“Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” A song made popular by the band Chicago in 1969. The title line of the song is followed by the line “does anybody really care about time? Time began when God spoke the words,” In the Beginning.” Genesis 1:1 states in the beginning “God.” God was at the beginning because He was here before time began. If you believe that God’s word is inspired, inerrant and infallible, we know He is there at the beginning and is there at the end. I think we can all agree that it’s time for a change in the direction this country and this world is headed. Therefore, we believe it’s time for change because we care.
When Jesus walked the earth in bodily form and as He grew in fame, Israel hailed Him as the “King of the Jews” they believed that it was their time for change, time for the Messiah to set up His earthly kingdom, overthrowing the Roman occupiers and setting up a Judeo-centric rule over all the earth; a physical, political kingdom. They were hoping that God would fix all their woes and set things up according to their own beliefs. Sound familiar? Don’t we wish that God would intervene in our politics? Don’t we wish that God would put an end to evil here on earth? Why doesn’t God just fix it? Uh, He did.
John 19:30
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, it is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
From the perspective of the one who created time and stands outside of the boundaries of time, it is finished. It is fixed. It was fixed when Jesus’ blood paid the debt that we owe. Jesus fixed death, hate, racism, cancer, lying politicians, rapist murders, lying, stealing, you name the sin, you fill in the blank and Jesus fixed it. So why do we still have to deal with all the above garbage and more. Shouldn’t we be outraged at the death of so many innocents aborted. Yes, there is a holy and righteous anger to be had but the remedy is not the immediate response and action from God that we desire. If we had our way, God would send legions of angels to wipe all these perpetrators out. Watch out because you may have just placed your picture on the most wanted list.
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
What should we look for? What should we do? How should we pray? Scripture will give us the answer.
Colossians 4:5-6
Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
“Redeeming the time” in breaking down this phrase are two main words redeeming and time. Redeeming is the Greek word, exagorazomenoi, Thayers Greek Lexicon describes redeemed as, payment of a price to recover from the power of another, to ransom, buy off, to buy up for oneself, for one's use, to make a wise and sacred use of every opportunity for doing good. Time, by definition, is measured in seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, years etc. But time is also opportunities, opportunities are open doors and windows of our time. Putting the two words and concepts together we get our answer of what to do. Do whatever is necessary to seize a hold of every opportunity to walk in wisdom toward those who are unbelievers, always speaking with grace in a tasteful manner so that you know how to answer every man.
Does anyone really know what time it is? The answer is Yes, the time is near, Revelation 1:3 states that the time is at hand, so the time is now. In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus gave us an indicator of the time of the end when He described sinfulness of the world in the days of Noah to the sinfulness of the time in which He will return to earth at the Second Advent. One word should give you the comparative sinfulness to Noah’s day; “woke.”
Does anyone really care? Yes, God cared so much that He sent His son Jesus to pay the price of redemption from the power of another (our personal sin debt to God). Do we as believers care? We should, once again because the time is at hand. We are left here on earth for a reason, there are people in our sphere of influence, people we know, people we love that are without Christ. Our urgency should be profound. So, the time is NOW to seize an opportunity to share the gospel. For those reading that are without Christ, the time is NOW to confess that you are a sinner, repenting of your sin and asking Jesus to forgive you making Him not just your Savior but Lord of Lords and King of Kings. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
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