A Word to the Wise (Part 2 of 2)

At some point most of us have wondered about life after death.

But today unTruth for Life will explore an equally essential question.

Is there life before death. Alistair Begg is teaching us today from Ecclesiastes chapter 1 facts of life is presented here by the preacher man the facts of life bear out his thesis, namely, that life is meaningless. What he points out. First of all, he says in verse three it is a fact of life is marked by drudgery what is mine gain from all his labor in which he toils under the sun is is frankly boring. He sets is just another day now. Management understands this work-study people understand this and scientific journals are clear on quoting from one it says this, by and large people seldom enjoy their work, nor do they enjoy traveling to and from most jobs are repetitive, require that a little personal initiative and for the most part, people are incapable of fulfilling anything like their full potential through them. People go to work that I do not enjoy, and spent a considerable proportion of their working hours getting to work and then home. It thus looms large in a life that is not very pleasant at the outset is areas. But if we could get up and beyond that, you know that it would all be different, not on things of 1969 drama man on the moon.

One small step for a man, one giant step for mankind. But by 1980, Dr. Lewis Thomas writing in the Harvard Magazine says you can walk on the moon. If you like, but there's nothing to do there except look at the earth, and when you've seen one error totally meaningless in a punch in and punch out. Simply go through this. Do your best to make sense of it, and then finally die. I met a man who sang the blues.

I asked him for some happy news to fact of life. Secondly, verse four. Life is marred by transients.

When I went to the graveyard. The numbers fell out of the way they always do the average down to around threescore years and 10 just exactly of the Bible says. As for man is life and on average will last about 70 years. There were a couple 91's and 84 there was a 14 to 20, and so on. I did the math in my head, which is always dangerous.

As you know, I'm pretty sure that it would, right around threescore years and 10 the frailty of our lives. This morning is not in question. I walked on grass familiar to me in Scotland and as I walked down beaten paths not cart paths pudding with concrete in black stuff but just paths that had been eroded by many many travelers I was confronted by the fight that I walked these past when I was three years old and before me. People walked to and before then. People walk and one of the pebbles on the seashore that I picked up and let pass through my hands these of been around for so long. Thirdly, life is repetitive is the significance of his description of the wind and the sun and the streams is think about the sun it's in the same course every day never goes on vacation never does anything different just goes round and round it hurries back to where it rises.

The moon is up and that is down the wind blows off somebody's hat. It provides a refreshing breeze and brings the leaves down so that we can rake them if we wish. It makes the aircraft bounce around, particularly under 10,000 feet never seems to quite where does it come from and where does it go and the stream all streams flow into the sea. The sea is never full like a bathtub with a plot out why. All because of evaporation.

A trillion tons a day evaporated and the recycled in order that the bathtub may be filled up.

I did the bathtub is never full syllabus as you think about this.

Think about the stream. Tennyson did remember from MA, many go but I go on forever. The brook bison Alfred Lord Tennyson. He says the reason I'm reminding you of these physical things is that human expedience mirrors and the members it is repetitive. That's why advertising knowingness is constantly urging us to get outs going to move on if going to try this you going to wear these you going to drive that no why would that have such an appeal because of the peculiar nature of our life's so Neil Young's this think I'll pack it in by a pickup to get out to LA find a place to call my own.

Start a brand-new day. It gets to LA, what is divine. He's in LA he's a problem, not Alabama, sweet home. Also notice in verse eight life. It is a fact is insatiable is insatiable.

All things are wearisome more than one can say the eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear is Philippine I got it on the mall. That's why I go to get a new CD of what you're going to get a new CD generalized that you have 890 CDs, 880 on them and never even been played in the last five years, but it's the new is the new one when I hear this one when I see this so the Rolling Stones are in town singing what singing their manager reinforcing what Solomon says I can get no satisfaction.

And I've tried and I've tried and I've tried to eat. Why is that if only I had been taller if only I were prettier, if only I've got two more floors up in this building. If only I had been recognized for what I'm really worth so long.

If only my house were a little broader. Only the stairwell were a little wider.

If only the gadgets were a little slick below. You bought a computer lately.

Welcome to the world of obsolescence.

You know, when you take that thing out there watching you go.

