• About Us
    • Our COVID-19 Plan
    • Our Vision
    • Our Beliefs
    • Our Calendar
    • Our Staff
    • Our Missions
    • Keep in Touch
  • Grow
  • Bloom
  • Worship
    • Online Worship
    • Messages
    • Pastor's Blog
  • Members
    • Member Portal
    • Directory
  • Give
  • Precious Lambs
Gethsemane Church in Raleigh
  • About Us
    • Our COVID-19 Plan
    • Our Vision
    • Our Beliefs
    • Our Calendar
    • Our Staff
    • Our Missions
    • Keep in Touch
  • Grow
  • Bloom
  • Worship
    • Online Worship
    • Messages
    • Pastor's Blog
  • Members
    • Member Portal
    • Directory
  • Give
  • Precious Lambs

The Day is Coming!

12/6/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. 

So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.

14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. --Romans 13:11-14
​

*********************************************************************************************************

It is impossible not to know that Christmas is coming.

Christmas sales are going on in any store you enter. Christmas ads fill up the majority of commercials on TV. There are reminders to get your shopping done in newspapers, on the internet, in your emails, on your smart phones, even via text message! Stores pretty much do everything short of sending an employee into your house while you are sleeping to tap you on the forehead and whisper: "Christmas is coming soon!"

Christmas isn't the only day that's fast approaching. 

We're in the season of Advent. Advent means we remember to prepare our hearts for the arrival of Jesus. At Christmastime...to be sure, but also for his next arrival on earth--on the Last Day.

And while you probably won't receive any text message reminders and there probably won't be any full page ads in the News and Observer, Paul tells us this: the Day is coming!

I.  Sooner Than You Think

 Take a look at what Paul wrote in Romans 13:11 "The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed."

 If you are like most people, then you are already making decision about when to prepare for Christmas this year. When do I put up the lights? When do I put up the tree? When do I buy the gifts? When do I wrap the gifts? When do I make the chocolate covered peanut butter bon bons? When do I eat the chocolate covered peanut butter bon bons? 

If you were wondering when you should start preparing for the day of our salvation, Paul tells us that we should already have been preparing! Look at his words: "The hour has already come!" You should have been preparing for Jesus' return, years ago!

You might say, "Why? Isn't he coming back in a couple thousand years?"

Because of one simple truth that we learn from Matthew 24: No one knows the day or the hour. It could be any time. 

The only thing we know is that it is nearer now than it was last Advent. In fact, it's nearer now than it was when I started this sentence. It's always getting closer. Because unlike Christmas, which, in 25 more days will be 364 days away, the number of days to the day of Jesus' second coming are always getting shorter!

But Jesus' return is not meant to be frightening. Look at what Paul says in verse 12, "Night is nearly over; the day is almost here."

This is a great metaphor! Because night time is generally scarier than daytime. At night you hear noises. You can't see. Shadows deceive you into thinking the Grinch is around the corner ready to steal Christmas! If you have ever been a little kid pulling the covers over your eyes, then you know what a relief it is when the light of the sun finally peeks into your room. "It's daytime. The scary stuff  is gone." 

When the day of Jesus' second arrival comes, the scary stuff will really  be gone.

No more evil. No more sin. No more danger. No more catastrophe, sickness, hatred, or sadness.

No more guilt. Only heaven. 

For we will be in the light of the day! We will be with the Light of the World. We will be with God himself enjoying the sun-like rays of from the face of the Son. Soaking in the fresh air of heaven. Relaxing in the cool breeze of the Spirit's gentle movement. 

II. Get Ready Now!

 It's amazing how often society reminds us that Christmas is coming. But it's even more amazing how many people, come December 24th, will be scrambling to the local Radio Shack to pick up their wives a curling iron that also plays the radio. "Because that's what she wants, right!?!" 

 Don't make that mistake with the day of your salvation. Get ready now! 

If you are wondering, how to prepare for that...look at the next verses from Romans: "Let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light... Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh."

