Morning, church family.
As Dave said, we're going to be hearing from Proverbs chapter 24,
and we're going to be starting at the start of the chapter
and reading through to verse 12.
That's Proverbs 24.
Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them,
for their hearts devise violence and their lips talk of trouble.
By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.
By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches,
a wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might.
For by wise guidance you can wage your war,
and in abundance of counsellors there is victory.
Wisdom is too high for a fool.
In the gate he does not open his mouth.
Whoever plans to do evil will be called a schemer.
The devising of folly is sin,
and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.
If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.
Rescue those who are being taken away to death.
Hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
If you say, behold, we do not know this,
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it?
And will he not repay man according to his work?
Good morning everyone.
It's school lady time, so we are back to the book of Proverbs.
The book of Proverbs is a bit difficult in a sense,
talking about it because it sounds like a lot of how to do things,
or how to live a good life.
However, we need to see that it's not only teaching us
that the wise way to live.
However, more so is to tell us that we don't have that wisdom,
and we can't live out to what he's teaching us.
But God does provide us a way for us to do so.
Last week, if you remember,
we were talking about wise with money or in money,
in Proverbs 11, verse 3 says that,
it would say that,
riches does not profit in the day of wrath.
Today, in Proverbs 24, verse 10,
if you faint in the day of adversity.
So both of them have got this day of wrath,
or the day of adversity.
So today, we would think about how we would stand in that day,
or in day-to-day as well.
Let's pray first before we start.
Almighty God,
we thank you for the privilege of reading your word,
and knowing something that is greater,
and knowing that we could have a life that is different,
that we have always lived,
and also knowing that in adversity,
we are not alone.
May you help us in understanding this,
and may you help us to live a life that is worthy of your calling.
Thank you, Lord.
We pray in Jesus' name.
Amen.
I'm going to share the screen while I'm talking.
So today, the topic is,
Why is in adversity?
From Proverbs 24, verses 1 to 12.
First of all, I'd like to share with you about this man called Rick Ritzkohler.
Rick Ritzkohler was born on 27th of May, 1939,
and he died on 11th of September, 2001.
So about 20 years ago.
He was the head of security for Morgan Stanley in the South Tower of World Trade Center,
when both the North and the South Towers were hit by plans.
Before the towers collapsed, Rick called the authority,
and he was told to stay put,
and not to evacuate.
But Rick did not agree.
He called his old army mate,
and that's why we know what he was thinking,
and told him what happened.
And he said he was going to disregard the order to stay,
and he evacuated the building.
So because of Rick's quick and decisive action,
2,687 people were saved.
Only six persons from the South Tower died on that day,
including Rick himself.
Why did Rick disregard the order?
Because he had been expecting such an attack for some time.
In fact, he had conducted many evacuation drills
for the employees in the South Tower.
So in that day of adversity,
Rick was the first to act,
and the last to leave the building.
Don't you wish that we would have such strength
to stand on our ground
and act in the face of adversity?
I do.
However, we know that this is rare.
In real life, in our life,
we are usually unprepared for adversity,
and we try to avoid it
or not know how to cope with it.
So we go to Proverbs 24.10 as our words for our day.
It is to faince in the day of adversity.
Your strength is small.
Faince, in the Hebrew word,
has the meaning of dropping down or letting go.
And in the Old Testament,
when God reassured His servants
that He would not forsake them or fail them,
this word was used.
So Proverbs 24.10 can be translated as,
if you give up easily in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.
However, verse 5 tells us that
a wise man is full of strength.
So that means,
verse 10,
we can also understand it as,
if you have little wisdom,
you will not have sufficient strength
to stand in the day of adversity.
So an adverse event
is one that challenges our presuppositions,
disrupts our plans,
and dashes our hopes,
as David shared just now.
Adversity happens all the time.
It is an double-double,
and it will come for each of us.
So adversity is common.
I see people facing adversities every workday.
For example,
one day last month,
I had three different patients
coming in one after another
with sadness.
The first one was sad
because all her adult children
did not want to talk to her.
She said everyone was rude to her.
The second patient was sad
because his driving license
had been changed to a conditional one.
