Hey guys, it's good to worship with you.
I do apologize for the cancellation for the prayer.
I think it's been like nine years running almost
and we haven't canceled prayer,
so it's an unusual season we're in,
but we will resume the following week.
If you don't have a Bible, please raise your hand.
We'd love to get you a copy
and you can have that as your own
to take home with you.
Thanks guys.
And if you have your Bibles already,
please turn with me to Ecclesiastes chapter 11.
We're gonna go through all of 11
all the way to chapter 12, verse 8.
This is the second to last sermon
in the book of Ecclesiastes.
We've made our way through the entire book
and the author is starting to wrap up his main points here.
For those of you who don't know me,
my name is Sean.
I'm one of the pastors of Trinity Cambridge Church
and it is my great joy and privilege
to preach God's word to you this morning.
Let me pray now for the reading
and preaching of God's word.
Father, we ask that you
rejoice our hearts,
delight our hearts,
with revelation of who you are.
What a gracious,
generous,
merciful God you are.
So that our hearts well up with praise
and thanksgiving to you this morning.
And I ask also that you'll help us
to remember that you are our creator,
that we are your creatures.
That a deep humility
may be instilled within us
so that it affects
everything we do in life
and how we carry out our days.
Address us now from your holy word.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
If you are able,
please stand and join us
for the reading of God's word.
We stand to honor God
as we read his word to us.
Ecclesiastes 11, 1 to 12, 8.
Cast your bread upon the waters,
for you will find it after many days.
Give a portion to seven
or even to eight,
for you know not
what disaster may happen on earth.
If the clouds are full of rain,
they empty themselves on the earth.
And if a tree falls to the south
or to the north,
in the place where the tree falls,
there it will lie.
He who observes the wind
will not sow,
and he who regards the clouds
will not reap.
As you do not know the way
the spirit comes to the bones
in the womb of a woman
with a child,
so you do not know the work of God
who makes everything.
In the morning sow your seed,
and at evening withhold not your hand,
for you do not know
which will prosper.
This or that,
or whether both alike will be good.
Light is sweet,
and it is pleasant for the eyes
to see the sun.
So if a person lives many years,
let him rejoice in them all,
but let him remember
that the days of darkness
will be many.
All that comes is vanity.
Rejoice, O young man,
in your youth,
and let your heart cheer you
in the days of your youth.
Walk in the ways of your heart
and the sight of your eyes,
but know that for all these things
God will bring you into judgment.
Remove vexation from your heart
and put away pain from your body,
for youth and the dawn of life
are vanity.
Remember also your creator
in the days of your youth.
Before the evil days come
and the years draw near,
of which you will say,
I have no pleasure in them.
Before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars
are darkened
and the clouds return
after the rain.
In the day when the keepers
of the house tremble
and the strong men are bent
and the grinders seize
because they are a few
and those who look
through the windows are dimmed.
And the doors on the street
are shut
when the sound of the grinding
is low
and one rises up
at the sound of a bird
and all the daughters of song
are brought low.
They are afraid also
of what is high
and terrors are in the way.
The almond tree blossoms,
the grasshopper drags itself along
and desire fails
because man is going
to his eternal home
and the mourners go
about the streets.
Before the silver cord is snapped
or the golden bowl is broken
or the pitcher is shattered
at the fountain
or the wheel broken
at the cistern
and the dust returns
to the earth as it was
and the spirit returns
to God who gave it.
A vanity of vanities,
says the preacher.
All is vanity.
This is God's holy
and authoritative word.
You may be seated.
In a 1931 interview,
Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw
is quoted as saying this,
Youth is the most beautiful thing
in the world
and what a pity
that it has to be wasted
on children.
That's most likely
the origin of the popular saying,
Youth is wasted on the young.
It gets at the idea
that youth lack the wisdom
and experience
to make the most
of their health and energy.
But by the time they gain
that wisdom and experience,
they become old
and they no longer
has that youthful energy.
energy.
Our church is young.
It has been less than 10 years
since we planted this church.
I'm a young pastor.
I'm just shy of 40.
I know that seems old
to some of you,
but according to 1 Timothy 5,
it's in the Bible, right?
This is according
to 1 Timothy 5,
the cutoff line
between older widows
and younger widows
is 60.
So I still have 20 years
of youngness left.
And by that definition,
only a handful of people
in our church
are actually old.
So most of us
don't get to wear
that I'm old
and wise badge yet.
And Ecclesiastes 11.1-12.8,
which specifically
addresses youth
multiple times,
offers us timely
and relevant advice.
And the main point
of the passage is this.
Knowing that life
is but a breath,
we should rejoice
in our youth
and remember our creator.
First, I'm going to talk
about accepting risk,
11.1-6,
and then we'll talk
about rejoicing,
the main command
of that section,
rejoice in your youth.
And then later
in chapter 12,
remember your creator.
11.1-6 is a reminder
that we cannot know
or control the future.
