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Thinking About Discernment
Psalms 119:65-72
November 21, 2021

Last time we studied this segment we called it “Appreciating Affliction”
And certainly that is what this entire segment is about.

But since we have studied that and exposited it last time,
Tonight I want to focus in on one aspect
Of what this stanza discusses, and that is DISCERNMENT.

And to begin our study
I first want you to be aware of the fact that Deception is Everywhere.

A brief journey through the New Testament will make that obvious.

1 Timothy 4:1 “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,”

• Paul there speaks of “deceitful spirits” and “doctrines of demons”

1 Timothy 4:7 “But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;”

• There he warns of “worldly fables”

1 Timothy 6:4 “he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions,”

• There he warns of “controversial questions and disputes about words”

1 Timothy 6:20 “O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”

• There it is “what is falsely called knowledge”

2 Timothy 2:23 “But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.”

• We see “foolish and ignorant speculations”

2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”

• Paul says men will love “myths”

Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.”

• Here it is “philosophy and empty deception”

Acts 20:30 “and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.”

• That is a warning against “perverse things”

As you can see there is A REAL ISSUE in this world, even in the church,
Regarding the presence of deception.
• Satan is called the father of lies. (John 8:44)
• Lying is all he knows how to do.

And he is really, really, REALLY GOOD AT IT.
• He masquerades as an angel of light.
• He looks good
• He feels good
• He sounds good

Just ask the couple in the garden
Genesis 3:6 “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.”

What Satan offered WAS A LIE, but it sure sounded right.
It WAS A LIE, but it seemed to make sense.
It WAS DECEPTION, but it felt so good.

And we live in a world that is DOMINATED by his deceptive doctrines.
We even live in a church age where much of his teaching is accepted.

I think about the political realm.
• The most recent election has literally blown open the discussion on political
things.
• And today, if you have a basement and a video camera you are qualified to be
a journalist.
• And I’ve listened to several of these guys.
• They promise all sorts of thing that are coming and are about to happen.

But you listen because a lot of what they say is what you want to hear:

But I start to listen closer
• One guy talks about alien encounters,
• Another talks about how he is a multi-dimensional being,
• Another states that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are
inspired by God.

And even though much of what they say is what I want to hear,
I have to acknowledge that in many areas these people are deceived.

They are either being lied to by someone
Or they are deceiving themselves.

It is everywhere.

AND WE CERTAINLY SEE IT IN THE SECULAR REALM.

This week I read a Facebook post that cut me deep and grieved me.
It was written by a woman who attended this church about 17 years ago
When Carrie and I first came here.

Her post simply said that
For the past 3 years she has been what she called “A deconstructing Christian”

I had no clue what she meant
Because I’m obviously not very “woke”
Or too caught up in the lingo of the day.
So I had to google it.

But basically the process of “deconstructing” (as I understand it)
Is a new modern fad name for those who are questioning sort of the normative beliefs that have been “constructed” by society.

It’s a catchy phrase that sounds highly intellectual and humble.
And filled with honesty and vulnerability and compassion and insight.

Now, the girl didn’t actually share too much in her initial post that I would argue with,
Especially in an open social media comment section,
But the response she generated was huge.

It became clear to me that the idea behind “deconstruction”
• Is to basically ask the hard questions,
• To question everything,
• To break down sort of those traditional robotic beliefs
• And maybe even to try to think for yourself.

I’m new to the idea, but this is sort of how it read to me.

While I am new to the idea, the idea itself is not new.
In one sense, it is even Biblical.

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 “But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.”

Scripture itself affirms the need for discernment.
• That you should never just believe everything you hear or read.
• That you most certainly should test and examine everything carefully,
• And this even includes age-old traditions.

We love to celebrate and discuss the Reformation.
In many ways the Reformation was a time in which
There was some form of a “deconstruction” process.

Those that speak of this “Deconstruct Christianity” movement
• Like to use words like “Radical”
• And like to even point out that Jesus was radical to the normative beliefs of His day.
• They might even argue that Jesus “deconstructed Judaism”.

AND THERE IS MUCH TO THAT IDEA THAT WE WOULD AFFIRM.

What else can you call a sermon
In which Jesus repeatedly says, “You have heard, but I say…” anything but a word to deconstruct bad doctrine and replace it with true doctrine?

SO WE ARE NOT AFRAID OF THE TERM DECONSTRUCT.

What does greatly trouble me is the careless and uninformed
And misguided movement that seems to be coming with it.

As I read some of the comments on the post, I read things like:

When one person encouraged her to be careful in the journey because Satan seeks to isolate us,
She responded by saying, “As part of my journey I no longer believe Satan is real.”

At another point she commented “I came to a place where I found that the god I was connected with did not align with much of what the faith of Christianity taught.”

At another point she commented “I think for some folks Jesus is the truth, for others it is Buddha or Mohammad. In the end, it’s more about the way we love”

In fact the entire comment section is filled with what you might call disgruntled ex-church members who no longer believe the basics of Christian doctrine.

It is dangerously close to FULL BLOWN APOSTASY.

So while we are not afraid of the term “deconstruct”
THE MOVEMENT IS ACTUALLY HORRIFYING.

They seek to question things,
But what is apparent is that there is no basis
To be able to know when something is actually truth or not.

AND SO THIS ALL BRINGS UP A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION:
“What dictates what you believe?”
• “What is your standard of truth by which you measure what you hear?”
• “What do you use to discern if something is true?”
• “When you deconstruct something, what tool are you using?”

Discernment or testing everything is not a bad thing at all,
So long as you have an accurate standard of measure
By which everything is tested.

THAT’S THE REAL QUESTION HERE.

THE REFORMERS were clear what their standard of measure was.
They developed the cry “SOLA SCRIPTURA” – Scripture Alone.
• They said that Scripture would be the defining criteria by which things would be measured to be true.

JESUS is the author of Scripture and so He measured truth by Himself.

But this is where the danger lies
In such “woke” movements as this today.
They jump into discernment without first determining what the standard will be for that discernment.

A couple of weeks ago I heard parts of a sermon from a preacher named Todd White who absolutely butchered the truth of 2 Corinthians 5:21

He read the verse and his assessment was that on the cross Jesus actually became a sinner. He said Jesus became pedophilia and a hater of God and other blasphemous assertions.

Another man commented on this sermon and said, “His preaching is like giving a hammer to a 2 year old.”

The idea is that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about
And in an attempt to preach, he’s actually destroying everything.

That is a good way to describe this movement.
They go swinging the sword at things like Christianity,
But they don’t even know what they are swinging at.

They want to be discerning, but their standard for discernment is corrupt.

So we ask again:
WHAT DICTATES WHAT YOU BELIEVE?

I’ll likely never get the opportunity to talk with this woman regarding her post so I may never get a straight answer from her.

• Though I would suppose that her standard of belief is most likely her own heart.
• I would guess that her own heart (which is highly influenced by the culture) is
where she goes to determine if things are true or not.

AND THIS IS TERRIBLY DANGEROUS.

But this is what I want to discuss with you tonight.

In this segment our Psalmist has a very interesting prayer request to God.

(66) “Teach me good discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Your commandments.”

That’s a great request.
• “Team me good discernment…”
• “Teach me [good] knowledge…”

It is not just a request to have knowledge and discernment
But accurate knowledge and discernment.

And as we have now seen, that is vitally important.

The world has plenty of knowledge.
The world has plenty of discernment.

The question is whether it is accurate knowledge?
The question is whether it is good discernment?

Throughout this stanza we see the same word used 5 times.
It is the Hebrew word TOB (tobe)
• In verse 65 it is translated “well”
• The other 4 times it is translated “good”

You know it as the word God used to describe creation before the fall.

SO
• The Psalmist is NOT ASKING for what is considered good to the culture.
• The Psalmist is NOT ASKING what is considered good to his own heart.
• The Psalmist wants to know what is considered good to God.

He wants God’s discernment.
He wants God’s knowledge.

“discernment” is the Hebrew word TA’AM (ta-ham)
It literally means “taste” and is also used of “judgment”

When David faked madness before Ahimelech the Scripture says:
1 Samuel 21:13 “So he disguised his sanity before them…”

“sanity” there is TA’AM
David disguised his judgment
David disguised his discernment
David made himself appear to be one
Who didn’t know the difference between right or wrong.

You understand further then the request of the Psalmist.

I don’t want the world’s taste or judgment or discernment or sanity.
I want God’s taste or judgment or discernment or sanity.

I want true and good discernment.
I want true and good knowledge.

NOW THAT IS A GOOD VERSE TO REMEMBER
Because it is the criteria for discernment.

When you come to the decision to “test everything”
Or if you are motivated by the culture to “deconstruct”.

Then the thing you must solidify in your mind is
What will be your criteria for doing this?

What are you going to recognize as your standard
By which everything will be tested or deconstructed?

• Are you going to look at your own heart?
• Are you going to take a survey?
• Are you going to listen to the news?

And bear in mind this is IMPORTANT
Because as we noted, DECEPTION IS EVERYWHERE.

Well obviously you already know where this is headed.
We are going to affirm, with the Reformers,
That our standard for truth will be Scripture.

We are going to affirm:
2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

We are going to believe the words of Jesus when He said:
John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”

But this stanza is NOT ABOUT
Proving to you why the Bible is true or why the Bible should be trusted,
Or why the Bible should be your standard.

The Psalmist assumes you already know this.

The problem the Psalmist addressed is
Why so many believers, who would affirm that Scripture is true,
Still fail to read it and through their ignorance of Scripture
Fail to have good discernment.

