How Much Time Do You Have?

How Much Time Do You Have?

Psalm 90 / Ephesians 5:15-17

INTRODUCTION: I’d like to ask you “How Much Time Do You Have?” (which is probably not what you’d like to hear a speaker ask at the start of a talk.) Do you realize that over the course of our lifetimes, each of us is expected to spend:

6 months sitting at stoplights

8 months opening junk mail

1 year looking for misplaced objects

4 years doing housework

5 years waiting in lines

How do you view time? Strange question, isn’t it—time is so pervasive that we ignore it the way a goldfish might ignore water. But consciously or not, we all have a view of time. So what is time to you?

• Is it a resource or is it a problem?

• Does time represent a threat or an opportunity?

• Is it often running out on you, or are you just trying to kill it?

Psychologists tell us that the way you answer these questions reflects your personality and culture, but what about your theology? I’d like us to consider a brief theology of time: a biblical perspective towards time and our use of it:

[READ Psalm 90:1-6]

This psalm is a reflection on the transience of life. Moses tells us right away that

I. GOD IS ETERNAL, BUT PEOPLE ARE MORTAL (1-6, 9-10)

A. God is eternal (1-2)

1. He has been our shelter throughout every generation (1)

2. Before creation, from everlasting to everlasting (2)

3. His eternality gives us hope, as He is unrestricted by time

B. People are mortal (3-6, 9-10)

1. Moses compares us to dust, withering grass (3-6)

2. Moses gives us 70-80 years to live (9-10)

C. ILLUSTRATION: In the movie "Star Trek Generations" the villainous Dr. Soran sees time as a predator: "you can try to avoid it with doctors, medicines, new technologies ... but in the end, time will hunt you down, and make the kill!"

D. ILLUSTRATION: www.deathclock.com

1. My projected date of death is Saturday, Nov. 21, 2043

2. The most unnerving part? They show the seconds ticking down!

>>Facing “the reality of mortality” alters your perspective. We realize that

II. BECAUSE OUR TIME IS LIMITED, WE MUST USE IT WISELY (12)

So how do we do that? We’re going to take a detour into the New Testament. Keep your place marked at Psalm 90, and turn over to Ephesians 5:15-16 [READ]

A. Living wisely involves “redeeming” our time (Eph. 5:15-16)

1. “Be very careful how you live” (Greek “watch closely how you walk”) suggests a purpose and direction to life.

2. “Make the most of every opportunity” is an interpretation of the Greek phrase “redeeming the time.”

a. The Greek word translated “redeem” is a form of the word that means “buy” or “purchase.” It was used with reference to buying back a slave, and in the NT usually refers Christ’s purchasing our salvation.

b. The expression is a metaphorical way to speak of using time well. A good translation would be “buy up every opportunity.”

c. ILLUSTRATION: Gandalf from "The Lord of the Rings": “All you have to do is decide what to do with the time that’s been given you.”

3. “Redeeming the time” is not referring primarily to the hours and minutes of the Christian’s day, but rather to the opportunities we have to serve God.

a. Which is good, b/c I’m horrible at time management. Ask my wife—no, on second thought, better not.

b. My multitasking—watching ESPN while doing laundry

c. No idea here of squeezing more activity into less time.

d. This verse does not mean “get more organized,” or “do more, faster,” but “submit your time to God’s agenda.”

B. Two ways we can use time unwisely—“unredeemed” time:

1. Laziness—no one considers this a virtue; Bible says it’s sin. Time is too important to fritter away. Time is life—nothing more, nothing less. The way you spend your hours and days is the way you spend your life.

2. Busyness—everyone considers this a virtue (give examples)

a. Americans are busier than we’ve ever been:

1) Technology makes us work more, not less

2) 33% of workers bring work home min. once/week.

c. Both in our work and in our play, we rush, we push, we strive, we accomplish. When we stop rushing & pushing & striving & accomplishing, we collapse in front of the TV. What gets squeezed out? Prayer.

d. Mark Littleton: “Are all the activities that scream for my time really essential? Am I missing the burning bush for trying to keep the lawn cut?”

e. APP: Life is not supposed to be a series of frenetic activities followed by down time. We need spiritual refreshment.

1) Freshman trying to make up for a disappointing fall