WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.000 Let's take our Bibles now and open them to Ecclesiastes. 00:00:07.860 --> 00:00:12.580 Once again to Ecclesiastes looking in verses 00:00:12.580 --> 00:00:16.879 or we'll say chapter 11 verse 7 and taking it 00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:27.339 through chapter 12 verse 8. And as we do that 00:00:27.339 --> 00:00:32.079 you can see that we are Coming towards the conclusion 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:38.920 of this wonderful book, and even with this second 00:00:38.920 --> 00:00:41.939 to the last sermon in this series, we recognize 00:00:41.939 --> 00:00:47.039 how badly we need the Spirit's help in understanding 00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:51.840 what is here. Ancient Church Father Jerome said 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:54.899 of what we're going to look at today, he said, 00:00:55.159 --> 00:01:00.289 this is the hardest section the hardest book. 00:01:01.570 --> 00:01:05.469 Now not to quibble with Jerome but I find many 00:01:05.469 --> 00:01:09.510 sections of Ecclesiastes very difficult but no 00:01:09.510 --> 00:01:11.469 doubt we do need the Spirit's help and so I'm 00:01:11.469 --> 00:01:15.510 gonna read Ecclesiastes 11, 7 and take it through 00:01:15.510 --> 00:01:19.750 12, 8. If you're still looking Ecclesiastes is 00:01:19.750 --> 00:01:23.010 located just past Proverbs which is just past 00:01:23.010 --> 00:01:26.670 Psalms If you get into the prophets of Isaiah 00:01:26.670 --> 00:01:29.609 and Jeremiah, Ezekiel, you've gone too far, but 00:01:29.609 --> 00:01:34.969 this is Ecclesiastes 11, 7 through 12, 8. Please 00:01:34.969 --> 00:01:37.209 give attention to the reading of God's word. 00:01:39.010 --> 00:01:44.689 Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes 00:01:44.689 --> 00:01:48.250 to see the sun. Okay, so far so good, not too 00:01:48.250 --> 00:01:52.829 hard yet. So if a person lives many years, Let 00:01:52.829 --> 00:01:57.069 him rejoice in them all, but let him remember 00:01:57.069 --> 00:02:02.129 that the days of darkness will be many. All that 00:02:02.129 --> 00:02:06.450 comes is vanity. Rejoice, oh young man, in your 00:02:06.450 --> 00:02:11.009 youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days 00:02:11.009 --> 00:02:14.289 of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart 00:02:14.289 --> 00:02:17.590 and the sight of your eyes, but know that for 00:02:17.590 --> 00:02:22.840 all these things, God will bring you into judgment. 00:02:23.740 --> 00:02:27.539 Remove vexation from your heart and put away 00:02:27.539 --> 00:02:31.919 pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:36.860 life are vanity. Remember also your Creator in 00:02:36.860 --> 00:02:39.840 the days of your youth, before the evil days 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:43.159 come and the years draw near of which you will 00:02:43.159 --> 00:02:46.840 say, I have no pleasure in them, before the sun 00:02:46.840 --> 00:02:49.340 and the light and the moon and the stars are 00:02:49.340 --> 00:02:53.009 darkened. and the clouds return after the rain. 00:02:53.949 --> 00:02:57.250 In the day when the keepers of the house tremble, 00:02:57.370 --> 00:03:00.610 and the strong men are bent, and the grinders 00:03:00.610 --> 00:03:03.569 cease because they are few, and those who look 00:03:03.569 --> 00:03:06.250 through the windows are dimmed, and the doors 00:03:06.250 --> 00:03:08.990 on the street are shut when the sound of the 00:03:08.990 --> 00:03:12.610 grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound 00:03:12.610 --> 00:03:15.710 of a bird, and all the daughters of song are 00:03:15.710 --> 00:03:18.930 brought low. They are afraid also of what is 00:03:18.930 --> 00:03:23.490 high. terrors are in the way the almond tree 00:03:23.490 --> 00:03:28.770 blossoms the grasshopper drags itself along and 00:03:28.770 --> 00:03:33.750 desire fails because man is going to his eternal 00:03:33.750 --> 00:03:37.349 home and the mourners go about the streets before 00:03:37.349 --> 00:03:40.729 the silver cord is snapped or the golden bowl 00:03:40.729 --> 00:03:43.949 is broken or the pitcher is shattered at the 00:03:43.949 --> 00:03:47.050 fountain or the wheel broken at the cistern and 00:03:47.050 --> 00:03:50.930 the dust returns to the earth as it was, and 00:03:50.930 --> 00:03:55.830 the spirit returns to God who gave it. Vanity 00:03:55.830 --> 00:04:01.229 of vanities, says the preacher. All is vanity. 00:04:02.370 --> 00:04:07.229 This is God's word. Let us pray. Holy Spirit, 00:04:08.150 --> 00:04:10.729 we give you thanks for this word and we ask that 00:04:10.729 --> 00:04:14.289 you would unfold it for us and that you would 00:04:14.289 --> 00:04:20.189 grant us understanding that from it we would 00:04:20.189 --> 00:04:23.069 grow in our faith and that we would leave from 00:04:23.069 --> 00:04:27.410 the sanctuary knowing Christ better because of 00:04:27.410 --> 00:04:32.310 this text, these things we ask in His name. Amen. 00:04:36.209 --> 00:04:41.970 For decades research has shown a depressing trend. 