Out of Control pt 7

Sermon Notes – Out of Control pt 7

Ecclesiastes 11:9 – 12:14 (skip 12:9-12)

Exegetical Outline – Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:14

Solomon exhorted his readers to enjoy life and pursue one’s passion during their youth without forgetting that God will judge all our actions (9).
The reason Solomon exhorted his readers to eliminate emotional stress and physical pain when young was because one’s prime of life is fleeting (10).
The time when we are to remember our Creator is when we are young, not when death is coming upon us (12:1).

Remember Him when you are most able to do something about it! (Our bodies are strongest, minds are sharpest, time is greatest).

We should remember our Creator before our vitality wanes (2-5).

Light/Dark and cloud imagery refer to ending of life & increasing gloom (2) (see 11:7-8).
“Watchman trembles” pictures our trembling arms & hands (3a).
“Mighty men stoop” pictures the legs giving out (3b).
“Grinding ones” pictures the teeth (3c).
“Look through windows” pictures the eyes (3d).
“Doors” pictures the mouth (4a).
“Arise at the sound” pictures trouble sleeping (4c).
“daughters of song softly” picture the ears failing (4d).
“Men are afraid” pictures our loss of risk taking as we age (5a).
“almond tree blossoms” picture grey hair (5b).
“grasshopper drags” pictures trouble walking (5c).
“caperberry ineffective” is loss of sexual capability. Caperberry was an aphrodisiac in the Ancient Near East.

The reason we should remember our Creator before our life ends is because it will be too late after death and everything is vanity without Him (6-8).

Golden bowl used for holding candle to provide light.
Pitcher used to provide water; necessity for life.
Wheel at cistern used to bring up water from cistern.
Bodies return to dust and God’s “breath” is removed

The reason we should respond to life by revering God and obeying Him is because He will bring every act on earth into judgment, whether it is good or evil (13-14).

Homiletical Outline

I will find JOY in life because God is GOOD (9a).

Ps 37:3-9
Pursue God with all your heart and do as you please.
When you pursue joy in God and not this world it frees you from the danger of anger, revenge, and compromise when things don’t go your way. It allows God to justify you in His time and His way.

I will PURSUE obedience, because God is JUST (9b).

We must protect pleasure with purity!

Illus: Purity & pleasure.

I will REJECT the pains of this world defining me, because life is BRIEF (10).

Mention CR as tool to help.

Illus: Read testimonies from book.

You can enjoy a pirata at TP and not feel guilty! (however, use balance).
Don’t live life as a victim. Don’t allow misery to dominate your life!

I will trust God NOW, before it’s too late (12:1-8).

Explain imagery of a waning life. Emphasize “NOW” as the time to act. #. There will never be a better time to embrace God’s plan. To wait is to live with regret. To wait is to waste what vitality remains. To wait is to accept that your life is meaningless.

I will RESPOND to God with awe and obedience (12:13-14).

No matter what you do from here on out, you will face the monotony of life, the mystery of life & the meaninglessness of life at various points along the journey. How will you choose to live? Will you embrace life with joy because God is good? Will you walk life with trust, because God is sovereign? Will you remember God with reverence, because He is just?

How you choose to live life in light of its uncertainties will determine your satisfaction and success.

Let me share with you what I feel God desires from this church. I believe He wants to use us to reach all of Laredo by planting churches in every neighborhood in this city. Here’s why I think this is God’s vision for us. First, God loves the people of Laredo and He commands us to communicate His truth to all people. Second, this task is so impossible there is no way we can do it in our strength (Faith). Third, planting churches is the most effective and healthiest way to reach people and minister to them. Fourth, our whole leadership team is in agreement on this endeavor. And fifth, if there is any church in America that would believe God for this, it is this church. So what do you say? Can anyone give me a better task to spend your life doing? Anyone here that wouldn’t like to have a church packed with families at their funeral because their lives where turned around because of your commitment to God’s work? I believe God has put the families we currently have here because we are exactly what we need to begin this venture. What would it be like if 20 years from now there were 20 more churches like ours placed all over this community because we said, “Use us, Lord.” Will we remember our Creator before its too late to accomplish all that He has for us? Or will we leave what He has given us to do to the next generation?

Grow in the knowledge of God’s will (CLASSES)

Grow in obedience to God’s will (SG, ministry, mission)

The next step of faith you take could change your life forever!

Illus: I was just a teacher. Someone challenged us to get into a SG. It took us several months to commit. When we finally did, it changed our lives forever!

God’s next step for us is adding a 3rd service. This is just a beginning step to Him using us to reach our whole community. If we are found faithful with this step, I believe He will do even more. What small step of faith are you willing to take to see God work through us?

Take the survey to help us best minister.
Pray about and commit to service time that will help us reach others.
Pray about and commit to serving in one of the roles necessary.
Commit financially to supporting our need to increase PT staff hours and hire additional staff/interns for current and future growth.

I’m not asking anyone to do it all on their own. I’m just asking everyone to do their part. When we have the necessary commitments we will step forward.

Illustrations

Purity & Pleasure

Proper sexual behavior leads to max pleasure.

(You will find immediate/temporal pleasure in disobedience, with long-term pain & consequences).

Proper integrity in your work will bring maximum satisfaction.

Proper integrity in your education will produce maximum success (Cheating is rampant and acceptable among today’s students - 20/20 feature).