A Time For Everything

We're going to begin our worship by singing to God's praise in Psalm 46 in the Scottish Psalter.

Psalm 46 in the Scottish Psalter, page 271 of the psalm book.

We're going to sing from verse 1 down to verse 7.

Psalm 46, page 271.

God is our refuge and our strength in straits a present deed.

Therefore, although the earth remove, we will not be afraid.

Though hills amidst the seas be cast, the waters roaring make and troubled be.

Yea, though the hills by swelling seas do shake.

We'll sing verse 1 to 7 to God's praise and we stand to sing.

Amen.

God is our refuge and our strength in straits a present day.

Therefore, although the earth remove, we will not be afraid.

Though hills amidst the seas be cast, though waters roaring make and troubled be.

In all the hills by swelling seas do shake.

A river is whose streams to glad the city of our God.

God is our refuge and our strength in the city of God.

God is our refuge and our strength in the city of God.

God is our refuge and our strength in the city of God.

God is our refuge and our strength in the city of God.

The Lord of hosts upon our side doth constantly remain.

God is our strength in the city of our breve, Amen.

The Holy God of hosts upon our prime

Our gracious Father in heaven, we thank you for the privilege that is in coming to worship you today on such a glorious day, a beautiful day.

Outside, we pray to know the blessing of your peace inside here as well, that you will be with us, Lord, and with all who gather to worship you this day.

We thank you that together we come to look to you and to praise your name, even as we have sung, that you are our refuge and our strength, our help in times of trouble.

And today, as we remember, Lord, so much that goes on in our world and has gone on in the past, especially on this Remembrance Sunday, we thank you for the freedom we enjoy, especially for those who gave their lives that we might have that freedom.

And we pray that from the youngest to the oldest here, we will have a great sense of thankfulness for all that we have, all that is from your hand.

And we pray today, Lord, that we will be still before you and just know that you are with us.

So bless us, we pray, Lord.

Look down upon us.

Bless the young ones as they will go through to the Sunday school in a few moments.

Lord, be with them there and watch over us all as a people here, pardoning all our sins as we ask it all in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Boys and girls, before you go through to the hall for Sunday school classes, I just want to say a few words to you.

Today is Remembrance Sunday and yesterday was Remembrance Day, the 11th of November.

It was a significant date in our calendar because we look back over a number of years and to this day and we remember those who have given such a great sacrifice for our freedom.

Many lost their lives in conflict in the past and today we remember too that around the world there are many conflicts going on.

And we do look to God to help in these times and that he might give us peace.

But there's something that we see at this time that reminds us just to pause for a few moments in remembrance.

And that is the poppy.

You'll see it, people wearing it today and you'll see it in different places.

I'm sure you've seen it during this week.

The poppy is seen at this time and it just reminds us of people who have given their lives.

I wanted to show you a poppy that was made for the church here.

It was by someone who comes to the Friday at the Free.

And a few weeks ago they gave us this.

And it's a number of poppies that have been knitted and then sewn together to make one big wreath.

And then in the middle, maybe you can't see it, but this black strip has words on it that says,

Lest we forget.

We are to remember what many people did for us in the past.

And that is really what the poppy is about.

It's a reminder for us.

It was first used in 1921.

Not long after the end of the First World War.

And the poppy was significant because after the war ended, there was a number of fields,

especially in France, where so much devastation was left.

It was just a place of mud.

And they were thinking, could anything grow here once again after all these years of war?

And the first thing that started to grow on the ground was the poppy.

And some of the fields ended up just full of poppies, red in color.

And it's a powerful reminder to us, especially when you even think of the color red,

when you think of sacrifices made, number of people who died in conflicts over many years.

And somebody said at the end of the First World War,

when you go home, tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we give our today.

And again, it's just a powerful reminder to us of the sacrifice that was made for us to enjoy freedom,

to be able to come to church, to be able to live our lives,

to be able to go to Sunday school, to enjoy our freedom.

But our greatest reminder today of our freedom is that another one gave his life,

the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our freedom from sin came at a price.