00:04:43.560 --> 00:04:47.740 Once teenagers finish high school, go off to 00:04:47.740 --> 00:04:51.920 college, maybe enter the workforce, a large percentage 00:04:51.920 --> 00:04:55.939 of them leave the church. Newfound freedom for 00:04:55.939 --> 00:04:59.180 young people, oftentimes the freedom to worship 00:04:59.180 --> 00:05:05.540 God or to not worship God. And for decades, roughly 00:05:05.540 --> 00:05:09.980 two -thirds of young people, when they have that 00:05:09.980 --> 00:05:15.990 freedom, They pull away from the church. Some 00:05:15.990 --> 00:05:19.730 leave never to return. Others leave intending 00:05:19.730 --> 00:05:23.230 to come back. They say, well, once I've graduated 00:05:23.230 --> 00:05:28.189 college or once I've got a real job, once I am 00:05:28.189 --> 00:05:33.230 married, once I have children, then I will return 00:05:33.230 --> 00:05:36.889 to the church as if faith in Jesus Christ is 00:05:36.889 --> 00:05:41.600 only for those over the age of 30. Recent trends, 00:05:41.600 --> 00:05:46.000 though, show a slight uptick, especially amongst 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:49.680 young men. The Barna Research Group surveyed 00:05:49.680 --> 00:05:53.939 last year over 500 American Protestant pastors 00:05:53.939 --> 00:05:58.560 and found 40 % of them reporting greater involvement 00:05:58.560 --> 00:06:03.240 amongst young men between the ages of 18 and 00:06:03.240 --> 00:06:07.079 35. That sounds good, right? That's worth celebrating, 00:06:07.220 --> 00:06:12.939 isn't it? But hold on. Trends are not as positive 00:06:12.939 --> 00:06:16.680 amongst young women. And overall, what are we 00:06:16.680 --> 00:06:20.480 really talking about? But less than 30 % of the 00:06:20.480 --> 00:06:25.660 American population, less than 30 % participates 00:06:25.660 --> 00:06:30.540 regularly in worship. Now, why am I sharing these 00:06:30.540 --> 00:06:32.779 statistics with you? Am I preaching to the choir 00:06:32.779 --> 00:06:36.720 because you're here? Well, yes, I am. And the 00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:41.750 message for you is this. Remember your creator 00:06:41.750 --> 00:06:46.089 in the days of your youth. Remember your creator 00:06:46.089 --> 00:06:48.769 in the days of your youth. That's what we're 00:06:48.769 --> 00:06:51.269 talking about today. Additionally, we're also 00:06:51.269 --> 00:06:53.790 covering familiar territory again too. We're 00:06:53.790 --> 00:06:56.389 gonna talk about joy. Now when we began the book 00:06:56.389 --> 00:06:58.709 of Ecclesiastes, I wonder how many of you thought 00:06:58.709 --> 00:07:02.509 we would spend so much time on joy, but it's 00:07:02.509 --> 00:07:06.660 here in this book. And so just. Two main points 00:07:06.660 --> 00:07:10.019 for you, two verbs really for you this morning. 00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:15.399 Rejoicing in verses seven through 10 and in remembering 00:07:15.399 --> 00:07:18.500 in chapter 12, one through eight. We are not 00:07:18.500 --> 00:07:21.740 to put off rejoicing and we are not to put off 00:07:21.740 --> 00:07:26.339 remembering God. You were made to do this right 00:07:26.339 --> 00:07:31.019 now. Let's look at rejoicing first in chapter 00:07:31.019 --> 00:07:33.800 11, seven through 10. This is obviously near 00:07:33.800 --> 00:07:37.110 the end of the book. And Solomon names his audience, 00:07:37.110 --> 00:07:39.930 doesn't he? He uses two different words to refer 00:07:39.930 --> 00:07:42.189 to youth. He talks about youth, but he also talks 00:07:42.189 --> 00:07:47.230 about young men or a young man. But even as he 00:07:47.230 --> 00:07:49.810 seems to direct this towards younger people, 00:07:50.050 --> 00:07:53.110 I think that we can all receive this. This kind 00:07:53.110 --> 00:07:57.310 of instruction is for all who are able to receive 00:07:57.310 --> 00:08:04.220 it. And so look at verse nine, rejoice. This 00:08:04.220 --> 00:08:08.920 is an imperative, meaning it's a command. How 00:08:08.920 --> 00:08:12.639 interesting it is that we need a command to rejoice, 00:08:12.879 --> 00:08:15.660 right? I think that tells us something about 00:08:15.660 --> 00:08:18.980 ourselves. David Gibson says here, enjoyment 00:08:18.980 --> 00:08:23.540 is not only permitted, it is commanded. It's 00:08:23.540 --> 00:08:28.120 not only an opportunity, it is a divine imperative. 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:33.549 This is a reminder of God's good gifts. and a 00:08:33.549 --> 00:08:36.929 call for us to remember them and enjoy them. 00:08:37.149 --> 00:08:41.610 This is not to put off enjoyment. Both rejoicing 00:08:41.610 --> 00:08:45.009 and remembering as we will see are to be done 00:08:45.009 --> 00:08:50.990 right now. Don't put off enjoyment, friends. 