Ephesians 5:14-17; 1 Timothy 4:12-16; 2 Timothy 2:2, 15
Introduction:
1. This morning, we conclude this series with a look at one of the most subtle and effective tools Satan uses to thwart our pursuit of holiness.
2. It has been rightly said, “If Satan can’t make you bad, he will make you busy.”
3. Remembering the overarching purpose of Christianity, being holy as He who called us is holy (1 Peter 1:15-17), this tendency must be kept in check.
Discussion:
I. First Things First
A. Entry into Christ implies certain responsibilities (Matthew 25:14-30; Romans 12:6-8; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Ephesians 2:10; 4:16).
B. This truth demands certain practices from us:
1. We must understand what our responsibilities are (1 Timothy 4:12-16; 2 Timothy 2:2, 15; 3:16-17).
2. We must do the work we have been given (Matthew 28:18-20; Galatians 6:9-10; Luke 2:46-49; John 9:4; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Titus 2:14; James 1:22-27; 1 John 3:17-19).
3. Such weighty responsibilities demand wise use of time (Ephesians 5:15-17; Colossians 4:5-6).
C. Sadly, these responsibilities are often neglected because many of His people do not see the urgency.
II. Survey: Time Use in America
A. We all know that we get 24 hours each day.
B. The average time use for Americans is telling:
1. Personal care (sleep, etc.): 9.8
2. Eating and drinking: 1.24
3. Household activities 2.01
4. Purchasing goods/services: 0.67
5. Care for household members: 0.51
6. Caring for non-household members: 0.17
7. Work: 3.43* the working age average is 8.04
8. Educational activities: 0.42* among school age kids and adults it is 5.10
9. Leisure and sports: 5.07
10. Religious and spiritual activities: 0.14* this is across the whole populace, so the time is somewhat greater among the religious 1.57.
C. At best, Americans spend three times as much time on recreation than they do re-creation.
D. At best, there is about a half hour left over that we could add to one of these activities.
III. An Example to Follow (4:12-16)
A. Timothy was told to be an example to the believers in Ephesus (4:12).
B. He was to do this by public Scripture reading, exhortation, and teaching (4:13).
C. Such required him to devote himself to these things (4:13 ESV), not neglect his gift (4:14), meditate (lit. cultivate) on and give himself entirely to (lit. being in) these things (4:15).
D. Later, he was told to take the things he learned from Paul and teach them to others who would teach them to others (2 Timothy 2:2).
E. For this, Paul told him to “study” (KJV), “be diligent” (NKJV), “give diligence” (ASV) to properly handling the word (lit. hurry, hasten, be eager, be zealous: 2 Timothy 2:15).
F. The thing about an example is that, it does not just apply to the one being an example, but those who see it are to imitate it.
Conclusion:
1. Though recreation is not inherently wrong, we cannot deny that a large portion of the church in America has given greater priority to recreation than re-creation.
2. This has left us largely unprepared for the spiritual war we face (Ephesians 6:10-18).
3. As Paul said in the build up to his call for wise use of time, “Therefore He says, Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light” (Ephesians 4:14).