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welcome to everyone it's good to be in the house of our God it's good to have the Brethren from Surrey here always an encouraging time I've asked Mike to keep track of the calendar so that we don't space it nine months in between so we can do this more often and regularly it's a blessing after the service tonight of course there will be some food and fellowship in the upper uh The Upper Room the fellowship hall there everybody is encouraged and invited to stay for that well for our call to worship I want to read an appropriate psalm for the occasion Psalm 133 psalm 133. we've been working our way through the book of Ephesians in the evening service and we've noticed the apostles emphasis on preserving the unity of the spirit and the bond of Peace Unity is of primary importance to our god relative to his people and certainly we see that uh upheld in the psalter so Psalm 133 beginning in verse 1 a song of a sense of David behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity it is like the precious oil upon the head running down on the beard the beard of Aaron running down on the edge of his garments it is like the Dew of Herman descending upon the mountains of Zion for there the Lord commanded the blessing life forevermore amen well please take your hymn books and turn to Psalm 122. Psalm 122 A as in Alpha when you find that you can stand and we'll sing together 122 A [Music] I lost everything [Music] thank you [Music] years [Music] [Music] amen well let us pray our blessed God and Holy Father we thank you so very much for this day and we thank you for the the blessing of corporate worship we thank you for the unity of the Saints and the Fellowship of the Saints we thank you that our brothers and sisters from Surrey can be with us tonight and God we just give all glory and praise and honor unto you we acknowledge that you are most high that you are Father Son and Holy Spirit that you are wondrous and glorious and Majestic and a God who is worthy to be praised is the prophet and the Apostle asked who would not fear thee O King of the Nations for indeed it is thy do we know because of our sin and our transgression and our Rebellion we didn't honor you or fear you as we ought we thank you for your grace displayed in our hearts and lives As we sing the hymn as we reflect upon the prophet we know it was Grace that taught our hearts to fear and it was certainly you that saved us and we praise you for that and we thank you that you have put it in us to to love the house of God to love the core corporate worship of God to love the people of God and we thank you for blessing this time we ask that you would be pleased to be enthroned upon the Praises of your people here and that you would encourage and strengthen our hearts and build us up in our Most Holy Faith and may you cause us to reflect upon the goodness of God revealed in the gospel of our Salvation revealed in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ we thank you for the church we thank you for that that blessed household of God we thank you that it is in fact the pillar and ground of the truth and we want to honor you and we want to be faithful in this present evil age we want to do those things that you call us unto corporate worship and specific emphasis upon the word of God upon the discipline and the that we see Jesus teach and as well upon the sacraments and God we just thank you that you have given the grace necessary to under undertake these things and we just pray that tonight the spirit of God would be in our midst the Lord Christ would be in the midst of this lamp stand and that you would just strengthen each one of us we confess our sin now as we come to you we know that you are a holy God we know there is no impurity with you we know that you are perfect and we confess our own waywardness and we confess our own remaining corruption and we thank you that there is that blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that does cleanse us and wash us from all sin we thank you that though the psalmist said if you Lord should Mark iniquities oh Lord who could stand but there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared and we rejoice in your abundant Redemption we rejoice in The Riches of your grace and we pray tonight that you would cause us to reflect upon these things and find great joy in our hearts as well for any and all who've come here tonight that are that are dead in their trespasses and sins we do not appeal to them to to make good decisions but we appeal to you the Sovereign God to open their hearts and to make them willing in the day of your power we pray that you bless the preaching of our brother and and that you would open hearts that you would cause there to be that faith in Jesus Christ that kissing of the Sun that Bowing in submission to that blessed one who is able to save to the uttermost all who draw an eye unto God through him we ask that you would bless the church in Surrey we thank you for pastor Kirkpatrick we thank you for the faithful Ministry there we thank you for the deacons and all the members in that church we pray that they would know The Nearness of God as their good and that you would just strengthen them and cause them to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ we thank you for the church in Armstrong we thank you for pastor Ryan we pray that you would continue to bless his ministry there and use him for your glory use that church for the Salvation of Sinners and for the strengthening of the Saints of Christ as well God bless the brethren in Northern Ontario we thank you for Dan we thank you for Josh we thank you for the brothers and the sisters there and we pray that in the coming months and years we'd see and hear of a of a faithful church that is a beachhead in that Community holding forth the word of Truth for the Salvation of Sinners and the strengthening of the church as well we thank you that John and Melena could be with us this morning we pray for the church in Sig with the peke we thank you for pastors Carlos and Luis and Isaias and and hyrone we pray that you'd bless those men cause them to be faithful and cause the gospel to go forth in that community and may your blessing be upon that church as well we are mindful that there are many that do not enjoy the Liberties that we presently have we pray God for the persecuted church for the suffering Saints those who are in Chains those who are in prison those who are perhaps facing death sentences for the cause of God and Truth we know that precious in the sight of our God is the death of his of his Saints and we pray that they would be faithful to the end that you would uphold your people you would strengthen them with might in the Inner Man they would have Christ dwelling richly in their hearts through faith by the presence and the power of the spirit and may they in the midst of these hardships continue to testify the salvation of God Almighty as well father we pray for the governing authorities throughout the Earth we are mindful of the fact and in our our times of public prayer times of corporate prayer we reflect on voice of the martyrs and the persecution of the Saints and so often it comes from government so often it comes