WEBVTT

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 The scripture reading today comes from the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 9 and 10.

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 Please follow along on your own Bible, in the bulletin, or on the screen.

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 Starting in chapter 9, verse 1, we read,

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 But all this I laid to heart, examining it all,

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 how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God.

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 Whether it is love or hate, man does not know.

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 Both are before him.

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 It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked,

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 to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean,

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 to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice.

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 As the good one is, so is the sinner.

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 And he who swears is as he who shunts an oath.

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 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun,

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 that the same event happens to all.

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 Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil,

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 and madness is in their hearts while they live.

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 And after that, they go to the dead.

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 But he who is joined with all the living has hope,

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 for a living dot is better than a dead lion.

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 For the living know that they will die,

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 but the dead know nothing.

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 And they have no more reward,

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 for the memory of them is forgotten.

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 Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished,

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 and forever they have no more share in all that is done under the sun.

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 Go, eat your bread with joy,

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 and drink your wine with a merry heart,

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 for God has already approved what you do.

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 Let your garments be always white.

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 Let not oil be lacking on your head.

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 Enjoy life with the wife whom you love,

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 all the days of your vain life that he has given you under the sun,

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 because that is your portion in life,

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 and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.

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 Whatever your hand finds to do,

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 do it with your might,

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 for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom

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 in Sheol to which you are going.

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 Again, I saw that under the sun,

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 the race is not to the swift,

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 nor the battle to the strong,

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 nor bread to the wise,

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 nor riches to the intelligent,

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 nor favor to those with knowledge,

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 but time and chance happen to them all.

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 For man does not know his time.

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 Like fish that are taken in an evil net,

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 and like birds that are caught in a snare,

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 so the children of man are snared at an evil time

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 when it suddenly falls upon them.

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 I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun,

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 and it seemed great to me.

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 There was a little city with few men in it,

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 and a great king came against it and besieged it,

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 building great siege works against it.

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 But there was found in it a poor wise man,

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 and he, by his wisdom, delivered the city.

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 Yet no one remembered that poor man.

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 But I say that wisdom is better than might,

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 though the poor man's wisdom is despised

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 and his words are not heard.

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 The words of the wise heard in quiet

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 are better than the shouting of a ruler among fools.

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 Wisdom is better than weapons of war,

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 but one sinner destroys much good.

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 Dead flies make the perfumant's ointment

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 give off a stench,

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 so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.

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 A wise man's heart inclines him to the right,

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 but a fool's heart to the left.

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 Even when the fool walks on the road,

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 he lacks sense,

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 and he says to everyone that he is a fool.

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 If the anger of the ruler rises against you,

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 do not leave your place,

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 for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.

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 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun,

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 as it were an error proceeding from the ruler.

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 Folly is had in many high places,

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 and the rich sit in a low place.

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 I have seen slaves on horses,

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 and princes walking on the ground like slaves.

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 He who digs a pit will fall into it,

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 and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall.

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 He who quarries stones is hurt by them,

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 and he who splits logs is endangered by them.

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 If the iron is blunt,

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 and one does not sharpen the edge,

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 he must use more strength.

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 But wisdom helps one to succeed.

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 If the serpent bites before it is charmed,

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 there is no advantage to the charmer.

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 The words of a wise man's mouth win him favor,

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 but the lips of a fool consume him.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Great. Thank you, Anastasia.

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 Thank you for reading well.

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 And once again, we come to this interesting,

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 but tricky passage in Ecclesiastes.

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 And I think if you're anything like me,

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 the first time you read that,

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 you think,

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 okay.

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 On Monday morning,

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 when I sat down with my Bible,

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 and started to think about this morning,

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 I read that for the first time,

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 and thought,

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 okay, this is going to be interesting.

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 What is the author,

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 what is Kohelet, the teacher,

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 trying to say to us?

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 Well, the author is coming back

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 to one of the ideas that we looked at last week.

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 He is, in the second half of the reading,

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 he is considering wisdom once again.

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 Remember last week,

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 we spoke about wisdom,

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 and Kohelet, the teacher,

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 he said he sought for wisdom everywhere,

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 and he couldn't find it.

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 Well, he comes back to that idea this morning,

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 and I want us just to think about this,

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 because I didn't feel like last week,

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 I actually explained wisdom very well,

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 and so let's just take a minute or two,

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 to think about that.

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 What is wisdom?

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 I tried to say last week,

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 in the Bible,

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 wisdom is the skill of living life well.

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 It is, you could say,

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 knowing how to make life work.

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 It's the skill of knowing how to flourish in your life.

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 Now, when we think of wisdom,

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 it doesn't sound like a very sexy or exciting word.

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 I don't think too many of us lie awake at night thinking,

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 how can I become more wise?

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 Right?

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 We're scrolling Google about,

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 I don't think it's one of Google's top ten searches.

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 How do I become more of a wise person?

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 But if you think about it,

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 what the Bible promises that wisdom gives us,

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 how to make life work,

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 the flourishing life,

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 is actually something that all of us want.

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 How many of us don't want to make life work?

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 How many of us don't want to flourish?

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 How many of us, if you're young,

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 don't want to think about how not to waste your life?

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 It's the reason so many young people come to me often and say,

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 I'm looking for a mentor in life.

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 Can you help me find a mentor?

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 Someone who can guide me and coach me.

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 It's the reason we listen to TED Talks and podcasts

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 and read brilliant books

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 because there's a desire inside of us to make life work,

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 to not waste our lives,

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 to find out the way to a flourishing life.

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 And so we want to know how to make our finances work

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 and make relationships work

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 and make our careers work,

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 how to make work-life balance work.

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 And so wisdom is the skill

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 of knowing how to make life work

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 when you don't have the answers in front of you.

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 Wisdom is knowing,

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 is the skill of being able to find out

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 what is the right thing to do

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 when you don't know what to do.

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 And so that's why Proverbs says,

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 of all the skills you can get in life,

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 make sure you acquire the skill

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 of knowing how to make life work,

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 the skill of living.

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 Because it is one skill that can set you apart

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 from your colleagues and your friends and your families.

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 The skill of knowing how to make life work.

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 And the ancient biblical word for this skill

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 is the skill of wisdom.

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 Okay? Wisdom.

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 Wisdom.

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 Now, as I said last week in chapters 8,

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 the teacher, Kohelet,

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 is trying to search out,

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 seek for this wisdom.

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 And he looks everywhere,

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 but he can't find it.

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 In chapter 10 and 9,

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 he seems to have found it.

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 He seems to have stumbled upon it

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 because he talks about it quite a bit.

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 But the teacher is in two minds about it.

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 Because on one hand,

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 when Anastasia reads to us,

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 on one hand you think,

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 okay, he's really saying wisdom is a good thing.

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 He espouses some of the benefits of it.

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 But on the other hand,

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 he seems a little bit condescending towards it.

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 He seems like he says,

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 oh, you know,

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 get wisdom, it's good for you,

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 but actually it's not going to help that much

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 at the end of the day.

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 And so he seems to be in two minds about it.

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 Well, let's see what he says.

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 Look at chapter 9, verse 13 to 15.

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 Now, once again,

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 you're going to need your bulletin

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 or a Bible in front of you.

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 I don't have the scriptures on the screen,

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 so you're going to need to follow in front of you.

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 Look at what he says.

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 He says,

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 wisdom is able to be a great benefit to society.

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 It's actually able to save many lives.

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 He says, verse 13,

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 I have seen an example of wisdom under the sun.

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 It seemed great to me.

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 There was this little city with few men in it,

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 and a great king came against it and besieged it,

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 building great siege works around the city.

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 But there was found in it a poor man,

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 a wise man,

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 and he, by his wisdom,

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 delivered the city.

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 So here's this poor man.

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 He's not very wealthy.

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 He's not very well-esteemed.

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 He's kind of despised and rejected.

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 But by his wisdom,

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 he's able to save the city

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 and actually save a great many people's lives.

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 Wisdom is a great benefit to society.

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 And if you think about that,

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 that's true in our modern life today.

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 Think of the number of people who,

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 by their wisdom,

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 are able to save a great many people's lives.

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 Think of doctors and nurses

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 and people who respond in emergency situations.

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 They are presented with the situation before them.

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 They haven't been trained for that situation.

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 But by their wisdom,

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 they are able to find a solution

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 where no solution seems obvious.

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 And they save a great many people's lives.

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 We can be thankful for the doctors

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 and the nurses during COVID,

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 who many of them put their lives on the line,

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 many of them working insane hours

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 through the night,

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 finding solutions where there were no obvious solutions,

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 and saved a great many people's lives.

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 The teacher also says this.

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 He says,

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 Through wisdom,

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 we're able to find success

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 where success seems to evade us.

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 Look at 10 verse 10.

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 He says,

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 If the axe is blunt

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 and one does not sharpen the edge,

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 he must use more strength.

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 But wisdom helps one to succeed.

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 He's saying,

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 Listen,

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 you've got a situation before you

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 and you get stuck.

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 You come up against a brick wall.

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 You can't find a way through.

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 But actually,

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 wisdom enables you

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 to overcome the obstacles in life.

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 And again,

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 think of the great benefit this is to us.

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 Think of many of the things

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 that we take for granted in our lives,

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 but have not,

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 we shouldn't take for granted.

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 Think of things like running water,

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 transport,

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 engineering feats

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 that allow us to live in massive buildings,

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 airplanes that fly in the sky.

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 For centuries,

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 even millennia,

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 these things were things

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 that most of society

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 didn't have in front of them.

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 But someone was able,

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 through wisdom,

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 to find a solution

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 and to break through the barriers.

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 So we can be very grateful

00:12:43.939 --> 00:12:45.559
 you don't need to walk a kilometer

00:12:45.559 --> 00:12:46.899
 with a bucket in your hand

00:12:46.899 --> 00:12:48.379
 down to the river

00:12:48.379 --> 00:12:49.939
 to find fresh running water.

00:12:50.379 --> 00:12:51.620
 No, you just turn on a tap.

00:12:52.319 --> 00:12:54.079
 Wisdom is able to bring great benefit

00:12:54.079 --> 00:12:55.439
 to our lives.

00:12:56.279 --> 00:12:57.939
 But look at what else he says.

00:12:58.019 --> 00:12:58.359
 He says,

00:12:58.360 --> 00:12:59.460
 the life of wisdom

00:12:59.460 --> 00:13:01.300
 is a source of joy

00:13:01.300 --> 00:13:02.200
 and blessing

00:13:02.200 --> 00:13:05.180
 to those who possess it,

00:13:05.240 --> 00:13:06.700
 but also to those around them.

00:13:07.139 --> 00:13:09.019
 Look at in 10 verse 12,

00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:09.840
 the final words

00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:11.080
 that Anastasia read to us.

00:13:11.560 --> 00:13:11.840
 He says,

00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:14.159
 the words of a wise man's mouth

00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:15.659
 bring favor

00:13:15.659 --> 00:13:17.120
 or bring grace.

00:13:18.820 --> 00:13:19.800
 I don't know if you've ever spent

00:13:19.800 --> 00:13:20.500
 an evening

00:13:20.500 --> 00:13:23.259
 with a really wise person,

00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:24.600
 someone you really esteem

00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:25.340
 and look up to.

00:13:25.340 --> 00:13:27.519
 And they just being themselves,

00:13:27.700 --> 00:13:29.480
 but you feel so enriched

00:13:29.480 --> 00:13:30.320
 by them.

00:13:31.580 --> 00:13:32.580
 The Hebrew here

00:13:32.580 --> 00:13:33.300
 could mean that

00:13:33.300 --> 00:13:34.899
 if you're a wise person,

00:13:35.019 --> 00:13:36.340
 your words bring grace

00:13:36.340 --> 00:13:37.800
 and favor to your life

00:13:37.800 --> 00:13:38.920
 because you're able

00:13:38.920 --> 00:13:40.139
 to navigate the challenges

00:13:40.139 --> 00:13:40.560
 of life

00:13:40.560 --> 00:13:42.240
 or you bring grace

00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:42.720
 and blessing

00:13:42.720 --> 00:13:43.840
 to those around you.

00:13:44.680 --> 00:13:45.899
 If you ever spend time

00:13:45.899 --> 00:13:46.280
 with someone

00:13:46.280 --> 00:13:47.160
 who's really wise,

00:13:47.280 --> 00:13:48.220
 you feel like

00:13:48.220 --> 00:13:49.120
 just their words

00:13:49.120 --> 00:13:50.320
 deposit grace

00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:50.800
 into your life.

00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:51.459
 You come away

00:13:51.459 --> 00:13:53.079
 from spending time

00:13:53.079 --> 00:13:53.679
 with that person

00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:55.139
 just feeling enriched

00:13:55.139 --> 00:13:55.759
 in life.

00:13:56.199 --> 00:13:57.219
 You feel so much better.

00:13:58.000 --> 00:13:58.279
 And actually,

00:13:58.379 --> 00:13:59.019
 how much better

00:13:59.019 --> 00:14:00.439
 when such a person

00:14:00.439 --> 00:14:01.259
 is the leader

00:14:01.259 --> 00:14:01.859
 of a city

00:14:01.859 --> 00:14:03.439
 because Anastasia

00:14:03.439 --> 00:14:04.379
 didn't read it to us,

00:14:04.439 --> 00:14:05.159
 but in verse 10,

00:14:05.259 --> 00:14:05.620
 he says,

00:14:06.120 --> 00:14:06.819
 woe to you,

00:14:06.899 --> 00:14:07.279
 O land,

00:14:07.339 --> 00:14:08.000
 when your king

00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:09.099
 is a young

00:14:09.099 --> 00:14:09.779
 and immature

00:14:09.779 --> 00:14:11.079
 and foolish leader.

00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:12.339
 You've got a leader

00:14:12.339 --> 00:14:12.899
 of a city,

00:14:13.379 --> 00:14:13.899
 they're immature,

00:14:14.059 --> 00:14:14.439
 they're young,

00:14:14.519 --> 00:14:15.000
 they're foolish,

00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:16.240
 they're living for themselves,

00:14:16.419 --> 00:14:17.219
 they're self-centered,

00:14:17.699 --> 00:14:18.639
 they're not very wise.

00:14:19.219 --> 00:14:19.959
 And what happens?

00:14:19.960 --> 00:14:21.240
 The whole city

00:14:21.240 --> 00:14:22.180
 languishes

00:14:22.180 --> 00:14:23.320
 under their rulership.

00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:25.300
 But O blessed are you,

00:14:25.400 --> 00:14:25.840
 O land,

00:14:25.940 --> 00:14:27.080
 when your rulers

00:14:27.080 --> 00:14:28.060
 are wise,

00:14:28.360 --> 00:14:29.340
 they bring grace

00:14:29.340 --> 00:14:29.920
 and favor

00:14:29.920 --> 00:14:30.580
 and blessing

00:14:30.580 --> 00:14:31.600
 into your life.

