tonight we turn in our bibles to romans chapter 13 and we conclude uh tonight romans chapter 13 and get into next time too the the very um important section on christian liberty but tonight we're going to conclude romans 13 verses 11 through 14 and that was found on page 1206 in your pew bibles beginning at verse 11 of romans chapter 13 let's hear the word of the lord 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 night is far gone the day is at hand so let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual morality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires. May the Lord bless the hearing of His Word. I said this morning that with all that is happening in our society today, with the corruptions of society, with the sorrow and misery, all the things that are going on, it's easy for us to become discouraged and to forget that God has set something in front of us, that God has set a goal in front of us, that He has given us something to look forward to, even encouraging us, telling us in the Scriptures that there are going to be rewards. A lot of excitement, a lot of exciting things to encourage us to look forward to what is coming. Paul even describing it as an upward calling that God has given us. I'm amazed at how much the apostles are attempting to use this as a motivating factor in our sanctification. They are using what we call eschatology, a study of the last things, the end, the second coming, to motivate Christian behavior, to think a lot about how we live and what we do, to provide an incentive for holy living. That's tonight. That's Romans 13. And the message is a simple one tonight. He is really calling us to lay aside sinful behaviors and patterns and habits, things that belong to what we once were when we were in darkness. And he's saying, now I want you to really take seriously and consider who you now are and advance in the lifestyle that exemplifies this. Pursue the advancement that shows that you are reaching forward for something, that demonstrates that you're going somewhere, living and reaching for the goal that is secured for you. It's a beautiful passage tonight that is calling us to holiness. We have in these past few chapters been considering this overarching command that has really guided us through all of this, even with submission to governing authorities, this command to love, to love one another, to love our brothers, and to love even our enemies. And Paul is really saying to us tonight, that's not pointless. You're not doing this for no, you know, as if it's purposeless. There's no purpose to it. There are many real dangers that are going to happen to you along the way that are going to halt you from pursuing love, that are going to test you in your pursuance of love. And that's why last week I called the sermon, even though I didn't get to this section, the urgency of love. How we achieve love, because that is constantly being challenged. And that's why I don't want to separate whatever's coming here from the whole bigger picture of love. And he's using tonight something that is very common to us, something that we understand language to motivate us in that great calling to love. And he's using the description of sleep. In fact, what he's saying here tonight simply is, I want you to be awake as Christians. And he takes that basic call to being awake and then he describes what being awake looks like. What does being awake as a Christian look like? How do we achieve that? How does being awake, what does that look like then if we're really achieving and laying hold of the goal for us? And that's the exciting message at the end of Romans 13. He's helping you think about the awakening of the Christian. Awakening that's real and sincere. Awakening that's a constant battle throughout the course of the Christian life. And so if you look at verse 11, It's amazing how he begins this. Notice what he says. Besides this, you know the time that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed. What a fascinating conclusion to this section on love. It's a fascinating opening section because what he is saying to you tonight, what he says as he opens up verse 11 is, you understand this. You know this. You know what time it is. And he further develops that in verse 12 by saying, the night is far gone and the day is at hand. Now, I want you to think of this very simply tonight using the comparison of a regular day here in Southern California. You know, early in the morning, we get up and we see, we see these, you know, the rays coming. At the crack of dawn, You see the brightness coming. You see the sun. And what do we expect? We've just come out of a night of darkness, and we're heading into another day, and you see the beginnings of those rays of light, and you know. You know in Southern California sun. You know it's going to happen. Pretty soon it's going to be a glorious day. Hopefully we don't take it for granted here. I lived a long time in Linden. It's beautiful. It's wonderful. But you know the day is coming. You know what to expect here in Southern California. You know a day of full sun is going to be enjoyed. Boys and girls, it's when you're up early and you see the beginning rays of the sun and you say, mom and dad, we really want to go to the beach today. You know what it's going to be like at the beach. It's going to be fun. Well, there's some kind of comparison we can make here and Paul's using this. You were children of the night. You were children of the night. When you didn't have an understanding of the gospel, When you were dead in trespasses and sins, when there was no knowledge of God, when you did your own pleasures, when you lived in the night, you did your own thing. And you didn't realize you were groping around in the darkness. You didn't even understand that. But all of a sudden, one day, the beginnings of gospel light came down upon you. And you began to see. And the whole picture here then is when God pulled