Captivating Call to Conquer Time

 

TITLE: Captivating Call to Conquer Time

TEXT: Ephesians 5:16

TONE: Encouragement

TARGET: Believers

TASK: To encourage believers to make the most use of time.

TEACH: Imagine a seedling planted in fertile soil, its potential for growth and flourishing evident to all who see it. Now, consider what would happen if that seedling were neglected and left to fend for itself without water, sunlight, or care. The potential it held would wither away, the promise of life rendered meaningless.

 

In a similar way, each moment of our lives is like a seed, brimming with potential and possibility. Yet, if we fail to cultivate and redeem those moments wisely, we risk allowing the hours, days, and years to slip away, leaving us with nothing but regret and unfulfilled aspirations.

 

Think of the many times an opportunity has presented itself to engage in meaningful conversations with loved ones, but we were too caught up with distractions to truly listen and connect. Or consider the moments we could have spent in prayer, seeking God's guidance and wisdom, but instead chose to prioritize trivial matters that held no eternal significance.

 

“If time be a ring of gold, opportunity is the rich diamond that gives it both its value and glory.” J. Flavel

 

Many opportunities are forced or cheated out of our hands by the fascination with earthly cares and the deceitfulness of sinful pleasure. We must redeem time and rescue our time for better and higher purposes.

 

TRUTH: Redeeming denotes the excellent worth and preciousness of time, a commodity to be valued above all the gold in the world. Paul exhorts us to buy time a jewel of that price, which must be redeemed at any rate.

 

I. When is time to be redeemed?

            a. Answer: always

 

b. When we are truly careful to redeem or former negligence with double diligence, we recover lost time. Time according to this phrase appears to be taken captive, and we must redeem it.

 

c. Redemptions are made by purchases. To redeem a thing is to buy it for a price. The price we redeem time with is labor, travail, faithfulness, series diligence, and perseverance in persecution.

 

d. Christians our sins have been many and mighty, but our services few and lethargic. Therefore, put your best foot forward. But not as the sluggard. Instead, observe the ant.

 

Illustration: I read of a man being a prisoner in a dungeon, when the light was brought to him for a little time to eat his meal he would pull put his Bible and read a chapter, saying, he could find his mouth in the dark, but not read in the dark.

 

II. What time must be redeemed?

            a. Answer: all of time.

            b. The whole time of our life must be employed in service to God.

            c. For example…

1. The time of your youth must be redeemed: Resolve to present the first ripe years of your life to this good. In the bright morning of your life walk with the King of glory and become His bride before you are defiled by sin and the world. Let God in to be the Chief inhabitant of your life.

 

2. The time of your later days must be redeemed: You who are older don’t waste your days. Stay connected to your church. Attend prayer meetings when you can. Start a prayer ministry from your home. Write cards of encouragement. Bless your neighbors in some tangible way.

 

2. The time of health and strength must be redeemed: You who are young and lively should not always expect to be. You as well as others must count on disease, sickness, weakness, which will at some point confine you to your houses and beds. Now then, while you are strong and healthy of body, minds, and natural vigor, be mindful of your service to the Lord and give Him your best while you still have time.

 

3. The time of affliction must be redeemed: Let the affliction be whatever kind or degree -either on our persons, names, estates, families, church, or kingdom -we are to look on it as an opportunity to glorify God.

 

4. The time of the gospel must be redeemed: While there is still time, we must seek to reach those who are lost. We must make every effort to win them to Christ.

 

III. How must time be redeemed?

a. Answer: (1) By taking and improving every occasion for the glorifying of God. You were born and born again to serve. This is the glorious end for which you were created.

 

b. The chief end of your life is namely to display and propagate God’s glory in the world and this must not be neglected. All other things are subordinate.

 

c. Think about it this way, wicked men are bold and resolute in the way of sin to bear up the interest of the prince of darkness and will not you be as active and bold for the Prince of Peace? We have but few days to attend to this redemptive purpose.

 

d. (2) By complying with this present call. It’s a call to evaluation, contemplation, mortification, sanctification, complete dedication. (3) By repenting without delay. Labor to know the depth of your heart and plow up the follow ground. Sow in tears and you will reap in joy. (4) By making it your greatest business to obey the Great Commission. (5) By laboring to keep constant communion with the Lord. Do not perform duties sake, as to make the performance of the duty the end in itself. Instead, use them as a medium to draw nearer to God. (6) By treating everyday as if its your last day.

 

IV. Why time must be redeemed?

a. Answer: (1) Because the days are evil. This is the Apostle argument to enforce duty. No part of time, no matter how little, must not be lost. Evil agents are constantly seeking to rage out and undermine the very foundations and the principles of the Christian faith. (2) Because redeeming the time will render us wise. The wise man discerns his days.

 

b. Consider the present time is God’s. Delays and laziness are the two great gulfs in which multitudes of souls are drowned and perish.

 

TAKE-AWAY:

 

1. Meditation: Time is a very precious privilege. How are you spending it?

2. Examination: Have your seriously mourned over the loss of time? Do you have great concerns of God’s glory and your salvation.

3. Exhortation: Let us resolve to redeem time without delay.

 

TIE-UP: Time, my friends, is not meant to be squandered or taken for granted. It is a gift from God, entrusted to us for a purpose. And just as a skilled gardener tends to the needs of their plants, nurturing and caring for them to bear fruit, we too must approach our time with intentionality and purpose.