00:08:51.710 --> 00:08:55.460 God has given you good gifts. And through Christ, 00:08:55.460 --> 00:08:58.960 he has given himself. We are to enjoy him and 00:08:58.960 --> 00:09:03.580 enjoy what he gives to us. Why? Because we're 00:09:03.580 --> 00:09:07.500 not promised tomorrow, are we? And secondly, 00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:10.740 we should recognize, as I'm sure you all do, 00:09:11.639 --> 00:09:15.460 there are dark days ahead. I've said it before. 00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:20.960 You're either coming out of trouble or you're 00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:25.289 in trouble. or you will soon be going into trouble. 00:09:26.090 --> 00:09:29.370 And so we need to rejoice right now while we 00:09:29.370 --> 00:09:33.169 can to enjoy God's gifts. That's a problem with 00:09:33.169 --> 00:09:35.490 many Christians. That's actually a problem with 00:09:35.490 --> 00:09:39.509 many men. If I can be open and honest with you, 00:09:39.549 --> 00:09:43.970 sometimes I think I'm a little bit grumpy at 00:09:43.970 --> 00:09:46.970 times. And perhaps some of you feel that way 00:09:46.970 --> 00:09:52.750 about yourselves. Friends, again, this is a command 00:09:52.750 --> 00:10:00.129 to enjoy God, to enjoy this, to enjoy one another, 00:10:00.129 --> 00:10:02.389 and again those good gifts that God gives to 00:10:02.389 --> 00:10:07.009 us. That's the first problem is we don't enjoy, 00:10:08.110 --> 00:10:12.019 but secondly sometimes we pervert. those good 00:10:12.019 --> 00:10:15.039 gifts that God gives to us. And this is a heinous 00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:18.379 crime that people take the good things that God 00:10:18.379 --> 00:10:21.600 gives and they ignore his commands about them. 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:25.179 They ignore God's commands about marriage. They 00:10:25.179 --> 00:10:28.059 ignore God's commands about food and drink. They 00:10:28.059 --> 00:10:33.379 ignore God's commands about money. Friends, true 00:10:33.379 --> 00:10:39.500 enjoyment only occurs when we enjoy as God intends 00:10:39.500 --> 00:10:43.929 for us too. And yet, many people call themselves 00:10:43.929 --> 00:10:46.789 Christians, act like it's the Wild West out there. 00:10:47.029 --> 00:10:50.350 As long as I'm not hurting anybody, I can do 00:10:50.350 --> 00:10:55.190 whatever I want. But friends, that's a terrible 00:10:55.190 --> 00:10:59.230 idea. Because look towards the end of verse nine. 00:11:01.129 --> 00:11:05.789 But know that for all these things, God will 00:11:05.789 --> 00:11:10.649 bring you into judgment. And this is why I believe 00:11:10.649 --> 00:11:14.029 verse 10 calls us to remove anger, to remove 00:11:14.029 --> 00:11:16.730 vexation, to remove wickedness, to remove evil, 00:11:16.909 --> 00:11:19.570 whatever your translation says. This is a call 00:11:19.570 --> 00:11:23.950 to holy and joyous living while we still can. 00:11:25.490 --> 00:11:29.169 Because the reality, and it's a reality that 00:11:29.169 --> 00:11:33.809 we've seen all across the Ecclesiastes, is that 00:11:33.809 --> 00:11:37.519 we are living in fleeting times. in a fleeting 00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:40.220 world. Remember the word that appears throughout 00:11:40.220 --> 00:11:41.820 this whole book. You didn't think we could get 00:11:41.820 --> 00:11:45.879 away with the end of the book and not say, hevel, 00:11:47.039 --> 00:11:53.399 vanity, right? It's all fleeting. And because 00:11:53.399 --> 00:11:56.460 it's fleeting, we must do the second verb listed 00:11:56.460 --> 00:12:00.779 here. We must remember. our Creator. Look at 00:12:00.779 --> 00:12:03.960 verses 1 through 8 of chapter 12. Charles Bridges 00:12:03.960 --> 00:12:06.879 said here, many have remembered their Creator 00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:12.259 too late in life, but none too soon. There was 00:12:12.259 --> 00:12:17.559 a man, once who was on his deathbed, and he, 00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:21.220 for his whole life long, had ignored the gospel. 00:12:21.639 --> 00:12:24.720 and he had turned down opportunities to go to 00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:27.899 church and he had turned down opportunities to 00:12:27.899 --> 00:12:30.539 be involved in Bible studies. It's not that the 00:12:30.539 --> 00:12:33.600 man was adversarial towards these things, he 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:37.019 just didn't care for them. He felt that he had 00:12:37.019 --> 00:12:43.600 better things to do with his time until he lay 00:12:43.600 --> 00:12:47.799 on his deathbed and a friend came and sat next 00:12:47.799 --> 00:12:53.250 to him and shared the gospel. and the dying man 00:12:53.250 --> 00:12:57.929 believed. He received Jesus Christ into his heart. 