WEBVTT

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 Hey guys, it's good to worship with you.

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 I do apologize for the cancellation for the prayer.

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 I think it's been like nine years running almost

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 and we haven't canceled prayer,

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 so it's an unusual season we're in,

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 but we will resume the following week.

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 If you don't have a Bible, please raise your hand.

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 We'd love to get you a copy

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 and you can have that as your own

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 to take home with you.

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 Thanks guys.

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 And if you have your Bibles already,

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 please turn with me to Ecclesiastes chapter 11.

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 We're gonna go through all of 11

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 all the way to chapter 12, verse 8.

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 This is the second to last sermon

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 in the book of Ecclesiastes.

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 We've made our way through the entire book

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 and the author is starting to wrap up his main points here.

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 For those of you who don't know me,

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 my name is Sean.

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 I'm one of the pastors of Trinity Cambridge Church

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 and it is my great joy and privilege

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 to preach God's word to you this morning.

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 Let me pray now for the reading

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 and preaching of God's word.

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 Father, we ask that you

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 rejoice our hearts,

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 delight our hearts,

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 with revelation of who you are.

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 What a gracious,

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 generous,

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 merciful God you are.

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 So that our hearts well up with praise

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 and thanksgiving to you this morning.

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 And I ask also that you'll help us

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 to remember that you are our creator,

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 that we are your creatures.

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 That a deep humility

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 may be instilled within us

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 so that it affects

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 everything we do in life

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 and how we carry out our days.

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 Address us now from your holy word.

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 In Jesus' name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 If you are able,

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 please stand and join us

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 for the reading of God's word.

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 We stand to honor God

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 as we read his word to us.

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 Ecclesiastes 11, 1 to 12, 8.

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 Cast your bread upon the waters,

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 for you will find it after many days.

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 Give a portion to seven

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 or even to eight,

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 for you know not

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 what disaster may happen on earth.

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 If the clouds are full of rain,

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 they empty themselves on the earth.

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 And if a tree falls to the south

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 or to the north,

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 in the place where the tree falls,

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 there it will lie.

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 He who observes the wind

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 will not sow,

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 and he who regards the clouds

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 will not reap.

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 As you do not know the way

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 the spirit comes to the bones

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 in the womb of a woman

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 with a child,

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 so you do not know the work of God

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 who makes everything.

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 In the morning sow your seed,

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 and at evening withhold not your hand,

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 for you do not know

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 which will prosper.

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 This or that,

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 or whether both alike will be good.

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 Light is sweet,

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 and it is pleasant for the eyes

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 to see the sun.

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 So if a person lives many years,

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 let him rejoice in them all,

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 but let him remember

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 that the days of darkness

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 will be many.

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 All that comes is vanity.

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 Rejoice, O young man,

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 in your youth,

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 and let your heart cheer you

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 in the days of your youth.

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 Walk in the ways of your heart

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 and the sight of your eyes,

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 but know that for all these things

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 God will bring you into judgment.

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 Remove vexation from your heart

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 and put away pain from your body,

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 for youth and the dawn of life

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 are vanity.

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 Remember also your creator

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 in the days of your youth.

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 Before the evil days come

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 and the years draw near,

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 of which you will say,

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 I have no pleasure in them.

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 Before the sun and the light

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 and the moon and the stars

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 are darkened

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 and the clouds return

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 after the rain.

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 In the day when the keepers

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 of the house tremble

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 and the strong men are bent

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 and the grinders seize

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 because they are a few

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 and those who look

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 through the windows are dimmed.

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 And the doors on the street

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 are shut

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 when the sound of the grinding

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 is low

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 and one rises up

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 at the sound of a bird

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 and all the daughters of song

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 are brought low.

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 They are afraid also

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 of what is high

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 and terrors are in the way.

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 The almond tree blossoms,

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 the grasshopper drags itself along

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 and desire fails

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 because man is going

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 to his eternal home

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 and the mourners go

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 about the streets.

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 Before the silver cord is snapped

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 or the golden bowl is broken

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 or the pitcher is shattered

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 at the fountain

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 or the wheel broken

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 at the cistern

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 and the dust returns

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 to the earth as it was

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 and the spirit returns

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 to God who gave it.

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 A vanity of vanities,

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 says the preacher.

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 All is vanity.

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 This is God's holy

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 and authoritative word.

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 You may be seated.

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 In a 1931 interview,

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 Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw

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 is quoted as saying this,

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 Youth is the most beautiful thing

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 in the world

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 and what a pity

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 that it has to be wasted

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 on children.

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 That's most likely

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 the origin of the popular saying,

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 Youth is wasted on the young.

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 It gets at the idea

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 that youth lack the wisdom

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 and experience

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 to make the most

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 of their health and energy.

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 But by the time they gain

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 that wisdom and experience,

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 they become old

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 and they no longer

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 has that youthful energy.

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 energy.

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 Our church is young.

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 It has been less than 10 years

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 since we planted this church.

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 I'm a young pastor.

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 I'm just shy of 40.

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 I know that seems old

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 to some of you,

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 but according to 1 Timothy 5,

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 it's in the Bible, right?

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 This is according

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 to 1 Timothy 5,

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 the cutoff line

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 between older widows

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 and younger widows

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 is 60.

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 So I still have 20 years

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 of youngness left.

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 And by that definition,

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 only a handful of people

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 in our church

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 are actually old.

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 So most of us

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 don't get to wear

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 that I'm old

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 and wise badge yet.

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 And Ecclesiastes 11.1-12.8,

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 which specifically

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 addresses youth

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 multiple times,

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 offers us timely

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 and relevant advice.

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 And the main point

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 of the passage is this.

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 Knowing that life

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 is but a breath,

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 we should rejoice

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 in our youth

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 and remember our creator.

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 First, I'm going to talk

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 about accepting risk,

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 11.1-6,

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 and then we'll talk

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 about rejoicing,

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 the main command

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 of that section,

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 rejoice in your youth.

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 And then later

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 in chapter 12,

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 remember your creator.

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 11.1-6 is a reminder

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 that we cannot know

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 or control the future.

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 Over and over again,

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 we are told

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 what we do not know.

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 So look at the passage

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 with me, verse 2.

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 For you know not

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 what disaster may happen

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 on earth.

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 Again, verse 5.

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 And you do not know

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 the way the spirit

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 comes to the bones.

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 And again,

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 so you do not know

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 the work of God

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 who makes everything.

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 Verse 6.

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 For you do not know

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 which will prosper,

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 this or that.

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 So 11.1-6

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 is all about

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 the uncertainty of life

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 and risk

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 that characterize

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 that uncertain life,

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 the life of creatures.

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 Because we are not

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 the creator

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 who is sovereign

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 and in control

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 over all things,

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 but the creatures,

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 we live in that uncertainty

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 and we must accept

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 that risk.

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 The beginning of wisdom

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 is the fear of the Lord,

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 recognizing that God

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 is God

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 and that we are not God.

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 So then the truly wise

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 recognize the limitations

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 of their wisdom.

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 And that wisdom

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 is not meant

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 to make us masters

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 of our fate,

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 to be able to control

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 the outcomes of our lives,

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 but rather wisdom

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 is meant to make us servants

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 who are submitted

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 to the sovereign purposes

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 of God.

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 That's why the beginning

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 of wisdom

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 is the fear of the Lord

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 and humility.

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 And humbly acknowledging

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 that reality means

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 we accept

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 and account for risk

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 in all the choices

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 that we make.

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 Verse 1 says,

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 cast your bread

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 upon the waters,

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 for you will find it

00:08:59.500 --> 00:09:00.480
 after many days.

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 Bread here

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 doesn't refer to

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 a literal loaf of bread

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 but to our income

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 or our source of livelihood,

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 similar to how we use

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 the expression breadwinner

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 to refer to people

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 who are winning

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 the livelihood,

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 the main income

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 of the household.

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 And so this here,

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 probably we can think

00:09:19.379 --> 00:09:21.779
 of bread as money

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 or our resources

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 and the preacher

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 counsels us

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 to cast that

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 upon the waters,

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 for you will find it

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 after many days.

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 Those two main words,

00:09:30.679 --> 00:09:32.099
 cast and waters

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 occur together

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 in Isaiah 18,

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 verse 2,

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 which is a helpful

00:09:36.219 --> 00:09:37.699
 parallel for understanding this.

00:09:38.299 --> 00:09:39.459
 It speaks of nations

00:09:39.459 --> 00:09:41.500
 that cast ambassadors

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 by the sea

00:09:42.299 --> 00:09:44.159
 in vessels of papyrus

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 on the waters.

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 I think this is meant

00:09:48.179 --> 00:09:48.739
 to help us

00:09:48.739 --> 00:09:49.859
 understand this first.

00:09:49.939 --> 00:09:50.879
 I think this is a reference

00:09:50.879 --> 00:09:52.079
 to maritime trade.

00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:54.500
 When you cast your resources

00:09:54.500 --> 00:09:56.099
 out upon the waters

00:09:56.099 --> 00:09:57.259
 in hopes that it will

00:09:57.259 --> 00:09:58.139
 yield return

00:09:58.139 --> 00:09:59.679
 after many days.

00:10:00.759 --> 00:10:01.480
 Maritime trade

00:10:01.480 --> 00:10:02.500
 in those days especially

00:10:02.500 --> 00:10:03.720
 took a long time

00:10:03.720 --> 00:10:05.960
 and it required patience.

00:10:06.419 --> 00:10:07.600
 It was not for people

00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:08.559
 who desired

00:10:08.559 --> 00:10:09.799
 instant gratification.

00:10:11.299 --> 00:10:12.559
 A patient investor

00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:13.100
 who is willing

00:10:13.100 --> 00:10:14.480
 to make an investment

00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:15.340
 for the future

00:10:15.340 --> 00:10:16.919
 and wait for a long time,

00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:17.799
 that's the counsel

00:10:17.799 --> 00:10:18.399
 that the preacher

00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:19.379
 is giving here.

00:10:20.039 --> 00:10:20.939
 It's similar

00:10:20.939 --> 00:10:22.139
 to what famous investor

00:10:22.659 --> 00:10:23.519
 Warren Buffett

00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:25.080
 said one time.

00:10:25.319 --> 00:10:25.539
 He says,

00:10:25.539 --> 00:10:26.740
 someone's sitting

00:10:26.740 --> 00:10:27.620
 in the shade today

00:10:27.620 --> 00:10:29.480
 because someone planted

00:10:29.480 --> 00:10:30.959
 a tree a long time ago.

00:10:32.459 --> 00:10:33.599
 Verse 2 continues

00:10:33.599 --> 00:10:34.219
 that theme.

00:10:34.679 --> 00:10:35.319
 Give a portion

00:10:35.319 --> 00:10:36.860
 to 7 or even to 8

00:10:36.860 --> 00:10:37.980
 for you know not

00:10:37.980 --> 00:10:38.779
 what disaster

00:10:38.779 --> 00:10:39.759
 may happen on earth.

00:10:40.299 --> 00:10:41.219
 Here's another example

00:10:41.219 --> 00:10:42.980
 of graded numerical parallelism.

00:10:43.059 --> 00:10:43.740
 You guys remember that

00:10:43.740 --> 00:10:44.659
 from a few weeks ago?

00:10:44.759 --> 00:10:45.360
 Yeah, there you go.

00:10:46.339 --> 00:10:48.139
 The point isn't

00:10:48.139 --> 00:10:49.559
 that you should invest

00:10:49.559 --> 00:10:52.179
 in exactly 7 ventures

00:10:52.179 --> 00:10:53.079
 or exactly 8.

00:10:53.080 --> 00:10:54.080
 The point is that

00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:55.240
 you should diversify

00:10:55.240 --> 00:10:56.080
 your investments.

00:10:56.879 --> 00:10:58.120
 Don't put all your eggs

00:10:58.120 --> 00:10:59.520
 in one basket

00:10:59.520 --> 00:11:01.240
 for you know not

00:11:01.240 --> 00:11:01.980
 what disaster

00:11:01.980 --> 00:11:03.220
 may happen on earth.

00:11:03.960 --> 00:11:05.040
 Don't put all your money

00:11:05.040 --> 00:11:05.980
 into real estate

00:11:05.980 --> 00:11:07.280
 because a housing bubble

00:11:07.280 --> 00:11:08.420
 collapse might ruin

00:11:08.420 --> 00:11:09.340
 all of your investments.

00:11:09.900 --> 00:11:10.980
 Don't put all your money

00:11:10.980 --> 00:11:12.360
 in a single company stock.

00:11:12.600 --> 00:11:13.720
 There are countless

00:11:13.720 --> 00:11:14.480
 cautionary tales

00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:15.379
 of people who have lost

00:11:15.379 --> 00:11:16.520
 all their money that way.

00:11:17.300 --> 00:11:18.840
 As recently as 2022,

00:11:19.140 --> 00:11:20.660
 the cryptocurrency exchange

00:11:20.660 --> 00:11:21.840
 FTX collapsed

00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:22.700
 due to embezzlement.

00:11:23.480 --> 00:11:24.440
 Their customers lost

00:11:24.440 --> 00:11:25.960
 8 billion in assets

00:11:25.960 --> 00:11:27.220
 and their investors

00:11:27.220 --> 00:11:28.900
 lost 1.7 billion.

00:11:29.740 --> 00:11:30.620
 And who could have

00:11:30.620 --> 00:11:31.240
 seen that coming?

00:11:32.680 --> 00:11:34.100
 At the height of FTX,

00:11:34.259 --> 00:11:34.879
 the CEO,

00:11:35.100 --> 00:11:36.100
 Sam Bankman-Fried's

00:11:36.100 --> 00:11:37.360
 net worth was

00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:39.060
 above 15 million.

00:11:39.540 --> 00:11:40.320
 He was compared

00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:41.500
 to finance titans

00:11:41.500 --> 00:11:42.840
 like J.P. Morgan

00:11:42.840 --> 00:11:43.680
 and Warren Buffett.

00:11:44.500 --> 00:11:45.180
 He was sitting

00:11:45.180 --> 00:11:46.800
 on conference panels

00:11:46.800 --> 00:11:47.759
 along with people

00:11:47.759 --> 00:11:48.620
 like Bill Clinton

00:11:48.620 --> 00:11:50.020
 and Tony Blair.

00:11:51.020 --> 00:11:52.280
 But now he's in jail.

00:11:52.700 --> 00:11:54.720
 Who could have

00:11:54.720 --> 00:11:55.280
 seen that coming?

00:11:57.160 --> 00:11:58.240
 No one can look

00:11:58.240 --> 00:11:59.540
 five or ten years

00:11:59.540 --> 00:12:00.259
 into the future

00:12:00.259 --> 00:12:01.420
 and say this stock

00:12:01.420 --> 00:12:02.100
 will do well

00:12:02.100 --> 00:12:03.120
 and that this company,

00:12:03.220 --> 00:12:04.320
 this industry will boom.

00:12:05.800 --> 00:12:06.440
 Diversification

00:12:06.440 --> 00:12:07.540
 is one of the first

00:12:07.540 --> 00:12:08.420
 important principles

00:12:08.420 --> 00:12:08.940
 of investing

00:12:08.940 --> 00:12:09.620
 that you learn.

00:12:10.420 --> 00:12:11.420
 By spreading out

00:12:11.420 --> 00:12:12.040
 your investments

00:12:12.040 --> 00:12:13.720
 across different assets,

00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:14.960
 you reduce your chance

00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:16.180
 of having all of it

00:12:16.180 --> 00:12:16.740
 wiped out

00:12:16.740 --> 00:12:18.120
 on a single bad day.

00:12:20.539 --> 00:12:21.320
 This interpretation

00:12:21.320 --> 00:12:22.379
 of verses 1-2

00:12:22.379 --> 00:12:23.419
 as referring to

00:12:23.419 --> 00:12:24.519
 financial investment

00:12:24.519 --> 00:12:24.940
 and trade

00:12:24.940 --> 00:12:25.440
 is confirmed

00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:25.940
 by the fact

00:12:25.940 --> 00:12:26.720
 that it was just

00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:28.480
 preceded by 10-19.

00:12:28.680 --> 00:12:29.240
 Bread is made

00:12:29.240 --> 00:12:29.740
 for laughter

00:12:29.740 --> 00:12:30.220
 and wine

00:12:30.220 --> 00:12:31.000
 and gladden's life

00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:32.080
 and money answers

00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:32.659
 everything.

00:12:33.440 --> 00:12:34.539
 Given the effectiveness

00:12:34.539 --> 00:12:35.299
 of money

00:12:35.299 --> 00:12:35.919
 and the usefulness

00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:36.940
 of money in this world,

00:12:37.080 --> 00:12:38.039
 it's teaching us now

00:12:38.039 --> 00:12:39.019
 to be a good steward

00:12:39.019 --> 00:12:39.399
 of that.

00:12:40.500 --> 00:12:41.379
 This interpretation

00:12:41.379 --> 00:12:42.500
 is also confirmed

00:12:42.500 --> 00:12:43.399
 by the following verses,

00:12:43.700 --> 00:12:44.759
 verses 3-6,

00:12:44.759 --> 00:12:45.500
 which talk about

00:12:45.500 --> 00:12:46.500
 financial investment

00:12:46.500 --> 00:12:47.080
 this time

00:12:47.080 --> 00:12:48.059
 with the metaphor

00:12:48.059 --> 00:12:49.419
 of sowing seeds.

00:12:50.200 --> 00:12:50.879
 Verse 3 says,

00:12:51.000 --> 00:12:51.580
 If the clouds

00:12:51.580 --> 00:12:52.439
 are full of rain,

00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:53.960
 they empty themselves

00:12:53.960 --> 00:12:54.600
 on the earth,

00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:56.120
 and if a tree falls

00:12:56.120 --> 00:12:56.700
 to the south

00:12:56.700 --> 00:12:57.340
 or to the north,

00:12:57.460 --> 00:12:58.059
 in the place

00:12:58.059 --> 00:12:59.000
 where the tree falls

00:12:59.000 --> 00:13:00.179
 there it will lie.

00:13:00.919 --> 00:13:02.059
 Again, the point here

00:13:02.059 --> 00:13:03.600
 is we can't control

00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:04.159
 these things.

00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:05.919
 We can't control

00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:07.080
 when the rain falls.

00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:08.899
 The rain falls

00:13:08.899 --> 00:13:09.819
 when the clouds

00:13:09.819 --> 00:13:10.299
 are full,

00:13:10.860 --> 00:13:12.039
 and there's not much

00:13:12.039 --> 00:13:12.639
 we can do

00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:13.740
 to change that.

00:13:13.740 --> 00:13:14.960
 Even to this day,

00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:15.860
 the best we can do

00:13:15.860 --> 00:13:17.220
 is forecast the weather,

00:13:17.779 --> 00:13:18.519
 and even that

00:13:18.519 --> 00:13:19.740
 is hit or miss

00:13:19.740 --> 00:13:21.500
 because the rain falls

00:13:21.500 --> 00:13:22.560
 when it's ready,

00:13:22.680 --> 00:13:23.560
 when the clouds are full

00:13:23.560 --> 00:13:24.500
 and we have no control

00:13:24.500 --> 00:13:25.039
 over it.