LISTEN,
• The Bible has never led anyone away from Christ.
• The Bible has never caused anyone to stop believing Satan is real.
• The Bible has never caused anyone to believe in Buddha or Muhammad.
• The Bible has never caused anyone to abandon the church.

The PROBLEM IS NOT what the Bible teaches,
The PROBLEM IS that people don’t know what the Bible teaches.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT
Many false prophets have misrepresented what the Bible teaches.

I’m really excited that in a couple of weeks
We are going to start a new study of 1 John.

John was actually dealing with this very issue.
• John faced deceivers.
• John called them anti-christs.
• John said they had left the church.

Now the difference was that in John’s day
They left they church because they claimed a higher knowledge (Gnosticism).

In a weird way this deconstruction movement
Claims a lesser knowledge as their reason for leaving.
(They can no longer be certain about anything)

But 1 John is all about the obvious truth of Christianity
Which is clearly taught in the Scripture.

And so all throughout the book John uses the same phrase,
“And you know” “And you know” “And you know”

What is he doing?
He is cutting through the nonsense and seeking to call the church back to basic simple Christian truths that they knew.

He was imparting discernment
And he was doing it by calling them back to Scriptural truth.

This is what the church needs.
This is what believers need.

You need a knowledge of God’s word.
You need to know what the Bible says.

(Oddly enough this girl who has left the faith said the beginning of her journey started when she attended Bible college and they taught her about the canonization of the Bible and she finally released her belief in the inerrancy of Scripture)

It’s not a surprise that one who started to believe the Bible isn’t true ended up on Facebook proclaiming to have left Christianity.

THE SCRIPTURE IS IMPORTANT
AND YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT IT SAYS.

BUT THERE IS THE PROBLEM
• People are lazy…
• People are busy…
• People are distracted…
• People are bored…

And for whatever reason it is the tendency of even believers
To fall into ruts in their life where they neglect the Scripture.

They fail to read it…

So they don’t know what is true.
They lose their ability to discern truth from error.
They forget what God says is true.

But all the while “the god of this world” is whispering his doctrines
Into their ears and over time they lose their discernment.

The solution is faithful study of God’s word,
But believers fail to do it.

IF ONLY THERE WAS A TOOL THAT WOULD CAUSE BELIEVERS TO FAITHFULLY STUDY GOD’S WORD…

Welcome to Psalms 119:65-72

• (71) “It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.”

• (65) “You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word.”

• (67) “Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word.”

What we get in this stanza is a song of thanksgiving to God
Because God has seen fit to bring affliction into his life.

If you want to see the current affliction, here it is:
(69-70) “The arrogant have forged a lie against me; With all my heart I will observe Your precepts. Their heart is covered with fat, But I delight in Your law.”

The Psalmist is being lied about.
“The arrogant have forged a lie” about the Psalmist.

That means they took the truth,
And put in the forge and heated it up,
And then they pulled it out and twisted it
And beat it and manipulated it until it was no longer the truth.

And the Psalmist was the victim of their attack.

The Psalmist says “Their heart is covered with fat”
• I heard one preacher refer to them as people with “high cholesterol”
• Arteriole Sclerosis is what we call “A Hardening of the Arteries”

These men have hardened hearts.
These men have thick hearts.
These men have undiscerning hearts.

THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT IS TRUE
But they are happy to spread what is not
And our Psalmist is the victim.

No one likes to be misrepresented
No one likes to be lied about

• We certainly don’t like it if those lies cause us to be treated differently or to reap negative consequences.

But that is where the Psalmist is.
He is being lied about and it hurts.

And yet, the Psalmist says, “It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.”

What does he mean?

The affliction that I have experienced has 1 outcome,
It drives me to God’s word.

And the Psalmist says this is a good thing!

(67) “Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word.”

That is why LAST TIME we called this study “Appreciating Affliction”

Namely that a man ought to learn to see his affliction differently.
He ought to be able to see the value in it.

It is that which drives us to God’s word and that is a good thing.

It would be nice if we were faithful and committed without being prompted
But the fact of the matter is, sometimes we are not.

But this affliction drove the Psalmist to God’s word.

Someone has lied about him and caused him grief
So he goes to the One who knows the truth about him
That he might have comfort.

And he found a treasure.
(72) “The law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of gold and silver pieces.”

And so at the very least we learn a principle
That affliction can produce in us a love for God’s word
Because affliction is designed by God to drive us to His word.

So that’s a good thing.

BUT TONIGHT we discuss the issue of discernment.

This Psalmist has learned the dangerous effects of lacking discernment.
He has been the victim of fat-hearted people who don’t know the truth.

The Psalmist used that to evaluate his own life and he prayed:
(66) “Teach me good discernment and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments.”

That is an interesting request.
• He doesn’t go to God and say, “Stop their lies”
• He doesn’t go to God and say, “Let the truth come out”

What does he pray?
“Team me good discernment and knowledge”

His first prayer is,
• “God, don’t let me be deceived like them.”
• “Trim the fat from my heart”
• “Give me good discernment”
• “Give me good knowledge”

The Psalmist has seen the reality of deception.
But he does not think himself beyond it.

He doesn’t say, “God I could never be deceived like they are.”

On the contrary, he is well-aware that
He is just as prone to being deceived as the next guy.

SO
• He runs to God.
• He thanks God for the affliction that has driven him to God’s word.
• And he asks God to grant him good discernment.

SO THERE’S THE QUESTION TO THINK ABOUT TONIGHT.

We live in a world that is filled with deception.
Satan is the god of this world and he is the father of lies.

Do you understand that you are susceptible?

• Do you understand that your heart will lie to you?
• Do you understand that the culture will deceive you?
• Do you understand that what looks right and feels right may not be right?

That is the grievous mistake of this woman on Facebook.
• She has abandoned the Scripture and she has abandoned the Church
• And instead she is purely looking inward (and to some curious spirit she attributes to be god)
• And she is judging truth by if it aligns with her inner thoughts.

She is operating on the basis that
She will intuitively recognize truth when she sees it.

Is that what you think?

DO YOU THINK that you can listen to the ramblings of the world and just intuitively know if it’s true or false?

DO YOU THINK that you can fill your head with worldly logic and you’ll just know if it’s right or not?

1. Are you confident that you will spot every demonic doctrine?
2. Are you confident that you will spot every deceitful spirit?

3. Are you sure that no one can slip a “myth” past you?
4. Do you know that “perverse teaching” will be obvious to you when you hear it?

5. You are certain that you will be spot what is only the “commandments of men”?
6. You are certain that you’ll see the difference between truth and “speculations”?

7. There is no concern that you might get deceived by “controversial issues”?
8. There is no concern that “worldly fables” won’t such you in?

9. You are absolutely impervious to “what is falsely called knowledge”?
10. You are immune to “empty philosophy”?

If you think that is the case you are in a world of hurt.

I hate to tell you but your inner fact checker is fallen and flawed.
I hate to tell you but your personal discerner is wrongly calibrated.

AND IT IS PURE ARROGANCE TO ASSUME
That you’ll recognize deception based on some internal intuition.

Isn’t that what the Psalmist said?
(69) “The arrogant have forged a lie”

Tonight I simply want you to think about discernment.

I want you to understand WHY YOU NEED IT
And I want you to understand WHERE TO GET IT.

You must be devoted to God’s word.
You must be devoted to learn God’s statutes.

Paul had the best statement on this.
2 Corinthians 10:5 “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,”

• We hear these “speculations”
• And we take them captive “to the obedience of Christ”

That is to say, we force those speculations through Scripture
And that is how we know if it is true.

And beloved you need this now more than ever.

There are many false prophets in the world.

2 Peter 2:1-3 “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

There is a bunch of them and they will be highly successful.
And they will take a lot of people to judgment with them.

You need discernment.

And so we thank God for anything that drives us to the word.
And we thank God for the affliction that drives us to the word.
Because we will not survive without it.

So, are you in the word?
Are you studying it?
• Can you say, “I delight in Your law”?
• Can you say, “The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces?”

YOU NEED THAT.
If for no other reason than to save you from being deceived.

“Teach me good discernment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments.”

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The Conclusion
Ecclesiastes 12:9-14
November 21, 2021

This morning we come to the end of the book of Ecclesiastes.
• Last week we actually looked at the end of the sermon.
• This morning it is the end of the book.

As we said from the beginning Ecclesiastes has an author.
It is a man who heard the sermon of the preacher
And was so moved by it that he was compelled to publish what he heard.

• THE PREACHER, we said, was an older man who had a message for the young man, all about life and wisdom and what to pursue.
• THE AUTHOR heard that message, published it, and is now giving it to his son.

You see the reference to “my son” in verse 12.

So here’s the best way I could explain to you what we see in this text.

• The author heard this sermon (or sermons) from the Preacher.
• The author was moved by it and wrote this book called “Ecclesiastes”
• It is a book recounting the sermon (or perhaps sermons) of the preacher.

And then, (figuratively) tucked inside the back flap of the book
It’s as though the author LEFT A NOTE to his son.

The note explains why the author wanted his son to read this book.
The note explains what the author hoped his son would learn.

It is a perfect way to bring this wonderful book to a fitting conclusion.

WHAT WE READ HERE IS VERY MOVING.
You sense the heart-felt passion of a father
Who desperately wants his son to hear this powerful message.

It is fatherly, it is sincere, and it is incredibly serious.

IN MY MIND, it would be the kind of note
• A father would write to his son
• As he hands him a Bible
• And sends him off to college.

The message has inspired the father.
The preacher has hit the nail on the head.
And the father now is giving it as the finest of gifts to his son.

