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The Mystery of Perceived Injustice
Ecclesiastes 7:15-29
September 5, 2021

This morning we approach a topic that many have struggled with
And it is the mystery of perceived injustice.

(15) “I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness.”

Have you ever been perplexed or bothered by such things?
Our preacher was, and he’s not beyond addressing those hard questions.

In fact, this isn’t the only time he brings it up.
Ecclesiastes 8:14 “There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are evil men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility.”

Maybe you’ve wondered that in your life.
• Certainly antagonistic men like to sit in judgment of God over such issues.
• Or maybe you’ve been caught seeking to defend God in the face of such
perceived injustice.

My dad was 60 years old, a Sunday school teacher, a faithful husband and a good father. He continually shared the gospel, he was faithful to provide for the poor, he helped the down and out, he honored his parents, but he died young.

And that can be hard enough to swallow,
But especially difficult when you see a supposed godless man
Live into his 80’s or 90’s.

It is a perceived injustice and it confuses us.

WELL THAT IS WHERE THE PREACHER IS THIS MORNING.
• He’s now in his new segment of the book which we have called “The Noble Pursuit”
• That is, after having exposed the false allurements of the world, the preacher is now telling the young man what he should pursue in life.

AND THIS MORNING, we might say his main objective is
To teach THE NECESSITY OF ENDURANCE

Even more specifically it would be to teach the young man to fear God and hold fast to Him even in the midst of confusing circumstances.
(18) “It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.”

That is his main point.

We’ve got a lot of ground to cover, so let’s start looking at it.
#1 THE SERMON
Ecclesiastes 7:15-18

To help you understand where we’re going,
Let me give you the outline a little early.

What we have here in these first 4 verses is the preacher’s entire sermon.
• This is the point he wants to make to the young man.

However, it is a hard point, and he realizes that
We may be found wanting for some explanation.

So after giving the sermon, he then turns around and takes us through his thought process and search for how he arrived at it. (vs. 19-29)

• So we’re calling verses 15-18 – THE SERMON
• And we’ll call verses 19-29 – THE STUDY

I think that will help us understand a little better what is happening in the text.

But here is THE SERMON
• We start with the obvious problem.
• It is the perceived in justice.

(15) “I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness.”

THIS IS THE DILEMMA.

Certainly on one hand there is the ISSUE OF RIGHTEOUS SUFFERING.

That is one dilemma that is seemingly hard to swallow for some.
• That was the entire issue with the book of Job.
• That sort of mentality has tried to resurface in past years with the prosperity gospel.

It is the failure to understand why someone who does what is right
Would then seemingly be punished for it.

But that is only half of the dilemma here.

On the other hand it is the ISSUE OF THE WICKED PROSPERING.

In our minds people who do good should have good lives
And people who do bad should have bad lives.

It is actually the pagan belief known as “KARMA”.
That good deeds get rewarded with good
And bad deeds get rewarded with bad.

And when that doesn’t happen we are confused.

Yet the preachers says “I have seen [it] during my lifetime of futility.”

This confusing reality was the very issue to Psalms 73.
• You’ll remember Asaph’s confusion as to why he could follow God and suffer
while the rich mocked God and enjoyed prosperity.
• The confusion led him to a temporary rant against this perceived injustice.

Psalms 73:12-14 “Behold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased in wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure And washed my hands in innocence; For I have been stricken all day long And chastened every morning.”

Surely you have seen it in the world.

Well, immediately the preacher tells you how to deal with it.

(16-17) “Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself? Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?”

OK, well that seems strange.
In fact it sounds totally unbiblical.

• “Do not be excessively righteous..?”
• “do not be overly wise..?”

• I thought the chief command of God was “be holy as I am holy”.
• Jesus said, “You are to be perfect as Your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Well let’s take a little crash course on Biblical hermeneutics this morning.
Hermeneutics is “the study of the general principles of Biblical interpretation.”

Hermeneutics deals with how we interpret Scripture.

There are many principles of hermeneutics that help in understanding Scripture, such as:
• Every passage has 1 meaning.
• The simplest and most obvious explanation is usually the meaning.
• Context is king

But one I want you to see this morning is this (and it is vitally important)
SCRIPTURE INTERPRETS SCRIPTURE

“Scripture never contradicts itself”

So when we read a verse like “Do not be excessively righteous”

We may not know immediately what it means,
But we do know immediately what it does not mean.

It DOES NOT mean that righteousness is not important.
NOR does it mean that there are instances where a person should be lukewarm.
Scripture clearly indicates the contrary.

OUR JOB THEN is to look at the text as a part of the Bible as a whole
And determine what the preacher means.

Well in this case A SIMPLE WORD STUDY sheds light on the issue.
“Do not be excessively righteous and do not be overly wise. Why should you ruin yourself?”

The key is found in the word “ruin”.
SAMEM (shaw-mame)
It means “to be appalled” or “to be stunned”

And so “ruined” here does not refer to moral ruin or spiritual ruin,
But rather to emotional ruin or disheartenment.

And the understanding is this.
• If you think that righteous perfection in life will insulate you from hardship or suffering then you are going to be shocked and appalled in life.

And the command then
• Is not to seek out righteousness with the expectation that it will secure you from hardship.

That also helps us understand the next statement.
“Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?”

This references the sort of knee-jerk reaction of the man
Who is shocked that his morality didn’t spare him.

That man might see the wicked prospering while the righteous suffer
And come to the wrong conclusion that being wicked is no big deal.

Remember, that was the conclusion Asaph nearly came to in Psalms 73.
Psalms 73:13-14 “Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure And washed my hands in innocence; For I have been stricken all day long And chastened every morning.”

But the preacher reminds that this is a faulty mindset as well.

For if you live in wickedness
All you are doing is provoking God to anger
And you might bring on yourself a severe punishment for your sin.

SO THE COMMAND IS
Not to expect that your righteousness will spare you from suffering
And not to assume that wickedness will go unpunished.

And then comes THE APPLICATION / EXPLANATION.
(18) “It is good that you grasp one thing and also not let go of the other; for the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.”

The preacher warns against choosing one side over and above the other.

• Don’t be the man who forsakes wickedness only because he thinks it will keep
him from suffering and who ultimately ends up shocked in adversity.

• Don’t be the man who embraces wickedness thinking he can escape
unpunished.

You need to hold on to two understandings.
1) Hold on to your awareness that the righteous can and do suffer.
2) Hold on to your understanding that wickedness is very dangerous.

DON’T LET EITHER OF THOSE GO.
(even if circumstances confuse you)

BUT SADLY, THAT’S WHAT PEOPLE DO.

They see a perceived injustice and immediately want to doubt God and get angry and fall into foolishness.

But “the one who fears God comes forth with both of them.”
• The one who fears God trusts Him even when the righteous suffer.
• The one who fears God trusts Him even when the wicked prosper.

The man who fears God doesn’t let confusing circumstances
Shake him from his steadfastness.

NOW, THAT IS THE SERMON.
But, as we said, there isn’t much explanation there.
• That is more of a, “Trust me and get over it type sermon”

So, the preacher does a favor.
After the sermon, he then backtracks
To tell you how he came to that conclusion.

So, after the sermon, let’s look at the second point.
#2 THE STUDY
Ecclesiastes 7:19-29

Here is going to explain how he got to the conclusion
• That even though there is confusing injustice in the world,
• You should maintain your fear of God
• You should not be shocked at suffering and still abstain from wickedness.

Here’s why he says that.

Let’s break his study down into 3 points.
1) WHERE HE STARTED (19-22)

These 4 verses represent his initial understanding of the issue.
(19-20) “Wisdom strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. Indeed [For], there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.”

It will help you understand this better if you change the word “Indeed” in verse 20
To “For” which is a perfectly allowable translation.

The preacher says men should pursue wisdom
Because none of them are perfectly righteous.

IN OTHER WORDS: Since no man is righteous enough to be able to expect that his righteousness can spare him from trouble, all men should pursue the wisdom to cope with such circumstances.

AND THIS IS IMPORTANT.
Sometimes when we talk about the perception of unjust suffering
It is because man thinks that he does not deserve suffering.

You see those sort of arguments…
• “I go to church…”
• “I give to the poor…”

Like I mentioned with my dad earlier, we could say, “I teach Sunday school, I share the gospel, I’m a faithful husband…”

And because of the good we do we think that we should escape suffering.

But notice the preacher DOES NOT think that.
That was not his belief even when he started this journey.

He is well aware of the fact that “there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.”

• He knows that.
• He understands that even the best of us commit sin that is worthy of discipline.

And he even gives a little illustration of that.
Verses 21-22 are sort of like a “For instance…”

(21-22) “Also, do not take seriously all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your servant cursing you. For you also have realized that you likewise have many times cursed others.”

To prove that even you have done things to deserve punishment,
The preacher appeals to the tongue.

It starts with a premise.
Do you get angry when you find out someone was talking bad about you?
(of course you do)

The implied question is, “Do you think you have the right to get angry about such things?” (And again we’d say, “Of course I do”)

Then the preacher reminds, “you also…have many times cursed others.”

Who here can deny that?
• Who here can say that never once in their life have they ever talked bad about
another human being?

Well then, “there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.”

YOU SEE HIS POINT.
• No one can claim that they are righteous enough that they shouldn’t suffer.
• Every man should seek the wisdom to cope with that.

So, HIS ISSUE IS NOT that he thinks that there is some righteous man
Who does not deserve punishment or even death.

THAT IS NOT HIS PROBLEM.

His problem IS that justice seems to be handed out disproportionately.

It’s not that the righteous suffer it’s that at times they suffer worse than the wicked, and that doesn’t make sense to him.

IN HIS MIND,
• If the righteous die at age 70, then the wicked should die at age 40.
• But when the opposite happens, he doesn’t understand that.

And this is where he started out in his journey.
This was the launch pad of his understanding.

Where He Started
2) WHAT HE SEARCHED (23-26)

He says, “I tested all this with wisdom”

• “all this” is the confusing realities of the perceived injustice.

He went looking for an explanation as to
Why the righteous at times suffer worse than the wicked.

(25) “I directed my mind to know, to investigate and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness.”

I wanted to know why folly is so evil and madness is so foolish
Since often times those people suffer less than the righteous.

That’s a fair search.

You say wickedness is wrong, but I see the righteous suffer worse,
SO TELL ME WHY WICKEDNESS IS SO WRONG.

That is his search.

But here is the astounding part. HE NEVER GOT HIS ANSWER.
(23-24) “I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me. What has been is remote and exceedingly mysterious. Who can discover it?”

He went searching for an explanation to the mystery
Of why the righteous suffer more than the wicked and he said,
“I couldn’t find it.”

He could not make sense of those seemingly senseless situations.

He would in essence say to me, “Rory I wanted to find out why your dad died at 60 but wicked men kept on living.”
But he returns and says, “I searched, but I couldn’t find the answer.”

ALL I SAW WAS THIS:
(26) “And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.”

Let me help you a little here as well.

Solomon is NOT saying, “I couldn’t figure out why the righteous sometimes suffer more than the wicked but I did learn that you should stay away from women.”

That is not the point.
You have to know Solomon to fully grasp this.

If you’ve read Proverbs you know that throughout that book
Solomon speaks of wisdom and folly as two contrasting women.
• You have the adulterous woman and you have virtuous woman
• You have the wise mother and you have the contentious wife

Proverbs 9:1-6 “Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; She has prepared her food, she has mixed her wine; She has also set her table; She has sent out her maidens, she calls From the tops of the heights of the city: “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks understanding she says, “Come, eat of my food And drink of the wine I have mixed. “Forsake your folly and live, And proceed in the way of understanding.”

Proverbs 9:13-18 “The woman of folly is boisterous, She is naive and knows nothing. She sits at the doorway of her house, On a seat by the high places of the city, Calling to those who pass by, Who are making their paths straight: “Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,” And to him who lacks understanding she says, “Stolen water is sweet; And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” But he does not know that the dead are there, That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.”

