SIGNS IN THE TIME:
“I’M BUSY”
SERIES WRAP UP!
Welcome to Memorial! We have been in a series over the past three weekends called signs in the time. We are looking at signs that are not written on plastic or metal but on the surface of our society. In Session #1 we talked about the sign get real. Our society hungers for reality. From Reality TV programs to Chester Cheetah’s 100% real cheese they are saying “Get Real”. Session #2’s sign was “Getting even with others” and in Session #3 we talked about playing the Blame Game saying, “Don’t Blame Me!” Today we are going to wrap everything up nice and neat with the 4th sign.
INTRODUCTION
This is a sign that we all hear everyday. It is the first word that spew off of someone’s lips when you ask them how they are doing? You guessed it. They say, “I’m busy.” Besides saying, “Good Morning” and “Good Night” I’m busy is the most commonly used phrase in the American’s language. We may phrase it different but we still say it. We may say, “My plate is full” or “I just have to many Irons in the fire” or “My wagon is loaded.” We are still saying the same thing. IM BUSY.
STATISTICS
53% of Buster (born ’65-’83) say they are too busy (www.barna.org)
55% of people say being too busy is why they do not attend church regularly
47% of people say being too busy is why they do not read their Bibles
#1 Reason people use for not voting
#1 Reason say they don’t have children or have additional children
Between 17,000-20,000 ministers were recorded as leaving the ministry b/c of burnout or overload last year (2007) alone
BUSY FROM YOUNG TO OLD
We are busy from the youngest to the oldest. The child 12 and under is busy playing three different sports, taking dance lessons or gymnastics, attending birthday parties, and doing homework. The Teenager is like busyness on steroids. They have school, sports, band, clubs, and in the summer they have a camp for everything. Did you know that our teenagers are processing information 3xs faster than Busters and Boomers. That means on the Information Highway we are traveling about 30mph and teens are traveling @ 90mph. Young Adults are busy having two a two income family, having kids, paying the mortgage and bills, and working extra at work in attempt to get ahead. Our motto is “I can handle it.” Young Adults think if they can just reach a certain pay level and then they will slow down. As Middle Aged Adults you have reached a certain status at work and you are making the money that you want to make but you are still busy. Your kids are grown and need help. Your parents are older and need care. You find yourself busier than before. As Middle Age you find yourself looking forward to retiring. Senior adults who have retired say “Finally I can relax.” Is that true senior adults.? No way. They tend to find themselves as busy as ever.
TECHNOLOGY SPEEDS THINGS UP???
We all have technology at our finger tips thinking it will help with the busyness. 8-10 people now have DVD player in their homes, 7-10 people own a cell phone (I think this statistic is higher), 6-10 have personal pc’s in their home. One manufacturer said, at the release of the first personal computer, “In 15 yrs. The avg. American person will only work one day a week.” Do you remember why mobile phones were so popular? They were supposed to simplify things so when we needed to make a phone call we didn’t have to rush somewhere to find a phone. Washing machines, dish washers, vacuums, even automobiles were all designed to help us out and speed things along. But did you know that the avg person now works an avg. of 48hrs. per week that is up from 42 5yrs. ago. They avg. American has 10.5 less hrs. of free time than they had 5yrs. ago. We seem to be falling farther and farther behind.
BLOGGER
I enjoy blogging online and I came across this Blog and I thought that it summed up everything really well: Pamela Smith writes--
“I’m one of those people who just goes and goes – busy 24/7. Last semester I worked two part-time jobs and took 21 credit hours. [I’m proud to say that somehow I managed to get A’s in every class.] But I have to say I reached my limit. I don’t think I knew up from down or had a restful (translation: sane) day in the whole semester. Then I took summer classes (12 credit hours). Yeah, not the way to recover from a hectic semester, but it gets me ahead. Anyway, over the summer during the numerous versions my fall schedule went through I decided to not take more than 18 credit hours. That – I thought – should make this semester a bit easier. Then I decided to make sure I was less busy by quitting my part-time job at MBU. I didn’t think I’d know what to do with the extra time those two choices would bring. Well that was a short-lived concern. I’m just as busy – it not more so – than last semester and we’re only in week three. God help me, I don’t know if I can do this again. On the upside, it is week three. Meaning there are only 13 weeks left. That’s the light at the end of the tunnel.” Google Blog search 9/4/07 (Comment on some of the statement and how they accurately describe us.)
BAG AND BALLS ILLUSTRATION
Illustration with a paper bag with 24 written on it and foam balls representing our obligations. God has give us 24hrs. in which we can fill and it is represented by this brown bag. Sleep is something that we all have to do so some of that time is spent sleeping (insert a large foam ball). Work or School is the other major thing (insert another large foam ball.) Then we have grocery shopping and errands to run (put in smaller foam balls). The kids have ball games/practices, school play/activities (insert more foam balls)(At this point make sure the bag is full). Then there is bowling leagues that we really want to do (stick a foam ball under arm) and Doctors appointments and birthdays and meetings (continue to stick ball where ever you can on yourself). At the end of the day you find your 24 hours over flowing and more things needing to be done. We try and keep our head above water. We hurry and try to buy more time. Then when something happens that slows us down we explode. Like my friend who rushed to get is little boy from school last week and about two miles away from school his son told him he had forgotten his back pack. My friend just exploded over a forgotten back pack. He prayed that God would forgive him and ask for his sons forgiveness but the episode happened because he was trying to get ahead. He told me it was a back pack moment. We all have back pack moments. We are sincere in our effort. IS THIS HOW GOD INTENDED FOR IT TO BE??