He's about 80 years old.
He used to drive army trucks in ANZAC.
He wanted to be able to continue to do so.
He asked me to remove his sleep apnea
from the list of his medical conditions
so that he can get his full license back.
The third patient had been sad
for more than a year
since the death of her partner.
She did not know what else to live for.
Sometimes I think,
if these patients had been given
wise counsel during their younger days,
they may not have ended up where they are now.
But then I think again,
most of us will only listen to counsels
which agree with our desires.
These patients are suffering now
because they are stuck in their own presuppositions
of what life should be
and they just could not get out of it.
So, we're talking about the nature of adversities
that is common
and then we'll talk about unavoidable
and that is coming for each of us.
Alright.
We're still in the common part of it.
I wonder how the first patient
built her family
until all her children
did not want to talk to her.
Her presupposition was that
she had done all her best
for her children.
She had built her house well
and filled the rooms
with good things for her children.
She could not understand
why all her children dislike her now.
The second patient
has nothing else to live for
except his being able to drive
an army vehicle during the ANZE parade.
He does not cope with the adversity
of not having a full driving license.
The third patient lost her partner to cancer.
She could not get herself out of her grief.
As a result, her teenage daughter
has now also become depressed
and she actually tried to commit suicide.
This patient's identity
was dependent on her partner
while her daughter's identity
was based on these two adults.
They were not able to face
the adversity they found themselves in.
All these three patients
had been building their lives
expecting favorable outcomes
like many of us.
They put their trust and hope
on weak and transient things or persons.
Some of us may be able to identify
with one or more of these patients.
Some of us may go through
similar adversities in time to come.
Some of us are preparing ourselves
for the future.
So we try to avoid having such adversity.
We will try to get the best qualification
for ourselves
to get the best job
or get the best spouse.
However, we cannot predict the future.
What we think is best now
may turn out to be the source
of our adversity
in years to come.
Adversity is unavoidable
not only because we cannot predict the future
but because we are building our life
on false presuppositions.
The first patient thought
that she could always derive
her security and significance
from her children.
Eventually, her children would
become tired of being
their mother's emotional support.
They would resent
their mother's constant dependence on them.
The second patient
derives his security and significance
from his achievement
in the defense force.
He cannot accept the fact
that he has become too frail
to drive an army vehicle.
The third patient
builds her security and significance
on her partner.
When her partner dies before her,
she does not know
how to cope with life.
We live in a world of decay
and disruptions.
In the past 50 years,
we have lived through
the Cold War,
the Terrorist War,
Global Financial Crisis,
Multiple Natural Disasters,
and now the Pandemic.
And if we are honest
in finding the causes
of adversities,
we shall find that
many of the adversities
are the results
of our own foolishness.
Our ill health
is caused by our lifestyle
choices and habits.
So,
things that we like to eat now
many a times
as we get older
they will be the source
of our illness.
Our pollution,
the pollution of the environment
is caused by our desire
for comfort and enjoyment.
So,
we are using a lot of
technologies and things
and we don't know
how to dispose of them.
the relationship breakdowns
are caused by our own
self-centeredness.
So,
we all are so
busy
to achieve our own goals
and the cost of doing it
we neglected
relating to people
or even neglected
on health
to do exercise.
all these things
that we do
we are just so focused
on our goal
that
not knowing that
in the end
they would bring
adversity to us.
In the past few weeks
almost every day
in my general practice
I'm seeing patients
who are struggling
with whether to have
the AstraZeneca
COVID vaccine.
they fear getting
the rare side effects
of the vaccine
they also fear
getting the real disease.
We are not only foolish
in the way we live
that lead to future
adverse events
but we are also
too weak to face
any adverse events.
I feel for their
anxiety and their pain
we all want to
avoid adversity
but it is unavoidable
because the future
does not usually turn up
as we hoped we would
and also because
the choices we make
now usually
predispose us
to encounter adversity
in time to come.
So adversity will come
for all of us
and Proverbs 24
does not actually say
we are too weak
to face adversity
but it says
we are too weak
to face the day
of adversity.
The day of adversity
seems to be pointing
to more than just
any day
that we may find ourselves
in some encounters
of adversity.