Wisdom is compared to a wise woman
Who provides for her guests and grants them understanding in life.

Folly is compared to a boisterous and even adulterous woman
Who entices the naïve and leads him to death.

That same poetic understanding is at work in Solomon again here.
(he’s talking about “folly” analogized by the adulterous woman)

(26) “And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her.”

This is his point.
I can’t explain why the righteous suffer and why the at times
They suffer more than the wicked, but I did learn this.

You still don’t want to go down the path of wickedness.
There is nothing but snares and nets and chains down that path.

Instead you should seek to please God so that you can avoid that house altogether because it will capture you.

So he didn’t get a full explanation but he was reminded that
Even though you may not understand
You should still stay away from evil.

Where He Started What He Searched
3) WHAT HE SAW (27-29)

HERE COMES HIS FINAL REPORT.
He didn’t find all the answer he wanted,
But he did find the answers God wanted him to have.

(27) “Behold, I have discovered this,” says the Preacher,
Here is my report.

He goes on to say, “adding one thing to another to find an explanation, which I am still seeking but have not found.”

So I started putting two and two together to gain understanding,
But again he reminds that he doesn’t have all the answers.

He still can’t tell me why my dad died young but a wicked man lives on.
He still says, “I don’t know”

But he can say this:
(28b) “I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these.”

So he says, “Righteous men are hard to find and righteous women are even harder to find”? REALLY?

Now look, I can’t speak for the intent or the heart of the preacher here.
I can’t fully tell you what is in his mind in regard to every aspect of that statement.

And no, I can’t rule out the fact that perhaps he has a low view of women.

Go read 1 Kings 11:1-13 and you’ll find that Solomon’s love for women
Was his chief downfall.

Maybe Solomon was a little prejudiced, I don’t know.

I KNOW THAT GOD IS NOT.
• God makes no such distinction.
• God doesn’t trust men more then women or love men more than women

God gave men and women different roles and responsibilities to be sure,
But He is no chauvinist.
God paid the same price to redeem women that He paid to redeem men. He gave His only begotten Son.

But, here we are talking about Solomon’s search
And he makes this bizarre statement.

“I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these.”

Here is what you need to understand.
There is a literary tool at play here, and one we find often in Scripture.

IT’S CALLED PARALLELISM.
It is a literary tool to make a clear and memorable point.

I can give you a secular one you’ll all know.
“Give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach him how to fish, feed him for a lifetime.”

What is the point of that statement? (It’s not about fishing)
• It’s about knowledge.
• Knowledge is important.

If you get stuck on the fishing reference you might miss the whole point.

Well Solomon here uses parallelism to make a point.
“I have found one man among a thousand, but I have not found a woman among all these.”

What does he mean?
He went searching for a good man.
• He went searching for one who lives upright and who pleases God and who escapes from the snare of the woman of folly.

And what did his search yield?
NONE

He says,
• “You’re asking me how many good people there are out there. Maybe 1 man in 1,000 is good, and no women.”

• “You’re asking me how many people truly seek to please God and thus escape from folly? Maybe 1 in 1,000.”

What’s his point?
• I went looking for sinners to find out why they at times are treated so good.
• I found plenty of sinners, what I couldn’t find are any who are good.

Now perhaps that shocks you, but I have to tell you first of all
Scripture whole-heartedly affirms his findings.

Romans 3:10-12 “as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”

Man is never good.
Man is devious and sinful and perverse and wicked.

So listen to the preacher here.

I set out to understand
• What is the deal with folly and wickedness?
• And why it was so bad since it appeared to me that at times the wicked were treated better than the righteous?

He says, I never found that answer.

But what I did find is that there are none righteous.
• I found out that the sin problem was worse than I thought.

I knew there was (20) “not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and never sins.” I knew that.

What I didn’t realize is that there was no man who ever does good at all.
“there is none who does good, there is not even one.”

I knew everyone is at one time or another bad,
I didn’t realize that no one was at any time good.

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT
Solomon wanted to know why God sometimes treated good men worse than bad men,

What Solomon ultimately learned was that:
From God’s perspective there are no good men.

Therefore there is no injustice in the way God treats any man.

I may think my dad deserved to live longer than some wicked man,
But from God’s perspective
My dad wasn’t better than that wicked man.

SO LOOK AT SOLOMON’S FINAL ANALYSIS.
(29) “Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices.”

“upright” is YASAR (ya-shar)
It is a word that can mean “straight” or “level”

God made men correctly.
Adam was part of the good of God’s creation.
“but they sought out many devices”

Man corrupted himself.
Adam certainly did, and thus we have the fall.

And only 6 chapters into the Bible do we read God’s first assessment of humanity.
Genesis 6:5-7 “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”

God started man out right.
• He created a perfect man, with a perfect woman, in a perfect garden.

And Adam blew it.
• Nothing about the fall was God’s fault. It was all Adam’s.

And when Adam was forced to leave the garden…
And when Adam had to plow his first field…
And when Adam had to bury his son…

One thing Adam could not say was: “I don’t understand why God is treating me so unfairly.”

Adam knew better.
Humanity forgets that.
The preacher forgot that.

But when he went on a search to find out the answers,
HERE IS WHAT HE LEARNED.

There is no such thing as a reality
Where bad things happen to good people.
Because there are no good people.

YOU CAN’T SAY that righteous men are unfairly suffering worse than wicked men IF from God’s perspective there are no righteous men.

No one can suffer and accuse God of being unjust.

But remember now that sermon up in verses 15-18.
The man who fears God will realize that
Adversity is going to happen even when you try to do what is right,
But even still wickedness should be avoided.

So listen to me this morning friends.
• Do not be shocked when you face adversity.
• Do not be shocked when bad things happen.
• And certainly don’t let adversity cause you to turn away from God.
• If anything you should be shocked by your prosperity.

Adam SHOULDN’T have been shocked that he had to leave the garden,
He SHOULD’VE been shocked that
God didn’t immediately kill him like He said He would.

AND THAT IS THE POINT THIS MORNING.
Don’t be shocked when bad things happen to you.
And don’t let it cause you to think wickedness is ok.
Fear God and hold fast even in your confusion.

BUT LET ME SAY THIS:
If you want to be shocked at something, be shocked at the gospel!

Romans 5:6-8 “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

• That is shocking!

That God would whom every single human has offended,
Would still be willing to sacrifice His perfect Son to redeem sinners.

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.”

• That is shocking!

That God would treat the sinless Christ as though He lived my sinful life,
And would then in turn treat me as though I lived His life.

As R.C. Sproul once put it.
“Why do bad things happen to good people? In the history of the world that only ever happened once; and He volunteered.”

Do not go through this life with some inflated bitterness
As though God has treated you somehow worse than you deserve.

That is a pride and an arrogance and an ingratitude
That you must abandon immediately!

God has done unspeakably more for you than you can ever imagine,
And all of it is more than you deserve.

Leave your complaint, leave your arrogant notions of injustice,
And run to God in gratitude that He gave His Son on your behalf.

If you really want to read verse 15 accurately.
(15) “I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility; there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his wickedness.”

The only way to read that accurately is if
The righteous man is Christ and the wicked man is everyone else.

The only human who ever had a right to complain
About the injustice done to Him was Christ,

And the Bible says that “Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7b)

Christ bore injustice that you we might receive mercy.

It is an evil man who more consumed with perceived injustice
Than with unspeakable mercy.

We should be less shocked at the suffering we receive
And more amazed at God’s offer of mercy,
For suffering is deserved, mercy is not.

THIS MORNING I would invite you to stop sitting in judgment of God and start submitting to Him.

• Repent of your rebellion and ingratitude and arrogant judgments,
• And come to Him in humility and gratefulness for His willingness to save you.
• Place your faith in the perfect life and atoning death of Jesus Christ, and
publicly confess Him as your Lord.

Romans 10:13 “for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”

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Every Tribe and Tongue
Psalms 117
August 29, 2021

Tonight we come to the 5th Psalm in this grouping known as the Hallel.
This important segment of Psalms especially dedicated to the feast of the Passover and the worship of Israel for God’s salvation.

We certainly more accurately see them pointing to Christ
Who is in fact our Passover Lamb.

It is so fitting that our Lord would have sung this group of hymns
On the night before He was crucified.

AND TONIGHT WE STUDY
Perhaps the MOST REMARKABLE aspect of all that He accomplished.

Tonight we are reminded that the salvation of our Lord is for all peoples.

Psalms 117 is the SHORTEST chapter in the entire Bible,
But what a POWERFUL punch it throws.
• It is a bold command to all nations that the God of Israel must be praised.
• It is squashes any notion that different peoples have a right to different faith.
• It crushes pluralism and idolatry.

It gives a call that “all nations” and “all peoples”
Are commanded to present themselves in holy surrender
Before the God of Israel.

“Praise the LORD, all nations;” says the Psalmist.
“Laud Him, all peoples!”

“peoples” there is literally “tribes”

Revelation 7:9-10 “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

The requirement of praise…
• Is not limited to a small group of people in the middle east.
• It is not just for those who are considered in the flesh to be Abraham’s descendants.

But we are reminded here that Israel’s God and His Messiah Jesus
ARE TO BE WORSHIPED BY ALL.

Perhaps Isaiah gave the most fitting explanation:
Isaiah 49:6 “He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

God’s intention was never just that He would be the God of Israel.
His intention is that all the earth would worship Him.

When God did save these people from Egypt and entered a covenant with them at Sinai, God specifically said:
Exodus 19:6 “and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.”

Remember when Solomon built His temple?
In his great prayer of dedication, Solomon said:
1 Kings 8:41-43 “Also concerning the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, when he comes from a far country for Your name’s sake (for they will hear of Your great name and Your mighty hand, and of Your outstretched arm); when he comes and prays toward this house, hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by Your name.”

It was always intended that all peoples would worship Israel’s God.

And certainly regarding Christ we are familiar with the promise Paul revealed to the Philippians.
Philippians 2:9-11 “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

We know this and Psalms 117 reminds of it.
That the God of Israel is in all actuality the God of the world.
And He is to be praised by the world.

Every nation is to bow to Him.
Every tribe is to worship Him.

As Paul told the men of Athens:
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.”

There is no room for any other religion…
There is no room for any other god…

“all nations” and “all peoples” are summoned to “Praise the LORD!”

When Jesus commissioned the disciples He reminded:
Acts 1:8 “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

We take the gospel everywhere.
He is the Lord of all the earth.

That much is abundantly clear here in the Psalm.

And honestly, that alone is enough to sing about.
That alone is fitting information for a great song of praise.

But the Psalmist here gets more specific and gives
THE ACTUAL REASON why God is to be praised by all peoples.

(2) “For His lovingkindness is great toward us, And the truth of the LORD is everlasting.”

That is actually a mouthful of a doctrinal statement.

“For His lovingkindness is great toward us”

Well there is that favorite word again, that CHECED of God.
That loyal covenantal love of God.

• It is the reminder that God loves because He has purposed to love.
• It is the reminder that God is loyal because He chooses to be loyal.

But there is MORE EVEN IN THAT STATEMENT
Than just the declaration of God’s loyalty.

The Psalmist said that “His lovingkindness IS GREAT toward us”

“great” there is GABAR (ga-var)
It literally means “prevails”

Genesis 7:18-20 “The water prevailed and increased greatly upon the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water. The water prevailed more and more upon the earth, so that all the high mountains everywhere under the heavens were covered. The water prevailed fifteen cubits higher, and the mountains were covered.”

Exodus 17:11 “So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed.”

The Psalmist here makes the awesome statement that
“His CHECED prevails over us.”

Think about that for a moment.
It is all the glorious realities of what you and I commonly refer to as GOD’S EFFECTUAL CALL.

Namely that God saves those whom He chooses to save.

John 6:37 “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.”

Or what we read in Romans 8
Romans 8:30 “and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”

Now we would DISTINGUISH HERE for the purpose of understanding.