00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:32.980
 And so,

00:14:33.160 --> 00:14:33.879
 again and again,

00:14:33.960 --> 00:14:34.560
 the Bible says

00:14:34.560 --> 00:14:36.580
 wisdom is a great blessing,

00:14:36.780 --> 00:14:37.500
 a great benefit.

00:14:37.620 --> 00:14:38.879
 It's a friend to us.

00:14:39.420 --> 00:14:40.200
 That's why Proverbs

00:14:40.200 --> 00:14:40.500
 says,

00:14:40.920 --> 00:14:41.940
 seek out wisdom,

00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:43.139
 search for it,

00:14:43.420 --> 00:14:44.259
 pay for it.

00:14:44.560 --> 00:14:46.460
 Even if it costs you,

00:14:46.740 --> 00:14:47.600
 whatever you do,

00:14:47.780 --> 00:14:48.560
 get wisdom.

00:14:48.879 --> 00:14:49.759
 It's a great friend.

00:14:49.960 --> 00:14:51.340
 to our lives.

00:14:52.200 --> 00:14:52.600
 Friends,

00:14:52.660 --> 00:14:53.259
 our lives

00:14:53.259 --> 00:14:53.780
 and the lives

00:14:53.780 --> 00:14:54.580
 of those around us

00:14:54.580 --> 00:14:55.300
 and our city

00:14:55.300 --> 00:14:58.000
 would be so much better,

00:14:58.160 --> 00:14:59.200
 so much more blessed

00:14:59.200 --> 00:15:00.620
 if we were able

00:15:00.620 --> 00:15:01.840
 to fill our hearts

00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:02.379
 and our lives

00:15:02.379 --> 00:15:02.940
 with wisdom.

00:15:04.300 --> 00:15:05.500
 But the teacher here

00:15:05.500 --> 00:15:06.300
 also notices

00:15:06.300 --> 00:15:07.120
 something else

00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:07.759
 and he says,

00:15:08.300 --> 00:15:09.759
 even the most wise,

00:15:10.440 --> 00:15:11.879
 even the most brilliant

00:15:11.879 --> 00:15:12.560
 of people,

00:15:13.019 --> 00:15:13.700
 even those that we

00:15:13.700 --> 00:15:14.860
 really look up to

00:15:14.860 --> 00:15:16.420
 in honor and esteem,

00:15:16.419 --> 00:15:18.240
 even they are not

00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:19.419
 immune from the

00:15:19.419 --> 00:15:20.219
 shortcomings

00:15:20.219 --> 00:15:21.459
 of wisdom.

00:15:22.459 --> 00:15:22.959
 He says,

00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:24.099
 knowing how to

00:15:24.099 --> 00:15:25.219
 make life work,

00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:26.860
 you know how to

00:15:26.860 --> 00:15:28.179
 flourish in life,

00:15:28.599 --> 00:15:29.919
 it can serve you,

00:15:30.019 --> 00:15:30.879
 it can be a friend,

00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:32.879
 but it's not a silver bullet.

00:15:33.059 --> 00:15:33.699
 It doesn't solve

00:15:33.699 --> 00:15:34.719
 all of life's problems

00:15:34.719 --> 00:15:36.219
 because even the

00:15:36.219 --> 00:15:37.339
 most brilliant,

00:15:37.579 --> 00:15:38.779
 the most wise of us

00:15:38.779 --> 00:15:39.879
 are still going to

00:15:39.879 --> 00:15:40.419
 encounter the

00:15:40.419 --> 00:15:41.399
 shortcomings of wisdom.

00:15:41.399 --> 00:15:42.199
 Look at what he says

00:15:42.199 --> 00:15:43.939
 in 9 verse 15.

00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:45.100
 Remember he talks

00:15:45.100 --> 00:15:46.720
 about that poor man,

00:15:46.819 --> 00:15:47.879
 that wise man,

00:15:48.100 --> 00:15:49.579
 who saved his village

00:15:49.579 --> 00:15:50.539
 by his wisdom.

00:15:51.139 --> 00:15:51.779
 He says there was

00:15:51.779 --> 00:15:53.319
 found in it a wise man,

00:15:53.419 --> 00:15:54.379
 he by his wisdom

00:15:54.379 --> 00:15:55.159
 delivered the city,

00:15:55.319 --> 00:15:56.019
 but the next line,

00:15:56.659 --> 00:15:57.139
 yet no one

00:15:57.139 --> 00:15:57.799
 remembered him.

00:15:58.459 --> 00:15:59.519
 No one remembered

00:15:59.519 --> 00:16:00.139
 his wisdom.

00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:01.559
 In other words,

00:16:01.639 --> 00:16:03.240
 here is a city

00:16:03.240 --> 00:16:04.120
 that is saved

00:16:04.120 --> 00:16:05.120
 by this man,

00:16:05.799 --> 00:16:07.419
 but 30 years later

00:16:07.419 --> 00:16:08.299
 he dies,

00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:09.699
 and another king

00:16:09.699 --> 00:16:10.600
 comes and besieges

00:16:10.600 --> 00:16:11.120
 the city,

00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:12.059
 and no one

00:16:12.059 --> 00:16:13.019
 remembers his wisdom,

00:16:13.340 --> 00:16:13.919
 and the city,

00:16:14.120 --> 00:16:14.759
 the village

00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:15.779
 is just wiped out,

00:16:15.980 --> 00:16:16.819
 and in the grand

00:16:16.819 --> 00:16:17.539
 scheme of things,

00:16:17.659 --> 00:16:18.299
 who remembers,

00:16:18.439 --> 00:16:19.019
 who cares?

00:16:19.579 --> 00:16:20.019
 Nobody.

00:16:20.659 --> 00:16:21.319
 He's forgotten.

00:16:22.620 --> 00:16:23.299
 And isn't that true

00:16:23.299 --> 00:16:24.199
 of our lives as well?

00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:25.840
 Think of this city

00:16:25.840 --> 00:16:26.659
 in which we live

00:16:26.659 --> 00:16:28.179
 a hundred years ago.

00:16:28.259 --> 00:16:29.459
 Many brilliant,

00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:30.079
 wise,

00:16:30.220 --> 00:16:31.159
 outstanding people,

00:16:31.259 --> 00:16:32.340
 very selfless people,

00:16:32.439 --> 00:16:32.819
 people who

00:16:32.819 --> 00:16:34.199
 laid down their lives

00:16:34.199 --> 00:16:34.620
 for the good

00:16:34.620 --> 00:16:35.360
 of their families

00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:36.759
 or those around them.

00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:38.559
 A hundred years later,

00:16:38.840 --> 00:16:39.299
 does anybody

00:16:39.299 --> 00:16:40.000
 remember them?

00:16:40.940 --> 00:16:41.620
 What difference

00:16:41.620 --> 00:16:42.100
 did their lives

00:16:42.100 --> 00:16:42.679
 really make?

00:16:43.720 --> 00:16:44.360
 Think of even

00:16:44.360 --> 00:16:45.120
 the names

00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:46.139
 that our streets

00:16:46.139 --> 00:16:46.940
 are named after,

00:16:47.080 --> 00:16:47.220
 right?

00:16:47.299 --> 00:16:47.820
 That's one of the

00:16:47.820 --> 00:16:48.200
 great things

00:16:48.200 --> 00:16:48.779
 about Hong Kong.

00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:50.379
 All these street names

00:16:50.379 --> 00:16:50.899
 named after

00:16:50.899 --> 00:16:51.860
 brilliant people.

00:16:52.580 --> 00:16:53.139
 Do any of us

00:16:53.139 --> 00:16:53.559
 know what they

00:16:53.559 --> 00:16:54.139
 actually did?

00:16:54.620 --> 00:16:55.700
 More than a handful

00:16:55.700 --> 00:16:56.139
 of them?

00:16:57.720 --> 00:16:58.419
 You can have

00:16:58.419 --> 00:16:59.320
 the streets

00:16:59.320 --> 00:16:59.879
 named after you,

00:16:59.879 --> 00:17:00.080
 you can have

00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:00.539
 a whole city

00:17:00.539 --> 00:17:01.379
 named after you,

00:17:01.899 --> 00:17:02.580
 but in 200,

00:17:02.740 --> 00:17:03.740
 300 years' time,

00:17:04.200 --> 00:17:05.079
 who cares really?

00:17:06.039 --> 00:17:07.859
 Wisdom is good,

00:17:07.859 --> 00:17:08.979
 but it's short-lived.

00:17:10.119 --> 00:17:10.859
 Look at what else

00:17:10.859 --> 00:17:11.199
 he says.

00:17:11.259 --> 00:17:11.599
 He says,

00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:13.139
 Wisdom is great,

00:17:13.319 --> 00:17:14.379
 but it so quickly

00:17:14.379 --> 00:17:15.379
 gets spoiled

00:17:15.379 --> 00:17:16.319
 or cancelled.

00:17:17.099 --> 00:17:18.419
 Look at 10,

00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:19.319
 verse 1.

00:17:20.419 --> 00:17:20.799
 He says,

00:17:20.919 --> 00:17:21.839
 Dead flies

00:17:21.839 --> 00:17:23.119
 make the perfumer's

00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:23.659
 ointment

00:17:23.659 --> 00:17:24.799
 give off a stench,

00:17:25.179 --> 00:17:26.659
 so a little folly

00:17:26.659 --> 00:17:28.079
 outweighs wisdom

00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:28.659
 and honor.

00:17:29.679 --> 00:17:30.279
 Isn't that such

00:17:30.279 --> 00:17:31.199
 a great picture,

00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:31.519
 right?

00:17:32.519 --> 00:17:35.220
 You've got a cake

00:17:35.220 --> 00:17:36.200
 to your birthday.

00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:38.279
 Someone bakes you

00:17:38.279 --> 00:17:38.740
 a cake.

00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:39.839
 You're so excited

00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:41.900
 and you cut it open

00:17:41.900 --> 00:17:42.920
 and there's a worm

00:17:42.920 --> 00:17:43.420
 inside.

00:17:44.460 --> 00:17:46.160
 And that little thing

00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:47.639
 spoils the whole cake,

00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:47.940
 right?

00:17:48.599 --> 00:17:49.299
 You're not going to say,

00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:49.480
 Oh,

00:17:49.539 --> 00:17:50.500
 I'll just remove

00:17:50.500 --> 00:17:51.240
 that little piece,

00:17:51.319 --> 00:17:51.960
 but the rest of it

00:17:51.960 --> 00:17:52.460
 lets enjoy.

00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:53.059
 What are you going to do?

00:17:53.139 --> 00:17:53.759
 You're probably going

00:17:53.759 --> 00:17:54.579
 to throw it all out.

00:17:55.379 --> 00:17:56.160
 But isn't that true

00:17:56.160 --> 00:17:56.639
 of life,

00:17:56.700 --> 00:17:56.940
 right?

00:17:57.319 --> 00:17:58.220
 You have somebody

00:17:58.220 --> 00:17:59.539
 who's really brilliant,

00:18:00.099 --> 00:18:00.859
 they're absolutely wise,

00:18:00.859 --> 00:18:02.299
 they may be a great boss,

00:18:02.740 --> 00:18:03.619
 a great leader,

00:18:04.179 --> 00:18:05.179
 it may be your company

00:18:05.179 --> 00:18:05.839
 or an industry,

00:18:06.099 --> 00:18:07.439
 maybe a great pastor,

00:18:07.899 --> 00:18:08.699
 they really invest

00:18:08.699 --> 00:18:09.279
 in your life,

00:18:09.859 --> 00:18:10.559
 and they make

00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:12.000
 one stupid decision,

00:18:12.619 --> 00:18:13.879
 one foolish act,

00:18:14.419 --> 00:18:16.379
 one dumb mistake,

00:18:16.439 --> 00:18:17.759
 and how are their lives

00:18:17.759 --> 00:18:18.279
 remembered

00:18:18.279 --> 00:18:19.319
 for the rest

00:18:19.319 --> 00:18:20.000
 of their lives?

00:18:20.639 --> 00:18:21.639
 They are forever known

00:18:21.639 --> 00:18:22.639
 as the one person

00:18:22.639 --> 00:18:23.659
 that brought down

00:18:23.659 --> 00:18:24.359
 that company

00:18:24.359 --> 00:18:25.519
 or destroyed

00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:26.219
 that industry

00:18:26.219 --> 00:18:27.199
 or ruined

00:18:27.199 --> 00:18:27.919
 that church.

00:18:28.500 --> 00:18:29.199
 Forty years

00:18:29.199 --> 00:18:30.379
 of selfless service

00:18:30.380 --> 00:18:31.660
 40 years

00:18:31.660 --> 00:18:32.780
 of brilliant

00:18:32.780 --> 00:18:33.640
 wisdom

00:18:33.640 --> 00:18:34.740
 and teaching,

00:18:34.940 --> 00:18:35.380
 40 years

00:18:35.380 --> 00:18:36.400
 of great leadership

00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:37.600
 is reduced

00:18:37.600 --> 00:18:38.300
 to nothing

00:18:38.300 --> 00:18:39.060
 in a moment.

00:18:41.060 --> 00:18:41.860
 Wisdom is such

00:18:41.860 --> 00:18:42.600
 a great gift,

00:18:42.740 --> 00:18:43.540
 but it gets cancelled

00:18:43.540 --> 00:18:44.100
 so quickly.

00:18:45.080 --> 00:18:45.340
 Friends,

00:18:45.480 --> 00:18:46.800
 you can spend

00:18:46.800 --> 00:18:47.800
 the next 40 years

00:18:47.800 --> 00:18:48.260
 of your life

00:18:48.260 --> 00:18:49.480
 building your name,

00:18:49.620 --> 00:18:50.480
 your reputation,

00:18:51.100 --> 00:18:52.180
 and in an instant

00:18:52.180 --> 00:18:53.080
 it can get cancelled.

00:18:53.840 --> 00:18:54.560
 It can get spoiled.

00:18:55.960 --> 00:18:56.840
 Look what else

00:18:56.840 --> 00:18:57.380
 he says here.

00:18:57.460 --> 00:18:57.800
 He says,

00:18:57.799 --> 00:18:59.500
 as great as it is

00:18:59.500 --> 00:19:00.859
 to be a wise person,

00:19:01.159 --> 00:19:02.779
 wisdom can't deliver you

00:19:02.779 --> 00:19:04.379
 from the unpredictableness

00:19:04.379 --> 00:19:06.000
 of life.

00:19:07.379 --> 00:19:08.559
 We all tend to think

00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:10.440
 that if we live life well,

00:19:10.539 --> 00:19:12.119
 if we have the smarts,

00:19:12.440 --> 00:19:13.359
 if we're academically

00:19:13.359 --> 00:19:14.599
 sharp and diligent

00:19:14.599 --> 00:19:15.759
 and we work hard,

00:19:16.079 --> 00:19:17.960
 we will make life work.

