Discerning The Time!

 5^th Sunday after the Epiphany!

                                                      Luke 12:54-56

Introduction:

A.   Kids learn very early to react when they see the Golden Arches of McDonald's. They react to signs!  Watch this clip of the first Ronald McDonald Commercial, kind of scary!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIuXv7Y8QA4

 

B.   In life, we learn to react in certain ways to warning signs that we see:

1.   If we see a red-hot burner on a stove, we know not to touch it!

2.   If we see a red light, we know that it means to stop!

3.   On the other hand, we know a green light means to go!

 

C.   Jesus noticed this about people, but he also noticed they had trouble "Discerning the Time!"

 

D.   They saw the clouds, and they expected rain!

 

E.   Jesus seemed to suggest that there were warning signs that they had missed in discerning the time.

 

Trans.

Let's look at some warning signs that we could be missing today!

 

                    Prayer

 

I.   Warning signs:

 

A.   A Graveyard!

1.   I probably notice this more than the average person, since

I frequent graveyards more often than most.

2.   Graveyards are vivid proof that what the Bible says is

true!  "It is appointed unto [people] once to die and after

this the judgement."   (Heb. 9:27)

2.   The graveyard stands as a constant reminder that nobody

has lived to prove the Bible wrong!  It is our first warning

sign.

 

B.   Conviction of the Holy Spirit!  This is God=s Prevenient Grace.

1.   How many times have we done something wrong and felt guilt

for it?  Where does this guilt come from?

2.   How many times have we heard the Gospel and our heart speeds up? Why?

 

 

3.   It is God=s grace drawing us to God through the conviction of the Holy Spirit!  The Spirit is our second warning sign of the time.

 

C.   The Bible!

1.   The Bible holds many warning signs, but it is in itself a

warning sign too.

2.   How many times has doubt come into our minds about the

validity of the Bible?

a.   Who put that doubt there?

b.   If the Bible is not true and there is no God or Satan, then, why is there such a struggle in our minds concerning the Bible?

c.   The doubt that Satan places in our hearts about the validity of the Bible is proof itself that the Bible is true and contains the key to eternal life!

 

D.   Sickness!

1.   When we have health, we may think we have the world by the

tail, but when we lose our health, we realize that "we"

aren't in control.  We aren't God!  We can begin to see

things in perspective!!

2.   When we see a loved one who has lost their health, we are made

to realize that next time it could be us.  Life is really

very fragile!  Sickness also is a warning sign.

 

II.  What do these warning signs tell us?

 

A.   Today is the Day of Salvation!

II Cor. 6:2b   "Behold now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of Salvation."

1.   We really have no promise of tomorrow, so today is the day

we should come to God through Christ!

2.   Today is the day we should live like we have always planned to live someday!

3.   Life is short at best, and we really need to get our priorities straight!

 

B.   As we discern the time, we learn that it is time to really get serious about our relationships with God!

1.   It is time to be praying and working on our communication

with God.

2.   It is time we listen to God in prayer and through the Bible.

3.   It is time we learn what God would have us be doing, time to

find our place in the kingdom!

 

Conclusion:

A.   Re-read Luke 12:54-56.

B.   Are we Discerning the Time?

C.   What time is it for us?

1.   Is it time for us to hear another message and leave   

unchanged?

2.   Or is it time for us to begin or renew our relationship with God through God's grace shown to us in Christ?

3.   It is our decision.

 

Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion