WEBVTT

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 It's such a joy and privilege to worship with you guys.

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 Please turn with me to Ecclesiastes.

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

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 We'd love to give you a copy that you can have and you can use this morning.

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 Ecclesiastes almost smack in the middle of the Bible after Psalms and Proverbs.

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 We're in Ecclesiastes chapter 7 today.

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 Let me pray for the reading and preaching of God's word.

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 Father, there are so many ups and downs and good things and bad things that litter our lives.

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 And we need humility, Lord, to accept the lot you've given us.

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 And we need your wisdom, Lord,

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 to live in light of our impending death

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 and with hope in the life after.

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 So, Lord, take all the misconceptions and functional misbeliefs that we have this morning

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 that prevent us from living in light of the wisdom you give to us here in this book of Ecclesiastes.

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 Please, conform us to your will.

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 Humble us and glorify, magnify your grace in Jesus Christ toward us.

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 In Jesus' name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 Please stand, if you are able,

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 as I read from Ecclesiastes 7, God's word.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 A good name is better than precious ointment,

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 and a day of death than the day of birth.

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 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting,

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 for this is the end of all mankind,

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 and the living will lay it to heart.

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 Sorrow is better than laughter,

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 for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.

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 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,

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 but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

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 It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise

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 than to hear the song of fools.

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 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot,

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 so is the laughter of the fools.

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 This also is vanity.

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 Surely oppression drives the wise into madness,

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 and a bribe corrupts the heart.

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 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning,

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 and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

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 Be not quick in your spirit to become angry,

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 for anger lodges in the heart of fools.

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 Say not, why were the former days better than these?

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 For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.

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 Wisdom is good with an inheritance,

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 an advantage to those who see the sun.

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 For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money,

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 and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.

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 Consider the work of God.

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 Who can make straight what he has made crooked?

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 In the day of prosperity, be joyful.

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 And in the day of adversity, consider.

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 God has made the one as well as the other,

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 so that men may not find out anything that will be after him.

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 This is God's holy and authoritative word.

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 You may be seated.

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 Ever since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden

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 and were cast out from the Garden,

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 and without access to the tree of life,

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 humanity has been on this quest for immortality,

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 and even ancient stories tell of this.

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 The Epic of Gilgamesh, which is a Mesopotamian story dated 2100 BC,

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 tells the story of Gilgamesh,

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 who after the death of his companion Enkidu,

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 imparks on a perilous journey to find the secret of eternal life.

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 But interestingly enough, he is spoiled by a serpent in his quest.

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 In the third century BC,

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 Emperor Qin Shi Huang of China searched repeatedly for the elixir of life

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 when he found an inscription that predicted his death.

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 He got so angry that he searched the entire town over

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 to find, identify the culprit,

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 whoever inscribed about his death.

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 When he couldn't find the person,

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 he decided he'll kill the entire town off

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 and pulverize the stone upon which his death was predicted.

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 He was so obsessed with escaping death

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 that many people think that he died of poisoning from mercury

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 when he drank what he thought was an elixir of life

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 to give him immortality.

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 Similarly, European alchemists sought,

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 were rumored about the philosopher's stone,

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 which they hoped would grant eternal life.

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 I think that piqued the interest of some of the kids here

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 who's read the Harry Potter series.

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 This quest for immortality is still going on today.

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 In 2013, Google launched Calico Life Services,

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 which is a biotech company founded for the purpose of solving death.

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 Venture capitalist and founder of PayPal, Peter Thiel,

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 has pledged to fight death by investing in anti-aging research.

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 In 2021, founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos,

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 invested in Altoslav,

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 a company that hopes to develop life extension therapies

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 that will halt or reverse human aging.

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 But seeking eternal life apart from God

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 is a fool's errand.

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 History bears that out,

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 and we see that in God's Word in Ecclesiastes 7, 1-14.

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 This passage teaches us instead

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 that we should live knowing that we'll die

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 and die knowing that we'll live forever.

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 My first point is going to be this.

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 Death is the end of all mankind.

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 I'm going to spend the bulk of my time in that point,

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 establishing that point from this passage,

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 and then I'm going to conclude with my second point.

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 Eternal life is the end of all Christians.

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 At the end of chapter 6,

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 the preacher of Ecclesiastes last week asked the question,

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 for who knows what is good for man

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 while he lives the few days of his vain life,

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 which he passes like a shadow?

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 What is good for man while he lives?

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 And then in chapter 7, verses 1-14,

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 the word good, often translated better,

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 occurs 11 times.

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 So he's trying to answer that question

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 that he has raised for us

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 with a series of better-than statements.

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 This is what the good life looks like

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 in light of inevitable death that is fast approaching.

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 And the preacher's answers,

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 characteristically, upend our expectations.

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 First better-than statement is this,

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 in verse 1,

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 a good name is better than precious ointment.

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 The comparison is even stronger in Hebrew,

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 which is literally,

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 a good name is better than good ointment.

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 This echoes the wisdom of Proverbs 22.1,

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 a good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,

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 and favor is better than silver or gold.

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 You might remember from the Bible,

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 the story of Mary anointing Jesus' feet

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 with precious ointment.

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 It says that she broke a jar

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 that contained a pound of expensive ointment

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 made from pure nard.

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 John chapter 12.

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 And who objects but Judas Iscariot,

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 who says that the ointment could have been sold

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 for 300 denarii.

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 One denarius was the wage of a common worker

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 for a day's work.

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 So 300 is 300 days worth of work

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 for a common laborer.

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 So that's almost an year's worth of salary

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 for a common laborer.

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 And that's how expensive that perfume was

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 that she broke to anoint Jesus with.

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 So you can tell from this

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 that even back then, like today,

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 some perfumes were genuine luxury items.

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 But still, verse 1 says this,

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 A good name is better than precious ointment.

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 How precious then is a good name?

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 In light of this,

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 sullying your good reputation

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 for the sake of gaining wealth

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 is a height of folly.

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 But this is also a sharp warning

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 to those of us who would never dare

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 to steal a precious jewel

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 from someone that we know,

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 but don't think twice

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 about stealing their good reputation

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 with gossip and slander.

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 A good name is more precious

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 than any jewel.

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 I'm sure you've all had the experience

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 of someone on the streets

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 walking by you.

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 Sometimes they run by you

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 and they're like in these exercise clothes

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 and then you just get this whiff of perfume.

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 And no matter how fragrant

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 that perfume is,

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 it's delightful to our senses,

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 it only lingers for a fleeting moment

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 and poof, and it's gone.

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 But a good name stays with you.

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 Your reputation precedes you.

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 What good is it if you wear an ointment

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 that smells of fragrant jasmine

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 when your name or your reputation

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 smells of rotten eggs

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 and sewage

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 and sweaty socks?

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 Do people smile at the mention of your name?

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 Do they bless the memory of your name?

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 Or do they curse the memory of your name?

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 So far, verse one sounds like a nice,

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 neat, predictable proverb.

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 But here's the kicker,

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 the rest of verse one.

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 And the day of death

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 than the day of birth.

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 A good name is a precious commodity,

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 but whether you have a good name

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 or a bad name,

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 you're going to die one day.

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 And it serves us to remember that fact.

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 The day of death

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 is better than the day of birth.

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 This is not what we'd expect people to say,

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 but it is consistent

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 with the message of Ecclesiastes we've seen.

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 Early in chapter six,

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 we are told that a stillborn child

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 is better off

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 than the man who lives a long life

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 but is never satisfied

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 with life's good things.

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 In chapter four, verse two,

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 because of the oppression

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 or the robbery,

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 the extortion

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 and injustice in the world,

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 the preacher said,

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 I thought the dead

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 who are already dead

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 more fortunate

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 than the living

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 who are still alive.

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 But better than both

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 is he who has not yet been,

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 has not seen the evil deeds

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 that are done under the sun.

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 Repeatedly,

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 we're told

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 that life under the sun

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 is a vanity

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 and a striving after wind

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 for all our days

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 are full of sorrow

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 and work.

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 Our work is a vexation.

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 Life is hard

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 and life is miserable.

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 One of the privileges

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 of being a pastor

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 is that many of you

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 do me the honor

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 of confiding in me

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 and bringing me

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 into your pains

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 and struggles in life.

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 I hear about some of your

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 debilitating physical

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 or mental conditions.

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 I think of our sister,

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 Jenny,

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 still at the hospital

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 since her open heart surgery

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 last Monday.

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 I hear about how you are treated,

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 some of you,

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 at your workplaces.

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 I hear about your

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 painful family history,

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 baggage with your family members

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 and relatives.

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 even two days ago

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 when I was visiting

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 Caleb,

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 Caleb born in the

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 neonatal intensive

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 care unit,

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 I walked through

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 dozens of rooms,

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 infants hooked up to tubes.

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 this life is messed up.

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 Mark Twain had this to say

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 in his autobiography

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 at the end of his life.

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 A myriad of men are born.

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 They labor and sweat

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 and struggle for bread.

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 They squabble and scold

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 and fight.

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 They scramble for little

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 mean advantages

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 over each other.

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 Age creeps upon them

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 infirmities follow.

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 Shames and humiliations

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 bring down their prides

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 and their vanities.

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 Those they love

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 are taken from them

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 and the joy of life

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 is turned to aching grief.

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 The burden of pain,

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 care,

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 misery grows heavier

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 year by year.

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 At length,

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 ambition is dead.

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 Pride is dead.

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 Vanity is dead.

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 Longing for release

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 is in their place.

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 It comes at last.

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 The only unpoisoned gift

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 earth ever had for them.

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 And they vanish

00:13:59.540 --> 00:14:00.220
 from a world

00:14:00.220 --> 00:14:00.759
 where they were

00:14:00.759 --> 00:14:01.720
 of no consequence,

00:14:02.120 --> 00:14:03.420
 where they achieved nothing,

00:14:03.420 --> 00:14:04.879
 where they were a mistake

00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:05.639
 and a failure

00:14:05.639 --> 00:14:06.639
 and a foolishness,

00:14:06.840 --> 00:14:07.560
 where they have left

00:14:07.560 --> 00:14:08.360
 no sign

00:14:08.360 --> 00:14:10.160
 that they have existed,

00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:11.279
 a world which will

00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:12.259
 lament them a day

00:14:12.259 --> 00:14:13.420
 and forget them forever.

00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:15.560
 Then another myriad

00:14:15.560 --> 00:14:16.519
 takes their place

00:14:16.519 --> 00:14:17.920
 and copies all they did

00:14:17.920 --> 00:14:18.620
 and goes along

00:14:18.620 --> 00:14:20.100
 the same profitless road

00:14:20.100 --> 00:14:20.740
 and vanishes

00:14:20.740 --> 00:14:21.940
 as they vanished

00:14:21.940 --> 00:14:22.840
 to make room

00:14:22.840 --> 00:14:23.519
 for another

00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:24.500
 and another

00:14:24.500 --> 00:14:26.160
 and a million other myriads

00:14:26.160 --> 00:14:26.620
 to follow

00:14:26.620 --> 00:14:28.060
 the same arid path

00:14:28.059 --> 00:14:29.179
 through the same desert

00:14:29.179 --> 00:14:30.099
 and accomplish

00:14:30.099 --> 00:14:31.299
 what the first myriad

00:14:31.299 --> 00:14:32.519
 and all the myriads

00:14:32.519 --> 00:14:33.519
 that came after it

00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:34.299
 accomplished

00:14:34.299 --> 00:14:35.679
 nothing.

00:14:40.599 --> 00:14:42.679
 It sounds like Ecclesiastes,

00:14:42.859 --> 00:14:43.179
 doesn't it?

00:14:44.579 --> 00:14:45.459
 It's plagiarized.

00:14:46.019 --> 00:14:46.079
 Yeah.

00:14:46.899 --> 00:14:47.079
 Yeah.

00:14:48.039 --> 00:14:49.099
 Mark Twain got it

00:14:49.099 --> 00:14:50.059
 halfway right

00:14:50.059 --> 00:14:51.359
 because he's missing God

00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:52.500
 from the picture

00:14:52.500 --> 00:14:58.820
 but he gets

00:14:58.820 --> 00:14:59.800
 this observation

00:14:59.800 --> 00:15:00.419
 about our fall

00:15:00.419 --> 00:15:01.139
 in the broken world,

00:15:01.240 --> 00:15:01.379
 right?

00:15:03.320 --> 00:15:04.379
 So then why are

00:15:04.379 --> 00:15:05.019
 so many people

00:15:05.019 --> 00:15:06.300
 desperate to stay alive

00:15:06.300 --> 00:15:07.120
 a little longer?

00:15:07.259 --> 00:15:07.399
 Well,

00:15:07.980 --> 00:15:08.680
 people are desperate

00:15:08.680 --> 00:15:09.300
 to stay alive

00:15:09.300 --> 00:15:10.480
 because they fear death

00:15:10.480 --> 00:15:13.240
 but once you remove

00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:14.279
 the fear of death

00:15:14.279 --> 00:15:15.200
 from the equation,

00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:16.740
 a clear-eyed view

00:15:16.740 --> 00:15:17.840
 of life's suffering

00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:18.539
 and oppression

00:15:18.539 --> 00:15:19.300
 and injustice

00:15:19.299 --> 00:15:20.979
 leads to the inevitable

00:15:20.979 --> 00:15:21.639
 conclusion

00:15:21.639 --> 00:15:23.339
 that the day of death

00:15:23.339 --> 00:15:24.019
 is better than

00:15:24.019 --> 00:15:24.699
 the day of birth.

00:15:26.659 --> 00:15:27.959
 If your motto is

00:15:27.959 --> 00:15:28.919
 life is good,

00:15:29.159 --> 00:15:29.599
 I think that's

00:15:29.599 --> 00:15:30.339
 a New England company,

00:15:30.899 --> 00:15:31.059
 right?

00:15:31.679 --> 00:15:32.639
 If you expect

00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:33.479
 everything in life

00:15:33.479 --> 00:15:34.500
 to make sense

00:15:34.500 --> 00:15:35.620
 and you expect

00:15:35.620 --> 00:15:36.319
 good things

00:15:36.319 --> 00:15:37.359
 to happen to good people

00:15:37.359 --> 00:15:38.139
 and bad things

00:15:38.139 --> 00:15:39.219
 to happen to bad people

00:15:39.219 --> 00:15:39.959
 and if you expect

00:15:39.959 --> 00:15:41.259
 people to be nice to you

00:15:41.259 --> 00:15:41.839
 because you're

00:15:41.839 --> 00:15:42.559
 a nice person,

00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:43.479
 if you expect

00:15:43.479 --> 00:15:44.240
 to be successful

00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:44.859
 because you're

00:15:44.859 --> 00:15:46.099
 a hard-working person,

00:15:46.319 --> 00:15:47.219
 if you never expect

00:15:47.219 --> 00:15:48.399
 to get sick and die

00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:50.419
 because you exercise

00:15:50.419 --> 00:15:52.240
 and have a healthy diet,

00:15:52.819 --> 00:15:54.659
 then you will be disappointed

00:15:54.659 --> 00:15:56.659
 because that's not

00:15:56.659 --> 00:15:57.779
 how this life works.

00:15:58.840 --> 00:16:00.319
 We live in a fallen

00:16:00.319 --> 00:16:02.459
 and broken world

00:16:02.459 --> 00:16:06.639
 and if you don't figure out

00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:08.139
 how to align your naivete

00:16:08.139 --> 00:16:10.379
 with this harsh reality,

00:16:10.699 --> 00:16:11.679
 then you will become

00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:12.840
 disillusioned,

00:16:13.059 --> 00:16:13.840
 discontented,

00:16:14.199 --> 00:16:14.620
 angry,

00:16:14.939 --> 00:16:15.579
 and bitter

00:16:15.580 --> 00:16:18.240
 but if you know

00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:18.940
 that the world

00:16:18.940 --> 00:16:19.639
 isn't fair,

00:16:20.400 --> 00:16:21.639
 if you know

00:16:21.639 --> 00:16:22.540
 that the day of death

00:16:22.540 --> 00:16:23.040
 is better than

00:16:23.040 --> 00:16:23.780
 the day of birth,

00:16:24.360 --> 00:16:25.520
 then you can be thankful

00:16:25.520 --> 00:16:27.660
 for the surprising number

00:16:27.660 --> 00:16:28.240
 of blessings

00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:28.900
 in your life.

00:16:30.840 --> 00:16:32.120
 You can rejoice

00:16:32.120 --> 00:16:33.400
 at the few things

00:16:33.400 --> 00:16:34.180
 that actually go

00:16:34.180 --> 00:16:35.379
 the way they should go

00:16:35.379 --> 00:16:38.080
 and you can enjoy

00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:39.300
 the good gifts

00:16:39.300 --> 00:16:40.379
 that God has already

00:16:40.379 --> 00:16:41.100
 given you

00:16:41.100 --> 00:16:42.259
 rather than grumbling

00:16:42.259 --> 00:16:43.120
 and complaining

00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:44.560
 about what you don't have.

