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Please enjoy this message delivered by Pastor Mark Hudson.
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LearningTranscript
00:00If you've been around long enough, you know that I enjoy reading Harry R. R. Voldemort.
00:04I really enjoy the writing, whether it's the Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit.
00:09I enjoy reading the works.
00:11There's an interesting event that takes place in the book called The Hobbit.
00:16And Bilbo Baggins gets separated from his traveling companions and ends up in a dark cave.
00:22It's while he's in this cave, he finds the ring, the one ring that will rule them all.
00:26If you're familiar with the story.
00:28But he also encounters a hideous creature called Gollum.
00:32Gollum. Gollum.
00:34Watch the book.
00:36Gollum wants to eat Bilbo Baggins.
00:40Bilbo wants out of the cave.
00:43So Gollum says, okay, listen.
00:47If you can answer the riddle, I'll let you out.
00:52If you cannot answer the riddle, then I'm going to eat you.
00:55So you can imagine he had quite a motivation to answer the riddle.
00:59And he felt he was good at riddles, so he took on the challenge.
01:02So here's the riddle.
01:03One of the riddles that was posed to Bilbo.
01:06This thing all things devours.
01:09Birds, beasts, trees, flowers.
01:13Gnaws iron, bites steel, grinds hard stone to peel.
01:17Slays king, ruins town, and beats high mountain down.
01:22And Bilbo's stumped.
01:24He doesn't know the answer to this one.
01:26He's not heard this riddle before.
01:28He's thinking to himself, if I answer it wrongly, I'm going to get eaten by this creature.
01:33So he's pondering, he's pondering.
01:35And Gollum is impatient.
01:36So Bilbo says, just give me time.
01:38And all Gollum hears is the word time, which is the answer to the riddle.
01:44Time.
01:45Time.
01:47Beats high mountains down.
01:49Time slays kings and ruins town.
01:51So Bilbo doesn't get eaten, and Gollum is quite upset.
01:56We have been learning that nothing under the sun remains.
02:02That is, life underneath the sun.
02:04In comparison to life above the sun.
02:06Life underneath the sun is temporary.
02:09It is transient.
02:11In comparison to that which is above the sun, that which is eternal and permanent,
02:15it cannot last, and it cannot satisfy.
02:17It doesn't answer the deepest question of life.
02:22It doesn't propose meaningful existence.
02:27How then should we live this earthly life under the sun?
02:32You and I have been granted life.
02:33We are here.
02:34We are living.
02:34We are breathing.
02:35We are alive.
02:37Well, at least I hope that you're alive.
02:39Your physical bodies are here, but I hope that you're actually alive.
02:43Well, how do I live this life under the sun that has been granted to you as a gift?
02:46What should I focus on?
02:50What should be the main important thing, the one thing?
02:53What is the ultimately important thing in life?
02:57What do I need to know as I live underneath the sun?
03:01What is it important for us to understand?
03:04Solomon continues on his discussion with us, his wisdom literature with us on him.
03:09How should we live underneath the sun?
03:13This life that has been granted to us.
03:16And he wants us to understand in chapter 3 that the divine care and direction of God oversees all the details of a person's life.
03:26This divine care and direction.
03:28Another way we want to call it is the providence of God.
03:31God is providentially working in the world for his glory and for our good.
03:38So we see here the divine care and the direction of God oversees every detail of a person's life.
03:46Since I'm a good-bound creature, what do I need to do to enjoy this life under the sun that has been granted to me?
03:57And you notice in the first part of chapter 3, this is a poem.
04:00It's a poem.
04:01Now, you'll recognize in your Bibles, at least I hope your Bibles is formatted this way.
04:06In your Bibles, look at the formatting of the verses 1 through 8.
04:10Verse 1 is anomaly, it's actually 2 through 8.
04:13The format is offset.
04:15So that tells us immediately, the translators understand, this is a poem.
04:19This is poetic language.
04:21So you read through the Psalms, you'll see they're all offset.
04:24Read through the book of Job, they're all offset.
04:26It's poetic language.
04:27There is some narrative in Job.
04:29So, even the prophet Isaiah has a lot of poetic language, poetic prophecies.
04:34So you see the format here.
04:35That tells us immediately that it's poetry.
04:38Poetry has its own way of interpretation.
04:40We interpret it differently than narrative.
04:42But it's a poem.
04:44So he gives us this poem when he talks about just human things in life.
04:48Things that are constructive.
04:49Things that are destructive.
04:51Things that form separations or cause separations or form unions.
04:56Just the everyday stuff of life.
04:58It's not that you and I experience.
05:01So he wants to discuss the everyday stuff of life in these verses here.
05:05Verses 1 through 8.
05:07This is what he says.
05:07For everything, there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.
05:16A time to be born and a time to die.
05:19A time to plant and a time to pluck up for this plant.
05:23A time to kill and a time to heal.
05:25A time to break down and a time to build up.
05:28A time to weep and a time to laugh.
05:31A time to mourn and a time to dance.
05:34A time to cast away stone and a time to gather stones together.
05:39A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.
05:43A time to seek and a time to lose.
05:45A time to keep and a time to cast away.
05:48A time to tear and a time to sow.
05:51A time to keep silence and a time to speak.
05:54A time to love and a time to hate.
05:57A time for war and a time for peace.
06:01These are the stuff of everyday human existence underneath the sun.
06:05This is what we all experience.
06:07Every one of these we can see in our world around us.
06:10We've seen and experienced some of these in ourselves.
06:13These are specific point of time events.
06:18They're not duration of time.
06:20They're events in one's life.
06:22Not the duration of one's life.
06:23But events in how many of one's life.
