"Make the Most of Your Time"

Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

INTRODUCTION

BELOVEDS WE GATHER THIS MORNING IN DAYS AND TIMES WHEN MORE IS DEMANDED AND OR REQUIRED OF US

THAN AT ANY TIME IN HISTORY…IN MANY WAYS. OVER THE MONTH OF OCTOBER WE WILL FOCUS ON ONE OF

THE

CORE JUDEO-CHRISTIAN CONCEPTS KNOWN AS REDEMPTION.......

Dictionary of Biblical Imagery Redeem, Redemption

The OT construct of redemption pervades every aspect of life. All manner of things-animals and people-stand in need of redemption for a multitude of issues

THE SUBJECT OF OUR SERIES, “REDEEMING YOUR TIME” WILL BE MOST HELPFUL TO YOU IF YOU AGREE WITH ME

AND THE AUTHOR AND MEDICAL DOCTOR, EDWARD HALLOWELL WHO PROPOSES THIS:

SOMEONE TURNED UP THE BURNER ON US IN THE MID-1990’s. WE’RE NOT BOILED YET, BUT WE’RE DEFINITELY

FEELING THE HEAT. BEING TOO BUSY IS A PERSISTENT AND PESTERING PROBLEM, ONE THAT IS LEADING TENS

OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS TO FEEL AS IF THEY WERE LIVING IN A SWARM OF GNATS CONSTANTLY TAKING

BITES OUT OF THEIR LIVES. ALL THE SCREAMING AND SWATTING IN THE WORLD DOES NOT MAKE THEM GO

AWAY. BEING TOO BUSY PLAGUES THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY, IF NOT THE WORLD.

LEGIONS OF SMART PEOPLE EVERYWHERE FEEL OVERLY BUSY; THEY RACK THEIR BRAINS TO FIND A BETTER

WAY, STRUGGLING TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES.

IN SPITE OF OURSELVES, BELOVEDS, I WANT YOU TO KNOW TODAY THE BIBLE OFFERS US SOME ALTERNATIVES TO

CRAZY BUSY LIVES AND LIVING THAT CAN ENHANCE OUR SENSE OF PEACE, HELP US FEEL MORE PRESENT WITH

OTHERS AND CONTINUE TO HELP US LIVE FULFILLED, ABUNDANT LIVES OVER THE REST OF OUR DAYS......

GOD’S LOVE IS ETERNAL MEANING IT’S ESSENTIALLY TIMELESS OR BEYOND THE TIME WE KNOW

YET GOD’S LOVE IS ALSO TIMELY.....READY, WILLING AND ABLE TO HELP US CHANGE TRANSFORM AND IMPROVE OUR

EARTHLY WAYS........

GOD AS OUR ULTIMATE RESTORER AND REDEEMER

TO SPEAK OF REDEMPTION IN THE BIBLE IS TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS PERCEIVED IN MORE THAN ONE WAY.....A

REDEEMER CAN BE ONE WHO PAYS MONEY LIKE A RANSOM FOR SOMEONE THAT’S BEEN KIDNAPPED........TO BE A

REDEEMER CAN ALSO BE ONE WHO LEGALLY TAKES ON AN INHERITANCE ON BEHALF OF A FAMILY OR TO SAVE

ANOTHER FAMILY MEMBER FROM SERVITUDE OR DIFFICULTIES......

FOR US, DURING THIS “REDEEM YOUR TIME” SERMON SERIES IN OCTOBER WE WILL CONSIDER THE WONDER OF

WHAT IT MEANS TO SERVE A GOD WHO SENT JESUS AS REDEMPTION FOR ALL HUMANKIND......AND A GOD WHO

LOVES US ENOUGH THAT THOUGH WE MAY REBEL AGAINST GOD, OR WANDER FROM GOD’S WAYS.....GOD SEEKS TO

GET US BACK IF WE CAN JUST ATONE FOR OUR REBELLIOUSNESS, IF WE CAN JUST CHANGE OUR WAYS......IF WE CAN

JUST TURN TO GOD WITH SINCERITY, HUMILITY AND A NEW SENSE OF COMMITMENT.....

THE PSALMIST EXPRESSED THIS KIND OF LOVE OF GOD IN PSALM 34:22

Psalm 34:22 NRSV

The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

ONE WAY TO THINK OF THIS LOVE OF GOD IS EXPRESSED IN THE GERMAN FOLK TALE THAT TOLD THE STORY OF A

MAN AND HIS AX......

