 |
Text: Ecc. 3:1-11
Title: “A Time For Every Purpose”
Subj: God has set a time for every one of man’s purposes.
Intro: It is an interesting dichotomy that though God is not bound nor contained by time--for He is the author of time and is Himself outside of time--God contains every aspect of our lives within time. And not time in general, like today or tomorrow, this year or next year, but specific seconds and moments that define each of us. If we consider ___________ __________________’s life as a stretched-out string, there was a specific moment when he/she was conceived and God placed within him/her a living soul. There was a specific moment when he/she was born, leaving the solitude of the womb for the trauma of this world. There was a specific moment when he/she said, “I do” to ___________ _________________. There was a specific moment when he/she bore (insert children’s names). There was a specific moment when he/she left this world and entered eternity. And in-between each of these specific moments were hundreds of thousands of other specific moments that ultimately defined ________________ as a husband/wife, a father/mother, a grandfather/grandmother, a neighbor, and a friend. (If the person was saved that information can be included.) In thinking of this concept of time God directed me to the O.T.
I. King David’s son Solomon consigned to writing, in the Book that will never pass away, the various moments in our lives. Listen as I read and see if you can pick out the various moments in your own life.
Ecc. 3:1-11
1 ¶ To every thing there is a season (“a set time”), and a time to every purpose under the heaven: (Notice that every moment has a purpose)
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend (“tear”), and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
II. After Solomon lists these times he asks a searching question in v9.
9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
Paraphrased it says, “What advantage does a man gain from all his worldly labor?” In other words, if a man or woman’s whole focus of life is on worldly gain, when the end of life comes, (and it does come!) that worldly gain has no advantage either in this life or the life to come.
III. Now Solomon gives his life story and the life story’s of men that he has observed.
10 I have seen the travail (“work”), which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised (“oppressed”) in it.
B. So God gives man a choice. You can place your faith in whatever you are doing or not doing to secure your future, or you can place your faith in God’s unfailing gift, the Lord Jesus Christ—thereby securing your future in Heaven. I would like to give you a Biblical illustration of both sides of this:
Lk. 12:16-21
C. God says, “You have a choice to make. You can choose between earthly labor that fades, fails and leaves you unfulfilled, or you can choose spiritual labor that builds, rewards and gives peace.
IV. Lastly Solomon brings the matter to a hope-filled conclusion.
11 ¶ God hath made every thing beautiful in God’s time: also God hath set the world in mankind’s heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
A. There are three thoughts in this verse.
1. God hath made every thing beautiful in His time.
a. As God works out His perfect plan, purpose and will it becomes a beautiful mosaic of God’s handiwork. The birth and passing of Gerty Palinkas was not a random, unplanned event, but a beautiful piece of God’s puzzle, that, on Friday last was perfectly placed in God’s mosaic. If you are going to Heaven you will see it!
2. God has set eternity (“the world”) in mankind’s heart.
a. There is a sense whereby every man/woman craves knowledge of eternity. Even an atheist is interested in “the end.” God has placed an eternity-sized void in man’s heart that can only be filled by Jesus Christ, the eternal God.
3. No man can comprehend the purpose and pattern of God’s eternal plan.
a. In our flesh we cannot see how death, sickness, injury, etc. can be a part of God’s plan. All we can do is trust that the present circumstances are under God’s control and are part of God’s mosaic. We do that by putting our faith and trust in the One who stands between man and God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and all our doubts and fears vanish with the rushing, mighty Wind..
Conclusion: _____________ ________________’ moment has arrived and passed into eternity. It was not a surprise (to God), it was not a mistake, it was his/her time to become part of God’s beautiful mosaic.
Now it is your moment. Will you waste it by unbelief or disbelief or nonbelief? Or will you grasp your moment and receive the only One who can make your life worthwhile, and at your end, your moment, Christ will gather you up and take you to Heaven?
Invitation:
Let’s have every head bowed and every eye closed. Will you trust Christ as your Saviour today? This may seem unusual at a funeral, but it is right and proper to ask family and friends to settle accounts with God as you consider your own mortality. If God is encouraging you, will you pray this prayer silently after me, and mean it in your heart?
“Heavenly Father, I know that I am a sinner who has broken your laws and commandments. I am truly sorry and I repent of my sinful ways. I believe that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, shed His blood on the Cross for me, and came forth alive out of the grave. I now trust Him as my Saviour, knowing He will take me to Heaven when I die. Thank you for saving me. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.”
With your heads still bowed and your eyes still close, if you have trusted Christ as your personal Saviour, just lift your hand and put it right down. May God bless your decision. This is the best memorial that you could give to ______________ and the best gift you could receive yourself.
|
Return to the top of this page