Over and over again,
we are told
what we do not know.
So look at the passage
with me, verse 2.
For you know not
what disaster may happen
on earth.
Again, verse 5.
And you do not know
the way the spirit
comes to the bones.
And again,
so you do not know
the work of God
who makes everything.
Verse 6.
For you do not know
which will prosper,
this or that.
So 11.1-6
is all about
the uncertainty of life
and risk
that characterize
that uncertain life,
the life of creatures.
Because we are not
the creator
who is sovereign
and in control
over all things,
but the creatures,
we live in that uncertainty
and we must accept
that risk.
The beginning of wisdom
is the fear of the Lord,
recognizing that God
is God
and that we are not God.
So then the truly wise
recognize the limitations
of their wisdom.
And that wisdom
is not meant
to make us masters
of our fate,
to be able to control
the outcomes of our lives,
but rather wisdom
is meant to make us servants
who are submitted
to the sovereign purposes
of God.
That's why the beginning
of wisdom
is the fear of the Lord
and humility.
And humbly acknowledging
that reality means
we accept
and account for risk
in all the choices
that we make.
Verse 1 says,
cast your bread
upon the waters,
for you will find it
after many days.
Bread here
doesn't refer to
a literal loaf of bread
but to our income
or our source of livelihood,
similar to how we use
the expression breadwinner
to refer to people
who are winning
the livelihood,
the main income
of the household.
And so this here,
probably we can think
of bread as money
or our resources
and the preacher
counsels us
to cast that
upon the waters,
for you will find it
after many days.
Those two main words,
cast and waters
occur together
in Isaiah 18,
verse 2,
which is a helpful
parallel for understanding this.
It speaks of nations
that cast ambassadors
by the sea
in vessels of papyrus
on the waters.
I think this is meant
to help us
understand this first.
I think this is a reference
to maritime trade.
When you cast your resources
out upon the waters
in hopes that it will
yield return
after many days.
Maritime trade
in those days especially
took a long time
and it required patience.
It was not for people
who desired
instant gratification.
A patient investor
who is willing
to make an investment
for the future
and wait for a long time,
that's the counsel
that the preacher
is giving here.
It's similar
to what famous investor
Warren Buffett
said one time.
He says,
someone's sitting
in the shade today
because someone planted
a tree a long time ago.
Verse 2 continues
that theme.
Give a portion
to 7 or even to 8
for you know not
what disaster
may happen on earth.
Here's another example
of graded numerical parallelism.
You guys remember that
from a few weeks ago?
Yeah, there you go.
The point isn't
that you should invest
in exactly 7 ventures
or exactly 8.
The point is that
you should diversify
your investments.
Don't put all your eggs
in one basket
for you know not
what disaster
may happen on earth.
Don't put all your money
into real estate
because a housing bubble
collapse might ruin
all of your investments.
Don't put all your money
in a single company stock.
There are countless
cautionary tales
of people who have lost
all their money that way.
As recently as 2022,
the cryptocurrency exchange
FTX collapsed
due to embezzlement.
Their customers lost
8 billion in assets
and their investors
lost 1.7 billion.
And who could have
seen that coming?
At the height of FTX,
the CEO,
Sam Bankman-Fried's
net worth was
above 15 million.
He was compared
to finance titans
like J.P. Morgan
and Warren Buffett.
He was sitting
on conference panels
along with people
like Bill Clinton
and Tony Blair.
But now he's in jail.
Who could have
seen that coming?
No one can look
five or ten years
into the future
and say this stock
will do well
and that this company,
this industry will boom.
Diversification
is one of the first
important principles
of investing
that you learn.
By spreading out
your investments
across different assets,
you reduce your chance
of having all of it
wiped out
on a single bad day.
This interpretation
of verses 1-2
as referring to
financial investment
and trade
is confirmed
by the fact
that it was just
preceded by 10-19.
Bread is made
for laughter
and wine
and gladden's life
and money answers
everything.
Given the effectiveness
of money
and the usefulness
of money in this world,
it's teaching us now
to be a good steward
of that.
This interpretation
is also confirmed
by the following verses,
verses 3-6,
which talk about
financial investment
this time
with the metaphor
of sowing seeds.
Verse 3 says,
If the clouds
are full of rain,
they empty themselves
on the earth,
and if a tree falls
to the south
or to the north,
in the place
where the tree falls
there it will lie.
Again, the point here
is we can't control
these things.
We can't control
when the rain falls.
The rain falls
when the clouds
are full,
and there's not much
we can do
to change that.
Even to this day,
the best we can do
is forecast the weather,
and even that
is hit or miss
because the rain falls
when it's ready,
when the clouds are full
and we have no control
over it.
When rain doesn't fall,
we have drought,
and when rain falls
too much,
we have flooding
and we can't control it.
Similarly,
we can't control
whether a tree falls
to the south
or to the north.
That depends
on the natural lean
of the tree
or the direction
of the wind
that brought
the tree down,
and we can't control it.