00:13:27.139 --> 00:13:29.379
 When rain doesn't fall,

00:13:29.480 --> 00:13:30.019
 we have drought,

00:13:30.419 --> 00:13:31.519
 and when rain falls

00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:31.960
 too much,

00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:32.799
 we have flooding

00:13:32.799 --> 00:13:34.419
 and we can't control it.

00:13:35.379 --> 00:13:35.759
 Similarly,

00:13:35.860 --> 00:13:36.500
 we can't control

00:13:36.500 --> 00:13:37.419
 whether a tree falls

00:13:37.419 --> 00:13:38.139
 to the south

00:13:38.139 --> 00:13:39.340
 or to the north.

00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:40.440
 That depends

00:13:40.440 --> 00:13:41.399
 on the natural lean

00:13:41.399 --> 00:13:41.879
 of the tree

00:13:41.879 --> 00:13:42.720
 or the direction

00:13:42.720 --> 00:13:43.259
 of the wind

00:13:43.259 --> 00:13:43.720
 that brought

00:13:43.720 --> 00:13:44.840
 the tree down,

00:13:45.100 --> 00:13:46.500
 and we can't control it.

00:13:46.899 --> 00:13:47.700
 And unless you have

00:13:47.700 --> 00:13:48.779
 heavy modern equipment,

00:13:48.980 --> 00:13:50.160
 you also can't move

00:13:50.160 --> 00:13:50.940
 a large tree

00:13:50.940 --> 00:13:51.580
 when it falls

00:13:51.580 --> 00:13:52.120
 to the ground.

00:13:52.360 --> 00:13:53.500
 It's going to sit there,

00:13:54.220 --> 00:13:54.879
 whether it fell

00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:55.540
 to the north

00:13:55.540 --> 00:13:56.240
 or to the south,

00:13:56.620 --> 00:13:57.200
 and we have

00:13:57.200 --> 00:13:58.200
 no control over it.

00:14:00.300 --> 00:14:01.320
 These are things,

00:14:01.620 --> 00:14:02.820
 and these are examples

00:14:02.820 --> 00:14:03.879
 of things

00:14:03.879 --> 00:14:05.040
 that are outside

00:14:05.040 --> 00:14:05.660
 of our control

00:14:05.660 --> 00:14:06.180
 in life,

00:14:06.660 --> 00:14:07.440
 and if we

00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:08.860
 preoccupy ourselves

00:14:08.860 --> 00:14:09.759
 too much

00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:10.220
 with things

00:14:10.220 --> 00:14:11.300
 that we cannot control,

00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:12.540
 it makes us

00:14:12.540 --> 00:14:13.620
 indecisive

00:14:13.620 --> 00:14:14.580
 and inactive.

00:14:16.019 --> 00:14:16.940
 Verse 4 says this,

00:14:17.000 --> 00:14:17.740
 He who observes

00:14:17.740 --> 00:14:18.240
 the wind

00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:19.120
 will not sow,

00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:20.420
 and he who regards

00:14:20.420 --> 00:14:21.000
 the clouds

00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:21.759
 will not reap.

00:14:22.500 --> 00:14:23.379
 If we're spending

00:14:23.379 --> 00:14:24.800
 all day observing

00:14:24.800 --> 00:14:25.440
 the direction

00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:26.019
 of the wind,

00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:27.899
 trying to find

00:14:27.899 --> 00:14:29.259
 the very best time

00:14:29.259 --> 00:14:30.480
 to scatter the seeds,

00:14:31.420 --> 00:14:32.399
 then you will always

00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:33.200
 be watching the wind.

00:14:36.120 --> 00:14:36.580
 Likewise,

00:14:37.000 --> 00:14:37.779
 if you spend

00:14:37.779 --> 00:14:38.279
 your day

00:14:38.279 --> 00:14:39.679
 watching the clouds

00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:42.519
 to make sure

00:14:42.519 --> 00:14:43.379
 there is no hint

00:14:43.379 --> 00:14:43.839
 of rain

00:14:43.839 --> 00:14:45.059
 or trying to figure

00:14:45.059 --> 00:14:46.439
 out the very best time,

00:14:46.500 --> 00:14:47.279
 the perfect time

00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:47.799
 for you to start

00:14:47.799 --> 00:14:48.620
 reaping the harvest,

00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:50.120
 then you're going

00:14:50.120 --> 00:14:51.579
 to be looking on

00:14:51.579 --> 00:14:53.000
 for too long,

00:14:53.919 --> 00:14:55.139
 and the harvest

00:14:55.139 --> 00:14:56.240
 will be gone.

00:14:58.039 --> 00:14:59.100
 We need to learn,

00:14:59.459 --> 00:14:59.860
 the preacher

00:14:59.860 --> 00:15:00.559
 is telling us,

00:15:00.860 --> 00:15:01.459
 we need to learn

00:15:01.459 --> 00:15:02.839
 to relinquish control

00:15:02.839 --> 00:15:03.539
 over that which

00:15:03.539 --> 00:15:05.939
 never had control

00:15:05.939 --> 00:15:06.600
 in the first place.

00:15:06.600 --> 00:15:08.460
 we need to be okay

00:15:08.460 --> 00:15:09.600
 with acting

00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:11.879
 at times that

00:15:11.879 --> 00:15:12.940
 are not what we

00:15:12.940 --> 00:15:13.840
 deem to be the best

00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:14.659
 or the perfect time

00:15:14.659 --> 00:15:15.139
 sometimes,

00:15:15.700 --> 00:15:17.180
 because the opportune

00:15:17.180 --> 00:15:18.120
 moment might not come.

00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:20.080
 Verse 5 continues

00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:21.159
 this theme of ignorance.

00:15:21.720 --> 00:15:22.639
 As you do not know

00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:23.040
 the way,

00:15:23.139 --> 00:15:23.920
 the spirit comes

00:15:23.920 --> 00:15:24.480
 to the bones

00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:24.940
 in the womb

00:15:24.940 --> 00:15:26.360
 of a woman with child,

00:15:26.759 --> 00:15:27.560
 so you do not know

00:15:27.560 --> 00:15:28.300
 the work of God

00:15:28.300 --> 00:15:29.379
 who makes everything.

00:15:29.980 --> 00:15:30.720
 The spirit,

00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:31.980
 the breath of life,

00:15:32.060 --> 00:15:33.040
 comes from God

00:15:33.040 --> 00:15:34.000
 and animates

00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:35.200
 the conceived baby

00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:35.720
 in the womb,

00:15:35.720 --> 00:15:37.040
 but we can't tell

00:15:37.040 --> 00:15:37.680
 which way

00:15:37.680 --> 00:15:38.700
 the spirit comes.

00:15:39.399 --> 00:15:40.320
 We do not know

00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:41.220
 the work of God

00:15:41.220 --> 00:15:42.139
 who makes everything.

00:15:42.680 --> 00:15:43.980
 Just as we do not know

00:15:43.980 --> 00:15:44.820
 from where

00:15:44.820 --> 00:15:45.940
 that spirit comes

00:15:45.940 --> 00:15:46.480
 to the baby

00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:46.920
 in the womb,

00:15:47.120 --> 00:15:47.960
 we do not know

00:15:47.960 --> 00:15:49.160
 exactly which direction

00:15:49.160 --> 00:15:50.040
 the wind will blow

00:15:50.040 --> 00:15:50.920
 or when the rain

00:15:50.920 --> 00:15:51.440
 will fall,

00:15:52.160 --> 00:15:52.980
 and it is our

00:15:52.980 --> 00:15:53.759
 humble lot

00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:55.040
 as creatures

00:15:55.040 --> 00:15:57.200
 to acknowledge that

00:15:57.200 --> 00:15:58.740
 and live in accordance

00:15:58.740 --> 00:16:00.000
 with that ignorance.

00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:03.700
 is there something

00:16:03.700 --> 00:16:04.639
 that you've always

00:16:04.639 --> 00:16:05.700
 wanted to try

00:16:05.700 --> 00:16:07.919
 but you haven't

00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:08.620
 acted on it

00:16:08.620 --> 00:16:10.720
 because you're waiting

00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:11.960
 for the perfect time?

00:16:14.360 --> 00:16:15.840
 That perfect time

00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:16.559
 may never come,

00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:19.240
 and no amount

00:16:19.240 --> 00:16:19.879
 of scheming

00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:20.299
 or planning

00:16:20.299 --> 00:16:20.899
 on your part

00:16:20.899 --> 00:16:21.759
 will give you

00:16:21.759 --> 00:16:22.200
 control

00:16:22.200 --> 00:16:23.100
 or guarantee you

00:16:23.100 --> 00:16:23.559
 success.

00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:26.159
 So why not act

00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:26.500
 on it?

00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:28.559
 Why not try it?

00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:29.879
 In fact,

00:16:29.979 --> 00:16:30.619
 why not try

00:16:30.619 --> 00:16:31.679
 several things

00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:32.819
 because you don't know

00:16:32.819 --> 00:16:33.899
 which one will succeed.

00:16:36.719 --> 00:16:37.559
 Don't let

00:16:37.559 --> 00:16:39.899
 idolatry of success

00:16:39.899 --> 00:16:40.619
 prevent you

00:16:40.619 --> 00:16:41.379
 from enjoying

00:16:41.379 --> 00:16:42.519
 the life you currently have,

00:16:42.979 --> 00:16:43.919
 but also

00:16:43.919 --> 00:16:45.139
 don't let fear

00:16:45.139 --> 00:16:45.779
 of failure

00:16:45.779 --> 00:16:46.679
 paralyze you

00:16:46.679 --> 00:16:48.659
 from making bold decisions

00:16:48.659 --> 00:16:49.559
 and taking risks.

00:16:51.739 --> 00:16:53.019
 It says in verse 6,

00:16:53.079 --> 00:16:53.619
 In the morning

00:16:53.619 --> 00:16:54.539
 sow your seed

00:16:54.539 --> 00:16:55.439
 and at evening

00:16:55.439 --> 00:16:56.459
 withhold not your hand

00:16:56.459 --> 00:16:57.479
 for you do not know

00:16:57.479 --> 00:16:58.379
 which will prosper

00:16:58.379 --> 00:16:59.360
 this or that

00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:00.639
 or whether both alike

00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:01.200
 will be good.

00:17:01.720 --> 00:17:02.340
 You don't know

00:17:02.340 --> 00:17:03.620
 which seed will perform better,

00:17:03.700 --> 00:17:04.299
 one that you sowed

00:17:04.299 --> 00:17:05.000
 in the morning

00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:05.839
 or the one that you sowed

00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:06.339
 in the evening,

00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:07.539
 and so do both.

00:17:07.640 --> 00:17:08.599
 That's the preacher's counsel.

00:17:09.680 --> 00:17:10.720
 Acknowledge your ignorance,

00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:12.420
 diversify your investments

00:17:12.420 --> 00:17:13.779
 as a function

00:17:13.779 --> 00:17:14.559
 and outworking

00:17:14.559 --> 00:17:15.619
 of your humility

00:17:15.619 --> 00:17:16.299
 before God.

00:17:18.180 --> 00:17:19.079
 Verses 1 to 6

00:17:19.079 --> 00:17:20.019
 are all getting

00:17:20.019 --> 00:17:20.900
 to the same idea

00:17:20.900 --> 00:17:21.940
 from different angles.

00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:24.240
 There's one more application

00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:24.799
 I want to bring out

00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:25.160
 from this.

00:17:25.240 --> 00:17:25.640
 You might think

00:17:25.640 --> 00:17:27.119
 this is a bit of a stretch,

00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:28.159
 but I think

00:17:28.159 --> 00:17:28.719
 there is a helpful

00:17:28.719 --> 00:17:29.799
 application for this

00:17:29.799 --> 00:17:31.959
 for evangelism

00:17:31.959 --> 00:17:32.719
 in our lives.

00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:34.819
 In the parable

00:17:34.819 --> 00:17:35.439
 of the talents

00:17:35.439 --> 00:17:36.239
 in Matthew 25,

00:17:36.459 --> 00:17:37.559
 the master entrusts

00:17:37.559 --> 00:17:38.199
 his wealth,

00:17:38.539 --> 00:17:39.179
 his property

00:17:39.179 --> 00:17:40.579
 to three different servants.

00:17:41.079 --> 00:17:41.699
 Two of them

00:17:41.699 --> 00:17:43.079
 invest their money wisely

00:17:43.079 --> 00:17:43.759
 and they make

00:17:43.759 --> 00:17:44.399
 some dividends

00:17:44.399 --> 00:17:45.759
 and they are commended

00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:46.459
 by the master,

00:17:46.779 --> 00:17:47.759
 but one of them,

00:17:48.119 --> 00:17:49.219
 instead of doing anything

00:17:49.219 --> 00:17:49.679
 with the money,

00:17:49.779 --> 00:17:50.439
 decides that he's just

00:17:50.439 --> 00:17:51.459
 going to bury the money

00:17:51.459 --> 00:17:52.219
 in the ground

00:17:52.219 --> 00:17:54.739
 so that he could have it safe

00:17:54.740 --> 00:17:56.200
 for when the master returns.

00:17:57.059 --> 00:17:58.279
 And this is his excuse

00:17:58.279 --> 00:17:58.940
 when the master

00:17:58.940 --> 00:17:59.960
 brings him to account.

00:18:00.620 --> 00:18:00.900
 Master,

00:18:00.980 --> 00:18:01.859
 I knew you to be

00:18:01.859 --> 00:18:02.819
 a hard man,

00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:04.819
 reaping where you did not sow

00:18:04.819 --> 00:18:05.400
 and gathering

00:18:05.400 --> 00:18:06.160
 where you scattered

00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:06.759
 no seed,

00:18:07.019 --> 00:18:07.980
 so I was afraid

00:18:07.980 --> 00:18:09.460
 and I went and hid

00:18:09.460 --> 00:18:10.539
 your talent in the ground.

00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:11.299
 Here,

00:18:11.620 --> 00:18:12.599
 you have what is yours.

00:18:13.579 --> 00:18:14.559
 The master is

00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:15.960
 understandably upset

00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:16.539
 with him

00:18:16.539 --> 00:18:17.960
 because this lazy servant

00:18:17.960 --> 00:18:19.380
 didn't do anything

00:18:19.380 --> 00:18:20.559
 with the money

00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:21.259
 that he asked him

00:18:21.259 --> 00:18:21.779
 to manage.

00:18:22.599 --> 00:18:23.380
 At the very least,

00:18:23.420 --> 00:18:23.859
 he could have just

00:18:23.859 --> 00:18:24.579
 put it in the bank

00:18:24.579 --> 00:18:25.079
 and it would have

00:18:25.079 --> 00:18:26.139
 accrued some interest,

00:18:26.459 --> 00:18:27.379
 but instead he decided

00:18:27.379 --> 00:18:28.299
 to bury it in the ground

00:18:28.299 --> 00:18:29.319
 to keep it safe

00:18:29.319 --> 00:18:30.779
 because he feared

00:18:30.779 --> 00:18:31.740
 the master,

00:18:32.379 --> 00:18:33.139
 because he had

00:18:33.139 --> 00:18:34.419
 an erroneous perception

00:18:34.419 --> 00:18:35.019
 of the master

00:18:35.019 --> 00:18:36.219
 as a hard man

00:18:36.219 --> 00:18:38.639
 and a stingy man.

00:18:42.819 --> 00:18:43.819
 He feared something

00:18:43.819 --> 00:18:44.759
 might happen to the money,

00:18:44.839 --> 00:18:45.539
 so he hid it

00:18:45.539 --> 00:18:46.559
 and didn't do anything

00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:47.519
 with it.

00:18:47.579 --> 00:18:48.519
 He didn't take any risks.

00:18:49.339 --> 00:18:50.419
 But the point of the parable

00:18:50.419 --> 00:18:51.259
 is that God,

00:18:51.639 --> 00:18:52.359
 our master,

00:18:52.359 --> 00:18:54.000
 is not a hard master.

00:18:54.639 --> 00:18:55.539
 He is a gracious

00:18:55.539 --> 00:18:57.179
 and kind master

00:18:57.179 --> 00:18:58.659
 and he has given us

00:18:58.659 --> 00:18:59.639
 his grace.

00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:01.259
 He has entrusted to us

00:19:01.259 --> 00:19:02.039
 the good news

00:19:02.039 --> 00:19:02.879
 of Jesus Christ

00:19:02.879 --> 00:19:03.939
 so that we might

00:19:03.939 --> 00:19:05.199
 sow it widely

00:19:05.199 --> 00:19:06.359
 and liberally

00:19:06.359 --> 00:19:07.419
 and give it out

00:19:07.419 --> 00:19:08.379
 and share it with others.

00:19:08.740 --> 00:19:10.039
 He wants his people

00:19:10.039 --> 00:19:11.859
 to take gospel risks

00:19:11.859 --> 00:19:12.699
 and to sow

00:19:12.699 --> 00:19:13.839
 our gospel seeds

00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:14.539
 widely.

00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:16.339
 Knowing that we cannot

00:19:16.339 --> 00:19:17.159
 control the outcome

00:19:17.159 --> 00:19:18.199
 of our evangelism,

00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:20.159
 God knows that

00:19:20.159 --> 00:19:20.839
 better than we do.

00:19:20.839 --> 00:19:22.019
 He's the one

00:19:22.019 --> 00:19:22.819
 who gives the growth.

00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:25.799
 Some of us

00:19:25.799 --> 00:19:26.839
 never share

00:19:26.839 --> 00:19:27.259
 the gospel

00:19:27.259 --> 00:19:28.259
 with our unbelieving

00:19:28.259 --> 00:19:28.720
 friends

00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:29.399
 and our neighbors

00:19:29.399 --> 00:19:31.079
 because we're always

00:19:31.079 --> 00:19:32.139
 waiting for that

00:19:32.139 --> 00:19:33.519
 perfect opportunity.

00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:35.740
 We're observing

00:19:35.740 --> 00:19:36.359
 the winds

00:19:36.359 --> 00:19:37.939
 and watching

00:19:37.939 --> 00:19:38.619
 the clouds,

00:19:39.659 --> 00:19:40.359
 waiting for that

00:19:40.359 --> 00:19:42.539
 perfect opportunity

00:19:42.539 --> 00:19:43.099
 to come.

00:19:44.919 --> 00:19:46.039
 Waiting for that moment

00:19:46.039 --> 00:19:46.679
 when no one

00:19:46.679 --> 00:19:47.399
 will be offended.

00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:49.379
 Waiting for that moment

00:19:49.380 --> 00:19:50.260
 when you will not

00:19:50.260 --> 00:19:50.860
 be embarrassed.

00:19:51.400 --> 00:19:52.280
 Waiting for that moment

00:19:52.280 --> 00:19:53.080
 when you have

00:19:53.080 --> 00:19:53.960
 all the theological

00:19:53.960 --> 00:19:54.640
 answers.

00:19:56.800 --> 00:19:57.620
 Brothers and sisters,

00:19:57.720 --> 00:19:58.600
 that day might never

00:19:58.600 --> 00:19:58.960
 come.

