The Missing Piece

The only hope we have is when measured against the holy standard of God. We have one. John describes to us as advocates is already spoken on our behalf. The jury of God's righteous judgment on that cross. I have already then experience in their place. The seventh separation, I have already experienced the penalty for every one of their sins. That's why they get to go. Sometimes it seems as if wicked people are getting away with and that there will be no justice. That's not the case. King Solomon pondered things like this in the book of Ecclesiastes, he realized, and God wants us to realize that life is filled with puzzles and it often seems as if a piece or two are missing. Welcome to wisdom for the heart with Stephen Devi today will be reminded that God is and God will be. And God will always the final piece tying all of life together over the years I have thought the same trick on my children and now I'm able to pull the same trick on my grandchildren when were putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Kids love putting those puzzles together in a course starts out or the pieces are wooden and there's big as dinner plates, but when you get to the 250 pieces. I like Paul in the same trick slip one of those pieces off to the side and put my shirt pocket just one of the simple pleasures in life for grandfathers worked feverishly away that challenge and they're entirely dedicated to conquering it were nearing the goal just so you know a few more pieces they're going to insist, of course, that they but the last few pieces on an I'm more than happy to let them and then comes that moment, that moment of sheer terror. There is a piece missing. Keep a calm expression. You know, I suggest they look on the floor in the box and that then at some point though see me smiling. I just can't hide it and I'll open my hand and say well would you look at that and they put me in timeout.

Press the afternoon frankly there's nothing if you like doing puzzles. There's nothing like coming down the VN and missing one piece.

That just ties it all together it just seem right regulates trim life probably more challenging and difficult and missing pieces confusing, discouraging certain Solomon is been recording for us in his private journal. Some of these puzzling moments that are frightening and confusing and disappointing and there's a missing piece somewhere in an and that first half of the journal. It would end often with cynicism. Now in the second half of the journal.

Solomon is been recording these moments, any any turns the corner for us in a way and points to the Lord were back today in chapter 8.

If you're new to our study.

Solomon is bring out what I'll just call for more puzzles. He's dealt with some of these in the past, but he sorta strings them together here is making observations of life down here under the sun.

You could easily be like the bitterness and in frustration and despair can appoint us ultimately to God be the first puzzle in the will look at the text.

Here is why is it that people in power often abuse the lives of others. Look at verse nine. All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun. When man had power over man to his hurt that opening line that were Solomon says I've observed all the things that are under the sun is a reference all the things that preceded it. Verse nine is for the categorical heading early on front. This next section. These are observations that now follow. Here's what I've seen down the hearer under the sun. This is this is how light seems to work in the first observation is those in authority, often misuse their authority not immediately inform us that if you think that your boss or your supervisor or those in authority over you in your world or in your culture are doing something new that you're experiencing something new that maybe mankind is getting worse than ever. Keep in mind, Solomon is observing this behavior more than 3000 years ago. This is fallen corrupt human nature is a reason we have a saying in her own English-language power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely had one historian writing 100 years ago said this, he said that it seems that a person's sense of morality decreases as their power increases. Solomon essentially says this is what I've seen over the course of my life which is interesting because Solomon is doing it to pack. When he finally ends is arraigned in assignments on the throne they say look, would you please grab give us some relief. Your father's taxation and is forced labor. It's wearing us out. They were abused by this king is really reflecting his own life, but is also observing and in others it just seems that he give him a little power and their care and concern for others diminishes proportionately.

Here's another puzzling life. Secondly, why is it that hypocrites often receive the loudest praise. Verse 10 then I saw the wicked Barry.

They used to go in and out of the holy place and work praised in the city where they had done such thing. Then I saw the wicked Barry Solomon definitely been to a funeral. He specifically watched more than one will narrow down to just one. One individual whose wicked, being buried in a rather elaborate funeral.

The Hebrew word by the way, for wicked is used in Job 924 if someone was guilty of crimes in Genesis 18 verse 23, someone who refuses God's moral standards used by Isaiah the prophet in chapter 14 verse five. For someone who oppresses the innocent notice here, though the implication is that that these people are well know this person is well respected in the community as a following. He's evidently well enough to have a funeral or even the key is in the audience and you gotta be somebody to have the king at your funeral, but according to Solomon this person had only just stay. You know, one step. I had a law they never really found out what he was really like Solomon knew it until is how we knew but everybody in the cities praising them all as birds.

It is amazing they had a following lotto likes you know whatever Solomon says I know that there actually corrupt and reminded me of one illustration I came across recently another side of the story didn't know wealthy men.