And again, the color red reminds us of that,

that Jesus shed his blood on the cross,

that we might have freedom from our sins.

So today, we do remember those who gave their lives and continue to give life for our freedom.

But above all, we remember the Lord Jesus Christ,

who died for our peace and for our salvation and our security,

that through him we might have life and life eternal.

So may God bless us today as a people and as a nation and indeed as a world

as we think of these things and pray for God's peace and presence for all his people.

Well, we'll say the Lord's Prayer together now.

Let's say the Lord's Prayer.

Amen.

Well, there's again, sing to God's praise.

This time we're singing in Psalm 139a.

This is in the Sing Psalms version.

Psalm 139a.

And we're going to sing from verse 13 down to verse 18.

This is on page 181 of the psalm book.

Psalm 139a and at verse 13.

A reminder to us that the Lord knows all about us and all his people.

For you, O Lord, created me.

You wove me on your loom.

My inmost being you have formed within my mother's womb.

Because I'm wonderfully made, with all your praise I'll tell.

Your workmanship is marvelous.

And this I know full well.

We'll sing from verse 13 to 18 to God's praise.

For you, O Lord, created me.

You hold me on your loom.

My inmost being you have formed within my mother's womb.

Because I'm wonderfully made, with all your praise I tell.

Your workmanship is marvelous.

And this I know full well.

When in the secret place my frame was made before my birth.

You saw my body yet conformed within the depths of earth.

And all the days that I should live, which you ordained for me,

Were written in your book, O Lord, before they came to me.

O God, how precious are your thoughts.

I scarred them from afar.

And as I seek to grasp them all,

How numberless they are.

Were I to count them they would be,

More than the grains of sand.

When I awake, I am with you.

Still safe within your hands.

Amen.

Well, we'll turn together to read in God's word now in the Old Testament

in the book of Ecclesiastes.

And we're reading in chapter 3.

Ecclesiastes chapter 3.

Ecclesiastes 3 · chapter mention

You know, the book of Psalms and Proverbs and then Ecclesiastes.

Ecclesiastes chapter 3.

Ecclesiastes 3 · chapter mention

And we can read the whole of this chapter together.

For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.

A time to be born and a time to die.

A time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted.

A time to kill and a time to heal.

A time to break down and a time to build up.

A time to weep and a time to laugh.

A time to mourn and a time to dance.

A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together.

A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.

A time to seek and a time to lose.

A time to keep and a time to cast away.

A time to tear and a time to sow.

A time to keep silence and a time to speak.

A time to love and a time to hate.

A time for war and a time for peace.

What gain has the worker from his toil?

I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.

He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Also he has put enmity into eternity into man's heart.

Yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

I perceive that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live.

Also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil.

This is God's gift to man.

I perceive that whatever God does endures forever.

Nothing can be added to it.

Not anything taken from it.

God has done it so that people fear before him.

That which is already has been.

That which is to be already has been.

And God seeks what has been driven away.

Moreover I saw under the sun that in the place of justice even there was wickedness.

And in the place of righteousness even there was wickedness.

I said in my heart God will judge the righteous and the wicked.

For there is a time for every matter and for every work.

I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts.

For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same.

As one dies so dies the other.

They all have the same breath and man has no advantage over the beasts.

For all is vanity.

All go to one place.

All are from the dust and to dust all return.

Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upwards and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth.

So I saw there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work.

For that is his lot.

Who can bring him to see what will be after him.

Amen.

And may God bless that reading of his word.

Let's again just bow our heads in a word of prayer.

Let us pray.

Lord our gracious God as we continue in your presence today.

We thank you that your promise is of your presence with your people.

We have such great promises in your word that never will you leave us.

Never will you forsake us.

We have sung of these promises in Psalm 46 that God is our refuge and our strength.

And all of these things remind us that we need you.

And where would we be without you?

And even in times of trouble and conflict as we remember today.

We thank you that you are the God of heaven and earth.

That you are the God who is sovereign over all things.

That you are the one who rules on high and has plans and purposes even that we cannot comprehend at times.

We cannot see or understand.

And yet we look to your word and we thank you that you remind us through it.

