Uncontrolled Outcomes

Welcome—Turn to Ecc Ch. 11

!! Open in Prayer!!

------------------------

------------------------

I. Introduction: Living in an Unpredictable World

Ex: If you’ve WATCHED any NUMBER of MOVIES, you’ve probably ENCOUNTERED TIME TRAVEL

CHARACTERS DID—OR WANTED to...

--------

TIME TRAVEL — FASCINATING IDEA

SOME PEOPLE —> MAKING BETS on UNDERDOGS—GET RICH

—> OTHERS,, CHANGING PAST = CONTROLLING the FUTURE

C.C.: ALL of US WOULD PROBABLY CHANGE SOMETHING....

.... IF WE COULD SEE the FUTURE

--------

Problem:

CAN ONLY SEE PRESENT & PAST

CAN ONLY CONTROL PRESENT

--------

Focus:

WORLD — W/ LITTLE CONTROL —

— GOING to FIND ENCOURAGEMENT W/ WHAT WE CAN CONTROL

& TRUST the ONE WHO HAS ALL CONTROL

************

Transition: THIS MORNING… WE’LL SEE WHAT the TEACHER TELLS US ABOUT LIVING W/ UNCERTAINTIES

LOOK W/ ME @ ECC. CH. 11:1-6

🐢🐢🐢 --- 36 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

II. Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 11:1-6

Ecclesiastes 11:1–6 (ESV)

1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.

2 Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.

3 If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.

4 He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.

5 As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.

6 In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.

....GOD’S WORD for US...

🐢🐢🐢 --- 35 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

III. Context Recap: Fleeing Folly

Recent Weeks:

ADVANTAGES of WISDOM in BACKWARDS WORLD

ASK GOD—FOUNT of ALL WISDOM.

Last Wk:

WISDOM = GOOD—BUT a LITTLE FOLLY UNDOES MUCH GOOD...

FLIES in PERFUMER’S OINTMENT— SMALL MISTAKES CAN LEAVE MAJOR STAINS

Connection: SUBJECT of WISDOM & FOLLY— TODAY— GUIDELINES for STEPPING OUT in FAITH in WORLD FILLED W/ UNCERTAINTIES...

************

Transition: LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 1-2

🐢🐢🐢 --- 33 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

IV. Exposition: Stepping Out in Faith

A. Be Bold, Yet Wise (Ecclesiastes 11:1-2)

Ecclesiastes 11:1–2 (ESV)

1 Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.

2 Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.

BEGINNING METAPHOR = CONFUSING

GENEROSITY

INVESTING

BEER-MAKING

--------

Principle: DO SOMETHING—IT’LL COME BACK.

Metaphor = BOLD ACTION in FAITH

GIVING/INVESTING — BOLDLY in FAITH

--------

Conclusion: PROBABLY INVESTING

NIV: “Ship your grain across the sea” (NIV)

Background: SOLOMON’S DAY— SEA TRADE WAS BIG DEAL

--------

SEND OUT YOUR GOODS—IN FAITH— YOU’LL GET a RETURN

***

Transition: IMPORTANT CAVEAT!! — (V2)

--------

(V2) Summary: DIVIDE IT in 7-8 PORTIONS

Reason: YOU DON’T KNOW —DISASTER MAY COME

ALL BREAD on ONE BOAT—BOAT SINKS— DONESIES.

--------

Focus: 4X in TODAY’S TEXT—TEACHER CONCLUDES “WE DON’T KNOW”

I. WE DON’T KNOW—DISASTER COMING

TAKE BOLD RISKS in FAITH— BUT WISE, CALCULATED RISKS...

--------

Modern Connection: DIVERSIFICATION

“NOT HAVING ALL EGGS in ONE BASKET”

Ex.: ALL MONEY in SINGLE STOCK—COMPANY GOES UNDER—YOU GO UNDER.