And unless you have
heavy modern equipment,
you also can't move
a large tree
when it falls
to the ground.
It's going to sit there,
whether it fell
to the north
or to the south,
and we have
no control over it.
These are things,
and these are examples
of things
that are outside
of our control
in life,
and if we
preoccupy ourselves
too much
with things
that we cannot control,
it makes us
indecisive
and inactive.
Verse 4 says this,
He who observes
the wind
will not sow,
and he who regards
the clouds
will not reap.
If we're spending
all day observing
the direction
of the wind,
trying to find
the very best time
to scatter the seeds,
then you will always
be watching the wind.
Likewise,
if you spend
your day
watching the clouds
to make sure
there is no hint
of rain
or trying to figure
out the very best time,
the perfect time
for you to start
reaping the harvest,
then you're going
to be looking on
for too long,
and the harvest
will be gone.
We need to learn,
the preacher
is telling us,
we need to learn
to relinquish control
over that which
never had control
in the first place.
we need to be okay
with acting
at times that
are not what we
deem to be the best
or the perfect time
sometimes,
because the opportune
moment might not come.
Verse 5 continues
this theme of ignorance.
As you do not know
the way,
the spirit comes
to the bones
in the womb
of a woman with child,
so you do not know
the work of God
who makes everything.
The spirit,
the breath of life,
comes from God
and animates
the conceived baby
in the womb,
but we can't tell
which way
the spirit comes.
We do not know
the work of God
who makes everything.
Just as we do not know
from where
that spirit comes
to the baby
in the womb,
we do not know
exactly which direction
the wind will blow
or when the rain
will fall,
and it is our
humble lot
as creatures
to acknowledge that
and live in accordance
with that ignorance.
is there something
that you've always
wanted to try
but you haven't
acted on it
because you're waiting
for the perfect time?
That perfect time
may never come,
and no amount
of scheming
or planning
on your part
will give you
control
or guarantee you
success.
So why not act
on it?
Why not try it?
In fact,
why not try
several things
because you don't know
which one will succeed.
Don't let
idolatry of success
prevent you
from enjoying
the life you currently have,
but also
don't let fear
of failure
paralyze you
from making bold decisions
and taking risks.
It says in verse 6,
In the morning
sow your seed
and at evening
withhold not your hand
for you do not know
which will prosper
this or that
or whether both alike
will be good.
You don't know
which seed will perform better,
one that you sowed
in the morning
or the one that you sowed
in the evening,
and so do both.
That's the preacher's counsel.
Acknowledge your ignorance,
diversify your investments
as a function
and outworking
of your humility
before God.
Verses 1 to 6
are all getting
to the same idea
from different angles.
There's one more application
I want to bring out
from this.
You might think
this is a bit of a stretch,
but I think
there is a helpful
application for this
for evangelism
in our lives.
In the parable
of the talents
in Matthew 25,
the master entrusts
his wealth,
his property
to three different servants.
Two of them
invest their money wisely
and they make
some dividends
and they are commended
by the master,
but one of them,
instead of doing anything
with the money,
decides that he's just
going to bury the money
in the ground
so that he could have it safe
for when the master returns.
And this is his excuse
when the master
brings him to account.
Master,
I knew you to be
a hard man,
reaping where you did not sow
and gathering
where you scattered
no seed,
so I was afraid
and I went and hid
your talent in the ground.
Here,
you have what is yours.
The master is
understandably upset
with him
because this lazy servant
didn't do anything
with the money
that he asked him
to manage.
At the very least,
he could have just
put it in the bank
and it would have
accrued some interest,
but instead he decided
to bury it in the ground
to keep it safe
because he feared
the master,
because he had
an erroneous perception
of the master
as a hard man
and a stingy man.
He feared something
might happen to the money,
so he hid it
and didn't do anything
with it.
He didn't take any risks.
But the point of the parable
is that God,
our master,
is not a hard master.
He is a gracious
and kind master
and he has given us
his grace.
He has entrusted to us
the good news
of Jesus Christ
so that we might
sow it widely
and liberally
and give it out
and share it with others.
He wants his people
to take gospel risks
and to sow
our gospel seeds
widely.
Knowing that we cannot
control the outcome
of our evangelism,
God knows that
better than we do.
He's the one
who gives the growth.
Some of us
never share
the gospel
with our unbelieving
friends
and our neighbors
because we're always
waiting for that
perfect opportunity.
We're observing
the winds
and watching
the clouds,
waiting for that
perfect opportunity
to come.
Waiting for that moment
when no one
will be offended.
Waiting for that moment
when you will not
be embarrassed.
Waiting for that moment
when you have
all the theological
answers.
Brothers and sisters,
that day might never
come.
And all the opportunities
might pass you by
while you're observing
the wind
and watching the clouds.
So listen to the
exhortation of verse 6.
In the morning
sow your seed
and at evening
withhold not your hand
for you do not know
which will prosper,
this or that
or whether both alike
will be good.
