Redeem the Time; Sermon on using our Time for the Glory of God (Ephesians 5:8–16)

Ephesians 5:8–16

⁸ For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

⁹ (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

¹⁰ Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

¹¹ And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

¹² For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

¹³ But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

¹⁴ Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

¹⁵ See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

¹⁶ Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Paul is writing to the church of Ephesus – He is writing during dark days (And yet he has a positive message for the Believer – He has a positive message for the Christian)

The book of Ephesians is broken down in two parts

1.  Doctrinal – teaching

2. Practical – do this because of what you have learned

Note: It’s not enough to JUST know the Doctrinal (about Christ) it is important that we also live the teaching provided for us in the Bible

Note: The Christian life is a life of OBEDIENCE: We must OBEY BIBLE TRUTH!

Note: The importance of Time – How important is time: Someone put it this way

•     To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.

•     To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.

•     To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper

•     To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the couple who are waiting to meet.

•     To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.

•     To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.

•     To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Redeem the time – Time is so important that God gives us a command to redeem the time in our life – (V16) This is not a suggestion; This is a Command from God to redeem the time in our life.

Note: The Context of this statement is in light of not walking in darkness; walking circumspectly; not walking as a fool; but as wise - redeeming the time!

Note: The second instance it is found in the bible is in Colossians 4:5 “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.”

The Clock of life is wound but once,
And no man has the power
To tell just when the hands will stop,
at late or early hour
Now is the only time you own;
LIVE, LOVE, TOIL WITH A WILL:
Place no faith in tomorrow, for-
The Clock may than be still
 - Author Unknown

TIME – Redeeming the Time (each day, week, each hour, and minute): It means to buy back ; God wants us to siege the opportunity that is before us.

I. The Source of Time

REDEEMING THE TIME – WHAT IS TIME?

Note: Webster’s tells us that time is the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues

Note: Time is a part of the measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify rates of change such as the motions of objects.

Note: Time is often set in categories and defined as absolute time.

Note: Absolute time is time irrespective of local standards or epics:

Note: Time is also defined in terms of astronomical time – solar time

Note: Reckoned by the counting of hours continuously up to the 24 from one noon to the next

Note: Some measure time by Civil time – time is reckoned for the purposes of common life

Note: We do that in the society that we live

Note: Time is divided into distinct periods in years, months, days, hours, minutes, seconds and so on

Note:  To some time is measured in what we call Standard time – the civil time that is established by law

Note: The general usage over a specific region

Note: We are on daylight savings time – eastern standard time

Note: It’s a part of our life – how we tell time

What is time?

The shadow on the dial, the striking of the clock,
the running of the sand, day and night, summer and winter, months,
years, centuries--these are but arbitrary and outward signs,
the measure of Time, not Time itself.
Time is the Life of the Soul.
--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow--

Note: The Bible says redeeming the time

Note: God is eternal --) He has no beginning and no end

Psalm 90:4

⁴ For a thousand years in thy sight Are but as yesterday when it is past, And as a watch in the night.

Note:  God didn’t wake this morning – because He didn’t go to bed => there is no night or day with God.

Note: The Mystery of God’s work and way is the time that is allotted us.

Jack: Not today please, I have a lot more to do.
Death: Oh no, you're the first on the list to die.
Jack: Alright, I'll finish what I'm doing first. Even better, I'll make you some coffee while you wait. And after I'm done, we can leave.
(Jack put sleeping pills in the coffee and when Death fell asleep, Jack erased his name and placed it at the end of the list)
Death: Woah! My friend, I slept well. You're a good person Jack, you treated me very well. Because of that, I'll just start with the last one on the list.

Note: This isn’t the way that life works

Note: Our time is in God’s hands.

You look at a tombstone, and you notice two dates.

The date of birth and the date of death.

Then there is a small dash.

That dash represents their time, their life.

A lot has happened in that small dash.

A lot of decisions, directions and difficulties.

All found within time.

A. Time is a Divine Gift

And remember, time waits for no one.
Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is a mystery.
Today is a gift.

That's why it's called the present.

Note: Everyday, every moment, every minute, every second is a gift from God!

Deuteronomy 4:40

⁴⁰ Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, for ever.

Note: Mosses reminded the children of Israel that every day on this earth – was not something that they deserved: BUT IT WAS A GIFT FROM GOD!

Note: Because Time is of God, We know that we cannot create time (I think you should look after your body; I think you should eat healthy; Everything in moderation) but TIME IS IN GOD'S HAND)

Proverbs 27:1

¹ Boast not thyself of to morrow; For thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

Note: Today is God’s gift to us.

Lamentations 3:22–23

²² It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

²³ They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Note: There are no accidents with God – Our time is in God’s hand

Psalm 39:4

⁴ Lord, Make me to know mine end, And the measure of my days, what it is; That I may know how frail I am.

Note: Every day you wake up – It is a gift from God!

Time is a Daily Gift

B. Time is a daily grant

Note: With time comes responsibility – obligation

Note: Time is not ours (You do not own time)
Note: Time is given to you by God – You are made a steward of time
Note: Someone put it this way – Time is given for your good and God's glory
Note: Redeeming the Time – it is a grant (it is to be redeemed)
Note: God has placed “TIME” in our procession  (whether you use it or misuse it that is your choice)

I think of the parable of the noble man in Luke 19 that went into a far country. He distributed his good to his servants and then made this statement – "Occupy til I come”

Note: He said I am placing all of this in your care

Note: Get busy with it – work hard – and labour

Note: Until I come back

Note: We are stewards of our TREASURE; TALENT; but we all are steward of our TIME – (All of us have been given the same amount of time)

I don`t have time – someone else had time – someone else saw it differently – someone else saw it from a different perception

THE MEANING OF TIME – A DIVINE GIFT; A DAILY GRANT