On Whose Time?

Devotional

Day 1: Brothers and the Unseen Clock

Jesus’ brothers nudged Him toward spectacle. “Show yourself at the feast,” they urged, imagining crowds marveling at miracles. But He stayed in Galilee, saying, “My time isn’t here.” They saw a publicity stunt; He saw a cross. Human efficiency demanded action. Divine wisdom chose hiddenness. [56:52]

Jesus’ refusal reveals a rhythm deeper than calendars. His brothers measured success by crowds. He measured it by obedience. God’s clock ticks in seasons of preparation, not just productivity.

Where are you rushing ahead of God’s timing? Name one area you’ve tried to force outcomes this week. How might waiting deepen your trust?

“Jesus’ brothers said to him, ‘Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Show yourself to the world.’ For even his own brothers did not believe in him. Jesus told them, ‘My time is not yet here; for you any time will do.’”
(John 7:3-6, ESV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to reveal one area where He’s calling you to wait instead of push.
Challenge: Write “MY TIME ISN’T HERE” on your wrist. Let it redirect one impatient impulse today.

Day 2: Tractors and Trust

Farmers plant, then wait. No amount of staring hastens sprouts. The sermon compared God’s timing to fields—some days demand plowing, others demand stillness. Leland doesn’t whisper to beans. Rick doesn’t blanket corn. Growth happens underground. [59:04]

Jesus modeled this rhythm. He withdrew to pray after healing multitudes. Action and rest were both acts of trust. God grows crops—and souls—in unseen hours.

What “field” in your life feels stagnant? Name one worry you’re clutching instead of surrendering to God’s growth cycle.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”
(Ecclesiastes 3:1, ESV)

Prayer: Confess one task you’ve idolized as urgent. Thank God He works while you rest.
Challenge: Spend 10 minutes sitting outdoors without devices. Notice one sign of growth.

Day 3: Casseroles and Kairos

Deacons delivered flowers to shut-ins. Joyce visited. Casseroles appeared for sick saints. These weren’t efficient—they were holy. The church became Christ’s hands, trading productivity for presence. [52:16]

Jesus prioritized people over plans. He stopped for Zacchaeus mid-mission. Time isn’t just minutes; it’s kairos—moments God pierces through with love.

Who needs your “inefficient” care today? What calendar item could you cancel to make space?

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
(Galatians 6:2, ESV)

Prayer: Thank God for three people who’ve interrupted your schedule with grace.
Challenge: Call someone grieving or homebound. Listen twice as long as you speak.

Day 4: Stethoscopes and Sovereignty

Jim’s carpal tunnel surgery. Alyssa’s neonatal tests. Linda’s kidney stone. The prayer list overflowed with bodies breaking—and saints leaning into God’s “not yet.” [33:38]

Jesus healed some immediately; others waited decades. Both required faith. His perfect timing isn’t cruelty—it’s the stethoscope of a Father listening for the exact moment to mend.

What ache makes you doubt God’s timing? How might His delay be a gift?

“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law.”
(Galatians 4:4-5, ESV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to help you trust His heart when His hand feels slow.
Challenge: Text a struggling friend: “I’m praying for you at 3 PM today. Need specifics?”

Day 5: Tabernacles and Today’s Yes

The Feast of Tabernacles celebrated harvests and Messiah’s coming. Jesus slipped into Jerusalem quietly, refusing spectacle. But when He finally cried, “I am the light!” His hour had come. [01:16:01]

God’s timing demands daily yeses, not just destiny moments. Mothers changed diapers. Deacons drove casseroles. Saints prayed. Each small obedience prepared the harvest.

What mundane “yes” is God asking from you today? How could it echo eternally?

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
(John 1:14, ESV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to make you present to one “ordinary” moment He wants to hallow.
Challenge: Write “TODAY’S YES” on your mirror. Act on the first prompt to serve someone.

Sermon Summary

We gather on Mother’s Day as a people shaped by worship, care, and the rhythms of ordinary life. We celebrate redemption and the goodness of God in worship, we name needs and pray for one another, and we tend to practical responsibilities that keep our life together. We care for shut ins, pray for the sick, and organize practical help because faith shows itself in ordinary acts of service. We confess that time presses on us; we seek ways to be more efficient, but efficiency cannot replace wisdom about when to act and when to wait.

We read John 7 and see a sharp contrast between human urgency and divine timing. Jesus refuses to be driven by the crowd’s timetable and points us to a larger clock set by the work of salvation. We must learn to ask what season God has placed us in: sowing, waiting, harvest, or rest. That discernment shapes our priorities, keeps us from needless anxiety, and protects fragile relationships from decisions made in haste.

We also confront the cost of discipleship in everyday life. Giving time to others, visiting the lonely, and staying in prayer often prove inefficient by worldly standards, but God notices those sacrifices and repays what we truly need. We must not let busyness hide the presence of the living God among us; being occupied with good things can still cause us to miss Jesus. Finally, we remember that God’s timing proves perfect even amid end time signs; urgency must not drown out the call to proclaim the gospel now and to trust his timing for the future. We commit our schedules, our labor, and our waiting to him, asking for wisdom to know when to act and patience to wait when he says wait.

