Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 – New Year, New… – Bible study

Ecc 3:1-8 New Year, New Time is such an intricate, powerful, and seemingly necessary master that I think we sometimes forget that time is a temporary creation of God. There was a time when there was no time and there will be a time when time is no more. Time will be eliminated when all the saved get to heaven and all the lost get to the Lake of Fire. From that point, there will only be forever. The Bible does not specifically tell us when time began and it does not tell us specifically when time will end, but I would guess that time began when God created the sun and the moon for the Bible says: Ge 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And I would guess that it will end when the existing heavens and earth flee away \#Rev 20:1\. If God created time just for now, the time when humans are on this earth, then it seems that time is a tool, something that God uses and we can use. In other words, time is something that can help us. We often think of time as our enemyand sometimes it is; but God also gave it to us for our good. Time gives us the opportunity to start over. God knew when He made us that we would sin and that we would need to start over. So God created time. Every 60 seconds, we get a new minute. Every 60 minutes, a new hour. Every 24 hours, a new day, and every 365 days a new year. As we begin this New Year, what can be new for us? I. New Year, New Life A. In the New Year, we have a new life. 1. I did not say we "can have" a new life. I said we have a new life. 2. This is not just for the unsaved people, but for the saved too. 3. Everyone gets a New Year and can start a new life. 4. Unsaved people especially need a new life. B. To the unsaved, like it or not, your old life has not been pleasing to God. 1. It has nothing to do with your intentions. They may have well meaning. 2. It has nothing to do with the results so far. You may have some significant accomplishments. 3. It has to do with the fact that anything and every thing you do without God is an offense to Him. a. Most people do not understand this about God. b. He insists on being the center of your whole world. c. That is what God meant when He said: Romans 24:23 for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Tit 1:15 Unto the pure (saved) all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him. Ex 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. d. Why is God "jealous" of our making it "on our own"? (1) Because although God created us with many gifts and abilities, He never intended us to use those gifts and abilities to walk away from Him. (2) That is what the human race is doing. That is like the husband or wife who works to make money and then the mate takes the riches that have been provided and uses them to have an affair with someone else. (3) When Eve used her intellect, strength, and free will to sin against God, she chose sin over God, the devil over God, self over God; and we have been doing the same thing our entire life. 4. 2016 can be year when we decide to live a new life. a. One with God instead of against God. b. One pleasing God instead of offending God. c. One serving God instead of serving the devil. C. To the saved, it may be that we need a new life as well. 1. While we may be saved, if we are living sinfully, selfishly, then we are guilty of the same thing. 2. Unsaved people are not the only ones to live the selfish, sinful life. 3. Saved people can be "doing their own thing" just like unsaved people and while you may still be Gods child, the immediate results are the same. a. You have offended God by using His gifts and talents with Him. b. You are working against God instead of for Him. c. You are serving the devil instead of God. D. The New Year offers you a new life. 1. Lost person, repent and trust Christ as your Savior. 2. Saved person, repent and confess you have been living the selfish sinful life. II. New Year, New Master A. In the New Year, if we are to have a new life, we must have a new Master. 1. It makes sense that something must change. a. Someone defined crazy as doing the same things over and over while expecting different results. b. We can modify it as Christians and say crazy is committing the same sins over and over again and expecting life to get better. 2. To have a new life, a big change is necessary. a. The change that comes from within us is not sufficient. b. We need a new Master. c. We need Jesus Christ. 3. To receive Jesus, we must do two things. a. We must believe. b. We must repent. B. For most of us, the missing component in life is not faith, it is repentance. 1. I am speaking to both the saved and the unsaved. 2. Most of you would not be in this place on this day unless you already believed that Jesus was Gods Son; that He was virgin born, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose on the third day. 3. However, many believing those Bible truths will still go to hell when they die for they have never repented of their selfish, sinful lives. 4. No one can be saved unless they surrender control of their lives to Jesus. Lu 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. C. Repentance means you accept Jesus Christ not only as your Savior but as your Master. 1. Lets not sugar coat this. a. It means you no longer have control over your life. b. You will do what the Bible says and follow where the Holy Ghost leads. 2. The Holy Ghost will help you, but you have to fight your old nature and habits to follow Him. 3. If you want a new life this year, you are going to have to accept a new Master. III. New Year, New Ways A. In this New Year, we must have new ways. If you want the new life and take the New Master, you will have some new ways. B. We must get out from under the bondage of sin. Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 1. I seldom preach on specific sins. Why? a. No matter how many I mention, I may miss yours so you might think you are all right. b. If I do happen to mention yours, you will think I am preaching to you. 2. However, sin is out-of-controlin the world and in the churchso let me mention some. a. Lying, stealing, lusting, cussing, being profane, committing adultery, taking Gods name in vain, watching and listening to trash, using and abusing drugs, being lazy, and being preoccupied with worldly activities. b. If you want a better life, you must live it like God intended. C. We must do the works of righteousness. Ac 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. 1. To do right is not merely the opposite of not doing wrong. a. You might think that all there is to righteousness is telling the truth instead of a lie or working instead of stealing. b. No. That is more getting out from under the bondage of sin. c. Living righteous is living like Jesus lived. (1) It is blessing when cursed. (2) It is turning the cheek when smitten. (3) It is forgiving when there is no request. (4) It is praying for an enemy while they are still twisting the knife. (5) It is going the second mile when required to only go one. d. Being righteous is doing the right thing (1) when getting even would make you feel better. (2) when every fiber in your body wants to do something else. (3) because it is right thing to do. e. Such a life cannot be lived until you have chosen Jesus as your Master no matter what. 2. Get this. a. Just as to attempt to live the better life without God as your Master will offend God because you sought it without Him, so to fail to live a better life with God as your Master will offend Him! b. Someone says, "God is hard to please!" (1) No. He just wants you to surrender to Him and to do right. (2) That is two things you cannot do without Jesus Christ and two things you cannot fail to do with Jesus Christ. D. We will have the attitudes of the Holy Spirit. 1. It is not just our actions that make up a life. It is attitudes as well. Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 2. The right action done with the wrong attitude is still wrong! a. So God wants us to love when circumstances call for us to hate. b. He wants to fill us with joy when circumstances require sadness. c. He wants to give us peace when circumstances urge turmoil. d. He wants us to be patient, gentle, and good when circumstances invoke anger, harshness, and meanness. e. He wants us to believe when circumstances tell us to doubt. f. He wants us to be meek when circumstances demand we be selfish. g. He wants us to be calm when circumstances summon rashness. Obviously, all of these are beyond our ability. For us to react in such a way requires a total renovation. Some thing different some thing new must take place. That some thing is some One. We must choose the new life. We must choose the new Master. Jesus died on the cross to give you the new life. Re 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.. Rev 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. Come and accept it this morning!