On Sunday, Nev used the illustration of taking an exam: when you first sit down, you have, maybe, 3 hours for the exam. Maybe you take things carefully and slowly. However, as time passes, the urgency increases as the deadline approaches. Christians are to live with urgency. The return of Jesus or our death means that we should feel the time is short. This should motivate us to prayer, focus and action. Paul writes,
‘What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short.’ (1 Corinthians 7:29
‘Those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.’ (1 Corinthians 7:31)
Toward the end of His life, Paul wrote,
‘I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.’ (2 Timothy 4:6-8)
In writing to the Corinthians, he is urging them to live in light of meeting Jesus. If any of us were invited to meet the Queen, we would wash, dress up, think about our travel plans and consider the appropriate way to act. You have I have been invited to meet the King of Kings and that meeting is any day now!
Our response should be a strenuous effort to live whole-heartedly for Jesus. Later in this letter, Paul uses the metaphor of the athlete to illustrate one who is focussed on meeting Jesus will live,
‘Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.’ (1 Corinthians 9:27-27)
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