06:25Let's be the point in time.
06:29These are events that are determined by God.
06:31And are outside of human control.
06:36God appoints these times.
06:38He appropriates these times.
06:41For his sovereign will and the further amount of this plan of redemption in history.
06:46He brings these things into our life.
06:48And it's outside of our control.
06:50Now, you know as well as I do.
06:52At least I'm saying I'm a recovering control freak.
06:55Teresa doesn't think so.
06:56She thinks I'm still a control freak.
06:58And for a control freak to say,
07:00This is outside of my control.
07:02I don't like it.
07:03I don't want to be in control.
07:06I want to control the events in my life.
07:08But there are things that you and I understand that are outside of our control.
07:12We have no control over them.
07:14The problem is Isaiah said this.
07:16I form light and create darkness.
07:19I make well-being and I create calamity.
07:23Did you see that?
07:25That's God speaking.
07:26I create calamity.
07:29I create hard times.
07:30I create things in your life that you think are bad.
07:34They're not.
07:37He goes on to say,
07:38I am the Lord who does all these things.
07:42You notice verse 2, 3, this poem that I was talking about.
07:44These are antithetical pieces.
07:47So in other words,
07:48there are two opposites on each extreme.
07:50Both can't exist at the same time.
07:52So there are two opposites.
07:53It's antithetical.
07:56No amount of effort can change the time God has determined.
08:01Now, you notice verse number 6?
08:03It says there's a time to keep and a time to cast away.
08:06This is the biblical authority for garage sales.
08:09So if you ever have a garage sale,
08:11we have a biblical authority for garage sales.
08:12There's time to cast stuff away.
08:14Or as Jesus said,
08:14donate it.
08:15It's a good thing too as well.
08:16Don't just throw it away.
08:17Now, you notice he said there's a time to hate.
08:22Now, he's not advocating hate.
08:23He's not saying this is a good thing.
08:25He's simply saying it exists in human life.
08:29Hate is there.
08:30You can see it around us.
08:31So he's not saying this is a good thing to hate.
08:33That's not what he's saying.
08:34He's simply saying this exists.
08:36You recognize it.
08:39He is stating the facts of human existence.
08:42He's not making ethical statements
08:43about whether a war is just or unjust
08:45because he says it's a time for a war.
08:47So he's not making an ethical statement.
08:48He's simply saying it happens in human existence.
08:51These are the things we understand
08:53as being part of life under the sun.
08:56Each moment we live is God appointed
08:59in a person who cannot and does not control it.
09:03Again, that makes some of us feel a little bit uncomfortable.
09:07But God is in control.
09:10It's something he wants us to understand.
09:12So we live this life under the sun.
09:14God appoints certain things.
09:16In its season, in its time,
09:19for his glory and our good.
09:22In everything, we depend upon the providence of God.
09:25That's the direct care and sustenance of God
09:29in the times and seasons of life
09:31which are beyond our control.
09:33I think he wants to get that point across.
09:36God is at work in our lives
09:38and we are not in control.
09:40He is in control.
09:41So what he's trying to say to us is this.
09:46Everything comes from the hand of God.
09:49Everything comes from the hand of God.
09:51Now, you would say directly, yes,
09:54and sometimes indirectly,
09:56or we would say God allows something to come.
09:59Think of Job.
10:01Think of Job.
10:02You know the story of Job.
10:03God allowed Satan to inflict a sickness by God.
10:07God allowed him.
10:08What we have to understand
10:09is that everything comes from the hand of God.
10:12Our life comes from the hand of God.
10:16Our health comes from the hand of God.
10:19Our spouse comes from the hand of God.
10:22Listen!
10:24Our spouse!
10:25Love your spouse!
10:27She or he comes from the hand of God.
10:28You know, this is one of those things
10:30that got allowed, I'm sure.
10:33No, don't say that!
10:35No!
10:36No!
10:38Your spouse comes from the hand of God.
10:40Your children come from the house,
10:41your home comes from the hand of God.
10:44Your vehicles that you drive,
10:46all the material things we have,
10:48all come from the hand of God.
10:50Everything comes from the hand of God.
10:53That's great.
10:55But let me say this to you.
10:56Everything comes from the hand of God.
11:02Day of your death comes from the hand of God.
11:06A sickness comes from the hand of God.
11:11The death of a spouse or a child
11:13comes from the hand of God.
11:17To lose all of our material things
11:19in a tornado or in a flood,
11:21it comes from the hand of God.
11:23And you and I bristle at that thought
11:26and think it's just not fair.
11:28But what we have to understand
11:29is that God is in control
11:30of all things in this sovereign plan
11:33and He knows what is for our good
11:36and what is for His glory.
11:40Everything we receive from Him
11:42is for His glory and our good.
11:46We have to believe Him.
11:47We cannot live a meaningful life
11:50if we cannot grasp this.
11:52Everything that comes from the hand of God
11:54is for His glory and for my good.
11:59Diane Wall and Maranatha Music
12:01penned this song and you recognize it.
12:03Part of it goes like this.
12:04In His time,
12:06in His time,
12:07He makes all things beautiful
12:09in His time.
12:11Lord, please show me every day
12:13as You're teaching me Your way
12:16that You do just what You say
12:18in Your time.
12:20Everything that comes from the hand of God.
12:23Now He wants to take this poem
12:25and He wants to apply it
12:27to our everyday life.
12:29So He's going to make application
12:30from here up in the rest of the chapter,
12:31chapter 3.
12:32He's going to apply this poem.
12:34Look at verses 9-15.
12:35In light of what He just mentioned
12:39of all the events in the human life,
12:41the human existence,
12:43what gain has the worker from his toil?
