Sermon on 31 July 2022 by Ps Justin
Introduction
You schedule your time. You do not find time.
Message
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. - Ephesians 5:15-17
The apostle Paul told us to walk carefully, so that you do not fall into undesirable influence. We also need to redeem the time we have on earth. Our time is limited; do not waste it. Take every opportunity that you have to do good, because there is much evil around. Walk in the will of God. Do not be a fool. Only with a renewed mind can you understand the perfect will of God for you. Many things may look good, but it may not be the will of God.
How much time do we spend merely existing? Or are we truly living a life? Are you walking carefully, using the precious time well? We are to schedule, budget and redeem your time. Do not “find time”. If you “find time” to exercise, to read the bible, or cook, you will find yourself short of time. You will always be in busyness. You will have a never-ending to-do list.
The Greek word “exagorazo” means “redeem”, “to buy from”. Redeeming your time means to make time for doing good. The Greek word for time is “chronos” or “kairos” (Psalms 90:4). “Chronos” refers to calendar time – it is quantitative, it counts the minutes. “Kairos” means “the defining moment” or “the appointed time” (Esther 4:14 – “for such a time as this”), it is qualitative, capturing the moment. We often ask God for things to happen during a specific time period, in “chronos” time. But God does not exist in such “chronos” time. God is in the dimension of time in the context of “Kairos”, where the will of God intersects with what you are doing in your chronos time.
What is your MIT (Most Important Task)? Use a technique called MIT 321 – 3 highlights a day, and every highlight is done for 21 minutes. Your MIT is to seek Him first. Prayer is also important task. Consider practicing the MIT 321 technique, to avoid falling into the chronos time trap. Do not live in the wrong time zone.
1. You don’t find time. You budget time
Procrastination is the enemy. Be serious about our time with God. If you are not serious about time, you will not be able to manage your life. Our appointment with our Lord is most urgent on our schedule. He is always first. Don’t put it off. Once procrastination sets in, you will start to drift away.
2. Fruitless time is wasting time
How much fruitless time do you have? How much time did you spend on social media? Jesus cursed a fig tree because it was fruitless (Mark 11:20-21). Think about things that you are currently doing that are fruitless. Chop off the barren fig trees in our life. Spend your time on things that are faithful. Don’t always say yes to overtime at work, or to friends who are not adding unto you. Use the time instead be fruitful.
3. Budget time by triggering good habits
Budgeting time will bring you into kairos time. Create cues to trigger good habits which bring about kairos time. For example, place your bible in an obvious spot in your home. When you see it, take it up and read it. In another example, scheduling exercise time alone triggers listening to God’s word.
Closing
Once life has passed, it is only what we have done for Christ that will last.
There are 4 D’s in budgeting Kairos time: (i) determine, (ii) discipline, (iii) drop (barren fig trees); and (iv) do.
以弗所书 5:15-17 主题: 你找不到时间，只能预算时间
谢牧师福音证道 2022年7月31日 以弗所书 5:15-17 15 你们要谨慎行事，不要像无知的人，当像智慧的人。 16 要把握时机，因为现今的世代邪恶。 17 不要作糊涂人，要明白主的旨意如何。
这是使徒保罗给我们的警告，要谨慎行事，不要允许任何事情使我们远离上帝，好让我们在这邪恶的世代，不至陷入不良的影响。因此，我们也要时刻以哥林多前书15:33来提醒自己，滥交朋友是会败坏品德的。毕竟我们每个人在世上的时间是有限的，应该好好把握时间与时机，借着任何的机会行善。生命已经这么短了，浪费时间随心所欲的人，生命更短。
以弗所书5:17 也提到了我们应当行在主的旨意里，不要做糊涂的人。明白主的旨意不只是读经文，心意也需要更新，要完全的降伏，切莫效仿这个世界。一个人只有心意更新了，才能真正的知道什么是蒙上帝所悦纳的。
身为基督徒，我们应该珍惜把握神赐给我们的时间，成为家中的光，朋友中的盐，来拓展祂的国度。但是，我们往往会发现身边的人甚至自己，还是在抱怨时间不够 - 没时间来教会，没时间祷告，没时间去爱。倘若仔细想一想，时间其实是最好的均衡者，因为每个人有一样的时间 - 1年有365 天，也是 8,760 个小时、亦是 525,600 分钟、或 31,536,000 秒。因此，问题并不是谁的时间比较多了，而是我们是否真正的活着，有着真正的生活呢？
时间安排和预算
时间你可以拥有它，但你不能主掌它。如果要好好地安排和预算时间，首先要先了解时间。
希腊文中有两个字，都是指时间的意思，但是意义完全不同。
1. Chronos 时间
Chronos 的片面意思是顺序
Chronos 时间指的是时间表，日历，我们在世上的时间
代表数量，计算分钟
如诗篇 90:4 提到 “在你看来，千年如已过的昨日， 又如夜间的一更。”，上帝虽然创造了Chronos 时间，但祂超越了这个时空与层面。
2. Kairos 时间
Kairos 的片面意思包括此时此刻、指定的
Kairos 时间如同在神的季节里，神所特定的时刻，上帝层面的时间
代表质量，抓住当下
以斯帖记 4:14 此时你若闭口不言，犹大人必从别处得解脱，蒙拯救；你和你父家必致灭亡。焉知你得了王后的位分不是为现今的机会吗？
从以斯帖记 4:14 可以看出我们一定要把握上帝给予我们的时机，不要受到了永恒拉力的影响而活在错误的时区里 (例如活在现在的担忧，活在未来的不确定性)。
最重要的事 - 3 次，21分钟 （MIT - 321 法则）
把寻求神，读圣经，祷告视为最重要的事件，在每一天里为每一件事安排至少 21分钟，形成一种习惯。这些时间也应该是没人可以夺去的，且在我们生活中有着首要，重要的位置。
3大重点
1. 你不是找时间，而是预算时间
拖延是我们的第一大敌人， 会使我们脱离我们的重要事件
认真对待我们与主在一起的时间
我们与主的时间在我们的日程安排中是最紧迫的
把握时机就是管理你的时间
上帝的方式：祂是首先，要分辨上帝的旨意跟自己的私欲
2. 没有结果的时间是在浪费时间
荒芜的无花果树是浪费时间做徒劳无功的事情
馬可福音 11:14, 20-21
14 耶稣就对树说：从今以后， 永没有人吃你的果子。他的门徒也听见了。
20 早晨，他们从那里经过，看见无花果树连根都枯乾了。
21 彼得想起耶稣的话来，就对他说：拉比，请看！你所咒诅的无花果树，已经枯乾了。
3. 通过触发良好的习惯来预算时间
创造触发良好习惯的提示，例如在家里各处摆放圣经，提醒自己阅读上帝的话语
通过一些提示来预算安排时间
切记在生命过后，只有为基督所做的事才会长存到永远。我们一旦允许拖延进入我们生活，将导致我们远离，甚至退后。 预算与神时间的 4Ds 1. Determine 决定 2. Discipline 纪律 3. Drop 放弃 - 放弃不结果子的树, 勇敢地说出不 4. Do 行出最重要的事 (MIT) 愿我们大家都能铭记以上四点， 谨慎行事，把握时机，行在主的旨意里。阿门！
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