It's About Time
So, Christmas is over and we have another brand new year. How was your year? We've had a couple of pretty rough ones. Personally, I'd have to say I was blessed this past year, but just because I was blessed doesn't mean that everything was easy. The same can be said about a lot of you and your situations. The good and bad times - those things are mostly beyond our control. But what we can learn to control is our response to those situations.
Are you closer to God now than you were one year ago? If not - are you 'okay' with that? If not - what are you going to do about it? No matter what 2023 brings - each of us still has a calling. - Which brings me to our first scripture verse this morning where the Apostle Paul was writing specifically to those in the Church. So let's start in Ephesians 5:15-17 (NIV)...
Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, (16) making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. (17) Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
Despite circumstances, God created opportunities for service and blessing in 2022. This year will probably be filled with just as many difficulties. But also know that we still serve the same God who brought us through the last year. He has a plan for this year and it's up to us to be discerning in our choices to align with His plan.
In Ephesians, Paul's challenge is for us to be careful how we live. That challenge brings even more urgency as we realize...
I. Our time here is short
Most of us probably have times where we sit and wonder - where did all the time go? It seems like just yesterday you were starting out your life and now maybe the kids have grown, you don't have the energy you once had, and now you're getting the senior's discount at McDonalds. (For which I will now qualify starting this Tuesday... How did that happen?)
For a follower of Jesus in particular - it is vitally important that we realize just how short this time that we've been given is. If we don't take that seriously, we end up with a lot of regrets and missed opportunities. Paul's challenge to us is to...
A. Be careful
I remember leaving the house as a teen and my Mom saying, "Be careful!" And I'd say, "I always am!" And then I'd go off and ignore her and do something stupid. Let's not take Paul's warning lightly... Be careful how you use your time. Be intentional with how you spend this life that God has given you. King David wrote this in Psalms 39:4-7 (NIV)...
Show me, O LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. (5) You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath. (6) Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it. (7) "But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you."
This passage starts off sounding rather negative, almost depressing - but David turns it completely around by pointing to his source of hope. God has given us a small amount of time to accomplish His purposes - so be careful with it. And all this talk about 'time being short' isn't meant to scare anyone - but when you're following God's plan, it can motivate you to action and bring great blessing!
If we are not careful with our time, we will miss out on the blessings that come by being used of God. Paul says, 'do not be foolish'... When we humble ourselves and accept this careful perspective, it will then...
B. Develop wisdom
When you realize just how BIG God is and the whole nature of eternity, it can make you feel really small - until you realize the nature of the relationship that God, your Creator, desires to have with you.
Proverbs 2:6-9 (NIV)
For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. (7) He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, (8) for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. (9) Then you will understand what is right and just and fair - every good path.
Yes, we are small compared to God - but He is the God of the universe and our guard and shield and protector! When we follow Him, He will guide us - He will give us wisdom. Realizing just how short our time is, realizing how BIG God is and realizing God as our source of everything will help you to...
II. Make the most of your life
I read an article about a retired couple in their late seventies, Chandra and his wife Meenu from South Africa. They had both been practicing Hindu's all their life until they came and visited their son in Milwaukee, of all places... It was there they learned about Jesus and were baptized into Him. And finding themselves struggling 'later in life' - the couple decided to take on the ministry of prayer for their local Church.
Chandra said, "As a retired person with limited resources, I was at a loss as to how we could serve our spiritual family." "Instead of feeling helpless, God opened a door for us to serve his kingdom." "To anyone who desires to offer something of great value without much resources, prayer is the best way forward. It's a great way to have fellowship with our Father in heaven. We serve a loving, merciful, generous, compassionate, gracious, glorious God, and it's a privilege to commune with him."
Is that how you approach this life? Are you intentional with the short time that God has given you? I want to be more like that! I'm sure that they now look back on their life before Jesus as...
A. Wasted time
Let's look at Paul's challenge again from Ephesians 5:15-17 (NIV)...
Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, (16) making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. (17) Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
When Paul wrote this, he looked at the culture around him and wrote, 'the days are evil'. I think that assessment more than applies to our current culture. And notice the word 'then' in his statement "Be very careful, then, how you live". What comes before this passage sheds light on their culture and what they were to avoid. Let's look earlier at Ephesians 5:3-5 (NIV)...
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. (4) Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. (5) For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person - such a man is an idolater - has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
We are to live differently than the world because we've accepted a calling out of the world for God's higher purposes! If we live just like the world, with the same priorities as the world - we have 'no inheritance in the Kingdom of God'. Let that sink in... I asked earlier, "Are you closer to God now than you were one year ago?" If we live this year exactly the way we did last year, why would we expect different results?
