Make the most of it
Text Ephesians 5:15, 16 Time 07/08/10 Place Alfred Place Baptist Church Aber Conference Extratime Intro
When I was a boy long before Pop idol and Britain's Got Talent, etc, the big talent show on TV was called “Opportunity knocks”. They discovered Les Dawson, Paul Daniels and Mary Hopkin and Max Boyce from Wales among others. It was hosted by a man called Hughie Green, who turned out to be Bob Geldoff's father-in-law but that's another story. Hughie Green used to have a friend to introduce each act. He's interview them briefly to find out what it was all about and then he would introduce the act by saying something like “Tonight for The Beresford Brass band opportunity knocks”.
The phrase “opportunity knocks” is an idiom that pictures an opportunity as being like a person who knocks at your door. The implication, of course, is that you must open the door and take hold of the opportunity – not ignore the knocking or tell them to go away.
The Greeks and Romans had another way of describing it. They had this so-called god called Kairos or Fortuna and that god was quite distinct in that from the front he looked a bit like Justin Lee Collins or Russell Brand and from the back more like Larry David or Michael Stipe of REM. That is to say he had lots of hair at the front and was bald at the back. The message there is that opportunity can be grabbed from the front as it comes at you but once it has passed by there is nothing to hold on to.
Now this week of conference that lies ahead for you is a week of opportunity. This week you are going to be hearing a series of knocks – this is the first! It is opportunity knocking at your door. Or perhaps you can think of this week as a great creature all hairy at the front and bald at the back. It will fly by this week, be in no doubt. If you don't grab hold of it as it come in, you certainly won't get hold of it when it's gone.
So that's the basic message then but I know that some of you will be a little anxious at this point because we haven't opened our Bibles yet. “Where is this in the Bible?” you say to me. Well, I'm sure it's in many places.
The phrase “opportunity knocks” is an idiom that pictures an opportunity as being like a person who knocks at your door. The implication, of course, is that you must open the door and take hold of the opportunity – not ignore the knocking or tell them to go away.
The Greeks and Romans had another way of describing it. They had this so-called god called Kairos or Fortuna and that god was quite distinct in that from the front he looked a bit like Justin Lee Collins or Russell Brand and from the back more like Larry David or Michael Stipe of REM. That is to say he had lots of hair at the front and was bald at the back. The message there is that opportunity can be grabbed from the front as it comes at you but once it has passed by there is nothing to hold on to.
Now this week of conference that lies ahead for you is a week of opportunity. This week you are going to be hearing a series of knocks – this is the first! It is opportunity knocking at your door. Or perhaps you can think of this week as a great creature all hairy at the front and bald at the back. It will fly by this week, be in no doubt. If you don't grab hold of it as it come in, you certainly won't get hold of it when it's gone.
So that's the basic message then but I know that some of you will be a little anxious at this point because we haven't opened our Bibles yet. “Where is this in the Bible?” you say to me. Well, I'm sure it's in many places.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 comes to mind - Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
Or what about Revelation 3:7, 8? These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.
I thought it best, however, to turn to Ephesians 5:15 and 16 Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. This is the practical part of Paul's letter to the Ephesians. He is setting out how to live the Christian life and he has many things to say. He talks about being imitators of God, living a life of love, avoiding any hint of sexual immorality ... impurity, or ... greed or obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking ... He talks about living as children of light finding out what pleases the Lord and so on.
Then in verses 15 and 16 we have this statement that the NIV translates Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
I thought it best, however, to turn to Ephesians 5:15 and 16 Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. This is the practical part of Paul's letter to the Ephesians. He is setting out how to live the Christian life and he has many things to say. He talks about being imitators of God, living a life of love, avoiding any hint of sexual immorality ... impurity, or ... greed or obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking ... He talks about living as children of light finding out what pleases the Lord and so on.
Then in verses 15 and 16 we have this statement that the NIV translates Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
The AV has See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
The ESV has Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
There are some variations there then. What Paul literally says is “Look then carefully at how you walk (ie how you live) not as unwise but as wise”. He then uses a word that means to buy up or ransom or redeem and the thing he wants us to by up or redeem is time but not time in the sense of 1 o'clock 2 o'clock, etc, (Chronos) but time in the sense of season or occasion or opportunity. The past phrase is that this must be done “because the days are evil”.