00:16:45.580 --> 00:16:49.520
 Imagine that you drive

00:16:49.520 --> 00:16:51.340
 a 30-year-old clunker

00:16:51.340 --> 00:16:51.860
 of a car.

00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:54.080
 I know this from experience

00:16:54.080 --> 00:16:55.060
 because my first two cars

00:16:55.060 --> 00:16:55.620
 were like that.

00:16:56.420 --> 00:16:57.980
 When you drive a car like that,

00:16:58.420 --> 00:16:59.259
 you don't care

00:16:59.259 --> 00:17:00.860
 that the AC doesn't work

00:17:00.860 --> 00:17:02.440
 or the heat doesn't work

00:17:02.440 --> 00:17:03.780
 or that when you roll

00:17:03.780 --> 00:17:04.559
 the window down,

00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:05.319
 it gets stuck

00:17:05.319 --> 00:17:06.100
 in the middle.

00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:08.660
 You're just happy

00:17:08.660 --> 00:17:09.559
 that it started

00:17:09.559 --> 00:17:12.079
 and now you don't have

00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:13.039
 to walk somewhere.

00:17:13.140 --> 00:17:13.840
 You can drive.

00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:20.240
 But imagine that you have

00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:21.659
 a brand new car.

00:17:24.119 --> 00:17:26.259
 Even if the smallest thing

00:17:26.259 --> 00:17:26.819
 doesn't work,

00:17:26.899 --> 00:17:28.119
 it annoys you greatly,

00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:29.980
 frustrates you.

00:17:31.119 --> 00:17:32.879
 The tiniest scratch

00:17:32.879 --> 00:17:34.099
 on that shiny thing

00:17:34.099 --> 00:17:35.199
 upsets you

00:17:35.199 --> 00:17:38.019
 because on a new car,

00:17:38.099 --> 00:17:39.059
 you expect everything

00:17:39.059 --> 00:17:39.679
 to be perfect.

00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:42.660
 You expect everything

00:17:42.660 --> 00:17:43.200
 to work

00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:44.560
 the way they're supposed to.

00:17:47.120 --> 00:17:48.360
 I think often people

00:17:48.360 --> 00:17:49.400
 expect the world

00:17:49.400 --> 00:17:50.140
 to be like that.

00:17:50.840 --> 00:17:51.480
 We expect there

00:17:51.480 --> 00:17:52.200
 to be peace

00:17:52.200 --> 00:17:53.120
 and order

00:17:53.120 --> 00:17:53.980
 and justice

00:17:53.980 --> 00:17:54.799
 and righteousness.

00:17:55.460 --> 00:17:56.080
 It's as if

00:17:56.080 --> 00:17:57.240
 the rest of humanity

00:17:57.240 --> 00:17:58.320
 is living in denial

00:17:58.320 --> 00:17:59.759
 that we have been

00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:00.400
 caught off

00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:01.440
 from the Garden of Eden

00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:02.820
 and from the Tree of Life,

00:18:03.140 --> 00:18:04.160
 that we live in a fallen

00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:04.980
 and broken world

00:18:04.980 --> 00:18:05.840
 that's been subjected

00:18:05.840 --> 00:18:06.779
 to futility.

00:18:06.779 --> 00:18:08.399
 as it says

00:18:08.399 --> 00:18:09.039
 in Romans 8.

00:18:13.740 --> 00:18:14.579
 So saying

00:18:14.579 --> 00:18:16.379
 that the day of death

00:18:16.379 --> 00:18:16.759
 is better

00:18:16.759 --> 00:18:17.660
 than the day of birth

00:18:17.660 --> 00:18:20.180
 is a sober-minded

00:18:20.180 --> 00:18:20.920
 recognition

00:18:20.920 --> 00:18:21.940
 of this reality

00:18:21.940 --> 00:18:22.660
 that the world

00:18:22.660 --> 00:18:23.759
 is not the way

00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:24.720
 it's supposed to be.

00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:27.440
 It's important

00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:28.019
 to note here

00:18:28.019 --> 00:18:28.640
 that the preacher

00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:29.960
 is not commenting

00:18:29.960 --> 00:18:31.539
 here on the implications

00:18:31.539 --> 00:18:32.819
 of life after death

00:18:32.819 --> 00:18:33.500
 on eternity

00:18:33.500 --> 00:18:35.059
 because of course

00:18:35.059 --> 00:18:36.579
 that has an impact

00:18:36.579 --> 00:18:38.360
 on whether your day of death

00:18:38.360 --> 00:18:39.259
 is better than the day of birth

00:18:39.259 --> 00:18:39.680
 or not.

00:18:40.500 --> 00:18:41.559
 And I'll address that later.

00:18:41.819 --> 00:18:42.400
 But that's not

00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:43.779
 the preacher's concern here.

00:18:44.140 --> 00:18:44.860
 He is simply

00:18:44.860 --> 00:18:46.000
 making the observation

00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:47.000
 that all creation

00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:47.779
 has been subjected

00:18:47.779 --> 00:18:48.420
 to futility

00:18:48.420 --> 00:18:49.220
 and that there is

00:18:49.220 --> 00:18:50.019
 because of that

00:18:50.019 --> 00:18:51.500
 vanity in this life

00:18:51.500 --> 00:18:53.380
 and the day of death

00:18:53.380 --> 00:18:54.480
 is better than the day of birth.

00:18:55.420 --> 00:18:57.319
 Far from having a death wish,

00:18:57.519 --> 00:18:58.559
 Ecclesiastes does not

00:18:58.559 --> 00:18:59.420
 have a death wish,

00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:00.640
 the preacher of Ecclesiastes

00:19:00.640 --> 00:19:02.120
 repeatedly tells us,

00:19:02.440 --> 00:19:03.240
 and if you've been with us

00:19:03.240 --> 00:19:03.720
 in this series

00:19:03.720 --> 00:19:04.339
 you know this,

00:19:04.600 --> 00:19:05.940
 he tells us again and again

00:19:05.940 --> 00:19:07.519
 to enjoy life.

00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:10.559
 Joy is a major theme

00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:11.700
 of the book of Ecclesiastes.

00:19:12.120 --> 00:19:12.440
 Remember,

00:19:12.600 --> 00:19:13.559
 we find the thesis

00:19:13.559 --> 00:19:14.240
 of Ecclesiastes

00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:16.059
 in the five parallel passages

00:19:16.059 --> 00:19:16.980
 throughout the book

00:19:16.980 --> 00:19:18.160
 where he tells us

00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:19.059
 to receive

00:19:19.059 --> 00:19:20.519
 and enjoy life

00:19:20.519 --> 00:19:21.980
 as a gift from God

00:19:21.980 --> 00:19:23.360
 rather than striving

00:19:23.359 --> 00:19:24.959
 in vain for gain,

00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:27.000
 seeking to control life

00:19:27.000 --> 00:19:28.279
 and to leverage life

00:19:28.279 --> 00:19:29.240
 in order to get ahead

00:19:29.240 --> 00:19:29.699
 in life

00:19:29.699 --> 00:19:30.819
 and to make something

00:19:30.819 --> 00:19:31.419
 of life.

00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:32.719
 That's not how

00:19:32.719 --> 00:19:33.659
 we're supposed to live.

00:19:33.879 --> 00:19:34.740
 If your life is

00:19:34.740 --> 00:19:35.699
 go, go, go,

00:19:35.779 --> 00:19:36.899
 all be from one appointment

00:19:36.899 --> 00:19:37.819
 to the next appointment,

00:19:37.919 --> 00:19:38.659
 from one project

00:19:38.659 --> 00:19:39.240
 to the next,

00:19:39.559 --> 00:19:40.559
 from one rung

00:19:40.559 --> 00:19:41.500
 on the creator ladder

00:19:41.500 --> 00:19:42.000
 to climbing

00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:42.799
 to the next one,

00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:44.359
 then we will never stop

00:19:44.359 --> 00:19:46.019
 and actually enjoy life.

00:19:47.099 --> 00:19:47.959
 In other words,

00:19:48.059 --> 00:19:49.699
 you don't begin to live

00:19:49.700 --> 00:19:50.559
 until you know

00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:51.700
 that you're going to die.

00:19:54.680 --> 00:19:56.080
 And the book of Ecclesiastes

00:19:56.080 --> 00:19:57.220
 seeks to remind us

00:19:57.220 --> 00:19:58.420
 that we don't have to wait

00:19:58.420 --> 00:20:00.259
 until the doctor tells us

00:20:00.259 --> 00:20:01.840
 of a terminal diagnosis.

00:20:03.059 --> 00:20:04.440
 We're already terminal

00:20:04.440 --> 00:20:08.140
 because we have

00:20:08.140 --> 00:20:08.940
 a spiritual disease

00:20:08.940 --> 00:20:09.500
 called sin.

00:20:11.279 --> 00:20:12.539
 Romans 5.12 says,

00:20:12.539 --> 00:20:13.720
 sin came into the world

00:20:13.720 --> 00:20:14.480
 through one man

00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:16.360
 and death through sin.

00:20:16.799 --> 00:20:17.920
 And so death spread

00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:18.759
 to all men

00:20:18.759 --> 00:20:20.660
 because all sinned.

00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:22.880
 So then we should live

00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:24.120
 knowing that we'll die.

00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:26.600
 In 2018,

00:20:26.820 --> 00:20:27.779
 there was a Washington Post

00:20:27.779 --> 00:20:28.620
 article about

00:20:28.620 --> 00:20:29.560
 Veronica Bennett,

00:20:29.980 --> 00:20:30.800
 a TV producer

00:20:30.800 --> 00:20:32.259
 who ran a popular blog

00:20:32.259 --> 00:20:33.660
 series on aging

00:20:33.660 --> 00:20:36.720
 called Time Goes By

00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:37.680
 on the Washington Post.

00:20:38.320 --> 00:20:39.500
 This interview was conducted

00:20:39.500 --> 00:20:41.060
 shortly after Bennett

00:20:41.060 --> 00:20:41.620
 was diagnosed

00:20:41.620 --> 00:20:42.519
 with the rare form

00:20:42.519 --> 00:20:43.220
 of cancer,

00:20:43.700 --> 00:20:44.460
 terminal cancer

00:20:44.460 --> 00:20:46.039
 in her body's soft tissues.

00:20:46.940 --> 00:20:47.620
 And her doctors

00:20:47.619 --> 00:20:48.619
 told her that there

00:20:48.619 --> 00:20:49.500
 is no cure

00:20:49.500 --> 00:20:50.339
 and that she might

00:20:50.339 --> 00:20:51.039
 expect to have

00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:52.139
 six to eight months

00:20:52.139 --> 00:20:52.979
 of good health

00:20:52.979 --> 00:20:54.039
 after which her body

00:20:54.039 --> 00:20:55.659
 will start deteriorating rapidly.

00:20:56.519 --> 00:20:57.359
 And the diagnosis

00:20:57.359 --> 00:20:58.679
 completely changed

00:20:58.679 --> 00:21:00.299
 the then 77-year-old

00:21:00.299 --> 00:21:01.179
 Veronica Bennett's

00:21:01.179 --> 00:21:02.299
 perspective on life.

00:21:03.339 --> 00:21:04.099
 She said,

00:21:04.359 --> 00:21:05.419
 it colors everything.

00:21:06.659 --> 00:21:08.119
 I've always lived tentatively,

00:21:08.299 --> 00:21:09.239
 but I'm not anymore

00:21:09.239 --> 00:21:10.199
 because the worst

00:21:10.199 --> 00:21:10.779
 has happened.

00:21:11.379 --> 00:21:11.939
 I've been told

00:21:11.939 --> 00:21:12.759
 I'm going to die.

00:21:12.759 --> 00:21:15.640
 All kinds of things

00:21:15.640 --> 00:21:16.259
 fall away

00:21:16.259 --> 00:21:16.920
 at just about

00:21:16.920 --> 00:21:17.920
 the exact moment

00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:18.859
 the doctor says

00:21:18.859 --> 00:21:20.319
 there is no treatment.

00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:23.440
 She started making

00:21:23.440 --> 00:21:24.259
 immediate changes

00:21:24.259 --> 00:21:25.140
 to the way she lived.

00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:26.119
 Here are some things

00:21:26.119 --> 00:21:26.720
 that she stopped

00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:27.319
 doing immediately.

00:21:27.519 --> 00:21:27.879
 Some of these

00:21:27.879 --> 00:21:28.460
 are quite funny.

00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:31.200
 No more try-to-stay-healthy

00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:32.480
 extended exercise routines

00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:32.960
 every morning.

00:21:34.220 --> 00:21:35.700
 An activity that she

00:21:35.700 --> 00:21:36.960
 formally forced herself

00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:37.259
 to do

00:21:37.259 --> 00:21:38.480
 but never enjoyed.

00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:41.680
 No more watching her diet.

00:21:42.660 --> 00:21:43.299
 Palliative care

00:21:43.299 --> 00:21:43.960
 is very different

00:21:43.960 --> 00:21:46.700
 from preventative care.

00:21:48.200 --> 00:21:49.559
 No more worrying

00:21:49.559 --> 00:21:50.240
 about whether

00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:51.059
 memory lapses

00:21:51.059 --> 00:21:51.620
 were normal

00:21:51.620 --> 00:21:52.740
 or an early sign

00:21:52.740 --> 00:21:53.180
 of dementia.

00:21:53.339 --> 00:21:54.400
 Well, it doesn't matter anymore.

00:21:55.640 --> 00:21:56.960
 And no more worrying

00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:57.900
 about what other people

00:21:57.900 --> 00:21:58.720
 are going to think of her.

00:22:01.819 --> 00:22:02.880
 And here are the things

00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:03.680
 that she wanted to do

00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:04.940
 and have more of.

00:22:05.759 --> 00:22:07.000
 Ice cream and cheese,

00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:08.319
 her favorite foods.

00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:11.079
 walks in the park

00:22:11.079 --> 00:22:11.880
 near her home.

00:22:13.640 --> 00:22:14.819
 A romp with kittens

00:22:14.819 --> 00:22:15.420
 or puppies

00:22:15.420 --> 00:22:15.960
 licking her

00:22:15.960 --> 00:22:16.860
 and making her laugh.

00:22:18.279 --> 00:22:19.680
 And deep conversations

00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:20.339
 with friends.

00:22:23.120 --> 00:22:24.420
 These kinds of

00:22:24.420 --> 00:22:25.680
 perspective shifts

00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:26.860
 are not uncommon

00:22:26.860 --> 00:22:28.259
 when people receive

00:22:28.259 --> 00:22:29.220
 terminal diagnoses.

00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:31.500
 Welsh photographer

00:22:31.500 --> 00:22:32.539
 Sir Ridwin Hughes

00:22:32.539 --> 00:22:33.900
 created a short film

00:22:33.900 --> 00:22:34.440
 entitled

00:22:34.440 --> 00:22:35.779
 What Matters Most?

00:22:35.779 --> 00:22:36.500
 Question Mark.

00:22:36.940 --> 00:22:38.059
 Which documents

00:22:38.059 --> 00:22:39.200
 the lives of people

00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:39.839
 who have received

00:22:39.839 --> 00:22:40.720
 the terminal diagnosis.

00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:42.899
 And one of her subjects

00:22:42.899 --> 00:22:43.680
 in the documentary

00:22:43.680 --> 00:22:44.779
 is a 30-year-old woman

00:22:44.779 --> 00:22:45.839
 named Megan McClay.

00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:46.960
 She says that

00:22:46.960 --> 00:22:49.180
 after being diagnosed

00:22:49.180 --> 00:22:50.460
 with stage 4 eye cancer,

00:22:50.559 --> 00:22:51.240
 she says this,

00:22:51.240 --> 00:22:53.339
 I'm able to have a perspective

00:22:53.339 --> 00:22:54.620
 on what is important to me

00:22:54.620 --> 00:22:55.759
 that I didn't have before.

00:22:56.400 --> 00:22:57.700
 I value spending time

00:22:57.700 --> 00:22:58.559
 with my family,

00:22:58.920 --> 00:23:00.259
 being with my partner more,

00:23:00.339 --> 00:23:01.099
 being more present

00:23:01.099 --> 00:23:01.859
 with myself.

00:23:02.519 --> 00:23:03.880
 I feel like we're always

00:23:03.880 --> 00:23:05.180
 striving for more,

00:23:05.299 --> 00:23:06.160
 a bigger home,

00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:06.900
 a bigger car,

00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:07.640
 a bigger this,

00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:08.359
 and a bigger that,

00:23:08.700 --> 00:23:10.000
 but we forget to see

00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:11.180
 what we actually have

00:23:11.180 --> 00:23:12.120
 in front of us.

