Imitating Jesus: Loving God With Our Time- Sermon 13

Creekside Community Church: “Imitating Jesus” Loving God like Jesus Loved God I
December 2, 2012
John Bruce – Pastor

Loving God with our Time

1. How Jesus Saw the Will of God

   “Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." But He said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." So the disciples were saying to one another, "No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.” John 4:31-34

   1. Jesus’ food is secret.

   2. Jesus’ food is satisfying

   3. Jesus’ food is sustaining

2. How Jesus Saw Time

   "Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.” John 4:45-46

   1. Time is not unlimited but short.

   2. Time is not measured in minutes and hours but in opportunities.

   3. Time does not belong to us but to God.

For further thought and discussion:

Getting Started

1. What was helpful to you in this week’s sermon? What didn’t you understand?

2. What’s the biggest struggle you face in managing your time? Why?

Going Deeper

1. Please read John 4:31-34. What led up to this conversation? How does the way Jesus saw the will of God compare with the way most people seem to see the will of God? What does the word “food” imply to you about the way Jesus viewed serving God and about His relationship with His Father? How do you feel about doing God’s will? How clear are you about what accomplishing His work means for you? Complete this sentence: “My food is....”

2. Please read John 4:35-36. What do these verses reveal to you about the way Jesus viewed time? How does the way we use time reveal our relationship with God?

3. Please read Luke 12:16-21 and Matthew 24:45-51. What do these parables show about Jesus’ view of time? Why is it critical to our relationship with God that we realize that our time in this world is not unlimited but short?

4. Please read Matthew 25. How do these parables illustrate that time is not measured in minutes and hours but in opportunities? What does “all time is not equal” mean to you? If you saw time as a series of opportunities rather than as standard measurements, how might your life change?

5. Please read John 17:4-5. How does the life of Christ demonstrate that our time does not belong to us but to God? If you were to stand before Christ tonight, do you think He would say that you had accomplished the work He gave you to do? Why or why not?

Application:

What is one thing you learned from this week’s passages that you will apply to your life?