This is a
not so well
hidden secret
that the best evangelists
among us
do not usually have
a higher percentage
of success rate
in terms of
people converting
than the rest of us.
You guys know that?
They don't have
a very high
success rate
on their own.
The only difference
between them
and some of us
is that
they sow
a lot more.
They spread
a lot more seeds.
D.L. Moody
was one such
prolific evangelist
in the 19th century.
He was actually
converted to Christianity
right here in Boston
and there's a little
forgotten plaque
that nobody ever visits
that commemorates
where he was converted.
I'll be happy
to take you guys
there one day
if you want to see it.
And after one of
the evangelistic meetings
of D.L. Moody
there was a woman
that approached him
and confronted him
saying,
Mr. Moody
I don't like
the way you do evangelism
and he replied
ma'am
how do you do it?
Probably generally
wanting to learn
and see what she has
to say
and then she responded
I don't.
And then D.L. Moody
responded
I like my way
of doing evangelism
better than
your way
of not doing it.
Brothers and sisters
stop observing
the wind
and regarding
the clouds
let us sow
in the morning
let us sow
in the evening
because we don't know
which one
will bear fruit.
Moving ahead
verses 7 to 10
teach us to rejoice
in our youth.
Note the repetition
of the word rejoice
in verse 8
verse 9
so if a person
lives many years
let him rejoice
in them all.
Rejoice
oh young man
in your youth
and let your heart
cheer you
in the days
of your youth.
The verb rejoice
and the noun form
of that
joy
are key words
that we have seen
repeatedly
throughout Ecclesiastes
and especially
in those
carpe diem
or the seize the day
passages
that are key
for understanding
this book
that we've seen
so far.
And those passages
have taught us
to enjoy life.
to relish
the simple pleasures
of life
because these pleasures
of life
enjoyed within
their proper boundaries
given to us
by God
are meant
to comfort us
in the midst
of the painful
realities of life
in this broken
and fallen world.
They are gifts
from God
in order to
punctuate
the pains
in our lives
with joy
like flowers
or ice cream
that we bring
over to
an ailing friend
at the hospital.
Comfort
in the midst
of the pain
in the midst
of the suffering.
So light is sweet
it says
verse 7
and it is pleasant
for the eyes
to see the sun.
I don't think
I'm alone
in saying
that I enjoy
the sun.
You guys all enjoy
the sun.
We enjoyed
some unexpected
summer days
here in New England
fall this past week.
I think Friday
November 1st
we hit a high
of 79 degrees
which surpassed
the 1974 record
of 77 degrees.
Like sweetness
that delights
our taste buds.
The warmth
of light
on our skin
delights
our senses
does it not?
And we don't have
to enjoy
sunny days only.
There are days
to enjoy
in the winter too.
Some of us
enjoy the chill
of winter
when we step
outside
and feel
that cool
refreshing sensation
from head to toe.
Who knows
what I'm talking about?
You guys enjoy that?
Yeah?
I know Josh
enjoys walks out
in the cold
winter days.
Yeah,
I'm sure he's not alone.
And that
walk
in the fresh
fallen snow
and that
squeak
in the snow
that you hear
walk on ground
and nobody else
has stepped on.
How beautiful
is that?
Remember,
under the sun
is a phrase
that the preacher
of Achilles
Yastis has used
repeatedly
many times
to describe
our sinful
world
and our life
in this broken
and sinful world.
But if you're
seeing the sun,
then you're
at least alive.
And he's saying
enjoy life.
Enjoy the gifts
that come to you
wherever you find them.
It says in verse 8,
so if a person
lives many years,
let him rejoice
in them all.
But let him remember
that the days
of darkness
will be many.
All that comes
is vanity.
Remember
is another key word
and it will occur
again in chapter 12
and reminds us here
of the two commands,
main commands
of Ecclesiastes.
Rejoice
or enjoy life
and remember.
Remember
the reality
of death
and reality
of our
creatureliness.
The joys of life
are not meant
to function
like opioids
that block
the pain signals
between the body
and the brain.
We have an opioid crisis
in the country.
130 people die
per day
because of opioid overdose.
People get addicted
to these
painkillers,
these opioids,
because it gives them
this sense
of well-being
and euphoria
and it helps them
to escape
to this alternate reality
and to run away
from the pains
of life.
But that's not
the counsel
of Ecclesiastes.
It doesn't tell us
to seek to escape
the realities of life.
No,
it faces us
front and center
with the reality
of life
and reality of death
and the reality
of suffering
and evil
in this world
and then tells us
in the midst
of that
to enjoy life.
to have the humility
and the fear
of God
to have the freedom
of insignificance
to be able
to enjoy
the simple gifts
and the pleasures
of life.
It's only,
in fact,
it's only when
we are staring
death in the face
that we learn
humility
and the freedom
of insignificance
so that we are
released from
the shackles
of illusions
of godness
and the shackles
of profit
and performance
in life
so that we can
actually enjoy life.