from oppression oppressive Godless regimes we see in Psalm 2 that the nation's rage and the people plot a vain thing we know that Kings set themselves and rulers take counsel together against Yahweh and against his Christ so we know the reason we know the rationale yet God we pray that you change the hearts of those in high places that you would turn them the way that you have Sovereign power over the the the the the waters on the earth and God be glorified in the midst of these these civil polities we pray for our own country we pray for our prime minister for our our provincial leaders we just commend them to you and the word of your grace and pray that you would be merciful unto them and God thank you again for your mercy to us thank you that we can gather together tonight bless this time of worship and be glorified and we pray through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen we can turn again in your handbooks to number 256. tune in our Hymnal is a bit different than yours but I think you'll be able to follow along it's a familiar tune to a familiar hymn 256 will stand as we sing together [Music] he wonders [Music] foreign [Music] all right perfect [Music] foreign [Music] to our reading in the Book of Numbers next Sunday God willing but tonight we're going to read the book of Acts chapter 2. Acts chapter 2 a couple of things that I want to point out at the end of the chapter but it's such a glorious chapter I'll begin reading in verse 1. we've got all kinds of time we started earlier so we can be here for much much longer so Acts chapter 2 beginning in verse 1 when the day of Pentecost had fully come they were all with one Accord in one place and suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing Mighty Wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting then there appeared to them divided tongues as a fire and one sat upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave the mutterance and there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews devout men from every nation under heaven and when this sound occurred the multitude came together and we're confused because everyone heard them speak in his own language then they were all amazed and marveled saying to one another look are not all these who speak galileans and how is it that we hear each in our own language in which we were born parthians and medes and elamites those dwelling in Mesopotamia Judea and Cappadocia pontus and Asia for Gia and pamphilia Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene visitors from Rome both Jews and proselytes cretans and Arabs we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God so they were all amazed and perplexed saying to one another whatever could this mean others mocking said they are full of new wine but Peter standing up with the eleven raised his voice and said to them men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem let this be known to you and heed my words for these are not drunk as you suppose since it is only the third hour of the day but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel and in it shall come to pass in the last day says God that I will pour out my spirit on All Flesh your sons and your daughters shall prophesy your young men shall see Visions your old men shall dream dreams and on my men's servants and on my maidservants I will pour out my spirit in those days and they shall prophesy I will show wonders in Heaven above and signs in the earth beneath blood and fire and Vapor of smoke the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon and the blood before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord and it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a man attested by God to you by Miracles wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst as you yourselves also know him being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God you have taken by Lawless hands have crucified and put to death whom God raised up having loosed the Pains of death because it was not possible that he should be held by it for David says concerning him I foresaw the lord always before my face for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken therefore my heart rejoiced and my tongue was glad moreover My Flesh also will rest in Hope for you will not leave my soul in Hades nor will you allow your Holy One to seek corruption you have made known to me the ways of life you will make me full of joy in your presence men and Brethren let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David that he is both dead and buried and his tomb is with us to this day therefore being a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body according to the flesh he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne he foreseeing this spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ that his soul was not left in Hades nor did his flesh see corruption this Jesus God has raised up of which we are all Witnesses therefore being exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit he poured out this which you now see and hear for David did not Ascend into the heavens but he says himself the Lord said to my Lord sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ now when they heard this they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles men and Brethren what shall we do then Peter said to them repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the holy spirit for the promise is to you and to your children and to all who are afar off as many as the Lord Our God will call and with many other words he testified and exhorted them saying be saved from this perverse generation then those who gladly received his word were baptized and that day about three thousand Souls were added to them and they continued steadfastly in the apostles Doctrine and fellowship in the breaking of bread and in prayers then fear Came Upon every soul and Many Wonders and signs were done through the apostles now all who believed were together and had all things in common and sold their possessions and goods and divided them among all as anyone had need so continuing daily with one Accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved amen so we see the Fulfillment of biblical prophecy in this particular passage and as well we see an explanation of the Lord that we are called to believe on notice as Peter cites the prophet Joel we see in 2 21 it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved and in the remainder of the sermon Peter describes defines and tells us who that Lord is he stresses the true Humanity of our savior he stresses the death and the death of our Lord Jesus Christ and then the resurrection but he doesn't stop there he speaks of the exaltation notice in verse 33 therefore being exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit he poured out this which you now see and hear he considered Psalm 2 this morning a Psalm of the the righteous King enthroned on the Holy Hill of Zion that is the full or Acts 2 is fulfillment of that and so we see that the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ is proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus is not about our feelings it's not about our happiness it's not about our orientation Nation