PROXIMITY WARNING!
Rom. 13:11-14
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. It was in a country church, that one of the members dozed off to sleep.
2. The preacher said, “Will all those who want to go to heaven, please stand!” Everyone stood except for the slumbering member.
3. After they all sat down, the Pastor continued, “Will all those who want to go to the Other Place please stand.” On cue, another member dropped a songbook.
4. At the sound, the startled sleeper jumped to his feet, sheepishly looking at the pastor. At last he said;
5. “Well, Preacher, I don’t know what we’re voting for, but it looks like you and I are the only ones for it!”
B. PROXIMITY WARNING
1. Most advanced aircraft have a computerized warning system which warns the pilots when the aircraft is approaching terrain not designated as a landing area.
2. An example of this warning system is demonstrated in the Mission Impossible 2 movie, where the bad guys acquired the Chimera Virus from a scientist and then abandoned the plane to crash: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=discjQsDhUM
3. Not only do planes need to be warned of dangerous terrain, but so do Christians. In his letter to the Romans, Paul warns believers that the hour we live in is a dangerous time, and that we must take special action if we would not fall a victim to it. Read with me.
C. TEXT
11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Rom. 13:11-14.
D. THESIS
1. We’re going to look at our perilous times, Paul’s prophetic warning (a proximity warning), and his 2 prescriptions for fixing our condition.
2. The title of this message is, “Proximity Warning!”
I. DANGEROUS TERRAIN AHEAD
A. PERILOUS TIMES
1. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come” 2 Tim. 3:1. (Xalepos – reducing the strength).
2. The Greek word used here was used to describe the behavior of the Gadarene demoniac (Legion) -- so the word used of our time describes a time of demonically-possessed activity. [Mt. 8:28 – “fierce”]
3. Think how the demonic has gained in the last few years:
a. Human life has become cheap. Hundreds of millions of babies murdered through abortion. We watched with sick hearts as Melissa Farrell of Planned Parenthood was caught on video describing how they could produce baby body parts for a stem cell company.
b. The removal of anything of God or Christian principles, out of government, education, and main stream media.
c. The explosion of Islam (and jihad, murder) even in the West, is an event that was unforeseen even a few years ago. Combine that with the muzzling of the media to not criticize Islam. It's astonishing!
d. The rise and domination of American society by the homosexual movement.
e. The explosion of the pornography industry which is now bigger than the NFL, NBA, and Professional Baseball.
f. Then there's Rap and Shock-Rock music that has taken obscenity, violence, and perversion to new levels.
g. Then there's the growth of the Cults and Satanism.
B. THE TRUTH ABOUT U.S. CHRISTIANS:
1. 33% of self-identified Christians, polled, do not live out their faith on a daily basis. This is up from 25%, showing that the number of "Worldly Christians" is increasing (Baylor University Religion Survey, 2011).
2. Geo. Barna says, “Only 7% of the adults in the USA have a faith that effects their behavioral choices” – they discuss faith w/ others, encourage people, volunteer for church, turn off the TV if a show gets vulgar.
3. Only 7%! Something’s got to change!
C. ILLUSTRATION
1. A young couple was on their honeymoon. They were driving through a small town at night when a deer ran in front of their car. The man swerved and hit a telephone pole.
2. He was alright, but his young wife was bleeding profusely. The man knew if he didn’t get her to a doctor right away, she would bleed to death.
3. He looked down the street and saw a sign that said, “Dr. Rufus Jones, Internal Medicine.” He picked up his wife and ran down the street.
4. He pounded on the door. “Dr. Jones! Dr. Jones!” An old man came to the door and said, “Yes?” “My wife is bleeding. She’s dying. Please save her!”
5. Much to the young man’s surprise the old man said, “I’m sorry son, I can’t help you. I stopped practicing medicine many years ago. I don’t have any equipment or medical supplies here any more.”
