BETHEL MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
SUNDAY 10JAN10
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From: LifeTruths (Holman) & LifeWords (KJV)
Text: Ecclesiastes 3:1-14
Wrestling With Time
Living In Time
Longing For The Eternal
Standing In Awe Of God
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From: Explore The Bible
Mark 7:1-8:33 (esp. 8:11-13, 16-21, 27-33)
How To Develop Your Faith
Little Hope
Some Hope
More Hope
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ur awesome God provides purpose & perspective.
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[Note:  It is important to remember that despite the wisdom herein this is the Book of Solomon's lament, he expresses a depression borne of frustration with the world.  Despite the exceptional gift of wisdom he received from God he surrendered to the flesh and now he reflects upon the collision between God's wisdom and man's arrogance.  At the conclusion of Chapter 3 he even questions if the eternal destiny of man and beast is any different!]

Ecclesiastes 3
3:1 For everything there is an appointed time, and an appropriate time for every activity on 
earth: ”

[Note:  This is not fatalism but an acknowledgement that in the great plan of things God is sovereign and in the details everything is linked and not random.  Rather than think of this as predestination in the details the intent is to link choices to consequences, circumstances to results; if ones parents are “joined” one is born, if one drowns one dies.  It continues into the seasons where there is a correct/wise time to plant and to reap, circumstances that require war and/or the use of lethal force and circumstances that demand healing.]

[Note:  We are not born in the flesh randomly but as the result of specific circumstances and there are always reasons that one dies.  These are not meaningly or random events.]

[Note:  If one plants crops outdoors on the coldest day of winter they will likely fail to flourish, One must also harvest a crop when it is mature.]

[Note:  The difference between “kill” and “murder” is important here as it is when one studies 
the 10 Commandments.  To murder is a selfish and rebellious act against God.  To kill means that one is acting in accorandance with the will of God, as in self-defense, law enforcement, war, or as a sovereign act of God.  The Bible does not teach pacifism, that comes from the non-Biblical religion called Bahai.  Jesus never instructed the Centurion to cease his work, nor the apostles to never use a sword in self-defense (only that His time had come and to not interfere).  God killed Ananias and Sapphira because they lied to His appointed leader, Peter.  God has said that He will heal whom He chooses to heal and kill whom He chooses to kill – we are at His mercy as He created us – yet His mercy is born of grace and His judgment is perfect.]

[Note:  He could be thinking of the walls of Jericho coming down and the Temple being raised up.]

[Note:  There are not only appropriate times for each but also appropriate times to cease from each.]

[Note:  “Stones” were often referred to as punishment for perceived heresy or other serious offense, so on one hand there is a time for justice, and on the other a time for mercy.]

[Note:  This may be about social propriety in public or appropriate conduct based on the level of a relationship.]

[Note:  This would go to a boundary on obsessions, not abandoning other responsiblities in the search of something (or perhaps someone) when wisdom says it is time to let go.]

[Note:  Again, the gift of wisdom from God is in view, knowing what we should hold on to and what we need to let go of is important.  Many cling to artifacts of the past which prevent them from growing, others too-quickly slash all tethers to their foundations, causing them to drift without a home port or an anchor.]

[Note:  It was common practice to “rend ones clothes” as an expression of angst, be it due to a loss, or a perceived insult to God.  Such angst cannot be allowed to fester endlessly, one must know when to rise and mend ones clothes and move on.]

[Note:  When someone is grieving it is often best to keep them company without a word, when someone is sharing something important to them it is often best to allow them to finish without interruption.  The corollary is that when an injustice is observed it is important to speak, when a word of correction of of encouragement is appropriate one must also speak.]

[Note:  God loves and God hates.  The NT teaches us to love the things that God loves and to hate the things (sin) that God hates.]

[Note:  In a world filled with selfish and unsaved people war is inevitable, some will always want what others have, and some will go so far as to desire the annhiliation of those peoples whom they choose to hate.  God has engaged in war in the heavenlies with Satan and the fallen angels, He has called for war among men here on earth for His purposes, and He has prophesied that the last days of these end times will conclude with a purging war.  Peace is God's preference, peace with Him, peace among the brothers and sisters in faith, and even peace with unbelievers – to the degree to which we control and they permit that.  Peace at any price is not Biblical.]

