WEBVTT

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 Now, if you have your Bibles, perhaps you can open them again at Ecclesiastes chapter 8,

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 a chapter that helps us to think about the limits of wisdom. Our question this evening is,

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 how to live wisely, how do we live wisely in a world that is unstable and unpredictable?

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 I think it's a very helpful chapter for us. It speaks to those of us who have ever acted unwisely.

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 Perhaps we have talked back to a teacher and got ourselves into trouble, or we've spoken with our

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 colleagues about our boss not realizing they were right behind us. Perhaps we've said, well,

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 everyone else is doing it, and so we decide to do something we shouldn't, but we're the ones that

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 get caught. Or when you've jumped in with words and actions before stopping to think, is this really

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 the right time? A preacher can help us to recognize there is value in wisdom. But it's also a chapter

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 that's really helpful if we've ever found ourselves thinking, well, if I just have wisdom and enough

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 wisdom, then I've found the key to life and I can expect life to go smoothly. Maybe some of us have

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 thought that and discovered the hard way that life comes with no guarantees. Life is unstable and

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 unpredictable. Whether it's the people in our lives, whether it's the events and circumstances of life,

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 there is always something or someone with the potential to turn things upside down.

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 So Ecclesiastes chapter 8 is wisdom, and it's wisdom for real life.

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 Our preacher is going to say to us, absolutely, wisdom is good, but we need to recognize that the

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 best of wisdom has limits in the twists and turns of life. So we're going to see three guiding

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 principles to move us through this chapter. One, that wisdom has value. Secondly, that wisdom has limits.

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 But then as we finish, to recognize that wisdom is still to be chosen. This is God's wisdom.

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 Principle one, wisdom has value. Look at chapter 8, verse 1. Who is like the wise? Who knows the

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 explanation of things? A person's wisdom brightens their face and changes its hard appearance.

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 In chapter 7, there were lots of better than statements. And in one of those, it said,

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 wisdom is better than money. It's a better defense. It's a better security. It is something that is

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 lasting. So we find our preachers very positive about wisdom, living God's way, which makes sense.

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 God is our creator. So living by the maker's guidelines and instructions is wise and good.

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 In verse 1, it's good for our understanding. Wisdom is a way of interpreting. It's a good thing to have

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 wisdom to understand and interpret the events and the situations and the emotions that we experience

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 day by day. There's benefit in that. Perhaps to illustrate, the world probably divides into lots

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 of different ways. But one way that we divide is into those who can read maps and those who can't read

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 maps. It's a bit different now that there's Google Maps. But if you go back in time, remember those days

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 when you had to navigate a new city or you had to go on holiday? Some people read well, some people don't.

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 Well, wisdom is like having that security and confidence. I can read the map. I can read the map of

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 life. I can navigate by God's wisdom. So wisdom is good for understanding. It's also good for our happiness

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 and our joy. That's why it says a person's wisdom brightens their face. It's like that aha moment,

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 that moment of clarity. Things come clear. We find meaning. We find a good way forward. Wisdom is

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 positive. Now, of course, we would expect the preacher to say that. After all, this is an Old Testament

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 wisdom book. So wisdom, of course, is going to be better than folly. But he doesn't stop there.

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 Remember, he's taking us on this journey through life under the sun, and he's going to show us not

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 just that wisdom has value, but also that wisdom has limits. We go to the end of the chapter,

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 verses 16 and 17. We hear a different tone. When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the

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 labor that's done on earth, people getting no sleep day or night, then I saw all that God has done.

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 And so on. Then the end of the verse, end of the chapter, even if the wise claim they know,

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 they cannot really comprehend it. Life isn't black and white. And so the preacher is applying his mind

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 to consider, what do we do when the rules just simply don't work out, when life doesn't go to plan?

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 And so he is applying his mind. He's trying to figure life out. It gives him no sleep. And he's aware

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 of all the things that cause sleeplessness in our lives. Maybe losing sleep because of anxiety,

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 or stress, or fear. And as he applies his mind, he understands that wisdom has limits. It will not

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 give us the key to life in and of itself. Why? Because God is in control. He sees that God is the ultimate

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 actor. Just as he said in chapter 7, God acts, and we can't turn back those actions. If God makes a

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 thing crooked, we cannot make it straight. He says we cannot fully comprehend all that God is doing in

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 the world. Perhaps we've wrestled with that reality that God is God, and we are not. And we can struggle

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 with that, and we will never come to discover the meaning of all that God is doing. In fact,

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 you'll finish by saying, if you hear someone who claims, well, I have wisdom. I figured life out.

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 They're wrong, because you can't. So wisdom is good. It has value. That's how he introduces the topic.

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 Wisdom has limits. It's how he closes the topic, because of the world in which we live.

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 We live in an unstable and unpredictable world. And so what happens in the middle of our chapter is he

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 shows us three areas of life that impose limits on wisdom. And the first limit comes from authority.

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 So verses 2 to 5, you find him considering authority by focusing on the king, who of course in the Old

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 Testament was the ultimate authority figure. For our purpose, we can substitute that for any authority

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 figure over us, whether that's our employer, our teacher, our government officials, our parents.

