1. Introduction:
A. 1 Kings 20:39-42
And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver. And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it. And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets. And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.
B. People have always been too busy to serve the Lord
1. Noah was a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5)
2. This is so true that Jesus taught great multitudes will be eternally condemned because they didn't have time to serve the Lord. (Matthew 25:31-46)
C. Are you too busy to serve the Lord?
2. Things That Keep Some People Too Busy To Serve The Lord
Luke 14:15-24 And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
Matthew 8:18-22 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
A. Some people are too busy with their family to serve the Lord.
1. "I have married a wife . . ." (Luke 14:)
2. "Let me go and bury my father . . ." (Matt.8)
3. Jesus taught that our love for him must be so strong that our love for our family looks like hate when the two are compared. (Luke 14:26)
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
4. Our true family is the family of Christ (Matthew 12:46-50)
5. Are you too busy trying to please (or "keep the peace" with) your family to serve the Lord?
B. Some people are too busy working or running their business to serve the Lord.
1. I have purchased some land and I need to go see it . . ."
2. I have purchased two yoke of oxen and I must go prove them . . ."
3. The rich fool was too busy with "Making a living" to serve the Lord. (Luke 12:16-21)
a. Many people will lose their souls "making a living"
4. Are you so busy "making a living" that you aren't serving the Lord?
C. Some people are too busy entertaining themselves or their friends too serve the Lord.
1. Follow your heart, but know that God will judge you (Ecclesiastes 11:9)
Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
2. Young man who told me "I can't go to church, my friends are here"
3. Are you so busy having fun that you aren't serving the Lord?
D. Other things that keep people too busy to serve the Lord.
1. Does the "Tyranny of the Urgent" keep you from serving the Lord?
a. Martha was burdened with much serving (Lk.10:38-42)
b. Leo Busgalia visiting a fan's home for 15 minutes.
2. Has "getting an education" become so important to you that you have put serving the Lord on hold?
a. Remember thy creator in the days of thy youth (Ecclesiastes 12:1)
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
3. The good Samaritan took the time to serve the Lord (Luke 10:25-37)
a. 10 seminary students and the good Samaritan
b. "go and do thou likewise"
3. Conclusion
A. God's people have always had the time to serve Him first. Genesis 26:25
And he builded an alter there, and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well.
B. The rich man is in hell because he never took the time (Luke 16:19-31)
C. Paul said a good warrior will not become tangled in the affairs of this world (2 Timothy 2:3,4)
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
D. What do you have time for?
1. The Evening News?
2. The News Paper?
3. Red Book, Sports Illustrated, or Reader's Digest?
4. A movie, or a favorite TV show?
5. Romance novels, Science Fiction, or Westerns?
6. A Cowboy s football game?
7. Rush Limbaugh
8. Grab a nap?
9. Attend every assembly?
10. Study the Bible
11. Pray daily
E. You have time to serve the Lord if you want to serve the Lord.
1. The little lady with arthritis who "got her heart over there and her body just followed"
2. My grandfather speaking of waiting at the end of the row for the sun to come up and plow until it was too dark to see + chores.
3. But you must serve the Lord today
a. Jesus said "the night cometh when no man can work" John 9:4
b. Paul warned that when people thought they were in "peace and safety" that the Lord would come upon them like a thief in the night.
c. Do you think you are safe in choosing not to serve the Lord right now?
1) Remember "sudden destruction"
d. Do you believe you are in peril because you are too busy to serve the Lord today?
e. Then begin today.
1) Are you too busy to serve the Lord this week?
2) We are having this meeting every night this week.
3) The 5 foolish virgins were just too busy to make the proper preparations, and they were refused entry with the bridegroom.
4) Are you prepared for the return of Jesus?
5) Will you be invited in with him, or
6) Will you be frantically trying to do what should have already been done?
f. You have the opportunity to make ready this very hour.
1) If you are not a Christian, you can become one.
2) If you need to repent of wickedness in your heart and/or life, you can do that this morning also
F. Are YOU too busy to serve the Lord?