6. Overcome with emotion, the young man said, “Dr. Jones, if you can no longer help hurting people, then please take down the sign!”
7 If we’re not going to live the life of Jesus, we need to take down the sign of “Christian.” If we’re not going to be a hospital to heal the broken maimed, then let’s take down the sign!
II. PAUL’S STATEMENT IS PROPHETIC
We’re in the last moments of time. Time is running out. Fewer & fewer opportunities remain for doing anything for God.
A. HOW DO WE KNOW THE RAPTURE IS NEAR?
1. WARS. (6) Never before the last hundred years have MILLIONS gone to the grave through wars. Weapons of mass
destruction now exist that could exterminate all life on Earth.
2. FALSE CHRISTS/ PROPHETS. (5,11) Over 1,100 claims “I am Christ” in the last 50 years. Over 25 million Americans are part of cults.
3. EARTHQUAKES/ DISASTERS. (7) Scientists have noted a sharp increase in earthquakes in the last 10 years.
4. INCREASE IN WICKEDNESS. (12)We all are aware of the tide of wickedness sweeping western civilization and the entire world. Riots, murder, 75 million abortions, sexual vice, drugs, gambling…
5. WORLDWIDE EVANGELISM. (14) 70% of all the Evangelism since Christ has occurred in the last 100 years!
6. KNOWLEDGE SHALL INCREASE (Dan. 12:4) Half of Man’s knowledge was gained in the last 15 years and is doubling every 5 years. Computers & television will enable the world to see the 2 witnesses dead in Jerusalem & throw a party. (Rev. 11:9-10).
7. ISRAEL IN HER HOMELAND AGAIN. Isaiah 11:11 return the second time -- 1948. Luke 21:24, Jerusalem recovered, 1967. Temple rebuilt, Antichrist will defile it (2 Thess. 2:4).
8. RISE OF E.U. Daniel’s 10-toed Empire (chap. 2).
9. RISE OF ASIAN SUPERARMY, 200 million, in Rev. 9:16. Flurry of road building through the Himalaya Mountains. Rev. 16:12, “that the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared.”
B. EFFECT OF THESE SIGNS
The near proximity of Christ’s coming should have 2 sobering effects on us: we should
1. BE JOLTED AWAKE.
a. This is a time of trials and tests, hardships and sorrows, losses and reverses. We may be surrounded with enemies. We must become strong in the Lord to withstand the fiery trials of this life.
b. It’s like a soldier sleeping when the enemy is attacking. If there was ever a time to be awake, this is it!
2. MAKE LAST MINUTE IMPROVEMENTS.
a. It is “the accepted time,” the time of grace; the only time left to repent before the judgment seat of Christ. Once the Day of the Lord comes, it will be too late to repent.
b. When the Lord comes, everyone will be frozen in their destinations; those saved will be saved, those still lost will remain lost forever. Now is the moment we can change sides. If we wait too long, it will be too late!
III. PAUL’S 2 REMEDIES FOR OUR CONDITION
A. PUT ASIDE THE LIFESTYLE OF DARKNESS
1. “The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” Rom. 13:12.
2. When I mention “deeds of darkness,” most Christians immediately think, “Well, this segment of sermon doesn’t apply to me because I’m not living for the devil.”
3. But THE OPPOSITE OF LIVING FOR GOD ISN’T ‘LIVING FOR THE DEVIL,’ BUT LIVING FOR YOURSELF!
4. You see, living for the devil doesn’t mean you’re participating in séances or occult activities, it means you’re just living to please yourself. So there are 3 examples of people not ready for Christ’s coming:
FIRST: THE COMFORTABLE
1. Amos 6:1 “Woe to you who are at ease in Zion…”
2. We Americans have such incredible luxuries and wealth that we’ve become too comfortable in our materialism. All of our toys make us happy.
3. We’re not excited about heaven because too many of us are so at ease in this life that heaven sounds like a boring place.
