We read from the scriptures this evening from Paul's letter to the Ephesians, a portion of chapter five. Ephesians chapter five. We'll read the first 21 verses. Our text this evening is found in verses 15 and 16 of this chapter. We hear the word of God in Ephesians chapter five. Be, therefore, followers of God as dear children and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor. But fornication and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you as becometh saints, neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words, for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light, for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore, he saith, awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore, be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is, and be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Thus far we read from God's holy word. As I said, our text this evening is found here in Ephesians chapter five, verses 15 and 16, 15 and 16, where we read, see then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. Beloved congregation, in our Lord Jesus Christ, our text is one of the practical applications of this part of the letter to the Ephesians. Speaks of our calling to show forth the glory of the body of Christ, which is the Church. Chiefly, the thought of these admonitions is that we are called to walk as a separate people in the midst of this world of sin. That's clear from previous context here in this chapter in which our text is found. From the outset, we are exhorted to be followers of God as dear children. We are not to be partakers with the children of disobedience. We are to walk as children of the light, having no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. This is our calling as members of Christ's body. And so, too, is the admonition of our text. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. The question which confronts us is obvious. What? are we doing with the time the Lord has given us? This is something that touches each one of us, young and old alike. Solomon expresses it so beautifully in the book of Ecclesiastes in chapter three. To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven, a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up, a time to weep and a time to laugh. A time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together. A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. A time to get and a time to lose. A time to keep and a time to cast away. A time to rent and a time to sew. A time to keep silence and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate, a time of war, and a time of peace." Truly, wise words with regard to time. Someone once described time as being like a train. A train that takes you past many beautiful landscapes which you see for a moment and never see again. Takes you past the lovely stage of childhood, through the dreamy days of youth, through the often struggling days of adulthood. And then through the days when eyes grow dim and powers abate, always fleeing on until the train drops you off in the stillness of the grave. What are we doing with time, beloved? Are we simply drifting along, living as the world lives? Are we wasting our time, misusing our time? We're living only for the here and the now? Living for the moment? Are we so worldly that we fail to see God's purpose in time? Or are we, by the grace of God, walking circumspectly, cautiously, carefully, Redeeming the time. It's in this light that we would consider our text this evening under the theme, redeeming the time. And we notice, first of all, the meaning, secondly, the manner, and finally, the urgency. The calling to redeem the time sounds like kind of a strange admonition. Literally, it means to buy the time. It's referring to our use of time. The idea is that we actually take advantage of the opportunities that the Lord places before us. And in that light, we see that this is a very beautiful and a very significant, as well as a very urgent calling. Time, of course, is a creature formed by God. When in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, he created time as a vital part of this earthly creation. The whole creation of God was bound to that time. We too are bound by time. It's simply a part of all of our life, governing us and ruling us, almost like a tyrant. Never for even a moment can we escape time. In his vain imagination, dreams about succeeding and escaping time's grasp, perhaps through the discovery of a fountain of youth, or by means of a time machine, or by some other means. But time controls all of our life, all of the creation in which we live. Everything is governed by the passing of moments and hours and days and weeks and months and years, decades, centuries. And already as young children, we're often seen watching the clock or marking off days on the calendar. We never cease to be amazed at the unceasing flow, that unrelenting hold that time has upon us. That becomes evident all the time in our conversation. I can't believe we're into the new year. The first month of this year is nearly gone. I can't believe you've been married that long already. We complain that there just aren't enough hours in the day, that the years are flying by, that the kids are growing up way too fast. that we are just too busy. We never seem to have enough time. You see, when sin came into this world, time became man's enemy. That's because the curse of God came upon the creation and upon man himself. And under God's curse, time