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Nov 07, 2024 06:00am

Time’s Ticking

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TGIF – it was a Friday night series of great TV shows. You were always excited about the lineup and what was going to happen next with your favorite family. From the Tanners to the Winslows to the Matthews, they became part of your family through the years. In the early 90s, Step By Step joined the lineup and was the “Brady Bunch” combined family of the Lamberts and the Fosters.

Mark Foster, the brainiac, learned they were going to Disney World and decided he was going to break a world record. He wants to visit every shop and attraction and ride at Magic Kingdom, but he knows he only has a short time to do so in order to break the record. He tries to pack in as much as he can because the clock is ticking.

Acts 20:7-12
“On the first day of the week, we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.
8 There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting.
9 Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead.
10 Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!”
11 Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left.
12 The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.”

I know what you’re thinking. And no, this isn’t a devotional directed to preachers to cut their sermons down or “keep it short, or we will die.” I mean, I know we’ve all been there. The sermon goes long, and we feel our eyes dropping. Our mom elbows us in the side for nodding off while never taking her eyes off the pulpit. Or we wake up to the invitation being given as everyone stands and sings, realizing we had missed the last 15 minutes of whatever was being preached. No, the focus of this devotional isn’t on Eutychus or the amazing miracle of Paul by the power of the Holy Spirit bringing him back to life.

It’s Paul’s message and motivation behind it.

The scripture says Paul began speaking to the people, finishing around midnight. Why did Paul preach for so long?

Look at verse 7. It says Paul knew he would be leaving the next day. His time with these people was short. He had so much to share with them in so little time. Paul was trying to pack in as much as possible because the “clock was ticking”. I guess in their day, it would be more like a sundial, but nevertheless…

Paul was deeply motivated to share a story with these people. One that was true. One that would change their lives forever. One full of love, war, purpose, redemption, and surrender.

His story was about Jesus.

There was so much to say and so little time, so he shared as much as he could.

Think about that. If you knew you had just a little time left with someone, what would you fill it with?

We always remark about how fast the days go by, but are we taking full advantage of the time we’ve been given?

See, the Lord told us that He would be coming again soon. It could be today. It could be tomorrow. While we don’t know the exact time, we know our time on earth is short. Paul felt the urgency to share Jesus with these people and show them who He was and what it meant to follow Him.

Do we feel that same urgency?

Today, you are in a certain place connected to certain people for a reason. Use your time wisely. God is giving you an opportunity to share His name with them.

What if you never have that opportunity again? What if that person isn’t here tomorrow? What if you aren’t here tomorrow? What if Jesus returns tonight, would you have said what needed to be said?

Tell the story of Jesus.