This morning's reading comes from Ecclesiastes chapter 12.
Starting in verse 8, we read,
Vanity of vanities, says the preacher, all is vanity.
Besides being wise, the preacher also taught the people knowledge,
weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care.
The preacher sought to find words of delight,
and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
The words of the wise are like goads,
and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings.
They are given by one shepherd.
My son, beware of anything beyond these,
of making many books there is no end,
and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
The end of the matter all has been heard.
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man,
for God will bring every deed into judgment,
with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
This is the word of God.
Great, thank you, Celeste.
Let's pray together briefly as, before we look at this word.
Heavenly Father, once again, as we come to your word,
we do come with humility.
We come, God, not to sit over your word in judgment,
thinking that we have the final say.
We acknowledge that you are God and we are not.
Lord, we come to your word because we want to encounter you,
the living God.
We want to hear you speaking to us,
to both challenge us and to comfort us,
to draw us near to yourself.
God, this morning we pray that you help us
to understand your word,
and to hear you speaking to us,
and help us to respond appropriately.
God, help us to love you more,
and to trust you more,
and to obey you,
because you have spoken to us today.
And so we pray these things in your awesome
and your majestic name.
Amen.
Now, in order to understand our passage today,
we need to just be reminded of the structure
of the book of Ecclesiastes.
If you're new, let me explain it to us again.
Ecclesiastes kind of has two authors,
or two voices that are speaking.
The majority of Ecclesiastes,
almost everything actually,
from halfway to chapter one,
or the second verse of chapter one,
right up to almost the end of chapter 12,
is the voice of this skeptic,
who the author calls the teacher.
In Hebrew, his name is Koheleth.
And Koheleth, or the teacher,
he is not the author,
but the author is using his words
to make a point.
And what is his point?
Well, the author,
who employs the words of this teacher,
the author's main point is this,
life is not meaningless.
The author has used the hopelessness
of Koheleth's worldview
to provoke us
and to think about life beyond
just life in the sun.
The teacher, Koheleth,
he looks around him,
he's not very aware of God,
he knows there is a God out there,
but this God doesn't seem
to break into his life.
And he looks around
and he just thinks life is meaningless.
And the author's kind of
using this teacher,
this Koheleth,
to provoke us
and to think about the meaning of life.
It's kind of like
when I was a teenager,
I loved listening to music,
U2,
and Dave Matthews' band,
and these other bands.
And one of my favorite things to do
was to try and work out
or listen to or research
the story behind the lyrics to the songs.
So you hear a great song,
you think,
oh, that's a nice song,
and then you go and find out
what prompted the writer to write that.
And you hear the reason behind
the actual author's intentions,
and suddenly it makes the song come alive.
It's kind of like maybe
another analogy might be
you read Macbeth,
some Shakespeare,
and you find out what's going on.
And then at the end,
you hear Shakespeare actually stepping in
saying, okay,
this is what I want you to take from it.
Or maybe you read
The Lord of the Rings,
and you think,
I don't know what's going on.
And then you listen to an interview
by J.R. Tolkien.
So you say,
ah, okay, I understand.
Well, the author of Ecclesiastes
has been employing the words
of this teacher, Koheleth,
to provoke us.
And the teacher's been saying,
meaningless, meaningless,
everything's meaningless.
And the author's saying,
is that really the case?
Is that really the case?
And so in chapter 12,
today we sit down with the author,
and we get to hear him speak
and tell us his intentions
for writing the book of Ecclesiastes.
Okay, does that make sense?
You following?
And he does this in two ways.
In verses 9 to 11,
he summarizes the work of the teacher.
And then in verses 12 to 14,
he gives his own conclusion.
Okay?
And so let's dive in
and see what happens.
And so the last six weeks,
we've been following this teacher,
Koheleth, on his quest.
And he's been searching for meaning
and purpose,
wisdom and knowledge,
justice and truth.
And look at how the author
sums up the work of the teacher,
verses 9 and 10.
He says,
Besides being wise,
the teacher also taught
the people knowledge,
weighing and studying
and arranging many proverbs
with great care.