00:20:00.200 --> 00:20:01.360
 And all the opportunities

00:20:01.360 --> 00:20:02.180
 might pass you by

00:20:02.180 --> 00:20:02.960
 while you're observing

00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:03.440
 the wind

00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:04.380
 and watching the clouds.

00:20:07.140 --> 00:20:08.160
 So listen to the

00:20:08.160 --> 00:20:09.280
 exhortation of verse 6.

00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:10.319
 In the morning

00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:11.460
 sow your seed

00:20:11.460 --> 00:20:12.680
 and at evening

00:20:12.680 --> 00:20:14.000
 withhold not your hand

00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:15.240
 for you do not know

00:20:15.240 --> 00:20:16.299
 which will prosper,

00:20:16.460 --> 00:20:17.019
 this or that

00:20:17.019 --> 00:20:17.960
 or whether both alike

00:20:17.960 --> 00:20:18.660
 will be good.

00:20:20.879 --> 00:20:21.920
 This is a

00:20:21.920 --> 00:20:25.740
 not so well

00:20:25.740 --> 00:20:26.420
 hidden secret

00:20:26.420 --> 00:20:28.019
 that the best evangelists

00:20:28.019 --> 00:20:28.579
 among us

00:20:28.579 --> 00:20:30.139
 do not usually have

00:20:30.139 --> 00:20:31.859
 a higher percentage

00:20:31.859 --> 00:20:33.139
 of success rate

00:20:33.139 --> 00:20:33.859
 in terms of

00:20:33.859 --> 00:20:34.879
 people converting

00:20:34.879 --> 00:20:36.519
 than the rest of us.

00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:37.720
 You guys know that?

00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:40.259
 They don't have

00:20:40.259 --> 00:20:40.799
 a very high

00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:41.460
 success rate

00:20:41.460 --> 00:20:41.860
 on their own.

00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:43.620
 The only difference

00:20:43.620 --> 00:20:44.240
 between them

00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:45.480
 and some of us

00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:46.120
 is that

00:20:46.120 --> 00:20:47.140
 they sow

00:20:47.140 --> 00:20:47.839
 a lot more.

00:20:49.180 --> 00:20:49.720
 They spread

00:20:49.720 --> 00:20:50.680
 a lot more seeds.

00:20:53.240 --> 00:20:53.880
 D.L. Moody

00:20:53.880 --> 00:20:54.539
 was one such

00:20:54.539 --> 00:20:55.640
 prolific evangelist

00:20:55.640 --> 00:20:57.019
 in the 19th century.

00:20:57.720 --> 00:20:58.700
 He was actually

00:20:58.700 --> 00:20:59.460
 converted to Christianity

00:20:59.460 --> 00:21:00.480
 right here in Boston

00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:01.380
 and there's a little

00:21:01.380 --> 00:21:02.279
 forgotten plaque

00:21:02.279 --> 00:21:03.279
 that nobody ever visits

00:21:03.279 --> 00:21:03.920
 that commemorates

00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:04.680
 where he was converted.

00:21:05.539 --> 00:21:06.019
 I'll be happy

00:21:06.019 --> 00:21:06.519
 to take you guys

00:21:06.519 --> 00:21:06.940
 there one day

00:21:06.940 --> 00:21:07.639
 if you want to see it.

00:21:08.759 --> 00:21:10.160
 And after one of

00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:11.079
 the evangelistic meetings

00:21:11.079 --> 00:21:11.819
 of D.L. Moody

00:21:11.819 --> 00:21:13.680
 there was a woman

00:21:13.680 --> 00:21:14.440
 that approached him

00:21:14.440 --> 00:21:15.400
 and confronted him

00:21:15.400 --> 00:21:15.720
 saying,

00:21:16.319 --> 00:21:16.859
 Mr. Moody

00:21:16.859 --> 00:21:18.220
 I don't like

00:21:18.220 --> 00:21:19.379
 the way you do evangelism

00:21:19.379 --> 00:21:21.180
 and he replied

00:21:21.180 --> 00:21:22.200
 ma'am

00:21:22.200 --> 00:21:23.799
 how do you do it?

00:21:24.519 --> 00:21:25.180
 Probably generally

00:21:25.180 --> 00:21:25.940
 wanting to learn

00:21:25.940 --> 00:21:26.920
 and see what she has

00:21:26.920 --> 00:21:27.279
 to say

00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:28.879
 and then she responded

00:21:28.879 --> 00:21:29.980
 I don't.

00:21:31.660 --> 00:21:32.400
 And then D.L. Moody

00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:32.920
 responded

00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:34.480
 I like my way

00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:35.860
 of doing evangelism

00:21:35.860 --> 00:21:36.620
 better than

00:21:36.620 --> 00:21:37.019
 your way

00:21:37.019 --> 00:21:38.200
 of not doing it.

00:21:41.600 --> 00:21:42.460
 Brothers and sisters

00:21:42.460 --> 00:21:43.660
 stop observing

00:21:43.660 --> 00:21:44.180
 the wind

00:21:44.180 --> 00:21:45.300
 and regarding

00:21:45.300 --> 00:21:45.860
 the clouds

00:21:45.860 --> 00:21:46.900
 let us sow

00:21:46.900 --> 00:21:47.420
 in the morning

00:21:47.420 --> 00:21:48.560
 let us sow

00:21:48.560 --> 00:21:49.060
 in the evening

00:21:49.060 --> 00:21:50.060
 because we don't know

00:21:50.060 --> 00:21:50.440
 which one

00:21:50.440 --> 00:21:51.039
 will bear fruit.

00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:55.019
 Moving ahead

00:21:55.019 --> 00:21:55.940
 verses 7 to 10

00:21:55.940 --> 00:21:56.940
 teach us to rejoice

00:21:56.940 --> 00:21:57.779
 in our youth.

00:21:58.779 --> 00:21:59.400
 Note the repetition

00:21:59.400 --> 00:22:00.279
 of the word rejoice

00:22:00.279 --> 00:22:00.960
 in verse 8

00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:01.640
 verse 9

00:22:01.640 --> 00:22:02.500
 so if a person

00:22:02.500 --> 00:22:03.720
 lives many years

00:22:03.720 --> 00:22:04.720
 let him rejoice

00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:05.799
 in them all.

00:22:06.660 --> 00:22:07.120
 Rejoice

00:22:07.120 --> 00:22:07.819
 oh young man

00:22:07.819 --> 00:22:08.420
 in your youth

00:22:08.420 --> 00:22:09.100
 and let your heart

00:22:09.100 --> 00:22:09.660
 cheer you

00:22:09.660 --> 00:22:10.160
 in the days

00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:10.779
 of your youth.

00:22:11.579 --> 00:22:12.680
 The verb rejoice

00:22:12.680 --> 00:22:14.000
 and the noun form

00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:14.380
 of that

00:22:14.380 --> 00:22:15.120
 joy

00:22:15.120 --> 00:22:16.340
 are key words

00:22:16.340 --> 00:22:17.079
 that we have seen

00:22:17.079 --> 00:22:17.640
 repeatedly

00:22:17.640 --> 00:22:18.779
 throughout Ecclesiastes

00:22:18.779 --> 00:22:19.900
 and especially

00:22:19.900 --> 00:22:20.680
 in those

00:22:20.680 --> 00:22:21.660
 carpe diem

00:22:21.660 --> 00:22:22.640
 or the seize the day

00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:23.059
 passages

00:22:23.059 --> 00:22:23.680
 that are key

00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:24.360
 for understanding

00:22:24.360 --> 00:22:24.860
 this book

00:22:24.860 --> 00:22:25.440
 that we've seen

00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:26.440
 so far.

00:22:27.319 --> 00:22:28.279
 And those passages

00:22:28.279 --> 00:22:29.319
 have taught us

00:22:29.319 --> 00:22:30.860
 to enjoy life.

00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:32.200
 to relish

00:22:32.200 --> 00:22:33.240
 the simple pleasures

00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:33.819
 of life

00:22:33.819 --> 00:22:35.059
 because these pleasures

00:22:35.059 --> 00:22:35.519
 of life

00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:36.279
 enjoyed within

00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:37.519
 their proper boundaries

00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:38.220
 given to us

00:22:38.220 --> 00:22:38.779
 by God

00:22:38.779 --> 00:22:39.480
 are meant

00:22:39.480 --> 00:22:40.860
 to comfort us

00:22:40.860 --> 00:22:41.759
 in the midst

00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:42.559
 of the painful

00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:43.640
 realities of life

00:22:43.640 --> 00:22:44.259
 in this broken

00:22:44.259 --> 00:22:45.180
 and fallen world.

00:22:46.380 --> 00:22:47.160
 They are gifts

00:22:47.160 --> 00:22:48.000
 from God

00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:48.860
 in order to

00:22:48.860 --> 00:22:50.340
 punctuate

00:22:50.340 --> 00:22:51.840
 the pains

00:22:51.840 --> 00:22:52.640
 in our lives

00:22:52.640 --> 00:22:53.360
 with joy

00:22:53.360 --> 00:22:57.180
 like flowers

00:22:57.180 --> 00:22:59.019
 or ice cream

00:22:59.019 --> 00:23:00.039
 that we bring

00:23:00.039 --> 00:23:00.500
 over to

00:23:00.500 --> 00:23:01.460
 an ailing friend

00:23:01.460 --> 00:23:02.200
 at the hospital.

00:23:03.639 --> 00:23:04.119
 Comfort

00:23:04.119 --> 00:23:04.819
 in the midst

00:23:04.819 --> 00:23:05.400
 of the pain

00:23:05.400 --> 00:23:06.279
 in the midst

00:23:06.279 --> 00:23:06.839
 of the suffering.

00:23:09.299 --> 00:23:10.200
 So light is sweet

00:23:10.200 --> 00:23:10.660
 it says

00:23:10.660 --> 00:23:11.339
 verse 7

00:23:11.339 --> 00:23:12.680
 and it is pleasant

00:23:12.680 --> 00:23:13.379
 for the eyes

00:23:13.379 --> 00:23:14.379
 to see the sun.

00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:16.480
 I don't think

00:23:16.480 --> 00:23:17.019
 I'm alone

00:23:17.019 --> 00:23:17.460
 in saying

00:23:17.460 --> 00:23:18.259
 that I enjoy

00:23:18.259 --> 00:23:18.759
 the sun.

00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:19.879
 You guys all enjoy

00:23:19.879 --> 00:23:20.279
 the sun.

00:23:21.879 --> 00:23:22.799
 We enjoyed

00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:23.980
 some unexpected

00:23:23.980 --> 00:23:24.900
 summer days

00:23:24.900 --> 00:23:25.619
 here in New England

00:23:25.619 --> 00:23:26.719
 fall this past week.

00:23:28.019 --> 00:23:29.059
 I think Friday

00:23:29.059 --> 00:23:29.959
 November 1st

00:23:29.959 --> 00:23:30.639
 we hit a high

00:23:30.639 --> 00:23:31.779
 of 79 degrees

00:23:31.779 --> 00:23:32.899
 which surpassed

00:23:32.899 --> 00:23:34.339
 the 1974 record

00:23:34.339 --> 00:23:35.759
 of 77 degrees.

00:23:37.939 --> 00:23:39.279
 Like sweetness

00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:40.239
 that delights

00:23:40.239 --> 00:23:41.199
 our taste buds.

00:23:42.539 --> 00:23:43.539
 The warmth

00:23:43.539 --> 00:23:44.059
 of light

00:23:44.059 --> 00:23:44.959
 on our skin

00:23:44.959 --> 00:23:45.639
 delights

00:23:45.639 --> 00:23:46.199
 our senses

00:23:46.199 --> 00:23:46.779
 does it not?

00:23:50.399 --> 00:23:51.379
 And we don't have

00:23:51.379 --> 00:23:51.959
 to enjoy

00:23:51.959 --> 00:23:52.759
 sunny days only.

00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:54.299
 There are days

00:23:54.299 --> 00:23:54.679
 to enjoy

00:23:54.680 --> 00:23:55.320
 in the winter too.

00:23:56.759 --> 00:23:57.539
 Some of us

00:23:57.539 --> 00:23:58.380
 enjoy the chill

00:23:58.380 --> 00:23:58.779
 of winter

00:23:58.779 --> 00:24:00.200
 when we step

00:24:00.200 --> 00:24:00.560
 outside

00:24:00.560 --> 00:24:01.320
 and feel

00:24:01.320 --> 00:24:02.039
 that cool

00:24:02.039 --> 00:24:03.320
 refreshing sensation

00:24:03.320 --> 00:24:04.560
 from head to toe.

00:24:06.860 --> 00:24:07.519
 Who knows

00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:08.240
 what I'm talking about?

00:24:08.299 --> 00:24:08.940
 You guys enjoy that?

00:24:09.019 --> 00:24:09.100
 Yeah?

00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:12.000
 I know Josh

00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:12.860
 enjoys walks out

00:24:12.860 --> 00:24:13.340
 in the cold

00:24:13.340 --> 00:24:14.019
 winter days.

00:24:14.200 --> 00:24:14.320
 Yeah,

00:24:14.420 --> 00:24:15.759
 I'm sure he's not alone.

00:24:20.900 --> 00:24:21.620
 And that

00:24:21.620 --> 00:24:23.779
 walk

00:24:23.779 --> 00:24:24.460
 in the fresh

00:24:24.460 --> 00:24:25.139
 fallen snow

00:24:25.139 --> 00:24:25.660
 and that

00:24:25.660 --> 00:24:27.440
 squeak

00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:27.940
 in the snow

00:24:27.940 --> 00:24:28.639
 that you hear

00:24:28.639 --> 00:24:30.480
 walk on ground

00:24:30.480 --> 00:24:31.059
 and nobody else

00:24:31.059 --> 00:24:31.700
 has stepped on.

00:24:31.779 --> 00:24:32.279
 How beautiful

00:24:32.279 --> 00:24:32.720
 is that?

00:24:40.420 --> 00:24:40.940
 Remember,

00:24:41.940 --> 00:24:42.980
 under the sun

00:24:42.980 --> 00:24:44.079
 is a phrase

00:24:44.079 --> 00:24:44.899
 that the preacher

00:24:44.899 --> 00:24:45.420
 of Achilles

00:24:45.420 --> 00:24:46.240
 Yastis has used

00:24:46.240 --> 00:24:46.700
 repeatedly

00:24:46.700 --> 00:24:47.240
 many times

00:24:47.240 --> 00:24:47.860
 to describe

00:24:47.860 --> 00:24:48.720
 our sinful

00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:49.140
 world

00:24:49.140 --> 00:24:49.960
 and our life

00:24:49.960 --> 00:24:50.779
 in this broken

00:24:50.779 --> 00:24:51.640
 and sinful world.

00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:52.779
 But if you're

00:24:52.779 --> 00:24:53.740
 seeing the sun,

00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:54.980
 then you're

00:24:54.980 --> 00:24:55.779
 at least alive.

00:24:56.920 --> 00:24:57.820
 And he's saying

00:24:57.820 --> 00:24:59.220
 enjoy life.

00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:01.360
 Enjoy the gifts

00:25:01.360 --> 00:25:02.200
 that come to you

00:25:02.200 --> 00:25:03.860
 wherever you find them.

00:25:04.820 --> 00:25:05.740
 It says in verse 8,

00:25:05.740 --> 00:25:06.440
 so if a person

00:25:06.440 --> 00:25:07.380
 lives many years,

00:25:07.480 --> 00:25:08.259
 let him rejoice

00:25:08.259 --> 00:25:09.200
 in them all.

00:25:09.859 --> 00:25:10.839
 But let him remember

00:25:10.839 --> 00:25:11.480
 that the days

00:25:11.480 --> 00:25:11.980
 of darkness

00:25:11.980 --> 00:25:12.640
 will be many.

00:25:12.819 --> 00:25:13.539
 All that comes

00:25:13.539 --> 00:25:14.099
 is vanity.

00:25:14.859 --> 00:25:15.339
 Remember

00:25:15.339 --> 00:25:16.539
 is another key word

00:25:16.539 --> 00:25:17.339
 and it will occur

00:25:17.339 --> 00:25:18.480
 again in chapter 12

00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:19.839
 and reminds us here

00:25:19.839 --> 00:25:21.160
 of the two commands,

00:25:21.240 --> 00:25:21.759
 main commands

00:25:21.759 --> 00:25:22.480
 of Ecclesiastes.

00:25:23.319 --> 00:25:23.799
 Rejoice

00:25:23.799 --> 00:25:25.180
 or enjoy life

00:25:25.180 --> 00:25:27.059
 and remember.

00:25:27.299 --> 00:25:27.799
 Remember

00:25:27.799 --> 00:25:29.099
 the reality

00:25:29.099 --> 00:25:29.660
 of death

00:25:29.660 --> 00:25:30.279
 and reality

00:25:30.279 --> 00:25:30.759
 of our

00:25:30.759 --> 00:25:32.180
 creatureliness.

00:25:33.460 --> 00:25:34.420
 The joys of life

00:25:34.420 --> 00:25:35.140
 are not meant

00:25:35.140 --> 00:25:35.800
 to function

00:25:35.800 --> 00:25:36.880
 like opioids

00:25:36.880 --> 00:25:38.080
 that block

00:25:38.080 --> 00:25:38.860
 the pain signals

00:25:38.860 --> 00:25:39.700
 between the body

00:25:39.700 --> 00:25:40.519
 and the brain.

00:25:41.820 --> 00:25:43.259
 We have an opioid crisis

00:25:43.259 --> 00:25:44.140
 in the country.

00:25:44.220 --> 00:25:45.480
 130 people die

00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:46.000
 per day

00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:48.220
 because of opioid overdose.

00:25:48.600 --> 00:25:49.420
 People get addicted

00:25:49.420 --> 00:25:50.060
 to these

00:25:50.060 --> 00:25:52.120
 painkillers,

00:25:52.340 --> 00:25:52.860
 these opioids,

00:25:53.000 --> 00:25:54.480
 because it gives them

00:25:54.480 --> 00:25:55.180
 this sense

00:25:55.180 --> 00:25:56.039
 of well-being

00:25:56.039 --> 00:25:56.759
 and euphoria

00:25:56.759 --> 00:25:58.300
 and it helps them

00:25:58.300 --> 00:25:58.920
 to escape

00:25:58.920 --> 00:26:00.279
 to this alternate reality

00:26:00.279 --> 00:26:01.960
 and to run away

00:26:01.960 --> 00:26:02.660
 from the pains

00:26:02.660 --> 00:26:03.160
 of life.

00:26:04.420 --> 00:26:06.259
 But that's not

00:26:06.259 --> 00:26:06.759
 the counsel

00:26:06.759 --> 00:26:07.560
 of Ecclesiastes.

00:26:08.820 --> 00:26:09.960
 It doesn't tell us

00:26:09.960 --> 00:26:11.240
 to seek to escape

00:26:11.240 --> 00:26:12.920
 the realities of life.