There is what we might call: GOD’S UNIVERSAL CALL
That is the call which God gives for all the world to come and be saved.
• It is open to all.
• It is available to all.
• Anyone who wants it can have it.
• Whosoever will may come.

There is an open invitation for any and all to come and be saved.
Romans 10:13 “for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”

Revelation 22:17 “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.”

And there are many many other passages…

In fact the Psalms tell us that CREATION ITSELF
Is calling man to see the glorious God and to call upon Him.

THERE IS A UNIVERSAL CALL TO ALL MEN TO COME AND BE SAVED.

But there is a problem with this call.
NO ONE HAS EVER ANSWERED IT.
(not one single person of his own volition decided to answer this call)

We see it in the Parable Of The Wedding Banquet
• The call went out for men to come and attend the banquet
• But no one would come.
• They were all too busy, they were not interested in the free invitation of the father of the groom.
• So the father sent out the servants into the highways and hedges to implore them to come, and finally some came.

And when the king finally came to look over the dinner guests
One short explanation was given.

Matthew 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

What does that mean?
Men rejected the universal call,
It was only those who received the effectual call who came.
• Man is sinful and uninterested in the worship of the Holy God of the universe.
• Man does not do good.
• Man does not seek for God.
• There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Man is at enmity with God and without exception
Sinful man rejects the universal call of God.

Isaiah 50:2 “Why was there no man when I came? When I called, why was there none to answer? Is My hand so short that it cannot ransom? Or have I no power to deliver? Behold, I dry up the sea with My rebuke, I make the rivers a wilderness; Their fish stink for lack of water And die of thirst.”

Well if all men without exception reject that universal call of God which has gone out to all the earth…
Then how do you explain that some are now saved?

Because they received GOD’S EFFECTUAL CALL.
The grace of God prevailed upon them.

It began with what we call REGENERATION.
• God awakened the dead soul…
• God gave life to a dead heart…
• God opened the eyes and unstopped ears…
• And God extended then an effectual call that is not refused.

That DOESN’T MEAN that some people God saves by dragging them kicking and screaming into the kingdom. NO.

In fact, He has never dragged anyone into the kingdom.

What it does mean is that God regenerates
And changes the disposition of a man
To compel Him to respond to the call of God upon His life.

That is why Jesus knew “all the Father has given Me will come to Me.”

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 “But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 5:10 “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”

WHAT WE MEAN THEN IS THIS.
• We are a world of sinful men and women totally indifferent to the universal call of salvation of the God who created us.
• But in tremendous grace, instead of dooming all to hell, God intervened by an act of sovereign grace and effectively called some to salvation.

“His lovingkindness prevailed toward us”

We think of the apostle Paul as a great example.
• A seasoned Pharisee
• A hater of Christianity
• On a mission to see it eradicated from the earth

But God’s lovingkindness prevailed over him.
• After Jesus blinded him, God sent Ananias to him.

When Ananias was hesitant to go, God said:
Acts 9:15 “But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;”

It wasn’t Paul who went looking for God,
It was God who effectively called Paul.

Paul recounted this of his own life:
1 Timothy 1:12-14 “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.”

• It was Christ who “strengthened” Paul.
• It was Christ who “considered” Paul.
• It was Christ who “put” Paul into service.

And Paul says that His grace “was more than abundant”
IT PREVAILED!

And the way God saved Paul
Is the way God saved every man who is saved.
(Granted your testimony might not be that dramatic)

But each of us was in rebellion and dead in sin
When His grace prevailed upon us.

Ephesians 2:1-9 “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

And that is the remarkable truth the Psalmist gives first.
“For His lovingkindness is great toward us”

“His loyal covenantal love prevailed upon us.”

“AND”

“And the truth of the LORD is everlasting.”

We are talking here about GOD’S FAITHFULNESS.
His faithfulness is eternal…It never stops.

• That is to say that the God “who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it.”
• That is to say that “those whom God called He also justified and those whom He justified He also glorified.”

It takes the logical next step of what Jesus said:
John 6:37-39 “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.”

He doesn’t lose those whom He has determined to save.

We think so easily of Abraham here.
Abraham is called the father of faith, but he was by no means continually faithful.

• God called him from Ur and promised him the land.
• Abraham jumped at the opportunity
• But the second famine hit, he bolted for Egypt
• And told Pharaoh that his wife was his sister.

Genesis 12:17-20 “But the LORD struck Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. Then Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? “Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife, take her and go.” Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they escorted him away, with his wife and all that belonged to him.”

That wasn’t Abram being faithful to God
That was God being faithful to Abram.

And that was just the tip of the ice burg.
• Abram was also supposed to leave his family, but he took Lot and God had
to separate them.
• Abram was supposed to trust God for a child, but instead he took Hagar and
God had to send him away too.

But the number of blunders didn’t seem to matter.
God wouldn’t let Abram go.

I think of Peter.
• Peter did the unthinkable, he denied Jesus 3 times.
• And even after the resurrection from the dead Peter decided he was done and he was going back to fishing.

But you remember John 21.
• Jesus again refused to let them catch fish, but told them again to cast their nets on the other side of the boat.
• Then Jesus reinstated Peter.

John 21:17 “He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.”

It wasn’t Peter being faithful to Jesus, it was Jesus being faithful to Peter.

And this is also TRUE IN OUR LIVES.
The God who calls us is also the God who secures us.

It was His grace which prevailed upon us to come to Him
And it is His grace which securely holds us to Him.

I love the new (old) hymn we have started to sing.
“When I fear my faith will fail, Christ will hold me fast;
When the tempter would prevail, He will hold me fast.
I could never keep my hold through life’s fearful path;
For my love is often cold; He must hold me fast.
He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast;
For my Saviour loves me so, He will hold me fast.
Those He saves are His delight, Christ will hold me fast;
Precious in his holy sight, He will hold me fast.
He’ll not let my soul be lost; His promises shall last;
Bought by Him at such a cost, He will hold me fast.
He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast;
For my Saviour loves me so, He will hold me fast.
For my life He bled and died, Christ will hold me fast;
Justice has been satisfied; He will hold me fast.
Raised with Him to endless life, He will hold me fast
‘Till our faith is turned to sight, When He comes at last!
He will hold me fast, He will hold me fast;
For my Saviour loves me so, He will hold me fast.”

Or perhaps the hymn that you are more familiar with:
“O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be
Let Thy goodness like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to Thee
Prone to wander Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above”

THAT IS WHAT THE PSALMIST REFERS TO HERE.
1. God’s faithfulness is eternal, He will never let us go.
2. Those He chose to save, He saves forever.

And as we have said before, this is a good thing,
• For there is never a time even in eternity when we might deem ourselves safe where it not for God’s faithfulness.
• And even if you think you’d be safe once you got to heaven you have to remind yourself that Satan and 1/3 of the angels fell from heaven.
• You are safe now and you will be safe then because of the faithfulness of God.

Now those are the two theological realities
That the Psalmist says that God deserve praise for.

Yet there is something remarkable here that must not be overlooked.

It is all really revealed in the use of the word “us”

Upon whom has God’s grace prevailed? “us”
Who enjoys the everlasting faithfulness of God? “us”

That is the church, God’s people.

But the Psalm DOESN’T SAY, “Praise the LORD, O church; Laud Him, people of salvation!”

The Psalm commands the world to praise God.
The Psalm calls the nations and every tribe to praise God.

And then tells them to praise God
Because of His loyalty and faithfulness; not to them, but to us.

Does that seem strange to anyone else?
Shouldn’t it say “them”?

• NO, because they aren’t currently recipients of His prevailing grace or eternal faithfulness.

So why is the world supposed to praise God for the salvation of believers?

Well, there are a few of reasons.

1) THE FACT THAT GOD SAVES ANY SINNER IS CAUSE FOR ALL SINNERS TO WORSHIP.

It is a testimony of hope.

Imagine and entire world held hostage by an evil dictator.
Imagine all freedom and liberty gone and all the world suffers under his reign.

And then imagine that you receive word that a group of people in Belgium
Found deliverance and escaped his oppressive reign.

Would you rejoice at that?

Yes, you’d rejoice that anyone found deliverance,
For it is proof that deliverance exists.

For that reason alone all the world should worship God.
He is the only God who has ever saved anyone.
• There are hosts of false gods who never saved a single person.
• They claimed they could, but they never did.
• They were all false hopes.

But our God genuinely and truly saves those He set out to save.
There should be a rejoicing in the fact that God saved any sinner.

But it is even deeper than that.
Here God told “all nations” to “Praise”

That would indicate that the salvation which God alone possesses
IS AVAILABLE TO EVEN YOU.

Imagine after hearing of the liberation of Belgium
• That you then received a letter in the mail instructing you to cry out to the
same deliverer that just saved Belgium.

Would you do it?
You should.

Well, turn to Romans 15

Read verse 7.
“Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.”

If you are familiar with Romans
• You know that starting in chapter 14 Paul began to address the issue of Christian unity.
• He wanted us to be one.
• Romans 15:7 is the final application of that entire segment.

Since Christ accepted us you should accept each other.

What do you mean Christ accepted us?

Read 8-12
• Paul said that Christ saved Jews to “confirm the promises given to the father”
• But Paul said Christ also saved Gentiles “to glorify God for His mercy”
• And then Paul quoted 4 Old Testament passages to affirm that.
• And pay special attention to verse 11 for there Paul quoted Psalms 117:2

Paul wanted us to accept one another
Based on the fact that Christ has accepted us.

And to support his position that Christ has accepted us
Paul quoted Psalms 117:2 which reveals that
God will even save Gentiles who call upon Him.

• God wouldn’t command the nations to praise if God were not willing to save the nations.
• God wouldn’t command the tribes to laud Him if He were not willing to save the tribes.

And now all the world can rest in the fact that God has done it before.

What was Israel before God saved him?
Who was Abraham?

Abraham was a pagan.
Joshua 24:2 “Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods.”

But God’s grace prevailed upon Abraham
And God’s faithfulness protected Abraham.

He was a pagan sinner whom God saved.
And if God would save one pagan sinner, perhaps he would save me.

So all the nations are commanded to praise
Simply because our God is a God who saves pagan sinners!

But that’s not the only reason the nations should rejoice that God saved us.

2) GOD’S CALL TO SAVE THEM EXTENDS THROUGH US.

What was the promise God made to Abraham?
Genesis 12:2-3 “And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

Galatians 3:8 “The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.”

Israel wasn’t intended to be a hermit group of saints,
They were commissioned to be a kingdom of priests.

Having been saved they were commissioned to show the rest of the world.
• They were to be a light in darkness.
• They were to be a city on a hill.
• They were to take the message of hope to the rest of the world.

They routinely failed, but it was their calling none the less.

Now it is the calling of the church.

If we go back to our illustration of the evil world dictator
• We would now find that not only did Belgium find salvation,
• But having been saved their Savior has commissioned to the world
• To show other nations how they can also be saved from the evil tyrant.

The world should praise God for that.
They should exalt him for that.

And there is still another reason.
3) GOD’S FAITHFULNESS TO US PRODUCES GOD’S PATIENCE FOR THEM.

That is to say God’s commitment to save His elect
Is greater than His urgency to destroy the wicked.

They actually, even in rebellion, enjoy God’s grace toward His own.

Let me explain.
Matthew 13:24-30 “Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. “But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. “But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. “The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ “And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ “But he said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. ‘Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

Why are the tares not immediately gathered up and burned?
• Because God is unwilling to risk the safety of the wheat to do so.

Think about marriage.
Paul spoke about the reality that there are times when you may have a believer married to a non-believer.

When asked if the believer should leave, Paul said “No”.
1 Corinthians 7:12-14 “But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy.”

That unbelieving spouse
Actually lives under God’s protection and blessing
Even in their rebellion solely because God is so faithful to His own.

Remember Lot living in Sodom?
When the angel of the Lord went to destroy Sodom he first sent Lot out saying:
Genesis 19:22 “Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the town was called Zoar.”