This principle makes sense. Because if you are planning on going Christmas shopping anytime soon, there is one thing you NEED to do. (Unless maybe you go shopping online, but still...bear with me.) You NEED to put on clothes. Take off your footie jammies and put clothes on first! 

If you don't, just wait till you see the looks you get at Crabtree Mall!

The same is true in preparing for Jesus' second coming. We take off our old clothes. Get rid of our deeds of darkness. Get rid of a inner psyche that says, "I don't need Jesus. I don't believe in him. I think it's a sham." 

That's not ready. Not at all. 

Instead, clothe yourself with Jesus.  And that doesn't mean go get a WWJD shirt and wear it around town! It means to contemplate what he has done. Meditate on the true meaning of Christmas. Take in the precious truths of the Gospel --Jesus became a human at Christmas only so that he could die a human 33 years later and, in turn, save you from your sins and give eternal life to you through faith in Him!

What happens when you do that? A miracle. 

The Holy Spirit works through his Word to clothe us with Jesus Christ. His life. His works. His sinless day to day activities. His God pleasing accomplishments.

This is faith. We might not think of it as clothing, but it is. Holy Spirit produced faith places Jesus' cloak of righteousness on our souls. It means you are forgiven. Forgiven for not preparing. Forgiven for not caring to prepare. Forgiven through faith in Jesus. 

Forgiveness as clothing? Through faith in Jesus that's exactly what it is. It's even better than Calvin Klein. 

Then, once you have been clothed with Jesus, don't go back to bed! That's like putting on your fresh TJ Maxx clothes for work and then getting back into bed. 

Act like it's daytime!

Can you imagine what it would be like if everyone acted like daytime was nighttime? How would your coworkers feel if you brushed your teeth in the water fountain at work? How many men would you meet at the nightclub other than Bob the Janitor? Would your boss would be so keen about wearing your footie pajamas at the investment meeting. How would the other drivers on Six Forks feel if you were sleeping while you were driving? Although, I'm pretty sure that fireflies would be just fine with you trying to catch them in the hot sun. 

It doesn't make sense to do nighttime things during the day. Paul tells us that it's the same spiritually. Since it is almost day, we need to act like it's day! We must stop living in darkness. He says, 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 

In other words, stop it! Take off the coat of drunkenness. Get rid of that old, sinful relationship. Throw out the sailor language. Cast aside fears and doubts! Put on the love of Jesus. Live for Jesus. Now is the time!!!

It starts in the heart. Read with me verse 14 again, "Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh." In other words, stop worrying so much about earthly things!

"But, pastor," you might say, "that's hard to do during Christmas. If I stop worrying about earthly things, then, I'm going to miss an awesome deal on a pair of diamond earrings."

Yes, you might. But if you don't worry about spiritual things, you may miss out on the diamond studded streets of heaven.  I'd rather pay three dollars more for a pair of Doc Martins and be in heaven, then save a bit and endanger my faith!

CONCLUSION: 

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to get kids to go to bed the closer it gets to Christmas? They get so excited, they can't sleep! And the night before Christmas? They just want  to stay up all night, watch the presents arrive, hand off a few cookies and rip off the wrapping paper before you can even put a scoop or Folgers into the coffee maker!

Wouldn't it be amazing if that was how we prepared for Christ's second coming? If we with tepid excitement, we came to church to prepare our faith. If we happily sat our kids down, to prepare their hearts for Jesus. If we asked for another handful of five more invitations to our Christmas service, because it's so exciting to prepare for Jesus' return!

Brothers and sisters, get ready. Prepare now. Get ready for Christmas. Get ready for Christ. Get ready for your salvation! Amen.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013

    Picture
    Pastor Phil Kiecker and his wife, Julianna love serving the community of North Raleigh.