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 There is authority established. And what does the preacher teach us about authority? Well, he says in

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 verse 2, very simply, we should obey. Obey the king's command, I say, because you took an oath before

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 God. Obey to keep the promise. Obeying the people in authority over us is one way of outworking

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 the Ten Commandments. Obey to honor our father and mother by extension to honor those in authority.

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 In the New Testament, Peter says to us, show proper respect to everyone. Love the family of believers.

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 Fear God. Honor the emperor. So Old Testament, New Testament, we should honor those who are in authority.

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 In verse 3 and verse 4, he says you should keep close to those in authority. Do not be in a hurry

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 to leave the king's presence. Now perhaps, you know, showing loyalty to the king. Why?

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 He says because the king is so powerful, he can do whatever he pleases.

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 You should stick close to the king because his word is powerful and it is foolish to resist.

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 There's a proverb in verse 5, whoever obeys his command will come to no harm and the wise heart will

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 know the proper time and procedure. There is wisdom in knowing how to relate well to those in authority

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 and to be guided by wisdom and how we do that. But there's an implied limit to wisdom.

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 And it's this, and he's already spoken to us of this in chapter 5, authority figures don't always act

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 justly. Authority figures can be unjust, cruel, and self-serving. Chapter 5, verse 9.

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 After talking about the poor being oppressed by high-up officials, in verse 9 it says,

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 the increase from the land is taken by all the king himself, profits from the fields.

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 So even as the believer in the Lord Jesus looks to live wisely in this world, it won't always save us

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 from knowing injustice in an unstable, unpredictable world, especially as we understand that our control

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 is limited and there are authority figures over us. Maybe we know this if we've had experience of

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 serving under a bad boss. Maybe we know this by experience as the tired parent who has lost the plot and

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 acted unjustly to our children. There is a limit implied that wisdom won't shield us from bad authority.

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 So that's one area of life in which there are limits to wisdom. The second area of life,

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 verses 6 to 8, is to do with the times of our lives. And we've met this idea before.

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 In chapter 7, verse 13 and 14, consider what God has done who can straighten what he has made crooked.

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 When times are good, be happy. But when times are bad, consider this. God has made the one as well

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 as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future. So our preacher will keep reminding

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 us of this, that our times are in God's hands and often that creates limits to wisdom. Verse 6 has a twist

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 on the proverb that we were just introduced to in verse 5, that there is a right way, there's a proper time,

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 there's a proper procedure, but that right way may see us weighed down by misery. It may lead to us

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 experiencing difficulty and trouble. The preacher reminds us in verse 7, no one knows the future. So we can't

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 predict and we can't plan with certainty. We all plan, but we have to know that those plans may not come

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 to fulfilment. And to help us to see that, in verse 8, he uses the image of the wind. As no one has power

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 over the wind to contain it, so no one has power over the time of their death. The wind is a force that can be

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 dangerous. The wind is a force that is out of our control. Some of us know this well. You know hurricanes and

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 typhoons or west coast storms. Well, the preacher says in the same way, you and I, we have no control over

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 the day of our death. We have no control over war and peace. And we have no control over the grip of

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 wickedness that we see in lives and in societies. And so the limit that he points to is this.

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 God's wisdom does not guarantee the good life. We cannot get to the bottom of God's working. And so

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 there is always the possibility of our life being turned upside down. I think this is a reminder of

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 of the deceit of the prosperity gospel. It says, follow Jesus and health and wealth will be yours. Only good

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 things will come your way. It's a reminder of that simplistic, here are seven steps to improve your

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 life. There are always limits and uncertainties. We've thought before about Jesus' teaching. Remember his

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 parable about the man who had a good crop and who decided that he would build bigger barns. He would

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 store up for himself. He would eat, drink, and be merry. And he was called a fool. He didn't understand

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 that he didn't have control over his life and he didn't understand that he needed to be right with his

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 God. There's a third area of life where wisdom's limits confront us. And it's as we see the injustice

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 that takes place in the world, which tragically shows itself in so many different ways as the preacher

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 begins to outline for us. So in verse 9, what do we see there? There is a time when a man lords it over

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 others to his own hurt and to the hurt of others. Don't we see corrupt rule? Don't we see the abuse of power?

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 We see people hurting others to benefit themselves. Whether we're thinking about a coup in Niger,

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 whether we're thinking about people traffickers and the tragedies happening in our seas,

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 whether we have experience of the boss who acts as a slave driver. There are those who will use

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 power and abuse power. He looks at a different aspect in verse 10, the celebration of wickedness

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 in a community or a society. Then too I saw the wicked buried, those who used to come and go from

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 the holy place and receive praise in the city where they did this. Here is a society that has rejected

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 biblical wisdom that praises somebody who lives a wicked life for sure, perhaps, turning up to worship,

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 but their wicked lives. But their wicked lives are known. The celebration of wickedness when what is wrong

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 earns people's praise, when it earns the applause of a society. Whether that's the ruthless businessman

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 who's approved of because he is making it in the world, whether that's art that pushes the boundaries

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 of morality and is praised, wisdom cannot shield us from these kind of things. Verse 11 and 12,

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 he moves on to think about the limit of wisdom in the face of slow justice and no justice.

