Title: Wise Use of Time

Date: 2009-10-25

Reference: Col. 4: 2-6

This coming week we Fall Back and return to standard time. It is always such a pain to go around the house and change every clock on every appliance. I heard one man say: “Last year when daylight savings time ended, I realized you cannot turn a digital watch backwards one hour to get back to standard time. My wife said: “All you have to do is turn it ahead 23 hours which I did. For the next six months I was a day early for all my appointments.” I had a conversation about time this week. How sometimes time flies and other times in pressure situations time seems to drag on forever.

Speaking of time a traveling salesman drove all night to meet a client and arrived at his destination two hours early. He decided to stop in the local park and catch a quick nap. Just as he dozed off there was a knock on his window. A jogger asked him the time. “It’s 6:27" said the salesman. He was almost asleep a 2nd time when another jogger asked him for the time. “It’s 6:34" he said. The man took out paper and pen and made a sign which read: “I do not know the time.” He stuck the sign on the car window and curled up on the seat. And then another tap on the window. He looked around and sure enough another jogger. He rolled down the window and asked “What is it this time?” The jogger replied: “It’s 6:42.”

In today’s lesson the Apostle Paul urges us to walk urgently and to make the best possible use of our time for Christ. Paul said: “Seize each and every opportunity God gives us, go through each door God opens. Make the best use of the time God gives. ”

Our Christian Walk, our use of time, before the world is so critical.

Do you realize how many people will judge Jesus Christ by what they see in our lives? Our responsibility to represent Christ is great. The Russian writer Gorky was a child when his father died. He and his mother went to live with grandparents. His grandfather was a religious man but stern, irritable and sometimes cruel. His mother was also religious but she was kind, gentle, and understanding. He wrote that when he saw his mother and grandfather kneeling side by side in church he could hardly believe they were praying to the same God. He felt there had to be two Gods, one cruel and vindictive the other loving and forgiving. I sometimes wonder what people around us think about our God when they view our witness. The way we spend our time, our priorities, and how we treat each other paints a picture of the God we worship. The Christ they see in you and in me is the Christ the world will evaluate.

Robert Ingersoll, the famous agnostic had a godly aunt to whom he sent a copy of one of his books attacking the Bible. He wrote: “If all Christians lived like Aunt Sarah, this book would never have been written.”

During a trial we evaluate the impact various witnesses have for the prosecution or the defense. How credible were witnesses? Were they able to change the minds of the jury members? Were they more helpful to the prosecutor or the defense attorney? In the end, could they convince others of the truth of their position? An important part of our ministry is to point to Jesus. To be a witness to the world of the Grace of God.

An effective witness is consistent, courteous, compelling, and compassionate. In order to make a wise use of our time and to be an effective witness to the world around us we must allow the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us.

All around us are people who need the Lord. Persons who are short on hope and resources. Our lives should point those in need to Christ. We are called to be a witness to the presence of God in our world. If someone outside the church asked us what we were doing here and why it was important for us to spend time here we might say any number of things. We might say we are here because we want to help people, and that is certainly true. But helping is not our primary task. Our primary task is to worship God and introduce Jesus to the people of the world. To help them understand how much God loves them and how it is possible to be in a personal relationship with God through Christ. The Holy Spirit is our source of energy for this huge task.

As a witness we say to others: “God has made a lasting difference in my life and God can make a difference in your life as well.” One must have passion in order to be an effective witness. What are you passionate about this day? Hobbies, various causes, relationships, family, politics, jobs, sports, clubs, organizations? Whatever we are passionate about consumes a good deal of our time. Whatever one is passionate about, how one spends his or her time tells a lot about the person.

Persons are willing to sacrifice for a passion. We are called to use our time wisely, to walk urgently, to be passionate about a personal relationship with God. The Spirit gives us a passion to share this message with the world around us.

Pastor EunJoo once introduced me to a Korean Methodist Pastor who came out of retirement twice to start new congregations. Recently he retired a third time after helping to establish a new church on the island of Guam. One does not display such devotion to an institution. Such passion is not reserved for a mere organization.

This man is passionate about his personal relationship with God through Christ. He is empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The early church grew daily. Daily they added to their numbers. The church grew as a result of the passion expressed by her members. People in the world around us may or may not be excited by sermons, 200 year old songs, hard wooden benches, and the passing of an offering plate. It’s obvious, by their absence, that many church members are no longer excited by these things either.

I see lines of people shuffling in and out of the courthouse across the street daily. One can tell by looking at them that the court house is the last place in the world they would want to be that day. Sometimes I wonder if that’s the impression we give the world as we shuffle in and out of church each week.

A relationship with Christ will bring joy. God will be with us in every challenge we face in life. We can use the gift of time to make this world a better place in Jesus’ name. Matt. 28 records Jesus’ last words before he returned to heaven. This passage known as the great commission says: “Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them and teach them everything I told you.” This must have seemed like a huge, impossible job for a group of simple country folk who had never been more than a few miles from home. It seems like a huge task for us today. It would be except for Jesus parting promise..”And I will be with you always, until the end of the world.”

Many of us believe the local church is the hope of the world. What we do as Christians has an eternal impact. We are stewards of the only message that can make an eternal difference. Our message can help change the world and transform lives.

If we really believe that how can we help but be passionate about the ministry of the church? The success of our ministry and witness doesn’t depend upon the location of our church, the denomination we are part of, or even our style of worship. Our success depends on whether our members are passionate about their relationship with Christ and are willing to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. Success depends on how we spend our time.

Passion is possible only by the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through us as we attempt to change the world one life at a time. We are painfully aware the church is not perfect for we ourselves are part of the church and we are far from perfect people. Throughout history the church has been torn by every imperfection known to humankind.

Yet we are grateful for the church. The world is a better place because people who love the Lord have donated their time through the church. Last week, at the Watoto concert, we were reminded once again how we make a difference in Africa one life at a time. We are all grateful for all the church has done for us as individuals. We remember those passionate persons who taught us and prayed for us and encouraged us in the past. And we commit ourselves to walking urgently as we dedicate our lives and our time to sharing the message of Grace and transforming love. In many ways the future of the world is in our hands. And when the church is passionate there is no other organization in the world like it.

Acts 13:36 is a powerful verse. It says: “David served God’s purpose in his generation and then he died.”



This is our generation and we are called to use our time wisely, to walk urgently, to serve God’s purpose and to make a difference for God in the world.

This is our best possible use of the time God has given us. May we be found faithful as the Saints of old were faithful.