00:23:12.119 --> 00:23:15.759
 Her diagnosis also changed

00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:16.259
 the perspective

00:23:16.259 --> 00:23:16.899
 of her boyfriend

00:23:16.899 --> 00:23:17.899
 who said this,

00:23:18.259 --> 00:23:19.559
 instead of always doing

00:23:19.559 --> 00:23:20.159
 what I thought

00:23:20.159 --> 00:23:21.039
 was a helpful thing

00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:21.859
 and taking action,

00:23:22.019 --> 00:23:23.419
 being away and working,

00:23:23.959 --> 00:23:25.579
 I've not calmed down significantly.

00:23:26.639 --> 00:23:27.259
 Me and Megan

00:23:27.259 --> 00:23:28.119
 are able to have

00:23:28.119 --> 00:23:28.799
 as much meaning

00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:29.699
 within our time together

00:23:29.699 --> 00:23:30.239
 as possible

00:23:30.239 --> 00:23:31.339
 because we won't have

00:23:31.339 --> 00:23:32.539
 that time in the future.

00:23:34.579 --> 00:23:35.839
 Remember what I said to you

00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:37.359
 about Pastor Tim Keller

00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:37.979
 a few,

00:23:38.439 --> 00:23:39.859
 maybe last month or so

00:23:39.859 --> 00:23:40.679
 when he was diagnosed

00:23:40.679 --> 00:23:41.839
 with pancreatic cancer?

00:23:42.819 --> 00:23:43.619
 Which would eventually

00:23:43.619 --> 00:23:44.339
 take his life.

00:23:45.059 --> 00:23:46.059
 When faced with death,

00:23:46.199 --> 00:23:48.279
 he finally stopped

00:23:48.279 --> 00:23:49.539
 trying to make a heaven

00:23:49.539 --> 00:23:50.240
 out of earth

00:23:50.240 --> 00:23:51.939
 and realized that he needs

00:23:51.939 --> 00:23:52.539
 to make a heaven

00:23:52.539 --> 00:23:53.059
 out of heaven.

00:23:55.179 --> 00:23:56.319
 And as he and his wife,

00:23:56.419 --> 00:23:57.399
 Kathy, did this,

00:23:57.659 --> 00:23:58.679
 they noticed a change.

00:23:59.059 --> 00:23:59.159
 Quote,

00:23:59.339 --> 00:24:00.500
 this world becomes

00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:01.619
 something we're actually

00:24:01.619 --> 00:24:03.339
 enjoying for its own sake.

00:24:03.679 --> 00:24:05.419
 Instead of trying to make it

00:24:05.419 --> 00:24:06.359
 give us more

00:24:06.359 --> 00:24:07.519
 than it really can.

00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:09.339
 So oddly enough,

00:24:09.439 --> 00:24:10.500
 we've never been happier.

00:24:10.500 --> 00:24:12.220
 Day to day,

00:24:12.420 --> 00:24:13.420
 we've never enjoyed

00:24:13.420 --> 00:24:14.180
 our days more.

00:24:14.279 --> 00:24:15.099
 We've never enjoyed

00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:15.859
 hugs more.

00:24:16.059 --> 00:24:16.880
 We've never enjoyed

00:24:16.880 --> 00:24:17.640
 food more.

00:24:18.099 --> 00:24:18.539
 She'll say,

00:24:18.640 --> 00:24:19.759
 this would be great to make.

00:24:20.420 --> 00:24:21.500
 We've never enjoyed

00:24:21.500 --> 00:24:22.420
 walks more.

00:24:22.599 --> 00:24:23.299
 We've never enjoyed

00:24:23.299 --> 00:24:23.980
 the actual things

00:24:23.980 --> 00:24:24.460
 we see,

00:24:24.619 --> 00:24:24.880
 touch,

00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:25.319
 taste,

00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:25.920
 hear,

00:24:26.019 --> 00:24:26.539
 and then smell

00:24:26.539 --> 00:24:27.319
 around us more.

00:24:28.299 --> 00:24:29.119
 It's ironic,

00:24:29.279 --> 00:24:29.559
 isn't it?

00:24:29.559 --> 00:24:32.539
 We don't begin

00:24:32.539 --> 00:24:33.339
 to live until

00:24:33.339 --> 00:24:33.960
 we're expecting

00:24:33.960 --> 00:24:34.539
 to die.

00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:38.059
 It's only when

00:24:38.059 --> 00:24:39.119
 we keep death in view

00:24:39.119 --> 00:24:39.740
 that we begin

00:24:39.740 --> 00:24:41.440
 to truly enjoy life.

00:24:42.500 --> 00:24:43.220
 That's the meaning

00:24:43.220 --> 00:24:44.299
 of verses 2 to 6.

00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:46.200
 Verses 2 to 3,

00:24:46.339 --> 00:24:47.019
 loosely parallel,

00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:48.059
 verses 4 to 6,

00:24:48.419 --> 00:24:49.059
 and you can tell

00:24:49.059 --> 00:24:49.919
 that by the repetition

00:24:49.919 --> 00:24:51.079
 of words and themes

00:24:51.079 --> 00:24:51.980
 that bind them together,

00:24:52.099 --> 00:24:52.919
 words like house,

00:24:53.039 --> 00:24:53.480
 mourning,

00:24:53.759 --> 00:24:54.059
 heart,

00:24:54.480 --> 00:24:54.839
 laughter,

00:24:55.119 --> 00:24:55.440
 fool,

00:24:55.799 --> 00:24:56.159
 wise,

00:24:56.160 --> 00:24:58.120
 they both compare

00:24:58.120 --> 00:24:58.940
 the house of mourning

00:24:58.940 --> 00:25:00.240
 to the house of feasting

00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:00.840
 and conclude

00:25:00.840 --> 00:25:01.940
 that the house of mourning

00:25:01.940 --> 00:25:02.400
 is better.

00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:03.960
 They both include

00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:05.259
 a better than statement

00:25:05.259 --> 00:25:06.259
 saying that sorrow

00:25:06.259 --> 00:25:07.279
 is better than laughter

00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:08.540
 and that the rebuke

00:25:08.540 --> 00:25:09.100
 of the wise

00:25:09.100 --> 00:25:09.640
 is better than

00:25:09.640 --> 00:25:10.440
 the song of fools.

00:25:10.940 --> 00:25:11.900
 They both include

00:25:11.900 --> 00:25:13.060
 a rationale statement,

00:25:13.160 --> 00:25:14.160
 an explanation statement

00:25:14.160 --> 00:25:15.440
 that explains

00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:16.820
 this surprising proposition

00:25:16.820 --> 00:25:18.200
 and it begins

00:25:18.200 --> 00:25:19.700
 with the word for

00:25:19.700 --> 00:25:21.300
 and the reason it gives

00:25:21.300 --> 00:25:21.980
 is death

00:25:21.980 --> 00:25:23.440
 because all our lives

00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:24.540
 end in death.

00:25:25.080 --> 00:25:25.580
 The laughter

00:25:25.579 --> 00:25:26.779
 and the songs of fools

00:25:26.779 --> 00:25:28.259
 that make us forget

00:25:28.259 --> 00:25:29.399
 this troublesome

00:25:29.399 --> 00:25:30.359
 reality of life

00:25:30.359 --> 00:25:31.359
 are vanities.

00:25:32.859 --> 00:25:33.980
 Going to a funeral

00:25:33.980 --> 00:25:34.859
 is better than

00:25:34.859 --> 00:25:35.579
 going to a party

00:25:35.579 --> 00:25:37.659
 because what's waiting

00:25:37.659 --> 00:25:38.379
 for us at the end

00:25:38.379 --> 00:25:38.899
 of our life

00:25:38.899 --> 00:25:39.799
 is not a party

00:25:39.799 --> 00:25:40.339
 but death.

00:25:41.819 --> 00:25:43.099
 The heart of the wise

00:25:43.099 --> 00:25:44.179
 is in the house of mourning

00:25:44.179 --> 00:25:45.059
 but the heart of fools

00:25:45.059 --> 00:25:46.019
 is in the house of mirth.

00:25:47.039 --> 00:25:47.599
 The preacher

00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:49.139
 is not saying

00:25:49.139 --> 00:25:49.759
 that we should never

00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:50.399
 throw parties.

00:25:51.339 --> 00:25:52.279
 I was at two of them

00:25:52.279 --> 00:25:52.699
 yesterday.

00:25:55.579 --> 00:25:56.919
 But this is what it means.

00:25:57.259 --> 00:25:59.019
 When you come face to face

00:25:59.019 --> 00:25:59.960
 with the brokenness

00:25:59.960 --> 00:26:00.960
 of this fallen world

00:26:00.960 --> 00:26:01.859
 you can be driven

00:26:01.859 --> 00:26:02.899
 into despair

00:26:02.899 --> 00:26:03.879
 and cynicism.

00:26:05.179 --> 00:26:06.319
 And to avoid that

00:26:06.319 --> 00:26:07.199
 there are only two ways

00:26:07.199 --> 00:26:07.799
 you can deal

00:26:07.799 --> 00:26:08.619
 with the problem.

00:26:09.179 --> 00:26:10.019
 The first way

00:26:10.019 --> 00:26:11.119
 is to party

00:26:11.119 --> 00:26:12.199
 like there's no tomorrow.

00:26:13.059 --> 00:26:13.819
 This is the route

00:26:13.819 --> 00:26:14.720
 of escapism.

00:26:15.619 --> 00:26:17.039
 Drink away your sorrows.

00:26:17.579 --> 00:26:18.779
 Dance the night away.

00:26:19.220 --> 00:26:20.279
 Divert yourself

00:26:20.279 --> 00:26:22.460
 with endless comedy shows

00:26:22.460 --> 00:26:23.700
 so that you can forget

00:26:23.700 --> 00:26:24.500
 your trouble.

00:26:26.200 --> 00:26:27.480
 The second way

00:26:27.480 --> 00:26:28.720
 is to look at death

00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:30.100
 squarely in the eyes

00:26:30.100 --> 00:26:30.960
 come to terms

00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:32.039
 with your own mortality

00:26:32.039 --> 00:26:32.840
 and significance

00:26:32.840 --> 00:26:34.140
 acknowledge that

00:26:34.140 --> 00:26:34.860
 you don't have

00:26:34.860 --> 00:26:35.600
 all the answers

00:26:35.600 --> 00:26:37.279
 and cultivate humility

00:26:37.279 --> 00:26:38.259
 and submission

00:26:38.259 --> 00:26:39.000
 before God.

00:26:40.840 --> 00:26:41.940
 That produces

00:26:41.940 --> 00:26:43.160
 gratitude and joy.

00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:45.420
 The first way

00:26:45.420 --> 00:26:46.000
 is folly.

00:26:46.400 --> 00:26:47.039
 The second way

00:26:47.039 --> 00:26:47.620
 is wisdom.

00:26:47.960 --> 00:26:48.880
 The first way

00:26:48.880 --> 00:26:49.940
 inebriates you.

00:26:50.460 --> 00:26:51.420
 The second way

00:26:51.420 --> 00:26:52.259
 sobers you.

00:26:52.460 --> 00:26:55.180
 This is why sorrow

00:26:55.180 --> 00:26:56.079
 is better than laughter

00:26:56.079 --> 00:26:57.319
 for the sadness

00:26:57.319 --> 00:26:57.900
 of face

00:26:57.900 --> 00:26:59.240
 by the sadness

00:26:59.240 --> 00:26:59.620
 of face

00:26:59.620 --> 00:26:59.980
 the heart

00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:00.620
 is made glad.

00:27:01.640 --> 00:27:02.640
 The word translated

00:27:02.640 --> 00:27:03.700
 made glad here

00:27:03.700 --> 00:27:04.620
 is a Hebrew word

00:27:04.620 --> 00:27:05.200
 that often means

00:27:05.200 --> 00:27:06.100
 to do good.

00:27:06.819 --> 00:27:07.720
 So I actually prefer

00:27:07.720 --> 00:27:08.220
 the rendering

00:27:08.220 --> 00:27:09.160
 that the new

00:27:09.160 --> 00:27:10.319
 international version has.

00:27:10.420 --> 00:27:10.700
 It says

00:27:10.700 --> 00:27:12.299
 a sad face

00:27:12.299 --> 00:27:13.180
 is good

00:27:13.180 --> 00:27:14.220
 for the heart.

00:27:15.120 --> 00:27:16.340
 Or the King James version

00:27:16.340 --> 00:27:16.940
 says this

00:27:16.940 --> 00:27:17.920
 by the sadness

00:27:17.920 --> 00:27:19.079
 of the countenance

00:27:19.079 --> 00:27:19.900
 the heart

00:27:19.900 --> 00:27:21.019
 is made better.

00:27:22.460 --> 00:27:23.779
 A cure

00:27:23.779 --> 00:27:24.980
 for heart sickness

00:27:24.980 --> 00:27:25.960
 surprisingly

00:27:25.960 --> 00:27:27.180
 is a vial

00:27:27.180 --> 00:27:27.620
 of medicine

00:27:27.620 --> 00:27:28.160
 called

00:27:28.160 --> 00:27:29.120
 a dose

00:27:29.120 --> 00:27:29.720
 of reality

00:27:29.720 --> 00:27:31.100
 the reality

00:27:31.100 --> 00:27:31.539
 of death.

00:27:33.819 --> 00:27:34.440
 Confronting

00:27:34.440 --> 00:27:35.059
 the realities

00:27:35.059 --> 00:27:35.640
 of suffering

00:27:35.640 --> 00:27:36.140
 and death

00:27:36.140 --> 00:27:36.779
 in this life

00:27:36.779 --> 00:27:37.579
 makes us sober

00:27:37.579 --> 00:27:38.160
 and humble.

00:27:38.299 --> 00:27:39.380
 It forces us

00:27:39.380 --> 00:27:40.319
 to shed

00:27:40.319 --> 00:27:40.980
 our delusions

00:27:40.980 --> 00:27:41.840
 of grandeur

00:27:41.840 --> 00:27:42.940
 and immortality.

00:27:43.140 --> 00:27:43.900
 It instills

00:27:43.900 --> 00:27:44.600
 in us

00:27:44.600 --> 00:27:45.740
 deep in our bones

00:27:45.740 --> 00:27:46.460
 a freedom

00:27:46.460 --> 00:27:47.900
 of insignificance

00:27:47.900 --> 00:27:49.120
 and the humility

00:27:49.120 --> 00:27:49.720
 of wisdom.

00:27:56.320 --> 00:27:57.200
 This is why

00:27:57.200 --> 00:27:58.240
 sadness of faith

00:27:58.240 --> 00:27:58.600
 is good

00:27:58.600 --> 00:27:59.200
 for the heart.

00:27:59.600 --> 00:28:00.180
 In contrast

00:28:00.180 --> 00:28:00.700
 the laughter

00:28:00.700 --> 00:28:01.380
 of the fools

00:28:01.380 --> 00:28:02.800
 is like the crackling

00:28:02.800 --> 00:28:03.360
 of thorns

00:28:03.360 --> 00:28:04.040
 under a pot.

00:28:04.380 --> 00:28:05.280
 This is an image

00:28:05.280 --> 00:28:06.580
 of a pot

00:28:06.580 --> 00:28:07.080
 you're cooking

00:28:07.080 --> 00:28:07.600
 in a pot

00:28:07.600 --> 00:28:08.400
 you have some water

00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:09.000
 or some food

00:28:09.000 --> 00:28:09.660
 soup in it

00:28:09.660 --> 00:28:10.580
 and underneath

00:28:10.580 --> 00:28:11.320
 what's burning

00:28:11.320 --> 00:28:12.180
 is a whole bunch

00:28:12.180 --> 00:28:12.640
 of thorns

00:28:12.640 --> 00:28:13.060
 that you have

00:28:13.060 --> 00:28:13.620
 no use for

00:28:13.620 --> 00:28:14.200
 but to burn.

00:28:15.420 --> 00:28:16.400
 And as the thorns

00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:16.980
 are burning

00:28:16.980 --> 00:28:17.480
 and the twigs

00:28:17.480 --> 00:28:17.880
 are burning

00:28:17.880 --> 00:28:18.779
 they crackle.

00:28:19.059 --> 00:28:19.839
 They crackle

00:28:19.839 --> 00:28:21.039
 because of the

00:28:21.039 --> 00:28:21.860
 pressure of the heat

00:28:21.860 --> 00:28:22.980
 the thorns

00:28:22.980 --> 00:28:24.000
 crack open

00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:24.920
 and the little bit

00:28:24.920 --> 00:28:25.360
 of moisture

00:28:25.360 --> 00:28:26.360
 that's left in it

00:28:26.360 --> 00:28:27.860
 evaporates immediately

00:28:27.860 --> 00:28:28.620
 and pops.

00:28:29.740 --> 00:28:30.839
 It's like a mini explosion.

00:28:32.360 --> 00:28:33.579
 That's what the songs

00:28:33.579 --> 00:28:34.259
 and laughters

00:28:34.259 --> 00:28:34.960
 of fools

00:28:34.960 --> 00:28:36.180
 who seek to escape

00:28:36.180 --> 00:28:37.200
 this reality of death

00:28:37.200 --> 00:28:38.019
 are like.