00:12:58.450 --> 00:13:03.450 He trusted in Christ before he breathed his last 00:13:03.450 --> 00:13:08.529 breath. There is something wonderful about that, 00:13:08.529 --> 00:13:11.590 obviously. And there is rejoicing in heaven over 00:13:11.590 --> 00:13:13.789 such a conversion. But have you ever thought 00:13:13.789 --> 00:13:17.809 about this? There's also a little bit of sadness 00:13:17.809 --> 00:13:24.519 there. A confession of a wasted life. The confession 00:13:24.519 --> 00:13:27.360 of missing out on a lifetime of true joy and 00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:29.779 true service. Now certainly God is sovereign 00:13:29.779 --> 00:13:32.779 over these times, but Solomon's point is that 00:13:32.779 --> 00:13:36.720 the time to remember your creator is right now. 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:43.840 Not tomorrow. Not next week. Not when you're 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:47.789 30. Not when you have your dream job or 2 .5 00:13:47.789 --> 00:13:50.769 children. The time to remember your Creator is 00:13:50.769 --> 00:13:54.710 right now. And so if you're sitting in here in 00:13:54.710 --> 00:14:00.250 this sanctuary and you're barely listening, if 00:14:00.250 --> 00:14:03.110 you're sitting here just longing for this all 00:14:03.110 --> 00:14:09.190 to be over, then I'm talking to you. Sit up and 00:14:09.190 --> 00:14:13.509 listen. Pay attention and remember your Creator. 00:14:13.759 --> 00:14:18.019 right now before it's too late. And indeed, that 00:14:18.019 --> 00:14:21.000 word remember is a very rich word. I'm in chapter 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:24.340 12, verse one. Remember also your creator. This 00:14:24.340 --> 00:14:27.639 word remember is more than simply just recalling 00:14:27.639 --> 00:14:30.039 something. It's more than just saying, hey, do 00:14:30.039 --> 00:14:31.840 you remember that time that we did this or that? 00:14:31.899 --> 00:14:35.059 No, it's much more rich than that. This word 00:14:35.059 --> 00:14:38.440 here in Hebrew actually carries an idea of commitment 00:14:38.440 --> 00:14:43.320 because when God remembers his people, He acts 00:14:43.320 --> 00:14:46.860 upon His covenant. If I can, I want to read to 00:14:46.860 --> 00:14:49.279 you a few different texts here to show you what 00:14:49.279 --> 00:15:13.260 I mean. Leviticus chapter 26 verse 45 says, I 00:15:13.260 --> 00:15:18.580 am the Lord. But it's not just God remembering, 00:15:18.740 --> 00:15:20.860 actually we have numerous texts that speak of 00:15:20.860 --> 00:15:23.279 what it means for us to remember. And so let 00:15:23.279 --> 00:15:25.440 me give you another one. This one is Numbers 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:32.460 chapter 15 verse 40. So you shall remember and 00:15:32.460 --> 00:15:36.580 do all my commandments and be holy to your God. 00:15:37.220 --> 00:15:39.820 I am the Lord your God who brought you out of 00:15:39.820 --> 00:15:43.600 the land of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord, 00:15:43.820 --> 00:15:47.519 your God. And so there's this understanding of 00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:51.279 obedience that is here within this word, remember. 00:15:51.899 --> 00:15:55.899 But there's also an idea of trusting in God, 00:15:56.299 --> 00:15:59.340 calling out to him when we're in need through 00:15:59.340 --> 00:16:02.480 the word remember, for perhaps you remember Jonah, 00:16:03.799 --> 00:16:07.080 thrown overboard. And in chapter two, verse seven 00:16:07.080 --> 00:16:10.700 of that book, he says, when my life was fainting 00:16:10.700 --> 00:16:16.330 away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came 00:16:16.330 --> 00:16:20.570 to you into your holy temple. And I could go 00:16:20.570 --> 00:16:23.350 on and on, but what's all wrapped up in this 00:16:23.350 --> 00:16:29.669 word, remember, is obedience, it's trust, it's 00:16:29.669 --> 00:16:33.730 repentance all together. Indeed, remember, if 00:16:33.730 --> 00:16:36.029 I can use that word, remember what Jesus said 00:16:36.029 --> 00:16:42.350 to his disciples. Remember. I am with you always, 00:16:43.230 --> 00:16:45.990 even to the end of the age. And so that word 00:16:45.990 --> 00:16:49.470 remember also has this encouraging element to 00:16:49.470 --> 00:16:53.250 it. But it's more than that. Continuing in chapter 00:16:53.250 --> 00:16:57.350 12, verse one, not just examining the word remember, 00:16:57.409 --> 00:17:00.669 but also examining the word creator. For why 00:17:00.669 --> 00:17:03.889 doesn't the text just say, remember God? Wouldn't 00:17:03.889 --> 00:17:08.859 that be sufficient? Well, friends, if you were 00:17:08.859 --> 