Admonition Podcast

I appreciate Walker leading that song.

I don't know who holds tomorrow, but I know who holds my hand.

The emphasis there being on the fact that we don't worry about time.

We don't worry about looking at the future.

We worry about and we focus on serving our Lord.

But for a moment, or for a few moments, y'all know I don't talk too short.

For a few moments, we want to notice this idea of time and how we.

You know, it's said that we are living on borrowed time.

Often when we hear this phrase, we think about maybe a child who is awaiting punishment,
he's living on borrowed time, before that punishment comes.

Or in a more somber way, we think of those who are nearing the end of their life, they're
living on borrowed time.

But when you take a step back and you really think about it, all of us as human beings are
living on borrowed time.

because the time that we have is not our own.

God made time.

He made everything that we see around us and as such the time that we possess is not our
own but it's God's.

He's given it to us to spend as we see a depiction of the master giving the servants
talents to spend.

And one day just as

Jesus told that parable, in that parable the master returning to call into account those
servants of how they use that money.

One day God is going to call us into account for how we've used our time.

when we think about this idea, when we think about how we are spending this time, we need
to understand and focus on the question, how are you, how am I spending God's time?

First and foremost today, spend time working.

Look with me at Ecclesiastes chapter nine.

Ecclesiastes nine and verse 10.

Here the wise man Solomon writes, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.

For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou
goest.

I returned and saw unto the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the
strong, nor yet bred to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to

men of skill.

But notice this, time and chance happeneth to them all.

For man also knoweth not his time, as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the
birds that are caught in the snare, saw the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it

falleth suddenly upon them.

Solomon in writing this text of wisdom of wise advice to a future generation.

He emphasizes this idea of working diligently, of doing whatever you're doing, whatever
work you have set your mind to do, do it with all your mind.

In other words, we shouldn't be people of half measures.

We shouldn't be lazy in our work ethic, but rather, no matter what we are doing, we need
to be doing it to the glory of God.

In Romans 12 and verse 11,

We know that Christians are not to be those who are slothful in business, but fervent in
spirit, serving the Lord.

how we act, we live, how we in this case work reflects on our God.

It does not just reflect on us, it does not just reflect on our family, it does not just
reflect on our friends who might doubt for us, it reflects on any and all who understand

that we're Christians.

Think about how it would look for someone in his workplace to be lazy and to be known for
completely avoiding work altogether and then for someone to say, he's a Christian.

What does that say to those who don't know what it's like to be a Christian?

To everyone else that's not a Christian in that workplace, they say, oh, so Christians are
lazy people.

Oh, so that God they serve must be condoning and must approve of laziness.

Meanwhile, the scripture tells us the exact opposite.

We as Christians must be hard workers, but note that Solomon emphasizes this fact that
there is no work in the grave.

In other words, Solomon is saying, do what you can now, because there's coming a day when
you can't.

We'll notice this more as we continue.

But for us as Christians, death is not the end.

Death is not.

a mournful thing, but rather a restful thing.

Look together with me at Hebrews chapter four.

That's Hebrews chapter 4, starting in verse 9.

In emphasizing this idea of rest, the Hebrews writer notes in verse nine starting, there
remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

For he that is entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works as God did
from his.

Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest lest any man fall after the same example of
unbelief.

The Hebrew writer here is not saying that we strive for rest on this earth.

He's not saying that we work so that we can take a break on this earth.

No, he's saying we work because we know the rest that's coming.

We work for the Lord, we labor for the Lord, specifically in the context we work to ensure
that we are who we are supposed to be.

We grow in our faith because we know that there's going to be a time when we can sit back
and relax.

When we enter those, as have been described, those pearly gates, when we are with the Lord
for all of eternity, we can have true rest.

And that's the rest that we're longing for.

That's the rest we're looking toward.

And that's why we as Christians ought to be the hardest workers imaginable.

But know also that we are to be hard workers because our master was a hard worker.

John 9, 4, I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day, for the night cometh
when no man can work.

Jesus emphasized this idea of I must work.

And Jesus is our master, absolutely.

He is our King, 100%.

Could he have said, it is you apostles' work, pardon the grammar, it is the responsibility
of you as apostles, the responsibility of you as disciples to work.

Could he have said that and be right?

Absolutely.

But the work that Christ had to do was something that only he could do.

And so when he looks at this situation,

He says he takes personal responsibility.

I must.

How many times do we look at the work of the church and we say, that's Aaron's job.

Well, that's Michael's work.

Well, that's Eric's work.

Maybe it's time for us to say that's my work.

Maybe it's time for us to take personal responsibility in the work of the church.

Now understand there are things that not all of us are good at doing.

There are some jobs that are better left to other people, but the work of the church, the
work that is edifying the saved, that is seeking the lost, that work is a responsibility

of us all.

