What's It Like Down Under? (Part 6)

Life is worth living just because he lives in many ways.

That sentence answers all of humanity's questions.

That is ever been asked many people who find themselves living under the sun, and as we been seeing throughout the series of messages from Ecclesiastes.

It means living a life without God is seeing things from our perspective, not God's perspective and in many ways.

Most of us have lived without all of us have lived at some time some point under the sun even when those of us who know the Lord Jesus, we have allowed times in our lives when we try to take control of things and thought we can really do things with our lives and then made a mess of it on ourselves asking the question in the midst of the time under the sun and say is life really worth living and the answer is because he lives life is worth the living because the resurrected Jesus Christ. All those who belong to him will live a life that is not only worth living, but a life that is meaningful aliveness productive alive that is fruitful. Even a thousand years before the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Solomon who was searching he called himself the searcher.

He called himself the preacher. He called themselves the investigator of life under the sun, concluded that life under the sun that is life without God is it vanity of vanities, all is vanity, meaning it is futile all futile life is futile without God, but life is worth the living because he lives life. He said under the sun is monotonous and boring. He told us that life is void of meaning has no meaning to it. Life is futile.

That life is short and uncertain, but then when he got lifted up above the sun where God is and he began to see things from God's perspective, not from his own human eyes, not from his own perspective.

When he was lifted he literally his conclusion, flipped 180° all what a difference God makes to our view of life. What a difference God makes to our own perspective on life. And Solomon said that when you live above the sun. Life is far from being boring and monotonous. In fact, he said that every season alive has a purpose as long as you try to understand it from God's perspective that every segment of life is beautiful in his time. Life is a wonderful gift from the hand of God that God has given us all things to have. To enjoy the apostle Paul said that to use for his glory that God gives us people that we can love and fellowship with that God gives us wisdom to live our lives with that God even in the brevity of time, God has a purpose for that because it motivates us to make the most of life, because we know that one day we going to stand in accountability to the God who gave us life in every generation and every nation. People have search for meaning in life and Solomon is no exception. They looking for happiness in life and looking for contentment in life. They looking for peace of mind. Others of course are searching for some secret formula is gonna prolong the life you see it all the time you do this you will you prolong your life. You do this in the gonna prolong your life as art, but in fact I read that not long ago about the man who discovered Vaseline. He was a chemist and real adversity was not kinda coming to his somebody was trying to discover Vaseline.

He stumbled on it.

His name is Robert a chest bro and he was a chemist and he lived in Brooklyn. He actually was looking for a secret formula to prolong life and he was playing with his chemistry set and trying to find that formula is gonna prolong his life may long. At that moment he stumbled on Vaseline and he thought that was so he actually convinced himself that he found the secret formula for long life and so he said that if you will swallow a teaspoon of Vaseline every day for all your life and make serious along the quarterback, but in 1933. Robert died choking Vaseline in the opposite spectrum of this there are some people who live life so negatively to see everything darkened and gloomy and is like a sign that I saw not long ago as is. Why take life seriously you'll never get out of alive anyway. This pessimistic view of life says that live doesn't count much and you see, depending on how you view of life has your view of God is going to determine your view of life.

If you live your life viewing it from God's prison unit will have meaning, but if you see it from your own perspective you will see it very pessimistically and Solomon's ultimate conclusion when he began to see things from above the sun's perspective where God is his four fold in us in the last two chapters of Ecclesiastes, which I'm concluding today to chapter 11 and 12 of the book of Ecclesiastes and in the fourfold conclusion that he comes to not from under the sun but from above the sun.

First he said that life is a stewardship invested wisely in Chapter 11 verses 1 to 6.

Secondly, he said life is a celebration delight in it. Chapter 11 verse seven to chapter 12 verse eight, and thirdly he said life is a school girl in it.