There is such a weight of emotion here.

But it could almost move a man to tears
As he seeks to express how huge this advice as been.

LAST WEEK DURING THE SERMON we had a few “young men” in the room who were having difficulty paying attention.
• I talked to them about it
• And before we’re too hard on them, we’ve all been there.

But IT GRIEVED ME because I felt the same burden this father has felt.
Of all the messages he wanted his son to hear, this is the one.

So THIS MORNING we’re going to look at this final text.

Certainly there is value for each of us in it,
But I’ll go ahead and make the appeal even stronger
To the young men and women who are here.

WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND THIS CHURCH
• You see friends and relatives.
• You probably see a lot of old people whom you’ve known your whole life.

What you may or may not realize is that from the time you were born
The “old people” in this church have had 1 desire for you.

• Yes they’ve rooted for you at your sporting events
• Yes they’ve followed your school accomplishments
• Yes they’ve commented on how you’ve grown and told you how handsome or pretty you are

BUT ALL OF THAT IS SECONDARY TO THEM.

SINCE THE TIME YOU WERE BORN,
• They’ve prayed for you,
• They’ve sought to welcome you,
• They’ve encouraged you,
• They’ve given money for a youth fund and for you to go to camp.

And it was all for 1 desire they have for you.
ONLY 1

THEY HAVE LONGED FOR THE DAY THAT YOU
• Would recognize your sin,
• Understand the judgment that comes as a result,
• See your need for Jesus,
• Trust in Jesus for salvation,
• Come make a public confession of Him through baptism,
• And then begin to live your life for Him.

Every other desire for you pales in comparison to that desire.

And I can promise you, as we study this text this morning,
And you hear this father speak to his son about what really matters,

There is a part of them that is going to be on pins and needles
And a part of them that is going to be in earnest prayer,
Just hoping that today you get the message.

That’s what we get in this text to conclude the book of Ecclesiastes.

So let’s examine these final 6 verses.
Let’s read this “Note” from the father to his son
Regarding this sermon he has heard.

We’ll break this text up into 3 points that this father has for his son.
#1 HIS COMMENDATION
Ecclesiastes 12:9-10

You will immediately notice that “the Preacher”
Is now being referred to in the 3rd person.

This isn’t “the Preacher” talking here, now this is the author.

And the note begins on somewhat of a light-hearted tone
With the author basically commending this Preacher to his son.

It’s as if to say, “Son, you really ought to listen to what this Preacher has to say.”
Or, “This guy knows what he’s talking about.”

He begins to sort of give the credentials of this preacher
That he is recommending to his son.

And the point is simple.
You should listen to this guy because he is telling you the truth.

Now, it is apparently understood that this preacher is “a wise man”

But the author wants his son to know that this guy
IS NOT just some “random philosopher” with a unique spin on life.

This preacher is a devoted, studying, seeking, proclaimer of truth.
He’s more than just “a wise man”

BUT “In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs.”

This guy is no shallow scholar.

Son, listen to this man, he knows what he’s talking about.
• He teaches “knowledge”
• He “pondered”
• He “searched out”
• He “arranged many proverbs”

HE’S NOT the kind of guy
That speaks without knowing what he’s talking about.

• He’s done the work, he’s done the research.
• He’s wrestled in prayer.
• He’s meditated all night.
• He has found the truth.

There is an article about forging a man of God that I have always enjoyed and at the same time been highly convicted by.

It describes the type of man that the author is describing here.

It’s called “Forging A Man of God”

Fling him into his office. Tear the “office” sign from the door and nail on the sign, “Study.” Take him off the mailing list. Lock him up with his books and his typewriter and his Bible. Slam him down on his knees before texts and broken hearts and the flock of lives of a superficial flock and a holy God.
Force him to be the one man in our surfeited communities who knows about God. Throw him into the ring to box with God until he learns how short his arms are. Engage him to wrestle with God all the night through. And let him come out only when he’s bruised and beaten into a blessing.
Shut his mouth forever spouting remarks, and stop his tongue tripping lightly over every nonessential. Require him to have something to say before he dares break the silence. Bend his knees in lonesome valley.
Burn his eyes with weary study. Wreck his emotional poise with worry for God. And make him exchange his pious stance for a humble walk with God and man. Make him spend and be spent for the glory of God. Rip out his telephone. Burn up his ecclesiastical success sheets.
Put water in his gas tank. Give him a Bible and tie him to the pulpit. And make him preach the Word of the living God!
Test him. Quiz him. Examine him. Humiliate him for his ignorance of things divine. Shame him for his good comprehension of finances, batting averages, and political infighting. Laugh at his frustrated effort to play psychiatrist. Form a choir and raise a chant and haunt him with it night and day – “Sir, we would see Jesus.”
When at long last he dares assay the pulpit, ask him if he has a word from God. If he does not, then dismiss him. Tell him you can read the morning paper and digest the television commentaries, and think through the day’s superficial problems, and manage the community’s weary drives, and bless the sordid baked potatoes and green beans, ad infinitum, better than he can.
Command him not to come back until he’s read and reread, written and rewritten, until he can stand up, worn and forlorn, and say, “Thus saith the Lord.”
Break him across the board of his ill-gotten popularity. Smack him hard with his own prestige. Corner him with questions about God. Cover him with demands for celestial wisdom. And give him no escape until his back’s against the wall of the Word.
And sit down before him and listen to the only word he has left – God’s Word. Let him be totally ignorant of the down-street gossip, but give him a chapter and order him to walk around it, camp on it, sup with it, and come at last to speak it backward and forward, until all he says about it rings with the truth of eternity.
And when he’s burned out by the flaming Word, when he’s consumed at last by the fiery grace blazing through him, and when he’s privileged to translate the truth of God to man, finally transferred from earth to heaven, then bear him away gently and blow a muted trumpet and lay him down softly. Place a two-edged sword in his coffin, and raise the tomb triumphant. For he was a brave soldier of the Word. And ere he died, he had become a man of God.
(John MacArthur, Preaching: How to Preach Biblically, [Nashville, TN.: Nelson Reference & Electronic, 2005] pg. 285-286)

The author is saying to his son that this preacher is that kind of guy.

Son, you should listen to what this Preacher has to say
Because he is giving you the very words of God.

He has studied and wrestled and prayed and begged
And meditated and suffered to know this truth.

THIS IS TRUTH!

(10) “The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly.”

THAT IS ALL HE WANTED.

Paul told Timothy:
1 Timothy 4:13-15 “Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.”

2 Timothy 2:15 “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

2 Timothy 4:2 “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.”

2 Timothy 4:5 “But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

As the father gives this recorded sermon to his son,
He opens with a commendation that the son should listen to this sermon
Because this preacher knows what he is talking about.

#2 HIS COUNSEL
Ecclesiastes 12:11-12

THE AUTHOR CONTINUES WITH
Why the son should listen so intently to this Preacher.

The author says:
(11) “The words of a wise man are like goads…”

A “goad” is a stick with a sharp point on it used to drive livestock along the road.

Ever hear the statement,
“They where goading him along” or “Stop goading me”

IT MEANT “Stop poking me with that sharp stick”

Remember before the apostle Paul was saved,
The Lord commented on his stubbornness and said:
Acts 26:14 “And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’”

Why do you fight the prompting of God?

So a goad is that which is meant to stimulate you
To do what you are supposed to do.

And the author says “The words of a wise man are like goads…”

• The words of this Preacher are the types of words that are going to push you to be the man you are supposed to be.
• The words of this Preacher are the words that will push you down the path you are supposed to walk.

ALL FAITHFUL PREACHERS CARRY A GOAD INTO THE PULPIT

WE KNOW THAT we are born in sin.
WE KNOW THAT foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child.
WE KNOW THAT a father’s job is to extract foolishness and to instill.

You can’t leave a child to their own logic or devices.
They’ll wreck their life if you let them choose their own path.

Ephesians 6:4 “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

And the truth is that sometimes that young man or woman
Has to be goaded into the right path.

This father wants his son to recognize the goad of the preacher.

This is even the work of the church.
Hebrews 10:24 “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,”

• If you read the NIV it says, “to spur one another on”
• Like a goad.

THE AUTHOR HERE TELLS HIS SON THAT
This man has the wisdom that will drive him down the correct path.

He goes on to say:
“and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails;”

“collections” there is a confusing word translation.

It is a word that can mean “congregations”
It can even be a sort of figurative reference then to like “a heard or a flock”.

And that’s the idea in this verse.

When he says “masters”,
• He’s talking about those who are “masters” at “using the goad.”
• He’s talking about those who are “masters” at “directing the heard.”

When you have a wise man who is really good at using the goad
And pushing the herd down the right path
You’ve got the kind of guy you should listen to.

The Preacher was that kind of a guy.

The author said he is like “well-driven nails”

What does that mean?
What he builds lasts.
• His wisdom is tried and true.
• His wisdom is time-tested.

“Listen to this guy, he’ll goad you down the right path.
And the wisdom he gives you will last.”

But that’s not all.
“they are given by one Shepherd.”

• We have a guy here who is really good at using his goad to drive the flock
where they need to go.
• He puts them where they need to be and his direction lasts.

BUT THERE IS A REASON.
IT’S NOT because this particular Preacher is so smart or so astute.

Why is this Preacher so good at pushing you down the right path?
Because he got all of his instruction from the true “Shepherd”.

The “Shepherd” referred to here is none other than God.

AND THAT IS THE POINT OF THE AUTHOR TO HIS SON.

