Sermons
August 21st, 2022 by Pastor Solley080722AM Faithful Stewards #5
Sub. Stewardship
Theme: Stewards of time.
Text: 1 Cor 4:1-5 ; Eph 5:15-17
“Faithful Stewards” #5 1 Cor 4:1-5 ; Eph 5:15-17
Introduction
We continue this morning with our study of stewardship and stewards. A steward is one who has been placed in charge of something or someone that belongs to another. Joseph and Daniel were made stewards in the Bible by different kings and were found to be faithful stewards. We can name many more who were faithful stewards as well as many who were not. Jesus often spoke of stewardship in His parables and in Luke 16 we find a steward who was stripped of his stewardship by his master.
I. Stewardship is a very serious thing to God: 1 Cor 4:1-5 If stewardship is serious to God it needs to be serious to us as well.
A. We have looked so far at four areas of stewardship: Things that belong to God that we have been given charge over.
1. At life itself: All life comes from God and we have been made stewards of our physical life. All will stand before God one day and given an account of what they have done with their life and first of all with what they have done with Jesus Christ and His command that we must be born again. All have been made stewards of physical life.
2. All who have been born again have been made stewards of their spiritual life which also comes from God through Jesus Christ: What we do with Jesus after salvation, what we do with our spiritual life is also a part of stewardship.
3. All who have physical life, who have spiritual life, also are given a service life: What have we done for Jesus who has done so much for us. We have a service life we have been made stewards over. That is covered in 1 Cor 3:11-23.
4. Last week we looked in part at family life: Stewards over our children and even grandchildren. We are to being them to Jesus and have an influence upon them for Jesus that does not end until our heart stops beating in this world.
B. This morning I want to look at another area of stewardship, that of time: The Bible has a great deal to say about time. Even a light study of time in the Bible reveals over 4,000 references to time and that is in no way exhaustive. Our God, who stands outside of time, is very concerned with time.
II. Our stewards over time is clearly seen in Eph 5: Eph 5:15-17 This is only one of many references concerning time and stewardship and is repeated in the very next book of the Bible. – Col 4:5
A. It is interesting that God calls the one who is not a faithful steward over time a fool and the one who is a faithful steward over time wise: Eph 5:15-16 Especially when you consider other places the words fool and wise are used and who they describe.
1. The Bible says in Ps 14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God: And then the Bible tells me a fool wastes time.
2. The Bible says in Ps 107:43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. The Bible says a wise man will understand the things of God.
3. These same words are used in connection with time: Eph 5:15-17
B. We have been made stewards over time and God wants us to be faithful stewards: 1 Cor 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
PROP: If we are going to be faithful stewards over time we must understand what God says about time.
Body
I. All of us, saved or lost, have been given a limited amount of time: No one lives in this world forever. Man is a being that does live forever but we are not eternal because we have a beginning. We will however all live forever. That includes both saved and lost individuals. Those who die in the Lord, those who have been born again, will live forever in heaven. Those who die lost in sin having never repented and received the Lord Jesus Christ as personal savior will live forever in torment in the Lake of Fire. While all will live forever, none will live forever in this world. We have all been given a limited amount of time.
A. The Bible speaks of the length of time we have in this world: Ps 90:9-10 The Bible speaks here of the life span of an individual as being seventy years. – Ps 90:10 People lived much longer in the beginning when population was very limited and sin had not increased to the degree it is now. (Read Genesis five) After the flood people continued to live longer life spans. As time has gone by the life span has shortened and today the average world wide is 72.6 years. In some nations much shorter, in others a little longer, but right about what the Bible says. – Ps 90:10 – And the Bible is not limited as it accounts for longer lives. – Ps 90:10
1. Some are taken at much younger ages due to accidents, illnesses, or things just unexplained: David lost a child still in the womb. The Bible records others that died at birth or soon after. Some died as children and were raised up again by God.
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2. Some live much longer than those seventy years: When the Bible speaks of the aged men or women it points to those who have lived much longer than those seventy years. Some even wonder why God does not take them home.
3. But the Bible speaks of a limited time in this world: Because of sin none of us will live in this world forever.
B. While we know we have a limited time most choose to live as if we will never see that time run out: Ps 90:9 The Bible says here that our lives are like a tale told. – Ps 90:9 – The meaning is that our life passes very quickly and we do not know when it will end.
1. Our life passes like a mist: James 4:14
2. Any plans we make should be with the knowledge that we may never see them come to pass: James 4:13-15 That retirement account, the new home you will build, the places you are going to travel after you retire, you may never see or use them.
3. All of us know we are going to die: Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: We all know we have an appointment with death. But none of us know when that appointment is and even though we may know that we will die many choose to live as if they will live forever in this world.
4. Personally, I do know this: I am in the fourth quarter of my life. I am not sure when this final quarter began or when it will end, but I do know I am in the fourth quarter. I have many more years behind me than I have in front of me. The youngest among us may also be able to say that, the oldest know it to be true. I do know I am in the fourth quarter of my life.
