A Change of Mind Is Not A Transformation

Scriptural Text:

We are examining this passage of Scriptures to illuminate this main point

A Change of Mind Is Not Transformation

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Death

Death

The story is told of a certain man who was walking in his neighborhood when he came face to face with Death. He noticed an expression of surprise on the creature’s horrid countenance, but they passed one another without speaking. The fellow was frightened and went to a wise man to ask what should be done. The wise man told him that Death had probably come to take him away the next morning. The poor fellow was terrified at this and asked how ever he could escape.

The only solution the two could think of was that the victim should drive all night to a distant city and so elude Death. So the man drove to the other city—it was a terrible journey that had never been done in one night before—and when he arrived he congratulated himself on having eluded death.

Just then, Death came up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. “Excuse me,” he said, “but I have come for you.”

“Why,” exclaimed the terrified man, “I thought I saw you yesterday near my home!”

“Exactly,” said Death. “That was why I looked surprised—for I had been told to meet you today in this city.”279

The story is told of a certain man who was walking in his neighborhood when he came face to face with Death. He noticed an expression of surprise on the creature’s horrid countenance, but they passed one another without speaking. The fellow was frightened and went to a wise man to ask what should be done. The wise man told him that Death had probably come to take him away the next morning. The poor fellow was terrified at this and asked how ever he could escape.

The only solution the two could think of was that the victim should drive all night to a distant city and so elude Death. So the man drove to the other city—it was a terrible journey that had never been done in one night before—and when he arrived he congratulated himself on having eluded death.

Just then, Death came up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. “Excuse me,” he said, “but I have come for you.”

“Why,” exclaimed the terrified man, “I thought I saw you yesterday near my home!”

“Exactly,” said Death. “That was why I looked surprised—for I had been told to meet you today in this city.”279

Solomon is ready to take another approach to finding the true meaning and satisfaction in life (v.12).

A. Solomon had sought both wisdom and excessive indulgence (madness and folly)(v.12).

The king’s underlying question: “Does the person who lives a wise, moral life gain anything in the end over the person who lives foolishly and irresponsibly in sin?

the king had determined to weigh the advantages of a virtuous life over a life of folly.

With this in mind, Solomon now devoted himself to finding out if living wisely, rather than foolishly, was the secret to lasting fulfillment.

B. Solomon’s Conclusion

The way of wisdom is better than foolish indulgence (vv. 13-14).

People can spare themselves many problems and much heartache by simply exercising good common sense and following the moral compass God has placed within them.

The wise person guards his eyes and is able to see this truth. On the other hand, the foolish person is blind to this obvious reality.

hurt himself and others

Death overtakes the wise as well as the foolish (v.15).

in the end there was nothing permanent gained by living morally rather than immorally; both the wise man and the foolish man die.

death rules out wise, virtuous living as the key to lasting fulfillment and significance.

Death means that the wise person, like the fool, will soon be forgotten (v.16).

The certainty of death can make a person hate life and make his or her work distressing (v.17a).

Solomon could not enjoy the fruits of his labors because death was coming and all that he had accomplished would be forgotten and left behind.

The fact of death makes life meaningless (v.17b).

life apart from God is empty, futile, and leaves nothing of lasting significance.

Synopsis

All human life and human systems are ultimately useless without God, because death comes to all. God wants to deliver people from their futile ways.

Human life is futile

(ESV) — 1 “Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. 2 He comes out like a flower and withers; he flees like a shadow and continues not.

Whether Life or Death

Whether Life or Death

Immanuel Kant declared that no one had the right to talk about immortality until he worked so hard at being mortal that he longed for the immortal. Is not this the message of the apostle Paul? After a long and devoted career as an ambassador for Christ, he was arrested and thrown into prison. Not knowing what the future held for him, that is, on his captors’ terms, he had the one hope that Christ would be honored in his body, whether by life or death.

G. Curtis Jones, 1000 Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1986), 103–104.

Every choice and every decision have natural, unalterable consequences. Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible - Commentary - The Preacher's Outline and Sermon Bible – Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon.

Every choice and every decision have natural, unalterable consequences.

Solomon stated it is better to live upright than foolishly, because sin has long tern consequences.

Galatians 6:7–8 ESV

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

, Note

Note : The book of Mark tells us about a maniac who lived among the tombs and cut himself with stones ().

The Maniac of Gardara was a changed, forgiven man after he met Jesus, but for the rest of his life he still bore the scars from having lived under Satan’s influence.

(KJV) 12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

(KJV) 8  For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

(KJV) 27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

(KJV) 10  For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

(KJV) 13  Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. 14  For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.