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 In verse 11, when the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, what happens? People's hearts

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 are filled with schemes to do wrong. And we know this, don't we? There are times when people don't get

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 what they deserve. There are times when it seems like in this world crime does pay, when laws are broken

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 with no consequence, with the effect of the spreading of evil in people's hearts. Well, everybody else seems

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 to be cheating the system and getting away with it, so why don't I? Unethical policies don't seem to

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 disadvantage a business, so why don't we pursue that too? Verse 14 takes us perhaps to the greatest

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 injustice that many of us wrestle with, maybe the most painful question. There is something else

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 meaningless that occurs on earth. The righteous who get what the wicked deserve and the wicked who get

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 what the righteous deserve. To ask the question, why do good things happen to bad people and why do bad

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 things happen to bad people? Takes us to the voice of our preacher?

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 And it can lead people to lament. You know, why bother being righteous? Why bother being obedient,

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 looking to live by God's wisdom when my life turns out this way? I'm trying to follow God's wisdom.

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 I expect things will look better than they are. And so the preacher wants us to see this limit that

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 despite choosing wisdom, life can still be heartbreaking and we can still find ourselves being stepped on.

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 This preacher is a gift to us, I think, because he confronts life with honesty. He doesn't settle for easy answers. He prompts us to think deeply.

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 And I'm sure as we think along with the preacher that we can recognize these same limits. We can have that sense of

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 vanity, that sense of life just being crooked and not right.

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 And as we recognize that,

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 we're all going to be, whether we're doing it deliberately or subconsciously, we're going to be choosing a response

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 to God's wisdom in light of what we see

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 in our world and in our lives.

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 Maybe it's the response of frustration.

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 I expected more from God's wisdom.

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 I expected life would work out better

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 as I try to live by God's wisdom.

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 Perhaps

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 there's a sense of relief.

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 Well, it's all too hard to figure out anyway,

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 so let me not even bother

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 applying my mind.

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 For some people

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 in the modern world, there's simply

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 a rejection of this idea that wisdom

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 has limits.

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 not for so many.

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 All we need is a little bit more education.

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 We can fix this.

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 We can figure it out.

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 We can make sense of life.

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 We can end all that seems to be crooked.

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 How should we choose to respond

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 as we recognize that wisdom has limits

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 in an unstable world?

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 Well, what our preacher wants us to do,

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 what God wants us to do,

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 is to trust.

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 That even still,

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 God is on the throne.

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 That God understands.

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 That God will work all things together

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 for good in the end.

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 And that in Jesus,

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 there is wisdom

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 and there is life.

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 And we should hold on to him

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 as we face the limits

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 and the instability

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 of the world.

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 So that takes us to

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 our final point.

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 And it says that even still,

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 even knowing there are limits,

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 we should choose

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 the way of wisdom.

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 wisdom.

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 So having established these brackets

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 that wisdom is good

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 and wisdom comes with limits,

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 let's look for his positive instruction

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 because there is positive instruction

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 in here

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 that we should still choose wisdom

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 as the better way to live.

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 There are two different perspectives

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 to help us to think about that.

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 First of all,

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 in verses 12 and 13,

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 to consider the future.

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 As we wonder,

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 is it worth it

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 to keep following God

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 and his wisdom

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 in the face of all the wickedness

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 and injustice we see?

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 Verse 12 and 13,

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 Although a wicked person

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 who commits a hundred crimes

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 may live a long time,

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 exaggeration to show

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 seeming prosperity,

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 I know

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 that it will go better

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 with those who fear God,

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 who are reverent before him.

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 Yet because the wicked

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 do not fear God,

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 it will not go well with them.

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 In the face of the instability

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 that we see,

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 we need to learn

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 to look to the future

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 and to the God

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 who holds the present

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 and the future

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 in his hands

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 and to understand

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 that in the end,

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 the judge of all the earth

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 will do right.

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 That God's perfect,

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 righteous justice

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 will be exercised.

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 One of the more helpful

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 theologians on this topic

00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:13.519
 is a chap called Miroslav Volf.

00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:15.319
 He's a Croat

00:23:15.319 --> 00:23:17.579
 and he lived through

00:23:17.579 --> 00:23:19.240
 the Balkan Wars

00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:19.960
 and so he has a lot

00:23:19.960 --> 00:23:20.859
 of reflection

00:23:20.859 --> 00:23:22.759
 on war

00:23:22.759 --> 00:23:24.000
 and cycles

00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:25.000
 of revenge

00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:26.179
 and hatred.

00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:29.919
 And so he finds himself

00:23:29.919 --> 00:23:30.240
 thinking,

00:23:30.399 --> 00:23:31.899
 what is the only way

00:23:31.899 --> 00:23:33.740
 out of that cycle

00:23:33.740 --> 00:23:35.599
 that gripped the Balkans

00:23:35.599 --> 00:23:36.319
 in the 90s

00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:37.119
 of violence

00:23:37.119 --> 00:23:37.799
 and revenge?

00:23:38.519 --> 00:23:39.559
 And for him as a Christian,

00:23:39.639 --> 00:23:40.539
 he came to the conclusion

00:23:40.539 --> 00:23:41.500
 the only thing,

00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:42.579
 the only way to escape

00:23:43.199 --> 00:23:44.299
 it gripping our hearts

00:23:44.299 --> 00:23:45.759
 is to trust

00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:47.539
 in the justice of God.