00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:19.220
 We will succeed.

00:19:20.039 --> 00:19:21.119
 And the teacher says,

00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:22.500
 not necessarily.

00:19:23.740 --> 00:19:25.099
 Even the smartest people

00:19:25.099 --> 00:19:25.519
 in life,

00:19:25.639 --> 00:19:26.619
 there's unpredictableness.

00:19:26.619 --> 00:19:27.559
 Look what he says

00:19:27.559 --> 00:19:28.359
 in 10,

00:19:28.459 --> 00:19:29.639
 verse 8 and 9.

00:19:30.599 --> 00:19:30.819
 He says,

00:19:30.899 --> 00:19:31.559
 a wise man,

00:19:31.679 --> 00:19:34.279
 he plans a building project,

00:19:34.399 --> 00:19:35.219
 he digs a pit,

00:19:35.739 --> 00:19:36.639
 oh, he falls into it

00:19:36.639 --> 00:19:37.199
 and he dies.

00:19:38.199 --> 00:19:39.039
 An architect,

00:19:39.199 --> 00:19:39.759
 an engineer,

00:19:40.119 --> 00:19:41.479
 he decides to break

00:19:41.479 --> 00:19:42.099
 through a wall

00:19:42.099 --> 00:19:42.879
 and he doesn't know

00:19:42.879 --> 00:19:43.679
 on the other side

00:19:43.679 --> 00:19:44.839
 death is waiting for him.

00:19:45.739 --> 00:19:46.239
 Verse 9,

00:19:46.579 --> 00:19:48.099
 he who quarries stones,

00:19:48.519 --> 00:19:49.319
 he wants to build

00:19:49.319 --> 00:19:50.619
 his retirement home

00:19:50.619 --> 00:19:51.599
 and so he gets

00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:52.119
 some stones

00:19:52.119 --> 00:19:52.579
 and he's just

00:19:52.579 --> 00:19:54.799
 chiseling them off,

00:19:54.799 --> 00:19:56.659
 just doing the final touches

00:19:56.659 --> 00:19:57.919
 to his dream home

00:19:57.919 --> 00:20:00.619
 and he's left blind.

00:20:00.980 --> 00:20:01.799
 Stone shoots up

00:20:01.799 --> 00:20:02.819
 and takes out his eye.

00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:04.639
 He who splits logs

00:20:04.639 --> 00:20:05.779
 is endangered by them.

00:20:06.460 --> 00:20:07.879
 Maybe you're the wisest person.

00:20:08.200 --> 00:20:09.859
 You plan perfectly,

00:20:10.419 --> 00:20:11.159
 you do your checks

00:20:11.159 --> 00:20:11.700
 and balances,

00:20:12.019 --> 00:20:13.099
 everything in order,

00:20:13.859 --> 00:20:14.759
 but there's a whole lot

00:20:14.759 --> 00:20:15.919
 of life that is unpredictable

00:20:15.919 --> 00:20:17.159
 and beyond your control.

00:20:18.039 --> 00:20:18.960
 Maybe you're a very

00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:20.139
 careful driver.

00:20:20.140 --> 00:20:20.220
 driver.

00:20:20.920 --> 00:20:22.480
 You drive very carefully,

00:20:22.580 --> 00:20:22.980
 you always stick

00:20:22.980 --> 00:20:23.860
 to the speed limit,

00:20:24.500 --> 00:20:26.100
 safety belt,

00:20:26.220 --> 00:20:27.320
 double safety belt,

00:20:27.780 --> 00:20:29.140
 you drive the safest car

00:20:29.140 --> 00:20:29.900
 on the road,

00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:30.900
 oh, but there's

00:20:30.900 --> 00:20:31.800
 a foolish driver

00:20:31.800 --> 00:20:33.480
 that's looking at his phone

00:20:33.480 --> 00:20:34.759
 and he cuts across traffic,

00:20:35.240 --> 00:20:35.940
 takes you out.

00:20:36.940 --> 00:20:37.640
 When I was growing up,

00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:39.320
 we had a very,

00:20:39.480 --> 00:20:40.759
 very close family friend

00:20:40.759 --> 00:20:41.540
 in South Africa

00:20:41.540 --> 00:20:43.100
 and he used to,

00:20:43.400 --> 00:20:45.160
 he drove motorbikes,

00:20:45.240 --> 00:20:45.940
 he loved motorbikes,

00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:46.920
 but he was an extremely

00:20:46.920 --> 00:20:47.720
 careful driver.

00:20:47.820 --> 00:20:48.320
 He always said,

00:20:48.680 --> 00:20:49.720
 you drive a motorbike

00:20:49.720 --> 00:20:50.339
 like you drive

00:20:50.339 --> 00:20:51.539
 the biggest lorry

00:20:51.539 --> 00:20:52.140
 on the road.

00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:53.600
 If you can't drive

00:20:53.600 --> 00:20:54.680
 a bus through that gap,

00:20:54.740 --> 00:20:55.460
 you don't take the gap,

00:20:55.539 --> 00:20:56.600
 very safe driver.

00:20:57.319 --> 00:20:58.420
 One day he flies

00:20:58.420 --> 00:20:59.660
 back into Johannesburg,

00:20:59.740 --> 00:21:00.500
 he phones his wife

00:21:00.500 --> 00:21:00.940
 at the airport

00:21:00.940 --> 00:21:01.380
 and says,

00:21:01.600 --> 00:21:02.460
 I've just landed,

00:21:02.579 --> 00:21:03.079
 I'll be home

00:21:03.079 --> 00:21:04.059
 in 45 minutes,

00:21:04.180 --> 00:21:04.680
 see you there.

00:21:05.500 --> 00:21:06.299
 He doesn't come home.

00:21:07.160 --> 00:21:07.920
 He's driving home

00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:09.519
 and a truck driver,

00:21:09.700 --> 00:21:10.240
 a guy didn't have

00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:10.740
 his license,

00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:11.819
 wasn't concentrating,

00:21:12.059 --> 00:21:12.819
 goes off the road,

00:21:12.940 --> 00:21:13.559
 cuts across,

00:21:13.860 --> 00:21:14.519
 hits him

00:21:14.519 --> 00:21:14.900
 and in the instant

00:21:14.900 --> 00:21:15.380
 he's dead.

00:21:16.539 --> 00:21:17.039
 You can be

00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:18.180
 the wisest person,

00:21:18.279 --> 00:21:18.880
 but there's a whole

00:21:18.880 --> 00:21:19.319
 lot of life

00:21:19.319 --> 00:21:20.159
 that is unpredictable.

00:21:20.379 --> 00:21:22.279
 You can't manage.

00:21:23.259 --> 00:21:23.720
 And so look at

00:21:23.720 --> 00:21:24.819
 what the teacher says.

00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:25.599
 Finally,

00:21:25.799 --> 00:21:26.159
 he says,

00:21:26.599 --> 00:21:27.619
 the final thing

00:21:27.619 --> 00:21:28.179
 about wisdom,

00:21:28.439 --> 00:21:28.740
 he says,

00:21:29.159 --> 00:21:30.399
 wisdom actually

00:21:30.399 --> 00:21:31.839
 can't deliver you

00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:34.200
 from the main problem,

00:21:34.679 --> 00:21:35.899
 the one enemy,

00:21:36.500 --> 00:21:37.480
 the one adversary

00:21:37.480 --> 00:21:38.720
 that all of us

00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:40.799
 ultimately must face

00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:42.000
 and that is

00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:42.720
 our mortality.

00:21:43.639 --> 00:21:44.460
 The fact that

00:21:44.460 --> 00:21:45.059
 one day

00:21:45.059 --> 00:21:46.000
 all of us

00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:47.279
 are going to die.

00:21:47.279 --> 00:21:48.220
 Look at what he says

00:21:48.220 --> 00:21:49.200
 in chapter 9

00:21:49.200 --> 00:21:50.399
 verse 11 and 12.

00:21:50.559 --> 00:21:50.799
 He says,

00:21:51.119 --> 00:21:51.920
 again I saw

00:21:51.920 --> 00:21:52.680
 under the sun

00:21:52.680 --> 00:21:54.259
 the race is not

00:21:54.259 --> 00:21:55.000
 to the swift

00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:55.839
 nor the battle

00:21:55.839 --> 00:21:56.680
 to the strong

00:21:56.680 --> 00:21:58.139
 nor bread,

00:21:58.220 --> 00:21:59.160
 he means economic

00:21:59.160 --> 00:22:00.039
 like food

00:22:00.039 --> 00:22:00.799
 to the wise,

00:22:01.139 --> 00:22:01.819
 nor riches

00:22:01.819 --> 00:22:02.779
 to the intelligent,

00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:04.119
 nor favor

00:22:04.119 --> 00:22:05.500
 to those with knowledge,

00:22:05.899 --> 00:22:07.180
 but time and chance

00:22:07.180 --> 00:22:08.500
 happen to all of us.

00:22:09.019 --> 00:22:10.039
 For man does not

00:22:10.039 --> 00:22:10.859
 know his time.

00:22:11.399 --> 00:22:12.139
 Like fish,

00:22:12.220 --> 00:22:12.819
 they are taken

00:22:12.819 --> 00:22:13.759
 in an evil net.

00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:14.940
 Like birds,

00:22:14.940 --> 00:22:15.759
 they are caught up

00:22:15.759 --> 00:22:16.620
 in an evil snare.

00:22:17.259 --> 00:22:18.740
 So the children of man

00:22:18.740 --> 00:22:19.460
 are snared

00:22:19.460 --> 00:22:20.700
 at an evil time

00:22:20.700 --> 00:22:22.000
 when it suddenly

00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:23.140
 falls upon them.

00:22:24.400 --> 00:22:24.680
 He says,

00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:25.460
 ultimately you can be

00:22:25.460 --> 00:22:26.640
 the smartest,

00:22:26.900 --> 00:22:28.059
 most brilliant person

00:22:28.059 --> 00:22:28.519
 in the world.

00:22:29.100 --> 00:22:29.740
 You can be the most

00:22:29.740 --> 00:22:30.220
 diligent,

00:22:30.440 --> 00:22:31.220
 hard working,

00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:32.519
 well organized,

00:22:32.779 --> 00:22:33.840
 sharpest person.

00:22:34.500 --> 00:22:35.279
 But ultimately

00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:36.820
 there is an adversary

00:22:36.820 --> 00:22:37.980
 that all of us

00:22:37.980 --> 00:22:39.180
 face

00:22:39.180 --> 00:22:40.840
 that none of us

00:22:40.840 --> 00:22:41.779
 can outsmart.

00:22:41.779 --> 00:22:43.599
 I heard a story

00:22:43.599 --> 00:22:44.759
 recently of a man

00:22:44.759 --> 00:22:45.319
 in the UK,

00:22:46.139 --> 00:22:46.779
 he goes to an

00:22:46.779 --> 00:22:47.379
 elders meeting

00:22:47.379 --> 00:22:48.359
 at church one night,

00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:49.799
 at the end of

00:22:49.799 --> 00:22:50.339
 the elders meeting

00:22:50.339 --> 00:22:51.220
 he gets a phone call.

00:22:52.059 --> 00:22:52.779
 Your wife has just

00:22:52.779 --> 00:22:53.460
 passed away.

00:22:54.200 --> 00:22:55.079
 So what happened?

00:22:55.160 --> 00:22:55.799
 She was healthy.

00:22:56.960 --> 00:22:58.139
 Adult sudden death

00:22:58.139 --> 00:22:58.500
 syndrome.

00:22:58.700 --> 00:22:59.859
 No medical explanation,

00:23:00.259 --> 00:23:00.899
 she is at home,

00:23:01.379 --> 00:23:02.379
 she suddenly just dies.

00:23:03.940 --> 00:23:04.359
 And the author

00:23:04.359 --> 00:23:05.779
 wants us to see

00:23:06.420 --> 00:23:08.680
 that the mortality

00:23:08.680 --> 00:23:09.779
 rate for humanity

00:23:09.779 --> 00:23:12.639
 is still 100%.

00:23:12.639 --> 00:23:14.879
 That all of us

00:23:14.879 --> 00:23:16.079
 ultimately

00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:18.000
 are going to die.

00:23:19.059 --> 00:23:19.579
 And that's what

00:23:19.579 --> 00:23:20.059
 the teacher

00:23:20.059 --> 00:23:21.059
 Kehelith is saying.

00:23:21.160 --> 00:23:22.420
 Even the brightest,

00:23:22.599 --> 00:23:23.440
 even the smartest,

00:23:24.119 --> 00:23:25.319
 even the shrewdest

00:23:25.319 --> 00:23:26.539
 escape artist

00:23:26.539 --> 00:23:28.539
 cannot escape

00:23:28.539 --> 00:23:31.160
 our one final enemy,

00:23:32.119 --> 00:23:32.500
 death.

00:23:33.779 --> 00:23:35.339
 Now I know that

00:23:35.339 --> 00:23:36.500
 in Asia

00:23:36.500 --> 00:23:37.639
 we don't like to

00:23:37.639 --> 00:23:38.619
 talk about death

00:23:38.619 --> 00:23:39.579
 very much, right?

00:23:39.599 --> 00:23:40.199
 It's the thing

00:23:40.199 --> 00:23:42.000
 we try to avoid

00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:42.839
 talking about.

00:23:43.639 --> 00:23:44.779
 We say when

00:23:44.779 --> 00:23:45.579
 someone dies,

00:23:45.639 --> 00:23:46.379
 we say they've

00:23:46.379 --> 00:23:47.039
 passed on,

00:23:47.299 --> 00:23:48.379
 they've passed away.

00:23:49.019 --> 00:23:50.000
 We have euphemisms

00:23:50.000 --> 00:23:51.959
 to soften it,

00:23:51.979 --> 00:23:53.179
 to not talk about it.

00:23:54.319 --> 00:23:55.500
 Death is the one thing

00:23:55.500 --> 00:23:57.199
 we all try to avoid

00:23:57.199 --> 00:23:58.399
 thinking about

00:23:58.399 --> 00:23:59.279
 and talking about.

