His Time - Week 4

Ecclesiastes: your time = your life

Connecting to one another

Check any statement you have experienced in your lifetime. 

Share the one that captures your current life.

___ I have too much time on my hands.                          

___ I wish I spent more time doing _______________.

___ I don’t want this time ____________ to come.                      

___ I fondly remember the time when _____________.

___ I don’t have enough hours in my day.                       

___ When will my time for _____________ come?

___ I have to make the most of my time!                                     ­

___ Other __________________________________________

Understanding the Truth with one another

Verse by Verse ~ Topic by Topic ~ Argument by Argument

Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

1. Label the connotation of each event in the box as positive (+) or negative (-). Now make some observations about the pairings. 

o   What are some things you notice about the words in general? 

o   What do you notice about their relationship within their pairings?

o   What do you notice about the organization of the pairs as a whole?

Verse 1 serves as the thesis statement. “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven.” The Hebrew word for event literally means delight or desire. You likely noticed the author’s use of 14 polar opposites (merisms). The first –give birth | die -- captures the totality of human life. Those that follow capture the totality of how we use our time in the span from birth to death.

2. If these 14 merisms reveal the totality of human events (delights/desires), what does this also reveal about the human experience? Consider which events would be included both before and after the fall and which are only included since the fall.

3. How does the repetition of the word “time” in this poem capture how we can feel a victim of time?

Read Ecclesiastes 3:9-14

Verses 9-10 highlight what we all want to know – What is the purpose of ALL our time? 

Verses 11-14 provide answers for the totality of our lives, both the negative and the positive. We are not a victim of time; rather day by day we have the responsibility to enjoy each day as from the hand of God. 

4. Read each verse and state in plain language HOW we can do that. Keep your answer in keeping with the verses, which are specific yet general.  

Verse 11

Verse 12

Verse 13

Verse 14 

According to the Preacher, God is confident that ALL time will serve HIS desires for humanity. 

5. Review the 14 polar opposites in the text box. Brainstorm a list of how Jesus modeled His total life’s purpose in time.

6. Choose a few key events. How did Jesus engage in the ultimate fulfillment of a human’s life to both fear God and delight in Him in ALL seasons of life? 

Living the Truth as we are sent out 

I have given them your word and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them in to the world. John 17:14-18

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life – is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17

7a. Part of the purpose of wisdom literature is to prepare ourselves for God honoring responses in all our seasons of life. Our temptation in a difficult season may be to retreat from the world. Why is retreat from the world not an option for you?Use the Scriptures above to answer that question.

7b. What options do you have that align with the will of God in these verses and in Ecclesiastes 3? 

7c. How do these options allow God to transform you through difficult seasons?

8. Ironically, we can also struggle to honor God by letting Him transform us through our “good times.” Share a season when God blessed you and you let Him transform you through that time of birth, harvest, healing, laughter, dancing, embracing, searching, keeping, sewing, speaking, loving, or peace. 

Praying Through the Truth for one another

Review the lesson; then share with your group a request that seeks for God to transform you and those you love through your current season. 

Daily Personal Worship                                                                                                               

At Grace we trust Christ to transform us as we abide in Him daily.

If you are not already engaged in a Bible reading plan, then below is an option for engaging in God’s Word this week – 

Read the book of Ruth (It’s short). Notice how Ruth and Naomi learned to honor God in all seasons. The very last word in this book is “David. Jesus Our Savior comes through the line of David. Here is another example of why God is confident that ALL time will serve HIS desires for humanity. If you would like to study Ruth in more detail, search “Tom Constable Ruth” or click this link https://planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/pdf/ruth.pdf

You can pray through these passages for yourself and loved ones and for our church and community. 

God’s joy and strength to you!  

kpaulson@gracelaredo.org