Redeeming The Time

Eph. 5:15-17 Redeeming the Time!

Intro: New Year’s is a time when many people tend to look back and also look forward.

During this time of year nearly every major newspaper, magazine and Television channel will have a special recalling people & events that made news during the previous year.

This also when many folk will make New Year’s Resolutions.

Here are some of the most popular resolutions.

• Lose Weight

• Pay Off Debt

• Save Money

• Get a Better Job

• Get Fit

• Eat Right

• Get a Better Education

• Drink Less Alcohol

• Quit Smoking Now

• Reduce Stress Overall

• Reduce Stress On-the-Job

• Take a Trip

• Volunteer to Help Others

Notice that these have nothing to do with the spiritual realm.

New Year’s is a good time for the Christian to look back over the past year and see how we did spiritually & makes some plans to do better this coming year.

How did you do this past year? Were you busy & did you use your time wisely?

Will we be just as busy this year? Will we make any better use of our time? Will we be looking back with joy, or with regret?

There is a passage of Scripture that I believe can help us during the coming year.

Read passage.

(Eph 5:15-17) See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

PROP. We need to redeem the time during the coming year.

I. What does it mean to redeem the time?

To understand this we need to examine two words: “time” and “redeem”

A. Time = There are three Greek words used in the N.T. to refer to time.

1. Hora is usually translated “hour.”

2. Chrono from which we get our English Chronological refers to time in general, a period or measured time.

3. kairos, the word used here and it refers to an appointed time, a fixed or special occasion—those moments or seasons when opportunity knocks!

B. Redeem = The basic meaning of the word “redeem” is to “buy back.”

It was used of buying a slave, to make him your property, so you might set him free.

Thus this means to buy up all the time (every opportunity that God gives you) of our remaining life on the earth so that you might set it free.

It means to not let one suitable moment/opportunity to pass by unheeded or wasted.

Thus we are to devote our entire life to the Lord.

It means that we should to stop frittering time away and take advantage of every opportunity possible to serve the Lord.

How do we “fritter” time away?

T.V., computers, sports, “chatting” online & on the phone, etc.. are a few examples.

The Lord puts us in certain circumstances and places for reason. He allows our path to cross with others for a reason. We should stop & consider what those reasons are. Perhaps:

We are to witness to a lost person.

We are to encourage the discouraged.

We are to bind up the wounded, etc. etc…

Trans: Now that we know what it means to redeem the time, we should discuss “Why?” we need to redeem the time.

II. Why should we redeem the time?

A. We should redeem the time because our days are limited (5:16).

Time is limited for each of us. No one will live forever on this earth.

(Psa 39:4-5) LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as a handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.

(Psa 90:10) The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

(Jam 4:13-14) Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

I can remember when I thought anyone over 40 was ancient. But no longer!

God has established a set amount of time on the earth for each of us.

None of us have any assurance of tomorrow, therefore we need to redeem each day and use it to glorify God.

Likewise, the days of those around us aren’t certain. If we don’t redeem the time, they may never have another chance to hear the gospel.