Embracing Life's Seasons: Finding Purpose in Every Moment
Summary
### Summary
Today, we delve into Ecclesiastes 3, a passage that resonates deeply even within secular culture. This chapter speaks to the various seasons of life, emphasizing that everything has its time and place. The author of Ecclesiastes uses the phrase "under the sun" 37 times throughout the book, highlighting the futility of seeking meaning in worldly pursuits alone. Jim Carrey once said, "I think everyone should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it is not the answer." This sentiment echoes the message of Ecclesiastes: life without God is like chasing the wind.
In Ecclesiastes 3:1, we read, "For everything, there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." This verse reassures us that all experiences, whether good or bad, are temporary. Graduates, you are entering a new season of life, filled with opportunities and challenges. Verse 2 continues, "A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck what is planted." These verses remind us that life is cyclical, and each season has its purpose.
We often rush through life, failing to celebrate the good times and properly grieve the bad. The Hebrews of the Old Testament knew how to celebrate; their weddings lasted a week. In contrast, our culture moves too quickly, not allowing us to fully experience each season. Grief, for example, is some of the hardest work you will ever do. It’s not something you get over; you learn to live with it. Programs like Grief Share and Divorce Care can help us navigate these difficult seasons.
Understanding the season you are in is crucial. There are two types of time mentioned in Scripture: chronological time (Kronos) and significant moments (Kairos). Kronos is the time we measure in seconds, minutes, and hours. Kairos, on the other hand, are significant moments that require decisions and actions. Jesus often spoke of Kairos moments, such as when He said, "The time has come" before His arrest. These moments are pivotal and require us to be present and make decisions.
In our lives, we go through different seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter. Each season has its characteristics and challenges. Spring is a time of new beginnings, summer is a time of flourishing, fall is a time of recognizing the end of certain things, and winter is a time of waiting and enduring. Knowing which season you are in helps you navigate life more effectively.
God is not bound by chronological time. He is eternal, from everlasting to everlasting. Our lives are but a blip in the scope of eternity. Yet, God has a purpose for each of us. Moses left the palace to lead the Hebrew children out of slavery because he recognized God's purpose for his life. What is the purpose God has for you? It begins with recognizing the season you are in and being present in that moment.
Jesus came to redeem us and give our lives ultimate meaning and purpose. He knows our hurts and pains and seeks to redeem the time we have. We can't redeem anything on our own, but Jesus can. He asks us to surrender our lives to Him, to stop chasing after the wind, and to find true meaning and purpose in Him.
As a church, we are also in a season of change. To reach people we are not currently reaching, we need to do things we are not currently doing. This requires us to recognize the season we are in and make plans accordingly. Whether you are going through a season of joy or pain, do it all for the glory of God. Keep your focus on Jesus, who is above the sun, and seek the things above.
### Key Takeaways
1. Understanding Seasons of Life: Life is full of different seasons, each with its own purpose and challenges. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 reminds us that everything has its time, whether it’s a time to be born, a time to die, a time to plant, or a time to pluck what is planted. Recognizing the season you are in helps you navigate life more effectively and appreciate the temporary nature of both good and bad times. [01:35]
2. The Importance of Being Present: We often rush through life, failing to celebrate the good times and properly grieve the bad. Our culture moves too quickly, not allowing us to fully experience each season. Programs like Grief Share and Divorce Care can help us navigate these difficult seasons. Being present in the moment allows us to fully engage with the season we are in, whether it’s a time of joy or sorrow. [15:37]
3. Chronos and Kairos Time: There are two types of time mentioned in Scripture: chronological time (Kronos) and significant moments (Kairos). Kronos is the time we measure in seconds, minutes, and hours. Kairos are significant moments that require decisions and actions. Understanding these different types of time helps us recognize the importance of pivotal moments in our lives and the need to be present and make decisions. [09:30]
4. God’s Eternal Perspective: God is not bound by chronological time. He is eternal, from everlasting to everlasting. Our lives are but a blip in the scope of eternity. Yet, God has a purpose for each of us. Recognizing this helps us understand that our ultimate purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. This eternal perspective gives meaning to our lives and helps us navigate the different seasons we go through. [26:54]