you out of the darkness, you began to see the light, and the Lord has promised you there's a day of full sun coming. There's a day when you're going to shine as the sun in glory. There's a day when you're going to be there. This is the day He's talking about. That day is almost here. And the Lord has promised us that day is going to be so glorious that there will never be any more night. There will never be anything that is wrong. There will never be anything that afflicts us. There will never be any more sorrow. We will shine before the one who does shine. This is coming. Heaven is coming. So wonderful the Scriptures say, I has not seen nor heard nor entered in the heart of man the things that God's prepared for those who love Him. I wish I could describe it tonight and all of the glory of what it's going to be, but I just can't. We get some language in Scripture that helps us to know that the most glorious things that we understand in this life are going to fill the next life, going to fill the age to come when it's finally in consummated fulfillment. Now, you would think, I don't need to continue to remind you of this, right? You would think you all are so set on this, you're ready. You would think that everyone here tonight knows they're really excited about this and they're ready to go any moment. Is that the case? No. Because there's one major problem that happens in the Christian life. And it's used here by this whole descriptive, and we understand this because we're going to go do it tonight. Sleep. Sleep. You expect people to sleep at night. You would think there's something wrong unless they have a night job. You would think something's wrong if they spent all their day sleeping, wouldn't you? You'd call them a lazy bum. That's what you would do to somebody like that. And Paul looks at the people of God. Did you hear what he said? It's time for you guys to wake up. Time to wake up out of sleep. It's an amazing ending here to Romans chapter 13 because he's describing the single great problem of complacency. Complacency. When I was a child, I remember traveling over to the central coast of California to San Simeon and visiting that castle, Hearst Castle, William Randolph Hearst Castle, that 250,000-acre ranch. You ever been there? glorious extravagance. It was really a kind of small, self-contained city. 56 bedrooms, 61 bathrooms, 19 sitting rooms, 127 acres of gardens, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, a movie theater, an airfield, the world's largest private zoo, zebras and exotic animals all over the place. And I would say as a kid, that's my dream right there. That's my dream. I'm going to, you know, that's the goal. But there was one major problem that I had as a kid thinking about all that. Where's William Randolph Hearst? I'm looking at his former glory. He doesn't even get to enjoy it. And I'm paying money still for this. I always thought as I grew up and looked upon these things, because I know that's the attraction, that we get so caught up in this life, that we get so caught up in the pursuits of what we're building and what we're doing with our own lives, that we fall asleep. And Jesus talked a lot about this. He gave a whole parable of a rich man who produced plentifully. And he thought to himself, what shall I do for I have nowhere to store my crops? And he said, I will do this. I'm going to tear down my barns and I'm just going to keep building bigger and bigger and bigger to store all my stuff. And he said to my soul, soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years. Relax. There it is. Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said to him, fool, this night your soul is required of you and the things that you've prepared, whose will they be? If you follow his line of teaching on that whole line right after that, remember what happens? He then gives a whole teaching on worrying. He tells his disciples, stop worrying. Stop worrying about life. Stop worrying about food, what you're putting on. And then he goes in to talking about when the master comes, those servants who are the wise servants, he's going to find them doing, serving, being about the kingdom. But then he said something fascinating. He gives a whole teaching on the issue of time. On the issue of time. When you guys see a cloud rising, you know. You say, wow, you know, rain's coming. hypocrites. How can you discern the face of the sky and of the earth? But how is it that you do not discern the time? I always found that to be a remarkable statement. How can you not see it? He's saying to the multitudes. How can you not discern who's standing in front of you? How can you not discern that the days are evil? How can you not see that the light has come. Look at my works, Jesus was saying everywhere. Look what they reveal. How can you not see that the darkness is passing away and you can't recognize the one who's come upon you? And then he went after repentance. Now, why do I raise all that? Did you notice how Paul started, verse 11? You know what time it is. You see, Jesus is looking at the multi. How do you not know? And what did he specially do for you? You know. You know. You know what's going on. You know what's about to happen. You know that, John said, the darkness is passing away and the true light's already shining. You know that this present evil age is going to burn. This world is going to burn with fire. You know that all the world and its system is going to be soon put to rest, and we're going to dwell forever in a place where righteousness dwells. You know that. And so notice how he's motivating us tonight. It's coming. And then he says, you're about ready to enter. Your salvation is nearer than when you first believed. New Testament writers were always saying things like this, you know, over and over and over. The day is at hand. The day is at hand. Nobody would have ever thought, if you told the apostles, hey guys, do you know we're going to make