Watching
Text: Psalm 90:4, NKJV.“For a thousand
years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the
night.”
Introduction
Our Lord went to a lot of trouble to redeem us from sins penalty. It
cost Him more than we can begin to imagine and He rightfully expects something
in return. Spiritual rebirth marks the beginning of our relationship with God.
We must grow, spiritually and in faith, through His Word (Romans 10:17) and by
experience (especially
prayer).
Spiritual growth is not simply a
goal to be sought. It is a means to an end. Our ability to serve God well
cannot be improved upon without it. We are His servants, commanded to serve Him
through ministry to people, whether those people are Christians we fellowship
with or other people we meet along the way.
Although all of us are called to
ministry (Eph. 4:11-12), few ever obey
the call and some are easily discouraged. So a lot of work has been neglected.
If you are a non-producer you’d better get busy while you can. If you are
familiar with end-time Bible Prophecy you must expect Jesus to return soon.
Don’t settle for being a Spectator Christian; redeem whatever time
remains. Listen and obey as God calls
you into action.
Scripture reading: Psalm 90:1-6:
1. LORD, You have been our dwelling place in all
generations, 2. Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed
the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God, 3.
You turn man to destruction, And say, “Return, O children of men,” 4. For a
thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a
watch in the night. 5. You carry them away like a flood: They are like a sleep.
In the morning they are like grass which grows up: 6. In the morning it
flourishes and grows up; In the evening it is cut down and withers. 7. For we
have been consumed by
Your anger, And by Your wrath we are terrified. 8. You have set our iniquities
before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance. 9. For all our days have passed away in
Your wrath; We finish our years like a sigh. 10 The days of our lives are
seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their
boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
Time Flies
However long we are privileged to live on earth it usually seems short,
and most of us are never ready to go. No wonder the Psalmist warned us to use
our years wisely. So what are you doing for God? Can you relate something to
indicate you are serving Him well? I do not condemn you. I do want you to
think. Are you serving God or self?
Don’t expect your attendance in
church to satisfy your obligations. That exercise is for your benefit. Church
sessions should direct your attention to God, lead you in worship to Him, and
exhort you to be His faithful servant in the world. Your “service” for Him
begins when you leave the sanctuary. From there you go back into the world
needy people need to receive your ministry.
Missionaries
I once saw a sign over the door of a church in Austin, Minnesota. It was
visible as I exited the sanctuary and it said, “You are now entering a mission
field.” That church also features a mirror as “The Missionary of the Week.” The
message is hard to miss. Christian’s who are not missionary-minded need some
reeducation.
Jesus is our example. He served God
by serving people, not only in the Temple and in the Synagogue, but also in
homes and on streets. We must do the same, showing God’s love for people we
meet, wherever we meet them, by the ways we relate to them in Jesus’ Name.
Watch
The Psalmist compared a thousand years “in God’s sight” to a “watch in
the night,” which is a relatively short period of time. I learned about
“watches in the night” while I was in the Navy. The Navy operates on shifts
called “watches” that change every four hours.
When I was in Boot Camp, I served
for a week as guard over a section of the camp in Idaho. My shifts were “night
watches.” I patrolled about a hundred yards of the road around the camp,
watching there, walking up and down the road with a rifle on my shoulder, for
four hours at a time. It was wintertime. The nights were cold, dark and lonely.
And the watches seemed endless. But, when compared with the rest of my life,
they were short indeed.
Survival
I did not enjoy guard duty; I did managed to endure it, as I endured
other boring “watches” while surviving beyond the limits of Psalm 90, verse 10.
If Jesus returns as soon as I expect, a few of you might not reach 80. He is
coming. And all of us will stand before Him for judgment. You will have to
account for your “watch” and I’ll have to account for mine. Our activities will
be rated. Our rewards, if any, will be based on what we have accomplished for
Him.
Get Ready
In the mean time, lost sinners should get in touch with Jesus and
unproductive Christians should go to work for Him. The Bible warns against
delay in at least two places. “Behold,
now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2nd Cor. 6:2b). And “Now
it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now our salvation is nearer than
when we first believed.” (Rom. 13:11b).
Watch
While we await Jesus’ second coming we are privileged to serve Him.
