The Day is Near
Romans - I Am Not Ashamed • Sermon • Submitted
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Imagine how you would feel if you were told that you had only a few months to live. You might try to cram a lifetime into those last days. You might travel to places you have always wanted to see. You might do things for which you had never found the time before. It would not be difficult to understand why you would want to spend your last days indulging yourself.
In , Paul proposes a radically different response to a similar type of deadline—one every Christian must face. He reminds the Christian that his time is limited because the day of the Lord’s return is daily drawing nearer. In the light of this reality, he calls upon him to deny his fleshly lusts and to live for God. He challenges the Christian not to indulge himself, but to give himself sacrificially in serving others and in seeking their good. In this way, the Christian fulfills the Old Testament Law and its standards for godly conduct.
Our text in Romans is particularly significant in that, at the moment, our future is dominated by a deadline—January 15, 1991. This is the date which the United Nations has set for Iraq to retreat from Kuwait or face the threat of attack. The Middle East crisis draws our attention to the deadlines in life. This crisis could play a significant role in the final events which pave the way for the coming of our Lord to judge the earth and to establish His kingdom.
But even though our text in Romans draws attention to life’s ultimate deadline—the coming of our Lord—it challenges us to do more than be preoccupied with it. The important thing is to be found faithful when our Lord returns. We are to watch, wait, and work until He comes, whenever that might be.
We can accomplish this by adopting the mindset which Paul explains in our text. It is a mindset that denies fleshly lusts and refuses to make provision for them. It casts off the evil attitudes and actions which characterized us before our salvation and which are typical of the unbelieving world in which we live.
In this text of Scripture, Paul calls attention to a lifestyle appropriate for the Christian living in the light of Christ’s approaching return and reign. It applies to us all and demands the careful attention of each of us.
Taken from https://bible.org/seriespage/34-love-law-and-last-days-romans-138-14
This deadline reminds of my childhood. My mom and dad would go to work and while I was at home during the summer, she would give me a list of chores to accomplish each day. Her instructions were, “Get this done before I come home for lunch.” Well, I would simply wait until about 11:00 am to get started so that she would “catch” me being obedient. It never worked to my favor though.
One day, Jesus is coming back, what will you have to show for your time? The time is now...
Debt, and Demonstration -
Debt, and Demonstration -
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
The Call is Clear - 13:8 - Debt
We covered the passage over how we relate to the government, but within the context of ch 13, Paul directs our attention to live submissively as LIVING SACRIFICES in light of the coming end of the age.
The call from Paul here is pretty clear… “Owe no one anything.” It would be a glorious thing for everyone to live debt free.
IT is a worthy goal, but we also must be wise and disciplined with our money.
You don’t need habitual, repeated, or ongoing debt. What Paul’s goal here is to pay off what you owe. Don’t let it be your master, don’t add debt on top of debt. Don’t default on the loan...
But the context here is broader than money.
The command to avoid owing anything to anyone extends to include intangible things. The only exception is love.
Love is the ONE SANCTIONED UNPAID DEBT. In reality, it is a debt that cannot be paid, it is a continuing debt.
Paul’s point is simple. Be a person of honor. Fulfill your obligations. Don’t make the creditors chase you down…seek them out and set up an arrangement to pay off your debts.
If you have committed your time or given your promise, be all in. The reward for this is freedom. The less we do out of obligation the more we are able to give freely.
Notice, also, this goes beyond just the church. The debt is to our neighbor. Brings to mind the truth Jesus taught regarding just who our neighbor is.
One thing we are great at is loving one another…for the most part. But where we can improve is loving the other which is someone different from you. Could have different beliefs, theology, personality, politics, mannerisms, tastes, race, values, and history. This is the perpetual debt that is not repaid. Chuck Swindoll says, “With love, difference should make no difference.”
Here is what Paul is after, “The way to open doors for the gospel in Rome is to avoid entanglements. We are on a kingdom mission of spreading the gospel, not morally rehabilitating the Roman Empire or its citizens.”
Too many today see our task as an effort to rehab America to the way she used to be. We’ve got a bigger mission! You and I are on the same mission the Romans believers were on…a Kingdom mission to advance the gospel.
For all of Ch. 13, Paul says, so obey the emperor and love your neighbor.
The paradox in Paul’s words: in order to get out of debt to the Law we have to go into the debt to love—we fulfill the law when we love. We are freed to do what we can always do (love one another).
The Call is Explained - 13:8b-9 - Duty
The Call is Fulfilled - 13:9-10 - Demonstration
Paul called love the fulfillment of the Law, which recalls what Jesus taught in .
Everything these 6 mention, Jesus is saying the can be summed up by saying, Love your Neighbor as yourself.
The Law is an expression of God’s character, and it points us to His original created order, His vision for how the universe should work.
But of course SIN distorts the truth and what God created to be good.
Sin and love cannot coexist. Love DOESN’T COMMIT OR CONDONE ADULTERY, LOVE CANNOT MURDER, LOVE CANNOT DEPRIVE ANOTHER PERSON OF THEIR POSSESSIONS, AND LOVE CANNOT DESIRE THE BLESSINGS OF ANOTHER.