00:28:38.420 --> 00:28:39.920
 They crackle with life

00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:41.140
 for a fleeting moment

00:28:41.140 --> 00:28:42.339
 and then they're

00:28:42.339 --> 00:28:43.160
 reduced to ashes.

00:28:43.160 --> 00:28:47.980
 So remember death.

00:28:49.660 --> 00:28:50.360
 Christian author

00:28:50.360 --> 00:28:51.160
 Randy Alcorn

00:28:51.160 --> 00:28:52.420
 writes this

00:28:52.420 --> 00:28:52.900
 in his book

00:28:52.900 --> 00:28:53.240
 Heaven

00:28:53.240 --> 00:28:55.200
 that ancient merchants

00:28:55.200 --> 00:28:56.700
 often wrote the words

00:28:56.700 --> 00:28:57.860
 memento mori

00:28:57.860 --> 00:28:59.440
 think of death

00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:00.940
 in large letters

00:29:00.940 --> 00:29:01.980
 on the first page

00:29:01.980 --> 00:29:03.259
 of their accounting books.

00:29:04.540 --> 00:29:05.420
 I think that's

00:29:05.420 --> 00:29:06.259
 a healthy practice

00:29:06.259 --> 00:29:07.060
 that we could

00:29:07.060 --> 00:29:07.880
 recover.

00:29:09.019 --> 00:29:10.440
 Philip of Macedon

00:29:10.440 --> 00:29:12.019
 father of Alexander

00:29:12.019 --> 00:29:12.460
 the great

00:29:12.460 --> 00:29:13.579
 commissioned a servant

00:29:13.579 --> 00:29:15.819
 to stand in his presence

00:29:15.819 --> 00:29:17.079
 each day

00:29:17.079 --> 00:29:18.180
 and say to him

00:29:18.180 --> 00:29:19.259
 Philip

00:29:19.259 --> 00:29:20.700
 you will die.

00:29:21.660 --> 00:29:22.660
 What a job.

00:29:26.660 --> 00:29:28.059
 In contrast

00:29:28.059 --> 00:29:29.660
 Francis Louis XIV

00:29:29.660 --> 00:29:31.079
 decreed that the word

00:29:31.079 --> 00:29:31.500
 death

00:29:31.500 --> 00:29:32.279
 not be uttered

00:29:32.279 --> 00:29:32.859
 in his presence.

00:29:36.139 --> 00:29:37.259
 Be more like

00:29:37.259 --> 00:29:38.200
 Philip of Macedon

00:29:38.200 --> 00:29:39.379
 than Louis XIV.

00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:41.119
 Think of death.

00:29:42.019 --> 00:29:43.400
 I read last week

00:29:43.400 --> 00:29:44.299
 about an author

00:29:44.299 --> 00:29:45.259
 who writes her own

00:29:45.259 --> 00:29:45.859
 obituary

00:29:45.859 --> 00:29:46.859
 every single year.

00:29:49.160 --> 00:29:49.960
 A practice

00:29:49.960 --> 00:29:50.500
 that she learned

00:29:50.500 --> 00:29:51.099
 while accompanying

00:29:51.099 --> 00:29:51.619
 our mom

00:29:51.619 --> 00:29:52.440
 who was volunteering

00:29:52.440 --> 00:29:54.519
 at a hospice

00:29:54.519 --> 00:29:55.779
 and one of the

00:29:55.779 --> 00:29:56.259
 training

00:29:56.259 --> 00:29:57.240
 that you do

00:29:57.240 --> 00:29:57.980
 when you volunteer

00:29:57.980 --> 00:29:58.579
 for hospice

00:29:58.579 --> 00:29:59.240
 at this place

00:29:59.240 --> 00:29:59.900
 was to

00:29:59.900 --> 00:30:00.879
 write your own

00:30:00.879 --> 00:30:01.319
 obituary

00:30:01.319 --> 00:30:01.960
 so that you could

00:30:01.960 --> 00:30:02.619
 imagine yourself

00:30:02.619 --> 00:30:03.119
 in the shoes

00:30:03.119 --> 00:30:03.559
 of the people

00:30:03.559 --> 00:30:04.000
 who are

00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:05.139
 spending the end

00:30:05.139 --> 00:30:06.099
 of their lives

00:30:06.099 --> 00:30:06.339
 there.

00:30:07.779 --> 00:30:08.339
 And so she

00:30:08.339 --> 00:30:09.139
 started doing

00:30:09.140 --> 00:30:10.380
 this practice.

00:30:12.640 --> 00:30:13.420
 Try writing

00:30:13.420 --> 00:30:13.920
 your own

00:30:13.920 --> 00:30:14.420
 obituary

00:30:14.420 --> 00:30:14.900
 one day.

00:30:17.680 --> 00:30:18.759
 It forces you

00:30:18.759 --> 00:30:19.400
 to think about

00:30:19.400 --> 00:30:19.940
 what people

00:30:19.940 --> 00:30:20.400
 will say

00:30:20.400 --> 00:30:20.840
 about you

00:30:20.840 --> 00:30:21.240
 after you

00:30:21.240 --> 00:30:21.620
 die.

00:30:24.220 --> 00:30:24.940
 What will

00:30:24.940 --> 00:30:25.600
 they say?

00:30:25.920 --> 00:30:26.580
 Will they say

00:30:26.580 --> 00:30:27.120
 that you

00:30:27.120 --> 00:30:28.280
 loved well?

00:30:29.340 --> 00:30:29.720
 That you

00:30:29.720 --> 00:30:30.700
 loved Jesus?

00:30:31.759 --> 00:30:32.460
 You walked

00:30:32.460 --> 00:30:32.960
 with him?

00:30:34.259 --> 00:30:34.960
 Will they say

00:30:34.960 --> 00:30:35.600
 that you knew

00:30:35.600 --> 00:30:36.440
 how to receive

00:30:36.440 --> 00:30:37.320
 and enjoy

00:30:37.320 --> 00:30:38.080
 the good gifts

00:30:38.080 --> 00:30:38.620
 of life?

00:30:38.840 --> 00:30:39.820
 Or will

00:30:39.820 --> 00:30:40.700
 the clinical

00:30:40.700 --> 00:30:42.240
 recitation

00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:42.940
 of your

00:30:42.940 --> 00:30:43.360
 string

00:30:43.360 --> 00:30:44.860
 of accomplishments

00:30:44.860 --> 00:30:45.700
 suggest that

00:30:45.700 --> 00:30:46.400
 you lived

00:30:46.400 --> 00:30:47.519
 life for gain

00:30:47.519 --> 00:30:49.000
 and that you

00:30:49.000 --> 00:30:49.840
 got a lot

00:30:49.840 --> 00:30:50.660
 of things done

00:30:50.660 --> 00:30:51.559
 but you were

00:30:51.559 --> 00:30:52.420
 never truly

00:30:52.420 --> 00:30:53.559
 known by anyone?

00:30:58.360 --> 00:30:59.400
 That exercise

00:30:59.400 --> 00:31:00.100
 will clarify

00:31:00.100 --> 00:31:00.880
 your priorities

00:31:00.880 --> 00:31:01.279
 in life.

00:31:01.519 --> 00:31:02.620
 Some accomplishments

00:31:02.620 --> 00:31:03.480
 that you have

00:31:03.480 --> 00:31:04.380
 prided yourself

00:31:04.380 --> 00:31:05.160
 in or hope

00:31:05.160 --> 00:31:05.740
 to accomplish

00:31:05.740 --> 00:31:06.120
 one day

00:31:06.120 --> 00:31:06.620
 will ring

00:31:06.620 --> 00:31:07.180
 hollow

00:31:07.180 --> 00:31:08.460
 in the light

00:31:08.460 --> 00:31:09.079
 of the certainty

00:31:09.079 --> 00:31:09.579
 of death.

00:31:12.539 --> 00:31:13.240
 It says

00:31:13.240 --> 00:31:15.240
 in Psalm 90

00:31:15.240 --> 00:31:16.339
 for all our

00:31:16.339 --> 00:31:17.319
 days pass away

00:31:17.319 --> 00:31:18.180
 under your wrath.

00:31:18.519 --> 00:31:19.079
 We bring our

00:31:19.079 --> 00:31:20.019
 ears to an end

00:31:20.019 --> 00:31:20.799
 like a sigh.

00:31:21.220 --> 00:31:22.000
 The years of our

00:31:22.000 --> 00:31:22.819
 life are 70

00:31:22.819 --> 00:31:23.660
 or even by reason

00:31:23.660 --> 00:31:24.200
 of strength

00:31:24.200 --> 00:31:24.559
 80.

00:31:24.859 --> 00:31:25.460
 Yet their span

00:31:25.460 --> 00:31:26.160
 is but toil

00:31:26.160 --> 00:31:26.700
 and trouble.

00:31:26.839 --> 00:31:27.640
 They are soon

00:31:27.640 --> 00:31:28.259
 gone and we

00:31:28.259 --> 00:31:28.960
 fly away.

00:31:29.359 --> 00:31:30.579
 So teach us

00:31:30.579 --> 00:31:31.380
 to number

00:31:31.380 --> 00:31:32.160
 our days

00:31:32.160 --> 00:31:33.400
 that we may

00:31:33.400 --> 00:31:34.140
 get a heart

00:31:34.140 --> 00:31:34.599
 of wisdom.

00:31:35.740 --> 00:31:37.420
 We should all

00:31:37.420 --> 00:31:37.940
 seek to get

00:31:37.940 --> 00:31:38.579
 this heart

00:31:38.579 --> 00:31:39.000
 of wisdom.

00:31:40.579 --> 00:31:41.279
 Number our

00:31:41.279 --> 00:31:41.620
 days.

00:31:42.099 --> 00:31:42.599
 But we also

00:31:42.599 --> 00:31:43.180
 need to remember

00:31:43.180 --> 00:31:43.759
 that the heart

00:31:43.759 --> 00:31:44.180
 of wisdom

00:31:44.180 --> 00:31:44.960
 is not immune

00:31:44.960 --> 00:31:45.559
 to corruption.

00:31:46.700 --> 00:31:47.079
 That's what

00:31:47.079 --> 00:31:47.579
 verse 7

00:31:47.579 --> 00:31:48.120
 teaches us.

00:31:48.220 --> 00:31:48.960
 Surely oppression

00:31:48.960 --> 00:31:49.980
 drives the wise

00:31:49.980 --> 00:31:50.559
 into madness

00:31:50.559 --> 00:31:51.620
 and a bribe

00:31:51.620 --> 00:31:52.640
 corrupts the heart.

00:31:53.200 --> 00:31:54.059
 The word surely

00:31:54.059 --> 00:31:55.099
 is actually a translation

00:31:55.099 --> 00:31:55.920
 of the same word

00:31:55.920 --> 00:31:56.779
 that in verse 6

00:31:56.779 --> 00:31:57.400
 is translated

00:31:57.400 --> 00:31:58.180
 as 4.

00:31:59.120 --> 00:32:00.140
 The translators

00:32:00.140 --> 00:32:01.039
 couldn't discern

00:32:01.039 --> 00:32:01.960
 the logical connection

00:32:01.960 --> 00:32:02.880
 between verses 5

00:32:02.880 --> 00:32:03.760
 and 6.

00:32:04.120 --> 00:32:04.780
 So they started

00:32:04.780 --> 00:32:05.620
 a new thought

00:32:05.620 --> 00:32:07.700
 but it's actually

00:32:07.700 --> 00:32:08.140
 supposed to be

00:32:08.140 --> 00:32:08.860
 connected to verses

00:32:08.860 --> 00:32:09.600
 5 and 6.

00:32:09.700 --> 00:32:10.680
 It's another reason

00:32:10.680 --> 00:32:11.820
 clause explaining

00:32:11.820 --> 00:32:12.940
 why it is better

00:32:12.940 --> 00:32:13.780
 for a man to hear

00:32:13.780 --> 00:32:14.720
 the rebuke of the wise

00:32:14.720 --> 00:32:15.200
 than to hear

00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:15.980
 the song of fools.

00:32:17.320 --> 00:32:17.900
 We should pay

00:32:17.900 --> 00:32:18.600
 attention to the

00:32:18.600 --> 00:32:19.740
 rebuke of the wise

00:32:19.740 --> 00:32:21.780
 for oppression

00:32:21.780 --> 00:32:22.840
 drives the wise

00:32:22.840 --> 00:32:23.500
 into madness

00:32:23.500 --> 00:32:24.300
 and a bribe

00:32:24.300 --> 00:32:25.180
 corrupts the heart.

00:32:25.740 --> 00:32:26.420
 In other words,

00:32:26.520 --> 00:32:27.460
 even those who

00:32:27.460 --> 00:32:28.500
 possess wisdom

00:32:28.500 --> 00:32:29.560
 are not immune

00:32:29.560 --> 00:32:30.200
 to corruption

00:32:30.200 --> 00:32:31.000
 and therefore

00:32:31.000 --> 00:32:31.860
 we should be open

00:32:31.860 --> 00:32:32.380
 to listening

00:32:32.380 --> 00:32:33.100
 to the rebuke

00:32:33.100 --> 00:32:33.700
 of the wise.

00:32:34.480 --> 00:32:35.580
 The word translated

00:32:35.580 --> 00:32:36.420
 oppression here

00:32:36.420 --> 00:32:36.860
 in scripture

00:32:36.860 --> 00:32:37.519
 refers to

00:32:37.519 --> 00:32:38.779
 dishonest gain

00:32:38.779 --> 00:32:40.100
 by means of oppression

00:32:40.100 --> 00:32:41.200
 which is why

00:32:41.200 --> 00:32:41.680
 it is sometimes

00:32:41.680 --> 00:32:42.819
 translated as robbery

00:32:42.819 --> 00:32:43.940
 or extortion.

00:32:44.900 --> 00:32:45.360
 The NIV

00:32:45.360 --> 00:32:46.360
 translates it this way,

00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:47.059
 the extortion

00:32:47.059 --> 00:32:48.559
 turns a wise person

00:32:48.559 --> 00:32:49.180
 into a fool

00:32:49.180 --> 00:32:50.140
 and bribe

00:32:50.140 --> 00:32:51.059
 corrupts the heart.

00:32:51.860 --> 00:32:52.680
 Both clauses

00:32:52.680 --> 00:32:53.400
 in verse 7

00:32:53.400 --> 00:32:54.200
 are referring to

00:32:54.200 --> 00:32:54.940
 the potential

00:32:54.940 --> 00:32:55.799
 for money

00:32:55.799 --> 00:32:56.680
 to corrupt

00:32:56.680 --> 00:32:57.759
 the person

00:32:57.759 --> 00:32:58.640
 who has wisdom.

00:32:58.640 --> 00:33:01.580
 It could mean

00:33:01.580 --> 00:33:02.380
 that the wise,

00:33:02.660 --> 00:33:03.340
 even the wise

00:33:03.340 --> 00:33:03.860
 can buckle

00:33:03.860 --> 00:33:04.680
 under the pressure

00:33:04.680 --> 00:33:05.320
 of extortion

00:33:05.320 --> 00:33:06.320
 and do something foolish

00:33:06.320 --> 00:33:08.880
 or it could mean

00:33:08.880 --> 00:33:09.940
 probably more likely

00:33:09.940 --> 00:33:10.460
 in my mind

00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:12.120
 that when the wise

00:33:12.120 --> 00:33:12.840
 person gains

00:33:12.840 --> 00:33:13.280
 a possession

00:33:13.280 --> 00:33:14.120
 of influence

00:33:14.120 --> 00:33:14.820
 or authority

00:33:14.820 --> 00:33:15.440
 in some kind

00:33:15.440 --> 00:33:15.980
 of office

00:33:15.980 --> 00:33:17.520
 by the virtue

00:33:17.520 --> 00:33:18.220
 of their wisdom

00:33:18.220 --> 00:33:19.520
 they can be tempted

00:33:19.520 --> 00:33:20.800
 to use their station

00:33:20.800 --> 00:33:21.320
 in life

00:33:21.320 --> 00:33:23.640
 to gain more,

00:33:24.240 --> 00:33:24.880
 to extort.

00:33:27.060 --> 00:33:28.500
 And if you do that

00:33:28.500 --> 00:33:29.440
 then you've forfeited

00:33:29.440 --> 00:33:30.359
 your heart of wisdom.

00:33:32.319 --> 00:33:33.240
 And if you take

00:33:33.240 --> 00:33:34.000
 a bribe

00:33:34.000 --> 00:33:34.660
 that colors

00:33:34.660 --> 00:33:35.319
 your judgment

00:33:35.319 --> 00:33:36.779
 then you also

00:33:36.779 --> 00:33:37.480
 have forfeited

00:33:37.480 --> 00:33:38.299
 your heart of wisdom.

