Pastor Curtis Mathis
Cottonwood Baptist Church
October 1, 2017
“The Falling of the Leaves”
Daniel 2:21 (CSB)
21 He changes the times and seasons;
he removes kings and establishes kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those
who have understanding.
Introduction:
Its finally happened…fall is in the air…and I have to be honest, I love fall… the chill in the morning air, hoodies, early sunsets with a cup of coffee by the fire …and the falling of the leaves…
I’m not sure if there is a more tranquil sound in the world than that of leaves as they sing their final swan song, drifting down on a gentle breeze, slowly bringing to an end a journey, a journey that started back in the spring. And it is in this hushed whisper that so many times I have been able to hear that still small voice of my God…
…and it is that voice that reminds me that Fall is about change…about the necessity of change, Louis L'Amour said it like this “the only thing that never changes is that everything changes.” Life moves on! And just as the falling leaves point to the upcoming harshness of winter and of the promise of spring time buds, often times we go through changes, seasons come to an end, and some time it is necessary for us to experience our own “Harsh Winter” …and if that is the case then we must never lose sight of the promises found in God’s Word of the approaching Spring and all the promises it holds. One such promise is found in today’s scripture reading:
Daniel 2:21 (CSB)
He changes the times and seasons;
he removes kings and establishes kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those
who have understanding.
In today’s message titled “The Falling Leaves” we will look at this verse and see the power that God ordained change can have in our lives.
“The Falling Leaves”
1. He changes the times and seasons;
• Who here can change the seasons?
Ecclesiastes 3 (CSB)
3 There is an occasion for everything,
and a time for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to give birth 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 throw stones and a time to gather stones;
a time to embrace and a time to avoid embracing;
6 a time to search and a time to count as lost;
a time to keep and a time to throw away;
7 a time to tear and a time to sew;
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.
9 What does the worker gain from his struggles? 10 I have seen the task that God has given the children of Adam to keep them occupied. 11 He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts, but no one can discover the work God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the good life. 13 It is also the gift of God whenever anyone eats, drinks, and enjoys all his efforts. 14 I know that everything God does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking from it. God works so that people will be in awe of him. 15 Whatever is, has already been, and whatever will be, already is…
2. He removes kings and establishes kings:
• Who here can control those whom rule over us?
1 Samuel 16:6-13 (CSB)
6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Certainly the Lord’s anointed one is here before him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the Lord sees, for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.” 8 Jesse called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel. “The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either,” Samuel said. 9 Then Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “The Lord hasn’t chosen this one either.” 10 After Jesse presented seven of his sons to him, Samuel told Jesse, “The Lord hasn’t chosen any of these.” 11 Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?”. “There is still the youngest,” he answered, “but right now he’s tending the sheep.” Samuel told Jesse, “Send for him. We won’t sit down to eat until he gets here.” 12 So Jesse sent for him. He had beautiful eyes and a healthy, handsome appearance. Then the Lord said, “Anoint him, for he is the one.” 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully on David from that day forward.
3. He gives wisdom to the wise
• Who here can give me the wisdom to navigate through Winters of my life?
1 Kings 3:1-14 (CSB)
3 Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt by marrying Pharaoh’s daughter. Solomon brought her to the city of David until he finished building his palace, the Lord’s temple, and the wall surrounding Jerusalem. 2 However, the people were sacrificing on the high places, because until that time a temple for the Lord’s name had not been built. 3 Solomon loved the Lord by walking in the statutes of his father David, but he also sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. 4 The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there because it was the most famous high place. He offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask. What should I give you?” 6 And Solomon replied, “You have shown great and faithful love to your servant, my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, righteousness, and integrity. You have continued this great and faithful love for him by giving him a son to sit on his throne, as it is today. 7 “Lord my God, you have now made your servant king in my father David’s place. Yet I am just a youth with no experience in leadership. 8 Your servant is among your people you have chosen, a people too many to be numbered or counted. 9 So give your servant a receptive heart to judge your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of yours?”10 Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had requested this. 11 So God said to him, “Because you have requested this and did not ask for long life[d] or riches for yourself, or the death[e] of your enemies, but you asked discernment for yourself to administer justice, 12 I will therefore do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has never been anyone like you before and never will be again. 13 In addition, I will give you what you did not ask for: both riches and honor, so that no king will be your equal during your entire life. 14 If you walk in my ways and keep my statutes and commands just as your father David did, I will give you a long life.”
4. and knowledge to those who have understanding.
• Who here has the understanding of why seasons change?
Job 38:35-36 (CSB)
35 Can you send out lightning bolts, and they go?
Do they report to you: “Here we are”?
36 Who put wisdom in the heart[a]
or gave the mind understanding?
Proverbs 3:5-6Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways know him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Closing:
So we have a choice…we can allow the inevitable course of change to dominate our lives allow it to rule over us or we can be like the leaves of Fall, gracefully coming to the end of this particular season in our lives, with the promise of Spring which will bring forth a new bud, new hope, a new beginning. Remember the Words that God spoke to Noah after the Great Flood!
Genesis 8:22 (CSB)
22 As long as the earth endures,
seedtime and harvest, cold and heat,
summer and winter, and day and night
will not cease.”
(Close from the heart)
Invitation:
Listening to the fallen leaves…
Pastor Curtis
