Five Life Changing Resolutions
Part 3
I Will Give My Time
Ephesians 5:14-16
Scripture Reading
A LIFE OF RESOLUTIONS
Jonathan Edwards, the 18th-century revivalist, sat down at age 17 and penned 21 resolutions by which he would live his life. Throughout his lifetime he would add to this list until, by his death, he had 70 resolutions.
He put at the top of his list: "Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions…. Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week."
Edwards didn’t casually make New’s Year’s resolutions with an expectation of eventually breaking them. Each week he did a "self-check." He regularly summed up how he was doing and sought God’s help in the process.
Christ calls us to commit to actively work at becoming conformed to His image. This coming year resolve to be come a person committed to a godly transformation. If you faithfully do this, you will see your life begin to focus on the spiritual rather than on the passing, material world.
SOURCE: Jan Brown in ChristianityToday.com. Connection. Citation: http://www.christianitytoday.
This morning we’re going to learn about another resolution that can change your life. Let’s review our text;
Ephesians 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
I think we would all agree that time is very important subject. We use the word time in a variety of way in life. For instance we say,
…at all times - Definition: always
…at the appointed time - Definition: at an agreed upon time …behind the times - Definition: not fashionable, not up on current fashions
…to bide one's time - Definition: to wait
…from time to time - Definition: occasionally
…have the time of one's life - Definition: have a fantastic experience
…keep time - Definition: keep the beat in music
…live on borrowed time - Definition: live dangerously
…make time for something or someone - Definition: create a period of time especially for a thing or person
…out of time - Definition: not have any more time available …pressed for time - Definition: not have a lot of time to do something
…Time is money - Definition: Expression meaning that someone's time is important
…when the time is ripe - Definition: when it is the proper time
…ahead of time - Definition: before the agreed upon time
…all in good time - Definition: within a reasonable amount of time and
…at a set time
I. Our Waste of Time
One of my favorite John Wayne expressions is “we are burning daylight.”
It seems especially appropriate that the following statement was made in a “Time” magazine article;
If life seems more rushed than ever, you might be surprised to learn that we Americans don't have less leisure time than we did 40 years ago. We actually have more leisure time, and quite a bit more. What counts as leisure is up for argument, but under every definition the numbers have gone up. We get about 45 minutes a day of extra leisure.
Then why does it feel like we have so much less? It might be because we waste half of all our leisure time watching television. The average American adult devotes 2.5 hours a day to this hobby. And for every additional hour we get free, another 30 minutes goes into that tube. So if you want more free time, I recommend one thing: turn it off. This is easier said than done, especially during the World Series.
When I was growing up, my mom had one piece of advice for me, and she said it every single morning. 'Get out of the house!' It's good advice. Come join the 6.8 million who are in a book club, or the 196,000 who attend pro beach volleyball, or the 680,000 who go to tractor pulls every month. There's even 3 million people who enjoy a sport called 'muzzle loading,' which involves shooting a gun that looks 200 years old.
And at the end of the day, there's a thing in your kitchen called a stove. Turn it on and invite people over. Only 38% of Americans entertain friends or family at home at least once a year. What were the other 62% of us doing? Getting a free meal, I suppose. We can do better, America. If we're going to watch so much television, can't we at least invite friends over to watch?
a. Wasting time is senseless
Verse 17 tells us to “…be not unwise.” Deep down in our hearts we all know that we have just a certain amount of time to live. I remember earlier in life watching a daily slop opera (I mean soap opera) that started each program with this into: “Like sand in an hour glass, these are the days of our lives.” Do you remember that too? If you have ever seen an hour glass with the sand slowly running down through a narrow tube into the bottom then you have some idea of how time moves. When all the sand runs from top to bottom you flip it over and start again. The trouble with this metaphor is that where life is concerned we don’t get to flip the glass and start over! I read a survey with the following information:
• Per minute: 108 die,
• Per day: 156 thousand die
• Per year: 56.7 million die
These statistics alone should be enough to motivate us to not waste time.
b. Wasting time is simple
To waste time you don’t have to really do anything! Just do nothing! We American have the most sedentary culture in the world. The fact that we sit in front of a television on an average of 2.5 hours per day speaks volumes. We waste time by procrastinating. We “put off” doing things. A cartoon character had a saying that we “Should never do today what we can put off till tomorrow.” Remember I said it was a carton character! It doesn’t work that way in the real world.
TIME MARCHES ON
There was once a middle aged man who was considering going back to school to get that degree he had always wanted. But he was balking at the idea because he was now over 50 and what good would it do him now.
He went to his dad for advice and his dad asked him how long it would take to get the degree. The man told his dad it would take 3 years of going to school full time. His dad then asked him how old he would be when he graduated after those 3 years. The man said 53. Then his dad asked him, "Son how old will you be then if you don't get the degree?"