12:46I have seen the business
12:48that God has given to the children of man
12:50to be busy with.
12:52He has made everything beautiful in its time.
12:56Also, He has put eternity into man's heart
12:59yet so that he cannot find out
13:01what God has done
13:02from the beginning to the end.
13:04In other words, He has made us understand
13:06the duration of time and eternity,
13:08but we don't see the big picture
13:10that He sees.
13:11Some of that's been revealed to us
13:12in His Word.
13:13Other is hidden from us.
13:14He works behind the scenes
13:16in a mysterious way
13:17to fulfill His divine sovereign will.
13:20I perceive that there is
13:22nothing better for them
13:24than to be joyful
13:27and to do good as long as they live,
13:30as long as you're alive.
13:31Although that everyone should eat
13:34and drink and take pleasure
13:36in all His toil,
13:38this is God's gift to man.
13:43I perceive that whatever God does
13:46endures forever.
13:48Nothing can be added to it,
13:50nor anything taken from it.
13:52God has done it
13:53so that people fear before Him.
13:55that which already has been,
13:59that which already is,
14:00already has been,
14:01and that which is to be,
14:03already has been,
14:04and God seeks
14:05what has been driven away.
14:07So He's now going to apply
14:08this poem to our lives.
14:09He wants us to understand
14:10what He's talking about here.
14:13Now,
14:14in this chapter,
14:15God is mentioned
14:15eight times.
14:17So He's trying to move us
14:19from this perspective
14:19of living under the sun
14:20where God is not in the picture
14:22to a life that's living
14:24above the sun
14:25where the eternal perspective
14:27of God is brought into line
14:28with our everyday living.
14:30So He mentions God eight times.
14:31So He's trying to get,
14:32focus our attention
14:33on something important.
14:34Him.
14:35You notice He uses
14:36the word beautiful.
14:37It's beautiful.
14:39This word has the idea
14:39of being appropriate.
14:41It's the right thing.
14:42It's the good thing.
14:43It's beautiful.
14:45Now,
14:45sometimes you and I
14:46understand and we look at it
14:47and say,
14:47that doesn't look very beautiful
14:49to me,
14:50but from God's point of view,
14:51it is appropriate,
14:52it is good,
14:53it is for His glory,
14:54it is beautiful to Him.
14:56It's beautiful.
14:57John Winner said this,
14:59the beauty comes
15:00in recognizing
15:00and acknowledging
15:01the place and purpose
15:03of every person,
15:04thing,
15:05or event
15:05in God's overall plan.
15:08It's beautiful
15:08how you will start together.
15:10Like a master of crafts
15:11when he just works
15:12it all into this tapestry
15:14of life
15:14and you and I
15:15don't see all of it,
15:16but He does.
15:18Michael Easton said this,
15:19God's disposal
15:20of events
15:21in their times
15:22is beautiful.
15:25It's appropriate.
15:26It's right.
15:26It's good.
15:29The beauty
15:30is in the truth
15:31that God does
15:32all things
15:33according to His timetable.
15:35He does all things well.
15:38There's never anything
15:39that He does
15:40that is bad,
15:41that is evil,
15:41that is wrong for us.
15:44Everything He does
15:45is good.
15:46Everything He does
15:47all things well.
15:50Job,
15:50the one I talked about
15:51who understood
15:51a sickness brought on
15:52by Satan,
15:53not by God,
15:53but God allows it,
15:55lived through it
15:55and His children died
15:56and this was all
15:57His possessions.
15:58The only person
15:58that was alive
15:59was His wife
16:00and He probably prayed
16:00and God said,
16:01God,
16:01can't you take her too?
16:02She wasn't much help to Him.
16:05He understood this.
16:07This is what He said.
16:08I know that you
16:09can do all things
16:10and that no purpose
16:11of yours can be thwarted.
16:13He does all things well
16:14in His time.
16:16In His time.
16:19Solomon speaks about
16:20the wise providence
16:21of a loving Father
16:22who does everything well
16:24and promises to make
16:25everything work for good
16:27to those who love Him.
16:28Again,
16:29you and I
16:29don't understand
16:30Romans 8.28,
16:31we've read it so many times
16:32and we know
16:34we realize
16:36we reckon
16:37we understand
16:38that for those
16:40who love God
16:41all things
16:43work together
16:44for good.
16:46You say,
16:47how does that work?
16:47I don't know.
16:49It's a mystery often.
16:50I don't know.
16:52Two things I know.
16:53God is good
16:54and whatever
16:55brings my way
16:56is for my good
16:57and His glory.
16:59I don't understand
17:00at all
17:00but I'm content
17:01and I trust Him.
17:02God has given us humans
17:06an understanding
17:06of duration of time
17:08with the ideal
17:09of the eternal
17:10that we understand
17:11eternity.
17:13Now,
17:14I don't,
17:15I'm not a dog psychologist.
17:17I suppose there is
17:17probably such a thing
17:18but when I look at my dogs
17:20they don't understand
17:21the duration of time.
17:22I can leave the house
17:23and be gone
17:24in half an hour
17:24and I come back
17:25and they're jumping up and down
17:26wagging their tails
17:27trying to lick me
17:27and trying to get my attention.
17:28I can leave the house
17:29for three days
17:30and it looks just the same.
17:32They have no idea
17:33of the duration of time.
17:34We do.
17:36That's why you hear
17:36your teenagers say,
17:37I'm bored.
17:39What are they saying?
17:40They understand
17:41that there is time
17:42and they don't have
17:43anything to fill it with.
17:44At least they don't think.
