Awake or Asleep — Thaddeus Barnum

The Watchman's Call to Spiritual Wakefulness

Here's my question today. As Christians, as the church of our Lord Jesus Christ in our present time, are we awake or are we asleep? You see, back in the Old Testament, the picture of the watchman on the wall, the watchman could look out and see danger, see the enemy coming.

Preparing the Church for Danger

The moment that happened, the watchman would turn to the city and cry out, call out, wake up, be ready, prepare, prepare yourselves. So that's what we've been doing the past times. I've been asking you stand on the wall with me, discern our times, stand on the wall with me, look at the church in its present state and condition.

Watching for the Master’s Return

How are we? Are we ready? Are we prepared? What's fascinating to me is what Jesus our Lord does with that same image. Luke 12, 35 to 40 is just one example where he puts us in that place of looking out and not looking for the enemy, but looking for the master to return to the house.

The Lord’s Return Like a Thief in the Night

The Lord's coming to us as a thief in the night. Blessed is the one who is awake. The imagery of the thief is it takes the breath away. We need to be watching for that moment. We do not know the hour to expect our Lord to return.

The Day of the Lord and Christian Expectation

And so there's that anticipation, that expectation. So it is that Paul writes about this in first Thessalonians five, two, because it was in the heart of every Christian. You yourselves are fully aware the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night while people are saying there is peace and security.

Spiritual Sleep and Powerlessness in the Church

Then suddenly destruction comes upon them. You see, this is what's happened in the long history of the church. We've had these awakenings that have been lulled back into sleep where Christians find themselves.

The church finds themselves powerless. No longer can we hear the sound of the watchman. No longer is the word of God preached in strength. No longer do we hear the name, the person, the power of the Holy Spirit.

Ritualism, Moralism, and Lifeless Religion

We are lulled to sleep. Everything is well with us. Everything is fine. The church has got its programs. It's doing its, it's doing its thing, not realizing. We've turned to ritualism. We've turned to moralism.

We're powerless. We're lifeless. It's even harder when the church looks alive. It appears alive. We find that in Revelation chapter three, the church in Sardis, where the Lord says to them, you've got a reputation of being alive.

Sardis: A Reputation of Life but Death Within

And many of our churches do. They've got programs. They're bustling. They they look so healthy. They look so well. But our Lord says to that church, no, no, you're dead. Wake up. I'm coming like a thief.

Examining Whether the Church Is Awake

You see, he's, he's calling all of us to account. Are we awake? Are we awake to him? Are we watchmen watching for his return? Watching for the master to return to the house, friend, the state of the church.

Are we awake? Are we asleep?