00:17:10.480 to look at this in Hebrew, you would actually 00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:12.500 see that the word creator here is written in 00:17:12.500 --> 00:17:16.160 the plural. And so I think that what Solomon 00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:19.960 is doing here is echoing Genesis, because he 00:17:19.960 --> 00:17:22.839 does that so many times. The creation, the count, 00:17:23.220 --> 00:17:27.559 let us make man in our image. Again, it's written 00:17:27.559 --> 00:17:29.960 in the plural. And so what this may be doing, 00:17:30.279 --> 00:17:33.859 is reflecting on the very fact that the entire 00:17:33.859 --> 00:17:37.539 Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, were all 00:17:37.539 --> 00:17:43.039 actively involved in creation. And so remembering 00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:48.480 is living before God, knowing he is our sovereign 00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:52.759 maker, and obediently seeking his glory, repenting 00:17:52.759 --> 00:17:56.539 of sin, and embracing Jesus. This kind of remembering 00:17:56.539 --> 00:18:02.299 our creator is a lifelong. endeavor. And yet 00:18:02.299 --> 00:18:04.740 far too many people call themselves Christians 00:18:04.740 --> 00:18:08.279 and just seem to attend to God later on in their 00:18:08.279 --> 00:18:12.720 lives. Sometimes we treat God like we're making 00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:16.059 out a will. At some point in your lives, if someone 00:18:16.059 --> 00:18:19.500 hasn't already done so, someone will tell you, 00:18:19.740 --> 00:18:23.819 hey, it's time to make out a will, right? And 00:18:23.819 --> 00:18:27.589 it's a good idea. It's a wise idea. But typically 00:18:27.589 --> 00:18:30.549 people don't tell teenagers or young people to 00:18:30.549 --> 00:18:34.089 make out of will. It's when you're older, you 00:18:34.089 --> 00:18:37.769 have money, you started a family. It's what mature 00:18:37.769 --> 00:18:41.289 people do. Well, friends, don't wait. Don't put 00:18:41.289 --> 00:18:45.569 off knowing you're a creator in this way. Remember 00:18:45.569 --> 00:18:48.329 the statistics. Young people expect that there 00:18:48.329 --> 00:18:51.390 will be a time to come back to God, to come back 00:18:51.390 --> 00:18:55.269 to the church. People act as if they'll live 00:18:55.269 --> 00:19:01.940 forever. But you don't have that promise of forever, 00:19:02.500 --> 00:19:06.119 not in this life. You don't have that promise 00:19:06.119 --> 00:19:10.140 of tomorrow. The time is right now. And the way 00:19:10.140 --> 00:19:12.299 this is written helps us to see that because 00:19:12.299 --> 00:19:15.279 in chapter 12, verses one through eight, you 00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:17.740 see the word before or something equivalent to 00:19:17.740 --> 00:19:21.619 it three different times. Remember your creator 00:19:21.619 --> 00:19:24.200 in the days of your youth before the evil days 00:19:24.200 --> 00:19:30.329 come. Solomon is telling us here, The clock is 00:19:30.329 --> 00:19:35.650 ticking. The clock is ticking. The days of youth 00:19:35.650 --> 00:19:40.049 will fade. And our bodies will start to break 00:19:40.049 --> 00:19:43.670 down. That's actually what this portion of the 00:19:43.670 --> 00:19:46.269 text is really getting at here. It's showing 00:19:46.269 --> 00:19:49.890 the signs of aging as we are moving further and 00:19:49.890 --> 00:19:53.789 further towards our death. Indeed, Jeff went. 00:19:54.170 --> 00:19:56.750 who is a wonderful pastor at Second, said of 00:19:56.750 --> 00:20:01.210 these passages, this is Solomon's ode to death. 00:20:02.150 --> 00:20:06.049 We are all like automobiles, driven off the lot 00:20:06.049 --> 00:20:09.190 and beginning to depreciate. And we might be 00:20:09.190 --> 00:20:11.630 coming into the prime of our lives, but soon 00:20:11.630 --> 00:20:16.710 we'll need a tune -up. And soon those parts will 00:20:16.710 --> 00:20:20.819 start to wear out. Indeed, many have looked at 00:20:20.819 --> 00:20:24.460 this very closely as if to say that all of the 00:20:24.460 --> 00:20:26.799 different statements, the verses in here are 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:30.079 referring to specific body parts that do wear 00:20:30.079 --> 00:20:33.779 out. And we could certainly do that, but I want 00:20:33.779 --> 00:20:39.819 us to get the big picture here. Friends, we are 00:20:39.819 --> 00:20:43.559 all moving towards our death. We will either 00:20:43.559 --> 00:20:48.019 die or the Lord Jesus will come back for us. 00:20:48.140 --> 00:20:52.380 But as Solomon is writing here, he is writing 00:20:52.380 --> 00:20:54.759 under the assumption that we will all die. And 00:20:54.759 --> 00:20:56.680 so look at some of these pictures. I don't have 00:20:56.680 --> 00:20:59.220 time to