“3:9 What benefit can a worker gain from his toil? 3:10 I have observed the burden that God has given to people to keep them occupied. “

[Note:  Solomon is reflecting all of the way back to the curse of the Fall in Eden.]

[Note:  Only God is all-knowing, we have no ability to travel forward or backward in time, and we do not know when specific sovereignly-ordained events will occur; e.g. the birth and crucifixion of Christ, nor His return.  This keeps us dependent upon God and emphasizing each day as perhaps our last to be of service to Him.]

themselves as long as they live, 3:13 and also that everyone should eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all his toil, for these things are a gift from God. “

[Note:  Solomon appears to lapse back into his melancholy here, though there are several intertwined elements in this phrase.  Beginning at his conclusion “... these things are a gift from God” we then interpret what preceeded with that perspective; God gave man food and dring and non-sinful enjoyment, God gave man the toils of life, so man is to make the best and not dwell 
in a state of bitterness and frustration.]

3:14a I also know that whatever God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken away from it. “

[Note:  It is interesting to note the parallel here to the text of Revelation 22:18-19, referring to the sovereign Word of God, here it refers more generally to the sovereign plans of God.]

[Note:  God has made his sovereign power plain to man, only a fool challenges God, only a fool imagines that he may live apart from the teaching of God and have any value

Mark 8 

8:11 Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, asking for a sign from heaven to test him. 8:12 Sighing deeply in his spirit he said, “Why does this generation look for a sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to this generation.””

[Note:  Observe that Jesus sighed “... in His Spirit”, which means that He knew their hearts.  Jesus had just cast out a demon, healed a deaf-mute, and fed 4,000 men along with their families from a handful of food.  Either the Pharisees in Dalmanutha were clueless (they had spies everywhere so this is unlikely) or they were either looking for an excuse not to believer or wanted a different sort of sign.  “... this generation” does not necessarily refer to every person in a generation but is similar to that of Moses after almost everyone refused to enter the Promised Land, it refers to ones who are set in their worldly fears and rebellion against God's direction.  Jesus would give them no “sign” such as the appearance of an angel because they still would not believe.]

[Note:  Twelve is the number of apostles and seven the number of perfection.  In this case it would seem, 
that as is true of all humans, momentary need tends to block-out our sense of reflection upon anything but the satisfaction of that need.  Jesus is challenging them to recognize His message of dependence upon God for all things and His provision for our true needs.  Faith.]

8:27 Then Jesus and his disciples went to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 8:28 They said, “John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and still others, one of the prophets.” 8:29 He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 8:30 Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him. ”

[Note:  It was not His time but this is a breakthrough – an apostle began to recognize and verbalize the shocking truth of His divinity.]

8:31 Then Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 8:32a He spoke openly about this.”

[Note:  Jesus is repeating the prophesy about the Messiah.  The text “He spoke openly about this.” is modified by 8:31 where He was not said to press His identity but to instead remind them of prophesy.]

8:32b “So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 8:33 But after turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s.” ”

[Note:  Peter, having just declared, and had confirmed, his belief that Jesus was “the Christ” or Messiah gets exactly what Jesus is saying and cannot bear the thought.]

REVIEW Revelation 16:17-21

IN CONCLUSION

There is a God-ordained time for all things.

Some of those things are the ones that God has decided must happen ,and under what circumstances, so that His great plan of redemption may be made complete.

Some of those things are the ones that God has designed into His creation and even in its defective fallen condition God's purpose and priorities are supreme.

Rebellion against God is not only foolish, it is deadly.

When we look for hope in this world we need to begin with a clear appreciation for the awesomeness of God.

We must then partner with the Holy Spirit to move away from our worldly perspective into His perfect and wise perspective.

And then we must move from our worldly priorities and surrender everything to His purpose for our lives and resources.

ur awesome God, never to fellow humans or to government or to technology. 
God alone provides the purpose & the perspective we need .

Invitation

As we sing our closing song please come forward - and pay no attention to anyone or any thing but the Holy Spirit Who is encouraging you right now to come.  If you are shy - please catch one of us afterwards - we will stay as long as necessary to serve you. 

Prayer of Dismissal