So I want to say four things to you from this text
1. Take care how you live always and this week especially
Be very careful, then, how you live or more literally Look carefully then how you walk. The way we live needs to be examined. We cannot go through life thoughtlessly. Socrates famously said that the unexamined life is not worth living. I don't know exactly what he meant by that remark but we really do need to give thought to the way we live. The Bible is always urging us to it
1 Corinthians 11:28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Galatians 6:4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else.
Here it is a call to be careful how you live. There is a famous story of one of the Puritans, a man called Richard Rogers. He was always notable for his seriousness and gravity in whet ever company he found himself. He was once with a very respectable gentleman who said to him, “I like you and your company very well, only you are too precise.” He thought Rogers was a bit of a precisionist, a Puritan, a bit too careful. “Oh sir,” came the famous reply “I serve a precise God.” Being very careful about how you live can be a pain sometimes but the God we serve expects it of us. Be very careful, then, how you live he says.
Some people say "take care" when they say goodbye these days. So I want to say to you take care this week. Walk carefully, thoughtfully, precisely. It can be a temptation to think – I don't need to be so careful this week, because I'm surrounded by Christians and by opportunities to hear the Word. That would be a mistake.
So, take care how you live always and this week especially.
2. Seek to be wise not unwise
Paul goes on Be very careful, then, how you live not as unwise but as wise. Wisdom is to do with a practical use of knowledge. It's a bit like the difference between science and technology. Science is knowledge but technology is the appliance of science. As you examine your life with care then you need to think through what is wise and what is foolish and obviously you need to do what is wise not what is foolish.
So how can you be wise this week? Here are some things you might like to think about.
1. This week is designed to help me in my Christian life or if i am unconverted to help me to come to Christ. An important part of that is daily Bible intake. So what am I going to do about that? Perhaps you follow a scheme for Bible reading, dated Bible reading notes, perhaps. Because, for most of you this will be a very busy week that might get squeezed out. It often happens for Christians like that and they can feel quite guilty.
You've really got two wise ways to go. Either be determined to snatch some time each day for your own reading or say it is not realistic for me to try and keep up my own readings so each day I'll make one of the public readings my reading of the day and take time to do some extra thinking about that particular passage each day. Be wise not unwise.
2. Private prayer is also important, again whether you area Christian or seeking to become one. You need to think through a way you are going to make sure opportunities for that don't disappear. Be wise not unwise.
3. Then there is the whole question of what meetings you are planning to go to. This really calls for wisdom. There are around 20 main meetings you could attend over the seven days, another, what is it, about 17 Extra-time events and not forgetting the 29 DVDs on show this week down at the Missionary Exhibition. Obviously attending all 66 of these events is impossible. So you need to decide. Perhaps it is wisest to have a general plan but be willing to adapt it as the week goes by. Be wise not unwise.
4. And that brings us to the matter of relaxation and sleep. Obviously for just one week you can perhaps get by on less sleep than usual but you will still need to sleep this week if you are not going to go completely barmy. Some need more sleep than others. John Wesley reckoned he needed six and a half hours. Mrs Thatcher could famously get by on four hours. For most of us, if we are not going to be sleeping in half the meetings we need somehow to fit in six or seven hours a night. If you go to bed after midnight on more than one evening then you are going to suffer for it – or someone else will, may be. Be wise not unwise.
3. Seek to make the most of every opportunity
Then we have this slightly difficult phrase making the most of every opportunity, redeeming the time or making the best use of the time. How can I make best use of my time this week? In the USA when they know there's a hurricane coming then they like to go out to Walmart or whatever and stock up. They buy batteries and torches (flashlights they call them) and bottled water and canned food, for example. They also like to get in beer and lots of pop tarts, apparently. Now let's be clear there's storm coming, as Jesus says, a great judgement, and now is the time to be stockpiling, buying up goods against the coming weather. And this is a good week to be buying. We need to ask ourselves, how can I make best use of my time this week? How can I make the most of this opportunity? I think there are at least three things we can say.
1. Do your best to grow in knowledge and understanding
Many of you are from good churches and so you already know a lot of good things but we all have gaps in our knowledge or we are not as clear as we should be on certain things. There are parts of the Bible we are not so familiar with, doctrines we do not know so well. Here is a great opportunity to fill some of the gap and to increase your knowledge. Make the most of this opportunity.
Knowledge has a tendency to puff you up, of course, so you need more than a mere increase in knowledge. Try and work on these two things too.
