Short Timers

Text: ESV 1 Corinthians 7:29 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short.

Goal: That we live as short timers, looking forward to Christ’s return.

ESV 1 Timothy 1:2 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

How many of you are short timers? I first heard the term short timer while serving in the military. I quickly learned that a short timer was someone who was almost finished with a tour of duty. Short timers were envied. They were always going to a better place. They were allowed to skip out on a lot of training so that they could prepare for their move. They were in the process of handing over their responsibilities to the next soldiers in line. You could spot a short timer with ease. He always had a smile on his face that said, “You won’t be seeing me around here much longer!” Not only that, but he was always carrying around a brief case with all his important paperwork, including his orders assigning him to his next duty station. How many of you are short timers?

According to St. Paul, we’re all short timers. You and I are almost finished with our tour of duty. We are headed for a better place. Jesus says, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:2&3). But that’s not all that Jesus promises. He also says to us, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 29:19&20). We have the promise of a better place, but we also have the promise of Jesus’ presence with us now.

As short timers, we walk around with a smile on our face because we know that we are getting closer and closer to our next duty station. We have our orders in hand. If you’re wondering, your orders were given to you by God as He officially claimed you on the day of your Baptism. Through the water and by the power and authority of His Word, you were given eternal orders. Your name was written in the book of life. Revelation 3:5 declares, “The one who conquers will be thus clothed in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.” Life may be difficult now, but your name is in the book of life. Sin may be dragging you down now, but your name is in the book of life. Your health may be failing now, but your name is in the book of life. No one is able to take away your eternal orders. God’s official acts will stand for eternity.

The greatest temptation for us short timers is to quit working, before our official flight to the next duty station. Sometimes we’re a little too eager to hand over our responsibility to the next generation. Sometimes we like to brag that we’ve done our part. I remember well my last assignment on active duty. I was stationed in South Korea and I wasn’t having the best of times. I was separated from Jessica and from my kids. I was down to my last few months and I had a serious short timer attitude. I wasn’t preparing to simply leave South Korea for another duty station; I was preparing to leave the Army for the Promised Land of civilian life. I was so ready to get out of Korea, but the closer I got to my departure date, the more things I was assigned to do. I went from shop foreman to motor sergeant as the current motor sergeant went on leave for a month. I went from squad leader to platoon sergeant as our platoon sergeant went to his next duty station. I found myself in meetings when I wanted to be relaxing. I found myself counseling soldiers, when I wanted to be preparing for my career moves. I found myself serving others, when all I wanted to do for once was to serve myself.

The only thing that kept me doing the work of a soldier; was the reality that I was a soldier, all the way to the day that I officially signed out of my duty station and headed for home. God’s Holy Spirit gives us short timers the strength and the courage to continue our work until our transfer officially takes place. He’s the one who motivates us. He’s the one who helps us to know what things still need to happen while we’re serving here on this earth. He’s the one who keeps us steadfast in the true faith, until life everlasting.

I want to tell you about a short timer that I admire. A short timer who continued to serve until the very end . . . a short timer who took on more and more responsibility, all the way to His last breath. This short timer began life with one mission, to usher in the kingdom of God. “Now after John [the Baptist] was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14&15). Jesus started His life, already a short timer. His assignment: to secure the salvation of the entire world by dying on a cross. His duties: to live a perfect life, to heal those who were sick, to proclaim God’s promises, to call others to be part of the mission. His accomplishments: He lived a perfect life, He carried the sin of the world, He died on the cross, He rose from the dead, He ascended into heaven, and He is seated at the right hand of God the Father. But this short timer is still at work. His last mission: to return one more time. “This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short” (1 Corinthians 7:29a).

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m getting excited. God has already paid for my ticket and guaranteed my flight. I can’t wait for God to officially transport me to my final duty station. For now I’m excited that He still has work for me to do. I’m excited that He has given me His Holy Spirit. I’m excited that He has given me a wonderful family, that He has placed me with a whole congregation of short timers who continue to accomplish God’s mission. Some might say, “This is an older congregation, what can they accomplish?” The Holy Spirit says, “This congregation has wisdom and experience. I have plans for them.” Some might say, “You’re all struggling with sin and you’re not living by God’s plan, how will God use you?” The Holy Spirit says, “You are forgiven and you are important. I’m already using you in ways that you can’t even imagine.” Some might argue that Christianity is outdated, “You’re all wasting your lives.” We know the truth and we give thanks for all the opportunities that God provides for us to share this truth with others.

The time is short, but we’ll never know how short. We’re all short timers, but none of us knows when our last hour might come. We all grow tired of working and doing good, but God keeps working on us. He doesn’t want us to burn ourselves out doing things that don’t matter. He wants us to live out our lives; no matter how short they may be, serving Him, by loving others. If you have a short timer’s attitude and don’t want to do any more work . . . If you want to get rid of all your responsibilities and take an early flight to eternity, ask the Holy Spirit to change your attitude. He will. And when the time comes, God will take us home. When the right time comes, Jesus will come to get us.

ESV Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.