02/08/2026 - Rhythms for Life - Stewardship

And then the third thing we need to keep in mind here is that in the end, every season and every calling will ultimately come to an end in this life. See, even the callings that you've been given will come to an end because this life won't go on forever. We are headed towards another life, which we're gonna talk about shortly. But we need to recognize that everything we hold here is a gift from God, and it is ultimately temporary. [00:21:23] (27 seconds)  #seasonsandcallingsend

For this example, we can look to our perfect perfect example of Jesus Christ who submitted himself to the pain and the brokenness, submitted himself to the seasons of this world, God in the flesh, who came to be among us and who endured the ultimate winter season, the wrath and rejection of God, so that through his death and resurrection, we could be brought into eternal life by grace through faith in him into a place where all things will one day be made new for eternity. [00:35:49] (34 seconds)  #jesussubmittedtowinters

And the key thing to understanding a book like Ecclesiastes is to understand that that it's speaking to life under heaven or under the sun as repeated throughout the book. It's speaking about our lives here and now, again, in this fallen world that has been broken by sin. But it is great news that the bible doesn't end with the book of Ecclesiastes. That's not the end of the story. That's why we need to understand the whole council, the whole story of scripture because God is up to something so much greater. [00:25:03] (37 seconds)  #ecclesiastesunderthesun

It says, God has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. In other words, seasons, the changes and shifts in our lives are intended to teach us about who God is, to bring this ache within us that there's something beyond our experience here in this world. Seasons are used to draw us to our need for God and his wisdom. [00:15:09] (40 seconds)  #godsbeautyintime

It's a season of growth, of building up. That's fantastic. Spend communion thanking God for the blessings in your life, but also recognizing that your ultimate hope is not in those things, it's in Christ. Because even those good things will one day fade. And if you're in a season of sorrow or sickness or pain today, then come to the table today with hope. Hope in a God that works powerfully through the winter seasons, most beautifully through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. [00:36:41] (37 seconds)  #seasonsdrawustogod

In the New Testament, we see this idea that our work can be done as worship to the Lord. Colossians three twenty three, whatever you do, work heartily as for the Lord and not for man. In Christ, work becomes an opportunity to glorify God. Work is redeemed. It it is an opportunity to worship God and to represent Christ in all that we do. Your work at at your workplace, in your job, or or students at school, it matters. You can do it as worship to God, not as to men. [00:26:43] (38 seconds)  #livefaithfullynow

And I think this is also true for us in our lives at large. I think God uses the winter seasons of our lives to draw us back toward Jesus and to teach us our dependence on him. If you're in a winter season right now or maybe a fall season, things seem to be dying, changing. You're losing the things you had. Or it's winter, things are cold and dark. They don't make a lot of sense. I believe God is doing a powerful work in your season. [00:24:19] (38 seconds)  #abideinjesus

Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. That's our hope this morning. The one who endured the cross for us so we can endure every season for the hope and the joy that is before us, eternal life in and through Jesus. [00:38:01] (30 seconds)  #prayerandscripture