Ecclesiastes
has taught us
to number our days
and to remember
our impending death
over and over again
but have you
really reckoned
with your own mortality?
19th century
English writer
William Hazlitt
wrote an essay
that captures
what it's like
to be young
versus what it's like
to be old
and this is
what he has to say
about death
and old age
to the young.
He says
that to the young
words like death
and old age
are words
without meaning.
They are merely
a dream
of fiction
and life
is a delightful
journey
with no end
in sight
to prospect
after prospect.
To be young
he writes
is to be
as one
of the immortals.
I think
John Calvin
will concur
with this
assessment
because he writes
in the Institutes
of Christian Religion
that human life
is like smoke
or shadow
that human life
is like smoke
or shadow
is not only obvious
to the learned
but even ordinary
folk have
no proverb
more commonplace
than this.
But there is
almost nothing
that we regard
more negligently
or remember less
for we undertake
all things
as if we were
establishing
immortality
for ourselves
on earth.
If some corpse
is being buried
or we walk
among graves
because the likeness
of death
then meets our eyes
we I confess
philosophize
brilliantly
concerning the vanity
of this life.
Yet even this
we do not do
consistently
for often
all these things
affect us
not one bit.
But when it happens
our philosophy
is for the moment
it vanishes
as soon as we
turn our backs
and leaves not
a trace
of remembrance
behind it.
In the end
like applause
in the theater
for some pleasing
spectacle
it evaporates.
Forgetful not only
of death
but also of mortality
itself
as if no inkling
of it had ever
reached us
we return to our
thoughtless assurance
of earthly immortality.
The thought
of perpetuity
nonetheless
remains fixed
in our minds.
I only have
two weeks left
this Sunday
and next Sunday
in Ecclesiastes
to really get
through to you
about this.
Don't be reminded
of death
during Sunday worship
only to let it
affect your life
not one bit.
If we can gain
this wisdom now
while we're still young
then we can
truly enjoy life
and rejoice
in our youth
as gifts
from God.
Verse 9
continues this thought
rejoice
oh young man
in your youth
and let your heart
cheer you
in the days
of your youth
walk in the ways
of your heart
and the side
of your eyes
but know that
for all these things
God will bring you
into judgment.
Walking in the ways
of your heart
and the side
of your eyes
are different ways
to speak of
enjoying life.
Sometimes in Ecclesiastes
the side of the eyes
is a symbol
for wisdom
for example
Ecclesiastes 2.14
and 6.9
but in other places
eye represents
the seed
of human desire.
So for example
Ecclesiastes 2.10
says whatever
my eyes desired
I did not keep
from them
or Ecclesiastes 4.8
his eyes
are never satisfied
with riches.
Earlier verse 7
spoke of how
it is pleasant
for the eyes
to see the sun
so similarly
eyes here
represents the seed
of desire.
Heart is similar
it's representing
the human capacity
to rejoice
and to enjoy
the things in life.
So Ecclesiastes 5.20
says if a man
enjoys the gifts
of God in life
God keeps him
occupied with joy
in his heart.
So the preacher
is telling us
in verse 9
to enjoy life
to rejoice
in the simple pleasures
that God gives.
Let them cheer
your heart
and let them
delight your eyes
and satisfy your eyes.
And of course
this doesn't mean
that we should indulge
in sinful pleasures
which is why
there's an important
caveat here
but know
that for all
these things
God will bring you
into judgment.
We will be judged
for our indulgence
in sinful pleasures
as well as
for our prideful refusal
to enjoy
the gifts of God
in life.
Verse 10
says remove
vexation
from your heart
and put away
pain from your body
for youth
and the dawn
of life
are vanity.
This verse
brings into relief
this fascinating nuance
and layers of depth
in this book
of Ecclesiastes.
Interestingly enough
the word vexation
here is the same word
that was used
in Ecclesiastes 1.18
where it says
in much wisdom
is much vexation
and he who increases
knowledge
increases sorrow
and in Ecclesiastes 7.3
it says
sorrow is better
than laughter
for by sadness
of faith
the heart
is made glad
and there
that word
translated sorrow
is the same Hebrew word
translated vexation
here.