12 9 to 12. Unfortunately, he said, life is our responsibility succeed in it. Verses 13 and 14 of chapter 12. First he said life is a stewardship invested wisely easy when you realize that everything in life not only possessions but family, friends, everything you have everything in life when you see it as a gift from God that is given to you that he entrusted you to manage all of these boundaries that he has placed in your hands on his behalf that you don't own it, but he is giving it to you to manage it for him. You will literally view everything is a trust now Abingdon is not a secret that if you give somebody some money to invest for you order a money manager over a bank or whatever you are watching expect that they gonna give you good return on the money. If they start embezzling your money going to do something about it and that's what God is doing. He is giving you his giving me all these things that we have as a trust to manage for him. That's why Jesus talks about the parable of the talent to give one tenant 15 and 11 and what happened. The guy who got the tent.

When I work hard doubled or brought back other with five did the same thing W brought back. He didn't expect any more than that.

But no one got the one telling us all why bother, and he buried it. Remember the words of Jesus it if you put it in the bank universe and some interest.

You have something to show for it. God is giving us everything in life is a gift and is a trust and he is expecting us to invested wisely to work carefully in order that we might present it at the last day with evidence and then Solomon goes on to give us two illustrations. The two professions if you like. At that time, on which the entire economy was built I think of his writing for our today. He will talk about a money manager or or an investor. But back then, the whole economy was dependent on two professions. One is the shipping merchants and to the farmers is basically plant the ground harvest the ground so the grain, the merchant sends out ships.

The farmer plant seed and Solomon is saying that involve first activities is a great deal of wisdom that is needed in investing that in both these there is a great deal of faith that is required in the things you can control that in both these situations, there is diligence and hard works and faithfulness that is required. Why because neither the shipping merchants nor the farmer are in control of all the circumstances. None of us are in control of all of our circumstances would like to think so, but some people really try. God bless him and we have the goods we have the wherewithal but when other control the ship that is sent out loaded with goods to be sold in the other harbors they can face a storm in ICN fell apart. That shift can be taken over by pirates. All that you can hit a rock can fall apart right in the sea. The same thing with the farmer he can face a drought the ball. We really can phase in insignificant literally why puma if either of them since Solomon sent back and say well I'm gonna wait until all the circumstances just become hunky-dory and all the weather is good and everything is really going to work out fine.

Then I'll plant or within us and the ship. He said if you do that you'll never get anything done. That's what he saying here is that use of translation, but you get it is delivered in the first place if we just wait for everything to be just right here on this one. All investments in life can we assert amount of risk in all investments because of the amount of risk and the only investment that is risk-free is the investment that you make in the work of God because the Bible said.

Jesus said that investment is in the heavenly bag and nobody can touch it, and when Solomon says cast your bread upon the water and you've heard people to cast your bread upon the water was a green doesn't mean feed the fishes he is saying. Send out your shops filled with grains and with goods trusting in God's send out your ships knowing full well that it might be months before these ships returned back loaded with goods by the same token he said farming is very difficult is not easy, especially in the land of Israel. I will never forget how it was absolutely surprised to me. The first visit I made to Israel when I looked at the fields and I saw rocks and rocks right there in the planting fields of the land of Israel, the farmer in Bible land is so thoroughly dependent on God. He works hard to get the structure work, but he is thoroughly dependent on God to send the early on the letterwriting. Without that he cannot function but the farmer Solomon said shouldn't just sit there idly by, hoping for the ideal circumstances to come along the way. Before he can plant or harvest now. He said that would accomplish nothing.

On the contrary, that he has to work hard. He has to do his job very wisely. He pestered to his investments in the selling of the seed that and he works hard while he's waiting for the harvest make plans and room for the harvest and then he trusts God to take care the rest, he can only do what he can do but then allows God to trust God put his faith in God to do his part. What he cannot control. See the whole of life. Solomon said, is a stewardship and so you and I must invested wisely. Secondly, he said life is a celebration delight in. Look at verses seven of Chapter 11 all the way to 12 eight this is the longest part of the passage and what Solomon is saying here is this he says for you to enjoy life and see it as a celebration.