2. Do your best to draw near to God. This is the raison d'etre of the conference. A conference is literally a gathering to confer. We confer with one another but we ought to confer too with God. Here is an opportunity to tell God how much you love him as you sing the hymns and hear the messages and pray. Here is an opportunity to confess your sins and to repent. Here is an opportunity to talk to God about things that are on your heart. Don't miss this opportunity. Make the most of it.
3. Do your best to be a blessing to each other. Another part of this whole week is meeting one another – old friends, new friends, people you know but can get to know better. Give some real thought to this. How can I be a blessing to the people I am living with this week? How can I be blessing to the people I know? What about the people I don't know? In a conference this size there are always people who feel a bit out of it for one reason or another. Is there something you can do to help them? Make the most of this opportunity.
4. Remember that we live in evil days
And finally why you must make the most of this opportunity - because the days are evil. That come as a bit of a jolt when you take the text in isolation, although he has just been talking about the fruitless deeds of darkness and how it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. We do live in evil days. That is why it is important to Be very careful ... how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity. We need to keep this in mind while we are here and as we return home.
1. While we are here. We are a bit of a holy huddle here I suppose. Everyone is on their best behaviour and there is so much good going on that there isn't really much time for the other influences that are often there – from unbelieving family, from unconverted friends at school or college, the TV, the radio, the Internet, etc. It would be foolish to think, however, that we are somehow hermetically sealed off here behind a glass that is impermeable to the Devil and uninfluenced by the world. Even if that were so there is enough evil in each of our hearts to ruin the best part of a conference like this for everyone. Even here thoughtlessness, selfishness, jealousy and unkindness can creep in. Even if we don't infect others we ourselves can be so overwhelmed by sin that we hardly benefit from the good that surrounds us. So I'm saying beware. Watch out, even while you are here.
Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days including the next seven here in Aberystwyth are evil.
2. When we return home. It's when you go away from a conference like this, however, that it really hits you. Sometimes its gradual rather than all at once but it is when you're back seeing what people are doing and saying, what they';re watching on TV and the Internet and paying more attention to what is being reported on radio, TV or in the papers, etc that you remember what an evil world this is. It is because it is an evil world that we must make the most of opportunities like this one.
So I want to say four things to you from this text
1. Take care how you live always and this week especially
Be very careful, then, how you live or more literally Look carefully then how you walk. The way we live needs to be examined. We cannot go through life thoughtlessly. Socrates famously said that the unexamined life is not worth living. I don't know exactly what he meant by that remark but we really do need to give thought to the way we live. The Bible is always urging us to it
1 Corinthians 11:28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Galatians 6:4 Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else.
Here it is a call to be careful how you live. There is a famous story of one of the Puritans, a man called Richard Rogers. He was always notable for his seriousness and gravity in whet ever company he found himself. He was once with a very respectable gentleman who said to him, “I like you and your company very well, only you are too precise.” He thought Rogers was a bit of a precisionist, a Puritan, a bit too careful. “Oh sir,” came the famous reply “I serve a precise God.” Being very careful about how you live can be a pain sometimes but the God we serve expects it of us. Be very careful, then, how you live he says.
Some people say "take care" when they say goodbye these days. So I want to say to you take care this week. Walk carefully, thoughtfully, precisely. It can be a temptation to think – I don't need to be so careful this week, because I'm surrounded by Christians and by opportunities to hear the Word. That would be a mistake.
So, take care how you live always and this week especially.
2. Seek to be wise not unwise
Paul goes on Be very careful, then, how you live not as unwise but as wise. Wisdom is to do with a practical use of knowledge. It's a bit like the difference between science and technology. Science is knowledge but technology is the appliance of science. As you examine your life with care then you need to think through what is wise and what is foolish and obviously you need to do what is wise not what is foolish.
So how can you be wise this week? Here are some things you might like to think about.
1. This week is designed to help me in my Christian life or if i am unconverted to help me to come to Christ. An important part of that is daily Bible intake. So what am I going to do about that? Perhaps you follow a scheme for Bible reading, dated Bible reading notes, perhaps. Because, for most of you this will be a very busy week that might get squeezed out. It often happens for Christians like that and they can feel quite guilty.
You've really got two wise ways to go. Either be determined to snatch some time each day for your own reading or say it is not realistic for me to try and keep up my own readings so each day I'll make one of the public readings my reading of the day and take time to do some extra thinking about that particular passage each day. Be wise not unwise.
2. Private prayer is also important, again whether you area Christian or seeking to become one. You need to think through a way you are going to make sure opportunities for that don't disappear. Be wise not unwise.