go over all of them, but verses three 00:20:59.220 --> 00:21:02.359 through five. This is kind of a picture of a 00:21:02.359 --> 00:21:09.119 once glorious house. But now it's in ruin. Or 00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:11.319 what comes next in verse five, it talks about 00:21:11.319 --> 00:21:14.890 the almond tree blossoming. There again, verse 00:21:14.890 --> 00:21:19.589 five. This is the picture of an older person 00:21:19.589 --> 00:21:23.029 with beautiful, a beautiful head of white hair, 00:21:23.690 --> 00:21:26.990 a symbol of old age. And then what comes immediately 00:21:26.990 --> 00:21:30.990 next is this mention of a grasshopper who drags 00:21:30.990 --> 00:21:34.769 himself along. What's going on there? That grasshopper 00:21:34.769 --> 00:21:39.309 no longer has the hop in him, does he? This is 00:21:39.309 --> 00:21:44.630 all showing us that life is heavy. Life is fading. 00:21:45.589 --> 00:21:50.809 Indeed, look in verse two. Before the sun and 00:21:50.809 --> 00:21:53.609 the light and the moon and the stars are darkened 00:21:53.609 --> 00:21:58.130 and the clouds return after the rain, over 30 00:21:58.130 --> 00:22:00.710 times within the book of Ecclesiastes, the sun 00:22:00.710 --> 00:22:05.529 is mentioned. But now, in the last chapter, the 00:22:05.529 --> 00:22:11.730 sun goes dark. God turns off the lights. Indeed, 00:22:11.990 --> 00:22:14.190 I believe that there's more going on than just 00:22:14.190 --> 00:22:16.450 speaking personally, just speaking individually 00:22:16.450 --> 00:22:19.250 about our own deaths. Actually, this text has 00:22:19.250 --> 00:22:23.029 this kind of eschatological bent to it. Benjamin 00:22:23.029 --> 00:22:26.450 Shaw, Professor Benjamin Shaw sees two eschatons 00:22:26.450 --> 00:22:30.210 here. The individual eschaton referring to the 00:22:30.210 --> 00:22:33.269 last days of one person's life, but secondly, 00:22:33.490 --> 00:22:38.809 the last days of the world. Philip Riken says 00:22:38.809 --> 00:22:43.910 here, our end time is like the end time. And 00:22:43.910 --> 00:22:46.750 that's what makes this text so difficult. You 00:22:46.750 --> 00:22:49.430 want to make a text challenging? Just make it 00:22:49.430 --> 00:22:54.049 sound like Daniel or Ezekiel or Revelation, right? 00:22:54.529 --> 00:22:57.309 Indeed, Ezekiel 32, seven and eight sounds like 00:22:57.309 --> 00:23:01.029 this. I will cover the sun with a cloud and the 00:23:01.029 --> 00:23:03.970 moon shall not give its light. All the bright 00:23:03.970 --> 00:23:07.740 lights of heaven will I make dark over you. and 00:23:07.740 --> 00:23:10.640 put darkness on your land, declares the Lord 00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:14.940 God. Friends, that is judgmental language. That 00:23:14.940 --> 00:23:17.579 sounds like day of the Lord type of language. 00:23:17.960 --> 00:23:20.619 Now, Solomon has not been giving us a full doctrine 00:23:20.619 --> 00:23:24.180 of last things here, but as he speaks here of 00:23:24.180 --> 00:23:28.200 our end, I think he is speaking of the end of 00:23:28.200 --> 00:23:32.200 this world as we know it, because our creator 00:23:32.200 --> 00:23:36.019 has ordained a time when all that is truly heathen, 00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:40.839 will really be Heavile. Our bodies break down 00:23:40.839 --> 00:23:43.700 over time, but God has also appointed a time 00:23:43.700 --> 00:23:47.220 for the end of our present age. Theologians call 00:23:47.220 --> 00:23:51.220 this the Church Age that will continue on all 00:23:51.220 --> 00:23:56.339 the way until Jesus returns. And so the time, 00:23:57.259 --> 00:24:01.759 friends, the time to know Christ is right now. 00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:06.660 Either because of our own aging, toward the grave 00:24:06.660 --> 00:24:10.579 or because Christ will come like a thief in the 00:24:10.579 --> 00:24:13.460 night. You don't know the time. Your present 00:24:13.460 --> 00:24:16.359 age in the world will be met with an appearance 00:24:16.359 --> 00:24:20.380 before God. Indeed, look again at verse five. 00:24:20.460 --> 00:24:23.859 There's this kind of picture, and I think it's 00:24:23.859 --> 00:24:27.339 verse five, this picture of a funeral procession 00:24:27.339 --> 00:24:30.400 going through with mourners on the sides of the 00:24:30.400 --> 00:24:35.599 road here. Again. It's showing us that it's time 00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:39.700 to remember your creator is right now, not when 00:24:39.700 --> 00:24:43.839 you're in the coffin. Indeed, he kind of pauses 00:24:43.839 --> 00:24:46.140 with the metaphors for a second, and he says, 00:24:46.819 --> 00:24:50.960 he mentions your eternal home. Very literally, 00:24:51.079 --> 00:24:55.460 eternal home is the long home. It's what happens 00:24:55.460 --> 00:24:59.589 after this life. And then he uses more imagery 00:24:59.589 --> 00:25:02.390 here in verse six, the silver cord, the golden 00:25:02.390 --> 00:25:05.549 bowl. These are things of value that once brought 00:25:05.549 --> 00:25:08.950 light and now it shows these things are smashed. 