That as we look to the things in this world from our own perspective that we seek, where we seek understanding we cannot find it.

But yet when we look above, when we look to you as God of heaven and earth, that you are able to help us.

That you are able to give us a peace in the midst of trouble.

A peace that passes all understanding.

For your word is a word of life.

You have made us for a purpose, Lord.

You have formed us.

You have marked our days.

And we pray, Lord, that you will help us even as we live and breathe in this earth.

That we would seek to do all for your glory.

That we would seek to draw near to you and come and offer up worship and praise to you.

That even today as you remind us through your word of a time for everything.

That you will help us, Lord, to seek understanding and wisdom.

Not in our own selves or in anything of this world.

But in you.

That your spirit will minister to us and help us to have understanding.

And we do pray today, Lord, for our world.

And we pray, O Lord, in the midst of a day of remembrance.

That you will hear your praying people.

That you will look down upon us and hear a people who cry.

A people who weep.

A people who mourn.

And we pray, Lord, that you will come in your power.

That you will come to bring peace and to bring comfort.

In the midst of such devastating situations.

We do pray, Lord, that you will remember us as a people.

Even as you have done in the past.

When you have brought times of conflict to an end as we remember today.

We give thanks, O Lord, for the many occasions that you have brought nations and people.

Through such difficult days.

Such dark days.

But you are a God who has been able to bring peace when it seemed impossible.

And even today, as we think of things that are impossible for ourselves.

We thank you that all things are possible with you.

And so, Lord, hear our prayers.

Hear us, Lord, and look down upon us.

And do us good, we ask.

And we thank you that today is a day to rejoice.

Today is a day when we are reminded of your great power.

A power that is life and resurrection.

That on this first day of the week we come to worship you as our Lord and as our God.

Thankful for your Son, Christ Jesus.

Who you sent into this world.

That he would lay down his life for his people.

And that he would take it up again.

And that he would ascend on high.

And that there is a promise that he will come again.

That he will come, O Lord, to fulfill all scripture.

That he will come to fulfill all promises of peace and life and life eternal.

That he will come to bring his people together with him.

To wipe away all the tears.

And to fill our mouths with joy and singing and gladness.

And we thank you for the promise of hope that is in your word.

And we pray today that as your word is preached and proclaimed.

Far and wide.

That people will have ears to hear.

And that your spirit will work in power among us.

As a people here and throughout our nation and throughout the world.

That your word will bear much fruit.

And we do thank you, Lord, that in all our different needs.

Our needs are there many.

That we can come to you in prayer.

You are the one who hears.

And you are the only one who can help.

In so many different situations we find ourselves.

We think of those who are mourning and grieving at this time.

And we commit them to you, O Lord.

We ask your blessing, your comfort, your help towards them.

We think of those who are unwell in hospital or homes.

Or at home, their own homes.

Lord, we pray for your help towards them.

It may not be that healing will come.

But we pray, Lord, for your healing of the soul.

For you to bless as only you can.

To give hope in the midst of such uncertain times.

We pray for our people as a whole throughout our communities, Lord.

That you will look down upon us.

That you will bless us, Lord.

That you will work in our midst.

Bringing young and old.

Boys and girls.

Men and women.

To profess Christ Jesus as Lord.

Again, O Lord, we pray that you will revive our hearts.

That you will stir us up, O Lord.

That you will hear our prayers.

And so we thank you, Lord, that you are the God who is with us.

That you have not abandoned us.

That even in moments of silence, Lord, you speak to us.

For there is power even in silence.

But we thank you, Lord, that you have spoken from the very beginning.

That you created all things by the word of your power.

And we thank you, too, that you have spoken to us and speak to us even now.

Through your son, Christ Jesus.

And we pray that as we hear your word even now.

That you will speak to us all.

That you will help us to hear.

And repent and turn to you.

And so we ask all these things acknowledging our sins.

We know, Lord, how far short we fall.

And we seek forgiveness for all our sins.

We sin daily in thought, word, and indeed in action as your word says.

And we just ask your forgiveness, Lord, that you will restore us.

And that you will bless us.