The teacher sought to find
words of delight
and to honestly write
words of truth.
So he's saying,
the teacher's like a collector
of fine sayings.
He's traveled around,
he's asked many people,
and he's collected
these words of wisdom,
and he's arranging them
and putting them in order,
and he's trying to come up
with the summary
of his explanation
of the meaning
and the purpose of life.
Ecclesiastes is his summary
of his work.
But has this worked?
Has the teacher's approach
really got him anywhere?
I mean, he's been on this quest
and this journey,
and what is his conclusion?
Where has he arrived?
Has it actually helped him?
Maybe another way
of asking that is,
should we follow the teacher
and go about things
the way he has?
Should we go and read
all the sacred texts
and interview thousands
of people
and collect all our summary
of wisdom
and come up
with our own answer?
And if so,
will we find the answer
to the questions
that we ask in our heart?
Well, the author answers
yes and no,
both positively
and negatively.
Look at what he says
in verse 11.
First he says,
yes,
the teacher
has some wisdom.
Look at verse 11.
The words of the wise
are like goads,
like nails firmly fixed
are the collected sayings.
They are given
by one shepherd.
So the author tells us here
that these wise sayings,
the kind of things
that the teacher's been
on his journey
to go and collect
and find
and navigate
and arrange
and study
and put together.
These sayings
are like goads.
Do you remember
a few weeks ago
we said what a goad is?
It's that sharp pointed stick
that a farmer uses
to provoke the sheep
and the cattle
to go where he wants them to go.
And so as the author's been,
as the teacher's been
collecting these sayings,
he says,
these words of wisdom
are like a goad
that are meant
to provoke us
out of our slumber,
out of our laziness.
They get us thinking.
They get us thinking
about what is life
really about?
What is the meaning
and the purpose of life?
And so the author is saying,
actually the teacher's
in his quest
to find the meaning of life,
he's been provoked,
he's been challenged,
he's been provoked
out of his complacency.
Sometimes words of wisdom
are uncomfortable.
Sometimes God's word
is uncomfortable.
uncomfortable.
Sometimes God's word
can feel like
it is provoking you,
challenging you.
And if you're new to faith,
that might feel uncomfortable
at times.
You read something
in the Bible
and you think,
hang on, hang on,
I don't know
if I can believe that.
But isn't that exactly
what you'd expect
from a God
who's different from you?
I mean,
if you just agree,
if the Bible agrees
with everything
that you believe
and your worldview,
is God maybe not
just exactly like you?
Sometimes God's word
can provoke us,
can challenge us,
can offend you even.
But the words of wisdom
are like that.
They challenge our complacency.
And so the author says,
yes,
Kohelet's search
has yielded some wise words
which are meant
to help us think
about the meaning
and the purpose of life.
There's some wisdom there.
But on the other hand,
the author says,
actually,
this doesn't really help
Kohelet.
In many ways,
he gets back,
he comes back
to where he began
in the first place.
Look at verse 12.
He says,
My son,
beware of anything
beyond these.
Or another translation says,
Furthermore,
my son,
be warned of this.
Of making many books,
in other words,
writing many wise things,
there is no end.
And much study
is a weariness
to the flesh.
The author's telling us here,
you can search
for all eternity
and explore human philosophy
and human wisdom
and never arrive
at anything concrete,
any conclusion.
You can read
a thousand sacred texts
and you can travel
to the Himalayas
and go to this temple
and sit under
this Buddhist teaching
and listen to that preacher
and listen to a million sermons.
And if all you're doing
is filling your head
with more and more knowledge,
you can go round
and round in circles
and wear yourself out
and never arrive
at anything concrete
or substantial.
In fact,
this is exactly
what happened
with Kohileth.
If you got your Bible,
turn back with me
to chapter 1,
verses 2.
The opening sentence
of the teacher,
these are his words.
Meaningless,
meaningless,
says the teacher.
Meaningless,
meaningless.
Everything is
meaningless.
That's how he began
his search.
And 5,500 words later,
220 verses later,
12 chapters later,
how does the teacher
end his search
for meaning?
Well, look at the very
last thing he says
in chapter 12,
verse 8.