00:23:48.680 --> 00:23:50.659
 To leave justice

00:23:50.659 --> 00:23:52.579
 in God's hands.

00:23:53.019 --> 00:23:54.379
 To learn to trust

00:23:54.379 --> 00:23:56.119
 in ultimate justice

00:23:56.119 --> 00:23:57.559
 even in the face

00:23:57.559 --> 00:23:58.599
 of so much

00:23:58.599 --> 00:23:59.359
 injustice

00:23:59.359 --> 00:24:01.480
 in the present.

00:24:02.919 --> 00:24:04.379
 And that makes sense

00:24:04.379 --> 00:24:05.059
 especially

00:24:05.059 --> 00:24:07.000
 in light of the New Testament

00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:07.960
 and especially

00:24:07.960 --> 00:24:09.460
 in light of

00:24:09.460 --> 00:24:10.819
 Jesus' teaching.

00:24:10.819 --> 00:24:12.220
 so much

00:24:12.220 --> 00:24:13.079
 of Jesus' teaching

00:24:13.079 --> 00:24:13.980
 focuses on that

00:24:13.980 --> 00:24:15.220
 great reversal

00:24:15.220 --> 00:24:17.519
 that takes place

00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:19.139
 in the end.

00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:20.639
 Maybe we remember

00:24:20.639 --> 00:24:21.359
 the parable

00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:22.619
 of the rich man

00:24:22.619 --> 00:24:23.859
 and Lazarus.

00:24:23.919 --> 00:24:24.439
 The rich man

00:24:24.439 --> 00:24:25.579
 was living it up.

00:24:26.099 --> 00:24:26.720
 The poor man

00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:27.279
 Lazarus

00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:28.539
 was laying at his gates.

00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:29.779
 Dogs were licking

00:24:29.779 --> 00:24:30.339
 his wounds.

00:24:30.899 --> 00:24:31.539
 The rich man

00:24:31.539 --> 00:24:32.599
 offered no help.

00:24:32.679 --> 00:24:32.799
 Well,

00:24:32.859 --> 00:24:33.799
 when they die,

00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:35.779
 there's a great reversal.

00:24:36.939 --> 00:24:38.039
 It's the rich man

00:24:38.039 --> 00:24:38.779
 who's in torment

00:24:38.779 --> 00:24:39.899
 and it's Lazarus

00:24:39.899 --> 00:24:41.980
 who's in glory.

00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:44.000
 Or the parable

00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:44.879
 of the sheep

00:24:44.879 --> 00:24:45.660
 and the goats

00:24:45.660 --> 00:24:46.480
 and Jesus

00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:47.839
 the judge.

00:24:48.839 --> 00:24:49.759
 And in the end

00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:51.339
 there is reward

00:24:51.339 --> 00:24:52.720
 for those

00:24:52.720 --> 00:24:53.319
 who live

00:24:53.319 --> 00:24:55.000
 by God's wisdom.

00:24:55.460 --> 00:24:56.359
 In the end

00:24:56.359 --> 00:24:56.899
 justice

00:24:56.899 --> 00:24:58.839
 is done.

00:25:00.259 --> 00:25:01.440
 And so we trust

00:25:01.440 --> 00:25:02.940
 in the God

00:25:02.940 --> 00:25:03.720
 of justice.

00:25:05.619 --> 00:25:06.740
 Especially in light

00:25:06.740 --> 00:25:07.579
 of the gospel.

00:25:08.599 --> 00:25:09.440
 We remember

00:25:09.440 --> 00:25:10.160
 that Jesus

00:25:10.160 --> 00:25:10.900
 on the cross

00:25:10.900 --> 00:25:11.579
 has taken

00:25:11.579 --> 00:25:12.700
 the judgment

00:25:12.700 --> 00:25:13.539
 that we deserve.

00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:15.640
 And by faith

00:25:15.640 --> 00:25:16.200
 in him

00:25:16.200 --> 00:25:17.339
 we live knowing

00:25:17.339 --> 00:25:18.319
 that our verdict,

00:25:18.920 --> 00:25:19.680
 God's verdict

00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:20.400
 on our lives

00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:21.579
 is already in.

00:25:23.240 --> 00:25:24.079
 That we are

00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:25.240
 not condemned.

00:25:26.019 --> 00:25:27.019
 That we will

00:25:27.019 --> 00:25:27.859
 be welcomed

00:25:27.859 --> 00:25:30.039
 into glory.

00:25:30.039 --> 00:25:33.319
 And so

00:25:33.319 --> 00:25:33.980
 with Paul

00:25:33.980 --> 00:25:34.819
 in Romans 8

00:25:34.819 --> 00:25:35.720
 and verse 18

00:25:35.720 --> 00:25:37.099
 we are able

00:25:37.099 --> 00:25:37.879
 to say

00:25:37.879 --> 00:25:39.039
 as those

00:25:39.039 --> 00:25:39.579
 who trust

00:25:39.579 --> 00:25:40.139
 in Jesus

00:25:40.139 --> 00:25:41.119
 our present

00:25:41.119 --> 00:25:42.079
 sufferings,

00:25:42.319 --> 00:25:43.139
 the injustices,

00:25:43.339 --> 00:25:44.259
 troubles of life

00:25:44.259 --> 00:25:45.680
 are not worth

00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:46.519
 comparing

00:25:46.519 --> 00:25:48.099
 with glory

00:25:48.099 --> 00:25:48.920
 to be revealed

00:25:48.920 --> 00:25:50.059
 in us.