00:25:11.269 --> 00:25:13.670 Or what's next, the pitcher shattered and the 00:25:13.670 --> 00:25:18.170 wheel broken. This is a picture of no more water, 00:25:19.049 --> 00:25:22.250 things that we need for life, such that we can 00:25:22.250 --> 00:25:27.329 say right along with Solomon here, the return. 00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:33.039 to the dust. He is remembering Genesis 3 .9. 00:25:33.680 --> 00:25:38.079 For you are dust, and to dust you shall return. 00:25:38.140 --> 00:25:44.559 He is showing us that life dries up. And so friends, 00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:48.759 what happens after that? Where is this all going? 00:25:49.839 --> 00:25:53.380 Well, again, look back at chapter 11, verse nine, 00:25:53.500 --> 00:25:57.240 the end of that verse, as he mentions the judgment 00:25:57.240 --> 00:26:00.789 here. The book of Hebrews says it is appointed 00:26:00.789 --> 00:26:04.789 once for man to die and then the judgment. This 00:26:04.789 --> 00:26:07.349 is not reflected in the ESV. It might be reflected 00:26:07.349 --> 00:26:10.630 in your translation, but Hebrew manuscripts typically 00:26:10.630 --> 00:26:14.849 carry a definite article there in Ecclesiastes 00:26:14.849 --> 00:26:18.289 11 .9, such that we're not talking about a generic 00:26:18.289 --> 00:26:21.390 judgment. We are talking about the judgment, 00:26:21.789 --> 00:26:25.849 the day of judgment, which I believe fits with 00:26:25.849 --> 00:26:30.579 the apocalyptic nature. of this passage. And 00:26:30.579 --> 00:26:34.339 so what is the judgment? From Westminster Confession 00:26:34.339 --> 00:26:39.539 of Faith 33, God hath appointed a day wherein 00:26:39.539 --> 00:26:43.599 he will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus 00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:47.140 Christ, to whom all power and judgment is given 00:26:47.140 --> 00:26:50.519 of the Father, in which day not only the apostate 00:26:50.519 --> 00:26:54.319 angels shall be judged, but likewise all persons 00:26:54.319 --> 00:26:58.359 that have lived on the earth shall appear. before 00:26:58.359 --> 00:27:02.119 the tribunal of Christ to give account of their 00:27:02.119 --> 00:27:05.900 thoughts, their words, and their deeds, and to 00:27:05.900 --> 00:27:08.279 receive according to what they have done in the 00:27:08.279 --> 00:27:14.299 body, whether good or evil. Friends, that's all 00:27:14.299 --> 00:27:18.420 persons. There is a mistaken thought amongst 00:27:18.420 --> 00:27:21.619 Christians that Christians won't have to be at 00:27:21.619 --> 00:27:27.460 the judgment. That's wrong. We all will. And 00:27:27.460 --> 00:27:29.720 we will all have to give an account for how we 00:27:29.720 --> 00:27:33.720 have lived. And what that means is that what 00:27:33.720 --> 00:27:38.019 you do right now, the way you spend your time, 00:27:39.079 --> 00:27:42.519 the way you spend your money, the way you spend 00:27:42.519 --> 00:27:45.779 your talents and your gifts, the way that you 00:27:45.779 --> 00:27:48.299 serve other people, the way that you love other 00:27:48.299 --> 00:27:53.099 people, all of that matters for eternity. Because 00:27:53.099 --> 00:27:57.589 all things will be called into judgment. all 00:27:57.589 --> 00:28:01.130 things. Now we're not saved by these things. 00:28:01.609 --> 00:28:05.410 Jesus does that. But these things, the way that 00:28:05.410 --> 00:28:09.329 we live, testify to our saving faith. And so 00:28:09.329 --> 00:28:11.869 you see, friends, you know this about yourselves. 00:28:12.109 --> 00:28:15.269 We are all sinful. We all fall short of the glory 00:28:15.269 --> 00:28:20.569 of God. And therefore, the only way to stand 00:28:20.569 --> 00:28:24.109 in the judgment is to fall at the feet of Jesus. 00:28:26.220 --> 00:28:29.440 That's the only way. The only way to stand on 00:28:29.440 --> 00:28:32.720 the judgment is to fall at the feet of Jesus 00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:38.519 now. He took the full punishment of your sin 00:28:38.519 --> 00:28:41.539 upon the tree. His substitutionary atonement 00:28:41.539 --> 00:28:45.640 for all who believe in which we receive his righteousness 00:28:45.640 --> 00:28:52.059 and he takes upon himself our sin. And we get 00:28:52.059 --> 00:28:56.240 the good news. John 5 24, whoever hears my word 00:28:56.240 --> 00:28:59.960 and believes him who sent me has eternal life. 00:29:00.279 --> 00:29:04.740 He does not come into judgment, but he has passed 00:29:04.740 --> 00:29:08.339 from death to life. That's the good news for 00:29:08.339 --> 00:29:14.339 the believer. You don't get