"Have You Any Time and Talents?"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18, I Thessalonians 5:1-10 and Matthew 25:14-15, 19-29.

Few of us would argue that life passages too quickly. And the older we get the quicker it seems to pass. A year seems like a month, a month seems like a week, a week seems like a day, and a day seems like a few hours. As Pete Philly writes; “Haven’t you notice how time flies; sometimes I feel so old; I can’t believe how much I’ve grown.” A lot of times, we don't even sense it happening. Usually, we’re too busy living life to even take notice. But we notice how our bodies and minds change as time passes. And some of us accept these changes and adapt to them. While others fight to keep these changes from occurring. And still others simply go into denial, as if denying it will cause it to go away.
Perhaps some of you have read Bill Cosby’s book, Time Flies. Cosby brings his unique warmth, and wisdom and wit to a subject common to all of us, aging. In his book he offers a hilarious perspective of the trials and tribulations of growing and being older. He addresses the fact that life passes too quickly. You know, I think we can all relate to that book as well as to Christopher Robin’s poem; Time Flies, which reads:

“A passing year as a child
This seems like forever
A passing year when middle aged
Is an endeavor.
Time flies with age
A year’s soon as fast as a day
Age makes time fly
Is the thought years will relay.
A day is one day
Yet is seems a year when young
In years a day’s over
As quick and as fast as its sprung
A year’s gone like a day
To minds knowing of age
Years make time pass
Without any seeming gauge.”

Certainly, “time” is a prominent theme in our Scripture Readings this morning, or perhaps I should say the “lack of time.” In our First Reading, the prophet Zephaniah says that “the day of the Lord is at hand.” And centuries later, this was Paul’s message to the church in Thessalonica. The “day of the Lord” - that day when time will cease and we will enter another realm, which we cannot comprehend; when judgment will be rendered and justice restored. These two times are spoken of from different perspectives and with different views in mind for Zephaniah and for Paul.
For Zephaniah his reference to the “day of the Lord” is a warning to those who think that God is indifferent to them, those who substitute their monotheistic faith with idolatry and pagan practices. For them, “the day of the Lord” will be full of darkness and not light and that time will have no mercy on their plans:

“Though they build houses,
they shall not inhabit them;
though they plant vineyards,
they shall not drink wine from them.”

There is no promise here, only a warning. For this prophet, “the day of the Lord” is at hand and the retribution of those who move away from the loving care of God “is near and hastening fast.”
While Paul has a similar conviction, that the “day of the Lord” is at hand; however, for him, this is a day filled with promise and hope. As Paul reminds us; “For God has not destined us for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us, so that whether we are awake,” which is to say, living, “or asleep,” which is to say dead, “we may live with him.”
This was a much needed message for this young group of Christians. Early in Paul’s ministry, he was convinced that the return of the glorified Christ was very near - that it was immanent, that it would happen within his lifetime. The people of the church in Thessalonica, believing that “the day of the Lord” was approaching, were falling into doubt and despair because some from that small community were dying before the promised return of the Lord had occurred. So Paul, who has brought them the gospel of hope, was trying here to encourage them by reminding them that they are “children of light,” and for those who live in the light, even death is not to be feared. It is as if time does not matter, whether dead or alive, we are in God’s hands, Paul reminds us.
The word “day” that Zephaniah uses here in reference to “the day of the Lord” is the Hebrew word yom and Paul uses the Greek word hemera. These words can be taken both literally and figuratively. They can mean day in the literal sense but, for Zephaniah and Paul, they were used figuratively as to mean an “age” or a “realm”.
In verse 1, Paul uses the Greek words chronos and kairos, which are words for “time”. These words not only imply a specific time or occasion but more importantly they imply “an opportunity,” an opportunity to work and serve.
The church came into existence with the conviction that in Jesus Christ what had been prophetically promised was now a reality. The kingdom of God is not merely an idea in the head of believers; but it is a reality that must be lived out by the believer. It is a part of us and we are called not only to embody it but live and be the kingdom. Through us the kingdom of God, the realm of God’s love and grace, justice and peace are lived out in the world; until that day when God’s realm and kingdom fully come.
I read an rather interesting article the other day entitled; “Scientists prove time flies when you’re busy.” Dr. Anthony Chaston and his research colleague, Dr. Alan Kingstone, from the University of Alberta Department of Psychology have proven that time really does fly when you’re having fun or, at least, it flies when your attention is engaged. They proved this theory by having subjects complete different tasks and when completing them they were to estimate how much time they believed had passed. Dr. Cheston observed; “The harder and harder the tasks, the smaller and smaller the estimates became.” Without a doubt, time does fly. But perhaps the question that is put forth to us in our Gospel Lesson is “What are we doing with our time?” You know, the greatest “talent” God has given us is “time.” What are we doing with it? That’s the question that our Gospel Lesson asks of us. As Abraham Lincoln reminds us; “It’s not the years in your life, it’s the life in your years that count.” Its how you use the talents and time God has give you that makes the biggest difference. As the words to the last verse of the old hymn affirms:

“Let us labor for the Master
from the dawn till setting sun,
Let us talk of all God’s wondrous love and care,
Then, when all of life is over,
and our work on earth is done,
And the roll is called up yonder I'll be there."

And so, let us labor faithfully, using our time and talents for God and for God’s kingdom. Amen.