The Silent Alarm - First Sunday of Advent
The Watchmen • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 6 viewsBig Idea: Spiritual vigilance is not about passive waiting; it is about active ethical dressing.
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Transcript
1. ENGAGE: The Setup
The Sound (Sept 3, 1939):
* It begins with a sound Londoners called "The Banshee."
* The air-raid sirens—a rising and falling wail—scream across the city.
* Instantly, millions of people grab gas masks, round up their families and run for cover.
The Shelter:
* Families scramble into "Anderson Shelters" in their backyards.
* What it was: A prefabricated hut made of corrugated steel, half-buried in the ground and covered with earth. It wasn’t the best, but it was basically safe.
* The Experience: Inside, it is freezing cold, perpetually damp, and cramped.
* They sit in the dark steel structure, smelling the rubber of their gas masks, waiting for the what they thought would be the end of the world.
The Silence (The Phoney War):
* But... the bombs don't fall.
* The next day: Sirens. Running, hiding. Panic.
* The next day: Sirens. Running, hiding.
* The next day: Sirens, hiding.
* The next day: Sirens, back to bed.
* The next day: Sirens, back to work.
* The next day: Life as normal.
* History calls this six-month anomaly "The Phoney War."
* High tension, but absolute silence.
Life got weirdly normal.
The Drift (Comfort vs. Readiness):
* in London, the physical misery of the shelters begins to outweigh the threat of the sirens.
* People choose their warm beds over the cold, damp steel.
* By Spring 1940, the unused Anderson shelters are abandoned, filling up with rainwater.
* The silence and the discomfort tricked them into believing the alarm was a lie.
The Reality (Sept 7, 1940):
* The alarm wasn't false; it was just early.
* The skies finally darken over southern England as German bombers flew in.
* The Blitz begins: Almost continuous aerial bombardment.
* The Cost: 40,000 civilians killed.
The threat was real the whole time; only the timeline was different.
* Transition:
Londoners didn't believe it because the wait was too long and the shelters were too cold.
They faced the test-
How do you maintain total readiness when everything looks so normal?
We face the same test.
The silence of the delay tempts us to sleep, but the reality is coming.
2. TENSION: The Problem
The Struggle:
* We are terrible at managing “silent alarms”, alarms that we have grown used to and now ignore.
* When the immediate threat fades, our discipline fades with it.
* Just like the Londoners who left the cold shelters for their warm beds, we naturally drift toward comfort when the sky looks clear.
The Conflict (Paralysis vs. Recklessness):
* We tend to oscillate between two unhealthy extremes:
* Paralysis: Living in frantic fear, trying to predict the date, obsessing over headlines (The “Panic” response).
* Recklessness: Living as if the end will never come because it hasn’t happened yet (The “Apathy” response).
* Most of us fall into the second category. The silence of God tricks us.
The Snooze Button:
* Because the sun is shining and the bills are paid, we hit the spiritual snooze button.
* The Lie we believe: “I have plenty of time to fix my life later.”
* We think we can treat the “Day of the Lord” like a term paper—something we can cram for at the last minute.
The Cost of Comfort:
* Readiness feels like that Anderson Shelter—it requires self-denial, discipline, and saying “no” to immediate desires. It feels cramped and cold.
* Complacency feels like the warm bed—it’s easier to just go with the flow of the culture.
* We trade our safety for our comfort.
Transition to Truth:
We look at the clear sky, and we assume the silence means safety.
We assume that because the alarm hasn’t sounded yet, we have infinite time to hit the snooze button.
But Jesus warns us that this spiritual drowsiness—this assumption of ‘later’—is actually the most dangerous state of all.
I want you to see exactly how He warns us.
If you have your Bible or your Bible app, please turn with me to the first book of the New Testament, Matthew chapter 24.
As you are turning there, let me set the scene.
This isn’t a public sermon to the crowds; this is a private, terrified conversation on the side of a mountain...
3. TRUTH: The Biblical Solution
* The Context: The Anxiety on the Mountain
The Trigger Event (Matthew 24:1-2):
Just minutes before this conversation, the disciples were walking through the Temple complex, pointing out the massive stones with pride.
It was their symbol of stability and God’s presence.
* The Shocking Prophecy:
Jesus stopped them and dropped a bombshell: “Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
* Why They Are Rattled:
To them, the Temple wasn’t just a building; it was the anchor of reality. To say it would be destroyed was like saying gravity would stop working. They equated the Temple’s fall with the end of the world.
The Question (Matthew 24:3):
This is why they corner Him privately on the Mount of Olives.
They aren’t just curious; they are terrified.
They ask, “Tell us, when will these things be?”
They are effectively asking: “How much time do we have left before everything crashes?”
* The Response: Jesus refuses to give them a calendar. Instead, He gives them a comparison.
36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.
37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
38 For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,
39 and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
* Exposition Point 1: The Trap of Normalcy
* The Insight: Look at the list.
Eating, drinking, weddings.