17:46He has put this understanding
17:48in our hearts,
17:49duration of time
17:50and eternity.
17:51He has appointed each person
17:55in an appropriate place
17:57in history
17:57and has placed in mankind
17:59and understanding
17:59leading them beyond
18:01the temporal
18:01to the eternal.
18:03This is a quote
18:03I've used,
18:04in fact,
18:04we just used it
18:05a couple weeks ago
18:05but I love it.
18:06C.S. Lewis said it like this.
18:08If I find in myself
18:09a desire
18:10which no experience
18:12in this world
18:13can satisfy,
18:14the most probable explanation
18:15is that I was made
18:16for another one.
18:17We know that inside.
18:20We sense the relation of time
18:22and we sense the idea
18:23of eternity.
18:24Many people explain it
18:25but we sense it
18:26and we're.
18:28The reality that Solomon says
18:31is that mankind's
18:32innermost needs
18:33can never be satisfied
18:34by those things
18:35under the sun.
18:36Those that are temporary,
18:38those that are in transit,
18:38those that will never satisfy us.
18:42So he mentions God
18:43eight times
18:44to point our attention
18:45above the sun
18:46so we can get
18:46a better perspective.
18:47For our knowledge
18:50is limited
18:52but God has set
18:53an appropriate time
18:54for everything
18:55but he has not revealed
18:57all his timing to us.
19:00I don't understand.
19:01It's a mystery.
19:02Some things he's told us
19:03about when, you know,
19:04when they're going to happen
19:05or what's going to look like
19:06when they happen
19:06but other things
19:07he doesn't tell us
19:08because he's sovereign
19:09and he works it all
19:09to his glory and our good.
19:12Without God revealing
19:13to people the knowledge
19:14of the eternal,
19:15the effort is vain
19:16to understand
19:17the idea
19:17of eternal living.
19:22So God is provident.
19:24He takes direct care
19:25in every aspect
19:27of a person's life.
19:30Even though we are limited
19:32in understanding
19:32all of God's works,
19:34we are content
19:35with what we have
19:36because we trust him
19:38to always do good.
19:39I don't understand
19:41all the things.
19:42I don't have all the answers
19:43to all the things
19:44but I know two things.
19:46God is good
19:46and everything he gives to us
19:48is for our good
19:49and his good.
19:50I know that
19:51and I'm content with that.
19:53I may not lie
19:53when it comes my way
19:54but I'm willing
19:55to trust the Heavenly Father
19:56who always does good.
19:59The psalmist said this,
20:00give thanks to the Lord
20:01for he is good
20:02for his steadfast love
20:03endures forever
20:04and also
20:05the Lord is good to all
20:07and his mercy is over all
20:09that he has made.
20:11When we begin
20:12to accept
20:13God's timing
20:15of events
20:15in our lives
20:17and not fight against it,
20:22life will take on you.
20:23You and I
20:25want to fight against
20:26what God
20:26strives to do
20:27in our lives.
20:29Dwayne Garrett said this,
20:31we feel like aliens
20:33in a world of time
20:34endure to be part
20:35of eternity
20:36because we don't understand
20:37the mystery of God
20:38we feel a little bit alienated
20:40because we don't have
20:41all the answers.
20:42We don't have
20:42all the answers.
20:43So we feel like aliens
20:44at times
20:45but we do understand
20:46eternity.
20:47Get it.
20:49There is nothing
20:50under the sun
20:51that carries
20:52the security
20:52of continuance
20:54and in everything
20:55people are confronted
20:56by the change
20:57of times
20:58over which
20:58they have no control.
21:02So what's he saying?
21:04What's he saying?
21:05God has appointed
21:06all things in my life
21:07and for his glory
21:08and my good.
21:09So what am I supposed
21:10to do
21:10with that information?
21:12How should I live
21:13each day?
21:14He says this,
21:16enjoy.
21:18Enjoy.
21:18joy in this life.
21:23Joy in work.
21:24Joy in family.
21:25Joy in friends.
21:26Joy in God.
21:27It's all a gift of God.
21:30Enjoy life.
21:31It is God's gift to us.
21:33And we're speaking now
21:34just under the sun.
21:36He says live life.
21:42Live it.
21:44Again,
21:44the perspective
21:45is underneath the sun.
21:47You know,
21:48a living dog
21:49is better than
21:50a dead human.
21:52Now I'm not equating
21:53that dogs and humans
21:54are equal
21:54in the creative order.
21:55They're not.
21:56Humans are created
21:56in the image and likeness
21:57of God.
21:57Dogs are not.
21:59But a living dog
22:00because it is alive,
22:01it is experiencing life,
22:02is better than
22:03a dead human.
22:04So live.
22:06Experience life.
22:07Enjoy your family.
22:08Enjoy God.
22:10Enjoy your work.
22:12Enjoy life.
22:14Live life.
22:16But that's a perspective
22:17of under the sun.
22:19How are we as Christians
22:21supposed to live this life?
22:22What is the perspective
22:23that we're supposed to have?
22:25We're supposed to have
22:26a perspective
22:26that's above the sun.
22:28So what Solomon wants to say
22:29to us,
22:29he's not talking about
22:30Messianic prophecies here,
22:31but he's talking about
22:32people who love God.
22:33How are we supposed
22:34to live this life?
22:36Well,
22:36I say live life,
22:38but live life,
22:39for the right reason.
22:42And the reason is
22:43to glorify God
22:45in everything you do.
22:46That moves it
22:47from underneath the sun
22:48to above the sun.
22:50Live,
22:51enjoy life.
22:52Enjoy every day.
22:54Hey,
22:54take a moment
22:55to look at the sunset.