So be with us now and continue to go before us throughout this day.

And throughout the days ahead, according to your will.

That you will direct us in your paths.

And hear our prayers.

And all we ask, we ask in Jesus' precious name.

Amen.

Let's again sing to God's praise.

Before we turn back to our reading in Ecclesiastes.

We're singing in Psalm 76.

In the Sing Psalms version, Psalm 76.

Page 99 of the Psalm book.

We can sing from verse 1 down to verse 9.

Psalm 76 from verse 1 down to verse 9.

In Judah's land, God's name is known.

In Israel, he is great.

In Salem, he has pitched his tent.

His home in Zion set.

He broke the fire.

He broke the fire.

He arrows there.

The military might of those who with their swords and shields against us came to fight.

We'll sing Psalm 76 verse 1 down to verse 9.

Psalms 76:1

Psalm 76.

In Judah's land, God's name is known.

In Israel, he is great.

In Salem, he has pitched his tent.

His home in Zion set.

He broke the fire.

He has pitched his tent.

In Israel, he is great.

He broke the fire.

In Israel, he is great.

In Israel, he is great.

In Salem, he has pitched his tent.

Salem, he has pitched his tent, his home in Zion set.

He broke the fiery arrows there, the military might of those who with their swords and shields against us came to fight.

Your splendor is more glorious on hillsides rich with praise.

Brave men were stripped of hope, their squirt asleep in death they lay.

Not one of those great warriors could lift his hands to kill.

At your rebuke, O Jacob's God, ride there and heart lay still.

For you alone are to be feared before you who can stand.

Who can injure your anger, Lord, the judgments you command.

From heaven your verdict was thrown out, and was hashed in awe.

When you arose to save the poor and vindicate your law.

Amen.

Well, let's turn back to our reading in Ecclesiastes chapter 3.

Ecclesiastes 3 · chapter mention

Ecclesiastes chapter 3, and it speaks here about a time for everything and how our times are in the hands of God.

Ecclesiastes 3 · chapter mention

For everything there is a season and a time.

For every matter under heaven, a time to be born and a time to die.

And so it goes on down to verse 8 where it speaks of a time to love and a time to hate.

A time for war and a time for peace.

Newspaper headlines today are designed to catch your attention.

So as you're looking online or as you're looking in the shops, you'll see the front pages.

And you'll be drawn to them by a headline that stands out.

And in order to do this nowadays, sometimes maybe truth is stretched.

Or even at times maybe a downright lie is told in order to draw attention towards that.

But there are times, however, when front page headlines do shock.

And they shock us to the point where we maybe hope that it is a lie.

That it is not true.

The headlines in newspapers at times of war are often such a time.

A time when we hope this headline may not be true.

May the suffering that we're seeing not actually be happening.

And today as we come on a day of remembrance,

when we remember the sacrifices that have been made for us as a people,

as we remember those who lost their lives and conflicts passed,

and to this day who put their lives on the line so that we might enjoy peace.

Our thoughts go back.

We reflect looking back perhaps over many years.

And when you look at newspaper headlines over the years,

there have been times when they have shocked this nation's and many nations in the world.

For example, the newspaper headline on the 5th of August 1914

was Great Britain at war with Germany.

Germany.

From that date until the end of the First World War,

four years later,

the suffering was immense and there was a horrendous loss of life that ensued.

But then, just a few years later,

25 years later,

on the 3rd of September 1939,

the newspaper headline once again had these same words on the front.

Great Britain at war with Germany.

And another conflict ensued over a long period of time,

and again,

many lives were lost.

And these are headlines that our nation has seen at different times.

In 1982 with the Falklands War,

in 2003,

and 2014

with the Gulf War.

And they are headlines that we see in our news in this past year,

and even in these days in which we live.

These things cause us to pause.

And as we think of these things today,

the Word of God speaks to us.

It speaks into our situation today,

as it always does,

that even into the darkest of times,

God's Word is able to give light,

to give direction,

and to give hope.

And to give us a hope of a better future.

To give us hope of a peaceful end.

And above all,

to give us hope for eternity.