4. Peter said, “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul” 1 Pet. 2:11.
5. One time H.A Ironside was preaching in Stockton, California and prayed the Lord would come that night.
6. After the service, a woman accosted him in the
Lobby, "How dare you pray like that – ‘Come, Lord Jesus?’ I don't want Him to come. It would mess up all my plans. How dare you!"
7. I said, "My dear young woman, Jesus is coming whether you want it or not!"
SECOND: THE UNPREPARED
1. Jesus told many stories/parables about people not being ready to stand before God at death or the rapture:
a. the five foolish virgins who ran out of oil (Mt. 15:1)
b. the rich man and Lazarus (rich man was completely selfish, Lk. 16:19-31).
c. the disobedient steward who forgot his orders (Mt. 24:45, 48-51),
d. the branch that didn’t abide in the Vine, Jn. 15:6.
e. those who said ‘Lord, Lord,’ but had deceived themselves into thinking they were doing their Master’s will, but weren’t (Mt. 7:21).
2. These are people who had dropped out of fellowship with Christ; they no longer walked with Him, so that when He came to get His disciples, they weren’t among them.
3. Jesus said, ‘One will be taken and the other left.’ The ones left weren't ready. Jesus said, “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Mt. 24:44.
THIRD: THOSE IN SIN
1. George Gallup is a pollster who has studied people who claim to be Christians(he’s a Christian). He said, “We find there is very little difference in ethical behavior between churchgoers and those who are not active religiously...The levels of lying, cheating, and stealing are remarkably similar in both groups. Only two in ten said they would be willing to suffer for their faith. [Erwin Lutzer, Pastor to Pastor, p. 76.]
2. Like Samson, many Christians think they can dabble in sin. "After all, we’re adults; we can make up our own minds and run our own lives.”
3. Scripture says, "The cords of his sin will hold him fast." Sin is a weight (Heb. 12:1). When the rapture takes place, people in sin will be weighed down and not be able to rise with the rest of believers!
B. PUT ON JESUS CHRIST
1. Here is Jesus set before you! He is perfect in righteousness, matchless in holiness, unrivalled in beauty and you may put Him on and stand clothed in that righteousness and beauty!
2. He is like a robe that delights to be worn. He covers over all your sins and clothes you with His robe of righteousness.
3. “God made Him, who knew no sin, to become sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Cor. 5:21.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION:
1. In 1979, speaker Dennis Waitley found himself racing to catch a flight. He was on his way from Chicago to Los Angeles & had to board DC10 flight 191 to deliver a speech. 2. But this time he didn't get there on time. Furious to see the gate agent lock the door just as he arrived, he pleaded with her to open the gate and let him board. She refused and fuming, Waitley left the boarding area to complain.
3. Twenty minutes later, the news came through that the plane he had missed had just crashed on take-off, killing all on board.
4. Instantly, his anger and disappointment turned to shock, and later to gratitude. Instead of returning the unused ticket for a refund, he decided to keep it as a silent reminder.
5. Whenever he begins to think that God isn’t looking after him, he takes out the ticket and remembers how God saved his life!
6. No matter how tough it gets for you now, some day, when you stand in heaven, you’ll look back and thank God for saving you from eternal destruction!
B. THE CALL
1. Folks, Jesus is coming back soon!
2. In Lk. 19:13 Jesus commanded us to “Occupy till I Come” (KJV). The Greek word is pragmateu-omai, from which we get the word, “pragmatic.” It means to “Be Busy!” “Be trading.”
3. We’re supposed to be obeying His orders and building the kingdom and keeping Him first in our lives. But Jesus warned that many would be derelict of their duties and be unprepared at His Coming.
4. “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” Lk. 6:46. Jesus is called “Lord” 740 times in the N.T.! That’s His main title. Talk is cheap.
5. Jesus must sit on the throne of our hearts and govern our lives, words, decisions, actions, entertainments, etc.
