1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,000 Tonight's Tonight's session is called Chasing. 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:05,480 Security. And that's because the last 3 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:07,800 session, if you remember, the teacher, LED us into one of the 4 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:10,320 most familiar and unsettling realities of life. 5 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:11,280 Which? Is that we are not. 6 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:14,440 In control and. I think we all agree on that. 7 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:16,560 Even if we don't like it, we have. 8 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:19,880 Seasons that we don't choose. We live life at a pace that. 9 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:21,800 We can't manage on our own and. We get. 10 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:23,880 Outcomes that we can't always predict and so if we can't 11 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:26,720 control everything, what does the teacher look at now Well, 12 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:28,320 he. He looks at security. 13 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:30,480 Well, what will make? Me feel safe can. 14 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:32,560 Anybody relate to that concept and that idea? 15 00:00:32,759 --> 00:00:34,440 About wanting to just feel. Safe. 16 00:00:35,560 --> 00:00:37,640 Well. It's not always in obvious. 17 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:39,840 Ways that we that we search this out. 18 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:42,040 But in everyday decisions, we see it people. 19 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:43,800 Always look. For something consistent, 20 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:47,400 something reliable. Something that we can hold onto 21 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:49,480 when everything else feels. Uncertain and for some people 22 00:00:49,480 --> 00:00:51,120 that security is found in. Success. 23 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:54,800 For some people, it's found in relationships or money or 24 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:56,240 influence or the sense that they're. 25 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:58,440 Building a life that can't. Easily fall apart. 26 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:01,160 But the reality is we're going to see tonight is there's really 27 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:03,960 no form of a life that can't. Easily fall under fall. 28 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:05,600 Apart under the right circumstances. 29 00:01:06,320 --> 00:01:09,960 So we just want to find a life where we finally feel quote. 30 00:01:09,960 --> 00:01:12,720 UN quote safe. And so the three chapters of 31 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:14,320 Ecclesiastes. That we're going to cover 32 00:01:14,320 --> 00:01:17,760 tonight. 4 through 6 they start. To uncover. 33 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:21,000 How fragile these sources of. Security really are and the. 34 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,840 Teacher approaches this topic. From many different angles. 35 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:26,880 He's going to cover. Oppression, loneliness, success, 36 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:29,160 wealth, and even worship. And in each one. 37 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:30,560 He's going. To ask the same question. 38 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:33,800 In a different way, but. Jesus also spoke to this idea. 39 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:37,640 So I just want to share this from Matthew. 619 through 21. 40 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:40,400 Jesus said this, he. Said don't store up treasures 41 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:43,600 here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and 42 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:45,000 where thieves break in and steal. 43 00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:48,800 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot. 44 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:51,160 Destroy and thieves. Do not break in and. 45 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:54,720 Steal wherever your treasure is. They're the desires of your 46 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:56,160 heart will be. Also. 47 00:01:57,240 --> 00:01:59,120 And I want to share. This with you because just to 48 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:00,200 give. You like a little pastoral 49 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:02,160 moment before we fold into. Teaching mode. 50 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,320 This is really important. And a lot of people get it A. 51 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:06,880 Little backwards and don't realize it. 52 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:09,400 What Jesus says here is. Wherever your treasure is, there 53 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:11,440 the desires of your heart will. Be also a lot of. 54 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:13,120 Times we think whatever we desire the most. 55 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:16,040 Is what we treasure. If you decide what is. 56 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:17,840 The treasure in your life. What is the highest? 57 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:21,400 Value and you make. That a consistent determination. 58 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:23,840 In your life, the desires. Of your heart will float there. 59 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:26,000 So you can choose. Whether or not it's your bank. 60 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:27,480 Account you can choose. Whether or not. 61 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:29,880 It is a person you can choose. Whether or not it's a life. 62 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:31,080 Goal. Whatever you. 63 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:33,280 Choose as being the ultimate value is where the. 64 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:35,960 Desires of your heart will go. And you can see how this works. 65 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:37,280 How? Once you belong to the world, 66 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:39,360 but now you belong to the Kingdom of God. 67 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:42,320 And so your allegiance changed. Your desire shifted. 68 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:45,840 As you decided what was? Actually more valuable and it's. 69 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:48,600 That way for life so. The one thing I will just tell 70 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:51,080 you before we jump into. The 1st 6 verses. 71 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:53,360 Is this? The words that Jesus. 72 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:56,200 Shares that I just read. It's the same problem that the. 73 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:58,880 Teacher's about to reveal it is possible to build a life that 74 00:02:58,880 --> 00:02:59,560 looks. Secure on the. 75 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:02,520 Outside while also placing your trust in. 76 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:05,720 Things that can actually. Still fall apart several years 77 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:06,680 ago I. Went to go visit. 78 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:10,760 My Auntie Hope down in Texas and I was so excited because she 79 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:12,040 makes this shrimp. Stew. 80 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:14,200 She lives right there. On the Gulf. 81 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:16,600 The shrimp is amazing. It's got some kick to it. 82 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:18,520 It's like tomato. Based big potatoes you. 83 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:19,520 Didn't come here to. Hear me talk. 84 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:21,600 About the soup, but. It's an amazing soup. 85 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:23,240 I'm so. Excited. 86 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:25,960 And so I'm ready. To eat the soup. 87 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:28,760 And so I go over to your table. And I sit down. 88 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,560 But I sit down all. The way to the floor because the 89 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:34,360 chair. Did not hold up and I don't know 90 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:35,640 if you've ever had a moment like that. 91 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:38,040 Where the chair that you? Go to sit on just. 92 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:41,640 Breaks or falls apart, it ain't great, but. 93 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:44,600 That's sort of a metaphor. For what we're looking for. 94 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:47,440 In this session when we're chasing security. 95 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:49,240 We assume when we sit down on a chair. 96 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:52,280 It's going to hold us. Most of us don't come to church 97 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:54,160 and then look at 1:00. Of these burgundy fellas, right? 98 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:58,280 Here and and go. All right, OK. 99 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,000 And then brace yourself, right? We, we just know it's going to 100 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:03,520 hold us. That's kind of what we're 101 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:04,720 looking at. What is it that we. 102 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:06,320 Assume in life is going to hold us up. 103 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:08,640 And then it really. Doesn't under the right 104 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:10,720 circumstances. So the first 6 verses. 105 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:12,320 This is what I'm calling the weight of oppression. 106 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:13,720 Your notes. Will start right here. 107 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:17,399 In Ecclesiastes. Chapter 4 in the 1st. 108 00:04:17,399 --> 00:04:19,880 Verse he says again, I. Observed all the oppression. 