Seasons change!
 
Weather today-

They say  men have 4 Santa seasons in their lives: First, they believe. Second, they don’t believe; Third, they become Santa. And fourth, they resemble Santa.
 
Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8
There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:
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 from embracing,
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.
 
 
Ecclesiastes theme is that all of human life is futile without God in it.
 
As the seasons of nature are inevitable, so are the seasons of life.
Country – Church – personal lives

1. All of life is a determined cycle.

 
No matter the season, God works for good
Romans 8:28
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.
 
1 Peter 1:20
20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake
 
 
 

1. Blessings of change!

 

1. Fight our natural resistance to change. It is going to happen!
   1. We resist change because it means we are moving in and out of our comfort zones.
   2. Serenity prayer -  God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference. 

 

1. God uses the seasons of change for our growth and His glory.
   1. James 5:7
      • Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.

 
Disciples example – not ready for Jesus’ death,
 not wanting His kingdom the way He wanted it,
not ready until after he left to realize what their own true mission was – the spreading of the gospel
 

1. Changes will cause us to seek God’s guidance.
   1. Proverbs 3: 5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.
 

1. Changes will cause us to be totally dependent on God

Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
 

1. Preparing for the Seasons – change is inevitable.
   1. We need to know what we are sowing.

Hosea 10:12
Sow righteousness for yourselves,
    reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground;
    for it is time to seek the Lord,
until he comes
    and showers his righteousness on you.
 

1. No matter the seasons, we need to be prepared.

2 Timothy 4:2
2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction
 

1. Know what doesn’t change, and hang onto that.
   1. Hebrews 13: 8
2. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

 
 
Isaiah 55: 10-11

• As the rain and the snow
      come down from heaven,
  and do not return to it
      without watering the earth
  and making it bud and flourish,
      so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
  11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
      It will not return to me empty,
  but will accomplish what I desire
      and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

 
 
Be content in the season we are in. Paul
 
Philippians 4: 11-13

• I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength

We humans have been blaming others for our bad behavior since the beginning of time.

Adam blamed God and Eve for his sin.

"The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”" Genesis 3:12

Eve blamed the serpent:

"The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”" Genesis 3:13b

No matter how others treat us we are responsible for our responses. 

And Jesus said:

"There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day." John 12:48

He will ask each of us individually, Did you do what I told you to do?

46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built." Luke 6:46-48

If we rely on someone else's faith it will fail. The world and Satan want to destroy yourr foundation.

Seek Maturity:

"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling," Philippians 2:12

Salvation -- what you do with it is how you mature.

"Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble," 2 Peter 1:10

Practice! Practice! Practice! Practice your faith. It will get stronger and deeper the more you practice it.

When you get into the Word, when you get into a study you are practicing your faith.

"for each one should carry their own load." Galatians 6:5

We are so blessed! The Word is one of the biggest blessings God has given us. We have such a good Father. We have every resource we need to mature spiritually.

"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7

"But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." Luke 12:48

Do something with what God has given you. 

In the parable of the talents, the 3rd servant blamed the master for his own lack of action. You are responsibly for how you respond to other people's actions (good or bad).

"Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,[a] and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites,[b] the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so." Hebrews 6:1-3

Don't keep building the foundation over and over. Build on the foundation.

Seek Mature Spiritual Food:

"We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5:11-14

Again ..... Practice.

Be who you are supposed to be! It's okay to be nervous to take the first step. The steps get easier and easier the more you take. Don't stop growing.

Be filled with knowledge and understanding:

9" For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[a] 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God," Colossians 1:9-10

Knowledge, practice and education will help mature you spiritually.

"until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ." Ephesians 4:13-15

Grow up.
 
Self Evaluation:

Where am I at? How can I get closer to Jesus? Where do I need to go today? Is there anything holding me back from getting closer to Jesus?

Everyone starts at the same place spiritually -- 0. What would you like to have more of in your spiritual life?

(This sermon is a great sermon -- pertinent for today's political climate. I hope you take time to watch it. Also, you shall find the notes below)

Labels tear us apart -- are tearing our society apart these days. They dehumanize us and destroy relationships or the possibility of relationships. Jesus isn't into labels. We shouldn't be either.

Jesus Unconditionally Came to Save the Lost

9 "Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”" Luke 19:9-10

This is from the story about Zaccheus -- a man who was a Pariah of pariahs (outcasts). 

31 "Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”" Luke 5:31-32

6 "I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice." Ezekiel 34:16

"Therefore he is able to save completely[a] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." Hebrews 7:25

We should do the same! We need to search for the lost and bring back the strays to Jesus!

Jesus had no conditions on healing

12 "As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[a] met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”" Luke 17:12-19

This guy had two labels on them that society said should have kept Jesus away from him: a leper and a Samaritan.

Jesus didn't listen (obviously).

"As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing." John 9:1-7

The disciples tried to apply the sinner label to this situation. Jesus said, "No." Told them the man was there to be healed for God's glory (also for them to learn something). 

​Jesus showed Unconditional Compassion

"When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick." Matthew 14:13-14

Jesus was grieving for John the Baptist in these verses. He put his own grief aside and showed compassion.

Just get to work. No matter what you are dealing with in life, still show compassion.

Jesus showed no condition on personage

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Luke 10:25-29

The lawyer here knew the law -- he got part of it right, but the biggest part he got wrong. The lawyer wants Jesus to categorize people. Who's my neighbor? He wanted a simple answer. Jesus answered, "Anybody who needs you to be a neighbor. Everyone is our neighbor."

Other times when Jesus reached out to people society said he shouldn't touch or talk to or give any time to:
Mark 5 -- bleeding woman
Mark 2 -- Tax collectors
John 4 -- Samaritan woman at the well
Luke 23 -- Thief on the Cross

Big difference between what God wants to tell me and what society tells me.

Now what about us?

It's about salvation, not sin. We can't put ourselves above anyone. 

Are we unconditional Christians?

"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires." James 1:19-20



“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" Matthew 7:1-3

Instead of serving God sometimes we try to act like God (when we go around judging people. God is the one who will ultimately judge all. This isn't our job).

Cast your seed ....everywhere! Don't be picky. Just cast that seed. 

Command of Unconditional Love

 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." Luke 6:32-36

Love those who make you angry. Be kind to ungrateful and evil people. Love like Jesus. It's easy to put labels on people. It's easy to love those who agree with you. I'm asking you to love those who hate you. Jesus knows it isn't easy to do. In the end times people will be lovers of self. You -- be a reflection of the Father. Be His Light.

"Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister." 1 John 4:20-21

 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

If the world doesn't see us as those who love we are doing it wrong.