00:25:52.399 --> 00:25:53.339
 But we need

00:25:53.339 --> 00:25:53.700
 to live

00:25:53.700 --> 00:25:54.079
 in light

00:25:54.079 --> 00:25:54.819
 of eternity

00:25:54.819 --> 00:25:55.399
 to have

00:25:55.399 --> 00:25:56.339
 that perspective.

00:25:56.339 --> 00:25:58.259
 so that

00:25:58.259 --> 00:25:58.519
 we would

00:25:58.519 --> 00:25:58.919
 still

00:25:58.919 --> 00:25:59.599
 choose

00:25:59.599 --> 00:26:00.279
 the way

00:26:00.279 --> 00:26:00.879
 of God's

00:26:00.879 --> 00:26:01.259
 wisdom

00:26:01.259 --> 00:26:02.199
 to live

00:26:02.199 --> 00:26:02.720
 in faith

00:26:02.720 --> 00:26:03.240
 and obedience

00:26:03.240 --> 00:26:04.199
 in an

00:26:04.199 --> 00:26:04.819
 unpredictable

00:26:04.819 --> 00:26:05.599
 world.

00:26:06.439 --> 00:26:06.980
 So we need

00:26:06.980 --> 00:26:07.359
 to consider

00:26:07.359 --> 00:26:07.859
 the future

00:26:07.859 --> 00:26:08.439
 but he also

00:26:08.439 --> 00:26:09.159
 says

00:26:09.159 --> 00:26:10.720
 that we need

00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:11.339
 to consider

00:26:11.339 --> 00:26:12.179
 how we live

00:26:12.179 --> 00:26:12.959
 in the present.

00:26:13.659 --> 00:26:14.519
 Verse 15

00:26:14.519 --> 00:26:16.099
 we've heard him

00:26:16.099 --> 00:26:16.859
 say this before

00:26:16.859 --> 00:26:18.059
 so I commend

00:26:18.059 --> 00:26:19.839
 the enjoyment

00:26:19.839 --> 00:26:20.579
 of life

00:26:20.579 --> 00:26:21.879
 because there

00:26:21.879 --> 00:26:22.359
 is nothing

00:26:22.359 --> 00:26:23.299
 better for a

00:26:23.299 --> 00:26:24.079
 person under

00:26:24.079 --> 00:26:24.679
 the sun

00:26:24.679 --> 00:26:26.119
 than to eat

00:26:26.119 --> 00:26:26.979
 and drink

00:26:26.979 --> 00:26:28.000
 and be glad

00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:29.319
 then joy

00:26:29.319 --> 00:26:30.079
 will accompany

00:26:30.079 --> 00:26:30.739
 them in their

00:26:30.739 --> 00:26:31.199
 toil

00:26:31.199 --> 00:26:32.619
 all the days

00:26:32.619 --> 00:26:33.179
 of the life

00:26:33.179 --> 00:26:34.039
 God has given

00:26:34.039 --> 00:26:34.619
 them under

00:26:34.619 --> 00:26:35.099
 the sun.

00:26:36.139 --> 00:26:36.799
 He comes

00:26:36.799 --> 00:26:37.639
 back to this

00:26:37.639 --> 00:26:38.459
 so often

00:26:38.459 --> 00:26:39.779
 in the face

00:26:39.779 --> 00:26:40.439
 of all the

00:26:40.439 --> 00:26:41.000
 difficulties

00:26:41.000 --> 00:26:41.799
 all the apparent

00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:42.419
 meaninglessness

00:26:42.419 --> 00:26:43.579
 of life

00:26:43.579 --> 00:26:43.959
 what do we

00:26:43.959 --> 00:26:44.259
 choose?