109 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:22,480 That takes place under the sun. I saw the. 110 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:25,200 Tears of the oppressed. With no one to comfort them. 111 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:29,400 The oppressors have great power. And their victims are helpless. 112 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:32,960 So I concluded that the dead. Are better off than the? 113 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:35,800 Living. But the most fortunate of all 114 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:39,880 are those who are not yet born, for they've not seen all the 115 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:41,480 evil that is. Done under the sun. 116 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:44,520 And then I observed that most people are motivated. 117 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:48,400 To success because. They envy their neighbors, but 118 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:50,600 this too, is meaningless. Like chasing the wind. 119 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,560 Fools fold their idle hands, leading them to ruin. 120 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:56,320 And yet better to have one handful. 121 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:58,080 With quietness than two handfuls. 122 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:00,400 With hard work. And chasing the wind. 123 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:04,200 Well, the teacher opens this section by looking at something 124 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:05,600 that really does unsettle the idea of. 125 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:08,200 Security just like. That and he looks at the world 126 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:08,840 and he. Sees. 127 00:05:08,840 --> 00:05:10,480 Here's your first. Blank oppression. 128 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:12,760 I mean we. Can look at the world we. 129 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:15,040 Can see oppression right now. You can look at 3 minutes of the 130 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:16,640 news. And get a whole story about it. 131 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,560 Real people carrying real pain. And no one's stepping in to 132 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:22,040 comfort them. Sometimes it feels so. 133 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:24,200 Overwhelming. We see these scenes and. 134 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:25,800 We say, why doesn't somebody do something? 135 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:28,320 But. We're not doing anything, but we 136 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:30,800 don't know what to do and we feel like what can one person 137 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:31,960 do? That's part of why. 138 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:34,200 A lot of people don't. But if you look around the 139 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:36,200 world, it doesn't really matter the country or the government 140 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:36,840 that you. Look at. 141 00:05:36,840 --> 00:05:38,120 There are places. Where power is. 142 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:41,160 Uneven and justice feels absent and people that are suffering 143 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:43,600 feel like they're left alone in it he. 144 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:45,560 Says I see, I saw the tears of the oppressed. 145 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:49,320 With no one to comfort them. That line stands out to me. 146 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:51,240 Because the word translated as. Oppression comes. 147 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:52,760 From the Hebrew word a. Shock. 148 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:55,800 A shock which carries. The idea of being wronged. 149 00:05:55,800 --> 00:06:00,840 Or exploited or crushed by. Someone stronger by someone 150 00:06:00,840 --> 00:06:03,000 stronger. In other words, we're talking 151 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:04,520 about. Bullies in the system, right? 152 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:07,040 So this is not. Just an average difficulty. 153 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:08,160 Some things in life are hard. This. 154 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:10,160 Is the experience of being overpowered in a way that. 155 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:13,240 Feels impossible to escape and what? 156 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,000 Makes that even more painful is he's not just watching something 157 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:19,080 stronger crush or oppress them there's a lack of comfort in it 158 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:20,000 and the. Teacher repeats. 159 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:22,440 This he says there's no. One to comfort them that. 160 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:26,800 Hebrew word there naham. Is best described as relief. 161 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:29,480 Compassion or someone stepping in. 162 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:31,960 Someone stepping. In to ease the pain. 163 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:33,440 You can already see foreshadowing. 164 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:36,240 Of the gospel here, can't you? People being oppressed by the 165 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:38,920 weight of sin and having somebody step in to ease it. 166 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:43,920 The problem is here that. Blessing is missing, and so the 167 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:45,520 suffering that's. Described here is best 168 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:47,200 understood. As the kind that's very personal 169 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:50,080 and isolating. And this is where the illusion 170 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:51,840 of. Security already begins to crack 171 00:06:51,840 --> 00:06:53,600 this early. In this. 172 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:55,320 Lesson because a lot of people believe if. 173 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:58,040 You build the right life. Or you gain enough influence. 174 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:00,640 Or you have enough. Of a position, then you can 175 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:02,920 avoid this kind of vulnerability. 176 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:04,960 That's your blank there. Avoid this kind of 177 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:06,560 vulnerability. But the. 178 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:08,880 Teacher is here to remind. Us that life under the sun 179 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:11,160 remember there's life beyond the sun but right now we're. 180 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:13,280 Trapped here. Under the sun. 181 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:15,080 It doesn't always work that. Way. 182 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:19,360 There are situations where power wins, where justice is. 183 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:22,000 Delayed and where people. Don't feel seen. 184 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:25,280 So in his response, he says the dead are better off than. 185 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:27,000 The living. And those that are not yet. 186 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:30,040 Born are better off than both. And I want you to understand we 187 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:31,160 talked. About this a little bit last. 188 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:32,280 Week. This is a lament. 189 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:35,240 This is This is a. Poetic and and expressive 190 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:37,440 statement that he's saying. He doesn't, literally. 191 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:39,440 Think it's better to be dead than to be alive? 192 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:41,640 It's not. A statement of hopelessness. 193 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:43,800 It's just an honest. Expression of how heavy the 194 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,200 broken world feels. And surely we've all. 195 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:48,840 Felt that at some point hearing about some scenario or watching 196 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:50,440 somebody we love go through something. 197 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:53,720 Where we just feel hopeless. And what I really? 198 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:55,760 Appreciate about this chapter is the teacher refuses. 199 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:59,120 To soften the reality of that. But then he says most. 200 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:01,640 People he it's almost like startling how he switches, he 201 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:03,440 says most. People are motivated to success. 202 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:04,800 Because they envy their neighbors. 203 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:07,320 What he's saying is it's probably better off to be dead. 204 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:08,440 But even if you're. Alive. 205 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:12,600 You're really just jealous. The word translated as envy is 206 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:14,560 kina. It can also mean. 207 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:18,400 Jealousy or? It can mean rivalry, rivalry. 208 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:21,320 It's describing the kind of motivation. 209 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:25,280 That is driven by comparison. So that's where another layer 210 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:27,040 of. Insecurity gets exposed even 211 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:28,920 when. People are not being oppressed. 212 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:31,160 And even though there is oppression in this country. 213 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:33,320 I mean, we are very blessed and very fortunate here. 214 00:08:33,919 --> 00:08:35,400 So even if we're not. Oppressed. 215 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:37,520 We're triggered. By something internal, which is 216 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:39,720 the need to keep up. Kind of the modern. 