Matthew 25 compares good and bad examples of servants, calling them “virgins.”
“Wise” virgins are prepared to meet Jesus at any moment; “foolish” ones are not. Verse thirteen
warns: “Watch
therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is
coming.”
Fifty-six additional Bible verses
use the word “watch.” Let’s look at eight of them to learn what to “watch for”
and what to “watch out for” as we serve
Jesus.
1.
Psalm 130:5-6
“I wait for the
LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord More
than they that watch for the morning - I say, more than those who watch for the
morning.”
That passage could describe someone
who is right with God and anxious for Jesus to return. Does it describe you and
your expectations?
Don’t be a “gazer”
Are you familiar with Jesus’ last instructions to His disciples, at
Bethany, just before He returned to Heaven? Luke 24:49 relates His “Promise of My Father.”
The “promise” is important. Don’t miss it. Acts 1:8-11 repeats it,
telling what took place immediately after Jesus departed: “But you shall receive power when
the Holy Spirit has come upon you: and you shall be witnesses to Me in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Now
when he had spoken these things, while they watched, he was taken up; and a
cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward
heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; who also
said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus,
who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw
him go into heaven.”
Although we should be anxious for
our Lord’s return, and ready to meet Him when He arrives, we should become
equipped for ministry and we should perform it. Like the first disciples, we
don’t have time for gazing into the heavens or with trivial pursuits. We should
seek the “promise of the Father” as often as we need it.
Be filled and refilled
Ephesians 5:18-21 offers practical advice to believers who want to serve
their Lord well: “15 See that
you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time,
because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what
the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is
dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit. 19 speaking to one another in
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart
to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.” Obedience
demands action. We should become involved in the process in two ways: 1st,
by being filled with the Spirit. 2nd, by sharing our ministry gifts
with other Christians.
Ephesians 5:18 should read, “be filled by the Spirit.” The need is constant. We must stay
filled by being refilled again and again as necessary. Those who “Go into all the world and preach
the gospel to every creature” today (Mark 16:15), need Holy
Spirit empowerment as much as the original disciples did. By the way, “all the world” includes the
places where we live and work and play. So sharing the gospel with every
creature begins with the creatures next door.
2.
Psalm 141:3-4
“Set a
guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not
incline my heart to do any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who
work iniquity; And do not let me eat of their delicacies.”
Verse 3 might be paraphrased like
this: “Help me to
keep my mouth shut Lord unless I have something good to say. Keep a watch over
my words, so I won’t embarrass you or anyone you love.” Psalm 19:14
adds, “Let the words
of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O
LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”
Philippians 4:8 tells us to control
our “meditations” to make them
acceptable to God. It requires “thinking on” things that
are “true, honest,
just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praise-worthy.” It also implies
the need to protect ourselves by not socializing with people who practice evil.
3.
Isaiah 29:20
“For the
terrible one is brought to nothing, The scornful one is consumed, And all who
watch for iniquity are cut off.” And 2nd Timothy 2:19 instructs all
Christians to depart from iniquity.
Keeping ourselves from iniquity
requires avoiding temptation and dismissing thoughts that might encourage
temptation. Sins of commission are usually fostered and nurtured in the mind
before they are acted on. (Mat. 5:27-28).
Romans 13:14 tells us we should “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Concentrating
on Him helps us avoid making “provision
for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” 2nd Timothy 2:19 instructs
Christians to depart from iniquity.
4.
Isaiah 62:6-7
“I have
set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem, Who shall never hold their peace day
nor night: You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent, And give him
no rest, till he establishes And makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.”
Some Jews are still waiting for God
to make Jerusalem “a praise in
the earth.” Presently it is “a burdensome stone” for much of the world. (Zechariah 12:3). Since Christians are God’s primary watchmen today we must
join the Jews in giving Him “no
rest till he” establishes Jerusalem as His Capital. That city, and
its people, will have no real peace till Jesus returns, which should be after
the gospel has been preached “in
all the world
as a witness to Him.” (Matthew
24:14).
5.
Ezekiel 3:17-18
“Son of
man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word
from my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, ‘You
shall surely die; and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked
from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his
iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.”