5. Jesus as the Redeemer: Jesus came to redeem us and give our lives ultimate meaning and purpose. He knows our hurts and pains and seeks to redeem the time we have. We can't redeem anything on our own, but Jesus can. He asks us to surrender our lives to Him, to stop chasing after the wind, and to find true meaning and purpose in Him. This surrender allows us to live with purpose and meaning, knowing that everything we do is for the glory of God. [30:14]
### YouTube Chapters
1. [0:00] - Welcome
2. [01:35] - Introduction to Ecclesiastes 3
3. [03:26] - The Cyclical Nature of Life
4. [05:05] - Understanding Different Seasons
5. [06:43] - Chronos and Kairos Time
6. [08:06] - The Importance of Being Present
7. [09:30] - Kairos Moments and Decisions
8. [10:59] - Learning from Ants
9. [12:40] - Perspective and Purpose
10. [14:04] - Focus on Jesus
11. [15:37] - Navigating Grief and Celebration
12. [17:15] - The Four Seasons of Life
13. [18:46] - Flourishing in Summer
14. [20:26] - Replacing Destructive Habits
15. [21:50] - Created for a Purpose
16. [23:03] - Personal Mission and Purpose
17. [23:59] - Perspective in Life’s Challenges
18. [24:46] - The Power of Perspective
19. [25:56] - Embracing New Seasons
20. [26:54] - God’s Eternal Perspective
21. [27:53] - Parenting Through Seasons
22. [28:54] - Jesus as the Redeemer
23. [30:14] - Surrendering to Jesus
24. [31:16] - Life’s Healing Choices
25. [32:13] - Closing Prayer and Invitation
26. [33:02] - Final Encouragement and Call to Action
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
2. Colossians 3:1-4
3. Psalm 90:1-4
#### Observation Questions
1. According to Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, what are some of the different seasons mentioned, and what do they signify about the nature of life? [03:26]
2. How does the concept of "Kronos" and "Kairos" time differ, and what examples of each can you find in the sermon? [06:43]
3. What does Colossians 3:1-4 instruct believers to focus on, and how does this relate to the sermon’s message about perspective? [12:40]
4. How does the sermon describe the way our culture handles grief and celebration compared to the Hebrews of the Old Testament? [15:37]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. What does it mean to be present in the season you are in, and why is this important according to the sermon? [08:06]
2. How can understanding the difference between "Kronos" and "Kairos" time help us make better decisions in our lives? [09:30]
3. In what ways does recognizing God's eternal perspective change how we view our current circumstances? [26:54]
4. How does Jesus' role as the Redeemer provide ultimate meaning and purpose to our lives, as discussed in the sermon? [30:14]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on the current season of life you are in. How can you be more present and engaged in this season, whether it is a time of joy or sorrow? [08:06]
2. Think about a recent "Kairos" moment in your life. How did you respond, and what might you do differently in future significant moments? [09:30]
3. How can you shift your focus from earthly distractions to seeking the things above, as instructed in Colossians 3:1-4? What practical steps can you take this week? [12:40]
4. If you are experiencing a season of grief or loss, what steps can you take to properly process and navigate this time? Consider resources like Grief Share or Divorce Care. [15:37]
5. Identify one area in your life where you have been "chasing the wind" or seeking fulfillment in worldly pursuits. How can you surrender this area to Jesus and find true meaning in Him? [30:14]
6. As a church, we are in a season of change. What new actions or plans can you personally contribute to help reach people we are not currently reaching? [25:56]
7. Reflect on Moses' decision to leave the palace for God's purpose. What is one step you can take to align your life more closely with God's purpose for you? [26:54]
Devotional
### Day 1: Embracing the Seasons of Life
Life is full of different seasons, each with its own purpose and challenges. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 reminds us that everything has its time, whether it’s a time to be born, a time to die, a time to plant, or a time to pluck what is planted. Recognizing the season you are in helps you navigate life more effectively and appreciate the temporary nature of both good and bad times. [01:35]
In Ecclesiastes 3:1, we read, "For everything, there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." This verse reassures us that all experiences, whether good or bad, are temporary. Graduates, you are entering a new season of life, filled with opportunities and challenges. Verse 2 continues, "A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck what is planted." These verses remind us that life is cyclical, and each season has its purpose.
We often rush through life, failing to celebrate the good times and properly grieve the bad. The Hebrews of the Old Testament knew how to celebrate; their weddings lasted a week. In contrast, our culture moves too quickly, not allowing us to fully experience each season. Grief, for example, is some of the hardest work you will ever do. It’s not something you get over; you learn to live with it. Programs like Grief Share and Divorce Care can help us navigate these difficult seasons.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 (ESV): "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."
Reflection: What season of life are you currently in? How can you fully embrace and navigate this season, whether it’s one of joy or sorrow?
