Time under the sun
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Value this time in your life kids its’ the time you still have choices. You’re a teenager so you think you can do anything and you do. Your twenties are a blur. Thirties you raise your family you make a little money, you think to yourself what happened in my twenties. 40s you grow a pot belly you grow another chin, music gets too loud one of the girls in high school becomes a grandma. In your 50s you’ll have minor surgery you call a procedure, but it’s a surgery 60s you’ll have major surgery, music is still loud but you can’t hear it anyway. And 70s you and wife retire and downsize, eat dinner at 2 in the afternoon, lunch at 10 and breakfast night before then most of the time wondering around malls looking and muttering how come the kids don’t call, how come the kids don’t call. In your 80s you’ll get a major stroke, you have a nurse your wife can’t stand who you call mama. Any questions?
That’s a famous speech by Billy Crystal in a 90s movie called City Slickers. Pretty dark. Pretty gloomy view of life I reckon. It’s a comedy right. but what’s worse is he, his character is Mitch, says this to his son Danny’s bring the parent day at school. It’s clear that he is really struggling, coping with a mid-life crisis. Mitch feels like life is slipping through his fingers. So he says value the time now children.
It’s funny how it does doesn’t it? And as you get older time feels like it just goes doesn’t it? it seems to go quicker and quicker and quicker. I’ve heard this from elderly saints. The days get longer and the years get short. I think it’s true. When I 16, I thought I wanted to get married at 21, it’s so far away. And to get to 30 gee that’s just so old. That’s an eternity away. Now I’m nearing 40 and I wonder, where’s time gone? And they say as you got older and older you look more like your parents. Just look at the photos. My wife Joy has said a similar thing. Ouch. You’re looking more like your dad. Thanks Joy. It feels like time slips through our fingers.
So how do we understand time? What do we do with it? How can we make the most of it?
In Ecclesiastes the teacher has a lot to say about time. he wants us to be wise with it.
Remember this Teacher is a son of David, a king in Jerusalem, and he is on a search for meaning. What’s the purpose of life? What are we here for? And he is looking at everything under the sun. that’s his experiment. And it’s a key phrase. That is, just from what he can see and observe. What does the world look like from our eyes and common sense. Can we find meaning?
And last week, we saw that pleasure and work and even wisdom does not give meaning. It’s not bad. It just doesn’t last. It doesn’t take the weight we put on it. Its vanity. It’s like a vapor, mist that comes and goes. Pleasure, work, wisdom is not the answer. Today we are looking at time and making sense of it.
We find that firstly, there’s time for everything.
1. A time for everything (3:1-8)
In 3:1-8 it’s a well-known poem. There’s a famous folk song by The Bryds in the 1960s. they wrote the song called turn turn turn. It has brought this passage into popular culture. I enjoyed listening to it this week. It’s pretty much this passage. Bring back that hairstyle I say.
It’s not surprise it’s in popular culture. Because God’s word speaks about what is true in our world, even for this unbelieving world. Because this poem shows us there is a time for everything. There are the the biggest events in our life. Time to be born and time to die verse 2. And everything in between. See in verse 3 we get the creative and destructive things – time to plant, uproot, kill, heal, tear down, build. Verse 4 its about emotions, weeping and laughing, mourning and dancing – I’m not a good dancer, I am sure Nello has spent more time dancing than me. Verse 5 to 6 building and possessing, verse 7 a time to speak up and be silent, and verse 8 personal relationships a time of love and a time to hate, and national relations verse 8 a time for peace and a time for war. Now, that’s a cold way to understand the passage isn’t it? it’s poem. So let’s read it.
Verse 1-8. it’s a beautiful poem.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
you get the vibe? Time is the big theme mentioned 29 times. how to use it. I’m not going to dig into every single line here there’s not enough time for it.
but what you see here is that time is like a metronome. it goes Backwards and forwards. Backwards and forwards.
What’s he saying? Life is not just the ticking of a clock. tick tick tick. No, life is a series of seasons or times that come and go.
And what he shows us are 14 pairs of events, bigger things like a time to be born, and a time to die. The two biggest events in your life. I reckon that’s why he starts with it. a time you enter into this world. And a time you exit from this world. Not just the bigger things, but the smaller things like a time to sow and a time to mend. But not just physical things, you get emotional times like a time to love and a time to hate. It’s what happens in life. This is the stuff of life.
So I think the teacher wants us to be wise with the time. there’s a time for everything. So be wise in the season that you in. Do what is good for that season. you will make the most of life that way. Is it time to buy property? Or is it time to sell? Flick through the papers you see it always. Its all about what time is it? The timing. Like a comedic act. Timing is so important.
Understand the season. there’s a time to work, and a time to rest. There’s a time to study and time to rest. If you mix it up you will crash and burn because you worked too hard and burn out, or you don’t work enough, you crash and burn by failing. Unfortunately, I’ve done that in exams.