Meaningless,
meaningless,
says the teacher.
Everything is meaningless.
Here this wise man,
this teacher,
has gone on this
lifetime exploration
of the meaning
and the search of life
and he's collected sayings
and he's interviewed
hundreds of people
and he's sat under
the very best teachers
and where has he ended up?
At the exact same place
where he began.
He has gone round
and round
in circles
and made no ground.
I don't know if you remember
Nielsen's very first sermon
from six weeks ago
in chapter 1.
He spoke
from chapter 1
about how the teacher
says,
life just goes round.
The river runs down
and gets into the sea
and the sea never gets full.
The wind blows
from east
to west
and west
to east
and east
to west.
The sun rises
and it sets
and tomorrow
it rises
and it sets.
There is no change,
there is no gain,
there is no point.
Do you remember that?
Well that's exactly
where Kohelet has landed.
The opening sentence
of his search
is identical
to the closing sentence
of his search.
Meaningless,
meaningless
says the teacher
there is no meaning.
And so having explored
wisdom
and pleasure
and work
and money
and death
and youthfulness
and old age
and truth
and justice
the teacher
has come back
full circle
to where he began.
The author says
verse 12
Be warned
my son
of these
there is no end
of the making
of many books
there is no end
and much study
is a weariness
to the flesh.
And at this point
the author
steps out
from behind
the curtain
Shakespeare
comes out
from behind
the pen
the songwriter
comes out
from behind
the album
and he
tells us
that he
respectfully
disagrees.
He has arranged
the words
of the teacher
like goads
to provoke us
and to challenge us
and just when we think
we might be tempted
to agree
with Kohelet
he says
no
that's not
the point of life
don't listen
to Kohelet
that's not
what I want
you to say.
Look at verse
13 with me
the end
of the matter
in Hebrew
there's just
two words there
end matter
it's emphatic
it's like
final conclusion
the end
of the matter
all has been
heard
fear God
keep his commands
for this
is the whole
duty
or the essence
of man.
The teacher
has gone round
and round
in circles
and ended up
back where he
started
and just when
we're thinking
this has been
a monumental
waste
of six weeks
of coming
to church
the author
steps in
and says
wait
let me put
you back
on the path
let me put
your feet
on a solid
rock
the end
of the matter
all has
been heard
in the turmoil
and the confusion
in the disorder
of life
here is a word
that will break
the cycle
of futility
that will cause
you not to
waste your life
when you feel
like you're walking
on sinking sand
and you're sinking
deeper
and deeper
when the ideas
and the philosophies
of world views
take you nowhere
here is a rock
upon which you can
build and bank
your life
when the winds
of change blow
in a post-modern
post-truth world
where everything
is up for grabs
and nothing is certain
the author
steps in
and says
here is a word
of conviction
here is a word
of certainty
here is a word
of clarity
when all has
been heard
and said
fear God
keep his commands
this is the essence
of mankind
or humanity
now
if you're new
to church
or new
to faith
that instruction
to fear God
may sound
pretty odd
I mean
we've got enough
things in life
to fear already
right
we don't need
to add more
to it
what's up
with this instruction
to fear God
the word fear
feels like a very
negative emotion
it feels
disempowering
when you fear
something
you want to draw
back and retreat
right
I remember
when I was a boy
we grew up
in Johannesburg
and you know
we don't live
in apartments
in South Africa
you have a garden
and my brother
and I used to play
cricket
most afternoons
and we invariably
hit the tennis ball
over the wall
and so you'd jump
over the wall
to go and fetch
the tennis ball
but the neighbors
had some big dogs
and so you'd jump
up on the wall
and you had to look
under the trees
if the dogs were around
and then you'd jump
over quickly
get the ball
throw it over
and often the dogs
would hear you
jumping over
and would run
like crazy
down the garden
and you had to
leap up
grab on the tree
and climb back
over the wall
before the dogs
got you
right
fear
feels like something
you want to run
away from
or escape
so what's up
when the Bible
says we should
fear God
I mean that
he says this is
the sum total
the essence
of what it means
to be human
when he says
this is the whole
duty of man
the Hebrew
doesn't have
the word duty
this is the essence
of humanity
well admittedly
the Hebrew word
to fear
is a difficult
word to translate
sometimes it can
mean fright
or scared
but generally
it means
an awe
or reverence
before something
that is majestic
to be an awe
or reverential
before something
of authority
listen to how
Sinclair Ferguson
describes it