it to 2014? They would have said, you got to be kidding. God's still going to save in 2014? Paul would have said that is well beyond the day of whatever we would have expected. I guarantee it. Not to be the men's warehouse guy. It's fascinating. God's done something for you. I watched a film the other day on the tsunami that wiped out thousands. And I was amazed by that film footage. It was really distressing. But there were people on the beach. And they're playing. And all of a sudden, the tsunami came. They had no idea and it took them all away. And it reminded me of Noah's day. It's the very imagery that was given in Noah's day. And the New Testament writers are constantly saying to you, 1 Thessalonians 5, but brothers, you're not in darkness that this day should overtake you. Isn't that overwhelming? You're not. You know what's coming. You know what I've secured for you. You know it's given to you. The problem is, is what Peter dealt with in his second epistle, that he had to write about the day of the Lord saying, listen, I'm writing all these things to you to stir up your minds by way of reminder because we sleep. We grow so dull to this. Who can forget when Jesus was going to the cross in the heart of his afflictions and he's ready to suffer and die. and he is ready to atone for our sins and he looks at his disciples and he says, watch and pray with me. The spirit is willing, but the flesh indeed is weak. And every time he came back, what were they doing? They're asleep. And Jesus holds this concern out to motivate us when he says, when the Son of Man comes, will he really find faith on the earth? Have you ever thought about what that meant? That was a challenge. Not that he's not going to find faith on the earth. It's a challenge to say, who's going to be looking when I come? And did you ever think about what that fell after right away when he said that, what that came on the heels of, what right after it came on the heels of this? And he told them a parable to the effect that they always ought to pray and not lose heart. and then he tells the story about a little widow in the city who kept begging for justice and couldn't get an answer from the unjust judge and because she just kept wearing the judge by coming finally said all right that's it i'll give it to you leave me alone god says i'm not like that am i not going to avenge my elect speedily who cry out to me day and night am i not hearing your prayers? Am I not going to listen? Am I not going to answer? And then he says, but will in the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? To challenge us, to be awake. Who can forget the parable of the ten virgins? That five foolish virgins were not looking. And the door was shut. And Jesus said, watch, pray. Romans 13 is powerful because he's not motivating us to be awake by saying, watch, or you're going to be lost forever. What he's saying is, watch, look at this, watch and think about what's already been secured for you. You're not taking it seriously enough. That's the motivation of this. And you know, I thought about, well, is that fair to say? He just makes a blanket statement, a comprehensive statement. Wake up! Because the reality is this is true for every single Christian that's ever existed. Now that may be a strange kind of comfort to you. But he's saying these things because it's always been the problem of the Christian to sleep. How does he motivate it? Look what he says. Your salvation is nearer than when you first believed. It's almost here. Remember when the gospel light came to you? remember that and you first understood how you were right with god and you first understood all that he had done for you and you understood the cross you understood the atonement and the release and the peace and the joy that you experienced when the first glimmerings of that light came down upon you do you remember that paul says do you know years later where you are you're almost there it could be tonight is the excitement still there it's no coincidence in this section on love that he's saying this because you could say looking at a whole church in revelation that left its first love that they had forgotten the very purpose for which they were going forward as a church they had forgotten the reason that they did what they do they had not none of their works were motivated by love it had become a cold atmosphere of empty service maybe and in the heart of a section on love for the individual christian here comes this command to wake be awake and then in verse 12 he says the day is at hand where the goal is almost to be met it's really exciting i can't get Paul's statement in Philippians out of my mind. Not that I've already obtained this or am already perfect, but I'm pressing on to make it my own. Because Christ Jesus has made me His own. See again how He's speaking to you? He's already made you His own, so you now press forward in making that your own. I love that. My whole life is now oriented to attain what's already been. grasped for me and laid hold of for me. Paul would often picture himself as a runner who would continue to run and then at the finish line, you know, you do this. You stretch out. You reach forward. You go for the crown. He's speaking about a disciplined life, a concentrated life, a focused life. Paul calls us to be awake. And then in verses 12 and 13 he describes how we do that. so then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light let us walk properly as in the daytime not in orgies and drunkenness not in sexual morality and sensuality not in quarreling and jealousy the day has dawned so don't do those things anymore don't do what belongs to the night there are certain behaviors that belong to those who are perishing that contrast of light and darkness is everywhere in scripture isn't it how do people live at night what do people do at night you know what they do at night they get drunk at night they live in sexual morality at night