Right Time Right Place

Advent 1

November 26, 2006 AM

Pastor Brad Dyrness
Sparks Nazarene Church

With all my efforts and planning, there are still times when my timing is off!

You don’t want to…

…walk into Wal-Mart after the once-in-a-lifetime sale.

…arrive for dinner as the dishes are being put away.

…meet the girl of your dreams at her wedding to another man.

…or buy high and sell low.

While there are times when our timing is off, that’s not true of God.

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.  --Galatians 4:4 (NLT)

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.  --Romans 5:6 (NLT)

At just the right  time…

Galatians 4:4 - "kronos" - God orchestrated the sequence  of  events; and when the time was just right, He sent His only begotten Son into the world.

Romans 5:6 is “kairos” - opportune time, when we needed it most and were powerless to do anything about it! 

1.  GOD’S PERFECT  TIMING IN OLD TESTAMENT EVENTS

A. Abraham  and  Isaac - Genesis 22

B. Then there’s Joseph - Genesis 50:20
C. Moses - Exodus

D. David & Goliath - 1 Samuel
E. Esther was made queen - Esther

F. A whale & Jonah’s boat - Jonah

The list could go on…

Daniel 2:21 - God changes times & seasons; He sets up kings & deposes them.

God is in charge of time.

2.  GOD’S TIMING IN THE LIFE OF JESUS  CHRIST

Christ arrives right on time…

Greek was the language of the 1st century, a universal language, just right for the quick spread of the gospel.

Luke 2:1 - In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all of the world should be taxed.

God used a pagan dictator, a pagan government and a pagan decree to make sure that Mary & Joseph made the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

Several times in the Gospels you hear Jesus say: 

It’s not the right time… to perform a miracle

                    to go to Jerusalem

                    to fast

                    to go to Judea

                    to be seized

                         but the time is coming

John 17:1 - In the Garden  of  Gethsemane, Jesus prays “the time has come!”

Romans 5:6 says, You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly… at just the right  time.

Prophecy had predicted the timing (Daniel 9:24) and Jesus had fulfilled it.  Not just the moment in time, but the needed time as well!

3.  GOD’S PERFECT TIMING IN YOUR LIFE  &  MINE

Psalm 31:15 - My times are in your hands.

Romans 8:28 says, We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

If God can direct...  what can He do with a life that will submit to His timing?

In Romans 13:11 Paul writes, The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.