Walking Wisely
Notes
Transcript
Welcome — Turn to Ecc. Ch. 7
Open in Prayer
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I. Introduction
I. Introduction
Hook: · Each and every one of us is going to DIE with some UNANSWERED QUESTIONS.
?? CHRIS’ FAMOUS WORD??
SOME ANSWERS AWAIT GLORY
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HUMAN KNOWLEDGE ITSELF = LIMITED.
KNOW MORE— (SURFACE) MOON —THAN OCEANS!
Meme: 80% OCEAN UNEXPLORED— DOLLAR GENERAL??
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Joking aside: SOME have SERIOUS QUESTIONS
Transition: Today, we’re going to see how to WALK WISELY...in RESPONSE… to UNEXPLAINED REALITIES
READ PASSAGE:
((7:15-29))
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II. Passage Reading:
II. Passage Reading:
Ecclesiastes 7:15–29 (ESV)
15 In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing.
16 Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
17 Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
18 It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them.
19 Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
21 Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you.
22 Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.
23 All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me.
24 That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?
25 I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness.
26 And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.
27 Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things—
28 which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found.
29 See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.
III. Context Recap:
III. Context Recap:
Context:
WISDOM CONSIDERS END (LIFE) & TRUSTS GOD ALONG the WAY
Ecclesiastes 7:14 (ESV)
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.
GOD = SOVEREIGN
GOOD DAYS
BAD DAYS
**WE CAN’T FIGURE it ALL OUT…**
Transition: PICKING UP THERE:
UNEXPLAINABLE REALITIES
LIMITS of HUMAN UNDERSTANDING
LOOK W/ ME AGAIN @ VS. 15
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IV. Passage Preaching
IV. Passage Preaching
I. Unexplainable Realities (vv. 15-18)
I. Unexplainable Realities (vv. 15-18)
Ecclesiastes 7:15 (ESV)
15 In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing.
VAIN/FLEETING LIFE— SAD OBSERVATION
Observation:
LIFE = SOMETIMES BACKWARDS
RETRIBUTION PRINCIPLE DOESN’T ALWAYS WORK.
REAP WHAT YOU SOW?? SOMETIMES.
PROVERBS—WHAT GENERALLY HAPPENS
ECCLESIASTES— WHAT OCCASIONALLY HAPPENS...
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BAD THINGS HAPPENING to GOOD PEOPLE—DYING YOUNG.
WICKED LIVING OLD.
WHY???
Transition: We’ll SEE a RESPONSE…NOT ANSWER...
LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 16-17
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Ecclesiastes 7:16–17 (ESV)
16 Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
17 Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
FIRST GLANCE—SEEMS REALLY BACKWARDS
DON’T BE GOOD @ ALL????
Conclusion: TEACHER = WARNING AGAINST EXTREMES— IN RESPONDING to LIFE’S UNFAIRNESS.
Hypothetical: BAD THINGS HAPPEN to GOOD PEOPLE??
I’LL BE REALLY…REALLY… GOOD.
I’LL JUST BE WICKED.
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I. REALLY, REALLY GOOD.
Problem w/ RETRIBUTION PRINCIPLE— SOME PEOPLE WANT to “MERIT” THINGS from GOD.
I’M GOOD—GOD OWES ME...
Quote: SIDNEY GREIDANUS: “(For) no matter how righteous we become, we can never force God to prolong our life because of our righteousness”
RELATABLE to SOME??? — ME as PASTOR IT IS...
SINCE BAD THINGS HAPPEN to GOOD PEOPLE?
I’M GOING to BE SUPER GOOD,,
BROWNIE POINTS—GOD WILL KEEP ME AROUND.
TAIL = WAGGING the DOG.
Ill.: SELAH’S NEGOTIATIONS—FORGETTING WHO’S in CHARGE
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GOD DOESN’T OWE US ANYTHING.
EACH BREATH WE BREATHE = GIFT of MERCY
YOU CAN’T MANIPULATE the HAND of GOD BY YOUR “GOODNESS”
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OTHER HAND: RECKLESS SIN = BAD TOO.
Quote: Philip Ryken: “The right life walks the path between two extremes, shunning self-righteousness, but not allowing one’s native wickedness to run its own course.”
not SINNING—GRACE MAY ABOUND.
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Ill.: REF. P.P. PIC TWO CHASMS on SIDES of ROAD
GOAL = WALK STRAIGHT
NOT SINFUL MERITORIOUS SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS
KILL YOURSELF TRYING to PLEASE GOD—EARN FAVOR
NOT THROWING SELF to SIN
KILL YOURSELF W/ SIN.
Application: WALK CENTER
· One side loses sight of grace, the other side abuses it.
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Paradox (Christian Life):
CHRISTIANS = IMPERFECT
CHRISTIANS DON’T JUSTIFY SIN
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LIVE WITHOUT SIN—KNOWING YOU WON’T.
Transition: Possibly BEST SAID… by JOHN:
1 John 1:5–2:1 (ESV)
5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
(V5) — GOD = PERFECTLY PURE (LIGHT)
(V6-7) — WE’RE to WALK in LIGHT (UPRIGHTLY)
(V8) — WE HAVE PRESENT SIN
(V9) — WE CAN CONFESS SIN & BE CLEANSED
(V10) — WE HAVE PAST SIN
(2:1) GOAL - NOT to SIN— BUT WE HAVE an ADVOCATE.
