Intro: To get a picture of what Jesus may be saying
in this verse, I picture a hard working farmer in
days before modern farm machinery. He rose up early
each day in order to be in the field before "first
light" to take productive advantage of every minute
of daylight in cultivating his crop for harvest to
come. He knew that night would come, so he worked
hard all day and when the night came he "rested
hard"...well deserved rest for his dilligence in
the daylight. He knew that if he was going to have
a crop to harvest, he must work dilligently every
waking minute...time was short.
It is that picture that I want us to see today...
Let us consider the following applications
I. GOD HAS GIVEN US WORK TO DO (MATT 28:18-20)
A. GOING
B. MAKING DISCIPLES (EVANGELIZE)
C. BAPTIZING
D. TEACHING THEM TO FOLLOW CHRIST
II. GOD HAS GIVEN US LIMITED TIME "DAYLIGHT"
IN WHICH TO DO IT
A. JUST AS THE FARMER KNEW HE WAS TO MAKE
THE MOST OF EVERY MINUTE OF DAYLIGHT,
WE ARE TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE TIME GOD
HAS GIVEN US.
B. OUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED. WE ARE TEMPORARY ON
EARTH.
C. WHILE WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY, LET US TAKE FULL
ADVANTAGE, AND DO THE WORKS GOD SENT US
TO DO!!
D. THIS MAY REQUIRE TIME MANAGEMENT, SETTING
NEW PRIORITIES, OR JUST PLAIN "GETTING UP
FROM THE RECLINER".
E. IF WE ARE EVER GOING TO DO IT, IT SHOULD BE
NOW..
F. IN MY OPINION, IT IS "TWILIGHT" OUTSIDE!
III. GOD HAS TOLD US NIGHT IS COMING
A. NIGHT: A PERIOD OF DARKNESS
B. "LAST DAYS" "PERLOUS TIMES"
(SEE MATTHEW 24, AND 2 TIMOTHY 3)
C. SPIRITUAL DARKNESS IS CREEPING UP AROUND
US "BIT BY BIT" ...WE ARE ALMOST IN THE
"TWILIGHT ZONE"
D. CHRISTIAN MESSAGE IS NOT RECEIVED OR WELCOMED
IN MANY PLACES, AND CAUSES CONFLICT AND
CONTROVERSY IN OTHER PLACES.
E. MANY BELIEVERS BEING PERSECUTED TODAY (MARTYRS)
F. THERE IS COMING A "NIGHT" WHEN WE CAN NO
LONGER HAVE THE PRIVILIGE OF WITNESSING,
MEETING IN CHURCHES, TESTIFYING OPENLY,
AND HAVING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM WE ALL TAKE
SO MUCH FOR GRANTED.
G. NIGHT COMES WHEN NO MAN CAN WORK
IV. BUT THERE IS A NEW DAY DAWNING
"WEEPING MAY COME FOR THE NIGHT, BUT JOY COMES
IN THE MORNING"
A. THE FARMER RESTED WELL DURING THE NIGHT
BECAUSE HE HAD FAITH THAT A NEW DAY WOULD
DAWN.
B. GOD PROMISES US A NEW DAY, A GLORIOUS DAWNING
1. WHEN MEN TURN SWORDS INTO PLOUGHSHARES
2. WHEN TRUE JUSTICE AND FULL PEACE WILL RULE
3. WHEN JESUS WILL REIGN SUPREME
4. WHEN ALL EVIL WILL BE FULLY AND FINALLY SUBDUED
5. WHEN THOSE WHO HAVE TRUSTED HIM, WORKED FOR
HIM "WHILE IT IS DAY" WILL WALK HAND IN HAND
WITH HIM FOR ETERNITY IN "ETERNAL REST"
CONCLUSION:
1. THERE IS WORK TO BE DONE
2. THERE IS LIMITED TIME TO DO IT
3. NIGHT IS COMING WHEN WE CAN NO LONGER WORK
4. A NEW DAY WILL COME WHEN WE CAN REST FROM OUR
LABORS
*ARE YOU WITNESSING, ARE YOU WORKING FOR CHRIST
ARE YOU A "LAZY CHRISTIAN TAKING IT EASY WHEN
GOD SAYS BE WORKING?
RECOMMIT YOURSELF THIS YEAR TO DO WHAT JESUS
SAID IN THE TEXT (JOHN 9:4)