In verse 11 and 12
it is saying that
there is a day
when we will need
to give an account
of our life.
The account
emphasizes on
how we have
or have not
helped others
who are facing adversity.
During the accounting
time
it says that
we would
mostly
have no excuse
for our behaviors.
at this point
we might want
to pause and ask
why God
requires us
to help others.
Is it not enough
if we just do
no harm to others
just keep to ourselves?
The role
that God has
in mind
is a role
that shows
love and kindness.
All of us
like to be welcome
when we meet up
with people
even as we meet
online.
Even though
we may not be able
to love others
we like to be loved
by others.
Most of the adversities
we encounter
are caused by
our lack of ability
and desire
to love others.
If there is love
among people
there will be less
conflicts
and oppressions.
Even we ourselves
demand
love and kindness
among the people.
Would God
not require us
to live such a life
when we are
created in His image?
Proverbs 24
implies that
we are not
strong enough
to help others
and that
we are not
even strong enough
to help ourselves
to face adversities.
To have strength
we need to
have wisdom.
Wisdom
means the ability
to see a bigger picture
and the ability
to suffer loss.
Rick Raskola
understood
the bigger picture
of the threat
of terrorism
and therefore
he was prepared
for the attack.
We need to
understand
the bigger picture
of our life
and the universe
to know what
to expect in life.
However,
we cannot understand
the bigger picture
of life
because we are
too self-focused.
We can only see
things from our own
points of view.
We are the center
of our own universe.
The aim of our living
is to keep ourselves
comfortable and happy.
When things
do not turn out
as we want them to
we can only respond
with anger
and despair.
So how do we
face adversity?
I would suggest
two things.
One is knowing
the bigger picture.
Second is to know
the one who
was born for
adversity.
Before Rick Raskola
went down
with the South Tower
he called his wife
and told her
that he loved her
and that she should
know that he was
doing what he lived
for.
Rick was not
suffering in the
face of adversity.
He was prepared
for this
and the threat
of death
did not frighten
him or weaken
him.
The threat of death
made him more
resolved to save
as many people
as he could
in the short time
he had.
Because Rick was
prepared,
he knew the
bigger picture.
He knew what
was coming
and he was
prepared to
die for it.
What is the
bigger picture
for your life
and my life?
We cannot see
this bigger picture
unless it is
revealed to us.
This bigger picture
we are talking
about is not
even to do
with our world
in terms of
our day-to-day
life.
It is more
than that.
It is for
the eternity.
We need to
know where
we are heading
to, where
we are coming
from.
In the
reading of
Proverbs today,
there is some
truth that has
been revealed
to us.
That is,
there will be
a day for us
to give an
account of
our life.
In that day,
we will not
have any
excuse about
why we do
not do
what is right.
So,
that has been
revealed and
so what are
we going to
do about it?
So,
compared to
this day of
adversity,
when we face
the judgment
of God,
our day-to-day
encounters
are small
things.
Unless we
can stand
before God's
judgment throne
without
fainting,
there is not
much point
for us to
learn how to
cope with
our day-to-day
adversities.
On the other
hand,
if we can
face the
day of
judgment,
then we
will know
how to
face our
day-to-day
adverse
encounters.
So,
God reveals
to us about
the bigger
picture of
life through
His written
word,
and also
through the
word
becoming
flesh,
as He
sent His
Son into
this world
of adversity
to live
among us.
So,
while we
try to
avoid
adversity,
Jesus was
born for
adversity.
In Luke
chapter 2,
verse 34
to 35,
we read,
We
all expect
ourselves and
our children
to live a
life of
comfort.
Jesus'
parents were
told not to
expect such
a life for
Him, for
Jesus.
Jesus Himself
did not
care if
He had
a life
of comfort.
He came
for a
mission.
He came
to live
by the
word and
the will
of God.
So,
we can
look at
Jesus'
life and
how it
fits into
Proverbs
24.
Jesus did
not envy
the ways
of the
world.
He
actually
criticized
those
who were
in power.
He
was
therefore
hated
by those
who were
in power.
Those
who could
not
tolerate
the
godly
way
Jesus
lived
His
life
devised
violence.
