Redeeming The Time (Part 1) Series

Opening: Suppose you had a bank that credited your account each morning with $86,000 that carried over no balance from day to day. It allowed you to keep no cash in your account, and every evening canceled whatever part of the amount you failed to use during the day. What would you do with it? Of course, you will draw out every cent every day and use it to your advantage! Well, you have such a bank, and its name is TIME! Every morning it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it ruled off as lost whatever you failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balances. It allows no overdrafts. Each day it opens a new account with you. The loss is yours if you fail to use the day's deposits. There is no going back. There is no drawing against tomorrow. Today we'll learn about how to spend Time our Time wisely.

Let's read Ephesians 5:16 - "redeeming the time, because the days are evil." (NKJV). The word "redeeming" in Greek is "exagorazo," which means to buy up, to ransom, to rescue from loss, or to redeem. It shows the act of buying. The term is proper to civil contracts but is here applied morally. There is some price paid; we part with one thing to obtain another. It is similar to Proverbs 23:23 says, "Buy the truth and sell it not."

What we redeem here, according to Paul, is 'time.' Time is very precious, and nothing is as valuable as Time. Not all the gold in the universe — nothing can purchase a single moment, and Time is short and uncertain!

The word 'time' here is different from the 'time' in Galatians 4:4, which we discussed last December 26. Here, the Greek word 'time' is not 'chronos' but 'kairos,' which means time, season, opportunity, or occasion. That is why NIV translates the verse as "making the most of every opportunity." These words remind us that we don't always have the time. We know that one day we will die. Last Sunday, James 4:14 reminded us, "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." Paul also reminds the Corinthians that Time is short: "But this I say, brethren, the time ('kairos') is short" (1 Corinthians 7:29).

So, "making the most of every opportunity" means while we're still alive, we must spend our Time doing something good or valuable to bless others. That is what Paul says in Galatians 6:10, "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." Illustration: About an hour before my father passed away at the hospital, he got the opportunity to say this to my mother: "Thank you for taking care of me for 33 years. You are a wonderful wife." That meant so much for my mother because, like many Asian husbands, I had never seen my father kiss my mother or hug her nor heard him says "I love you" to my mother. Application: Have we done or said good things to our parents, spouses, siblings, children, grandchildren, in-laws, friends, and co-workers while we are still alive? But don't be like this husband! Illustration: At his death bed, a husband told his wife: "You are always with me until now." The wife was glad to hear that, and she answered, "Sure, I am your wife." The husband continued, "I remember, when I got an accident ten years ago, you were with me. When I lost my business, you were with me. And now, when I am sick, you are with me." The wife responded, "It's my pleasure to be with you always, my husband." The husband replied, "You misunderstand me! I wish you were not with me because you bring bad luck!"

"Making the most of every opportunity" or "redeeming the time" here is more than just how we can be more productive or efficient at work and make money. Or how we can achieve our dreams or ideals. But how we fill our lives by being and doing things pleasing to God.

It also means while we are young or still strong. There are things we can no longer do when we are old. I know brother Jim could no longer participate in a 10-mile marathon, right Jim? Because you often say you are "189" years old. But I praise the Lord. You still diligently serve the Lord. And when you serve the Lord, you look like you are still 50 years old. Application: Let's serve the Lord while we have the opportunity to do it. Jesus says in John 9:4 - "As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work."