Have You Made Room for Jesus?

New Study Shows You're Wasting 21.8 hours a Week

• The Harvard Business Review reported on a Covey Center for Leadership study that investigated the emerging length of the American workweek. Surveying more than four hundred executives, business owners, and entrepreneurs, they discovered that the average business leader works a 72-hour week. So the age of the 40-hour workweek has gone the way of the dodo bird.

• When we evaluated the work habits of business owners and their key executives, we discovered that time-wasting, low-value and no-value activities accounted for more than 30% of their workweeks.

• The business leaders we polled spent 6.8 hours per week on low value business activities that they could easily have paid somebody else $50/hour or less to handle for them. That means that they were wasting almost a full workday each week on these activities -- activities that they could have paid somebody else to do at an hourly rate far lower than their own.

• They wasted 3.9 hours each week indulging in what we might call escapist "mental health breaks" --streaming YouTube videos and checking social media.

• They wasted 3.4 hours a week handling low-value emails and 3.2 hours a week dealing with low-value interruptions that easily could have been handled by somebody else on staff.

• They spent 1.8 hours a week handling low-value requests from co-workers and another 1.8 hours a week putting out preventable fires.

• Finally, they spent an average of 1 hour each week sitting in completely non-productive or wasteful meetings.

The common theme is I don't have enough time.

Over 2000 years ago a woman named Mary and her Husband Joseph were caught in a pickle. They were on their way to be counted for the census when she went into labor. And, they had to find a place to birth the King of Kings and the Lord of Lord.

Nothing has changed in all these years, people still struggle to make room for Jesus.

Luke 2:1-7 (AMP)

Jesus' Birth in Bethlehem

1 Now in those days a decree went out from [the emperor] Caesar Augustus, that all the inhabited world (the Roman Empire) should be registered [in a census]. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And everyone went to register for the census, each to his own city. 4 So Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register with Mary, who was betrothed to him, and was with child. 6 While they were there [in Bethlehem], the time came for her to give birth, 7 and she gave birth to her Son, her firstborn; and she wrapped Him in [swaddling] cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no [private] room for them in the inn.

What does the bible say about spending time with God?

Matthew 6:33 (AMP)

33 But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.

James 4:8 (AMP)

8 Come close to God [with a contrite heart] and He will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; and purify your [unfaithful] hearts, you double-minded [people].

Mark 1:35 (AMP)

35 Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left [the house], and went out to a secluded place, and was praying there.

Psalm 5:3 (AMP)

3 In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will prepare [a prayer and a sacrifice] for You and watch and wait [for You to speak to my heart].

Psalm 63:6-8 (AMP)

6 When I remember You on my bed, I meditate and thoughtfully focus on You in the night watches, 7 For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings [where I am always protected] I sing for joy. 8 My soul [my life, my very self] clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.

1 Chronicles 16:11 (AMP)

11 Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually [longing to be in His presence].

• The most valuable thing that we have is our time and the way in which we invest it determines what we consider valuable.

2 Kings 4:8 (NLT)

The Shunammite Woman

8 Now there came a day when Elisha went over to Shunem, where there was a prominent and influential woman, and she persuaded him to eat a meal. Afterward, whenever he passed by, he stopped there for a meal.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 (AMP)

17 As for the rich in this present world, instruct them not to be conceited and arrogant, nor to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly and ceaselessly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share [with others]. 19 In this way storing up for themselves the enduring riches of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

2 Kings 4:9-10 (AMP)

9 She said to her husband, "Behold, I sense that this is a holy man of God who frequently passes our way.

• The Shunammite woman realized that Elisha was a man of God, and so she prepared a room for him to use whenever he was in town.

• She did this out of kindness and because she sensed a need, not for any selfish motives.

• How sensitive are you to those who pass by your home and flow through your life—especially those who teach and preach God's Word?

• What special needs do they have that you could meet?

10 Please, let us make a small, fully-walled upper room [on the housetop] and put a bed there for him, with a table, a chair, and a lampstand. Then whenever he comes to visit us, he can turn in there."