is an unrelenting foe, which makes all that man does vanity. Apart from Christ, that is. Everything that man attempts to accomplish in this world is really foolish and empty. For time brings it all to destruction. Time means change and change means decay. For the rolling stream of time brings everything to ruin and to death. The passing of time brings destruction to man and all of his works. Time, like an ever rolling stream, bears all its sons away, they fly forgotten as a dream dies at the opening day. Irresistibly, on that crest of time, man is carried to the grave and his mighty works perish with him. But we must see that the apostle is speaking of time here in our text from a different viewpoint than the mere passing of moments. He uses a word which considers time from the aspect of its interpretation and its significance, its meaning in the light of God's purpose. In so much as time is God's creature, time is used by God as a means to realize and accomplish his eternal purpose. Time has content. And this content is all that God has determined to do in his eternal and unchangeable plan, his sovereign counsel. Time is filled with many works and these works are the works of God. And so time is not simply an endless succession of moments, seconds ticking off the clock or pages being turned on the calendar. Time is a creature which God uses to realize a purpose which he has determined to accomplish. That's why history, his story, is so important. That we learn from history's light as we see the unfolding of the counsel of our God in time. Time is finite. Time has an end. And this end is not some arbitrary stop at some arbitrary moment. It is an end toward which time must necessarily point. The works of God have a goal. A purpose. The goal is the end of this world and the coming of the great day of our Lord Jesus Christ upon the clouds of heaven and the full realization of his kingdom in the new heavens and the new earth. It's to this end that time is pointing. And so this end is the goal of time. It is the goal toward which time moves, a goal when reached, which brings an end of time. Then time shall be no more. All that God has determined to do in his own counsel is realized when this end comes. There will be no more need of time. Time shall be no more because all the purpose of God will have been attained. Time will have served its purpose according to God's will. Time will have attained its end. God will have done in time all that he has determined to do even before he created the world. And so all that happens in time and that is so much a part of time serves the realization of that great goal. It serves the attainment of God's purpose. And it's this time that we are called to redeem. And to understand this, we really have to go back to the thought that time is useless and vain in a world of sin. Time is man's enemy that drags him remorselessly to the grave. Time is destructive of all man's mighty works. Time decays and rusts and destroys, erodes all that man makes and does. And this is all because the curse of God hangs heavy upon this sin-ridden creation. Time, therefore, can only serve the purpose of God and point towards the day of Christ's coming again because Christ himself has redeemed time. Our Lord Jesus Christ came into this world into our cursed time. And in this present history, Controlled so completely by time, Christ lived, worked, ministered in the passing moments of time. Christ, as it were, set up his cross. The cross is at the very center of history. And as a part of the history of time, Christ suffered and died that accursed death as we saw this morning. and he rose again. But in this glorious work of Christ, he redeemed time, for he came to atone for our sins, to bear that burden of God's curse that was due unto us, to pay the penalty for our transgressions. He did this with a perfect obedience, which led him even to the depths of hell to suffer the agonies of God's wrath. And in his resurrection, Christ conquered the curse. He ascended victorious into the glory of the Father. It's therefore through Christ that time is made to serve the purpose of God. Christ rules in God's world. He rules sovereignly over all God's works. He is therefore also the Lord of time. And he, from his lofty position at God's right hand, makes time serve the purpose of his God. He rules over time and all of history in such a way purpose of God is accomplished and time comes to its end when he shall return from heaven. Then all the elect of Christ are brought into the perfection of glory. Then time is destroyed and eternity is ushered in. Then the new heavens and the new earth are formed in the everlasting kingdom of our God. Time, under the sovereign direction of Christ, attains its goal and arrives at its destined end. And it's in this time that the Church of Christ is saved. But as people of God, saved by the shed blood of the cross, we are called to live here in time for a while. We are not immediately, upon our salvation, whisked away to heaven. We're called to live here. for a while upon this earth as pilgrims and strangers. And the calling comes to us, redeem the time. Understand that this calling has meaning and importance only because Christ himself has redeemed the time. If that wasn't true, it would be hopeless. It would be all in vain. The words of Solomon would remain continually true. Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. But because Christ has redeemed the time and redeemed us who are called to live for a while in time, this calling becomes a possibility. Of course, if we do not redeem the time, we simply live as does the world of unbelief. Then we're more than mere creatures of time carried along on that stream of time. We're just a part of a world that lies under the curse of sin. Seek the things of time and set our hearts upon the things that belong only to time. We separate time from the purpose of God. We really live in a whirlpool of hopelessness. We labor for the things that belong to time and that inevitably perish as time erodes them. We would foolishly try to build our little castles and establish our little kingdom in this world only to see it all destroyed by time's cruel hand. We would set our love on the pleasures of time only to have those pleasures turn to ashes in our mouths. We bind our desires to all that belongs to time and we find them futile and vain. As long as we can't lift our eyes above the present world, As long as we can't see anything but what this passing time offers, as long as we love and crave only the treasures of time, we are, of all people, most miserable. Miserable. We will know no true happiness. We will find no real contentment. Time carries it all away. That last time takes us by the hand and drags us off into the darkness of death where the hopelessness of time is sealed. Then we're really children of our times and we're doomed to the horror of time's hopeless defeat. But, beloved, the child of God is redeemed. by the blood of the cross. And as redeemed servants of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are called and enabled by his spirit to redeem the time. First of all, to redeem the time means that we see and believe the works of God as he performs them through Jesus Christ, our Lord. We see beyond the earthly to the spiritual. We see and believe that Christ lives and reigns supreme over time and that Christ is using time to serve the purpose of God. We understand that time carries with it the unfolding of God's purpose, the purpose of his eternal counsel. In other words, we have a correct understanding and interpretation of time from the viewpoint of God's word, the scriptures. in close connection, we see and believe that time is but a passing dispensation which will presently lead us to that great day when Christ comes again to call a halt to time and to bring us into the everlasting kingdom of heaven. Understanding this glorious truth, we hope with eager and intense longing for that great day to come. Further, we seek and try to use the time in which we live in order that that purpose may be attained. Every moment of time, then, We strive to press into the service of God's kingdom. With our eyes fixed upon that goal of time, the day of our Lord's return, we strive to utilize every moment of time to seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And our hopes and dreams are fastened upon the things of the kingdom of heaven. We're called to seek that kingdom alone. So while we live here, here on earth, in the midst of this world for a little while, in the stream of time, we seek the everlasting kingdom. Very concretely, that means that we seek the welfare of the church. and the cause of God in the midst of this world. The cause of God is represented here in the world in the cause of the preaching of the gospel of Christ, in the salvation of the church, and everything that pertains to that kingdom is the object of our labors and our efforts. We work, we work to earn our daily bread, not to simply fill our stomachs with the luxuries of life, but to seek the kingdom and to support the causes of God's covenant. So it is that we raise our families, not for any earthly purposes, but because they are the children of God's covenant, destined to reign in glory. We preach the gospel in order that the full number of those who are ordained to eternal life can be brought into the safety of Christ's church. We attend church, we seek the welfare of the church because the church is our connection to Christ, our link with heaven, our contact with that kingdom into which presently we will enter. We have our fellowship then with our fellow saints, fellow citizens of the kingdom, to help and encourage each other in the midst of our pilgrim journeys. So you can readily see that such a calling as this cuts across all of our life. at home, at work, at school, in the church, in all of our walk in society. We walk as children of the light, principally different from and contrary to the world of sin in which we are called to live for a short while. This way we walk in the hope of the end of time when we also will be fully redeemed and glorified. It's obvious, is it not, that if we are to do this, we must, as the apostle insists, walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. A wise man is one who is able to adapt life to reality. is the fellow who, in spite of what he deep down knows to be real, ignores it, and he walks in a way which is contrary to reality. On a purely natural level, a wise man is one who, understanding that winter is approaching, makes provision for that season, provides a warm home, and has sufficient to eat and warm clothing to wear. A fool, on the other hand, is one who, while he knows that winter is coming, nevertheless ignores it until suddenly he finds himself freezing and starving in a blizzard without shelter or provisions. In the same spiritual sense, this truth applies. Reality is that time, as we've seen, is under God's curse. It's death and destruction, but it is redeemed