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Title: WAKE UP, SHEEPLE!
Intro:
When I say that, what comes to mind?
Why do we become dismissive of such language? (Because it’s loud, obnoxious, and does not stand up to scrutiny)
Today, I want to share a “wake up” message that absolutely, 100% DOES stand up the the necessary scrutiny. In other words, I’m not here this morning to waste your time, let’s see if that statement is true, shall we?
Read/Pray
- How do we correctly understand the wording of verse 13?
(Story of Vaeh being about 3, crying in the night, Ben going to check on her, but Choosing NOT to turn on the light, falling on the roller skate)
Once the light exposes the roller skate, the roller skate IS light, in that it sends a clear message, if it’s not illuminated, we have no ability to navigate it or understand what it is, until it’s too late.)
POINT: TURN ON THE LIGHT
2. What is Paul Quoting in verse 14?
I’ll give the keys to my Tesla to anyone who can answer this. (hahaha)
- Possibly a combination quote of Isaiah 9:1, 26:19 and 60:1
- Possibly an early church hymn (this is what Guzik thinks)
- Very possibly a combination of the first two options
- Remember, at least 7 times, Paul quotes secular wisdom in the NT (Acts 17:28 “In Him we live and move…” Once Paul uses it in an epistle, the truth is sealed as scripture.
3. Ok, great, but what’s the point?
Spurgeon: “This sleepiness in the Christian is exceedingly dangerous, too, because he can do a great deal while he is asleep that will make him look as if he were quite awake.”
And Spurgeon is right…consider what Dave Guzik says about this Spurgeon Quote:
· We can speak when we are asleep (Mary has many classics here)
· We can hear when we are asleep (Ben falling to floor in bathroom woke Mary)
· We can walk when we are asleep (Tom Ostrowski)
· We can sing when we are asleep (Anyone?)
· We can think when we are asleep (Oh man, WIDE awake after coming up with a solution to an idea)
Spurgeon Continues:
“The man who is asleep does not care what becomes of his neighbors; how can he while he is asleep? And oh! Some of you Christians do not care whether souls are saved or damned… It is enough for them if they are comfortable. If they can attend a respectable place of worship and go with others to heaven, they are indifferent about everything else.”
PB’s point: Once WE wake up and arise from the dead, Christ’s light (wisdom, discernment, blessing) shines on us. It does not happen before we wake up.
Talk about the ultimate gift!
Tesla’s autopilot feature, people sleeping on the highway.
Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Rev.3:2
Dan, in reference to many of the conversations we’ve had in the last six months, and to the rest of you, I fear too many of us are comfortably asleep at the wheel, making good progress to everyone who observes from the outside. Doing 75mph down I-71, completely asleep at the wheel, and danger to ourselves, those who may be riding with us, and everyone on the road with us.
pray/QA