The Word here in Ecclesiastes,

as we're going to look at,

reminds us of the realities and the truths of life.

Things that we often cannot understand.

Things that we maybe see no reason for,

and just don't have the answer to.

God's Word helps us.

Helps us in some measure to see

that He has a plan and a purpose in all things.

And the opening words of Ecclesiastes,

if you go back to chapter 1,

they're a little like a newspaper headline

that's there to shock us as well,

when it says in verse 1,

the words of the preacher,

the son of David, king of Jerusalem.

Then verse 2, it just stands out to us.

Vanity of vanities, says the preacher.

Vanity of vanities.

All is vanity.

Another translation is

meaningless, meaningless,

all is meaningless.

And surely you would expect

something more from the Word of God

than to say,

meaningless, meaningless,

all is meaningless.

Well, there are two phrases

that are used in these opening chapters

of Ecclesiastes

that help us to see a real contrast.

And one is,

as it speaks here of

under the sun,

as it says in chapter 1,

verse 3,

what does man gain by all the toil

at which he toils?

Under the sun.

Under the sun is

when we look at things

in our own perspective,

when we look at things,

seeking to understand them

by ourselves.

But then as you go into chapter 3,

the first verse there says,

for everything,

there is a season,

a time for every matter

under heaven.

And there is the contrast for us.

No longer are we looking at things

under the sun,

and seeking to look at things

from our own perspective

and our own understanding,

but now we're beginning to see

how the Lord gives us

understanding and help,

even to understand

the difficult things in life.

For everything,

there is a season,

there is a time,

and a time for every matter

under heaven.

And this is under heaven,

seeking to help us

to understand things

from God's perspective,

to look to him

in the things

that we so often

cannot understand,

and to see

that we can trust him.

So that is what

we are looking at today.

In chapter 3,

we see that things

under heaven,

things that are

in the light

of God's providence

and God's control,

that everything

that happens

in our world,

as it speaks here

of a time for everything,

a time to be born,

a time to die,

a time to love,

a time to hate,

a time for war,

and a time for peace.

That we can see it

as God is still

in control,

God is still sovereign,

God is able

to help.

And so there's three things

I want us to take

from verse 1

to verse 15

in particular.

What we're looking at here

is a time

for everything.

And that's our first thought,

a time

for everything.

But the second thing

slightly changes that

it's everything

in its time.

So we don't seek

to rush things.

Much as we would love

things to change,

that God has

everything

in its time.

And then the third thing

I want us to think about

is a time

to reflect,

a time to think

about these things.

So first of all,

we see

a time

for everything.

The opening verses

in chapter 3

remind us

of the seasons

of life

that we go through.

Verse 2

through to verse 8,

it just shows us

the way our lives

so often go.

Although these words

were written so long ago,

they still speak to us.

Each of these phrases

that you read,

it still speaks to us

to this very day.

They're a reality

of our lives

in this world

for every generation.

And the words

open with

the main events

in our lives,

a time to be born

and a time

to die.

But then you'll go down

to verse 8.

Everything else

in between

we have as well.

But verse 8

ends with

a time

of war

and a time

for war

and a time

for peace.

Now when we think

of the wars

we remember today

and the lives

that were lost,

so many of them

were just

young men

and young

women.

And it's hard

for us

to understand.

It's hard

for us

even as you

go around

cemeteries

or you look

at war memorials

and you see

every name

inscribed there

and you see

their age

beside it.

Some just

teenagers

are in their

twenties.

So many

lost their lives

so young.

It's hard

for us

to understand.

And if you think

of our own

contexts

here in our

islands,

as you think

of how many

have gone away

from our

islands

never

to return.

It's hard

for us

to understand.

Death

is something

that is always

hard for us

to understand

no matter

the context,

no matter

the situation.

And Ecclesiastes

opens,

as I've said,

with the vanity

of life

as it seems

when everything

is meaningless,

the futility

of life

when we

give no thought

to God.

nothing makes

sense.

Nothing

we can

understand

in this

world at

times.

And if we

look at life

through our

own wisdom,

if we look

at life

seeking to

find meaning

by ourselves,

where does it

lead us to

but so often

just despair?

We just

cannot

understand.

If you

attempt to

think of

things apart

from God,

because we

look at this

world and we

look at

what has

happened in

our world

in the past

and we

look at

what's

happening

in our

world today

and there

are so

many,

so many

heartbreaking

things that

have happened

and are

happening

and we

struggle to

have answers

for them

and it

only leads

us to

grief

and to

despair.

There seems

to be no

meaning and

no hope

in it.

and even

as we

come into

chapter 3

and look

at things

as a

matter

under

heaven,

as we

begin to

see in

the light

of God's

works of

providence,

as we

begin to

see that

God is in

control,

still we

can struggle

to understand

and that

is where

faith comes

in,

to believe

in God

and to

trust

him,

to see

that with

him there

is hope

because God

has appointed

a season

and a time

for everything,

for our

lives and

for the

lives of

all people.

Think of

the words

that we

sang in

Psalm 139.

In

verse 15

it says,

you saw

my body

yet unformed

within the

depths of

earth and

all the

days that

I should

live which

you ordained

for me were

written in

your book,

O Lord,

before they

came to

be.

You see

there that

God has

everything in

his hands.

There is a

time for

everything.

And so

when it

says there

is a time

to be

born and

a time

to die,

when it

says there

is a time

for war

and a time

for peace,

we see

that some

are born

for a

time of

war,

some are

born for

a time

of peace,

and some

are born

for both.

Everyone's

providence

in life

is different.

And it

can all

seem

meaningless,

but here

the only

solution to

meaningness

in life

is to

see the

sovereignty

of God,

that he

is in

control,

that there

is indeed

a time

for

everything.

As I

shared with

the children

before they

went through,

these words

are often

used at

time of

remembrance

for our

tomorrow.

They gave

their

today

a time

for

everything.

They

sacrificed

that we

might have

a freedom

to live.

We don't

always

understand

this life,

but God

is in

control.

The poem

The Weaver's

Shuttle

speaks so

powerfully

into our

sort of

lack of

understanding.

As it

says,

not till

the loom

is silent

and the

shuttles

cease to

fly,

shall God

unroll the

canvas and

explain the

reason why.

The dark

threads are

as needful

in the

weaver's

skillful

hand as

the threads

of gold

and silver

in the

pattern he

has planned.

As we

think of

meaning

that God

gives to

life,

the things

that we

don't

understand,

ultimately

it brings

us to

the cross

and to

see there

even the

darkest of

days.

As there

was darkness

at midday

as Jesus

was crucified,

nothing

seemed to

make sense

even to

God's

people then,

but God

had a

plan and

a purpose.

He is

the

resurrection

and the

life.

There is

a time

for

everything.

The

second

thing we

see here

is that

everything

is in

its

time.

Written

3,000

years ago,

these words

in Ecclesiastes

still speak

powerfully

to us.

What was

happening

then still

happens

to this

day.

In

chapter 1

verse 9

it says,

there is

nothing new

under the

sun.

And even

as we

look in

the world

in which

we live

today,

we say

there is

nothing new

under the

sun.

As we

think of

man's

inhumanity

to man,

there is

nothing new

under the

sun.

Still

people live

without any

thought of

God,

just as

they did

in the

days of

the

writer to

the

Ecclesiastes.

But when

we see

things as

under God's

sovereign rule,

as under

heaven,

in light of

who God

is,

God at

work in

every

period of

time,

in every

generation,

moving things

on by

his will

and his

purpose,

we see

that he

is in

control.

In

chapter 1

it speaks

of the

cycle of

life almost

in the

sense of

going round

and round

in a

circle.

When you

look at

verse 4

through to

verse 9

of chapter 1,

you can read

it again in

your own time,

it says,

a generation

goes and

a generation

comes,

but the

earth remains

forever.

And so it

goes on to

speak about

our lives as

almost this

way the sun

rises, the

sun goes

down and

hastens to

the place

where it

rises.

There is

this constant

just going

round and

round in

life.

It almost

seems that

there is no

direction.