00:24:00.899 --> 00:24:01.439
 Claire and I

00:24:01.439 --> 00:24:02.319
 have this friend

00:24:02.319 --> 00:24:04.339
 who's from Hong Kong,

00:24:04.439 --> 00:24:05.219
 he grew up

00:24:05.219 --> 00:24:06.379
 overseas abroad,

00:24:06.380 --> 00:24:08.640
 and when he was

00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:08.900
 younger,

00:24:08.980 --> 00:24:09.680
 his father

00:24:09.680 --> 00:24:10.420
 passed away

00:24:10.420 --> 00:24:10.960
 one day,

00:24:11.680 --> 00:24:12.660
 but the extended

00:24:12.660 --> 00:24:13.480
 family was still

00:24:13.480 --> 00:24:14.320
 here in Hong Kong

00:24:14.320 --> 00:24:16.140
 and for two years

00:24:16.140 --> 00:24:17.200
 they didn't tell

00:24:17.200 --> 00:24:17.940
 the family

00:24:17.940 --> 00:24:19.060
 that the father

00:24:19.060 --> 00:24:19.940
 had passed away.

00:24:20.920 --> 00:24:21.540
 And so the

00:24:21.540 --> 00:24:22.360
 grandparents would

00:24:22.360 --> 00:24:22.840
 phone

00:24:22.840 --> 00:24:24.320
 and my friend

00:24:24.320 --> 00:24:25.320
 would lower his

00:24:25.320 --> 00:24:26.020
 voice and answer

00:24:26.020 --> 00:24:26.780
 the phone and say,

00:24:26.880 --> 00:24:28.360
 yes, yes, no,

00:24:28.940 --> 00:24:29.380
 we're all doing

00:24:29.380 --> 00:24:29.940
 well here,

00:24:30.480 --> 00:24:31.520
 kids just send

00:24:31.520 --> 00:24:32.040
 their love.

00:24:32.500 --> 00:24:33.339
 And for two years

00:24:33.339 --> 00:24:34.240
 he would pretend

00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:35.440
 to be his dad

00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:36.519
 because they didn't

00:24:36.519 --> 00:24:37.180
 want to let the

00:24:37.180 --> 00:24:37.920
 family know that

00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:38.859
 their son had

00:24:38.859 --> 00:24:39.960
 passed away.

00:24:40.740 --> 00:24:41.619
 We all try to

00:24:41.619 --> 00:24:42.559
 avoid thinking

00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:43.299
 about it and

00:24:43.299 --> 00:24:44.619
 talking about it.

00:24:45.460 --> 00:24:46.039
 But actually,

00:24:46.180 --> 00:24:46.680
 Kohelet,

00:24:46.920 --> 00:24:47.599
 the teacher,

00:24:48.460 --> 00:24:49.220
 says that

00:24:49.220 --> 00:24:50.960
 thinking about

00:24:50.960 --> 00:24:51.879
 our mortality,

00:24:52.220 --> 00:24:52.779
 thinking about

00:24:52.779 --> 00:24:53.440
 the fact that

00:24:53.440 --> 00:24:54.200
 all of us

00:24:54.200 --> 00:24:55.079
 one day are

00:24:55.079 --> 00:24:55.859
 going to die,

00:24:56.460 --> 00:24:57.119
 is actually a

00:24:57.119 --> 00:24:57.879
 source of wisdom.

00:24:58.720 --> 00:24:59.279
 It's one of the

00:24:59.279 --> 00:24:59.839
 ways that we can

00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:00.940
 steward our lives

00:25:00.940 --> 00:25:01.360
 well.

00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:03.000
 Do you remember

00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:04.120
 the prayer that

00:25:04.120 --> 00:25:05.160
 Moses prays in

00:25:05.160 --> 00:25:05.799
 Psalm 90?

00:25:06.059 --> 00:25:06.259
 He says,

00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:07.600
 teach us to

00:25:07.600 --> 00:25:09.000
 number our days,

00:25:09.100 --> 00:25:09.500
 O Lord,

00:25:09.559 --> 00:25:10.460
 that we may get

00:25:10.460 --> 00:25:11.700
 a heart of

00:25:11.700 --> 00:25:12.039
 wisdom.

00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:13.960
 I know that

00:25:13.960 --> 00:25:14.900
 we all think

00:25:14.900 --> 00:25:15.259
 we're going to

00:25:15.259 --> 00:25:15.840
 live forever,

00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:16.840
 especially if you're

00:25:16.840 --> 00:25:17.940
 25 or younger,

00:25:18.080 --> 00:25:18.759
 you feel like,

00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:19.880
 I'm immortal,

00:25:20.039 --> 00:25:20.259
 right?

00:25:20.700 --> 00:25:21.880
 I'll never face

00:25:21.880 --> 00:25:22.440
 those things.

00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:23.759
 Old age is a

00:25:23.759 --> 00:25:25.019
 long way off.

00:25:25.140 --> 00:25:25.360
 Well,

00:25:25.820 --> 00:25:26.640
 take it from me,

00:25:27.140 --> 00:25:27.840
 your hair starts

00:25:27.840 --> 00:25:28.620
 to recede sooner

00:25:28.620 --> 00:25:29.320
 than you think.

00:25:30.080 --> 00:25:30.220
 Right?

00:25:30.220 --> 00:25:31.700
 Age old starts,

00:25:32.140 --> 00:25:33.120
 old age starts

00:25:33.120 --> 00:25:33.720
 to set in.

00:25:34.660 --> 00:25:35.960
 But the teacher,

00:25:36.100 --> 00:25:36.539
 Kohelet,

00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:38.240
 says that thinking

00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:39.680
 about death

00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:40.620
 actually is one

00:25:40.620 --> 00:25:41.279
 way that we get

00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:41.720
 wisdom.

00:25:42.759 --> 00:25:43.539
 Realizing that we

00:25:43.539 --> 00:25:44.360
 are not immortal

00:25:44.360 --> 00:25:45.319
 helps us to

00:25:45.319 --> 00:25:46.220
 steward our lives

00:25:46.220 --> 00:25:46.420
 well.

00:25:46.779 --> 00:25:47.240
 Look what he

00:25:47.240 --> 00:25:48.480
 says here in

00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:49.819
 chapter 9,

00:25:49.900 --> 00:25:50.940
 verse 7 to 10.

00:25:51.079 --> 00:25:51.480
 He says,

00:25:51.600 --> 00:25:52.180
 he's talking about

00:25:52.180 --> 00:25:52.700
 death and he

00:25:52.700 --> 00:25:52.900
 says,

00:25:53.519 --> 00:25:54.380
 so go and eat

00:25:54.380 --> 00:25:55.039
 your bread with

00:25:55.039 --> 00:25:55.360
 joy.

00:25:56.000 --> 00:25:56.799
 Drink your wine

00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:57.759
 with a merry heart.

00:25:57.860 --> 00:25:58.160
 He's saying,

00:25:58.480 --> 00:25:58.680
 listen,

00:25:58.779 --> 00:25:59.220
 you're not going to

00:25:59.220 --> 00:26:00.019
 live life forever,

00:26:00.440 --> 00:26:01.279
 so actually enjoy

00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:02.000
 your life.

00:26:02.779 --> 00:26:03.360
 And verse 9,

00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:04.620
 enjoy life with

00:26:04.620 --> 00:26:05.259
 the wife whom

00:26:05.259 --> 00:26:05.779
 you love.

00:26:06.220 --> 00:26:07.180
 Enjoy the days

00:26:07.180 --> 00:26:08.200
 of your vain life

00:26:08.200 --> 00:26:08.759
 that God has

00:26:08.759 --> 00:26:09.400
 given you under

00:26:09.400 --> 00:26:09.900
 the sun.

00:26:10.400 --> 00:26:11.100
 Whatever your

00:26:11.100 --> 00:26:12.720
 hand finds to

00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:12.940
 do,

00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:14.059
 do it with all

00:26:14.059 --> 00:26:14.700
 your might.

00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:16.839
 Now,

00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:19.400
 he's not saying

00:26:19.400 --> 00:26:21.140
 just go party

00:26:21.140 --> 00:26:21.600
 it up,

00:26:22.140 --> 00:26:22.819
 take drugs,

00:26:23.339 --> 00:26:24.140
 drink yourself

00:26:24.140 --> 00:26:24.860
 into a stupor

00:26:24.860 --> 00:26:25.200
 because,

00:26:25.360 --> 00:26:25.440
 hey,

00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:26.059
 you've just got

00:26:26.059 --> 00:26:26.700
 one life to

00:26:26.700 --> 00:26:27.000
 live.

00:26:27.679 --> 00:26:28.099
 YOLO,

00:26:28.200 --> 00:26:28.679
 you only live

00:26:28.679 --> 00:26:28.980
 once,

00:26:29.099 --> 00:26:29.519
 so just,

00:26:29.679 --> 00:26:29.940
 you know,

00:26:29.980 --> 00:26:30.659
 make it happen,

00:26:30.740 --> 00:26:30.980
 right?

00:26:31.500 --> 00:26:32.200
 Because what does

00:26:32.200 --> 00:26:32.980
 verse 8 say?

00:26:33.240 --> 00:26:34.139
 Read it with me.

00:26:34.919 --> 00:26:35.700
 He says,

00:26:35.819 --> 00:26:36.379
 verse 8,

00:26:37.960 --> 00:26:38.819
 let your garments

00:26:38.819 --> 00:26:39.980
 always be white,

00:26:40.119 --> 00:26:41.659
 let not oil be

00:26:41.659 --> 00:26:42.339
 lacking on your

00:26:42.339 --> 00:26:42.659
 head.

00:26:43.539 --> 00:26:43.960
 So he's saying,

00:26:44.039 --> 00:26:44.700
 live your life

00:26:44.700 --> 00:26:45.799
 with purity,

00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:47.159
 live your life

00:26:47.159 --> 00:26:48.059
 before the face

00:26:48.059 --> 00:26:48.839
 of God Almighty,

00:26:49.519 --> 00:26:50.779
 but before God,

00:26:51.000 --> 00:26:51.319
 live,

00:26:52.119 --> 00:26:53.240
 enjoy your life

00:26:53.240 --> 00:26:54.240
 to the one

00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:54.960
 life that he's

00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:55.539
 given you.

00:26:57.160 --> 00:26:58.240
 But ultimately,

00:26:58.539 --> 00:26:59.120
 what Koheleth

00:26:59.120 --> 00:26:59.980
 really wants us

00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:01.180
 to get about

00:27:01.180 --> 00:27:02.019
 death is this,

00:27:03.000 --> 00:27:03.759
 that death

00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:04.680
 is the great

00:27:04.680 --> 00:27:05.599
 equalizer

00:27:05.599 --> 00:27:06.859
 of all

00:27:06.859 --> 00:27:07.500
 humanity.

00:27:09.059 --> 00:27:09.799
 Death is

00:27:09.799 --> 00:27:10.400
 coming to

00:27:10.400 --> 00:27:11.299
 all of us.

00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:12.400
 He says,

00:27:12.440 --> 00:27:12.920
 it doesn't matter

00:27:12.920 --> 00:27:13.539
 who you are,

00:27:13.620 --> 00:27:13.960
 what your

00:27:13.960 --> 00:27:14.819
 background is,

00:27:15.359 --> 00:27:15.859
 what your

00:27:15.859 --> 00:27:16.640
 culture is,

00:27:17.180 --> 00:27:17.980
 how brilliant

00:27:17.980 --> 00:27:18.759
 or successful

00:27:18.759 --> 00:27:19.420
 you've been.

00:27:20.019 --> 00:27:20.779
 It doesn't matter

00:27:20.779 --> 00:27:21.599
 how healthy

00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:22.180
 you eat,

00:27:22.180 --> 00:27:22.860
 how much

00:27:22.860 --> 00:27:23.900
 exercise you do.

00:27:24.220 --> 00:27:25.100
 Exercise is good.

00:27:25.539 --> 00:27:26.060
 It'll mean that

00:27:26.060 --> 00:27:27.019
 when you are alive,

00:27:27.080 --> 00:27:27.660
 at least your life

00:27:27.660 --> 00:27:28.759
 will be maybe

00:27:28.759 --> 00:27:29.140
 better.

00:27:29.380 --> 00:27:30.220
 Exercise is good.

00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:31.460
 But even if you're

00:27:31.460 --> 00:27:32.279
 the best exercise

00:27:32.279 --> 00:27:32.660
 in the world,

00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:33.400
 even if you only

00:27:33.400 --> 00:27:34.400
 eat healthy food,

00:27:34.880 --> 00:27:35.519
 you are still

00:27:35.519 --> 00:27:36.200
 going to die.

00:27:37.060 --> 00:27:37.440
 He says,

00:27:37.480 --> 00:27:38.060
 it doesn't matter

00:27:38.060 --> 00:27:38.740
 whether you're

00:27:38.740 --> 00:27:39.320
 a billionaire

00:27:39.320 --> 00:27:40.580
 or whether

00:27:40.580 --> 00:27:41.660
 you sweep

00:27:41.660 --> 00:27:42.880
 the streets

00:27:42.880 --> 00:27:43.400
 for a living.

00:27:44.019 --> 00:27:44.700
 It doesn't matter

00:27:44.700 --> 00:27:45.400
 whether your name

00:27:45.400 --> 00:27:46.000
 is on lights

00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:46.740
 and newspapers,

00:27:46.960 --> 00:27:47.660
 your name is on

00:27:47.660 --> 00:27:48.660
 buildings all

00:27:48.660 --> 00:27:49.500
 around Hong Kong,

00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:50.640
 or nobody

00:27:50.640 --> 00:27:51.580
 knows your name.

00:27:52.180 --> 00:27:53.220
 all of us

00:27:53.220 --> 00:27:53.740
 one day

00:27:53.740 --> 00:27:54.940
 are going to

00:27:54.940 --> 00:27:55.580
 face death.

00:27:55.880 --> 00:27:56.440
 Look at how he

00:27:56.440 --> 00:27:56.880
 says it in

00:27:56.880 --> 00:27:57.460
 chapter 9,

00:27:57.539 --> 00:27:58.519
 verse 2 and 3.

00:27:59.120 --> 00:27:59.500
 He says,

00:27:59.539 --> 00:28:00.200
 it is the same

00:28:00.200 --> 00:28:00.940
 for all of us

00:28:00.940 --> 00:28:01.720
 since the same

00:28:01.720 --> 00:28:02.779
 event happens

00:28:02.779 --> 00:28:03.539
 to the righteous

00:28:03.539 --> 00:28:05.019
 and to the wicked,

00:28:05.400 --> 00:28:06.120
 to the good

00:28:06.120 --> 00:28:07.080
 and to the evil,

00:28:07.560 --> 00:28:08.299
 to the clean

00:28:08.299 --> 00:28:09.460
 and to the unclean,

00:28:09.960 --> 00:28:10.940
 to him who

00:28:10.940 --> 00:28:11.759
 sacrifices

00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:12.960
 and to him

00:28:12.960 --> 00:28:13.640
 who does not.

00:28:14.500 --> 00:28:15.440
 As the good

00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:15.880
 one is,

00:28:15.980 --> 00:28:16.880
 so is the sinner,

00:28:16.980 --> 00:28:18.039
 the one who swears,

00:28:18.120 --> 00:28:18.799
 and that means

00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:19.660
 swears an oath

00:28:19.660 --> 00:28:20.120
 to God,

00:28:20.380 --> 00:28:20.759
 and the one

00:28:20.759 --> 00:28:21.740
 who shuns his oath.

00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:23.559
 This is an evil,

00:28:23.920 --> 00:28:24.680
 there is an evil

00:28:24.680 --> 00:28:25.759
 that is in all

00:28:25.759 --> 00:28:26.220
 that is done

00:28:26.220 --> 00:28:26.859
 under the sun.

00:28:27.220 --> 00:28:28.259
 The same event

00:28:28.259 --> 00:28:29.200
 happens to all.

00:28:29.700 --> 00:28:30.660
 The hearts of the

00:28:30.660 --> 00:28:31.400
 children of man

00:28:31.400 --> 00:28:32.200
 are full of evil

00:28:32.200 --> 00:28:32.819
 and madness

00:28:32.819 --> 00:28:33.619
 is in their hearts

00:28:33.619 --> 00:28:34.259
 while they live.

00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:35.559
 And after that,

00:28:36.039 --> 00:28:36.740
 they all go

00:28:36.740 --> 00:28:37.940
 to the dead.

00:28:39.379 --> 00:28:40.180
 The teacher

00:28:40.180 --> 00:28:41.039
 is telling us

00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:41.660
 that death

00:28:41.660 --> 00:28:42.440
 is the great

00:28:42.440 --> 00:28:43.359
 equalizer

00:28:43.359 --> 00:28:45.119
 of all humanity.

00:28:46.000 --> 00:28:46.460
 It doesn't matter

00:28:46.460 --> 00:28:47.059
 who you are

00:28:47.059 --> 00:28:47.960
 or where you come from,

00:28:47.960 --> 00:28:49.279
 the ground

00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:50.480
 at death's door

00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:51.620
 is equal.

00:28:53.620 --> 00:28:54.120
 You know,

00:28:54.140 --> 00:28:54.559
 in Hong Kong

00:28:54.559 --> 00:28:56.059
 we love to compare,

00:28:56.240 --> 00:28:56.500
 right?

00:28:57.180 --> 00:28:58.180
 Where do you live?

00:28:58.740 --> 00:28:59.299
 What street

00:28:59.299 --> 00:28:59.860
 do you live on?

00:29:00.380 --> 00:29:01.000
 What school

00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:01.720
 did you go to?

00:29:02.279 --> 00:29:03.079
 What company

00:29:03.079 --> 00:29:03.759
 do you work for?

00:29:04.360 --> 00:29:04.940
 How quickly

00:29:04.940 --> 00:29:05.660
 have you progressed

00:29:05.660 --> 00:29:06.240
 through your career?

00:29:06.340 --> 00:29:07.200
 We love to compare.

00:29:08.319 --> 00:29:08.960
 And the teacher

00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:09.579
 here is saying

00:29:09.579 --> 00:29:10.960
 all those comparisons

00:29:10.960 --> 00:29:11.900
 ultimately

00:29:11.900 --> 00:29:13.240
 are meaningless

00:29:13.240 --> 00:29:14.660
 because

00:29:14.660 --> 00:29:16.059
 there is

00:29:16.059 --> 00:29:17.039
 an equalizer

00:29:17.039 --> 00:29:18.140
 that will come

00:29:18.140 --> 00:29:19.200
 to all of us.

00:29:20.359 --> 00:29:20.960
 The race

00:29:20.960 --> 00:29:21.839
 is not to the swift.

00:29:22.480 --> 00:29:23.059
 The battle

00:29:23.059 --> 00:29:24.000
 is not to the strong.

00:29:24.299 --> 00:29:24.660
 The rich

00:29:24.660 --> 00:29:25.819
 is not to the intelligent.

00:29:26.559 --> 00:29:27.500
 Time and chance

00:29:27.500 --> 00:29:28.519
 happen to them all.

00:29:29.599 --> 00:29:30.420
 This is

00:29:30.420 --> 00:29:31.039
 life

00:29:31.039 --> 00:29:31.960
 under the sun.

00:29:32.680 --> 00:29:33.279
 This is what

00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:33.779
 the teacher

00:29:33.779 --> 00:29:34.460
 observes

00:29:34.460 --> 00:29:35.059
 and sees

00:29:35.059 --> 00:29:35.880
 around him.

00:29:36.480 --> 00:29:37.559
 This is our lot

00:29:37.559 --> 00:29:38.120
 in life.

00:29:38.940 --> 00:29:39.440
 And so he says

00:29:39.440 --> 00:29:40.220
 seek wisdom.

00:29:40.400 --> 00:29:41.539
 Wisdom can benefit you.

00:29:42.079 --> 00:29:42.759
 Wisdom is good.

00:29:42.759 --> 00:29:43.599
 It can be your friend.

00:29:43.879 --> 00:29:44.960
 But it's not

00:29:44.960 --> 00:29:46.019
 the silver bullet.

00:29:46.539 --> 00:29:47.299
 It cannot

00:29:47.299 --> 00:29:48.079
 ultimately

00:29:48.079 --> 00:29:49.500
 save you.

00:29:50.039 --> 00:29:51.079
 Because one day

00:29:51.079 --> 00:29:52.119
 all of us

00:29:52.119 --> 00:29:53.220
 will face

00:29:53.220 --> 00:29:53.900
 the call

00:29:53.900 --> 00:29:54.960
 when death

00:29:54.960 --> 00:29:55.440
 comes and

00:29:55.440 --> 00:29:56.299
 knocks on our door.

00:29:57.000 --> 00:29:57.859
 Death is the one

00:29:57.859 --> 00:29:59.259
 great equalizer.

00:30:01.299 --> 00:30:01.940
 Except

00:30:01.940 --> 00:30:04.160
 that it's not.

00:30:06.440 --> 00:30:06.799
 Friends,

00:30:06.839 --> 00:30:07.180
 if you've been

00:30:07.180 --> 00:30:07.920
 coming to Watermark

00:30:07.920 --> 00:30:08.700
 for some time

00:30:08.700 --> 00:30:09.559
 you'll know

00:30:09.559 --> 00:30:11.220
 that there is

00:30:11.220 --> 00:30:11.799
 another

00:30:11.799 --> 00:30:13.220
 great equalizer

00:30:13.220 --> 00:30:14.619
 that the Bible

00:30:14.619 --> 00:30:15.619
 speaks about.

00:30:16.899 --> 00:30:18.079
 The great equalizer

00:30:18.079 --> 00:30:18.759
 of all the world

00:30:18.759 --> 00:30:19.759
 is not just the fact

00:30:19.759 --> 00:30:20.619
 that all of us

00:30:20.619 --> 00:30:21.440
 are one day

00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:22.460
 going to die.

00:30:23.460 --> 00:30:23.980
 In fact,

00:30:24.039 --> 00:30:25.039
 the greatest equalizer

00:30:25.039 --> 00:30:25.619
 that the Bible

00:30:25.619 --> 00:30:26.519
 speaks about

00:30:26.519 --> 00:30:27.720
 happened

00:30:27.720 --> 00:30:29.119
 to one man

00:30:29.119 --> 00:30:30.539
 and his death

00:30:30.539 --> 00:30:32.059
 upon the cross.

00:30:32.899 --> 00:30:33.480
 Because

00:30:33.480 --> 00:30:35.220
 Jesus Christ

00:30:35.220 --> 00:30:36.299
 went to the cross

00:30:36.299 --> 00:30:37.220
 and died

00:30:37.220 --> 00:30:38.740
 to once again

00:30:38.740 --> 00:30:39.819
 reset

00:30:39.819 --> 00:30:41.100
 the balances

00:30:41.100 --> 00:30:43.000
 and to equalize

00:30:43.000 --> 00:30:44.240
 all of humanity.

00:30:45.240 --> 00:30:46.220
 Listen to how

00:30:46.220 --> 00:30:47.100
 the Apostle Paul

00:30:47.100 --> 00:30:47.579
 writes it

00:30:47.579 --> 00:30:48.759
 in Romans chapter 3.

00:30:48.860 --> 00:30:49.200
 He says,

00:30:49.640 --> 00:30:50.539
 God's gift

00:30:50.539 --> 00:30:51.220
 of grace

00:30:51.220 --> 00:30:51.920
 is given

00:30:51.920 --> 00:30:53.420
 to all

00:30:53.420 --> 00:30:54.600
 who believe.

00:30:55.120 --> 00:30:55.819
 For there is

00:30:55.819 --> 00:30:56.660
 no distinction

00:30:56.660 --> 00:30:57.620
 in life.

00:30:58.039 --> 00:30:59.259
 For all people

00:30:59.259 --> 00:31:00.000
 have sinned

00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:01.039
 and fall short

00:31:01.039 --> 00:31:01.799
 of the glory

00:31:01.799 --> 00:31:02.299
 of God.

00:31:02.299 --> 00:31:03.639
 And all

00:31:03.639 --> 00:31:05.039
 who are in Christ

00:31:05.039 --> 00:31:06.619
 are justified

00:31:06.619 --> 00:31:07.919
 by his grace

00:31:07.919 --> 00:31:08.700
 as a gift

00:31:08.700 --> 00:31:10.500
 through the redemption

00:31:10.500 --> 00:31:12.180
 that is in Jesus Christ

00:31:12.180 --> 00:31:13.980
 whom God put forward

00:31:13.980 --> 00:31:15.680
 as an atoning sacrifice

00:31:15.680 --> 00:31:17.159
 by his blood.

00:31:17.899 --> 00:31:18.319
 Friends,

00:31:18.379 --> 00:31:19.139
 the scripture says

00:31:19.139 --> 00:31:19.399
 that

00:31:19.399 --> 00:31:21.299
 all of humanity

00:31:21.299 --> 00:31:22.619
 is

00:31:22.619 --> 00:31:23.879
 infected

00:31:23.879 --> 00:31:25.079
 and affected

00:31:25.079 --> 00:31:26.680
 by the reality

00:31:26.680 --> 00:31:27.659
 of sin.

00:31:27.660 --> 00:31:29.200
 and all

00:31:29.200 --> 00:31:30.080
 of humanity

00:31:30.080 --> 00:31:30.759
 therefore

00:31:30.759 --> 00:31:31.920
 is under

00:31:31.920 --> 00:31:33.080
 sin's curse

00:31:33.080 --> 00:31:34.580
 called death.

00:31:35.380 --> 00:31:35.740
 He says

00:31:35.740 --> 00:31:36.759
 there is no distinction.

00:31:37.320 --> 00:31:38.279
 All people,

00:31:38.600 --> 00:31:39.120
 it doesn't matter

00:31:39.120 --> 00:31:39.860
 your culture,

00:31:40.100 --> 00:31:40.660
 your race,

00:31:40.779 --> 00:31:41.420
 your background,

00:31:41.600 --> 00:31:42.200
 your ethnicity,

00:31:42.660 --> 00:31:43.220
 it doesn't matter

00:31:43.220 --> 00:31:43.779
 whether you've got

00:31:43.779 --> 00:31:44.680
 a trillion dollars

00:31:44.680 --> 00:31:45.540
 in the bank account

00:31:45.540 --> 00:31:46.980
 or you've got nothing.

00:31:47.759 --> 00:31:48.940
 All humanity,

00:31:49.640 --> 00:31:51.160
 the great equalizer

00:31:51.160 --> 00:31:52.380
 is that all of us

00:31:52.380 --> 00:31:53.019
 have sinned

00:31:53.019 --> 00:31:53.940
 and fall short

00:31:53.940 --> 00:31:55.620
 of God's glory.

00:31:56.500 --> 00:31:57.019
 The rich,

00:31:57.160 --> 00:31:57.540
 the poor,

00:31:57.659 --> 00:31:58.119
 the righteous,

00:31:58.299 --> 00:31:59.019
 the unrighteous,

00:31:59.259 --> 00:32:00.139
 the pastor,

00:32:00.879 --> 00:32:01.779
 the drug addict,

00:32:02.220 --> 00:32:02.960
 all of us

00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:04.039
 are in the same boat.

00:32:04.819 --> 00:32:05.879
 That's what our passage says.

00:32:05.960 --> 00:32:07.879
 Look at chapter 9 verse 5.

00:32:07.960 --> 00:32:08.180
 He says,

00:32:08.599 --> 00:32:09.159
 What is this?

00:32:09.420 --> 00:32:11.299
 The hearts of the children of man

00:32:11.299 --> 00:32:12.399
 are set on evil,

00:32:12.619 --> 00:32:13.920
 set on madness.

00:32:15.220 --> 00:32:15.579
 But friends,

00:32:15.639 --> 00:32:17.039
 the good news of the gospel

00:32:17.039 --> 00:32:17.720
 is that

00:32:17.720 --> 00:32:19.720
 though all have sinned

00:32:19.720 --> 00:32:20.980
 and though all

00:32:20.980 --> 00:32:21.859
 have fallen short

00:32:21.859 --> 00:32:22.779
 of God's glory,

00:32:23.379 --> 00:32:25.119
 all are able

00:32:25.119 --> 00:32:26.480
 to be forgiven

00:32:26.480 --> 00:32:27.860
 healed,

00:32:27.860 --> 00:32:27.940
 healed,

00:32:28.480 --> 00:32:29.019
 justified,

00:32:29.700 --> 00:32:30.319
 restored,

00:32:31.019 --> 00:32:31.660
 ransomed,

00:32:32.299 --> 00:32:32.900
 healed,

00:32:32.900 --> 00:32:35.039
 because Jesus Christ

00:32:35.039 --> 00:32:36.360
 went to the cross

00:32:36.360 --> 00:32:37.779
 for the sins

00:32:37.779 --> 00:32:39.799
 of all those

00:32:39.799 --> 00:32:41.460
 who would turn to Him

00:32:41.460 --> 00:32:43.500
 and trust Him.

00:32:44.220 --> 00:32:44.660
 Friends,

00:32:44.759 --> 00:32:46.099
 Jesus didn't just go to the cross

00:32:46.099 --> 00:32:46.779
 for the righteous,

00:32:47.460 --> 00:32:48.240
 for the wealthy,

00:32:48.799 --> 00:32:49.720
 for the privileged.

00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:51.819
 Jesus didn't just go to the cross

00:32:51.819 --> 00:32:52.880
 for the poor,

00:32:53.220 --> 00:32:54.220
 for the marginalized,

00:32:55.079 --> 00:32:56.720
 for the downhearted.

00:32:57.759 --> 00:32:58.700
 Jesus Christ

00:32:58.700 --> 00:32:59.680
 went to the cross

00:32:59.680 --> 00:33:01.860
 for all humanity

00:33:01.860 --> 00:33:03.759
 who would come to Him

00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:05.319
 and trust in Him

00:33:05.319 --> 00:33:06.880
 and look to Him.