We all have a part to play.

We all have a work that we must

do.

I know that Jesus mentions the work of Him that sent me.

The focus was not on selfishness.

The focus was not on what He wanted to do.

The focus is what on God sent Him to do.

The focus was on the Father's will.

The focus was on the work that He had to do, that was laid before Him to do.

But what was his work?

Well, Luke 19 10 tells us that his work was to seek and to save that which was lost.

That's why he came.

That's why he came to earth was to seek and to save the lost.

Is that not also what he leaves for us to do?

Mark 16 15 and 16 tells us to teach to every creature to preach to all who will hear.

Jesus worked in ministering and giving his life as a sacrifice.

Matthew 20 verse 28 tells us that Christ did not come to be ministered unto, but to
minister and to give his life a ransom for many.

Our job as Christians is to minister to each other, to help each other.

Jesus emphasized in John 13 that he had given them an example that they should go and do
likewise.

that they too should go and serve the brethren, that they too should be servants in the
house of God.

As Christians, that responsibility is laid upon our shoulders to be ministers one to
another, to serve one another, to help.

And as Romans 12, verses 1 and 2 tell us to be a living sacrifice to God, saying it's not
about me, it's not about what I want, but it's all about what God wants, what He has

commanded.

And Jesus' work was also to establish

the church.

Matthew 16, 18.

We cannot establish the church as Christ did.

Only he could do that.

But what we do as Christians is build up his church.

We strive and live in such a way that we have to build a bigger building.

That's our goal as Christians.

eh It's not just to focus on the numbers.

The focus of a Christian, the focus of the Christians work in building up the kingdom is
so that souls are saved and God is glorified.

Brethren, we can't fill up heaven.

There's always room for more.

and that is the work we have to do, the work that is laid upon us to do.

But note also that Jesus said while at his day, he knew his time was limited.

He knew that he did not have forever on this earth.

He only had about three years of ministry, about 33 years in total of his life that he
lived on this earth.

It was a short time.

But oh, what he packed into those three years.

The work that he accomplished.

We as human beings only have about 290,000 days.

We need to make sure that we spend every one of them to the best of our ability, every one
of them glorifying our God and working for Him.

while we spend our time working for the Lord.

We don't need to forget to remember.

That's the second way in which we spend our time today and that's to spend God's time
remembering.

Look at me at 2 Peter, 2 Peter chapter 1.

Second Peter 1 and verse 12, starting.

Peter writes, Wherefore, I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these
things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.

Yea, I think it mean as long as I am in this tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in
remembrance, knowing that shortly I must put off this tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus

Christ hath showed me.

Peter in writing the second epistle says I'm writing to remind you.

I'm writing to put you in remembrance.

To put you in a state of remembering those things which you know.

You've already heard them.

You've already been taught these things but you need a refresher.

You need to be stirred up again.

How often is it that we've heard something years ago and we don't remember it?

We don't even remember that we forgot it.

It's just gone.

Well that happens with studying God's Word too.

There are things that we learn along the way that we forget.

And so it is beneficial to go back and to learn those first principles.

To go back and to re-study those things which we've already studied.

Peter, an inspired apostle, took the time to sit down and write an epistle, higher
focusing on remembrance.

Remember what you have learned.

And yet there are some today who think we need to be looking for some new thing.

Well, it's just not a good sermon if it's not something new.

There's nothing, if I'm not learning anything, then there's no point in even going to
worship.

Sometimes the thing we need to learn is the thing we already know.

But we need to put it into practice.

We need to be, as Peter says, stirred up.

But note again this immediate nature, this time crunch if you will, that Peter says,
knowing I must shortly put off my tabernacle.

This body, this physical dwelling of mine, I am very close to the grave.

That's what Peter is saying.

And he says, in my last moments, in the last epistle I'm going to write, I want you to
remember.

I want to remind you.

When we approach the end of our lives, often see that, or rather when we see those who
approach the end of their lives, we often see them truly show what's important to

They might say some final words of great weight to their loved ones.

Peter shows is the importance of not only hearing the gospel once, not only hearing the
truth once, but of truly implanting it in you, of being reminded of it, of being stirred

up to follow it.

When Paul told the Ephesian elders in Acts 20 and verses 26 through 27 that he was freed
from the blood of of their souls, that he was he was washed and he was guiltless before

them because he had not shunned to declare unto them the whole counsel of God.

Do you think maybe they had heard some of those things before?

But yet Paul put them in remembrance of it, just as Peter did.

If we are to teach the whole counsel of God, it involves reteaching things that have
already been taught.

But know also Hebrews chapter 10.

Hebrews chapter 10.

starting at verse 23.

Hebrews 10 and verse 23.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithful that
promised.

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good work.

Let us.

Brethren, we are all in this together.

We are growing together.