Chicago known for his generosity during the difficult days of the depression in the early 1900s.

He was rich, financially diversified Wall Street's Christ didn't really affect them all that much, he considered himself quote blessed by God." In 1930 and died of the depression he with his own money bought a huge three-story building downtown turned it into a soup kitchen pay for the building and paid for all the food they would succeed in that massive building 3000 people a day on a big sign out front said food for the jobless. By the time they had given away more than hundred thousand meals to the unemployed and their families. They just quit counting. He was anonymous with all this widespread philanthropy and gratitude from others. Newspaper reporters began to search for the one they called Mr. good deed's nickname. He gave they finally identified him as businessman this wealthy philanthropist was honored immediately by throngs of people they wanted his autograph, a well-known school of journalism even awarded him the top among the top 10 most influential people in modern world history right up there with Lindbergh and Einstein even Gandhi was even cited publicly then using his influence. He agreed this. The motion picture industry needed to be censored in one interviewee said and I quote, honor and truth and the law are falling from public respect only near the end of his career to public opinion change with the full story came out about the career of Mr. Al Capone.

We really was who he was found out before he died.

Solomon saw field Barry who were never found out, and it bothered him. It bothered him. This hypocrisy would be so praise. In fact, notice Solomon as it adds this rather interesting fact about this individually were standing and they used to go in and out of the holy place and rephrasing the city should now add the element of piety. Now add the element and I just Mr. good deed that is the other is a service he's religious.

He's righteous is a holy man, this person would go in and out of the holy places, as if Solomon is saying the guy had a key to the front door. The priest would know his name he met all the festival obligations. He brought all the sacrifices he prayed all the prayers.

Solomon says I saw that wicked individual. You should've heard of a praise in the city. They made about to be a saint.

You should've heard the sermon at his funeral.

He was just going through the religious motions the religious motions are vastly different from a regenerated heart Solomon asks why is it that the worst hypocrites often receive the most for 1/3 puzzle. Solomon points out, why is it that the wheels of justice turn slowly and sometimes not at all. We verse 11 because the sun is against that evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil look at him a sinner does evil 100 times in prolonged his life he lives a long time. Knowing not get caught.

He's the guy that does the best health in the community. Yet I know Solomon moves for my soul to I know I know that it will be well with those who fear God, that is, those who trust him. It will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days there just like a shadow.

Know what Solomon is here. This illustration is he takes us full circle. He shows us how the missing piece eventually fits it, but not as I begin. Justice is served. I think you're getting away with it and then they'll do it again and and up to 100 times. I am annoyed with lightning strike. The wheels of justice are turning it if there's a God in heaven.

Well, he's asleep at the wheel looks like it. Solomon says you're one of the puzzling things about life is that evil people seem to be getting away with breaking the law. They repeat the crime 100 times either clever maybe they're clever enough to evade the law maybe that a good lawyer Robert Frost once wrote tongue-in-cheek.

The jury is 12 people chosen to decide on who has the best lawyer maybe had connections nevermind notice here, Solomon says, their lives are like a shadow will think about this for moment shadows get a longer and longer and longer. When just before the sun sets.

The Bible fills in the missing piece of what Solomon refers to Revelation 20.

The judgment day when all the unredeemed of all of human history we brought into that court and Paul will describe it in his inspiring letter of the Romans in chapter 3 verse 19 to the point where every mouth will be closed. What that means is, there will arrive at that individual moment in every person's life when their mouths will stop.

That is the run out of excuses though run out of reason they will be. This is the terror of it to me. They will arrive at that point where they will become then convinced of God's holy justice and that they are without excuse. That gavel will strike the bench and the sentence of everlasting judgment will be delivered. It will be undeniable. It will be unarguable. It will be unavoidable.

It will be unchangeable.

It will be eternal. What hope do you have what hope do I have this day we all filled another volume with sin. The only hope we have is when measured against the holy standard of God.

We have one. John describes to us as our perfect advocate.

He is already spoken on our behalf to the jury of God's righteous judgment. Yes, he send yes he send again. Yes, she sinned and she sinned again and again and again and again how they sin but because of their faith in what I did on that cross. I have already then experienced in their place. The sentence of separation.

I have already experienced in their place. The wrath of holiness. I have already experienced the penalty for every one of their sins. That's why they get to go free. Joni hope you have for all the refuse to acknowledge creator God for all the refuse the gospel he heard Revelation 20 gives us the missing piece.