**WE DON’T KNOW the FUTURE**

TESLA & APPLE LONG TIME AGO

COVID: HAND SANITIZER & T.P. COMPANIES

--------

Ex.: OTHERS— ALL in ON ONE BUSINESS,, CUTTING ALL TIES

BUSINESS GOES UNDER—TOAST.

--------

WORLD DOESN’T ALWAYS MAKE SENSE— DISASTERS COME

Reference: ECC. 9:11-12… SOMETIMES SWIFT LOSE RACE—STRONG LOSE BATTLE…DISASTER COMES...

--------

Conclusion: CASTING BREAD = GOOD —

— TAKING BOLD RISKS in FAITH— GOOD,,

BUT THEY SHOULD BE CALCULATED & WISE.

************

Transition: BECAUSE ULTIMATELY— THERE is VERY LITTLE WE CAN CONTROL.

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 3

🐢🐢🐢 --- 26 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

B. Accept Uncontrollable Realities (Ecclesiastes 11:3)

Ecclesiastes 11:3 (ESV)

3 If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.

Principle: NATURAL PROCESSES = OUTSIDE of OUR CONTROL.

Ill.: RAIN CLOUDS FILL & EMPTY — WE DON’T CONTROL IT.

C.C.: IF WE DID—WE’D HAVE TOLD THEM to STOP BY NOW!

REF.: HOME GROUPS—PRAYING FOR RAIN—STOP NOW!

--------

Illustrations:

KID’S SOCCER—FIELDS CLOSED

BPN ULTRA— CALLED OFF BECAUSE of STORMS

TODAY—CHURCH HIKE—I HOPE WEATHER is GOOD

THINGS GO to SHOW—WE HAVE VERY LITTLE CONTROL...

--------

(V3B) SECONDLY,, TREES FALL—THEY LAY THERE,, UMMOVED.

DISASTER COMES—TOPPLES TREES—

— THEY’RE VICTIMS of CIRCUMSTANCES

--------

Conclusion: MANY OUTCOMES = OUTSIDE of OUR CONTROL

SO WE ACT BOLDLY—BUT WISELY, CALCULATED,, in FAITH...

************

Transition: BUT WE MUST ACT...

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 4...

🐢🐢🐢 --- 24 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

C. Avoid Paralysis by Analysis (Ecclesiastes 11:4)

Ecclesiastes 11:4 (ESV)

4 He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.

SOME CONCLUDE— CAN’T CONTROL OUTCOMES— I WON’T START.

CAN’T CONTROL WEATHER

CAN’T CONTROL DISASTER

NOTHING CERTAIN—EXCEPT ONE THING....

HE WHO DOESN’T SOW WON’T REAP.

NLT: “Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.”

BALANCE in LIFE...

TAKE BOLD, WISE, CALCULATED RISKS (V1-2)

DO SOMETHING! (V4)

--------

THERE WILL NEVER BE a PERFECT TIME...

Ex.: PEOPLE WAIT:

START a BUSINESS

GET MARRIED

HAVE KIDS

WRITE a BOOK

FULFILL a DREAM...

PERFECT TIME NEVER COMES

Testimony: NOT WAITING TILL WE’RE READY for KIDS—WE’LL NEVER BE READY!

--------

Charge: IF YOU HAVE a GOD-GIVEN DREAM, IDEA— PURSUE IT.

IF YOU WATCH the WIND—YOU’LL NEVER SOW

IF YOU WATCH the CLOUDS— YOU’LL NEVER REAP.

NEVER the PERFECT TIME.

Quote: DAVE RAMSEY: “PARALYSIS of the ANALYSIS”

--------

Examples:

HUNTER in WOODS— AIM & NEVER SHOOT?…YOU’LL NEVER BRING DINNER HOME.

SOMETIME YOU HAVE to PULL the TRIGGER...

WATCHING EXERCISE VIDEOS—GAMEPLAN = GOOD…BUT YOU NEED to ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING.

PERFECT PLANNING CAN PREVENT ANY EXECUTION!

Focus: WAITING for PERFECT TIME = OPPOSITE of FAITH— THAT ACTS & TRUSTS GOD W/ RESULTS...