217 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:43,760 Saying for this is keeping up with the Yeah, man, those 218 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:46,600 Joneses. They got everything, don't they? 219 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:50,240 The pressure is to have what somebody else has. 220 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:52,120 We've. We've gotten into a culture 221 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:53,440 where When? We look at what somebody else 222 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:55,120 has, we start to feel like maybe our life will. 223 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:57,760 Be a little bit better if we. Do have it and so. 224 00:08:58,320 --> 00:08:59,640 The pressure to have what, somebody else? 225 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:02,560 Has becomes more what drives. Us than success itself. 226 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:05,640 And the problem. Is there's no end game, there's 227 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:07,920 no winning win that's. What success looks like to? 228 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:10,680 Just have what somebody else has because once you do, you're 229 00:09:10,680 --> 00:09:11,960 going to see something else that somebody. 230 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:14,640 Else has so the teacher to really drive. 231 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:18,240 This home uses a Really. Cool extreme illustration he. 232 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:20,960 Talks about one person who. Folds their hands like this. 233 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:22,680 This is what it means. A little folding of the hands. 234 00:09:22,680 --> 00:09:24,800 He does nothing. I did this earlier. 235 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:28,040 I went home from work. Before I came back here. 236 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:30,800 And I laid on my bed and I did a little folding of the hands. 237 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:33,880 I was doing nothing. So he's saying one person folds 238 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:35,920 their hands. And does nothing, drifting into. 239 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:39,560 Ruin the other one. Fills both hands with work. 240 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:42,520 Constantly struggling, chasing, never at rest. 241 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:43,840 And you would think that one option. 242 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,440 Or the other one would. Work, but he's saying neither. 243 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:49,080 One leads to peace if. Both your hands are constantly. 244 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:50,760 Busy doing work? It's not going. 245 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:52,560 To lead to peace. You're striving, you're 246 00:09:52,560 --> 00:09:54,360 comparing, you're trying to achieve something. 247 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:56,880 And if you do nothing, you just freeze and you don't do 248 00:09:56,880 --> 00:09:58,920 anything. You're accomplishing nothing as 249 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:01,200 well. So that's why he offers this. 250 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:03,120 Really simple. But powerful alternative. 251 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:05,640 He said it is. Better to have one handful. 252 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:09,160 With quietness than two handfuls with hard work and chasing the 253 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:11,960 wind. The word translated as. 254 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:14,200 Quietness. Because what's a handful of 255 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:16,120 quietness? So that word is. 256 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:18,600 Nahat and it. Speaks of rest or. 257 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:22,040 Calm or a settled spirit? A settled. 258 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:24,600 Spirit, there's not a spot for this, but if you want to write. 259 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:25,800 Another word that would fit there. 260 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:30,560 It's contentment. If you have one handful. 261 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:32,640 With contentment. Basically, whatever the Lord's. 262 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:35,040 Given you, you hold on to that and you're content with it. 263 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:36,560 Your other hand is open. You're ready to. 264 00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:39,880 Receive whatever he's got. For you next, and so that means 265 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:41,880 that you're not. Driven by fear or comparison or 266 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:44,280 this endless working regardless. Of how much you have. 267 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:48,200 Couple personal insight questions for you there and then 268 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:50,920 we'll move on. To the next 5 verses 7 through 269 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:57,360 12 is the myth of independence the myth of independence. 270 00:10:58,360 --> 00:10:59,640 But you've probably. Heard this in a wedding. 271 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:05,280 Before he says I observed. Yet another example of something 272 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:08,600 meaningless under the sun. This is the case. 273 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:11,320 Of a man who is. All alone, without a child. 274 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:13,560 Or a brother yet who works hard to. 275 00:11:13,560 --> 00:11:16,280 Gain as much wealth as he can. But then he asks. 276 00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:18,000 Himself. Who am I working? 277 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,600 For. He's never had that moment 278 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:22,760 before. Why am I giving up so? 279 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:24,840 Much pleasure now. It's all so meaningless and 280 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:27,560 depressing. And here it is. 281 00:11:27,560 --> 00:11:30,440 Two people are better off than one, for they can help. 282 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:33,360 Each other succeed if one person falls. 283 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:36,480 The other can reach out. And help, but someone who falls 284 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:40,360 alone is in real trouble. Likewise 2 people lying close. 285 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:43,640 Together can keep each other warm, but how can one be warm 286 00:11:43,640 --> 00:11:46,720 alone? And a person standing alone can 287 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:49,240 be. Attacked and defeated, but two 288 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:51,880 can stand back-to-back. And Conquer three are even 289 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:53,520 better for a triple braided cord. 290 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:58,360 Is not easily broken now. The teacher here is turning from 291 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:01,120 oppression in comparison to something that is probably just 292 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:02,560 as revealing to the human condition. 293 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:05,080 He talks about a man who is completely alone. 294 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:08,280 A man who's completely. Alone, but still completely 295 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:12,840 driven when I met my wife. I had five jobs. 296 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:18,440 It was gross, but I didn't want. To be alone with my thoughts. 297 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:20,840 I wanted to be busy and I wanted to be so busy that when I wasn't 298 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:23,040 busy, I was asleep. It's a. 299 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:24,680 It's what you call a. Coping mechanism. 300 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:27,080 It's not healthy. And here it says no. 301 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:27,640 Family. No. 302 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:28,960 Close relationships? No one. 303 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:31,040 To share life with and still he works endlessly. 304 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:33,680 So when he says who? Am I working for that? 305 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:35,000 Feels a. Little bit different than 306 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:37,120 anything else that came before that, he wrote. 307 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:39,360 This is not somebody who's been. Forced in a hardship this. 308 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:41,720 Is somebody who made his own plans, his own decisions? 309 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:43,720 Set up his own work schedule and all. 310 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:45,440 Of a sudden had this moment. Of clarity where he goes. 311 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:48,040 What am I doing? Someone who chose. 312 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,960 A path that looked good. But it ended up being empty and 313 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:53,800 the word that's. Translated as a loan comes from 314 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:56,840 the word akkad, which just means. 315 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:01,640 One the number one, it just means one it's it's. 316 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:06,480 Someone more than a number. It just implies isolation, and 317 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:09,280 isolation seems like it's come. It's came up a few. 318 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:12,080 Times on Sundays here. But this is somebody who has 319 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:13,280 found. Themselves isolated. 320 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:14,840 Isolated is more than just alone. 321 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:16,480 I hate that it even. Uses the word alone. 