You and I are responsible for the
souls of people we might have led to Christ if we had tried. Listen carefully
when God sends you to witness to some one. If you have never heard Him speak to
you for that purpose, chances are you haven’t been listening.
Example
Several years ago a friend of mine said God told him one of his unsaved
neighbors had less than a year to live.
He decided on one he thought needed the warning and asked me to help him
relay it. Less than a year later one of his neighbors did die, but it wasn’t
the old man to whom we had witnessed, it was the old man’s adult son - who
lived in another house on the same property.
Perhaps you might have made the same
mistake? The old man was near the end of his life; the son was in his prime.
Will the younger man’s blood be required at our hands? We did fail our
assignment. Unless someone else led him to the Lord he probably wasn’t saved.
6.
1 Thessalonians 5:6-11
“Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be
sober. For those who sleep, sleep in the night; and those who get drunk are
drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the
breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God
did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus
Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together
with him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also
are doing.”
Thank God for our hope in Jesus.
It’s good to be saved but we can’t stop there. We need to grow, together with
other believers, “in grace and
in knowledge of Him.” (2nd
Peter 3:18). We must develop spiritually, not so to make us smarter
but more sensitive to the Lord’s leading.
So what are you doing to help your Christian brothers and sisters grow
in Christ? Are you doing anything to edify and encourage them? Jesus died to
save sinners. He doesn’t want anyone to go to hell. We must be His witnesses,
not only to save the lost but to encourage other believers to become soul
winners too. If you cannot find a way to become an encourager in church, and
most of us can’t, perhaps you should be searching for another way?
7.
Hebrews 13:17
“Obey
those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls,
as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for
that would be unprofitable for you.”
Jesus, the Great Shepherd of sheep,
uses men to tend local flocks of Christians. The under-shepherds are
accountable to Him for the ways in which they relate to their charges. Although Hebrews 13:7 may not be popular
it isn’t a multiple-choice question; it is an imperative. Those who “rule over
us” must be obeyed. I didn’t say it. God did.
Let’s be reasonable
We need not allow pastors, or other church leaders, more authority than
the Bible intends. They rule over us to “watch out for” our “souls” (Heb. 13:17) and to perfect us for good works. (Eph. 4:11-12). One way they do so is by “speaking the truth
in love” through their
sermons, so we
“may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.” (Eph 4:15).
We do not need dictators to specify
what we can, and cannot do. We are privileged to pursue our own destinies as
God leads us. We are free to decide where we live and work and worship. But the
sound advice of a caring pastor can spare unnecessary grief for those wise
enough to heed it.
I think it would be safe to say it
like this: “Your pastor must be obeyed when he speaks for God with no ulterior
motive.” Pastors are servants, of God and to the members of their
congregations. They speak for God primarily in their attempts to keep
Christians on the straight and narrow.
Pastors are not free to alter God’s
instructions or to color them based on personal agendas. They are not free to
build their own kingdoms either. When they have exercised their duties properly
they will have, as Ephesians 4 indicates they need do, equipped their charges
for ministries of their own.
Assembly required
Whether or not you like it, your pastor’s duties include encouraging you
to attend church services each week. You need regular exposure to sound
teaching. You need interaction with other Christians. And your presence there
may encourage others. Hebrews 10:23-25 says it like this: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without
wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in
order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the
more as you see the Day approaching.”
More assembly
I would be remiss if I stopped here. I need to say something most
Christians don’t believe and most pastors don’t like to hear. But the truth is
- the institutional church presents one of the most formidable oppositions to
the evangelism of the world that has ever existed.
The church lost much of its
influence when it stopped making lost sinners nervous. It lost even more when
it began making lazy Christians comfortable. Few lost sinners get saved in
church. Lazy Christians don’t share the gospel anywhere. And the fellowship
available in most churches is usually sparse and often ignored.
Don’t depend on your church
experience to supply all of the spiritual edification and fellowship you need.
Find a way to supplement both regularly, perhaps in a small group. The key word
here is “supplement.” Don’t abandon your current obligations. Aim to strengthen
your congregation rather than fracture it. As you enjoy close fellowship with a
few like-minded Christians, hold fast to your faith, love each other, stir each
other to good works, and learn to share your faith wherever you can.