00:26:44.359 --> 00:26:45.019
 We choose

00:26:45.019 --> 00:26:45.639
 to enjoy

00:26:45.639 --> 00:26:46.199
 God

00:26:46.199 --> 00:26:46.979
 and we

00:26:46.979 --> 00:26:47.419
 choose

00:26:47.419 --> 00:26:48.219
 to feast

00:26:48.219 --> 00:26:49.279
 we choose

00:26:49.279 --> 00:26:50.039
 to enjoy

00:26:50.039 --> 00:26:51.099
 his everyday

00:26:51.099 --> 00:26:51.879
 gifts and

00:26:51.879 --> 00:26:52.559
 goodnesses

00:26:52.559 --> 00:26:53.939
 and when we

00:26:53.939 --> 00:26:54.639
 choose that

00:26:54.639 --> 00:26:54.939
 when we

00:26:54.939 --> 00:26:55.239
 choose

00:26:55.240 --> 00:26:56.279
 contentment

00:26:56.279 --> 00:26:56.740
 and joy

00:26:56.740 --> 00:26:57.240
 in God

00:26:57.240 --> 00:26:57.859
 and from

00:26:57.859 --> 00:26:58.480
 God

00:26:58.480 --> 00:26:59.319
 the preacher

00:26:59.319 --> 00:26:59.839
 says that

00:26:59.839 --> 00:27:00.420
 even those

00:27:00.420 --> 00:27:01.240
 dark clouds

00:27:01.240 --> 00:27:01.880
 of troubles

00:27:01.880 --> 00:27:02.640
 will not

00:27:02.640 --> 00:27:03.279
 completely

00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:04.059
 block out

00:27:04.059 --> 00:27:04.799
 the sunshine

00:27:04.799 --> 00:27:06.339
 of God's

00:27:06.339 --> 00:27:06.859
 love

00:27:06.859 --> 00:27:07.900
 and God's

00:27:07.900 --> 00:27:08.380
 goodness

00:27:08.380 --> 00:27:09.900
 towards us

00:27:09.900 --> 00:27:12.019
 so we

00:27:12.019 --> 00:27:12.779
 recognize

00:27:12.779 --> 00:27:14.019
 that there

00:27:14.019 --> 00:27:14.700
 are limits

00:27:14.700 --> 00:27:15.640
 and there

00:27:15.640 --> 00:27:16.620
 is injustice

00:27:16.620 --> 00:27:18.440
 but we also

00:27:18.440 --> 00:27:19.200
 recognize that

00:27:19.200 --> 00:27:20.120
 God is good

00:27:20.120 --> 00:27:21.440
 and generous

00:27:21.440 --> 00:27:22.360
 and we

00:27:22.360 --> 00:27:22.900
 make sure

00:27:22.900 --> 00:27:23.820
 to enjoy

00:27:23.820 --> 00:27:24.640
 and to

00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:25.340
 especially

00:27:25.340 --> 00:27:26.820
 enjoy

00:27:26.820 --> 00:27:28.039
 the greatest

00:27:28.039 --> 00:27:28.420
 gift

00:27:28.420 --> 00:27:28.779
 who of

00:27:28.779 --> 00:27:29.140
 course

00:27:29.140 --> 00:27:29.680
 is

00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:30.799
 Jesus

00:27:30.799 --> 00:27:31.360
 who is a

00:27:31.360 --> 00:27:32.039
 source of

00:27:32.039 --> 00:27:32.840
 eternal

00:27:32.840 --> 00:27:33.400
 joy

00:27:33.400 --> 00:27:33.900
 for his

00:27:33.900 --> 00:27:34.320
 people

00:27:34.320 --> 00:27:37.559
 unlike the

00:27:37.559 --> 00:27:38.039
 kings that

00:27:38.039 --> 00:27:38.640
 we meet

00:27:38.640 --> 00:27:40.000
 in Ecclesiastes

00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:40.620
 the kings

00:27:40.620 --> 00:27:41.440
 that we meet

00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:42.640
 in our day

00:27:42.640 --> 00:27:43.000
 those in

00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:43.480
 authority

00:27:43.480 --> 00:27:44.420
 Jesus is the

00:27:44.420 --> 00:27:45.460
 king we can

00:27:45.460 --> 00:27:46.400
 trust completely

00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:47.640
 he is never

00:27:47.640 --> 00:27:48.340
 unpredictable

00:27:48.340 --> 00:27:49.039
 he is never

00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:49.799
 unfaithful

00:27:49.799 --> 00:27:50.379
 we should

00:27:50.379 --> 00:27:51.119
 obey

00:27:51.119 --> 00:27:52.279
 stick closely

00:27:52.279 --> 00:27:53.099
 to him

00:27:53.099 --> 00:27:54.019
 and love

00:27:54.019 --> 00:27:54.859
 and honor

00:27:54.859 --> 00:27:55.379
 him

00:27:55.379 --> 00:27:57.859
 in light of

00:27:57.859 --> 00:27:58.359
 all the

00:27:58.359 --> 00:27:59.079
 uncertainty

00:27:59.079 --> 00:27:59.559
 about the

00:27:59.559 --> 00:28:00.099
 times of

00:28:00.099 --> 00:28:00.899
 our lives

00:28:00.899 --> 00:28:01.980
 we are

00:28:01.980 --> 00:28:02.539
 invited to

00:28:02.539 --> 00:28:03.059
 trust in

00:28:03.059 --> 00:28:03.399
 Jesus

00:28:03.399 --> 00:28:04.559
 the Lord