322 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:18,320 Now that I know this. Because to. 323 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:20,880 Say that he ends up isolated carries a different meaning than 324 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:24,000 he ended up alone, doesn't it? Isolated means not. 325 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:26,080 Only are you not around? People, you feel like you. 326 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:29,800 Can't get a path to people that's meaningful and. 327 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:31,600 So this is a life that's been reduced down to. 328 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,440 Just self without anybody. To share joy or burdens with. 329 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:36,720 And So what makes? This so. 330 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:39,240 Scary and relatable is how. Easy it is to drift into this 331 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:42,640 without realizing it. The teacher's not describing. 332 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:43,960 Some. Weirdo here. 333 00:13:44,680 --> 00:13:46,240 He's. Describing a pattern that many 334 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:48,640 people have fallen into and don't we teach. 335 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:52,960 This work hard, stay focused. Hustle somewhere along the way. 336 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:54,760 Relationships get pushed to the. Side. 337 00:13:56,000 --> 00:14:00,320 Relationships get pushed to the. Side for people to get. 338 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:01,640 Stuck on this path at first? You can. 339 00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:05,360 Feel like strength because independence gets celebrated 340 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:08,560 being self. Sufficient and not needing 341 00:14:08,560 --> 00:14:10,440 anyone and handling everything on your own. 342 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:13,240 It can look like. Success, but the scripture right 343 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:16,760 here exposes the cost. He says why am I giving up so 344 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:19,880 much pleasure now? I mean, I don't have a spot for 345 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:21,840 you on this, but. That word pleasure, it connects 346 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:23,720 back to the idea. Of enjoyment, which we've 347 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,120 discussed in Ecclesiastes. It means that this man has. 348 00:14:26,120 --> 00:14:27,520 Built something but in the. Process. 349 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:29,920 He's lost the very. Thing that gave building 350 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:31,960 something meaning. If you ever saw the. 351 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:35,400 Lego Movie, you kind of get a lesson in that, as Will 352 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:37,600 Ferrell's, you know, he's keeping all the Legos in 353 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:39,080 pristine condition, and he doesn't like his. 354 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:42,440 Kids to play with it, but they're Legos so. 355 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:45,280 When he says. Why am I giving? 356 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:47,200 Up so much pleasure. Now it's a moment of 357 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:49,160 realization, and then we get to the spot that we hear in a lot 358 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:51,000 of weddings, two people are better off than one. 359 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:53,280 It's one of the clearest statements in all of 360 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:55,480 Ecclesiastes. It means pretty much what it 361 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:57,600 says. After describing isolation and 362 00:14:57,600 --> 00:14:59,080 what? It is to have nobody to share 363 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:01,280 anything with. That's the context for when he 364 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:02,880 finally. Says, but two are better. 365 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:05,760 Because then you can share, if you have good news, you've got 366 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:07,240 somebody to call, somebody to share it with. 367 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:09,440 If you have bad news, you have somebody to commiserate with, 368 00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:10,920 you know, if you've got something going on. 369 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:13,320 If you got to rob a store, you've got somebody to drive the 370 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:14,800 car. Or whatever. 371 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:21,400 Just whatever. You know what he's basically 372 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:23,200 saying? Here is connection is. 373 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:25,400 Part of what is wired. Into us with creation. 374 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:28,640 And if it's wired into US, I. Want you to hear me on this. 375 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:32,120 Connection with other people is not optional. 376 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:33,720 It's a necessity for a Christian. 377 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:36,160 For a believer, you're made. In the image of God. 378 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:38,400 People are not. Designed to carry life alone. 379 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:39,760 You don't have to be an extrovert. 380 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:41,400 But you got to have. Someone. 381 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:43,760 So he gives. Some really practical pictures 382 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:45,200 to it. If one falls, the other one can 383 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:47,440 help them up. If the night is cold, they can 384 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:50,320 keep each other warm, and if there's danger, they can stand. 385 00:15:50,320 --> 00:15:52,160 Together, these are everyday realities. 386 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:54,160 That he uses to drive at home so that. 387 00:15:54,160 --> 00:15:57,200 Phrase help each other succeed. Comes from the Hebrew word. 388 00:15:57,320 --> 00:15:59,920 Tov and we talked about that not long ago. 389 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:05,240 It means good or beneficial can be beneficial or life giving. 390 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:08,960 Just like mazel tov. It's good, but then. 391 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:11,800 He adds one final image and he says. 392 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:13,280 A triple braided chord is not easily. 393 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:14,880 Broken. Now we look backwards. 394 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:16,760 From the New Testament era that we live in now. 395 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:18,400 And we can. See that God is. 396 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:20,920 Often that third strand who? Holds us together when we're 397 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:23,360 talking about relationships. But the word for cord? 398 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:26,040 There is Caval. And it means something. 399 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:28,360 That is woven together. For strength. 400 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:32,160 For strength. Why would you weave? 401 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:34,360 You know. Three chords together because. 402 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:37,080 It can hold more. And it's crazy, you. 403 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:39,200 Would think that two ropes that are woven together. 404 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:41,280 Hold twice as much. It's not the. 405 00:16:41,280 --> 00:16:42,400 Case. It's much more than. 406 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:45,000 Twice as much. And three, it's exponentially 407 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:47,520 more, so it's not just three times as much as before. 408 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,400 Strength gets multiplied when it's woven together, and that's 409 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:53,160 the image that the teacher's trying to get across here. 410 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:55,400 So we have to recognize the independence. 411 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:58,840 While it can look strong on the outside, often leads to weakness 412 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:01,200 on the inside. We were not. 413 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:02,880 Created to carry everything alone, we were. 414 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:05,319 Created to be woven. Together with other people so 415 00:17:05,319 --> 00:17:07,680 that we. Can carry things at a much more 416 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:10,920 manageable pace. Strength is not found in 417 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:13,240 avoiding dependence. It's fun in placing. 418 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:14,760 It in the right place, I've heard it said. 419 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:16,560 Before that, codependence is bad. 420 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:20,880 I agree. Fierce independence can be bad. 421 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:22,800 There's a word that's not. Used a lot. 422 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:25,480 It's called interdependent. It's where you choose to. 423 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:27,920 Depend on each other and you rely on each other. 424 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:32,360 For the greater good. All right, 3 verses now I'm 425 00:17:32,360 --> 00:17:33,440 really enjoying this because we're doing. 426 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:35,960 Like 6. Verses 5 verses 3 verses. 427 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:37,640 We're going to do like a. Chapter and 1/2 next. 428 00:17:40,120 --> 00:17:42,840 It's not a joke. All right, 3 verses. 429 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:47,960 This is the illusion of status. The teacher says it's better to 430 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:49,960 be. A poor but wise youth. 431 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:51,840 Than an old and foolish. King. 432 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:55,200 Who refuses? All advice such a youth. 433 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:57,040 Could rise from poverty. And succeed. 434 00:17:57,360 --> 00:18:00,840 He might even become king, though he has been in prison. 