through Christ, who will bring time to an end and usher in the day of the everlasting kingdom. But a fool, though he deep down knows this reality, nevertheless ignores it. He knows that this world is filled with death and decay. He knows that his earthly life is not going to continue on indefinitely, that he must himself go to the grave. He knows that this creation cannot endure forever, but that judgment shall surely come. And yet he pays no attention whatsoever to these realities. He ignores what is real deliberately and consciously. He rejects reality and creates in his foolish and sinful imagination the idea that this world will go on and on forever. In that utter foolishness, he adjusts his life to his own vain ideas. He lives as if his own life and this world itself will continue on forever. Eat, drink, be merry, all is well. He labors in the world to build, if he could, a heaven here on earth. He works hard and long to make this world the best of all possible places. He's looking at everything through his rose-tinted glasses of his sinful folly to a fine and rosy future where all this world will be, as it were, a glorious paradise where man will reign supreme. indulges in every carnal pleasure, drinks at the fountain of carnal and sensual lust, fills himself with things which bear the seeds of death in them. You can readily see that all those who do not belong to Christ are fools. No matter how intelligent, no matter how highly educated, no matter how wealthy or how famous they may be, they are fools. No matter how spectacular their deeds, how astounding their wonderful inventions, they are fools. They fail to see and deal with the reality Crushed blindly through life, ignoring reality, staggering as drunken men to topple at last into the hopelessness of the grave. Carried away by time's passing power of the curse. The wise are different. Certainly not in themselves, not by nature any different. We are all fools by nature, but this wisdom is the gift of God, of course, merited for God's people on the cross of Calvary. With this wisdom with which we are endowed, we are able to understand the times. We are able to perceive the wonder work of God in time. We are able to see that not this world counts, but the kingdom of heaven. And we strive to adjust our lives accordingly. The wise walk as children of the light. According to our text, they walk circumspectly. Circumspectly. That means To put it simply, that the wise walk with their eyes wide open, looking all about, reckoning with reality, spiritually speaking. In contrast to the staggering fool, the wise walker, very carefully avoiding the spiritual pitfalls and dangers because they are wise, they redeem the time. They know that under the shadow of the cross is their only hope. They see in the power of the resurrection, salvation from the ravages of time. They await the day of their full and complete redemption when time shall be no more. And while they are called to tarry here below, they labor for the welfare of that kingdom that all the purpose of God may be accomplished. through walking circumspectly, redeeming the time. Throughout life, every day, there are occasions, opportunities that come to us as we strive to walk circumspectly in this present world. Calling us to take advantage of those opportunities. Don't let those opportunities pass by without using them. That applies to all of us, regardless of our age. As children, God gives you time now. Time you're called to redeem. For us in the days of our youth, time is especially for learning, learning. How foolish to let time pass by without using it to the full advantage. What a waste to spend hour after hour in front of a television set or playing video games. Now is the time to learn. not just to get a head full of knowledge, but to learn the ways of wisdom. What a blessing to be brought up in a covenant home and to be able to be educated in a good Christian school where that learning is upon the basis, the foundation of the very word of God. so that we see all things in their proper perspective in the light of the revelation and purpose of God. In the days of our youth, we learn obedience, respect for our parents and teachers and all who are in positions of authority, obedience to the commandments of our God. Young people. Young men, young women, God gives you time. Now, time you must redeem. The apostle John writes in his first epistle in chapter two, I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one. That very accurately describes your calling with regard to redeeming the time. Now is the time to become strong, not just physically strong, but spiritually strong. Now is the time to become convicted in your own heart and mind of the truth, the truth of the Word of God. Word of God must abide in you. It's not the truth in some broad, vague sense, but the distinctive truths of the Holy Scriptures, of our three forms of unity, our confessions, even the distinctive truths of our Protestant Reformed churches. Now is the time for you to face up to the battle of faith. You must, as John says, overcome the wicked one. Fight against sin, Satan, the world, your own flesh. Redeem the time. Take advantage of the opportunities. Don't say, I don't have time to study my catechism. I don't have time for daily devotions. I don't have time to prepare for young peoples. Redeem the time. For us as parents, now is the time, the time for instructing. What a blessed opportunity it is Often it's lost because we're too busy. Too busy making our