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Sermon – Love Language For The Church – Quality Time

  • In our current series, we have discussed Acts of Service, Words of Affirmation, Gifts, and Physical Touch.  Today, we will look at spending quality time with God; and we can do so through Scripture, prayer, and worship; and in doing those things we can also spend more time with other people.

  • Revelation 4:11 (NLT), says, “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power.  For you created all things, and they existed because you created what you pleased.”

  • It pleased God to create the world and man.  God wants man to spend time with Him, not only now, but in eternity.  We should see this life as preparation for eternity.  If we have no desire to spend time with God – or His people – now, why should we be able to for all of eternity?

  • Genesis 3:8 says Adam and Eve heard God.  Depending on your translation, they heard Him walking around and/or they heard His voice – perhaps announcing His arrival or calling for them.  The rest of chapter 3 tells why they hiding; their realization of sin/shame, punishment; and the first mention of the redemption of man … bruising of the heel and the crushing of the head.

  • How would Adam and Eve had known God was there, if He hadn’t appeared before?  I believe it is safe to assume that God routinely spent time with Adam and Eve.  I doubt God created mankind and just waited around until they messed up to reappear and punish them.

  • An interesting theory is that Adam and Eve knew God was near because it windy; perhaps even strong winds – preceded God’s arrival.  A NT parallel is that on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit arrived with the sound of a mighty wind.  When God The Spirit came to live within believers.

  • God created mankind to have a relationship with Him … God was with the first couple in the Garden … God interacted with various people in the OT … God had His people build the Tabernacle and then Temple in which to reside with the people … The OT pointed to Jesus’s first arrival and He dwelt among creation and was the ultimate sacrifice we needed to have a direct relationship with the Father … The Spirit was poured out on Pentecost and lives within believers … the NT points to Jesus’ second arrival in which judgment happens and eternity begins in paradise or torment.

  • Verses About Scripture:
    • Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (NLT) … Listen, O Israel!  The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.  And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and strength.  And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.  Repeat them again and again to your children.  Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.  Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.  Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
    • Joshua 1:8 (NLT) … Study this Book of Instruction continually.  Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it.  Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
    • Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) … For the word of God is alive and powerful.  It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow.  It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
    • 2nd Timothy 2:15 (NLT) … Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval.  Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
    • 2nd Timothy 3:16 (NLT) … All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.  It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

  • Scripture is the very word of God …. He gave it to us, so we would know the difference between good and evil … how to treat and not treat people … what leads to life and death … we must commit ourselves to reading this book and to sharing its insights with those in our lives. 

  • How often is Scripture read, studied, taught, and discussed in your house?  How often do you gather with other believers to read, study, and discuss Scripture?  Remember, Faith comes from hearing the Good News about Christ (Romans 10:17) – so if we are not sharing the Good News, then how can anyone get saved; and if we can’t explain Scripture, then people may develop false doctrine or be trapped in a belief system that sounds good, but leads them away from Christ.

  • Verses on Prayer:
    • Matthew 6:8 (NLT) … Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask.
    • Mark 11:24 (NLT) … I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.
    • Philippians 4:6 (NLT) … Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
    • Colossians 4:2 (NLT) … Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
    • 1st Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT) … Never stop praying.
    • 1st John 5:14 (NLT) … And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.
    • James 4:3 (NLT) … And when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong – you want only what will give you pleasure.
    • James 5:16 (NLT) … Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

  • Prayer is a time for us to speak to God; to let Him know our concerns; to lift up others; and if we are always open to pray, God is never far away.  We should keep nothing from Him, as He knows it anyway … pour your heart out to Him, be vulnerable, and allow Him to lead.

  • Worship can be done in private or with others.  In Scripture we can read about people worshipping alone, perhaps by building an altar or offering a sacrifice.  We can also read about groups of people worshipping in the Tabernacle, Temple, or a local synagogue or church.  Some went to offer sacrifices, others to give an offering, others to pray … but the sole purpose was to worship … if we do anything with selfish motives, then God knows and our efforts won’t be honored or blessed.
  • God even set aside a day for rest and worship – that being the Sabbath; and the Jewish people were to keep that command by abstaining from work and focusing their time and attention on God and family.  In the Law, other regulations about worship and sacrifices and behavior were given.

