I don't want to let you off easy.
I want to begin this year with a challenge.
Honestly, the very passage that I speak from today is a challenge in itself.
It's one that many have had a hard time understanding,
but it also is one that throws the challenge out to us.
It's found in the book of Ecclesiastes, a challenge in itself.
Ecclesiastes is an autographical book of advice from a man who experienced about all that you can
and learned from it and talked about as an old man,
wrote Ecclesiastes and talked about his exploits theologically.
And as we look at chapter 11, he begins his summation.
Of what he's experienced in his life at the end of this book.
And I believe there's value here as we stand here today on the first day of 2023.
It's in Ecclesiastes chapter 11, beginning in verse 1.
And it says,
Cast your bread upon the water,
for you will find it after many days.
Give a portion to seven or even to eight,
for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.
If the clouds are full of rain,
they empty themselves on the earth.
And if a tree falls to the south or to the north,
in the place where the tree falls,
there it will lie.
He who observes the wind will not sow,
and he who regards the clouds will not reap.
As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child,
so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.
In the morning sow your seed,
in an evening withhold your hand,
for you do not know which will prosper this or that,
or whether both alike will be good.
There are some things that just make sense in life.
When clouds fill up,
it's going to rain.
And when a tree falls on its own,
it's going to lay there unless you move it.
And if you get too worried about those things,
you will become unproductive.
Instead, you watch.
And be wise.
The way to sow in biblical days was a sling of a seed.
You don't sling seed on particular windy days.
Because if you do,
the seed won't fall where you want it to.
And it may fall on a path where it don't work.
And Jesus spoke a whole parable about where the seed falls.
And you don't go to the field to harvest
if you know that you're going to get bogged down in the mud
from the coming rain.
You use wisdom in those things.
But you can't get caught in the paralysis of analysis.
Because if you're not careful,
you won't do anything.
If you wait on a perfect moment,
it will never get done.
You can't overthink.
Because if you do,
nothing will be done.
Before we moved here,
we lived on about a third of an acre
on a little cul-de-sac.
And when I moved there,
we had 33 tall pine trees on that little lot.
Most of those trees were over 100 feet tall.
A couple of them over 160 feet tall.
And even if I were a skinnier man,
two of me couldn't reach around the trunk
of two of those trees.
Storms came through that area
and they got our attention.
So what do you do?
You panic?
No.
The bad news is that big storms
take down big trees.
And the good news is
for trees to be that big,
they've withstood a lot of storms.
So,
we serve a big God.
And we trust Him.
And we cut trees
as often as we possibly could.
And the only tree
that ever hit our house
was one that was being done
by a good Samaritan
helping me out
to make sure a tree
didn't fall on my house.
And that's the one
that fell on the house.
God worked those things out as well.
That's the things
that verse 3 and verse 4
talk about
in this passage.
And then I want you
to notice verse 5.
verse 5.
Which says,
As you do not know
the way the Spirit
comes to the bones
of the womb
of a woman with child,
so you do not know
the work of God
who makes everything.
We know a lot more
about the womb now
than they did then,
yet even with all
that knowledge,
the world is dying
for the opportunity
to kill a baby in a womb.
Kind of fascinating.
Talk about people's rights.
What about the rights
of an unborn child?
Has anybody ever
thought about that?
Solomon in all his wisdom
when he wrote this
did not have an ultrasound
to see a child.
Did not know all
that we do
about that process,
yet even with
all of our knowledge
we still cannot grasp
how God
puts a soul
into a child
in the womb.
It's amazing.
Because God's amazing.
He works in amazing ways.
And that's what
verse 5 is talking about.
But all of that
is just a follow-up
to this beginning verse
in Ecclesiastes 11.1
which can be
a very confusing verse.
Cast your bread
upon the waters.
I'm just going to tell you
if you try that
it's not going to work.
You're going to get
soggy bread.
Every time I read
this passage
I think about
a very sweet man
that my grandmother
married in her latter years.
I don't know
what that man
had done in life
to deserve my grandmother
but he got her.
