Awake!

These verses serve to bookend chapters 12 and 13, corresponding to the first two verses of chapter 12. This passage was central in the one of the greatest conversions in all of church history, that of Augustine of Hippo, in 386 A. D. What is his story? What do night and day represent in this passage? What do sleep and being awake represent? Of what does Paul assume the Christians in Rome are knowledgeable? How do we often misunderstand the significance of the apparent delay in Christ's return? How should we view this long passage of time? What two ways does Jesus teach us to think about the kingdom of God? How can it be night and day at the same time? What is improper for believers to do? What are the deeds of the night? How do we preclude making any provision for the lusts of the flesh? (55 min)