this is the best
description of the
fear of God
I can find
he says this
to fear God
is to know him
and yet to love him
wholeheartedly
and unreservedly
because of who
he is
and what he
has done
to have this
profound sense
of being
in the presence
of majesty
it is a thrilling
awareness
that we have
this greatest
of all privileges
mingled
with the
realization
that now
the only thing
that really matters
in all the world
is his opinion
to have the assurance
of his smile
is everything
and yet to feel
that he frowns
on what we may
do
is desolation
or anguish
to fear God
is to be sensitive
to both his greatness
and also his
graciousness
to fear God
friends
is to humbly
and yet assuredly
bring our entire
lives before him
and say
here I am
have your way
in my life
knowing that
you are completely
known by him
anyway
and yet somehow
loved by him
nonetheless
and the bible
says
new testament
and old testament
that this is actually
one of the most
important ways
to relate
to God
if you want to
know God
if you want to
experience
the living God
one of the ways
to relate to him
is to relate to him
like this
to fear him
let me read a couple
of scriptures
just to show us
this
Deuteronomy 10
says this
and now
what does the
Lord your God
require of you
but to fear
the Lord your God
to walk in his ways
to love him
to serve him
with all your heart
and with all your soul
or think of Philippians
chapter 2
in the new testament
the apostle Paul
after writing about
the majesty of Jesus
who went on the cross
for sinners like us
says this
therefore now
brothers and sisters
as you have always
obeyed in my absence
so now much more
in my presence
now much more
in my absence
work out your salvation
with fear
and trembling
with a sense
of trepidation
knowing that God
is at work
in your life
or in Hebrews
chapter 12
writes this
let us offer
acceptable worship
to God
with fear
and awe
knowing that our God
is a consuming fire
in other words
we don't approach God
with just a callousness
and a casualness
and a oh well
you know
we'll see what happens
there's a reverence
for who he is
this is the sum total
all has been heard
and said
fear God
keep his commands
now what does that
actually mean
what does that look like
in our lives
well a couple of things
on the one hand
it means to trust
God supremely
in scripture
to fear God
means realizing
that God
is bigger
than our issues
and therefore
we can trust him
with our issues
in Exodus chapter 20
as the people
are in the wilderness
Moses says this
to them
he says
do not fear
the giants
the problems
the wilderness
the things around you
don't be afraid
of those
for God
has come to you
to test you
that the fear
of God
may be before you
and that you may not sin
so saying
you're going to come
against a whole lot
of obstacles
don't be afraid
of them
but have a worldview
see in your mind
the majesty of God
fear him
and trust him
as you face
these challenges
and so friends
what are some of the challenges
that you face
this week
are the economies
and tatters
maybe work is
challenging
maybe uncertain
whether you're going
to keep your job
that's okay
don't fear that
fear God
God is bigger
than your work
God is bigger
than your travels
God is bigger
than your challenges
fear God
he is God
work is not God
your boss is not God
the economy is not God
no God is God
and therefore
you can trust him
it's to trust him
supremely
it's a call
to prioritize God
as first
in our hearts
and our lives
to fear God
is to live
with the realization
that God is God
and I am not
that God
is the center
of the cosmos
the universe
and I am not
now that's not
just being humble
that's being honest
that's not humility
that's just reality
the problem of course
with humanity
is that we tend
to think of ourselves
as the center
of the universe
and that causes
all sorts of problems
right
and this is what
the teacher
wants us to see
what the author
wants us to see
he's saying
you may never
find the answer
to every question
that you ask
you may not
find the solution
to every philosophical
conundrum
that's okay
following Jesus
doesn't promise
to solve every problem
or make life easy
and a bed of roses
in fact
if you're going
to follow Jesus
sometimes that's going
to make life
more difficult
but what he is saying
is this
if you fear God
you will break
out of the cycle
of futility
if you want to find
the essence of life
know this
he is God
he is the center
of the universe
you are not
so it's a call
to prioritize God
but it's also
a call to enjoy
the blessings of God
without being ensnared
by them
I don't know
if you've noticed
over the last couple
of weeks
as we've gone
through Ecclesiastes
there are these
kind of weird passages
throughout the book
that Tremper Longman
calls the Carpe Diem
passages
they say
drink
be merry
eat your bread
