Redeeming Time: Exelance
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Eph 5:15-16
We eaither waste time or we redeem time.
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Watsing time requires no effort, redeeming time is a diligent work.
We are, by God’s design. temporal creatures. That means that we exist within time.
Everything we do takes time.
Thinking; eating, sleeping, working, grooming, praying, singing - it all takes time.
Here is the bottom line:
EVERYTHING we do takes time.
So if we are going to Redeem the Time: We are going to have to change the way we do anything that takes time.
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What does this mean?
Its actually quite simple:
Our purpose is to glorify God.
Time spent glorifying God is always time redeemed.
So:
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Does eating take time? Drinking? Whatsover?
It is possible to redeeming so much time, by smimply doing all things to the glory of God.
A cup of tea wastes 5minutes. But a cup of tea to the glory of God redeemes 5 minutes!
Doing the dishes wastes 10 minutes. But doing the dishes to the glory of God redeems 10 minutes.
Mowing the lawn wastes and hour. But mowing the lawn to the glory of God redeems an hour!
The question then is:
How do we do the “whatsoever” to the glory of God?
1: Understand your masters.
All of us have “masters”.
Wheather these masters are in the form of the goverment, our employers, our leaders, our responcibilities, our duties… the lsit goes on.
Whatever we do, we do it for one of our “masters”.
If we have to fill in our tax forms we do it for the goverment.
If we have to stack a shelf at work we do it for our employer.
If we have to build a jungle gym we do it for our family.
If we have to make a sandwich and eat it we do it for our belly.
If we have to fill in a cencus form we do it for our pastor.
If we have to help a member get a lift home we do it for our church.
We have a lot of masters!
However, all these different masters are only masters according to the flesh.
According to the Spirit, we have only one true master.
The master of masters; the king of kings; the Lord of lords.
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Here then is the power:
Whatever you do for any of your masters according to the flesh: Do it as if you were serving the Mastor according to the Spieirt.
Here is how the Word puts it:
5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
The mature Christian recognises that service rendered to any “little” master, can be done to the glory of THE Master.
And that any Glory THE Master recieves shines into our life as time redeemed.
Its a powerful exchange that very few christians take advantage of!
7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
Notice:
Any good thing (job, task, meal..) that you do for any “little” master - He will recieve the same from the Lord - if he does that task “as to the Lord, and not to men”.
In order to do this: You have to see your job, responcibilities, all your “little” masters in a very different way.
Not as “jobs” but as Ministries.
I am a Pastor, you would say that i am in the full time ministry because my “job” is full time kingdom work.
And that is true.
However, Gert is an Architect and thus he is not in the ministry, let alone full time.
That is where we make our big mistake.
Gert IS in the ministry and he is in it full time!
IF HE DOES IT FOR THE GLORY OF GOD, UNTO THE LORD AND NOT UNTO MEN.
It is not the content of the work that make it ministry, its the spieit in which the work is done.
For example:
Lets say that i did not enjoy what i did. I prepared sermons because i had to.
I counceled people because it pays the bills.
I presented bible studies because im contractly required to.
I may be doing the “work” of a minister but im not doing any actualy ministry, nor am i glorifying God.
But Let’s look at a hhumble shoemaker.
He wakws up thankful for his skills, provision and oppertunities.
He sees each repair job as an instance of God’s provision.
He sees difficult, rude cvustomers as oppertunities to practice christian growth and patience.
This shoe maker is more of a full time minister than the pastor! This shoemaker brings more glory to God than the minister!
Why? Because of the attitude of how the work is seen and done.
notice verse 8
Whatever work we do for the Glory of God, we shall receive!
recieve what.
Lets go to Colossians: It says almost work for word the same as Ephesians:
22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:
23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Look closer at verse 24
We shall receive the reward of the inheritance.
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
The crown of life is not like a crown of royalty.
There is only 1 king Jesus.
This crown speaks more of the winners wreath.
It is a symbol of victory. Victory we have in the name of Jesus.
Victory over Satan.
Victory over The World.
Victory over the flesh.
Victory over demonic schemes.
Addiction.
We receive the reward NOT as servants to our masters, but as servants of the LORD!!!!