Morning Message Text: 1Corinthians 7: 29-31
29 What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not;
30 those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep;
31 those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
Morning Message:
Let me start off today by encouraging you. It is easy for us to become discouraged as we try to live out our faith in a world that so vehemently disagrees with what we believe. Most days it feels like the whole world is going in the opposite direction of what we know is right. The easiest thing in the world to do is just throw our hands up in the air and give in to the world’s way of thinking. Have you ever said or thought to yourself, “I just can’t live this Christian life. It’s too hard. It’s overwhelming.” The truth is: WE CAN’T. WE CAN’T; HE CAN. It is not possible to live the life of God without the life of God. You can never be the person he wants you to be…until you realize you can never be the person he wants you to be. That is not double talk, but reality. Only the Holy Spirit living in us can produce the life of Christ through us…no matter if you are Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, or the Apostle Paul. The weight of the world, the salvation of mankind, is not on you to accomplish. It is God’s work, and he will accomplish it through us if we let him.
Moses had 40 years of thinking he could do anything drilled into him in Egypt. It took 40 years in the wilderness to be broken of his utter self-dependence. Finally, at the burning bush, Moses was terrified and awed yet commissioned for his real calling. The truth is that any bush would have sufficed as long as God is in the bush. We do not do things for God as much as God is the one doing things through us. Only he can make the good stuff happen. Only he can make it work. Any bush will do as long as God is in the bush. He can use bushes, big fish, shepherds, donkeys, fisherman and even you and me as long as He is in it. This truth is so beautifully put in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The live I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Listen to me this morning. It is important for us to stay encouraged in the face of what is happening around us.
As I was starting to prepare this message and I read this scripture from 1Corinthians a song popped into my head. “No Time Left for You”, by The Guess Who. No, I am not asking you to guess; that’s the name of the group. So, my memory being what it is, I looked up the lyrics. Listen: “No time left for you. On my way to better things (No time left for you) I’ll find myself some wings (No time left for you) Distant roads are calling me (No time left for you).” This would sound better if I were to sing it, but I’m not. “No time for a summer friend; No time for the love you send; Seasons change and so did I; You need not wonder why; You need not wonder why; There’s no time left for you; No time left for you.” This issue of time is different depending on your age. When we are young time doesn’t seem to be an issue. We feel like we have all the time in the world to accomplish and do everything that we want. As we get older, we realize more and more that time is not on our side. Living like we have an endless amount of time is not only unrealistic, but also not healthy for our faith. We lose the urgency that Jesus wants us to live with. We, in so many ways, take life for granted. I remember that I preached a sermon several years ago based on the song, “Live Like You Were Dying”. We spend so much time living for tomorrow that we miss the urgency of today. It’s a good thought to occasionally entertain how you would do things differently if you didn’t have all the time that you think you have.
Today’s scripture is only three verses, but they are so full of meaning. The first thing that Paul is trying to impress upon the church is, “time is short”. Jesus could return for us at any moment and there is so much that we should be doing. Now you husbands out there this next part of this verse was not meant to be taken the way that some might want to take it. “From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not”. Before you guys start celebrating, that might make your wife happier than it makes you. Paul is simply trying to remind these Christian men and women of where their first loyalty lies. I remember preaching on this subject once and an older gentleman came to me afterwards a little perplexed. He said, “I always thought that I should put my wife first in everything.” I told him that for the most part he was right, but God and your service to him always must be first. Paul says if you are mourning you need to put that to the side. That seems very insensitive of him, but you must understand that he is calling us to be Christ-like and know the urgency of the time in which we are living. Think about it. If you were living like Jesus was coming back tomorrow, would you be concerned with someone you lost yesterday? No, you would be looking forward to seeing them again. Listen to what God is saying. Happiness is great, but now is not the time to stop and smell the roses. If buying things is what brings you happiness, why? When you leave this world, those things are not going with you. Instead of finding such joy in the possessions you have that will simply burn up with this world, focus on the lives that God wants you to touch before it’s too late. This world is passing away, it will be no more. You might think that I am pushing the panic button here, but open your eyes and look at God’s word playing out before you. There is no time left for…. You fill in the blank. In my opinion, there is no time left to waste.
In Christ’s Love and Peace,
Pastor Bob
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