Timing Is Everything

Unity Baccalaureate - Sunday Eve. May 20th

Class motto for the Unity senior class of 2007:

We laughed until we had to cry,

We loved right to our last goodbye

but over the years we will recall

for just one moment, we had it all.

As I read your class motto the concept of time raced through my mind and my heart. I thought back to my High School years and pondered the thought “Time – how quickly it comes and goes! Then I thought – “Time is such a valuable commodity – It’s really priceless!”

Opening Video Illustration: In Time by Blue Fish TV -- This clip reveals to us how valuable our time is and how it should not be wasted.

Sermon Title: “Timing is everything!”

Thesis: Timing is everything so we must understand that we cannot waste our time but use it to make a difference for eternity.

Scripture Text: Ecclesiastes 3:1 -14 - main portion (15-22)

1 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.

9What does the worker gain from his toil? 10I have seen the burden God has laid on men. 11He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. 13That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. 14I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.

15 Whatever is has already been,

and what will be has been before;

and God will call the past to account.

16And I saw something else under the sun:

In the place of judgment—wickedness was there,

in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

17I thought in my heart,

“God will bring to judgment

both the righteous and the wicked,

for there will be a time for every activity,

a time for every deed.”

18I also thought, “As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. 19Man’s fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. 20All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. 21Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”

22So I saw that there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?

Introduction:

You could say, “Timing is everything!” There is a time to study and a time to take tests. There is a time to listen and a time to talk. There is time to ask questions and a time to be quiet. There is time to have fun and a time to be serious. There is time to prepare for things and a time to do things. Timing is a major part of life and learning “What time it is becomes crucial to success and to failure in life.”

For instance if I did not show up tonight on time then I could not be addressing you tonight. My timing would be off. If I showed up tomorrow night instead of tonight then I would have missed this wonderful opportunity to speak to all you graduate’s. Timing does make a difference in life as a matter of fact it’s critical.

T.S. - Our Scripture text which was read earlier highlighted the importance of timing in life and also the importance of how we use our time and it’s relation to eternity