THERE ONCE WAS A MAN WHOSE AX WAS MISSING, AND HE SUSPECTED THAT HIS NEIGHBOR’S SON HAD

STOLEN IT. THE BOY WALKED LIKE A THIEF, LOOKED LIKE A THIEF, AND SPOKE LIKE A THIEF. BUT ONE DAY

THE MAN FOUND HIS AX WHILE DIGGING IN HIS VALLEY, AND THE NEXT TIME HE SAW HIS NEIGHBOR’S SON,

THE BOY WALKED, LOOKED, AND SPOKE LIKE ANY OTHER CHILD.

GOD LOOKS UPON YOU WITH EYES OF TENDERNESS, LIKE THE EYES OF THE MAN WHO SAW THE VERY SAME CHILD

HE THOUGHT WAS A THIEF.....NOT A THIEF AT ALL, BUT LIKE ANY OTHER CHILD......SOMEHOW I IMAGINE THAT MAN

WITH A TINGE OF SORROW IN HIS HEART, WITH A DESIRE TO NOT JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS IN THE FUTURE, WITH A

HOPE TO LIVE IN A NEW AND TRANSFORMED WAY......

AREN’T YOU GLAD TODAY, THAT WE CAN CELEBRATE OUR GOD IN THE SAME WAY THEOLOGIAN, GERALD W. HUGHES

DID WHERE HE WROTE:

GOD IS NOT ONLY AT WORK IN EVERY PARTICLE OF HIS CREATION AND IN ALL OUR HUMAN EXPERIENCE, BUT

GOD MAKES HIS HOME IN US.....

PAUL’S MORAL ENCOURAGEMENT IN OUR PASSAGE FOR THE MORNING

OUR SCRIPTURE FOR THIS MORNING FROM EPHESIANS IS FOUND IN THE MIDDLE OF A CHAPTER FILLED WITH

ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE EPHESIANS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THE WAYS OF GOD AND THE CHURCH AND THE WAYS

OF THE WORLD.......

Ephesians 5:15–17 NRSV

Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

ONE COMMENTATOR ON THE TEXT GOES ON TO SAY:

These verses continue instructions regarding the Christian life. This life is the result of the reconciliation that God

has brought about in Christ (cf. Ephesians 2:13-18). Its focus is on living in love for the building up of the body of

Christ (4:1-2, 11-16).The recipients are those who once lived in sin (2:1-2), but must no longer live as Gentiles (4:17).

Because God created good works for their way of life (2:10), they are urged to live in a way that is worthy of their

calling.

BEING CAREFUL HOW SHE LIVED OUT HER CHRISTIAN LIFE, THE STORY IS TOLD OF ANNE YOUNG, WHO MADE THE

MOST OF HER TIME...........

ANNE YOUNG, A VISITING NURSE WHO HAD GREAT FAITH AND WAS A STRONG BELIEVER IN PRAYER RAN OUT

OF GAS ON HER WAY HOME. CONSIDERING THE RESOURCES AT HER DISPOSAL SHE TOOK SEVERAL URINALS

SHE HAD STORED IN HER TRUNK, WENT TO THE GAS STATION, MADE HER WAY BACK TO HER CAR, AND BEGAN

POURING GAS FROM THE URINALS INTO HER TANK. A TOUGH OLD GUY PULLED UP ALONGSIDE HER, NOT

KNOWING IT WAS REALLY GAS, AND SAID, “LADY, I DON’T THINK IT WILL WORK......BUT I WISH I HAD YOUR

FAITH!!!!!”

THIS STORY CERTAINLY BEGS THE QUESTION DOESN’T IT BELOVEDS.....WHAT DO PEOPLE SEE WHEN THEY SEE US

PRACTICING OUR FAITH.....ARE WE MAKING THE MOST OF OUR TIME LIKE ANNE DID, EVEN IF FOLKS ARE ONLY STUCK

IN THEIR OWN IMPRESSIONS OF US?

AND AS WE MAKE NEW STRIDES ALLOWING OUR GOD TO HELP US MAKE THE MOST OF OUR TIME WE CELEBRATE

THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE PSALMIST IN PSALM 37:23-24

Psalm 37:23–24 NET

The Lord grants success to the one whose behavior he finds commendable. Even if he trips, he will not fall headlong, for the Lord holds his hand.