Son, listen, you need to pay attention to this Preacher.
• He’s a hard working, hard-studying wise man.
• He has done the work to bring you wisdom.
• He will drive you down the right path.
• And His counsel will last.

Because the wisdom and counsel he is imparting to you has come to him from God.
• His wisdom is NOT a secular wisdom.
• His wisdom is NOT even primarily an experiential wisdom.
• His wisdom IS supernatural wisdom.
• His wisdom IS divine wisdom.

We don’t have time to go read the whole chapter,
But you can write Job 28 in your margin.

It is the chapter where Job talks about mining for gold and other precious treasures.
And Job basically says if you want gold or silver or diamonds then man knows where it is and how to get it; you have to go dig for it.

But then Job asks the question, but where do you get wisdom?
• Can you dig for it?
• Where do you find it?

Job 28:20-28 “Where then does wisdom come from? And where is the place of understanding? “Thus it is hidden from the eyes of all living And concealed from the birds of the sky. “Abaddon and Death say, ‘With our ears we have heard a report of it.’ “God understands its way, And He knows its place. “For He looks to the ends of the earth And sees everything under the heavens. “When He imparted weight to the wind And meted out the waters by measure, When He set a limit for the rain And a course for the thunderbolt, Then He saw it and declared it; He established it and also searched it out. “And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.’”

Wisdom only comes from God.

And the author here is telling his son,
You need to listen to this Preacher
Because he is imparting to you wisdom from God.

And I love what he says next:
(12) “But beyond this, my son, be warned…”

• There is a wisdom you need to hear and that is God’s wisdom.
• You should devote yourself to knowing that.
• But “beyond this” be careful.

God’s wisdom is necessary, but anything “beyond” God’s wisdom
Should be examined very carefully.

For while God has true wisdom that must be heeded
There is a whole lot of false wisdom that should be avoided.

And that is what he means here:
“But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body.”

NO, this isn’t some lament against reading.

It is a warning that there is NO END to “knowledge”
And “wisdom” that the world will throw at you.

The world will never quit writing books that tell you how to live.

We’ve read the passage a lot lately about what Paul preached when he was in Athens.
• Have you ever paid attention to what kind of people his audience was?
• Paul showed up in Athens because he was on the run.
• He went into the Areopagus and started preaching.

But this is how that crowd was described.
Acts 17:21 “(Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)”

Translation?
• There was no truth there.
• They never settled on anything.
• They just kept questioning and kept debating.

Listen there are a lot of highly educated people in this world
And they know a lot about a lot of things.

And NOT ALL of their knowledge is useless.
A man doesn’t have to be a Christian
To know how to build a bridge or remove an appendix.

BUT I WOULD REMIND YOU OF THIS.
If a man or woman does not believe in Jesus
Then regardless of what else they know
They are deceived at the very most important level.

So be very careful reading their books
And taking what they say to be true in every regard.

Some of it may be truth, but I promise you that some of it is not.

And if you devote yourself to learning from the world,
It will end up in terrible harm.

I’m telling you I can’t think of a better verse or better advice
To give a graduating senior as they plan to head off to college.

Don’t believe everything they tell you.
There is God’s wisdom and then there is everything else.
Saturate yourself with God’s wisdom and be very skeptical of everything else.

Paul summed up the difference:
1 Corinthians 2:7-8 “but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;”

You want the true value of the world’s wisdom?

The world is so smart and so educated and so knowledgeable
That they couldn’t even figure out why Jesus is so important.

THAT IS NOT WISDOM, THAT IS FOOLISHNESS.

1 Corinthians 3:19-20 “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS”; and again, “THE LORD KNOWS THE REASONINGS of the wise, THAT THEY ARE USELESS.”

LET ME ASK THE ADULTS IN HERE.

When you send a kid off to college, do you ever have any reservations regarding just what they might get taught?

ABSOLUTELY!

We know how it works, the universities are a lion’s den.
• They’ll teach your kids about critical race theory…
• They’ll teach your kids about socialism…
• They’ll teach your kids about sexual orientation and gender neutrality…
• They’ll teach your kids about abortion and hyper-feminism…
• They’ll seek to rewrite the moral code you tried to instill in your kids.

• And they’ll teach them all that while immersing them in a secular and immoral environment.

If you have no concerns about sending your kid off to college
Then you aren’t paying attention.

THIS AUTHOR FEELS THAT CONCERN.

He heard this sermon and it resonated

And he wrote it down for his son and said, “Son, there’s a lot of information that’s going to be thrown at you which is called “truth” and it won’t be. If you want truth, listen to this Preacher. He is bringing you the truth of God and it will send you down the right path.”

Can you feel that plea from this father?
Can you hear the desperation he has?

We haven’t even gotten to the message yet.
I just want you to see how badly this father wants his son to listen.

SO YOUNG MAN LISTEN UP

His Commendation, His Counsel
#3 HIS CONCLUSION
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

In your life you’ll learn a great many things.
In your life you’ll process great amounts of information.

But if you can start to filter through it all
And start to rank it in order of importance,
Here is the truth that you should put at the top of your list.

We’ll call it the “absolute most important thing” you could ever know.

This is “The conclusion, when all has been heard:”

“Fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.”

If you learn nothing else, learn that.
GOD (the Creator of the universe, the Sovereign over all)
GOD IS A RIGHTEOUS JUDGE

He will judge every single person.
• “this applies to every person”
He will judge every single deed.
• “everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil”

GOD KNOWS YOU.
• You have not escaped His radar.
• He meticulously and purposely created you.
• And He had kept extensive records on your entire life.

That thing you did that no one knows about.
You thought you were alone and no one was watching
God knows about it.

And in the great courtroom He will bring it light.
There is nothing hidden that God doesn’t know.

You may have your momma fooled (doubtful)
You may have your grandma fooled (probable)
But you don’t have God fooled.
HE KNOWS.

And because He will judge every single thing
The author tells his son the best advice he could possibly give.

“Fear God and keep His commandments”

Son, nothing is more important in this life
Than that you have such a fear of God
That you are motivated to obey Him at all times.

Do you feel the Father’s plea?
• Son, please don’t offend God!
• Son, please honor God!

This is a father who loves his son and does not want to bear the thought of his son bearing the wrath of God’s holy judgment.
• “Just do what He says!”
• “Obey Him!”

That’s the plea of this father.

Now, this plea is absolutely true and is absolutely the most important.

BUT, IT IS INCOMPLETE.
• This father lived on the other side of redemption.
• This father lived before Jesus came to earth and before Jesus died on the cross.

His message is 100% accurate, but it is incomplete.
• Jesus finished this message.
• Jesus completed this father’s point to his son.

We remember:
Matthew 16:27 “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.”

John 5:22-29 “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. “For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”

We’ve read it many times:
Acts 17:31 “because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

And of course we are all aware:
Revelation 20:11-15 “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Jesus Himself preached that judgment is coming.

But Jesus also offered a way through the judgment
And that was by believing in Him.

John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

AND THIS IS IT YOUNG MAN.
• I want nothing else for you.
• This father wanted nothing else for his son.
• This congregation wants nothing else for you.

We want you to know that God is not joking around.
JUDGMENT IS REAL.

There is a real lake of fire and people will really go there for all eternity.

The only people who escape it
Are those who turn from their sin and trust in Jesus Christ.
It is only for the people who confess Jesus as Lord.

There is not a more important piece of information
That you will ever hear than that.

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

That is it.
That is “The conclusion, when all has been heard”

When this father heard this sermon by the Preacher
He heard what he wanted his son to hear before he went into the world.

And this morning we conclude the study of this wonderful book
By bringing it to you.

AND THIS MORNING I AM ASKING YOU
To turn from your sin and to confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

I am asking you
• To believe that Jesus’ righteousness if enough to satisfy the Father.
• To believe that Jesus’ death is enough to satisfy the Father.
• To give your life to Him.
• Then to publicly confess Him.

Nothing matters to me or this church more than that.

And when you trust in Jesus the Bible says that
• Your sin will be imputed to Christ and He will have paid the penalty for that you have done – FORGIVENESS

• And not only that, but His righteousness will be imputed to you and you will instantly be made acceptable to God – JUSTIFICATION

• He will place His Spirit within you to set you free from the sin that has plagued your life – SANCTIFICATION

• And one day He will take you home to heaven to be with Him – GLORIFICATION

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

What does it mean to be a Christian?  It ought to be one of the easiest questions we ever answer.  And yet, the enemy has been busy deceiving the world on a number of levels, even including the very foundation of what it means to be a Christian.  The fallout to his deception is that we end up with people who claim Christianity who most certainly are not and therefore live in a horrible state of false assurance.  And we end up with genuine Christians who are confused, lacking assurance, doubting their salvation, with no confidence regarding eternal life, and no conviction regarding the gospel they are called to proclaim.  Both of those conditions must be addressed.  And thus we understand the purpose of the apostle John’s first epistle.  With love as his motivation, John sets out to restore assurance and confidence in the hearts of believers by reminding them of the truths which are blatantly obvious and which they most certainly already know.  “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.” (1 John 3:10)  

John battled a counterfeit form of Christianity known as Gnosticism which denied the true nature of Jesus and overlooked a sinful flesh as insignificant.  Today we also see a counterfeit brand of Christianity which is highly marketable and extremely attractive to an unregenerate world.  It is a faulty form of religion, propagated by false prophets, which minimizes sin and emphasizes self; and sinners love it.  It is heresy to the core, but it is not new.  John saw the same.  “They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them.” (1 John 4:5)  But also like today, the message had grown so prevalent that many true believers apparently even began to question their own convictions and the doctrines they had always thought to be true.  John wrote to these believers to confirm their faith, restore their assurance, and to remind them of the basics of what it means to be Christian.  “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5).  Is their a freedom to sin?  Then it is not Christianity.  “Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning.  The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:7-8) Is there a lack of love? Then it is not Christianity.  “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8)  Is there love for the world?  Then it is not Christianity.  “Do not love the world nor the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15)  Is there a lack of obedience?  Then it is not Christianity.  “The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;”  (1 John 2:4)  Is their a denial of Jesus?  Then it is not Christianity. “Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.” (1 John 2:23)  It really isn’t a hard question to answer, it just happens to be a question that gets answered wrongly…a lot!

