Sleepers Awake

In one paragraph

The pastor closed out the instructional section of the Romans series, chapters 12 through 13, by reading the full passage and then landing on the five verses that tie it together. The big idea is that the approaching return of Christ is not a distant theological curiosity but the reason Christians should be awake, dressed for action, and carrying the gospel forward right now. After a quick...

Read together

1. Romans 1:16-17 Described as Martin Luther's life verse and the theme of Romans, quoted as 'I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power unto salvation for all who believe... the righteous man shall live by faith'
2. Romans 3:10-20 Referenced as the section Douglas Moo calls the universal reign of sin, summarized as 'no one is righteous, no not one'
3. Romans 7:14-25 Referenced as the passage about doing what you do not want to do and not doing what you want to do, the wrestling between spirit and flesh
4. Romans 8 Described as the great chapter on victory in Christ, including 'all things work together for the good' and nothing separating us from the love of God
5. Romans 9-11 Described as a three-chapter parenthesis on the question of Israel and God's sovereignty
6. Romans 10:9-10 Quoted as 'if you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord you will be saved' within the Israel parenthesis
7. Romans 12:1-2 Quoted as presenting your body as a living sacrifice and being transformed by the renewing of your mind
8. Romans 12:3-8 Quoted on not thinking too highly of yourself and exercising spiritual gifts according to grace given
9. Romans 12:9-13 Quoted on letting love be without hypocrisy, cleaving to good, being devoted in brotherly love, rejoicing in hope, contributing to the needs of the saints
10. Romans 12:14-21 Quoted on blessing persecutors, weeping with those who weep, never paying back evil, leaving vengeance to God, and overcoming evil with good
11. Romans 13:1-7 Quoted on subjection to governing authorities, rulers as ministers of God, and rendering taxes and honor to whom they are due
12. Romans 13:8-10 Quoted as 'owe nothing to anyone except to love one another' and love being the fulfillment of the law
13. Romans 13:11-14 The main text of the sermon, quoted on awakening from sleep, salvation being nearer, laying aside deeds of darkness, putting on the armor of light, and making no provision for the flesh
14. Mark 14:32-41 Quoted at length describing Jesus in Gethsemane finding Peter, James and John sleeping three times, used as an illustration of being asleep at a critical hour
15. 1 Corinthians 1:18 Referenced as 'to those who are perishing it is mere foolishness but to those who are being saved it is the power of God'
16. Jonah 1:1-16 Read at length to illustrate sleeping and fleeing from God's call, and how Jonah's admission of failure led the sailors to call on the Lord

Talk about it

1. The pastor walked through Romans from chapter 1 all the way to chapter 13 in a single overview. Which part of that journey through Romans has stayed with you most, and why?
2. Augustine prayed for a long time, 'Lord, make me virtuous, but not yet.' In what areas of life do you think people, including yourself, are most tempted to pray that same prayer?
3. The pastor said that putting on the Lord Jesus Christ is the only way to be successful in laying aside the deeds of darkness, and that loving God and loving people is an impossible motto without the words 'through Christ.' What does it actually look like in practice to put on Christ rather than just trying harder on your own?
4. Jonah was found sleeping below deck while the storm raged, and his honesty about running from God ultimately led the sailors to call on the Lord and make vows to Him. What does Jonah's story say to us about what happens when God's people are spiritually asleep, and what happens when they wake up?
5. The pastor said salvation is nearer now than when we first believed, and that there is a moral urgency to Christ's return. How does keeping that in mind actually change the way you live from day to day?