--------

Takeaway: UNPREDICTABILITY of LIFE SHOULD CAUSE US to TRUST GOD & ACT,,

RATHER THAN PARALYZE US...

************

Transition: SO WE MUST STEP OUT in FAITH

— WE’LL NEVER KNOW EVERYTHING

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 5

🐢🐢🐢 --- 19 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

D. Trust God’s Mysterious Ways (Ecclesiastes 11:5)

Ecclesiastes 11:5 (ESV)

5 As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.

II. DON’T KNOW— SPIRIT COMING to BONES of BABY

**YOUR TRANSLATION MAY SAY “WIND” — SAME HB. WORD.

Point: HUMANS DON’T KNOW EVERYTHING.

--------

Wonder: ORIGIN of LIFE = SUCH an AMAZING THING...

Testimony: REMEMBER FIRST TIME HEARING SELAH’S HEARTBEAT in the MACHINE

PROBLEM for ATHEISTIC COSMOLOGY— WHERE DID NON-LIFE TURN INTO LIFE???

Genesis 2:7 (ESV)

7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

BREATH of GOD = LIFE-SOURCE.

--------

Amazing: MANY TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS in 2-3K YEARS SINCE ECCL. WAS WRITTEN

**WE STILL DON’T HAVE IT ALL FIGURED OUT**

--------

C.C.: EVERYONE KNOWS HOW BABIES ARE MADE—

— YET NO ONE KNOWS HOW BABIES ARE ACTUALLY MADE

Conclusion: IF WE CAN’T FIGURE OUT THAT—HOW COULD WE FIGURE OUT GOD’S WORK??

--------

III. DON’T KNOW the WORK of GOD

Isaiah 55:8–9 (ESV)

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

GOD the MAKER of ALL THINGS— OVER CREATION— BEYOND OUR UNDERSTANDING!

--------

Exhort:

I DON’T KNOW RAIN CLOUDS— I KNOW ONE WHO FILLS THEM

I DON’T KNOW WIND—BUT I KNOW the ONE WHO DIRECTS IT

I DON’T KNOW BABIES—BUT I KNOW the ONE WHO MAKES LIFE

I DON’T KNOW FUTURE—BUT I KNOW the ONE WHO HOLDS IT...

Point: Our IGNORANCE of the FUTURE OUGHT to LEAD US to the ONE WHO KNOWS ALL THINGS....

************

Transition:

AND AGAIN—IT SHOULD LEAD US to ACTION

LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 6...

🐢🐢🐢 --- 15 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

E. Work Diligently in Faith (Ecclesiastes 11:6)

Ecclesiastes 11:6 (ESV)

6 In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.

SINCE WE DON’T KNOW FUTURE

&& DON’T KNOW WORK of GOD

Response: SOW!

MORNING—SOW!

EVENING—SOW!

STOP WATCHING CLOUDS— SOW!

STOP WATCHING WIND—SOW!

--------

IV. DON’T KNOW—WHICH WILL PROSPER.

MORNING SEED??

EVENING SEED??

WHO KNOWS—SO SOW!

1ST MAJOR POSITIVE! — PERHAPS ALL YOUR SEED WILL TURN UP!

“PERHAPS of FAITH”

--------

WE DON’T KNOW— && WE WON’T KNOW

ALL WE CAN DO is SOW.

**WE CAN’T CONTROL the OUTCOME PERFECTLY**

BUT IF YOU DON’T SOW—YOU WON’T REAP

PUT YOUR HAND to IT...

************

Transition: TEACHER—SAYING to US

Preaching Idea:

Step out in faith, do your best and trust God with the rest.

ACT BOLDLY

ACT WISELY

BUT MOST OF ALL—BE SURE to ACT.

🐢🐢🐢 --- 12 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

V. Gospel Connection: The Certainty of Faith

Transition: Sometimes people TRY to TAKE FAITH OUT of the PICTURE in life.