But here

in verse

11, we

see that

as we

see things

under

heaven and

in God's

control, in

chapter 3,

verse 11, he

says, he

has made

everything

beautiful in

its time.

In its

time.

That God

has time

in his

hands.

That

everything

is in

his time.

His promise

is that he

will make

everything

beautiful in

its time.

even the

most difficult

experiences

of life.

But it

is in

his

appointed

time.

Things

don't just

happen.

It isn't

just a

random

sequence of

events.

We are

looking at

things here

in light of

God who

has time

and everything

in his

hands, who

gives

direction.

the Bible

often speaks

of things

being at

the right

time.

Romans 5,

Romans 5:6

verse 6

says, for

while we

were still

weak, at

the right

time, Christ

died for

the ungodly.

We don't

rush God.

We don't

make him

move quicker

even though we

would want it

at times, but

at the right

time.

he will

make things

right.

God is

working.

God will

put things

right.

That is the

promise of

his word, even

in times and

situations that

seem to make

no sense to

us.

There are

numerous stories

told of

heroic actions

during times

of conflict.

I'm sure you

know many

of them.

One I

have heard

so often

and recall

so often

is about

a ship

called

the

Jarvis

Bay.

Back in

1940, in

the early

years of

the Second

World War,

the Jarvis

Bay was

part of a

convoy

making its

way across

to the

United

Kingdom,

across the

Atlantic.

On the

5th of

November

1940, they

came under

attack from

a battleship

called the

Admiral

Shear.

convoy.

The convoy

was in

great danger.

The battleship

was too

powerful for

the convoy

and one

by one

it was

starting to

take the

ships out.

But the

Jarvis Bay,

the captain

of the

Jarvis Bay,

decided to

take action

and he

turned the

ship towards

the battleship,

the Admiral

Shear.

And although

they only

had small

guns on

board,

they engaged

in battle

with this

battleship,

knowing it

was hopeless,

but hoping

that it would

give enough

time for

the convoy

to get

further ahead

and further

away.

And so

it did.

The convoy

escaped,

but it was

at a great

cost.

The Jarvis

Bay was

sunk,

and of

the 255

on board,

187,

were lost.

It was a

great loss

of life.

They turned

knowing it

was futile,

but in the

hope of

saving others.

The reason

I know

this story

so well

is because

I sailed

on a

ship in

my own

time at

sea called

the Jarvis

Bay.

It was

the third

one to

have been

built.

And on

board was

a memory

towards the

first Jarvis

Bay,

the story

was told

of the

original

Jarvis

Bay that

had made

that

sacrifice.

It was

a powerful

witness.

Even though

I wasn't

a Christian

at the

time,

it was

a powerful

witness.

But there's

nothing more

powerful than

the witness

of the

one who

gave his

life for

us on

the cross.

But all

of these

things,

they remind

us of

what it

says here

that the

Lord has

made

everything

beautiful

in its

time,

but it

says there

in verse

11,

he has

put

eternity

into

man's

heart.

Eternity

is before

us all

at such

times as

these.

It's

always

before us.

But on

a day of

remembrance,

as we

think of

the lives

given for

our

freedom,

eternity

becomes

more

powerful.

We all

have

eternity

before

us.

And

Thomas

Watson,

the

Puritan,

once said,

eternity

to the

godly

is a

day that

has no

sunset,

but eternity

to the

wicked

is a

night

that has

no

sunrise.

And that

is the

difference.

Eternity

for the

godly

is a

day that

has no

sunset.

We will

be in

the light

of the

Lord for

all

eternity.

But

eternity

to the

wicked

is a

night

that

has

no

sunrise,

no

hope

of

light,

darkness

for

all

eternity.

The

Lord

has a

time

for

everything

and

everything

in its

time.

But

where are

we when

we think

of our

freedom

today,

our

freedom

to

worship,

our

freedom

that is

offered

in

Christ,

the

eternity

before

us.

Where

are

we?

The

third

thing we

see here

is a

time to

reflect.

It's a

time to

pause

and

remember

and it's

a time

to reflect

for

ourselves.

