Embracing Christ's Light: Rescuing Time from the Shadows of Distraction

Reading of the Word

Ephesians 5:6–21 NASB 2020

See that no one deceives you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), as you try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the useless deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. For this reason it says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you.” So then, be careful how you walk, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, in which there is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our God and Father; and subject yourselves to one another in the fear of Christ.

Prayer of Illumination

Loving God, your Word brings peace to all who turn to you. As we open your Word, send your Holy Spirit to dwell among us so that we might praise and honor you in all that we do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Introduction

Video: I Forgot My Phone: As I watch this today, the question has to be, especially as believers, have we become too distracted to truly invest in our relationship with God and our neighbors?

Author Alan Noble argues that to love our neighbors well, we must "communicate our faith and the truths of the world in such a way as to disrupt our buffered and distracted culture" (Alan Noble, *Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age* [Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books, 2018], 6). Our obsession with efficiency and multitasking, especially through screens, has made us "mentally fatigued" and "unprepared to engage in dialogue about personally challenging ideas, particularly ones with deep implications" (Noble, *Disruptive Witness*, 21).

Attention spans in the church today have become shorter than ever before. Studies have shown that screens play a huge role in this. The less screen time we have, the more this will improve.

Being a believer in the digital world has unique blessings for the church: scads of public domain works from historical church fathers, sermons streaming live so we can still participate when we are unable to make it to our local body, and quick communication when needs for prayer or practical care arise. But have we become too distracted to really invest in our own relationship with God and with our neighbor? Author Alan Noble believes that to love our neighbors well, we must “communicate our faith and the truths of the world in such a way as to disrupt our buffered and distracted culture” (Alan Noble, Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age [Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books, 2018], 6). Our desire for efficiency and multitasking (primarily through screens) has hijacked our brains in a way that has made us “mentally fatigued” and “not prepared to engage in dialogue about personally challenging ideas, particularly ones with deep implications” (Noble, Disruptive Witness, 21). To break into our neighbors’ lives we must be prepared to disrupt the pattern of endless distractions in our own lives and truly engage with our neighbors in the church and the culture in meaningful ways. To truly reach our neighbors, we must first disrupt our own patterns of endless distractions and engage with them in meaningful ways within both the church and the broader culture.

The Darkness of Doom and Gloom

What is Darkness?

Darkness is describing the character of the life of the unconverted as void of truth and virtue in intellectual and moral matters.

Sinners love the darkness.

Darkness is given power by Satan.

Satan brings darkness to the world through sin.

The goal of Satan is to take us away from God. He does this through this tool of his called sin.

God Doesn’t Tolerate Sin.

There is judgment for sin. The only way to escape this judgment is through Jesus Christ.

d. Deception is Dangerous.

Allowing someone have empty words of hope but their life only reflects that they live in a pattern of sin, have no sorrow for their sin or hunger for the holy and pure things of God. (vs. 6)

We as Christians are to have nothing to do with darkness. (vs. 7)

We don’t give into temptation, and we don’t participate in sin. Rather, we walk in the Light. Instead of giving into sin, expose sin for what it is. (vs. 11).

Take a stand for the truth.

Even when no one else is.

Even when you are ridiculed and persecuted. They only do it because of Christ and the power that Name carries.

Take the biggest stand by living it, not just speaking it.

Don’t preach a watered-down Gospel.

They want Jesus without the cross.

Take up your cross. You must die to yourself daily and allow Christ to live in you.

They want to leave the cross at the benediction.

They want Jesus without the Holy Spirit.

They want to do what they want in their lives; they don’t want the wisdom or the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. They don’t want what God calls them to which is a reject sin and believe in the Gospel.

Defying Darkness Through Christ's Light

What is Light?

Light consumes the darkness.

Light exposes the sin in our life.

Through conviction, he makes us aware to the sin that dwells in us.

We are delivered from the darkness through Christ.

He consumes the sin in our life and replaces it with His love.

We must give ourselves as “living sacrifices” so that we can walk in God’s love. (vs. 10)

This entails “crucifying the flesh” with our desires, passions, and sin.

Light gives us the truth and leads us in all manners of living a Christlike life.

Our prayer needs to be this today:

Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts Shine through the darkness Christ, be our light! Shine in your church gathered today

Because of the truth living in us, we are to walk as “Children of the Light.” (vs. 8)

Light leads us to the Character of God.

As we walk in the light, God reveals Himself to us and fills our lives with His presence through the Holy Spirit.

To walk in love and light, believers need to let go of things that distract them from God and others.

Michael Jordan: Known for his intense focus, Jordan's ability to block out distractions and stay committed to his goals made him one of the greatest basketball players in history.Distraction prevents us from allowing our faith to produce fruit.

Distractions takes us away from God’s will and places our focus on worldly things.

Distraction is a tool of the enemy.

Distractions aim to divert us away from God and towards everything else.

As long as we aren’t focusing on God, the devil has accomplished his goal.