enjoy the wife
of your youth
do what you want
live it up
and if I'm honest
as one of the preachers
we've kind of skipped
over them pretty quickly
have you noticed that
okay
maybe in CG
you've asked that question
why don't they ever
talk about these things
okay
and the reason is
because these are
pretty difficult passages
I mean what do you
do with them
right
are these passages
God's wisdom to us
that we should obey
or is this
the foolishness
of the teacher
that we should reject
right
well what do we do
with these
Carpe Diem passages
well I think
the answer is this
the answer is
if you fear God
obey them
and enjoy the blessings
of God
but if you don't
be very careful
in other words
if you want to enjoy
the good things in life
without being ensnared
by them
without being mastered
by them
make sure that
God is your God
not the pleasures
of life
don't live for the
pleasures of life
they'll ensnare you
live for God
and if you live for God
you get to enjoy
the pleasures of life
and be free
from their snares
and their tentacles
the way to enjoy
the pleasures of life
without them
becoming your God
is to live for the
one true God
and to center
your life on him
because when you
live for Christ
and his approval
when he is your
deepest longing
and your greatest
ambition
when what God
thinks about a matter
is the most important
thing to you
when you fear God
then you can live
however you please
maybe another way
of saying it
is like this
friends love the
Lord your God
with all your heart
and all your soul
and all your might
and all your strength
and you'll figure
the rest out
as you go along
so as a Christian
there are many
things in life
that the Bible
doesn't give us
answers to
should you
take that promotion
that new job
well fear God
and you'll figure it out
maybe you're dating
somebody
and there's a hole
of questions
you're not sure
how do you handle
this relationship
what's appropriate
what's not appropriate
well fear God
and you'll figure it out
maybe you're not so sure
about money
how much is enough
I mean
how much should I give away
how much should I save
the Bible doesn't give you
an answer to that
well fear God
sent to your life
on the majesty of Jesus
and you'll figure it out
so when you come to
those Carpe Diem passages
the answer is this
let the fear of God
being your guiding rock
the light of the path
and if you do that
you can enjoy
the pleasures of life
without them
becoming your God
does that make sense
the fear of God
is a clarifying word
in a world of confusion
but here's the other thing
it means
the fourth thing
the final thing
is this
it's a call
to eternal significance
look at verse 14
with me
of our passage
it's the final verse
in the whole book
of Ecclesiastes
and this is what it says
the end of the matter
all has been heard
fear God
keep his commands
this is the essence of man
verse 14
for God will bring
every deed
into judgment
with every secret thing
whether good
or evil
what the author
tells us here
is that one day
each one of us
is going to be
accountable to God
for the lives
that we've lived
he says
every deed
whether good
or evil
positive
or negative
now on the one hand
that should cause
a humility
because we should know
that we're going to be
answerable to God
for the way
that we've lived our lives
every careless word
that you've said
every dumb tweet
that you've loaded up
on social media
right
every grudge
that I've held
in my heart
every stupid thing
I've done
I'm going to one day
be accountable
to God for that
but it's not
not only the negative things
it's also the positive things
look at what he says
for every deed
whether evil
or good
in other words
what he says
every little thing
that I do
in God's name
for the glory of God
is not going to be forgotten
Jesus actually says
this in Matthew 10
he says
every cup of cold water
that you give
to a little child
in his name
and for his glory
you will
how does he say it
you will by no means
lose your reward
and what Jesus is saying here
is you can do
little things
that nobody
in the world notices
every good motivation
in your heart
every little thing
that you do
has eternal
significance
because sovereign God
in heaven notices
and it's not
inconsequential
and so
that little thing
that you do
that nobody notices
it
or put it this way
it transforms
the meaningless things
of our life
into that
which has eternal
significance
and purpose
suddenly the myriad
of things
that Kohelet looks at
and thinks
meaningless
vanity
purposelessness
are suddenly impregnated
with eternal meaning
and so think about this
tomorrow
you're going to go to work
and if Kohelet is right
meaningless
vanity
purposelessness
who cares
your job is just a means
to get a salary
to earn some money
and then you're going to die
but if the author is right
