain thoughts of selfish fun.

Don’t water the weeds.

Focus only on living like Jesus, and looking like Jesus.

JESUS IS ABOUT TO RETURN, AND THERE IS NO TIME FOR SLEEPING.

WAKE UP!

CLEAN UP!

SHAPE UP!

It is high time you and I

Started looking like the Christian we were intended to be.

“Do this, knowing the time…”

Mark 13:35-37 "Therefore, be on the alert — for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning — in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. "What I say to you I say to all, ' Be on the alert!'"