The Persistence of Memory (1931) - by Salvador Dali
“What is with Time”
1 Cor 7:29; Psalm 90:4; 39:5; 2 Pet 3:8
Rev. Tony Nofuente
Kobe Union Church
Dec 29, 2024
Scripture Readings:
I Corinthians 7:29 -- This I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none.
Psalm 90:4 -- For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past,
And like a watch in the night.
Psalm 39:5 -- You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You. Certainly, every man at his best state is but vapor.
2 Peter 3:8 -- Beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
Introduction. Good morning. God is the giver of new things. The Bible tells us He gives us a message of life and when we receive the message of life, He gives us a new birth. After the new birth He gives us a new nature. Then He gives us a new life. And someday, the Bible says, He is going to give us a new body as we go to live in a new heaven and new earth forever with Him. And it all begins when we come to know Him. God is a wonderful God, and He has given us a New Year. And what a wonderful joy it is to know that God is the God of beginning again. He is the God of second chance. He is the God who wants to give us a wonderful New Year.
This morning, I’m going to speak on the subject of time. Just, “What’s With Time?" Someway, somehow people do not really think of time more than they do when we begin a new year. We can turn many pages in the Word of God and find exactly the same thought, the same teaching, the same instruction from the Holy Spirit, but in the words of our Scripture reference, we will find it saying in 1 Corinthians 7:29 – "But this I say, brethren, the time is short..." Paul reminds the Corinthians (us too) about the nature of time, that “time is short.” The Bible tells us time is short. Even our daily schedules warn us that our time is short. Every page we tear off the calendar tells us time flies.
Several years ago, we were just talking about the tremendous rate at which man was discovering new ideas in education, new developments in medicine and new technologies in science. We were talking about all the wonderful things man had discovered and the amazing inventions and gadgets that help us in our modern way of life. If our grandfathers had been told about all the things we will have today, they would never have believed it. But the truth is we have been told about all these things in the Bible. We have been told about the times in which we live. We are seeing as never before the collapse of time. Time is collapsing upon us as a nation. Time is collapsing on us as a world. Time is collapsing on us as a church. Time is collapsing on us as individuals. And there have been many changes but while some have been amazing; there are some things that have not changed. Man has not changed! The Bible says that his heart was the same – it is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Man's need has not changed. In all these years, since Jesus walked the face of the earth, the need of man is still the same. Man still needs a purpose for life. Man still needs a power outside himself that only Jesus Christ can provide.
We also learn from the Bible that God has not changed. He says, “I am the Lord, I change not.” And He has not and will not. The Bible says from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Salvation has not changed. It is still through the blood of Jesus. It is still by the way of the cross. It is still through the new birth. And there are some things that will never change, but the point is, time for us is short and this morning I’d like to share 3-truths about time.
I. THE BREVITY OF TIME
As we think about time being short, there are several others we want to think about. First of all, we want to think about the brevity of time because it is true. Have you ever noticed how quickly time seems to travel, how quickly time seems to get by? It seems like only yesterday when I received Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. And I can say praise God, I still do and I will until my dying breath. But it has been more than half a century since I received Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. It seems that time is just quickly going by -- the brevity of time.
The Scripture says, "thou hast made my days as a hand breathe and my age is nothing before thee" in Psalm 39:5 and that "a thousand years in thy sight are as a watch in the night and as yesterday when it is passed that our life is like a vapor that appears for a moment then passes away," in Psalm 90:4. The Scripture also says, in 2 Peter 3:8, "Beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." and that "The days of my years are three score and ten," in Psalm 90:10. Meaning that, God gives to the average person an average lifespan of 70 years.
And we need to keep in mind that 70-years is very brief. I know, we flew by it some years back. And how do we typically spend it? We spend the first 15 years in childhood, in adolescence. Some people spend longer in adolescence! Twenty years we spend in bed. And in the last five years, physical limitations curtail activities for many people so, that gives us about 30 years to live as adults. Now when we take time out to eat and for some of us that is a lot of time, and you take time out to sleep and time out to figure (manipulate for some) our income tax, then we are down to perhaps 15 years. The average person will spend 7 of those years watching television. That cuts us down to 7-8 years. Paul said the time is short! He told us about the brevity of time. Isaiah said, "mine age is departed it is removed as the shepherd's tent.” (Isaiah 38:12) The statement "the time is short" not only speaks of the brevity, it also speaks to us about
II. THE URGENCY OF TIME
The Bible says, "Redeem the time for the days are evil." Now we could talk for hours on days being evil, but you already know about that. Just simply listening to the newscast tells us the days are evil. Newspapers tell us the days are evil. The Bible talks about the evil times in which we live. The recent pandemic, the violent protests, the destructive riots, the shootings, the drug abuse, the killing of innocent babies, the blatant lies, the rampant disregard of God’s divine gender design and marital institution between a man and a woman, the LGBTQ initiatives, the rapes, the arson, all of it tells us that the days are evil. But the Bible says we are to redeem the time. It tells that the time is urgent.
