302 – Reasons For The Seasons

Illustrate: His name was Victor, but he felt like a loser. He didn’t do very well in school a when he was 16 years old, a teacher advised him to drop out of high school and get a job. He didn’t do much better in the working world so that, by the time he was 32, he had failed at 76 different jobs.

But applying for job number 77 was to change Victor’s life. As a part of the interview process, he was required to take an I.Q. test - a test designed to measure his intelligence. A score of 100 was considered to be normal. Victor scored 161. He had never before realized it, but Victor was a genius. The knowledge of that fact was transforming in his life. Victor Serienko went on to become famous for his research in laser surgery and to become president of MENSA, an organization for geniuses - all because a test said that he was special.

God sends different seasons to teach us different lessons. We don’t know what’s in us unless the seasons expose our character. Seasons help us to learn what we do doing times of trials, times of prosperity, times of drought…

Sermon #302 – REASONS FOR THE SEASONS

Eccles. 3:1-8 -- There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

[2] a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

[3] a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,

[4] a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

[5] a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

[6] a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,

[7] a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,

[8] a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

Life is made up of seasons. There is a season to gather seed, a season to plant seed, a season to water the seed, and a season to reap the results. We recognize seasons as Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. Illustrate: My lawn does different things according to the season. In Winter, my lawn gets brown and requires little mowing… in the Spring, the lawn is getting greener and needs more care… and twice a week mowing… in the Summer, the lawn requires weekly mowing, insect control and lots of water… in the fall, the lawn begins the process of losing its green.

A. Spring

Hopeful, emerging, budding

B. Summer

Fruitful, blessings, growing

C. Fall

Weakening, fading, cooling

D. Winter

Cold, lifeless, dead

Isaiah 40:31

“…but those who hope (wait) in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Season of waiting – “but those who hope (wait) in the Lord will renew their strength;”

Season of soaring – “They will soar on wings like eagles”

Season of running – “they will run and not grow weary”

Season of walking – “they will walk and not be faint.”

Illustrate: There are no short cuts to maturity. Seasons are designed to mature us!!!

When you try to ripen fruit quickly, it loses its flavor. In America, tomatoes are usually picked unripened so they won’t bruise during shipping to the stores. Then, before they are sold, these green tomatoes are sprayed with CO2 gas to turn them red instantly. Gassed tomatoes are edible, but they are no match to the flavor of a vine-ripened tomato that is allowed to mature slowly.

KEYS TO REMEMBER ABOUT SEASONS:

1. Do the proper work of the season: (gather? plant? water? reap?)

Proverbs 20:4 - A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing.

2. Always be prepared, no matter what the season:

2 Tim. 4:2 - Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction.

3. Wait for the season of blessings:

Ezekiel 34:26 - I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.

4. There is a season of fruit for the righteous:

Psalm 1:3 – He (the righteous) is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

5. God can change your season:

Daniel 2:21a - He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them.