CHRISTIAN LIFE BEGINS BY FAITH & CONTINUES BY FAITH

2 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV)

7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.

FAITH in GOD WE CAN’T SEE

SAVIOR WE CAN’T SEE

HOPE of HEAVEN WE CAN’T SEE...

YET WE BELIEVE.

--------

FAITH = BASIS for SALVATION

Ephesians 2:8 (ESV)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

--------

Call: PERHAPS YOU’RE HERE THIS MORNING—

AND YOU HAVEN’T TAKEN the GREATEST STEP of FAITH of ALL —

— PUTTING YOUR TRUST in JESUS

Romans 10:9–10 (ESV)

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

TAKES FAITH to BELIEVE:

THAT GOD LOVES ME

SENT HIS SON to EARTH

CAME DOWN as the SOWER WHO SOWED the WORD of GOD

ULTIMATELY SOWED HIMSELF—DYING for OUR SINS

& HE WAS RAISED AGAIN...

SO THAT WE CAN BE RECONCILED to GOD...

--------

NONE of IT IS SEEN...

John 20:29 (ESV)

29b Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

IT ALL TAKES FAITH

--------

THIS = GREATEST STEP of FAITH ANYONE CAN TAKE...

Wonderful Hope:

1 John 5:13 (ESV)

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

FUTURE = UNCERTAIN

LIFE = FILLED W/ UNCONTROLLED OUTCOMES

COUNTLESS THINGS OUTSIDE of OUR CONTROL

BUT THOSE WHO BELIEVE HAVE a CERTAIN FUTURE—A HOPE of ETERNAL LIFE…

YOU CAN KNOW....

THAT HOPE SHOULD CARRY US THROUGH this LIFE W/ ITS UNPREDICTABILITY...

-----------------

Invitation: IF YOU’RE HERE—

HAVEN’T BEGUN CHRISTIAN LIFE—

— HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT FAITH—

I’D LOVE to SPEAK to YOU AFTER the SERVICE...

************

Transition: NOW,, to ALL the BELIEVERS HERE THIS MORNING...

🐢🐢🐢 --- 7 minutes left---🐢🐢🐢

🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢🐢

VI. Application: Trust God and Get to Work

Challenge: WHAT STEP of FAITH is GOD CALLING YOU to TAKE?

WHAT BREAD CAN YOU CAST//SEED CAN YOU SOW??

--------

Examples:

INVOLVED in SERVING— NOT RIGHT TIME? IT’LL NEVER BE PERFECT

STARTING BUSINESS

MISSIONS WORK? — DOESN’T FEEL POSSIBLE

NEW JOB OPPORTUNITY—RELOCATING

**HOPE YOU DON’T LEAVE** BUT MAYBE

PURSUING EDUCATION—FULFILL ROLE GOD’S CALLED YOU TO.

--------

Personal Example:

WRITING a BOOK

SOWING SEED INTO a WORD DOCUMENT EVERY WEEK...

NOT a PERFECT TIME—YOUNG KIDS, BUSY SCHEDULE

Questioning Outcomes: WILL ANYONE READ IT?

ONE THING is CERTAIN— IF I DON’T WRITE IT, I’LL NEVER KNOW.

--------

FOR ALL of US: IF YOU DON’T SOW, YOU WON’T REAP.

STEP OUT in FAITH, DO YOUR BEST, and TRUST GOD WITH the REST

DO IT W/ YOUR MIGHT (ec. 9/10)

FOR the GLORY of JESUS’ NAME

& TRUST RESULTS to HIM

************************

Sermon Conclusion:

CHURCH,, IF WE’RE WILLING to TRUST GOD W/ OUR ETERNITY

WE OUGHT to BE ABLE to TRUST HIM,,

WITH OUR TODAY & TOMORROW TOO...

Closing Charge:

SO GET to WORK

CAST BREAD WISELY

SOW SEED DILIGENTLY

DO WHAT YOU CAN— AND TRUST GOD W/ the RESULTS...

AMEN?

Close in Prayer