the gospel is an objective message concerning the Lord Christ his life his death and his resurrection and then we see how the people responded to this God bless us faithful gospel preaching we see that these people were convicted we see that Peter then points them unto Christ notice in verse 38 repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the holy spirit so you have them saved by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and that fulfills the first leg of the Great Commission Jesus says go therefore Make Disciples of all the nations this was quite handy because all the nations had been assembled here at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost so the Sinners are saved by God's Sovereign Grace but there's a second aspect to that Great Commission teaching them to observe all that I have commanded and lo I Am With You Always even to the End of the Age so dropping down to verses 40 to 47 we see see that and you notice specifically the church's practice look at verse 41 then those who gladly received his word were baptized and that day about three thousand Souls were added to them verse 42 is very instructive and they continued steadfastly in the apostles Doctrine and fellowship in the breaking of bread and in prayers now one of the emphases that pastors try to present is to the individual believer to persevere to be steadfast to continue to go forward in the fear of God and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit but that also applies to churches there's a lot of Temptation obviously out there for churches to sort of depart from the The Proven path there's obviously Temptation out there for churches to to turn aside to entertainment or turn aside to therapy or encounter groups or whatever it is is in Vogue today but the the Bible tells us that the church is to be consistent and that particular emphasis there is that they continue instead fastly they continued steadfastly in Doctrine Fellowship the breaking of bread and prayers this is what churchmanship looks like this is what it looks like from now until we die or now until the Lord Christ returns it has been a great blessing to get to know Mike what 25 years ago when did I first meet you I don't have any concept of time 2012 did you come okay 2012. it's been very wonderful to get to know this young man and to see him grow and Grace and in the knowledge of Christ when he expressed desires for gospel Ministry we certainly stood behind him and encouraged that and lo and behold we're having a joint service of churches this is very encouraging if Vernon wasn't four hours away they'd be here too and we'd have just quite the celebration of churches that are seeking to do what God calls us to do the Temptation again must be real I I don't get it honestly I I prefer a blueprint I prefer commands I prefer an obvious precept to follow but the Temptation must be out there for churches to depart and churches to turn to entertainment those other things but in the final analysis as God's people we are to grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as individuals corporately as churches were to continue steadfastly in the apostles Doctrine and fellowship in the breaking of bread and in prayers there's going to be Ebbs and flows there's going to be all the various things associated with sanctification but we need to be faithful we need to be persevering and we need to seek to honor God most high because when we seek by grace to honor God most high God blesses that God is faithful God is good God is kind and God sustains his people individually corporately churches doing what churches are supposed to be doing are a blessing and a sweet smelling sacrifice to our god well let us pray Our Father in heaven we thank you very much for your goodness to us as a as two churches we thank you for raising up Pastor Mike and Suri we thank you for the Brethren there we thank you God for this commitment to continuing in these things that we see in the early church help us Lord God to be persevering help us to be faithful help us to glorify you in churchmanship in this present evil age and we ask through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen well for our final hymn before the preaching you can turn to 246. 246 will stand as we sing together [Music] thank you [Music] foreign [Music] praise [Music] God [Music] well good evening it is a blessing to be able to be here today and have another joint service as Pastor Butler said we need to have more of them but not too many uh but certainly more than just one once a year so uh this evening we're going to look at Ecclesiastes chapter three I know I preached Ecclesiastes a few times the last few times I've been here I please preached through it last year but I really miss the preacher I really like his depressing encouragement that he gives and so we're going to look at perhaps a passage we all know Ecclesiastes chapter three we're gonna look at verses 1 through 15. a time for everything so we begin reading at verse 1 of Ecclesiastes chapter 3 all the way to verse 17 to set some of the context to everything there is a season a time for every purpose under Heaven a time to be born and a time to die a time to plant and a time to pluck 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 a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing a time to gain and a time to lose a time to keep and a time to throw away a time to tear and a time to sow a time to keep silence a time to speak a time to love and a time to hate a time of war in a time of peace what prophet has the worker from that in which he labors I have seen the god-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied he has made everything beautiful in its time also he has put eternity in their hearts except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice and to do good in their lives and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor it is the gift of God I know that whatever God does it shall be forever nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it God does it that men should fear before him that which is is has already been and what is to be has already been and God requires an account of what is passed moreover I saw Under the Sun in the place of judgment wickedness was there and in the place of righteousness iniquity was there I said in my heart God shall judge the righteous and the wicked for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work amen will let us pray our great God we are thankful that you are the creator of this world thank you that you created it in the space of six days and called it very good and thank you that you are the providential governor of all things that come to pass thank you that you are not the author of sin yet we are thankful that you're the one who decreed sin to come to pass and thank you that you also decreed the salvation for sinners in the Lord Jesus Christ we're thankful that you are infinite and eternal yet we're thankful that you create time and you work in time and space and thank you that as we have been created in your image there is a purpose for everything there is a purpose for our lives and we know that we failed in that purpose yet we're thankful for thankful for the last Adam who did not fail