They
wanted
to
kill
Jesus.
So,
that is
the
reader from
Proverbs
24,
1-2.
Jesus
was not
intimidated
by all
the
oppositions
and threats.
He
was not
tempted
by the
offer
of the
devil.
Proverbs
24,
5.
He
listened
to the
counsel
of
God.
Proverbs
24,
6.
He
was
building
God's
kingdom,
calling
people to
follow
Him.
So,
Jesus
is building
something that
is eternal.
and He
filled
all the
room
with
all the
precious
things,
spiritual
things.
At last,
Jesus
was
arrested
by the
religious
leaders,
those
leaders who
thought they
were wise
but had
no idea
what Jesus
had been
teaching.
Real wisdom
was too
high for
them to
grasp.
They
falsely
accused
Jesus
of
blasphemy
and
treason.
Jesus
just
kept
quiet.
When a
wise
person
is
being
judged
by
fools,
he
keeps
quiet.
Proverbs
24,
7.
Now,
in Proverbs
24,
7,
when it
says
that
wisdom
is too
high for
a fool,
in the
gate,
he
does
not
open
his
mouth.
We
can
read,
he
does
not
open
his
mouth,
the
he
as
the
fool,
or
it
can
be
the
wise.
I
suppose
can
be
read
in
either
way,
but
in
applying
to
Jesus
Christ,
he
will
be
the
wisdom
that
will
not
open
his
mouth
while
judged
by
the
fools.
In
general,
when we
are foolish,
we will
talk a
lot.
The
wise
person
knows
when to
talk
and
when
not
to
talk.
that's
why I
would
apply
the
he
as
the
wisdom
who
will
keep
quiet
in
the
midst
of
foolishness.
The
religious
leaders
scheme
to have
Jesus
crucified
by the
Romans.
People
scoffed
at him
when they
saw him
hanging
on the
cross.
They
teased
Jesus,
if you
are here
to save
others,
why don't
you
save
yourself
now?
Proverbs
24,
8-9
Jesus
did not
faint
on the
cross.
He
was in
control
of his
emotions
and
thoughts.
He
prayed
for
those
who
killed
him.
And
he
committed
his
soul
to
God
as
he
died.
Proverbs
24,
10
Why did
Jesus
not
save
himself
on
the
cross?
Because
he
came
to
die
to
take
away
the
curse
of
God.
No
one
stood
up
for
Jesus
when
he
was
innocent.
But
Jesus
was
dying
for
those
who
were
guilty,
those
who
were
stumbling
to
the
judgment
of
God.
Proverbs
24,
11
Jesus
knew
that
day
of
adversity
will
come
for
each
of
us.
He
knew
that
the
God
who
keeps
watch
over
our
souls
knows
what
we
have
done
and
that
he
will
repay
us
according
to
our
work.
Proverbs
24,
12
When
God
repays
us
according
to
our
own
works,
we
will
all
be
condemned.
However,
in
Christ,
God
can
now
repay
us
according
to
the
works
of
Jesus
and
therefore
we
can
stand
in
the
day
of
adversity.
What
effect
did
adversity
have
on
Jesus?
John
1
14
says,
And the
word
became
fresh,
flesh,
and
dwell
among
us,
and we
have
seen
his
glory,
glory
as
of
the
only
son
from
the
father,
full
of
grace
and
truth.
All
the
adversities
the world
throw at
Jesus
only
help
to
bring
out
his
grace
and
truth.
We
see
his
beauty
in
the
midst
of
adversity,
we
see
his
kindness
in
the
midst
of
hatred.
In
going
through
the
ultimate
adversity
of
being
crucified,
Jesus
became
the
perfect
sacrifice
or
redeem
us
from
the
wrath
of
God.
In
Jesus
Christ,
we
no
longer
need
to
worry
about
the
day
of
adversity.
In
Jesus,
we
are
also
given
the
wisdom
to
live
in
this
world
of
adversity.
Why
could
Jesus
become
more
glorious
in
the
midst
of
adversity?
Because
Jesus
did
not
live
for
himself,
he
lived
for
God
and
God's
people.