And not just week by week. But there’s seasons in life. Big seasons in life. In teenager you can act a certain way. If you are 40s and 50s and you act like a teenager life can fall apart.
If you have little kids, you need to adjust your expectations about life. Little kids, don’t set the bar too high. Maybe just go all I want is 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Set the bar low. When they are little, hold them close and protect and parent a certain way. Now I am trying to adjust kids a bit older how do I be dad to kids asking different questions, push back in different ways. It’s a season. understand the time.
Now see in verse 11 – it says 3:11
Ecclesiastes 3:11 (ESV)
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
God has made everything beautiful in its time. you get the time right. it’s beautiful. Like the first coffee in the morning. The best smell. Or the leaves falling off the trees as you go for a walk in Autumn. Or a gardener plant things see the first shoot of plants. It’s beautiful. You close the deal at work. You graduate after all the study. The right thing at the right time is beautiful. God has made everything beautiful for something. Every time is a good time for something that goes with that time.
But, you were probably waiting for it. but. that’s so much of Ecclesiastes. You and I know so much of our lives we don’t control. Yes there is a season for everything, a time for everything but we can’t control time. we don’t know what will happen tomorrow, let alone next week, next year for sure. This year I’ve got 2 weddings, planned months in advance. You know what you don’t put in your calendar? Funerals. You just don’t know. Yet they come.
2. But there is no gain from time toiling (3:9-22)
See all these events, these couplets. They all cancel each other out. Did you notice that? We tear, we mend, we laugh, we weep, we build, we tear down, we’re born and we die. It all cancels out in the end. And what’s accomplished under the sun? See verse 9? That’s his conclusion about how all the time is spend.
What gain has the worker from his toil?
It’s a leading question. The answer is; there is no gain.
We saw this right at the beginning in 1:2 right at the beginning.
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher,
vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
What does man gain by all the toil
at which he toils under the sun?
What do we gain from all the toil? They cancel each other out. There is no gain.
why is there no gain? Well he sees problems.
4 of them in fact. First. We can’t find eternity.
First, look at 3:11
Ecclesiastes 3:11 (ESV)
He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
Arthur Stace this bloke who was basically illiterate. He wanted to serve God desperately. So what he did was spend the rest of his life waking up early and writing in chalked copper plate script the only word he knew on the foothpath of Sydney streets. The word was ‘eternity.’ Apparently he wrote it half a million times over 35 years. He made people think about eternity. And many did. Eternity. we know it’s there. The Teacher has a sense its there. But he doesn’t know much beyond that. And here’s the problem, second half verse 11 but here’s the problem, no one can find out what God has done. we can’t work it out on our own. So here’s sort of an answer verse 12
I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.
Not be a great answer. But try to enjoy yourself. Its from God. that’s all. eat drink take pleasure. That’s Gods gift. But its not really satisfying. Because here’s the
Second problem
I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.
You see the problem? Let me make it clear. He’s saying, God is in control. we are not. he makes the same things happen again and again. There’s nothing you can do about it. it’s a pattern in life that things happens over and over again. birth, death, sadness, happiness, war, peace - it happens over and over again. Only he knows the beginning and end. Only he is in control. You can’t change it.
You can’t find eternity. You can’t change things. It’s all under God’s control.
And the third problem there is a big one verse 16 it’s injustice
Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness.
I don’t need to talk about how there are places where you think there should be justice, and there is corruption. It’s just everywhere in our world. that is our world. chaotic.
So in verse 17 he says;
I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.
The teacher says justice will come. He doesn’t know how. he has a limited view. He sees big problems. There’s no gain from all the toil. Humans don’t know what God knows. They can’t find eternity. They aren’t in control. There’s injustice where there should be justice. And to cap it all off here’s the biggest problem.
The fourth problem the one that ends it all, it’s ends our time on earth. It’s death. chapter 3:18
I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts.
This is God’s test. Can you see everything under the sun leads here? the conclusion is they are but beasts. No different from animals. You will die.
For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.
Remember it’s mist. Vapor.
So I turned about and gave my heart up to despair over all the toil of my labors under the sun, because sometimes a person who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave everything to be enjoyed by someone who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.
Growing up my mate I used to live in a court, I had a best mate, Daniel and he had a labrador. I was at his place pretty much every weekend. Yes, actually there was a time I wasn’t afraid of dogs. But his labrador was the family pet. It was energetic, fun, cuddly. Even I could give it a cuddle. As the years went on, we would play. There was always the dog around. But there was a time when he fell sick. He died. And the Browns buried him in the backyard. They mourned. They cried. But they moved on.
And, this is a hard thought but there will be a time when I pass away. I still feel young. But we all know we will die. It will all be sad and everyone will eventually all move on. People will mourn. but then move on.
What’s the difference between me and the dog? Under the sun I know it’s coming. The dog doesn’t. Both go to the dust. Can you see why we live with angst and heartache. God has put eternity in our hearts but we die like our pets. Is there any wonder we live with anxiety and angst under the sun? So in verse 22 he says
So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?
