Paul argues in this section of Scripture that “loving your neighbor” is the ultimate rule of law. All other commandments are summed up in this one. We could spend time talking about loving your neighbor and how love is an action not a noun. But many of us have heard a sermon like that before.
So I’d like us to focus on verses 11-14 in this text. Paul tell us that we need to wake from sleep and “put on the armour of light; let us live honourably as in the day” (vs 12b-13a). In Paul’s theology, we must do this partly because Jesus will return to earth anytime now. So we have little time to act as we should for we will be judged soon.
In this text, Paul uses the word “time” or the Greek equivalent “karios.” Karios time is time that is ripe for things to happen. I was watching CNN’s presentation of “Obama Revealed” a couple of days ago. And an individual remembered commenting to Obama that there are times when you pick to run for president and then there are times that pick you. He went on to comment to Obama that the current time had picked him. For the speaker, the current time would be karios time for Obama. (In all fairness, I hope to watch “McCain Revealed” this week.)
How does this relate to the church? I am not sure. I am left with a couple of questions: Is our current time (2008-09) “ripe for things to happen”? And if so, what is the role of the church? Do we evangelize? Be prophetic? Change ourselves? Reach out to the forgotten? Refocus on our “core” beliefs? Revert back to the past? And if we are not in karios time, where are we? do we continue with the status quo?
Your thoughts are welcomed. And please feel free to attend our Sermon Planning Discussion on Tuesday nights at 6:30pm at the church.
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