they party it up at night peter would write this when he says listen you've done enough of that stuff living in sensuality and passions and drunkenness and orgies drinking parties and lawless idolatry with respect to this they're surprised when you don't run with them or join with them in the same flood of debauchery and they malign you but they will give an account to him who's ready to judge living in the dead what is the telltale sign of someone living in the darkness well you could look at this and you know this they they're up all night doing these things and then what do they do in the day sleep you can't get them out of bed and we have some concept of that when we observe patterns in the unregenerate jesus would even say are there not 12 hours in the day if anyone walks in the day he does not stumble because he sees the light of the world But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles because the light is not in him. So this is a challenging section to have us think about. Being awake all over. Remember the motivations. Ephesians does the same thing. You've spent enough of your past lifetime doing these things, but now you are light. Therefore, walk as children of the light. You're done with that stuff. Paul even uses military language here. Exert yourself forward. Put on armor. We know the armor of God. And then in verse 14, to close this out tonight, he gives something beautiful. A really positive imperative and exciting. But how do you do this? It's what you shouldn't do. How do you stay awake? Actively do what? Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires. Sin is a dangerous, dangerous weed. My parents would always tell me to go weed and when I cheated, I just ripped off the top part and I never got to the root, by the way. You've got to attack the root. And every time you fill, sin is, think of it like filling. You fulfill a lust. you fulfill the sin, you're feeding the weed and it grows and it grows and it grows until it's incredibly hard to cut that thing back. Put on Christ and make no provisions for that stuff. Don't be complacent. Don't rest thinking it's a cruise ship into glory. That's the greatest recipe for a fall. Instead, deck yourselves in Christ. Isn't that beautiful? deck yourselves in his garments it's very similar to romans 6 14 reckon yourselves to be dead to sin but alive it's already true of you now you reckon it to yourself it's a very similar thing here you've been justified you've been washed into christ baptized into christ you were you died you were raised with him and you were clothed with his rich garments of his righteousness once and for all so now guess what you go deck yourselves in those robes think of yourself that way that you're wearing the robes of many colors clothe yourself in what is already true and put him on actively put on christ for as many of you as were baptized into christ have put on christ so now you go put them on. I love that tonight. Let the choices I make, the pursuits I choose, the life I live by faith in the Son of God, I live because He loved me and He gave His life for me. That means then that I'm going to actively pursue bringing every thought into captivity to obedience to Him. Do it because that's your way of gratitude tonight. To add a little bit to the prayer tonight. Do it because that's a way you can say thank you. Do it because there's laid up for you a crown of glory that does not fade away. Do it because the time is now. Do it because the desire of your heart is to glorify your God. Do it because He gave His best for you and washed you so that you should no longer be like them, those in darkness who are dead in trespasses and sins. I close with this. Toward the end of the summer, the year is A.D. 386, a man is reading in the garden. Some of you will remember this story. He's reading in the garden. His mom had been praying for him for years. He had lived in sexual immorality and drunkenness for a long time. One day, sitting on the bench, and besides him on the bench is a book, the book of St. Paul's epistles. and he hears children playing in the background, one of them saying, tolelege, tolelege, take and read, take up and read. He opens up to this passage, Romans 13. Let us walk properly as in the day, not in reverie and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. Upon reading those words, St. Augustine says he was converted. Years of prayer, years of running, years of doing his own thing. His mom had been on her knees weeping. And he says he opened up that. And it was that message that turned him to Christ. My prayer is, is that it's true of every one of you tonight. That you have been born again. That you've been washed by the blood of Christ. and now filled with that joy you know what time it is now is the high time to wake up out of sleep for now your salvation is nearer than when you first believed may christ give you the strength to be what he's already called you to be let's pray oh lord our god we bow the head tonight and we first confess our sins, that we have been dull and we have been sleeping. And as we were reminded tonight with the Heidelberg Catechism about the beauties of prayer and how this all ties together, that we should always watch. Men ought always to watch and pray and to not lose heart. And so tonight we ask for forgiveness that often we have been sloppy, careless, and we've not taken seriously this call to holiness. And so, Lord, since you have redeemed us and since we know the time, help us to pursue what pleases you. Convict our hearts to do what honors you. And may we look for and hasten this great, glorious, coming day of God. Help us to put on Christ in this week, Lord, let these words not grow dim, but may, oh Lord, we remember them. May we be strengthened having heard these things to glorify you in what we say and what we do, what we think, what we see, how we live in this world as your people. In Jesus' name we pray these things. Amen.