8. 1 Peter
4:7-10
“But the end of all things is at hand;
therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers, And above all things have
fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be
hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift,
minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
Inhospitable Christians don’t know
what they miss. Don’t wait for an invitation to visit someone you would like to
know better. Invite him (or her) to your house. And talk about Jesus while he
is there. Watch prayerfully for Christ’s return as you gather with other
Christians in His name. Love them. Minister to them and allow them to minister
to you. (Ephesians 5:15-21).
Pray
Few Christians pray as much as they should, possibly because they don’t
understand the value of prayer. Look at James’ instructions:
“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is
anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call
for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with
oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and
the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
(James 5:13-15).
It’s certainly all right to pray for
yourself. Some of us should feel the need to do so much more often than we do.
But God wants us to interact with each other, not only in ministry and for
fellowship, but also through prayer - especially when we have unmet needs He is
able to supply.
Cooperate
Although your Christianity is necessarily based on your personal
relationship with Christ, you are only one of the many members of His body (the
church). He cares for all of us. He wants each Christian to prosper
spiritually. He planned for us to work together towards that end when we can.
Ephesians 4:11-16 defines the plan.
As verse 16 says, each one must do his “share” to promote “growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” Can you see why
we need each other, not only as we assemble on Sunday morning but at other
times? If we don’t grow together we may not grow at all. In other words, your
chances of realizing your spiritual potential may depend on your willingness to
contribute to my spiritual development, and vice versa.
I repeat: Most of us are unable to
contribute much to a mutual assistance program within structured church
services. We may be able to do a bit better in extra/church settings.
Love Jesus
Most Christians are not willing to do any type of work for Christ, and
they will never become willing until after they fall in love with Him. And, as
I intimated earlier, most of us are too comfortable in our circumstances. We
are too busy with our own priorities. And we need to be stirred up in some
fashion.
God’s economy
How much longer do you think God
is going to wait for us to wake up? How
long will He cause our economy to prosper while we allow His to suffer? Surely
you know what God considers a successful economy? It’s one where people are
being rescued regularly from the clutches of Satan.
God is serious about His plan to
redeem the lost. He expects you and me to work at relating the gospel story to
the men and women and boys and girls we know. He has no other plan for us.
Unless we become viable witnesses, in the places where we live and work and
play, we are, practically, useless to Him.
He is merciful
Thank God for His mercy but don’t presume on it. Don’t wait till
troubles come to your house before you begin to serve Him earnestly and
sincerely. If you want to get serious about it, commit your whole life to Him.
Don’t hold anything back. Make performing His will your first priority every
day. And listen for His directions.
One method
I’m well aware that the best of preaching seldom inspires anyone
to a lasting commitment. It takes much more to animate men in Christ’s cause.
They must experience Him in action in their lives. They must see His goodness
to others where they are involved in the process.
I have already suggested a way to
become involved. It will require you to be filled by His Spirit. It can result
in a love affair with Jesus that “constrains” you to be His
witness. (2nd Cor. 5:14). It can begin in
church, of course, but it is more apt to happen in a small group fellowship,
where everyone participates and Jesus is the center of attention.
The misguided church
Most church services are structured to produce spectator Christians.
Saints may be well entertained but not inspired to work for Christ. If you
don’t believe me look around. At least seventy-five percent of the activity
here is usually performed by less than five percent of the congregation.
That system is convenient but
dangerous. People who think their church experience defines their duties in the
real world never become more than spectators in the battle for men’s souls. And
the pastors, who do nearly all of the work of the church in the church, find
themselves doing most of the work of the church in the world.
Even so, I would encourage you to
attend church regularly, for whatever good you can receive and also to
encourage others to work for Christ. But look for additional edification and
fellowship in situations where everyone involved can participate in ministry to
each other.
Talk to your pastor if you need
further directions. Don’t expect him to do your job, and don’t accept
discouragement. Be prepared to act as God directs you. Remember your calling.
Don’t “finish” your “years like a sigh.” Make them count for your Lord. And
hurry! Who knows how much longer your “watch” may last?
- - - -
David
E. Beneze. 1006 Fairview Ave., Canon City, 81212-2873. (Can’t remember source
for outline). Latest update 02/12/2007.
Page last updated 10:54 AM 5/24/2007