To kick off this message I want to ask you a few questions. In fact, grab a piece of paper and a pen or pencil.

Now on the front of that paper, I want you to write down the answer to question number one. Here it is.

1. If you could instantly change anything about anyone who would you change and what would you change?

Turn the page over and let’s answer question number two. So question number one was on the front and question number two will be on the back.

1. If you could instantly change anything about yourself what would you change?

Now I have a third question, but you don’t need to write anything down.

1. Which of these changes – Changing someone else or changing yourself – is more likely to happen?

So hold those thoughts and I will come back to it later.

We have been in a series titled How to Survive in a Post-Christian World. Over the last few episodes we have learned:

• That God places leaders over us – Kings, Queens, Prime Ministers, Presidents – and for that reason we are to subject ourselves to them.
• There is one exception to our obedience. We obey our leaders as long as our obedience does not conflict with the Bible.
• These governmental leaders are God’s ministers. He uses them to restrain evil.
• We have also learned that God commands us to love our neighbors. Neighbors are those who are closest to us – our spouse, kids, parents, and people in the immediate community. We are to love them even when they disagree with us or even hate us.

Today we will complete Romans 13 and God has for us two distinct lessons.

1. Is to wake up
2. Is to work on ourselves.

Today you will learn this one thing: As the return of Jesus draws closer we are to wake up and wear Christ.

Wake Up

Turn in your Bibles to Romans 13. I will read verses 11-14

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 armor of light. 13 Let us walk [c]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 fulfill its lusts.

Look again at verse 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.

When Paul writes, “knowing the time” he is saying “understand the season you are in.”

That is why we are studying life in a post-Christian world.

What season are we in?

The Bible is clear. We are in the “Last Days.”

This not based on current events, or on the signs of the times. It is what the Bible teaches.

When did the Last Days begin? There are two possible answers.

1. Is with the Ascension of Christ.
2. 10 days later with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Turn to Acts 2.

Let’s look at verse 14

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only [e]the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,
That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your young men shall see visions,
Your old men shall dream dreams.

Peter goes on quoting the Prophet Joel. When we read Joel we have to treat it like Peter. The prophecy was partially fulfilled on the day of Pentecost and will be fully fulfilled as we approach the last last days.

According to both, Joel and Peter, we are in the Last Days.

Going back to Romans 13, we should consider the Last Days like a season, like a period of time. And we are in this season.

The question is, how should we live during the last days?

First of all, we should be awake and aware of our walk.

Many believers today are sleepwalking through life. Pastor David Guzik writes about this in his commentary. He points out that we can do a lot when we sleepwalk. We can:

• speak when we are asleep
• hear when we are asleep
• walk when we are asleep
• sing when we are asleep
• think when we are asleep

I will add that we can go to church while we sleep and even go through the motions of worship while we are asleep.

Here’s how I know that.

When you read the Scripture are you listening to what the Holy Spirit is saying through the Bible or do you go through the motions?

Sometimes I read a chapter only to finish and wonder what I just read. My mind was not engaged. I did not think about the words or ask God to show me what He wants for me to learn.

And even more importantly, I ignore what God is doing in my life with that passage. I am sleepwalking in respect to the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the Word.

When you sing in church, do you sing out of rote – mechanical, habitual repetition or do you think about the words you sing?

Do you use them to actually worship God or do you just repeat the words you see on the screen or in a hymnal with never a thought?

As we sleepwalk through life a few things can happen.

1. We will miss out on what God is doing.

Here is God working all around us, but our eyes are closed and we are unengaged. Maybe God is pulling at the heartstrings of your neighbor but you do not notice because you are asleep.

1. We will not be changed by what God is saying.

2 Tim 3:16-17 tells us that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God for a reason – to teach us, to reproof us, to correct us, to train us, so that we will be competent and equipped. But none of that matters if we as sleepwalking through this life.

1. We will be attacked by the enemy.

The devil is out there and he wants to ruin you and your testimony. You need to wake up before he destroys you and your family. 1 Peter 5:8

1. We will sin. Rom 13:12

Romans 13:12 Paul tells us to cast off the works of darkness. Because we have been sleepwalking we have fallen into sinful habits.

Wake up to the Word of God.

Wake up to the Holy Spirit.

Hear Christ knocking at the door of your heart. He wants to come you’re your life and walk with you in fellowship.

Every day is one day closer to Jesus’ return. Tomorrow is one day closer to the Rapture. Do we really want to be found napping when Jesus returns?