LADY WHO LEFT BABY IN THE CAR
On NBC Today I watched how an Ohio middle school principle had forgotten her child in the car all day. She had changed her morning routine in order to get doughnuts for her employees and forgot to take the 2 yr. old to daycare. The child was asleep when she got out of the car so she didn’t notice. When she arrived back at her car she realized she had made a terrible mistake. The child had died. There is nothing they can do to this lady to punish her anymore. She most likely will never forgive herself for what she did. She was in a hurry. I’m afraid is some are going to have that “How did this happen moment” or be laying in the hospital bed and realize its all been rushed away. Guys there is not 3 step plan or perfect way to fix it. And I’m not sure that cutting back is the answer. So…HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KEEP UP W/OUT EXPERIENCING…that back pack moment or that “How did this happen moment.”
TS--I think Jesus knew long ago about the problem…and said, “OK I am going to tell them how to make it in a 2007 fast paced world.” So this morning I want to allow Jesus Word’s to speak to us!!!!
SCRIPTURE AND EXPLANATION
MT. 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Lets dig into scripture—Jesus says, COME TO ME. This is His invitation. He is saying you are invited to come to me. I am not going to make you come but I want you to come. On our refrigerator is all kinds of pictures and quotes, but we have a special section for invitations. This past summer we received over ten almost ten invitations to weddings. All of them were elegant and beautiful. We hung them there on our refrigerator so we would not forget the date. It honored us that these people thought enough of us to invite us to the special occasion. They were saying, “Hey West and Nicole, we’d really like for you to come.” Jesus is saying, “Hey I’d really like you to come to me.” Then He says, ALL WHO ARE. He did not say all those who will be or all those who were. He says all those in the present tense. You see in Jesus’ day there was a very complex religious system. It was almost impossible to remember all the things one must do. It was impossible to keep all the laws. There were those, however, that gave it all they had. They had this enormous religious weight on their shoulders. Jesus was talking to these folks.
ARE WEARY…HEAVY LADEN. Jesus calls them weary. A (PAP) in the Greek designating a continued action. Day after Day they carried this weight. They were weary in spirit. Internally they were dry and burned out. They were heavy laden in the physical sense. They were physically tired trying to do everything. In my mind I picture someone walking through the desert. They reach a point where they are crawling across the sand. They are parched. They are weary. So who is Jesus inviting? Those who are overloaded. Those who are tired. Those who blackberries are full. Those who’s calendar looks like explosion of ink. Come to me and I WILL GIVE YOU REST. When someone rest they are refreshed. It is difficult to stay refreshed. It is difficult to keep sermons fresh. I mean you have heard some stale preaching before. I have done my share of it. It is tough to stay refreshed. It is critical that you come to Jesus on a daily basis for a refreshing. Here is a nugget of truth---If you Spirit is refreshed your body will soon follow. (Read rest of verses) MY YOKE—is a metaphor for submission. Submitting to Jesus. YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOUL. True rest is not found in yoga or your postrapedic mattress it is found in Christ.
HERE’S THE DEAL…
God’s not going to clear your schedule…that is not what is going to give you rest. God’s not going to create a pain free life b/c it is through pain we grow. He’s not going to take the burdens and bills or bumps and bruises and just chunk’em b/c none of that will give you true rest.
The child involved in all those activities and the teenager that is dealing with those pressures need to come to Jesus for rest. The Young Adult trying to make his/her way in life and bay the mortgage need to come to Jesus. The Middle Age adult who finds himself taking care of grown children and older parent needs to come to Jesus. The retiree who is busier now than ever before needs to come to Jesus. Cell phone—or computers have not helped the problem only coming to Jesus.
HERE’S WHAT YOU DO…
(Take bag back out)(Make sure it still has balls in it) Come to Jesus with your 24hr. period and submit it to Him. Accept His invitation seek Him. Tell Him you want Him to be the driver of your life. Remember…You have 24 hours daily. You must come to Jesus on a daily basis and give it to Him. Jesus says this, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and all THESE things will be added to you.” When you make Jesus Lord of your 24hours he will take care of the balls (these things).
CONCLUDE
Recognize…Life change will happen…
You will begin to hear God’s symphony playing in the background of your life (wind, birds). You will begin to see God’s image in the everyday things of life. You might not make everyone happy and may not be able to brag about being busy but man what a change. Are You Weary? Are You Heavy Hearted? Tell it to Jesus, Tell it to Jesus!! And He……Will….Give….You…Rest. Lets Pray.
