The Rhythm of Life

Text: Ecclesiastes 3:1–15

Life is full of all kinds of experiences— some highs and some lows. A very wise person once said:

We are not in charge of the times we are given— but rather how we respond to the time we find ourselves in.

I actually experienced this as a high school football quarterback. A piece of advice that has stuck with me:

Don’t get too excited or overjoyed when something good happens—

and Don’t get too depressed or upset when something bad happens. We can’t control a lot— but we do need to control what we can control.

I can remember so vividly teaching my student-athletes: A track meet is a big long day— sometimes a couple days. It’s a little world— a world of it’s own… It’s going to be good at times, and we’re going to celebrate— it’s also probably going to have its grief—batons get dropped— people break bones… The weather changes, people get sick— be ready, and don’t lose heart when that happens. Expect it in some ways.

We see this a lot in the sport of golf also— especially at the professional level— a round of golf, at say the Master’s can be one of the most exhilarating— and agonizing experiences for the person who begins the day with the overall lead. The pressure is so great— the best in the world have a way of staying calm, not losing their mind over a really good hole— or over really bad hole.

Whether we like it or not life is full of seasons—

Each time the seasons change here in Ohio, we are both excited— and sometimes frustrated that it isn’t happening fast enough— but Solomon writes his observation of this in the third chapter of Ecclesiastes—

It may sound really familiar to some of you if you’re old enough to have heard the popular song by “The Birds” originally released in 1965— Turn Turn Turn captures a moment in the cultural history of our country— a time when people were really questioning everything— so they could relate with Solomon and Ecclesiastes for sure.

The person sitting next to you right now, or behind you or in front of you— has no idea what’s really going on inside your heart today. What season are you in? They really can’t know. God of the universe

Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV

1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

Big Idea: Life contains seasons that change, but because eternity exists, we have hope and meaning.

In this passage, we will see some glimmer of hope— it’s still deep water to dive into— but Solomon begins to put some pieces together, acknowledging that eternity is real— and it matters. That there is something beyond right now, and that how we view our time now in important. The problem we face is ultimately that we are experiencing life and all these ups and downs— yet we cannot see the bigger plan, the bigger grand picture of WHY. Solomon observes it— and he will help us to realize that we must embrace the facts.

Look at your handout— here are some facts for you in this passage:

I. Life happens in seasons. (v. 1-8)

Everything has its time (v.1). There is a routine, a rhythm of the reality we live in. Right?

One thing that I found very helpful to do:

Put yourself in a place of leadership while we read these verses— like your service as a parent, or grandparent, a teacher, leader, worker, etc. Think of a context— if you find this diffic ult— think about it from a king’s standpoint. Solomon was the supreme leader of the nation of Israel: Now with that in your mind— listen to these poetic words:

Ecclesiastes 3:1–2 NIV

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,

Ecclesiastes 3:3–5 NIV

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,

Ecclesiastes 3:6–8 NIV

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.

Basically what we see here is a description of real life. The ups and downs, the highs and lows. All of our existence can be places along these continuum's or scales of positives and negatives— It seems that, to Solomon, Life isn't random; there's a flow to it, its ordained by God. Think birth, death, joy, sorrow – a whole wide range of experiences.

Times of sorrow are inevitable. Grief is real— you can’t escape it. There is a value in embracing hurt— we who have been through that process can testify that dark nights do give way to bright sunshine in the morning— mourning can and does often turn to dancing.

The teacher here encourages us to see the perpetual change not as just random chance— but rather a part of a “plan” of some kind. Rather than our lives being just an unsettling result of chance or accident— but rather a part of a unfolding pattern. The hardest part, which he alludes to, is the fact that we don’t see the whole picture.

Simple Point: Life has ups and downs, all part of God's plan.

Contrasting pairs reveal life as constantly changing.

Much like our human bodies— we learned this back in science class— everything is constantly changing with our blood, heart and lungs, other organs— in order to keep our bodies stable and consistently working well.

We live in a world continuing to move from planting and uprooting, laughter and tears. Nothing stays the same. Just like the weather here in the Midwest, life is constantly changing!

Wendy showed me a funny saying this week on Instagram:

High of 60 today— is that like a 40 kind of 60 or an 80 kind of 60?

The only thing constant in life— is change.

Our problem here on earth— under the sun may not be that we only observe change— it’s that we don’t often see all the underlying design behind/or underneath that change.

Some things we can learn how to control— but MANY More things we simply cannot control.

We don't control the seasons, but we do experience them.

The hardest part of going through a difficulty is trusting that there will be some positive or benefit— something Good that can come of it.

Another classic song from our past by that little group called the Beatles (maybe you’ve heard of them?)

Nowhere Man

He s a real nowhere man Sitting in his nowhere land Making all his nowhere plans for nobody Doesn t have a point of view Knows not where he s going to Isn t he a bit like you and me?

We experience them, but we don't decide when they come or go. This reminds us our control is limited. I’m just flat-out not ultimately in charge.

Simple Point: We're not in charge. BUT God is.

