Living in Light of Eternity
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Introduction:
Introduction:
-According to research from RescueTime, one of several apps for iOS and Android created to monitor phone use, people generally spend an average of three hours and 15 minutes on their phones every day, with the top 20% of smartphone users spending upwards of four and a half hours per/day.
-In 2017 alone, an average U.S. consumer spent 238 minutes (3h 58min) daily watching TV. According to a Nielsen report, United States adults are watching five hours and four minutes of television per day on average (35.5 h/week, slightly more than 77 days per year).
4 “Lord, make me to know my end And what is the extent of my days; Let me know how transient I am. 5 “Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; Surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Selah.
psalm 39:
12 So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.
Psalm
14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
2 for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”—
2 for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”—
2 for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”— 3 giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, 4 but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,
-This topic of the brevity of our life seems to be a topic from Genesis to Revelations
-This topic of the brevity of our life seems to be a topic from Genesis to Revelations.....
-This topic of the brevity of our life seems to be a topic from Genesis to Revelations
2 Corinthians 6:2
-From Genesis to Revelations the writers are always calling for a serious commitment to use our time to glory of God.
-This topic of the brevity of our life seems to be a topic from Genesis to Revelations
Review
-We learned in the past several weeks that God given the church responsibilities to filter its own self from sin. Biblical confrontation is the immune system of the church. When a person has a strong immune system as soon as a foreign invader gets in the body the immune system attacks.
-We learned that there are three reason to confront: Immorality, Division, and False Teaching
-We learned Three Criteria for Individual Judgement: You must have the right motive, you must use the right standard, you must be the right person
-We learned there are three types of Sinners: The Blind, The Broken and the Belligerent....The Scripture have given us the blueprint about how each of these need to be dealt with.
-Now Paul in (v.15-16) takes us to the seriousness of the work that we are engage in. He seems to be rebuking a carefree attitude towards life.
Always-In order for us to properly order our lives in the world we must keep eternity in our view recognizing that this world is preparation for the next world.
I. The Time is now
I. The Time is now
15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
(v.15) “Therefore”it is a clear that Paul new subject matter is based on his previous contention about Saints being separate from the world.
(v.15) “Therefore be careful” Paul starts off by telling us to “Be Careful” This is a verb. It is a present verb(meaning this is to be an everyday)warning. We could translate this phrase “Always be careful” it is also an Imperative which is a command and it is active meaning it is something you do not something that is done to you. A verb is either something you do, or something you allow.
a. Careful-Circumspectly(I will walk circumspectly)—accurately, precisely with care. The Christian walk is not like a creative writing class, it is more like Math Class. In creative writing you can just write about anything you can imagine and there is no wrong answer, but in Math you have to be precise. Listen to how other translation deal with this phrase.
“Pay careful attention” CSB
“Be very careful” NIV
“See then that you walk” NKJV
“Look carefully then how you walk” ESV
Summary “Be accurate/precise in how you walk” MBC Translation.
This final translation conveys the idea of intentionality and focus in your Christian journey.
(v.15) “Therefore be careful how you walk” Now lets translate this phrase based on our verbal work. “Therefore always be accurate in how you live your life”
Transition statement-Then Paul tells us about two hearers of the word
a. The unwise-asophos-philosophy-mindless, stupid, takes no account into the consequences of a thought or action. The unwise may know a lot but their follow through is lacking. the Unwise is not a doer
b. The wise—sophos—one who can put things together who has insight and comprehension. One who is able to weigh out the future consequences (positive/negative) of his/her present decision. The wise is both a doer and a hearer.
-The Hebrews describe this is “Skill at Living” These are people who have this simply formula of applying everyday what they know to be true intellectually
Illustration
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5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish me to give you.” 6 Then Solomon said, “You have shown great lovingkindness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great lovingkindness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. 7 “Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 “Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. 9 “So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” 10 It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, 12 behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. 13 “I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days. 14 “If you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days.” 15 Then Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and made peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
1 Then Solomon formed a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her to the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem. 2 The people were still sacrificing on the high places, because there was no house built for the name of the Lord until those days. 3 Now Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. 4 The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place; Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish me to give you.” 6 Then Solomon said, “You have shown great lovingkindness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great lovingkindness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. 7 “Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 “Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. 9 “So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” 10 It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, 12 behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. 13 “I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days. 14 “If you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days.” 15 Then Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and made peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.
1 kings 3:
(v.5-6) Solomon recounts all the good things that God had done for Solomon’s father David.
(v.7-8) Then Solomon admits his absolute inability to govern the people that God had given him.
(v.9-10) Solomon’s understanding the magnitude of his role lead him to ask for Wisdom above all things. HE asked for an ability to discern situation and be fair and just with God’s people.
(v.11-15) God then because of Solomon’s prayer said because you have not asked for; Long Life, Riches, or the head of your enemies I am going to give you a wise and discerning like King before you, nor after you and I am going to give you all the things you didn’t ask for and a long life.