And this is most certainly what Peter had in mind
With his oft-misunderstood statement about the delay in Christ’s return.
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

People like to interpret that verse as though
God just can’t bring Himself to judge sinners.

Read the Bible,
• God judges sinners.
• He’s done it often.

That verse reveals that
• The end of the world has yet to come because all of the elect are not in yet.
• God isn’t patient toward the world, He is patient toward “you” the elect.

Have you ever watched a thriller movie
Where a criminal and wanted man takes a hostage?

Why do they take a hostage?
• Because the presence of the hostage keeps judgment at bay for fear that the
hostage might be harmed.

This world hates God and hates God’s people,
But if this world understood that truth they would praise God
That He has saved people and left them here.

If the world succeeded in eradicating the church
It would be the biggest mistake they ever made.

And this is also implied in Psalms 117
• God is the only savior the world has ever known.
• And God saves pagan sinners, even those who don’t want Him.
• He prevails upon them by His grace.
• He then secures them in His faithfulness.
• Then He commissions them to proclaim this salvation to other pagan sinners.
• And all the while other sinners enjoy the benefits of God’s patience on their behalf.

HE DESERVES PRAISE.

“Praise the LORD, all nations; Laud Him, all peoples!”

And since the nations are commanded to praise God,
It is understood that God’s people must relay the message.

We are obligated
• To make sure the world is aware of their command to praise the God who created them.
• To make sure the world knows that God saves pagan sinners.

“Praise the LORD!”

Download Here:

Finding Perspective – Part 2
Ecclesiastes 7:1-14 (7-14)
August 29, 2021

Last Sunday we began working through this text from the preacher.

We are now in a new segment in the book.
• Having spent 6 chapters outlining for us THE FUTILE PURSUIT of the world,
• The preacher is now showing us THE NOBLE PURSUIT.

And to get to the point, the preacher is telling us TO PURSUE WISDOM.

(11-12) “Wisdom along with an inheritance is good And an advantage to those who see the sun. For wisdom is protection just as money is protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.”

Instead of going through life like a fool “striving after wind”
The preacher would have the young man pursue wisdom.

Only it’s NOT just any wisdom that the preacher is referring to;
He is referring to God’s wisdom over and above the world’s wisdom.

It is beneficial to read again the statement from James.
James 3:13-18 “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

There is a certain wisdom which the world operates by.
• It is an “earthly” wisdom meaning it’s the normal mindset of the world.
• It is a “natural” wisdom indicating is the normal inclination of the fallen heart.
• It can even be a “demonic” wisdom because it is the same wisdom which
Satan possesses.

It is a wisdom that convinces man
To pursue the world by any and all means necessary.

The fruit of this type of wisdom is “jealousy and selfish ambition” and “disorder and every evil thing.”

That is a perfect description of the world’s wisdom.

Paul lamented it as well saying:
1 Corinthians 1:20-21a “Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God…”

Worldly wisdom is a tragedy, for it teaches you
To pursue everything but the main thing.

It tells you to find satisfaction and fulfilment through philosophy, pleasure, accomplishment, and possessions, and none of those things satisfy.

And even more tragic is that
It will not lead you to the only One who truly does satisfy and that is Christ, for “the world through its wisdom did not come to know God”

That is not the wisdom that the preacher recommends.

Rather, the wisdom the preacher in Ecclesiastes would endorse
Is the WISDOM THAT COMES FROM GOD.

That wisdom (James said) “is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, [and] without hypocrisy.”

And ultimately that wisdom produces righteousness
Which is necessary for peace with God.

That is the wisdom we are after.

The WORLD DOES NOT understand that wisdom.
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;”

The world doesn’t grasp that wisdom, they promote a satanic one.

But the hope of the preacher is get you
To abandon the world’s wisdom and pursue the wisdom of God.

God’s wisdom is that which “preserves the lives of its possessors.”

And that is the one we want.

The problem is that
God’s wisdom is not the one you have been most accustomed to hearing about.

Because we live here, where Satan is the god of this world
We all have likely been indoctrinated by the wrong kind of wisdom.

It is not the wisdom of God that is routinely promoted as right,
But rather the wisdom of the world that is endorsed to us.

So the preacher is on a mission to shift your thinking;
He is on a mission to change your perspective.

And that is what is occurring here in chapter 7.
We noted that 8 times he uses the word “better”.

It is a passage of comparisons.
• He is trying to show you how even though you may have been taught that one thing is good,
• There is actually a way that is better though it may not initially seem like it.

Last time we looked at the preacher’s first two perspectives or mindsets.
He gave us two scenarios and told us that one was clearly better than the other and if we are honest, we probably didn’t initially agree with either.

I’ll remind you of them quickly this morning.
#1 MOURNING IS BETTER THAN PLEASURE
Ecclesiastes 7:1-4

It was a peculiar notion.

Statements like:
(1) “the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.”
(2) “it is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting”
(3) “sorrow is better than laughter”
(4) “the mind of the wise is in the house of mourning”

All of those seem so wrong at face value.
• A funeral is better than a birthday party?
• A funeral is better than a feast?
• A funeral is better than a celebration?

What in the world is he talking about?

Namely that when a person attends a funeral
Or is forced into a house of mourning
They are much more likely to contemplate God’s wisdom
Over the world’s wisdom.

At a birthday party you rarely consider the importance of character, but you will at a funeral.
At a feast you rarely consider your own mortality, but you will at a funeral.
At a celebration you don’t get an accurate picture of true abiding hope, but you will at a funeral.

So if you want God’s wisdom more than the world’s wisdom
Then you’ll see why times of mourning
Are far more profitable for you than times of pleasure.

#2 REBUKE IS BETTER THAN TRIBUTE
Ecclesiastes 7:5-6

Again his statements fly right in the face of our natural desires.

“It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man Than for one to listen to the song of fools.”

That is to say it is more beneficial for you to get rebuked for doing something wrong than to get praised for doing something right.

While tributes are fun and songs of praise put a smile on the face
They very rarely lead you to the necessary attributes of salvation.

Jesus taught us what the attitudes of salvation are.
“poor in spirit – mourning – meekness – hunger for righteousness – mercy – purity in heart”

But those aren’t attitudes you acquire by being praised all the time.
• Praise doesn’t produce humility it produces pride.
• Praise doesn’t produce mourning it produces rejoicing.
• Praise doesn’t produce submission it produces stubbornness
• Praise doesn’t produce a hunger for righteousness it produces self-satisfaction
• Praise doesn’t produce mercy it produces arrogant judgment
• Praise doesn’t produce purity it produces complacency

The attitudes that Jesus said were necessary
Are the attitudes which are more often produced
By the timely rebuke of wisdom.

So if you want the wisdom which leads to righteousness
• You’ll learn to surround yourself with those who will tell you the truth,
• Not with those who tell you what you want to hear.

Those are two perspective shifts that are necessary
If you want God’s wisdom which leads to righteousness.

This morning we move on to the 3rd perspective we should adopt.
#3 PATIENCE IS BETTER THAN INSTANT GRATIFICATION
Ecclesiastes 7:7-10

Well there is another announcement that we didn’t want to hear.

We live in a society of instant gratification, and we love it.
• Our streets are covered with restaurants we call “Fast Food”
• We have been romanced by Amazon and their “Free 2-day shipping” (which they took from us!)
• We like “tracking numbers” so we can monitor how speedily our package will arrive.

Our flesh wants what we want and we want it now.
Having to wait for something is just far too frustrating.

But leave it to the preacher here to address that issue as well.

Instead of instant gratification the preacher says
It is actually better if you have to wait for something.

(8) “The end of a matter is better than its beginning; Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.”

None of us really like that.
• We don’t like it when someone tells us to “be patient”
• We don’t like it when the receptionist as the doctor’s office says “It’s going to be a while”

We like things to happen quickly
And there are times when if it doesn’t,
WE EVEN SEEK TO MANIPULATE OR FORCE THE SITUATION.

And that is what the preacher is referencing here.

He starts by saying:
(7) “For oppression makes a wise man mad, And a bribe corrupts the heart.”

“oppression” there is OSHEK
It literally means “extortion”

Jeremiah 22:17 “But your eyes and your heart Are intent only upon your own dishonest gain, And on shedding innocent blood And on practicing oppression and extortion.”

It is “unjust gain or a thing deceitfully gotten.”

And the preacher says that such extortion “makes a wise man mad”

“mad” there is a word that speaks of “a loud and boisterous fool.”
1 Samuel 21:13 “So he disguised his sanity before them, and acted insanely in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva run down into his beard.”

That was when David pretended madness in the land of the Philistines.

The preacher’s point is that
When a man resorts to extortion to get what he wants,
He is displaying the same character traits as a madman.

He says that “a bribe corrupts the heart.”

What you see the preacher talking about is a man
Who wants what he wants and he’s willing to bend the rules to get it.

• If he needs to bribe someone to make it happen, so be it.
• If he needs to strong arm someone through extortion, so be it.

But this man is seeking to push through his agenda.

And sadly the world knows a great deal about this.
One might even say that the entire American political system runs on such wisdom.
• We all know of lobbyists and their bribes…
• We know of blackmail and extortion for those who wish to keep their evil deeds secret…

THE PREACHER SAYS
Such tactics are actually the tactics of corrupt madmen.

TO WHICH HE MAKES THE POINT.
“The end of a matter is better than its beginning;

That phrase is a little cryptic,
But perhaps an examination of the words used there will help us.

The word for “end” there literally means “latter days”
And that is routinely a term of hope.

The word for “beginning” literally means “former days”

AND SO THE SIMPLE POINT INITIALLY IS THAT
“Better days are coming. You may not like the past or the present,
But you need to look to the future and a better day.”

It is simply the optimistic hope that things won’t always be this way.

And so the preacher also says
“Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit.”

The word for “patience” there means “long suffering” or “slow to anger”
“haughtiness” is a word that means “high” and speaks of pride and arrogance.

So the point of the preacher is that since better days are coming,
You’d be better off to wait patiently for it
And not seek to arrogantly force it yourself.

You may not like the current day, but
• Be patient.
• Don’t use a bribe
• Don’t use oppression to change the situation to your liking.

AND don’t use MANIPULATION either.
(9) “Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of fools.”

Anger is a manipulative tool.
• If extortion doesn’t work…
• If a bribe doesn’t work…

Then a good old fashion fit of rage and a threat may do the trick…

The preacher says not to use that tactic either
For all that will do is make you a fool.

• A mad man uses extortion…
• A corrupt man uses a bribe…
• A fool uses his anger…

Instead of trying to strong arm the situation into something you want,
Be patient in hope that better days are coming.

AND, don’t walk in FRUSTRATION.
(10) “Do not say, “Why is it that the former days were better than these? For it is not from wisdom that you ask about this.”

That is what we call a frustrated man.
• He’s just angry or frustrated at his current situation.
• He is reminiscing about the “good ole days”
• Or perhaps he even looks back into history to former times that were better than now.

And the whole point here is that we have people
Who do not like their current circumstances.

They want something to change.

And in that they have two options.
• They can either seek to manipulate the change themselves through extortion, bribes, and threats.
• Or they can patiently wait for God to accomplish a better way.

And the preacher is clear that
Patiently waiting on God is the path of wisdom.

• Any fool can lose his temper and force his way…
• Any fool can use extortion or a bribe…
• But a wise man will patiently wait for God to accomplish that which He has promised.

When reading this I am reminded of the story of Elijah.
Perhaps the most famous of all Old Testament prophets.

TURN TO: 1 KINGS 19

• Elijah ministered during a very dark and dangerous time in Israel.
• Ahab was king in Israel and his wife Jezebel was the single most evil influence that the nation of Israel has ever known.
• She introduced Baal worship and began to slaughter the prophets of God.
• Because of this God commanded Elijah to pray for drought, which he did, and God hid Elijah through the drought in the house of a widow whose oil and meal never ran out as long as he was there.
• Now after 6 years of such horrible conditions Elijah comes out of hiding and challenges the prophets of Baal showdown.
• You know the story about how they both built an altar and whichever god answers by fire, he is God.
• Obviously God answered and Elijah won.
• He then commanded the slaughter of the prophets of Baal.
• And then Elijah saw a small cloud in the sky and new the drought was about to end.