00:28:04.559 --> 00:28:05.240
 who gives

00:28:05.240 --> 00:28:05.539
 us the

00:28:05.539 --> 00:28:06.079
 promise of

00:28:06.079 --> 00:28:06.579
 hope in

00:28:06.579 --> 00:28:07.619
 life and

00:28:07.619 --> 00:28:08.519
 in death

00:28:08.519 --> 00:28:11.200
 and as we

00:28:11.200 --> 00:28:11.919
 recognize that

00:28:11.919 --> 00:28:12.460
 there is so

00:28:12.460 --> 00:28:13.379
 much injustice

00:28:13.379 --> 00:28:15.680
 we place

00:28:15.680 --> 00:28:16.379
 ourselves

00:28:16.379 --> 00:28:17.399
 in the

00:28:17.399 --> 00:28:18.220
 hands of

00:28:18.220 --> 00:28:18.940
 Jesus the

00:28:18.940 --> 00:28:19.339
 judge

00:28:19.339 --> 00:28:20.419
 who judges

00:28:20.419 --> 00:28:21.500
 justly

00:28:21.500 --> 00:28:22.279
 the one who

00:28:22.279 --> 00:28:22.959
 suffered the

00:28:22.959 --> 00:28:24.059
 just for

00:28:24.059 --> 00:28:25.019
 the unjust

00:28:25.019 --> 00:28:26.159
 to bring

00:28:26.159 --> 00:28:27.279
 us to

00:28:27.279 --> 00:28:27.839
 God

00:28:27.839 --> 00:28:30.359
 so Ecclesiastes

00:28:30.359 --> 00:28:31.259
 chapter 8

00:28:31.259 --> 00:28:32.059
 is wisdom

00:28:32.059 --> 00:28:33.220
 for real

00:28:33.220 --> 00:28:33.659
 life

00:28:33.659 --> 00:28:35.299
 it recognizes

00:28:35.299 --> 00:28:36.059
 how often

00:28:36.059 --> 00:28:36.879
 life can be

00:28:36.879 --> 00:28:37.879
 unsettling

00:28:37.879 --> 00:28:39.299
 but even

00:28:39.299 --> 00:28:40.359
 as that is

00:28:40.359 --> 00:28:41.019
 true

00:28:41.019 --> 00:28:42.959
 still he

00:28:42.959 --> 00:28:43.720
 insists that

00:28:43.720 --> 00:28:44.579
 choosing God's

00:28:44.579 --> 00:28:45.279
 way of wisdom

00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:46.980
 still makes

00:28:46.980 --> 00:28:48.599
 best sense

00:28:48.599 --> 00:28:49.860
 choosing to

00:28:49.860 --> 00:28:50.680
 follow Jesus

00:28:50.680 --> 00:28:51.319
 who is the

00:28:51.319 --> 00:28:51.900
 wisdom of

00:28:51.900 --> 00:28:52.700
 God for us

00:28:52.700 --> 00:28:53.759
 is still

00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:54.819
 the best

00:28:54.819 --> 00:28:55.440
 way to

00:28:55.440 --> 00:28:55.920
 live

00:28:55.920 --> 00:28:59.279
 that we

00:28:59.279 --> 00:28:59.779
 would choose

00:28:59.779 --> 00:29:00.380
 to walk

00:29:00.380 --> 00:29:00.779
 with him

00:29:00.779 --> 00:29:01.220
 today

00:29:01.220 --> 00:29:02.620
 even as

00:29:02.620 --> 00:29:03.319
 we'll sing

00:29:03.319 --> 00:29:03.740
 in a moment

00:29:03.740 --> 00:29:04.299
 even if we

00:29:04.299 --> 00:29:04.880
 find ourselves

00:29:04.880 --> 00:29:05.579
 walking in the

00:29:05.579 --> 00:29:05.920
 valley

00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:07.140
 that we

00:29:07.140 --> 00:29:07.480
 would look

00:29:07.480 --> 00:29:07.980
 to him

00:29:07.980 --> 00:29:08.720
 as the

00:29:08.720 --> 00:29:09.079
 ultimate

00:29:09.079 --> 00:29:09.920
 hope and

00:29:09.920 --> 00:29:10.700
 security

00:29:10.700 --> 00:29:12.339
 for our

00:29:12.339 --> 00:29:12.900
 lives

00:29:12.900 --> 00:29:14.200
 so let's

00:29:14.200 --> 00:29:14.880
 pray about

00:29:14.880 --> 00:29:15.560
 that now

00:29:15.560 --> 00:29:16.400
 let's pray

00:29:16.400 --> 00:29:21.160
 Lord our

00:29:21.160 --> 00:29:21.920
 God we

00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:23.660
 recognize

00:29:23.660 --> 00:29:24.400
 and confess

00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:25.840
 that you

00:29:25.840 --> 00:29:26.440
 established

00:29:26.440 --> 00:29:27.280
 this world

00:29:27.280 --> 00:29:27.960
 and it was

00:29:27.960 --> 00:29:28.960
 very good

00:29:28.960 --> 00:29:30.800
 but we can

00:29:30.800 --> 00:29:31.480
 see so

00:29:31.480 --> 00:29:32.400
 clearly the

00:29:32.400 --> 00:29:33.519
 effect of

00:29:33.519 --> 00:29:34.580
 sin in

00:29:34.580 --> 00:29:35.320
 this world

00:29:35.320 --> 00:29:36.680
 we recognize

00:29:36.680 --> 00:29:37.680
 and acknowledge

00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:38.420
 along with

00:29:38.420 --> 00:29:39.040
 the preacher

00:29:39.040 --> 00:29:40.960
 the brokenness