They lived outside
of Grand Rapids, Michigan
and so
we did not see them
very much
but when we did
Nick wanted to
make the most of it.
he had one of those
Volkswagens
that had been converted
into a dune buggy
and I was learning
to drive
and he wanted me
to drive it.
He's that kind of guy
you know
and so I got in
that dune buggy
and he put on his derby
and I was riding
down the road
on that dune buggy
and gas was dripping
on my foot
as I drove
and I said
this leaking gas
he said
go a little faster then.
So he just
he was just that kind of guy
you know
he wanted it to be
an experience
and I think
my grandmother
thought it's best
for children
not to be seen
or heard
but not Nick.
He wanted
a fun experience
and one of those
experiences that he wanted
was to go feed the ducks.
He woke up one morning
and said
we need to go feed the ducks
we got to go feed the ducks
kept talking about
feeding the ducks
till finally
we all jumped in
I think the LTD
the 76 LTD
and took off
to go buy supplies
to feed the ducks
we bought generic
saltine crackers
a sin against God
only premium
and
Cheeto puffs
of course not Cheetos
cheese puffs
you know
and I mean
we didn't buy a few of them
we bought a bunch of them
I would say
we filled up the trunk
of that LTD
but you could lay several bodies
in the trunk of an LTD
so I
I don't know about that
but we had a bunch of stuff
and we went to this little park
in town
and it had a little lake
out there
and ducks out there
and we
broke out the crackers
and broke out the cheese puffs
and
started feeding
the ducks
and
found out soon
that ducks
love
saltine crackers
and man
they'll eat them up
they don't like cheese puffs
and at least
for a good time
cheese puffs
float
and we had huge
not family
but party sized
bags
of generic
cheese puffs
probably
it's not set
to expire
until today
even though this has been
more than two decades ago
and
and we
we threw those out
and there were cheese puffs
floating all over that lake
families with their small children
walking around
strolling their children
and wondering
what are these orange aliens
on the water
what has happened
and
finally
when we realized
we were out of crackers
and out of cheese puffs
because we didn't let up
we were kids
man
we just sheepishly
got in the LTD
and left
you know
for the cheese puffs
I feel sure
that we left
our carbon footprint
that day
so when I read
this passage
about cast your bread
upon the water
that's what I think about
but that's not really
what it's talking about
it's often debated
exactly what it's talking about
and
many times
people talk about it
meaning trade
on the seas
maritime trade
was a
a very risky matter
in biblical days
I mean
there'd be
ships that would leave
and you just wouldn't see them again
nobody really knew
ever knew what happened to them
they didn't have the coast guard
to go
search them down
you know
it was a very risky deal
and to put all your grain
on a boat
and ship it out
you know
it's a good way to make money
or
to barter for something else
but
it was
of high risk
Solomon
as a businessman
could have been speaking of that
so it could be saying
to make a profit
take a risk
put it out
and
see it come back to you
the problem is
if you send out grain
you don't want grain
to come back to you
that's what you were sending out
you want something else
to come back to you
whatever you bartered for
whatever you traded for
when I look at this passage
I tend to think
that it's something else
some believe that it speaks
of giving generously
that what comes around
goes around
and you give to others
and it'll come back to you
as a matter of fact
verse 2 even points to
diversifying
dividing portions
and giving
and just watch
what comes back to you
as you give
I'd love to begin the year
talking about that very thing
but I really don't believe
that's what this passage
particularly
is talking about
I actually agree
with the scholars
that believe
that this is kind of
a both and
kind of passage
that the point of it
is more about risk
than it is about
how to trade
and barter
or than it is about
how to give
and that is
cast it out
throw it out there
take a risk
as Peter saw
walk on the water
venture out
whatever it is
that God would have
you to do
throw it out there
do it
now I must be honest
I don't have a clue
what 2023 holds
I'm excited about it
I look forward to it
but I don't have a clue
I preached on the first Sunday
of 2020
and preached a sermon