Elijah expected revival was coming.
He outran Ahab back to Jezreel, but when he got there
All he found was a death threat from Jezebel.

• So Elijah ran from the northern tip of Israel to the southern tip of Judah and
• Then another days journey into the wilderness where he sat down under a juniper tree and wanted to die.

God had not responded as Elijah had hoped.
The revival Elijah had expected did not happen.
And Elijah was pouting.

• But God sustained Elijah and eventually Elijah decided to get up and run to Mt. Sinai where he was going to confront God.

READ: 1 Kings 19:9-18

• Elijah was frustrated, Elijah was angry, Elijah was pouty.
• It was manipulation and frustration
• And Elijah even sought to argue with God and sort of manipulate the response he wanted.

But I like how in the story
• When God arrived He wasn’t in the great wind.
• And when God arrived He was not in the earthquake.
• And when God arrived He was not in the fire.

God was in the gentle blowing.

WHAT WAS THE POINT?
God was at work.
• It wasn’t a fire fall
• It wasn’t a powerful display
• It wasn’t a hurricane or a tsunami
(all of those things were what Elijah wanted)

God was a gentle blowing.
Slow, steady, resilient, effective

Elijah needed patience not frustration.
God was accomplishing His purpose.

That story has often convicted me of my own impatience
I at times want to see the firefall
Or the mighty earthquake just usher in a massive shift.

And the danger of such impatience is that
It often times causes men to resort to manipulation or bribery or corruption or pouting or anger to accomplish the goal they want.

The wise man however trusts God
And patiently waits for God to accomplish His purposes.

And that is yet another perspective.
BE PATIENT

A wise man embraces the day of tragedy and mourning
• Because he knows he is learning wisdom.
A wise man values a rebuke more than flattery
• Because he knows it is producing wisdom.
A wise man is patient instead of manipulative
• Because he knows that God is at work and also is wisdom.

SO
• Don’t run from periods of mourning…value them.
• Don’t reject a rebuke…learn from it.
• Don’t try to force the issue…be patient and wait on God.

Those are new perspectives that the preacher gives us
In order to help us obtain true wisdom; godly wisdom.

And then comes THE SUMMARY
(11-12) “Wisdom along with an inheritance is good And an advantage to those who see the sun. For wisdom is protection just as money is protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.”

Don’t let his statement about money being protection derail you
As though all of a sudden the preacher is promoting that you seek wealth.

The preacher is merely
Comparing a common mindset to a proper mindset.

A common mindset in the world is that “money is protection”.
• People think that if they have enough saved up then they are insulated and safe from life’s pitfalls.

Jesus warned us that there are 3 great threats to money and wealth.
• Rust will ruin it…
• Moths will eat it…
• Thieves will steal it…

The preacher certainly is not contradicting Jesus.
In fact, even the preacher already greatly discussed
The added griefs of treasure and wealth.

What he is doing is pointing out that
While the world routinely thinks money to be the great protection,
There is a better one than money.

What is a better protection for you than money? “wisdom”

WHY?
“the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.”

Can money do that?
How much money can you pay to save your life?

Money gives the allusion of protection, wisdom gives the reality of it.
And that is the preacher’s point.

Wisdom is BETTER than the things of this world.
So you should get wisdom.

• And that means embracing mourning…
• And that means embracing criticism…
• And that means embracing patience…

You see his point.

Well following that summary
The preacher now moves to his final perspective shift,
And this is actually the BIGGEST ONE.

He DOESN’T use the word “better” here,
But the contrast is clear and obvious.

Mourning is better than pleasure
Rebuke is better than tribute
Patience is better than instant gratification
#4 FAITH IS BETTER THAN SIGHT
Ecclesiastes 7:13-14

Now the preacher is going to ROLL ALL those scenarios up INTO ONE.
• Tragedy that produces mourning…
• Criticism that produces righteousness…
• Frustrating circumstances that demand patience…

The preacher takes all of those hardships and lumps them together here.

He puts all of those seemingly negative things into the same category.
We’ll just call it the category of “adversity”

Hard things – Hard words – Hard circumstances – Hard days

All of those previous scenarios fit inside that.

And here is his advice if you want wisdom.

“Consider the work of God, For who is able to straighten what He has bent?”

Now that’s a fair and obvious question.
• The answer of course is “no one”.

If God wants it straight it will be straight.
If God wants it crooked it will be crooked.

And initially we understand then that
Pouting and fighting and kicking and screaming and bribing and manipulating won’t help will it?

• Did it help Elijah? No
• Did it help Job? No

Again the preacher has retreated
To the bedrock of the sovereign prerogative of God.

We learned in chapter 3
Ecclesiastes 3:1 “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven”

• God appointed all times.
• God appointed times for birth and times for death.
• God appointed times for weeping and times for laughing.
• God appointed times for mourning and times for dancing.
• Etc.

And the preacher is now back at that concrete point.

In this life that so often presents adversity
You must come to grips with the fact that
GOD IS SOVEREIGN OVER ALL OF IT.

And then he says:
(14) “In the day of prosperity be happy, But in the day of adversity consider – God has made the one as well as the other So that man will not discover anything that will be after Him.”

I think his point is obvious.

• Sometimes we go through events that make us mourn and our chief goal is to run from times of mourning and pursue times of celebration as fast as we can.

• Sometimes we go through times of criticism and our chief goal is to run from that and pursue words of praise as fast as we can.

• Sometimes we go through periods of frustration and hardship and our chief goal is to run from those times and impatiently run to more fulfilling circumstances as fast as we can.

But what is the preacher’s point?

• What if God created that event that caused mourning?
• What if God ordained those words of criticism?
• What if God caused that period of frustration?

And if God caused it can you change it?
No, “For who is able to straighten what He has bent?”

But if you can’t change it then what should you do?
What is the preacher’s point?

EMBRACE IT
• Embrace the period of mourning as a time God has ordained to teach you about character and mortality and hope.
• Embrace the words of rebuke as words God has ordained to lead you to repentance and righteousness.
• Embrace times of frustration as times God has ordained to teach you patience.

There is nothing wrong with rejoicing in the good and easy times.
Absolutely when it is time to laugh and dance then laugh and dance.

But the problem with our world is that
They don’t want to consider the value of the other times.

Our world has bought the lie
• Of the prosperity gospel
• Or perhaps it’s even called “The American Dream” where we say that man is
entitled to “the pursuit of happiness”

Well in a way that’s true, we like happiness.

But if your whole life is the pursuit of happiness
And never the acceptance of adversity
Then you are never going to obtain wisdom.

God created that day of adversity and he did it for your good.

Listen again to James.
James 1:9-11 “But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.”

That passage is very Ecclesiastes-like from James.

If you are poor and are in “humble circumstances”
Then you should “glory” about your “high position”

Because God has used that to teach you a valuable lesson.

At the same time on those occasions when a rich man is humiliated and loses money and tastes hardship he should also “glory”.

“because like flowering grass he will pass away.”

In times of prosperity a man is likely to forget how badly he needs God.

So in an act of sovereign grace,
There are times when God will ordain a day of adversity.
• It may be a time of mourning…
• It may be a time of rebuke…
• It may be a time of frustration…

Why does God do it?
“So that man will not discover anything that will be after him.”

“What does that mean?”

Well honestly there are two options.
If “him” is a little “h” and is referring to man
• Then the point is that God grants adversity so that this man will realize that he doesn’t have it all figured out and will thus be forced to rely on God.

If “Him” is a capital “H” and is referring to God
• Then the point is that God grants adversity so that man will realize this life offers nothing other than God.

I’m not sure which is accurate, but both fit.
And I think the main point is the same.

God ordains adversity ultimately to shake you
Out of your own complacency and self-sufficiency
And to drive you to Him.

AND HERE IS THE POINT.
A WISE MAN EMBRACES THAT BY FAITH
INSTEAD OF REJECTING IT OUT OF CONFUSION.

FAITH IS BETTER THAN SIGHT.

ALL THROUGHOUT OUR WORLD MEN EXHIBIT FOOLISHNESS
When they reject God because they don’t understand
Why He would allow such bad things to happen.

I don’t understand everything God does either, but I’m not required to.
• The wise man is not the man who understands everything God does.
• The wise man is the man who trusts God and embraces Him anyway.

He says, “I may not understand this tragedy, but I know that there is much wisdom to be gained through this time of mourning.”

He says, “I may not enjoy these words of criticism, but I know that there is much wisdom to be gained through this rebuke.”

He says, “I may not enjoy this frustrating season, but I know that there is much wisdom to be gained through patience.”

He says, “I may not like these days of adversity, but I know that God has ordained it and I will trust Him through it.”

That is the noble pursuit and the path to acquiring the wisdom of God.

Well THIS MORNING you notice that we are also
Going to partake in THE LORD’S SUPPER.

NOT because this text pointed so clearly to the atonement of Jesus
(as we typically follow).

BUT, IT IS STILL CERTAINLY FITTING.
There is no better reminder to us that God knows what He is doing during days of adversity than the cross.

• The cross was an event of mourning and death but it resulted in giving life.
• The cross was an event of painful rejection but it has become the ultimate joy.
• The cross was an event of frustration but it has become our greatest hope.
• The cross was a confusing event but it has become the clarity of our salvation.

Even in that dark day, it is clear that God knew exactly what He was doing

Through the cross,
• God atoned for sinners.
• God truly causes all things to work together for good to them who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

This morning as we partake we remember
The good and glorious purpose of God in the cross.

We partake of the bread and we remember the body of our Lord.
• The body who embraced as He took on flesh and dwelled among us.
• The body in which He perfectly fulfilled the Law and become our righteousness.

We partake of the juice and we remember the blood of our Lord.
• His blood was shed as our sin was imputed to Him.
• He died and thus bore the full wrath of God for our sin.

We partake of this in worship remembering the good that God accomplished for us through that dark day, mournful, and frustrating day.

As always we will have a time of preparation
And then we will partake of the table of the Lord.

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How Can I Repay Him?
Psalms 116
August 22, 2021

In Christianity there are words and phrases that sometimes
We become too liberal with even to our own detriment.

For example:
People talk about GRACE (as they should)
• But when talk of grace turns into licentiousness grace has been perverted into something that it is not.

People talk about LOVE (as they should)
• But when talk of love turns into absence of judgment love has been perverted into something that it is not.

And I think another place where we can fall into this trap is with the word FREE
• We often speak of salvation being a “free gift” (which it is)

Salvation is free in the sense that the entire cost was paid by God.
• He sent His Son.
• Jesus fulfilled the Law.
• Jesus paid the debt.
• Jesus purchased our salvation with His own death.

We receive salvation by grace.
It is in fact freely given.

The perversion comes in however when we hear the word “free”
And then assume that no obligation exists for us at all.

NOW CERTAINLY
There is nothing left to be done in order to complete our salvation.
We know Jesus did in fact do all that was necessary.

But are we to assume that we now have no obligation at all?
Certainly not.

THERE ARE STILL EXPECTATIONS.
For example:

Paul said:
Romans 1:14 “I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.”

Romans 8:11-12 “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh”

We are familiar with the famous passage in Ephesians where Paul says that we are “saved by grace through faith”

But we also remember that Paul says:
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

Or we remember Paul’s admonition to Titus regarding grace.
Titus 2:11-12 “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,”

The simple point made in all of those passages
Is that we understand that just because salvation was a free gift of grace,
THAT DOES NOT MEAN
There are no expectations or obligations left for us to fulfill.

At the very least there is an obligation of GRATITUDE
That must certainly be paid.

YET, IT IS A GRIEF I FEEL CONTINUALLY IN THE AMERICAN CHURCH
That there seems to be such little concern by so many
To give anything back to the Lord.

