These sermon notes are for Sunday 6 September. As always if they trigger ideas use them.
Romans 13v14 Instead put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
I am sure that many will remember that 1972 Goff Whitlam came to government on the slogan, “It’s Time!” His gurus might have taken this short passage from Romans as a springboard because that is pretty much what Paul is saying in this passage. Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light; Romans 13:11-12 (NRSV)
Be alert; take stock of what’s around you. It was a message directed firmly at the Christians.
The bible is not a rule book for outsiders; it is a message for us. If we have learnt anything from our present global situation it is we are not in charge. Despite all our science and technology knowledge we as a human race have been shown up. We have been shown up, we are not in control.
But then that begs the question, if we are not, “Then who is”?
And that is why Paul asks the question for it is a perennial question, Who is calling the shots in your life. To answer that you need to look around.
Christians are familiar with the Lord’s prayer. Used in worship countless time. “Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9-10
So we are praying that heaven and earth will be joined as one and this will be the place where God rules, God reigns and God’s in charge. And we pray for that, every time we say the Lord’s Prayer. When you pray say. Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth, just as it is in heaven. God’s reign and rule visible here on earth.
When Jesus came he began by announcing that the kingdom was at hand. That it indeed was now beginning. Matthew records that immediately after the temptations Jesus began, “the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 4:16-17
The light has dawned repent and believe. The kingdom is here. This repentance is not just a call to turn from the things we call sins, it is that, but it is much more than that, we need to see that God’s Kingdom is now dawning and we need to repent and believe in the Kingdom that Jesus Christ is creating. We have become so fixated on morality that we have forgotten who we are and how we became who we are. For we are Christ’s ones. Rescued from darkness and placed into his marvellous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:10
Living in the kingdom demands a new morality. Those who live in the kingdom owe their allegiance to the King. Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8
So Paul says in our passage , “you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light; Romans 13:11-12 We need to wake up to a new awareness, that Jesus has conquered sin and death, and we can live filled with hope.
Every writer in the New Testament wrote from the perspective that Jesus was alive after being dead. That Jesus lives, gave them the confidence to face everything and anything the pagan world threw at them. The persecutions, the reviling, the loneliness of being excluded. They lived knowing that Jesus is now reigning, working to bring all the principalities and all the powers under his command. And he is working to that day when the work will be at an end and he will hand back all things to the Father
13v14 Instead put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
To live making the choices that please Jesus Christ. Not because I choose but because Jesus’ choice guides me. So I want only to do what is right in Christ’ view.
In answer to the question, Who is in control? Then the answer is Jesus Christ and we as his disciples need to live at his command, in his way. We are to be the salt and light: The beacons of hope in a world still emerging from the darkness. We need to let our lights shine. Celebrating that Jesus lives. We are to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh. We keep our eye on Jesus and we follow him.
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