Sermon Tone Analysis

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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:

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:

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:

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.

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:

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:

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

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

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 :

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

Phil 4:10-