Sunday, July 22, 2012 am
Today, we want to talk about the word opportunity as it relates to our
lives as Christians.
Opportunity is part of the “formula” associated with our
responsibilities for which we will give an accounting when we stand
before God. The formula is
easy: Ability + Opportunity = Responsibility.
We all have responsibilities which are based upon our abilities.
The question is are we seeking opportunity to fulfill our
responsibilities? Let’s
ponder this for a few moments.
a.
What is an opportunity?
1. An appropriate or favorable time or occasion.
2. A situation or condition favorable for attainment
of a goal.” (Collins Dictionary, © 2012, via:
www.dictionary.reference.com)
The word deals with the idea of circumstance presenting itself in such a
way that if you take advantage of it, you can accomplish something.
in the New Testament there are at least 3 different Greek words
translated “opportunity” in the NKJV.
The most prevalent word καιρός, (kairos) is used more than 80
times and is usually translated “time”, as in the appropriate (or
opportune) season. OF the 14
times the NKJV uses the word “opportunity”, 7 of them are derivatives of
this word. Opportunity is
associated with time.
You also have the word, ἀφορμή, (aphorme), which is translated 5 times
as opportunity.
b.
Opportunities can be
good or bad
–
i.
Good – Our text – Gal.
6:10 – opportunity to do good.
The desires to help Paul were hindered (Phil. 4:10)
The Good Samaritan – Luke 10:29-37
Acts 3:1-10, as Peter enters the temple he sees a lame man begging alms.
Rather than giving him alms, Peter heals him.
It becomes an opportunity to proclaim Jesus.
Jesus is the ultimate example as He healed the multitudes.
Many accounts of miracles show opportunities taken advantage of,
He cleansed a leper in Mark 1:40-41 who said, “If You are willing, You
can make me clean.” Jesus
said, “I am willing;
In the city of Nain, Jesus
sees a dead man being carried out, who was the only son of his mother
who was a widow. Jesus
touched the coffin and raised the man (Lk. 7:11-16)
He sees Zacchaeus in a tree
and goes to his house to teach him
(Lk. 19:1-10)
ii.
Bad – Gal. 5:13 speaks
of an opportunity for the flesh to take advantage of your brethren.
Herodias –sought opportunity to kill John.
Herod’s lusts provided that day. Mk. 6:21
The devil, having failed to tempt Jesus, sought “an opportune time” to
try Jesus again (Lk. 4:13).
Judas sought opportunity to betray Jesus (Mt. 26:16)
c.
We all have opportunities – every day we are faced with choices.
Often those choices come with opportunities.
Will we seize our opportunities when they present themselves?
Even the one talent servant had opportunity to do something – Matt.
25:15 – he had ability and opportunity to prove himself to his master.
But recall how he failed to fulfill his responsibility and was
thus condemned as both wicked and lazy.
d.
Are we looking for
opportunities?
i.
Be alert – the
Christian life calls for soberness, which involves alertness.
1 Peter 1:13 says, “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope
fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of
Jesus Christ.”
WE have to have our eyes open, not just for the things that will destroy
us, but also for opportunities to do what we need to do or simply what
we can do. We need to
be looking for our opportunities.
ii.
Learn to recognize opportunities – There are many in
the world that seek opportunities to get rich, move ahead, etc.
They are thinking of their own well-being.
The Christian seeks first the
kingdom of God (Matt. 6:33).
That is the direction we are concerned about when we speak of looking
for opportunities.
Col. 3:1-2 is one of many passages that tells us where our mind needs to
be. We ought to be
looking for opportunities to further that.
iii.
Be prepared –
if you looking for opportunities, what will you do when you recognize
that one is there? Will you
be ready to act? Or will you
be unable to do something, or you do the wrong thing, because you have
not prepared?
1.
Matthew 25:1-13 – the
parable of the wise and foolish virgins demonstrates the tragedy of
being unprepared. While
dealing with our Lord’s return, the principle applies whenever we have
opportunity to do good for others.
2.
Paul is a great example
of being prepared. Wherever
he went he looked for “prospects”.
And he acted when he found them.
3.
He lived his life so
that he could do maximum good - Consider 1 Cor. 9:22 where Paul said, “I
have become all things to all men, that I might by all means win some.”
4.
In 1 Cor. 16:9, Paul
said, “For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are
many adversaries.” 2 Cor.
2:12 speaks of a door being opened to him while at Troas.
The point he made was that when the door opened, he walked
through it. Why?
Because he was ready!
5.
The church at
Philadelphia was praised because an open door was set before them that
no one could shut (Rev. 3:8).
6.
When a door opens for
us, we need to be prepared to walk through it.
iv.
Be willing –
often opportunities are not about you, but someone else.
Sometimes, taking advantage of an opportunity means you might have to
sacrifice something you want to do, etc.
Will you? How much do
you want to help others?
Redeem the time – Eph. 5:16, Col. 4:5 – associated with this principle
is our understanding of stewardship.
What we have actually belongs to God.
We need to be willing to sacrifice the things of this world, and
even our own conveniences to avail ourselves of godly opportunities.
What will you sacrifice for Him? (Cf. Rom. 12:1-2)
e.
Don’t let them slip
away!
i.
Opportunities usually
come with time stamp. They only last so long.
That is why when we have an opportunity, we need to take
advantage of it. Jesus in John
9:4 said, “The night is coming
when no man can work.”
He was talking about His own work.
Rom. 13:12, “The night is far
spent, the day is at hand.
Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the
armor of light.”
ii.
Missed opportunities
often come with regrets.
iii.
The easiest way to miss
out on an opportunity is to do nothing.
Just like the foolish virgins who did nothing to prepare their
lamps, and just like the one-talent wicked servant – if you do nothing,
you GUARANTEE failure! You
will miss out on your opportunities.
a.
Do good to all (Gal.
6:10, etc.)
i.
The text we began with
issues a serious challenge to every Christian.
ii.
Jas. 1:27 associates our
conduct toward others with “pure and undefiled religion before God and
the Father...”
iii.
WE understand that when
we stand before God, our salvation is not earned.
(cf. Eph. 2:10)
Our only hope is God’s grace!
BUT, it is abundantly emphasized that God will look at the way we
have lived our lives – and He expects us to care about others.
IT is one way that we OBEY Him!
He expects us to be “zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14).
We are reminded in Matt. 25:31-46 that he will consider what we
have done for others when we stand before Him.
But let us never forget what Jesus said in Luke 17:10, “So likewise you, when you have done all those thing which are commanded,
say, ‘We are unprofitable servants.
WE have done what was our duty to do.’”
iv.
1 Pet. 2:12 tells us
that by our “good works” God can be glorified among “the Gentiles”.
v.
A challenge we face as brethren
is to look for and take advantage of opportunities to help others.
That needs to be one of the motivating factors in our lives.
We need to be about helping others, both spiritually and
physically.
vi.
How can we do good for our neighbors? Say a kind
word of encouragement - the impact of kind words cannot be emphasized
enough! Be an example to
them in all things (Matt. 5:16)
Look for ways to help the needy.
b.
Do good for our brethren
i.
Galatians 6:10 says,
“especially those who are of the household of faith.”
Do we prefer our brethren?
ii.
They need encouragement
- “therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as
you also are doing.” (1 Thess. 5:11); Heb. 3:13 speaks of exhorting one
another daily, “while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the
deceitfulness of sin.”
Also Heb. 10:24, consider one another in order to stir up love and good
works.
iii.
They sometimes our
brethren need HELP!
Physically they may have needs that we can help them with.
Whatever our blessings, we must never forget we are a family.
c.
Grow spiritually –
i.
2 Pet. 3:18 says, “But
grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Sometimes it is a challenge, but we better find time to develop
spiritually. This is an
example of MAKING opportunities.
ii.
We need to study God’s
word – 2 Tim. 2:15
iii.
WE need to find time to
pray – 1 Thee. 5:17, Eph. 6:18
d.
Worship and assemble
with the saints
–
i.
Thanks to the foresight
of our elders, we have plenty of opportunities to assemble both to
worship God and to edify one another.
Do we take advantage of these opportunities?
ii.
The privilege of
assembly cannot be overemphasized.
Heb. 10:25.
iii.
It is something that
requires planning. The
opportunity is there, will we make it happen.
e.
Share God’s word with
others
i.
Let us never forget the
great commission with a responsibility of every Christian.
Matt. 28:18-20
ii.
Acts 8:4 describes the
disciples going everywhere and preaching the word.
iii.
1 Pet. 3:15 – be ready
to give a defense.
iv.
This ought to be on our
minds continually, and we ought to be praying for “open doors” and
walking through them when they present themselves.
Conclusion. And thus we can
see that as we have opportunities, we need to do good and take advantage
of them while they are there.
Will we?
Since you are here, I ask are you ready to stand before God and face Him
in judgment? IF not, you
have opportunity right now to obey the gospel.
And you don’t know if this will be your LAST opportunity.
Similarly, if needed, we have opportunity to repent. (Ac. 8:18-22, cf.
Rev. 2:21)
If
you are subject to God’s invitation, why not avail yourself of this
opportunity RIGHT NOW?