00:26:13.000 --> 00:26:13.100
 No,

00:26:13.220 --> 00:26:14.820
 it faces us

00:26:14.820 --> 00:26:15.759
 front and center

00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:16.759
 with the reality

00:26:16.759 --> 00:26:17.160
 of life

00:26:17.160 --> 00:26:18.279
 and reality of death

00:26:18.279 --> 00:26:18.860
 and the reality

00:26:18.860 --> 00:26:19.560
 of suffering

00:26:19.560 --> 00:26:20.300
 and evil

00:26:20.300 --> 00:26:21.060
 in this world

00:26:21.060 --> 00:26:22.200
 and then tells us

00:26:22.200 --> 00:26:23.000
 in the midst

00:26:23.000 --> 00:26:23.519
 of that

00:26:23.519 --> 00:26:24.660
 to enjoy life.

00:26:24.660 --> 00:26:27.779
 to have the humility

00:26:27.779 --> 00:26:28.400
 and the fear

00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:28.860
 of God

00:26:28.860 --> 00:26:31.400
 to have the freedom

00:26:31.400 --> 00:26:32.860
 of insignificance

00:26:32.860 --> 00:26:34.080
 to be able

00:26:34.080 --> 00:26:34.640
 to enjoy

00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:35.560
 the simple gifts

00:26:35.560 --> 00:26:36.200
 and the pleasures

00:26:36.200 --> 00:26:36.800
 of life.

00:26:38.700 --> 00:26:39.700
 It's only,

00:26:39.940 --> 00:26:40.140
 in fact,

00:26:40.220 --> 00:26:41.120
 it's only when

00:26:41.120 --> 00:26:41.840
 we are staring

00:26:41.840 --> 00:26:42.900
 death in the face

00:26:42.900 --> 00:26:44.160
 that we learn

00:26:44.160 --> 00:26:44.640
 humility

00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:45.440
 and the freedom

00:26:45.440 --> 00:26:46.360
 of insignificance

00:26:46.360 --> 00:26:47.700
 so that we are

00:26:47.700 --> 00:26:48.820
 released from

00:26:48.820 --> 00:26:49.960
 the shackles

00:26:49.960 --> 00:26:51.720
 of illusions

00:26:51.720 --> 00:26:52.500
 of godness

00:26:52.500 --> 00:26:53.319
 and the shackles

00:26:53.319 --> 00:26:54.200
 of profit

00:26:54.200 --> 00:26:55.059
 and performance

00:26:55.059 --> 00:26:55.700
 in life

00:26:55.700 --> 00:26:57.240
 so that we can

00:26:57.240 --> 00:26:58.500
 actually enjoy life.

00:27:02.120 --> 00:27:02.680
 Ecclesiastes

00:27:02.680 --> 00:27:03.339
 has taught us

00:27:03.339 --> 00:27:04.319
 to number our days

00:27:04.319 --> 00:27:05.039
 and to remember

00:27:05.039 --> 00:27:05.900
 our impending death

00:27:05.900 --> 00:27:06.980
 over and over again

00:27:06.980 --> 00:27:07.980
 but have you

00:27:07.980 --> 00:27:09.059
 really reckoned

00:27:09.059 --> 00:27:10.600
 with your own mortality?

00:27:13.039 --> 00:27:13.880
 19th century

00:27:13.880 --> 00:27:14.620
 English writer

00:27:14.620 --> 00:27:15.620
 William Hazlitt

00:27:15.620 --> 00:27:16.319
 wrote an essay

00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:17.079
 that captures

00:27:17.079 --> 00:27:18.019
 what it's like

00:27:18.019 --> 00:27:18.680
 to be young

00:27:18.680 --> 00:27:19.839
 versus what it's like

00:27:19.839 --> 00:27:20.400
 to be old

00:27:20.400 --> 00:27:21.620
 and this is

00:27:21.620 --> 00:27:22.560
 what he has to say

00:27:22.560 --> 00:27:23.080
 about death

00:27:23.080 --> 00:27:23.720
 and old age

00:27:23.720 --> 00:27:24.400
 to the young.

00:27:24.560 --> 00:27:24.820
 He says

00:27:24.820 --> 00:27:27.040
 that to the young

00:27:27.040 --> 00:27:29.300
 words like death

00:27:29.300 --> 00:27:29.940
 and old age

00:27:29.940 --> 00:27:30.740
 are words

00:27:30.740 --> 00:27:31.440
 without meaning.

00:27:33.259 --> 00:27:33.820
 They are merely

00:27:33.820 --> 00:27:34.620
 a dream

00:27:34.620 --> 00:27:35.360
 of fiction

00:27:35.360 --> 00:27:37.220
 and life

00:27:37.220 --> 00:27:37.960
 is a delightful

00:27:37.960 --> 00:27:38.440
 journey

00:27:38.440 --> 00:27:39.880
 with no end

00:27:39.880 --> 00:27:40.400
 in sight

00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:41.600
 to prospect

00:27:41.600 --> 00:27:42.660
 after prospect.

00:27:43.820 --> 00:27:44.540
 To be young

00:27:44.540 --> 00:27:45.100
 he writes

00:27:45.100 --> 00:27:46.000
 is to be

00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:46.620
 as one

00:27:46.620 --> 00:27:47.860
 of the immortals.

00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:52.200
 I think

00:27:52.200 --> 00:27:52.820
 John Calvin

00:27:52.820 --> 00:27:53.540
 will concur

00:27:53.540 --> 00:27:54.259
 with this

00:27:54.259 --> 00:27:55.420
 assessment

00:27:55.420 --> 00:27:56.540
 because he writes

00:27:56.540 --> 00:27:57.300
 in the Institutes

00:27:57.300 --> 00:27:58.140
 of Christian Religion

00:27:58.140 --> 00:27:59.740
 that human life

00:27:59.740 --> 00:28:00.820
 is like smoke

00:28:00.820 --> 00:28:01.380
 or shadow

00:28:01.380 --> 00:28:02.600
 that human life

00:28:02.600 --> 00:28:03.220
 is like smoke

00:28:03.220 --> 00:28:03.560
 or shadow

00:28:03.560 --> 00:28:04.440
 is not only obvious

00:28:04.440 --> 00:28:04.980
 to the learned

00:28:04.980 --> 00:28:05.940
 but even ordinary

00:28:05.940 --> 00:28:06.540
 folk have

00:28:06.540 --> 00:28:07.420
 no proverb

00:28:07.420 --> 00:28:08.440
 more commonplace

00:28:08.440 --> 00:28:08.920
 than this.

00:28:09.759 --> 00:28:10.200
 But there is

00:28:10.200 --> 00:28:11.100
 almost nothing

00:28:11.100 --> 00:28:12.500
 that we regard

00:28:12.500 --> 00:28:13.620
 more negligently

00:28:13.620 --> 00:28:15.019
 or remember less

00:28:15.019 --> 00:28:16.940
 for we undertake

00:28:16.940 --> 00:28:17.639
 all things

00:28:17.639 --> 00:28:18.259
 as if we were

00:28:18.259 --> 00:28:18.900
 establishing

00:28:18.900 --> 00:28:19.879
 immortality

00:28:19.879 --> 00:28:20.500
 for ourselves

00:28:20.500 --> 00:28:21.180
 on earth.

00:28:22.099 --> 00:28:23.139
 If some corpse

00:28:23.139 --> 00:28:23.920
 is being buried

00:28:23.920 --> 00:28:24.559
 or we walk

00:28:24.559 --> 00:28:25.279
 among graves

00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:26.160
 because the likeness

00:28:26.160 --> 00:28:26.559
 of death

00:28:26.559 --> 00:28:27.579
 then meets our eyes

00:28:27.579 --> 00:28:28.859
 we I confess

00:28:28.859 --> 00:28:30.019
 philosophize

00:28:30.019 --> 00:28:30.740
 brilliantly

00:28:30.740 --> 00:28:31.660
 concerning the vanity

00:28:31.660 --> 00:28:32.379
 of this life.

00:28:33.059 --> 00:28:33.799
 Yet even this

00:28:33.799 --> 00:28:34.599
 we do not do

00:28:34.599 --> 00:28:35.200
 consistently

00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:35.859
 for often

00:28:35.859 --> 00:28:36.599
 all these things

00:28:36.599 --> 00:28:37.160
 affect us

00:28:37.160 --> 00:28:38.240
 not one bit.

00:28:39.019 --> 00:28:40.139
 But when it happens

00:28:40.139 --> 00:28:41.099
 our philosophy

00:28:41.099 --> 00:28:41.900
 is for the moment

00:28:41.900 --> 00:28:42.740
 it vanishes

00:28:42.740 --> 00:28:43.500
 as soon as we

00:28:43.500 --> 00:28:44.220
 turn our backs

00:28:44.220 --> 00:28:45.140
 and leaves not

00:28:45.140 --> 00:28:45.559
 a trace

00:28:45.559 --> 00:28:46.059
 of remembrance

00:28:46.059 --> 00:28:46.819
 behind it.

00:28:47.500 --> 00:28:48.100
 In the end

00:28:48.100 --> 00:28:48.920
 like applause

00:28:48.920 --> 00:28:49.519
 in the theater

00:28:49.519 --> 00:28:50.279
 for some pleasing

00:28:50.279 --> 00:28:50.880
 spectacle

00:28:50.880 --> 00:28:51.880
 it evaporates.

00:28:52.640 --> 00:28:53.640
 Forgetful not only

00:28:53.640 --> 00:28:54.120
 of death

00:28:54.120 --> 00:28:55.259
 but also of mortality

00:28:55.259 --> 00:28:55.740
 itself

00:28:55.740 --> 00:28:56.980
 as if no inkling

00:28:56.980 --> 00:28:57.620
 of it had ever

00:28:57.620 --> 00:28:58.240
 reached us

00:28:58.240 --> 00:28:59.519
 we return to our

00:28:59.519 --> 00:29:00.480
 thoughtless assurance

00:29:00.480 --> 00:29:02.259
 of earthly immortality.

00:29:03.500 --> 00:29:04.299
 The thought

00:29:04.299 --> 00:29:05.819
 of perpetuity

00:29:05.819 --> 00:29:07.339
 nonetheless

00:29:07.339 --> 00:29:08.740
 remains fixed

00:29:08.740 --> 00:29:10.140
 in our minds.

00:29:14.220 --> 00:29:15.000
 I only have

00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:15.620
 two weeks left

00:29:15.620 --> 00:29:16.059
 this Sunday

00:29:16.059 --> 00:29:16.700
 and next Sunday

00:29:16.700 --> 00:29:18.039
 in Ecclesiastes

00:29:18.039 --> 00:29:19.400
 to really get

00:29:19.400 --> 00:29:20.339
 through to you

00:29:20.339 --> 00:29:21.600
 about this.

00:29:23.240 --> 00:29:24.460
 Don't be reminded

00:29:24.460 --> 00:29:25.000
 of death

00:29:25.000 --> 00:29:26.620
 during Sunday worship

00:29:26.620 --> 00:29:27.759
 only to let it

00:29:27.759 --> 00:29:28.860
 affect your life

00:29:28.860 --> 00:29:29.880
 not one bit.

00:29:32.319 --> 00:29:33.700
 If we can gain

00:29:33.700 --> 00:29:35.240
 this wisdom now

00:29:35.240 --> 00:29:37.500
 while we're still young

00:29:37.500 --> 00:29:38.900
 then we can

00:29:38.900 --> 00:29:41.339
 truly enjoy life

00:29:41.339 --> 00:29:42.619
 and rejoice

00:29:42.619 --> 00:29:43.419
 in our youth

00:29:43.419 --> 00:29:45.019
 as gifts

00:29:45.019 --> 00:29:45.579
 from God.

00:29:47.959 --> 00:29:48.599
 Verse 9

00:29:48.599 --> 00:29:49.579
 continues this thought

00:29:49.579 --> 00:29:50.220
 rejoice

00:29:50.220 --> 00:29:51.099
 oh young man

00:29:51.099 --> 00:29:51.859
 in your youth

00:29:51.859 --> 00:29:53.459
 and let your heart

00:29:53.459 --> 00:29:55.079
 cheer you

00:29:55.079 --> 00:29:55.480
 in the days

00:29:55.480 --> 00:29:55.959
 of your youth

00:29:55.959 --> 00:29:56.939
 walk in the ways

00:29:56.939 --> 00:29:57.439
 of your heart

00:29:57.439 --> 00:29:57.879
 and the side

00:29:57.879 --> 00:29:58.319
 of your eyes

00:29:58.319 --> 00:29:58.819
 but know that

00:29:58.819 --> 00:29:59.419
 for all these things

00:29:59.419 --> 00:30:00.019
 God will bring you

00:30:00.019 --> 00:30:00.539
 into judgment.

00:30:02.159 --> 00:30:03.240
 Walking in the ways

00:30:03.240 --> 00:30:03.779
 of your heart

00:30:03.779 --> 00:30:04.379
 and the side

00:30:04.379 --> 00:30:05.019
 of your eyes

00:30:05.019 --> 00:30:05.939
 are different ways

00:30:05.939 --> 00:30:06.619
 to speak of

00:30:06.619 --> 00:30:07.519
 enjoying life.

00:30:08.220 --> 00:30:09.319
 Sometimes in Ecclesiastes

00:30:09.319 --> 00:30:10.399
 the side of the eyes

00:30:10.400 --> 00:30:11.380
 is a symbol

00:30:11.380 --> 00:30:12.080
 for wisdom

00:30:12.080 --> 00:30:12.980
 for example

00:30:12.980 --> 00:30:14.340
 Ecclesiastes 2.14

00:30:14.340 --> 00:30:15.019
 and 6.9

00:30:15.019 --> 00:30:16.759
 but in other places

00:30:16.759 --> 00:30:17.900
 eye represents

00:30:17.900 --> 00:30:18.380
 the seed

00:30:18.380 --> 00:30:19.320
 of human desire.

00:30:20.120 --> 00:30:20.500
 So for example

00:30:20.500 --> 00:30:21.700
 Ecclesiastes 2.10

00:30:21.700 --> 00:30:22.180
 says whatever

00:30:22.180 --> 00:30:23.640
 my eyes desired

00:30:23.640 --> 00:30:24.340
 I did not keep

00:30:24.340 --> 00:30:24.820
 from them

00:30:24.820 --> 00:30:26.580
 or Ecclesiastes 4.8

00:30:26.580 --> 00:30:27.640
 his eyes

00:30:27.640 --> 00:30:28.640
 are never satisfied

00:30:28.640 --> 00:30:29.320
 with riches.

00:30:30.360 --> 00:30:31.540
 Earlier verse 7

00:30:31.540 --> 00:30:32.120
 spoke of how

00:30:32.120 --> 00:30:32.860
 it is pleasant

00:30:32.860 --> 00:30:33.640
 for the eyes

00:30:33.640 --> 00:30:34.340
 to see the sun

00:30:34.340 --> 00:30:35.000
 so similarly

00:30:35.000 --> 00:30:35.800
 eyes here

00:30:35.800 --> 00:30:36.740
 represents the seed

00:30:36.740 --> 00:30:37.300
 of desire.

00:30:37.920 --> 00:30:38.820
 Heart is similar

00:30:38.819 --> 00:30:40.059
 it's representing

00:30:40.059 --> 00:30:41.200
 the human capacity

00:30:41.200 --> 00:30:41.980
 to rejoice

00:30:41.980 --> 00:30:43.099
 and to enjoy

00:30:43.099 --> 00:30:43.939
 the things in life.

00:30:44.899 --> 00:30:46.220
 So Ecclesiastes 5.20

00:30:46.220 --> 00:30:46.960
 says if a man

00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:47.819
 enjoys the gifts

00:30:47.819 --> 00:30:48.539
 of God in life

00:30:48.539 --> 00:30:49.419
 God keeps him

00:30:49.419 --> 00:30:50.919
 occupied with joy

00:30:50.919 --> 00:30:52.039
 in his heart.

00:30:53.240 --> 00:30:53.939
 So the preacher

00:30:53.939 --> 00:30:54.599
 is telling us

00:30:54.599 --> 00:30:55.139
 in verse 9

00:30:55.139 --> 00:30:56.339
 to enjoy life

00:30:56.339 --> 00:30:57.599
 to rejoice

00:30:57.599 --> 00:30:58.700
 in the simple pleasures

00:30:58.700 --> 00:30:59.700
 that God gives.

00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:01.019
 Let them cheer

00:31:01.019 --> 00:31:01.720
 your heart

00:31:01.720 --> 00:31:02.200
 and let them

00:31:02.200 --> 00:31:03.359
 delight your eyes

00:31:03.359 --> 00:31:04.679
 and satisfy your eyes.

00:31:05.859 --> 00:31:06.379
 And of course

00:31:06.379 --> 00:31:07.299
 this doesn't mean

00:31:07.299 --> 00:31:08.379
 that we should indulge

00:31:08.379 --> 00:31:09.519
 in sinful pleasures

00:31:09.519 --> 00:31:10.940
 which is why

00:31:10.940 --> 00:31:11.639
 there's an important

00:31:11.639 --> 00:31:12.419
 caveat here

00:31:12.419 --> 00:31:13.720
 but know

00:31:13.720 --> 00:31:14.519
 that for all

00:31:14.519 --> 00:31:15.159
 these things

00:31:15.159 --> 00:31:16.339
 God will bring you

00:31:16.339 --> 00:31:17.019
 into judgment.

00:31:18.419 --> 00:31:19.599
 We will be judged

00:31:19.599 --> 00:31:20.879
 for our indulgence

00:31:20.879 --> 00:31:21.779
 in sinful pleasures

00:31:21.779 --> 00:31:23.059
 as well as

00:31:23.059 --> 00:31:24.879
 for our prideful refusal

00:31:24.879 --> 00:31:25.539
 to enjoy

00:31:25.539 --> 00:31:26.240
 the gifts of God

00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:26.720
 in life.

00:31:28.619 --> 00:31:29.460
 Verse 10

00:31:29.460 --> 00:31:30.680
 says remove

00:31:30.680 --> 00:31:31.599
 vexation

00:31:31.599 --> 00:31:32.299
 from your heart

00:31:32.299 --> 00:31:32.960
 and put away

00:31:32.960 --> 00:31:33.980
 pain from your body

00:31:33.980 --> 00:31:34.539
 for youth

00:31:34.539 --> 00:31:35.019
 and the dawn

00:31:35.019 --> 00:31:35.440
 of life

00:31:35.440 --> 00:31:36.480
 are vanity.

00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:37.960
 This verse

00:31:37.960 --> 00:31:39.140
 brings into relief

00:31:39.140 --> 00:31:40.740
 this fascinating nuance

00:31:40.740 --> 00:31:41.900
 and layers of depth

00:31:41.900 --> 00:31:42.440
 in this book

00:31:42.440 --> 00:31:43.180
 of Ecclesiastes.