435 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,240 But then everyone rushes to the side of yet another youth who. 436 00:18:05,240 --> 00:18:06,160 Replaces. Him. 437 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:10,480 Endless crowds stand around him. But then another. 438 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:12,640 Generation grows up and rejects. Him too. 439 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:15,760 So it is all meaningless. Like chasing the wind. 440 00:18:17,120 --> 00:18:18,920 Awesome politics. All right, so. 441 00:18:20,280 --> 00:18:22,280 Everyone came here to. Talk about politics at a Bible 442 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:24,400 study. The teacher is telling kind of a 443 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:26,040 small tale. Here it's it's almost. 444 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:28,520 Like you watch a story? Unfold and and fast. 445 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:30,760 Forward here, but. He talks about a poor young man 446 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:34,720 who comes up through wisdom. He's also got a king who's once. 447 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:37,000 Established and powerful. Who becomes resistant and 448 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:38,960 foolish? And then the roles reverse. 449 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:40,320 The king is now ousted. And this. 450 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:41,800 Person who even started in prison. 451 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:44,240 But gained wisdom and came up. Now has a following. 452 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:47,240 But once he rises to power, now there's a new younger. 453 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:48,600 Person that comes. Up and everybody. 454 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:50,040 Gets excited about this. Person. 455 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:53,040 So he's saying what's the point? Someone's going to replace you 456 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:56,200 at some point, and that is the way. 457 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:58,800 That life does go so. At first, the story. 458 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:00,520 Sounds hopeful because it sounds like wisdom. 459 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:03,840 Can elevate someone. Circumstances can change, but 460 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:06,600 then as time goes on, he doesn't. 461 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:08,880 Stop at the rise, he. Keeps watching and sees how. 462 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:11,720 Other people choose another generation that grows up and. 463 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:14,080 Rejects the previous one, so. Your first blank. 464 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:17,240 There, he says, the same pattern repeats. 465 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:21,560 It's the same pattern. So we're talking about security. 466 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:24,040 If you've got the security. Or the OR the support. 467 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:26,040 Of the masses. Or everybody really appreciates. 468 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:28,960 What you do, it may feel good, but it is also not something to 469 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:31,600 to lean your weight on. The crowd that once gathered 470 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:34,200 moves on and. The support that felt solid 471 00:19:34,360 --> 00:19:37,880 starts to shift. The phrase that's translated as 472 00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:40,320 endless crowds comes from the Hebrew word hamon. 473 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:43,120 It. Refers to a multitude. 474 00:19:43,360 --> 00:19:45,720 Or a large. Noisy gathering. 475 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:48,800 Noisy gathering and it's. Important that you know that 476 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:50,880 because when you. Get a lot of people together. 477 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:54,480 It is noisy. In specific, when I say a noisy 478 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:55,840 gathering, I want you to think of the kind of. 479 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:58,680 Crowd that feels powerful. Simply because of its size and 480 00:19:58,680 --> 00:19:59,440 its. Energy. 481 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:01,680 Think of a crowd. At a sporting event. 482 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:04,840 Or at a political rally. They are all there for. 483 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:07,280 The same thing and for the same. Purposes for the most. 484 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:09,400 Part and so it. Carries this idea of. 485 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:13,000 Excitement and momentum a few weeks ago when my family and I 486 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:13,960 we. Went to see wrestling. 487 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:17,160 You know who else was there? People who like wrestling. 488 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:21,360 It felt different than watching it in the living room on the TV. 489 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:22,640 Because you're. Around a bunch of. 490 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:23,600 People that are. Excited. 491 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:25,360 So you build. And you feed off of this 492 00:20:25,360 --> 00:20:27,680 excitement. That's the kind of gathering 493 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:29,400 that he's talking. About where everybody would be. 494 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:32,280 Excited about something? Because that idea of excitement 495 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:34,320 and momentum is. Also something that can feel. 496 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:36,640 Overwhelming and the teacher. Showing us how? 497 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:40,160 Quickly, even that kind of. Attention can shift what feels. 498 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:41,640 Strong in one moment. Because it's. 499 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:44,320 Loud and grabs your. Attention doesn't mean that it's 500 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:46,640 stable. Public support can rise. 501 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:48,800 Quickly, but it can also just as quickly move on. 502 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:50,840 And a lot of people look to recognition. 503 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:53,240 As a form of security, most. People here as far. 504 00:20:53,240 --> 00:20:55,400 As I'm aware are not running for a public office right now. 505 00:20:56,120 --> 00:20:58,320 Right, and that's fine. You're probably going to be at 506 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:02,680 more peace if you don't, but most people at some point in 507 00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:04,040 their. Life are looking for. 508 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:06,880 Recognition as a form of. Security being known or 509 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:08,400 respected. Or being in a position of 510 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:10,600 influence can feel like something that gives you 511 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:13,200 stability. But the teacher exposes. 512 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:15,800 Even that can fall. Away because people can change. 513 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:17,720 And the deeper issue here is not. 514 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:19,120 The position of influence itself. 515 00:21:19,120 --> 00:21:20,960 If you live a life. Filled with wisdom, you're going 516 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:23,440 to gain it. It's what you expect it to 517 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:26,480 provide for you. So when status becomes the place 518 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:27,560 that. You look to for your meaning. 519 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:29,560 Just like everything else. It's going to disappoint you 520 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:30,600 because. It too. 521 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:32,440 Was never meant to carry that kind of weight. 522 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:35,240 So the teacher is really. Just trying to expose. 523 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:40,160 The limits of leadership or influence influence you can. 524 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:42,960 Rise you can lead. You can be surrounded by. 525 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:45,320 People and still find that it doesn't last. 526 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:46,720 The way that you hoped. That it would. 527 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:49,480 In the New Testament, you actually see that even 528 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:51,160 leadership. Itself is a spiritual gift. 529 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:53,080 Designed to. Serve other people, not 530 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:54,640 yourself. Every spiritual. 531 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:56,400 Gift is designed for somebody other than you. 532 00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:00,320 And so this just means we have to learn to see recognition for 533 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:01,280 what it. Is it could be a? 534 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:03,400 Platform or a? Responsibility or even a 535 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:05,000 blessing. But it can never be a 536 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:06,000 foundation. Amen. 537 00:22:07,120 --> 00:22:10,360 It can't secure our identity. And it can't guarantee lasting 538 00:22:10,360 --> 00:22:12,880 meaning. All right, now we're going to 539 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:17,440 cover Ecclesiastes chapter. 5. Through the 1st 9 verses. 540 00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:21,720 Of Chapter 6. And I said in the e-mail, read 541 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:23,280 it in advance because I'm not going to read you a. 542 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:24,640 Chapter and a. Half at a time now. 543 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:28,400 But this is called the false. Promise of more. 544 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:31,160 And this sort of. Encapsulates a lot of what we 545 00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:32,960 were talking about with all. Of the previous. 