The point of the story is that TIME marches on. Regardless of any decisions we make in our lives -- Time marches on!
(From a sermon by Bobby Stults, Are You Thankful for Your Time? 11/17/2010)
c. Wasting time is sinful
How can wasting time be sinful you say? Let me give the most important example of the sinfulness of wasted time.
Proverbs 29:1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
2 Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
II. Our Walk in Time
Walk circumspectly - Our word circumspect, from the Latin (circirmspicio,) signifies to look round about on all hands; to be every way watchful, wary, and cautious, in order to avoid danger, discern enemies before they come too nigh, and secure a man’s interest by every possible and lawful means. But the original word (áêñéâùò GK) signifies correctly, accurately, consistently, or perfectly.
a. The principled walk
Leviticus 18:3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.
4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God.
Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Hosea 14:9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
Romans 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Colossians 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Colossians 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
1 Thessalonians 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
b. The problematic walk
2 Thessalonians 3:11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
2 Peter 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
Jude 1:18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
III. Our Wise Use of Time
Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
Proverbs 16:16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!
Proverbs 23:23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
a. Take advantage of opportunities for good
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
Galatians 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
b. Take advantage of opportunities for growth
Charlie Brown and Linus
Charlie brown asks Linus, "What would you do if you felt that nobody liked you?"
Linus responds "Well Charlie Brown I guess I would take a real hard look at myself, ask if I am doing anything that turns people off, How can I improve myself? Do I need to change in some way? Yep that’s my answer Charlie Brown."
Charlie Brown says, "I hate that answer."
Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Unused Spiritual Resources
During Superbowl XXXVII, FedEx ran a commercial that spoofed the movie Castaway, in which Tom Hanks played a FedEx worker, whose company plane went down, stranding him on a desert island for years. Looking like the bedraggled Hanks in the movie, the FedEx employee in the commercial goes up to the door of a suburban home, package in hand.
When the lady comes to the door, he explains that he survived five years on a deserted island, and during that whole time he kept this package in order to deliver it to her. She gives a simple, "Thank you."
But he is curious about what is in the package that he has been protecting for years. He says, "If I may ask, what was in that package after all?"
She opens it and shows him the contents, saying, "Oh, nothing really. Just a satellite telephone, a GPS, a compass, a water purifier, and some seeds."
Like the contents in this package, “the resources for growth and strength are available for every Christian who will take advantage of them.”
There are some in this room this morning that need to grow in the area of faithfulness to the house of God. I’m reminded of a story I read about a preacher.
I was a supply preacher for a small town Texas Church, coming in early Sunday, preaching a sermon to the congregation, and then leaving after lunch. Arriving early one Sunday I sat down at a local donut shop, opened my Bible and went over my sermon notes.
A man was sitting down the counter from me and he said, "You a preacher or something?"
I replied, "Yes I preach at the Baptist Church here in town."
He got excited and said, "Hey, I’m a member of that church."
The church was small and I knew all the regulars so I said, "I’ve been preaching there for about three months and I’ve never seen you there."
He looked at me kinda strange and said, "I said I was a member of that church. I never said that I was fanatical about it!"
From Bible.org
Others need to grow in the areas of Bible study and prayer. Your devotional life is almost non existent and you wonder why you lack joy and power in prayer and you keep making the same mistakes over and over again.
c. Take advantage of opportunities of grace
Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
Let me tell you a story of 2 men. One, we will call Jim, and the other we will call Ron;
Jim went to church one Sunday morning. He listened to the choir sing, and noticed that the choir sang to loud, so he just made a face and shook his head.
He saw a teenager talking as the pastor was praying , and he just frowned. He felt sure that the ushers were staring at him as they passed the collection plate.
He heard the pastor use incorrect grammar during the sermon.
So as the pastor gave an altar call, Jim slipped out the side door, and shook his head an said " what a waste of time "
Ron went to church also
He heard the choir sang How Great thou art, and felt chills run down his spine. He was glad that the church was taking up a special missions offering.
HE especially enjoyed the sermon. It seemed to really speak to him about an area in his life that he had been struggling with.
On the way out, he shook the preacher’s hand, and thought "How could anyone not be blessed after this mornings worship?
Both men went to the same church, the same Sunday morning, and heard the same sermon.
They both found what they were looking for.
Jim came looking for faults, and he found them.
Ron came to worship God, and to praise Him, and learn from His word, and He felt the nearness of God, and felt closer to Him.
It is all in our attitude, and how we approach God and how we take advantage of our opportunities. Are you redeeming the time this morning? Are you making the most of ever opportunity?