22:57Pause to catch your dog.
23:00Smile at your wife.
23:02Look her in the eyes
23:02and tell her
23:03how much you love her.
23:04Take time to talk
23:05to your children.
23:06Enjoy life.
23:07Enjoy it.
23:11Their life
23:11won't be meaningless.
23:13John Piper
23:14tells a story
23:14about four people.
23:17Two of them
23:17traveled together
23:18as a medical mission team
23:19in the Cameroons.
23:21They were elderly
23:22spinster ladies.
23:24They forsook medical practice
23:26in the United States,
23:27deciding not to do
23:28the American dream
23:28and settle back
23:29in a lifestyle
23:30of affluence and comfort,
23:32but instead,
23:33answered God's call
23:34and went out
23:35into the mission field
23:35to care for the poor
23:36and the Cameroons.
23:38One day recently,
23:39as they were traveling
23:40in their jeep
23:40from one village
23:41to the next,
23:42they had to go
23:42through the mountain paths.
23:44Their jeep went off the road,
23:45down the mountain,
23:46and they plunged
23:47into eternity.
23:49They were killed.
23:49Piper then asked
23:51his convocation,
23:53is that a tragedy?
23:56And then he told
23:57the story of two other people,
23:58a man and a wife
23:59who made their lifelong goal
24:01that of amassing a fortune
24:02so they could take
24:03in early retirement.
24:05And they achieved
24:06both of these goals.
24:07At this very moment,
24:08they live in Florida
24:09on the coast
24:10where they sail on their yacht,
24:11they play softball,
24:12and they collect shells.
24:14And Piper says,
24:16there is the tragedy.
24:17When those two elderly ladies
24:21plunged into eternity
24:22and stood before
24:23Almighty God
24:24and had to give an account
24:25for what they did
24:26with what God gave them,
24:29they heard Jesus say,
24:31well done,
24:32good and faithful servants.
24:37What will that other couple do?
24:40When one day
24:41they stand before
24:42God's savage grace
24:44and ask to give an account
24:47of what they did
24:48with what God gave to them,
24:50what will they say?
24:52Lord,
24:53look at my shell collection.
24:58He went on to say,
24:59God,
25:00save me by your savage grace.
25:03Save me
25:03because I am every day
25:05tempted to collect shells.
25:08Live life,
25:09live it for the right reason,
25:11for the glory of God.
25:13Live above the sun,
25:15not underneath the sun.
25:16Live,
25:17I mean,
25:18live life.
25:20Live it for the right reason.
25:23The divine actions
25:24belong to the realm
25:25of the permanent
25:26and the unchangeable
25:27with the result
25:28that we ought to fear God
25:29because we don't understand
25:30all of it.
25:31We're held in awe
25:32of Him being able
25:33to manage all things.
25:36I was going to give you
25:37a thought game.
25:38You can ask me after church,
25:39if I give you a thought game now,
25:40all you're going to do
25:40is think about a lot of talking,
25:41not a lot of hearing.
25:42So I'll give you
25:42a thought game later
25:43about how God
25:44knows all things.
25:47A proper attitude for us
25:48is to fear God
25:49because we as His creatures
25:52don't understand
25:53His mysterious actions.
25:56When we fear God,
25:57we will fear nothingness.
26:00So no one can take away
26:01what God has done
26:02and no one can add
26:03to what God has done.
26:04This is called
26:05God's sovereignty.
26:07He is sovereign
26:07in all things.
26:09No one can afford
26:10His will.
26:15So God sees
26:17what we don't see
26:18and will act
26:20in His time.
26:21Look at the remaining
26:21of the chapter,
26:22verse 16, Paul.
26:25Moreover,
26:26I saw under the sun
26:27that in the place
26:28of justice
26:29even there was wickedness
26:31and in the place
26:33of righteousness
26:33even there was wickedness.
26:36I said in my heart,
26:37God will judge
26:38the righteous
26:39and the wicked
26:40for there is a time.
26:42Again,
26:42he's talking,
26:43he's bringing it back
26:44to that poem
26:45that we just read.
26:45There is a time
26:46for every matter
26:47and for every work.
26:49I said in my heart
26:50in regard to the children
26:51of man
26:52that God is testing them
26:54that they may see
26:55that they themselves
26:57are but beasts.
27:00For what happens
27:01to the children of man
27:02and what happens
27:03to the beast
27:04is the same.
27:05That's one dies,
27:06so dies the other.
27:07Now again,
27:08he's not making
27:08an equivalency
27:09between the created order
27:10of a man and the beast.
27:11He's simply talking about
27:12in the realm of death,
27:14man and animals
27:15are just the same.
27:16They all die.
27:17That's what he's trying to say.
27:17They all have the same breath
27:26and man has no advantage
27:28over the beast
27:29for all is vanity.
27:32All go to one place.
27:34All are from the dust
27:35and to dust
27:37all return.
27:39Who knows
27:40whether the spirit of man
27:41goes upward
27:42and the spirit of the beast
27:43goes down into the earth.
27:44He's not making
27:45a statement
27:46of the afterlife.
27:46He's just saying
27:47we can't see it
27:48and if we weren't told
27:50we wouldn't know.
27:52So I saw that
27:52there is nothing better
27:54than that a man
27:55should rejoice
27:56in his work
27:58for that is
27:59his lot.
28:03Who can bring
28:04him to see
28:05what will be
28:06after him?
28:08What's the goal?
28:10That was when we lived
28:11this life
28:11for the glory of God.
28:12He says
28:14listen
28:14wickedness
28:15bends justice
28:15and it happens
28:16all the time.