They know they don't take their eyes off you are laughing is safely in the hood of your car and your off of the street and theshellthatyouevacuatedisnowfilledwiththenewSymphonyduetoversionwhichapparentlywasn'tcomingoutuntilOctober2003.Don'tkidyourselfdowntheleft-handside.Thesecomputersareobsoletedowntheright-handside.Thesecomputerswillbeobsoleteassoonasyoubuyit.Wehavegadgetsnowtoworkourgadgets.Wehavebuttonsthatyoupresstomakethenoisesoftheremotecontrolsoyoucanfindit.Whateverisbeenleftaroundthehouse.Lifeisahugeappetitethatcanbeneversatisfiedyouhearmelifeisahugeappetite.Itcanneverbesatisfied.Ifyouhavebeentryingtounscrambleyourlifebyfillingitwithrelationshipsthereisinarelationshipwithapersononthefaceoftheearthwhocandealwiththedeeplongingsinyourlifeifyoubeentryingtosatisfiedbyintellectualpursuits.Thereisnotatheoremthatyoucanponder,thatwillultimatelysatisfyyourintellectualcuriosity.Ifyoubeenlookingforitalongthelinesofanemotionaltrip.Thereisnotajourneyyoucantakethatwillanswertheinsatiablelongingthatisbuiltintotheverycoreofyourbeingasapersonandthesoonerthatamanorawomanfacesuptothis,thesoonertheycanmakesenseoftheirlives,thesoonertheycansaythatmakessenseandinversesnineand10isafactoflife.Whatwehaveisthesameoldsameoldasthesignificancewhatisbeingwillbeagain.Whatisbeingdonewillbedoneagain.JustwhenwethinkaboutanewideawediscoveritintheancientChroniclesoftheGreekortheRomanEmpire.JustwhentheWrightbrotherswerefascinatedwiththeflyingsomebodysaidyouknowbirdsarebeendoingthisforages.Trytogohundredand42ontheoutskirtsofBirminghamtheotherdaysittingasapassengerandcrawlinginthetraffic,thepersonexplainedtomethatthiswouldsoonbedonebecausetheywereputtinganewperimeterroadaroundBirmingham,Isaidiswonderfulringroadtoeasethetrafficyourfather.Oneofthoseroadseasethetraffic.Itsimplyrelocatesthetrafficjamshouldeventuallyhavearingroadforyourringroad.Eventually,herwholecountrywillbe1GiganticRingRd.andeverybodywillbeonstairwelliscalledLosAngelesoutimprovementsdon'treallyimprovethings.Youbuildhigh-riseflatssothatyoucangetalotofpeopleinasmallspacebutyoudestroythesenseofcommunityinthespacetheyleftbehind.Therearenosurprisestherearenobreakthroughstherearenointerventionsthatreallyultimatelyalteranything.Isthispessimismknowthisislifeintheframeworkunderthesun.OkayFrankpunchinthepunchout.Thinkitthroughthenearyourdestination,themoreslipslidingawayinlifeismarredalsobyinsignificance.Verse11thereisnoremembranceofallmen,eventhosewhoareyettocomenotberememberedbythosewhofollowdramawhat'shisname,whowashisnameintheeventMr.Watsonsaidwithaallthisallgoesyoutalkaboutyouruncle.Everybodybelievesinhimtobeimmortalsillyideasolong.FrankLloydWrightleftsosoon.Architectsmaycome.ArchitectsmaygoinneverchangetheirpointofvieworinthewordsofIsaiahwantstimelikeaneverrollingstreambearsallhissonsaway.Theyflyforgottenisadreamwasisalsotheopeningofanewmorning.Nowyouthoroughlydepressed.Isthisthewholestory.Isthereanotherperspective.WellifyoustaywiththepreachermanhereanyrulesoutGodthatallweareleftwithisthis,thenallyoucandoislaunchintoactsofsilliness.Thereisareasonforthedruginducedstuporofayounglifebecausemanytimesthoseyoungpeoplebuttheywentrightdownalltheseavenues.Theysaidthisisinsatiable.Thisisrepetitive.Idon'twanttobelikemyfather.HeleavesinthemorningyoudrivehiscarhedrivesitonlygoesMondayasthesessionstartTuesdayisvideonightyouknowWednesdayistheisthelasagna.Fridayisthesessionsare.I'mgoinginsane.Iwanttodothisbutisthereanotheralternative.HeseesSolomonisaskinganessentialquestion,istherelifebeforedeathisourlifebeforedeath,oristhelimitofoursenses.Soissimplytosurvive.PeterBurgerarguablyoneofthebrightestsociologistsofthe20thcenturycommentingonthissaysandlistencarefullyandIwouldstartverysoon.Iamimpressedbytheintrinsicinabilityofsecularizedworldviewstoanswerthedeepquestionsofthehumancondition.Questionsoftwinsandwhetherandwhytheseseemtobeineradicableandtheareansweredonlyinthemostbanalwaysbythereligionsofsecularism.Thenheobserves,perhapsfinallythereversibilityoftheprocessofsecularizedAsianisprobablebecauseofthepervasiveboredomofallworldwithoutGod'ssmallJisnotabelieverbuthesaysthepervasiveboredomofsecularizationmayeventuallyrunupagainstitselfandsugarsintotheantidotetoboredom,whichisthediscoveryofGod'swillonlyreallyprovedabsolutelycorrectwhatwhatheiswritingthebookthatheiswritingandthereiscalledthechallengeofmodernityandthatisbeenreplacedwithpost-modernity,aworldinwhichitiscompletelykoshertotalkaboutangelsinspiritualthingsinlifeandlongingsandholdsanddreamsandmodalityhasclosedinonitselfsothepeopleareoutonthestreetsisaninvisibleGodsomewherethatIcanfinallyansweronthesedead-endstreets.MaybeI'llworshiptheGodofeducationordon'tdothatbecausehe'strieditandwiththisIcloseit'snotabouteducation.StupidIgeteducationasthatisthemantratheanswerforeverythingisnot.Ifonlywewerebettereducated.Ifonlyweunderstoodmoreifonlywecouldadvanceinthisnoteveryeverysolidbelieverhastobeforeducationandthebesteducationthattheycangetfortheirchildrenandtheirgrandchildren.Onlyasillypersonwouldstandagainstthetremendousamountofeducationandthedreadfullackofwisdom,anduntilwehavethefearoftheLordwasthebeginningofwisdom.Wecanneverreallycreateacurriculumforsensibleeducation.Lookatwhathesaysinverse14.I'veseenallthethingsthataredoneunderthesunthatallmeaninglesschasingafterthewindforwhatistwistedcanbestraightened.WhatislackingcanbecountedislikeaRubik'scubewithtwoblocksmissingnomatterhowmanytimesyouspentityoucangetalltherentsreallyneedtobeallthewhitesonlyeligibletobringsallthebluesbecauseitisinherentlyflawedandmydearfriendthismorning.You'reasensiblepersonthinkthisout.HaveyoubeenabletoputtheRubikscubeofyourlifetogetherinsuchawaythatyoubeenabletoanswertheWinston,withherinthewhyandifyourworldviewisunabletoanswerwhencetheweatherandthewhyyouthinkyouaretoconsideradifferentviewoftheworld,onethatwouldanswerthequestionsthatareinyourmindwhenyouawakeinthemiddleofthenightandwhenyoudrivingyourcarandwhenyouthinkabouthowyousoproudinstalledontothesedead-endstreetsandforlornravens.It'scrooked.It'sfutileanditsimportancewhenaheavyburdenGodhaslaidonman,thisisultimatelytheburdenofman'srebellionagainstGodthefight.Amandasaidinhisheart.Idon'tbelieveinGodandevenifthereisaGod.Idon'twantanythingtodowith.IwanttogomyownwayIwanttochartmyowncoursesubsonicsystemsofolkscan.I'maprettyeducatedpersonImentionedinthebranchesthateversatonthethroneoverJerusalem.I'veexpedience,wisdomsoI'mgoingapplymyselftonotonlythat,hesayswhatI'mdoingwisdom.Iwillalsocheckoutmadnessandfolly.Youknowthattherearecertainschoolsofpsychiatrythatregardwithmadnessandfoolishnessasgenuinelyacceptablealternativeviewsoftheuniverseandassoonasyougothereandofcoursenobodyknowswhothecrazyperson'sinBritainthereisapoliticalpartycalledtheravingmonsterloonypartythatcomesoutofthegeneralelectionstheirtheirtheirsloganisforforinsanity.Youknowitmakessense.Okayyoursensiblepeopleandfinished.Solomonsaysokaythat'senoughforchapter1.I'mjustgoingtogohome,I'mjustgoingtoplaymystereo_haveanicecolddrink.I'mjustgoingtositbackinmyreclinerandI'mgoingtoplaytheMoodybluesbeforeIfallasleep.Whydowenevergetananswerwhenwereknockingatthedoorwithathousanddifferentquestionsaboutpeaceandloveandwar,andthenhecomestohimself.Iamlookingforsomeonetochangemylife.I'mlookingforamiracleinmylife.Areyouincidentallyattendingserviceswillneverfillthisvoidreligiousexercisesashelpfulastheymaybeaninterestinthewell-beingofothers.TheparticipationintheroutinebitsandbobsofwhateverisregardedisconformableandacceptablereligiouspracticecanneveranswerthedeepinsatiablelongingofthehumanheartthatGodshapedvoidasperscholar.IftherearetwoitmaybeaddressedonlybyGodhimselfandthereisonlyonewhostraddlesthecourseofhumanhistoryandtothosewhoareaskingthequestion,istherelifebeforedeath.HesaysIamthewayandthetruthandthelifeyou'llnevergettoknowGodexceptthroughme.Ihavecome.Hesaysthatyoumighthavelifeandthatyoumighthaveitinallofitsfullness,butherewearetryingtopunchout.Ipunchinandpunchoutthesameasyou.Imaypunchoutforgood.IfIhadnotcometounderstandthatintheLordJesusChrististheanswertoallofthedeepestheartacheslongingsandaberrationsofthehumanconditionandrightwhereyouaretodayinyourheartofheartsthatotherpersontoyourrightorleft.EvenknowingyoucallouttoGod's.TheoldguardorLordJesusChrist.I'vebeentryingtofinditinsomethingorinsomeoneotherthanyou.YouallChristareallIwantmorethanallinyou.IyouwilldiscoverthatsuddenlytheRubikscubedoesn'tworkperfectlyeverytime,butatleastthebluescanallbegottogetherononesidewithoutJesusarelarger,markedbymonotonyendlesslongingsandinsignificance.ButinChristwehavealmostoflifebeforeandafterdeathlistingtotruthforlifewithAlisterbag.AlisterwillbebackinjustamomenttoclosewithprayerinourstudyofthebookofEcclesiasteswerelearningaboutthebrevityoflifecertainlyseemsasthoughtimeflies,particularlyaswegetolder.Ifyouarefamiliarwiththisexperience,youwillwanttorequestthebookwereoffering.It'scalledlivinglifebackward.TheauthordrawsfromthebookofEcclesiastestoexpandonwhatitlooksliketolivelifeinlightofeternity.Whatshouldourprioritiesbehowdoweembraceourhumanlimitations.Howcanweliveeachdaycontentedandjoyfulwhenyoureadlivinglifebackward.Youlearnhowtolivewiselygenerouslyandfaithfullywithoutbeingdrawnoffcoursebyearthlydistractions.Requestercopywhenyougiveadonationtosupporttheteachingyouhereontruthforlife.Youcantaptheimageonyourmobileapporvisitusthetruthforlife.org/donatealsocallusifyou'dlike.Hernumberis888-588-7884ifyou'dliketosharetoday'smessagewithafriend.It'seasytodoandit'sfree.Youcansimplyclickonthewordshareabovetoday'sprogramimageonourwebsitethetruthforlife.org,orifyou'reonthemobileapp,justclickthethreedotsbelowtheprogramimageyou'llseetheshareoption.Therenow,hereisAlastairtoclosetodaywithprayerfather,thankyoufortheopportunityofbeingtogether.ThankyoufortheBible.Thankyoufortheclaritywithwhichitexamineseyesandspeakswepraythismorningthatitmaysearchesoutandthoseofuswhoaremeanderingupanddownsomeofthesecul-de-sacsthinkingthatmaybeonadifferentavenuethere'stheansweronlytocutthroughbyasidestreetandfinditwerestillconfrontedbytheinsatiableunresolvedrepetitivenatureofourhumanexistence.Thankyouforconfrontinguswiththepossibilitythattostopandgointhegloveboxandpulloutthemaker'sinstructionsintheBiblemightnotbeabadideatodiscoverthatitintroducesusnottoaschemeofthought,nottoareligiousprofilebutultimatelytoaperson,namelytheLordJesusChrist.Sowewantyoutowatchoverusasweapartfromoneanothertoprotectusinourcomingsandgoingstobringisagainsafelyintothecompanyofoneanother.MaythegraceoftheLordJesusandtheloveofGodandthefellowshipoftheHolySpiritrestuponandremainwitheachone.Todayandforevermoreonthenabubbleteam.Thanksforjoiningustoday.Whyarewealwayslongingforthenextbestthingforthelatestmodelbiggerbetterfaster.Younameit.Whyissatisfactionsofleetingonceweget.Joinustomorrowforamessagetitled,thesearchforsatisfaction.TheBibleteachingofAlastairbagisfurnishedbytruthforlifelearningisprolific