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December 2, 2001
1st Sunday of Advent
Romans 13:11-14
Pastor Robert Raasch

Christian, Now is the Time

1. To Put Aside the Deeds of Darkness
2. To Put On the Armor of Light

Tell me, have you ever so much looked forward to something that you could hardly sleep the night before? Maybe it was on the night before Christmas, or the night before the deer season opener, or the night before the biggest shopping day of the year. For me it's typically the night before any duck hunting trip. Man I can't sleep. All through the night I'm looking at the clock. Is it time to get up yet? No, it's only 11:30. Is it time to get up yet? No it's 2:00 , no, it's 3:00 a.m. Finally, finally, the alarm clock rings and I think, "Now is the time to get up. Now is the time to get out of my sleeping clothes and put on my hunting clothes. There's no need to wait any longer. Now is the time!

My friends, in our text for today, the Apostle Paul speaks of a very similar situation in our spiritual lives. Here, through the Apostle Paul, God says to you and me today,

Christian, Now is the Time

1. To Put Aside the Deeds of Darkness
2. To Put On the Armor of Light

As you probably already noticed, the text before us includes a number of references to the concept of time. Paul encourage us, for example, to "understand the present time." He goes on, " The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over. The day is almost here."

Someone might ask, "What time is Paul referring to here? Is he talking about a particular day or year? A particular period in history? Well, actually Paul is working with two different time frames. On the one hand, Paul is working in the time frame of world history. When Paul says the night is nearly over the day is almost here, he's referring to the Day of Judgment. Each and every day that passes by here on earth, brings us all one step closer to that moment in time when we will all meet our Maker. And as you look at the signs which God says will precede his second coming-things like the wars and rumors of wars, the persecution of the church, the love of most growing cold, you realize that that Day is getting closer all the time. If Paul's words were true 2000 years ago, how much more true are they today!

And yet, there is another time frame that Paul is working with in these verses. Paul is also referring to "now," as the point that you and I are at in our spiritual development. You see, Paul is writing this letter to Christians just like you and me. In the earlier chapters of Romans, he reviewed the fundamental truths of the Christian faith. And now that he's coming to the end of the letter, he's ready to tie it all together. He's ready to apply it to their lives and ours.

In effect, Paul is saying, "Now that you know the facts. Now that you know what you deserve for God for your sins, namely an eternity in hell. Now that you know what God has done for you in pure undeserved love, namely sent Jesus as your Savior. And now God has called you to faith by the power of the Holy Spirit. Now that you know that God has created, redeemed and set you apart for a holy life, now that you know all that, by God's grace, Now is the Time to do something about it. Now is the Time to: I. Put Aside the Deeds of Darkness.

Hmmm. What are the deeds of darkness? Well, on the one hand, you might say that the deeds of darkness are the things that people have a tendency to do under the cover of darkness. You look at the sins Paul lists here and you realize that a good share of them typically happen after the lights go out. Or as my parents used to tell me, "There are a lot of things that happen after midnight…and most of them are no good."

And yet, when St. Paul speaks about the deeds of darkness, he's not so much describing the timing of the deeds, as much as the character of these deeds. These are the deeds of darkness-the deeds prompted by-and done in service to-the Prince of Darkness. Here in our text, Paul lists a number of such deeds of darkness. In fact, he offers three sets of activities which often flow from one to the next. Paul writes, "Let us behave decently, as in the day time, not in orgies or drunkenness." The Greek words here are often translated as "reveling or carousing". It was often applied to the all night drinking parties which took place in connection with the festivals of the heathen gods of wine and beer. In our day and age, this word might well conjure up visions of a frat party or even the office Christmas party. While it's not wrong to enjoy life's blessings in the company of others, it is wrong to do that to excess, whether by over eating or over drinking or over spending-anything that's over the line. Exactly where is the line? Well, as I like to tell my confirmation students, if you would be pleased to have Jesus join you in whatever activity you're doing, if you wouldn't be embarrassed to have him as your guest, then you haven't crossed the line.

The second set of sins that Paul lists are "sexual immorality and debauchery." Whether you call it adultery or fornication or sleeping around; whether it happens alone or in front of a TV or computer screen, or whether it occurs between you and a stranger or you and your fiancée-it's all still the same to God. It's all the deeds of darkness. It's all behavior which proves that someone is under the control of the Evil One.

And finally, as so often is the case, what happens when you mix overindulgence and sexual immorality? You end up with "dissension and jealousy." Isn't that right? Try blowing your family's Christmas savings on a night at the Casino and see whether it creates any dissension in your family. Tell your spouse that you just had a little fling with your co-worker and see if it creates any strife in your life.