if God is going to bring
every little thing
that you do
and remember it
nothing is inconsequential
and so suddenly
that transforms
your work
into just an opportunity
to earn a salary
and get money
into a vocation
into a calling
into a chance
to bless somebody
a chance to glorify God
in your workplace
it's a chance to
as you go
and teach in the classroom
to impact students
and to grow them
as you do your research
it's a way to find out
about the world
that God has made
and make it a better place
as you write up a contract
as a lawyer
it's a chance
to do justice
and do what's right
to protect someone's interests
as you make money
it's a chance
to provide for somebody's pension
and care for their future
knowing that your life
is not inconsequential
changes your workplace
it impregnates
every little thing you do
with eternal significance
and meaning
or think about pleasure
if you're in Christ
and you seek to honor God
and live by faith
the things that you do
enjoy in life
are not just distractions
from the arbitrary
meaninglessness of life
to keep you going
through the drudgery of life
they are gifts of heaven
for you to enjoy
they are gifts
from your father
and so as you go
on that trip
or that overseas holiday
as you go
and enjoy time
with your kids
these are a gift
from God
for you to enjoy
or think about money
and wealth
for the teacher
money was an enigma
it was something
he was meant to enjoy
but it only ended up
causing pain
but if Christ
is supreme
if he's the one
that you love
and treasure unreservedly
you get to enjoy
the blessings of God
without feeling guilty
because money
is not your God
but God is
well friends
think about the fact
that one day
you're going to get old
and one day
you're going to die
for Kohelet
this is completely meaningless
arbitrary
we get old
ultimately
death is the final enemy
none of us get to defeat it
and that's the end
but for the author
he says
that's not true
if you're in Christ
if you live for God
if God is the one
that you live to please
the most important one
in your heart
then you can truly say
with the apostle Paul
to live is Christ
and to die
is gain
because the grave
has been defeated
one day
at the end of your life
death gets transformed
from an enemy
into a servant
that will take you home
what the author
is saying here
is that
to live
for the majesty
of God
makes every little
meaningless
and arbitrary
thing in life
suddenly impregnated
with significant
and eternal consequence
because nothing
is forgotten
friends you
but now
see what he says
he says
there is a point
if you don't want
to waste your life
and I don't want you
to waste your life
then walk away
from the futility
of life under the sun
abandon empty philosophy
abandon humanistic
wisdom
abandon your striving
after the wind
trying to grasp
the wind
center your life
on God
and who he is
truly the God
who is the center
of the cosmos
who knows you
better than you
know yourself
who loves you
better than
you could ever
love yourself
or hope to be love
set your hope
on him
friends the words
of the author
is this
give yourself
to the only one
whose opinion
really matters
in life
live under the
greatness
and of his grace
give yourself
to him
don't waste
your life
live for the
one who knows
you infinitely
better than you
could ever hope
to imagine
and yet who loves
you to the cross
and back
all has been
heard
this is the end
of the matter
fear God
live for him
set your hope
on him
this is the
essence
of humanity
well as we
come to a
close
how should
we do
this
how should
we grow
in the
fear of
God
well I want
to give us
three quick
suggestions
three very
simple ways
to do this
how do we
become those
who are not
enslaved by the
trappings of
life
but live in
the fear of
God
how do we
become those
who as
Sinclair Ferguson
said
live with the
assurance of his
smile as the
most important
thing in our
life
how do we
live with his
opinion as the
most important
thing to us
well three brief
things
first do this
dive into the
scriptures
dive into the
scriptures
Christian writer
and author
Tim Talley
says this
there is an
inseparable
relationship
between the
revelation of
God in the
scriptures
and the fear
of God in the
heart
Cynthia you okay
you're welcome
to go
to the degree
that we are in
the scriptures
is the degree
to which the
fear of God
will reside
in our hearts
friends you
want to be those
who fear God
you must come
to know him
as he reveals
himself in the
scriptures
you cannot grow
as a Christian
without being
committed to his
word
friends day by day
start off your
day getting on
your knees and
saying God
come and reveal
yourself show
yourself to me
I want to know
you as you reveal
yourself to me
in your word
dive deep into
the scriptures
secondly feed
your soul on the
majesty of God
J.B.
