Seasons in the Christian Life

Text

Ecclesiastes 3:1–9 KJV 1900

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 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, 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. 9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

Introduction

Changing Weather in Michigan:

One of the things that I like most about living in Michigan are the seasons we enjoy. They say “if you are sick of the weather…just wait a few hours” and if you wait a few months everything is completely different.

Fall Weather - My Favorite:

My favorite season of the year happens to be the one we are approaching, I love fall. I love the changing of the leaves, football season, apple cider, the smell of burning leaves as people clean up their yards and the perfect crisp cool mornings that are followed by warm afternoons and evening sweatshirt weather.

God has designed Seasons (Weather):

When God created this world he designed changes and seasons:

Genesis 1:14 KJV 1900

14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

Life is made up of Seasons:

Childhood

Youth

Teens

Young Adults

Middle Age

Golden Years (Sunset Years)

Each of these seasons is marked by its own set of characteristics that define it.

Everything has a Season:

Not only do we find seasons in nature and in life but we also find seasons in ministry and the Christian life.

Notice what Solomon says at the beginning of out text:

Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV 1900

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Declaration: Seasons are an unavoidable part of the Christian life

Proposition: Are we allowing the Lord to develop us through the seasons he allows into our life - or are we just getting through them?

Transition: I want to draw our attention this morning to seasons we experience as we grow in Christ...and as we conclude, we will look at ways we can take full advantage of these seasons

Not only do we find seasons in nature and in life but we also find seasons in ministry and the Christian life.

Notice what Solomon says at the beginning of out text:

Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV 1900

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

We will look at the:

Planting Season - Spring

Pruning Season - Summer

Producing Season - Fall

Pausing Season - Winter

Notice first.....

I. The Planting Season - Spring

Vs 2 “a time to be born…a time to plant”

Spring is the season where possibilities abound and where new life springs. Often we think of a new believer, or a baby Christian that has a newly found zeal for the Lord. But even those who have been saved for years can experience “Spring Like” seasons where God refreshes our souls and sends a reviving season to our spiritual life.

Ecclesiastes 3:2 KJV 1900

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;

Spring is the season where possibilities abound and where new life springs. Often we think of a new believer, or a baby Christian that has a newly found zeal for the Lord. But even those who have been saved for years can experience “Spring Like” seasons where God refreshes our souls and breaths fresh life into our spiritual life.

It is often in this season that God will plant seeds of truth that at a later time will be better understood and mature into wisdom that can be used for more effective service.

Paul recognized the planting and watering process:

1 Corinthians 3:6 KJV 1900

6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

When we are in this season we are consuming all that we can of the truth God is revealing, knowing that he does not open our eyes quite like he does in this season.

Illustration: The Row of Cars - Imagine there are a line of cars all parked in a row in the desert and each one represents a particular truth contained in God’s Word. One might represent the Church and another might be the Second Coming of Christ or perhaps the Holy Spirit or the Rapture of the Saints…you get the idea. We can only drive one of these cars forward at a time and the distance they travel represents what we know about that particular doctrine. There are times when we jump in the car and speed along very quickly and then all of a sudden our knowledge reaches a point and we stop the car and get into another one....then God moves it ahead and so on and so forth. All of the movement and progress happens in this Spring like season of our life.

Paul had a season of “Spring Planting” for 3 years as a time of preparation:

Galatians 1:15–18 KJV 1900

15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, 16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: 17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

Illustration: The Row of Cars - Imagine there are a line of cars all parked in a row in the desert and each one represents a particular truth contained in God’s Word. One might represent the Church and another might be the Second Coming of Christ or perhaps the Holy Spirit or the Rapture of the Saints…you get the idea. We can only drive one of these cars forward at a time and the distance they travel represents what we know about that particular doctrine. There are times when we jump in the car and speed along very quickly and then all of a sudden our knowledge reaches a point and we stop the car and get into another one....then God moves it ahead and so on and so forth. All of the movement and progress happens in this Spring like season of our life.

When we are in this season we are consuming all that we can of the truth God is revealing, knowing that he does not open our eyes quite like he does in this season.

When we are in this season we are consuming all that we can of the truth God is revealing, knowing that he does not open our eyes quite like he does in this season.

The planting season leads us into...

II. The Pruning Season - Summer

Vs 3 “A time to kill…A time to break down”

With all that growth comes information/knowledge...but not the refinement or maturity needed to use it - this is why we must be pruned back

While you might not immediately think of summer as a time to kill/break down remember:

Illustration: Overgrown Garden - this is the time of year that you need to pull weeds in the garden. Spring has sprung and everything is growing wildly and it must be controlled so there is a sense in which things need to be pruned back in summer

One of the difficulties with this season is that whatever has grown in our life has become part of us and we don’t want to lose it

A. Pruned by trials

James 1:2–4 KJV 1900

2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV 1900

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

B. Pruned by time alone

It can be a lonely time when God is pruning us

It can even seem like God is gone - just consider what the Psalmist wrote

Psalm 22:1–2 KJV 1900

1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? 2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; And in the night season, and am not silent.

Our lives are very similar - God allows things to grow rapidly and then there is a process of pruning back that must take place - this is one of the most uncomfortable seasons but we cannot shortcut the growth process - it is a necessary step!

We have the Planting Season and then the Pruning Season… now notice...

III. The Producing Season - Fall

Vs 2 “…a time to pluck up that which is planted”

Vs 6 “a time to get...”

God is interested in you and I bearing fruit. There can be no doubt about it! Consider what Jesus says in :

John 15:1–5 KJV 1900

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Planting Season, Pruning Season, Producing Season and finally....

IV. The Pausing Season - Winter

Vs 3 “a time to heal”

Vs 7 “a time to keep silence”

Vs 8 “a time of peace”

There is also a need at times in our life to just rest.

While we don’t stop and take a 6 month vacation - Spiritually speaking things slow down and there is a reason for it

Illustration: Ice Storm in winter or 2019 - power was out for days and the it was like the whole area was forced to just slow down and rest

This season can feel unproductive and wasteful and we can even begin to get restless but we need to remember that like the land we grow our food on needs a break from supplying nutrients to plants - we need a break to reflect on what God has taught us.

Conclusion

Seasons are part of life and they are part of God’s plan to grow and develop us into the Christians he wants us to be. However, seasons in the Christian life can be wasted, unfruitful, resisted and ignored. Our instinct is to pull back into the prior season we had grown comfortable in, or try to manufacture something is a season of pruning…or plant something in a season of winter rest.

Stop for a moment and ask the Lord what season he has you in....

Here are a few items to remember about seasons:

I. Recognize it - Are we attentive to the season God has us in at the moment?

II. Rest in it - Be Content / Embrace it - Are we allowing our minds to drift into “flight mode”? It is a natural reaction to run from the discomfort

Philippians 4:10–13 KJV 1900

10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Phil 4:10-

3. Learn from it - What is God teaching me in this season? What is he revealing to me about me?

IV. Remember it’s temporary - this goes for winter as well as a harvest

IV. Reflect on it - What is God teaching me in this season?

Be Patient - God is not in a hurry

Be Still - take some time to put away distractions and talk with the Lord

V. Remember its temporary - we move from one season to the next and we will do this several times (Its a cycle)

Be Content

VI. Remain Sensitive to others - Be aware of seasons in other christians lives - how can we pray for them

Be thankful - God does not just leave us to ourselves he develops us along the way

VII. Rejoice - be thankful - God does not just leave us to ourselves he develops us along the way

Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV 1900

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: