Time is the most basic commodity of life. It is perishable yet irreplaceable. It was the first thing that God created and one of the most important things that God has called us to manage. The quality, joy, and impact of our lives are directly related to how wisely we use the time we have. So, in a culture with unbearable pressure at an unsustainable pace, we must constantly evaluate how we spend our time. What captures our time will control our lives. ~ Pastor Dave
Open: Have you ever experienced a moment that served as a “wake up call” in your life? Share your story.
Read: Romans 12-13; Psalm 39; Matthew 25:14-30; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Ephesians 5:15-17
Discuss:
1. What does “God is the owner…We are the managers” mean? What makes stewardship so difficult? What outside forces distract us from godly stewardship?
2. Would you consider yourself a good time manager? Why or why not? Do you feel overloaded or maxed out? What specifically makes you feel this way? Are there any areas of your life where you are being lazy? Why is that? In what ways are time and commitment uniquely intertwined? What are some of the wrong commitments that many people have? What happens when we live without margin/space to reflect on our time?
3. In Romans 13, Paul references Jesus’ summary of the Old Testament law to love your God and your neighbor (13:9-10). He follows this with the statement “you know the time.” What does this statement mean? What is the difference between “chronos” and “kairos”? Paul uses the word “kairos” in Romans 13:11. What time is he talking about? When Paul says that our “salvation is nearer to us now” what is he referring to? In what ways do you see it nearer now than ever before? What are some ways that we need to “wake up” in life?
4. How does staying busy put our souls at risk? Do you agree that “hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life”? Why or why not? What are some ways we can fight busyness? How has the church been affected by frenetic pace and busy schedules? Do you consider our culture of busyness profitable? Why or why not?
5. In Romans 13:12-14, Paul uses language like “wake up,” “take off,” “walk,” and “put on.” Describe what each of these things look like practically in life. What things do you need to “take off” and “put on” in your life? What do you need to stop doing? What do you need to start doing? Take a moment to write a plan as to how you will do these things.
Pray: Take a moment to inventory how you spend your time. Ask God to reveal the areas in your life where you might be wasting time or filling time with unnecessary things. Pray that God would empower you to be a good manager of your time. Put a plan in place to set aside “time-wasters” and add “mission-builders.”
Memorize/Meditate: Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Romans 13:11-12
