Regardless of how time was used before, becoming a follower of Jesus means we use our time differently. We are probably used to spending time on ourselves, but we now want to now make time for two new activities:
First, Christians are called to devote Time for God
Yes, God is present everywhere, all the time, but we want to have specific time laid aside for God. Jesus did this himself:
Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone… (Matthew 14:22-23 ESV)
This isn’t the only example, there are many examples like it. Today, people focus time on God by reading his Word, the Bible. A key part of our community is that we base all our teaching on the Bible, and encourage you to read daily. Secondly, focus on God in prayer. We encouraged you to start this in our Becoming like Family series, but don’t forget!
Second, Christians are called to devote Time for others
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Matthew 9:36-38 ESV)
Jesus dedicated enormous amounts of time to serving the needs of hurting people around him. Following Jesus means we are meant to focus our lives outward as well.
If all this sounds really busy, you are probably thinking we have to add these to our schedules. These are not additions, but are meant to replace, refresh, renew, or as we have named this series, reset our use of time. Some of the things we used to do were wasting time, and now we are invited to redeem that lost time.
What will you let go? Budget your time. Think of it as a limited resource, sine we can’t create time, and can only manage it.
Challenge: Watch your schedule next week. Write down how much time you spent on each activity, then categorize it as me, God or others. What’s out of balance?
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Yesterday we saw how King Herod was clinging to power using violence and fear to rule. Such times were described in book of Isaiah, prophetically, as a time of great darkness.
But contrast him to Jesus. Jesus also claims to be King of the Jews. But for him, that is a position he has not taken by force or manipulation, but by right. It is a position he hangs on to not by violence and fear, but by peace and love.
This is why he’s described by the Prophet Isaiah, 500 years before Jesus, as the light rising in the darkness.
What a contrast!
Herod has gone down in history, Christian and otherwise, as a brutal tyrant, a false king who never belonged in power.
And by contrast, Jesus is still known as a king. The sign above his cross – king of the Jews. Sing this Christmas: glory to the newborn king.
Then he got in the way of a different kind of power – the religious power of the scribes and Pharisees, and eventually Rome, who had him executed. And yet, Jesus is still known today as alive and active in people’s lives.
Jesus scares the powerful, because he is truly power. He is the source of all power and authority in the world. All power is given by God. All the ways people exert power rely on God having created and sustained world in the first place. When people who are abusing those means encounter true power, they are afraid. Like an employee who has been claiming to speak for the boss will suddenly shrink when the boss actually enters the room.
Jesus had that kind of true power, he scared those with false power.
The question is how will we respond to Jesus? Will we cling to power like Herod, or do everything we can to find and worship him, like the Magi?
Question: What do you think true power and authority looks like? How would you recognize it?
Reminder: We have a great Christmas event coming December 14th, 2013: The Original Christmas Party. Hope you're coming!