in it thank you for christ in his perfect law keeping thank you for christ and his perfect work that we might have our images renewed that we might have our souls redeemed that we might have our bodies resurrected and thank you that this is because of Christ's Lord and according to your unfolding and the execution of the appointed times and so we pray as we are perplexed and discouraged with the world around us as we are perplexed and discouraged with everything that is unfolding we pray that we would put our faith in you teach us to fear you teach us to put our trust in you teach us to be reminded that you are the potentate of time and you are The Sovereign ruler of this world and we pray if they're only here today who do not know you please save their souls please show them that eternity does await and we pray that they would flee that Eternal wrath to come through faith in Christ that they might have eternal life and so we ask once again as we come to a difficult passage we pray that you give us illumination from on high we pray that our hearts would be uplifted our hearts would be encouraged as we consider your ways and as we have to deal with the Fallen World in which we live so be with us now by your spirit we pray that you be honored and glorified and we pray these things in the Name of Christ amen well growing up my mother was always late now to her credit her parents were always half an hour early so I could see the swing the other way and then as I grew up I really hated being late and I still hate being late I remember one time I heard someone speak about why being late is not such a good thing and the reason is when we are late for other people we steal something that they can never get back and that is their time time is Relentless time is tyrannical and time is perplexing for us all and that's certainly something we see with the preacher here in Ecclesiastes chapter 3. and I do think the purpose of this book is all about wrestling with the inconsistencies of life I know there are differing views on what this book could mean but we see the preacher go on his quest for wisdom and as he observes the world around him he sees as he seeks to find wisdom what is the right way he also has to deal with foolishness he also has to deal with sin he also has to deal with the fallenness of this present evil age there are books like Proverbs you'd think if you do what's right you'll receive what's good if you do what's evil bad things might happen but then Ecclesiastes comes and gives us Nuance it helps us to see that we live in a fallen world and unfortunately things are not fair and perhaps we might cry out vanity of vanities all his vanity says the preacher or Enigma of enigma as always enigmas says the preacher that's his motto and then we have his question in verse three what prophet of chapter one what prophet has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun well he seeks wisdom he finds grief only try pleasure now pleasure isn't necessarily A Bad Thing and we'll see that a little bit when we get to the latter part of these verses we're looking at but he seeks to find pleasure he seeks it in goodness is this the meaning of life well then death happens death happens to us all the fool dies and also the wise alike and then even two if one pursues riches well you might die or not might die you're going to die and the one after you might not use that money for good he might be a fool so what then is good for man nothing is better for man than to eat and drink and enjoy the good that God has given to him in this world God gives us blessings and it's not wrong to enjoy them in the present age even the present evil age in which we live so he comes to a new section time and its purpose time and purposes under Heaven and the problem that we see here is the problem of time time is Relentless it continues on with or without us and so certainly the idea of duration is in view here but also the question of when is the appointed time for us to do something that's something perhaps you and I wrestle with all the time when should I do this when should I do that when is the proper time the problem for God's people is knowing when is the proper time for something and so the preacher gives us some encouragement here but it's also very depressing there is comfort and there is a curse as well as we consider time and so in these verses the preacher Ponders the cycle of time and man's god-given purpose and so we'll look at this idea of time under two headings this evening first will see a time for everything in verses one through eight and then secondly we'll see the time God has given in verses 9 through 15. so a time for everything and the time God has given so let's first look at a time for everything in verses one through eight and notice in verse 1 we see his General observation about time to everything there is a season a time for every purpose under heaven now I do think the author of the book of Ecclesiastes is Solomon he's referred to as the preacher kohelet he's the one who gathers people around he's the one who preaches to those who gather and I do think perhaps it could be Solomon after his turning away and after he came back and it's an older Solomon preaching to his younger self gather around young ones here's what I have to say with my hori hairs here's what I have to say in my old age here's what I've observed in the Life in which I have lived so he's reflecting on life reflecting on meaning reflecting on this world and he goes on this Quest by observing the world around him now there's certainly a theological aspect he is the king and Israel but he observes the world around him and what he observes is that there is a season for everything to everything there is a season a time for every purpose under Heaven both phrases are one and the same teaches us that there is order to this world there is a tell us his quest began with a seemingly meaningless view of Labor in chapter 1 verses 4 throughout four through eleven there's nothing new Under the Sun one generation passes away another comes up the sun rises and forgets all those who might pass away while there is meaning in our vain miserable lives in which we live in this world and that meaning comes from the Lord God most high and we'll get to that in verses 9 through 15 but here he's observing and pondering and he enters then into the this poem concerning time a time for every purpose under heaven now Under the Sun certainly carries the idea of in this world the flow of life but under Heaven could be more nuanced than that could also carry the idea of what could happen after the present age but all of it teaches us about the flow from this life and the things that we observe and how that might affect us into the next life as well so he goes on to deal with some specifics not exhaustively but he deals with some specifics that uh elicit completeness or evoke completeness in verses two through eight now overall the structure of this poem this is probably what we all know we probably have heard it many times we've probably heard it done to music before as well we probably know these words a little more than the rest of the Book of Ecclesiastes and certainly it's difficult to structure them so I follow Bartholomew's structure