00:31:44.000 --> 00:31:44.819
 Interestingly enough

00:31:44.819 --> 00:31:45.880
 the word vexation

00:31:45.880 --> 00:31:47.099
 here is the same word

00:31:47.099 --> 00:31:47.660
 that was used

00:31:47.660 --> 00:31:49.380
 in Ecclesiastes 1.18

00:31:49.380 --> 00:31:50.279
 where it says

00:31:50.279 --> 00:31:51.759
 in much wisdom

00:31:51.759 --> 00:31:53.519
 is much vexation

00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:55.839
 and he who increases

00:31:55.839 --> 00:31:56.860
 knowledge

00:31:56.860 --> 00:31:58.099
 increases sorrow

00:31:58.099 --> 00:32:00.400
 and in Ecclesiastes 7.3

00:32:00.400 --> 00:32:01.000
 it says

00:32:01.000 --> 00:32:02.380
 sorrow is better

00:32:02.380 --> 00:32:03.000
 than laughter

00:32:03.000 --> 00:32:04.360
 for by sadness

00:32:04.360 --> 00:32:04.880
 of faith

00:32:04.880 --> 00:32:05.360
 the heart

00:32:05.360 --> 00:32:06.299
 is made glad

00:32:06.299 --> 00:32:06.899
 and there

00:32:06.899 --> 00:32:07.559
 that word

00:32:07.559 --> 00:32:08.659
 translated sorrow

00:32:08.659 --> 00:32:09.700
 is the same Hebrew word

00:32:09.700 --> 00:32:11.079
 translated vexation

00:32:11.079 --> 00:32:11.359
 here.

00:32:13.019 --> 00:32:14.159
 So on the one hand

00:32:14.159 --> 00:32:15.220
 wisdom

00:32:15.220 --> 00:32:16.740
 brings vexation

00:32:16.740 --> 00:32:17.879
 and we're supposed

00:32:17.879 --> 00:32:19.039
 to grow in wisdom

00:32:19.039 --> 00:32:19.659
 by becoming

00:32:19.659 --> 00:32:20.700
 acquainted with

00:32:20.700 --> 00:32:21.419
 sorrows

00:32:21.419 --> 00:32:22.240
 and vexation

00:32:22.240 --> 00:32:22.799
 and death

00:32:22.799 --> 00:32:23.980
 by remembering

00:32:23.980 --> 00:32:24.899
 our finitude

00:32:24.899 --> 00:32:26.680
 by remembering

00:32:26.680 --> 00:32:27.339
 that the days

00:32:27.339 --> 00:32:27.839
 of darkness

00:32:27.839 --> 00:32:28.240
 in life

00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:28.759
 will be many

00:32:28.759 --> 00:32:29.740
 in this fallen world

00:32:29.740 --> 00:32:31.839
 but on the other hand

00:32:31.839 --> 00:32:32.819
 we are supposed

00:32:32.819 --> 00:32:34.319
 to remove vexation

00:32:34.319 --> 00:32:35.119
 from our hearts

00:32:35.119 --> 00:32:36.099
 and put away

00:32:36.099 --> 00:32:37.179
 pain from our bodies

00:32:37.179 --> 00:32:37.859
 for youth

00:32:37.859 --> 00:32:38.359
 and the dawn

00:32:38.359 --> 00:32:38.799
 of life

00:32:38.799 --> 00:32:39.639
 are vanity

00:32:39.639 --> 00:32:40.980
 because life

00:32:40.980 --> 00:32:41.639
 is short

00:32:41.639 --> 00:32:42.500
 and youth

00:32:42.500 --> 00:32:43.359
 is but a breath

00:32:43.359 --> 00:32:45.819
 so these two truths

00:32:45.819 --> 00:32:46.980
 are held in tension

00:32:46.980 --> 00:32:47.899
 all throughout

00:32:47.899 --> 00:32:49.019
 the book of Ecclesiastes

00:32:49.019 --> 00:32:50.839
 we are to be wise

00:32:50.839 --> 00:32:51.619
 and acquainted

00:32:51.619 --> 00:32:52.420
 with sorrow

00:32:52.420 --> 00:32:53.279
 and to number

00:32:53.279 --> 00:32:53.980
 our days

00:32:53.980 --> 00:32:55.059
 but we also

00:32:55.059 --> 00:32:55.680
 are not supposed

00:32:55.680 --> 00:32:56.799
 to become gloomy

00:32:56.799 --> 00:32:57.700
 or sullen

00:32:57.700 --> 00:32:58.420
 or depressed

00:32:58.420 --> 00:32:59.980
 always preoccupied

00:32:59.980 --> 00:33:00.680
 with the brokenness

00:33:00.680 --> 00:33:01.240
 of the world

00:33:01.240 --> 00:33:02.940
 instead we are

00:33:02.940 --> 00:33:03.680
 to rejoice

00:33:03.680 --> 00:33:04.559
 in the gifts

00:33:04.559 --> 00:33:05.039
 of life

00:33:05.039 --> 00:33:06.920
 rejoice in our youth

00:33:06.920 --> 00:33:08.079
 and remember

00:33:08.079 --> 00:33:09.299
 our creator

00:33:09.299 --> 00:33:11.240
 and our creatureliness

00:33:11.240 --> 00:33:14.400
 are you rejoicing

00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:15.039
 in your youth

00:33:15.039 --> 00:33:17.819
 now this doesn't mean

00:33:17.819 --> 00:33:18.839
 that if you're old

00:33:18.839 --> 00:33:20.099
 you can't enjoy life

00:33:20.099 --> 00:33:23.160
 it said in verse 8

00:33:23.160 --> 00:33:23.960
 so if a person

00:33:23.960 --> 00:33:25.259
 lives many years

00:33:25.259 --> 00:33:26.500
 let him rejoice

00:33:26.500 --> 00:33:27.559
 in them all

00:33:27.559 --> 00:33:28.799
 so yes

00:33:28.799 --> 00:33:29.859
 even when you're old

00:33:29.859 --> 00:33:30.700
 there are days

00:33:30.700 --> 00:33:31.599
 you should enjoy

00:33:31.599 --> 00:33:32.420
 gifts from God

00:33:32.420 --> 00:33:33.880
 that you should enjoy

00:33:33.880 --> 00:33:37.099
 however

00:33:37.099 --> 00:33:38.680
 there are particular joys

00:33:38.680 --> 00:33:40.519
 that you get to enjoy

00:33:40.519 --> 00:33:41.180
 while you're still

00:33:41.180 --> 00:33:41.720
 in your youth

00:33:41.720 --> 00:33:44.660
 enjoy the health

00:33:44.660 --> 00:33:45.500
 and strength

00:33:45.500 --> 00:33:46.220
 of your body

00:33:46.220 --> 00:33:47.480
 while you still can

00:33:47.480 --> 00:33:50.079
 go out for a run

00:33:50.079 --> 00:33:51.960
 go play some basketball

00:33:51.960 --> 00:33:55.139
 go throw some frisbee around

00:33:55.139 --> 00:33:56.579
 while your joints

00:33:56.579 --> 00:33:57.379
 can still handle

00:33:57.379 --> 00:33:58.000
 all the jumping

00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:58.519
 and cutting

00:33:58.519 --> 00:33:59.400
 across the field

00:33:59.400 --> 00:34:01.920
 enjoy the beauty

00:34:01.920 --> 00:34:02.460
 of youth

00:34:02.460 --> 00:34:04.460
 the tight skin

00:34:04.460 --> 00:34:05.259
 that is not yet

00:34:05.259 --> 00:34:06.339
 wrinkled and sagging

00:34:06.339 --> 00:34:08.039
 and thank God

00:34:08.039 --> 00:34:08.500
 for it

00:34:08.500 --> 00:34:10.420
 if you're young

00:34:10.420 --> 00:34:10.940
 and married

00:34:10.940 --> 00:34:12.239
 have kids

00:34:12.239 --> 00:34:13.400
 while you still can

00:34:13.400 --> 00:34:14.519
 and enjoy

00:34:14.519 --> 00:34:15.639
 watching them grow up

00:34:15.639 --> 00:34:17.239
 because soon

00:34:17.239 --> 00:34:17.880
 you won't be able

00:34:17.880 --> 00:34:18.800
 to have them anymore

00:34:18.800 --> 00:34:25.099
 in Deuteronomy 28

00:34:25.099 --> 00:34:26.019
 45-47

00:34:26.019 --> 00:34:26.940
 Moses says this

00:34:26.940 --> 00:34:27.539
 to the Israelites

00:34:27.539 --> 00:34:28.980
 all these curses

00:34:28.980 --> 00:34:29.960
 shall come upon you

00:34:29.960 --> 00:34:30.920
 and pursue you

00:34:30.920 --> 00:34:31.759
 and overtake you

00:34:31.759 --> 00:34:32.759
 till you are destroyed

00:34:32.759 --> 00:34:34.039
 because you did not

00:34:34.039 --> 00:34:34.800
 obey the voice

00:34:34.800 --> 00:34:35.659
 of the Lord your God

00:34:35.659 --> 00:34:37.079
 to keep his commandments

00:34:37.079 --> 00:34:37.820
 and his statutes

00:34:37.820 --> 00:34:38.880
 that he commanded you

00:34:38.880 --> 00:34:40.900
 because you did not

00:34:40.900 --> 00:34:42.139
 serve the Lord your God

00:34:42.139 --> 00:34:43.599
 with joyfulness

00:34:43.599 --> 00:34:45.159
 and gladness of heart

00:34:45.159 --> 00:34:47.099
 because of the abundance

00:34:47.099 --> 00:34:48.360
 of all things

00:34:48.360 --> 00:34:52.360
 what led the Israelites

00:34:52.360 --> 00:34:54.460
 into their unfaithfulness

00:34:54.460 --> 00:34:54.980
 to God

00:34:54.980 --> 00:34:56.300
 and into their disobedience

00:34:56.300 --> 00:34:57.180
 to the Lord's commands

00:34:57.180 --> 00:34:58.539
 what caused that

00:34:58.539 --> 00:34:59.240
 what was at the root

00:34:59.240 --> 00:34:59.720
 of that

00:34:59.720 --> 00:35:03.160
 a lack of joyfulness

00:35:03.160 --> 00:35:04.980
 and gladness of heart

00:35:04.980 --> 00:35:06.260
 because of the abundance

00:35:06.260 --> 00:35:07.240
 of all things

00:35:07.240 --> 00:35:09.000
 because joy

00:35:09.000 --> 00:35:09.940
 and gladness

00:35:09.940 --> 00:35:11.160
 and the abundance

00:35:11.160 --> 00:35:11.820
 of all things

00:35:11.820 --> 00:35:12.900
 that God has given us

00:35:12.900 --> 00:35:13.820
 this joy

00:35:13.820 --> 00:35:14.260
 and gratitude

00:35:14.260 --> 00:35:16.060
 they fortify our hearts

00:35:16.060 --> 00:35:17.080
 from the temptation

00:35:17.080 --> 00:35:17.860
 to think

00:35:17.860 --> 00:35:19.340
 that we'd be better off

00:35:19.340 --> 00:35:20.240
 apart from God

00:35:20.240 --> 00:35:23.380
 that we can find things

00:35:23.380 --> 00:35:24.880
 that are better for us

00:35:24.880 --> 00:35:25.860
 than what God

00:35:25.860 --> 00:35:26.440
 is offering

00:35:26.440 --> 00:35:30.240
 that we can find

00:35:30.240 --> 00:35:31.039
 more joys

00:35:31.039 --> 00:35:32.240
 in the forbidden things

00:35:32.240 --> 00:35:32.980
 than in the things

00:35:32.980 --> 00:35:33.360
 that God

00:35:33.360 --> 00:35:34.260
 has graciously given

00:35:34.260 --> 00:35:38.039
 that's how all

00:35:38.039 --> 00:35:39.039
 broken relationships

00:35:39.039 --> 00:35:40.079
 with God begin

00:35:40.079 --> 00:35:44.500
 how did the serpent

00:35:44.500 --> 00:35:45.680
 tempt Eve

00:35:45.680 --> 00:35:46.420
 in Genesis 3

00:35:46.420 --> 00:35:47.440
 did God

00:35:47.440 --> 00:35:48.960
 actually say

00:35:48.960 --> 00:35:50.840
 you shall not eat

00:35:50.840 --> 00:35:51.720
 of any tree

00:35:51.720 --> 00:35:52.240
 in the garden

00:35:52.240 --> 00:35:56.480
 in reality

00:35:56.480 --> 00:35:57.300
 God said to Adam

00:35:57.300 --> 00:35:57.880
 in Genesis 2

00:35:57.880 --> 00:35:58.680
 16 and 17

00:35:58.680 --> 00:36:00.000
 you may surely eat

00:36:00.000 --> 00:36:01.639
 of every tree

00:36:01.639 --> 00:36:02.680
 in the garden

00:36:02.680 --> 00:36:04.139
 but of the tree

00:36:04.139 --> 00:36:04.659
 of the knowledge

00:36:04.659 --> 00:36:05.280
 of good and evil

00:36:05.280 --> 00:36:06.119
 you shall not eat

00:36:06.119 --> 00:36:06.639
 for in the day

00:36:06.639 --> 00:36:07.320
 that you eat of it

00:36:07.320 --> 00:36:08.280
 you shall surely die

00:36:08.280 --> 00:36:09.400
 Satan twists

00:36:09.400 --> 00:36:11.420
 that generous gift

00:36:11.420 --> 00:36:12.019
 from God

00:36:12.019 --> 00:36:14.159
 and while tempting Eve

00:36:14.159 --> 00:36:15.460
 to eat of the one tree

00:36:15.460 --> 00:36:16.260
 that God has forgiven

00:36:16.260 --> 00:36:17.460
 he asks her

00:36:17.460 --> 00:36:19.880
 did God actually say

00:36:19.880 --> 00:36:21.260
 you cannot eat

00:36:21.260 --> 00:36:22.059
 of any tree

00:36:22.059 --> 00:36:22.500
 in the garden

00:36:22.500 --> 00:36:26.639
 he's warping

00:36:26.639 --> 00:36:28.159
 Adam and Eve's

00:36:28.159 --> 00:36:29.260
 perception of God

00:36:29.260 --> 00:36:30.240
 oh he is

00:36:30.240 --> 00:36:31.699
 withholding something

00:36:31.699 --> 00:36:32.679
 good from you

00:36:32.679 --> 00:36:34.480
 he's stingy

00:36:34.480 --> 00:36:36.579
 he's not generous

00:36:36.579 --> 00:36:38.059
 he's not good

00:36:38.059 --> 00:36:40.820
 he doesn't really love you

00:36:40.820 --> 00:36:48.480
 if you find yourself

00:36:48.480 --> 00:36:50.080
 full of grumbling

00:36:50.080 --> 00:36:51.780
 toward God

00:36:51.780 --> 00:36:52.900
 rather than gratitude

00:36:52.900 --> 00:36:53.680
 toward God

00:36:53.680 --> 00:36:54.880
 if you feel that God

00:36:54.880 --> 00:36:55.900
 is withholding

00:36:55.900 --> 00:36:57.400
 good things from you

00:36:57.400 --> 00:36:58.539
 then you're in

00:36:58.539 --> 00:36:59.500
 greater danger

00:36:59.500 --> 00:37:00.320
 than you realize

00:37:00.320 --> 00:37:02.800
 greater spiritual danger

00:37:02.800 --> 00:37:03.519
 than you realize

00:37:03.519 --> 00:37:07.780
 this is why

00:37:07.780 --> 00:37:08.539
 it's so important

00:37:08.539 --> 00:37:09.400
 that we rejoice

00:37:09.400 --> 00:37:10.240
 in our youth

00:37:10.240 --> 00:37:10.960
 and enjoy

00:37:10.960 --> 00:37:11.880
 the simple pleasures

00:37:11.880 --> 00:37:12.340
 of life

00:37:12.340 --> 00:37:13.000
 as gifts

00:37:13.000 --> 00:37:14.619
 from our generous God

00:37:14.619 --> 00:37:17.940
 Pastor Corey Whitmer

00:37:17.940 --> 00:37:19.559
 was a study assistant

00:37:19.559 --> 00:37:20.380
 to his uncle

00:37:20.380 --> 00:37:21.280
 John Stott

00:37:21.280 --> 00:37:22.820
 John Stott

00:37:22.820 --> 00:37:23.500
 if you don't know

00:37:23.500 --> 00:37:24.000
 about him

00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:25.880
 was a very influential