We are in this business together.

Ephesians 4 and verse 16 talks about the emphasis of there's differences of each
individual's set of skills.

Everyone has a different role to play, but we are fitly joined together in the body.

In the body of Christ, we are fitly joined together.

We work as a unit.

We work in unity.

Growing in Christ.

Growing in our faith.

And note how he says in verse 23, holding fast the profession of our faith.

If we've forgotten our faith, if we have forgotten why we held to our faith in the first
place, how can we hold fast?

How can we hold fast to that which we have forgotten?

But note that he also says, one another, brethren, we each have a responsibility to one
another.

Galatians 6 and verse 1 tells us that we are to bear one another's burdens, rather 6 and
verse 2 tells us that we are to bear one another's burdens and to so fulfill the law of

Christ.

It's not a suggestion, it's a law.

The law of Christ says I'm to look out for Brother Philip, just as he's supposed to look
out for me.

I'm to look out for brother J just as he's supposed to look out for me.

We're supposed to look out for each other.

We are in this together.

And sometimes we need to be reminded of that.

Sometimes we forget and get lost in our own lives and forget that, hey, there's a brother
who needs help.

Hey, there's a sister who's going through some.

I don't say this pretending that I'm perfect at it.

We all have improvements to make, but when was the last time you reached out to somebody
who was struggling?

Now for some of you, I know that's every day.

Don't get me wrong.

But we need to make sure that we are truly showing the love of Christ to one another.

truly caring for one another.

understanding that we are in this together.

And as we are growing, as we are spending time remembering, we also spend God's time,
number three, in evangelizing.

Acts 20 and verse 24.

24 rather in verse 25.

I'll get it right eventually.

24 and verse 25.

And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance and judgment to come, Felix trembled and
answered, go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

Now in context of Acts 24, Paul is on trial.

He is standing to be judged.

and yet he took this opportunity to teach the gospel.

How many of us, we were in Paul's shoes, would be focused on getting the best lawyer we
could?

Would be focused on, I wonder if this trial is going to go in my favor.

I wonder if I'm going to be pardoned or if I'm going to be found guilty.

But Paul said, hey, there's an opportunity to preach.

Here's an opportunity to share the gospel.

Some people have said jokingly, and there's some truth to it, they'd hate to be Paul's
guard, Roman guard, who was chained to him 24-7.

Because you know that man heard an earful of the gospel.

But shouldn't that be for all of us?

Shouldn't we as Christians be those who reason of righteousness, of temperance, of
judgment to come, using logic, not emotion, to show the gospel, using what we have, the

time that we have been given to spread the gospel of Christ?

We might not be standing on trial for our Christianity, but our Christianity is being
tested and it is being judged.

How do we stack up?

Well, it has been asked.

It's always been a sobering reminder when it is.

If you were to be brought on trial for being a Christian, would you be found guilty or
innocent?

What a court of law finds you guilty of being a Christian or innocent.

Sometimes I fear that we don't have enough evidence to convict ourselves.

We aren't working as hard as we could.

We aren't serving God as we should.

Again, the time that we have is not our own, but God.

We ought to use it to His glory.

Romans 13, 11 tells us that now is the day of salvation.

That the day of salvation is nearer than before.

We don't know when our lives will end.

We don't know when we will come to the end of this life.

But do you want to come to the end of your life saying, oh, I'll get around to that being
saved?

Or for those of us in here who are Christians saying, well, I know that this friend of
mine needs the gospel, but I'll get around to it.

Eventually when there's a convenient season, I'll teach them the gospel.

rather than a convenient season will never

We look for opportunities to reach the lost, yes.

but don't wait to the point of their losing their soul because you didn't tell them.

Tomorrow may be too late.

We work for Christ now.

We serve Him now because we don't know if tomorrow is coming.

How do you spend God's time?

It's a sobering question, one that deserves much contemplation.

Will we spend God's time in working for the Lord?

Will we spend God's time?

and truly helping, truly remembering what Christ has done for us and teaching it to our
brothers and sisters.

And will we spend God's time in reaching and saving the lost.

Brethren, we will be called into account for how we spent our time.

We are stewards of God's time and as 1 Corinthians 4 and verse 2 tells us, stewards must
be found.

Stewards are required to be found faithful.

Will God find us faithful?

and how we've used our time.

If not, then what hinders you from making that right?

If you stand today not using your time the way God would have you to, choosing to waste
your time instead of spending it to God's glory.

then let us help you.

If you are not a member of the church,

be happy to study with you.

Don't put it off.

But as most in here are members, are true Christians, maybe it's the case that you realize
that there's areas that are lacking in your life.

Where you need encouragement, or maybe you need to repent.

If we can help you to ensure that your time is spent for God's glory, then please don't
hesitate.

Come now as we stand and as we sing.