### Day 2: The Importance of Being Present
We often rush through life, failing to celebrate the good times and properly grieve the bad. Our culture moves too quickly, not allowing us to fully experience each season. Programs like Grief Share and Divorce Care can help us navigate these difficult seasons. Being present in the moment allows us to fully engage with the season we are in, whether it’s a time of joy or sorrow. [15:37]
Understanding the season you are in is crucial. There are two types of time mentioned in Scripture: chronological time (Kronos) and significant moments (Kairos). Kronos is the time we measure in seconds, minutes, and hours. Kairos, on the other hand, are significant moments that require decisions and actions. Jesus often spoke of Kairos moments, such as when He said, "The time has come" before His arrest. These moments are pivotal and require us to be present and make decisions.
In our lives, we go through different seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter. Each season has its characteristics and challenges. Spring is a time of new beginnings, summer is a time of flourishing, fall is a time of recognizing the end of certain things, and winter is a time of waiting and enduring. Knowing which season you are in helps you navigate life more effectively.
Psalm 90:12 (ESV): "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom."
Reflection: How can you be more present in your current season of life? What practical steps can you take to slow down and fully experience this time?
### Day 3: Recognizing Kairos Moments
There are two types of time mentioned in Scripture: chronological time (Kronos) and significant moments (Kairos). Kronos is the time we measure in seconds, minutes, and hours. Kairos are significant moments that require decisions and actions. Understanding these different types of time helps us recognize the importance of pivotal moments in our lives and the need to be present and make decisions. [09:30]
Kairos moments are those significant times in our lives that require us to make important decisions and take action. These moments are often pivotal and can change the course of our lives. Jesus spoke of Kairos moments when He said, "The time has come" before His arrest. Recognizing these moments requires us to be present and attentive to what God is doing in our lives.
In our fast-paced world, it can be easy to miss these significant moments. We get caught up in the busyness of life and fail to recognize the opportunities God is placing before us. By slowing down and being present, we can better discern these Kairos moments and respond in a way that aligns with God's will for our lives.
Ephesians 5:15-16 (ESV): "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil."
Reflection: Can you identify a recent Kairos moment in your life? How did you respond, and what can you learn from that experience?
### Day 4: God’s Eternal Perspective
God is not bound by chronological time. He is eternal, from everlasting to everlasting. Our lives are but a blip in the scope of eternity. Yet, God has a purpose for each of us. Recognizing this helps us understand that our ultimate purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. This eternal perspective gives meaning to our lives and helps us navigate the different seasons we go through. [26:54]
God's perspective is eternal, and He is not limited by the constraints of time as we are. From everlasting to everlasting, He sees the beginning and the end. Our lives, in comparison, are but a fleeting moment. Yet, within this brief span, God has a unique purpose for each of us. Understanding this eternal perspective helps us to see beyond our immediate circumstances and recognize the greater plan God has for our lives.
Moses left the palace to lead the Hebrew children out of slavery because he recognized God's purpose for his life. Similarly, we are called to discern God's purpose for us and live in a way that glorifies Him. This eternal perspective gives meaning to our lives and helps us navigate the different seasons we go through, knowing that our ultimate purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
Psalm 90:2 (ESV): "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God."
Reflection: How does recognizing God's eternal perspective change the way you view your current circumstances? What steps can you take to align your life with His eternal purpose?
### Day 5: Surrendering to Jesus
Jesus came to redeem us and give our lives ultimate meaning and purpose. He knows our hurts and pains and seeks to redeem the time we have. We can't redeem anything on our own, but Jesus can. He asks us to surrender our lives to Him, to stop chasing after the wind, and to find true meaning and purpose in Him. This surrender allows us to live with purpose and meaning, knowing that everything we do is for the glory of God. [30:14]
Jesus came to redeem us and give our lives ultimate meaning and purpose. He understands our hurts and pains and seeks to redeem the time we have. On our own, we cannot redeem anything, but through Jesus, we find true meaning and purpose. He calls us to surrender our lives to Him, to stop chasing after the wind, and to find fulfillment in Him.
Surrendering to Jesus means letting go of our own plans and desires and trusting Him with our lives. It means recognizing that true purpose and meaning come from living for His glory. When we surrender to Jesus, we are no longer bound by the futility of worldly pursuits. Instead, we find joy and fulfillment in serving Him and living according to His will.