Luke 18:28-30 (AMP)

28 Peter said, "Look, we have left all [things—homes, families, businesses] and followed You." 29 And He said to them, "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times as much in this present age and in the age to come, eternal life."

2 Kings 4:11-17 (AMP)

11 One day he came there and turned in to the upper room and lay down to rest. 12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, "Call this Shunammite." So he called her and she stood before him. 13 Now he said to Gehazi, "Say to her now, 'You have gone to all this trouble for us; what can I do for you? Would you like to be mentioned to the king or to the captain of the army?'" She answered, "I live among my own people [in peace and security and need no special favors]." 14 Later Elisha said, "What then is to be done for her?" Gehazi answered, "Well, she has no son and her husband is old." 15 He said, "Call her." So Gehazi called her, and she [came and] stood in the doorway. 16 Elisha said, "At this season next year, you will embrace a son." She said, "No, my lord. O man of God, do not lie to your maidservant."17 But the woman conceived and gave birth to a son at that season the next year, just as Elisha had said to her.

• When she made room in her home

• God made room in her womb

IF YOU CAN MAKE WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO GOD IMPORTANT TO YOU, GOD WILL MAKE WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU, IMPORTANT TO HIM

Wisdom Key - #1 We Must Delight In Him | Psalm 37:4-5 (AMP)

4 Delight yourself in the Lord, And He will give you the desires and petitions of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; Trust in Him also and He will do it.

Discussion Questions

Opening: Time Management Reality Check

1. Looking at the study's findings, which time-wasting activity hits closest to home for you? How many hours per week do you estimate you spend on low-value activities?
2. What "mental health breaks" do you take that might actually be stealing time from more important priorities?
3. How does knowing the average business leader works 72 hours a week while wasting 21.8 hours make you think differently about productivity versus activity?

Making Room for Jesus

1. The sermon states "Nothing has changed in all these years, people still struggle to make room for Jesus." What are the modern "inns" that have no room for Jesus in our lives?
2. What parallels do you see between Mary and Joseph's struggle to find room and our struggle to make time for God?
3. If someone audited your weekly schedule, would they find evidence that Jesus is a priority? Why or why not?

Biblical Time with God

1. Mark 1:35 shows Jesus getting up while it was still dark to pray. What does this tell us about the priority of prayer, even for the Son of God?
2. Which of the scripture passages about spending time with God speaks most powerfully to you right now? Why?
3. The sermon says "The most valuable thing that we have is our time and the way in which we invest it determines what we consider valuable." How does your time investment reveal your true values?

The Shunammite Woman's Example

1. The Shunammite woman "sensed" Elisha was a holy man of God. How can we develop this kind of spiritual sensitivity?
2. She made room without expecting anything in return. How often do we serve God with strings attached?
3. The sermon asks: "How sensitive are you to those who pass by your home and flow through your life—especially those who teach and preach God's Word?" How would you answer this?

The Divine Exchange

1. "When she made room in her home, God made room in her womb." Share a time when you made room for God and He blessed you unexpectedly.
2. What does it mean practically to make "what's important to God important to you"?
3. What desires of your heart are you waiting for God to fulfill? How might making more room for Him change your situation?

Personal Application

1. If you could reclaim just 5 hours from your "wasted" 21.8 hours per week for God, what would you do with that time?
2. What "upper room" could you create in your life for regular encounters with God?
3. What would have to change in your schedule to implement Mark 1:35 (early morning prayer) in your own life?

Family and Workplace

1. How can we help our families understand the importance of making room for Jesus without making it feel forced or religious?
2. In a 72-hour work week culture, how do we practically "seek first the kingdom of God" (Matthew 6:33)?
3. What boundaries need to be set with work, social media, or other activities to create space for God?

Closing Challenge

1. The sermon ends with "We Must Delight In Him" (Psalm 37:4-5). What's the difference between duty to God and delight in God?
2. What one area of wasted time will you commit to converting into time with God this week?
3. How will you know if you've successfully made room for Jesus? What will be different?

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