At the Crossroads of Time and Eternity: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 - Third Sunday after the Epiphany

 ²⁹Brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short; from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had none, ³⁰and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no possessions, ³¹and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away. (NRSV)

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Early this week, one of our members sent me a message describing something amazing she saw: she was on her way to work as the sun came up. Bright, red light in horizontal stripes broke the darkness. Eventually, the sunlight breaking out against the night sky created what she described as a cross—what she described as one of the most beautiful sights she’d ever seen. 

And yet, it would’ve been quite easy to ignore it. Or, you can take enough notice to appreciate it—only to quickly forget about it amid the busyness of the day. But make no mistake: this was a revelation of God’s glory, illuminating her day.

She experienced one of the most basic truths of our Christian faith—God’s kingdom breaks into your reality every single day. 

This is what happens in today’s Gospel. When Simon, Andrew, James, and John woke up that morning, they surely weren’t expecting to abandon their fishing nets (or their father) because the God’s Son called them to become his disciples. And yet, in what started out like any other day, in the time it took for Jesus to say, “follow me,” God’s kingdom suddenly opened up before them. From that moment on, they will be proclaiming to all the world that Jesus is the Son of God, and journeying with him into God’s eternal future. 

Jesus is no less determined to break into your life and do the very same. It’s not a question of if; only a question of when, where, how, and with whom. 

This is why, in our second reading for today, the Apostle Paul speaks with such urgency: “the appointed time has grown short;” “the present form of this world is passing away.” Time, as we know it, is running out. And yet, God is acting in time. God’s eternal kingdom doesn’t begin at the end of time. Rather, it is born within time; the present time. 

Therefore, this present moment is critical: will you welcome Jesus in this moment, or will you use your time and lose it, seeking gratification from the gods of this world?

Consider for a moment: to what extent is a lack of time getting in the way of your relationship with Jesus? How often you speak the words, “I don’t have the time;” or, “now isn’t a good time,” when it comes to matters of faith?

The way the Paul talks, you should immediately “drop everything” and flee from all your present commitments as if they were burning buildings. But that’s not what he means. In this life, you will have vocations, through which glorify God by serving others. Marriage, parenthood, grandparenthood, work, daily chores, volunteer service, even recreation and leisurely pursuits—these are sacred for the disciple of Jesus. And yet, the time you devote to these commitments can easily lose its sacredness.

You’re hard at work building up your own kingdom! There isn’t a second to lose in the drive to maximize your accomplishment; to maximize your wealth; to maximize your enjoyment of this world and its delights.

For a many Christians, a lack of time is detrimental to your faith—due to circumstances beyond your control. You must work long hours in multiple jobs; parenting is demanding; schooling is demanding; loved ones are counting on you to care for them. At the end of the day, there’s not a moment to devote to Jesus because you’re so exhausted. 

Yet regardless of whether your life is characterized by struggle or success, the one god we all sacrifice our time to is the god of control. How much time you spend worrying about things beyond your control? Have your devices become like vital bodily organs? Do you consume social media and cable news as if your life depends on it? How much do you care about what other people think of you?

All of these things consume precious time that you cannot afford to waste. Once it’s gone, you can’t get it back. Time is not on your side. But Jesus is. Jesus comes to you, in time, so that you will not pass away with time. Jesus comes to redeem your time, so that you will not spend another second in the grip of sin and death; laboring for kingdoms that are passing away; tangled up in affairs that are meaningless from the perspective of eternity. Jesus is giving you time to receive forgiveness; time for your troubled heart to be comforted; time for you to experience amazing grace. Jesus comes to transform your time, so that you behold his glory—in the people you serve, and in the labors which lay the foundation for his coming kingdom. 

In this moment, and in every moment, you stand at the crossroads of time and eternity. Do not lose the gift of this moment worrying about that which you can’t control, laboring in kingdoms that will not last. Now is the time to bless and be blessed in God’s eternal kingdom. And if the lack of time is getting in the way of your relationship with Jesus, or if your times are devoid of any purpose, meaning, or joy, pray for Jesus to open your life up and give you time to behold his glory. This is a prayer he’s sure to answer. 

Your eternal God has time for you. Now is the time for eternal life and eternal love to begin.