The Blessing Of Time Series

INTRODUCTION

• SLIDE #1

• What is one thing that we all possess no matter where we live, how are doing economically. So long as we are alive, we possess this blessing.

• Time. Time is something we cannot beg, borrow, or steal from others.

• Time is a blessing we all possess; the question is what will we do with the great blessing of time that we all possess?

• What are some things you can do with time?

• One can use it wisely, one can use it foolishly.

• One could use their time efficiently, or one could run out the clock and watch their time fade away.

• One could spend their time seeking to live out God’s will, or they could live foolishly.

• One could also waste their time.

• David Cassidy who was a heartthrob for many young ladies in the 1970’s from the show the Partridge family died on November 21, he was 67. He died from complications from dementia from what I have read.

• It has been reported in several places that David’s daughter Katie shared David’s last words.

• Here is a quote from Katie Cassidy.

• “Words can’t express the solace our family’s received from all the love & support during this trying time. My father’s last words were ‘So much wasted time,'” Cassidy’s daughter, “Arrow” star Katie Cassidy, tweeted Friday. “This will be a daily reminder for me to share my gratitude with those I love as to never waste another minute….thank you.” https://pagesix.com/2017/11/24/david-cassidys-daughter-katie-reveals-his-sad-last-words/

• When I read that quote, a blanket of sadness engulfed my heart. I would hope my last words would go nowhere close to that.

• It is a sad commentary on one’s life to feel like so much time is wasted.

• Today I want us to consider a passage in James 4:13-15.

• James was the brother of Jesus who became a pillar of the early Church.

• In the 4th chapter of his book, James Is seeking to get his readers to consider where they are with Jesus.

• He is offering ways in which one can ascertain whether they acknowledge and are really under the Lordship of Jesus.

• This the passage we will look at together, James is talking about how one chooses to live life.

• The key passage in this section that I built this message on is the thought found in later part of verse 14 in which James says, “For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes”

• This comment goes to the thought that the time we have is short and is a blessing.

• Ultimately each one of us will have to determine what we will do with the blessing of time we possess.

• Let’s start with verse 13.

• SLIDE #2

• James 4:13 (CSB) Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.”

• SLIDE #3

SERMON

I. Where does God fit?

• It is one thing to say we belong to Jesus, but is another thing to live that out in real life.

• James offers a real-life scenario where he speaks of a business person who is has made some plans for his immediate future.

• The phrase COME NOW is only used in this verse and James 5:1, the phrase is a vigorous form of address that serves to attract attention!

• Now, before we dig into the text, I do want to mention something important that some folks get sidetracked with.

• This section of text is not a condemnation of doing business, or seeking to make a profit. It is not even condemning the concept of desiring to do well financially.

• This passage is all about WHERE DOES GOD FIT INTO YOUR PLANS.

• In this message, I am equating LIFE with TIME because without one you do not have the other.

• The Jewish merchants were known to travel great distances in order to conduct business.

• This was possible because of the safety and the road system the Roman Empire provided during this time period.

• So back to the question of this first point.

• Where does God fit?

• James offers up a real-life scenario of business situation where the person in question is using their time without regard for God’s will with their time.

• The grammatical structure of this verse indicates someone who would do this habitually, not just a slip of the mind.

• What you see here is a conscience decision to use one’s time with no regard for God’s will.

• Notice the verse speaks of WHEN the person will travel, WHERE the person will travel, HOW LONG the person will travel, and WHY they will travel.