None of these are sins!
Jesus doesn’t list murder or idolatry.
He lists the mundane rhythm of daily life.
* The Danger: The people weren’t swept away because they were evil; they were swept away because they were distracted.
* The Connection: Just like the “perfectly glorious autumn day” in London made war seem impossible, the normalcy of the “Days of Noah” made judgment seem impossible.
The greatest threat to your soul isn’t a crisis; it’s the routine.
42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.
44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Exposition Point 2: The Thief in the Night
* Jesus escalates the metaphor. He moves from a flood (nature) to a thief (danger).
* The Logic: A thief does not send a “Save the Date” card.
The thief relies on your assumption of safety
* The Spiritual Reality: The silence of God is not the absence of God.
It is the stealth of God.
He is giving us time, but He will not give us a warning shot.
* Exposition Point 3: The Alarm Clock (The “When”)
* Decades later, the Apostle Paul picks up Jesus’ warning about staying awake, but he explains why we need to wake up right now.
10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.
* The Logic: Think of the timeline as a normal day cycle.
Paul says the “Night” (the current broken world) is almost over.
The “Day” (Christ’s return) is about to break.
* The Confusion: We act like it’s midnight—time to sleep and dream.
* The Reality: Paul says it is 5:59 AM. The sun is just below the horizon. When you realize the sun is about to come up, you don’t roll over and go back to sleep; you get up.
* Exposition Point 4: The Uniform (The “What”)
Once you are awake (Point 3), what is the very first thing you do?
You change your clothes.
You take off your pajamas and put on your work clothes.
That is exactly what Paul commands next.
12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
* “Cast Off” (The Pajamas): You cannot wear your “night clothes” into the day. Paul lists them in verse 13: drunkenness, quarreling, jealousy. These are the “pajamas” of sin. You have to strip them off.
* “Put On” (The Uniform): What do you put on instead? You put on the “Armor of Light.”
* Why Armor? Why not a robe?
Because even though the sun is coming up, we are stepping into a battle.
The “Armor of Light” is simply the character of Jesus.
* The Simple Point: You can’t just “stop” sinning (being naked);
you have to “start” wearing Christ (being clothed).
Readiness is a wardrobe change.
* Transition to Application:
* The Londoners in 1940 took off their gas masks because they were heavy and uncomfortable.
They chose comfort.
Paul tells us to do the opposite.
He tells us to put on the heavy armor of righteousness. Why?
Because the siren is about to sound.
So, we have to ask the hard question: What are you wearing right now?
4. APPLICATION: The Choice
* The Connection (Back to 1940):
* Remember the Londoners?
They left the shelters because the shelters were cold, damp, and uncomfortable.
They went back to their beds because the beds were warm.
AND they didn't see the point of waiting....for something that didn't seem to be coming
* The Principle: We usually choose Comfort over Readiness.
* Paul is asking you to do something uncomfortable.
Taking off “pajamas” (sin) is cold.
Putting on “armor” (holiness) is heavy.
But it is the only way to survive the dawn.
* Practice 1: Stop the Drift (The “Phoney War” Check)
* The Londoners drifted into apathy because the sirens stopped screaming.
* The Diagnostic: Where have you stopped carrying your “gas mask” (your spiritual disciplines) just because life feels normal?
* Have you stopped praying? Have you stopped guarding your eyes? Have you drifted back into the “warm bed” of the culture?
* The Call: Admit that the silence has tricked you. The Phoney War is over. Wake up.
* Practice 2: Strip Off the Pajamas (Romans 13:13)
* Paul lists the “Night Clothes” we wear because they feel good:
* Quarreling: The “pajamas” of always needing to be right.
* Jealousy: The “pajamas” of secretly hating someone else’s success.
* Sensuality: The “pajamas” of hidden pleasure.
* The Reality: You feel comfortable in them now, in the dark. But if the sun rose right now—if Christ walked in—would you be ashamed to be wearing that attitude? If yes, take it off.
* Practice 3: Put On the Armor (The Heavy Exchange)
* * You can’t just be “naked” (neutral). You must put on Christ.
* Why Armor? Armor is heavier than pajamas.
Righteousness is harder than sin.
* Forgiveness is heavier than a grudge.
* Generosity is heavier than greed.
* Purity is heavier than lust.
* You have to be willing to carry the weight of the Armor so you can stand in the Day.
* Transition:
Imagine a community that isn’t sleeping in warm beds of sin, but standing in the heavy armor of light—ready for anything.
That is who we are called to be.
5. INSPIRATION: The Vision
* The Contrast (Panic vs. Peace):
* In 1939, when the siren screamed, London scrambled.
* People ran into the dark. They were frantic. They were terrified of being caught unprepared.
* The Vision: Imagine a community that doesn’t flinch when the sky darkens.
* The “No Secrets” Life:
* Imagine living with such transparency that if Christ returned right now—this second—you wouldn’t have to change a thing.