    Categories

    All
    500
    ACTS
    Adiaphora
    Advent
    All Powerful
    Alone
    Anger
    Anxiety
    Ascension
    Ash Wednesday
    Atheism
    Attitude
    Authority
    Back To Church
    Backwards Thinking
    Baptism
    Barabbas
    Battleground
    Being Selfless
    Believe
    Betrayal
    Bible Study
    Blessed
    Bold
    Bread Of Life
    Breathe
    Building Project
    Caiaphas
    Caring
    Chapel Hill Shootings
    Charleston
    Chosen
    Christian Living
    Christmas
    Church
    Clean
    Combative
    Comfort
    Commission
    Commitment
    Compassion
    Complete
    Complicated
    Confession
    Confidence
    Confirmation
    Confusion
    Counter Culture
    Courage
    Creed
    Crucifixion
    Danger
    Dark Arts
    Dear Church
    Death
    Debt
    Deep
    Demons
    Depression
    Disappointment
    Disciple
    Diversity
    Divorce
    Don't Be Afraid
    Doubt
    Drowned
    Easter
    Education
    End Times
    Enough
    Entitlement
    Eternal Life
    #EternalLivesMatter
    Evangelism
    Everyone
    Evil
    EYEWITNESS
    Faith
    Faithful
    #FaithTest
    False Teachings
    Family
    Family Matters
    Father
    Fear
    Fighting Temptation
    Firsts
    Fixer Upper
    Follow
    Forgiven
    Forgiveness
    Foundations
    Freedom
    FRESH
    Friendship
    Fufilling
    GIVE
    Giving
    God
    God & Country
    Godly Wisdom
    God's Family
    God's Great Exchange
    God's Not Dead
    God's Will
    God's Word
    Good
    Good Friday
    Good Shepherd Sunday
    Gospel
    Grace
    Greed
    Grow
    Guilt
    Hallelujah
    Hallowed
    Healing
    Heart
    Heaven
    Heavenly King
    Hell
    Help
    Holy
    Holy Spirit
    Homosexuality
    Hope
    Humility
    Hurt
    Idolatry
    Impossible
    Inclusive
    Intimacy
    Jesus
    Joy
    Judgment
    Last Day
    Leaders
    Lent
    Life
    Light
    Love
    Love One Another
    Lust
    Marriage
    Martin Luther
    Maundy Thursday
    Meditations
    Mercy
    Messiah
    Messy
    Ministry
    Miracles
    Mission Work
    Nehemiah
    NEW
    New Life
    New Year
    North Raleigh
    Opportunity
    Outreach
    Palm Sunday
    Parable
    Patience
    Patriotism
    Peace
    Peer Pressure
    Pentecost
    People Of God
    Plan
    Pontius Pilate
    Popularity
    Pornography
    Prayer
    Prepare
    Present
    Priorities
    Promise
    Prophecies Of Isaiah
    Psalms
    Punishment
    Purity
    Race
    Racism
    Raleigh
    Reformation
    Rejection
    Renewal
    Repentance
    Rest
    Resurrection
    RETURN
    Revelation
    #RiseUp
    Runaway
    Salvation
    Satan
    Savior
    Seriousness
    Serve
    Sex
    Sickness
    Simple
    Sin
    Sola
    Son Of God
    Special
    Stand Firm
    Stranger
    Submit
    Substitute
    Suffering
    Surprising Grace
    Thankful
    Thanksgiving
    The Crowd
    The Joshua Program
    The Kingdom Of God
    The Lord's Prayer
    The Lord's Supper
    The Word
    Time With God
    Transfiguration
    Trapped
    Trinity
    True Heart
    Trust
    #TrustGod
    Truth
    Unfaithfulness
    Unity
    Urgency
    Valentine's Day
    Value
    Victory
    Visions Of The End
    Voting
    Walking Together
    Wisdom
    Work
    Worship

    RSS Feed

Gethsemane Lutheran Church
1100 Newton Rd.
Raleigh, NC 27615
(919) 539-2218
pastor@gathertothegarden.com
  • About Us
    • Our COVID-19 Plan
    • Our Vision
    • Our Beliefs
    • Our Calendar
    • Our Staff
    • Our Missions
    • Keep in Touch
  • Grow
  • Bloom
  • Worship
    • Online Worship
    • Messages
    • Pastor's Blog
  • Members
    • Member Portal
    • Directory
  • Give
  • Precious Lambs