So on the one hand
wisdom
brings vexation
and we're supposed
to grow in wisdom
by becoming
acquainted with
sorrows
and vexation
and death
by remembering
our finitude
by remembering
that the days
of darkness
in life
will be many
in this fallen world
but on the other hand
we are supposed
to remove vexation
from our hearts
and put away
pain from our bodies
for youth
and the dawn
of life
are vanity
because life
is short
and youth
is but a breath
so these two truths
are held in tension
all throughout
the book of Ecclesiastes
we are to be wise
and acquainted
with sorrow
and to number
our days
but we also
are not supposed
to become gloomy
or sullen
or depressed
always preoccupied
with the brokenness
of the world
instead we are
to rejoice
in the gifts
of life
rejoice in our youth
and remember
our creator
and our creatureliness
are you rejoicing
in your youth
now this doesn't mean
that if you're old
you can't enjoy life
it said in verse 8
so if a person
lives many years
let him rejoice
in them all
so yes
even when you're old
there are days
you should enjoy
gifts from God
that you should enjoy
however
there are particular joys
that you get to enjoy
while you're still
in your youth
enjoy the health
and strength
of your body
while you still can
go out for a run
go play some basketball
go throw some frisbee around
while your joints
can still handle
all the jumping
and cutting
across the field
enjoy the beauty
of youth
the tight skin
that is not yet
wrinkled and sagging
and thank God
for it
if you're young
and married
have kids
while you still can
and enjoy
watching them grow up
because soon
you won't be able
to have them anymore
in Deuteronomy 28
45-47
Moses says this
to the Israelites
all these curses
shall come upon you
and pursue you
and overtake you
till you are destroyed
because you did not
obey the voice
of the Lord your God
to keep his commandments
and his statutes
that he commanded you
because you did not
serve the Lord your God
with joyfulness
and gladness of heart
because of the abundance
of all things
what led the Israelites
into their unfaithfulness
to God
and into their disobedience
to the Lord's commands
what caused that
what was at the root
of that
a lack of joyfulness
and gladness of heart
because of the abundance
of all things
because joy
and gladness
and the abundance
of all things
that God has given us
this joy
and gratitude
they fortify our hearts
from the temptation
to think
that we'd be better off
apart from God
that we can find things
that are better for us
than what God
is offering
that we can find
more joys
in the forbidden things
than in the things
that God
has graciously given
that's how all
broken relationships
with God begin
how did the serpent
tempt Eve
in Genesis 3
did God
actually say
you shall not eat
of any tree
in the garden
in reality
God said to Adam
in Genesis 2
16 and 17
you may surely eat
of every tree
in the garden
but of the tree
of the knowledge
of good and evil
you shall not eat
for in the day
that you eat of it
you shall surely die
Satan twists
that generous gift
from God
and while tempting Eve
to eat of the one tree
that God has forgiven
he asks her
did God actually say
you cannot eat
of any tree
in the garden
he's warping
Adam and Eve's
perception of God
oh he is
withholding something
good from you
he's stingy
he's not generous
he's not good
he doesn't really love you
if you find yourself
full of grumbling
toward God
rather than gratitude
toward God
if you feel that God
is withholding
good things from you
then you're in
greater danger
than you realize
greater spiritual danger
than you realize
this is why
it's so important
that we rejoice
in our youth
and enjoy
the simple pleasures
of life
as gifts
from our generous God
Pastor Corey Whitmer
was a study assistant
to his uncle
John Stott
if you don't know
about him
was a very influential
20th century
Christian leader
pastor and theologian
and in a book
Whitmer
recounts
an interaction
that he had
with Stott
that was particularly
impactful for him
he said
every morning
at 11 a.m. sharp
I would bring him
a cup of coffee
I would find him
hunched over
some letter
or manuscript
at his desk
consumed with the work
before him
putting his unparalleled
powers of concentration
to whatever task
was at hand
not wanting to disturb him
I would quietly
set the cup
and saucer
adjacent to his right hand
and often times
he would mumble
a barely audible
word of thanks
I'm not worthy
initially
I thought this comment
was amusing
but after a few months
I began to find
it slightly bothersome
how could someone
pronounce himself
unworthy
of an acidic cup
of instant coffee
one morning
I was feeling
a little cheeky
and when Uncle John
mumbled his usual expression
I'm not worthy
I quipped back
oh sure you are
Uncle John stopped
and I saw the powerful
magnetic look
of his concentration
ease from the papers
before him
he slowly raised
his gaze
and with a look
of immense seriousness
yet boyish playfulness
he responded
you haven't got
your theology
of grace right
I laughed
I grinned awkwardly
and then said
it's only a cup
of coffee Uncle John
and as I turned around
and headed back
into the kitchen
I heard him mutter
it's just the thin
end of the wedge
what does it mean
by that
a wedge
is a tool
made of wood
and iron
it tapers off
into a very thin edge
right
and that thin edge
is what you
put inside
a crevice
a small gap
and then once
that thin edge
is in
you can hammer
that wedge in
and that the larger
bigger part
goes in
along with that thin edge
that's already been wedged in
and it breaks apart
logs
and even rocks
what he's saying is
if I don't appreciate
the small things
