Advent Is Like A Alarm Clock - Salvation Is Near Series

Concordia Lutheran Church

1st Sunday of Advent, November 29,2009

Advent is like a….Alarm Clock?

Salvation is Near!

Romans 13:11-14

† In Immanu-El’s Name †

To all here today, the beloved of God, called to be saints. Grace to you and peace!!, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ!

The temptation to hit snore

Advent is like… and alarm clock

It was a few minutes after nine, that the alarm clock went off. I imagine its owner rolled over, and hit the snooze button – at least once. With a stomach still full of turkey, and stuffing, and incredible apple pie, the idea of getting up was not a pleasing thought. At nine fifteen, having squelched the alarm clock a couple of times, its owner got up and staggered into the shower, got dressed, and headed out into the darkness to get in the car, accompanied by his son…

Wait – nine o’clock and its dark out? Yes, for in this case, the man and his son where heading to Fry’s Electronics. Their mission was to camp in line for the Black Friday sales that would begin at dawn. Visions of electronic gadgets for sale for 99 cents, some 80 dollars lower than the price on Wednesday. A computer for 150 dollars, and a hi definition handheld device to play video and music caused some excitement. For the dad, the toys are cool, but the time to spend with his son, was probably the greater treasure.

And no, it wasn’t William and I. He is still a little young to do something that adventurous. Maybe next year…

It may be a silly metaphor, but Advent is like that annoying alarm clock.

Like an alarm clock blaring to awaken its owner to a great opportunity, Advent serves a special role in the church year. Its purpose is to wake us from the more glorious event, the most incredible gift, the return of Christ, for His people. Advent awakens us, that we can live in His peace even as eagerly anticipate His return, even as people once awaited His first advent.

Understanding that- hear again Paul’s words to the church in Rome…

Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you bto wake from sleep. cFor salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 dThe night is far gone; the day is at hand.

Your salvation, your being delivered into the presence of God, is near… so… wake up, get rid of the sin that clothes your life, and get dressed in Christ!

1. Get up!

a. Literally Arise!

Have you ever lain in bed, under a nice heavy comforter, and wondered why in the world would anyone ever get out of bed? You lie there, warm and comfy, half in your dreams, and seeming to be at peace? You want there, to ignore the world, and let it ignore you! There are no phone calls, no emails, no chores, no work. There is nothing else, just you, your pillow, and the warm blankets. Ahh… the illusion of peace…the illusion of “living”.

It is but an illusion, for sooner or later, you will realize that your digestive system has still been working all through the night! Yet you lie there, not even realizing how many times you are hitting the snooze bar! You might not even have the ability to consciously decide to hit the snooze bar! You just do it.

Sin can be like that – it almost anesthetizes us from the world, as it takes our focus off of life, off of relationships, and encourage us to simply dwell in focusing on our own pleasure, our own comfort, our own “identity”.

The sinner inside us convinces us that those thoughts aren’t that bad, or come on, could expressing myself that way be all so bad, or come on – everybody does this,…

And we hit the moral snooze bar, and sink back into our personal comfort zone of sin.

No wonder why the word in Greek for “awake” is also translated – “Stand Up”, “arise”, or simply “Get up”! Get those feet to hit the cold tile floor, turn the shower on. Paul is telling the church here in Rome, in the same way he told Ephesus and Thessalonika – get moving – stop dwelling in the sin that has you in its grasp!

2. Cast off your pajamas and Get Dressed!?

As Paul encourages the church to spiritually wake up – he tells them as well- get out of that flannel underwear! He does you know – hear how its translated,

12 dThe night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us ecast off fthe works of darkness and gput on the armor of light