The Rhythm of Reality

Sermon Title: The Rhythm of Reality

Text: Ecclesiastes 3:1–15 “1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. 9 What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good…”

Big Idea: Our lives are temporary, but eternity is real, so we have a choice to view this life as a privilege or a punishment.

I. Life is temporary

A. There seems to be a divine appointment

Emphasize the opening statement: "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens." Highlight that these are not random occurrences but divinely appointed times.

It’s a season, not a sentence!

Speaking Points:

"Notice the certainty in this opening line – 'There is a time.'"

"These aren't suggestions; they are the very fabric of life as God has ordained it."

"Think about the vast spectrum of human experience covered here – from birth to death, joy to sorrow."

"This isn't chaos; it's a divinely orchestrated rhythm."

B. Life is made up of contrasting pairs.

Explore the series of contrasting pairs presented (birth/death, planting/uprooting, killing/healing, etc.). Discuss how these illustrate the cyclical and temporary nature of specific experiences in life.

It’s way better than the depressing cycle Solomon describes in chapters 1 and 2!

It seems quite refreshing that things change— if it were only spring all the time, and we only planted and never harvested— that would be bad.

Many who live in warmer parts of the world don’t experience the extreme seasons like we do— they actually have said to me that they “miss the seasons” sometimes. It’s just 50-60 degrees to about 80-90 degrees all year long.”

Speaking Points:

"Look at the inherent duality of life – joy and sorrow often walk hand in hand."

"Just as a seed is planted and then uprooted, so too are many of our endeavors and relationships."

"These verses remind us that nothing stays the same forever; life is a constant state of flux."

We’ve taken it as a joke here in the midwest— if you don’t like the weather, just be patient it will change soon!

"Don't cling too tightly to any one season, knowing that it will inevitably change."

C. Our control is very limited.

Point out that while we experience these seasons, we don't ultimately control their timing or duration. This underscores the temporary nature of our influence.

Speaking Points:

"Can you dictate when a season of joy will end or when a season of sorrow will begin?"

"This passage humbles us, reminding us of our limited power over the grand scheme of things."

"We are participants in these seasons, not the conductors of the orchestra."

"This temporary nature of life should cause us to consider what truly lasts."

II. Death is sure (v.3-8)

A. Live with the end in mind.

Focus on the undeniable reality of death as one of the fixed points in the cycle of life.

Speaking Points:

"Among all the changing seasons, birth and death stand as bookends to our earthly existence."

"No one is exempt from this 'time to die' – it is a universal truth."

"Wealth, status, and power cannot postpone this appointment."

"Acknowledging the certainty of death should shape how we live."

B. Make the most of our time.

The awareness of death underscores the relative shortness of all the other seasons. Our time to experience everything listed is finite.

Speaking Points:

"Knowing that our lives have an end makes each of these seasons all the more precious – and fleeting."

"The urgency of living a meaningful life becomes clearer when we consider its limited duration."

"Are we making the most of the 'time to love' and the 'time to build' while we have it?"

"The temporary nature of life points to the importance of eternal values."

C. Confront our own mortality.

Encourage the congregation to honestly face the reality of death, rather than avoiding the topic.

Speaking Points:

"Our culture often tries to ignore or deny death, but Scripture confronts it head-on."

"Facing our mortality can actually free us to live more intentionally."

"What will matter when our 'time to die' arrives?"

"Our understanding of death profoundly impacts how we view life."

III. All will face judgment.

There is a purpose in the seasons of life!

A. The question of profit? (v.9)

Revisit the recurring question: "What profit has the worker from that in which he toils?" Connect the cyclical nature of life to the potential for meaninglessness if viewed solely from a temporal perspective.

Speaking Points:

"After outlining all these seasons, the Teacher asks again: what is the point of all this activity?"

"If life is just an endless cycle with no ultimate purpose, then our labor indeed seems futile."

"This question pushes us to look beyond the 'under the sun' reality for lasting significance."

B. God has not left us without purpose. (v.10)

Acknowledge that God has given humanity this toil. It's not meaningless in His design.

Speaking Points:

"God hasn't left us without purpose; He has given us work to do."

"Even in the midst of these temporary seasons, there is a divine assignment for us."

"Our labor, when aligned with God's will, has eternal value."

"This toil can refine us, teach us, and draw us closer to Him."

C. God has placed eternity in our hearts. (v.11)

Focus on the profound statement: "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom the work that God 1 has done from beginning to end." This speaks to an innate longing for something beyond the temporal.

Speaking Points:

"God has created a world of beauty and order, with each season serving a purpose."

"Crucially, He has placed a sense of eternity within each of us – a deep-seated desire for something more."

"This longing cannot be fully satisfied by earthly things because we are created for eternity."

"Our inability to fully grasp God's eternal plan underscores the need for faith and trust in Him."

"This 'eternity in our hearts' is a witness to a reality beyond our temporary existence, pointing towards a future judgment and an eternal dwelling."

IV. Eternity makes the difference.

We must respond to God’s control and these truths!

A. A call to live with joy and goodness. (v.12-13)

In light of God's eternal perspective, the Teacher encourages finding joy and doing good in this temporary life.

Speaking Points:

"Knowing that God is at work and that eternity awaits, how should we live now?"

"The Teacher encourages us to embrace the good things God provides in each season."

"Our actions in this temporary life have eternal significance."

"Finding joy in our work and living righteously are responses to God's grace."

B. God's work endures forever, ours does not. (v.14)

Emphasize the unchanging nature of God's plans and purposes throughout all these seasons.

Speaking Points:

"God's work is not temporary or fleeting; it is eternal and steadfast."

"'I know that everything God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it.'"

"We can find security and stability in God's unchanging character amidst life's constant changes."

"Our trust should be in the One who transcends all seasons."

C. Our response is reverent awe. (v.15)

The purpose of God's enduring work is that humanity should fear (reverence) Him. This acknowledges His eternal power and authority, which will ultimately lead to judgment.

Speaking Points:

"The ultimate response to God's eternal work and our temporary existence is reverence and awe."

"Recognizing God's sovereignty over all time should inspire humility and respect."

"'God does this so that people will fear him.'"

"Our lives are lived in the presence of an eternal God who will ultimately hold us accountable."

"The cyclical nature of 'what has been is what will be' points to God's consistent and just rule throughout history, implying a future reckoning."

Concluding Thought: Encourage your congregation to recognize the temporary nature of earthly life within the context of God's eternal plan. Remind them that while life has its seasons, death is a certainty, and judgment awaits. However, the reality of eternity, placed in our hearts by God, calls us to live with purpose, find joy in His provision, and stand in reverent awe of the One whose work endures forever. Our response to these temporary seasons should be shaped by the eternal reality of God's kingdom.