The word “redeem” means to buy up. Now, if we were going to buy up the time because the days are evil that means there is a price to pay. The apostle Paul said at one time we walked according to the course of this world, fulfilling the desires of our flesh and of our mind. That is, we did what we wanted to do, but now we are finished with all of that. That is the old pattern -- it is no longer what they want or what we want, but what He wills. “Thy will be done”.
Are you redeeming the time? Jesus Christ had exactly the same amount of time in every day that you and I have. Jesus Christ said I must go to other cities for there I must preach the gospel also. Jesus said I must be about my Father's business. There was “urgency” about the life of Jesus Christ. He made every single minute count and yet there was serenity and peace about His life. Jesus understood the urgency of the hour, the urgency of the time. At this point, I believe and urge that we should do likewise.
Someone once said, we will have all of eternity in which to celebrate our victories, but only a brief moment before sunset in which to win them. The time to serve God is now. The time to pay total commitment to Christ is now because time, is urgent.
When as a child we laughed and wept, time crept. When as a youth we dreamed and talked, time walked. When still we grew older, time flew. And when we became full-grown man and woman, time ran. Soon, we will find while traveling on, time is gone.
You may not be familiar with these people, but Benjamin Franklin said, lovest thou life, then do not squander time for time is the stuff out of which life is made. Douglas Southall Freeman, an American historian, biographer and radio commentator said, time is irreplaceable - waste it not! But Jesus said it best in John 4:35 He says, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” And I am here to tell you now – today, Dec. 29 2024, time is urgent. Jesus said, do not live as though time will continue to go on and we don't need yet to get excited about the things of God. The fields are white already. Bros and Sis, the world is crying out for the gospel and God is telling our church (KUC) today, the urgency of time -- time is short.
Today, if you have never given your life to Christ, time is short. The Bible says, the urgency of time speaks to us now. If we have never given our life to Christ, if we don't plan to spend eternity without God, if we don't plan to go to hell, please pray with me later on as I close this morning. Time is getting away and if we put that decision off, soon it is too late. Then there is not only the brevity and the urgency of time, but
III. THE MESSAGE OF TIME
Time can teach us some lessons that nothing else can teach us. Time teaches us first of all, the lesson of sober reflection. When we come through a year we ought to reflect back on that year and think about that year and evaluate that year in the light of God's will for our life. Time has come to check up on us. Many stores take inventory at this time of the year. And so should we. As believers, we ought to take inventory. We ought to reflect back over the past year and understand that God has given us a new year. God has given us a new beginning. And regardless of our mistakes in the past year or the victories we had in 2024, it is time to reflect on those things and learn from them and move on for the glory of God.
One lady said, I don't attend New Year's watch night services because they always make me feel a year older. Well, whether we attend the New Year's Service or not, we turn a year older! And the point is, God has given us a new year. As we reflect on our life, as we check up on ourselves, as we see where we are with Jesus Christ, it ought to be a time of sober reflection. The time clock will continue moving on. And not all our piety or wit can cancel half a minute. We cannot change the past! But you and I can learn from it. We can have a sober reflection.
Were you all you wanted to be for God last year? Did you accomplish your spiritual goals? Did you grow in grace as you intended to grow? Was your prayer life what you wanted it to be? Did you win the people to Christ that you wanted to win? Reflect upon that.
It is not only a time for sober reflection, but also time for sincere repentance. The Bible says that it is a time of new beginning. Repentance is a time of new direction. Repentance means a change. Repentance means starting a new clean slate. I am so grateful to God that in Him, we can come to the end of 2024 and wipe the slate clean as we begin 2025. Just like those desk calendars that we turn one day at a time and when that day is gone, you tear that sheet off and you throw it in the trashcan and there is a whole new clean sheet.
And I don't care what you have done, what your mistakes may have been, what your failures may have been in 2024, but this new year is a new sheet. 2025 is a new opportunity. And praise God, this morning we can come to the Lord Jesus Christ, and He is the God of new beginning. And whatever the past was, for good or for ill, for gain or for loss, we can put it in the Sea of God's things “not to remember”, put it under the blood of Jesus Christ and move on.
The apostle Paul wrote that he had not attained all that he wanted to attain. But he said in Philippians 3:14, "Forgetting those things which are behind me, I press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Paul said I forget those things. Sincere repentance means not only does God forget those things, but you forget them too. And you put them behind you as though they never occurred, because in the grace and love and mercy of God they never happened.
The Bible teaches us that when God forgives our sin, He buries them in the depths of the sea. He then posts a “no fishing” sign for the devil, and you couldn't fish for them either. Just put them in the past. Forget those things that are behind. Paul forgot at least three things. He said I put behind me past guilt. He didn't wallow in the guilt of the past. Although he was the chief of sinners, although he could have spent his time saying, Lord if I had not persecuted the Christians. He asked for God's forgiveness, and he never brought it before the Lord again. Paul forgot his past guilt.
