Know the Time!
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
On several occasions, the Lord has prompted me to warn you that time is quickly coming to a close. The scripture is very clear, even as we looked at last week. Jesus claimed to be the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, and the beginning and the end.
We must realize a couple of things from this.
First, God is actively using events on this earth to bring about His purpose. He is more than capable of working in and through current events to bring this world to where He wants it.
Secondly, the Lord knew the end even before He created the heavens and the earth. How did God know the end before He even made the beginning? Because He is there. He is currently in the past, while in the future, and ever present in the now. He transcends time.
Our present existence is confined within time. Our understanding of time is linear because that is our experience as created beings.
We were created by God, just like God created time.
3 Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
4 God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness.
5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” There was an evening, and there was a morning: one day.
We measure the passing of time based upon a day and God created the day when He separated the light from the darkness.
So, I am saying all of this to remind you that God was not only there in the beginning, but He is already in the future and is presently working to bring about the glorification of His son by bringing all of creation under subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ.
As we will see from our passage this morning, the day is quickly approaching for Christ to return. The day is quickly coming for the door of salvation to be shut. The day is quickly coming for God’s wrath to be poured out upon the world. For two thousand years, the Lord has poured out love and grace and we have no right to say that God’s judgment is unjust. He has provided more than enough time for repentance.
Christian, Jesus is coming back soon! The question remains.. Are you ready?
Let’s look at Romans 13:11-14 this morning to know how to live in this present age. Please stand with me as we read the Word of God.
11 Besides this, since you know the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, because now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
12 The night is nearly over, and the day is near; so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13 Let us walk with decency, as in the daytime: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.
Pray
This morning, we want to know the time. We need to be aware of what is going on. What we see happening is not different viewpoints tearing humanity apart, but we are witnessing the results of things happening in a realm that we can not see.
There is a spiritual battle going on and we see its results every time we look at the news. God is in the process of bringing everything to an end and transitioning to eternity. Satan is trying to hold on to his power and is trying to keep as many people away from God as he can.
We need to know the time! Satan knows that his time is limited. However, Christians have been living as if it will be another 2,000 years before Christ returns. The scripture is very clear for us this morning.
We are given several commands in this passage. The first one is for us to...
Wake Up!
Wake Up!
Verse 11 makes it very clear that it is already time for us to wake up. This letter was sent to the Christians in Rome. So, Christian brother and sister, this message is for us. It is past time for us to wake up.
Verse 12 tells us that the night is nearly over and the day is near! Folks, we need to understand this morning that Jesus is coming for His church soon!
He does not need to find us sleeping or even wiping the sleep out of our eyes. I hope and pray that He finds us alert and understanding the times that we live in.
We need to be riled out of bed. The enemy is marching against the church and trying to keep the church from being triumphant and we have allowed worldliness to lull us into spiritual lethargy.
If we truly knew the time that we lived in, we would...
Have Hope!
Have Hope!
Let’s look at verse 11 again.
11 Besides this, since you know the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, because now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
Look at the last phrase again, “Our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.”
Those of us who have repented of our sins and placed our faith in Jesus have been saved, we are in the process of being saved, and we will be completely saved when we see Jesus face to face.
At the moment you repent and believe, you are eternally saved and you start a process called sanctification. The easiest way to explain sanctification is that as we grow closer to Christ, we are more like Him. It is a life-long process in which we read scripture, pray, and obey. Then, when we see Jesus, whether through death or his return, we will be like Him. NO more sin, no more sickness, no more tears, no more sorrow for the believer.
As we look at these perilous times, Have Hope! Jesus is coming soon!
As we see persecution come to believers in our country, Have Hope! Jesus is coming soon!
As we face greater challenges than what 2020 has brought so far, Have Hope! Jesus is coming soon!
Folks, Have Hope! Jesus is coming soon! I can almost hear it! The angel is getting ready to blow the trumpet! Jesus is sitting on the edge of His throne, ready for the Father to say go get your church!
It is past time for us to wake up and understand the times in which we live. We need to:
Discard the deeds of darkness!
Discard the deeds of darkness!
In verse 12, we have the exhortation for all of us believers to discard the deeds of darkness. Then, in verse 13, the deeds of darkness are listed.
13 Let us walk with decency, as in the daytime: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy.
These deeds are called deeds of darkness because they are done under the cover of darkness. They are not things that are done in the open. These are things we should be ashamed of.
Carousing
Drunkenness
Sexual Impurity
Promiscuity
Quarreling
Jealousy
Now, I realize that many church goers don’t have issue with the first four things, but some do. We need to be very careful about these things and cast them away. The last two though. These last two can destroy churches and make them ineffective from the inside out.
I want you to notice something that these six things have in common. They distract us. When we are dealing with these things, our ability to think clearly is severely compromised. We are consumed with these things when we allow them into our minds or even commit them.
These things blind us to the real work of the enemy AND even more tragic, they desensitize us to spiritual things. Christian, if you are guilty of these things, repent. Discard these things as the scripture instructs us. Don’t let the enemy blind you with sin, but walk in the light.
We must understand the times and discard the deeds of darkness, then we must...
Put on the Lord Jesus Christ
Put on the Lord Jesus Christ
In verse 12, we are instructed to put on the armor of light, but in verse 14 we are told to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s look at verse 14 again.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.
Jesus is our armor of light. We are to discard the deeds of darkness and put our Lord on like a garment. I spoke about this on Wednesday night.
We found that our identity is to be in Christ. We are to put Him on or to be clothed with Him. If we are clothed by Him, then He is the one others should see when they look at us. We should make much of Jesus and seek to glorify Him in everything.
Another thing that clothes or armor does is protect us. Armor protects in battle and that is what we face every day. We face spiritual battles more than we realize and the armor that will protect us is Jesus Christ.
For us to be effective and to be ready for His return during these times, we must make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires. Christ has given His children freedom from sin. It is time for us to wake up and quit making provision for our flesh.
It is time for us to be more concerned with holiness than gratifying our flesh.
It is time for us to live righteously rather than sinfully.
It is time for us to share the blessed hope of Jesus with those around us.
It is time for repentance and obedience.
Decision
Decision
Folks, one thing is sure this morning. Time is short. Are you ready for Jesus to come? If not, get yourself ready. Christian, come to the altar this morning and cry out to God for revival in your life as well as in this church.
Lost person, come as we sing. I will be down front ready to introduce you to Jesus.
Please stand with me as we pray.
Pray