that a lot of other preachers preach
not the same sermon
but the same title
and that is
Vision 2020
and we love the idea
that 2020
was perfect vision
or good vision
or whatever
and that it was
we ought to have
that kind of vision
for what God would have us
to do in the days ahead
we had such a clear vision
and we cut a ribbon
on a new building
two months later
and ready to launch
new ministries
and three weeks
after we did that
we locked that building up
and did everything online
for several weeks
due to COVID
the brand new building
wasn't even utilized
until
for much of that year
because of COVID circumstances
preaching on Vision 2020
and none of us
had a vision for that
nobody predicted that
we had no clue
what was coming
in those days
our world changed
I said at the time
I felt like
that it was as big
as 9-11
now I say
I believe it's a whole lot bigger
at least spiritually
the tentacles
are still floating
dangerously in the water
from COVID
and I don't know
what 2023 holds
but I know
who holds 2023
and I challenge
you to trust him
I challenge you
to serve him
and to love him
and to share him
and commit yourself
to him
like you never have before
and that is a pertinent matter
in the day
in which we live
because something
happened to commitment
when COVID happened
something changed
in people
and it was happening
before COVID
but it just
got fast forward
and made so much worse
due to COVID
people have become
half committed
to the Lord's work
in the church
compared to what
they did before
things have changed
in that way
every Sunday attendance
for too often
has turned into
every other Sunday
and every month
has turned into
once a quarter
and those quarter comers
have turned into
Christers
that's Christmas and Easter
but let me ask you
something
what in the world
should we be more
committed to
than Jesus Christ
I mean
who has done more
for us
than Christ has
he is committed
enough to us
to die for us
and to provide
a way of salvation
he spent the bulk
of his earthly ministry
training 12 men
to found and establish
the church
to carry on his work
in the world
when he ascended
into heaven
for those who place
Christ first
in their life
what is most important
to you
by your commitment
to follow Christ
you've said
it is what's
most important
what is most important
to give to
what is most important
to talk about
if you're a child
of God today
who has had
the biggest impact
on your life
not only now
but for all eternity
some of y'all may remember
the old license tag
that said
let me tell you
about my grandchildren
I saw a car
the other day
that was as old
as that tag
and I was thinking
man just keep driving
that was kind of
another way
of saying
you better avoid me
because I'm going
to hold you up
I think people
actually put that
that license tag
on the front of their car
to keep people
away from them
to leave them alone
because people love
to talk about
their grandkids
they love to talk
about their grandkids
grandkids are
God's reward for you
for not killing the kids
you know
they love to
talk about
their grandkids
and they love to talk
about their favorite
sports teams
and they love to talk
about sometimes
and they love to talk
about their pets
and they love to talk
about their kids
when they're young
they grow strangely
quiet when they're
teenagers
but anyway
but let's begin
2023
talking about
what is most
important to us
because nothing
has made an
eternal impact
on us
more than Christ
and eternal
is pretty big
and I want you
to understand
when I say eternal
I'm not talking about
just a quantity
of life
I'm talking about
a quality of life
Jesus said
the thief comes
but for to steal
kill and destroy
but I have come
that you might have
life and have it
more abundantly
and he wasn't
talking about
just longer
he was talking
about better
so I ask you
today on this
first day
of a new year
has there ever
been a time
in your life
when you've
acknowledged
the sin
and the wrong
in your life
and ask the Lord
Jesus to forgive
you
to change
you
to save
you
if that's
never happened
to you
there is not
a better
way
to begin
a new year
by surrendering
your life
to Christ
today
Lord I know
I'm not
who I need
to be
Lord I'll
never be
who I need
to be
outside of
you
God will
you forgive
me
cleanse
me
save
me
and change
me
on the
authority
of scripture
if you'll
surrender
your life
to Christ
today
he'll save
you
it's not
his will
that any
should perish
but that
all come
to Christ
what a great