Takeaways:
DON’T JUSTIFY SIN
BUT KNOW YOU’RE NOT PERFECT— IF YOU THINK YOU ARE— YOU’RE DECEIVED or PRETENDING
App.: WALK the MIDDLE ROAD WISELY in FEAR of GOD
Transition: Teacher will FURTHER SAY CONCERNING WISDOM: (V19-20)
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II. The Benefits of Wisdom (vv. 19-22)
II. The Benefits of Wisdom (vv. 19-22)
Ecclesiastes 7:19–20 (ESV)
19 Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
LIVING WISELY = GOOD — BETTER THAN 10 RULERS
Takeaway: BUT WISDOM HONESTLY ACKNOWLEDGES HUMAN SINFULNESS.
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Encouragement: EVERY PERSON in SCRIPTURE APART from JESUS HAD SIN!
Sinful Heroes:
SOLOMON (WISEST) SURELY! 1000 WIVES—WORSHIP of OTHER gods...
NOAH— GOT DRUNK
ABRAHAM—DOUBTED GOD,, LIED ABOUT WIFE.
JACOB— CHEATED BROTHER
MOSES DISOBEYED GOD in ANGER
DAVID COVETED—COMMITTED ADULTERY—COVERED W/ MURDER
PETER DENIED JESUS 3X
PAUL PERSECUTED the CHURCH
**PERHAPS SIN of EACH CHARACTER ISN’T LISTED—BUT IT WAS THERE SOMEWHERE**
—> NEVER USED as JUSTIFICATION <—
BUT WISDOM ACKNOWLEDGES — HUMANS = SINFUL.
you MIGHT BE GOOD 99%— BUT ONLY JESUS WAS GOOD 100%
Transition: TEACHER HAS FURTHER WORDS— WISDOM’S RELATIONSHIP W/ SIN:
LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 21-22
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Ecclesiastes 7:21–22 (ESV)
21 Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you.
22 Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.
WISDOM ACKNOWLEDGES SIN’S PRESENCE
WISDOM FORGIVES SIN’S FAULTS.
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WISDOM is GRACIOUS.
Teacher’s Example: EAVESDROPPING HEARING NASTY THINGS.
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Relatable: I’M SURE—WE’VE ALL HEARD SOMETHING SAID ABOUT US WE DIDN’T WANT to HEAR?
GREAT JOY—HEARING PEOPLE SAY GOOD THINGS
HARSH REALITY—HEARING PEOPLE SAY BAD THINGS.
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App: WISDOM DOESN’T HOLD OFFENSE— “I’VE DONE THAT to OTHER PEOPLE.”
ALL MINOR SINS COMMITTED AGAINST US—
— WE’VE PROBABLY COMMITTED AGAINST OTHERS**
Transition: BUT LIVING WISELY HAS LIMITS
LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 23-24
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III. The Failings of Wisdom (vv. 23-29)
III. The Failings of Wisdom (vv. 23-29)
Ecclesiastes 7:23–24 (ESV)
23 All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise,” but it was far from me.
24 That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?
WISDOM PROVIDES SOME—NOT ALL— ANSWERS.
Ref. Intro: WE’LL ALL DIE W/ UNANSWERED QUESTIONS...
SOME QUESTIONS DON’T HAVE GREAT ANSWERS
PEOPLE SIN
SINFUL PEOPLE LIVE
SOME DIE.
SOME DIE EARLY
SOME DIE LATE
PEOPLE TALK
TALK GETS AROUND
LIFE = UN-FIGURE-OUT-ABLE.
YOU WON’T BE ABLE to SECURE ANSWERS to ALL THINGS THROUGH SEARCHING
Transition: DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN’T KEEP TRYING…
TEACHER WILL… LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 25
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Ecclesiastes 7:25 (ESV)
25 I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness.
Teacher’s Goal:
1. TRYING to FIGURE OUT— WISDOM & “SCHEME of THINGS”
UNDERSTANDING LIFE
2. FIGURE OUT & UNDERSTAND WICKEDNESS & FOLLY
MUCH SIN HERE—TRYING to MAKE SENSE of IT
Transition: WHAT will HE FIND?
LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 26
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Ecclesiastes 7:26 (ESV)
26 And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.
SEARCHING OUT WICKEDNESS & FOLLY
Finding: FINDS PROVERBIAL SINFUL WOMAN/PROSTITUTE
WHY of ALL EXAMPLES??
Conclusion: SEXUAL SIN = GREAT TRAP.
NET/SNARE/CHAINS
Failings of Heroes:
STRONGEST MAN—SAMSON
MOST SPIRITUAL MAN— DAVID
WISEST MAN — SOLOMON
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TODAY: PORNOGRAPHY = SIMILAR TRAP.
EVEN COMES AFTER YOU on COUNTLESS PLATFORMS
FIGHTING SIN on ALL FRONTS...