Colossians 3:2-3 (ESV): "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Some of us, we don't celebrate life enough. We don't celebrate. When something good happens, we think it's an hour party or it's an event that took place. But we're to linger and celebrate. The Hebrews of the Old Testament, man, they knew how to party. A wedding was a week. They celebrated it. We move by things so fast we don't know how to grieve in our culture. Grief might be some of the hardest work you will ever do in your life. We think it's going to be done in an hour service. When you lose someone in your life, you never get over that. You learn to live with it, but you will never get over it." [15:37]
2. "Your time is your life. Let me talk about the four seasons because I think this list in chapter three can be summarized by four seasons. I grew up in the Midwest. We actually have four seasons. Here we kind of have two, but most of us, we moved from somewhere else. The question isn't, you know, the question we ask everybody is how long have you lived here? And so if you're from another part of the world, you're going to have to go through that country. You understand seasons and this list in Ecclesiastes three can all be narrowed down to one of the four seasons of life." [17:15]
3. "Be in the moment. Don't waste your life away by waiting for what is to come. Because here's the reality. It may never come. Right? And so enjoy what you currently have. So that's chronological time. Kronos time. God is outside Kronos time. God is not bound by chronological time. You and I, we're bound by chronological time. Bible says 70, 80 years. Plus or minus. That's our time. That's what we have. It's very itty-bitty. It's very itty-bitty compared to our everlasting, eternal God." [08:06]
4. "You and I were designed to be plugged into a relationship with Jesus. Recently, I was going through a drawer. Maybe we all have one of these drawers in our house. This is the drawer I pulled open recently, and I didn't bring the entire bin. It's a really big bin full of cords and cables. Does anybody else have a drawer like that? It's like, I don't know what this is for. I don't know when we got it, where this goes to something, and so I'm going to keep it because someday I might need that computer from 2002. And as soon as I throw it away, I'm going to need it." [21:50]
5. "It is a sweet place when you realize what that purpose is. And there's been times in my life where I feel like I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. I've got adapters for adapters, and the reality is a lot of these things I'll never use again. So why am I holding on to your purpose and my purpose? One purpose only, to glorify God and enjoy him forever. That is why you and I were created. And it's just such a short little blip in the scope of eternity." [23:03]
### Quotes for Members
1. "For everything, there is a season. And a time for every matter under heaven. There's good news in this first verse. Did you see it? Everything. Everything you have ever experienced is what was experienced a couple thousand years ago when this was written. For everything, there is a season. Now the good news is, if it's good, right, it's good. Enjoy it. Appreciate it. Recognize it. Be grateful for it. Because it may not last. All right. The good news is, if it's bad, if it's a difficult season, this too shall pass. Because why? It's a season. Nothing that you and I have ever experienced will last forever under the sun. It's temporary. It's a season." [03:26]
2. "There are two types of time that's referenced in scripture. It's important to note what the author's talking about here. The first type of time in scripture is chronological time. That's the time that you and I talk about. It's our seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, centuries. That's the chronological time. That's what you're thinking about. What you're going to do this afternoon. Many of you are thinking about that right now as I'm talking, right? What you're going to do at two o'clock and three o'clock. What you're going to do tonight. What you're going to do on Monday morning. That's chronological time." [06:43]
3. "Kairos moments require decisions. They require action. They're significant. I remember sitting down with someone at a previous church environment. I'm like, hey, tell me, tell me how God has moved in your life here recently. And they started by saying, well, I came to know Jesus in 1980. And they talked about coming to know Jesus in 1980. And then the conversation ended. I said, well, what's happened the last 30 years? Following Jesus as a follower of Jesus requires movement, requires action, plans. Jesus is on the move and we're to be following him." [09:30]
4. "Whatever season you're in, it's not necessarily positive or negative. That's how under the sun it would be described. But it's what you choose. It's your perspective that you have. And what you're going through. That this is for the honor and the glory of God. What I'm going through, although I may not have chosen this season of life that I am in, I'm not going to simply look to this earth. I'm going to do it for the glory of God. Recognizing that there's only one person that we have a relationship with in this universe who is not under the sun. He is over the sun. He created the sun." [12:40]
5. "To reach people that we're currently not reaching is going to require us to do some things we're not currently doing. So it's a new season. What does it look like in your life? Moses wrote a Psalm. I know you, some of us might be thinking, I thought all the Psalms were written by David. Moses wrote a few. Psalm chapter 90. Moses writes this. Lord, you've been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, wherever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God." [25:56]
6. "Jesus can redeem. You and I can reclaim some things. We can, as Joseph says, hey, what you meant for evil, God meant for good. There are things in your life that are meant to hurt you. In a personal relationship with Jesus, you can take those things and those can be turned for good. So there's some things we can reclaim, but only Jesus can redeem. And that begins with redeeming you and buying you back from this world of sin and pain and hurt. He asks us to surrender and to say, I admit I've been chasing everything under the sun. I've been searching and chasing after the wind, and I haven't found it. And I'm done chasing. I want meaning and purpose in my life. I want the ultimate." [30:14]
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