Third Sunday after Epiphany
Psalm 62:5-7 NRSV Bible
Jonah 3:1-5, 10 NRSV Bible
1 Corinthians 7:29-31 NRSV Bible
Mark 1:14-20 NRSV Bible
What time is it?
We, as a people, are so fixated on time. We look at our watches to see if we are running late or on time. . . we have a need to “make the best of our time” but keep looking at the clock to see where we are in our “timeframe” that we get behind in the timing we have set for ourselves to get things done. We stress out if it is “taking too long” to get something done. We even lose track of time at times and get stressed out because we are “taking too long” to get that important thing done. We go around asking what time is it. . . as a matter of fact, we will walk up to complete strangers and ask for the time. Time. . . there never seems to be enough. . . .
This time thing has been around since the beginning though. Even in the Garden of Eden there was a “time of day” that God would walk with Adam and Eve in the Garden. . . in the cool of the evening. You hear about time all through the Bible, the times of the judges. . . the times of the kings of Israel, David and the other kings,. . . we hear about Queen Esther who became Queen “for a time such as this”, a time such as this, a time where she saved the whole nation of Israel. . . there is even a Scripture all about time, as you heard us sing this morning, in Ecclesiastes 3 that talks about a time for everything. . . it is important to know what time it is but what we do with and about that time is what is most important.
In the Scripture that has been read from Jonah and Corinthians this morning there is a “time” element within them. In Jonah. . . he was sent to Nineveh a “second time”, the first time he was swallowed by a whale, and told them it was time for them to be destroyed. . . what did Nineveh do with their time. . . they repented and God had compassion and did not destroy Nineveh, much to Jonah’s disappointment.
In the Scripture from 1 Corinthians, Paul talks about “the time is coming soon that Christ would return and make things new”. Paul wanted the people of Corinth to know that the time had to “get serious” about their faith. . . To be out there doing God’s work in the fields. Paul wanted them to not look at the temporal things and pleasures of the world and to think about the eternal things of heaven.
There was even a time for Jesus to begin His ministry. In the Gospel of Mark we here about the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. It is found in Mark 1 verses 14-20. It can be found in the pew bible on page 110.
The time had come!. . . the kingdom of God is near!. . . the time had come to repent!. . . the time had come to believe!. . . What did the first disciples do about that time? They followed. . . left what they knew because it was time to have a new call. . . a new age type of fishing. . . fishing for men. . .
Church, this church, Christians in general. . . it is time. . . it is time that we laid aside our agenda and picked up the agenda that God has called us to be part of. It is time we laid aside our hurts. . . frustrations. . . prejudices. . . and angers and to pick up. . . no put on Christ. It is time we answered the call to “follow me”. It is time we decide that it’s ok to not have it our way and say ok to Gods way. The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near. Let me repeat, the Kingdom of God is near! We need to repent of our agenda and believe in the agenda of God. Listen. . . do you hear the cry...the call of God calling us out of our boats and into a fishing exposition? What will be your answer? Will you leave all and follow or will you say I haven’t the time? The choice is ours, yours and mine, to make. . . which will you choose?
January 23, 2012
Worship Theme – “The time
has come”
Mark 1:14-20 (NRSV)
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
(NRSV)
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Call to
Worship (Psalm 62:5-7)(NRSV)
Unison
Prayer
Prayer of Dedication
(GBOD (Psalm 62:5-12))
Psalm
100:2, Psalm 118:24 (Hymn, “He Has Made Me Glad”)
Exodus 3:5
(Hymn, “Holy Ground”
Hymn, “Onward, Christian
Soldiers”
Isaiah 55:12 (Hymn, “The
Trees of the Field”)
and sermon, “What time is
it”
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
sermon blog
meditation
blog
“God’s
Whisper” blog
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
All of my
poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005,
2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights
reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage.
See all 36,710+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
Poetry Where You Live.
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