If Only I Knew When (Ecclesiastes 3:1-15)

If Only I Knew When Ashley Herr Sermon Notes Sermon Series: Ecclesiastes - Striving After Wind Sermon Title: If Only I Knew When Passage: Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 Preacher: Ashley Herr Small Group Guide A Poem on Time (3:1-8) There are beginnings and ends to all things, a seasonality to them Some seasons only happen once - while others happen again and again Some seasons are within our control, they are something we choose - while others are outside of our control, they are chosen for us Some seasons we see coming - while others sneak up on us There is an appropriate time for all things, a right time to do them That’s true of the emotions we feel, the decisions we make, and the actions we take A Reflection on Time (3:9-11) Rather than asking “When will Jesus return?”, we should be asking “How will I live until Jesus returns?” Another Perspective on Time (3:12-15) 1. Find Joy (v12-13) in what you already have been given in Who has given you all you have in what you already do in where God already has you 2. Do Good (v12) Meeting the physical, relational, and spiritual needs of others 3. Trust God (v14-15) Reflection Ask yourself: How will I live until Jesus returns? How will I use the time I have been given? How will I find joy in what God has already given me, where He has already led me? How will I do good to those He has brought into my life and placed in my path? How will I trust Him regardless of the circumstances I’m facing and the emotions I’m feeling? Read Ephesians 5:15-20