So you live under the sun. here’s the time. we build we demolish, we laugh we weep, we are born we die. And ultimately there’s no hope. Time runs out for all of us. we will have our last breath. Then what? don’t leave now.
We don’t just live just under the sun. God has spoken to us in his word. in the scriptures. because Jesus resurrection changes time for eternity.
3. Jesus’ resurrection changes time for eternity
In his great letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul. He understood what the teacher is arguing. He says to them in 1 Corinthians 15:32
What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”
If all he did was get beaten, imprisoned, devoted to the Gospel...if he just lived under the sun and the dead are not raised, what is the point?
there is no point. If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” It’s a quote from prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament. If that’s all there is, just Eat drink because you will die anyway.
brothers and sisters, everything changes because we know Jesus came back to life. Jesus changes time for eternity. Jesus died but he rose again. He has conquered death, he has smashed through death. death is the biggest problem and he solved it. Jesus came back to life. The only one to say it and actually do it. He rose again. What does Paul say in that same letter verse 20?
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Jesus really rose from the dead. it’s anchored in history. The evidence is there. Because of this event, Jesus has conquered death. he is the firstfruits, that means he is the first one to rise so everyone will too. we don’t just live under the sun but we have hope because of this event, Jesus rose again. He is alive. We will rise again in Christ by faith in Him.
here’s the thing, where you stand with Jesus now will determine how he will respond to you then, on the other side of death. if you reject him, he will reject you. if you have accepted his forgiveness. He will welcome you. if you are not forgiven it means death is a far greater disaster than the teacher ever saw. You don’t just go under and turn to dust. That’s not it. you spend an eternity facing the rightful anger of God. Please don’t that be you.
And for the believer, what a great hope. Jesus is alive. This means there is real life. You see the problems the Teacher raises God has answered. He gives the end. We will be with him forever. Death is not the end. We groan even in suffering with hope. We long for new creation. There will no tears no crying, God will make everything right. No one will get away with sin, injustice. No. God will judge. He will make it all right. Yes God is in control, but we will enjoy him forever around the throne of Jesus with your brothers and sisters in Christ. and we know death has been defeated
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
We can say even now, death is defeated. we have eternal life with Christ.
So here’s the punchline that Paul gives us, 1 Corinthians 15: 58
Here is where he is going. Use your time to labor for the Lord verse 58
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
That’s the climax of the chapter. If Jesus is risen, your life is worth living. He says stand firm in Christ. keep being devoted to the work of the Lord, because its not in vain. Labor in the Lord, grow in godliness, to be more like Jesus. dedicate yourself by sharing the Gospel to those who will 100% die and face God’s judgment. That’s most important. It’s not meaningless, it’s not a mist. It lasts for eternity.
Friends, there’s a time for everything but we will die so live for the risen Jesus.
4. Implication: Use your time to labor for the Lord
But here’s the time we are all in, Jesus is coming back. It’s the last days. That’s what the Bible says.
Friends, we all have a certain amount of time God has given us. we want to be wise with it. it is absolutely not doom and gloom like Mitch describes in city slickers. We can live wisely in the season we are in. If you have little children, that’s the season you are in, work with the grain, you’re not going to get good sleep, so don’t be up playing games like I tried work with the grain in the season you are in. use wisdom. Yes it’s important. I always think you can’t get time back with the kids – it’s beautiful in its time. you don’t get your retirement from work back. Use it well. you don’t get your youth back, use it well. but here’s the challenge this morning. No body can control time. the time of death. people need God’s forgiveness. They need the Gospel. They need Jesus. so we should be filled with urgency. Use your time for the Gospel. Labor for the Gospel. Do you think that?
We need to keep thinking about eternity. So we need to keep sharing the Gospel. Use your time to labor for the Gospel. Supporting the Gospel, sharing the Gospel.
Because we can all get a bit run down. a bit tired. Grow a bit cold with sharing the Gospel. I get that. Richard Baxter, who lived in the 1600s he wrote this book called Reformed Pastors. It’s for pastors starting off in pastoral ministry. And he talks about how to serve God when it grows cold. When the Gospel is not exciting anymore. Maybe that’s how I feel sometimes. I wonder if it’s the same for you. or the costs of being a follower of Jesus when it seems too greater. He gives one advice.
He says go to funerals. Go to as many as you can. And as you stand there, the coffin is lowered and the person did not believe in Jesus, ask yourself, what awaits them now? what does eternity hold? Ask yourself, could more have been done? And if they are a believer, what awaits them now? What will count in eternity of all the things that are done in life, all the time spent. Knowing Jesus is what’s most important. That lasts into eternity. Give yourself brothers and sisters to the work of the Lord. Know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain, press on as a follower of Jesus. Share the Gospel, it is not in vain.
There’s a time for everything, but we’ll die in the end. Jesus is risen we have so much hope, so let’s labor for the Lord now.
Let’s pray.