As we

have stopped

in silence

for a

moment

today as

we come

under

the

word

for

a

time,

it

brings

to

mind

things

that

we

can

so

easily

forget.

We

don't

want to

go away

from

here

and

just

forget

all

that's

been

done

for

us.

We

don't

want to

go away

from

here

today

and

forget

all

that

the

word

of

God

is

saying

to

us.

That

there

is a

time

for

everything.

That

everything

is in

its

time.

God

has

put

eternity

into

our

hearts

so we

might

reflect

on

these

things.

We

don't

forget

our

past,

but let's

not forget

our

future

either.

We

may not

understand

his time

and his

purpose

as always.

There are

many things

we can

struggle

to

understand,

but we

remember

that we

will

step

out

of

time

and

into

eternity.

And what

we do

with our

time

now

is what

matters.

There are

times

of war

in this

world.

We are

seeing such

days

in other

parts of

the world

even

today.

But we

remember

as the

word

says

there is

a time

for

peace.

peace.

And that

is what

we pray

for today.

Peace.

Peace from

war.

Peace from

conflict.

But above

all,

peace in

Christ.

That we

might know

his peace

that passes

understanding.

One of the

most powerful

images of

wartime

is at a

time of

ceasefire.

A time

when peace

comes.

When you

see armies

marching

back from

battle.

Often

dirty,

tired,

carrying

wounded.

And their

own wounds

are obvious.

And yet

because of

peace

there may

be joy.

And for

the

Christian,

that is

the promise

too.

That though

there are

many things

that we

suffer in

this world,

although there

is a

reality of

a time

to be

born and

a time

to die,

a time

of war

and a

time of

peace,

there is

a reality

of a

greater

day as

well.

A day

spoken of

in Isaiah

Isaiah 35:8

35,

verse 8

through

verse 10

where it

says,

a highway

shall be

there and

it shall

be called

the way

of holiness.

The

unclean

shall not

pass over

it,

it shall

belong to

those who

walk on

the way.

Even if

they are

fools,

they shall

not go

astray.

No lion

shall be

there,

nor shall

any ravenous

beast come

upon it.

They shall

not be

found there,

but the

redeemed

shall walk

there.

And the

ransomed

of the

Lord shall

return and

come to

Sion with

singing.

Everlasting

joy shall

be upon

their heads.

They shall

obtain gladness

and joy,

and sorrow

and sighing

shall flee

away.

There we

are reminded

of a

greater day

for the

Christian,

a day

that Isaiah

prophesied,

a day that

the book of

Revelation

speaks of

being fulfilled,

a day when

he will wipe

away every

tear.

Today,

we remember

those who

served and

who serve.

We remember

those who

gave the

ultimate

sacrifice,

who lay

down their

lives for

our peace

and our

freedom.

But above

all today,

let us

remember the

one who

gives us

peace.

The news

headlines so

often shock

us.

A war,

a time of

war when

a war has

broken out.

We see

these headlines

that shock

us.

We see the

devastation it

brings.

And we

pray for

peace.

Today,

that is our

prayer for

the world

in which we

live,

that we

may know

days of

peace,

days of

freedom.

But above

all,

let us

remember the

Lord.

There is a

time for

everything.

But everything

is in its

time.

And God

has put

eternity

into the

heart of

man.

So let's

not see

things as

under the

sun,

where we

struggle to

understand.

Let's see

things under

heaven,

that God

rules,

that he

is with

us,

and that

he will

give joy

and gladness

to his

people when

he takes

them to

himself.

Let us

pray.

Our

Father in

heaven,

we thank

you for

your word,

a word that

speaks in

every situation

and circumstance

of life for

us.

We thank

you that it

speaks not

just for

this day,

but for

eternity too,

for you have

put eternity

in all our

hearts.

And we

pray,

Lord,

that on

this day

of reflection,

on this

day of

remembrance,

that we

will give

thanks,

O Lord,

for the

freedom that

we enjoy,

that we

will realize

too that

the greatest

price of

all has

been paid,

that Christ

came to

lay down

his life

for his

people.