We invite you to join us in our study of this wonderful epistle so that you may be reminded of the things you know and so that you may enjoy the confidence and assurance which comes from these convictions.  “What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3)

THIS STUDY BEGINS DECEMBER 5, 2021

Download Here:

Thinking About Satisfaction
Psalms 119:57-64
November 14, 2021

Tonight we are going to be “Thinking About Satisfaction”

Satisfaction has actually been a frequent topic of our discussions of late.

As we have studied Ecclesiastes on Sunday mornings
We have many times discussed that there are things that don’t satisfy.

• The preacher there continually uses phrases like “striving after wind” or “vanity”
• We called him the critic because he is weighing on all the allurements of life that simply do not satisfy.

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 “I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility. I said of laughter, “It is madness,” and of pleasure, “What does it accomplish?” I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives. I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. I bought male and female slaves and I had homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men—many concubines. Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor. Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.”

That pretty much sums it up.
In the words of Mic Jagger, “I just can’t get no satisfaction.”

Sooner or later that becomes the review
Of every single person who pursues the world.

• They either find that rather quickly in life due to the initial bitter taste of the world

• Or they find that later in life after they are left empty, like the preacher in Ecclesiastes.

• Or they find that in judgment when everything obtained in the world passes away and they are left with only judgment. Like that rich man in Hades who enjoyed good things in life but was left only with judgment.

But sooner or later every person who tastes the world
Learns that there is nothing in this world that satisfies.

The true blessing comes when you find what really does satisfy,
And that is Christ.

C.S. Lewis spoke of that “God-shaped hole” in the heart of every man that only God can fill.

There is true satisfaction in no one else.
Only in Christ do you find what is true and real and sufficient
And all-satisfying.

THE LAST TIME we studied this stanza we called it “When God is Your Portion” and honestly there is no reason to depart from that.

TONIGHT we just want to talk more about that same idea.

Tonight we think about it a little more, and I want to make this point.

Satisfaction in God should be
The defining difference between the world and the church.

This is where the main difference should be most readily observed.
• While the world is constantly pursuing the things of this world to be satisfied,
• It should be obvious that the church has found satisfaction in Christ.

We say that Jesus is “the life”.
We say that “in Him was life, and the life was the light of men”
We say that those who believe in Him will have “the light of life”
We say that if He is “the bread from heaven”
And by believing in Him we “never hunger or never thirst”
We say that from Him “flow rivers of living water”
We say that those who believe in Him “will live even if he dies”
We say that His followers have “life abundant”
We say that in Him we have “eternal life”

If there is then one thing that should distinguish us from the world
It should be that we have found total satisfaction in Christ.

SO LET ME SAY IT AGAIN:
Satisfaction in God should be the defining difference
Between the world and the church.

And there are A COUPLE OF PASSAGES I want to go to before we walk through this stanza again just to show you that this is the expectation.

Let’s start in the Old Testament.
• 1 Passage has sort of risen to the top throughout history as sort of the pinnacle passage on satisfaction in God.

Psalms 23 “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

That is a song of a satisfied sheep.
He says, “I shall not want”
In my Shepherd I have everything I need and want.
• I have provision
• I have restoration of soul
• I have righteousness
• I have protection
• I have comfort
• I have victory
• I have anointing
• I have hope

I need for nothing.

And if we go to the New Testament and look at the redeemed people of God we see this reality so clearly.

Acts 4:42-47 “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

The very passions and desires of the early church
Speak to their ultimate satisfaction with Christ.

They saw no need to deviate.
There was no other allurement.
They had no need of worldly wealth.

You don’t see them finding a million and one other things
They could do instead of going to church.

Nothing else was going to bring them satisfaction
Like the worship of God among the saints.

And this greatly distinguished them from the world in which they live.

This SHOULD BE THE DISTINGUISHING MARK of God’s people.

We hear Asaph:
Psalms 73:25 “Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.”

We listen to Paul:
Philippians 3:7-8 “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,”

We read of Abraham:
Hebrews 11:9-10 “By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”

We read of Moses:
Hebrews 11:24-26 “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.”

This is the distinguishing mark of the redeemed.
• They have forsaken this world…
• They have gained Christ…
• AND THEY ARE MORE THAN SATISFIED WITH THEIR DECISION!

We think of Peter, as he watched the multitude turn away from Christ
After Christ refused to give them more bread.

John 6:66-69 “As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. “We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”

I hope you see what I’m talking about.
The church are those who are satisfied with Christ.

Well TONIGHT I want to give you another picture of a satisfied customer.

He actually starts by saying:
(57) “The LORD is my portion;”

This could reference a number of things:
• Maybe he is referencing how the first born son received a double portion.
• Maybe he is referencing how the Levites received no land because the Lord was their portion.
• Maybe he is simply referring to how he is a stranger in the world.

Whatever he means at the very least he understands
That HIS TOTAL INHERITANCE and all that he is receiving is “the LORD”

SO LET’S IMAGINE THE SCENE FOR A MOMENT.
Perhaps your parents are rich; totally loaded

And one day they pass away and it’s time to go for the opening of the will.
• One person gets the land…
• Someone else gets the house…
• Someone gets the cars…
• Someone gets the vacation homes…

Finally it comes to you and the executer of the will says, “You receive no earthly possessions, all that has been left to you is “The LORD”

You have not received anything in this life.
But you get a relationship with God.

That is what this Psalmist has just announced.

THE QUESTION IS, “Are you disappointed?”
• As your brother drives away in the car.
• As your sister moves into the house.
• As your cousins go to the vacation home.
• As your aunts and uncles take the money.

You walk away with nothing but God.
Are you satisfied?

That’s what we are looking at here in regard to this Psalmist.

Now, we also find that the LORD being his “portion”

COMES WITH AN EXPECTATION.
“I have promised to keep Your words”

In that sense it is much like the priestly tribe who received no land,
But who were allowed to dwell closer to God than any other tribe
And carried the added responsibility of owning God’s Law.

That is where our Psalmist is.
He doesn’t have anything but God.

But BEFORE WE SEE how satisfied he is with this,
We first need to backtrack a little and
LOOK AT HOW THIS ARRANGEMENT CAME TO PASS.

See, the reading of this will WASN’T A SURPRISE to him.
He already knew that this is what he was getting.

IN FACT, THERE WAS A TIME IN THE PAST
WHERE THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HE ASKED FOR.

If you read verses 58-60
• You notice that all the verbs are past tense.
• He is going to tell you about a time in the past
• Where he made the decision to forsake it all that he might gain Christ.

(58-60) “I sought Your favor with all my heart; Be gracious to me according to Your word. I considered my ways And turned my feet to Your testimonies. I hastened and did not delay To keep Your commandments.”

He is talking about a time when he made the decision
That all he really wanted was the favor of God.

He just wanted the nearness of God.

He says, “I sought Your favor with all my heart”

THIS DECISION IS THE ESSENCE OF SALVATION
(this is what happens when you get saved)

I want you to think of all the hymns and songs
Which have been inspired by this very sentiment.

Martin Luther:
“Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also, the body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever.”

Isaac Watts:
“Forbid it Lord that I should boast, save in the death of Christ my God; all the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood…Where the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small. Love so amazing; so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.”

Fanny Crosby
“Take the world, but give me Jesus, All its joys are but a name, But His love abides forever, Through eternal years the same. Take the world, but give me Jesus, Sweetest comfort of my soul, With my Savior watching o’er me, I can sing though billows roll. Take the world, but give me Jesus, In His cross my trust shall be, Till with clearer, brighter vision, Face to face my Lord I see”

George Beverly Shea
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold, I’d rather be His than have riches untold, I’d rather have Jesus than houses or land, I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand. I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause, I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause, I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame, Yes, I’d rather be true to His holy name. Than to be the king of a vast domain And be held in sin’s dread sway, I’d rather have Jesus than anything, This world affords today.

Jordan Kauflin
“Hallelujah! All I have is Christ! Hallelujah! Jesus is my life!”

It is a constant of Christianity throughout the ages
To do exactly what this Psalmist did.

To let go of worldly pursuits and treasures
And to seek God’s favor with all our heart.

• It is what Peter and Andrew were doing when they left their nets.
• It is what James and John were doing when they left their father.
• It is what Matthew was doing when he left his tax booth.
• It is what Zacchaeus did when he returned the money.

The Psalmist pursued God.
HE CAME TO THE REALIZATION THAT GOD WAS ALL HE NEEDED.
And he was committed to seek God even to the loss of everything else.

He also understood that
He would only achieve this favor by God’s grace.

“Be gracious to me according to Your word.”

He knew he didn’t deserve the favor of God,
But he pleaded that by grace he might have it.

He says, “I considered my ways and turned my feet to Your testimonies.”

This is a man who is serious in his pursuit.

I started looking at the things in my life that might disappoint you
And I repented.

I turned my feet away from them.
I “turned my feet to Your testimonies.”

I WANTED YOUR FAVOR.