00:33:08.660 --> 00:33:09.200
 Elsewhere,

00:33:09.259 --> 00:33:10.319
 the apostle Paul writes,

00:33:10.360 --> 00:33:11.299
 and listen to what he says.

00:33:11.380 --> 00:33:11.720
 He says,

00:33:11.819 --> 00:33:12.920
 In Christ Jesus,

00:33:13.559 --> 00:33:14.940
 you are all

00:33:14.940 --> 00:33:16.240
 sons and daughters

00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:16.779
 of God

00:33:16.779 --> 00:33:17.600
 through faith.

00:33:17.599 --> 00:33:19.219
 for in Christ

00:33:19.219 --> 00:33:20.419
 there is neither Jew

00:33:20.419 --> 00:33:21.179
 nor Greek.

00:33:21.319 --> 00:33:21.480
 Now,

00:33:21.599 --> 00:33:22.039
 to us,

00:33:22.099 --> 00:33:22.639
 that doesn't sound

00:33:22.639 --> 00:33:23.379
 really radical.

00:33:23.819 --> 00:33:24.879
 But in the first century,

00:33:25.240 --> 00:33:26.839
 that is a radical idea.

00:33:27.779 --> 00:33:28.359
 That's like

00:33:28.359 --> 00:33:30.319
 walking into

00:33:30.319 --> 00:33:31.379
 Mississippi

00:33:31.379 --> 00:33:33.579
 in 1963

00:33:33.579 --> 00:33:34.419
 and saying,

00:33:34.539 --> 00:33:35.919
 there is no distinction

00:33:35.919 --> 00:33:37.039
 between black and white,

00:33:37.119 --> 00:33:37.339
 right?

00:33:37.339 --> 00:33:38.779
 That is a radical idea.

00:33:39.039 --> 00:33:40.199
 There is no difference

00:33:40.199 --> 00:33:41.119
 between Jew and Greek.

00:33:41.799 --> 00:33:42.159
 Paul says,

00:33:42.480 --> 00:33:43.679
 there is no difference

00:33:43.679 --> 00:33:44.559
 between male

00:33:44.559 --> 00:33:45.639
 and female.

00:33:45.640 --> 00:33:46.640
 Again,

00:33:46.740 --> 00:33:47.640
 a radical idea

00:33:47.640 --> 00:33:48.360
 in the first century.

00:33:48.820 --> 00:33:49.780
 There is no difference

00:33:49.780 --> 00:33:50.920
 between slave

00:33:50.920 --> 00:33:52.020
 and free

00:33:52.020 --> 00:33:53.740
 for Christ Jesus

00:33:53.740 --> 00:33:54.660
 went to the cross

00:33:54.660 --> 00:33:56.480
 for all humanity.

00:33:58.480 --> 00:33:59.040
 Friends,

00:33:59.120 --> 00:34:00.280
 the cross of Christ

00:34:00.280 --> 00:34:02.200
 is the great equalizer.

00:34:02.740 --> 00:34:03.640
 The ground

00:34:03.640 --> 00:34:04.320
 is level

00:34:04.320 --> 00:34:05.560
 at the foot of the cross.

00:34:05.700 --> 00:34:06.800
 Come with your pride

00:34:06.800 --> 00:34:07.900
 and your accolades

00:34:07.900 --> 00:34:08.660
 and your credentials

00:34:08.660 --> 00:34:10.559
 and you will be humbled.

00:34:11.360 --> 00:34:12.480
 But come empty-handed

00:34:12.480 --> 00:34:13.800
 with nothing in your hands,

00:34:13.800 --> 00:34:16.340
 feeling guilty,

00:34:16.900 --> 00:34:17.500
 worn down,

00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:18.080
 broken,

00:34:18.720 --> 00:34:19.960
 and you will be honored

00:34:19.960 --> 00:34:21.539
 with the greatest honor,

00:34:21.680 --> 00:34:23.560
 the name of Christ.

00:34:24.560 --> 00:34:25.580
 The name that Christ

00:34:25.580 --> 00:34:25.880
 will give you.

00:34:25.900 --> 00:34:26.360
 You will be called

00:34:26.360 --> 00:34:27.180
 the son or daughter

00:34:27.180 --> 00:34:28.100
 of the Most High King.

00:34:29.100 --> 00:34:29.960
 The ground

00:34:29.960 --> 00:34:30.560
 is level

00:34:30.560 --> 00:34:31.360
 at the foot

00:34:31.360 --> 00:34:32.120
 of the cross.

00:34:33.460 --> 00:34:34.500
 But the Bible says

00:34:34.500 --> 00:34:35.460
 that because Jesus

00:34:35.460 --> 00:34:36.519
 really is God,

00:34:36.620 --> 00:34:37.440
 because He died

00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:38.700
 and He rose again,

00:34:39.579 --> 00:34:40.619
 Jesus solves

00:34:40.619 --> 00:34:42.039
 the two great problems

00:34:42.039 --> 00:34:43.039
 that the teacher

00:34:43.039 --> 00:34:44.759
 is grappling with

00:34:44.759 --> 00:34:46.839
 in Ecclesiastes 9 and 10.

00:34:47.599 --> 00:34:48.679
 Look at how Jesus

00:34:48.679 --> 00:34:49.619
 solves the problem

00:34:49.619 --> 00:34:50.379
 of wisdom.

00:34:51.759 --> 00:34:52.679
 Jesus Christ

00:34:52.679 --> 00:34:53.659
 comes and gives you

00:34:53.659 --> 00:34:54.359
 a wisdom

00:34:54.359 --> 00:34:56.179
 that you can never achieve

00:34:56.179 --> 00:34:57.439
 by simply observing

00:34:57.439 --> 00:34:58.779
 life under the sun

00:34:58.779 --> 00:35:00.139
 on your own.

00:35:01.500 --> 00:35:02.879
 In the book of James

00:35:02.879 --> 00:35:03.719
 in the New Testament,

00:35:04.139 --> 00:35:05.019
 the apostle James,

00:35:05.079 --> 00:35:05.500
 who is actually

00:35:05.500 --> 00:35:06.619
 the half-brother of Jesus,

00:35:06.839 --> 00:35:07.519
 writes and he says,

00:35:07.519 --> 00:35:08.400
 there's actually

00:35:08.400 --> 00:35:09.579
 two different kinds

00:35:09.579 --> 00:35:10.559
 of wisdom in this world.

00:35:11.179 --> 00:35:11.920
 There's a wisdom

00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:12.719
 that's observed

00:35:12.719 --> 00:35:13.539
 that you gain

00:35:13.539 --> 00:35:14.579
 just by observing

00:35:14.579 --> 00:35:15.559
 life under the sun.

00:35:16.119 --> 00:35:17.340
 You listen to podcasts,

00:35:17.599 --> 00:35:18.739
 you listen to TED Talks,

00:35:18.780 --> 00:35:19.920
 you read great books.

00:35:20.179 --> 00:35:20.940
 There's a wisdom

00:35:20.940 --> 00:35:22.159
 that you can observe

00:35:22.159 --> 00:35:23.219
 that you can gain

00:35:23.219 --> 00:35:23.940
 by observing

00:35:23.940 --> 00:35:24.880
 life under the sun.

00:35:25.519 --> 00:35:26.400
 And it may help you

00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:27.340
 get ahead in life,

00:35:27.400 --> 00:35:28.000
 it may help you

00:35:28.000 --> 00:35:28.639
 to progress

00:35:28.639 --> 00:35:29.440
 in your career,

00:35:30.179 --> 00:35:31.699
 but very often

00:35:31.699 --> 00:35:32.739
 there's a trail

00:35:32.739 --> 00:35:33.619
 of pain

00:35:33.619 --> 00:35:34.480
 and destruction

00:35:34.480 --> 00:35:36.099
 and broken relationships

00:35:36.099 --> 00:35:37.460
 behind that kind

00:35:37.460 --> 00:35:37.840
 of wisdom.

00:35:39.199 --> 00:35:40.360
 And the apostle James

00:35:40.360 --> 00:35:41.340
 says there's another

00:35:41.340 --> 00:35:42.139
 kind of wisdom

00:35:42.139 --> 00:35:43.240
 that comes from

00:35:43.240 --> 00:35:44.380
 beyond the sun.

00:35:45.199 --> 00:35:46.300
 And it's an upside-down

00:35:46.300 --> 00:35:46.679
 wisdom.

00:35:47.519 --> 00:35:48.079
 It's a wisdom

00:35:48.079 --> 00:35:48.740
 that may not get

00:35:48.740 --> 00:35:49.659
 your name on lights,

00:35:50.139 --> 00:35:51.240
 it may not make you

00:35:51.240 --> 00:35:52.220
 the most famous person

00:35:52.220 --> 00:35:52.639
 in the world,

00:35:52.980 --> 00:35:54.000
 but it's a wisdom

00:35:54.000 --> 00:35:54.800
 that will answer

00:35:54.800 --> 00:35:55.920
 the deep questions

00:35:55.920 --> 00:35:56.519
 of life.

00:35:57.240 --> 00:35:58.019
 It's a wisdom

00:35:58.019 --> 00:36:00.800
 that will help you

00:36:00.800 --> 00:36:03.039
 to find out

00:36:03.039 --> 00:36:04.099
 what life is all about.

00:36:04.099 --> 00:36:06.299
 He says there's a

00:36:06.299 --> 00:36:07.179
 different kind of wisdom,

00:36:07.279 --> 00:36:08.079
 it's an upside-down

00:36:08.079 --> 00:36:08.460
 wisdom.

00:36:08.699 --> 00:36:10.219
 It seems like foolishness

00:36:10.219 --> 00:36:11.519
 to those who simply

00:36:11.519 --> 00:36:13.059
 observe life under the sun.

00:36:13.639 --> 00:36:14.860
 It's the kind of wisdom

00:36:14.860 --> 00:36:15.440
 that will help you

00:36:15.440 --> 00:36:16.940
 not to waste your life.

00:36:17.519 --> 00:36:18.420
 But it's the kind

00:36:18.420 --> 00:36:19.380
 of wisdom that comes

00:36:19.380 --> 00:36:20.539
 not by trying

00:36:20.539 --> 00:36:22.400
 to find wisdom,

00:36:23.059 --> 00:36:24.500
 but by setting your heart

00:36:24.500 --> 00:36:24.960
 on the one

00:36:24.960 --> 00:36:26.259
 who truly is wisdom.

00:36:27.839 --> 00:36:29.279
 In the book of Proverbs,

00:36:29.559 --> 00:36:30.739
 the writer says this,

00:36:30.839 --> 00:36:31.219
 he says,

00:36:31.219 --> 00:36:32.599
 the fear of the Lord

00:36:32.599 --> 00:36:33.359
 is the beginning

00:36:33.359 --> 00:36:33.899
 of wisdom.

00:36:34.739 --> 00:36:35.719
 And what that means

00:36:35.719 --> 00:36:36.299
 is this,

00:36:36.659 --> 00:36:38.419
 you don't find wisdom

00:36:38.419 --> 00:36:40.000
 by trying to be wise,

00:36:40.319 --> 00:36:41.739
 you find wisdom

00:36:41.739 --> 00:36:43.279
 by setting your heart

00:36:43.279 --> 00:36:44.059
 on Jesus

00:36:44.059 --> 00:36:46.159
 who is wise himself.

00:36:47.299 --> 00:36:47.939
 Do you see that?

00:36:48.059 --> 00:36:49.000
 That's a radically

00:36:49.000 --> 00:36:49.859
 important idea.

00:36:50.639 --> 00:36:51.239
 Think about that,

00:36:51.299 --> 00:36:52.219
 the more you try

00:36:52.219 --> 00:36:53.099
 to be impressive

00:36:53.099 --> 00:36:54.279
 or smart

00:36:54.279 --> 00:36:55.299
 or brilliant,

00:36:55.559 --> 00:36:56.579
 how do you come across?

00:36:57.299 --> 00:36:58.279
 You actually come across

00:36:58.279 --> 00:36:59.000
 foolish, right?

00:36:59.559 --> 00:37:00.399
 Have you ever come across

00:37:00.399 --> 00:37:01.019
 somebody who

00:37:01.019 --> 00:37:02.179
 in a social setting,

00:37:02.259 --> 00:37:02.800
 they're always trying

00:37:02.800 --> 00:37:03.460
 to look smart,

00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:04.019
 they're always trying

00:37:04.019 --> 00:37:04.659
 to be impressive,

00:37:05.259 --> 00:37:05.699
 they're always trying

00:37:05.699 --> 00:37:07.340
 to look as the wise

00:37:07.340 --> 00:37:08.139
 person in the room

00:37:08.139 --> 00:37:09.920
 and what do you think

00:37:09.920 --> 00:37:10.639
 about that person?

00:37:11.360 --> 00:37:12.219
 They actually come across

00:37:12.219 --> 00:37:12.639
 as foolish.

00:37:13.659 --> 00:37:14.639
 But who is the person

00:37:14.639 --> 00:37:15.579
 that's truly wise

00:37:15.579 --> 00:37:16.539
 and truly impressive

00:37:16.539 --> 00:37:17.500
 and truly brilliant?

00:37:18.239 --> 00:37:19.420
 It's actually the person

00:37:19.420 --> 00:37:20.840
 that forgets about themselves

00:37:20.840 --> 00:37:21.480
 and isn't trying

00:37:21.480 --> 00:37:22.099
 to be impressive,

00:37:22.639 --> 00:37:24.079
 but actually sets themselves

00:37:24.079 --> 00:37:24.880
 trying to serve

00:37:24.880 --> 00:37:25.759
 and love others.

00:37:26.739 --> 00:37:28.179
 The one characteristic

00:37:28.179 --> 00:37:29.500
 of all wise people

00:37:29.500 --> 00:37:30.420
 is that they're actually

00:37:30.420 --> 00:37:31.079
 not enamored

00:37:31.079 --> 00:37:31.920
 with themselves at all.

00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:32.480
 They've forgotten

00:37:32.480 --> 00:37:33.280
 about themselves.

00:37:34.559 --> 00:37:35.599
 The writer of Proverbs

00:37:35.599 --> 00:37:36.079
 says this,

00:37:36.139 --> 00:37:37.360
 if you set your heart

00:37:37.360 --> 00:37:38.380
 on trying to be wise,

00:37:38.480 --> 00:37:39.400
 if you set your heart

00:37:39.400 --> 00:37:40.380
 on trying to get ahead

00:37:40.380 --> 00:37:40.860
 in life

00:37:40.860 --> 00:37:42.420
 and trying to make life work

00:37:42.420 --> 00:37:43.079
 and trying to not

00:37:43.079 --> 00:37:43.800
 waste your life,

00:37:44.139 --> 00:37:45.019
 you'll waste your life.

