KJV Sermon Outlines

New Years – Now Is The Hour

Ephesians 5:15-17 “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”

I’m sure you’ve noticed that each year almost all the major news magazines put out an issue with special pictorial sections recalling people & events that made news during the previous year.

Many of the magazines also include articles by experts predicting what they expect to see happening in the years ahead. Some even go so far as to make long-range predictions covering 10, 20, or more years in the future. A few of these predictions have proven amazingly accurate, while others couldn’t have been more wrong.

I. OUR TIME ON THIS EARTH IS LIMITED

A. First of all, we must be very careful how we live because our time on this earth is limited.

The Psalmist wrote in Psalms 39:4 "LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.”

"The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Psalm 90:10.

B. The countdown clock on the internet.
C. We Are Not Promised Another Day.

The Bible tells us not to count on tomorrow because tomorrow may not come for you or for me. All we have is right now. So our time on this earth is valuable because it is very limited.

II. MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY

Secondly, Paul tells us that we must make "the most of every opportunity." and he gives a reason, "because the days are evil."

A. Jesus said that Satan is a robber & a thief, & one of the things he tries to rob from us is our time because time is a very precious possession.

Just think of the time wasted.

1. We’re overloaded with commitments. We’ve committed ourselves to go here & there, to take part in this activity & that social function. As a result we soon begin meeting ourselves coming & going because we have overloaded ourselves in the area of commitments.

2. People are overloaded with possessions. Closets are full, & Garages are overflowing. People have gone into debt to pay for all of those things that they must have. And now they are so afraid that someone will steal them.

3. People are overloaded in the area of work.

There are so many demands on our time, so many good things that need to be done. But there are just 8,760 hours in a year.

III. UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LORD’S WILL IS

Now what do you think God’s will is for you in this new year? Do you think He wants your mind so saturated with worries & anxieties that you can’t think spiritual thoughts? Do you think He wants your calendar so crowded that you don’t have time for the important things? What do you think God’s will is for you in the new year?

A. First of all, establish your priorities.

1. I’m assuming that since you are in church this morning that you believe God should be a part of your life. But when you begin to establish priorities, you have to decide just where He stands in your life. So ask yourself, "Who or what is most important in my life?"


"Therefore, when Sunday rolls around neither rain nor shine nor football kickoffs will interfere with my being in church, because He comes first in my life. I’ll worship the Lord & nothing will interfere with that."

2. You also need to schedule some time each day to pray & to read His Word.

3. You must also spend time with your family. spouse, children, Grand
They’re growing up so fast. These are precious moments. Don’t let them get away. Make sure that you spend quality time with your children. Make sure that your family is very high on the list.

SUM. So first of all, establish your priorities.

B. Learn how to live today. The two greatest enemies of time are regrets for things we did in the past, & anxiety about what will happen to us in the future. Many people are living either in the past or in the future.

A girl who went to college & she just hated it. But she told herself, "If I can ever get out of college & get married & have children, I know I’ll finally be able to enjoy life." So she stuck with it. She went to classes every day & finally graduated from college. Then she got married & had children, & discovered that children are a lot of work. So she told herself, "If I can just get these kids raised, then I’ll be able to relax & really enjoy life."

But about the time the kids were entering high school her husband said, "Guess what? We don’t have enough money to send our kids to college. I guess you’re going to have to get a job." Well, she didn’t want to, but she knew that he was right & they needed the money, so she went to work. And she hated it. But she told herself, "If I can just get these kids out of college, & get all of the bills paid, then I can quit work & really enjoy life."

Finally, the last child graduated from college, & all the bills were paid. So she walked into her employer’s office & said, "I quit." He said, "Oh, you don’t want to quit now. If you stay with us just another 8 years you’ll have a pension for the rest of your life."

She thought, "Well, I don’t want to work another 8 years, but there’s all that money there, & I just really can’t turn down the opportunity." So she worked for another 8 years. Finally, she & her husband retired at the same time. They sold their home & bought a little retirement cottage. Then they sat down on the swing on their front porch & looked at the family picture album & dreamed about the good old days.

ILL. Someone said, "Life is what happens to you while you’re making plans to do something else." True, isn’t it? Another year has come & gone. A new year stretches before us. Help us Lord, to redeem the time. Help us to use the 8,760 hours of this year the wisest way we can for you, & for your glory.

Romans 13:11-12 says, " And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. "

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