00:37:25.880 --> 00:37:26.840
 20th century

00:37:26.840 --> 00:37:28.059
 Christian leader

00:37:28.059 --> 00:37:29.160
 pastor and theologian

00:37:29.160 --> 00:37:30.940
 and in a book

00:37:30.940 --> 00:37:31.579
 Whitmer

00:37:31.579 --> 00:37:32.599
 recounts

00:37:32.599 --> 00:37:33.280
 an interaction

00:37:33.280 --> 00:37:33.940
 that he had

00:37:33.940 --> 00:37:34.900
 with Stott

00:37:34.900 --> 00:37:35.800
 that was particularly

00:37:35.800 --> 00:37:36.960
 impactful for him

00:37:36.960 --> 00:37:38.559
 he said

00:37:38.559 --> 00:37:39.559
 every morning

00:37:39.559 --> 00:37:41.920
 at 11 a.m. sharp

00:37:41.920 --> 00:37:43.179
 I would bring him

00:37:43.179 --> 00:37:44.059
 a cup of coffee

00:37:44.059 --> 00:37:45.679
 I would find him

00:37:45.679 --> 00:37:46.380
 hunched over

00:37:46.380 --> 00:37:47.139
 some letter

00:37:47.139 --> 00:37:47.820
 or manuscript

00:37:47.820 --> 00:37:48.539
 at his desk

00:37:48.539 --> 00:37:49.639
 consumed with the work

00:37:49.639 --> 00:37:50.280
 before him

00:37:50.280 --> 00:37:51.579
 putting his unparalleled

00:37:51.579 --> 00:37:52.539
 powers of concentration

00:37:52.539 --> 00:37:53.500
 to whatever task

00:37:53.500 --> 00:37:54.059
 was at hand

00:37:54.059 --> 00:37:55.599
 not wanting to disturb him

00:37:55.599 --> 00:37:56.679
 I would quietly

00:37:56.679 --> 00:37:57.340
 set the cup

00:37:57.340 --> 00:37:57.900
 and saucer

00:37:57.900 --> 00:37:59.320
 adjacent to his right hand

00:37:59.320 --> 00:38:00.900
 and often times

00:38:00.900 --> 00:38:01.679
 he would mumble

00:38:01.679 --> 00:38:02.500
 a barely audible

00:38:02.500 --> 00:38:03.280
 word of thanks

00:38:03.280 --> 00:38:05.019
 I'm not worthy

00:38:05.019 --> 00:38:08.159
 initially

00:38:08.159 --> 00:38:09.000
 I thought this comment

00:38:09.000 --> 00:38:09.599
 was amusing

00:38:09.599 --> 00:38:11.079
 but after a few months

00:38:11.079 --> 00:38:11.840
 I began to find

00:38:11.840 --> 00:38:13.099
 it slightly bothersome

00:38:13.099 --> 00:38:15.380
 how could someone

00:38:15.380 --> 00:38:16.239
 pronounce himself

00:38:16.239 --> 00:38:16.820
 unworthy

00:38:16.820 --> 00:38:18.000
 of an acidic cup

00:38:18.000 --> 00:38:19.119
 of instant coffee

00:38:19.119 --> 00:38:21.500
 one morning

00:38:21.500 --> 00:38:22.440
 I was feeling

00:38:22.440 --> 00:38:23.860
 a little cheeky

00:38:23.860 --> 00:38:25.300
 and when Uncle John

00:38:25.300 --> 00:38:26.739
 mumbled his usual expression

00:38:26.739 --> 00:38:27.840
 I'm not worthy

00:38:27.840 --> 00:38:29.259
 I quipped back

00:38:29.259 --> 00:38:30.699
 oh sure you are

00:38:30.699 --> 00:38:34.219
 Uncle John stopped

00:38:34.219 --> 00:38:35.339
 and I saw the powerful

00:38:35.339 --> 00:38:36.159
 magnetic look

00:38:36.159 --> 00:38:36.939
 of his concentration

00:38:36.939 --> 00:38:38.019
 ease from the papers

00:38:38.019 --> 00:38:38.559
 before him

00:38:38.559 --> 00:38:39.919
 he slowly raised

00:38:39.919 --> 00:38:40.379
 his gaze

00:38:40.379 --> 00:38:41.379
 and with a look

00:38:41.379 --> 00:38:42.699
 of immense seriousness

00:38:42.699 --> 00:38:44.319
 yet boyish playfulness

00:38:44.319 --> 00:38:45.019
 he responded

00:38:45.019 --> 00:38:46.799
 you haven't got

00:38:46.799 --> 00:38:47.399
 your theology

00:38:47.399 --> 00:38:48.279
 of grace right

00:38:48.279 --> 00:38:53.059
 I laughed

00:38:53.059 --> 00:38:54.839
 I grinned awkwardly

00:38:54.839 --> 00:38:57.099
 and then said

00:38:57.099 --> 00:38:57.739
 it's only a cup

00:38:57.739 --> 00:38:58.759
 of coffee Uncle John

00:38:58.759 --> 00:39:02.339
 and as I turned around

00:39:02.339 --> 00:39:02.899
 and headed back

00:39:02.900 --> 00:39:03.400
 into the kitchen

00:39:03.400 --> 00:39:04.300
 I heard him mutter

00:39:04.300 --> 00:39:06.599
 it's just the thin

00:39:06.599 --> 00:39:07.480
 end of the wedge

00:39:07.480 --> 00:39:11.579
 what does it mean

00:39:11.579 --> 00:39:12.099
 by that

00:39:12.099 --> 00:39:13.360
 a wedge

00:39:13.360 --> 00:39:14.000
 is a tool

00:39:14.000 --> 00:39:14.800
 made of wood

00:39:14.800 --> 00:39:15.240
 and iron

00:39:15.240 --> 00:39:16.300
 it tapers off

00:39:16.300 --> 00:39:17.720
 into a very thin edge

00:39:17.720 --> 00:39:18.039
 right

00:39:18.039 --> 00:39:19.519
 and that thin edge

00:39:19.519 --> 00:39:20.200
 is what you

00:39:20.200 --> 00:39:21.519
 put inside

00:39:21.519 --> 00:39:22.260
 a crevice

00:39:22.260 --> 00:39:23.820
 a small gap

00:39:23.820 --> 00:39:25.500
 and then once

00:39:25.500 --> 00:39:26.460
 that thin edge

00:39:26.460 --> 00:39:26.980
 is in

00:39:26.980 --> 00:39:27.800
 you can hammer

00:39:27.800 --> 00:39:28.700
 that wedge in

00:39:28.700 --> 00:39:29.599
 and that the larger

00:39:29.599 --> 00:39:30.320
 bigger part

00:39:30.320 --> 00:39:30.740
 goes in

00:39:30.740 --> 00:39:31.760
 along with that thin edge

00:39:31.760 --> 00:39:32.960
 that's already been wedged in

00:39:32.960 --> 00:39:35.080
 and it breaks apart

00:39:35.080 --> 00:39:36.360
 logs

00:39:36.360 --> 00:39:37.720
 and even rocks

00:39:37.720 --> 00:39:42.300
 what he's saying is

00:39:42.300 --> 00:39:44.260
 if I don't appreciate

00:39:44.260 --> 00:39:45.080
 the small things

00:39:45.080 --> 00:39:45.980
 God has given me

00:39:45.980 --> 00:39:47.780
 and I'm not grateful

00:39:47.780 --> 00:39:48.240
 and thankful

00:39:48.240 --> 00:39:49.000
 to God for them

00:39:49.000 --> 00:39:51.020
 that's the thin end

00:39:51.020 --> 00:39:51.740
 of the wedge

00:39:51.740 --> 00:39:54.100
 and soon

00:39:54.100 --> 00:39:55.540
 larger doubts

00:39:55.540 --> 00:39:56.800
 larger grumbling

00:39:56.800 --> 00:39:58.000
 and larger

00:39:58.000 --> 00:39:59.900
 problems

00:39:59.900 --> 00:40:00.660
 in your perception

00:40:00.660 --> 00:40:01.080
 of God

00:40:01.080 --> 00:40:02.340
 will be driven in

00:40:02.340 --> 00:40:13.039
 so I want to challenge you

00:40:13.039 --> 00:40:16.300
 with the simple pleasures

00:40:16.300 --> 00:40:16.820
 of life

00:40:16.820 --> 00:40:18.039
 maybe sit

00:40:18.039 --> 00:40:19.280
 sit with it this week

00:40:19.280 --> 00:40:19.800
 say

00:40:19.800 --> 00:40:21.380
 I'm not worthy

00:40:21.380 --> 00:40:24.120
 thank you God

00:40:24.119 --> 00:40:26.759
 thank you God

00:40:26.759 --> 00:40:29.420
 thank you God

00:40:29.420 --> 00:40:29.819
 that I

00:40:29.819 --> 00:40:32.759
 get to hug my kids

00:40:32.759 --> 00:40:34.199
 thank you God

00:40:34.199 --> 00:40:36.739
 that you have given me

00:40:36.739 --> 00:40:37.559
 food to eat

00:40:37.559 --> 00:40:40.179
 thank you God

00:40:40.179 --> 00:40:41.440
 that I can walk around

00:40:41.440 --> 00:40:42.299
 on two limbs

00:40:42.299 --> 00:40:46.099
 I'm not worthy

00:40:46.099 --> 00:40:50.480
 knowing that life

00:40:50.480 --> 00:40:51.219
 is but a breath

00:40:51.219 --> 00:40:52.199
 we should rejoice

00:40:52.199 --> 00:40:53.019
 in our youth

00:40:53.019 --> 00:40:55.980
 rejoicing in our youth

00:40:55.980 --> 00:40:56.860
 is particularly important

00:40:56.860 --> 00:40:57.539
 because death

00:40:57.539 --> 00:40:58.420
 is quick on our heels

00:40:58.420 --> 00:41:00.099
 and we won't be able

00:41:00.099 --> 00:41:01.019
 to rejoice in our youth

00:41:01.019 --> 00:41:02.139
 anymore when we're older

00:41:02.139 --> 00:41:03.599
 that brings me

00:41:03.599 --> 00:41:04.360
 to my final point

00:41:04.360 --> 00:41:05.000
 chapter 12

00:41:05.000 --> 00:41:05.880
 verses 1 to 8

00:41:05.880 --> 00:41:07.079
 remember your creator

00:41:07.079 --> 00:41:09.860
 remembering our creator

00:41:09.860 --> 00:41:10.980
 means remembering

00:41:10.980 --> 00:41:12.780
 that God is the creator

00:41:12.780 --> 00:41:14.000
 and that we are creatures

00:41:14.000 --> 00:41:14.820
 as I've been saying

00:41:14.820 --> 00:41:16.239
 that God is infinite

00:41:16.239 --> 00:41:17.559
 and that we are finite

00:41:17.559 --> 00:41:19.500
 it says in chapter 12

00:41:19.500 --> 00:41:19.860
 verse 1

00:41:19.860 --> 00:41:21.480
 remember also your creator

00:41:21.480 --> 00:41:22.679
 in the days of your youth

00:41:22.679 --> 00:41:24.539
 before the evil days come

00:41:24.539 --> 00:41:25.599
 and the years draw near

00:41:25.599 --> 00:41:26.219
 of which you will say

00:41:26.219 --> 00:41:27.239
 I have no pleasure in them

00:41:27.239 --> 00:41:29.179
 if we get to live

00:41:29.179 --> 00:41:30.399
 until we are old

00:41:30.399 --> 00:41:32.859
 then there will come days

00:41:32.859 --> 00:41:33.759
 when pleasure

00:41:33.759 --> 00:41:34.980
 will be hard to come by

00:41:34.980 --> 00:41:37.679
 there are three clauses

00:41:37.679 --> 00:41:38.639
 in this paragraph

00:41:38.639 --> 00:41:39.460
 that all begin

00:41:39.460 --> 00:41:40.739
 with the word before

00:41:40.739 --> 00:41:41.639
 verse 1

00:41:41.639 --> 00:41:43.199
 before the evil days come

00:41:43.199 --> 00:41:43.619
 verse 2

00:41:43.619 --> 00:41:44.799
 before the sun

00:41:44.799 --> 00:41:45.179
 and the light

00:41:45.179 --> 00:41:45.500
 and the moon

00:41:45.500 --> 00:41:45.960
 and the stars

00:41:45.960 --> 00:41:46.500
 are darkened

00:41:46.500 --> 00:41:47.199
 verse 6

00:41:47.199 --> 00:41:48.399
 before the silver cord

00:41:48.399 --> 00:41:48.799
 is snapped

00:41:48.799 --> 00:41:49.539
 or the golden bowl

00:41:49.539 --> 00:41:49.980
 is broken

00:41:49.980 --> 00:41:51.099
 because of this

00:41:51.099 --> 00:41:51.980
 parallel structure

00:41:51.980 --> 00:41:53.079
 I think all of the

00:41:53.079 --> 00:41:53.840
 vivid images

00:41:53.840 --> 00:41:54.719
 of this section

00:41:54.719 --> 00:41:55.960
 are meant to be

00:41:55.960 --> 00:41:57.420
 a picture of aging

00:41:57.420 --> 00:41:58.900
 and approaching death

00:41:58.900 --> 00:41:59.980
 and it's warning us

00:41:59.980 --> 00:42:01.719
 before that time comes

00:42:01.719 --> 00:42:02.960
 learn to enjoy life

00:42:02.960 --> 00:42:03.940
 and remember your creator

00:42:03.940 --> 00:42:06.980
 the first image

00:42:06.980 --> 00:42:07.880
 is in verse 2

00:42:07.880 --> 00:42:08.920
 before the sun

00:42:08.920 --> 00:42:09.420
 and the light

00:42:09.420 --> 00:42:09.860
 and the moon

00:42:09.860 --> 00:42:10.400
 and the stars

00:42:10.400 --> 00:42:11.079
 are darkened

00:42:11.079 --> 00:42:11.599
 and the clouds

00:42:11.599 --> 00:42:13.039
 return after the rain

00:42:13.039 --> 00:42:14.940
 it's a moving image

00:42:14.940 --> 00:42:17.500
 we always count

00:42:17.500 --> 00:42:17.900
 don't we

00:42:17.900 --> 00:42:18.340
 on the light

00:42:18.340 --> 00:42:18.820
 the sun

00:42:18.820 --> 00:42:19.240
 and the moon

00:42:19.240 --> 00:42:19.740
 and the stars

00:42:19.740 --> 00:42:20.660
 we always expect

00:42:20.660 --> 00:42:21.300
 it to be there

00:42:21.300 --> 00:42:22.059
 when we need them

00:42:22.059 --> 00:42:23.700
 but imagine one day

00:42:23.700 --> 00:42:25.079
 when that light fails

00:42:25.079 --> 00:42:27.860
 how tragic that would be

00:42:27.860 --> 00:42:31.620
 what a gaping hole

00:42:31.620 --> 00:42:32.160
 that would leave

00:42:32.160 --> 00:42:34.600
 in your daily experience

00:42:34.600 --> 00:42:37.160
 that's what old age is like

00:42:37.160 --> 00:42:40.039
 things that you used to count

00:42:40.039 --> 00:42:41.180
 are not there anymore

00:42:41.180 --> 00:42:43.940
 your mind is not as sharp

00:42:43.940 --> 00:42:44.660
 as it used to be

00:42:44.660 --> 00:42:45.880
 your eyes are dimmer

00:42:45.880 --> 00:42:46.940
 than they used to be

00:42:46.940 --> 00:42:48.059
 you can't move around

00:42:48.059 --> 00:42:48.880
 like you used to

00:42:48.880 --> 00:42:50.280
 everything seems darker

00:42:50.280 --> 00:42:52.639
 and picture this

00:42:52.639 --> 00:42:54.179
 the clouds return

00:42:54.179 --> 00:42:54.940
 after the rain

00:42:54.940 --> 00:42:58.159
 normally we expect clouds

00:42:58.159 --> 00:42:59.659
 to part after rain

00:42:59.659 --> 00:43:01.320
 to give way to a clear

00:43:01.320 --> 00:43:02.460
 sunny day

00:43:02.460 --> 00:43:03.420
 but it says here

00:43:03.420 --> 00:43:04.920
 the clouds return

00:43:04.920 --> 00:43:06.039
 after the rain

00:43:06.039 --> 00:43:07.619
 even after the rain

00:43:07.619 --> 00:43:09.360
 there are more rain clouds

00:43:09.360 --> 00:43:10.280
 looming above

00:43:10.280 --> 00:43:13.320
 think about it this way

00:43:13.320 --> 00:43:15.940
 when kids trip and fall

00:43:15.940 --> 00:43:18.100
 they bounce right back

00:43:18.100 --> 00:43:18.580
 right

00:43:18.580 --> 00:43:20.480
 I mean our kids are falling

00:43:20.480 --> 00:43:21.200
 all over the place

00:43:21.200 --> 00:43:21.800
 all the time

00:43:21.800 --> 00:43:22.320
 right

00:43:22.320 --> 00:43:23.400
 like oh he

00:43:23.400 --> 00:43:24.080
 okay you fell

00:43:24.080 --> 00:43:24.680
 okay that's fine

00:43:24.680 --> 00:43:25.400
 we just move on

00:43:25.400 --> 00:43:25.840
 right usually

00:43:25.840 --> 00:43:26.140
 I mean

00:43:26.140 --> 00:43:28.039
 at worst there's a little scrape

00:43:28.039 --> 00:43:29.480
 and a band-aid takes care of it

00:43:29.480 --> 00:43:29.840
 right

00:43:29.840 --> 00:43:32.180
 their bodies are strong

00:43:32.180 --> 00:43:32.960
 and young and light

00:43:32.960 --> 00:43:33.880
 they heal quickly

00:43:33.880 --> 00:43:35.559
 they bounce right back

00:43:35.559 --> 00:43:37.559
 but then have you heard

00:43:37.559 --> 00:43:38.820
 of elderly people falling

00:43:38.820 --> 00:43:41.240
 when you hear that

00:43:41.240 --> 00:43:42.480
 an elderly person's fallen

00:43:42.480 --> 00:43:44.620
 that's not a little trip

00:43:44.620 --> 00:43:47.920
 it could be fatal

00:43:47.920 --> 00:43:50.500
 because their bodies

00:43:50.500 --> 00:43:51.559
 are not light

00:43:51.559 --> 00:43:52.660
 and young and spry anymore

00:43:52.660 --> 00:43:53.220
 they're heavy

00:43:53.220 --> 00:43:54.280
 they're weak

00:43:54.280 --> 00:43:56.019
 they can't break their fall

00:43:56.019 --> 00:43:57.480
 they can't recover

00:43:57.480 --> 00:43:59.160
 after they get hurt

00:43:59.160 --> 00:44:02.340
 after the rain

00:44:02.340 --> 00:44:03.380
 more clouds

00:44:03.380 --> 00:44:10.320
 when you're young

00:44:10.320 --> 00:44:11.180
 time heals

00:44:11.180 --> 00:44:12.160
 when you're old

00:44:12.160 --> 00:44:13.519
 time kills

00:44:13.519 --> 00:44:18.119
 if we get to live

00:44:18.119 --> 00:44:18.740
 to old age

00:44:18.740 --> 00:44:19.579
 there will be a day

00:44:19.579 --> 00:44:20.160
 when we