3. Then there is the whole question of what meetings you are planning to go to. This really calls for wisdom. There are around 20 main meetings you could attend over the seven days, another, what is it, about 17 Extra-time events and not forgetting the 29 DVDs on show this week down at the Missionary Exhibition. Obviously attending all 66 of these events is impossible. So you need to decide. Perhaps it is wisest to have a general plan but be willing to adapt it as the week goes by. Be wise not unwise.
4. And that brings us to the matter of relaxation and sleep. Obviously for just one week you can perhaps get by on less sleep than usual but you will still need to sleep this week if you are not going to go completely barmy. Some need more sleep than others. John Wesley reckoned he needed six and a half hours. Mrs Thatcher could famously get by on four hours. For most of us, if we are not going to be sleeping in half the meetings we need somehow to fit in six or seven hours a night. If you go to bed after midnight on more than one evening then you are going to suffer for it – or someone else will, may be. Be wise not unwise.
3. Seek to make the most of every opportunity
Then we have this slightly difficult phrase making the most of every opportunity, redeeming the time or making the best use of the time. How can I make best use of my time this week? In the USA when they know there's a hurricane coming then they like to go out to Walmart or whatever and stock up. They buy batteries and torches (flashlights they call them) and bottled water and canned food, for example. They also like to get in beer and lots of pop tarts, apparently. Now let's be clear there's storm coming, as Jesus says, a great judgement, and now is the time to be stockpiling, buying up goods against the coming weather. And this is a good week to be buying. We need to ask ourselves, how can I make best use of my time this week? How can I make the most of this opportunity? I think there are at least three things we can say.
1. Do your best to grow in knowledge and understanding
Many of you are from good churches and so you already know a lot of good things but we all have gaps in our knowledge or we are not as clear as we should be on certain things. There are parts of the Bible we are not so familiar with, doctrines we do not know so well. Here is a great opportunity to fill some of the gap and to increase your knowledge. Make the most of this opportunity.
Knowledge has a tendency to puff you up, of course, so you need more than a mere increase in knowledge. Try and work on these two things too.
2. Do your best to draw near to God. This is the raison d'etre of the conference. A conference is literally a gathering to confer. We confer with one another but we ought to confer too with God. Here is an opportunity to tell God how much you love him as you sing the hymns and hear the messages and pray. Here is an opportunity to confess your sins and to repent. Here is an opportunity to talk to God about things that are on your heart. Don't miss this opportunity. Make the most of it.
3. Do your best to be a blessing to each other. Another part of this whole week is meeting one another – old friends, new friends, people you know but can get to know better. Give some real thought to this. How can I be a blessing to the people I am living with this week? How can I be blessing to the people I know? What about the people I don't know? In a conference this size there are always people who feel a bit out of it for one reason or another. Is there something you can do to help them? Make the most of this opportunity.
4. Remember that we live in evil days
And finally why you must make the most of this opportunity - because the days are evil. That come as a bit of a jolt when you take the text in isolation, although he has just been talking about the fruitless deeds of darkness and how it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. We do live in evil days. That is why it is important to Be very careful ... how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity. We need to keep this in mind while we are here and as we return home.
1. While we are here. We are a bit of a holy huddle here I suppose. Everyone is on their best behaviour and there is so much good going on that there isn't really much time for the other influences that are often there – from unbelieving family, from unconverted friends at school or college, the TV, the radio, the Internet, etc. It would be foolish to think, however, that we are somehow hermetically sealed off here behind a glass that is impermeable to the Devil and uninfluenced by the world. Even if that were so there is enough evil in each of our hearts to ruin the best part of a conference like this for everyone. Even here thoughtlessness, selfishness, jealousy and unkindness can creep in. Even if we don't infect others we ourselves can be so overwhelmed by sin that we hardly benefit from the good that surrounds us. So I'm saying beware. Watch out, even while you are here.
Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days including the next seven here in Aberystwyth are evil.
2. When we return home. It's when you go away from a conference like this, however, that it really hits you. Sometimes its gradual rather than all at once but it is when you're back seeing what people are doing and saying, what they';re watching on TV and the Internet and paying more attention to what is being reported on radio, TV or in the papers, etc that you remember what an evil world this is. It is because it is an evil world that we must make the most of opportunities like this one.
So, I say to you "This week my friends opportunity knocks!". Or, here comes an opportunity running by, be determined to grab it with both hands. It will soon be gone.
Be very careful ... how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