00:37:45.860 --> 00:37:47.260
 But if you set your heart

00:37:47.260 --> 00:37:49.260
 on centering your life

00:37:49.260 --> 00:37:49.760
 on Jesus

00:37:49.760 --> 00:37:50.519
 and the gospel,

00:37:51.079 --> 00:37:52.199
 you will find

00:37:52.199 --> 00:37:52.980
 that actually

00:37:52.980 --> 00:37:54.280
 you will be wise.

00:37:54.280 --> 00:37:57.300
 in the New Testament,

00:37:57.460 --> 00:37:58.400
 the book of Colossians,

00:37:58.560 --> 00:37:59.180
 Paul writes this

00:37:59.180 --> 00:37:59.660
 and he says,

00:38:00.220 --> 00:38:01.400
 in Jesus Christ

00:38:01.400 --> 00:38:02.200
 are hidden,

00:38:02.320 --> 00:38:03.240
 that's an important word,

00:38:03.320 --> 00:38:03.740
 are hidden

00:38:03.740 --> 00:38:05.280
 all the treasures

00:38:05.280 --> 00:38:06.160
 of wisdom

00:38:06.160 --> 00:38:07.080
 and knowledge.

00:38:07.920 --> 00:38:08.880
 Now Paul's not saying

00:38:08.880 --> 00:38:09.740
 if you're not a Christian

00:38:09.740 --> 00:38:10.800
 you can't be smart,

00:38:10.920 --> 00:38:11.220
 right?

00:38:11.680 --> 00:38:11.980
 Okay?

00:38:12.460 --> 00:38:12.920
 He's not saying

00:38:12.920 --> 00:38:13.620
 only Christians

00:38:13.620 --> 00:38:14.600
 are smart people.

00:38:15.680 --> 00:38:16.160
 There's some people

00:38:16.160 --> 00:38:16.960
 that are very smart

00:38:16.960 --> 00:38:17.780
 and they wouldn't

00:38:17.780 --> 00:38:18.840
 profess faith in Christ.

00:38:19.019 --> 00:38:19.860
 Some of you

00:38:19.860 --> 00:38:20.840
 are here this morning.

00:38:21.860 --> 00:38:22.860
 But what he is saying

00:38:22.860 --> 00:38:23.340
 is this,

00:38:23.340 --> 00:38:24.400
 that the key

00:38:24.400 --> 00:38:25.539
 to unlocking

00:38:25.539 --> 00:38:27.840
 the secrets to life,

00:38:27.980 --> 00:38:30.220
 this key to unlocking

00:38:30.220 --> 00:38:31.200
 the vaults

00:38:31.200 --> 00:38:32.059
 of the treasures

00:38:32.059 --> 00:38:32.780
 of wisdom

00:38:32.780 --> 00:38:34.320
 are not found

00:38:34.320 --> 00:38:35.460
 by simply observing

00:38:35.460 --> 00:38:36.260
 life around you.

00:38:36.300 --> 00:38:36.800
 It's not found

00:38:36.800 --> 00:38:37.720
 by simply observing

00:38:37.720 --> 00:38:39.160
 life under the sun.

00:38:40.120 --> 00:38:40.640
 It's found

00:38:40.640 --> 00:38:41.780
 in coming to the one,

00:38:42.480 --> 00:38:43.000
 the author

00:38:43.000 --> 00:38:44.180
 and the designer of life.

00:38:45.120 --> 00:38:45.760
 It's found

00:38:45.760 --> 00:38:46.880
 in coming to the one

00:38:46.880 --> 00:38:48.059
 who created life.

00:38:49.240 --> 00:38:50.480
 This key to unlocking

00:38:50.480 --> 00:38:51.240
 the treasures

00:38:51.240 --> 00:38:52.320
 of wisdom and knowledge

00:38:52.320 --> 00:38:53.260
 are actually found

00:38:53.260 --> 00:38:54.380
 and coming to the one

00:38:54.380 --> 00:38:55.660
 who made you

00:38:55.660 --> 00:38:57.220
 and who created you

00:38:57.220 --> 00:38:58.540
 and knows the purpose

00:38:58.540 --> 00:38:59.380
 for your life.

00:39:01.220 --> 00:39:02.100
 Jesus Christ

00:39:02.100 --> 00:39:02.700
 being the author

00:39:02.700 --> 00:39:03.080
 of life

00:39:03.080 --> 00:39:03.740
 will show you

00:39:03.740 --> 00:39:04.580
 how life was meant

00:39:04.580 --> 00:39:05.120
 to be lived.

00:39:05.560 --> 00:39:06.540
 Not according to just

00:39:06.540 --> 00:39:07.240
 the natural wisdom

00:39:07.240 --> 00:39:07.900
 of this world

00:39:07.900 --> 00:39:09.140
 but according to

00:39:09.140 --> 00:39:09.680
 an altogether

00:39:09.680 --> 00:39:10.480
 different kind

00:39:10.480 --> 00:39:10.980
 of wisdom.

00:39:11.680 --> 00:39:12.420
 A wisdom that is not

00:39:12.420 --> 00:39:13.900
 found in life

00:39:13.900 --> 00:39:14.540
 under the sun

00:39:14.540 --> 00:39:15.480
 but found beyond

00:39:15.480 --> 00:39:15.940
 the sun.

00:39:15.940 --> 00:39:19.019
 we tend to think

00:39:19.019 --> 00:39:20.519
 that it's the strong

00:39:20.519 --> 00:39:21.260
 and the powerful

00:39:21.260 --> 00:39:21.980
 and the beautiful

00:39:21.980 --> 00:39:22.860
 that are successful

00:39:22.860 --> 00:39:23.400
 in life.

00:39:24.099 --> 00:39:24.780
 And Jesus is

00:39:24.780 --> 00:39:25.940
 blessed are the poor

00:39:25.940 --> 00:39:26.720
 and the weak

00:39:26.720 --> 00:39:27.420
 and the meek

00:39:27.420 --> 00:39:29.119
 and the poor in spirit

00:39:29.119 --> 00:39:30.380
 and the merciful.

00:39:31.220 --> 00:39:32.079
 We tend to think

00:39:32.079 --> 00:39:33.000
 that honor

00:39:33.000 --> 00:39:33.679
 and respect

00:39:33.679 --> 00:39:34.420
 and long life

00:39:34.420 --> 00:39:35.039
 are the signs

00:39:35.039 --> 00:39:35.880
 of a good life.

00:39:36.599 --> 00:39:37.260
 And Jesus is

00:39:37.260 --> 00:39:37.960
 serving others

00:39:37.960 --> 00:39:38.659
 and being humble

00:39:38.659 --> 00:39:39.500
 are actually the signs

00:39:39.500 --> 00:39:40.019
 of greatness.

00:39:40.820 --> 00:39:41.679
 We tend to think

00:39:41.679 --> 00:39:42.159
 that those who

00:39:42.159 --> 00:39:43.539
 accumulate great wealth

00:39:43.539 --> 00:39:44.619
 are the blessed ones.

00:39:44.619 --> 00:39:45.859
 And Jesus says

00:39:45.859 --> 00:39:46.420
 it's more blessed

00:39:46.420 --> 00:39:47.179
 to give away

00:39:47.179 --> 00:39:48.039
 than to receive.

00:39:48.779 --> 00:39:49.639
 We tend to think

00:39:49.639 --> 00:39:50.119
 that it's those

00:39:50.119 --> 00:39:51.259
 who have a big following

00:39:51.259 --> 00:39:52.099
 and a great name

00:39:52.099 --> 00:39:53.059
 and are esteemed

00:39:53.059 --> 00:39:54.239
 that are the great ones

00:39:54.239 --> 00:39:55.000
 in our generation.

00:39:55.599 --> 00:39:56.539
 And Jesus says

00:39:56.539 --> 00:39:57.819
 he whoever humbles

00:39:57.819 --> 00:39:58.859
 himself like a child

00:39:58.859 --> 00:39:59.460
 is the greatest

00:39:59.460 --> 00:40:00.059
 in the kingdom.

00:40:00.960 --> 00:40:01.400
 Friends,

00:40:01.519 --> 00:40:02.119
 Jesus says

00:40:02.119 --> 00:40:02.880
 that the wisdom

00:40:02.880 --> 00:40:03.940
 that you gain

00:40:03.940 --> 00:40:04.980
 by observing life

00:40:04.980 --> 00:40:05.559
 under the sun,

00:40:05.639 --> 00:40:06.019
 the wisdom

00:40:06.019 --> 00:40:07.380
 that our teacher finds

00:40:07.380 --> 00:40:09.239
 by listening to TED talks

00:40:09.239 --> 00:40:09.960
 and podcasts,

00:40:10.039 --> 00:40:10.659
 it's not wrong,

00:40:11.179 --> 00:40:11.960
 it's not pointless,

00:40:12.759 --> 00:40:13.480
 it's not sinful,

00:40:13.480 --> 00:40:15.260
 but it's not enough.

00:40:16.139 --> 00:40:17.679
 It does not help you.

00:40:18.599 --> 00:40:19.380
 It may help you

00:40:19.380 --> 00:40:20.240
 to get ahead in life,

00:40:20.320 --> 00:40:20.840
 it may help you

00:40:20.840 --> 00:40:21.860
 to focus on life,

00:40:22.139 --> 00:40:22.980
 but ultimately

00:40:22.980 --> 00:40:24.659
 you can still get ahead

00:40:24.659 --> 00:40:25.659
 in life and be a fool

00:40:25.659 --> 00:40:27.900
 because it won't help you

00:40:27.900 --> 00:40:28.519
 to discover

00:40:28.519 --> 00:40:29.699
 the true answers

00:40:29.699 --> 00:40:30.940
 to life's biggest questions.

00:40:32.380 --> 00:40:32.980
 And so Jesus

00:40:32.980 --> 00:40:34.300
 actually solves

00:40:34.300 --> 00:40:34.940
 the answers

00:40:34.940 --> 00:40:36.219
 that wisdom

00:40:36.219 --> 00:40:37.519
 poses.

00:40:38.240 --> 00:40:39.099
 But not only that,

00:40:39.219 --> 00:40:40.179
 Jesus also solves

00:40:40.179 --> 00:40:41.260
 the problem of death

00:40:41.260 --> 00:40:43.080
 because Jesus died

00:40:43.080 --> 00:40:43.900
 and rose again.

00:40:44.420 --> 00:40:45.300
 The teacher says

00:40:45.300 --> 00:40:46.300
 there's only one thing

00:40:46.300 --> 00:40:46.780
 in this world

00:40:46.780 --> 00:40:47.400
 that you can be

00:40:47.400 --> 00:40:48.600
 absolutely certain of.

00:40:48.920 --> 00:40:50.200
 All of us are going to die

00:40:50.200 --> 00:40:51.200
 and then after that,

00:40:51.420 --> 00:40:52.100
 who knows?

00:40:52.360 --> 00:40:53.200
 You can't be certain

00:40:53.200 --> 00:40:54.460
 of anything beyond the grave.

00:40:55.360 --> 00:40:56.200
 But Jesus Christ

00:40:56.200 --> 00:40:57.860
 died and rose again

00:40:57.860 --> 00:40:59.180
 so that those

00:40:59.180 --> 00:41:00.220
 who come to him,

00:41:00.540 --> 00:41:01.880
 those who trust him,

00:41:02.340 --> 00:41:03.320
 those who put their faith

00:41:03.320 --> 00:41:03.740
 in him,

00:41:04.220 --> 00:41:05.560
 truly can be certain

00:41:05.560 --> 00:41:07.040
 of life in this world

00:41:07.040 --> 00:41:08.660
 and of the world

00:41:08.660 --> 00:41:09.580
 to come.

00:41:09.579 --> 00:41:11.519
 And how do you know that?

00:41:12.199 --> 00:41:13.219
 Because under

00:41:13.219 --> 00:41:14.739
 the hill of Calvary,

00:41:15.299 --> 00:41:16.880
 there is a tomb

00:41:16.880 --> 00:41:18.480
 and that tomb

00:41:18.480 --> 00:41:19.880
 is empty.

00:41:21.480 --> 00:41:21.960
 Friends,

00:41:22.059 --> 00:41:23.299
 there are many things

00:41:23.299 --> 00:41:23.779
 in this world

00:41:23.779 --> 00:41:25.119
 that you cannot be certain of.

00:41:25.460 --> 00:41:26.079
 There are many

00:41:26.079 --> 00:41:27.079
 unpredictable things

00:41:27.079 --> 00:41:27.539
 in life.

00:41:28.099 --> 00:41:28.960
 But there are some things

00:41:28.960 --> 00:41:30.039
 you can be certain of.

00:41:30.619 --> 00:41:31.799
 You can be absolutely certain

00:41:31.799 --> 00:41:32.920
 that Jesus Christ

00:41:32.920 --> 00:41:33.860
 loves you

00:41:33.860 --> 00:41:34.960
 because he went

00:41:34.960 --> 00:41:35.779
 to the cross for you.

00:41:36.440 --> 00:41:37.799
 He died on the cross for you.

00:41:37.800 --> 00:41:39.800
 He shed his blood for you.

00:41:40.380 --> 00:41:41.980
 He took the nail-scarred hands

00:41:41.980 --> 00:41:42.860
 to go to the cross

00:41:42.860 --> 00:41:43.740
 for you.

00:41:44.320 --> 00:41:44.840
 You can be absolutely

00:41:44.840 --> 00:41:46.100
 certain of his love for you.

00:41:46.640 --> 00:41:48.019
 You can be absolutely certain

00:41:48.019 --> 00:41:49.400
 that if you are in Christ,

00:41:49.500 --> 00:41:50.720
 he has not abandoned you.

00:41:51.260 --> 00:41:52.560
 He has not forsaken you.

00:41:53.320 --> 00:41:54.160
 In Jesus Christ,

00:41:54.240 --> 00:41:54.980
 he went to the cross

00:41:54.980 --> 00:41:55.740
 and he died there,

00:41:55.780 --> 00:41:56.940
 but he didn't remain there.

00:41:57.300 --> 00:41:58.700
 He rose from the grave.

00:41:59.280 --> 00:41:59.760
 He rose.

00:41:59.860 --> 00:42:00.700
 He is ascended into heaven

00:42:00.700 --> 00:42:01.760
 and in heaven now,

00:42:02.080 --> 00:42:03.060
 he is interceding

00:42:03.060 --> 00:42:04.260
 for those who are in Christ.

00:42:04.260 --> 00:42:05.280
 Friends,

00:42:05.400 --> 00:42:06.820
 Jesus Christ was abandoned

00:42:06.820 --> 00:42:07.560
 on the cross

00:42:07.560 --> 00:42:09.140
 so that you will never

00:42:09.140 --> 00:42:09.780
 be abandoned.