546 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:35,280 Subjects that there's more ahead. 547 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:38,000 More will make you fulfilled. Nobody likes to admit it. 548 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:41,640 But when you are single. You start to feel like if I 549 00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:42,640 could. Just get married, I'd feel. 550 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:45,760 Fulfilled. I know there's a lot of couples. 551 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:48,120 In here I love have you ever. Arrived at marriage and found. 552 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:52,960 Wow, this is hard. It is and it's and. 553 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:53,680 It's worth it. It's worth. 554 00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:57,400 The struggle, but it is. Hard, and sometimes we feel. 555 00:22:57,400 --> 00:22:58,440 Like man, if we have. Kids. 556 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:00,680 Kids will make it easier. They do not make it easier. 557 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:03,800 You know that three stranded chord we were talking about? 558 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:07,080 They love to just pick at it. And watch it unravel. 559 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:10,680 Kids make things harder because you have more responsibility. 560 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:13,760 So here he's talking about. Approaching God with care. 561 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:16,280 The futility of wealth. And a lot of other things. 562 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:18,800 Let's go and jump into. This He's got several. 563 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:20,880 Observations together and we can't read all of it. 564 00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:22,880 Word for word because in. Moving instead of moving. 565 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:25,040 It through a straight line. If you read this. 566 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:26,080 Then you know that. This is where he. 567 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:28,720 Begins circling the same idea from different angles. 568 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:31,080 It's the same idea. For this whole chapter and 1/2. 569 00:23:31,360 --> 00:23:35,240 But from different angles. And the repetition is not 570 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:37,040 accidental. He wasn't forgetting where he 571 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:39,000 started. And starting over again. 572 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:41,000 This is a very classic. Teaching. 573 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:42,480 Method where repetition helps drive. 574 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:43,920 Something home and the. Theme underneath. 575 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:45,400 All of it is simple but challenging. 576 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:46,920 It's this. More. 577 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:48,120 I'll put that in. Quotation marks. 578 00:23:48,120 --> 00:23:50,760 Whatever it is more of. Will never make you feel. 579 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:53,440 Secure and to prove. This he actually starts. 580 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:55,640 In an unexpected. Place he starts with. 581 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,480 Worship. He starts with worship. 582 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:00,000 How many of you all didn't know you? 583 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:01,440 Were coming here to hear that you can have too much. 584 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:05,360 Worship. Just kidding, but this is. 585 00:24:05,360 --> 00:24:06,600 What he says, the teacher speaks. 586 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:09,240 About entering the House of God. He's not just giving an. 587 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:10,880 Instruction. He's warning about being. 588 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:14,160 Careless with words. Because it points to something 589 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:14,680 deeper. It's. 590 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:17,920 Possible to be active? Around God without being. 591 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:22,320 Attentive to him and that is something we still. 592 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:26,040 Struggle with to this day. I guarantee you there were. 593 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:28,280 People that came here for Resurrection Sunday. 594 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:30,800 Praise Jesus had a great. Time didn't talk to. 595 00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:35,760 God the rest of the day. The word translated rash. 596 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:39,240 Comes from the Hebrew word. Bahal. 597 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:42,080 It means to hurry or to act impulsively. 598 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:46,920 Or to speak without thought. To speak without thought. 599 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:49,360 So the teacher here is. Exposing a kind of. 600 00:24:49,360 --> 00:24:51,840 Spiritual life, that is. Busy and expressive or even 601 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:54,440 emotional, but not. Something that comes from a 602 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:57,120 place of reverence for God and this. 603 00:24:57,120 --> 00:25:00,280 Is where the phrase fear. God becomes important again, but 604 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:01,760 it has brand new weight to it now. 605 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:03,440 Because the word yaray, which we've. 606 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:04,760 Talked about in a previous. Lesson. 607 00:25:05,040 --> 00:25:08,040 It talks about awe. Or of recognizing the. 608 00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:11,760 Distance Recognizing the distance between who God is and 609 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:13,720 who we are. Yeah. 610 00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:15,640 God lives inside of you, but remember this is. 611 00:25:15,640 --> 00:25:17,400 Ecclesiastes. This is Old Testament. 612 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:18,800 They didn't have the same theology. 613 00:25:19,120 --> 00:25:21,720 We know that God and the Holy. Spirit lives inside of us. 614 00:25:22,040 --> 00:25:24,120 We know that he's never really that far from us. 615 00:25:24,120 --> 00:25:26,400 But when you think about how holy he is and how. 616 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:28,520 Earthly we are. There's quite a bit of distance, 617 00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:32,040 isn't there? It's that kind of awareness that 618 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:34,640 slows us down and reminds us that God is not someone that we 619 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:35,920 manage. He is somebody that we should 620 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:39,880 approach with humility. So from here the. 621 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:42,560 Teacher then shifts to money. Still circling the same idea. 622 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:44,360 He says those who. Love, money will never have 623 00:25:44,360 --> 00:25:47,000 enough. And the word that's translated. 624 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:49,360 Love. Comes from the Hebrew word ahav. 625 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:52,720 It means affection or attachment. 626 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:56,280 It's not about having money. It means being attached to your 627 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:58,760 money. It's about where the heart 628 00:25:58,760 --> 00:26:00,560 leans. It's about where the heart 629 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:03,400 leans. All of us have at. 630 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:05,160 Least. One thing that tends to. 631 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:07,040 Trigger our anxiety at the fastest. 632 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:09,720 And it may be relational problem, it may be money, it may 633 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:11,400 be. Problems that, whatever it is. 634 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:12,760 It's something that you have wrapped. 635 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:14,960 Part of your. Identity in it's neither. 636 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:17,040 Here nor there, we all. Have something, but for those 637 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:20,040 that love money, this is the trap for them and the teacher. 638 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:22,120 'S clear that when the heart. Leans towards more. 639 00:26:22,120 --> 00:26:24,720 It never arrives. At enough, if you're focused on 640 00:26:24,720 --> 00:26:26,360 more, you're not focused on enough, right? 641 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:28,960 So he. Describes what happens next. 642 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:31,000 As wealth increases, so do the demands around it. 643 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:33,720 More responsibility, more consumption, more pressure. 644 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:36,320 And the promise is. Stability, but the result feels 645 00:26:36,320 --> 00:26:40,440 more like stress. So think about how deep it is. 646 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:43,560 When he says paraphrased. The one who works hard can 647 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:45,160 sleep. While the one who has much. 648 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:47,360 Struggles to rest, that's part of. 649 00:26:47,360 --> 00:26:49,200 What is in this chapter? I'm going to say that again. 650 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:51,800 Listen to this again. The one who works hard can 651 00:26:51,800 --> 00:26:53,960 sleep. While the one who has much 652 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:57,960 struggles to rest. Because when you work hard, 653 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:00,560 you've got. Some some enjoyment in the fact 654 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:03,120 that. You've contributed, but when 655 00:27:03,120 --> 00:27:04,600 you've got a lot, you're worried about losing it. 656 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:08,360 So as the teacher then moves from chapter 5 into chapter. 