that good news if 00:29:14.339 --> 00:29:18.809 you're not a believer. For the unbeliever. The 00:29:18.809 --> 00:29:21.410 one who has not remembered the creator. The one 00:29:21.410 --> 00:29:24.289 who has not given heed to the son in faith. This 00:29:24.289 --> 00:29:28.170 is a terrifying and eternal reality. Judgment 00:29:28.170 --> 00:29:31.650 that doesn't let up. Judgment that doesn't get 00:29:31.650 --> 00:29:34.630 better. Judgment that is not hevel. It doesn't 00:29:34.630 --> 00:29:39.470 pass away. Because unlike this life, eternal 00:29:39.470 --> 00:29:44.440 life is not fleeting. And as there is no heaven 00:29:44.440 --> 00:29:48.019 in eternal judgment, there is no heaven in eternal 00:29:48.019 --> 00:29:51.619 life with Christ. Think about this section, especially 00:29:51.619 --> 00:29:54.059 one through eight of chapter 12. Think about 00:29:54.059 --> 00:29:57.759 all of the dark imagery that is in here. The 00:29:57.759 --> 00:30:01.019 days of darkness, the vexation, the evil days, 00:30:01.259 --> 00:30:04.259 the darkened skies, the clouds, the house falling 00:30:04.259 --> 00:30:07.460 in, the terrors, the mourners, the funeral, and 00:30:07.460 --> 00:30:12.400 the vanity of it all. This is life. under the 00:30:12.400 --> 00:30:18.440 sun. But what God promises to you right now is 00:30:18.440 --> 00:30:24.440 life with the sun, such that you can leave behind 00:30:24.440 --> 00:30:29.920 your evil and sinful ways and be reconciled to 00:30:29.920 --> 00:30:34.279 your creator now by believing in Jesus. Remember 00:30:34.279 --> 00:30:37.900 the befores of this passage. Young people, don't 00:30:37.900 --> 00:30:40.019 step away from the church thinking, I'll come 00:30:40.019 --> 00:30:44.539 back to it when it suits my schedule. An older 00:30:44.539 --> 00:30:49.079 crowd, don't lose heart. If I can, let me read 00:30:49.079 --> 00:30:52.680 this to you. Don't lose heart from 2 Corinthians 00:30:52.680 --> 00:30:57.440 4, 16 through 18. We do not lose heart. Though 00:30:57.440 --> 00:31:00.460 our outer self is wasting away, our inner self 00:31:00.460 --> 00:31:04.730 is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary 00:31:04.730 --> 00:31:08.069 affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight 00:31:08.069 --> 00:31:12.869 of glory beyond all comparison. As we look not 00:31:12.869 --> 00:31:16.549 to the things that are seen, but to the things 00:31:16.549 --> 00:31:19.809 that are unseen. For the things that are seen 00:31:19.809 --> 00:31:23.549 are transient, but the things that are unseen 00:31:23.549 --> 00:31:30.609 are eternal. And so congregation, hear me out. 00:31:31.780 --> 00:31:35.779 Don't put off Christ. The one who isn't ready 00:31:35.779 --> 00:31:39.799 says, come Lord Jesus, just not yet. I have a 00:31:39.799 --> 00:31:43.680 few things to take care of. But for the believer, 00:31:44.460 --> 00:31:48.339 we should be living in such a constant state 00:31:48.339 --> 00:31:53.160 of repentance and love for God and obedience 00:31:53.160 --> 00:31:55.579 to the scriptures that we would pray that second 00:31:55.579 --> 00:31:59.420 to the last line of the Bible. Come Lord Jesus. 00:32:00.410 --> 00:32:03.509 If I can be overly simplistic and yet use scripture, 00:32:03.529 --> 00:32:07.329 at the end of the days, at the final judgment, 00:32:07.410 --> 00:32:11.269 you're gonna hear one of two things. Depart from 00:32:11.269 --> 00:32:18.029 me, for I never knew you. Or, well done, good 00:32:18.029 --> 00:32:22.390 and faithful servant. And so Christian, press 00:32:22.390 --> 00:32:27.289 on, rejoicing in God your creator, remembering 00:32:27.289 --> 00:32:30.880 him. and giving praise for what he has done in 00:32:30.880 --> 00:32:39.400 Christ Jesus. Let's pray. Our Lord and our God, 00:32:40.799 --> 00:32:42.819 we thank you that you have looked on us with 00:32:42.819 --> 00:32:47.099 such mercy and compassion and kindness that you 00:32:47.099 --> 00:32:50.660 have saved us from what we deserve. You've given 00:32:50.660 --> 00:32:53.380 us Jesus Christ and I ask Lord that if there 00:32:53.380 --> 00:32:57.329 be any within this sanctuary who have not remembered 00:32:57.329 --> 00:33:01.349 you, who do not know Jesus, that you would fill 00:33:01.349 --> 00:33:05.630 their hearts with your spirit and turn those 00:33:05.630 --> 00:33:09.829 hearts to knowing Jesus Christ, who went through 00:33:09.829 --> 00:33:15.670 it all for us. Father, as we wait for Jesus' 00:33:15.910 --> 00:33:19.470 return, I ask you would help us at all times 00:33:19.470 --> 00:33:24.869 to remember you, to not put off faith, But instead, 00:33:24.869 --> 00:33:27.230 Lord, would you sanctify us more and more that 00:33:27.230 --> 00:33:30.990 we would give ourselves to your worship, to your 00:33:30.990 --> 00:33:34.710 study, and to your service? These things we ask 00:33:34.710 --> 00:33:36.890 in Christ's name. Amen.