00:33:39.740 --> 00:33:40.339
 And once again

00:33:40.339 --> 00:33:41.779
 remembering death

00:33:41.779 --> 00:33:43.359
 can fortify us

00:33:43.359 --> 00:33:44.180
 against the allures

00:33:44.180 --> 00:33:44.640
 of money.

00:33:45.279 --> 00:33:46.140
 As we talked about

00:33:46.140 --> 00:33:46.619
 last week

00:33:46.619 --> 00:33:48.000
 in chapters 5 and 6

00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:49.000
 earthly money

00:33:49.000 --> 00:33:50.599
 is expiring currency.

00:33:51.299 --> 00:33:52.720
 It's going to lose

00:33:52.720 --> 00:33:53.740
 100%

00:33:53.740 --> 00:33:55.079
 of its value

00:33:55.079 --> 00:33:56.980
 on the day

00:33:56.980 --> 00:33:57.339
 you die.

00:33:59.279 --> 00:34:00.059
 So why

00:34:00.059 --> 00:34:00.720
 sacrifice

00:34:00.720 --> 00:34:01.439
 your integrity

00:34:01.439 --> 00:34:02.079
 for death?

00:34:03.139 --> 00:34:04.240
 That's a bad trade.

00:34:05.519 --> 00:34:06.699
 So remember death

00:34:06.699 --> 00:34:07.599
 and go to a funeral.

00:34:08.519 --> 00:34:09.340
 Write your obituary.

00:34:09.960 --> 00:34:10.639
 Let the remembrance

00:34:10.639 --> 00:34:11.199
 of death

00:34:11.199 --> 00:34:11.739
 protect you

00:34:11.739 --> 00:34:12.299
 from the allure

00:34:12.299 --> 00:34:12.699
 of money.

00:34:14.819 --> 00:34:15.259
 Similarly,

00:34:15.380 --> 00:34:15.779
 verse 8

00:34:15.779 --> 00:34:16.460
 echoes earlier

00:34:16.460 --> 00:34:16.759
 verses,

00:34:16.960 --> 00:34:17.940
 better is the end

00:34:17.940 --> 00:34:18.500
 of a thing

00:34:18.500 --> 00:34:19.259
 than its beginning

00:34:19.259 --> 00:34:20.519
 and the patient

00:34:20.519 --> 00:34:20.980
 in spirit

00:34:20.980 --> 00:34:21.380
 is better

00:34:21.380 --> 00:34:22.099
 than the proud

00:34:22.099 --> 00:34:22.619
 in spirit.

00:34:22.619 --> 00:34:24.239
 That sounds like

00:34:24.239 --> 00:34:25.119
 verse 1, right?

00:34:25.339 --> 00:34:26.219
 The day of death

00:34:26.219 --> 00:34:26.599
 is better

00:34:26.599 --> 00:34:27.359
 than the day of birth.

00:34:28.219 --> 00:34:28.880
 The crib

00:34:28.880 --> 00:34:30.380
 is full

00:34:30.380 --> 00:34:31.440
 of hope

00:34:31.440 --> 00:34:32.319
 and potential

00:34:32.319 --> 00:34:33.779
 and we've been

00:34:33.779 --> 00:34:34.359
 rejoicing

00:34:34.359 --> 00:34:35.079
 the coming of

00:34:35.079 --> 00:34:35.599
 babies

00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:36.359
 in this season

00:34:36.359 --> 00:34:36.900
 in our church.

00:34:37.759 --> 00:34:38.500
 But there's really

00:34:38.500 --> 00:34:39.179
 not much

00:34:39.179 --> 00:34:39.839
 you can say

00:34:39.839 --> 00:34:40.940
 about a newborn baby.

00:34:42.380 --> 00:34:42.579
 Right?

00:34:43.019 --> 00:34:44.119
 What's the same thing

00:34:44.119 --> 00:34:45.039
 that everybody says

00:34:45.039 --> 00:34:45.460
 when they look

00:34:45.460 --> 00:34:46.440
 at your newborn baby?

00:34:46.960 --> 00:34:47.380
 Oh,

00:34:47.819 --> 00:34:49.559
 I think she looks

00:34:49.559 --> 00:34:50.500
 like the mom.

00:34:50.500 --> 00:34:50.900
 Oh,

00:34:52.179 --> 00:34:53.019
 I think he looks

00:34:53.019 --> 00:34:53.900
 like the dad

00:34:53.900 --> 00:34:55.420
 because there's

00:34:55.420 --> 00:34:56.000
 not much else

00:34:56.000 --> 00:34:56.480
 we can say.

00:34:57.900 --> 00:34:59.079
 It's all potential,

00:34:59.739 --> 00:35:00.559
 no reality.

00:35:03.639 --> 00:35:04.880
 It's not the crib

00:35:04.880 --> 00:35:06.400
 but the coffin

00:35:06.400 --> 00:35:07.420
 that tells us

00:35:07.420 --> 00:35:07.940
 what a man

00:35:07.940 --> 00:35:08.360
 or a woman

00:35:08.360 --> 00:35:09.539
 is really worth.

00:35:12.199 --> 00:35:13.000
 What they were

00:35:13.000 --> 00:35:13.719
 really like.

00:35:16.159 --> 00:35:17.219
 Better is the end

00:35:17.219 --> 00:35:17.679
 of a thing

00:35:17.679 --> 00:35:18.360
 than its beginning.

00:35:19.119 --> 00:35:20.119
 So don't lose heart

00:35:20.119 --> 00:35:20.880
 because you've made

00:35:20.880 --> 00:35:21.839
 a mess of your life

00:35:21.839 --> 00:35:22.619
 up to this point.

00:35:23.079 --> 00:35:24.460
 Jesus is a strong

00:35:24.460 --> 00:35:24.940
 redeemer

00:35:24.940 --> 00:35:26.460
 and he is indeed

00:35:26.460 --> 00:35:27.739
 making all things

00:35:27.739 --> 00:35:28.199
 new.

00:35:29.359 --> 00:35:30.119
 There's still hope

00:35:30.119 --> 00:35:30.420
 for you

00:35:30.420 --> 00:35:30.699
 and we're going

00:35:30.699 --> 00:35:31.219
 to talk more

00:35:31.219 --> 00:35:31.659
 about that.

00:35:32.839 --> 00:35:33.619
 You probably

00:35:33.619 --> 00:35:34.039
 don't know

00:35:34.039 --> 00:35:35.099
 who George Mallory

00:35:35.099 --> 00:35:35.400
 is.

00:35:35.759 --> 00:35:36.119
 You guys know?

00:35:36.179 --> 00:35:36.500
 Anybody know

00:35:36.500 --> 00:35:37.059
 who George Mallory

00:35:37.059 --> 00:35:37.239
 is?

00:35:38.480 --> 00:35:39.119
 I didn't know

00:35:39.119 --> 00:35:39.400
 who he was

00:35:39.400 --> 00:35:40.239
 until I googled him

00:35:40.239 --> 00:35:41.139
 earlier this week.

00:35:42.259 --> 00:35:42.940
 He's believed

00:35:42.940 --> 00:35:43.579
 to be the first

00:35:43.579 --> 00:35:44.359
 person to scale

00:35:44.359 --> 00:35:45.079
 Mount Everest.

00:35:46.639 --> 00:35:47.219
 Why don't we

00:35:47.219 --> 00:35:47.699
 know about him?

00:35:47.699 --> 00:35:48.839
 Well because

00:35:48.839 --> 00:35:51.379
 he never made

00:35:51.379 --> 00:35:52.179
 it back down.

00:35:53.699 --> 00:35:54.460
 He died

00:35:54.460 --> 00:35:54.939
 on the summit.

00:35:57.899 --> 00:35:58.500
 The name

00:35:58.500 --> 00:35:58.859
 you probably

00:35:58.859 --> 00:35:59.519
 have heard of

00:35:59.519 --> 00:36:00.559
 is Sir Edmund

00:36:00.559 --> 00:36:00.939
 Hillary

00:36:00.939 --> 00:36:02.519
 who is widely

00:36:02.519 --> 00:36:03.099
 known as the

00:36:03.099 --> 00:36:03.659
 first person

00:36:03.659 --> 00:36:05.239
 to summit

00:36:05.239 --> 00:36:05.879
 Mount Everest

00:36:05.879 --> 00:36:07.159
 because he

00:36:07.159 --> 00:36:07.879
 made it back

00:36:07.879 --> 00:36:08.139
 down.

00:36:11.259 --> 00:36:12.139
 As many people

00:36:12.139 --> 00:36:12.519
 have said

00:36:12.519 --> 00:36:13.219
 it's not how

00:36:13.219 --> 00:36:13.899
 you start

00:36:13.899 --> 00:36:14.579
 that's important

00:36:14.579 --> 00:36:15.159
 but how you

00:36:15.159 --> 00:36:15.539
 finish.

00:36:15.539 --> 00:36:18.800
 and when

00:36:18.800 --> 00:36:19.159
 you keep

00:36:19.159 --> 00:36:19.619
 the end

00:36:19.619 --> 00:36:20.159
 in sight

00:36:20.159 --> 00:36:20.820
 it will

00:36:20.820 --> 00:36:21.259
 help us

00:36:21.259 --> 00:36:21.519
 to be

00:36:21.519 --> 00:36:22.039
 patient

00:36:22.039 --> 00:36:22.659
 in spirit

00:36:22.659 --> 00:36:23.360
 rather than

00:36:23.360 --> 00:36:23.880
 proud in

00:36:23.880 --> 00:36:24.159
 spirit.

00:36:25.360 --> 00:36:25.940
 Why be

00:36:25.940 --> 00:36:26.420
 proud of

00:36:26.420 --> 00:36:26.739
 who you

00:36:26.739 --> 00:36:27.199
 are and

00:36:27.199 --> 00:36:27.619
 what you

00:36:27.619 --> 00:36:27.739
 have

00:36:27.739 --> 00:36:28.300
 accomplished

00:36:28.300 --> 00:36:29.039
 when you're

00:36:29.039 --> 00:36:29.420
 still in

00:36:29.420 --> 00:36:29.699
 the middle

00:36:29.699 --> 00:36:30.000
 of the

00:36:30.000 --> 00:36:30.300
 race?

00:36:32.500 --> 00:36:33.000
 Don't

00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:33.559
 join that

00:36:33.559 --> 00:36:34.079
 infamous

00:36:34.079 --> 00:36:35.340
 list of

00:36:35.340 --> 00:36:36.059
 YouTube

00:36:36.059 --> 00:36:36.940
 compilations

00:36:36.940 --> 00:36:37.400
 of people

00:36:37.400 --> 00:36:38.119
 who celebrated

00:36:38.119 --> 00:36:38.699
 too early

00:36:38.699 --> 00:36:39.159
 and lost

00:36:39.159 --> 00:36:39.519
 the race.

00:36:42.380 --> 00:36:42.980
 You are

00:36:42.980 --> 00:36:43.559
 not finished

00:36:43.559 --> 00:36:44.699
 yet and

00:36:44.699 --> 00:36:45.119
 much can

00:36:45.119 --> 00:36:45.420
 happen

00:36:45.420 --> 00:36:45.739
 between

00:36:45.739 --> 00:36:46.159
 now

00:36:46.159 --> 00:36:46.839
 and the

00:36:46.839 --> 00:36:47.139
 end.

00:36:48.259 --> 00:36:48.739
 Don't

00:36:48.739 --> 00:36:49.099
 take

00:36:49.099 --> 00:36:49.579
 where you

00:36:49.579 --> 00:36:49.859
 are at

00:36:49.859 --> 00:36:50.339
 this stage

00:36:50.339 --> 00:36:50.579
 of your

00:36:50.579 --> 00:36:50.900
 life,

00:36:51.339 --> 00:36:52.059
 your current

00:36:52.059 --> 00:36:52.819
 spiritual walk

00:36:52.819 --> 00:36:53.319
 with God

00:36:53.319 --> 00:36:54.059
 for granted.

00:36:54.279 --> 00:36:54.799
 The race

00:36:54.799 --> 00:36:55.380
 is not

00:36:55.380 --> 00:36:55.880
 over.

00:36:56.599 --> 00:36:57.000
 You need

00:36:57.000 --> 00:36:57.819
 to persevere

00:36:57.819 --> 00:36:58.219
 till the

00:36:58.219 --> 00:36:58.500
 end.

00:36:59.139 --> 00:36:59.359
 Better

00:36:59.359 --> 00:36:59.759
 is the

00:36:59.759 --> 00:37:00.139
 end of

00:37:00.139 --> 00:37:00.519
 a thing

00:37:00.519 --> 00:37:01.019
 than its

00:37:01.019 --> 00:37:01.299
 beginning.

00:37:03.199 --> 00:37:03.539
 Keeping

00:37:03.539 --> 00:37:04.059
 death in

00:37:04.059 --> 00:37:04.579
 view also

00:37:04.579 --> 00:37:05.219
 brings our

00:37:05.219 --> 00:37:05.659
 priorities

00:37:05.659 --> 00:37:06.359
 into focus.

00:37:06.519 --> 00:37:06.739
 We can

00:37:06.739 --> 00:37:07.460
 know better

00:37:07.460 --> 00:37:08.239
 that some

00:37:08.239 --> 00:37:08.900
 things are

00:37:08.900 --> 00:37:09.599
 not worth

00:37:09.599 --> 00:37:10.000
 fretting

00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:10.319
 about.

00:37:12.000 --> 00:37:12.739
 It makes

00:37:12.739 --> 00:37:13.440
 us patient

00:37:13.440 --> 00:37:13.920
 in spirit

00:37:13.920 --> 00:37:14.299
 rather than

00:37:14.300 --> 00:37:14.920
 proud in

00:37:14.920 --> 00:37:15.300
 spirit.

00:37:15.800 --> 00:37:16.120
 Do you

00:37:16.120 --> 00:37:16.920
 really care

00:37:16.920 --> 00:37:17.900
 that much

00:37:17.900 --> 00:37:18.240
 about what

00:37:18.240 --> 00:37:18.840
 people think

00:37:18.840 --> 00:37:19.220
 about you

00:37:19.220 --> 00:37:19.640
 when your

00:37:19.640 --> 00:37:20.019
 day of

00:37:20.019 --> 00:37:20.380
 death is

00:37:20.380 --> 00:37:20.740
 approaching?

00:37:22.620 --> 00:37:23.220
 Do you

00:37:23.220 --> 00:37:23.860
 really care

00:37:23.860 --> 00:37:24.260
 that much

00:37:24.260 --> 00:37:24.660
 that your

00:37:24.660 --> 00:37:25.380
 wife didn't

00:37:25.380 --> 00:37:26.300
 have dinner

00:37:26.300 --> 00:37:26.940
 prepared for

00:37:26.940 --> 00:37:27.340
 that day

00:37:27.340 --> 00:37:27.920
 or that

00:37:27.920 --> 00:37:28.460
 your husband

00:37:28.460 --> 00:37:28.860
 didn't put

00:37:28.860 --> 00:37:29.300
 the dirty

00:37:29.300 --> 00:37:29.980
 laundry in

00:37:29.980 --> 00:37:30.320
 the washer?

00:37:32.019 --> 00:37:32.600
 Do you

00:37:32.600 --> 00:37:33.220
 really care

00:37:33.220 --> 00:37:33.700
 that much

00:37:33.700 --> 00:37:34.120
 that your

00:37:34.120 --> 00:37:34.460
 roommate

00:37:34.460 --> 00:37:35.000
 talks too

00:37:35.000 --> 00:37:35.600
 loudly on

00:37:35.600 --> 00:37:35.980
 the phone

00:37:35.980 --> 00:37:36.800
 or leaves

00:37:36.800 --> 00:37:37.180
 the common

00:37:37.180 --> 00:37:37.560
 room area

00:37:37.560 --> 00:37:37.940
 as messy?

00:37:39.600 --> 00:37:40.140
 Do you

00:37:40.140 --> 00:37:40.680
 really care

00:37:40.680 --> 00:37:41.019
 that much

00:37:41.019 --> 00:37:41.300
 that your

00:37:41.300 --> 00:37:42.140
 kids spilled

00:37:42.139 --> 00:37:43.039
 a drink

00:37:43.039 --> 00:37:43.359
 and made

00:37:43.359 --> 00:37:43.719
 a mess

00:37:43.719 --> 00:37:44.059
 on your

00:37:44.059 --> 00:37:44.619
 pristine

00:37:44.619 --> 00:37:45.079
 carpet?

00:37:47.599 --> 00:37:48.339
 Does that

00:37:48.339 --> 00:37:48.920
 matter when

00:37:48.920 --> 00:37:49.239
 the day

00:37:49.239 --> 00:37:49.679
 of death

00:37:49.679 --> 00:37:50.519
 fast

00:37:50.519 --> 00:37:50.879
 approaches?