dollars and spending them again. Redeem the time. God didn't give us children merely to feed and clothe and entertain them. Use the time that God gives us. to talk with them, to listen to them, to teach them the wonderful works of God. Make your life an example for them. Yea, beloved, for all of us in all of our life, whatever our position and circumstance, the word of God is, redeem the time. Let us help one another, encourage one another, pray for one another, edify one another, use every time of life, every experience of life to the very best advantage in the fear of God, else we're failing to walk circumspectly. We're certainly not redeeming the time. Clearly, this calling is very urgent. The Apostle impresses the urgency upon us by telling us, redeem the time because the days are evil. Redeem the time because the days are evil. That was true already. In that day when the apostle was inspired to write these words, he lived in the dark days of the paganism of the Roman Empire. He describes the corruption which was rampant at that time here in the context in Ephesians 5 from verse 3. fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not be once named among you as become a saints, neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting, which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." Certainly things are not better today. Often told that they're better, things are improving, In his pride, man likes to think that life today is better than life in that cesspool which was Rome and her empire so long ago. Be not deceived. That's the talk of fools who ignore reality. Man and this world are not becoming better. The world is not showing improvement. In fact, the days become more and more evil. For sin in the world grows and increases in connection with the amazing progress of science and technology. Sin grows proportionately. For wicked man uses all the powers of this creation which he uncovers in sin and rebellion against the Most High God. Presently, before Christ comes again, the cup of iniquity will be filled to the brim. The world will have become as wicked as it is possible to be. When we see and hear what is happening around about us today, We wonder that Christ does not return now in judgment. We wonder how things can get any worse. Just think of the evil of our days, the lawlessness, the crime, rebellion which pervade our land, supposedly one of the most advanced and civilized of all the nations of the earth. Respect for authority virtually disappeared. Authority in the home, school, church, in the nation. Immorality has grown to such unbelievable proportions that the cesspool of ancient Rome seems almost clean in comparison. And it's not only that we live in vile and filthy days, but this repulsive vileness is condoned and approved by the world, often by the government, and sadly, even by much of what calls itself church. Wars, evil, civil strife, Terrorism, tear the world to pieces. Destruction, slaughter, confront on every side, blasphemy, desecration of the Lord's Day, hatred, murder, every conceivable violation of God's precepts. All this, as I said, in a country which is supposedly one of the most civilized. Even the church, for the most part, is not a haven from all of this. Much of what calls itself church has also filled the days with evil. Apostasy runs wild so that the love of the truth waxes cold. Men have a mere form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof. And we are by no means immune to these influences. The days are evil. Who will deny it? And all this points the wise man to the foolishness of ever expecting heaven here upon this earth. It is to the wise man an emphatic warning that he not set his heart upon the earthly. This world is passing away with the loss thereof. Rather, the wise look upward, awaiting the return of Christ. For the evil of these days speak loudly to us of the filling of that cup of iniquity and the near return of our Lord. You can sense the urgency of this all, can't you? Walk carefully, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time for the days are evil, Seek the grace of God unto that end. For we must all confess that we fail miserably. We squander so much time. We waste so many opportunities. We often have no time or but little time for the most important things, the things that are spiritual. Beloved, now is not the time to walk carelessly, indifferently. Surely this is not the time to walk and act as the world, even though we too become somewhat accustomed and even hardened a bit to its corruption. The very evil of our days should serve as an incentive Walk holy. Beloved, watch and pray. Keep your garments clean. Walk as children of the light and look even to the captain of our salvation. It is in his power that we can redeem the time. And when he shall appear in his glory, may we hear him say, well done. Thou good and faithful servants, enter ye into the joy of the Lord. Amen. Let us pray. Most merciful and gracious Heavenly Father, Thou the eternal God, we come before Thee as creatures bound by time. Thankfully, time that has been redeemed by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We too, though yet sinful, as thy children have been redeemed, that we might redeem the time, take advantage of the opportunities, the precious gift of time that thou dost provide for us, young and old alike, make us strong to serve thee, to seek the things of thy kingdom. Remember us in thy mercy. Pardon our worldly mindedness. We ask it for Jesus' sake. Amen.