and he has four categories for the things that we see in verses one through eight and so I do think the first category are in verses two through three and that teaches us about beginnings and endings a time to be born and a time to die a time to plant and a time to pluck what is planted there is a time to kill and a time to heal a time to break down and a time to build up and the preacher will deal with death a lot in this book he even deals with his well-being born it's actually better to die than to be born sorry if that depresses you but if you're born into this world you have to deal with the Fallen World in which we live so it's better not to have been born at all but there is a time to be born and a time to die he also deals with breaking down and building up as well a time to plant a time to pluck there might be a Time to Kill and a time to heal a time to remove and a time to uplift and so there are beginnings and endings in the world in which we live that is part of the world uh this world that is governed by time so there's beginnings and endings but there's also emotions and embracing in verses four and five a time to weep a time to laugh a time to mourn and a time to dance a time to Cast Away Stones a time to gather Stones a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing I have a personal bubble so I'm all good with not embracing for a long period of time for me it's always a time not to embrace but how verse 5 the time to Cast Away and gather Stones perhaps it could be the idea of building up a place a home where embracing happens where or where uh he uh weeping and mourning and laughing and dancing all occurs I know the dancing part's hard for the Dutch but certainly dancing uh it can be a good thing especially at a wedding a time to celebrate and time to Rejoice you don't have to do that but certainly is a time to dance but all in all of life there is a time for these things a time to weep A Time To Laugh A Time to mourn a time to dance a time to Cast Away Stones a time to gather Stones a time to embrace and a time to refrain from from embracing and then the third category is abounding and lacking in verses 6 and 7. notice a time to gain and a time to lose a time to keep and a time to throw away a time to tear and a time to sow a time to keep silent and a time to speak there's a time to buy and a time to purge there's a time to mourn perhaps garments and grief can be part of that morning aspect but we're lacking we tear our clothes but we sow our clothes as well and then seven a time to keep silent and a time to speak on the social media age we always feel like it's time to speak right what gave us the idea that our opinions matter later on in the book he's going to talk about how there's a popular King but then the popular Kings popularity Fades away because let's be honest nobody cares what we have to say there's only really one person that's our mother and that's the a list that's it and so most the time we need to learn when to speak and when to keep silent but there's a time for all these things it's just knowing wisdom on when to execute these good can be good things so a time to keep silent a time to speak and then the last thing that we see is private and public things that happen in private and things that could happen in public a time to love and a time to hate there is a time to hate in this world isn't there hate isn't necessarily a wrong thing we can have righteous anger and righteous hatred towards Injustice in this world and later on in chapter three he does talk about the Injustice that prevails in this world in chapter four he talks about the Injustice that happens to the oppressed yet there is no comforter for them in the present evil age can we not hate those very things so there is a time to love and a time to hate there's also a time for war hour and a time of Peace that's also another difficult one for us today I do believe there is a time for just War but sometimes knowing when that's the murky part isn't it so it's sometimes knowing when a more war is just is the difficult part of life sometimes even two in Wars wars are so very messy and so it's really hard to determine dare I say the right side in those Wars but the overarching principle there is a time of war and a time of Peace what he's teaching us here is that there really is a time for everything under Heaven there's an order in this world God has made man God has put eternity in his heart as we'll see in verse 11. there is a time for everything in this world there are Ebbs and flows in life is what this teaches us as well you could say that the preacher isn't a millennial the preacher understands hands that there are Ebbs and flows in life how life goes I just like to troll people who are not like me and are Millennial uh there's just Ebbs and flows in life the next great event I'm waiting for is Christ's return it doesn't necessarily have to get worse or have to get better I'm just waiting for Christ to return and so a pre-mill everything's going insane everything sucks for the Post Mill everything sucks let's build a theocracy and for the all Mill everything has always sucked deal with it Christ is coming again now I'm just trolling you if you're pre-miller post Mill that's perfectly fine but he does seem to be anachronistically uh very uh Millennial Ebbs and flows in life time of War time of Peace but all this is meant to give us Comfort isn't it especially when we get to chapter 3 verses 16 and 17 he talks about in the place of judgment so in the courts probably is in view here in judgment wickedness was there you think the place of Justice the place of the courts the place where Justice is supposed to be you think that would be there but there there is wickedness vanity of vanities perplexity in the place of righteousness iniquity was there notice what gives him Comfort God shall judge the righteous and the wicked there is a time when there is going to be those people who are going to receive their just do there is going to be the appointed time of God's return when he shall judge the living and the dead God shall judge the righteous and the wicked for there is a time for every purpose and for every work there's Ebbs and flows there's Madness and inconsistency in this world there is Injustice yet there is a time where God will make everything right and all of this is meant to comfort God's people especially when it seems like the world is going insane I got news for you the world has always been insane the world has been going insane since the fall sin is madness sin is insanity and so we have a good foundation and a good grounding in a fallen world to deal with those very inconsistencies I'm not saying we can't be angry at them I'm just saying we shouldn't be surprised by them especially with the doctrine of creation and the doctrine of Providence and certainly all Scholars agree that what we see in verses one through eight is the outworking of God's decree he is the one who is eternal he is the one who has created time he is the one who works in time and he's doing so according to his purposes and because he is the one who made it he makes everything beautiful there is a time for every purpose under heaven and this is why it's comforting for the church and comforting