00:44:20.160 --> 00:44:21.340
 lie down

00:44:21.340 --> 00:44:21.940
 on the bed

00:44:21.940 --> 00:44:23.000
 and then we won't be able

00:44:23.000 --> 00:44:23.740
 to get up anymore

00:44:23.740 --> 00:44:30.160
 and then in verses 3 to 5

00:44:30.160 --> 00:44:31.019
 the preacher compares

00:44:31.019 --> 00:44:31.519
 aging

00:44:31.519 --> 00:44:32.860
 to the sad decline

00:44:32.860 --> 00:44:34.780
 of a formerly vibrant city

00:44:34.780 --> 00:44:36.599
 in the day

00:44:36.599 --> 00:44:37.400
 when the keepers

00:44:37.400 --> 00:44:37.900
 of the house

00:44:37.900 --> 00:44:38.420
 tremble

00:44:38.420 --> 00:44:39.320
 and the strong men

00:44:39.320 --> 00:44:39.860
 are bent

00:44:39.860 --> 00:44:40.700
 and the grinders

00:44:40.700 --> 00:44:41.079
 seize

00:44:41.079 --> 00:44:42.019
 because they are few

00:44:42.019 --> 00:44:43.039
 and those who look

00:44:43.039 --> 00:44:43.700
 through the windows

00:44:43.700 --> 00:44:45.260
 are dimmed

00:44:45.260 --> 00:44:47.160
 servants who are supposed

00:44:47.160 --> 00:44:48.160
 to be the keepers

00:44:48.160 --> 00:44:48.820
 of the house

00:44:48.820 --> 00:44:49.559
 tremble

00:44:49.559 --> 00:44:51.140
 strong men

00:44:51.140 --> 00:44:51.519
 who should be

00:44:51.519 --> 00:44:52.539
 standing erect

00:44:52.539 --> 00:44:53.680
 in guarding the city

00:44:53.680 --> 00:44:54.900
 are bent over

00:44:54.900 --> 00:44:57.200
 grinders

00:44:57.200 --> 00:44:58.039
 women who work

00:44:58.039 --> 00:44:58.559
 at the mill

00:44:58.559 --> 00:44:59.840
 to grind food

00:44:59.840 --> 00:45:01.320
 the mill

00:45:01.320 --> 00:45:03.059
 they are not

00:45:03.059 --> 00:45:03.720
 there's not enough

00:45:03.720 --> 00:45:04.300
 for them to continue

00:45:04.300 --> 00:45:04.660
 to labor

00:45:04.660 --> 00:45:05.519
 so they seize

00:45:05.519 --> 00:45:06.480
 because they are few

00:45:06.480 --> 00:45:08.039
 those who look

00:45:08.039 --> 00:45:08.900
 through the windows

00:45:08.900 --> 00:45:09.580
 are dimmed

00:45:09.580 --> 00:45:10.539
 looking through a window

00:45:10.539 --> 00:45:11.680
 is an image

00:45:11.680 --> 00:45:12.280
 it's a picture

00:45:12.280 --> 00:45:13.019
 of hope

00:45:13.019 --> 00:45:13.780
 and expectation

00:45:13.780 --> 00:45:16.400
 but the hope

00:45:16.400 --> 00:45:17.160
 has dimmed

00:45:17.160 --> 00:45:18.160
 expectations

00:45:18.160 --> 00:45:18.940
 are dimmed

00:45:18.940 --> 00:45:20.160
 for those who look

00:45:20.160 --> 00:45:20.780
 through the window

00:45:20.780 --> 00:45:24.340
 the doors

00:45:24.340 --> 00:45:24.860
 on the street

00:45:24.860 --> 00:45:25.400
 are shut

00:45:25.400 --> 00:45:25.960
 when the sound

00:45:25.960 --> 00:45:26.539
 of the grinding

00:45:26.539 --> 00:45:27.080
 is low

00:45:27.080 --> 00:45:28.400
 and one rises up

00:45:28.400 --> 00:45:28.880
 at the sound

00:45:28.880 --> 00:45:29.340
 of a bird

00:45:29.340 --> 00:45:30.080
 and all the daughters

00:45:30.079 --> 00:45:30.559
 of song

00:45:30.559 --> 00:45:31.219
 are brought low

00:45:31.219 --> 00:45:32.000
 they are afraid

00:45:32.000 --> 00:45:33.079
 also what is high

00:45:33.079 --> 00:45:33.679
 and terrors

00:45:33.679 --> 00:45:34.199
 are in the way

00:45:34.199 --> 00:45:35.139
 the almond tree

00:45:35.139 --> 00:45:35.599
 blossoms

00:45:35.599 --> 00:45:36.340
 the grasshoppers

00:45:36.340 --> 00:45:37.299
 drag itself along

00:45:37.299 --> 00:45:38.539
 and desire fails

00:45:38.539 --> 00:45:39.980
 the streets

00:45:39.980 --> 00:45:40.500
 of the city

00:45:40.500 --> 00:45:41.179
 are deserted

00:45:41.179 --> 00:45:42.460
 and the doors

00:45:42.460 --> 00:45:42.960
 on the street

00:45:42.960 --> 00:45:43.559
 for that reason

00:45:43.559 --> 00:45:44.279
 are shut

00:45:44.279 --> 00:45:45.659
 with the sound

00:45:45.659 --> 00:45:46.400
 of the grinding

00:45:46.400 --> 00:45:46.880
 low

00:45:46.880 --> 00:45:47.619
 the city

00:45:47.619 --> 00:45:49.440
 is so eerily quiet

00:45:49.440 --> 00:45:50.659
 that even

00:45:50.659 --> 00:45:51.319
 the sound

00:45:51.319 --> 00:45:52.059
 of the fluttering

00:45:52.059 --> 00:45:52.960
 of a bird

00:45:52.960 --> 00:45:53.940
 startles you

00:45:53.940 --> 00:45:54.739
 and wakes you up

00:45:54.739 --> 00:45:59.219
 the daughters

00:45:59.219 --> 00:45:59.819
 of song

00:45:59.819 --> 00:46:00.719
 who used to sing

00:46:00.719 --> 00:46:01.959
 songs of joy

00:46:01.959 --> 00:46:02.799
 are brought low

00:46:02.799 --> 00:46:03.759
 there's also

00:46:03.759 --> 00:46:05.139
 fear of what is high

00:46:05.139 --> 00:46:05.759
 and terrors

00:46:05.759 --> 00:46:06.199
 are in the way

00:46:06.199 --> 00:46:07.579
 usually enemy forces

00:46:07.579 --> 00:46:08.779
 invade from high

00:46:08.779 --> 00:46:09.279
 places

00:46:09.279 --> 00:46:10.239
 down

00:46:10.239 --> 00:46:15.839
 so this is speaking

00:46:15.839 --> 00:46:17.019
 of fear

00:46:17.019 --> 00:46:17.659
 of disaster

00:46:17.659 --> 00:46:18.719
 looming disaster

00:46:18.719 --> 00:46:21.059
 not only

00:46:21.059 --> 00:46:21.479
 are these

00:46:21.479 --> 00:46:22.039
 the city

00:46:22.039 --> 00:46:22.659
 that desolate

00:46:22.659 --> 00:46:23.019
 they're

00:46:23.019 --> 00:46:23.559
 they're gripped

00:46:23.559 --> 00:46:24.119
 with fear

00:46:24.119 --> 00:46:25.219
 and that's

00:46:25.219 --> 00:46:25.539
 the meaning

00:46:25.539 --> 00:46:26.139
 of the almond

00:46:26.139 --> 00:46:26.880
 tree blossoms

00:46:26.880 --> 00:46:27.840
 almond tree

00:46:27.840 --> 00:46:28.440
 is a symbol

00:46:28.440 --> 00:46:28.920
 of coming

00:46:28.920 --> 00:46:29.360
 judgment

00:46:29.360 --> 00:46:30.400
 in Jeremiah 1

00:46:30.400 --> 00:46:31.420
 9-12

00:46:31.420 --> 00:46:33.840
 the grasshopper

00:46:33.840 --> 00:46:34.699
 known for

00:46:34.699 --> 00:46:35.199
 hopping

00:46:35.199 --> 00:46:36.699
 on its hind legs

00:46:36.699 --> 00:46:37.699
 drags itself

00:46:37.699 --> 00:46:38.059
 along

00:46:38.059 --> 00:46:38.880
 and desire

00:46:38.880 --> 00:46:39.460
 fails

00:46:39.460 --> 00:46:41.639
 remember

00:46:41.639 --> 00:46:42.400
 that this image

00:46:42.400 --> 00:46:42.960
 of a desolate

00:46:42.960 --> 00:46:43.360
 city

00:46:43.360 --> 00:46:43.940
 is meant

00:46:43.940 --> 00:46:44.579
 to be a picture

00:46:44.579 --> 00:46:45.320
 of old age

00:46:45.320 --> 00:46:45.860
 and approaching

00:46:45.860 --> 00:46:46.219
 death

00:46:46.219 --> 00:46:47.259
 so there's

00:46:47.259 --> 00:46:48.039
 a long history

00:46:48.039 --> 00:46:48.860
 of interpretation

00:46:48.860 --> 00:46:49.739
 that says

00:46:49.739 --> 00:46:50.759
 that trembling

00:46:50.759 --> 00:46:52.079
 keepers of the house

00:46:52.079 --> 00:46:52.799
 represent our

00:46:52.800 --> 00:46:53.700
 shriveled hands

00:46:53.700 --> 00:46:54.480
 that tremble

00:46:54.480 --> 00:46:55.280
 with old age

00:46:55.280 --> 00:46:58.300
 and that the

00:46:58.300 --> 00:46:59.140
 strong men

00:46:59.140 --> 00:46:59.620
 who are bent

00:46:59.620 --> 00:46:59.960
 over

00:46:59.960 --> 00:47:00.840
 represent our

00:47:00.840 --> 00:47:01.940
 bent backs

00:47:01.940 --> 00:47:02.820
 in old age

00:47:02.820 --> 00:47:04.220
 and that the

00:47:04.220 --> 00:47:05.160
 grinder is seizing

00:47:05.160 --> 00:47:05.760
 because they are

00:47:05.760 --> 00:47:06.160
 a few

00:47:06.160 --> 00:47:06.920
 represent our

00:47:06.920 --> 00:47:07.600
 inability to

00:47:07.600 --> 00:47:08.400
 grind food

00:47:08.400 --> 00:47:09.019
 down with our

00:47:09.019 --> 00:47:09.960
 teeth in old age

00:47:09.960 --> 00:47:10.500
 because they are

00:47:10.500 --> 00:47:11.140
 so few

00:47:11.140 --> 00:47:12.940
 and that the

00:47:12.940 --> 00:47:13.800
 dimming of those

00:47:13.800 --> 00:47:14.539
 who look through

00:47:14.539 --> 00:47:15.039
 the windows

00:47:15.039 --> 00:47:16.280
 represent dimming

00:47:16.280 --> 00:47:17.100
 of our eyesight

00:47:17.100 --> 00:47:18.060
 in old age

00:47:18.060 --> 00:47:19.420
 that the doors

00:47:19.420 --> 00:47:20.019
 of the street

00:47:20.019 --> 00:47:20.720
 being shut

00:47:20.720 --> 00:47:21.340
 and the sound

00:47:21.340 --> 00:47:21.900
 of the grinding

00:47:21.900 --> 00:47:22.420
 being low

00:47:22.420 --> 00:47:23.300
 represent the doors

00:47:23.300 --> 00:47:24.079
 of our ears

00:47:24.079 --> 00:47:25.099
 becoming hard

00:47:25.099 --> 00:47:25.619
 of hearing

00:47:25.619 --> 00:47:26.820
 in old age

00:47:26.820 --> 00:47:28.039
 the almond tree

00:47:28.039 --> 00:47:28.460
 blossom

00:47:28.460 --> 00:47:29.079
 represent our

00:47:29.079 --> 00:47:29.480
 hairs

00:47:29.480 --> 00:47:30.260
 turning white

00:47:30.260 --> 00:47:30.940
 and hoary

00:47:30.940 --> 00:47:32.119
 the grasshopper

00:47:32.119 --> 00:47:32.900
 that drags itself

00:47:32.900 --> 00:47:33.220
 along

00:47:33.220 --> 00:47:33.760
 represent our

00:47:33.760 --> 00:47:34.240
 legs

00:47:34.240 --> 00:47:35.220
 that are weak

00:47:35.220 --> 00:47:35.960
 it's not spry

00:47:35.960 --> 00:47:36.300
 anymore

00:47:36.300 --> 00:47:36.780
 and then you

00:47:36.780 --> 00:47:37.579
 shuffle

00:47:37.579 --> 00:47:38.440
 and waddle

00:47:38.440 --> 00:47:39.099
 slowly

00:47:39.099 --> 00:47:44.960
 desire failing

00:47:44.960 --> 00:47:45.740
 might represent

00:47:45.740 --> 00:47:46.660
 the impotency

00:47:46.660 --> 00:47:47.380
 of old age

00:47:47.380 --> 00:47:49.320
 it's a sad

00:47:49.320 --> 00:47:50.360
 forlorn picture

00:47:50.360 --> 00:47:54.220
 the images

00:47:54.220 --> 00:47:54.900
 of verse 6

00:47:54.900 --> 00:47:55.519
 get the same

00:47:55.519 --> 00:47:55.800
 idea

00:47:55.800 --> 00:47:56.579
 before the silver

00:47:56.579 --> 00:47:57.360
 cord is snapped

00:47:57.360 --> 00:47:57.940
 or the golden

00:47:57.940 --> 00:47:58.660
 bowl is broken

00:47:58.660 --> 00:47:59.220
 or the pitcher

00:47:59.220 --> 00:47:59.780
 is shattered

00:47:59.780 --> 00:48:00.340
 at the fountain

00:48:00.340 --> 00:48:00.940
 or the wheel

00:48:00.940 --> 00:48:01.740
 broken at the

00:48:01.740 --> 00:48:02.840
 cistern

00:48:02.840 --> 00:48:03.740
 the snapping

00:48:03.740 --> 00:48:05.800
 silver cord

00:48:05.800 --> 00:48:06.640
 and the broken

00:48:06.640 --> 00:48:07.500
 golden bowl

00:48:07.500 --> 00:48:08.160
 may be a picture

00:48:08.160 --> 00:48:09.500
 of a golden bowl

00:48:09.500 --> 00:48:10.420
 of a lampstand

00:48:10.420 --> 00:48:11.099
 that is hung up

00:48:11.099 --> 00:48:12.240
 on a silver cord

00:48:12.240 --> 00:48:13.360
 and one day

00:48:13.360 --> 00:48:14.039
 the cord

00:48:14.039 --> 00:48:14.619
 that was hanging

00:48:14.619 --> 00:48:15.299
 by a thread

00:48:15.299 --> 00:48:16.279
 snaps

00:48:16.279 --> 00:48:17.799
 and the bowl

00:48:17.799 --> 00:48:18.199
 falls

00:48:18.199 --> 00:48:18.819
 and shatters

00:48:18.819 --> 00:48:21.420
 or when

00:48:21.420 --> 00:48:21.960
 you bring

00:48:21.960 --> 00:48:22.460
 a pitcher

00:48:22.460 --> 00:48:23.380
 to draw water

00:48:23.380 --> 00:48:24.519
 with at the well

00:48:24.519 --> 00:48:25.119
 and you bring

00:48:25.119 --> 00:48:25.599
 a wagon

00:48:25.599 --> 00:48:25.940
 with it

00:48:25.940 --> 00:48:26.299
 let's say

00:48:26.299 --> 00:48:27.019
 and then the pitcher

00:48:27.019 --> 00:48:27.519
 breaks

00:48:27.519 --> 00:48:28.739
 and the wagon

00:48:28.739 --> 00:48:29.500
 wheel breaks

00:48:29.500 --> 00:48:31.199
 and you can

00:48:31.199 --> 00:48:31.799
 no longer

00:48:31.799 --> 00:48:33.739
 take water

00:48:33.739 --> 00:48:34.500
 draw water

00:48:34.500 --> 00:48:34.960
 and take it

00:48:34.960 --> 00:48:35.400
 back home

00:48:35.400 --> 00:48:38.279
 that's what

00:48:38.279 --> 00:48:39.039
 our aging bodies

00:48:39.039 --> 00:48:39.420
 are like

00:48:39.420 --> 00:48:40.079
 one day

00:48:40.079 --> 00:48:40.980
 they wear out

00:48:40.980 --> 00:48:41.579
 and break

00:48:41.579 --> 00:48:42.920
 and you can't

00:48:42.920 --> 00:48:43.559
 do anymore

00:48:43.559 --> 00:48:44.199
 what you used

00:48:44.199 --> 00:48:44.579
 to be able

00:48:44.579 --> 00:48:44.919
 to do

00:48:44.919 --> 00:48:46.239
 life ebbs

00:48:46.239 --> 00:48:46.899
 away from us

00:48:46.899 --> 00:48:49.839
 we know

00:48:49.839 --> 00:48:50.379
 that this section

00:48:50.379 --> 00:48:51.119
 is about old age

00:48:51.119 --> 00:48:51.419
 and death

00:48:51.419 --> 00:48:52.239
 because verse 5

00:48:52.239 --> 00:48:52.739
 and verse 7

00:48:52.739 --> 00:48:53.719
 tell us explicitly

00:48:53.719 --> 00:48:54.339
 verse 5

00:48:54.339 --> 00:48:55.319
 because man is going

00:48:55.319 --> 00:48:56.500
 to his eternal home

00:48:56.500 --> 00:48:58.019
 and the mourners

00:48:58.019 --> 00:48:59.219
 go about the streets

00:48:59.219 --> 00:49:00.460
 verse 7 says

00:49:00.460 --> 00:49:01.119
 and the dust

00:49:01.119 --> 00:49:02.219
 returns to the earth

00:49:02.219 --> 00:49:02.919
 as it was

00:49:02.919 --> 00:49:03.799
 and the spirit

00:49:03.799 --> 00:49:04.799
 returns to God

00:49:04.799 --> 00:49:05.460
 who gave it

00:49:05.460 --> 00:49:10.359
 this is one

00:49:10.359 --> 00:49:10.799
 of the most

00:49:10.799 --> 00:49:11.480
 important things

00:49:11.480 --> 00:49:12.259
 that we can know

00:49:12.259 --> 00:49:12.899
 about ourselves

00:49:12.900 --> 00:49:13.720
 and remember

00:49:13.720 --> 00:49:14.400
 as we live

00:49:14.400 --> 00:49:15.579
 that we are

00:49:15.579 --> 00:49:16.680
 creatures of dust

00:49:16.680 --> 00:49:17.940
 and that God

00:49:17.940 --> 00:49:18.559
 is the creator

00:49:18.559 --> 00:49:21.760
 French philosopher

00:49:21.760 --> 00:49:22.639
 Jacques Ellul

00:49:22.639 --> 00:49:23.460
 he comments

00:49:23.460 --> 00:49:24.579
 on this verse

00:49:24.579 --> 00:49:25.039
 in this way

00:49:25.039 --> 00:49:25.559
 in his book

00:49:25.559 --> 00:49:26.440
 on Ecclesiastes

00:49:26.440 --> 00:49:28.420
 remember your creator

00:49:28.420 --> 00:49:29.700
 only here

00:49:29.700 --> 00:49:30.380
 does the preacher

00:49:30.380 --> 00:49:31.079
 call God

00:49:31.079 --> 00:49:32.340
 by this name

00:49:32.340 --> 00:49:33.840
 and he does

00:49:33.840 --> 00:49:34.840
 so by design

00:49:34.840 --> 00:49:36.559
 you may consider

00:49:36.559 --> 00:49:37.579
 yourself autonomous

00:49:37.579 --> 00:49:38.599
 but you are

00:49:38.599 --> 00:49:39.820
 incapable of knowing

00:49:39.820 --> 00:49:40.880
 what should be done

00:49:40.880 --> 00:49:42.360
 incapable of knowing

