Greetings Flag Branch members and friends and thanks for taking the time to join me, Pastor Jordan, for some Fine Points from Sunday’s service and message “Doing Time”.
Most people would agree even without firsthand knowledge that the United States or any prison system is not a place they would want to be forced to be. First and foremost, it is confining and restricting. It severely limits the freedom of movement to a small space even though there is so much to see and so many places to go outside that space.
I believe and the bible indicates that likewise there is so much to see and so many places to go outside the world we know. People can experience many unpleasant and even dangerous things while serving time in prison. The same can be said of anyone living on the earth.
From being separated from family and friends to experiencing injury and even death, people living in the confines of this world will experience unpleasant and even dangerous things. For most who go to prison, their stay there is not expected to endure until the end of their natural life even though some die in prison before their required time is up.
However, there are some who are sentenced to spend the rest of their life in prison without the possibility of ever being released. Can you just imagine if this was your fate? What hope could you have? Where or in what would you find joy? What would be your outlook your life and how would you view others who are in the prison with you?
These are just some of the questions that could be posed to those who have no or little faith in life beyond this one. Just as those serving life in prison, they see themselves as having to make the best of what this life affords with all of its’ limited options and other things to contend with. And that sometimes means doing things without regard to the effects and consequences to others.
It is disappointing to see anyone living their life as if this world is the last place they will ever be and ever see. Yet the bible teaches us that our stay in this world, while required, is only temporary and not our final destination.
Like most prison sentences, our stay will come to an end and when it does, we, like them, shall experience freedom. But the freedom Christians shall experience is not the freedom this world affords, but true eternal freedom from all the things this world was not able to provide including from pain, suffering and death.
Those who go in the prison system loathe and hate the time they are required to do before being released and for good reason. Christians on the other hand should rejoice over the time we are required to do before our release.
Why? Because it gives us the opportunity to learn so much more about our Heavenly Father and His will and design for us. It gives us the opportunity to spread and share His love and purpose for those He has made.
We can rejoice while doing time as we behold the presence and purpose of God in the face of the things He has made. They remind us that we are not alone nor has He abandoned us. And while doing time here brings all the hurt and challenges found in this world, it also brings precious moments we have to spend with family, friends and the rest of humanity God has place around us.
Doing time in the fear of God informs us that we are accountable for what we do and how we do it in the short space we have before our departure and release. Every moment is precious. They are moments we can’t recover and each one subtracts from the remaining moments we have left before we are forced to leave those we love and care most about.
Let us do and spend our time well for God has given us only a precious few moments, none of which we know when they will be over. But we do know, and by this I mean know by believing, after we do our time, our true and eternal freedom will begin with the One who made us.
You can hear the complete sermon by clicking the sermon title above. You can also see and listen to our previous Sunday School, Missions and BTU sessions by clicking this link. Be sure to download our mobile app on your phones and mobile devices to get the latest news, updates and shortcuts to all of our ministries, functions and activities.
Click the SS Daily Bible Readings for an excellent devotional and preparation for the upcoming Sunday School study. Don’t forget to leave a comment or question down below. As always, remember to fear God and keep His commandments.
Pastor Jordan