for Christians is because we know this unbelievers don't Bridges says the tears of the child of God have more of the element of happiness than the laughter of the ungodly and one thing it's important to note and for those that were with us at Surrey remember that he is not resolving the tension he just puts it side by side doesn't he and you see that throughout this poem there is a time to kill and a time to heal there is a time of justice but there's going to be a lot of Injustice pleasure is good but pleasure also leads to a lot of sin so there is juxtaposition how do we deal with these things and I do think everything in verses one through eight also teaches us that this includes God's frowning providences are they also not from the hand of God later on in seven verses 3 13 and 14 he says consider the work of God for who can make straight what he has made crooked in the day of prosperity be joyful but in the day of adversity consider surely God has appointed the one as well as the other so that man can find out nothing that will come after him so we have a God we can put our trust in even in the frowning providences there is a God that we can look to there really is a time for everything under heaven and thankfully there is a time for everything under Heaven because God has made it so and thankfully there is the time that God has given that's what we see in verses 9 through 15. and notice in verses 9 through 11 we see Time and Eternity in verse 9 he repeats the main question that we see in one three what prophet has the worker from that in which he labors what is man's prophet in relation to the tyranny of time well verse 10. I have seen the god-given task which the sons of men are to be occupied he says in chapter 1 13 it is a burdensome task God has given to the sons of men by which they may be exercised God has made man upright God has made him in his image God as we'll see has put eternity in his hearts that is God a man is meant to glorify God and enjoy him forever the problem is man does not do that but even with the fall that hasn't changed that that was man's operating command from God most high and so man has this task the problem is he seeks for it in other ways so he's seen it in this world and there are good things that God still gives to this present age and so there is Beauty in everything that God does I have seen the task which the sons of men are to be occupied that is God created this world he upholds it in him we live and move and have our being even still in a corrupted world he is still governing it and notice verse 11 he has made everything beautiful in its time I think that includes the positive aspects and the negative aspects of what we see in verses one through eight God is the potentate of time and he is governing all things for his purposes we're not supposed to know all the reasons why but that doesn't change the fact that he can and does make everything beautiful in its time that's hard for us that's hard for the people of God still when we see atrocities when we deal with illnesses when we deal with situations God has made everything beautiful in its time there is that perplexity for us of not understanding it of not getting it and he goes on to say in verse 11 he has made everything beautiful in its time oh sorry uh yeah verse 11 still also he has put eternity in their hearts carries the idea certainly of duration God has given man an immortal Never Dying Soul he wrestles with that in Ecclesiastes he's chapter four the animals die and Men die but we've never seen where a spirit goes isn't that true we believe what God says but we've never seen someone's spirit float float out of their body back to God so what is it there is this perplexity are we just animals and Ecclesiastes chapter four well Ecclesiastes 12 answers that question the bodies go into dust and the souls return to God who gave it we are Immortal and man understands that to some degree but in our corrupted nature it is sought in other ways and so without true knowledge time is a heavy burden the time in this world and Eternity forever it is a heavy burden even though we have been given and never dying Soul we are still finite God is the one who is infinite and he is the one who does all things he's put eternity in our hearts except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end we can't go past what we're seeing right now we can't go past what the day is going to hold and even then the next hour is going to hold we really have no idea what is going to happen we have the overarching picture God is working all things for good but we really don't know what's going to happen we have plans we have ideas we have predictions but we really don't know if they're going to come to pass or not we cannot find out the work that God does from beginning to end there is a purpose the problem is we don't understand the reasons I mean Joseph 17 he's sold into slavery 30 is when he rises to power and eventually he says to his brothers what you meant for evil God meant for good or even job God never tells job why everything hap is happening to or what what's happening to him and why it's happening to him nobody tells or God never tells job why all these things are occurring to him or perhaps to use another example it's the author of God Moves In A mysterious way William Cooper I must confess in the old Trinity Hymnal which we still use I cannot stand the tune I love the words but I cannot stand the tune so we don't sing it as much as I'd like but maybe we'll use Dundee next time but I love the words and I think we'll see him or even with that bad tune because of his life he was actually quite a fragile man in the mind and actually before his conversion he actually tried to kill himself and as Nick Needham says he was doing the deed he was hanging himself and just as the life was about to leave his body the Rope broke and he still struggled with he didn't kill himself again or try to again but he had a great struggle throughout all his life even after his conversion but after this time and after many other bouts of mental illness his family committed him to a private Lunatic Asylum it's actually there where he got converted is actually there where God saved his soul it's actually there where he read God's word and came to life Everlasting and when you read his hymns I mean he talks about frowning providences and talks about God moving in a mysterious way his wonder I mean as you listen to his hymns you'd never know that that was the life that he led or the life that he uh that that God made for him there was a time for that rope to break and a time for him to go to the Asylum but it was the Lord who may made it beautiful in its time God really does move in mysterious ways and God really does make everything beautiful in its time it doesn't change the fact though that we can be perplexed by life and enigmas vanities why is life such an enigma and really all of life is uncertain too right I mean you know when you get married you don't know what's going to happen the next day you know you don't know if your spouse is going to hit their head and be in a coma you don't know what's going to happen and even later on in Ecclesiastes chapter 11 he uses the illustration of investing now there's differing