28:18Frankly
28:18I'm quite upset
28:20irritated
28:21angry
28:22at a two tier
28:23justice system
28:24that we have
28:24in the United States.
28:26How the wealthy
28:27and the powerful
28:28don't have to stand
28:29in the courts
28:29of justice.
28:30That bothers me
28:31because I'm a just
28:32kind of person.
28:33I think justice
28:34should prevail
28:34and it bothers me
28:36that we have that
28:36and I hope it bothers
28:38you
28:38that we have
28:39a two tier
28:40justice system
28:41in America.
28:41in a place
28:44of public realm
28:46of justice
28:47corruption is there
28:48the rights of the poor
28:50ought to be protected
28:51in the courts of law
28:51but they're not
28:52they're neglected
28:52in the courts of law
28:53and this angers me
28:55and I hope it angers you.
28:57What I want you to understand
28:59is all I want us
29:00to give to
29:00is that God
29:01sees it all.
29:04He does not forget
29:05there is a time
29:08he will hold
29:10them account.
29:13However contrary
29:14the evidence
29:15may seem
29:15God is just
29:16and he will judge
29:17wickedness
29:18in his time.
29:21James Smith said
29:22the doctrine of future
29:23judgment offers
29:24solace to the believer
29:25among the jarring
29:26inequities
29:27and injustices
29:28of life.
29:29There
29:30at his judgment bar
29:32all the anomalies
29:33of life
29:34will be rectified
29:35injustice
29:36will be punished
29:37and virtue
29:37rewarded.
29:39God
29:40sees it.
29:41He knows
29:42he will
29:44judge
29:45in his time.
29:47God sees
29:48the wicked
29:48he knows
29:49what they do.
29:50It's not hidden
29:51from him.
29:52You and I say
29:53well how can it be
29:54not hidden
29:54he's not acting.
29:56He's not acting
29:57in his time.
29:59Oh yes
30:00he is.
30:01We just want
30:01his time to be
30:02a little faster
30:02than our time.
30:03He's acting
30:05in his time.
30:07We have to trust
30:08that he knows
30:08what he's doing
30:09and that what he's
30:09doing is good.
30:11Be assured
30:12he will judge
30:13the wicked.
30:14Do not think
30:14the wicked
30:14will escape justice.
30:16Do not worry
30:17about whether
30:17they will receive
30:18the punishment
30:19they deserve
30:19because they will.
30:21And so what he's
30:22saying is
30:22rest.
30:24It may irritate
30:25you now
30:25it may make
30:26you angry
30:27but know
30:28God has a time
30:29even for judgment.
30:31Amen.
30:32Amen.
30:32Divine judgment
30:34on the oppressors
30:35and those
30:36practicing injustices
30:37will come
30:38and God
30:38will have
30:39the last word.
30:40He will have
30:41the last word.
30:42He'll stand
30:42at his great bar
30:43of justice
30:43and they'll go
30:44what did God
30:44say enough?
30:46He has the last word.
30:48The Puritan
30:49Pastor Thomas Watson
30:50said
30:51eternity to the godly
30:53is a day
30:53that has no sunset.
30:55Eternity to the wicked
30:56is a night
30:57that has no sunrise.
30:58The earth
31:02is the place
31:03where death
31:04collects.
31:05The earth
31:05is a great
31:06graveyard
31:07that receives
31:08all the living
31:09when they duck.
31:11Both animals
31:11and mankind.
31:12That's what he's
31:13talking about.
31:14They all go
31:14to the ground.
31:16So we know
31:17that death
31:17is coming.
31:18Death is there.
31:19Death is a reality.
31:20How then
31:20I ought to live?
31:22What should be
31:23my modus operandi
31:24my motivation
31:25my purpose
31:26for living?
31:27If I know
31:28death is coming
31:28I understand
31:29it's a light
31:30for all of us
31:31animals
31:32and mankind.
31:34Psalm 1, of course
31:35says
31:35when you hide
31:36your face
31:37they are dismayed.
31:38When you take
31:39away their breath
31:39they die
31:40and return
31:41to the dust.
31:43So again
31:43he's not trying
31:44to give us
31:44a doctrine
31:45of afterlife.
31:45That's not
31:46what he's
31:46trying to say.
31:47He's simply
31:48saying that
31:48under the sun
31:49death has power
31:50over both animals
31:51and humans.
31:52They all die.
31:53neither can
31:57escape death.
31:59So with death
32:00as a mitigating
32:01factor
32:02humans are no
32:03better than animals
32:04in this realm
32:05of death.
32:08Bull die.
32:10That is the reality
32:11under the sun.
32:13Our favorite animal
32:14dies.
32:15We get it.
32:16Our person
32:17that we love
32:17dies.
32:18That is the realm
32:19underneath the sun.
32:20death has power
32:22to hold
32:23all of those
32:24under the sun.
32:28But what about
32:29above the sun?
32:31What about
32:32in the realm
32:33of God's
32:33redemptive plan
32:34in history?
32:37Can death
32:38hold those
32:39who believe
32:40in Jesus Christ
32:41for salvation?
32:43And I say
32:43to you
32:44no
32:44because death
32:45could not
32:45hold him.
32:47So if we
32:47get our eyes
32:48from underneath
32:49the sun
32:49and look
32:49above the sun
32:50there is hope
32:51that death
32:52can be conquered
32:52because it
32:53was conquered
32:53in Jesus Christ.
32:55Weren't we
32:55sing that song?
32:56Death was death
32:57to death
32:58conquered death
32:58in death
32:59death was conquered.
33:01So if we
33:01just live
33:02under the sun
33:02we're all
33:03going to die
33:03what good is that?