Work on Yourself

So let’s come back to our original three questions. Look back at that piece of paper I had you fill out.

1. Who and what would you change?
2. What would you change about yourself?
3. Which of the two changes is more likely to happen?

The rule of thumb is that we cannot change other people but MAYBE we can change ourselves.

Let’s talk about change.

It is important to remember that God never changes. This is called immutability. God is immutable. He doesn’t change.

Often we use the doctrine of the Immutability of God to teach against current trends. I have used it to teach that God’s views on marriage – one man to one woman – has not changed.

That idea is important but immutability is much larger than that. God’s mercy, kindness, love, justice, and wisdom also never change. They are always perfect. God’s love for you never changes, even when you sin.

Because God is immutable it is impossible for Him to change.

People change. We are mutable. Everything about us can change – our weight, hair color, and even our values and opinions. God has given us the ability to change.

I can choose to lose weight. I can dye my hair. I can political parties. God has given us power over these things and more. God has given us the power to change.

But there is one thing unbelieving humans cannot change. There is one thing that unbelieving humans have no control over and that is the power that sin has over them.

An unbeliever cannot help but sin.

Notice that I said “unbeliever.” A believer, someone who is truly born again, that person has power over sin and can change. If you are a believer, you can resist temptation and the power of sin.

Look again at Romans 13:12-14. Let’s pick up midway through 12.

Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk [c]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 fulfill its lusts.

Look at those actions again.

• Cast off
• Put on
• Walk properly
• Put on

If the Bible commands it, then we can do it. If the Bible tells us to cast off and put on, then we can do those things.

Whereas the unbeliever has no choice but to sin, we choose to sin when we sin. And we choose not to sin when we walk properly.

How does this work?

Put On Christ

When a believer puts on Christ, Christ becomes the believer’s armor. We do not just assume the character of Jesus. We do not just copy the ways of Jesus. We put on Jesus. Jesus becomes our armor. We call upon Jesus to protect us, to defend us, to empower us.

Turn to Ephesians 4:17-

17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as [f]the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

It is not enough to learn about Christ. We must learn Christ.

Daily as you walk with Christ and talk with Christ He changes you. Although behaviors are changed the more important thing is a heart change – inner change.

Sin affects or corrupts our behavior. When we sin we do things that are counter to God’s teaching.

But sin also corrupts our thinking. The unbeliever in verse 18 is corrupted and blinded by sin. An unbeliever’s thinking has been corrupted. That’s why when you talk to a loved one or neighbor about the things of God they just don’t get it. They even come up with silly, stupid, or corrupt ideas and opinions. Sin has blinded them and made them ignorant.

But God, in Christ, makes us a new creature. He teaches us. We learn from Him – IF we listen – If we allow Him to teach.

You are a New Person

Romans 13:14 says that because we put on Christ we make no provision for the flesh.

Look at Galatians 3:26

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

When you became a believer you became a new person. God changed you. You have a new nature.

That nature should not make provisions for sin. Whoever you were before Christ has been changed.

What’s happening here? God is not just forcing a behavior change. God is accomplishing an inner change, a heart change.

There is so much more we need to discuss. Like the armor of God. The elders will preach on this subject in the future. And much more on putting off and putting on.

But I will stop here and answer another question. What does this have to do with a post-Christian world?

In a post-Christian world, it is essential that we live as good citizens, obeying our leaders but defending the truth.

In a post-Christian world, we must love our neighbors as God has first loved us – regardless of their mindset and behavior.

And during these times, as we see the world slipping deeper and deeper into darkness, we need to wake up and put on Christ.

When we are awake and walking properly then no matter how crazy things may get we still wear Christ. We still represent Him and His Word. And we will respond correctly to the madness around us.

If you, a believer, have been walking in darkness, wake up and put off the deeds of sin. Remember, Jesus is one day closer to coming back. Don’t be caught napping.

And if you have never placed your faith in Jesus Christ, then you are completely living in darkness. You are consumed by sin. Everything you do takes you farther and farther away from God.

But God loves you. He sent His Son Jesus to die for your sin. Call upon God to save you. God wants to forgive you of your sin.

How can you be forgiven? The Bible says, “Believe on Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”

I am asking God to open your eyes and show you that you are a sinner.

I am asking God to awaken you to your greatest need – you need to believe that Jesus died for your sin.

Tell God you are a sinner.

Turn away from that sin.

And turn to Jesus and ask Him to save you.

This is Mark Jones and I will speak with you next week.