For many people— we respond to that truth very differently. That can be understood as a positive—thank-God I’m not in charge— I would mess it all up. Or viewed as a a negative. SOme are just not able to comprehend that they are not able to affect and/or control their own destinies. Right?

The person, like Solomon, who dealt with these deep issues first hand was JOB from another Old Testament story:

Job 14:1–2 NIV

1 “Mortals, born of woman, are of few days and full of trouble. 2 They spring up like flowers and wither away; like fleeting shadows, they do not endure.

The very first observation Solomon made in verse 1 — a time to be born, and a time to die. Like bookends holding together the volumes of our life:

Everyone as they grow and become more mature— will face the reality that we all will die.

Just as there's a time to be born, there's a time to die. It's a reality for everyone.

But do we see this as a punishment— or a privilege?

A second truth that I present today:

II. Death is a bookend.

A verse that reminds us of this:

Psalm 90:10 NIV

10 Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

Life is pretty fragile— it’s actually brief.

David further expresses his heart and understanding:

Psalm 39:4 NIV

4 “Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is.

Simple Point: Death is a fact of life.

My time under the sun is limited.

This is extremely dismaying for the secular/non-believing person. A person without God in the picture— Think about that— if there is nothing more under the sun— then when you die, that’s it. Even a non-believing person would conclude that if this is true, then we ought to attempt to live our life with some sort of purpose— This makes life all the more precious!

Knowing this makes every season precious. How are we using the time we have?

Simple Point: Life is short. Make it count.

We must face our mortality honestly.

Ignoring death doesn't make it go away. Thinking about it helps us live better now.

To reckon with death is no more than sober realism, since death is life’s one and only certainty.

J. I. Packer

So if we remember that it’s going to end— as it surely will… It leads us to two key questions:

Is there a purpose for my days?

What is the right thing to do with my time?

In this way, I believe we can take Solomon’s wisdom and apply it to our own lives— and learn from the fact that we are going to die.

I know this sounds morbid— but lets try to move past that in our hearts—

Just like everyone is equal at the foot of the cross- we all are going to pass away— look around— we all have that in common. Get over it.

Now what? What will we do with the time we have?

III. There is a purpose for the seasons (v. 9-11)

What's the point? (v. 9). What is the big picture? How do all these seasons fit together into one larger GRAND storyline? Because if they don’t— what’s the point.

Ecclesiastes 3:9 NIV

9 What do workers gain from their toil?

Solomon asks what we gain from all our work if this life is all there is.

Has God ordained our existence— has He set up a plan for us?

Simple Point: Is there more to life than just working and then dying?

Ecclesiastes 3:10 NIV

10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.

The word burden here— it feels like a negative—something heavy— although it is heavy— but it’s not quite that way— it’s “task” or “affair” or business.

What if we see our time as a season, not a sentence— a privilege, not a punishment.

God does give us purpose: (Gen 1)

At creation, we were given the image of God— that is unique to humans in the story, and we are given the task— the “burden” Same word— to rule, steward, tend, to attend to the earth.

Genesis 1:26 NIV

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

He created humankind with a deep sense of partnership— a fellowship and intimacy.

Our work isn't meaningless in God's eyes. He's given us things to do. Because you are created in His image— you are carrying elements of His creative power. I want you to know yourself well enough to be aware of those traits.

Simple Point: God has a reason for you and your work. He has made everything beautiful in it’s time… (First part of verse 11)

That’s the first part— and it helps us answer the first of our two big questions:

Is there a purpose? Yes— It’s not punishment— but opportunity— your days from God are a gift.

But that’s not all:

Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV

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.

All of those elements from our contrasting list— are beautiful, in their time.

God created us with eternity in our hearts. (v. 11).

Do you see the problem that Solomon has discovered?

We were created for eternity (infinity)— but we are finite— we are limited and we can not fathom— we cannot understand, comprehend, find, capture, discover.

God has placed a longing for something more within us. We sense there's more than just this temporary life. We can't fully understand God's plan, but we know this longing is real.

We have a longing for eternity— but we can’t fathom it.

Once again that seems like a negative— but is it? It’s certainly a tension— and our longing for heaven only grows more intense when we spend time with God… right? Spend more time with the world, and that yearning gets smaller...

Which would you rather give up? My sense that there is an eternity, or my ability to understand it.

Simple Point: We all feel a desire for something lasting. That is a God-given trait.

The constant reminder that we are limited, and God is unlimited, keeps us in a state of balance and tension. We know He’s there, but we cannot comprehend him.

Show me your GLORY. Moses was one who experienced this longing— He lived the life of leadership for God, experienced miracles — yet still knew there was more:

Exodus 33:18–23 “18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” 19 And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” 21 Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.””

Jesus is that ROCK that we now stand on. He is the CLEFT that we are shielded.

Thats a great connection to Jesus for our teaching today:

Life consists of seasons— ups and downs

Death is inevitable, yet we can learn from it

There is a purpose for our days— we can see them as a privilege rather than a punishment—

and a fourth truth we will consider today:

IV. Jesus teaches us to anticipate eternity with Him. (v. 12-15, John 14:1-3)

It takes a gritty faith to trust God when you don’t know the whole story.