It seems that far too many are more than eager to attend a service
Or walk an aisle to “get something” from the Lord,

But are far less eager to fulfill an obligation or bring something back.

We see it often in our day, something that I guess I’ll never get used to:
A person who may come forward to be saved on Sunday morning
And then not even return on Sunday night.

I’ll never understand that.
• Where is the sense of gratitude?
• Where is the sense of obligation?
• Where is the commitment?
• Where is the priority?

It is often quoted, and rightly so, the passage in Hebrews regarding the requirement for church attendance.

Hebrews 10:24-25 “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

That is certainly a fitting text to encourage faithful church attendance.

And if I was to pick a second, it would be Psalms 116.
• Psalms 116 doesn’t come to us by way of imperative command.
• Psalms 116 rather demonstrates for us a fitting gratitude.

Here we have a man who is expressing an obvious obligation.
God has done for him great things and he feels obligated to return.

His salvation was certainly free and he could never pay for it.
But gratitude requires that he will spend the rest of his life trying.

AND THAT IS THE SETTING HERE.
• We have a man who has arrived at the temple for worship.
• Perhaps he has traveled a long way.
• Certainly his enthusiasm has set him apart from the crowd.

And it is as though someone has asked him: “WHY ARE YOU HERE?”

AND THIS PSALM IS HIS ANSWER.

If you’re looking for the concise answer look to verses 14 and 18 which are identical, “I shall pay my vows to the LORD, Oh may it be in the presence of His people.”

I’m here to bring a return to God for all that He has done for me.

I try (actually pretty hard) not to be judgmental or too harsh on people
If they miss a service or if they don’t attend on a Sunday night.

I try to have a merciful mindset and remember that I’m not aware of what is going on in everyone’s life and perhaps there are good reasons why they are not here.

Though honestly, I do not understand it.
I cannot understand why any child of God
• Who has felt the sting of lostness;
• Who has trembled at the thought of judgment;
• Who has cried out to Christ for mercy;
• Who has then be forgiven and saved;
• Who has been filled with His Spirit;
• And who has been promised an eternal inheritance…

I, for the life of me, cannot figure out
Why things like Sunday night worship or Wednesday night worship
Are not the chief priority of their life.

After being saved, in verse 12,
This Psalmist asked himself a question: “What shall I render to the LORD For all His benefits toward me?”

And he said,
“At the very least I can go worship God in the midst of His people!”

This is a very wonderful and even convicting Psalm.

I also remind you again that it is part of the famous “HALLEL”
• It was sung at Passover.
• It was sung by Jesus as He departed to go to the Garden of Gethsemane.
• It was a song of reminder to Israel not only of God’s salvation but also of their obligation in response to such a great salvation.

So…
• Psalms 113 focused on God’s Humility to behold even us.
• Psalms 114 focused on God’s Power to mightily save us.
• Psalms 115 focused on God’s Loyalty to faithfully bless us.

• Psalms 116 focuses on God’s Right to expect worship from us.

Now the PSALM OPENS with a bold statement of devotion.
The man has arrived at the temple with an announcement.

(1-2) “I love the LORD, because He hears My voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live.”

There are two great statements of commitment from the Psalmist.
• “I love the LORD”
• “I shall call upon Him as long as I live”

• I love God and I’m coming here to worship the rest of my life.
• I will never quit loving or trusting Him.

It is pure love and pure devotion.
• There is no compulsion here.
• There is no half-hearted attendance.

The passion seen here is like the passion of the woman at the Pharisees house who wet Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.

Luke 7:47 “For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

She had been forgiven much so she loved much.

If you’ve not watched the TV series “THE CHOSEN”, I think it’s great.
• My favorite moment in the series so far comes after Jesus casts out the
demons from Mary Magdalene.
• Later, as Nicodemus is investigating her deliverance she tells Nicodemus that it
wasn’t Nicodemus who delivered her but it was someone else, a man
whose name she does not know.

Nicodemus asks, “Would you at least know Him if you saw Him again?”
Mary answers, “I don’t know why I am sharing this with you, I don’t understand it myself. But here is what I can tell you. I was one way, and now I am completely different, and the thing that happened in between was Him. So yes, I will know Him for the rest of my life.”

I love that!
Anyone who has felt the weight of their sin
And the freedom of redemption can identify with that.

And that is the Psalmist here.
• “I love the LORD”
• “I shall call upon Him as long as I live.”

But the overwhelming question, perhaps of the crowd, is WHY?
• Why do you love Him?
• Why will you call upon Him the rest of your life?
• WHY SUCH DEVOTION?

AND THE ANSWER given by the Psalmist is really remarkable.
“because He hears”

Now first, notice the contrast among the Psalms of the Hallel.
Just last week in Psalms 115 we were confronted with the false gods of the pagans.

Psalms 115:6 “They have ears, but they cannot hear…”

But the Psalmist says that his love for God stems from the fact that God “hears”
Specifically “He hears My voice and my supplications”

It is “Because He has inclined His ear to me.”
• I love God because He hears me.
• I love God because He listens to me.

• It speaks of true love and compassion.
• It speaks of true interest and empathy.
• It speaks of a personal and intimate God who actually listens.

And the Psalmist loves Him for it.

But it’s almost as though the crowd wants more specifics.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN GOD LISTENS TO YOU?

AND THE REST OF THE PSALM IS HIS ANSWER.
• The remainder of Psalms 116 explains why the Psalmist loves God for listening
• And why He is so devoted to Him for it.

It is the Psalmists testimony.
It is the explanation of the Psalmist devotion.

AND BEFORE WE STUDY IT
Might I give this Psalm to you as a blueprint for ought to be the norm for every believer.

Peter said:
1 Peter 3:15 “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;”

If you have ever wanted a good example for what it looks like
To “give an account for the hope that is in you” here it is.

If you have ever wanted a good example for what it looks like
To explain your devotion to Christ, here it is.

And I have no problem telling you that
THIS SHOULD BE THE RESPONSE OF EVERY BELIEVER.

We’ll break the Psalmist testimony down into 5 points.
#1 THE REQUEST I MADE
Psalms 116:3-4

Take a look at THE PREDICAMENT this man was in.

(3) “The cords of death encompassed me And the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow.”

Often times in the poetry of the Psalms
Death is painted as an aggressive adversary
Reaching out of Sheol to grab the feet of the living.

And here, death was successful.
It caught me!

Now certainly we see an analogy of spiritual death and lostness here,
But there is no reason to assume the Psalmist is talking about anything other than literal physical death here.

In a moment, in a flash, he was on death’s door.
And as he contemplated death there was no peace.
It terrified him. He did not want to die.

All he found was “distress and sorrow”

It reminds me of the lament of Jonah upon his disobedience to the LORD.
Jonah 2:5-6a “Water encompassed me to the point of death. The great deep engulfed me, Weeds were wrapped around my head. “I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever…”

But Jonah also said:
Jonah 2:7 “While I was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, And my prayer came to You, Into Your holy temple.”

From the midst of the sea Jonah cried out to God and God heard him!

And that is precisely what the Psalmist is talking about.
(4) “Then I called upon the name of the LORD: “O LORD, I beseech You, save my life!”

• Here I was, at my wits end.
• I was facing death and I was terrified.
• I had no other option but to cry out to the God of the universe
• And hope that He would be willing to listen to me.

• Think about being in peril…
• Think about facing death…
• Think about your options and who you might call on for help…
• Think if you can even get through to them at such a time…

This man faced death and his decision was to call on God.

The Request I Made
#2 THE RESCUE HE PERFORMED
Psalms 116:5-6

The Psalmist can’t contain it.
His mouth is full of praise!

“Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate.”

He pauses the story…
He leaves you at a cliffhanger…
(Though his presence already tells you God must have saved)

But the Psalmist makes sure you understand why God saved.
• It WASN’T because of my worth, it was because of His grace.
• It WASN’T because of my righteousness, it was because of His righteousness.
• It WASN’T because of my strength, it was because of His compassion.

“The LORD preserves the simple;”

The Hebrew word for “simple” is PETHEE
It means “simple; naïve, foolish, open-minded”

It’s a nice way of saying “stupid”

• This man wasn’t in danger out of pure undeserved circumstances.
• This man did something dumb and it got him near death.
• This man did something dumb and it nearly killed him.

God had every right to say,
“Well, he shouldn’t have been so dumb as to get himself into that mess.”

BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT GOD DID.
The Psalmist says, “I was brought low, and He saved me.”
• I was foolish and stupid.
• I was naïve and simple.
• I found myself in danger by my own foolishness
• And as I approached death I called upon God
• And despite my foolishness “He saved me.”

I think of Titus 3
Titus 3:3-5 “For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,”

I think of Paul
1 Timothy 1:12-15 “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.”

And certainly we think of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians
Where he told us that we also were dead in our sin.

Ephesians 2:4-6 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,”

“I was sinking deep in sin Far from the peaceful shore; Very deeply stained within Sinking to rise no more. But the Master of the sea Heard my despairing cry; From the waters lifted me now safe am I”

It is the testimony of the redeemed.
• He made mistakes that should have cost him his life.
• But even in his own foolishness he called upon the Lord.

And we are promised.
Romans 10:13 “for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”

And this man was saved.
God delivered him from death.

• We certainly see the analogy of Christ saving us from our spiritual death.
• We certainly feel like Lazarus’ who was delivered from death.
• We identify with every demoniac or man whom Jesus rescued.

We where trapped in our own rebellion and foolish choices
And we deserved what we were about to receive,
But we cried out for mercy and He gave it.

“He saved me.”

The Request I Made; The Rescue He Performed
#3 THE RELIEF I FOUND
Psalms 116:7-11

Often when we talk to people about writing their testimony we give them 3 points.
1) CONVICTION – what you were before Christ
2) CONVERSION – the moment / events when Christ saved you
3) COMMITMENT – how your life is different now after Christ

And often times we say that you should recognize that
The problems stated in conviction should be changed in commitment.

That is what you see here.
When facing death he said, (3) “terrors…came upon me” & “I found distress and sorrow”

But look at him now.
(7) “Return to your rest, O my soul, For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.”

He left fear behind and returned to rest.
• No more striving…
• No more weary and heavy-laden…
• Just rest.

It is what the writer of Hebrews spent a whole chapter describing that there is a rest for your soul.

And this Psalmist has it.
• It is the peace that surpasses all comprehension…
• It is the mercy that is new every morning…
• It is the love that never fails…
• It is the grace that is always sufficient…

FEAR IS GONE, REST HAS ARRIVED.

“For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.”

• Indeed, He has done more for you than you deserved.
• He didn’t just rescue, He has blessed.

Not only has Christ saved us, but He has also “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.”

(8) “For You have rescued my soul from death, My eyes from tears, My feet from stumbling.”
• You didn’t just pull me out of my own stupid mistakes,
• But you have put my feet on a path to keep me from every falling down there again.
• You didn’t just give me freedom from judgment, but freedom from sin.

And as a result the Psalmist says”
(9) “I shall walk before the LORD in the land of the living.”
• He saved me and now I am saved.
• And I live as though I am saved.

We hear people say it all the time today that they have been saved.
“From what?”

It is apparent that they only mean “from hell”
• Because it isn’t apparent that they have been saved from profanity or from
apathy or from sexual immorality or from lying.

They say they are alive, but the look as dead as anyone else.

Anyone who thinks he has been saved from hell but who can’t tell that he has been saved from anything else has clearly deceived himself.

But the Psalmist knows.
• He was saved.
• Saved from death and saved from stumbling.
• Saved to live and now he lives.

John 8:36 “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”

That is what the Psalmist is saying.
• I was in danger of death by reason of my own foolishness.
• I cried out to God and He heard me.
• He then delivered me and saved me.
• He didn’t just keep me from dying He kept me from stumbling again.

And incidentally, only God could do this.
(10-11) “I believed when I said, “I am greatly afflicted.” I said in my alarm, “All men are liars.”