D. All of us, saved or lost, have been given a limited amount of time:
II. The Bible suggests something to us about time that seems to be on the surface impossible: Eph 5:15-17 That Bible says that we are to redeem time. – Eph 5:16 – Col 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. When I think of redemption or something being redeemed, especially in the Bible, I think of something that is being bought back. Something that was lost and is being bought back. Jesus Christ has redeemed mankind. His in the beginning, separated by sin, Jesus paid the price of redemption, shed His blood on the cross to redeem man. Jesus will redeem all of His creation one day that Satan stole away. So when I think of redemption I think of something once had, lost, and is being bought back. Especially redemption in the Bible.
A. But how can one ever get back lost time, time that has been wasted? Once time is gone it cannot be regained. We cannot turn back the clock no matter how much we want to. Time that I wasted I cannot get back. That is true of all of us this morning.
1. I don’t like it when people waste my time: I waste enough of my own time and I don’t like it when others do.
a. Set up a service call and that one will come between 8 – 2 as if we have nothing to do between 8 – 2.
b. Call an office and wait on hold for twenty minutes or longer.
c. I don’t like it when people waste my time.
2. Because once time is gone it cannot be regained: None of us can regain last week no matter how much we might want to.
3. How can I ever get back lost time? I can’t no matter how much I want to. We cannot turn back the clock.
B. The way the Greek word translated redeeming is used in this verse means something other than regaining time already lost: Used in the Greek middle voice as it is here means to pluck out or to rescue. – Eph 5:16 – Jesus used this same word in this way when speaking of hell in Matthew five. Matt 5:29 It means to rescue or pluck out time from one who is trying to steal time away from us. That being us or another. It means to pluck out time or to rescue time from one who is trying to steal time away from us.
1. There are many ways to waste time today, time that could be better spent: It seems to me that the more devices that have been invented to save time have caused most to waste more time.
a. The smart phone is a device that is said to save time. Except when one becomes addicted to it and cannot put it down.
b. The PC is a device that is said to save time. Except when one plays games and spends time on social media doing nothing.
c. Drive through banks, restaurants, and so on all brought about to save time. But we seem to waste time more than we save.
2. It seems the more things that have been invented to save time end up stealing time away from us:
C. But we are commanded to redeem the time, to pluck out, to rescue time: Eph 5:16 And for good reason.
1. Because time is precious: Time is one thing that I cannot recover once it has been lost and one thing I cannot lay up for the future because I don’t know how long this fourth quarter of my life will last? Will I have tomorrow? I do not know. Time is precious.
2. Because of the one who wants to steal away my valuable time: Satan more than any other wants to steal away time from man.
a. It is Satan that moves man to think he always has tomorrow. – James 4:13-14 – Who is it that convinces man that he has all the time he wants, that time will never run out?
b. It is Satan that blinds the minds of man concerning time. – 2 Cor 4:3-4
3. Jesus addressed this thinking, brought on by Satan, in a parable: Luke 12:16-20
4. We are commanded to redeem time because I need to be found doing something with my life that will carry into eternity:
Rev 14:13 Wanting my life to count for something with God, with my Savior.
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D. The Bible suggests something to us about time that seems to be on the surface impossible: Eph 5:15-17 Wasted time cannot be bought back, but I can, we can, rescue time from the one who wants to steal it away.
III. God wants our time to be redeemed for Him: Eph 5:15-17 Verse seventeen tells me God wants me to redeem time, rescue time for Him. – Eph 5:17 If I am walking in the will of God I am rescuing time for Hi\m, for Christ and following after His will.
A. Let us point out here that God does not demand all our time be spent directly on Him: This may seem like an odd point to make here because every born again child of God is to be a full time Christian. We are full time Christians because Jesus is a full time Savior. There is not one second of an hour, a day, a week, a month or a year that Jesus Christ is not devoted to you if you are born again. Jesus is a full time savior and we are to be full time Christians.
1. Because we are full time Christians everything we do all the time is to be with Christ in view: 1 Cor 10:31 We should never, I should never do anything without thinking how it is going to reflect on my testimony and the name of Jesus. Whatever it is I do, whatever I engage in, wherever I go, I should always keep in the forefront of my mind how it is going to reflect on Christ and my testimony for the Lord. Not because I am a pastor, because I am a Christian. – 1 Cor 10:31
2. But not everything I do is going to be spiritual or be a spiritual work: All that I do will reflect on my testimony, but not all that I do is going to be spiritual.
a. Time spent with my wife, taking a drive, going out to dinner, just sitting and talking. It may not be spiritual.
b. Time spent playing and doing things with my grandchildren. It may not be spiritual.
c. Time I have been able to spend with my son hunting, golfing, working on projects. It may not be spiritual.
d. Time I spend apart and alone just doing something I want to do. It may not be spiritual.
e. But everything I do, everything I say, everywhere I go does reflect on my testimony. It may not be spiritual but it does reflect on my walk with Christ. – 1 Cor 10:31
3. Even Jesus separated to spend time apart when it was needed: Mark 6:30-32
B. But Jesus does want time to be redeemed for Him: Eph 5:15-17 How much of our time are we willing to redeem for Jesus Christ?
