“A TIME TO PLANT, AND A TIME TO PLUCK WHAT IS PLANTED”

INTRODUCTION

A. Ecclesiastes 3:1

1. “The words of the Preacher” (1:1), Solomon, inform us that a time is available for every event that transpires in the lives of men.

2. Over the next several weeks, we intend to study each of these.

B. Ecclesiastes 3:2c-d Our study resumes today with “a time to plant and a time to pluck what is planted.”

I. “A TIME TO PLANT”

A. Naturally

1. Genesis 1:11-12; 2:8-9 God Himself did the original planting, including a garden especially prepared for the first couple.

2. Genesis 8:22 Following the flood, God promised that “a time to plant” would exist so long as the earth remains.

3. Genesis 9:20; 21:33; Proverbs 31:16; Ecclesiastes 2:4-5 Several biblical figures may be observed as having planted.

B. Spiritually

1. Galatians 6:7-9 What is true naturally is true spiritually as well: what we sow or plant is what we reap.

2. Galatians 5:16-26 One should be careful to plant of the “fruit of the Spirit.”

a. Romans 8:1-14

b. Philippians 3:3

c. John 6:63

3. 1st Corinthians 3:5-9 Let’s be planters in “God’s field.”

4. Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23

a. Luke 8:11 The seed is the word of God and His kingdom.

b. 1st Peter 1:22-23 The seed is imperishable and brings about rebirth.

c. Matthew 13:19; Mark 4:15; Luke 8:12 The soil is the heart, or the character, of each person who hears the word.

II. “A TIME TO PLUCK WHAT IS PLANTED”

A. Explanation By “pluck,” Solomon did not have reference to simply picking, gleaning, or reaping a harvest. The word he used indicates nothing short of uprooting.

B. Application

1. Jeremiah 1:10

a. Rooting out sin is the responsibility of prophets and preachers.

b. Notice that Jeremiah’s responsibilities demanded a two to one ratio of negative to positive preaching.

i. 2nd Timothy 4:2

ii. Exodus 20:3-17

2. Matthew 5:28-30 Pluck out the lustful eye.

a. 2nd Peter 2:14 Do you have “eyes full of adultery”?

b. Psalm 101:3; 119:37 Resolve yourself to avert your eyes from wickedness!

c. Proverbs 6:25-29 The most effective way to avoid the sin of adultery is to refrain from thinking about it.

3. Matthew 15:13 The Lord will uproot anything planted other than His own.

a. Hermeneutics

i. We understand that we may determine God’s will on a given subject by examining:

? Commands.
Examples.
Necessary inference.

ii. But what is meant by His silence?

Either God tacitly approves of whatever He has not directly forbidden…
Or, He implicitly forbids whatever He has not expressly sanctioned.

b. Here, we learn that God only endorses those things He has Himself “planted.”

i. 1st Peter 4:11

ii. 1st Corinthians 4:6

iii. 2nd John 9

CONCLUSION

Are you now planting what you will later wish to reap?

A. If not, uproot your sin and anything established without God’s approval.

B. Begin planting the fruit of the Spirit, using the seed, which is the word of God.

Grace Be With You, Bryan Matthew Dockens

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