opportunity
you have
to begin
the year
committing
your life
to Christ
if you've
done that
have you
ever obeyed
him by
showing
others
through
baptism
what Christ
has done
to you
inside
baptism
is just
a
physical
picture
of what
God does
on the
inside
when he
cleanses
us
and changes
us
from the
old self
that we
are
cleanses
us
and makes
us new
again
the old
is gone
the new
has come
so we're
a new
creation
in Christ
and baptism
celebrates
that
it's a
wonderful
way of
not only
that first
step of
obedience
when you
come into
a relationship
with Christ
man what a
testimony it
is to
to be a
part of
that
we baptized
four last
week
and I
will tell
you the
fruit of
that will
come evident
in the
days ahead
we even
saw the
morning they
come
that by
two
coming
another
came
it comes
it happens
that way
when we
obey God
when we
just step
out on the
water and
do what
God tells
us to
do
just cast
it out
just
obey
just
trust
verse
six
of
Ecclesiastes
11 says
in the
morning
in the
evening
withhold
not
your
hand
for you
don't
know
which
will
prosper
this
or that
whether
both
alike
will be
good
in other
words
cast your
bread upon
the water
throw it
out there
take a
risk
for the
Lord
he will
help
you
and he
will guide
you
I don't
know what
God's got in
store for
2023
my question
this morning
and my
challenge
for you
and for
me as
well is
will we
take a
risk for
the Lord
will we
simply obey
him when he
speaks to
us
will we
commit our
lives to
follow him
in whatever
he'd have us
to do
an old
preacher was
preparing for
a sermon
and needed
a good
illustration
for a
sermon that
he was
entitling
the wind
blows
where it
wills
he was a
Scottish
pastor
so he went
down to
St.
Andrews and
found a
seasoned salt
sailor
mending his
sails on a
ship
and he said
oh sailor
you sail the
seven seas
I want you
to tell me
how the
wind blows
and the
old sailor
said I
don't know
how the
wind blows
but you
sail the
seven seas
old
sailor
you've
seen it
all just
tell me
how does
the wind
blow
I don't
know how
the wind
blows
he was a
desperate
preacher on
a Friday
afternoon
then tell
me
something
and the
old sailor
looked at
him and
said I'll
tell you
what I do
know
and that
is when
the wind
blows
I have to
hoist
my sails
I don't
know
how the
winds of
the Holy
Spirit
will move
and work
in our
midst
in 2023
I am
excited
about what
I sense
but whatever
it is
let's hoist
our sails
let's get
ready to
let God
blow us
anywhere and
everywhere he
would have
us to go
to cast it
out to lay
it out before
him to
commit our
lives to
follow him
and watch
him work
and move
in our
midst
what are
you willing
to do
in 2023
because the
winds of the
Spirit of God
are going to
blow
so I say
we hoist
our sails
I say
we sell
strong
for the
Lord
with every
head bowed
and every
eye closed
I want to
ask you
this morning
what is it
that God
is speaking
to you
about
what do
you feel
probing you
in your
heart
could it
be a
personal
relationship
with Christ
that opportunity
that I spoke
of of
surrendering
your life
to Christ
maybe it's
making that
private decision
that you've
already made
public
or maybe
God's
drawing you
to be a
part of
this church
you know
this is
where God
would have
you to
join us
along our
journey
I encourage
you to
simply be
obedient about
that
more than
available to
talk to you
about that
in the coming
days
but if God's
leading you
today I
encourage you
come
maybe it's
just an
individual
thing
for the
most part
that's what
it'll be
God speaking
to you
in your
life about
what he
would have
for you
in 2023
and not
so much
a clear
vision of
all that's
going to
happen in
this year
because we're
not going
to get
that
we don't
know
that
but the
question is
is our
heart
ready
for whatever
God would
have for
us
are we
ready to
cast it
out
are we
ready to
take a
risk
are we
ready to
trust him
to sense
the power
of the
spirit of
God
blowing in
our midst
and to
hoist
our sails
and go
with what
God would
have
that is
my prayer
and if
there's a
hindrance in
your life
today in
that then
get it
right
whether it's
where you
are at
this altar
or with a
pastor praying
for you
get it
right
let's go
into 2023
clean and
ready for
God to
do a
wonderful move
in our
individual lives
and in the
life of this
church
heavenly
father thank
you for your
word and
your wisdom
I ask God
that you'll
help us
to be
diligent
to follow
your will
and your
way
in whatever
you would
have for us
to do
God
in Jesus
precious name
amen
so
you
together
assistance