Foolishness, Fate, or Faith

Text: Ecc. 3:1-22

Introduction:

 Illus. Family who refused medication for son while putting "faith" in God to heal him. Boy died.

 Illus. Pastor announces that the church will begin a new building program. They will need $500,00. They have only $8,000 in the bank and are barely meeting their budget. Yet, if they have enough "faith," he believes they can pull off this financial miracle.

 Illus. Person decides not to wear his seat belt saying, "When your time comes, it comes, and there is nothing you can do about it."

 The old song "Kay Sa Ra, Sa Ra whatever will be, will be" expresses fatalism. Man has no control over what will happen.

Proposition: Trust God in our daily lives because He is the one in control.

Transitional Sentence: Solomon gives us three reasons we should trust God.

  1. Trust God because He is sovereign (3:1-22)
    1. Providence of God
      1. Born and die

        2. Though man has wrongly taken some of this authority from God via abortion, euthanasia, murder, God is still in control.

      2. Plant and pluck

        3. Must work with the "laws" of nature, not against them

      3. Kill and Heal

        4. "kill" probably refers "to die" of disease

      4. Build and tear down
      5. Weep and laugh
      6. Mourn and dance
      7. Cast and gather stones
      8. Embrace and refrain
      9. Gain and lose
      10. Keep and throw away (garage sales)
      11. Tear and sow
      12. Shut up and speak

        13. Note the order: Not speak and be quiet

      13. Love and hate
      14. War and Peace
    2. Eternality of God
      1. Eternity in man’s heart
      2. God’s will abides forever (v. 14)

        3. Cp. 1 John 2:15-17

      3. Purpose is for man to learn from it
    3. Judgment of God
      1. Man’s judgment is corrupt
      2. He. 9:27
  2. Trust God because He has put eternity in the heart of man (3:11)
    1. Gives purpose to life as opposed to fatalism
    2. Gives responsibility to man
  3. Trust God because He will make everything beautiful in its time. (3:11)
    1. Ro. 8:28 We need to remember all things work together for good to them that love God.
      1. We must remember this does not mean that all things are good.
      2. Illustration of the mechanical clock. The clock has some gears that turn the opposite direction from the hand. This would appear disastrous, but in reality it works together for good. Circumstances in our lives may appear to be counterproductive but in reality they work together for good.
    2. We will reap in due season if we faint not

Conclusion:

 Apply to revival

 Faith, Fate, or Foolishness

 Fate says: God is sovereign and there is nothing we can do to help or hinder revival. It is all of God.

 If God wants us to have revival, then He will send it. If not, then He won’t.

 Don’t you think God wants us to have revival? Do you really think that He desires us to live lukewarm, defeated Christian lives?

 Foolishness:

 Work up revival in the flesh alone

 Expect revival without doing the things necessary

 Don’t expect to harvest corn if you don’t plow up the fallow ground, plant the seed, water and fertilize it. Don’t expect revival if you don’t tear out the sin, plant the Word of God, and pray and work.

 Faith: Trust God by obeying His prescription for revival

 Humble, pray, seek, obey