SEIZE EVERY OPPORTUNITY (CC)

www.ziontorrance.info Sermon Text: Ephesians 5:15-20 Let us rise for the reading of this morning's Sermon Text recorded for us by the Apostle Paul in his Letter to the Ephesians where we read from Chapter 5, beginning with Verse 15: BE VERY CAREFUL, THEN, HOW YOU LIVE - NOT AS UNWISE BUT AS WISE, MAKING THE MOST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE THE DAYS ARE EVIL. THEREFORE DO NOT BE FOOLISH, BUT UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LORD'S WILL IS. DO NOT GET DRUNK ON WINE, WHICH LEADS TO DEBAUCHERY. INSTEAD, BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT. SPEAK TO ONE ANOTHER WITH PSALMS, HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS. SING AND MAKE MUSIC IN YOUR HEART TO THE LORD, ALWAYS GIVING THANKS TO GOD THE FATHER FOR EVERYTHING, IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. This is the Word of our Lord. Let us pray: Glorious and gracious God, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of each of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, our only source of hope and comfort. Amen. [Text taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, 1973, 1978, 1984, used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers] Dear Followers of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ: Since it's turned to Fall, all of a sudden, the mailbox has been filled with catalogs for the school. Things that the school may need; things that we have ordered from these companies in the past. So in order to help them, I decided maybe call them and ask them to remove us from their mailing list if we don't need their services any longer. So one day I had about 10 of those calls to make. And they're rather benign calls. Very formal. Oh: What's your customer number? What's your zip code? Thank you very much. You're removed from our mailing list. So I got this See's Candies who sends us a flyer if we want to do some fund raising. And I called them up and I said: No, our school has closed and I'd like to be removed from your list? And the lady said: That just saddens my heart to hear that. Because I know how important Christian education is and how difficult it is to keep a Christian school in operation. I hope you still are going to reach out to your community and it is my prayer that you will do that. And I just sat silent on the phone. Because there was someone who made the most of an opportunity to share her thoughts on the importance of Christian education. To care enough about us and the ministry of the Lord to take a request to her heavenly Father on our behalf. And I truly was impressed. And maybe it's because for eight people before that, I got nothing even remotely conversational. But I think we realize that as Christians, when we let our light shine in the world, that other Christians recognize it and appreciate it. And the Apostle Paul came to the church at Ephesus and he said: I want you people to be wise. To live in the wisdom of your faith. To make the most of every opportunity ... every single opportunity that God presents to you and puts into your life. Grab it; take hold of it and make the most of that opportunity. Because you understand what God's will is. And to speak to each other with spiritual words. Words of encouragement; words of Scripture, the Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to lighten people's burdens. To share with them your faith. To give them the understanding that God has given to you by the power of the Holy Spirit. The understanding that has opened the pages of Scripture to you so that you know and understand all of the love that the Father has lavished on us in His Son. That we are no longer stupid, ignorant, dumb people outside of God's family. But we have been given wisdom and understanding that comes from God Himself. To look on Jesus Christ and to know and believe He IS the Son of God. He is the ONLY Savior who came here with one goal and one purpose in mind to reach out to the lost and to save the souls of those condemned to die. And He made the most of every opportunity: Speaking to people, healing their diseases, performing miracle after miracle to show that He had divine power and then to hang on the cross of Calvary. as the required sacrifice of God. The sacrifice for sin once and for all to remove its guilt; to remove its stain, and to give life. That Jesus repeatedly proclaimed that life to His hearers. This is the fifth - sixth week that we have had a lesson from the Gospel of John Chapter 6, where Jesus stood before those people repeatedly and pointed to them eternal life. Saying that it was in Him, to trust in Him, to believe in Him. So that they would know and have faith that realizes and is aware that Jesus is the Savior and that we are saved through His blood. That is the knowledge; that is the understanding that we have. And we live in that same kind of world that doesn't understand that. That is not always going to get it. The Jews were arguing with Jesus Himself all the way about what He said and claims He made but it didn't stop Him from making the most of every opportunity. By the power of the Holy Spirit He proclaimed God's truth. And Paul encourages us by that same Spirit to be filled with that Spirit. To make the most of every opportunity. To live our lives as they reflect the will of God. To live our lives with the knowledge that there's a lot of foolishness in this world. But we have wisdom and let's use it. Let's put it into practice in just the simplest forms of our lives in our everyday living. Let us look for those things that God puts in our way for us to show Him our love. In our faith. To be able to live for Him. And not just live for Him, but to open our mouths and to encourage each other and speak to each other with Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. To bring that encouragement that is in our hearts, that is filled with thanksgiving. That makes our hearts sing each and every day the love and the praise of God. That I can thank God today that when I got up my Lord and Savior kept me through the night. That He is going to keep me today in His grace. And in His love and what a wonderful thought that is. What a glorious news that is for all of us to be able to radiate when we get up in the morning. But how often don't we get out of bed with a bad attitude before we even get our clothes on and walk out of the house. We're not happy. We're not pleased. Things go wrong each and every day in every person's house. What's your choice? To live and wallow in the foolishness of this world. Or to speak the truths of God. And make the most of those opportunities. To share with each other our life and our faith that is consumed and filled with Jesus Christ. To let them know why we're so happy. To share with each other the encouragement that we need. To look into Scripture and find some of those passages from our daily study to share with someone else. Send a quick email. Today I was reading in the Psalms and this verse came to mind and I thought of you. And I wanted you to know that and to know that today I'm praying for you. What a wonderful thing to receive. Text it to somebody. Call somebody up on the phone. Share that knowledge of Scripture. Share that joy that is there. Take those opportunities that come along ... Birthdays! To say something more than "Happy Birthday". Or anniversaries. To say something more than "Have a good day". If somebody's sick, to say something more than just "Get Well". But how about your Lord is with you? He sends His angels to comfort you and to protect you and to keep you safe. There's a difference ... and we know the difference. I think sometimes we just don't take those opportunities because it takes time. And we have so many important things to get done each and every day in our life that we don't have time to care and share ourselves with those people who matter to us. And I think if we're honest with ourselves, that is a reflection of our lives sometimes each and every day. My life, my time matters more than my care and my concern for the rest of you. That's how selfish it is to become like the world. Simply easily. But we repent of that and we go back to God to say: Open our eyes to those who are around us. To comfort them. To share with them Your Word; to encourage them. To those who are outside of the faith, to bring to them the truth of Your Word. To look for opportunities. And when those opportunities are placed in our path, not to ignore them, not to choose to do something else, but to do what God has asked of us. To make the most of every opportunity. Amen. Let us rise. Now may the peace of God which goes beyond all of our understanding keep your hearts and your minds and especially your lives in the one true faith unto life everlasting. Amen.