My friends, do you see why Paul says that now is the time to put aside the deeds of darkness? Do you see why these words are especially applicable for men and women who know they've been set free from sin by the sacrifice of Jesus? People who have been washed clean by the blood of the Lamb? Can you imagine being a parent who has just spent a half an hour getting your five year old ready for church. Clean face, clean hands, clean clothes. And on the way out the door, little Johnny grabs a handful of grape jelly and stuffs it in his pocket. And on the edge of the driveway he jumps with both feet in to a puddle of water. Now, if you're that boy's parent (and maybe you're pretty sure you are) then what are you thinking? "Johnny, what are you doing? After all that I did to clean you up, now you are try to hide jelly in your pocket? Now you jump into a mud puddle?!? Johnny, why would you do that?

Scripture says the same thing about those whom God has washed clean and who continue to cling to the sticky mess of sin and who continue to jump into the mud puddle of immorality. St John said it well in his first epistle (1:6) "If we claim to have fellowship with God, yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth."

So how does that apply to you and me? It's time to ask, "What are the deeds of darkness in your life? Things you've done so many times that your conscience has become immune to them? Attitudes and routines you've become all too comfortable with. Maybe it's the tone of voice you've grown accustomed to using. Or a form of entertainment which your sinful nature has come to crave. A level of alcohol consumption which has lead you and others into further sins. It's anything in your life which has Satan smiling and your heavenly parent saying, "Why? Why would my child do that?!?"

Christian, now is the time. Now is the time to put aside the Deeds of Darkness. Now is the time to get out the spotlight of God's law and shine it in the dark corners of our hearts and lives. Now is the time to confess sin for what it is: a hard-hearted rebellion against God. Now is the time to acknowledge that every sin left unrepented, that is, any sin that we refuse to let go of, any sin that we expect God to allow us to live in, any sin that we genuinely desire to get away with-is a sin that in fact will separate us from God forever. A pinch of rat poison in one meal might not kill you, but the attitude that you can keep putting rat poison in each meal certainly will kill you!

My friends, that's why, in love for you, God says, "Put aside the deeds of darkness!" And yet, God's advice doesn't end there. Paul goes on to say, that now is not only the time to put aside the deeds of darkness. Now is also the time: II. To Put on the Armor of Light.

Now, what does that mean-to put on the armor of light? Well, Paul gives us a hint when he says, "Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ." In other words, see and believe what God has done for you in Christ. Think of what God tells you in his Word. 2 Corinthians 5:21, for example, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for you, so that in him, you might become the righteousness of God." Or Gal. 3:27, "Those who have been baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ." Or 2 Cor. 5:17 "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

Do you hear what God is saying? He's saying that in Christ, that is, through faith in Christ, you are new, clean, you are light, you are dressed in Christ's holiness. As opposed to God saying, "Man, are your clothes filthy…you'd better work harder to scrub every single stain out of them," God says, "Here's a brand new set of clothes, bought and paid for by my Son. They're yours. Put them on. See yourself as I see you in Christ. Because, let me tell you, in Christ, you look like a million bucks. You look good enough to be the very bride of Christ. In fact, that's what you are!

What does St. Paul say in Ephesians 5, (v.25-27), where St. Paul writes, "Christ loved the church (that's you) and gave himself up for you to make you holy, cleansing you by the washing with water through the word and to present you to himself as a radiant person, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." Wow! That's who you are. And by believing that, you are doing what Paul says to do here in your text, you are putting on the armor of Christ.

Of course, in Ephesians 6, Paul offers an even fuller description of this spiritual armor-and explains the purpose for that armor. We read, "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. Stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, the breastplate of righteousness in place…take up the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests."

In other words, as you and I go to battle against the Devil and his deeds of darkness, our loving God has given us all the equipment we need to fight the battle and come out on top. He's given us Christ's holiness; he's given us the gift of Christian faith by which Christ's righteousness becomes our own. He's given us His Word to help us identify the deeds of darkness and avoid them. And God gives to us the power of prayer to allow us to come before the Lord Almighty to ask him to help us fight off the temptations of Satan, the world and our sinful flesh.

And when is the appropriate time to lay hold of the equipment God has given us? When should we make use of his Word, when should we ask him to help us fight our spiritual battles? Well, I think you know the answer to that one, don't you. The time is not next month or next year. The time is not when you old enough to be out on your own, or when you get to high school, or when your children start grade school. No, the alarm is ringing right now. The night is almost over. The day is nearly here. Now, dear Christians, now is the time to put off the deed of darkness. Now is the time to put on the armor of light. May God bless the new life he gives to you as you live as children of the light, in Jesus' righteousness. Amen.