ONE ESCAPES—PLEASING GOD
OTHER, SINNER, IS CAUGHT in the TRAP
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Ill.: SEXUAL SIN = LIKE the CHEESE on a MOUSETRAP...
CHEESE = GOOD on its OWN—RIGHT CONTEXT.
BUT in FORBIDDEN CONTEXT—IT’LL COST YOU.
Transition: TEACHER CONTINUES in SEARCH of UNDERSTANDING,,
LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 27-28
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Ecclesiastes 7:27–28 (ESV)
27 Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things—
28 which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found.
VERY CONFUSING PASSAGE — DEPENDING on YOUR TRANSLATION—MIGHT BE WORSE.
TEACHER = SEARCHING OUT “SCHEME of THINGS”
HE’S LOOKING to DISCOVER.
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Main finding (v28a) IN HIS SEARCH for FINDING...HE HASN’T FOUND.
Meaning: HE’S SEARCHING for UNDERSTANDING—COMING AWAY W/ QUESTIONS...
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Conclusion: HE’S FIGURED OUT ONE MAN in 1,000… 0 WOMEN.
Necessary Point: TEACHER = SEARCHING for UNDERSTANDING— MORE THAN EXAMPLES
SAME “FINDING” APPLIES HERE.
TEACHER CONCLUDES: PEOPLE DON’T MAKE SENSE
Relatable: I’M SURE WE’VE ALL FIGURED THIS MUCH OUT.
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Transition: THERE is ONE THING HE DID FIND THOUGH...
LOOK W/ ME @ VS. 29
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Ecclesiastes 7:29 (ESV)
29 See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.
Main Finding: GOD MADE THINGS GOOD…GOD MADE PEOPLE GOOD…BUT PEOPLE HAVE MESSED EVERYTHING UP.
NLT: “But I did find this: God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path” (7:20).
Transition: And this is the consistent testimony of Scripture:
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V. Gospel: The Solution for Sin
V. Gospel: The Solution for Sin
PEOPLE COMPLAIN— WHY a GOOD, ALL-POWERFUL GOD MADE MESSED-UP WORLD...
Response: GOD MADE “VERY GOOD” WE’VE MESSED IT UP.
ADAM & EVE
US
ALL HAVE SINNED
ALL CONTRIBUTE to the PROBLEM.
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The Problem: SIN AFFECTS WHOLE CREATION… AND SIN CREATES SEPARATION W/ GOD...
Reference: ADAM & EVE = HIDING in GARDEN AFTER SIN…
… FORMERLY WALKING W/ GOD...
GOD SEES ALL.
GOD KNOWS ALL.
NO SINNER CAN HIDE FROM HIM. — BAD NEWS.
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The Solution: GOOD NEWS— WHILE WE STRAINED RELATIONSHIP—
— HE SOUGHT to FIX IT.
CHASM BETWEEN US & GOD = BRIDGED BY the CROSS of CHRIST
TOOK PUNISHMENT WE DESERVED
SO WE CAN RECEIVE the CREDIT for HIS LIFE...
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Invitation: YOU DON’T HAVE to HIDE from GOD ANYMORE...
THROUGH FAITH in CHRIST—YOU CAN BE REDEEMED— MADE NEW
MIDST of WORLD W/ QUESTIONS.....
...FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE: SOMETHING YOU CAN KNOW.
1 John 5:13 (ESV)
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
WE MIGHT NOT KNOW ALL the ANSWERS DOWN HERE
BUT WE CAN KNOW WHERE WE’RE GOING
**If you’re without hope—talk to me after service**
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Transition: For the REST of US— WHAT DO WE MAKE of THIS PASSAGE?
TEACHER —SAYING to US
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VI. Application: Walking the Road Between the Chasms
VI. Application: Walking the Road Between the Chasms
Passage Idea:
Passage Idea:
Life’s puzzles and problems should turn our eyes to heaven and cause us to walk wisely in the fear of God today.
1. TRUST GOD with the UNKNOWN:
WISDOM CAN’T PROVIDE ALL the ANSWERS...
TRUST GOD is SOVEREIGN... HE is GOOD…
IF WE HAD ALL ANSWERS & KNOWLEDGE—NO NEED for FAITH!
2. Aim to WALK WISELY
STAYING on ROAD BETWEEN TWO CHASMS: (REF. P.P. PIC)
SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS
SINFUL INDULGENCE
GOD DOESN’T OWE ME ANYTHING. I CAN’T EARN HIS FAVOR.
I DON’T WANT to SPIT in FACE of HIS GRACE.
I’M GOING to STRIVE to WALK in FEAR of GOD— WITH WISDOM & GRACE TOWARDS OTHERS...
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VII. Conclusion
VII. Conclusion
Reflection:
WHAT DITCH DO YOU TYPICALLY FALL INTO??//
WHAT DIRECTION DO YOU NEED to STEER?
SOME of US NEED REMINDED of GRACE— GOD LOVES US MORE THAN WE COULD EVER EARN.
SOME of US NEED REMINDED NOT to ABUSE GRACE
LET’S AIM to WALK WISELY in HIS FEAR THIS WEEK. AMEN?
Close in PRAYER