6 657 00:27:08,360 --> 00:27:10,120 which we just. Covered the 1st 9 verses. 658 00:27:10,120 --> 00:27:12,560 In this, he's still circling the same truth. 659 00:27:12,560 --> 00:27:14,360 I don't know why we put the number six there. 660 00:27:14,360 --> 00:27:15,880 It started. The chapter there but we did 661 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:17,400 but. Now he's doing it from. 662 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:19,360 Another angle. Where he's saying a person. 663 00:27:19,360 --> 00:27:22,800 Can have everything they can have wealth and honor and 664 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:25,160 opportunity and. Still lack the ability. 665 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:27,920 To enjoy it. And that word enjoy becomes 666 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:30,040 incredibly important because it connects to. 667 00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:35,440 The Hebrew word raha, which? Means to see, not a physical. 668 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:37,120 Sight. This carries the idea. 669 00:27:37,120 --> 00:27:38,720 Of being able to. Perceive or. 670 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:43,080 Recognize what is good most. People have good. 671 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:45,840 Things in their life, and many of them can't. 672 00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:50,160 Perceive that they are there. Most people have good 673 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:52,880 relationships or good blessings or good situations. 674 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:54,800 But they can't see. It because they're focused on an 675 00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:57,800 area where they need more and this is what the teacher is 676 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:00,520 trying to get across. Unfortunately. 677 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:02,840 The ability to perceive or. Recognize this is not 678 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:04,720 guaranteed. And this is where the 679 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:06,920 repetition. Begins to become more evident. 680 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:09,080 And and more you. Can see why he. 681 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:10,320 Did it because the. Teacher's not just. 682 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:11,960 Repeating a thought, he's trying to show that. 683 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:14,840 All of these areas expose a. Pattern in the human heart. 684 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:17,600 People keep reaching for more. And he describes. 685 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:19,480 It as a kind of. Hunger that keeps returning. 686 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:22,640 I mean, we eat several times a day, but could you imagine if 687 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:24,400 you got hungry 15 minutes after every? 688 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:26,920 Meal it would be. Exhausting to have to deal with 689 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:29,280 that. Some of you are like get off my 690 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:29,840 back. I like. 691 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:33,640 Reese's. Cups, that's a different thing, 692 00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:37,200 the idea that people are never satisfied. 693 00:28:37,200 --> 00:28:40,920 Comes from the Hebrew word. Malay Malay and it means to. 694 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:42,960 Be filled or full. Very simple. 695 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:45,520 In other words, you. Do not feel spiritually 696 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:47,320 satiated. You do not feel full. 697 00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:48,800 You do not feel like you've had enough. 698 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:50,720 The. Teacher is trying to show. 699 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:53,360 Us the disconnect here. A life can be full from the 700 00:28:53,360 --> 00:28:55,200 outside. And still feel empty on the 701 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:57,640 inside. And so the appetite keeps 702 00:28:57,640 --> 00:28:59,240 reaching even. When it feels like you. 703 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:02,000 Should be satisfied by the way. Normally if you find yourself in 704 00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:03,440 this place. You also start to keep. 705 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:06,120 Shame on top of yourself. Because you tell yourself such 706 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:07,080 helpful. Things as. 707 00:29:07,320 --> 00:29:10,040 Other people have it worse. I should be grateful. 708 00:29:10,760 --> 00:29:13,040 Why don't I appreciate? This more well. 709 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:14,880 Because you got. Sin and sinful. 710 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:16,760 People do this so. Stop it. 711 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:18,720 Be less sinful. That's what we're all trying to. 712 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:21,840 Do all right, I said. The Pastoral. 713 00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:25,400 Part was at the beginning. So he brings it back to 714 00:29:25,400 --> 00:29:28,160 something simple, but not easy. I mean, that's. 715 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:29,840 Not the same thing. Simple and easy are two. 716 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:32,360 Different things. He basically says enjoy what you 717 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:34,160 have. Rather than desiring what you 718 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:37,840 don't have, enjoy. The relationship you have. 719 00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:40,280 Rather than desiring a relationship you don't have, 720 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:43,720 enjoy the home that you have rather than wishing you had a 721 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:46,080 different home. Enjoy the car you drive instead 722 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:49,080 of the car you wish you had. Learn to enjoy what you have it. 723 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:51,520 Doesn't mean you'll never have. More, but when you can 724 00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:52,880 appreciate. What's right here? 725 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:55,040 You'll also appreciate. What is to come as? 726 00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:58,040 Well, this is not a call to stop. 727 00:29:58,040 --> 00:30:01,640 Working or to stop growing. It's just a call to stop. 728 00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:04,440 Expecting. More to do what only God can do. 729 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:06,200 So your last two. Blanks. 730 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:07,920 The issue is not. Effort. 731 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:13,200 It's expectation the issue's not. 732 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:14,680 Effort. It's expectation. 733 00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:17,240 You've been around me always. Talk about this, the number one 734 00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:19,400 relationship killers unmet expectations. 735 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:22,080 A lot of times there's distance with God because of those unmet 736 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:25,960 expectations. All right, last three verses. 737 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:28,960 Ecclesiastes 6. 10 through 12 and. 738 00:30:28,960 --> 00:30:32,000 This is called the limits of knowing and I will. 739 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:36,000 Read this to you. It says everything has already 740 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:39,160 been decided. It was known long ago what each 741 00:30:39,160 --> 00:30:42,960 person would be, so there's no use arguing with God about your. 742 00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:45,800 Destiny, so mess with your. Theology a little bit. 743 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:49,600 The more words you. Speak the less they mean. 744 00:30:50,560 --> 00:30:54,400 So what good are they? In the few days of our 745 00:30:54,400 --> 00:31:00,000 meaningless lives, who knows how our days can be best spent our. 746 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:03,120 Lives are like a shadow. Who can tell what will? 747 00:31:03,120 --> 00:31:05,120 Happen on this earth? After we're gone. 748 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:08,960 So when he speaks to destiny here, I do want to make this. 749 00:31:08,960 --> 00:31:12,720 Clear it is not. That God has decided everything. 750 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:14,440 You're going to do and. Accomplish and you have no 751 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:16,080 choice. You have free will. 752 00:31:16,080 --> 00:31:17,200 You're. Out of all of. 753 00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:18,280 God's creation. You are the. 754 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:20,120 Only thing that has the ability to tell him no. 755 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:23,000 But God sits outside. Of time. 756 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:25,560 He knows who you will be. He knows where you will end up. 757 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:28,400 He knows what you will do. It is all pre written for him. 758 00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:30,960 Because he is not bound by time. He's not. 759 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:31,920 I want to. I want to make sure you 760 00:31:31,920 --> 00:31:33,440 understand. Me by him being eternal. 761 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:35,840 He's not just at the. End of the game. 762 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:38,000 He's not just. Where he can DVR and. 763 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:39,680 Rewind it and see what. You're going to do. 764 00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:42,920 He's everywhere he is. Before there was time. 765 00:31:43,080 --> 00:31:45,600 He is when time ends. And he's right here. 766 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:47,120 He's just. As present with us. 767 00:31:47,120 --> 00:31:49,440 In this room as he is. With Moses at the burning. 768 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:52,800 Bush right now. OK, so for. 769 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:55,720 Him, he already knows everything. 