Message Title: "It is time to _____ UP!"
Message Text: Romans 13:11,12 & various scriptures
Opening remarks: The Base Commander of Goodfellow AFB in an article in the base newspaper wrote that he saw too many people looking down. This was the reason that many times the cars with the official flags on the front indicating an Officer was aboard was not seen and therefore ignored when they should have been saluted. This Commander "suggested" that we should be more aware of what was going on around us. He more or less commanded us to "Get your eyes off the ground, soldier!" The key word here is “UP”
This is also a problem with Christians today! We are too prone to keep our eyes on the ground, or in other words, our problems, needs, and troubles, when all the while we need to "Get your eyes off the ground, soldier, and look up!" Once again the key word here is “UP”
This morning as I sat in the kitchen going over my notes, I was distracted by a very distinctive sound that very few of us like to hear, it was the alarm on my watch going off to signal that the appointed time had come to "Wake up and get going." Notice again that word, “UP”
The thought crossed my mind: "It is surely time to Wake Up!"
So, may I tell you "It is time to: (read quickly)
Wake UP - Get UP - Go UP - ’Fess UP - Lift UP - Lay UP - Look UP - Stand UP - Wrap UP - Snuggle UP - Speak Up And Float UP!
I. Wake Up
1. Romans 13:11,12
2. Ephesians 5:14
II. Get Up
1. Joshua 7:10
2 Luke 2:49
III. Go Up
1. Matthew 26:36
2. Acts 1:3,14
IV. ’Fess Up
1 John 1:8,9
V. Lift Up
1. Voices of Praise Psalms 150
2. Standard of Holiness Heb 12:14
VI. Lay Up
1. Matthew 6:20
VII. Look Up
1. Luke 21:28
2. Hebrews 12:2
VIII. Stand Up
1. Ephesians 6:11-14A
IX. Wrap Up
1. Give all that you have to give, now.
X. Snuggle Up
1. Eph 5:25
2. Col 3:19
Be sweet, be loving, be affectionate, be warm. Paul said we should love our wives as ourselves. A survey of women indicated the number one characteristic they would like to see more in their men was gentleness
XI. Speak Up
1. 1 Peter 3:15
ILLUSTRATION: I was working in a hospital in the Facility Safety Department as the night supervisor. I received a call from the E.R. nurse that they needed someone to watch a patient in one of the rooms. The man wanted to leave because, as he said, "I just have a scratch." The man couldn’t see what we could see. He had a very serious cut on his head. When no one was in the room but the man and myself he started to weep and ask God to forgive him and he began to confess his unworthiness. I knew it was time for me to allow the Holy Spirit to minister to this man, so I went over to him and quitely, gently and compassionately told the man God knew who and where he was and what he was going though. The man stopped wimpering and started thanking God. Several days later the man was back in the E.R. and when I helped him into a wheelchair, he started cursing because of the pain. I thought, "This man didn’t change." I realized then that God blessed even though he knows the man would revert to his prior ways. Jesus healed all that came to Him in faith, knowing some of them would probably revert to their sinful ways. In the E.R. my obligation had been clear, "Be ready to give a reason for the hope that burns within us."
XII. Float Up
1. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
2. 1 Corinthians 15:51
Illus: If someone could raise the Titanic it would be one of the greatest feats man could do beside walk in space.
When millions are "raised" from this dark world to be with Christ that will be the greatest feat!
Let Him find us: working, watching and waiting!!
Summary:
IT IS NOW TIME TO
WAKE UP ‑ GET UP ‑ FESS UP - SNUGGLE UP - LIFT UP ‑ RAISE UP ‑ LAY UP ‑ STIR UP STAND UP ‑ DRESS UP ‑ WRAP UP ‑ LOOK UP
AND VERY SOON IT WILL BE TIME TO “GO UP”
BUT IT IS NEVER THE TIME TO “GIVE UP”
Closing prayer:
Father, let us be one in you tonight. Let us no longer look upon the ground which symbolizes our problems and needs, but help us to look Up, and focus on you: Our problem solver and our need meeter. Help us relinquish our will and allow you full ownership to do with us as you please. Use us for you glory, Father. Help us do our part in your kingdom work.
Invitation
Closing Song
“Soon and very soon, we are going to see the king”