33:05Get your perspective
33:06above the sun
33:07and put your hope
33:08in the one
33:09who has defeated
33:09death
33:10and risen
33:10from the grave
33:11on the third day
33:12and is alive
33:13forevermore
33:13and promised
33:14that all who
33:15believe in him
33:16are alive
33:17evermore
33:18and death
33:19cannot
33:20hold us.
33:21Amen.
33:23The writer of
33:23Hebrews says this
33:24since therefore
33:25the children
33:26share in flesh
33:26and blood
33:27he himself
33:28likewise
33:29partook
33:29of the same
33:30things
33:30that through
33:31death
33:31he might
33:32destroy
33:33the one
33:33who has
33:33the power
33:34of death
33:34that is
33:35the devil
33:36and deliver
33:37all those
33:37who through
33:38fear of death
33:39were subject
33:39to lifelong
33:40slavery
33:40that was you
33:41and I
33:41because of
33:43fear of death
33:43we were
33:43enslaved
33:44because we
33:45knew that
33:45this was
33:45in under
33:45the sun
33:46we're all
33:46going to
33:47the same
33:47place
33:48and he
33:48freed us
33:49from that
33:50we are not
33:51slaves
33:51to death
33:52any longer
33:53Timothy told us
33:55this
33:55who saved us
33:57and called us
33:57to a holy
33:58calling
33:58not because
33:59of the works
34:00of our works
34:01but because
34:01of his own
34:02purpose
34:03and grace
34:03which he gave
34:04to us
34:05in Christ
34:05Jesus
34:06before the
34:07ages began
34:08and which
34:09now has been
34:10manifested
34:10through the
34:11appearing
34:11of our
34:11savior
34:12Jesus Christ
34:12who what
34:13abolished
34:15death
34:15and brought
34:17life
34:18and immortality
34:19to life
34:19through the
34:19gospel
34:20stop living
34:21under the
34:21sun
34:22live above
34:23the sun
34:23where there
34:24is hope
34:25and there
34:25is life
34:26our hope
34:29and eternal
34:30life are found
34:31in God alone
34:32Thomas Boston
34:34remarked
34:35death
34:35in his
34:36exorable
34:36irresistible
34:38messenger
34:38who cannot
34:39be diverted
34:40from exerting
34:41without assuming
34:41executing his
34:42orders
34:43not by the
34:44force of
34:44the mighty
34:45the bribes
34:45of the rich
34:46nor of the
34:47entreaties
34:48of the poor
34:49under the sun
34:50death holds
34:51all animals
34:52and humans
34:53holds all
34:54in a massive
34:55grave
34:55have you been
34:59delivered
34:59from the
35:01slavery of
35:02death
35:02have you
35:04trusted
35:04Jesus Christ
35:05alone
35:06for salvation
35:06for in him
35:07being united
35:08together
35:09to the one
35:09who lives
35:10forever
35:10we too
35:11will live
35:12forever
35:12and death
35:13will not
35:14hold on
35:14to us
35:15have you
35:16been set
35:16free
35:16from the
35:17slavery
35:17of death
35:17and if not
35:20I'd love to
35:21share with you
35:21what Jesus
35:22has done
35:23on your behalf
35:23so that you
35:24would have
35:24life
35:25no more fear
35:26of the slavery
35:27of death
35:27since death
35:31is a reality
35:32our possessions
35:33and accomplishments
35:34are not
35:35eternal
35:35so we ought
35:36to use
35:37and enjoy
35:37them
35:38while we
35:39are still
35:39alive
35:40Moses
35:42actually
35:43the song
35:43that Moses
35:44wrote
35:45Psalm 90
35:45the years
35:46of our life
35:46are 70
35:47or even
35:48by reason
35:48of strength
35:4980
35:49yet their
35:50span is
35:51but toil
35:51and trouble
35:52they are soon
35:53gone
35:53and we fly
35:54away
35:54oh this
35:54sounds like
35:55like following
35:55Ecclesiastes
35:56doesn't it
35:57it's all
35:57vanity
35:58who considers
36:00the power
36:02of your anger
36:02and your wrath
36:03according to
36:03the fear of you
36:04so teach us
36:07to number
36:07our days
36:08that we may
36:09get a heart
36:10of wisdom
36:11for we find
36:13satisfaction
36:14in this life
36:15when we recognize
36:15that the pleasures
36:16we experience
36:17and the accomplishments
36:18we make
36:19are God
36:20given
36:20God is in
36:22control
36:22yeah but if I
36:24did that
36:24who gave me
36:25the strength
36:25to me
36:25well I
36:27made that
36:27who gave
36:28me the
36:28creation
36:28to do
36:29that
36:29it's all
36:30the gift
36:30of God
36:30Solomon wants
36:33us to make
36:34the best
36:34of the present
36:35and joyfully
36:36accept what
36:37divine prominence
36:38offers
36:39without anxious
36:40care for
36:40our future
36:41or where's
36:42be said
36:43like this
36:43Solomon is
36:44encouraging
36:45not paying
36:46your humanism
36:47but rather
36:48the practice
36:48of enjoying
36:49God's gifts
36:50as a fruit
36:51of one's
36:51labor
36:52no matter
36:53how difficult
36:54life may be
36:54life appears
36:56to be transitory
36:57but whatever
36:57God does
36:58is forever
36:59so when we
37:00live for him
37:01and let him
37:01have his way
37:02life is meaningful
37:04and manageable
37:05instead of
37:06complaining about
37:07what we don't
37:08have
37:08let's enjoy
37:09what we do
37:10have
37:10and thank God
37:11for it
37:12that's what
37:12Solomon wants
37:13us to understand