00:37:52.599 --> 00:37:53.480
 The patient

00:37:53.480 --> 00:37:53.960
 in spirit

00:37:53.960 --> 00:37:54.420
 is better

00:37:54.420 --> 00:37:54.739
 than the

00:37:54.739 --> 00:37:55.139
 proud in

00:37:55.139 --> 00:37:55.400
 spirit.

00:37:56.859 --> 00:37:57.480
 Verse 9

00:37:57.480 --> 00:37:58.019
 is thematically

00:37:58.019 --> 00:37:58.639
 connected to

00:37:58.639 --> 00:37:59.059
 verse 8

00:37:59.059 --> 00:37:59.639
 by the repetition

00:37:59.639 --> 00:38:00.099
 of the word

00:38:00.099 --> 00:38:00.559
 spirit.

00:38:00.719 --> 00:38:01.039
 Be not

00:38:01.039 --> 00:38:01.539
 quick in

00:38:01.539 --> 00:38:02.219
 your spirit

00:38:02.219 --> 00:38:02.920
 to become

00:38:02.920 --> 00:38:03.339
 angry,

00:38:03.699 --> 00:38:04.119
 for anger

00:38:04.119 --> 00:38:04.759
 lodges in

00:38:04.759 --> 00:38:05.059
 the heart

00:38:05.059 --> 00:38:05.539
 of fools.

00:38:06.519 --> 00:38:07.299
 Anger is

00:38:07.299 --> 00:38:08.039
 our emotional

00:38:08.039 --> 00:38:08.879
 response to

00:38:08.879 --> 00:38:09.639
 perceived

00:38:09.639 --> 00:38:10.179
 wrong.

00:38:11.619 --> 00:38:12.179
 And people

00:38:12.179 --> 00:38:12.579
 who get

00:38:12.579 --> 00:38:13.559
 angry often

00:38:13.559 --> 00:38:14.619
 are easily

00:38:14.619 --> 00:38:15.480
 offended because

00:38:15.480 --> 00:38:16.079
 they often

00:38:16.079 --> 00:38:16.980
 perceive what

00:38:16.980 --> 00:38:17.559
 other people

00:38:17.559 --> 00:38:18.420
 say and do

00:38:18.420 --> 00:38:18.980
 to be

00:38:18.980 --> 00:38:19.759
 wrong.

00:38:21.299 --> 00:38:22.000
 And they

00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:22.879
 often perceive

00:38:22.879 --> 00:38:23.279
 what other

00:38:23.279 --> 00:38:23.839
 people say

00:38:23.839 --> 00:38:24.359
 and do

00:38:24.359 --> 00:38:24.900
 to be

00:38:24.900 --> 00:38:25.440
 wrong

00:38:25.440 --> 00:38:26.460
 because they

00:38:26.460 --> 00:38:26.960
 are proud

00:38:26.960 --> 00:38:27.500
 in spirit.

00:38:30.779 --> 00:38:31.460
 Those who

00:38:31.460 --> 00:38:31.859
 are quick

00:38:31.859 --> 00:38:32.199
 in their

00:38:32.199 --> 00:38:32.599
 spirit to

00:38:32.599 --> 00:38:33.239
 become angry

00:38:33.239 --> 00:38:33.940
 are proud

00:38:33.940 --> 00:38:34.879
 in spirit.

00:38:35.500 --> 00:38:36.019
 This is a

00:38:36.019 --> 00:38:36.519
 sin with

00:38:36.519 --> 00:38:37.279
 which I am

00:38:37.279 --> 00:38:37.799
 intimately

00:38:37.799 --> 00:38:38.179
 familiar.

00:38:38.179 --> 00:38:39.579
 So if you

00:38:39.579 --> 00:38:39.940
 feel like

00:38:39.940 --> 00:38:40.199
 I am

00:38:40.199 --> 00:38:40.779
 calling

00:38:40.779 --> 00:38:41.399
 your cards

00:38:41.399 --> 00:38:42.639
 and reading

00:38:42.639 --> 00:38:43.079
 your mail,

00:38:43.179 --> 00:38:43.599
 don't worry,

00:38:43.659 --> 00:38:43.919
 I am just

00:38:43.919 --> 00:38:44.279
 reading my

00:38:44.279 --> 00:38:44.679
 own mail.

00:38:47.379 --> 00:38:47.899
 Oftentimes,

00:38:48.699 --> 00:38:49.419
 our anger,

00:38:49.859 --> 00:38:50.619
 unlike God's

00:38:50.619 --> 00:38:50.879
 anger,

00:38:50.980 --> 00:38:51.299
 is not

00:38:51.299 --> 00:38:51.859
 righteous

00:38:51.859 --> 00:38:52.379
 anger,

00:38:52.739 --> 00:38:53.079
 it is

00:38:53.079 --> 00:38:54.339
 self-righteous

00:38:54.339 --> 00:38:54.899
 anger.

00:38:56.980 --> 00:38:57.639
 In our

00:38:57.639 --> 00:38:58.659
 judicial system,

00:38:58.859 --> 00:38:59.539
 a judge

00:38:59.539 --> 00:39:01.139
 is required

00:39:01.139 --> 00:39:01.739
 to recuse

00:39:01.739 --> 00:39:02.179
 himself

00:39:02.179 --> 00:39:03.699
 if he is

00:39:03.699 --> 00:39:04.059
 personally

00:39:04.059 --> 00:39:04.639
 implicated

00:39:04.639 --> 00:39:04.919
 in the

00:39:04.919 --> 00:39:05.239
 case.

00:39:06.079 --> 00:39:06.659
 Because how

00:39:06.659 --> 00:39:06.940
 are you going

00:39:06.940 --> 00:39:07.199
 to judge

00:39:07.199 --> 00:39:07.480
 a case

00:39:07.480 --> 00:39:08.119
 impartially

00:39:08.119 --> 00:39:08.480
 if you

00:39:08.480 --> 00:39:08.639
 are

00:39:08.639 --> 00:39:08.980
 personally

00:39:08.980 --> 00:39:09.420
 affected

00:39:09.420 --> 00:39:09.940
 by it.

00:39:12.259 --> 00:39:13.139
 But when

00:39:13.139 --> 00:39:13.739
 we are

00:39:13.739 --> 00:39:14.159
 personally

00:39:14.159 --> 00:39:14.679
 offended

00:39:14.679 --> 00:39:15.579
 and affected

00:39:15.579 --> 00:39:16.400
 by something,

00:39:16.779 --> 00:39:17.400
 far from

00:39:17.400 --> 00:39:17.920
 recusing

00:39:17.920 --> 00:39:18.480
 ourselves,

00:39:18.940 --> 00:39:19.559
 we appoint

00:39:19.559 --> 00:39:20.079
 ourselves

00:39:20.079 --> 00:39:20.759
 the judge,

00:39:20.900 --> 00:39:21.279
 the jury,

00:39:21.359 --> 00:39:21.940
 and jailer

00:39:21.940 --> 00:39:22.559
 all at once.

00:39:25.359 --> 00:39:26.259
 We sit

00:39:26.259 --> 00:39:26.920
 in judgment

00:39:26.920 --> 00:39:27.900
 over the

00:39:27.900 --> 00:39:28.339
 person,

00:39:29.880 --> 00:39:30.259
 fooling

00:39:30.259 --> 00:39:30.739
 ourselves

00:39:30.739 --> 00:39:31.119
 that we

00:39:31.119 --> 00:39:31.779
 can discern

00:39:31.779 --> 00:39:32.739
 every motivation

00:39:32.739 --> 00:39:33.219
 of their

00:39:33.219 --> 00:39:33.539
 heart.

00:39:33.539 --> 00:39:37.440
 and then

00:39:37.440 --> 00:39:37.860
 instead of

00:39:37.860 --> 00:39:38.440
 seeking the

00:39:38.440 --> 00:39:38.759
 Lord's

00:39:38.759 --> 00:39:39.279
 guidance

00:39:39.279 --> 00:39:40.099
 and being

00:39:40.099 --> 00:39:40.619
 patient

00:39:40.619 --> 00:39:41.639
 in prayer

00:39:41.639 --> 00:39:42.480
 and seeking

00:39:42.480 --> 00:39:43.019
 the counsel

00:39:43.019 --> 00:39:43.920
 of wise

00:39:43.920 --> 00:39:44.519
 people around

00:39:44.519 --> 00:39:44.800
 us,

00:39:44.900 --> 00:39:46.259
 we quickly

00:39:46.259 --> 00:39:46.980
 pronounce the

00:39:46.980 --> 00:39:47.559
 verdict as

00:39:47.559 --> 00:39:47.940
 the jury.

00:39:49.340 --> 00:39:49.559
 Well,

00:39:49.599 --> 00:39:49.759
 yep,

00:39:49.900 --> 00:39:50.179
 that was

00:39:50.179 --> 00:39:50.440
 that,

00:39:50.599 --> 00:39:50.920
 and that

00:39:50.920 --> 00:39:51.340
 was wrong.

00:39:52.000 --> 00:39:52.579
 I'm right,

00:39:52.759 --> 00:39:53.219
 you're wrong.

00:39:53.219 --> 00:39:56.779
 And then

00:39:56.779 --> 00:39:57.579
 since our

00:39:57.579 --> 00:39:58.279
 verdict as

00:39:58.279 --> 00:39:58.599
 a jury

00:39:58.599 --> 00:39:59.439
 is impeccable,

00:39:59.659 --> 00:40:00.099
 we start

00:40:00.099 --> 00:40:00.799
 acting as

00:40:00.799 --> 00:40:01.359
 the jailer.

00:40:02.299 --> 00:40:03.319
 We jail

00:40:03.319 --> 00:40:03.980
 the offending

00:40:03.980 --> 00:40:04.719
 person in

00:40:04.719 --> 00:40:05.219
 the cold

00:40:05.219 --> 00:40:05.839
 prison of

00:40:05.839 --> 00:40:06.619
 our icy

00:40:06.619 --> 00:40:07.519
 stairs and

00:40:07.519 --> 00:40:08.159
 chilly

00:40:08.159 --> 00:40:08.879
 silence.

00:40:11.699 --> 00:40:12.500
 Or we

00:40:12.500 --> 00:40:13.119
 punish them

00:40:13.119 --> 00:40:14.059
 with hundred

00:40:14.059 --> 00:40:14.939
 lashes of

00:40:14.939 --> 00:40:15.399
 the tongue

00:40:15.399 --> 00:40:16.399
 by berating

00:40:16.399 --> 00:40:16.759
 them.

00:40:22.099 --> 00:40:22.739
 People

00:40:22.739 --> 00:40:23.539
 with anger

00:40:23.539 --> 00:40:24.399
 issues are

00:40:24.399 --> 00:40:25.339
 often wise

00:40:25.339 --> 00:40:25.719
 in their

00:40:25.719 --> 00:40:26.299
 own eyes.

00:40:29.139 --> 00:40:29.819
 In fact,

00:40:29.879 --> 00:40:30.259
 I would say

00:40:30.259 --> 00:40:30.619
 that they

00:40:30.619 --> 00:40:31.679
 are invariably

00:40:31.679 --> 00:40:32.939
 wise in

00:40:32.939 --> 00:40:33.259
 their own

00:40:33.259 --> 00:40:33.539
 eyes.

00:40:35.459 --> 00:40:36.119
 But the

00:40:36.119 --> 00:40:36.579
 preacher of

00:40:36.579 --> 00:40:37.219
 Ecclesiastes

00:40:37.219 --> 00:40:38.139
 pops our

00:40:38.139 --> 00:40:38.959
 balloons when

00:40:38.959 --> 00:40:39.399
 he kindly

00:40:39.399 --> 00:40:40.179
 reminds us,

00:40:40.579 --> 00:40:40.959
 anger

00:40:40.959 --> 00:40:42.039
 lodges in

00:40:42.039 --> 00:40:42.479
 the heart

00:40:42.479 --> 00:40:43.399
 of fools.

00:40:44.839 --> 00:40:45.500
 It's not

00:40:45.500 --> 00:40:46.059
 the wise,

00:40:47.079 --> 00:40:47.639
 it's the

00:40:47.639 --> 00:40:47.859
 fool.

00:40:49.579 --> 00:40:50.179
 So what's

00:40:50.179 --> 00:40:50.659
 the solution?

00:40:51.699 --> 00:40:52.179
 Look at all

00:40:52.179 --> 00:40:52.460
 the other

00:40:52.460 --> 00:40:52.919
 verses in

00:40:52.919 --> 00:40:53.299
 the passage

00:40:53.299 --> 00:40:53.779
 that mention

00:40:53.779 --> 00:40:54.199
 the heart.

00:40:54.399 --> 00:40:54.839
 Verse 2,

00:40:55.139 --> 00:40:55.579
 this is the

00:40:55.579 --> 00:40:56.119
 end of all

00:40:56.119 --> 00:40:56.719
 mankind and

00:40:56.719 --> 00:40:57.079
 the living

00:40:57.079 --> 00:40:57.480
 will lay

00:40:57.480 --> 00:40:58.079
 to heart.

00:40:58.619 --> 00:40:59.099
 Verse 3,

00:40:59.239 --> 00:40:59.679
 sorrow is

00:40:59.679 --> 00:41:00.019
 better than

00:41:00.019 --> 00:41:00.299
 laughter,

00:41:00.399 --> 00:41:00.679
 for by

00:41:00.679 --> 00:41:01.359
 sadness of

00:41:01.359 --> 00:41:01.719
 faith the

00:41:01.719 --> 00:41:02.299
 heart is

00:41:02.299 --> 00:41:02.859
 made glad.

00:41:03.239 --> 00:41:03.639
 Verse 4,

00:41:03.699 --> 00:41:04.179
 the heart

00:41:04.179 --> 00:41:04.460
 of the

00:41:04.460 --> 00:41:04.980
 wise is

00:41:04.980 --> 00:41:05.179
 in the

00:41:05.179 --> 00:41:05.599
 house of

00:41:05.599 --> 00:41:05.919
 mourning,

00:41:06.199 --> 00:41:06.480
 but the

00:41:06.480 --> 00:41:06.940
 heart of

00:41:06.940 --> 00:41:07.339
 fools is

00:41:07.339 --> 00:41:07.539
 in the

00:41:07.539 --> 00:41:08.000
 house of

00:41:08.000 --> 00:41:08.239
 mirth.

00:41:08.579 --> 00:41:09.019
 If you

00:41:09.019 --> 00:41:09.639
 don't want

00:41:09.639 --> 00:41:10.059
 the heart

00:41:10.059 --> 00:41:10.599
 of fools,

00:41:10.759 --> 00:41:11.259
 here's the

00:41:11.259 --> 00:41:11.659
 prescription

00:41:11.659 --> 00:41:12.019
 from

00:41:12.019 --> 00:41:12.639
 Ecclesiastes.

00:41:13.119 --> 00:41:13.539
 If you

00:41:13.539 --> 00:41:13.980
 want the

00:41:13.980 --> 00:41:14.299
 heart of

00:41:14.299 --> 00:41:14.779
 the wise,

00:41:15.119 --> 00:41:15.679
 then spend

00:41:15.679 --> 00:41:16.279
 some time

00:41:16.279 --> 00:41:17.000
 reflecting on

00:41:17.000 --> 00:41:17.279
 the end

00:41:17.279 --> 00:41:17.500
 of your

00:41:17.500 --> 00:41:17.860
 life,

00:41:18.420 --> 00:41:19.739
 so that

00:41:19.739 --> 00:41:20.039
 you might

00:41:20.039 --> 00:41:20.800
 grow smaller

00:41:20.800 --> 00:41:21.079
 in your

00:41:21.079 --> 00:41:21.639
 own eyes.

00:41:22.659 --> 00:41:23.179
 Make your

00:41:23.179 --> 00:41:24.360
 face sad

00:41:24.360 --> 00:41:25.360
 by reflecting

00:41:25.360 --> 00:41:26.019
 on death

00:41:26.019 --> 00:41:26.659
 and by

00:41:26.659 --> 00:41:27.380
 grieving your

00:41:27.380 --> 00:41:28.320
 own sins,

00:41:28.500 --> 00:41:29.039
 since the

00:41:29.039 --> 00:41:29.619
 wages of

00:41:29.619 --> 00:41:30.360
 sin is

00:41:30.360 --> 00:41:30.739
 death.

00:41:31.059 --> 00:41:31.400
 If you

00:41:31.400 --> 00:41:32.119
 are regularly

00:41:32.119 --> 00:41:32.840
 grieving your

00:41:32.840 --> 00:41:33.519
 own sins,

00:41:33.599 --> 00:41:34.019
 and the

00:41:34.019 --> 00:41:34.760
 death which

00:41:34.760 --> 00:41:36.440
 ineluctably

00:41:36.440 --> 00:41:37.159
 comes as a

00:41:37.159 --> 00:41:37.619
 result of

00:41:37.619 --> 00:41:38.440
 your sins,

00:41:39.300 --> 00:41:40.500
 then we

00:41:40.500 --> 00:41:41.440
 are well

00:41:41.440 --> 00:41:41.719
 on our

00:41:41.719 --> 00:41:42.679
 way to

00:41:42.679 --> 00:41:43.179
 becoming more

00:41:43.179 --> 00:41:43.739
 patient in

00:41:43.739 --> 00:41:44.219
 spirit than

00:41:44.219 --> 00:41:44.719
 proud in

00:41:44.719 --> 00:41:45.000
 spirit.

