Living Beyond Myself

Lesson 2 - Making the Most of Time

 

1.  Into our History

 

       Suggested Ice Breaker:

 

Tell this Story:

 

A doctor called one of his patients into his office to deliver some very important news. "I have received the results of your tests and I have some bad news and some good news", said the doctor. The patient was quiet for a moment, sensing the severity of the announcement. "Let me have the good news first, doc", said the patient. The doctor took a deep breath and said, "You only have 24 hours to live." "Oh my goodness", shouted the patient, "If that’s the good news what could the bad news possibly be?" The doctor replied, "I was supposed to tell you yesterday."

 

It’s often that we only realize the preciousness of time when death is near.  If you had six months to live, how would you schedule your calendar?

 

Have the group guess how much time a person spends in his or her entire life (assuming they live to be 70 years of age) doing the things found in:

 

   Sleep .........   23 years .............. 32.9%

   Work .......... 16 years ..............  22.8%

   TV ............     8 years ............... 11.4%

   Eating ........     6 years ...............   8.6%

   Travel ........     6 years ...............   8.6%

   Leisure .....      4.5 years ............... 6.5%

   Illness .......      4 years ...............    5.7%

   Dressing ......   2 years ...............    2.8%

   Religion ...... 1/2 year ...............        .7%

 

                                                (From the Grace News of Waterloo, IA).

 

If you had to guess, how much time is spent on me-centered activities? 

How much time is spent on other-centered activities (e.g. feeding the homeless; teaching Sunday school)?

 

2.  Into the Bible

 

a.  Read the Following Passages: 

 

Ephesians 5:15-16  15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,  16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

Colossians 4:5  5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.

 

      1.  Definitions:

               

                The phrase “make the most” in both of the passages comes from a word which means “redeem” or  “ransom.”  The KJV renders it in both passages, “redeeming the time.”

 

      2.  Question: Why do you think Paul choose a descriptive word like “ransom” or “redeem” to describe

           how we ought make use of our time?

               

 “Ransom” or “Redeem” can simple mean “to rescue from loss.”   As Christ actively seeks and  redeems the lost (cf. Gal 3:13), so we are to consciously apprehend our calendars and harness each moment for God.  Or as Paul puts it, “making the most of every opportunity.”

 

      3.  Question:  Why do you think Paul is so insistent on us consciously rescuing our time from loss?

               

Each moment in life contains history shaping potential.

 

“The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them.”

 

                                                                                                                 -- George Bernard Shaw

 

Each moment in life contains eternity shaping potential.

                                               

The context of the passage in Ephesians in one in which time provides an opportunity to obey God or disobey (vss.1-14); to reinforce a me-centeredness or God centeredness (vss. 18-20); to live for myself or to live for others (vss. 21-33)

 

                The context of the passage in Colossians in one in which time provides an  opportunity to communicate the gospel to a lost world (vss.1-6)

 

Yet, each moment passes away so easily.

Yet, each moment is unique and irretrievable.     

 

 Greek mythology has the image of time being like a man with long hair in front and bald in the back.  The picture is of one you must catch coming toward you, because once it has passed, nothing is left to grab.

 

b. Example of Time misspent - Martha

 

Luke 10:38-42  38 Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.  39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His word.  40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me."  41 But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;  42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

 

·         Do you think Martha abused her time or misused her time?  

               

The difference between abusing and misusing is this:  to abuse one’s time is to use it to do evil things (like the prodigal son).  The misuse your time is to do good things at the wrong time.

               

·         What’s was Martha’s complaint about Mary? 

·         What did Jesus’ response to Martha reveal about having proper priorities.

·         How might have Martha redeemed her time?

·         Looking over your own life, are you a Martha or Mary?  Explain.

 

3.  Into our lives:

 

                Avoiding the common misconceptions of time that lead to misuses of time:

 

a. Misconception #1:  I don’t have enough of it to give - underestimating our time

 

                Question:  How can we counter the belief that we don’t have enough time?

 

At the end of your life, if we were to chart how much time you spend doing x (e.g. watching T.V.), chances are that you will find large tracts of misused time.

 

"Everyone knows on any given day that there are energies slumbering in him which the incitements of that day do not call forth.... Compared with what we ought to be, we are only half awake.  Our fires are damped, our drafts are checked.   We are making use of only a small part of our possible mental and physical resources....  Stating the thing broadly, the human individual thus lives far within his limits; he possesses powers of various sorts he habitually fails to use."

                                                                                                                --William James

 

Just like budgeting our money reveals misused monies, so budgeting out time reveals misused time.

How might you budget your time this month for others?

 

b. Misconception # 2:  I have plenty of it, I’ll give it tomorrow- under appreciating our time

 

                Question: How can we counter procrastination?

 

NAU Romans 13:11 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.

 

NAU Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.

 

One cure for procrastination is the daily reminder that we are one day closer to meeting the Lord.  We’re never guaranteed tomorrow, so let’s cease the moment.

What are some other cures?

 

c. Misconception #3:  I have to do everything now - overestimating our time

 

                Question:  How can we counter an exaggerated work-ethic?

 

For those over achievers, God requires no more than what you can give.  Realize the reasonable limitations of time and your abilities.

 

The importance of time-outs:  If you don’t take time-outs, you’ll burn out.  Remember that God instated times of leisure (e.g. Sabbath) to be observed and enjoyed by his creatures.