Episode Details

Human experience, emotion, and endeavor under heaven are dominated and dictated by the transitory, temporary, unpredictable, even futile. If there is any hope for us, it is located in the character, nature, and actions of the God who is in heaven:

Beautiful, Eternal, Generous, Sovereign Creator and Redeemer. 

The Preacher says, "A time to seek and a time to lose."

Jesus says, "The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost."

The Preacher says, "A time to be born and a time to die."

Jesus says, "Whoever believes in me shall never die."

The Preacher says, "A time to mourn and a time to dance."

Jesus says, "I will turn your mourning into dancing."

The Preacher says, "A time to weep and a time to laugh."

Jesus says: "There will be no more crying...anymore."

The Preacher says, "A time to keep and to cast away...to embrace and to refrain from embracing...to tear and to sew...to plant and to pluck up."

Jesus says, "whoever comes to me I will never cast out." He runs toward us with open arms like the father of the lost Son. Instead of ripping us to shreds in just judgment, He came to be ripped to shreds for our sake, tearing also the curtain in the temple, that He might sew together and restore that which was torn apart by sin and death; to be the grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies and bears much fruit.

And this compels us to live what is *in* heaven *under* heaven:

The Preacher says, "A time to love and a time to hate."

Jesus says, "Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you."

The Preacher says, "A time for war and a time for peace."

Jesus says, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting."

The Preacher says, "A time to break down and a time to build up."

Jesus says through the Apostle: "you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood..."

The Preacher says, "A time to keep silence and a time to speak."

Jesus says, "You will be my witnesses."