Key Takeaways

1. Discern God’s timing, not ours We must stop measuring every opportunity by human clocks and ask what God’s objective is in this moment. Discernment means listening for the Spirit’s direction about when to speak, move, or remain silent because timing affects fruitfulness. When we align our agenda with God’s, our actions carry covenant significance rather than mere activity. [56:27]
2. Surrender the control of time Control over schedules gives the illusion of purpose, but true purpose comes when we yield our calendars to God’s priorities. Surrender invites us to reframe interruptions as divine appointments and to refuse the idol of productivity. This posture frees us to invest time where love, not efficiency, matters most. [63:19]
3. Invest time in care and presence Visitation, prayers, and small acts of service rarely show quick ROI, yet they embody Christ’s presence among us. We sustain community by giving time to the overlooked, trusting that these investments shape souls more than strategies ever will. The church’s ministry often lives in these mundane sacrifices. [47:23]
4. Learn the wisdom of seasons Thriving and survival require different strategies; what succeeds in one season destroys the other. Spiritual wisdom discerns whether to sow, harvest, rest, or simply endure, and adjusts expectations accordingly. We avoid unnecessary grief when we honor the season God places us in. [60:09]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[09:34] - Mother’s Day Opening
[11:05] - Announcements and Events
[18:37] - Worship and Redemption
[31:11] - Prayer and Pastoral Care
[42:29] - Congregational Intercession
[47:23] - Deacons and Ministry Work
[56:27] - Jesus and Divine Timing
[60:09] - Seasons: Thriving or Surviving
[63:19] - Who Controls Our Time
[72:00] - Sacrifice, Discipleship, Return
[76:39] - Benediction and Fellowship

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- John 7:1-13 (ESV): Jesus’ brothers urge Him to go to Judea to show His works publicly, but He responds, “My time has not yet come” (v. 6). He later goes in secret, highlighting divine timing over human urgency.
- Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV): “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”
- Galatians 4:4-5 (ESV): “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son… to redeem those who were under the law.”

Observation questions

In John 7:1-13, what reason does Jesus give for not initially going to Judea publicly? How does His later action contrast with His brothers’ advice?
The sermon mentions farmers who plant and wait rather than hovering over their fields daily. What does this illustrate about seasons of life? [58:18]
According to Galatians 4:4-5, what does the “fullness of time” mean for God’s plan? How does this relate to Jesus’ words in John 7?

Interpretation questions

Why might Jesus’ refusal to act on His brothers’ timeline (John 7:6-8) challenge our cultural emphasis on efficiency and urgency?
Ecclesiastes 3:1 says there is a “time for every matter.” How might misjudging our current season (e.g., thriving vs. surviving) lead to unnecessary stress or missed opportunities? [01:00:09]
The sermon warns that “efficiency cannot replace wisdom” about when to act or wait. How might prioritizing productivity over discernment harm relationships or spiritual growth? [52:16]

Application questions

What “season” do you sense God has placed you in right now (sowing, waiting, harvest, rest)? What practical adjustments could help you honor that season?
Reflect on a recent decision made in haste. How might surrendering control of your schedule to God’s priorities have changed the outcome? [01:03:19]
The sermon emphasizes “mundane sacrifices” like visiting shut-ins or praying as acts of faith. Who in your life needs intentional time or care that feels “inefficient” by worldly standards? [47:23]
When have you felt pressured to rush a situation instead of waiting for God’s timing? What fears or beliefs drive that urgency, and how can you combat them?
The sermon notes that “being occupied with good things can still cause us to miss Jesus.” What routines or commitments might need pruning to create space to notice God’s presence today? [01:16:01]
How can your small group support one another in trusting God’s timing—especially in areas like unanswered prayers, relational healing, or vocational uncertainty?
The sermon connects end-time anticipation with daily gospel proclamation. What is one way you can share Christ’s love this week without letting anxiety about the future paralyze you? [01:10:26]

Sermon Clips

So in this hype that we have, in this season that is around us where there's a lot going on in The Middle East and we are very tempted to put all our focus on, is this the time? Is this the time? No. These two things are true. Yes. It is the time. We are closer to the end times today than we were yesterday. Two, don't get so caught up on what may be happening that you miss the fact that the timing of the Lord today is that we proclaim the good news of the gospel of Jesus to any and all who wanna hear. [01:09:34] (34 seconds) #ProclaimInTheEndTimes

Whatever you're willing to sacrifice for the Lord will be returned. Not name it, claim it, not here on earth, please. That's a whole bunch of hogwash if you ask me. But I'm encouraged again and again. Jesus says, whatever you do, the Lord notices. That should be a word of encouragement and a word of warning. Whatever you do, the Lord notices. How we spend our line time, the Lord notices. [01:12:10] (33 seconds) #TheLordSees

The crux of discipleship is we must be willing to sacrifice and forsake our time for the sake of Jesus. Are you doing that? Many of us are. And so I just encourage you embrace Jesus in his timing. There's been many moments in my life that I tried to force Jesus' timing. Let me just tell you, that doesn't work well. [01:13:02] (28 seconds) #SurrenderYourTime

When is the best time? For that is wisdom. Wisdom isn't just knowing what to do. And it's not just knowing how to do it. It's knowing when to do it. There are many things we can do in our own timing that may produce good outcomes, but the way of the Lord said, if you would have just waited, my timing would have been even better in the way we live and the relationships we have. [01:14:19] (32 seconds) #WisdomKnowsWhen

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On Whose Time?

Devotional

Day 1: Brothers and the Unseen Clock

Day 2: Tractors and Trust

Day 3: Casseroles and Kairos

Day 4: Stethoscopes and Sovereignty

Day 5: Tabernacles and Today’s Yes

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

On Whose Time?

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