00:41:47.500 --> 00:41:49.340
 verse 10

00:41:49.340 --> 00:41:49.880
 gives another

00:41:49.880 --> 00:41:50.360
 invaluable

00:41:50.360 --> 00:41:51.019
 counsel to

00:41:51.019 --> 00:41:51.960
 fools who

00:41:51.960 --> 00:41:52.559
 think themselves

00:41:52.559 --> 00:41:53.000
 wise.

00:41:53.699 --> 00:41:53.820
 It says,

00:41:54.099 --> 00:41:54.539
 say not,

00:41:54.739 --> 00:41:55.320
 why were the

00:41:55.320 --> 00:41:56.019
 former days

00:41:56.019 --> 00:41:56.460
 better than

00:41:56.460 --> 00:41:56.800
 these?

00:41:57.079 --> 00:41:57.480
 For it is

00:41:57.480 --> 00:41:58.179
 not from

00:41:58.179 --> 00:41:58.940
 wisdom that

00:41:58.940 --> 00:41:59.519
 you ask

00:41:59.519 --> 00:41:59.880
 this.

00:42:00.920 --> 00:42:01.619
 People who

00:42:01.619 --> 00:42:02.519
 think themselves

00:42:02.519 --> 00:42:03.559
 wise often

00:42:03.559 --> 00:42:04.380
 bemoan the

00:42:04.380 --> 00:42:05.000
 good old

00:42:05.000 --> 00:42:05.420
 days.

00:42:09.960 --> 00:42:10.699
 I know

00:42:10.699 --> 00:42:10.980
 you guys

00:42:10.980 --> 00:42:11.260
 have done

00:42:11.260 --> 00:42:11.519
 this.

00:42:12.019 --> 00:42:12.300
 I have

00:42:12.300 --> 00:42:12.860
 too.

00:42:14.219 --> 00:42:14.780
 And it's

00:42:14.780 --> 00:42:15.260
 because they

00:42:15.260 --> 00:42:15.860
 accurately

00:42:15.860 --> 00:42:16.699
 perceive the

00:42:16.699 --> 00:42:17.280
 evils and

00:42:17.280 --> 00:42:17.940
 ills of

00:42:17.940 --> 00:42:18.840
 society today

00:42:18.840 --> 00:42:19.840
 that they

00:42:19.840 --> 00:42:20.620
 pine for

00:42:20.620 --> 00:42:21.260
 yesterday.

00:42:22.700 --> 00:42:23.580
 But such

00:42:23.580 --> 00:42:24.200
 thinking is

00:42:24.200 --> 00:42:25.000
 not from

00:42:25.000 --> 00:42:25.400
 wisdom.

00:42:26.920 --> 00:42:27.460
 In Exodus

00:42:27.460 --> 00:42:28.060
 14 and

00:42:28.060 --> 00:42:28.660
 16, the

00:42:28.660 --> 00:42:29.260
 Israelites

00:42:29.260 --> 00:42:30.100
 pine for

00:42:30.100 --> 00:42:30.460
 the good

00:42:30.460 --> 00:42:31.060
 old days.

00:42:31.480 --> 00:42:31.780
 And you

00:42:31.780 --> 00:42:32.100
 know what

00:42:32.100 --> 00:42:32.620
 their good

00:42:32.620 --> 00:42:33.100
 old days

00:42:33.100 --> 00:42:33.300
 were?

00:42:33.580 --> 00:42:34.100
 Slavery

00:42:34.100 --> 00:42:34.540
 in Egypt.

00:42:36.580 --> 00:42:37.500
 If anything

00:42:37.500 --> 00:42:38.019
 proves our

00:42:38.019 --> 00:42:38.420
 selective

00:42:38.420 --> 00:42:39.540
 memory and

00:42:39.540 --> 00:42:40.160
 the faultiness

00:42:40.160 --> 00:42:40.840
 of nostalgia,

00:42:41.300 --> 00:42:41.660
 I think

00:42:41.660 --> 00:42:42.440
 Exodus does

00:42:42.440 --> 00:42:42.600
 it.

00:42:43.320 --> 00:42:43.780
 They say,

00:42:43.880 --> 00:42:44.200
 oh, we

00:42:44.200 --> 00:42:44.660
 were better

00:42:44.660 --> 00:42:45.440
 off serving

00:42:45.440 --> 00:42:46.160
 the Egyptians

00:42:46.159 --> 00:42:47.460
 than wandering

00:42:47.460 --> 00:42:47.920
 here in the

00:42:47.920 --> 00:42:48.259
 wilderness.

00:42:49.000 --> 00:42:49.519
 Oh, when

00:42:49.519 --> 00:42:49.940
 we were in

00:42:49.940 --> 00:42:50.879
 Egypt, we

00:42:50.879 --> 00:42:51.539
 sat by the

00:42:51.539 --> 00:42:52.379
 meat pots and

00:42:52.379 --> 00:42:53.279
 ate bread to

00:42:53.279 --> 00:42:53.799
 the full.

00:42:55.799 --> 00:42:56.460
 When they

00:42:56.460 --> 00:42:57.000
 were actually

00:42:57.000 --> 00:42:58.079
 slaves,

00:42:59.199 --> 00:42:59.599
 worked to

00:42:59.599 --> 00:43:00.759
 the bone to

00:43:00.759 --> 00:43:01.239
 make bricks

00:43:01.239 --> 00:43:01.980
 without straw,

00:43:02.679 --> 00:43:03.119
 and they

00:43:03.119 --> 00:43:03.899
 were crying

00:43:03.899 --> 00:43:04.440
 out for

00:43:04.440 --> 00:43:04.859
 deliverance

00:43:04.859 --> 00:43:05.319
 from God.

00:43:05.320 --> 00:43:11.039
 people who

00:43:11.039 --> 00:43:11.600
 tend to

00:43:11.600 --> 00:43:12.420
 reminisce

00:43:12.420 --> 00:43:13.519
 dreamily about

00:43:13.519 --> 00:43:13.960
 the good

00:43:13.960 --> 00:43:14.400
 old days

00:43:14.400 --> 00:43:15.519
 likely don't

00:43:15.519 --> 00:43:15.980
 remember

00:43:15.980 --> 00:43:17.220
 accurately what

00:43:17.220 --> 00:43:17.860
 those old

00:43:17.860 --> 00:43:18.300
 days were

00:43:18.300 --> 00:43:18.559
 like.

00:43:22.280 --> 00:43:22.760
 Remember

00:43:22.760 --> 00:43:23.340
 Ecclesiastes

00:43:23.340 --> 00:43:24.320
 1, 9-10.

00:43:25.000 --> 00:43:25.580
 What has

00:43:25.580 --> 00:43:26.220
 been is

00:43:26.220 --> 00:43:26.780
 what will

00:43:26.780 --> 00:43:27.539
 be, and

00:43:27.539 --> 00:43:28.019
 what has

00:43:28.019 --> 00:43:28.480
 been done

00:43:28.480 --> 00:43:28.840
 is what

00:43:28.840 --> 00:43:29.380
 will be

00:43:29.380 --> 00:43:30.059
 done, and

00:43:30.059 --> 00:43:30.320
 there is

00:43:30.320 --> 00:43:31.120
 nothing new

00:43:31.120 --> 00:43:31.620
 under the

00:43:31.620 --> 00:43:31.860
 sun.

00:43:32.440 --> 00:43:32.860
 Is there

00:43:32.860 --> 00:43:33.380
 a thing of

00:43:33.380 --> 00:43:33.840
 which it is

00:43:33.840 --> 00:43:34.440
 said, see,

00:43:34.620 --> 00:43:35.260
 this is new?

00:43:35.640 --> 00:43:36.220
 It has

00:43:36.220 --> 00:43:36.860
 been already

00:43:36.860 --> 00:43:37.140
 in the

00:43:37.140 --> 00:43:37.800
 ages before

00:43:37.800 --> 00:43:38.120
 us.

00:43:39.480 --> 00:43:40.480
 The decadence

00:43:40.480 --> 00:43:41.240
 and perversions

00:43:41.240 --> 00:43:41.820
 that we see

00:43:41.820 --> 00:43:42.440
 in our world

00:43:42.440 --> 00:43:42.800
 and society

00:43:42.800 --> 00:43:43.200
 today are

00:43:43.200 --> 00:43:43.940
 nothing new.

00:43:44.480 --> 00:43:44.800
 They've been

00:43:44.800 --> 00:43:45.440
 around for

00:43:45.440 --> 00:43:45.940
 millennia.

00:43:49.120 --> 00:43:49.780
 Sure, they

00:43:49.780 --> 00:43:50.260
 didn't have

00:43:50.260 --> 00:43:51.100
 internet or

00:43:51.100 --> 00:43:51.960
 cell phones or

00:43:51.960 --> 00:43:52.680
 social media in

00:43:52.680 --> 00:43:53.740
 the past, but

00:43:53.740 --> 00:43:54.220
 you don't think

00:43:54.220 --> 00:43:54.720
 that people

00:43:54.720 --> 00:43:55.559
 dealt with

00:43:55.559 --> 00:43:56.600
 frivolous

00:43:56.600 --> 00:43:57.440
 diversions and

00:43:57.440 --> 00:43:58.580
 self-absorption

00:43:58.580 --> 00:43:59.740
 and self-promotion

00:43:59.740 --> 00:44:00.620
 back in those

00:44:00.620 --> 00:44:01.160
 days, of course

00:44:01.160 --> 00:44:01.580
 they did.

00:44:05.320 --> 00:44:06.680
 Of course

00:44:06.680 --> 00:44:07.160
 we live in

00:44:07.160 --> 00:44:07.760
 the age of

00:44:07.760 --> 00:44:08.780
 feminism and

00:44:08.780 --> 00:44:09.720
 sexual liberation

00:44:09.720 --> 00:44:10.180
 and the

00:44:10.180 --> 00:44:11.059
 corresponding jerk

00:44:11.059 --> 00:44:11.800
 reaction of

00:44:11.800 --> 00:44:13.180
 masculinism, but

00:44:13.180 --> 00:44:13.980
 do you really

00:44:13.980 --> 00:44:14.580
 think that the

00:44:14.580 --> 00:44:15.340
 struggle between

00:44:15.340 --> 00:44:15.980
 the sexes and

00:44:15.980 --> 00:44:16.840
 oppression between

00:44:16.840 --> 00:44:17.460
 the sexes is

00:44:17.460 --> 00:44:17.740
 new?

00:44:18.260 --> 00:44:19.080
 It's not

00:44:19.080 --> 00:44:19.320
 new.

00:44:24.760 --> 00:44:25.600
 There's nothing

00:44:25.600 --> 00:44:26.240
 new under the

00:44:26.240 --> 00:44:27.400
 sun because

00:44:27.400 --> 00:44:28.519
 human beings

00:44:28.519 --> 00:44:29.580
 remain fundamentally

00:44:29.580 --> 00:44:30.539
 unchanged.

00:44:30.539 --> 00:44:31.920
 the sin that

00:44:31.920 --> 00:44:32.519
 is at the root

00:44:32.519 --> 00:44:33.820
 of all people

00:44:33.820 --> 00:44:34.460
 are still

00:44:34.460 --> 00:44:34.779
 there.

00:44:37.800 --> 00:44:38.400
 It's been

00:44:38.400 --> 00:44:38.699
 there all

00:44:38.699 --> 00:44:39.019
 along.

00:44:39.239 --> 00:44:39.719
 So the wise

00:44:39.719 --> 00:44:40.320
 person does

00:44:40.320 --> 00:44:41.199
 not dwell on

00:44:41.199 --> 00:44:41.880
 the past or

00:44:41.880 --> 00:44:42.840
 dream of the

00:44:42.840 --> 00:44:43.679
 future, but

00:44:43.679 --> 00:44:44.440
 faithfully and

00:44:44.440 --> 00:44:45.279
 fully lives in

00:44:45.279 --> 00:44:45.659
 the present

00:44:45.659 --> 00:44:45.980
 moment.

00:44:48.179 --> 00:44:48.960
 It says in

00:44:48.960 --> 00:44:49.639
 verses 13 to

00:44:49.639 --> 00:44:50.320
 14, consider

00:44:50.320 --> 00:44:50.900
 the work of

00:44:50.900 --> 00:44:51.400
 God who can

00:44:51.400 --> 00:44:52.079
 make straight

00:44:52.079 --> 00:44:52.539
 what he has

00:44:52.539 --> 00:44:53.159
 made crooked.

00:44:53.619 --> 00:44:54.179
 In the day of

00:44:54.179 --> 00:44:55.019
 prosperity be

00:44:55.019 --> 00:44:55.900
 joyful and in

00:44:55.900 --> 00:44:56.320
 the day of

00:44:56.320 --> 00:44:57.400
 adversity consider

00:44:57.400 --> 00:44:58.559
 God has made

00:44:58.559 --> 00:44:59.360
 the one and

00:44:59.360 --> 00:44:59.940
 as well as the

00:44:59.940 --> 00:45:00.199
 other.

00:45:00.199 --> 00:45:00.919
 so that man

00:45:00.919 --> 00:45:01.839
 may not find

00:45:01.839 --> 00:45:02.480
 out anything

00:45:02.480 --> 00:45:03.219
 that will be

00:45:03.219 --> 00:45:04.099
 after him.

00:45:05.419 --> 00:45:06.079
 This echoes

00:45:06.079 --> 00:45:07.539
 what Ecclesiastes

00:45:07.539 --> 00:45:08.639
 115 said,

00:45:09.819 --> 00:45:10.599
 the greatest

00:45:10.599 --> 00:45:11.819
 philosophers of

00:45:11.819 --> 00:45:12.639
 throughout the

00:45:12.639 --> 00:45:14.779
 ages and the

00:45:14.779 --> 00:45:15.879
 best scientists,

00:45:16.000 --> 00:45:16.500
 the most brilliant

00:45:16.500 --> 00:45:17.319
 scientists throughout

00:45:17.319 --> 00:45:18.619
 the ages cannot

00:45:18.619 --> 00:45:19.659
 make what is

00:45:19.659 --> 00:45:20.899
 crooked straight.

00:45:22.879 --> 00:45:23.899
 I've said this

00:45:23.899 --> 00:45:24.480
 to you before,

00:45:24.619 --> 00:45:25.480
 despite all the

00:45:25.480 --> 00:45:25.980
 knowledge and

00:45:25.980 --> 00:45:26.719
 wisdom we have

00:45:26.719 --> 00:45:27.579
 gained in the

00:45:27.579 --> 00:45:28.159
 advancement of

00:45:28.159 --> 00:45:28.619
 medicine and

00:45:28.619 --> 00:45:29.539
 technology, people

00:45:29.539 --> 00:45:30.279
 still get sick,

00:45:30.820 --> 00:45:31.400
 hospitals are

00:45:31.400 --> 00:45:31.920
 still full,

00:45:32.340 --> 00:45:32.860
 people still

00:45:32.860 --> 00:45:34.159
 die, and our

00:45:34.159 --> 00:45:35.179
 average lifespan is

00:45:35.179 --> 00:45:36.019
 still not beyond

00:45:36.019 --> 00:45:36.920
 what Psalm 90

00:45:36.920 --> 00:45:37.920
 10 said 3,000

00:45:37.920 --> 00:45:38.840
 years ago, 70

00:45:38.840 --> 00:45:39.920
 or by reason of

00:45:39.920 --> 00:45:40.420
 strength 80.

00:45:43.099 --> 00:45:44.059
 So I'm sorry if

00:45:44.059 --> 00:45:44.559
 you work in the

00:45:44.559 --> 00:45:47.119
 health care, that's

00:45:47.119 --> 00:45:47.699
 just the reality.

00:45:49.940 --> 00:45:51.019
 Despite all the

00:45:51.019 --> 00:45:51.619
 experience and

00:45:51.619 --> 00:45:52.139
 wisdom we have

00:45:52.139 --> 00:45:52.519
 gained in

00:45:52.519 --> 00:45:53.320
 diplomacy and

00:45:53.320 --> 00:45:55.239
 peacemaking, the

00:45:55.239 --> 00:45:55.860
 world is still

00:45:55.860 --> 00:45:56.820
 ravaged by war,

00:45:56.820 --> 00:45:57.280
 is it not?