ILL. We had several individuals, men and women, younger and older, willing to give to Jesus twenty four hours a day for six days last week. Every moment of everyday devoted to serving Christ. That will not be forgotten in heaven because our week was cut short…
I also know some who think that is foolish and they would never even consider it…How much of our time are we willing to redeem for Jesus Christ who paid the price of redemption for us and is devoted to us all of the time? How much time do we give to Jesus who gives all His time to us if we can put it that way.
1. I have had Christians tell me they need family time and don’t have time to come to church: All of those who have told me that have troubles in their families.
2. I have had Christians tell me they don’t have time to read their Bible and pray: All of those who have told me that have also told me that God doesn’t seem to be answering their prayers and they don’t understand why God is allowing certain things.
3. I have had Christians tell me they don’t have time to be involved in serving the Lord and in the different programs of the church: Those same ones wonder why others receive blessings beyond theirs and even the desires of their heats.
4. God doesn’t demand all of our time, but God does command we redeem time for Him: Eph 5:15-17
C. God wants our time to be redeemed for Him: Eph 5:15-17
IV. So how can I redeem time for Christ? When we are too busy to spend time for Jesus we are just too busy and we need to take back time from what is robbing time we could be spending with the Lord.
A. We need to remove the things that are keeping us from giving time to Jesus, that keep us from redeeming time for Christ: There is time for us to redeem, to pluck out, to rescue for our Savior.
1. Look at the things we allow us to be kept from the house of God and remove them for these few hours each week: The local church was not started to give the pastor a job, to show off a fancy building, to be a social hall. The local church was started by Jesus so His children could grow strong spiritually. We need to remove the things that keep us from the house of God for the few hours we could be gathered together as commanded. Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
a. There are 168 hours in a week and in a normal week we meet here for only four of those hours.
b. Are those four hours too many to give to Jesus?
2. Look at the things that keep us from prayer and reading our Bibles: The smart phone that gobbles up time, the TV for those of my generation, the PC. What if we did turn them off and spend those hours with Jesus.
a. When was the last time you spent an hour in prayer?
b. Do you spend more than just a minute or two in Bible reading?
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3. Look at what keeps you from coming out on Thursday and spending a few hours walking with others handing out tracks: I know that is a huge things to most. But what keeps you away each week?
4. Look at what keeps you from cleaning the church: It takes an hour or two but most have that one or two times a year.
5. Look at what keeps your kids out of Sunday School, TAWAKAT, YOUTH:
6. We need to remove the things that are keeping us from giving time to Jesus:
B. We need to begin to tithe our time: God does believe in tithing. What of we tithed our time? That would mean I would give 16 hours a week to Jesus. (I rounded down.) Sixteen hours sound like a lot. But is it?
1. Just coming to church would take four of those: That takes us down to twelve.
2. What of we each prayed for one hour each day? Now I am down to five.
3. What if in Bible study thirty minutes a day? Now I am down to one hour thirty minutes.
4. I could clean the church or go on visitation: Sixteen hours is not much.
C. What if we all just quit wasting time? How much more time would we have to give to Jesus? He deserves our time.
D. So how can I redeem time for Christ? When we are too busy to spend time for Jesus we are just too busy and we need to take back time from what is robbing time we could be spending with the Lord.
Conclusion
God does want us to be good and faithful stewards when it comes to time.
I. All of us, saved or lost, have been given a limited amount of time: No one lives in this world forever. Man is a being that does live forever but we are not eternal because we have a beginning. We will however all live forever. That includes both saved and lost individuals. Those who die in the Lord, those who have been born again, will live forever in heaven. Those who die lost in sin having never repented and received the Lord Jesus Christ as personal savior will live forever in torment in the Lake of Fire. While all will live forever, none will live for ever in this world. We have all been given a limited amount of time.
II. The Bible suggests something to us about time that seems to be on the surface impossible: Eph 5:15-17 That Bible says that we are to redeem time. – Eph 5:16 – Col 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. When I think of redemption or something being redeemed, especially in the Bible, I think of something that is being bought back. Something that was lost and is being bought back. Jesus Christ has redeemed mankind. His in the beginning, separated by sin, Jesus paid the price of redemption, shed His blood on the cross to redeem man. Jesus will redeem all of His creation one day that Satan stole away. So when I think of redemption I think of something once had, lost, and is being bought back. Especially redemption in the Bible.
III. God wants our time to be redeemed for Him: Eph 5:15-17 Verse seventeen tells me God wants me to redeem time, rescue time for Him. – Eph 5:17 If I am walking in the will of God I am rescuing time for Hi\m, for Christ and following after His will.
IV. So how can I redeem time for Christ? When we are too busy to spend time for Jesus we are just too busy and we need to take back time from what is robbing time we could be spending with the Lord.