That is to say that to trust in man is a false hope.
Man’s ways cannot save.

So they asked the Psalmist
Why he was here and why he was so enthusiastic in his praise.

He said “because God hears me.”
They say, “What do you mean?”

And the Psalmist tells of how God heard his cry of distress
And saved him from death.

But let’s pause here for a moment.
There are thousands of testimonies that go this far,
But which never take the next step.

What we are about to read next is REGRETTABLY
One of the most neglected realities of salvation.

I want you to watch what the Psalmist does next.
#4 THE RESPONSE I PONDERED
Psalms 116:12-15

Did you catch that?
Look at that question.

“What shall I render to the LORD For all His benefits toward me?”

Have you ever asked that question?
I can assure that it doesn’t appear that many do anymore.

Men are so convinced at how “free” salvation is
They never seem to give any thought
As to what they might give back in return.

Remember this story?
Luke 17:11-19 “While He was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee. As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him; and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed. Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they? “Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has made you well.”

That is the point here.
Is God worthy of anything from you
Now that He has worked such a great deliverance for you?

Have you ever asked “What shall I render to the LORD For all His benefits toward me?”

It is a question pondered often in Scripture and we don’t have near enough time to look at them all, but let me show you a few.

Psalms 40:6-8 “Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired; My ears You have opened; Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required. Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart.”

Psalms 50:7-15 “Hear, O My people, and I will speak; O Israel, I will testify against you; I am God, your God. “I do not reprove you for your sacrifices, And your burnt offerings are continually before Me. “I shall take no young bull out of your house Nor male goats out of your folds. “For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills. “I know every bird of the mountains, And everything that moves in the field is Mine. “If I were hungry I would not tell you, For the world is Mine, and all it contains. “Shall I eat the flesh of bulls Or drink the blood of male goats? “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving And pay your vows to the Most High; Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”

Psalms 51:15-17 “O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Your praise. For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”

Micah 6:6-8 “With what shall I come to the LORD And bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, With yearling calves? Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?”

It is the contemplation of the redeemed.
What should I give back to God for all that He has done?

Romans 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”

The Psalmist contemplated this very thing.
WHAT SHOULD I GIVE?

And notice that he answered himself.
(13-15) “I shall lift up the cup of salvation And call upon the name of the LORD. I shall pay my vows to the LORD, Oh may it be in the presence of all His people. Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His godly ones.”

He asked what He should give in return to God for His great salvation
And this is what he decided.

He decided that he should “lift up the cup of salvation”,
• That is to say he should exalt how God saved him.

And He decided that he should “call upon the name of the LORD”,
• That is to say he should continue trusting God.

And He decided that he should “pay my vows to the LORD”,
• Which speaks of continued faithfulness.

And He decided that it should “Be in the presence of all His people.”
• Which means he should do it at the temple.

For the Psalmist new that “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His goldy ones.”

That is “death to self”

When contemplating how to give a return to God
For the bountiful salvation God had poured upon him
He decided what needed to happen.

• I need to die to self.
• I need to go to that temple.
• I need to tell everyone about this salvation.
• I need to continue to trust God and be faithful to Him forever.

So…
#5 THE RESPONSIBILITY I EMBRACED
Psalms 116:16-19

Here he is paying what he figured he owed.

(16-17) “O LORD, surely I am Your servant, I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid, You have loosed my bonds. To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, And call upon the name of the LORD.”

• He has come to commit his entire life to the Lord.
• He has come to pledge service.
• He has come to give thanks.
• He has come to continue to call on God.

And then he returns to his answer.
• Do you want to know why I love God?
• Do you want to know why I am here?

I nearly died of my own foolishness and God saved me.
He gave me what I did not deserve
And so I have come to give Him a small portion
Of what He certainly deserves.

(18-19) “I shall pay my vows to the LORD, Oh may it be in the presence of all His people, In the courts of the LORD’S house, In the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!”

That is why he is here.
• That is why he loves God.
• That is why he wants to be with God’s people.

Now that was a song originally sung in remembrance of the Passover,
But do we not see that same devotion in the early church?

Acts 2:43-47 “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.”

SOMEWHERE CHURCH WE ARE LOSING THIS.
The church has gotten so accustomed to talking about
How free salvation is
That the have forgotten our obligation before God.

Meeting with the saints is only optional
If you are ungrateful for what God has done.

Worshiping among God’s people is only optional
If you feel no sense of devotion to return to God.

This Psalmist was here to worship
Because God deserved it and he was glad to do it.

He loved much because he had been forgiven much.
The church should still have this passion
And it is grievous when they do not.

Download Here:

Finding Perspective – Part 1
Ecclesiastes 7:1-14 (1-6)
August 22, 2021

This morning we return to our study of Ecclesiastes.
When we were last here I told you that starting in chapter 7
The preacher enters A NEW SEGMENT in the book.

The first 6 chapters represented: THE FUTILE PURSUIT
9 times we saw the phrase “striving after wind”

We looked at the futility of things like
• Obtaining wisdom
• Finding pleasure
• Accomplishment
• Acquiring Treasure

All of those things are the things the world tells us are the pathways to fulfillment but the preacher reminded us that in reality they are a fool’s pursuit.

Seeking those things is like trying to catch the wind.
It is like trying to hold a mist.
It is like trying to enjoy a mirage.

It is a lie from the advertiser and there is no fulfillment found there.

But starting in chapter 7 the preachers shifts gears and now he begins to talk to us about: THE NOBLE PURSUIT

The book itself takes on a bit of a different feel.
• Now we get imperatives.
• Now we get commands.
• Now we get directives for living.

After fully exposing the false advertising of the enemy
The preacher now wants to show you a better way.

It begins with a segment on PERSPECTIVE.

8 times in our passage this morning you notice the same word: “better”
It is a chapter full of comparisons.

He is in effect now showing the young man a better way.
• It is to say instead of seeking that, seek this.
• Take it from one who has lived for a while and I’ll show you what is better.

So this morning we begin to seek a change in perspective.

Now the SIMPLE EXPLANATION would be that
THE PREACHER WANTS THE YOUNG MAN TO HAVE WISDOM.

You will actually see that down in verses 11-12
“Wisdom along with an inheritance is good And an advantage to those who see the sun. For wisdom is protection just as money is protection, But the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the lives of its possessors.”

Clearly he is pointing us to the importance of wisdom.

But there must be a distinction made here
For he has already gone to great lengths in this book to warn us
That there is a wisdom which does not satisfy.

We read very early in the book:
Ecclesiastes 1:16-18 “I said to myself, “Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.” And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind. Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain.”

And we remember his lament that knowledge did not allow him
To straighten what was crooked or fill what was lacking.

So early in the book he lamented his wisdom
But now here in chapter 7 he is clearly endorsing it.

But the distinction must be made again
Regarding the difference between the world’s wisdom (philosophy)
And God’s wisdom.

James helps us greatly here.
James 3:13-17 “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.”

James there clearly defines for us that there is a difference between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God.

• There is a wisdom which is filled with selfish ambition and arrogance and jealousy. That is worldly wisdom and it comes from the devil.
• And then there is a wisdom which produces righteousness and peace and mercy and it is from God.

THE POINT IS: There is a Difference.

Paul spoke of the distinction.
1 Corinthians 2:6-8 “Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; 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;”

Again, there is a difference between worldly wisdom and God’s wisdom.

And that distinction is also seen in Ecclesiastes.

The first 6 chapters lamented worldly wisdom.
• It was that human knowledge or philosophy that was thought to bring fulfillment and satisfaction.
• It was a wisdom driven by ambition and it did not satisfy.

Now the preacher turns to God’s wisdom.
• Now the preacher turns to the wisdom which produces righteousness.

And right out of the gate in chapter 7
He is going to show you the pathway to obtaining it.

And his ADVICE IS SO ANTI-WORLD
That it almost sounds absurd the first time you read it.

I mean, look at some of those comparisons again.

(1) “the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.”
Really?

(2) “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting,”
That doesn’t sound right?

(3) “Sorrow is better than laughter”
What?

All of that seems like really bad advice or bad logic.
And yet, what you have here is
The preacher seeking to give you some perspective.

• He is NOT TRYING to mimic the world.
• He is NOT TRYING to give you the advice of the world.
• He IS TRYING to impart to you the wisdom of God.

And you don’t obtain the wisdom of God
The same way you obtain the wisdom of the world.

God’s wisdom is found down a different path.
And that is the path that he sets out for you this morning.

So,
• Do you want to be wise?
• Do you want Godly wisdom?
• Do you want the wisdom that produces righteousness and peace?

Then let’s find a little perspective this morning.

What we’re going to see first from the preacher this morning are
3 PERSPECTIVES.

• He’s going to show you 3 mindsets that might be upside down in your brain.
• He’s going to try and shift your thinking in 3 areas.
• And then he’s going to tell you why it is important that you listen to him and embrace these new perspectives.

So let’s start with those 3 new mindsets that we need.
#1 MOURNING IS BETTER THAN PLEASURE
Ecclesiastes 7:1-4

Well that statement alone probably makes your antenna go up a little.

I mean, we see social media.
We even see the religious posts.
• They are filled with prayers that God would give us “blessing, safety, good days, prosperity, health, and happiness.”

No one wakes up in the morning and says, “You know what would be better than pleasure today? If tragedy would strike and I was thrown into mourning.”

No one says that.
No one longs for that.
It is against human nature to want that.

And yet, it sure sounds like that is what the preacher is asking for.

If you zoom out and look at these 4 verses
It sounds like he is talking about attending a funeral.

It’s almost like he is saying,
“It’s better to go to a funeral than it is to go to a wedding.”
Or “It’s better to go to a funeral than a birthday party.”

Now, we are not masochist,
• We don’t wake up in the morning and long to mourn or hope that there’s a funeral to attend.

And that’s NOT the preacher’s ambition either.
• We learned a lot about him early in the book and we found out that just like each of us, he is also a man who likes pleasure.

What the preacher is doing however is
Talking about what is actually more beneficial to your life.

AND HERE IS THE FACT.
You will glean more of the right kind of wisdom from a funeral than you will from a celebration.
• You can learn more from periods of mourning than you can from periods of rejoicing.

And when we say it like that, especially the older members of the congregation, know the preacher is on to something.

God accomplishes far more in our life through periods of sorrow
Than it seems that He does through periods of prosperity.

And that is the preacher’s point here.
• Do you want some godly perspective?
• Do you want to obtain the wisdom that leads to righteousness?

Then the path of mourning
Is going to be more beneficial to you than the path of pleasure.

Look at verse 1, “A good name is better than a good ointment, And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.”

In some ways those statements don’t appear to have anything in common,
But they are actually linked together.

He is COMPARING TWO MONUMENTAL DAYS in a person’s life
He is comparing the day a person is born with the day a person dies.

• At birth people rejoice.
• At death people mourn.

And so the temptation is to see a birthday as better than a day of death,
And there is a certain sense in which that is true.

BUT THE POINT of the preacher is that
We know much more about a person at the day of their death
Than we do at the day of their birth.

THINK ABOUT IT.

When a child is born, what do you know about that child?
• You know their parents
• You know their height and weight
• You know their gender
• You know their basic health
• But that’s really about all.

But fast-forward 80+ years to the day of that child’s death and what do you know about that person?
• You know a whole lot more.
• You know about their character, their work-ethic, their loyalty, their integrity, etc.

THE INITIAL POINT
Is that at the day of your birth your name had NO VALUE,
But at the day of your death it does.

To which the preacher says, “A good name is better than a good ointment.”

There is value in reputation.
There is value in character.

“And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.”

What does he mean?
IT’S NOT HOW YOU START, IT’S HOW YOU FINISH.

• That’s true isn’t it?
• That’s wisdom isn’t it?

And that is the sort of thing a man CONTEMPLATES AT A FUNERAL.

You can go to a hospital when a baby is born and you can laugh and rejoice and smile at the future, and certainly we rejoice in those good moments.

