Time Barrier Series

Good morning, church family! Let me begin with a quick check-in:

How are you doing with your block map? Have you learned any new names or details about your neighbors since last week? Maybe you discovered that the couple down the street just had a new baby, or that your neighbor two doors over has a birthday coming up. Maybe you found out that the man who lives next to you is a veteran, or that the woman across the street loves to garden.

These little details might seem small, but they matter. They are the building blocks of real relationships.

But here’s the question I’ve been wrestling with—and maybe you have too:

How am I going to have time for one more relationship; let alone eight new relationships with the houses around me?

Let’s be honest, time is the biggest obstacle we face when it comes to neighboring. So today, we’re going to talk about the pace of our lives.

Let me ask you:

Are you living at a pace that allows you to be available to those around you?

If you’re like most people, the answer is probably no.

But the good news is, Jesus shows us a different way.

Point 1: The Lies We Believe About Time

Let’s get real, most of us are living life at breakneck speed.

We wake up in the morning already behind. We rush through our days—meetings, errands, practices, emails, texts, to-do lists a mile long. We collapse into bed at night exhausted, only to wake up and do it all over again.

And we tell ourselves some lies to justify it, don’t we?

Let’s talk about those lies.

Lie #1: “Someday things will settle down.”

This is the most common lie. We tell ourselves, “It’s just a busy season. Once I get through this project, once the kids are older, once the summer slows down, once I retire—then I’ll have time.”

But friends, let’s be honest—that day never comes. Life never slows down on its own. If we don’t intentionally create space, the pace of life will keep running us over.

It’s like waiting for a magic moment that never arrives. We say, “I’ll prioritize relationships when I have time.” But when we finally look up, we realize we’ve been so busy that we missed the moments that mattered most.

Lie #2: “More will be enough.”

This is the lie that says, “If I just get that promotion, that gadget, that trip, that house, that one more thing—then I’ll feel satisfied.”

But let’s be honest, more always leads to more.

More stuff means more to clean, maintain, and worry about.

More commitments mean more exhaustion.

More success means more expectations.

And what happens is that our lives get filled with good things that crowd out the best things.

Have you ever noticed how Jesus never rushed? He never said, “Sorry, I can’t talk to you—I’m too busy.” He had an unhurried presence. He had time to stop for the sick, to bless the children, to sit at a table with sinners and tax collectors.

Jesus shows us that peace isn’t found in more—it’s found in being present.

Lie #3: “Everybody lives like this.”

This is the lie that says, “Well, this is just how life is now. Everybody’s busy. Everybody’s stressed. Everybody’s running on empty.”

But that’s not true.

Some people have learned to live differently. They have created margin—space in their lives for what truly matters.

They’re the ones who actually know their neighbors. They’re the ones who have time to stop and chat on the porch. They’re the ones who aren’t ruled by their calendars.

And they’re the ones who are living out the call to love their neighbor as themselves.

So let me ask you—What lie are you believing that’s keeping you too busy to love your neighbors?

Are you waiting for “someday” that never comes?

Are you chasing “more” that never satisfies?

Are you assuming this is just the way life has to be?

Friends, Jesus is inviting us to a better way.

Let’s turn to Scripture—Luke 10:38-42.

You probably know the story:

Jesus is visiting the home of two sisters—Mary and Martha. Martha is doing exactly what any good hostess in her culture would do. She’s in the kitchen, preparing food, getting the house in order, making sure everything is just right for Jesus.

And Mary? She’s sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to His teaching.

Now, pause for a moment and put yourself in Martha’s shoes.

You’re in the kitchen, sweating over the stove, trying to make dinner for the Son of God, and your sister is just sitting there, doing nothing. I don’t know about you, but I’d be fuming!

Finally, Martha’s had enough. She bursts into the room and says, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”