There is a positive side to this as well…This love is what drives you as a Christian to minister to others. Think the Good Samaritan...
These are all actions that serve the self at the expense of a victim.
“Take care of your neighbor with the same natural motivation that you take care of yourself.”
There is a positive side to this as well…This love is what drives you as a Christian to minister to others. Think the Good Samaritan...
If you love God, you will love others as you love yourself.
Paul’s main goal here is that before Jesus returns, that believers be living examples of this new kingdom reality in Christ. It won’t be perfect until Christ returns, but we are to strive to reach that goal.
Speaking of Christ’s return, look at the next couple of verses with me...
Wake Up & Get Dressed! -
Wake Up & Get Dressed! -
In light of the end of the age, believers should put off the works of darkness and walk in the light of salvation of Christ.
Wake Up - The Call to Action - 13:11a
The Reason - This is the why we need to increase our worship of service through loving others - The nearness of “the day” 13:11b-12a
Note the urgency in Paul’s words. It’s like he is sounding reveille to wake up the soldiers out of their bunks and onto their feet in the morning. We need to WAKE UP and get busy because of the time!
We are in a fixed or appointed season of time, a certain period of time and we need to be ready!
What are we to do?
have a balanced view of ourselves - 12:3
Use our gifts for the good of the church 12:4-8
Outdo one another in showing honor to one another 12:9-16
Return good for evil and leave room for God to convict and redeem others 12:17-21
Meet all our obligations to government officials and give them the respect they are due. 13:1-7
Our TIME is one where “salvation” is closer to arriving than ever before. Paul is referring to the return of Christ!
This waking up is - The day of Christ is quickly approaching…but there are 4 implications for this day growing closer...
Implications - The How we are to do so...(13:12b-14)
1st Response - Put on the weapons of light (13:12b)
Put off darkness and put on the armor of light.
Light and darkness are incompatible in the spiritual realm just as they are in the physical realm .
Coming out of darkness means we put on the armor of light. Similar with the armor of God in .
Let me also say that as Paul says, “the darkness is far gone,” it is incompatible Christian to live in sin and be in the light. So Paul goes into a list here just to make sure we understand what he is talking about..
2nd Response - Walk properly (13:13)
Don’t engage in deeds of darkness, but some are!
Because the world is still in darkness, that surrounding darkness is no excuse for sin.
Wild parties and getting drunk, adultery and sexual immorality, not in quarreling and jealousy.
Orgies & drunkenness - Nighttime festivals in honor of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine which began with a drunken parade and then sexual immorality.
Sexual immorality & Sensuality - treating sexual norms with contempt…all sexual sin, not just homosexuality, but infidelity, lusting after another man’s wife, or another woman’s husband, or another man or woman period. Pornography certainly fits in right here...
Quarreling and Jealousy - Why these two? Because the root of the problem with all of them is pride. It’s the attitude, the heart of the problem.
These things have no place in the Christians life. If they are present in your life, the today I call you to repentance!
3rd Response - How can we do this? You MUST Put On Christ! (13:14a)
Too many people just assume because they’ve prayed a prayer to get out of hell, that they are in heaven. Friend, you can’t just be a Christian and go on your merry own way. You MUST PUT ON CHRIST!
That means that you believe a certain way, and then behave accordingly. AS you PUT ON CHRIST, your life changes!
Think of like a police officer who puts on his badge. A soldier who puts on her uniform. A EMT who puts on his badge and takes his position behind the wheel of the ambulance. The airforce pilot who earns his wings. The mayor as she takes the oath of office.
You Put on Christ, you better be representing CHRIST! This has everything to do with the LORDSHIP of JESUS over your life.
IT is a deliberate acceptance of the LORDSHIP of CRHIST so all our actions are under His control.
4th Response - Make no provision for the flesh (13:14b)
Don’t plan for the flesh.
Saint on Sunday and Sinner on Funday.
WAKE UP AND PUT ON CHRIST! FIND SOMEONE TO LOVE…AND LOVE THEM TO JESUS…
Paul’s exhortation to pursue love and avoid evil contains a great deal of urgency. It’s intentional living. We are to love others by avoiding sin because there is no sin without a victim. We also are to look for opportunity to do good.
The world will not make this easy or automatic. Temptation now rest at your finger tips. Don’t be surprised when you are tempted, don’t complain, but find a way to turn it around as an opportunity for good and honor Christ.
If that TV channel causes you to sin, call your provider and have it blocked. Put those boundaries in place to protect yourself with the opposite sex.
If that internet presents the slightest temptation to go where no mind should go, place your computer where anyone in the house can see your screen. Husbands, wives, let your spouse have access to your computer, your cell phone, put accountability software on your computer.
If that bottle or can causes you to lose control, put it down and never pick it up again.
ABOVE ALL ELSE, LIKE THE SOLDIER WHO TAKES UP THE OATH TO DEFEND THE COUNTRY, OR THE OFFICER WHO PUTS ON THE BADGE TO SERVE THE CITY, YOU PUT ON CHRIST!
Let’s have a funeral this morning…lets put the death the deeds of darkness and put to death the flesh BECAUSE THE DAY IS NEAR!