The Importance of Sorrow

Text: Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:8

 

I.         Life doesn’t remain the same - Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

            A.        There are different seasons, which brings different needs

            B.        No one likes to cry, but life isn’t always going to be rosy. Sorrow has a place in our lives.

            C.        The wise know that we need to think about sorrow - Ecclesiastes 7:4

II.        Hard times will come

            A.        When Israel sinned, God tried to stop them - II Chronicles 36:15-16

                        1.         He was only left with destruction to stop the slide into sin - II Chronicles 36:17

                        2.         Jeremiah was the prophet of that time. He wrote an entire book expressing the sorrow of God and his own – the book of Lamentations

            B.        Consider the number of Psalms that express sorrow

                        1.         Psalms 6 expresses sorrow caused by enemies

                        2.         Psalms 51 expresses sorrow for having sinned

                        3.         About a third of the Psalms are expressions of sorrow

                                    a.         Has God forgotten me? - Psalms 13:1

                                    b.         I have no friends - Psalms 88:18

            C.        Yet, those hardships train us - Hebrews 12:11

III.       Sorrow helps keep our perspective - Ecclesiastes 7:2

            A.        Death is a reality of life

            B.        We are going to have troubles with health - Ecclesiastes 12:1-7

            C.        Jobs will be lost and the economy will not always be stable

            D.        I can do all things through Christ - Philippians 4:11-13

            E.        With faith in God, we are not down to stay down - II Corinthians 4:8-9

IV.      Sorrow doesn’t last. You can look forward to being happy again - Ecclesiastes 7:3

            A.        Sadness reminds us of our need for hope

            B.        Rejoicing in grace and rejoicing in tribulation- Romans 5:1-5

            C.        We sorrow when someone dies because we are separated from them

                        1.         But we can also find comfort that the troubles for a Christian is replaced with rest - Revelation 14:13

                        2.         We don’t grieve as the world because of our hope - I Thessalonians 4:13

V.        Sorrow connects us to others

            A.        Jesus told mourners that comfort is awaiting - Matthew 5:4

            B.        Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we don’t fear - Psalms 23:4

            C.        Nothing can separate us from God’s love - Romans 8:31-39

            D.        Jesus is always with us - Matthew 28:20

            E.        It connects us to God and to each other - II Corinthians 1:3-4

            F.        We are to be sympathetic - Romans 12:15

            G.        We bear each others burdens - Galatians 6:2

VI.      I remember talking to a brother years ago. He avoided singing a song that dealt with financial problems. “My life is good. I don’t have those problems. Singing those words would be dishonest.” I simply asked, “And what will you sing when the hard-times do come?” For they are bound to come and it will be good to sing songs that express those hardships.

            A.        There is a place for sorrow in our lives

            B.        The world tries to avoid it.

                        1.         The denominations tend to focus on positive messages and uplifting songs because they are popular with people

            C.        There are times when songs of joy are not fitting - Psalms 137:3-4

            D.        It is good to know the songs of lament and good to reminds ourselves by singing them