God has given me
and I'm not grateful
and thankful
to God for them
that's the thin end
of the wedge
and soon
larger doubts
larger grumbling
and larger
problems
in your perception
of God
will be driven in
so I want to challenge you
with the simple pleasures
of life
maybe sit
sit with it this week
say
I'm not worthy
thank you God
that I
get to hug my kids
thank you God
that you have given me
food to eat
thank you God
that I can walk around
on two limbs
I'm not worthy
knowing that life
is but a breath
we should rejoice
in our youth
rejoicing in our youth
is particularly important
because death
is quick on our heels
and we won't be able
to rejoice in our youth
anymore when we're older
that brings me
to my final point
chapter 12
verses 1 to 8
remember your creator
remembering our creator
means remembering
that God is the creator
and that we are creatures
as I've been saying
that God is infinite
and that we are finite
it says in chapter 12
verse 1
remember also your creator
in the days of your youth
before the evil days come
and the years draw near
of which you will say
I have no pleasure in them
if we get to live
until we are old
then there will come days
when pleasure
will be hard to come by
there are three clauses
in this paragraph
that all begin
with the word before
verse 1
before the evil days come
verse 2
before the sun
and the light
and the moon
and the stars
are darkened
verse 6
before the silver cord
is snapped
or the golden bowl
is broken
because of this
parallel structure
I think all of the
vivid images
of this section
are meant to be
a picture of aging
and approaching death
and it's warning us
before that time comes
learn to enjoy life
and remember your creator
the first image
is in verse 2
before the sun
and the light
and the moon
and the stars
are darkened
and the clouds
return after the rain
it's a moving image
we always count
don't we
on the light
the sun
and the moon
and the stars
we always expect
it to be there
when we need them
but imagine one day
when that light fails
how tragic that would be
what a gaping hole
that would leave
in your daily experience
that's what old age is like
things that you used to count
are not there anymore
your mind is not as sharp
as it used to be
your eyes are dimmer
than they used to be
you can't move around
like you used to
everything seems darker
and picture this
the clouds return
after the rain
normally we expect clouds
to part after rain
to give way to a clear
sunny day
but it says here
the clouds return
after the rain
even after the rain
there are more rain clouds
looming above
think about it this way
when kids trip and fall
they bounce right back
right
I mean our kids are falling
all over the place
all the time
right
like oh he
okay you fell
okay that's fine
we just move on
right usually
I mean
at worst there's a little scrape
and a band-aid takes care of it
right
their bodies are strong
and young and light
they heal quickly
they bounce right back
but then have you heard
of elderly people falling
when you hear that
an elderly person's fallen
that's not a little trip
it could be fatal
because their bodies
are not light
and young and spry anymore
they're heavy
they're weak
they can't break their fall
they can't recover
after they get hurt
after the rain
more clouds
when you're young
time heals
when you're old
time kills
if we get to live
to old age
there will be a day
when we
lie down
on the bed
and then we won't be able
to get up anymore
and then in verses 3 to 5
the preacher compares
aging
to the sad decline
of a formerly vibrant city
in the day
when the keepers
of the house
tremble
and the strong men
are bent
and the grinders
seize
because they are few
and those who look
through the windows
are dimmed
servants who are supposed
to be the keepers
of the house
tremble
strong men
who should be
standing erect
in guarding the city
are bent over
grinders
women who work
at the mill
to grind food
the mill
they are not
there's not enough
for them to continue
to labor
so they seize
because they are few
those who look
through the windows
are dimmed
looking through a window
is an image
it's a picture
of hope
and expectation
but the hope
has dimmed
expectations
are dimmed
for those who look
through the window
the doors
on the street
are shut
when the sound
of the grinding
is low
and one rises up
at the sound
of a bird
and all the daughters
of song
are brought low
they are afraid
also what is high
and terrors
are in the way
the almond tree
blossoms
the grasshoppers
drag itself along
and desire fails
the streets
of the city
are deserted
and the doors
on the street
for that reason
are shut
with the sound
of the grinding
low
the city
is so eerily quiet
that even
the sound
of the fluttering
of a bird
startles you
and wakes you up
the daughters
of song
who used to sing
songs of joy
are brought low
there's also
fear of what is high
and terrors
are in the way
usually enemy forces
invade from high
places
down
so this is speaking
of fear
of disaster
looming disaster
not only
are these
the city
that desolate
they're
they're gripped
with fear
and that's
the meaning
of the almond
tree blossoms
almond tree
is a symbol
of coming
judgment
in Jeremiah 1
9-12
the grasshopper
known for
hopping
on its hind legs
drags itself
along
and desire
fails
remember
that this image
of a desolate
city
is meant
to be a picture
of old age
and approaching
death
so there's
a long history
of interpretation
that says
that trembling
keepers of the house
represent our
shriveled hands
that tremble
with old age
and that the
strong men
who are bent
over
represent our
bent backs
in old age
and that the
grinder is seizing