* You wouldn’t have to franticly delete your browser history.
* You wouldn’t have to scramble to apologize for that grudge you’ve kept for years.
* You wouldn’t have to run to the closet to hide your “pajamas” of secret sin.
* The Result:
* Light only scares people who are hiding in the dark.
* If you are already wearing the Armor of Light, the sunrise isn’t a threat—it’s a coronation.
* We don’t have to “get ready” later, because we are ready now.
* Series Connection (The Cliffhanger):
* We start here: Waking Up and Getting Dressed.
* Why? Because next week, the Inspector arrives.
* You need to be fully awake to handle “The Deep Clean” that we will talk about next week.
* Transition:
But you can’t put on the whole suit of armor JUST in theory.
You have to put it on in practice.
AND You have to start with one piece.
6. ACTION: Your Assignment
* The Assignment: The Wardrobe Exchange
* We are going to do exactly what Paul commanded in Romans 13.
We are going to swap our clothes.
* Step 1: Identify (Name the Pajamas)
* Pick one specific “work of darkness” you are wearing right now.
* Be honest......Is it Bitterness? Is it Lust? Is it Deceit?
* Don’t be vague. Name the dirty garment.
* Step 2: Pray (The Cast-Off)
* Don’t just feel bad about it. Take it off.
* The Prayer: “Lord, I am taking off [Name the Sin].
It belongs to the night, and I am a child of the Day. I surrender it to You.”
* Step 3: Do (The Armor Up)
* You can’t walk around naked.
Put on the specific piece of Armor that replaces the sin.
* The Swap: Perform one intentional act that is the direct opposite of your dark work.
* If you strip off Greed -> You must Give immediately.
* If you strip off Slander -> You must Encourage immediately.
* If you strip off Laziness -> You must Serve immediately.
* Closing Line: “The siren is silent. The sky is clear. But the King is at the door—so let’s get ready for him to return.”
7. Communion
Today, we as a church body will celebrate communion in remembrance of what Jesus did for us on the Cross.
The sacrifice that was given to us and for us...
To allow us to remove those garments of sin,
and allow us to put on the pure robe of righteousness that can only come from Christ.
23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread,
24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.
28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
The Communion Supper, instituted by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a sacrament,
which proclaims His life, His sufferings, His sacrificial death, and resurrection, and the hope of His coming again.
It is a reminder of the Lord’s death until His return.
The Supper is a means of grace in which Christ is present by the Spirit.
It is to be received in reverent appreciation and gratefulness for the work of Christ.
All those who are truly repentant, forsaking their sins, and believing in Christ for salvation are invited to participate in the death and resurrection of Christ.
If this is you, we welcome you to join us in taking communion.
But if this is not you, then please refrain until a time that it does apply to you.
We come to the table that we may be renewed in life and salvation and be made one by the Spirit.
In unity with the Church, we confess our faith:
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.
And so we pray:
Holy God,
We gather at this, your table, in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ,
who by your Spirit was anointed to preach good news to the poor,
proclaim release to the captives,
set at liberty those who are oppressed.
Christ healed the sick, fed the hungry, ate with sinners,
and established the new covenant for forgiveness of sins.
We live in the hope of His coming again.
By your Spirit make us one in Christ, one with each other, and one in the ministry of Christ to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
Amen.
On the night in which He was betrayed, He took bread, gave thanks, broke the bread, gave it to His disciples, and said: “This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19)
Likewise, when the supper was over, He took the cup, gave thanks, gave it to His disciples, and said: “Drink from it, all of you.
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in remembrance of me.”
(Matthew 26:27-29)
Would you take the bread.
This represents the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, broken for you, to preserve you blameless, unto everlasting life.
Eat this in remembrance that Christ died for you, and be thankful.
Now take the cup.
This represents the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, shed for you, to preserve you blameless unto everlasting life.
Drink this in remembrance that Christ died for you, and be thankful.
Lets Pray
Closing Prayer
PRAISE
* We praise You as the Alpha and the Omega, the Lord of history who holds the beginning and the end in Your hands.
* You are the Light that conquers all darkness and the King who is coming to make all things new.
PURPOSE
* We acknowledge we were not created for the night, but to be children of the Day.
* Our purpose is to walk in the light of Your Son with eyes wide open, not to sleep in the shadows.
PROVISION
* Thank You that You do not leave us naked in our shame.
* Thank You for providing the Armor of Light—the righteousness of Christ—to cover and equip us for the dawn.
PARDON
* We confess we have grown comfortable in the dark and hit the spiritual snooze button.
* Forgive us for wearing the "pajamas" of sin—quarreling, jealousy, and apathy—and wash us clean.
PROTECTION
* Guard our hearts against the "thief in the night" and the lie that "later" is guaranteed.
* Protect us from the drift and keep us alert in a world that is fast asleep.
PRAISE
* We glorify You, the Coming King.
* We choose today to wake up, stand firm, and watch for Your return with joy. Amen.