wrote Phillips
wrote a book
and he says
your God is too
small
I think that's
true for most
of us
even as
Christians our
view of God
is infinitely
infinitely
small
friends if you
want to grow
in the fear
of God
if you want
to be rooted
and anchored
into a solid
rock
Christ our
assurance
in the midst
of the storms
and the uncertainty
of life
get to know
the majesty
and the
immensity
and the
sovereignty
and the
holiness
and the
infinite
glory
of who
God is
don't have
a small
view of God
get to know
his majesty
friends the
one true
God of the
Bible is
infinitely more
majestic
and glorious
than you can
imagine
grow your
understanding
of who
God is
to the
degree to
which we
know his
majesty
and his
sovereignty
and his
holiness
and his
splendor
is the
degree to
which God
will consume
our hearts
know the
depth of
his majesty
and then
finally
prayerfully
surrender
to Christ
prayerfully
surrender
to him
Psalm 86
Jeremy put
this up
on the
slide
earlier
I didn't
know that
Jeremy was
going to
but Psalm 86
says this
this has been
my prayer
for my
heart
this week
and my
prayer
for us
as a
church
and I
want to
urge you
to make
this your
prayer
this week
there is
none like
you amongst
the gods
oh lord
nor are
there any
works like
yours
for you
are great
and do
wondrous
things
you alone
are God
and then
here's the
prayer
another
translation
says give
me an
undivided
heart
to fear
your name
God don't
allow me
just to
honor you
and revere
you on
Sunday
morning
on a
Thursday
night
at CG
unite
my heart
give me
one heart
that whether
I'm in the
marketplace
whether I'm
on the
sports field
whether I'm
out with a
friend
whether I'm
dating
somebody
whether I'm
at home
or exhausted
when I'm
singing songs
of worship
may my
heart be
undivided
united
teach me
oh God
your ways
that I may
fear your
name
God give me
an undivided
heart
to revere
you
and to
know me
to know
God
deeply
to have
a heartfelt
love
so deep
and so
rich
that it
changes
the way
you live
begins
with a
prayer
of surrender
begins
by saying
Lord
have
your
way
in me
teach
me
your
way
show
me
your
majesty
guide
me
in
your
truth
give
me
an
undivided
heart
that
fears
your
name
the
end
of the
matter
all
has
been
heard
fear
God
keep
his
commands
this
is
the
whole
essence
of
man
let's
take a
few
minutes
to
reflect
and
respond
and
then
I'll
lead us
in what
to do
next
I want
to encourage
you
let's
just
maybe
sit
quietly
for a
minute
or so
what is
an
appropriate
response
for you
let's
take
time
to do
that
more
how
AND
opportunity
to
seize
the
next
minute
and
to
explore
all
and
what
And
well
even
I'm
writing
I'm
writing
videos
and
do
Thank you.
Thank you, God.
God, I pray that we will have such a glimpse of your glory, God, that living for your opinion will be the most important thing in our life.
Thank you, God.
That knowing that the only thing that matters is what you say and what you feel.
Thank you, God.
To have the assurance of living under your smile.
God, you're not going to be the most important thing in our life.
I'm going to be the most important thing in our lives.
And to hate the prospect of ever living under your frown.
God help us to be sensitive
to both your greatness
and your graciousness
I pray
God won't you come
and deliver us
from small gods
insignificant gods
gods that are no gods at all
come and astound us
with your majesty
we pray
you