Again, this is the very reality of salvation.
We repent of our sin.
We leave this life.

Those who want Christ
Are happy to leave behind whatever must be left if they can have him.

Those who want Christ
Have found a treasure in a field and though it costs them everything they must have that field.

Those who want Christ
Have found a pearl of great value, and though it cost them everything they must have that pearl.

• They’ll leave houses and lands
• They’ll leave father and mother
• They’ll leave brother and sister
• They’ll leave business and pleasure
• They’ll leave their reputation

They just want Christ no matter the cost.
(That is true Christianity)

THAT WAS THE PSALMIST.

And notice his URGENCY.
“I hastened and did not delay to keep Your commandments.”
• There was no hesitation…
• There was no debate…
• There was eagerness!

For the last 150 years the “altar call” or public invitation
Has sort of been the norm in the Baptist Church.
I’m not a huge fan, though we do it here.

We’ve all seen those long drawn out manipulative and gimmicky type invitations where preachers beg and plead with sinners to walk the aisle.

I just don’t do that.

If you have just heard about a Savior
• Who will forgive your sin and clothe you in His righteousness and satisfy your
debt before holy God…
• Who will freely justify you and redeem you if you will simply trust in Him and
confess Him before men…

Then I shouldn’t have to beg and plead with you to give your life to Christ
As though I were trying to get you to come
And get a root canal or something.

When the opportunity is available you shouldn’t have to be coerced.
You ought to fly out of your seat at the first opportunity.

Like the hemorrhaging woman you ought to fight through the crowd to get to Jesus…

THAT WAS THIS PSALMIST.
• He learned of a Savior!
• He learned of a Redeemer!

AND HE WANTED HIM BAD!
• He repented of his sin
• He ran to Christ
• He sought whatever he might do to gain Him

“Take this world, but give me Jesus!” He cried.

That we see.
THAT HAPPENED IN HIS LIFE IN THE PAST.

What we are examining now is: WAS IT WORTH IT?
Now that He gained Christ, but lost the world, is he satisfied?

He got what he wanted.
“The LORD is my portion”

Is he happy with his decision?

AND NOTICE THAT plenty of people have tried to offer him a way out.

There have been plenty that have said, “For crying out loud, let go of your grip on Christ and here, have a piece of the world!”

(61) “The cords of the wicked have encircled me”

That is what we call temptation.
• “Turn these stones into bread…”
• “Throw yourself off the temple…”
• “Bow down and worship me and all these kingdoms will be Yours…”

The world throws them at us too.
• Come away with me and have a little fun.
• Surely Jesus can’t be all satisfying.
• Our world is filled with such temptations.

And the grievous thing is how successful their cords have been!

LOOK AT WORSHIP SERVICES TODAY.
1. First there is the issue of dropping attendance (many even cancel Sunday
nights)
2. Look at how churches have had to shift to entertainment to keep people
interested

It pops up on my memories from time to time, but I love the quote from Vanessa Baxter on the TV Show “Last Man Standing” when here husband was bothered because church was so boring.

She said, “I’m sorry the reverend wasn’t entertaining enough for you today. Maybe he should juggle while he’s trying to save your soul from the fiery pits of hell.”

We’ve seen just that.
People are bored, they don’t want to go,
They’ve got other things to do on Sunday night.

How far a cry is it from the passion of the early church?
Acts 2:46 “Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,”

WHAT ABOUT DAILY PRIVATE DEVOTION?
Is there a desire to daily study God’s word?
• But in the morning emails and social media and weather reports are calling
• And in the evening there are all sorts of other distractions and entertainments.

I’m not saying a Christian can’t look at social media or watch a television program, but do those things take priority over God’s word?

The question is: WHERE IS YOUR SATISFACTION?

Well the Psalmist was tempted and look at what he said:
(61) “The cords of wickedness have encircled me, But I have not forgotten Your law.”

I’m not buying what they’re selling!

He would echo the response of the Savior:
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but on every word which proceeds from the mouth of God.”

He doesn’t need the world anymore.
He is satisfied with Christ.

And then look at this!
(62) “At midnight I shall rise to give thanks to You Because of Our righteous ordinances.”

• When our world really wants to talk about having a good time, it is characterized as “Night Life”
• Young people want to be in a city where there is a good “Night Life”
• Where the bars and hangouts and dance clubs don’t even really start hopping good until MIDNIGHT.

At night, under the cover of darkness is when the world really wants to let loose.
• That is when they party!
• That is when they gratify those sinful impulses!
• That is when they go seeking satisfaction.

But the Psalmist is totally disinterested.

If I’m up at midnight, it’s not to party with the world:
“At midnight I shall rise to give thanks to You Because of Your righteous ordinances.”

This isn’t some frustrated commitment.
This isn’t some woeful duty.
This is what he’d rather do!

There is no lasting satisfaction to be found at the club,
But the satisfaction of communing with God in His word
Is totally fulfilling.

AND SO
• When he is alone, he loves God’s word.

And when he arises and enters the world,
• He doesn’t need to rub shoulders with the rich and famous.
• He doesn’t need to hang out with the popular.

(63) “I am a companion of all those who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts.”

I don’t need to run in the cool circle,
I just want to be around those who love You.

Look at this!
He can’t imagine going anywhere better than going to church.

Isn’t that something!
• What celebrity concert?
• What sporting event?
• What worldly gathering?

In his mind none of those things could ever offer as much satisfaction as time spent among those who fear and love God?

He just wants to be with those who love God.
That is his satisfaction.

So let’s pause right there and ask the question:
DOES HE REGRET IT?

When the inheritance was divvied out, he got nothing but God.
Was he disappointed?

NOT IN THE LEAST!
That’s all he wanted.

And then look at his FINAL STATEMENT of ultimate satisfaction.

(64) “The earth is full of Your lovingkindness, O LORD; Teach me Your statutes.”

• Does that sound like the statement of a dissatisfied man?
• Does that sound like the appraisal who has received the short end of the stick?

Not at all.

That is a satisfied man.
• God’s goodness is everywhere!
• God’s loyalty is everywhere!

It is the wording of David in the 23rd Psalm:
• “I shall not want”
• “I laying down in green pastures”
• “I walking beside quiet waters”
• “My head is anointed with oil”
• “My cup runneth over”
• “Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life”

HE IS NOT DISSATISFIED.

He has God and God is more than enough,
So much so that he has no desire whatsoever
To run back to the futile promises of the world.

We read in Ecclesiastes about how all the promises of the world
Are “Vanity” and “Striving after wind”

But you NEVER FIND THOSE PHRASES USED
To describe the promises or blessings of God.

Those who follow God are satisfied.

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

Romans 10:11 “For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”

Ephesians 1:18-19a “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.”

And we don’t even have to walk all the way through Ephesians 1
And look at all those blessings which are found “in Him”

But think about what we receive from God that the world can never offer.

What does the Bible say about the GRACE we receive from God?
2 Corinthians 12:9 “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you…”

What does the Bible say about the MERCY we receive from God?
Lamentations 3:22-23 “The LORD’S mercies indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”

What does the Bible say about the LOVE OF GOD?
1 Corinthians 13:8 “Love never fails…”

What does the Bible say about the JOY OF GOD?
John 15:11 “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”

What does the Bible say about the PEACE OF GOD?
Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension…”

What does the Bible say about the HOPE OF GOD?
Romans 5:5 “and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Sufficient, New, Unfailing, Complete,
Surpassing Comprehension, Doesn’t disappoint

• Name me anything in the world that is sufficient
• Name me anything the world that is new every morning
• Name me anything in the world that is unfailing
• Name me anything in the world that complete
• Name me anything in the world that surpasses comprehension
• Name me anything in the world that never disappoints

Do you see the satisfaction that is found in God?

And I’ll return to it one more time.

Satisfaction in God should be the defining difference
Between the world and the church.

Now, I COULD ask you:
ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH JESUS?

But that would be a cop-out for certainly everyone in church would answer yes.

INSTEAD what we will do is look one more time
At what the life of a truly satisfied person looks like
And you can answer for yourself if that is you or not.

The Psalmist here gives 5 characteristics
Of a person who is truly satisfied with Christ.

I’ll just list them for you and you can use them to evaluate your life.
1) THEY RESIST TEMPTATION

(61) “The cords of the wicked have encircled me, But I have not forgotten Your law.”

John Piper once said, “Sin is what we do when we are not satisfied with God.”

That’s true, those who are satisfied with God
Don’t need the empty offers of the world to be satisfied.

2) THEY PREFER WORSHIP TO WORLDLINESS

(62) “At midnight I shall rise to give thanks to You Because of Your righteous ordinances.”

While the world would rise to enjoy the nightlife
The one who is satisfied with God
Finds all the joy he needs in fellowship with God.

3) THEY DELIGHT IN FELLOWSHIP WITH BELIEVERS

(63) “I am a companion of all those who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts.”

Communing with the saints is not a burden, it is a delight.
He doesn’t need the recognition of the world,
Only the fellowship of fellow believers.

4) THEY RECOGNIZE GOD’S BLESSING EVERYWHERE

(64a) “The earth is full of Your lovingkindness, O LORD;”

Their glass isn’t half-empty.
Following God has not resulted in privation.
Their cup is running over, they see blessing everywhere.

“Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide, Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside”

5) THEY HUNGER FOR MORE

(64b) “…Teach me Your statutes.”

“My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me”
“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word which proceeds from the mouth of God”

They simply want more of God.

And there are so many passages and pictures that we could look at to continue making this point.

