Time’s Wasting, DO it!
Making the most of time
Ephesians 5:1-21 key verse 16
. Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk — not as unwise people but as wise — making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
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INTRODUCTION:
AG: When I was in seminary, i was pastoring a rural church and working full time as an Emergency Medical Technician. I must confess to often procrastinating when it came to writing my papers. When the deadline loomed near, I would reach panic stage and rush to the library to check out a stack of books related to the topic. I would pour over them for several hours mining for nuggets of wisdom. Finally I would pull an all righter to write the paper.
The next day I would hand them to my wife, Shannon, and watched her proofread them in fascination at the wonderful work I had done! (insert sarcasm filter) I only had to waker her three times per page it seems.
Why? Why did I had a sense of urgency at the last minute and put so much effort into it? Because the deadline was near!
When it comes to our time on earth to do things which matter for the Lord, it is always the last minute! This leads us to our list tweet in the series: Time's wasting, DO IT!
TS: That is what Paul says in Ephesians 5:16. He says Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk — not as unwise people but as wise — making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Let’s find the answer to 3 questions about this passage:
1st Question: What are we instructed to do?
Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk
Your walk is how you live life
It is your lifestyle
The words and actions which make up your days
The choices you make
It is the the compass by which you navigate through the decisions of life.
IL: If you hiking and have compass pointing the wrong direction, it is easy to get lost!
If your moral compass isn't callibrated to God's ways, your life will get off track.
We are told to walk not as unwise people
Commonly called SIN
Aviolation of God’s word
Notice the list from first ½ of text
"But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints. Coarse and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of the Messiah and of God."
Instead, we ar eto walk as wise (people)
Again, notice the list from second ½ of text
"Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. Therefore, do not become their partners. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light — for the fruit of the light results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth — discerning what is pleasing to the Lord. Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them."
Imitate God
Walk in Love
Walk in Light
Expose works of darkness
Our lives should communicate the truth by the contrast between godly living and the ungodly.
We make the most of the time by our words
Use them to call people to repentance
2nd Question: How are we to do these things? — making the most of the time
1. Urgently
Nobody knows how long they have
This may be the last day to witness to one of your friends.
Have a sense of importance and looming deadline like I did with my papers in college
King James Version says it this way, "Making the most of the time" and "Redeem the time" KJV
Use every opportunity you have
Today is the day
To be saved
To be rededicate your life
To witness
2. Intensely:
Focus on the goal with your full attention
Don’t waste the opportunities God brings your way
Be passionate about this!
Illustration: TCHAIKOVSKY AND TIME MANAGEMENT
Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the great Russian composer, put a sign on his gate: "Visiting hours Monday and Tuesday between 3 and 5 p.m. Other times please do not ring." By posting that sign, Tchaikovsky was announcing to the world that he was a great composer, and as a great composer, his time was important. If he was going to achieve his purpose and bless the world with his music, he needed to single-mindedly devote himself to the task at hand. Tchaikovsky was not willing to compromise his work, or his calling, by wasting his time with trivial matters. He knew that in order to reach his goal, he needed to focus on his purpose; he needed to value his time, and he needed to teach others to do the same. As a result of his willingness to value and protect his daily schedule, Tchaikovsky became the foremost musical composer of the 19th Century. Had he allowed himself to be distracted by other things, the world would have been deprived of his beautiful music. (From a sermon by Dennis Selfridge, Sanctification Means Being Spiritually Minded, 6/26/2010)
3rd Question: Why is it so important to do these things?
1. Because the days are evil.
The culture has moved on….
We are swiftly moving into a society which is post-christian
Leaders, entertainers, movers and shakers all seem to have adopted a worldly viewpoint
“Thus says the Lord”…. Doesn’t sway many today
Sadly, more of those who claim to be disciples of Jesus also aren't concerned with the Scripture says.
Notice how Paul described these days in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 "But know this: Difficult times will come in the last days. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, 4 traitors,reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people!"
2. Because of God’s wrath
Sometimes His wrath comes in this life as He lovingly disciplines us.
In the last days, called the tribulation His wrath will be poured out on earth.
There 7 years of judgment coming on earth
The scary parts of the book of Revelations.
In eternity, His judgement is eternal in the lake of fire and brimstone for those who don’t know Christ
His children will face the Judgment seat where we too will find our lives judged by God as our motives and actions are tested.
3. Because that is in our past
We used to be defined by our sins!
With Christ in our lives, that is no longer true. Now are defined by our adoption as sons and daughters of God.
We have been set free from our bondage to our sin nature.
Conclusion
Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk — not as unwise people but as wise — making the most of the time, because the days are evil.
