2. This was a strong wake-up call by the Apostle Paul
11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil its lusts.
Romans 13:11-14
1. Spiritual slumber
a) Indolence
b) Little practice of the faith
c) Many were sleeping away
d) There was no sense of urgency in serving the Lord
e) The Return of the Lord was not very real to many
2. High time to wake up
a) “Our salvation is nearer”
i) This is a reference to the return of the Lord Jesus
ii) God’s salvation plan would be made complete when the Lord Jesus returns
b) “The day is at hand”
i) This is another reference to the Day of the Lord’s Return
ii) The Apostle Peter also used very similar language (1 Peter)
3. The night is far spent
a) The imagery of Night and Day is to be borne in mind
b) The Day of the Lord is a reference to the Return of our Saviour
c) The Night is a reference to the times we are living in:
i) There is much darkness
ii) There is great evil
iii) But soon the night would end
iv) And the Day of the Lord is coming soon
4. A call to arise out of sleep
a) To cast off the works of darkness
b) To put on the armour of light
c) To walk properly as in the day
5. The things we must put away from our life
a) Lewdness
b) Lust
c) Strife
d) Envy
6. We must put on the Lord Jesus Christ
a) Clothed in robes of white
b) To make no provision for the flesh and all its lusts
7. A glorious description of the victorious saints of God in heaven
9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”