What Time Is It?

Sermon: “What Time Is It?” The First Sunday of the New Year 2020 Scripture Lesson: Ephesians 5:15-20  

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"What Time is It?"

Pastor Jerry

January 5, 2020

Happy New Year! We are now five days into the New Year 2020. Are you happy with your life as we begin the New Year? This year could be the time of your life … if only you use the time wisely …if only you make some good choices with your time. One of the things that have impressed me since coming to the Boones Mill Church is what I experience when I walk outside the front entrance of the church building. The traffic on 220 is zooming by at great speeds. Thousands of cars and trucks pass by every day in what seems as if they are in a very big hurry. There is a passage of Scripture that I believe can be of help to us as we look forward to 2020. The passage is from Ephesians 5 and says, ¹⁵ So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. ¹⁶ Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. ¹⁷ Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. I think that in this passage of scripture the Apostle Paul presents some important lessons that we need to consider about time for our life this coming year. I. First of all, we must be very careful how we live because our time on this earth is limited. The Psalmist wrote, "Show me, O Lord, my life’s end & the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life" (Ps. 39:4). And again he says, "The length of our days is 70 years or 80, if we have the strength...they quickly pass, & we fly away" (Ps. 90:10). Now the Word of God tells us to number our days so that we will develop a heart of wisdom. What time is it for you? II.  A second important lesson the Apostle Paul tells us that we need to consider about time for our life this coming year is that we must make "the most of every opportunity." And he gives a reason, "because the days are evil." Jesus said that Satan is a liar & a robber & a thief, & one of the things he tries to rob from us is our time because time is a very precious possession. Richard Swenson, a medical doctor, wrote a book in which he discusses one of the major causes of illness of our time is anxiety & stress. He calls it "overload," & says that people are just plain overloaded.  We’re overloaded with commitments. We’re overloaded with possessions. Finally, there is also an information overload. And technology is changing the way we learn, the way we work, and even the way we play; we now have smart phones, self-driving cars, robots, artificial intelligence. III. A third and final important lesson the Apostle Paul tells us from this scripture that we need to consider about time for our life this coming year is that we must understand what the Lord’s Will is. How do you come to understand what the Lord wants you to do? Well, to answer that, Paul tells us, "...do not be foolish ...be wise …be filled with the Holy Spirit …sing spiritual songs …and make music to the Lord in your hearts …and give thanks for everything to God in the name of Jesus." When God comes first in your life, you’ll worship the Lord in faith and in truth & come to church and let the church help you with your worship. You’ll schedule some definite time each day to pray & to read God’s Word. You’ll pray for yourself and your family.  You’ll pray for the church, & for the people around you. You’ll spend time with your family with no TV, no phones, no interruptions, & just listen and talk and spend some quality time engaging together. Those will become precious moments. Don’t dream about the good old days, instead, make the days good with the use of your time. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. What time is it for you?