Advent 2 Midweek

120810 Sermon Advent Midweek 2- It’s Time to Wake Up!
Vicar Darren Harbaugh

You know that feeling you get when you wake up and realize you’ve overslept for work or an important meeting? Terror, dread, an adrenaline rush. It’s a terrible feeling when you realize that you’ve overslept, but it’s far worse to be snoozing spiritually, unprepared for Jesus’ second coming. In Romans, St. Paul sounds the alarm clock for us. What time is it? It’s time to wake up.
I The day is dawning
The Bible repeatedly tells us that the day is dawning; the day when Jesus will return in glory to judge both the living and the dead. We live in a critical time.
About 2000 years ago there was a critical time in the history of the world. Galatians 4, reads, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son born of a woman.” When the time was right according to God’s plan and the will of the heavenly Father, He sent his son Jesus into the world.
In our text from Romans 13, St Paul talks about another critical time. He says, “You know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.”
Today, is a critical time. Right now, salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed.” What time is it? It’s time to wake up! Advent is our alarm clock. We see the blue of Advent and we are reminded that Christmas is coming, as we prepare for Jesus’ first coming by way of a manger. But Advent also reminds us to prepare for Jesus’ second coming at the end of the world. Jesus is coming again! Are you ready? It is no time to snooze spiritually.
Matthew tells us, “Stay Awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming…The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Oversleeping can be embarassing, but Spiritual snoozing can have eternal consequences. If you are not prepared to meet God it can result in eternal separation from Him.
The end of the world and the day of judgment can seem pretty remote to us. Let me put it this way. What would you do if you knew you only had one week to live? Suddenly the things you thought were important seem pretty insignificant. Take a moment right now. Imagine that you have only a week to live. Make a mental list of things like people to forgive, or spend time with; sins to repent of; people you need to share the Gospel with; unresolved issues that need to be addressed once and for all.
Got your list? What are you waiting for? You don’t know when your time on this earth will end. Advent is a good alarm clock for each of us. It’s time to wake up! We live in a critical time. The Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect.
II We need to be dressed for the occasion
St Paul tells us not only that its time to wake up, but also that we need to be “dressed for the occasion,” the occasion of Jesus’ second coming. Paul says, “The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” After you wake up, you need to get dressed. Paul tells us to put on God’s armor light and to cast off the rags of sin, dirty clothes of disobedience and deeds of darkness.
In the Old Testament book of Zechariah chapter 3, we are given a picture of how our filthy clothes of sin are taken off of us and replaced with robes of righteousness. The prophet Zechariah has a vision of a man, who represents each of us, standing before God’s judgment seat. He’s dressed in filthy clothes, the clothes of sin and disobedience. In this heavenly courtroom scene, it’s clear that the man is guilty. Satan, the accuser and prosecuting attorney, calls for the man’s condemnation. All is hopeless. Then, the defense attorney defense speaks. He tells the accuser to shut up and announces that his man has been delivered from judgment. He has the filthy clothes removed and the man is dressed in white robes of righteousness. He is forgiven! He is not condemned! This is how we sinners are made right with our holy God. This is justification. It’s God’s gift. It’s like a new set of clothes that He gives for us. We cannot dress ourselves for the occasion. God, for Jesus’ sake dresses us. These white robes that we wear during service are a reminder of God’s gift of new clothes, his gift of forgiveness. That is also why we have a tradition of clothing babies in a white garment at baptism.
In, Galatians 3, Paul says ‘For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.” This is like the hymn we sang (will sing) “Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness My beauty are, my glorious dress.”
Jesus’ death on the cross for our sin and his rising from the grave, gives us victory over sin, death and the devil. He exchanges our sin for his righteousness. He strips off of us our filthy garments and dresses us for the occasion. We are now awake and ready to stand before the eternal judgment throne and declare: “Nothing in my hand I bring; Simply to the cross I cling, Naked, come to thee for dress; Helpless look to thee for grace. We are dressed in the righteousness of Jesus our Savior!
III So, dressed for the day, we walk while we wait.
Now, between Jesus’ first and second coming, we live as God’s forgiven, well-dressed, wide-awake children. Dressed in the gift of God’s righteousness, we live a different kind of life than unbelievers. We live not to earn God’s love or impress others, but to thank God and witness to His mercy and forgiveness.
To make you ready for the world’s end and the Day of Judgment, you have been awakened and given a new suit of clothes. You have been dressed in the righteousness and forgiveness of Christ Jesus. You are ready.
This day and everyday in Advent is a wonderful day to wake up and celebrate the love of God freely given to you in Jesus. Amen.

Advent 2 Midweek
Sermon Outline
Romans 13:11-14
“It’s Time to Wake Up!”
I. The day is dawning.
II. We need to be dressed for the occasion.
III. So, dressed for the day, we walk while we wait.