• But rather it is Old Testament saints like Abraham or Moses or Asaph or this Psalmist…
• Or rather it was New Testament saints like Paul or Peter or the Early Church…
• Or rather it was hymn writers throughout the ages…

Do you see that distinguishing characteristic of the church is that they are satisfied with Christ alone?

We will never convince the world that Jesus is enough
If we are constantly pursuing the same things they pursue.

Our pursuit must be different…
• There must be a priority to our worship.
• There must be a preference to our fellowship.
• There must be an abstaining from the things they call fun.

Otherwise all we are doing is telling them that Jesus is optional.

We would be like that guy at the reading of the will who received only Jesus but then walked away angry because he didn’t also get the car.

Are you satisfied with Jesus?

Download Here:

One Final Point
Ecclesiastes 12:1-8
November 14, 2021

This morning we come to the end of the sermon of the preacher.

The final 6 verses we’ll see next week are the final word given by the author.

But this morning the preacher’s sermon is wrapped up.

We certainly won’t recover it all, but you should at least be familiar
At this point with what we might call the HIGH POINTS of the sermon.

The book contained 2 main points.

The first 6 chapters deal with THE FUTILE PURSUIT

It is where he spoke to us about “striving after wind”.
• Things like pursuing knowledge
• Things like pursuing pleasure
• Things like pursuing a legacy

• He told us about the dangers of hasty words or of loving money.
• He showed us the futility of seeking treasure.

Those are all pretty common obsessions of the world
And having tried them all the preacher indicated that
They were all “striving after wind”.

They were “vanity” or HEBEL
• They were a mirage.
• There is no satisfaction to be had there.

And so the critic of life gave A SCATHING REVIEW
Of all that the world commonly advertises.

“I bought it, don’t buy it” was his message.

The last 6 chapters outline THE NOBLE PURSUIT
After telling us what not to pursue he then began to tell us what we should pursue.

You could call it wisdom, but perhaps that isn’t the best term.
It seems more like he was seeking to give us some perspective.

What he was really doing was PREPARING US TO PURSUE CHRIST.

The things he told us to pursue were all things
That we would need when it comes time to follow Jesus.

For example:
• He talked about the value of mourning or accepting a rebuke.
• He talked about the importance of pursuing righteousness even when there is not an immediate payoff for it.
• He talked about the value of submission and meekness and humility.
• He talked about the importance of listening to wisdom.
• He talked about the brevity of life and the certainty of death.
• He talked about how we should ignore the futile motivational messages of the world and prepare for a coming judgment.

Sure he wrapped all of those lessons up in practical teaching.
• Things like obeying the king
• Or not cursing a rich man
• Or attending a funeral instead of a party
• Or not staring at the clouds when there is plowing to be done.

His teaching was practical and down to earth,
But it was all for the point of teaching us to pursue the things
That are necessary if we are to enter the kingdom of heaven.

We see A DIRECT CORRELATION with the attitudes he told us to pursue
With the attitudes Christ told us we needed to be saved.

Matthew 5:3-10 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Those are the necessary attitudes for a man to be saved
And we have seen that those are the exact same attitudes
That the preacher has been teaching us to pursue.

Well this morning his sermon comes to an end,
And it comes with ONE FINAL POINT.

DO IT NOW, BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!

The text this morning is quite unique.
It is almost completely ALLEGORICAL.
• It is a picture with a deeper meaning.
• I’ll show you that in a minute.

But there is ONE COMMAND that the allegory is meant to enforce.

The command is this:
“Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth”

It is most certainly a command AGAINST PROCRASTINATION.

I don’t have the numbers or statistics but anyone who has spent any time in the church can attest that far more people are saved in their early years than in their latter years.

It’s not that you never see an older person surrender their life to Christ,
It’s just that by in large if they don’t come when they are younger,
They typically never do.

JESUS EXPLAINED ONE REASON.

Last week we heard the call of Jesus.
Matthew 16:24-27 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.”

We were reminded that in order to follow Jesus you must lose this life.

And we think of men like Peter or Andrew or James or John or Matthew or Paul who did exactly that.
• They turned their back on their fishing business.
• They left their father.
• Matthew left his tax booth.
• Paul said he suffered the loss of all things.

And in contrast we think about men like the Rich Young Ruler
Who refused to leave his wealth that he might follow Jesus.

And Jesus said:
Matthew 19:23-24 “And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. “Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

One of the reasons it gets harder to follow Jesus the older you get
Is because typically as you get older you amass more treasure in this world
And it becomes harder and harder to forsake it.

I used to love working with college students.
• They seemed the easiest to compel to follow Christ because for them the cost
was seemingly lower.
• All they were leaving was a dorm room and maybe an old couch they found on
a curb somewhere.

But as people move into life and adulthood
And they start to acquire wealth and security and they grow a family
And as they seek to maintain health and comfort
It becomes harder and harder to ask them to follow Christ.

That’s a reason Jesus told us about.

BUT THE PREACHER HAS AN EVEN DIFFERENT REASON
WHY THIS SEEMS TO BE THE CASE.

The preacher has at least 1 reason why this is so.

“Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them”;”

From the perspective of the preacher the world tends to produce
Bitterness and Cynicism and Hardness of Heart.

As men and women get older
And the days become more evil and life becomes more difficult
It is harder for men to acknowledge their Creator.

The longer you live and the more hardship you see.
Even the more hardship you endure.
And the longer you listen to the world’s complaints.
For many, the bitterness is too much to overcome.

The preacher knew this.

And he concludes his sermon with one last appeal to the young man:
“Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth”

That is the appeal, and we will come back to that in a moment.

But FIRST we’ll work through the text and examine this allegory
Which the preacher preserves for us.

The exterior picture that he presents is one of the sun setting and the light going out in an old and rundown house.

Now, you may not like this, but what he will talk about in rather vivid detail
IS ACTUALLY AN ELDERLY PERSON
Who is now feeling the days of pain and old age
And who will ultimately walk into death.

You know by now that this preacher has no problem talking about the things that are a little uncomfortable, and this text is certainly no different.

BUT HE DOES SO FOR A POINT.

He is telling the young man to open his eyes and look around
And see the elderly around him and to realize that
He really doesn’t have that much time to reconcile with his Creator.

Now you already noticed this morning that ON YOUR BULLETIN
I dug up some old Church Directory pictures and put them on the front.

I would imagine that many of you probably enjoyed looking at the old pictures.

That bulletin is specifically for
The young man and the young woman in the church.

• This morning I want them to look around at the rest of us.
• Because I know to them we all look really old.
• I want them to realize that we were all young once too.

But in a blink…in a flash…this life is gone.
There really isn’t that much time.

So this morning we take a rather vivid look
At the journey toward old age that we are all on.

Incidentally it is the time in life which the preacher refers to as
• “the evil days”
• Or the years “when you will say, “I have no delight in them”;

He’s talking about the coming days that you WON’T enjoy.
He’s talking about the coming days that most men DO NOT delight in.

And the young man should ACT BEFORE those days come.

(2) “before the sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain;”

He’s simply talking about the time when the DAYS GROW SHORT
And HARDSHIP STACKS upon hardship.

Those days are coming for every human in this cursed world.

AND HERE COMES THE ALLEGORY.

For reference sake, are you familiar with the beautiful woman in the book of Song of Solomon?

Song of Solomon 4:1-3 “How beautiful you are, my darling, How beautiful you are! Your eyes are like doves behind your veil; Your hair is like a flock of goats That have descended from Mount Gilead. “Your teeth are like a flock of newly shorn ewes Which have come up from their washing, All of which bear twins, And not one among them has lost her young. “Your lips are like a scarlet thread, And your mouth is lovely. Your temples are like a slice of a pomegranate Behind your veil.”

We have all laughed at that, but you understand the allegory there.

“hair like a flock of goats…descended from Mount Gilead” – she has long black flowing hair
“teeth…like a flock of newly shorn ewes…all of which bear twins” – she’s got all of her teeth and a pretty white smile.
“Your lips are like a scarlet threat” – just the beauty of her mouth.

Well what Solomon does there to describe his beautiful bride
He does here to describe the hardship of old age.

(3) “in the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and mighty men stoop, the grinding stones stand idle because they are few, and those who look through the window grow dim;”

Now perhaps one could make some literal sense of this verse and think it speaks maybe of some sort of invasion or judgment, but when you read the text as a whole you realize he is painting a symbolic picture.

“in the day the watchmen of the house tremble”

“watchmen” there is literally “keepers of the house”
And it is reference to the arms and the hands of this elderly man.

And he’s talking about the day when he gets old
And his muscles aren’t what they used to be
And his hands and his arms shake and tremble.

“and mighty men stoop”
• And this older man now walks hunched over because even the bones in
his back begin to deteriorate.

“the grinding stones stand idle because they are few”
• These are his teeth and he’s lost most of them.

“and those who look through the window grow dim”
• And that of course speaks of his darkening and failing eyesight.

This man who was once young and full of strength and vigor
Has now felt the crippling effects of old age and his body is wearing out.

(4) “and the doors on the street are shut as the sound of the grinding mill is low”

The “grinding stones” were his TEETH, the “grinding mill” is his MOUTH
And “the doors on the street” are his LIPS.

It pictures the old man without teeth
Whose lips even begin to sort of sink back into his mouth.

He doesn’t eat much because he doesn’t have the teeth to chew it.

“and one will arise at the sound of the bird”

COMMENTATORS DEBATE rather this is a reference to his voice getting higher pitched or if it speaks to his inability to sleep anymore and so he rises up early.

Either is fitting.

“and all the daughters of song will sing softly”

The NIV translates that “but all their songs grow faint”

Meaning he rises up early at the sound of the bird
But he can’t hear it anymore.