37:13everything
37:15comes in the
37:16gracious hand
37:17of the loving
37:18father
37:18a person's
37:21life is a
37:22gift from
37:22God
37:22enjoy it
37:23now
37:23when we
37:25live above
37:26the sun
37:26like Jesus
37:27talked about
37:28in Matthew
37:28chapter 6
37:29seek first
37:30the kingdom
37:30of God
37:31is what he
37:31said
37:31and his
37:32righteousness
37:33and all
37:34these things
37:34will be
37:35happened to you
37:35that is a
37:36perspective
37:36above the
37:37sun
37:37not under
37:38the sun
37:38these that
37:42he's talking
37:43about are
37:43simply the
37:44innocent
37:44pleasures of
37:45life
37:46we're not
37:46talking about
37:47sinful things
37:47innocent
37:48pleasures of
37:49life
37:50which the
37:51providence of
37:51God offers
37:52to those
37:52who live
37:53according to
37:53his word
37:54these are
37:55things like
37:56life
37:56by faith
37:59we live
38:00with the
38:00inconsistencies
38:01of life
38:02even though
38:02we can't
38:03explain it
38:04we ought to
38:05experience
38:06and enjoy
38:07enjoy
38:09it
38:10take time
38:12to enjoy
38:13it
38:13as a gift
38:14of God
38:14from the
38:15father's
38:16loving hand
38:16love
38:18Robert Hastings
38:19reminds us
38:20tucked away
38:21in our
38:22subconscious
38:22is an
38:23idyllic
38:23vision
38:23we are
38:24traveling
38:25by a
38:25train
38:25out the
38:26windows
38:27we
38:27drink in
38:29the passing
38:29scenes
38:29of children
38:30waving at
38:31a crossing
38:32cattle grazing
38:33on a distant
38:34hillside
38:34row upon
38:35row of
38:36corn and
38:36wheat
38:37flatlands
38:38and valleys
38:39mountains
38:39and rolling
38:40hillsides
38:40and city
38:41skylines
38:42but uppermost
38:44in our minds
38:45is the final
38:45destination
38:46on a certain
38:47day when we'll
38:48pull into the
38:49station
38:49bands will be
38:51playing and
38:51flags waving
38:52once we get
38:53there our dreams
38:54will come true
38:54and the pieces
38:55of our lives
38:55will fit together
38:56like a completed
38:57jigsaw puzzle
38:58restlessly we
38:59pace the aisles
39:00condemning the
39:01minutes
39:02waving
39:03waving
39:03waving
39:04for the station
39:05when we reach
39:08the station
39:08that will be
39:09it we say
39:10yeah when I'm
39:1118
39:12when I buy
39:13my first
39:14Mercedes 450 SL
39:15when I took
39:18the last
39:18kid through
39:19college
39:20when I paid
39:23off my
39:23mortgage
39:24when I get
39:25a promotion
39:26when I reach
39:27retirement
39:28I shall
39:29live happily
39:30ever after
39:31sooner or
39:34later we
39:34realize
39:35there is no
39:36station
39:36no one
39:37place to
39:38arrive
39:38the true
39:40joy of
39:40life is
39:41in the
39:41trip
39:42the station
39:43is only
39:43a dream
39:44it constantly
39:45outdistance
39:46us
39:47relish the
39:49moment is a
39:49good notion
39:50especially when
39:51coupled with
39:52in Psalm
39:52118
39:52this is the
39:53day which
39:53the Lord
39:53has made
39:54let us
39:54rejoice in
39:54me
39:54gladden
39:55it isn't
39:56the burdens
39:57of today
39:57that drive
39:58men mad
39:59regrets over
40:00yesterday
40:01and the fear
40:02of tomorrow
40:03regret and
40:04fear are
40:05twin thieves
40:06who rob us
40:07of today
40:08so stop
40:12pacing the
40:13aisles and
40:14counting the
40:14miles
40:15instead climb
40:18more mountains
40:19eat more
40:21ice cream
40:22I told Teresa
40:22I'm sorry about
40:23that one
40:23eat more ice cream
40:25go barefoot more
40:27often
40:27swing more rivers
40:29watch more sunsets
40:30laugh more
40:31cry less
40:32life must be
40:33lived as we're
40:34going along
40:35there will
40:37come a final
40:37station when we
40:38stand before
40:39God but
40:40Solomon says
40:40live life
40:42today and
40:43live it for
40:44the glory of
40:45God that is
40:46his gift to
40:46us let's pray
40:47father thank you
40:48we thank you for
40:50this word to us
40:51today to get us
40:52out of our
40:53minds and
40:55strategies and
40:56plans and
40:57into living in
40:58this moment
40:59with my
41:00family with
41:01my church
41:02family at
41:03my work
41:04with the
41:04responsibilities
41:05that I have
41:06I'm here I'm
41:07present I'm not
41:08somewhere else
41:08I'm living it
41:10and I'm living it
41:11for your glory
41:11so I thank you
41:13father for this
41:13encouragement and
41:14a rebuke to me
41:15the one who wants
41:16to control all
41:17things I am not
41:18in control you
41:18are in control
41:19and I trust you
41:20and I'm content
41:21what comes from
41:22your hand
41:23because you are
41:24good and you
41:25are right and
41:26you are just
41:27and you do
41:28all for your
41:29glory and you
41:30do all for my
41:30good and I'm
41:32content with that
41:32I just pray that
41:34we can trust you
41:35even more as
41:36life unfolds
41:38around us we
41:39understand that
41:40you can divinely
41:41take care of us
41:43day by day
41:44thank you in
41:45Jesus name
41:46amen
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