Read: Romans 13:11-14, Galatians 5:16-26
Do you remember the excitement and anticipation that you felt about Christmas when you were a child? I can remember never sleeping well on Christmas Eve. Because of the excitement it would take a long time to fall asleep and even then it was often broken interrupted sleep. Even in the days leading up to Christmas the excitement would build and build. The knowledge that Christmas was coming would change the way that I went about my days. In an even bigger way the knowledge that Christ is coming should change the way that we live and act now. The excitement and anticipation of His return should change the way that we act now.
Paul makes this point here in the last part of Chapter 13. We are to be loving one another understanding and remembering the present time. Paul exhorts the believers to wake up from their slumber, to change the way that they live. Why? “Because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.” Paul is looking forward to the day that Christ will return and the work of salvation that He has begun in us will be fully realised. He is looking forward to the day when Jesus returns and sin, sickness, suffering and death are dealt with once and for all. He is looking forward to the day when we shall receive new, resurrection bodies and no longer battle against the flesh. Paul is looking forward to the day when God will fully complete the work that He has begun in us.
In light of this incredible day that is coming Paul exhorts us to live differently. We are to “put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light.” Verse 13 deals with the first half of this command. We are not to live as the world does, in the sinful deeds of darkness. Paul lists of a number of things that we are to avoid as followers of Christ. These kinds of deeds are those of sinful and rebellious people (Romans 1). God has redeemed us and is at work changing us. We still struggle against sin but we are being changed and we no longer live in the way that the world does. In Galatians Paul gives an even more comprehensive list of
But Paul’s exhortation isn’t just about what to avoid. He also tells us what to strive for. We are to put off the deeds of darkness but put on the armour of light. In vs 14 we are to “clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.” Growing in holiness is not just about what to avoid. It is also about what to put on. Paul exhorts us to put on the armour of light, to grow in holiness and righteousness. We are to clothe ourselves with Christ, to grow in relationship with Him and to become more and more like Him. In Galatians Paul describes how this looks in more detail. Those who live by the spirit display the fruit of the spirit in their lives. They are growing in love, overflowing with joy, finding peace in God, becoming more patient, showing kindness to others, living lives of goodness, growing in faithfulness, displaying gentleness and showing self-control. Living in light of Jesus return means that we are turning our backs on the sinful things of the world and growing in holiness and righteousness through the work of God in us.
Prayer:
Use the Bible passage from today and the reading notes to write down your prayer points before you pray.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¥ Pray that God would be at work in your life helping you to turn away from sinful and rebellious deeds and grow in holiness and righteousness. Pray that He would be bringing out the fruit of the spirit more and more in your life. Pray that as He does you would be an encouragement to others.
If we are serious about our faith and serious about living for God we can’t allow even a hint of sin. We need to be constantly on guard and constantly fighting against sin in our lives.
On guard!!
1. How does remembering the return of Christ change the way that you go about your day to day life?
2. How does the return of Christ change the way that you approach evangelism? What could you do about it today?
3. How can you regularly remind yourself and each other of the coming return of Christ?
Intro: Have you ever been so excited about something that it has changed how you acted?
Share: What is something that you have been super excited about? Why were you excited? How did it change what you did?
Read: Romans 13:11-12 Paul was very excited that Jesus is coming back one day. Why do you think Paul was excited about this? What does Paul say we should do? What does it mean to put aside the deeds of ’darkness’? What sort of things do you think Paul means? What does it mean to put on the armour of light?
Pray Together: Thank God that He is coming back! Pray that He would help us to love Him and not sin.
Read: Romans 13:11-12 Paul was very excited that Jesus is coming back one day. Why do you think Paul was excited about this? What does Paul say we should do? What does it mean to put aside the deeds of ’darkness’? What sort of things do you think Paul means? What does it mean to put on the armour of light?
Pray Together: Thank God that He is coming back! Pray that He would help us to love Him and not sin.
Intro: Have you ever been so excited about something that it has changed how you acted?
Share: What is something that you have been super excited about? Why were you excited? How did it change what you did?
Read: Romans 13:11-12 Paul was very excited that Jesus is coming back one day. Why do you think Paul was excited about this? What does Paul say we should do? What does it mean to put aside the deeds of ’darkness’? What sort of things do you think Paul means? What does it mean to put on the armour of light?
Pray Together: Thank God that He is coming back! Pray that He would help us to love Him and not sin.
Read: Romans 13:11-12 Paul was very excited that Jesus is coming back one day. Why do you think Paul was excited about this? What does Paul say we should do? What does it mean to put aside the deeds of ’darkness’? What sort of things do you think Paul means? What does it mean to put on the armour of light?
Pray Together: Thank God that He is coming back! Pray that He would help us to love Him and not sin.
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