There are three things that you must do. He says rejoice. Verses 7 to 9. He said remove versus 10 to 11 and he said, remember chapter 12 128. Rejoice how you rejoice when you facing difficulty in life or your job is on the line when you have difficult relationship and when you're going through a tough time. How can you rejoice he says anticipate every new day is a wrapped gift from the hand of God and look forward to literally waking up and start unwrapping that wonderful gift from the hand of God. Start today with gratitude for that gift. Start today with great excitement and anticipation of unwrapping that give to see what's inside it and that is why this part of Solomon's message is director to young people to young people listen, moms and dads he can teach the two children is directed to young people because you see young people think that there are indestructible that they think they are invincible that they look and see and think that life is then analyzed in front of them for miles and miles and Solomon is saying no, don't waste your youth. He saying don't gamble away your youth, don't just sit there and let the years go by and say I have got plenty of time to do what I need to do. Don't say that I've got plenty of time to serve God I got plenty of time to glorify God.

I got plenty of time to live a godly life for God, but rather he says revel in every moment of your life. Why, because you will link and you look back and say what happened to these years. Some of us saying the right you heard about the senility prayer and I know you have the serenity prayer for this is senility. Prayer goes something like this. God grant me the senility to forget the people I'd never liked and the good fortune to run into the ones that I do and the eyesight to tell the difference. He says rejoice in the Lord secondly said remove remove bitterness from your life while you're still young because if you leave it there and you get older it becomes like an oak tree. He is saying. Remove false beliefs from your mind.

Now while you still young.

Don't wait because it will get worse and worse when you get older. He saying remove bad habits out of your life now while you still young because that later on they become concrete remove unwholesome relationships now from your life before they endanger your future, rejoice, remove, and remember remember the constant presence of God wherever you go.

He's with you and is watching over you.

Remember to obey his word.

Remember to see his righteousness and his kingdom. First, for that is the secret to your success. Remember to place him first in every decision you make. Why, because if you don't do that while he was still young.

Soon your arms will get week, but of those verses in the beginning of chapter 12. Your knees will buckle your teeth will fall off your hearing will fail.

Your voice will quiver your hair will get gray if you got any left, you will lose your appetites.

Life is a stewardship invested wisely. Life is a celebration delight in it. Life is a school growing chapter 12 versus 9 to 12 Charles Spurgeon one of my great heroes said the following is of life is like a school, except that sometimes you don't know the lessons until you have failed examination in the harness airman blogs. I failed so many times, I know all about that.

How does God teach us in his school of life, primarily through his word and all.

Sometimes those lessons are so painful they are so painful. Look at verse 11 that he talks about goes male's was this all about most of you city slicker soon. We don't use goads. We don't even know what a goat is a part of our vocabulary is not something that we use all the time, but only give illustration us thinking about this and I read about the latest scientific discovery of a cure or for snoring. Now you husbands and wives take notes, and if your spouse Morrison turning alive into misery wanted to listen, this is this is a freebie. This is on the house okay is the latest scientific discovery. What you do, you bring a tennis ball and you wrap it around the waist of the snorer just wrap it around, but have make sure this in the lower back. Okay the idea, of course, that while you're sleeping every time you're trying to sleep on your back, which causes you to small for the tennis ball is Gallagher's number on your is going to go to. That's a go. That's what a goat is is going to prod you any other turnarounds.

Leaving aside. Okay that's for free not to pay for that one beloved, listen to me you know and I know that often the word of God does exactly that and I thank God for it. Every time we attempted to get away from the Lord. The word of God gently and sometimes not so gently prompts us to turn back to him. That is exactly what a goat supposed to do. That's exactly what the word of God supposed to do every time you're tempted to go it your way to do it yourself to do it your way that God if you read it.

That's why a lot of Christians don't read the word of God. They have multiple translations in their homes and yet they don't read it because the word of God sometimes is a go to prod you to come back to God. What about the snails that he talks about here with the sea backgrounded enough shelves. They didn't have the just put a nail in the wall and hang things on is with the nails before you hang things on. So what do you hang on the snails you hang the promises of the word of God, you hang the promise of encouragement. The promise of review of the promise for joy and fulfillment in life. Life is a school but our textbook is the Bible and our teachers.