00:42:10.760 --> 00:42:11.920
 Jesus Christ died

00:42:11.920 --> 00:42:12.680
 like a fool,

00:42:12.800 --> 00:42:13.780
 as Niels reminded us

00:42:13.780 --> 00:42:14.540
 a few weeks ago,

00:42:14.940 --> 00:42:16.800
 so that fools like you and I

00:42:16.800 --> 00:42:17.580
 don't need to live

00:42:17.580 --> 00:42:18.140
 in our folly,

00:42:18.820 --> 00:42:20.100
 but can discover the wisdom.

00:42:21.140 --> 00:42:21.380
 Friends,

00:42:21.480 --> 00:42:22.320
 Jesus Christ

00:42:22.320 --> 00:42:23.380
 went to the cross

00:42:23.380 --> 00:42:23.840
 so you can be

00:42:23.840 --> 00:42:25.000
 absolutely certain

00:42:25.000 --> 00:42:26.940
 that beyond death,

00:42:27.060 --> 00:42:27.900
 there is life

00:42:27.900 --> 00:42:28.860
 beyond the grave.

00:42:29.680 --> 00:42:30.680
 Jesus rose again

00:42:30.680 --> 00:42:31.400
 so that your hope

00:42:31.400 --> 00:42:32.740
 is not only in this life.

00:42:32.739 --> 00:42:36.639
 The Bible describes Jesus

00:42:36.639 --> 00:42:37.679
 as a poor,

00:42:38.039 --> 00:42:38.699
 wise man

00:42:38.699 --> 00:42:40.479
 who came not just

00:42:40.479 --> 00:42:41.919
 to save his village,

00:42:42.559 --> 00:42:44.379
 but to save all of humanity,

00:42:45.219 --> 00:42:46.339
 all those who would

00:42:46.339 --> 00:42:47.419
 trust in him,

00:42:47.759 --> 00:42:48.799
 all those who would

00:42:48.799 --> 00:42:50.000
 surrender to him.

00:42:51.079 --> 00:42:51.399
 Friends,

00:42:51.500 --> 00:42:52.459
 let's not be like

00:42:52.459 --> 00:42:53.199
 the village

00:42:53.199 --> 00:42:55.319
 in this parable

00:42:55.319 --> 00:42:57.539
 who rejected

00:42:57.539 --> 00:42:58.579
 and despised

00:42:58.579 --> 00:42:59.079
 the wisdom

00:42:59.079 --> 00:42:59.679
 of that poor,

00:42:59.799 --> 00:43:00.239
 wise man.

00:43:01.139 --> 00:43:01.899
 Jesus Christ

00:43:01.900 --> 00:43:03.139
 came to save

00:43:03.139 --> 00:43:04.780
 those who would

00:43:04.780 --> 00:43:05.440
 trust in him.

00:43:06.360 --> 00:43:07.019
 And so let's

00:43:07.019 --> 00:43:08.420
 take heed of his wisdom.

00:43:08.559 --> 00:43:09.660
 Let's bank our lives

00:43:09.660 --> 00:43:09.920
 on him.

00:43:10.039 --> 00:43:11.360
 Let's surrender to him.

00:43:11.400 --> 00:43:12.940
 Let's center our lives

00:43:12.940 --> 00:43:13.380
 on him.

00:43:13.860 --> 00:43:14.820
 And as we do that,

00:43:14.880 --> 00:43:16.119
 we will find the wisdom

00:43:16.119 --> 00:43:17.800
 to truly make life work.

00:43:18.240 --> 00:43:19.460
 We will find the wisdom

00:43:19.460 --> 00:43:20.820
 how not to waste

00:43:20.820 --> 00:43:21.360
 our lives.

00:43:21.860 --> 00:43:23.380
 We will find the wisdom

00:43:23.380 --> 00:43:24.380
 to,

00:43:25.099 --> 00:43:26.160
 we will find the skill

00:43:26.160 --> 00:43:27.360
 of making life work

00:43:27.360 --> 00:43:28.380
 if we will center

00:43:28.380 --> 00:43:29.720
 our lives on Jesus.

00:43:29.719 --> 00:43:29.839
 promises.

00:43:30.399 --> 00:43:31.579
 But not only that,

00:43:32.199 --> 00:43:33.359
 we will defeat

00:43:33.359 --> 00:43:34.079
 death.

00:43:34.679 --> 00:43:35.719
 We will escape

00:43:35.719 --> 00:43:37.219
 the one great enemy

00:43:37.219 --> 00:43:38.119
 that none of us

00:43:38.119 --> 00:43:39.119
 can escape on our own.

00:43:39.579 --> 00:43:40.619
 We will take hold

00:43:40.619 --> 00:43:41.199
 of life

00:43:41.199 --> 00:43:42.839
 and life everlasting.

00:43:43.959 --> 00:43:44.419
 Friends,

00:43:44.519 --> 00:43:45.059
 human wisdom

00:43:45.059 --> 00:43:45.619
 is good,

00:43:45.699 --> 00:43:46.559
 but it's limited.

00:43:47.359 --> 00:43:48.099
 Because life

00:43:48.099 --> 00:43:48.819
 is unpredictable,

00:43:49.539 --> 00:43:50.159
 and ultimately

00:43:50.159 --> 00:43:51.339
 it cannot save you

00:43:51.339 --> 00:43:52.539
 from the inevitability

00:43:52.539 --> 00:43:53.799
 of death.

00:43:54.480 --> 00:43:55.339
 And while death

00:43:55.339 --> 00:43:56.519
 is the great equalizer

00:43:56.519 --> 00:43:57.219
 of humanity,

00:43:57.219 --> 00:43:58.319
 there is another

00:43:58.320 --> 00:43:59.019
 equalizer,

00:43:59.580 --> 00:44:00.740
 the cross of Christ

00:44:00.740 --> 00:44:02.519
 that invites all of us,

00:44:02.580 --> 00:44:03.440
 sinners though we are,

00:44:04.019 --> 00:44:05.420
 to come and find hope

00:44:05.420 --> 00:44:06.500
 and fresh life

00:44:06.500 --> 00:44:07.039
 in him.

00:44:07.620 --> 00:44:07.960
 Friends,

00:44:08.080 --> 00:44:08.860
 Jesus died

00:44:08.860 --> 00:44:09.720
 and rose again.

00:44:10.140 --> 00:44:11.200
 Then we don't need

00:44:11.200 --> 00:44:12.500
 to die in our foolishness,

00:44:12.580 --> 00:44:13.300
 but that we can take

00:44:13.300 --> 00:44:14.039
 hold of life

00:44:14.039 --> 00:44:15.059
 and take hold

00:44:15.059 --> 00:44:15.700
 of his wisdom.

00:44:16.420 --> 00:44:17.200
 And so this week,

00:44:17.260 --> 00:44:18.640
 as you go into your week,

00:44:19.059 --> 00:44:20.200
 as you go to the office,

00:44:20.720 --> 00:44:21.800
 as you go to holiday,

00:44:22.340 --> 00:44:23.220
 as you parent

00:44:23.220 --> 00:44:24.220
 your children,

00:44:24.740 --> 00:44:25.539
 as you look after

00:44:25.539 --> 00:44:26.599
 your aged parents,

00:44:27.019 --> 00:44:28.059
 as you pursue

00:44:28.059 --> 00:44:28.860
 a relationship

00:44:28.860 --> 00:44:30.320
 or you try and reconcile

00:44:30.320 --> 00:44:31.840
 to a broken relationship,

00:44:32.440 --> 00:44:33.779
 as you mourn the death

00:44:33.779 --> 00:44:34.719
 of a loved one

00:44:34.719 --> 00:44:36.079
 or a friend,

00:44:36.779 --> 00:44:37.119
 friends,

00:44:37.219 --> 00:44:38.539
 don't just seek wisdom,

00:44:39.159 --> 00:44:40.019
 don't just try

00:44:40.019 --> 00:44:41.239
 and make life work,

00:44:41.920 --> 00:44:43.099
 seek Jesus,

00:44:43.599 --> 00:44:44.900
 the author of life,

00:44:45.539 --> 00:44:46.579
 the author of wisdom,

00:44:47.159 --> 00:44:48.019
 the one who really

00:44:48.019 --> 00:44:49.619
 did die and rose again

00:44:49.619 --> 00:44:51.659
 so that we may find life.

00:44:52.539 --> 00:44:54.059
 Let's seek not wisdom

00:44:54.059 --> 00:44:54.960
 in our own lives,

00:44:55.239 --> 00:44:56.139
 but Jesus,

00:44:56.819 --> 00:44:57.559
 who is wisdom.

00:44:58.179 --> 00:44:59.219
 Let's pray together.

00:45:03.899 --> 00:45:05.879
 Maybe actually before I pray,

00:45:07.279 --> 00:45:09.859
 let me just give us

00:45:09.859 --> 00:45:10.559
 a few moments

00:45:10.559 --> 00:45:12.259
 to respond on our own

00:45:12.259 --> 00:45:12.839
 in quiet.

00:45:16.619 --> 00:45:17.500
 In his word,

00:45:17.599 --> 00:45:18.420
 God calls us

00:45:18.420 --> 00:45:20.960
 to not center our lives

00:45:20.960 --> 00:45:22.099
 on trying to make life work,

00:45:22.159 --> 00:45:23.079
 but to center our lives

00:45:23.079 --> 00:45:23.599
 on Jesus,

00:45:24.619 --> 00:45:26.460
 who will give us

00:45:26.460 --> 00:45:26.840
 the wisdom

00:45:26.840 --> 00:45:27.800
 to make life work.

00:45:30.079 --> 00:45:31.320
 How's Jesus asking us

00:45:31.320 --> 00:45:33.019
 to respond to him today?

00:45:33.019 --> 00:45:33.099
 Amen.

00:45:50.960 --> 00:45:59.360
 What will it look like

00:45:59.360 --> 00:46:01.340
 for you to center your life

00:46:01.340 --> 00:46:02.360
 on Jesus this week?

00:46:02.360 --> 00:46:20.800
 Maybe I can ask you,

00:46:20.900 --> 00:46:22.280
 what is the one area

00:46:22.280 --> 00:46:23.039
 in your life

00:46:23.039 --> 00:46:24.360
 that you try to live

00:46:24.360 --> 00:46:25.360
 by your own wisdom?

00:46:29.039 --> 00:46:29.920
 For many of us,

00:46:29.960 --> 00:46:30.579
 the temptations,

00:46:30.700 --> 00:46:31.240
 we'll say,

00:46:31.239 --> 00:46:32.599
 I'll surrender everything

00:46:32.599 --> 00:46:33.119
 to Jesus,

00:46:33.259 --> 00:46:34.479
 but there's this one area

00:46:34.479 --> 00:46:34.959
 in my life

00:46:34.959 --> 00:46:35.879
 I don't want to let go

00:46:35.879 --> 00:46:36.419
 of control.

00:46:37.779 --> 00:46:38.219
 Friends,

00:46:38.259 --> 00:46:39.500
 that's the one area

00:46:39.500 --> 00:46:40.419
 where we'll probably

00:46:40.419 --> 00:46:41.639
 be most foolish.

00:46:45.519 --> 00:46:46.539
 What's the one area

00:46:46.539 --> 00:46:47.039
 of your life

00:46:47.039 --> 00:46:48.579
 Jesus wants you to come

00:46:48.579 --> 00:46:52.299
 and center on him?

00:46:52.299 --> 00:46:53.500
 Amen.

00:46:57.360 --> 00:47:10.400
 Amen.

00:47:10.400 --> 00:47:23.380
 Lord Jesus Christ, we bring our lives before you.

00:47:24.160 --> 00:47:30.700
 In particular, we bring the areas of our life this morning that we find so hard to bring before you.

00:47:34.000 --> 00:47:37.079
 Father, where we are tempted to live by our own wisdom,

00:47:37.079 --> 00:47:42.420
 we confess that often we lead ourselves into foolishness.

00:47:48.299 --> 00:47:51.460
 We have a trail of brokenness behind us.

00:47:54.480 --> 00:48:00.119
 So Christ, we come before you this morning, and we ask you, come and have your way in our life.

00:48:01.920 --> 00:48:04.199
 Come and be our King. Come and be our Lord.

00:48:05.579 --> 00:48:06.719
 Come and be our Master.

00:48:07.079 --> 00:48:08.079
 Come and be our Lord.

00:48:10.759 --> 00:48:16.440
 Jesus, come and lead our lives, and give us the wisdom, God,

00:48:16.679 --> 00:48:21.559
 to not waste our lives, but to make our lives flourish.

00:48:23.199 --> 00:48:25.579
 By centering our lives in you, come and help us, we pray.

00:48:25.699 --> 00:48:31.039
 God, where we lack faith, where we find it hard, won't you help us to trust you?

00:48:31.039 --> 00:48:35.980
 Where we fear for God, won't you come and draw us near.

00:48:36.900 --> 00:48:42.659
 Where we are anxious and worried, Jesus, come and bring your peace, and help us to trust you, we pray.

00:48:45.259 --> 00:48:48.779
 In your great and gracious name, amen.

00:48:48.780 --> 00:48:48.960
 Bye.

00:48:49.200 --> 00:48:50.380
 Bye.

00:48:50.380 --> 00:48:50.540
 Bye.

00:48:50.540 --> 00:48:51.180
 Bye.

00:48:51.640 --> 00:48:51.880
 Bye.

00:48:52.480 --> 00:48:52.540
 Bye.

00:49:00.800 --> 00:49:01.320
 Bye.

00:49:01.320 --> 00:49:01.500
 Bye.

00:49:01.500 --> 00:49:02.160
 Bye.

00:49:02.260 --> 00:49:02.600
 Bye.

00:49:02.600 --> 00:49:02.960
 Bye.

00:49:02.960 --> 00:49:02.980
 Bye.

00:49:03.040 --> 00:49:03.519
 Bye.

00:49:03.960 --> 00:49:04.540
 Bye.

00:49:04.580 --> 00:49:04.680
 Bye.

00:49:04.680 --> 00:49:05.519
 Bye.

00:49:05.519 --> 00:49:06.480
 Bye.

00:49:06.480 --> 00:49:07.000
 Bye.

00:49:07.000 --> 00:49:07.140
 Bye.

00:49:08.220 --> 00:49:09.060
 Bye.

00:49:09.060 --> 00:49:10.480
 Bye.

00:49:10.540 --> 00:49:10.980
 Bye.

00:49:11.760 --> 00:49:12.620
 Bye.

00:49:12.620 --> 00:49:13.440
 Bye.

00:49:13.440 --> 00:49:13.519
 Bye.

00:49:13.900 --> 00:49:14.440
 Bye.

00:49:14.500 --> 00:49:16.620
 Bye.