It's just like a guy who makes a New Year's resolution to get in shape, buys a treadmill and a gym membership but then never actually works out. He claims to want different results - but doesn't actually make any changes...
If we, as believers, raise our children just like the rest of the world, with the only difference being one hour on Sunday - why would we expect their eternity to be any different than the rest of the world...? We might say we're teaching them that Jesus is essential to their lives - but does the way we live our lives match up with that truth? Time is short, the days are evil, and we can't teach them to 'waste time' and miss out on Heaven...
If we understand that our time here on this earth is short, if we have sought God's wisdom on how to make the most of our lives and then fail to make the most of those opportunities - we've wasted time.
Now, I'm not trying to make you feel guilty - but we do need to understand that there is a bit of urgency here. God gives each of us one short life. Are you investing it or are you just killing time 'til you're hopefully called home to Heaven?
We are a society that has rejected what's truly important, and many give themselves to any cause that comes along. Many in our world have volunteered hundreds of hours, thousands of dollars to nice causes for which the world praises them. But if they are neglecting their Creator - what does it really gain them? If you compared where you spend your time, money and effort to the things that God has specifically commanded us to do - how does it match up?
Are you careful in the area of your commitment to God's Church? Are you making it a priority for your family to attend Church service each week or is it something you squeeze in if you have nothing else to do? I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't ever relax and enjoy life, but I am suggesting that if we take a good look at the way we spend our lives - we might find that we all have a little...
B. Misspent time
Maybe we don't look at most of our lives as 'wasted time' because there was a beneficial purpose to much of it. We have to work to provide for our families, we need to eat, sleep and clean... But have we let the busyness of this life keep us from what's most important? Sometimes we don't use time properly because we miss the significance of what's around us. Let's look at an example of one person missing what was most important from Luke 10:38-42 (NIV)...
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. (39) She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. (40) But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
(41) "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, (42) but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
Martha accidentally misspent her time. She certainly wasn't doing anything evil. She was doing something good - trying to prepare a good meal for Jesus and his disciples. She was caught up in doing a good thing instead of doing the best thing - sitting and learning at the feet of the Master. Martha was simply dealing with the immediate 'here and now' but was missing the perspective of eternal things. That's a very easy mistake to make...
When we're young, or young in the faith, we can easily be guilty of 'misspending' time. At some point, however, as we grow in knowledge and wisdom, we need to get better at how we spend our time. I'm constantly getting frustrated at how little time I seem to have - but I know it's a matter of aligning my priorities with God's.
Are you careful in the area of your commitment to prayer and personal Bible study? Or is it one of those things that you say, "I'll get to it, maybe next year..."? If you don't intentionally make it a priority to pray and study God's Word - you'll have no consistent way of discerning what's important to God - or not - in your daily life. Sure, you might count on the preacher and Sunday school teachers for Biblical truths - but you need to seek God's Heart for how you are to live that out each day.
Are you careful in the area of your commitment to family? Men, are you looking after the spiritual welfare of your family? Are you intentionally giving time to it, or just hoping that they'll get what they need in between school, and sports practices, and music lessons, and entertainment, and the million other things we fill our lives with...? Talk to an older Christian parent who saw to all the many physical and social needs of their kids, but neglected their spiritual needs... Ask them how that worked out.
It's not the preacher, the elders or even the Sunday school teacher's job to set a Godly example in your home. Ultimately it's your job to set the example and to look after your family and to make sure you are leading your kids and grandkids to Jesus by your actions and how you live your life.
We all have a million things screaming for our time. Between work responsibilities and financial obligations and family commitments - there's so many things to do and not enough time.
So What?
Be careful with your time. Choose to do the things that actually matter to God first. You can't do everything in the short time you are given on this earth - some things will be left undone. Make sure that the list of things that won't get done doesn't contain anything that will have eternal significance.
If we really believe Paul, salvation is near; the return of Jesus is closer than ever in all of history! The fact that you are listening to me right now says that you believe that to be true! You could be plenty of other places; you could spend your time a million different ways. You are here. This is right where you should be. And when you leave here - make sure you are going and doing things that align with God's purpose for you in this life! And when you do that, you will be incredibly blessed!
The challenge is simply this - be careful with the time you have been given this next year. Be very intentional with how you spend this life that God has given you. When it's all said and done - will any of it matter into eternity? Only IF you are seeking God's path for you!