(5) “Furthermore, men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road”

He’s no longer sure footed
So climbing a mountain or walking on unlevel ground
Only presents danger of greater injury and he dares not go there.

“the almond tree blossoms” – his hair turns gray

“the grasshopper drags himself along” – he shuffles his feet and walks slow

“and the caperberry is ineffective”
LITERALLY this is “and the caper berry bursts”

It speaks of the caper berry which has become too ripe,
And it swells and it bursts and it falls off the tree.
THE OLD MAN IN THE PICTURE HAS DIED.

“For man goes to his eternal home while mourners go about in the street.”

• This man who was once full of strength and vigor.
• This man who once wrangled livestock
• This man who once pounded the hammer
• This man who once fought wars and battles
• This man who worked night and day

He was once a young man too.

We just celebrated Veteran’s Day this past Thursday.
We don’t see them anymore because nearly all have died now,

But it has always struck me throughout my life
When I’d see those men who were WWII veterans.

In my lifetime they were old and gray and walked slow
And where much like the description that the preacher gave here.

They were physically weak and were not sure footed.
• And yet these were the men who charged beaches under machine gun fire of
the Nazi’s and Imperial Japanese.
• These were men who lugged mortar shells up high ridges and who fought in
unspeakable conditions.

They were almost superhuman in their prime
And we saw what old age did to all of them.

Indeed it does it to everyone.
Many of us have watched it happen to a parent or grandparent.

AND THE POINT OF THE PREACHER IS:
IT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU TOO YOUNG MAN

As young people you get stuck in the hall behind an older man who doesn’t move as fast as you’d like to
• And what you don’t realize is that 60 years ago he would’ve knocked your head off in football.
• He would’ve schooled you on a basketball court and I promise you didn’t want in the boxing ring with him.

• He could hoe in the field for hours on end.
• He could pick cotton with nothing but a sack.
• He could dig ditches and milk cows and stack hay
• Cross country wasn’t a competition for him that was how he got to school.

The point to all of this?
YOUNG MAN IT WILL HAPPEN TO YOU TOO!
• You only have a window here.
• Time is short.

Life is going to do things to you that you aren’t going to like.
And I promise you it is much easier for you
To seek out your Creator now than it will be then.

SO HERE WE SEE THAT THE OLD MAN HAS DIED.

So the preacher returns to his MAIN POINT.
(6-8) “Remember Him before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “all is vanity!”

Those three pictures are all symbolic and they all mean the same thing.
• First you have a golden lamp bowl full of oil and it is hanging by a silver cord.
• But in time the cord breaks and bowl falls and the light goes out.
• There is a pitcher which sits by the well for drawing water, but in time it falls and it shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed and water will never be drawn again.

They are pictures of death.

Which is why the preacher says, “then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.”

The body goes back to the ground
And the spirit returns to stand before God.

And the preacher ends his sermon the way he began it
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “all is vanity!”

Your life is but a short vapor.

AND YOUNG MAN THIS MESSAGE IS FOR YOU.

When you are young it is often true that
You are focused on all the sparkly and attractive things
That this world has to offer.

And the deception of the world is that
• Those things are fleeting and so you’ve got get them now.
• You can do the God-thing later, you’ve got time.
• Use your youth to go and obtain the world.

THE PREACHER SAYS JUST THE OPPOSITE.
Go back to verse 1

(1) Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them”

Don’t waste your youth seeking the vanities of this world.
Seek God in the days of your youth.

Hard and uncomfortable days are coming.
And it is rare in this world to find someone turn to God then.

Those who trust God at that point
Are typically those who started trusting him at an early age.
They see those trials in a different light than the lost world.

The lost world gets angry and bitter at hardship
And often times even blames it on God.

And so his call is don’t wait, reconcile with your Creator now.
You might not be willing tomorrow when life gets harder.

So let’s take a moment and look at this command.

I just want to point out some words to you here
And make sure you understand them.

He says, “Remember also your Creator”

Let’s start with that word “Creator”

You are the product of a Creator.
You are not a Big Bang accident.

There is PURPOSE, INTENT, and EXPECTATION attached to your being.
There is a Creator who made you on purpose.

And I would remind you that He is meticulous.
Psalms 139:13-15 “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;”

There is nothing hasty or negligent about your existence.
You were created exactly as He intended.

Remember Jeremiah?
Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Remember Isaiah?
Isaiah 49:1 “Listen to Me, O islands, And pay attention, you peoples from afar. The LORD called Me from the womb; From the body of My mother He named Me.”

Remember John the Baptist?
Luke 1:12-17 “Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. “You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. “For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb. “And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. “It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

And it is true for you as well.
Perhaps not as a prophet a forerunner
But CREATED FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE.

Even the things that you may think are MISTAKES are not mistakes.
John 9:1-3 “As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

Everything about you was meticulously designed for a purpose.
You have been created by the Creator.

Now that brings about another important point then.

The Preacher said, “Remember also your Creator”

In short, you need to understand where you fit in the divine order.
• You are not the Creator.
• You are the creation.

• You don’t define God, He defines you.
• You don’t direct God, He directs you.
• You don’t use God, He uses you.
• God doesn’t answer to you, you answer to God.

We’ve read it so many times but surely you have this passage ingrained on your heart by now.

Acts 17:24-31 “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’ “Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man. “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

God made you for a purpose and one day you will answer to Him
As to how you used this life He gave you.

Young man you need to “Remember your Creator”
• You need to ponder what He expects from you.
• You need to learn what He demands.
• You will one day give an account to Him
• It is important that you understand His expectations.

Those of you who came to Disciple Now learned about this.
• Adam was created “in the image of God”
• Adam was God’s image-bearer.
• Adam was God’s representative to creation as to who God was and what God was like.

But Adam fell into sin and the image was marred.
• We lost what it meant to be human.
• We lost our understanding of who God is.
• Adam still bore God’s image but it was a distorted image.

That is where humanity now lives.
Humanity has a distorted view of what it even means to be human.

• That is why they love evil and hate good.
• That is why they lie and steal and commit adultery and do all manner of evil.
• That is why they are filled with sensuality and corruption and anger and malice.
• That is why they are jealous and envious and hateful and hate one another.

They have lost their understanding of who God is
And so they have lost their understanding
Of what it means to bear His image.

SIN WRECKED IT ALL.
BUT CHRIST RESTORES IT.
John 1:14-18 “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ ” For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.”

• Jesus came and bore the image of God.
• Jesus was the first real human we saw since the garden.
• Jesus was the first actual image bearer of God.

And that is why in that passage from Acts that we read a moment ago
JESUS will be used as THE STANDARD by which God judges all men.

Let me read that verse to you again.
Acts 17:30-31 “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”

Jesus is the picture of what God demands from humanity.

That is also why the Bible says that God is at work to conform you to the image of Christ.
Romans 8:28-29 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;”

NOW YOUNG MAN DO YOU HEAR WHAT I AM SAYING?

You need to “Remember also your Creator”

What does He want?
What does He demand?
When you stand before Him what will He expect?

He expects you to be what He created you to be.
• Perfect
• Flawless
• Holy
• The accurate image bearer of God
• Just like Jesus

That is what He created you to be.
That is what He expects.
That is the standard of judgment.

And the only way you will ever achieve that
Is if you run to Christ to be clothed in His righteousness.

PICTURE IT LIKE THIS.
• You were created to be the image bearer of God.
• So PICTURE YOUR LIFE AS A PAINTING.
• Your life is meant to show the world who God is.

And then one day you die and you stand before God,
And GOD ASKS YOU TO SEE THE PAINTING YOU DREW.

“Show me Rory, show Me this painting of Me that you have created.”

Could you imagine how angry God would be if I showed Him a picture of myself?
• Me in all my sin and corruption.
• Me in all my distortion.

There is a picture in my office that Zek painted of me when he was little.
In that picture my ears are huge. They are almost as big as my head.

I PROMISE YOU THIS.
That picture is a closer likeness to what I actually look like
Than I am to what Go actually looks like.

There is no way I want to stand before God like this.
• I want to be clothed in the perfection of Christ.
• I want that extreme makeover that only Christ can give.

YOUNG MAN THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY
For you to be made pleasing to the One who created you
And that is if you repent of your sin and run to Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

• If you spend this life thinking about what the world wants…
• If you spend this life thinking about what your girlfriend or boyfriend wants…
• If you spend this life thinking about what your parents want…
• If you spend this life thinking about what you want…

But you never give any thought to what your Creator wants you are a fool!

“Remember also your Creator”

But there is one more point to be made.

The Preacher said, “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before…”

• He DIDN’T tell you to put it on your calendar sometime later.
• He DIDN’T tell you to just think about it someday.

He said you had better do it now
Before the evil days come and death creeps up on you
And you fail to do it all.

I want to close with one more message from Jesus.
TURN TO: Matthew 25:14-30

That is a story that speaks of wasted resources.
You were created for a purpose.

Do it now while your strength remains.
Do it now while you are young.
Don’t be lazy.

IT WILL NOT GET EASIER TO REPENT AND RETURN LATER

A.W. Pink said:
“What insanity is it that persuades multitudes to defer the effort to repent till their deathbeds? Do they imagine that when they are so weak that they can no longer turn their bodies they will have strength to turn their souls from sin? For sooner could they turn themselves back to perfect health.”
(Arthur Pink – “Practical Christianity”)

Young man, heed the words of the Preacher.
• This is not a game.
• This life is a vapor.
• Old age and death are certain.

Reconcile with the One who created you through His Son Jesus Christ.