Then he forgot past grudges. The apostle Paul had many enemies. There were many who criticized him. There were many who castigated him. There were many who tried to discredit his ministry, tried to say he was not really a genuine apostle of the Lord, but he said I forget those things that are behind me.
My Brothers and Sisters I want to tell you, if we want to have the kind of year God wants to give us, we need to forget past grudges, amen? This is the time to put behind us any ill feelings toward anyone. Whether it is a brother in Christ, or someone who is not a believer in Christ. Because that will do the same thing to us that sand will do to machinery. It will grind and grind and grind and destroy us. And keep us from being all God wants us to be.
And he put behind him not only past guilt and past grudges. He put behind him past glory. He didn't live in the accomplishments of the past. The apostle Paul could have basked in the glory of all God had done through his life, all the churches he had started, his marvelous ministry in Ephesus, and his hard ministry in Corinth. Paul could have talked about so many things, but he said I am going to press toward the mark. And you see, that is what repentance is. Repentance is a change of direction. Repentance is beginning anew. And time teaches us the value of sincere repentance.
And not only does it teach us about sober reflection and sincere repentance, but time teaches us about serious resolution. The apostle Paul said my resolution is I press toward the mark for the prize of high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Paul made a resolution about his service to Christ. Paul said I will accept nothing less than God's best. I will accept nothing less than the spirit filled life. I will accept nothing less than walking in victory. I will accept nothing less than all God has for my life. Paul said I will press toward that mark. I want to serve Jesus Christ as never before because time is short. I must press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Joshua also made a sincere resolution about his service. He stood in the camp of Israel and he said if you want to choose to serve other gods then choose to serve other gods, "but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." I too and my wife and my house, we will continue to serve the Lord until He calls us home.
Conclusion
In closing, Do you need to make that kind of resolution today as you begin a new year? Do you need to make a resolution about your service to Jesus Christ? That you are going to choose to get God's best, to press toward God's best, to claim God's best for your life? And to claim God's best for your service to the Lord Jesus Christ? Church, do you realize what this next year will be like if just this group of believers here this morning would make a serious resolution about our service to Jesus Christ? If we would say to ourselves, "I am pressing on the upward way, new heights I am gaining every day." And we would begin to live in the victory that is ours in Jesus. I want to tell you we could win hundreds more to Christ in 2025. The year 2025 will be the year of victory, the year of revival, the year of conquest, the year of pressing on to being all God Kobe Union Church wants to be.
And as a starting point for KUC, some may need to make a resolution about salvation. You may have never given your life to Jesus Christ. You may have planned to do it. You may have said, sometime in 2024; my life is going to change. Your life will never change until you invite Jesus into your heart. So many people want to live the Christian life. They want to be all that God wants them to be, they say when I can live that life, I will give my life to Christ. They also say, but I won't be a hypocrite…I won't make a decision and then not live up to that decision. Church, I’m sorry to say, but with that attitude you will never come to Christ and you will never be able to live it. The Bible teaches that none of us can live it. Only Jesus Christ can live that life through us. So, you must come to Him and give your life to Him and begin with Him.
There was a story told in ancient times about a traveler on his way to Mount Olympus. He saw a philosopher by the road, and he had lost his way so he asked, which way is Mount Olympus. And the philosopher pointed in a certain direction and the young man looked off in the distance. It was such a long way and he said how will I ever reach it? And the philosopher said, the way to reach it is to make sure that every step you take is in that direction.
My Bros and Sis, that is the way to reach heaven. That is the way to reach glory. It is to make sure every step you take is in that direction. And today you need to take that first step and say I will give my life to Jesus Christ in faith. I will receive Him. I will trust Him. I will follow Him. I will live for Him. Time is short and the time is now to trust Jesus. The Bible says today is the day of salvation, now is the accepted time.
With all eyes closed, please raise your hand if this is you and you want to make this resolution for 2025. Take that first step and please repeat after me.
Dear God, I know I am a sinner and have rebelled against You in many ways. I believe Jesus died for my sin and only through faith in His death and resurrection can I be forgiven. I now turn from my sin and ask Jesus to forgive me and to come into my life as my Savior and Lord. From this day forward, I will choose to follow Jesus. Thank You, Lord, for loving me and for forgiving me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for the beautiful New Year and for a time when we can begin again. We can make new commitments. We can make a new start.
Father, there are those here this morning who look at last year and say oh if only I had done this or that or I wish I could have done it this way or that way.
Dear God, we pray that today would be a time of tearing off that old page, that today would be a time of sincere repentance and beginning afresh.
And God, we thank you for the victory that is going to come as we make a new start. As we begin the New Year, 2025, may you bless every life.
May decisions be made this morning that need to be made for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ. AMEN!
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