What does the devil put our focus on? Worldly things.

Money

Media

Need for Entertainment

Technology

Relationships

Routine

Our Work

Our Hobbies

Busyness

Worries of Life

satan

Or Simply Ourselves

b. The distractions steal our joy. The things of this world make us forget where our true source of joy lies.

Don’t Let Distractions Take Your Joy Away. In an article for The Atlantic, social scientist Jean Twenge shares the results of a study on the activities of American teenagers and their impact on happiness. Some of these activities included screens and some did not. Her conclusion was stark and unsettling, “there’s not a single exception. All screen activities are linked to less happiness, and all nonscreen activities are linked to more happiness.” Source Material from Jean Twenge, “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” The Atlantic, September 2017.

Making Every Moment Count

Time is Limited. It is finite.

We are not guaranteed tomorrow.

Spend your time today as if tomorrow will never come.

God’s Time is not Our Time.

Life is a vapor.

Life here on earth is temporary; life with God is eternal.

This is why the things of God are so important. Invest your time in eternal affairs not those that waste our time. Treasure that doesn’t rot or fade.

God gives us the Mission of Making Disciples in His Name.

God gives us life so that we can enjoy it. Do screens provide the enjoyment that we are yearning for?

How will we spend our time?

Loving God and loving one another should be the top priority in our lives.

Work on your relationship with Jesus.

We cannot produce good fruit in our lives unless we walk with Jesus.

Overcoming distractions.

Susanna Wesley, the mother of John Wesley and 18 other children, would pull her apron over her head to spend time in prayer with God.

Do what you have to in order to connect with God.

Some practical everyday ways to overcome distractions:

Pray and ask the Lord to guard your heart from spiritual distractions.

Study the scriptures and apply the truths of God in your life daily.

Gather with other believers and encourage one another spiritually.

Spend your time fulfilling God’s purposes, lining up every opportunity for useful worship and service.

Paul may have been writing this message to the Ephesians while they were experiencing opposition (see, for example, Acts 19:23–20:1). While we may not be dealing with the same sense of “evil,” we should have the same sense of urgency in how we spend our time. “The world we live in is not conducive to using time wisely, especially for purposes of spirituality and Godliness. In fact, our days are days of active evil. There are great thieves of time that are minions of the world, the flesh, and the Devil. They may range in form from high-tech, socially acceptable preoccupations to simple, idle talk or ungoverned thoughts. But the natural course of our minds, our bodies, our world, and our days leads us toward evil, not toward Christlikeness” (Thabiti Anyabwile, “Use Time Wisely ‘Because the Days Are Evil,’” The Gospel Coalition, June 27, 2008,

Application

Don't let screens consume your life. Practice self-control with your devices.

Don’t be afraid to turn them off.

Put a time limit of how much time you spend on screens every day.

Use your screens in productive ways.

Things that draw us closer to God

Never let ANYTHING get in the way of God’s best for your life.

Ways that focus on helping others.

Don’t ever allow a screen to replace in person relationships with others.

God instructs us to remove anything that draws us away from Him, no matter how difficult it may be.

If we don't, it becomes an idol and takes God's place in our lives.

To Sum It Up

To walk in love, the believer may need to give up things that distract them from God and people.

Conclusion

As we conclude, let us reflect on the precious gift of life and how we can make the most of it. Life is a fleeting opportunity, and each moment is a chance to live fully and meaningfully.

Embrace each day with a heart full of gratitude and purpose. Seek to love and serve others, cherish your relationships, and pursue your passions with dedication. Let us not waste time on trivial pursuits, but instead invest our efforts in things that matter—those that reflect God's love and bring lasting joy.

Remember, the value of life is not measured by the length of our days but by how we fill them. Make every moment count by living with intention and grace, seeking to honor God in all that you do.

As we move forward, let us be mindful of our time and choices, making the most of every opportunity to live a life that glorifies God and enriches those around us. May our lives be a testament to the beauty and purpose found in walking closely with Him.

Prayer After Message

Heavenly Father,

As we reflect on the message of darkness and light, we are reminded of Your eternal truth that Your light shines brightest in the darkest of times. Help us, Lord, to navigate through the shadows of this world with faith and courage, knowing that Your light guides our path.

We thank You, Lord, for the precious gift of time You have given us. May we use each moment wisely, with hearts filled with gratitude and purpose. Help us to prioritize what truly matters, setting aside distractions that hinder our walk with You.

Father, may Your Spirit continue to illuminate our lives, reminding us of the eternal significance of every passing moment. Teach us to love one another deeply, to serve faithfully, and to live in the light of Your truth.

In Jesus' name, we pray.

Amen.

Benediction

May we treasure each passing moment, mindful of the precious gift of time bestowed upon us. May God's guidance lead us to use our time wisely and with purpose, reflecting His love and grace in all that we do.

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ, fill you with every blessing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Go in his strength to serve the Lord and one another. Amen.