1) Love lived out is personal sacrifice and the preference of others over ourselves Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. 11 And not only [so], but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

2) Love is the bi-product of yielding to the natural work of the Holy Spirit’s Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

The Gospel in Practice: His Coming, Our Conduct Romans 13:8-10

I. Fast Asleep Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now [it is] high time to awake out of sleep: for now [is] our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand:

1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

Romans 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

KEY POINT #1 Shaking off the comforts of night means we put on the urgency, faith and labor of the day

II. Renewing Our Urgency Romans13:11...awake out of sleep: for now [is] our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand:

1Th 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

2 Thess. 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

KEY POINT #2 We compromise our stewardship when we forget we will an give account for our lives

KEY POINT #2 We compromise our stewardship when we forget we will an give account for our lives KEY POINT #3 When we forget Christ’s return, we forget the value of a human soul

A Wardrobe Change 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

III. A Wardrobe Change Romans 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Col 3:8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new [man], which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

III. A Wardrobe Change Romans 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

IV. Conduct Romans 13:12...let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof]. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof].

KEY POINT #4 To walk in the day is to conduct yourself as though you are in the very presence of Christ.