Sermon
#1216
Title: A Sermon About Time
Text: Psalm 90:12
Reading: Psalm 90:1-17
Subject: The Brevity of Our Time in this World
Date: Sunday Afternoon - December 31, 1995
Tape # S-11
Introduction:
My message this afternoon is A Sermon About Time. In recent weeks
and months I have observed the failing health of some who seemed so strong, the
sickness of some who seemed so healthy, and the death of some who were so full
of life just a very little while ago. And here we stand in the closing hours of
a year that seems to have passed in just a few days, anticipating the dawn of
another. How quickly the time passes! How rapidly things in this world change!
My text this afternoon contains a prayer that I have uttered to God more times
than I can count in the last few weeks. Yet, it is a prayer that weighs more
heavily upon my heart than ever before.
“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
Of all mathematical problems this is
the most difficult. Men can number their herds and their flocks. They can
estimate the revenues of their farms and businesses with relative ease. We can
count our cash, balance our check books, and calculate what our retirement
income should be. Yet, mortal man foolishly imagines that he is immortal. Most
are persuaded that their days are infinite and innumerable. Therefore they do
not number them. We look at a strong young man, one who watches his diet,
exercises regularly, and seems to sparkle with life, and say, “He has a long
life ahead of him.” And we look at an old woman, weak, worn, wrinkled, and ever
weary, and say, “She will not be with us very long. Her days are few.” Thus, we
imagine that we can number the days of others, but few will number his own
days. What folly!
It is evident that the great thing
needed to persuade us to prepare for eternity is the persuasion of our own
mortality and the brevity of our lives in this world. We will not apply our
hearts unto wisdom until we are brought to the numbering of our days. Yet, the
fact is, no one will number his days and apply his heart unto wisdom until he
is taught of God to do so. Thus Moses prayed, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto
wisdom.” As we reflect upon the brevity of time, we ought to be persuaded to
set our thoughts upon things that are eternal. As we look into the grave, which
must soon be our bed, we ought to be humbled and made to know how frail we are.
But we are not wise. Only the grace of God will cause a mortal man to number
his days and apply his heart unto wisdom. Let this, then, be your prayer and
mine: “So teach us to number our days,
that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
Proposition: A sense of mortality ought to make us wise and cause us to
apply our hearts unto wisdom.
In this message, I want to show you
five words from God about time, about our brief, brief time in this world. May
God the Holy Spirit be our Teacher and apply these things to our hearts.
I. A Word of Comfort -
“My times are in thy hand” (Ps. 31:15).
Thank God, my times are not in the hands of my enemies, or
even in the hands of my friends, or even in my own hands. “My times are in thy hand!” The time that I shall live is in his
hand, determined by him alone. The times of my trials, troubles, and
temptations are in his hand. The times of my peace, prosperity, and pleasure
are in his hands too. My times of darkness, desertion, and despondency as well
as my times of dancing and delight are in his hand. All my times are appointed
by him, ordered by him, and disposed of by him for my good and his glory. I can
think of nothing in all the world more comforting.
“Our times are in Thy hand,
Father, we wish them there:
Our life, our soul, our all we
leave
Entirely to Thy care.
“Our times are in Thy hand,
Whatever thy may be,
Pleasing or painful, dark or
bright,
As best may seem to Thee.
“Our times are in Thy hand,
Why should we doubt or fear?
A Father’s hand will never cause
His child a needless tear.
“Our times are in Thy hand,
Jesus the crucified!
The hand our many sins had
pierced
Is now our guard and guide.
“Our times are in Thy hand,
(Help us to) trust in Thee;
Till we have left this weary
land,
And all Thy glory see.”
As
this fact quietened David’s heart in the midst of great trials, so let it
quieten our hearts as we make our pilgrimage through this vale of tears. “My times are in thy hand.”
A.
My time in
this world has been appointed by my heavenly Father (Job 14:5).
B.
My time in
this world is ruled by my heavenly Father.
C.
My God will
see to it that I fulfill all my time in this world. He has promised, “The number of thy days will I fulfil” Ex.
23:26).
II. A Word of Warning
The apostle Paul warned us of the perilous times in which we
now live.
·
II Timothy 3:1-7,
14-17
In these days
of apostate, free will, works religion, we must tenaciously adhere to the old,
old path of gospel truth that hold our hearts in peace.
·
Jeremiah 6:16
·
Divine Sovereignty
·
Electing Love
·
Particular Effectual
Redemption
·
Efficacious Grace
·
Special Providence
III. A Word of
Instruction (I Cor. 7:29-31)
Because the time is short, we must
redeem the time we have (Eph. 5:16). C.H.
Spurgeon wrote, “A short life should be wisely spent. We have not enough
time at our disposal to justify us in misspending a single quarter of an hour.
Neither are we sure of enough life to justify us in procrastinating for a
moment.”
A.
The time for
salvation is short (Isa. 55:6; II Cor 6:2).
B.
The time for
service is short. -”The night cometh when
no man can work” (John 9:4).
C.
The time for
suffering is short (I Pet. 5:10).
IV. A Word of
Admonition (Eph. 5:16)
Paul urges us to redeem the time, to
buy up every opportunity we have, because we are naturally prone to squander
the opportunity God gives us in this world. It is our responsibility to be
careful and diligent in our use of time. That does not mean that we should have
no time for recreation and relaxation. But it does mean that we should study to
improve our use of time to the best advantage of our souls and the souls of
others.
Nothing is more precious and valuable
than time. Time and the opportunity of the moment, once it is gone, is gone
forever! It cannot be recalled or even prolonged. We must not neglect any
opportunity God gives us to serve him or one another, to worship him in private
or in public, to gain spiritual benefit for our souls, or to minister to the
bodies and souls of others for the glory of God.
NOTE:
The best way to withstand the temptations that come with idleness is to redeem
the time that is wasted in idleness, buying up the opportunity to do good.
V. A Word of
Preparation
The wise man Solomon tells us that there is for us all “a time to die” (Eccles. 3:1-2). “It is
appointed unto men once to die” (Heb. 9:27).
God help you to hear me now. “Prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4:12). Shall a mortal, sinful man
meet the holy Lord God? Indeed, we must. That thought would send waves of shock
and terror through your soul, if you ever gave a moment’s reflection. There is
only one way you can prepare to meet God. You must trust the Lord Jesus Christ.
You must flee away to him like the manslayer in the Old Testament fled to the
city of refuge.
·
You must be washed in
his precious blood.
·
You must be robed in
his perfect righteousness.
When the
appointed time of my departure from this world comes, I want to be found in
Christ, not having my own righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ
imputed to me. Washed in his blood and robed in his righteousness, I hope to
leave this world in confident faith, like the apostle Paul.
·
II Timothy 1:12
·
II Timothy 4:6-8
Application:
As we gather once more around this
blessed table, concluding the year that is past and anticipating the dawn of a
new year tomorrow, let this be our prayer: “So
teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
I want us to sing number 53 in your Songs of Grace book, The Time
is Short, while the deacons come to serve the Lord’s Table.