“Keep Awake!” 2 Peter 3:1-10, 17-18 Matthew 24:42-44

 I’m not a great sleeper. I never have been. I have often suffered from insomnia, having trouble falling asleep or waking up in the middle of the night - several times - with a thought on my mind. It wasn’t until the last few years that I have come to discover that there was a reason in history for folks like me - the light sleepers. We were the folks in the watchtowers. Those who were vigilant at all times, alerting others when they needed to wake up.

Peter may not have been someone who suffered from insomnia, but he would certainly be someone that I would consider to be in the watchtower. Last week we talked about how folks found themselves following false prophets and the week before about how they had forgotten their passion - their heart. So someone in the watchtower, calling up for people to wake up and keep alert, is certainly warranted.

So my question for us today, as we finish up our study of 2 Peter is this, dear friends, are you awake?

But Michelle, of course I’m awake. I’m here, listening to you! I’m not talking about that type of awake, Church. Not awake in terms of the dichotomy between being asleep or awake. No, I’m asking are you awake in your spirit?

Last week, we touched on how folks had become so disappointed by Jesus not coming back as soon s they had expected, that they fell into listening to false prophets. Others, became so disillusioned that they gave up on the hope and promise of Christ coming back at all. 

Enter 2 Peter. 

Peter writes to remind people that God’s time is not our time. There is a praise chorus that states “Better is one day in Your courts. Better is one day in Your house. Better is one day in Your courts, Than thousands elsewhere.” Because to God one day is like a thousand of days in our time. And a thousand years like a day. 

When we think that God needs to be confined by our human understanding and perspective, we become disappointed or disillusioned. We start to live as if we should be catered to instead of us serving God. 

We loose our faithfulness. We fall asleep in our spirit. 

Two weeks ago we launched our verse for the year from 2 Peter 1. Some churches launch a verse of the year at perhaps a more traditional time, like the first of the year. One of the pastors I listen to regularly is Jacob Armstrong who is at Providence UMC. His church’s verse of the year came from Ephesians 5 - Wake up, o sleeper. Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Pastor Armstrong reminded his congregation that we also fall asleep when our priorities slip. Last week, with that image of the frog being boiled alive in a pot of slowly warmed water, we saw how one decision can lead to another to another.

Which lends us to ask, alight, what should our priorities be? What should we be focused on? What does it look like to be a person who is keeping alert? Does that mean we simply walk around with our eyes glued open all the time - never physically sleeping. No. 

I think it means three thing. First, we are on the watchtower calling for people to walk in the way of love. God loved us so much that he sent Christ to live our life and die our death and rise again for our sake. God loves us so much to say that Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again. 

And as a result of us believing in and trusting these promises, we walk in the way of Christ. We walk in the way of love. And we are on the lookout for this way of love so we can lift it up to others. 

I was recently at a meeting where I heard of walking in the way of love story. A healthcare service noticed that an elderly woman was having to call the ambulance quite a bit for routine medical appointments. In conversation with her, it came out that her ramp was broken so she needed help getting in and out of her house to get to appointments - hence the calls. So arrangements were made for some local boyscouts to come fix her ramp. Walking in the way of love.

Are you someone who is on the lookout for the light and love of Christ? Are you expecting Christ to show up in profound ways in the world? Or are you asleep? Asleep in spirit. 

Another way that we can fall asleep in our spirit is when we lack gratitude. When all of a sudden everything around us is so awful that we see no hope. Now, does this mean that we can’t have a bad day. Absolutely not! We are human and not every day is going to go smoothly. But are you still grateful? Are you grateful for the life you have been given? The day before you? The breath in your lungs?

When we get to the point, dear friends, where we have nothing to be grateful for - we may be asleep in our spirit. 

But Michelle, you don’t know my circumstances. You’re right. I may not. But I know that God loves you - which is at least one thing to be grateful for. 

What is the problem being picked up on in this reading from 2 Peter. That people do not believe in or trust in God’s promises. When we lean into gratitude, even and maybe most especially when it is hard, we commit to looking not with the eyes of the world, but with the eyes of the spirit. 

Often the we start with one thing that we are grateful for - one thing that we want to praise God for, and it cascades into giving glory to God for things beyond measure. Gratitude is a way that we can lift up our witness of Christ around us. 

A final way that we can be awake in our spirit is living differently. Now, I’m not talking about any time of living. I mean living different spiritually. I have a personal story of this happening to me recently. While I was at the same conference noted above, a person I never met before noticed that I was eating dinner in a restaurant by myself. She invited me to come and sit with her and her friend, living out her spiritual calling to hospitality. 

Do you live with intentionality to reflect the fruits of the spirit in a way that give testimony to God?

Friends, I end with the question I started with this day - are you spiritually awake? Are you living with eagerness for Christ’s return in a way that gives him glory in the waiting? Are you a watch keeper for the Lord? Amen.