What I’d Like to Know Is… How Do We Balance Our Family Schedules Around the Church, and Our Spiritual Lives Versus Our Social Lives? (PM)

Ephesians 5:15-17

Introduction:

1. Time is our most precious and most limited commodity.

2. We can neither create more time, nor can we get back time already spent.

Discussion:

I. Hear the Clock Ticking

A. People, especially in our youth, tend to act like our time on earth is unending.

B. As we age, life’s brevity becomes clearer (Psalms 39:4-5; 90:10, 12; James 4:14).

C. This brevity forces us to make decisions about how we will use our time.

II. Keeping First Thing First

A. Wisdom calls for “redeeming the time” as Paul said (ESV- making the best use…).

B. This demands we keep first thing first, using our time in the ways God intended (John 9:4; Ephesians 4:10.

C. Generically, this is done by:

1. Being about the Father’s business from our youth (Luke 2:49).

2. Prioritizing the Father’s works (John 9:4; cf. 4:34; 5:19).

3. Doing them for His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31) and in His name (Colossians 3:17).

4. Loving God and humanity as the driving force behind it (Matthew 22:34-40; John 14:15; 2 Corinthians 5:14; 1 John 5:1-3).

5. Knowing this is the reason He created us in Christ (Ephesians 2:10).

D. Specifically, for our families we must:

1. Properly care for our spouses, especially their spiritual health (Ephesians 5:22-31; Colossians 3:18-19; 1 Corinthians 7:1-5).

2. Train our children to serve the Lord as their primary aim in life (Ephesians 6:1-4; Colossians 3:20-21).

III. Blending Spiritual and Social Life

A. With the above reminder in view, we turn to the question at hand.

B. How, in perhaps the busiest society in history, do we balance these responsibilities in our homes?

1. First, we must distinguish teaching from training (Ephesians 6:4); teaching imparts knowledge of principles while training demonstrates them.

2. Next, we must realize every moment is a teaching moment, and every place is a classroom (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).

C. Put another way, I would recommend reframing the issue: rather than trying to balance spiritual and social life, strive to infuse spiritual things into social life.

D. While participating in secular activities, always angle for spiritual opportunities.

Conclusion:

1. It is difficult to avoid letting secular activities, even the most benign of them, rob us of the time we should spend in the Lord’s service.

2. The good news is, we can take the Lord and His word with us wherever we go.

Further Food for Thought

1. What secular activities present the greatest challenge to you in this way?

2. How willing to cut out the “thorns” that would choke out the word (Luke 8:7, 14)?