The pastor begins by urging the church to approach worship and the Christian life with intentionality rather than passivity. He emphasizes the need for believers to carry a grateful, humble heart—not merely appreciating God’s goodness at certain seasons, but continually recognizing how much God has already done. This posture of gratitude helps believers avoid becoming entitled and keeps them grounded in humility, which also makes them more generous and receptive to God’s work.

Transitioning into the sermon’s main theme, the pastor stresses that Christians must be consistent in their identity—not only “being the church” when gathered inside the building, but living as Christians everywhere they go. To illustrate this, he tells a story about an atheist man who grew up around many Christians and assumed Christianity was for weak-minded people. The man later began researching Christianity in order to disprove it, largely because his wife became a Christian and the shift brought tension into their relationship. He believed the best way to “fix” the marriage was to prove Christianity was false, especially by disproving the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

However, as the man studied the Gospels and the resurrection accounts, he found that what he thought were “inconsistencies” actually resembled normal eyewitness testimony, since people can witness the same event yet describe different details without it being fraudulent. As he continued investigating, he became increasingly frustrated because every attempt to disprove the resurrection ended in a dead end—especially when he considered the disciples and how they were willing to give their lives for the truth they proclaimed. Ultimately, the man trusted Christ and became a Christian. But afterward, he expressed anger—not at Christianity itself, but at the Christians around him—because it took him 48 years living in a strongly religious region, and not one believer had taken time to clearly explain the gospel to him. The pastor uses this story as a challenge: if Christians do not live openly for Christ and share the gospel, others may go through life surrounded by Christianity without ever hearing the truth in a personal and clear way.

From there, the sermon moves into Romans 13, showing the practical outworking of Christian faith. The pastor highlights that the chapter begins with teaching on submission to governing authority (Romans 13:1–7). He clarifies that questioning government decisions is not inherently wrong, but believers should not develop a spirit of rebellion against lawful authority. He emphasizes that government exists under God’s ordination, and that Christians honor God when they honor proper authority. While this does not mean passively accepting wrongdoing, it does mean recognizing that God has allowed the structure of authority and expects believers to demonstrate a spirit of submission rather than lawlessness.

After submission, the pastor draws attention to the heart behind Christian conduct: love (Romans 13:8–10). He explains that Paul’s command to “owe no man anything, but to love one another” teaches believers that while financial obligations come and go, the responsibility of love remains constant. Love is not optional—it is the ongoing “debt” Christians are meant to carry. The pastor connects love to protecting relationships, giving personal examples related to borrowing money. He explains that he avoids lending money in a way that could create resentment, awkwardness, or a power imbalance, preferring instead to give freely if he is able. He also avoids borrowing from others because he wants to safeguard relationships from tension. The point is not simply about money, but about a broader principle: love seeks to preserve peace and respect, and it refuses to treat relationships carelessly.

He continues by explaining that “neighbor” refers to those within one’s sphere of influence—essentially anyone a person interacts with regularly. Therefore, love must shape daily life, not just church life. The pastor uses practical examples—like returning a shopping cart at a store—as a small but revealing act of love and consideration. These ordinary choices show whether a person is thinking only of themselves or genuinely caring about others. He argues that a Christian testimony is strengthened when believers consistently live with consideration, humility, and respect in everyday environments.

The pastor then transitions to the central warning and urgency of the message: it is time to wake up (Romans 13:11–12). Paul says believers must awaken “out of sleep,” and the pastor explains this as spiritual drowsiness—a life where someone is present but not fully engaged, letting life drift by without purpose or alertness. Just like a person who dozes off during a gathering and misses everything happening around them, a spiritually sleepy Christian becomes uninvolved, unresponsive, and unproductive in what God is doing. The pastor says many believers live with little urgency about spiritual things—excited for entertainment, food, or trips, but unmotivated toward prayer, church involvement, and evangelism. He challenges the church to examine their reactions: if spiritual commitments feel boring or optional, something is wrong in the heart.

He reinforces the urgency by reminding listeners that life moves quickly, and believers have limited time to serve Christ and shine for Him. The pastor reflects on how fast years pass and warns against procrastination—especially among young people who assume they will “serve God later.” He says postponing obedience becomes a pattern that often leads to never truly committing. The message is clear: the time to live for God is now, because no one knows how much time they have left.

In Romans 13:12–13, Paul speaks about casting off “the works of darkness.” The pastor explains that while Paul lists specific sins that were common in Roman culture, modern believers face their own forms of darkness. He identifies major spiritual threats such as laziness, apathy, being career-minded instead of Christ-minded, excessive media consumption, and being “me-minded.” He argues that laziness and indifference can quietly destroy spiritual life because people tend to give their best energy to work and personal life, leaving only leftovers for God. He warns that this pattern weakens a believer’s walk with God and reduces their impact on others. He challenges the church with pointed reflection: early in the year, how has Bible reading been? How is prayer? Who has been shared the gospel with? The issue is not simply activity, but spiritual alertness and faithfulness.

The pastor also cautions against being self-focused—constantly asking what one will get out of serving, worship, or spiritual disciplines. He connects this mindset to spiritual unhealth, since Christ’s example is giving, not demanding. He argues that believers cannot walk in love and submission while living with a self-centered spirit, and that this “me-first” mindset damages relationships, families, and spiritual growth.

Finally, the sermon concludes with the positive command: believers must not only remove darkness, but also put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12, 14). The pastor explains that this means openly living in a way that reveals Christ rather than hiding Him. The works of darkness “shade” what God is doing, while the armor of light exposes and displays Christ clearly. Paul’s instruction to “put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ” is presented as a call to publicly identify with Christ and refuse to make provision for the flesh. The pastor ends by comparing this to the familiar children’s song: “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine,” emphasizing that believers should not hide their light under the “bushel” of darkness, but should live in a way that makes Christ visible. He closes in prayer, asking God to stir the church, bring conviction where needed, and cultivate genuine love and boldness so believers will wake up spiritually and let their light shine.