00:29:40.960 --> 00:29:42.540
 the injustice

00:29:42.539 --> 00:29:43.399
 the sorrow

00:29:43.399 --> 00:29:44.379
 the confusion

00:29:44.379 --> 00:29:46.339
 that can so

00:29:46.339 --> 00:29:47.519
 often reign

00:29:47.519 --> 00:29:48.819
 in our

00:29:48.819 --> 00:29:49.740
 lives and

00:29:49.740 --> 00:29:50.379
 seems to

00:29:50.379 --> 00:29:51.299
 reign in

00:29:51.299 --> 00:29:52.099
 our world

00:29:52.099 --> 00:29:54.079
 Lord as we

00:29:54.079 --> 00:29:55.000
 come to an

00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:55.799
 end of

00:29:55.799 --> 00:29:56.440
 ourselves

00:29:56.440 --> 00:29:57.139
 where even

00:29:57.139 --> 00:29:57.879
 as we seek

00:29:57.879 --> 00:29:58.399
 to be

00:29:58.399 --> 00:29:59.420
 faithful

00:29:59.420 --> 00:30:00.859
 we find

00:30:00.859 --> 00:30:01.779
 our plans

00:30:01.779 --> 00:30:02.639
 thwarted

00:30:02.639 --> 00:30:03.319
 we find

00:30:03.319 --> 00:30:03.980
 ourselves

00:30:03.980 --> 00:30:04.960
 disappointed

00:30:04.960 --> 00:30:06.159
 and we

00:30:06.159 --> 00:30:06.779
 live with

00:30:06.779 --> 00:30:07.399
 fear

00:30:07.399 --> 00:30:09.619
 Lord help

00:30:09.619 --> 00:30:10.500
 us to

00:30:10.500 --> 00:30:11.039
 keep on

00:30:11.039 --> 00:30:11.680
 trusting

00:30:11.680 --> 00:30:12.960
 in your

00:30:12.960 --> 00:30:13.680
 way of

00:30:13.680 --> 00:30:14.120
 wisdom

00:30:14.120 --> 00:30:14.620
 for our

00:30:14.620 --> 00:30:15.019
 lives

00:30:15.019 --> 00:30:16.460
 help us

00:30:16.460 --> 00:30:16.880
 to put

00:30:16.880 --> 00:30:17.560
 our trust

00:30:17.560 --> 00:30:18.539
 in Jesus

00:30:18.539 --> 00:30:20.759
 our wise

00:30:20.759 --> 00:30:21.779
 our good

00:30:21.779 --> 00:30:23.100
 our gracious

00:30:23.100 --> 00:30:24.140
 our just

00:30:24.140 --> 00:30:25.140
 Lord and

00:30:25.140 --> 00:30:25.600
 King

00:30:25.600 --> 00:30:27.740
 so that we

00:30:27.740 --> 00:30:28.779
 might enjoy

00:30:28.779 --> 00:30:30.820
 everyday life

00:30:30.820 --> 00:30:32.160
 recognizing your

00:30:32.160 --> 00:30:32.779
 generosity

00:30:32.779 --> 00:30:33.840
 towards us

00:30:33.839 --> 00:30:35.459
 and we

00:30:35.459 --> 00:30:36.039
 might also

00:30:36.039 --> 00:30:36.839
 have hope

00:30:36.839 --> 00:30:37.859
 as we

00:30:37.859 --> 00:30:38.439
 consider

00:30:38.439 --> 00:30:39.879
 our death

00:30:39.879 --> 00:30:41.079
 and eternal

00:30:41.079 --> 00:30:42.179
 realities

00:30:42.179 --> 00:30:44.379
 so please

00:30:44.379 --> 00:30:45.039
 help us

00:30:45.039 --> 00:30:45.819
 that by your

00:30:45.819 --> 00:30:46.439
 spirit you

00:30:46.439 --> 00:30:46.839
 would keep

00:30:46.839 --> 00:30:47.659
 applying your

00:30:47.659 --> 00:30:48.799
 truth to

00:30:48.799 --> 00:30:49.319
 our hearts

00:30:49.319 --> 00:30:49.619
 and our

00:30:49.619 --> 00:30:50.079
 lives

00:30:50.079 --> 00:30:51.359
 that you

00:30:51.359 --> 00:30:51.819
 would guide

00:30:51.819 --> 00:30:52.399
 us in all

00:30:52.399 --> 00:30:53.000
 wisdom we

00:30:53.000 --> 00:30:53.539
 pray in

00:30:53.539 --> 00:30:54.299
 Jesus name

00:30:54.299 --> 00:30:55.000
 Amen

00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:58.180
 so let's

00:30:58.180 --> 00:31:00.019
 close by

00:31:00.019 --> 00:31:01.400
 singing the

00:31:01.400 --> 00:31:01.700
 hymn that

00:31:01.700 --> 00:31:01.960
 we've been

00:31:01.960 --> 00:31:02.440
 learning over

00:31:02.440 --> 00:31:02.980
 the last few

00:31:02.980 --> 00:31:03.779
 weeks in the

00:31:03.779 --> 00:31:05.259
 valley bless

00:31:05.259 --> 00:31:06.460
 the Lord and

00:31:06.460 --> 00:31:07.079
 we can stand

00:31:07.079 --> 00:31:07.819
 again as we're

00:31:07.819 --> 00:31:09.200
 able to sing

00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:09.640
 together

00:31:09.640 --> 00:31:24.440
 when the

00:31:24.440 --> 00:31:26.100
 path that I

00:31:26.100 --> 00:31:27.280
 feared is

00:31:27.280 --> 00:31:28.540
 the way

00:31:28.540 --> 00:31:29.300
 he has

00:31:29.300 --> 00:31:29.740
 said

00:31:29.740 --> 00:31:30.880
 and I

00:31:30.880 --> 00:31:31.680
 long

00:31:31.680 --> 00:31:31.840
 to