What's The Time Mr Wolf?

WHAT’S THE TIME MR WOLF?

John 7:1~39

1. INTRODUCTION

Do you have a mission statement? It is a popular concept in both the private and public sector to have a short statement outlining the goal of the organisation. My personal goal is to be bold, not to miss an opportunity and not to fall. My wife’s is to keep it simple, live a life of love, for Jesus. Jesus had a mission. It was only to do what the Father was doing. It also meant living His life on the Father’s timeline and not the world’s.

Jesus mentions several times in John Chapter 7 “For me the right time has not yet come”. He was so aware of being within the will and timing of God. When my dear mother-in-law was diagnosed with cancer time took on a new concept. I want to share some thoughts with you today that I hope God will use to encourage and bless you whatever circumstances you are going through at this time.

2. TIME IS SHORT!

For us time felt so short as a family, how long would we have together? We just didn’t know. So every moment felt so precious for the things we still wanted to do or say. But in a sense time is always short. As none of us know the time we will be called home, it’s important to make the right decisions, to be doing the things Jesus wants us to do and live lives pleasing to Him. Time maybe short for us all as surely Jesus is standing at the door. We can see from Matthew 24 that many of the signs Jesus told us would signal His coming and the end of the age have or are happening.

3. WAITING IS THE HARD BIT

Waiting for all the tests to be carried out and for the results, endless hours waiting for information either at the hospital or by the phone at home was easily the hardest bit to endure. We don’t wait patiently that’s for sure. Yet Jesus didn’t move without the Father’s direction. He deliberately stayed away before it was the right time for Him to go to the Feast in John 7. Similarly He waited before going to Mary and Martha when Lazarus was sick. In fact Lazarus was buried before Jesus got there. Not that that presented any problems for Jesus! After all He is the Resurrection and the Life. He holds the keys of death and Hades.

Notice that Jesus did not give into pressure from family or dearly loved friends to move outside of the perfect will and timing of God. And nor should we.

4. THE TIME IS NOW ~ THE GOSPEL

Jesus made a special announcement in John 7:37. He stood up at the feast and spoke in a loud voice deliberately to get the crowd’s attention. He’s making the same invitation to those who don’t know Him today.

“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.”

With time so short I urge you to make a personal commitment to follow Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. It’s not something to put off or delay until another time. God says in His word:

“I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Cor 6:2).

This is the day of salvation.

5. THE RIGHT TIME

Jesus said to His brothers in John 7:6 that:

“The right time for Me has not yet come; for you any time is right”.

His time was not governed by this world’s principles and objectives. He was in the will of the Father and on His timetable. We need to know the will and timing of God for our lives too.

James Chapter 4 talks about those who boast: “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money”.

In reply James says “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow”. He says instead we ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that”.

Our whole happiness and joy is going to depend upon being in God’s will and timing. Because believe me it won’t work if were not. God will make sure of that! I don’t know about you but being swallowed by the equivalent of Jonah’s wale for not doing what God has in mind for me doesn’t sound like a pleasant experience. Let’s choose to follow the Lord wherever and whenever He wants. It may not be by the scenic route; in fact I think we can count on it that it won’t be! But it will be for our eternal glory and benefit. After all we are not just living for the here and now.