  • When the Church was established, the Christian day of rest and worship was set as Sunday – again as a day to focus on God and family; to rest and worship; to gather; to sing; to give; to hear a message.  Of course, we could go down rabbit trails about Saturday vs Sunday; or what should Christians do or not do on those days; or talk about how when we were younger more people didn’t do anything on Sunday except go to church and go home; but we can leave those for our evening studies or if you want to other days – just gather people together and study.

Verses About Worship:

  • Exodus 20:8-11 (NLT) … Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.  You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your god.  On that day no one in your household may do any work.  This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you.  For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested.  That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.
  • Psalm 95:6 (NLT) … Come, let us worship and bow down.  Let us kneel before the LORD our maker
  • John 4:24 (NLT) … For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.
  • Acts 2:42 (NLT) … All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.
  • Romans 12:1 (NLT) … And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you.  Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
  • 1st Corinthians 16:2 (NLT) … On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned.  Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once.
  • 2nd Corinthians 9:7 (NLT) … You must each decide in your heart how much to give.  And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure.  “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.
  • Colossians 3:16 (NLT) … Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives.  Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives.  Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.
  • Hebrews 10:25 (NLT) … Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that they day of his return is drawing near.

  • Jesus regularly demonstrated the importance of spending time with God, whether alone in prayer, or going to the Temple or Synagogue to worship and read from the Scriptures.
  • Jesus would often get up early to start His day with prayer; and even when passed with the cross – immense stress and pressure – He sought out His Father’s will.
  • If Jesus worshipped, read the Scriptures, prayed; among other things that showed that He put God first, then why shouldn’t we?  How can we put God first in our lives?  It takes effort and planning – much like for anything and everything else we do in our lives.
  • I believe that everything regarding our faith all comes down to priorities and planning; and honestly, doesn’t everything in our lives come down to those things as well?
  • How many of you have accidentally …Found yourself on vacation? … Spent time with your family? … Celebrated a birthday or anniversary? … Made it through school? … Made it through a career and were able to retire?

  • All those things – and many more – required your attention and focus – you may have had to put off other things to accomplish your goals … so think about that for a minute … what did you have to do to accomplish the things you have in your life?

  • Now, do you put that same dedication you have put in your education, career, family, hobbies, etc. into your faith – both personal and corporate?

  • If you had an important meeting or appointment – perhaps with your boss or medical – would you not make every effort to show up?  Would not other things be postponed or canceled to make sure you made this meeting?

  • So why do we ignore, postpone, or cancel our appointments with God? … too busy? … too lazy? … easily distracted? … more focused about this life, comforts, wants, than the next life to come?

  • We should plan and prepare to spend time with God – and others.  We plan for family outings, dates, vacations, holidays; and none of those are more important than our faith.

  • We are all limited by time – be it life spans – the 24-hours we have in a day – the amount of “free time” we have after all of our requirements of working and caring for our families are done.  But, we all need to spend time with God – both alone and with other believers.

  • Your private devotion life is just that – private – but you do need to have one … you need to be spending quality time with God each day, both in prayer and study.  Corporately, you know when this church meets; and it is up to you to make plans to be here … we don’t just have things out of the blue and surprise you … it is a choice whether we are here, or we choose to be elsewhere.

  • Closing Challenge – In 7 weeks, we celebrate Easter.  The sermons over this time will focus on Jesus’ life, ministry, love, compassion, service, and or course His death, burial, and resurrection.

  • What two days are most people likely to attend church?  Between now and then, use your love to reach out to people – encourage and challenge them – meet their needs – lend a hand – spend time with them, even if you do nothing; but be there for them.

  • Lent begins on Wednesday; and I want to encourage and challenge you to spend (more) quality time with God, your family, and church – especially with the goal of growing closer to Him.

  • Use this time period to do without something that keeps you from praying, reading, serving, giving, or spending time with those you should.  Let’s all share the burden for our community and seek God out and ask Him to lead to someone that needs saved or their faith strengthened.