Reboot, Part 4 Sunday,
May 25, 2014
“README”
In series:
Restart
Restore
Refresh
Now today;
README
Typically, readme files
contain late-breaking information that could not be included in the printed or original
documentation.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is
a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. II Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
Illustration:
St. Augustine
Turbulent youth enslaved by sexual passion and
drunkenness, all along rising in terms of his teaching profession – literature
and rhetoric. But always the object of
the prayers of his mother, Monica.
It was the year 386, and he was now 32 years old and
teaching in Milan, Italy. Occasionally
he would go to listen to the preaching of Ambrose. He found himself one day in the garden that
adjoined his apartment. Amidst a huge
internal struggle, he said he “was twisting and turning in my chains”. He said, “I threw myself down somehow under a
certain fig tree and let my tears flow freely.
Confessions:
Suddenly I heard a voice from the nearby house
chanting as if it might be a boy or a girl … saying and repeating over and over
again, ‘Pick up and read, pick up and read …’
I interpreted it solely as a divine command to me to open the book and
read the first chapter I might find … So I hurried back to the place where … I
had put down the book of the apostle when I got up. I seized it, and opened it and in silence
read the first passage on which my eye lit:
‘Not in riots and drunken parties, not in eroticism and indecencies, not
in strife and rivalry, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision
for the flesh in its lusts’ (Romans 13:13-14).
I neither wished nor need to read further. At once, with the last words of this
sentence, it was as if a light of relief
from all anxiety flooded into my heart.
All the shadows of doubt were dispelled.
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 armor 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 fulfill its lusts. Romans
13:11-14 (NKJV)
README
Typically, readme files
contain late-breaking information that could not be included in the printed or
original documentation.
“Eschatology, an understanding of the
times in which we live, should govern our conduct.” Moo: Romans 13:11-14, P. 439
“God
superintends the course of human history, and we can live rightly only by
knowing what phase of history we are now in.”
Moo, p. 441.
We
need…
To
stay CURRENT with God.
To
know the TIMES.
To
walk in God’s PROTECTION.
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 armor 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 fulfill its lusts. Romans
13:11-14 (NKJV)
11 And do this,
And considering this…
All the previous chapter and a half.
knowing the time,
1 Now concerning the times
and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you
yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in
the night. 3 While people are saying,
“There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as
labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that
day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For
you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or
of the darkness. 6 So then let us not
sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who
get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But
since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of
faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to
obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, I Thessalonians 5:1-9 (ESV)
14 for anything that becomes
visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but
as wise, 16 making the best use of the
time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore
do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is
debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, Ephesians 5:14-18 (ESV)
that
now it is high time to awake
out of sleep;
HOW
DO YOU STAY AWAKE IN JESUS!
Tremendous tendency to DRIFT.
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 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. Romans
13:11-14 (NKJV)
We
need…
To
stay CURRENT with God.
6 All Scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly
equipped for every good work.
4 I charge you therefore
before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at
His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach
the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke,
exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have
itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the
truth, and be turned aside to fables. 5 But
you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an
evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
II Timothy 3:16-4:5 (NKJV)
1. HEARING
FROM GOD
2. OBEYING
HIS VOICE
3. STAYING
IN FELLOWSHIP
4. ALLOWING
GOD TO CORRECT YOU
5. GIVE
AWAY YOUR FAITH
To
know the TIMES.
KNOW – eidotes which is tied to oida which
means seeing.
Three words in Greek dealing with TIME:
Chronos, Kairos, and Ora
Chromos: duration
Kairos:
spot action or opportunity
Ora: limited moment or window in time.
3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.
2 People will be lovers
of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their
parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without
self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited,
lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness
but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
6 They
are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible
women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires,
7 always learning but
never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. II Timothy 3:1-7 (NIV)
To
walk in God’s PROTECTION.
Armor of light.
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