00:46:00.440 --> 00:46:01.360
 Despite all the

00:46:01.360 --> 00:46:02.080
 knowledge we have

00:46:02.080 --> 00:46:02.680
 and wisdom we've

00:46:02.680 --> 00:46:03.300
 gained about the

00:46:03.300 --> 00:46:04.180
 human mind, about

00:46:04.180 --> 00:46:04.880
 the brain and

00:46:04.880 --> 00:46:05.640
 the mental health,

00:46:05.900 --> 00:46:06.500
 people are still

00:46:06.500 --> 00:46:07.080
 depressed and

00:46:07.080 --> 00:46:07.880
 anxious as ever.

00:46:09.820 --> 00:46:10.800
 Despite all our

00:46:10.800 --> 00:46:11.460
 technological

00:46:11.460 --> 00:46:12.500
 advancements, despite

00:46:12.500 --> 00:46:13.480
 all our inventions,

00:46:13.680 --> 00:46:15.019
 this world is still

00:46:15.019 --> 00:46:16.019
 not the way it's

00:46:16.019 --> 00:46:16.680
 supposed to be.

00:46:17.080 --> 00:46:18.120
 It's still messed

00:46:18.120 --> 00:46:18.500
 up.

00:46:21.160 --> 00:46:22.600
 And despite all of

00:46:22.600 --> 00:46:23.800
 our wise choices,

00:46:23.800 --> 00:46:25.900
 we cannot control

00:46:25.900 --> 00:46:26.720
 the comings and

00:46:26.720 --> 00:46:27.560
 goings of the days

00:46:27.560 --> 00:46:28.440
 of prosperity and

00:46:28.440 --> 00:46:28.980
 the days of

00:46:28.980 --> 00:46:29.480
 adversity.

00:46:29.960 --> 00:46:30.720
 What is crooked

00:46:30.720 --> 00:46:31.720
 cannot be made

00:46:31.720 --> 00:46:32.180
 straight.

00:46:33.120 --> 00:46:33.960
 This world is

00:46:33.960 --> 00:46:35.220
 bent out of shape

00:46:35.220 --> 00:46:36.340
 and despite our

00:46:36.340 --> 00:46:37.480
 best efforts, we

00:46:37.480 --> 00:46:38.480
 cannot straighten it

00:46:38.480 --> 00:46:38.660
 out.

00:46:39.380 --> 00:46:40.560
 God himself has

00:46:40.560 --> 00:46:41.400
 subjected the

00:46:41.400 --> 00:46:42.060
 creation to

00:46:42.060 --> 00:46:42.560
 futility.

00:46:44.280 --> 00:46:44.940
 And since the

00:46:44.940 --> 00:46:46.000
 fall, vanity has

00:46:46.000 --> 00:46:46.720
 been woven into

00:46:46.720 --> 00:46:47.860
 the very fabric of

00:46:47.860 --> 00:46:48.820
 our universe.

00:46:49.460 --> 00:46:50.600
 And this is

00:46:50.600 --> 00:46:51.460
 intended to

00:46:51.460 --> 00:46:53.580
 humble us, to

00:46:53.579 --> 00:46:54.299
 remind us that

00:46:54.299 --> 00:46:55.039
 we are not the

00:46:55.039 --> 00:46:56.059
 saviors, that we

00:46:56.059 --> 00:46:56.719
 are not the

00:46:56.719 --> 00:46:57.299
 redeemers.

00:46:57.639 --> 00:46:58.420
 God is.

00:46:59.099 --> 00:47:00.619
 To remind us that

00:47:00.619 --> 00:47:02.099
 we are creatures

00:47:02.099 --> 00:47:03.699
 subject to the

00:47:03.699 --> 00:47:04.860
 passing of time and

00:47:04.860 --> 00:47:06.039
 God alone is the

00:47:06.039 --> 00:47:06.460
 creator.

00:47:08.519 --> 00:47:10.380
 It's not for man to

00:47:10.380 --> 00:47:11.579
 find out anything

00:47:11.579 --> 00:47:12.480
 that will be after

00:47:12.480 --> 00:47:12.739
 him.

00:47:14.119 --> 00:47:15.400
 We cannot control

00:47:15.400 --> 00:47:16.119
 our times and

00:47:16.119 --> 00:47:17.380
 days, so our lot

00:47:17.380 --> 00:47:18.000
 then is this.

00:47:18.980 --> 00:47:19.679
 In the day of

00:47:19.679 --> 00:47:20.420
 prosperity, be

00:47:20.420 --> 00:47:20.739
 joyful.

00:47:21.739 --> 00:47:22.519
 In the day of

00:47:22.519 --> 00:47:23.659
 adversity, consider

00:47:23.659 --> 00:47:24.900
 God has made

00:47:24.900 --> 00:47:26.320
 one as well as

00:47:26.320 --> 00:47:26.679
 the other.

00:47:27.920 --> 00:47:28.980
 We receive the

00:47:28.980 --> 00:47:30.099
 things in life, both

00:47:30.099 --> 00:47:31.059
 good and bad, as

00:47:31.059 --> 00:47:31.940
 they come from the

00:47:31.940 --> 00:47:32.619
 sovereign hand of

00:47:32.619 --> 00:47:33.300
 our loving Father.

00:47:35.820 --> 00:47:36.619
 If you're thinking

00:47:36.619 --> 00:47:37.539
 to yourself right

00:47:37.539 --> 00:47:39.099
 now, well, that's

00:47:39.099 --> 00:47:42.139
 depressing, then

00:47:42.139 --> 00:47:42.780
 here's the hope.

00:47:44.139 --> 00:47:45.300
 Death is the end of

00:47:45.300 --> 00:47:46.800
 all mankind, but

00:47:46.800 --> 00:47:48.539
 eternal life and

00:47:48.539 --> 00:47:49.840
 resurrection life is

00:47:49.840 --> 00:47:50.760
 the end of all

00:47:50.760 --> 00:47:51.220
 Christians.

00:47:53.480 --> 00:47:54.660
 In fulfillment of

00:47:54.660 --> 00:47:55.680
 Isaiah's prophecy,

00:47:56.019 --> 00:47:57.420
 Luke 3, 5 says this

00:47:57.420 --> 00:47:58.160
 about the coming of

00:47:58.160 --> 00:47:59.740
 Jesus, the crooked

00:47:59.740 --> 00:48:00.720
 shall become

00:48:00.720 --> 00:48:03.400
 straight, and the

00:48:03.400 --> 00:48:04.340
 rough places shall

00:48:04.340 --> 00:48:06.180
 become level ways, and

00:48:06.180 --> 00:48:07.480
 all flesh shall see

00:48:07.480 --> 00:48:08.920
 the salvation of God.

00:48:10.260 --> 00:48:11.440
 In his life and

00:48:11.440 --> 00:48:12.500
 ministry, what did

00:48:12.500 --> 00:48:13.160
 Jesus do?

00:48:13.240 --> 00:48:14.400
 He goes around and

00:48:14.400 --> 00:48:15.519
 he makes the lame

00:48:15.519 --> 00:48:16.480
 walk and he makes the

00:48:16.480 --> 00:48:17.539
 blind see.

00:48:17.539 --> 00:48:18.800
 He makes the lepers

00:48:18.800 --> 00:48:19.380
 clean.

00:48:19.699 --> 00:48:20.579
 Why does he do that?

00:48:20.619 --> 00:48:21.599
 They're still gonna die.

00:48:21.739 --> 00:48:22.739
 Why does he spend the

00:48:22.739 --> 00:48:23.639
 time doing that?

00:48:23.820 --> 00:48:25.619
 To show us that the

00:48:25.619 --> 00:48:26.960
 Redeemer has come who

00:48:26.960 --> 00:48:28.039
 will start to make

00:48:28.039 --> 00:48:29.800
 things right again, who

00:48:29.800 --> 00:48:30.639
 will make the crooked

00:48:30.639 --> 00:48:31.860
 things straight again,

00:48:32.159 --> 00:48:33.179
 who will make broken

00:48:33.179 --> 00:48:34.980
 people whole again.

00:48:41.619 --> 00:48:43.739
 Jesus, the folly of

00:48:43.739 --> 00:48:46.239
 Christ crucified, is the

00:48:46.239 --> 00:48:47.819
 wisdom of God, and the

00:48:47.819 --> 00:48:48.779
 power of God.

00:48:50.659 --> 00:48:51.919
 You see, death first

00:48:51.919 --> 00:48:53.719
 entered our world

00:48:53.719 --> 00:48:55.019
 through the sin of one

00:48:55.019 --> 00:48:55.679
 man, Adam.

00:48:57.899 --> 00:48:59.459
 But to save us from sin

00:48:59.459 --> 00:49:00.439
 and death, God sent his

00:49:00.439 --> 00:49:01.239
 only son, Jesus.

00:49:01.500 --> 00:49:02.479
 And we read this earlier,

00:49:02.579 --> 00:49:03.599
 Romans 5, 17.

00:49:04.559 --> 00:49:05.839
 For if because of one

00:49:05.839 --> 00:49:07.059
 man's trespass, death

00:49:07.059 --> 00:49:08.119
 reigned through that one

00:49:08.119 --> 00:49:09.919
 man, much more will those

00:49:09.919 --> 00:49:10.939
 who receive the abundance

00:49:10.939 --> 00:49:12.259
 of grace and the free

00:49:12.259 --> 00:49:13.179
 gift of righteousness

00:49:13.179 --> 00:49:14.619
 reign in life through the

00:49:14.619 --> 00:49:16.219
 one man, Jesus Christ.

00:49:16.579 --> 00:49:17.980
 Romans 5, 21 continues,

00:49:18.119 --> 00:49:20.099
 so that as sin reigned

00:49:20.099 --> 00:49:22.199
 in death, grace also

00:49:22.199 --> 00:49:23.099
 might reign through

00:49:23.099 --> 00:49:24.599
 righteousness, leading to

00:49:24.599 --> 00:49:25.519
 eternal life through

00:49:25.519 --> 00:49:27.420
 Jesus Christ, our Lord.

00:49:28.880 --> 00:49:31.159
 Jesus is the one man in

00:49:31.159 --> 00:49:32.119
 history who didn't have

00:49:32.119 --> 00:49:33.359
 anything to do with how

00:49:33.359 --> 00:49:34.480
 crooked and messed up our

00:49:34.480 --> 00:49:35.039
 world is.

00:49:35.039 --> 00:49:38.619
 He's the one man who never

00:49:38.619 --> 00:49:39.820
 deserved to die.

00:49:41.000 --> 00:49:43.539
 But he died on that cross

00:49:43.539 --> 00:49:46.739
 for our sins so that he

00:49:46.739 --> 00:49:47.659
 might bring about the

00:49:47.659 --> 00:49:49.340
 redemption and salvation of

00:49:49.340 --> 00:49:50.639
 all those who put their

00:49:50.639 --> 00:49:52.179
 faith in him and indeed in

00:49:52.179 --> 00:49:53.340
 the future of all creation.

00:49:54.679 --> 00:49:56.279
 The death of Christ spells

00:49:56.279 --> 00:49:57.719
 the death of death and

00:49:57.719 --> 00:49:58.980
 because sin, which is the

00:49:58.980 --> 00:50:00.239
 sting of death, is removed

00:50:00.239 --> 00:50:02.039
 on the cross because the law,

00:50:02.199 --> 00:50:03.139
 which is the power of sin,

00:50:03.139 --> 00:50:05.059
 is fulfilled by Jesus on

00:50:05.059 --> 00:50:05.559
 the cross.

00:50:06.319 --> 00:50:07.779
 It's in Jesus that the

00:50:07.779 --> 00:50:08.980
 relentless march of death

00:50:08.980 --> 00:50:09.500
 is arrested.

00:50:13.279 --> 00:50:15.500
 So this, my fellow crooked,

00:50:16.219 --> 00:50:18.859
 broken sinners, is the most

00:50:18.859 --> 00:50:19.960
 important thing you can take

00:50:19.960 --> 00:50:21.659
 away from this passage.

00:50:22.480 --> 00:50:23.920
 Come to terms with your

00:50:23.920 --> 00:50:25.779
 death for the wages of sin

00:50:25.779 --> 00:50:26.279
 is death.

00:50:27.920 --> 00:50:29.339
 All have sinned and therefore

00:50:29.339 --> 00:50:30.420
 all will die.

00:50:30.420 --> 00:50:32.420
 And having come to terms

00:50:32.420 --> 00:50:33.519
 with your death, come to

00:50:33.519 --> 00:50:34.920
 terms with Jesus who

00:50:34.920 --> 00:50:35.760
 defeated death.

00:50:36.840 --> 00:50:38.300
 For the free gift of God

00:50:38.300 --> 00:50:39.840
 is eternal life in Christ

00:50:39.840 --> 00:50:40.840
 Jesus our Lord.

00:50:41.300 --> 00:50:42.159
 And you don't need to do

00:50:42.159 --> 00:50:43.360
 anything to earn that.

00:50:43.559 --> 00:50:44.519
 It's a free gift.

00:50:45.180 --> 00:50:46.280
 All you need to do is

00:50:46.280 --> 00:50:47.200
 receive it.

00:50:47.559 --> 00:50:48.460
 And that's what we call

00:50:48.460 --> 00:50:48.960
 faith.

00:50:52.680 --> 00:50:54.099
 And this is why, Christians,

00:50:54.480 --> 00:50:55.360
 we don't fear death.

00:50:55.360 --> 00:51:00.660
 I don't have a death wish.

00:51:00.920 --> 00:51:01.840
 I'm not suicidal.

00:51:02.640 --> 00:51:03.880
 I'm not even depressed.

00:51:04.700 --> 00:51:06.880
 But I know without a shadow

00:51:06.880 --> 00:51:08.920
 of doubt, the day of my death

00:51:08.920 --> 00:51:10.079
 is going to be the happiest

00:51:10.079 --> 00:51:11.019
 day of my life.

00:51:13.320 --> 00:51:14.680
 It's going to be the happiest

00:51:14.680 --> 00:51:15.940
 day of my life.

00:51:15.940 --> 00:51:20.300
 Because here, we are exiles,

00:51:20.700 --> 00:51:21.940
 aliens in a foreign land.

00:51:22.360 --> 00:51:24.519
 But then, we will be home.

00:51:25.119 --> 00:51:26.200
 We'll be home in our

00:51:26.200 --> 00:51:27.000
 father's house.

00:51:29.019 --> 00:51:30.579
 Here, we're in the wilderness,

00:51:31.579 --> 00:51:33.220
 tossed to and fro by the waves

00:51:33.220 --> 00:51:33.840
 at the sea.

00:51:34.240 --> 00:51:36.480
 But there, we will find land.

00:51:37.179 --> 00:51:39.340
 We will finally land on the shore.

00:51:39.340 --> 00:51:44.200
 Here, life is full of toil,

00:51:44.840 --> 00:51:45.539
 vexation.

00:51:45.840 --> 00:51:46.800
 That's our life.

00:51:47.500 --> 00:51:49.320
 But there, we'll finally find

00:51:49.320 --> 00:51:50.840
 rest in Jesus Christ.

00:51:54.780 --> 00:51:57.079
 So let us live knowing that

00:51:57.079 --> 00:51:59.640
 we will die and die knowing

00:51:59.640 --> 00:52:01.019
 that we will live forever.

00:52:01.720 --> 00:52:02.240
 Let's pray.

00:52:02.239 --> 00:52:02.879
 Amen.

00:52:08.879 --> 00:52:11.239
 Yes, God, we worship you.

00:52:11.879 --> 00:52:13.459
 We thank you for your grace

00:52:13.459 --> 00:52:14.579
 and kindness toward us

00:52:14.579 --> 00:52:15.379
 in Jesus Christ.

00:52:19.259 --> 00:52:20.879
 Lord, you are the savior

00:52:20.879 --> 00:52:21.939
 of our ruined life.

00:52:26.119 --> 00:52:27.519
 And even now, you are

00:52:27.519 --> 00:52:28.559
 straightening us out.

00:52:28.559 --> 00:52:34.480
 O Lord, we so long for that day

00:52:34.480 --> 00:52:35.960
 and we anticipate that day.

00:52:38.679 --> 00:52:40.480
 When we die, our soul will pass

00:52:40.480 --> 00:52:41.219
 to be with you.

00:52:42.679 --> 00:52:44.480
 And when you return, O Lord Jesus,

00:52:44.639 --> 00:52:45.719
 you will raise our bodies.

00:52:47.340 --> 00:52:48.920
 And we will dwell with you forever

00:52:48.920 --> 00:52:50.360
 in the new heaven and the new earth.

00:52:52.480 --> 00:52:54.799
 Give us an unwavering hope

00:52:54.799 --> 00:52:55.940
 in that certainty.

00:52:55.940 --> 00:52:59.619
 So that we live today

00:52:59.619 --> 00:53:00.760
 with the heart of wisdom.

00:53:01.900 --> 00:53:03.200
 In Jesus' name we pray.

00:53:03.659 --> 00:53:03.920
 Amen.