Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash.
AN UNPREACHED SERMON (195)
It’s amazing what you can get done between 6 and 9am if you are an early riser. Before the
busyness of the day is underway, all sorts can be tackled and dealt with. It’s the best time
for praying, reading, thinking, writing and planning for the day. How awful to reach bedtime
and admit “I don’t know where this day has gone, it’s just flown by”, usually adding “and I
haven’t got a thing done”.
That’s because this commodity we call time can be very elusive. St Augustine wrote, “If
nobody asks me what time is, I know; but if I want to explain it to someone, I don’t
know”. Not that people haven’t tried, especially throughout the late 19th and 20th
centuries. Think of Stephen Hawking and his “Brief History of Time”, or Albert Einstein with
his general theory of relativity and his concept of time as a fourth dimension; all mind-
blowing stuff. To my simple mind the only way to describe and define time is in how it
relates to human life.
If you ask a child what time it is, you will be given a clear answer: “It is 6.30am”. But there is
a more basic question still; not “what time is it?” but “what is time?” What is the essence
of that inscrutable mystery? Time is a self-evident reality in every life; there is a time for
everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). But the moment we try to capture, define and explain it we
are baffled. How is it that while time is so difficult to define, it is so hard to ignore? “God
has given people a sense of time, past and present” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NEB).
As usual, the Bible doesn't plunge us into philosophy or physics. It merely points out that
time is of immense moral significance. It has a bearing on our lives and characters. One
day we shall have to give account of our use or misuse of this priceless commodity.
In two of Paul’s letters (Ephesians 5:16; Colossians 4:5), he writes about time, employing the same
phrase in each. Different translations bring out the depth of meaning in what he is saying.
• Redeem the time (KJV)
• Make the best use of the time (ESV)
• Make good use of every opportunity (GNB)
• Use the present opportunity to the full (NEB)
And although he uses the same phrase in each letter, the reason given is different:
• Because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:16)
• Because of those still outside the faith (Colossians 4:5)
Pulling all this together, although unable to define time, we can describe the attitude we
are meant to adopt towards it.
TIME IS AN OBLIGATION LAID UPON US.
Each is allotted a certain amount of time and it is given to us on trust. “Wasting time” and
“killing time” are no part of the obligation. One evidence that we are truly converted to
Christ is that we have learned the value of time. With the Psalmist we pray, “Teach us to
number our days that we might apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psalms 90:12). From the
cradle to the grave, time circumscribes our whole being and not until death are we
released from its obligation. Robert Murray M’Cheyne of St Peter’s, Dundee, had his watch
inscribed with the text, “Work, for the night cometh when no man can work” (John 9:4).
TIME IS AN OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED TO US.
There are two different Greek words for time: chronos (tick tock time) and kairos (seize the
moment). Paul speaks about kairos time, which is why some translations speak of
opportunity. For Christians there is such a thing as the stewardship of time, not just of our
money and talents. As believers, we are to be on the lookout for every chance we can get to
influence others for Christ. But we don’t wait for opportunity to fall into our laps. We go out
and buy it up. “Redeeming the time” in the KJV captures the idea admirably, related as it is to the idea of a marketplace where things are bought and sold. Says John Trapp, the Puritan, “Christians
are wise merchants trading for the most precious commodity and taking their best
opportunity”. Have a look at how Jesus used His time (Mark 1:21-39). That’s what I call a
very full day!
TIME IS AN OPTION OPEN TO US.
The Bible picture of time is bracketed between two mighty acts.
• Creation (when the world and time began to be)
• Re-creation (when the last trumpet announces that time shall be no more)
Ever since the creation of the cosmos nothing has been able to impede the relentless
march of time. The period in which we now live is the day of evangelistic opportunity. A
time for decision in relation to Christ and His Gospel.
Speaking far too simplistically, we can discern three views of time.
• Time is cyclical (if you live long enough eventually time will go round in a circle and
bring you back to where you started to begin all over again; this was the general
Greek view)
• Time is linear (it starts, and will just keep on going till the end; a very Jewish view)
• Time as a point (the Christian emphasis; behold, NOW is the accepted time, NOW
is the day of salvation)
The past is gone forever, the future is not yet ours, now is all there is! This is what gives a sense of urgency to our evangelism and our service.
To all who are not Christians, time’s confronting question: “Listen! This is the hour to receive God’s salvation; today is the day to be saved” (2 Cor 6:2 GNB)
To all who are Christians, time’s challenging questions:
· Am I being faithful to what has been given to me (obligation)?
· Am I using my time to the best ends (opportunity)?
· Am I truly committed to the Eternal, Cosmic Christ? (option)?
I better finish here; this message is longer than normal and time is marching on! But we daren’t finish without some prayer.
A SHORT PRAYER TIME.
Lord, we pray
For those whose time has just begun, protect them;
For those who think time will last forever, challenge them;
For those who have wasted time, readjust them;
For those who are “doing time”, restore them;
And those for whom time is slipping away, comfort and assure them;
Embrace them all in Your mighty hands, amen!
Comments