Word of Salvation – Vol.11 No.45 – November 1966

 

Sleepwalkers

 

Sermon by Rev. P. H. Pellicaan on Eph.5:14

Scripture Reading: Luke 18:35-43

Psalter Hymnal: 64; 15:1; 447:1 (after Law); 371:1,2; 54:1; 434:3

 

Beloved Congregation,

Some people seem to have great difficulty to wake up in the morning.  They hate the sound of the alarm clock.  Whenever it starts ringing they grope around till they find it, and silence it.  Then, undisturbed, they sleep on.  And if, after having been called, you make up your mind to sleep longer you are almost sure to fall more fast asleep than before, I’m told.

That is our subject in our text.  Paul is quoting here from an unknown source, maybe an old Easter hymn.  The ‘He’ that is speaking, is of course the Lord.

The word is addressed to people who are said to be asleep, and dead.  Consequently there must be latitude in the application of the figures used and we are confined in our interpretation to points that are the same to sleep and to death.  And they are not difficult to find.  Sleep is the image of death.  A sleeper and a corpse are both unconscious to the external world – are unable to receive impressions from it, or act on them.  A sleeper is dead to the world.

This word is spoken to people who were not aware of the new day which began with Christ’s resurrection from the dead.  And you could call them therefore: unbelievers.

However, before you feel relieved that this sermon seems to be directed to people outside the church, before you settle down to dwell in that pleasant state between waking and dreaming – what a pity that the pews are not more comfortable! – remember that this word was spoken to the Ephesians, church members.

Paul is dealing in this epistle with the new way of life.  He has been telling us about light and its blessed effects.  The light of resurrection!

Then, suddenly, he lets the alarm bell ring in the church service.  It is quite possible, you know, that people who are keenly listening, are at the same time fast asleep!

And even if they do not really sleep, there may be that drowsiness that precedes sleep.  It was of a Christian church, with lots of activity that our Lord said: “Thou hast the name that thou livest, yet thou art dead.”  Let us therefore earnestly consider how much sleep, laziness, tiredness there is among us.

People who sleep or who are dead, are unaware of their surroundings.  They do not see the beauty of the world, nor the dangers that may threaten them.  But then of course, they may be dreaming.  And then they can be very busy in their mind with phantoms that vanish and are forgotten.  So they may seemingly be very busy, and fully occupied, yet they only dream.  They lay down, are passive and there is nothing they accomplish.  They only accomplish things in their own mind, in their dreams.  And so many people dream that in this world there is happiness to be found, there are riches to be had.

In order to get all that, they work, they scheme, they slave.  But when the time comes that they wake up, they will be horrified: all that happiness, all these riches were only phantoms, only dreams.  They reckoned they had everything and now it appears they have nothing.  It was all a dream, a deceptive dream.  Then they will realize that they have never been aware of true reality, that Jesus lives and reigns, the Lord of lords.  They have never experienced the power of His resurrection, because they slept.

We are often impressed by capable men, scientists, businessmen, statesmen, sportsmen, artists.  But it is possible that these great people never accomplished anything.  They may have been at work in dreams that will vanish as soon as their eyes are opened.  There is only one reality: GOD!  His coming to judge!

And those who are not aware of that reality do not really live.  They are only shadows hunting for shadows.  They may be very gifted, but they abuse these gifts by using their talents for themselves and not to serve God.  Only that which was done out love for Jesus has real value and will remain forever.

Travelers in lands where civilisation used to be and where barbarism is now sometimes find sculptured stones of great beauty that used to be part of some temple.  But now they are turned into fences for cattle sheds or for walls around pig sties.  That is exactly what unbelievers do with the talents God gave them.

How many people there are who are fast asleep!  Oh, there is plenty activity around.

You would not think they were asleep.  But then, sleepers sometimes stir uneasily in their sleep, and there are also sleep-walkers.  Their eyes may be open, but they do not see.  Their eyes look at the heavens, they explore space and yet they do not see that the heavens declare God’s praise and the universe His handiwork.  But what would you expect of sleepers?  They live in a world of make-belief.  They think it is theirs, to have fun in and to do themselves good.  What a terrible shock it will be when they will wake up and will appear before God’s throne…!

And don’t you think that this is only happening to unbelievers!  There is the awful possibility that you too are day-dreaming.  You may notice things, but it does not register.  Your mind may be far away.  The Bible tells us about people who serve God, but not with a perfect heart.  They listen, but do not give it their undivided attention.  The danger is always there that our mind begins to wander, and that we presently fall asleep.  That we listen to this world’s lullaby.  When we do that, the spiritual things of God’s Kingdom seem to become unreal.  Next step is that we say, “let us be practical and sensible: religion is alright, but we should not exaggerate.  You can overdo it, you know.  Let us be practical” but in reality we say: let’s go to sleep!  Then we can forget about the great reality of a mighty God who has a claim on our lives.

To all these people, unbelievers or daydreaming church members, this warning is given.

It comes like the morning bugle to the army: Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead.  It is a signal, a distress signal in a sleeping world.  Also in a sleeping church!  The sun is shining and yet many live in darkness.  They not only have the curtains shut, but they have their eyes shut.  And they grope around in darkness at noonday.  And if they do not wake up, then the soft hand of sleep will stiffen in the cruel grip of death.  These people may have heard the alarm but they do not want to listen.  Their dreams are so lovely!  And they prefer darkness to light.  They labour for what cannot satisfy.  As Ecclesiastes said: It is all vanity and vexation of spirit.

The literal meaning of these words is: it is vanity and chasing wind – you will never get it.

We have to deal, in this text, with a very real danger in the church.  Because, you see, we have heard the call so often.  We’re quite used to it.  It does not alarm us anymore.  And as there are many people who sleep through the ringing of the alarm clock, so there are also many who sleep through sermons.  They may appear to be good listeners but their whole attitude, their behaviour tells on them.  Immediately after the church service, which may have interrupted their sleep, they dream on, straightaway and they can only talk about their lovely dreams: their job, their home, their bank account.  Those are all things that cannot satisfy and may have nothing to do with the Kingdom and with their service of the living God.

Awake ye that sleep!

I’m not going to waste your time in discussing the question whether we have in ourselves the power to listen and to obey God’s command.  God would not mock a man by telling him to do what he can’t.  The power to react comes to us wrapped in the command.

The only sensible thing to do is, to spring up at once.  For this sleep is not a healthy one.  It is rather like the drowsiness that overwhelms people who are lost in snow and ice and feel an irresistible desire to lie down and sleep.  If they do, they are lost.  For heaven’s sake: Wake Up!

If you do, the most wonderful surprise is waiting for you: Christ shall give thee light!  Sunshine is flooding the world.  It’s noonday.  And the sun is shining on the closed eyelids of all sleepers.  Shake off that slumber.  Wake up to the unseen glories that surround us.  Your light has come.  And light means: everything.  It is guidance on your path of life.  It is purity that scatters the darkness of evil.  It is the joy that comes in the morning, radiant and fresh.  Awake, and Christ SHALL give you light.  It’s a firm promise – there is no doubt about it: He shall do it!

Nowadays in many cases the miracle of Goshen is reversed: The whole world is flashing in sunshine but in many homes is midnight darkness as all shutters are shut.

Awake ye that sleep!

It is Christ’s own trumpet call.  It is not the hateful sound of an alarm clock but it is the voice of one who loves you and who hates to see you in darkness and who wants you to be a child of light.

Rejoice for your light has come.

Wake up, rouse yourself from the slumbering death.

Don’t ignore the voice that is calling you.

Arise, shine, thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

Get up then.  And live!

Amen.