The Holy Spirit and listen to me. There are always new lessons in the school always new lessons of God school every day. Every time I think I've learned when I got a new one. There always new examinations coming up, and every time you think you passed one exam got another one just coming after all, was opportunities for growing always opportunities for progress Inc. always opportunities for advancing. Listen to me. The old-timer said God is not going to take people who are spiritually lazy and undisciplined and get them to rule and reign the universe with him so that is why he trainers. That's why take us through his school. That's why every day is a day toward sanctification, growing more and more in Christ likeness because by the time we go to see him face-to-face.

We are prepared to write a room with him.

Life is a stewardship invested wisely. Life is a celebration delight in that life is a school growing up. Finally, life is a responsibility succeeded in it. Verses 13 and 14 of chapter 12 of the book of Ecclesiastes. The other book of acts chapter 17 tells us that we don't own a life if you belong to Christ, you don't own your life in all my life I life is a gift from the hand of God. He owns it. You don't. I don't like any gift, listen to me very carefully place like any gift when you're given a gift. There is an obligation associated with that gift is a will will how, if it's a gift obligation to evaluate obligation to cherish it obligation to gratefully use their gift places us under obligation. But how do you do that. Look at verse 13.

I'm not making the stuff up us in the word is by fearing the giver of the gift, fear God, he said how you do that. Listen carefully was a sphere.

All about where a lot of fear in our culture and our society a lot of fear. I hope to God that you will understand what I'm going to tell you about fear because it will bless you fear. According to the Bible. The godly fear will explain the difference in a minute.

Is that attitude of gratitude for the gift it is that attitude of reverence and awe for the gift.

It is the attitude of love and respect for the power and the greatness of the giver of give did you know that there are two types of fear they really are. There are two kinds of fear and you know what I've seen both of them in different people and sometimes in one person at different times. The Bible talks about unholy fear. There's an unholy fear and there is a holy fear unholy fear makes people want to run away from God unholy fear.

Once people to run away in terror from God that terrified of God. They want to run away in resentment of God. You want to run away from God and anger was God. And I've seen it all, but there is a holy fear of which the Bible talks about for the believers. There is a holy fear and that holy fear brings you closer to him was to draw your near to him that holy fear causes you to lovingly and respectfully draw near to him deep appreciation and gratitude payment on this one. I have seen it with my own eyes, and you have to when you have holy fear you'll fear nothing else but God. But when you are in a unholy fear, you will fear everything else except God.

The holy fear fills us with a sense of responsibility and that sense of responsibility propels us to succeed in the school of life, even when we occasionally fail and we all do, that sense of responsibility is gonna propel us to ultimately succeed in the school of life as we walk with God, let me conclude by telling you this story hopefully will illustrate what I'm trying to say. Back in 1929 Georgia Tech was playing the University of California Berkeley at the Rose Bowl were Georgia Tech fullback Jack Thompson makes a grave offensive play and causes a fumble. The football hits the turf literally Jesus toughened the answers right back into the hands of California Rodriguez with the crowd going nuts as you can only imagine even back then. Roy took off to the goal line carrying the ball and the other players in hot pursuit. His teammate Benny Le home Chase Rego almost half the length of the football field, crying out and shouting.***Just a few yards from scoring a touchdown. Rego's was tackled from behind by his own teammate, only within the Driggers realized his mistake. He had gotten turned around and if his own teammate had not tackled him had not chased him down. He would've scored a Rose Bowl touchdown coming death of all places from another theme that occurs happened during the first half of the game is all Georgia Tech fan would like to remind you that one again but at halftime. California coach nibs price to Winton and gave one of his probably great speeches for halftime speech and was never condemning, never hears what you'd why did you do this, he's used foolish guys know is what is it limited to. He said this game is only half over.

Now get back out there and play football.

The beloved friends listen to me very carefully. They may be somebody here today who is in the halftime of the game of life. You may feel that you been turned around in the game of life that you may feel that you have been heading in the wrong direction. All of a sudden you realize what you doing you might be seeing all of life under the sun, and therefore you are the courage to him the one hand, door careless on the other. This is the time. This is a moment for you to get back into the game of life because there is another half yet to be played begin to see life as of today as a stewardship to be invested wisely. Begin to see it as a celebration to be delighted and begin to see it as a school in which you growing up begin to see it as a responsibility to succeed.

Life is worth living just because he lives. Thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael.

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