When
we
do
not
see
the
bigger
picture
but
only
focus
on
our
own
small
pictures,
we
cannot
cope
with
any
adversity
that
interferes
with
our
plans
and
hopes.
When
we
can
see
the
bigger
picture
and
learn
to
live
for
God
and
his
kingdom,
we
can
serve
on
the
way
for
adversity
for
God's
glory.
I
will
give
you
another
example.
Ernest
Gordon
was a
soldier
in
World
War
II.
He
fought
in
Malaya
and
was
captured
by the
Japanese
and
sent
to
the
prison
camp
in
Thailand
during
World
War
II.
I
think
some
of
us
when
I
watched
a
movie
about
the
river
Kai
KWI.
So
that
is
a
story
that
he
recounted.
When
he
went
into
the
camp
he
was
an
atheist
and
he
described
how
hopeless
and
despair
prisoners
were
under
the
cruelty
of
Japanese
soldiers.
They
were
just
waiting
to
die.
They
were
just
waiting
passively.
They
were
just
doing
what
they
were
told
to
do.
And
each
just
care
for
themselves.
Ernest
became
very
sick.
I
suppose
he
was
injured
as
well,
beaten
up,
starved,
and he
was very
close to
death.
A
Christian
prisoner
cared
for him
and gave
him his
own portion
of food
and
led him
to
recovery.
Ernest
came
to
know
the
Lord
Jesus
in
the
camp
and
began
to
care
for
others.
Soon
there
was
a
transformation
in
the
camp.
People
started
to
put
other
people
first.
They
rose
above
their
own
self-pity
and
started
to
care
for
one
another.
Instead
of
cursing
their
enemies
at
God,
the
prisoners
started
to
pray
to
God
and
for
their
enemies.
The
adversity
under
the
cruelty
of
Japanese
captors
change,
but
the
prisoners
were
changed.
They
were
still
enslaved
in
the
camp,
but
they
were
no
longer
enslaved
by
suffering
and
death.
They
had
someone
and
something
bigger
than
themselves
to
live
for.
What
is a
wise
thing
to
do
in
adversity?
We
know
that
we
cannot
avoid
adversity
in
this
life.
The
stoics
advise us
to
face
adversity
like
a
man
just
suffer
it
quietly.
The
Ippicurium
advised us
to enjoy
ourselves
as much
as possible
to
lessen
the
effect
of
adversity.
What
did
Jesus
do
with
adversity?
Jesus,
for the
joy that
was set
before
him,
enjoyed
the
cross
despising
shame
and is
now
seated
at the
right
hand
of the
throne
of
God.
Jesus
had a
far
bigger
picture
in
mind.
He
served
on the
wave
of
adversity
to
display
God's
glory.
Proverbs
24
11
said,
Rescue
those
who
are
being
taken
away
to
death.
Hold
back
those
who
are
stumbling
to
the
slaughter.
This
is not
just
another
task
for
us
to
do.
This
is
life.
When
we can
see the
bigger
picture,
when
we can
see the
kingdom
of
God
coming,
our
own
comfort
and
safety
will
become
trivial.
Adversity
can no
longer
enslave
us.
In
Christ,
we
are not
only free
from
facing
the
day
of
adversity
when
God
will
judge
the
living
and
the
dead.
We
are
also
free
to
be
like
him,
rescuing
those
who
are
stumbling
to
the
slaughter.
Maybe
display
the
mind
of
Christ
in
the
midst
of
adversity.
Maybe
be
willing
to
suffer
loss
because
we
have
something
greater
and
we
have
everything
in
Jesus
Christ.
Let
us
pray.
Father,
we
know that
so often
when we
meet with
adversity,
we will
tend to
think about
ourselves,
poor me,
why me?
Father,
we
thank you
for
changing
us,
that we
can
think
about
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
and
think
about
others
in
the
midst
of
adversity.
Father,
may
you
help us
to rise
above
ourselves
and
to
enjoy
your
presence
with us
as we
live our
life.
and do
something
that
has
eternal
value
and
that
will
show
your
glory.
Thank you,
Lord.
In Jesus' name
we pray.
Amen.