770 00:31:55,960 --> 00:31:58,160 You have free. Will make the most of it, OK? 771 00:31:58,960 --> 00:32:02,200 The teacher closes the section. By bringing everything down to a 772 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:05,640 place that's pretty honest and if you let it, it humbles you. 773 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:09,200 He's talked about. Oppression and isolation and. 774 00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:12,800 He's talked about status. And wealth and the endless. 775 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:15,040 Pursuit of more. And now he turns to what is 776 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:17,600 underneath all of it. Which is our limited ability to 777 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:22,160 truly understand life, to understand life. 778 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:26,360 Most of us if somebody. Said, how are you doing? 779 00:32:26,360 --> 00:32:29,080 We wouldn't look at them and say I'm pretty great, I understand 780 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:31,520 life. No, most of us would. 781 00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:34,200 Be like. Just out here trusting God. 782 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:38,960 So he starts by reminding us that life is not as random. 783 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:42,000 As we sometimes like to imagine. There is a sense that. 784 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:45,360 Things are already established. That word that's translated as 785 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:48,320 determined comes. From the Hebrew word Kara. 786 00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:53,200 Which can mean to call or to name to name. 787 00:32:53,520 --> 00:32:55,440 Or to appoint. So when it says. 788 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:57,040 That everything's already been determined. 789 00:32:57,040 --> 00:32:58,640 It's already been called. It's been named. 790 00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:01,120 It's been appointed. It has the whole idea. 791 00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:02,560 That things are not random. This is a bit. 792 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:05,640 Of a throwback to the seasons he discussed in Ecclesiastes 793 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:08,160 chapter 3, there's order. There's intention and there's 794 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:10,520 structure to life, even if we don't understand it. 795 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:13,320 But that idea immediately. Puts us in a position. 796 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:18,760 Of limitation limitation. Once you understand that this is 797 00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:19,960 one of the concepts. In your. 798 00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:21,760 Faith life that will. Give you more freedom than 799 00:33:21,760 --> 00:33:25,760 almost anything else, and it sounds like it wouldn't, but you 800 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:29,320 are limited. OK, now listen when you. 801 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:31,680 First hear this. It may feel like again, it comes 802 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:33,640 against that control issue when you. 803 00:33:33,640 --> 00:33:35,920 Understand that you're limited and you were created. 804 00:33:35,920 --> 00:33:38,280 To be limited in that way, you do not. 805 00:33:38,280 --> 00:33:40,080 Have to stress your stuff your yourself. 806 00:33:40,080 --> 00:33:41,880 Out with things that are. Above your pay grade. 807 00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:44,120 So to speak. Those are God issues. 808 00:33:44,600 --> 00:33:47,280 These ones are mine. So I only have to deal with 809 00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:48,840 this. I'm not expected to deal with 810 00:33:48,840 --> 00:33:50,040 all of that take. The weight of the. 811 00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:53,320 World off your shoulders. We're not the ones that define 812 00:33:53,320 --> 00:33:54,680 everything. We're not the ones that are 813 00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:58,040 setting every outcome. There are realities about life 814 00:33:58,040 --> 00:33:59,640 that exists. Outside of our control. 815 00:33:59,960 --> 00:34:01,560 And that should. Give you relief. 816 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:04,240 If it doesn't tonight, keep. Praying for it. 817 00:34:04,960 --> 00:34:07,400 The teacher says this he. Says no one can contend with 818 00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:10,639 someone who is stronger, and that word translated contend 819 00:34:10,639 --> 00:34:14,600 comes from the Hebrew word Dean Dean, which means to. 820 00:34:14,600 --> 00:34:20,120 Strive or argue or dispute? Dispute. 821 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:22,600 This is the picture. Of someone trying to push back. 822 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:24,159 He's trying to paint this picture someone. 823 00:34:24,360 --> 00:34:26,719 Trying to argue their. Case with God or gain control 824 00:34:26,719 --> 00:34:27,960 over. Something that's greater than 825 00:34:27,960 --> 00:34:30,280 themselves. Good luck because the teacher 826 00:34:30,280 --> 00:34:31,199 is. Clear that there's a. 827 00:34:31,199 --> 00:34:34,400 Limit to that. There are just parts of. 828 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:37,199 Life that we can't fully explain or predict, and the more that we 829 00:34:37,199 --> 00:34:39,520 try to force understanding in. Places where it doesn't. 830 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:44,440 Exist the more frustrated. We become so this is something 831 00:34:44,440 --> 00:34:46,120 that Christians are. Guilty of to this day. 832 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:49,920 When they try to explain. Why quote UN quote? 833 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:53,800 Everything happens for a reason. Which already has its problems. 834 00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:55,280 I don't have time to go down that rabbit hole. 835 00:34:56,159 --> 00:34:57,840 But when they try to name, what the reason? 836 00:34:57,840 --> 00:35:01,080 Is it's unfulfilling when believers do this? 837 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:03,960 Because it's either. Untrue or only partially true? 838 00:35:04,640 --> 00:35:05,720 Let me. Give you an example when 839 00:35:05,720 --> 00:35:07,080 somebody. 'S going through a hard time and 840 00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:08,800 you go up. To them and you say I think this 841 00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:15,200 happened so that you could learn fill in the blank I mean we. 842 00:35:15,200 --> 00:35:16,560 Hate this because we've received. 843 00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:19,640 It and we've given it out. We've all done this right? 844 00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:21,840 But it's hard. Because we're trying to give. 845 00:35:21,960 --> 00:35:25,360 A very quick, simple answer to somebody's deep internal wound. 846 00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:27,440 And you're not designed to handle that. 847 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:31,280 Let God do the healing. You don't have to solve it. 848 00:35:31,280 --> 00:35:32,760 You're not. God's little Sherlock. 849 00:35:33,560 --> 00:35:36,920 OK, you are to sit with somebody and love them, rejoice when they 850 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:38,720 rejoice, to mourn when they mourn. 851 00:35:38,800 --> 00:35:40,760 That's the job. Not to solve right? 852 00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:43,160 So he says, who can tell what is? 853 00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:45,480 Good for a person in this life? Well, you can give your advice. 854 00:35:45,480 --> 00:35:46,640 We talked about that on a Sunday A. 855 00:35:46,640 --> 00:35:49,200 Couple weeks ago but. You don't know and who? 856 00:35:49,200 --> 00:35:50,800 Can tell what will. Happen after we're gone. 857 00:35:51,240 --> 00:35:52,200 Well, there is one. Answer. 858 00:35:55,040 --> 00:35:56,440 These are not questions that are meant to be. 859 00:35:56,440 --> 00:35:58,360 Answered quickly. They're meant to slow us down 860 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:00,560 and put us in a place where we're thinking and a place of 861 00:36:00,560 --> 00:36:03,400 humility. A place of humility. 862 00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:05,240 It's supposed to remind. Us that even our best. 863 00:36:05,240 --> 00:36:08,120 Understanding has limits. But that's not a flaw. 864 00:36:08,480 --> 00:36:09,840 That's part of how you're. Designed. 865 00:36:09,840 --> 00:36:11,880 You're made to have limits. It's a reality. 866 00:36:12,240 --> 00:36:14,080 And so renewing our minds. In this study, means to. 867 00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:17,200 Live with that reality without. Becoming anxious or overwhelmed. 868 00:36:17,200 --> 00:36:20,920 By it yesterday. I mean I. 869 00:36:21,200 --> 00:36:22,680 Don't know when you're? Watching this recording. 870 00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:24,080 If you watch this later. Yesterday. 871 00:36:24,440 --> 00:36:26,400 I believe. That there was an 8:00 PM 872 00:36:26,520 --> 00:36:28,600 deadline, that something devastating was going to happen 873 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:30,760 in the world, and then it changed and maybe it's changed 874 00:36:30,760 --> 00:36:31,880 again. It's like flip flop. 875 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:35,480 More than Jan on the. Office. 876 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:41,520 That's a limited reference, but. What I'm saying is this. 877 00:36:41,880 --> 00:36:43,480 I don't know the. Way that that situation. 878 00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:45,760 Is going to go and. It's not that it doesn't matter, 879 00:36:45,760 --> 00:36:47,640 and it's not that. It doesn't get my prayers. 880 00:36:48,280 --> 00:36:50,760 But I have to let God be God. And I have to worry about what 881 00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:52,040 is in my one hand. Where I'm. 882 00:36:52,040 --> 00:36:53,440 Receiving from him today. Amen. 883 00:36:54,440 --> 00:36:56,040 All right, we're going to break in a group discussion. 884 00:36:56,040 --> 00:36:58,080 If you're on the live stream, we're going ahead and cut the 885 00:36:58,080 --> 00:36:59,400 live stream. And then we'll have. 886 00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:01,120 Acoustic worship at. The end of the night. 887 00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:03,320 And yeah. For those that are here. 888 00:37:03,320 --> 00:37:06,720 If you missed a blank or something, three of them. 889 00:37:07,720 --> 00:37:12,760 One chapter, 4/13/16, the second, third and 14. 890 00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:16,680 Thank you everybody.