because they are
a few
represent our
inability to
grind food
down with our
teeth in old age
because they are
so few
and that the
dimming of those
who look through
the windows
represent dimming
of our eyesight
in old age
that the doors
of the street
being shut
and the sound
of the grinding
being low
represent the doors
of our ears
becoming hard
of hearing
in old age
the almond tree
blossom
represent our
hairs
turning white
and hoary
the grasshopper
that drags itself
along
represent our
legs
that are weak
it's not spry
anymore
and then you
shuffle
and waddle
slowly
desire failing
might represent
the impotency
of old age
it's a sad
forlorn picture
the images
of verse 6
get the same
idea
before the silver
cord is snapped
or the golden
bowl is broken
or the pitcher
is shattered
at the fountain
or the wheel
broken at the
cistern
the snapping
silver cord
and the broken
golden bowl
may be a picture
of a golden bowl
of a lampstand
that is hung up
on a silver cord
and one day
the cord
that was hanging
by a thread
snaps
and the bowl
falls
and shatters
or when
you bring
a pitcher
to draw water
with at the well
and you bring
a wagon
with it
let's say
and then the pitcher
breaks
and the wagon
wheel breaks
and you can
no longer
take water
draw water
and take it
back home
that's what
our aging bodies
are like
one day
they wear out
and break
and you can't
do anymore
what you used
to be able
to do
life ebbs
away from us
we know
that this section
is about old age
and death
because verse 5
and verse 7
tell us explicitly
verse 5
because man is going
to his eternal home
and the mourners
go about the streets
verse 7 says
and the dust
returns to the earth
as it was
and the spirit
returns to God
who gave it
this is one
of the most
important things
that we can know
about ourselves
and remember
as we live
that we are
creatures of dust
and that God
is the creator
French philosopher
Jacques Ellul
he comments
on this verse
in this way
in his book
on Ecclesiastes
remember your creator
only here
does the preacher
call God
by this name
and he does
so by design
you may consider
yourself autonomous
but you are
incapable of knowing
what should be done
incapable of knowing
what wisdom is
you are a creature
all the evils
and I
and I choose
my words carefully
all the evils
of the world
stem from
our taking
ourselves
to be
the creator
if we remember
our creator
then we remember
that we are creatures
then we know
that it is our law
to serve him
not the other way around
and that means
we are accountable
to him
not other way around
and that means
he is the center
of the universe
we are not
we are just
satellites orbiting
around him
if we remember
our creator
and that we are
merely creatures
then we know
that we are not
going to live forever
that our bodies
will return to dust
and our spirits
will return to God
who gave
but we so often
fail to live
this way
don't we
we live like
masters of our
own fate
we live like
we can control
life
we live like
we are the creators
like little gods
running around
and we expect
God to do our
bidding
we expect God
to conform
to our preferences
that's what we
call sin
and the wages
of sin
is death
so how can we
have any hope
of that eternal
home
that the preacher
speaks of
how can we have
any hope
that we will
survive that
judgment
that he says
is coming
when we have
to give an
account to God
for all that
we do
in John
14
1-6
Jesus said
let not your
hearts be troubled
believe in God
believe also
in me
in my father's
house
are many rooms
if it were not
so
would I have
told you
that I go
to prepare
a place
for you
and if I go
and prepare
a place
for you
I will come
again
and will
take you
to myself
that where
I am
you may be
also
and you know
the way
to where
I'm going
he's talking
about that
eternal home
that the preacher
speaks of
but then
his disciple
Thomas
objects
Lord
we don't
know
where you're
going
how can
we know
the way
and then
Jesus answers
I am
the way
the truth
and the life
no one
comes to
the father
except through
me
we have
all styled
ourselves
to be
these creators
these little
gods
living
for our
own will
for ourselves
instead of
worshiping
God
we have
sought
worship
for ourselves
and we
have
worshipped
creatures
rather than
worshipping
the creator
we have
all
sinned
in this
way
and the
amazing
thing is
God
instead of
doing what
we would
do in
this place
which is
to shove
us back
down and
put us
in our
place
he decides
that he'll
send his
only son
to earth
to take
the form
of a
creature
the creator
takes the
form of a
creature
the son
of God
becomes
son of
man
he lives
the life
of our
weakness
he lives
in our
life
this world
that is
broken
and fallen
he experiences
the futility
and the
vanity
of life
and then
he goes
to the
cross
so that
he could
die
for our
sins
for our
arrogant
presumption
of God's
place
so that
we might
be
forgiven
of our
sins
so that
we might
be able
really to
be exalted
with God
and reign
with him
forever
what kind
of mercy
is that
and so
we are to
live now
knowing that
our bodies
our outer
selves
are wasting
away as we
read earlier
in the assurance
of pardon
2nd Corinthians
4 and 5
but our
inner cells
are being
renewed
day by
day
a day
longer
in our
decaying
body
is a
day
closer
to our
eternal
home
let's
pray
father
really
teach us
to know
that we're
but a
breath
that our
life is
but a
breath
help us
not to
forget
this
in the
busyness
of life
and in the
distractions
of the
world
help us
to know
remember
you are
creator
and enable
us as we
do that
to rejoice
in our
youth
to enjoy
the life
you've
given
for your
glory
and for
our
good
in
Jesus
name
we
pray
amen
for
the
mas
on
our
way
to
space
to
ede
us
or