views on what Ecclesiastes 11 verses 1 and 2 means but I do think it carries the idea of seafaring that is cast your bread upon the waters as they engage in their seafaring investing Enterprise and after you will find it after you for you will find it after many days give a serving to seven diversify and also eight for you do not know what evil will be on the earth you don't know what's going to happen in life and so then he says basically it is what it is verse three if the clouds are full of rain they empty themselves upon the Earth and if a tree falls to the South or to the north in the place where the tree falls there it's gonna lie it is what it is he who observes the wind will not sow and he who regards the clouds will not reap so you know what you're supposed to do you're not you don't know the works of God verse five in the morning sow your seed in the evening do not withhold your hand for you do not know which will prosper either this or that or whether both alike will be good to use New Testament language don't worry about tomorrow for today has its troubles you see dear brethren we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow you know what we're supposed to do fear God keep his Commandments and just worry about today just do what we're supposed to do now just do the next thing and if I make make an observation about our modern times I don't think we were meant to know as much as we know I don't think we were meant to have so much information drilled into our heads images in our heads I mean I I was talking to a dear brother a couple years ago and he said yeah and World War II was like two weeks before we heard something that happened I mean brother we are getting things that are happening in real time we're not meant to know it all so much and so what's the best thing just fear God and keep his Commandments and so what then are we to do with respect to our time well there's two things I think the preacher tells us in verses 12 through 15. one enjoy life to fear God notice enjoying life in verses 12 and 13. God has given you time God has made you and given you life Brethren that in itself is a gift created life present temporal life is a gift from God most high remember God is love is has life in himself and he doesn't need you and I for perfect life we don't complete him in any way so God out of his good pleasure created the world and got out of his good pleasure redeemed Sinners out of that world to enjoy eternal life with him and so even this temporal life we can instill still enjoy good things and if life is miserable if there's inconsistencies why not in benefit and enjoy those blessings he says in verse 12 I know that nothing is better for them to rejoice and to do good in their lives and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor there there is a view out there that teaches that the preacher is contrasting the life of carnality with the life of of righteousness and perhaps he's being sarcastic here but verse 13 it is the gift of God later on in chapter 5 he talks about a that what you receive from God everything you have from God is a gift but he also says that the ability to enjoy that gift is a gift as well that is be thankful for your gifts be thankful for the things you have be thankful for those blessings that is a gift that comes from God most high and so in a fallen age he doesn't know much but this he does know God created this world called it very good said eat the plants said eat the meat and enjoy it and it is good do good in your life rejoice and that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of his labor and this theme comes up a lot it's founded on a robust understanding of the doctrine of creation comes up in two comes up in three comes up in five comes up in six comes up in nine comes up into comes up a lot 11 and 12 and comes up a lot in this book there's enigmas and sadness and absurdity in this life but God created it and there there's good things that we can enjoy and if you think I'm all about just eating and drinking and enjoying well remember in first Timothy 4 remember the problems of the Heretics in first Timothy four remember they said don't eat or drink or I don't don't uh they were forbidding marriage well what does Paul say he says God has made it you need to thank him for it he says God has given it to you enjoy it I'm not saying you sin with these good things okay I'm not saying you sin at all that's not what he's talking about here but what he's saying is especially for redeemed Saints based on First Timothy 4 we can enjoy temporal blessings good Goods without making them bad Gods we can use it in moderation and thank the Lord for what he has given to us we may not understand everything but God gives good things if he gives you labor you have some money you want to buy a little something and you have the money to do that that's fine you don't have to tell me you don't have to tell your friend you don't have to tell anyone that is between you and God most high God has given us good things in this world and we ought to thank him for that even in dark providences does he still not give us good things does he still not provide for us is he still not with us remember dear Brethren everything we have temporal and eternal is a gift from God most high so in light of Eternity in light of time enjoy what God has given you in time and then the second thing that we must do in light of time his fear God verses 14 and 15. it kind of again sort of gives us the answer of verses 1 4 through 11 of chapter one why do these things occur why is there order why is there nothing new Unto the Sun Well verse 14. I know that whatever God does who works through secondary means it shall be forever nothing can be added nothing can be taken from it you cannot thwart the problem the the plans and promises and providences of God it shall be forever now remember dear Brethren that great mystery God is eternal he's not bound by time but God has created time and he works in time and perhaps again what we could say based on uh in New Testament language or even Genesis 50 languages what man means for evil God means for good God is working everything for the good to those who love God whatever God does it shall be nothing can be added nothing can be taken from it and notice God does it that men should fear Him again what's the end of the whole matter where as the book unfolds is we're making our way to that main point what is the end of the whole matter fear God and keep his Commandments what does Providence teach you you're not God fear Him what does creation teach you you've been created he is the creator what does redemption teach you you were once dead in your trespasses and sins but God has redeemed you fear God and keep his Commandments fear God and trust in him all of life Under the Sun is full of enigma and absurdity but there is a God who does all things good and according to his ways that we should fear Him and then notice in verse 15 that which has already been building off these similar ideas and what is to be has already been and God requires an account of what has passed there is nothing new Under the Sun dear Brethren there is nothing new under this present evil page but that doesn't mean there isn't any meaning in life even