CONCLUSION

THE OUTSTANDING RABBI, ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL REMINDED US IN THE EPILOGUE OF WONDERFUL BOOK

THE SABBATH ABOUT WHAT TIME TRULY IS:

TIME IS HUMANITY’S GREATEST CHALLENGE. WE ALL TAKE PART IN A PROCESSION THROUGH ITS REALM

WHICH NEVER COMES TO AN END BUT ARE UNABLE TO GAIN A FOOTHOLD IN IT. TIME IS BEYOND OUR REACH,

BEYOND OUR POWER. IT IS BOTH FAR AND NEAR, INTRINSIC TO ALL EXPERIENCE AND TRANSCENDING ALL

EXPERIENCE. IT BELONGS EXCLUSIVELY TO GOD.....

AND YET, BEFORE YOU GIVE UP BEFORE YOU BEGIN....I CLOSE WITH THESE 5 TIPS FROM A LIST, FROM A LITTLE TEXT

CALLED LISTS TO LIVE BY.....THE LIST’S AUTHOR IS LOUISE A. FEREBEE.....ASSOCIATE EDITOR OF MARRIAGE

PARTNERSHIP MAGAZINE.....AS I PRAYED OVER CLOSING WITH THIS LIST, I CERTAINLY REALIZED MANY OF YOU

ALREADY USE ONE OR ANOTHER OF THESE TIPS....BUT THEY ARE, NONETHELESS, POWERFUL TOGETHER....MAY

EACH TIP BLESS YOU AFRESH AS YOU MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME IN YOUR SERVICE TO THE ALMIGHTY.....

#1 - REMEMBER WHO’S IN CHARGE....TIME IS EVERYTHING THE GOOD RABBI INSTRUCTED, AMEN? BUT IT IS ALSO

SOMETHING YOU MANAGE, NOT SOMETHING THAT MANAGES YOU. LEARN TO THINK THROUGH EACH TIME

COMMITMENT IN ITS ENTIRETY. BUY YOURSELF TIME TO THINK BY ASKING, “CAN I LET YOU KNOW TOMORROW?”

#2 - DECIDE WHAT IT TRULY URGENT.....RATHER THAN THINK, “I MUST GET THIS DONE NOW!” TRY PUTTING IT OFF.

SURPRISE......MOST URGENT NEEDS AREN’T REALLY THAT URGENT....AMEN??

#3 - SCHEDULE IN REVERSE.....PUT THE REAL PRIORITIES ON THE CALENDAR FIRST, FAMILY ITEMS, DATE NIGHTS,

ETC.

#4 - BE, RATHER THAN DO.....TRY IT FOR AN EVENING OR 2. THINK. PRAY, RELAX IN A LAWN CHAIR OR A BENCH

IN A NATURE RESERVE

#5 - BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR LIMITATIONS.....BECAUSE WE CAN’T ACTUALLY MANUFACTURE MORE TIME,

BELOVEDS, WE HAVE TO BOTH KNOW AND ADVOCATE FOR OUR LIMITATIONS AT ANY GIVEN TIME…AMEN? NO ONE

IS GOING TO DO THAT FOR US…WE’VE GOT TO DO THAT FOR OURSELVES...

AS WE COME TO THE COMMUNION TABLE TOGETHER TODAY LAY OUT BEFORE GOD YOUR HEARTFELT THOUGHTS

AND SILENT PRAYERS ABOUT HOW YOU’RE DOING WHEN YOU ASSESS HOW YOU’RE MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR

OWN TIME....ARE YOU CAUGHT UP DOING SO MUCH THAT YOU DON’T FEEL YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO JUST BE?

DO THE PEOPLE YOU KNOW AND LOVE MOST REALLY KNOW YOUR LIMITATIONS AS WELL AS THEY KNOW THEY CAN

COUNT ON YOU?

ARE YOU THE LAST ONE TO KNOW WHEN EVERYONE ELSE IS SCHEDULING STUFF WITH YOU IN MIND?

CAN YOU NAME AND CLAIM THE THINGS THAT ARE MOST URGENT FOR YOU AND PRAYERFULLY PRESENT THEM

BEFORE GOD AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO NEEDS TO KNOW? EACH SUNDAY THIS MONTH, WE’LL WORK ON

UNPEELING THIS ONION OF WHAT IT MEANS TO TRULY REDEEM OUR TIME, AND ALL I ASK IS THAT YOU WORK ON

REDEEMING IT TOGETHER WITH US SUNDAY BY SUNDAY, AND DAY BY DAY AT HOME.....AND YOU’LL GIVE GOD THE

GLORY.....FOR GOD IS ALWAYS LEADING US TOWARD LIFE AND HAVING LIFE ITSELF MORE ABUNDANTLY....