00:49:42.360 --> 00:49:43.480
 what wisdom is

00:49:43.480 --> 00:49:44.639
 you are a creature

00:49:44.639 --> 00:49:46.079
 all the evils

00:49:46.079 --> 00:49:46.500
 and I

00:49:46.500 --> 00:49:46.920
 and I

00:49:46.920 --> 00:49:47.920
 and I choose

00:49:47.920 --> 00:49:48.740
 my words carefully

00:49:48.740 --> 00:49:50.019
 all the evils

00:49:50.019 --> 00:49:50.780
 of the world

00:49:50.780 --> 00:49:51.820
 stem from

00:49:51.820 --> 00:49:52.599
 our taking

00:49:52.599 --> 00:49:53.300
 ourselves

00:49:53.300 --> 00:49:53.920
 to be

00:49:53.920 --> 00:49:54.599
 the creator

00:49:54.599 --> 00:49:59.360
 if we remember

00:49:59.360 --> 00:50:00.139
 our creator

00:50:00.139 --> 00:50:01.659
 then we remember

00:50:01.659 --> 00:50:02.599
 that we are creatures

00:50:02.599 --> 00:50:03.260
 then we know

00:50:03.260 --> 00:50:04.280
 that it is our law

00:50:04.280 --> 00:50:05.200
 to serve him

00:50:05.200 --> 00:50:06.740
 not the other way around

00:50:06.740 --> 00:50:10.559
 and that means

00:50:10.559 --> 00:50:12.240
 we are accountable

00:50:12.240 --> 00:50:12.880
 to him

00:50:12.880 --> 00:50:14.740
 not other way around

00:50:14.740 --> 00:50:17.559
 and that means

00:50:17.559 --> 00:50:20.139
 he is the center

00:50:20.139 --> 00:50:20.920
 of the universe

00:50:20.920 --> 00:50:22.420
 we are not

00:50:22.420 --> 00:50:23.260
 we are just

00:50:23.260 --> 00:50:24.180
 satellites orbiting

00:50:24.180 --> 00:50:25.000
 around him

00:50:25.000 --> 00:50:31.680
 if we remember

00:50:31.680 --> 00:50:32.300
 our creator

00:50:32.300 --> 00:50:33.280
 and that we are

00:50:33.280 --> 00:50:34.039
 merely creatures

00:50:34.039 --> 00:50:34.619
 then we know

00:50:34.619 --> 00:50:35.220
 that we are not

00:50:35.220 --> 00:50:36.119
 going to live forever

00:50:36.119 --> 00:50:37.320
 that our bodies

00:50:37.320 --> 00:50:38.360
 will return to dust

00:50:38.360 --> 00:50:38.960
 and our spirits

00:50:38.960 --> 00:50:39.940
 will return to God

00:50:39.940 --> 00:50:40.280
 who gave

00:50:40.280 --> 00:50:46.240
 but we so often

00:50:46.240 --> 00:50:46.800
 fail to live

00:50:46.800 --> 00:50:47.119
 this way

00:50:47.119 --> 00:50:47.480
 don't we

00:50:47.480 --> 00:50:50.480
 we live like

00:50:50.480 --> 00:50:51.360
 masters of our

00:50:51.360 --> 00:50:51.840
 own fate

00:50:51.840 --> 00:50:52.940
 we live like

00:50:52.940 --> 00:50:53.740
 we can control

00:50:53.740 --> 00:50:54.079
 life

00:50:54.079 --> 00:50:54.940
 we live like

00:50:54.940 --> 00:50:55.679
 we are the creators

00:50:55.679 --> 00:50:56.719
 like little gods

00:50:56.719 --> 00:50:57.460
 running around

00:50:57.460 --> 00:50:59.900
 and we expect

00:50:59.900 --> 00:51:00.619
 God to do our

00:51:00.619 --> 00:51:00.900
 bidding

00:51:00.900 --> 00:51:02.980
 we expect God

00:51:02.980 --> 00:51:03.519
 to conform

00:51:03.519 --> 00:51:04.340
 to our preferences

00:51:04.340 --> 00:51:09.679
 that's what we

00:51:09.679 --> 00:51:10.199
 call sin

00:51:10.199 --> 00:51:12.260
 and the wages

00:51:12.260 --> 00:51:12.619
 of sin

00:51:12.619 --> 00:51:13.039
 is death

00:51:13.039 --> 00:51:18.279
 so how can we

00:51:18.279 --> 00:51:19.679
 have any hope

00:51:19.679 --> 00:51:22.800
 of that eternal

00:51:22.800 --> 00:51:23.259
 home

00:51:23.259 --> 00:51:25.099
 that the preacher

00:51:25.099 --> 00:51:25.739
 speaks of

00:51:25.739 --> 00:51:26.699
 how can we have

00:51:26.699 --> 00:51:27.199
 any hope

00:51:27.199 --> 00:51:27.599
 that we will

00:51:27.599 --> 00:51:28.400
 survive that

00:51:28.400 --> 00:51:28.960
 judgment

00:51:28.960 --> 00:51:30.619
 that he says

00:51:30.619 --> 00:51:31.159
 is coming

00:51:31.159 --> 00:51:31.599
 when we have

00:51:31.599 --> 00:51:31.860
 to give an

00:51:31.860 --> 00:51:32.579
 account to God

00:51:32.579 --> 00:51:33.420
 for all that

00:51:33.420 --> 00:51:33.900
 we do

00:51:33.900 --> 00:51:37.159
 in John

00:51:37.159 --> 00:51:37.880
 14

00:51:37.880 --> 00:51:38.500
 1-6

00:51:38.500 --> 00:51:39.539
 Jesus said

00:51:39.539 --> 00:51:40.500
 let not your

00:51:40.500 --> 00:51:41.440
 hearts be troubled

00:51:41.440 --> 00:51:43.559
 believe in God

00:51:43.559 --> 00:51:45.000
 believe also

00:51:45.000 --> 00:51:45.519
 in me

00:51:45.519 --> 00:51:46.900
 in my father's

00:51:46.900 --> 00:51:47.300
 house

00:51:47.300 --> 00:51:48.320
 are many rooms

00:51:48.320 --> 00:51:49.380
 if it were not

00:51:49.380 --> 00:51:49.740
 so

00:51:49.740 --> 00:51:50.220
 would I have

00:51:50.220 --> 00:51:50.679
 told you

00:51:50.679 --> 00:51:51.200
 that I go

00:51:51.200 --> 00:51:51.880
 to prepare

00:51:51.880 --> 00:51:52.440
 a place

00:51:52.440 --> 00:51:52.900
 for you

00:51:52.900 --> 00:51:53.920
 and if I go

00:51:53.920 --> 00:51:54.380
 and prepare

00:51:54.380 --> 00:51:54.920
 a place

00:51:54.920 --> 00:51:55.240
 for you

00:51:55.240 --> 00:51:55.780
 I will come

00:51:55.780 --> 00:51:56.159
 again

00:51:56.159 --> 00:51:56.579
 and will

00:51:56.579 --> 00:51:56.980
 take you

00:51:56.980 --> 00:51:57.519
 to myself

00:51:57.519 --> 00:51:58.340
 that where

00:51:58.340 --> 00:51:58.900
 I am

00:51:58.900 --> 00:51:59.599
 you may be

00:51:59.599 --> 00:51:59.980
 also

00:51:59.980 --> 00:52:00.780
 and you know

00:52:00.780 --> 00:52:01.320
 the way

00:52:01.320 --> 00:52:01.800
 to where

00:52:01.800 --> 00:52:02.320
 I'm going

00:52:02.320 --> 00:52:03.740
 he's talking

00:52:03.740 --> 00:52:04.059
 about that

00:52:04.059 --> 00:52:04.740
 eternal home

00:52:04.740 --> 00:52:05.159
 that the preacher

00:52:05.159 --> 00:52:05.840
 speaks of

00:52:05.840 --> 00:52:06.980
 but then

00:52:06.980 --> 00:52:07.700
 his disciple

00:52:07.700 --> 00:52:08.179
 Thomas

00:52:08.179 --> 00:52:08.780
 objects

00:52:08.780 --> 00:52:09.420
 Lord

00:52:09.420 --> 00:52:09.820
 we don't

00:52:09.820 --> 00:52:10.059
 know

00:52:10.059 --> 00:52:10.400
 where you're

00:52:10.400 --> 00:52:11.079
 going

00:52:11.079 --> 00:52:11.559
 how can

00:52:11.559 --> 00:52:11.779
 we know

00:52:11.779 --> 00:52:12.239
 the way

00:52:12.239 --> 00:52:13.400
 and then

00:52:13.400 --> 00:52:14.239
 Jesus answers

00:52:14.239 --> 00:52:15.679
 I am

00:52:15.679 --> 00:52:16.340
 the way

00:52:16.340 --> 00:52:17.440
 the truth

00:52:17.440 --> 00:52:18.460
 and the life

00:52:18.460 --> 00:52:19.360
 no one

00:52:19.360 --> 00:52:19.799
 comes to

00:52:19.799 --> 00:52:20.159
 the father

00:52:20.159 --> 00:52:20.759
 except through

00:52:20.759 --> 00:52:21.039
 me

00:52:21.039 --> 00:52:26.039
 we have

00:52:26.039 --> 00:52:26.900
 all styled

00:52:26.900 --> 00:52:27.199
 ourselves

00:52:27.199 --> 00:52:27.599
 to be

00:52:27.599 --> 00:52:28.380
 these creators

00:52:28.380 --> 00:52:29.019
 these little

00:52:29.019 --> 00:52:29.920
 gods

00:52:29.920 --> 00:52:30.519
 living

00:52:30.519 --> 00:52:31.340
 for our

00:52:31.340 --> 00:52:31.980
 own will

00:52:31.980 --> 00:52:32.779
 for ourselves

00:52:32.779 --> 00:52:33.880
 instead of

00:52:33.880 --> 00:52:34.400
 worshiping

00:52:34.400 --> 00:52:34.739
 God

00:52:34.739 --> 00:52:35.219
 we have

00:52:35.219 --> 00:52:36.000
 sought

00:52:36.000 --> 00:52:36.460
 worship

00:52:36.460 --> 00:52:37.219
 for ourselves

00:52:37.219 --> 00:52:38.059
 and we

00:52:38.059 --> 00:52:38.299
 have

00:52:38.299 --> 00:52:38.819
 worshipped

00:52:38.819 --> 00:52:39.420
 creatures

00:52:39.420 --> 00:52:39.900
 rather than

00:52:39.900 --> 00:52:40.599
 worshipping

00:52:40.599 --> 00:52:41.000
 the creator

00:52:41.000 --> 00:52:41.279
 we have

00:52:41.279 --> 00:52:41.460
 all

00:52:41.460 --> 00:52:41.940
 sinned

00:52:41.940 --> 00:52:42.259
 in this

00:52:42.259 --> 00:52:42.539
 way

00:52:42.539 --> 00:52:43.159
 and the

00:52:43.159 --> 00:52:43.519
 amazing

00:52:43.519 --> 00:52:44.079
 thing is

00:52:44.079 --> 00:52:44.519
 God

00:52:44.519 --> 00:52:45.860
 instead of

00:52:45.860 --> 00:52:46.339
 doing what

00:52:46.339 --> 00:52:46.779
 we would

00:52:46.779 --> 00:52:47.019
 do in

00:52:47.019 --> 00:52:47.440
 this place

00:52:47.440 --> 00:52:47.860
 which is

00:52:47.860 --> 00:52:49.000
 to shove

00:52:49.000 --> 00:52:49.400
 us back

00:52:49.400 --> 00:52:49.799
 down and

00:52:49.799 --> 00:52:50.119
 put us

00:52:50.119 --> 00:52:50.319
 in our

00:52:50.319 --> 00:52:50.679
 place

00:52:50.679 --> 00:52:53.519
 he decides

00:52:53.519 --> 00:52:53.860
 that he'll

00:52:53.860 --> 00:52:54.339
 send his

00:52:54.339 --> 00:52:55.159
 only son

00:52:55.159 --> 00:52:56.139
 to earth

00:52:56.139 --> 00:52:57.299
 to take

00:52:57.299 --> 00:52:58.059
 the form

00:52:58.059 --> 00:52:58.420
 of a

00:52:58.420 --> 00:52:58.799
 creature

00:52:58.799 --> 00:53:00.920
 the creator

00:53:00.920 --> 00:53:01.559
 takes the

00:53:01.559 --> 00:53:02.079
 form of a

00:53:02.079 --> 00:53:02.400
 creature

00:53:02.400 --> 00:53:03.239
 the son

00:53:03.239 --> 00:53:03.759
 of God

00:53:03.759 --> 00:53:04.279
 becomes

00:53:04.279 --> 00:53:05.019
 son of

00:53:05.019 --> 00:53:05.440
 man

00:53:05.440 --> 00:53:07.760
 he lives

00:53:07.760 --> 00:53:08.300
 the life

00:53:08.300 --> 00:53:08.700
 of our

00:53:08.700 --> 00:53:09.099
 weakness

00:53:09.099 --> 00:53:09.900
 he lives

00:53:09.900 --> 00:53:10.460
 in our

00:53:10.460 --> 00:53:10.860
 life

00:53:10.860 --> 00:53:11.900
 this world

00:53:11.900 --> 00:53:12.200
 that is

00:53:12.200 --> 00:53:12.659
 broken

00:53:12.659 --> 00:53:13.500
 and fallen

00:53:13.500 --> 00:53:14.519
 he experiences

00:53:14.519 --> 00:53:15.260
 the futility

00:53:15.260 --> 00:53:15.880
 and the

00:53:15.880 --> 00:53:16.159
 vanity

00:53:16.159 --> 00:53:16.700
 of life

00:53:16.700 --> 00:53:17.099
 and then

00:53:17.099 --> 00:53:17.519
 he goes

00:53:17.519 --> 00:53:17.820
 to the

00:53:17.820 --> 00:53:18.179
 cross

00:53:18.179 --> 00:53:18.420
 so that

00:53:18.420 --> 00:53:18.700
 he could

00:53:18.700 --> 00:53:19.059
 die

00:53:19.059 --> 00:53:19.780
 for our

00:53:19.780 --> 00:53:20.440
 sins

00:53:20.440 --> 00:53:21.539
 for our

00:53:21.539 --> 00:53:21.960
 arrogant

00:53:21.960 --> 00:53:22.639
 presumption

00:53:22.639 --> 00:53:23.320
 of God's

00:53:23.320 --> 00:53:23.760
 place

00:53:23.760 --> 00:53:24.599
 so that

00:53:24.599 --> 00:53:25.200
 we might

00:53:25.200 --> 00:53:25.559
 be

00:53:25.559 --> 00:53:26.179
 forgiven

00:53:26.179 --> 00:53:26.559
 of our

00:53:26.559 --> 00:53:26.900
 sins

00:53:26.900 --> 00:53:27.840
 so that

00:53:27.840 --> 00:53:28.559
 we might

00:53:28.559 --> 00:53:29.500
 be able

00:53:29.500 --> 00:53:30.179
 really to

00:53:30.179 --> 00:53:30.820
 be exalted

00:53:30.820 --> 00:53:31.900
 with God

00:53:31.900 --> 00:53:32.300
 and reign

00:53:32.300 --> 00:53:32.740
 with him

00:53:32.740 --> 00:53:33.159
 forever

00:53:33.159 --> 00:53:34.519
 what kind

00:53:34.519 --> 00:53:34.980
 of mercy

00:53:34.980 --> 00:53:35.519
 is that

00:53:35.519 --> 00:53:44.599
 and so

00:53:44.599 --> 00:53:45.000
 we are to

00:53:45.000 --> 00:53:45.619
 live now

00:53:45.619 --> 00:53:46.139
 knowing that

00:53:46.139 --> 00:53:46.779
 our bodies

00:53:46.779 --> 00:53:47.259
 our outer

00:53:47.259 --> 00:53:47.779
 selves

00:53:47.779 --> 00:53:48.719
 are wasting

00:53:48.719 --> 00:53:49.319
 away as we

00:53:49.319 --> 00:53:49.799
 read earlier

00:53:49.799 --> 00:53:50.259
 in the assurance

00:53:50.259 --> 00:53:50.639
 of pardon

00:53:50.639 --> 00:53:51.299
 2nd Corinthians

00:53:51.299 --> 00:53:51.980
 4 and 5

00:53:51.980 --> 00:53:54.039
 but our

00:53:54.039 --> 00:53:54.519
 inner cells

00:53:54.519 --> 00:53:54.759
 are being

00:53:54.759 --> 00:53:55.179
 renewed

00:53:55.179 --> 00:53:55.679
 day by

00:53:55.679 --> 00:53:56.099
 day

00:53:56.099 --> 00:53:59.699
 a day

00:53:59.699 --> 00:54:00.079
 longer

00:54:00.079 --> 00:54:00.619
 in our

00:54:00.619 --> 00:54:01.699
 decaying

00:54:01.699 --> 00:54:02.059
 body

00:54:02.059 --> 00:54:04.000
 is a

00:54:04.000 --> 00:54:04.159
 day

00:54:04.159 --> 00:54:04.599
 closer

00:54:04.599 --> 00:54:05.279
 to our

00:54:05.279 --> 00:54:05.679
 eternal

00:54:05.679 --> 00:54:06.000
 home

00:54:06.000 --> 00:54:09.599
 let's

00:54:09.599 --> 00:54:09.880
 pray

00:54:09.880 --> 00:54:18.000
 father

00:54:18.000 --> 00:54:22.440
 really

00:54:22.440 --> 00:54:23.380
 teach us

00:54:23.380 --> 00:54:25.219
 to know

00:54:25.219 --> 00:54:25.619
 that we're

00:54:25.619 --> 00:54:26.619
 but a

00:54:26.619 --> 00:54:27.079
 breath

00:54:27.079 --> 00:54:28.320
 that our

00:54:28.320 --> 00:54:28.980
 life is

00:54:28.980 --> 00:54:29.420
 but a

00:54:29.420 --> 00:54:29.880
 breath

00:54:29.880 --> 00:54:33.820
 help us

00:54:33.820 --> 00:54:34.260
 not to

00:54:34.260 --> 00:54:34.800
 forget

00:54:34.800 --> 00:54:35.380
 this

00:54:35.380 --> 00:54:37.220
 in the

00:54:37.220 --> 00:54:37.700
 busyness

00:54:37.700 --> 00:54:38.180
 of life

00:54:38.180 --> 00:54:38.500
 and in the

00:54:38.500 --> 00:54:39.000
 distractions

00:54:39.000 --> 00:54:39.579
 of the

00:54:39.579 --> 00:54:39.880
 world

00:54:39.880 --> 00:54:41.360
 help us

00:54:41.360 --> 00:54:42.140
 to know

00:54:42.140 --> 00:54:42.920
 remember

00:54:42.920 --> 00:54:44.660
 you are

00:54:44.660 --> 00:54:45.059
 creator

00:54:45.059 --> 00:54:49.860
 and enable

00:54:49.860 --> 00:54:50.420
 us as we

00:54:50.420 --> 00:54:50.780
 do that

00:54:50.780 --> 00:54:51.820
 to rejoice

00:54:51.820 --> 00:54:52.599
 in our

00:54:52.599 --> 00:54:52.860
 youth

00:54:52.860 --> 00:54:55.619
 to enjoy

00:54:55.619 --> 00:54:56.059
 the life

00:54:56.059 --> 00:54:56.260
 you've

00:54:56.260 --> 00:54:56.500
 given

00:54:56.500 --> 00:55:00.800
 for your

00:55:00.800 --> 00:55:01.139
 glory

00:55:01.139 --> 00:55:01.559
 and for

00:55:01.559 --> 00:55:01.719
 our

00:55:01.719 --> 00:55:01.960
 good

00:55:01.960 --> 00:55:03.960
 in

00:55:03.960 --> 00:55:04.219
 Jesus

00:55:04.219 --> 00:55:04.500
 name

00:55:04.500 --> 00:55:04.679
 we

00:55:04.679 --> 00:55:04.920
 pray

00:55:04.920 --> 00:55:05.699
 amen

00:55:05.699 --> 00:55:13.239
 for

00:55:13.239 --> 00:55:14.319
 the

00:55:14.319 --> 00:55:14.699
 mas

00:55:14.699 --> 00:55:15.199
 on

00:55:15.199 --> 00:55:15.679
 our

00:55:15.679 --> 00:55:15.759
 way

00:55:15.759 --> 00:55:20.799
 to

00:55:22.919 --> 00:55:23.319
 space

00:55:23.319 --> 00:55:23.419
 to

00:55:23.559 --> 00:55:24.239
ede

00:55:24.239 --> 00:55:27.099
 us

00:55:27.099 --> 00:55:28.139
 or