They may have avoided the courts of earth, but they will not avoid the court of heaven is one more puzzle in the mind of Solomon here before. Why is it that someone is rewarded fairly for what they accomplished in life. Why is it that someone wicked gets treated as if they're good and why is it that somebody's good gets treated like their wicked I thought life was supposed to be fair that a guy come up after the second service. W that's only in October when it's fair I'm sorry, I thought it was funny, I thought it was all supposed to work and I thought if you worked hard if you did your homework if you paid your taxes, get your nose clean smile, maybe one treat after another and yet the cheater became valedictorian. The slacker got the promotion someone innocent was punished someone evil got away with it. Why is because there are pieces to the puzzle that are still in the hand of God, which is not on the table yet. For now, lost. So what we do until he reveals them. Well, maybe two things.

First of all to go to verse 15 is what Solomon does as he turned the corner and gives us two pieces of advice and I commend Joy for man is nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be joyful for this will go with him and his toil to the days of his life that God is given got his assignment got us prescribed from God is created for the sun. Solomon's is recommending what sounds hedonistic to your ears, and certainly to the mind.

You know this sounds a lot like eat drink and be merry because the more you die somebody say that's a fatalistic philosophy. The unbeliever Solomon is actually recommending joy that comes from trusting the Lord and thanking the Lord for all things he's given to us to enjoy. First Timothy 617 zone principal form Solomon is giving us this advice. Thank God for blessings that have arrived from every corner. The truth is we often overlook them. He points a very simple ones. Did you have something be the day. Just something to drink, give clothing to a job you know none of those same things seem all that great deal Apple right that job becomes quite the treasure money for food and the foodie becomes a blessing so thank God for blessings that arrived from every corner.

Secondly trust God for burdens that are just around the corner. Notice for 16 when I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the business is done on earth.

In other words, I want to figure this thing out. Notice how neither day nor night do ones I see sleep. It took all my sleep. I couldn't sleep I try to figure I thought it couldn't sleep, then I saw the work of God. This is the work of God, that man cannot find out the work of God that is done under the study can't figure it all out, however much man-made toil in seeking he will not find it out.

Wisdom's great, but give me all the answers.

Even though wise man claims to know some people are in the church in the community. I got it figured out now.

Nevermind the Bible says you can't figure it all out. There's just no way to know what's coming around that corner. You can't figure life completely out why because her missing pieces. You can see the full picture and sleep he writes here. If you worry about what you can't see coming.

The problem is you can't see around a corner and life is filled with quarters is filled with quarters what's going to happen ominous stay up nominally sleep as I got to figure out what I'm going to do if it happens let's misery it might not happen at all of the way. Mark Twain once wrote it with a smile. He said there has been much tragedy in my life and at least half of it actually happened.

Thank God for what's happened that you can see and trust God for whatever is going to happen that you cannot yet see this great advice.

When I put those puzzles together with my children now. Lately my grandchildren and that last piece is missing.

I might say oh my word is and they'll start searching.

Check the box get on her hands and knees why we work for an hour on this thing to get one little piece missing.

All told the chapter pockets and they do love that and that'll show them it's in my hand. Now let me tell you the convicting part of this is a thought about this the convicting part of this is that I can only do that with them once or twice a summer little slower than the others and then then next time I do it and they immediately look at me and they come over to me and they say you've got.

You've got where there's a piece missing, or is it we start looking. We crawl around we shake the box we fuss and few, how often do we learn the end and forget and relearn and forget and relearn and forget how slowly we go to him and say you got it in your hand. Life is filled frankly with puzzles and there a lot of and every one of them is missing piece, and I think that's that's the Lord's way of reminding us to come to him to thank him and to trust him and to recognize that he must believe that middle seat. He must be that primary. He he is is he is fine, just sort of pulls it all together and makes picture complete it might be that right now is your listening.

There are parts of your life that don't make sense. It might seem as if the puzzle of your life is missing a piece even if God seems slow in revealing it to you. He is the one who ultimately makes sense of everything.

I hope this time in God's word will cause you to trust him more fully. As you continue to follow him more faithfully.

Thanks for joining us today for this broadcast of wisdom for the hearts wisdom for the heart is the Bible teaching ministry of Stephen Davey, I encourage you to spend some time visiting our website, which is wisdom online.org you'll be able to access the complete archive of Stephen's Bible teaching ministry. Stephen is been the pastor of the shepherd's church in Cary, North Carolina for over 35 years and all of those messages are posted online for you to access and listen to. Not only can you listen to each one, but we provide the written manuscript that you can read that content is available to you free of charge@wisdomonline.org that archive is also available on our app wisdom international math is available for your iPhone or android smart phone download that and today take this Bible teaching with you where ever you go.

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