when there's Injustice verse 16 there is the God of Justice who might delay for his purposes who might not bring that Justice right when we'd like it to come but God is the just judge he shall judge the righteous and the wicked for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work Brethren God has created time and God has given you and I time in this world and what we call this is the doctrine of Providence again all this is meant to direct us godward that is the point of the book it's meant to direct us Christ's word and to cry out to him and Trust in his ways and even too many times the New Testament Paul says we got to redeem the time that is honor him glorify him with the time that he has given to us appreciate the things God has given appreciate the time that God gives and all this teaches us is that God gives us purpose in life even in the mundaness of life isn't there a purpose fear God keep his Commandments if he believed on Christ if you've looked to him that is what God calls you to do as a redeemed sinner as a redeemed Saints you don't need to fear what's going to happen with the future if and if the world Burns around us God is in control of all things and he will make everything beautiful in its time thankfully not only is he unfolding all things according to his decree but our great anchor in life is our Christ but we also have our anchor in an eternal God Bridges says it is the wise and regular and orderly administration of the one who sees the end from the beginning and to whom there is no un unanticipated contingency and whose omniscient I in the midst of what appears to us inextricable confusion has a thorough and intuitive perception of the endlessly Diversified relations and tendencies of all events and all their circumstances Discerning throughout the whole the Perfection of Harmony God is the Eternal God God is the one who has created time God is the one who works in time God is the one who is unfolding all things for his purposes and brethren we must remember and appreciate his Redemptive times don't miss the language in the scriptures concerning our Christ when the fullness of the time had come God sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law to redeem those who are under the law and think about your life there was an appointed time that God redeemed your soul the pointed time that God worked in your heart with the word by the spirit to call you out of Darkness into Marvelous Light and if you're an unbeliever here today I pray that that would be you I pray that you would come to saving knowledge in the Lord Jesus Christ because if you don't there is an appointed time of your death and there is an appointed time of judgment that shall come and if you do not believe on Christ Jesus you shall die in your trespasses and sins and you shall bear the weight of your sin for eternity thankfully God is the one who makes everything beautiful in its time Christ has come and just as Christ has come there is an appointed time that Christ shall come again dear brethren we ought to praise God for his timing we ought to praise God and Trust in his timing because he really does make everything beautiful in its time well let us pray Lord Our God we are thankful that you are the king Immortal invisible Eternal invisible The God Who alone is wise we do thank you for your so great salvation for undeserving Sinners thank you for your so great salvation for one like the Apostle Paul who swell he still breathed breathe threats you saved him thank you for many of us here while we were dead in our trespasses and sins Christ died for the ungodly and thank you that you are the one who called us in the appointed time out of darkness and into Marvelous Light and thank you that as we live in this present age and as we deal with have struggles and deal with inconsistencies that we can come to your word and be encouraged and uplifted even if it is depressing that we can be validated and we can be assured of your nearness be assured of your providential guiding be assured that you are the potentate of time and so may we recognize that there is a time for everything under heaven we ask that we as we press on in this world that we would fear you and keep your Commandments that we would never give occasion for the devil that we would redeem the time to honor you and glorify you and all that we do and thank you that when there are times when we sin that there is an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous and so we pray that as we are concerned and have anxiety that we would bring them all before you under your Mighty hand that we would cast them upon you for knowing that you do care for us help us not to have pride thinking that we could do it better but help us to remember that you are God and you do all things right there is a time for everything under Heaven There is a purpose for everything under Heaven you are the one who makes everything beautiful in its time and so we long for the return of Christ and as you tarry O Lord we are thankful that it does lead to the Salvation of your elect we pray if there are any here today who do not know you please call them forth out of Darkness into marvelous light that today would be the great day of their salvation thank you that Christ the son was sent forth born of a woman born under the law at the appointed time thank you you for his redemption in time and thank you that we have eternal life that awaits her people when Christ comes again but as we await that Celestial city as we await that Eternal rest as we await the new heavens and new earth thank you that we can put our faith and trust in you in this Fallen present evil age even as the spirit Wars against the flesh we know that we have the finished work of Christ we know that we have the spirit who indwells and so help us to walk in your ways help us to honor you help us to have wisdom in the present age on how we ought to live on the right course of action in various circumstances that arise and thank you again that we can put our trust in you so thank you for the time that we can spend together today the time that we can spend together this evening saying that this really is a glimpse in foretaste of the eternal life and eternal time that awaits your people when we enter into that new heavens and new earth so be with us now by your spirit may you be honored and glorified by our fellowship ship and we praise these prayer praise you for all these things and we pray these things in the Name of Christ amen well we'll close by singing him 564. him 564 will stand and sing together [Music] and last [Music] foreign [Music] for the food and then we'll have a time of meditation after let us pray oh Lord Our God we are thankful for the good gifts that you've given to us in this present age thank you for the gift of gathering together thank you for the gift of eternal life but thankful for the gift of good food we pray that you bless it to our bodies bless it as we enjoy it with one another thing that it's a means by which we can fellowship with one another and we pray that you bless us now as we gather together and fellowship with one another and we pray these things in the Name of Christ amen we'll close the brief time meditation the piano's finished you're dismissed