But when you go to a funeral you are reminded that
“Starting well is one thing, but finishing well is another.”

You are reminded of the importance of character.

And you are especially reminded of the importance of character at death
Because it is then that a person has stepped into the presence of God.

You’ll contemplate the importance of character at a funeral,
But you might not contemplate that at a birthday party.

And contemplating the importance of character
Is something that will help you obtain wisdom.

So, as far as wisdom is concerned,
Going to a funeral has more benefit than going to a birthday party.
“the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth.”

And the preacher continues.
(2) “It is better to go to a house of mourning Than to go to a house of feasting, Because that is the end of every man, And the living takes it to heart.”

First he compared a funeral to a birthday party…
Now he’s comparing A FUNERAL TO A FEAST.

Feasts are great!
• Who doesn’t love a buffet?
• Who doesn’t love a potluck?
• There is something reassuring and calming about gathering with friends in a banquet hall with plenty of food.

That was an especially great moment in the ancient east
When food was not always readily available.

Everyone loves a good feast.
And yet the preacher reminds that
There is more wisdom to be gained at a funeral than a feast.

WHY?
“Because that is the end of every man, And the living takes it to heart.”

Why is a funeral better for you than a feast?

Because you may not ever attend another feast,
But you are headed for at least one more funeral.

THE YOUTH have been talking about it now for the past 3 weeks as they shared their REGEN testimonies.

They’ve quoted:
Psalms 90:10-12 “As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, Or if due to strength, eighty years, Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; For soon it is gone and we fly away. Who understands the power of Your anger And Your fury, according to the fear that is due You? So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.”

It is apparent at REGEN that they were confronted with death.
Why would you do that?

Why would you take a group of teenagers
And force them to contemplate death?

BECAUSE SUCH CONTEMPLATION LEADS TO WISDOM.

Your life is a vapor and you will die.
Hebrews 9:27 “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,”

Death is necessary.
1 Corinthians 15:50 “Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.”

EVERY MAN DIES.
And the sooner you learn that the better.
• It forces the admonition not to waste your life.
• It forces the admonition to prepare for death and what comes after.

And the preacher says
“You probably never contemplate your own mortality when you go to a feast. But you will contemplate it when you go to a funeral.”

And so while it may be more fun to go to a birthday party or a feast There is much more wisdom to be gleaned from the funeral.

And the preacher ISN’T FINISHED.
(3) “Sorrow is better than laughter, For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.”

There is another one of those PECULIAR STATEMENTS.
• We like things that make us laugh.
• We like things that bring us joy.
• We don’t particularly like to focus on things that grieve us or bring us sadness.

What in the world is the preacher talking about that “sorrow is better than laughter”?

Well, the key is found in the explaining statement.
“For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.”

The preacher speaks of A PECULIAR PHENOMENON that occurs.
You can see a person who is openly grieving; a person who is sad; a person who is even openly weeping.

And yet the preacher says
“That person may actually have a happy heart even though they grieve.”

So what are they faking their grief? No, their grief is real.

Then what is he talking about?

It’s a verse you’ve actually heard often at funerals.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.”

What do you call it when the face is sad but the heart is happy?
YOU CALL IT HOPE.

It is what a believer has even in the face of sorrow.

When a Christian attends the funeral of their loved one
• They grieve and cry true tears of true sorrow because one they loved has died,
• And yet in a mysterious way, their heart still rejoices because of the eternal hope that is inside them.
• They know their loved one is in glory with Christ.
• They actually rejoice at the same time they grieve.
• And even if you were to ask them if at that moment they’d bring their loved one back, the vast majority would stay “No” because they know where their loved one is.

It is a peculiar reality but it is learned and seen at a funeral.

At a birthday party the face may be happy but the heart may be sad.
At a feast the face may be happy but the heart may be sad.

Because the world’s happiness is fleeting.
The world’s happiness is skin deep.

But when you see one at a funeral of a loved one
Who can truly rejoice even in the middle of their grief
Then you are learning something there of wisdom.

You are learning the value of HOPE THAT TRANSCENDS THE GRAVE.
And that is an important lesson.

And that is why the preacher says.
(4) “The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.”

Do you understand his perspective here now?
Do you understand why he says that mourning is better than pleasure?

• Oh sure, pleasure is fun…
• Oh sure, birthday parties are fun…
• Oh sure, feasts are fun…

• And no, funerals aren’t especially fun.

But there are valuable perspectives that can be gained
By gazing at and pondering and learning from the realities of death

For one you’ll learn the truth of the IMPORTANCE OF CHARACTER.

You may skate through this life now as a scoundrel,
But when you stand before God character is going to matter.
Funerals will teach you that.

For another you’ll learn the truth of YOUR OWN MORTALITY.

You aren’t going to live forever. Someday you will die and stand before God and you ought to ponder that.
Funerals will help you ponder that.

And for another you’ll learn the reality of TRUE AND GENUINE HOPE.

A person of genuine hope and happiness is a person who has found the secret of overcoming death and judgment.
And you’ll see that at a funeral too.

So you are gleaning now a wise perspective from the preacher.

Do you want wisdom?
NOT worldly wisdom that manifests itself in ambition and jealousy.

But do you want the wisdom of God that produces righteousness and joy and peace?

Then you need to spend a little more time in houses of mourning
And a little less time in houses of pleasure
Because you are far more apt to gain God’s wisdom at a funeral
Than you are at a feast.

Does that make sense?

Times of sorrow and times of mourning are a gift from God to help you learn wisdom. Those are important moments in life, embrace them and learn from them.

That’s the first perspective.
Mourning is better than Pleasure

#2 A REBUKE IS BETTER THAN A TRIBUTE
Ecclesiastes 7:5-6

Again, this flies right in the face of human logic.
• No one hopes to wake up in the morning, go to work, and get rebuked.
• No one wants to come home from work, face their wife, and get rebuked.

We would much rather be praised wouldn’t we?
We like it much more when people tell us we’ve done well.

And you know THE WORLD has adopted this mentality.

Think about all the new psychological ideas
That float around regarding HOW TO RAISE CHILDREN.

I know the one I hear the most is “Positive Reinforcement”

We’ve even come to the point in modern thought that
Things like “Time Out” are seen as bad.

Forget the whole “Go cut your own switch and then bring it back for me to whip you with it.” That’s a long way gone.

But now it’s come that any type of rebuke at all should be avoided.
• “Experts” say you don’t want to scar a child.
• “Experts” say you don’t want to break down a child.
• So the only way of correcting behavior at all is now seen as positive reinforcement.

And that’s true if you want to raise A DISRESPECTFUL HEATHEN.

But if you want to raise commendable human beings
Then you know that a rebuke (typically followed by pain)
Is going to be necessary.

Proverbs 22:15 “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him.”

Your child (or your grandchild) is raised with a chronic case of foolishness
The Bible says there is one way to EXTRACT IT from them.
You remove foolishness WITH A ROD.

Discipline is called for.
• Not positive reinforcement…
• Not logic…
• Not a healthy discussion…
• “the rod of discipline”

When your 2 year old falls off in a pit of foolishness and rebellion and self-centered defiance.

They don’t need you to sit down with them and discuss
• The ramifications of why they shouldn’t throw their cheerios in the floor,
• Or why they shouldn’t argue with their mother.

And I’ll tell you what they also don’t need.
• They don’t need at that moment a sermon on the mercy and grace of God.

No one in here loves the gospel more than me,
But a rebellious child does not need you to sit down and explain to them
How in their rebellion God loves them anyway.

What they need is a whipping! A big one, a bad one, one that will scar not only the rear, but the feelings and the memory as well.

Even in the gospel you never teach grace first.
You have to learn judgment before you can ever appreciate mercy.

Now that’s just a little free parenting advice.
Proverbs 23:13-14 “Do not hold back discipline from the child, Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die. You shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol.”

But anyone in here who is raising descent and respectful kids knows that.

You know that it can’t all be positive reinforcement.
• As much as you love your kids…
• As much as you want them to love you…

You know they learn far more from a rebuke than they do from a tribute,

AND SO DO YOU.
It might be nice to have people sing your praises…
It is certainly enjoyable when people pat you on the back…

But far better for your life and especially for your eternity
Is when you face a rebuke.

“It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man Than for one to listen to the song of fools.”

Why?
(6) “For as the crackling of thorn bushes under a pot, So is the laughter of the fool;”

It’s loud, but it’s short lived.

“And this too is futility.”

It won’t accomplish anything.

You may not like it in life when men rebuke you,
But that will do you far more good in the scope of eternity
Than when men praise you.

Some day you are going to die
• And you are going to stand before God.
• And the God you will stand before is HOLY-HOLY-HOLY.
• And when that God goes to opening the books that record every deed of your life, HE’S NOT going to resort to POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT.
• He will JUDGE SINNERS by throwing them into the lake of fire for all eternity.

You may have loved all those people who praised you in this life,
But it is quite probable that they weren’t doing you much good.

Charles Spurgeon said, “The most shameful way to curse a man is by pretending to bless him.”

AND THAT IS TRUE IN YOUR LIFE.

Don’t gravitate to people who just tell you what you want to hear.
Gravitate toward people who tell you what you need to hear.

Those are the people who are preparing you
WITH THE KIND OF WISDOM THAT LEADS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Those are the ones who are preparing you to stand before a Holy God.

Proverbs 27:5-6 “Better is open rebuke Than love that is concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.”

Proverbs 13:1 “A wise son accepts his father’s discipline, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.”

Proverbs 28:23 “He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor Than he who flatters with the tongue.”

Now those are the first two perspectives,
And we’re going to have to stop there this morning.

We’ll pick up on the rest of this text next time, but let’s reiterate the point.

You cannot live this life in wisdom without contemplating eternity.
• You must grasp the reality that this life is a vapor.
• You must grasp the reality that death is certain.
• You must grasp the reality that judgment is real.
• You must grasp the reality that judgment is righteous and just.

You must learn to appreciate the things in life that prepare you for that.

I love a party and a feast and songs of praise as much as the next guy,
But those things don’t produce the kind of wisdom that we need.

Learn to appreciate the value of mourning and sorrow and rebuke.
There is much to be learned in those times in your life.
• God is actually using those things to prepare you for eternity.
• God is actually using those things to prepare you to stand before Him.

He is using those things to impart to you the wisdom that leads to life.

WE’RE GOING TO CLOSE THIS MORNING
With one of my favorite verses from Jeremiah.

If you want an interesting study,
Sometime read through Jeremiah and just circle the questions.
Some of the best questions in the Bible are asked in the book of Jeremiah.

Here is perhaps my favorite, and one that helps us here.
Jeremiah 5:30-31 “An appalling and horrible thing Has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?”

• Sure it is good and fun when people just say and believe whatever they want.
• Yes it is enjoyable to just gather around you people who tell you what you want to hear.
• Who doesn’t like parties and feasts and tributes?

But that end question is of such importance.
“But what will you do at the end of it?”

There’s your perspective.
Death is coming.
Judgment is coming.

Are you prepared?

I can tell you this morning that contemplating those things
Will put you on a path to obtaining wisdom.

And true wisdom in this case is to embrace Jesus Christ.
• He alone can save.
• He alone has the righteousness that you need.
• He alone has the atonement that you need.
• He alone can equip you to face death and judgment.

And if you don’t believe me that you need Jesus…
• Then go to a funeral and ask yourself if character is important when you die.
• Then go to a funeral and ask yourself if you know the date of your funeral.
• Then go to a funeral and ask if there is a way to have hope while facing death.

That will give you the wisdom that leads to Jesus.

And if you can’t get to a funeral to learn how bad you need Jesus…
• Then find one honest person who will tell you the truth about your life and choices and attitude.
• Then find one honest person who won’t just praise you but who will be honest about your sinfulness.

That will give you the wisdom that leads to Jesus.
And that is the wisdom we all need.

We’ll come back and finish this text next time…