Paul then tells us what true wisdom looks like applied.
(v.16) “making the most of your life”
a. Redeeming-to buy up or buy back; to buy for one’s self or one’s advantage.
Metaphorically, it means to make a wise and sacred use of every opportunity for doing, good. God has given each of us 1440 min per/day.
-This whole phrase carries the idea of using time to your advantage. This does not mean you don’t rest or take vacation, it means that you guard your time religiously and don’t allow elongated times of inactivity, or focus on things that don’t have an eternal payoff.
(v.16) “making the most of your time” There are two words for time in Greek:
a. Chronos-Chronological-Kronus is the King of the Titans he is call the God of Time. This refers to minute by minute sequential time.
b. Kairos—Season or ages; a moment of determined or undetermined period of time in which to act or to perform something.
Examples of the usage of Chronos:
-What time is the Lions Game on? It is time for you get up for work today.
Examples of the usage of Kairos:
-Tell people you love them while you still have time.
-It is time to strike now!
-Time to get the winter coats out.
Do you see the difference “kairos” refers to season of time when something is best to do, because when the season changes it will be to late to act.
Tony Evans analogy on aging: Let’s say someone is 20 years old now but has a genetic heart deficiency that they don’t know about and they are going to die at 29 while playing basketball leaving them 9 years to live, but then there is me who is 47 years old, but the Lord is going to give me 77 years on this Earth which is 30 more years. Tell me who is older? Right the 20 year younger in Chronos Time, but he is older in Kairos Time because his age/season on the earth is going to be only 9 years and mine is going to be 30 years. The Key to this analogy is that I made up a fictitious death date. In life we don’t know when our curtain is going to close, so we are to even more live with a sense of urgency.
-This is what Paul is talking about. Paul died fairly early he was in his early 50 when he died. He got saved in his 30s so he had 20 years of Sold out ministry for God. Paul live in light of eternity. He finished more in 20 years than most of us who have been saved for decades.
(v.16) “making the most of your time, because the days are evil” Paul uses interesting Phraseology in this text.
How can days be evil?
-Satan can be evil, People can be evil, but days are not Evil. Unless we interpret days as not literal days on a calendar but as indefinite periods or ages.
-Paul is writing in the early 50s ad. And when he describes the culture in which he lives he says “The Days are Evil” he takes a look over the culture and determines that this culture is saturated, marinated, and soaked in Evil. Paul has already told us the source in
2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
(v.2) Paul tells us that this world system is absolutely under the control of Satan. He has been made by God the steward of this world. Let me show you this:
Sin has contaminated at the individual level
Sin has contaminated at the individual level
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19 We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
(v.19) John tells us that as Christian we are of God, but everyone else “lies in the lap or sway or power of the evil one” that picture here is of all unbelievers being held in the lap of Satan like you are his child.
Transistion Statement: Not only are the individuals contaminated by sin the systems that we all use and benefit from everyday are corrupted
Sin has contaminated at the Social/Political level Systems of the World
Sin has contaminated at the Social/Political level Systems of the World
2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
(v.12) This scripture which we will get into more deeply in the coming weeks speaks to reality of our real enemy being invisible. And this invisible enemy has embedded himself in the Political systems, Social System, Entertainment, and Educational systems of the world, not just in the United States.
-It always boogles my mind when people see these system rear their ugly head and act unjustly towards people groups. This is the wickedness that Paul was talking about.
Transisition Statement: Not only are the individuals corrupted, the systems are corrupted, but the very ground we walk on every day is corrupted.
The Creation/Cosmos is Corrupted in Sin
The Creation/Cosmos is Corrupted in Sin
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20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
(v.20) This tells us that the “creation” was subjected to futility(vanity), not willingly(this was the result of Adam & Eve sin in the garden)
(v.21-22) Like us who are believers long for a release from this sinful body that we live in, the Creation itself is also longs & groans to be freed from the bondage of sin which destroys.
Conclusion
-As Christians we are not to focus our energies in creation. Should we take care of our enviroment yes, but we should not focus all of energy on something that even God said is going to be wash away.
-As Christians we should not focus our energies on the systems. They are important to know, it is important to have a grasp of the political, educational, and Social systems of our world, but it would be a waste of time to make them the apex of our attention,
-As Christian we should spend our focus on the individual level of sin. How does sin impact not so much the creation, or the society, but who it impacts each individual that we come in contact with everyday.
-God has called us “to be fishers of men” and nothing should divert our attention from this lifelong pursuit. The best usage of your time on a daily basis should be used fishing for new fish and cleaning fish you have already caught.
-We are part of invisible Kingdom that needs us at the church level to all be on one accord. We cannot have separate agendas, we cannot allow our personal lives to distract us from something greater than us.
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