That’s back to Job’s story:

All the pain and loss that Job experiences, all the “down” seasons: What carried him through?

Job 1:21 NIV

21 and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

This is what I’m going to do… There’s resolution there.

A contemporary music group wrote a little answer to the Beatles song—

Casting Crowns has created a catchy little chorus also:

Nobody 'Cause I'm just a nobody Trying to tell everybody All about Somebody who saved my soul Ever since You rescued me You gave my heart a song to sing I'm living for the world to see Nobody but Jesus I'm living for the world to see Nobody but Jesus

That’s who we want to become— but there is no short-cut. There is a wisdom there— not a wisdom that says “I understand it all”— but a wisdom that accepts the truth that we aren’t able to understand— I don’t know which side of the list you feel like you’re on this morning. He can turn your season of mourning into dancing.

Ecclesiastes 3:12 NIV

12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live.

He says what he knows: There is nothing better than to be happy and to do good.

Choose joy and do good (v. 12-13). Being happy— thankful and joyful is really a choice. A choice on how we will perceive the seasons— and the purpose for our days.

Ecclesiastes 3:13 NIV

13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.

Knowing eternity is real, we should find joy in what God gives us and live a good life now.

Colossians 3:23 “23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,”

Simple Point: Enjoy life and do what's right.

Ecclesiastes 3:14 NIV

14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.

God's work lasts forever (v. 14).

Once again, Solomon is making a statement of faith. My work is finite, God’s work is infinite.

Unlike our temporary experiences, God's plans are solid and unchanging.

Simple Point: God's in control, and His plans never fail.

Respond with awe and reverence (v. 15).

Because God is eternal and in control, our response should be one of respect and awe. He will hold us accountable. The cycles of the past remind us of God's consistent rule.

Simple Point: Respect God. He's eternal.

John 14:1–3 NIV

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

While Ecclesiastes acknowledges the "eternity in the human heart" (3:11) and the limitations of understanding God's eternal work, Jesus here offers a concrete hope and promise of an eternal dwelling place with God. This directly addresses the longing for something beyond the temporary that Solomon identifies.

As we close— Worship Team is coming up

I have a very important question for you:

Has the Burden Maker, become your Burden Taker?

Is the time you are living in and through right now a season— or a sentence?

It’s all in your perspective— May God give you His eyes to see yourself:

Here are three actionable steps you can take this week, to begin to truly live:

Embrace your season (and find the beauty in it)

Action: Take a moment this week to honestly identify the current "season" of your life. Is it a time for building, for grieving, for learning, for healing, for rest?

Why: Ecclesiastes tells us there is a time for everything. Instead of fighting against the current season, or constantly wishing you were in another, ask God to show you the unique purpose and gifts within this specific time.

How: Write down what you believe your current season is. Then, ask yourself: "How can I find joy and do good within this season, as a gift from God's hand?" This isn't about ignoring hardship, but about seeking God's purpose in it. Don't waste the season you're in.

Invest in eternity (and loosen your grip on earthly meaning)

Action: Reflect on where you are primarily "storing your treasure" – not just financially, but with your time, energy, and affections.

Why: Knowing death is sure and judgment awaits, what truly lasts? Jesus Himself, the Ultimate Teacher, told us to store up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21). Earthly achievements, pleasures, and possessions are fleeting. What can I do starting tomorrow that will affect eternity?

How: Identify one "earthly meaning" (it could be time spent on a certain activity, a financial habit, or an unhealthy pursuit) that you need to loosen your grip on. Then, identify one concrete way you can invest more in "heavenly treasure" this week – perhaps through serving others, deepening your prayer life, giving generously, or sharing your faith. Let your daily choices reflect an eternal perspective.

Live in awe (and trust God's plan)

Action: This week, cultivate a posture of humility and awe before God. Lets sit at his feet a little bit longer— listen for his voice just a little bit deeper

Why: The Teacher reminds us that "God does this so that people will fear him." We can't fully fathom His work from beginning to end, but we can trust the One who orchestrates all seasons and whose work endures forever.

How: Look at the beauty of creation, the complexity of life, the unfolding of events, and intentionally whisper, "God, You are in control. You are working. I trust You." This isn't just about believing in God, but bowing to Him. Let that reverence shape your attitude and your decisions, knowing that every moment is lived before His eternal gaze.

By taking these steps, you won't just hear the rhythm of reality; you'll begin to move to it, finding genuine purpose and lasting joy in the only One who transcends all seasons – our eternal God. I live my life as an encourager— a person who comes along side and hopefully speaks hope, love, and vision.

We start where we are, we take what we have, and we do what we can— It then becomes a privilege, not a punishment. The burden maker— is also the burden taker...

Dance to the rhythm with Him.

God has ordained seasons FOR us.

God has placed eternity IN us.

God promises his presence WITH us.

We are always complaining that our days are few and at the same time acting as if they would never end.

Lucius Annaeus Seneca (Roman Moralist and Tragic Poet)