Think Not more of yourself than you ought to
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Last week I told you how Solomon gained his wisdom from God how he waited upon the lord at the alter onto the mountain he burned 1000 scarifies and did not leave until he heard from God
Today we begun looking at one of his wisdom lititures The book of Ecclesiastes
The word in Hebrew is Qohelt........... Which means the assembly or the congregation it was used in the context was a preacher speaking to the assembly or the congregation much like I am here today, His writings are after years of success fortune fame It is addressed to Gods people as a attempt as a apologetic type of work to encourage the believer to have faith in God rather than oneself. Soloman had obtained it all, Wealth wisdom success but at what cost. Soloman had drifted far from God he had been influenced by a mixture of others who worshiped other gods, He was filled full of arrogance and pride no doubt because of his wealth is wisdom his sucess but late in his life he realises that it wasnt worth all that he gained for apart from God there is no peace.
So we beguin our journey through this wonderful book of wisdom
VS2 Here Soloman is telling us what he is about to speak about, this is the diving board before he jumps into the pool He say the vanities of vanities
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher;
“Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
3 What profit has a man from all his labor
In which he toils under the sun?
4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes;
But the earth abides forever.
5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down,
And hastens to the place where it arose.
6 The wind goes toward the south,
And turns around to the north;
The wind whirls about continually,
And comes again on its circuit.
7 All the rivers run into the sea,
Yet the sea is not full;
To the place from which the rivers come,
There they return again.
8 All things are full of labor;
Man cannot express it.
The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 That which has been is what will be,
That which is done is what will be done,
And there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which it may be said,
“See, this is new”?
It has already been in ancient times before us.
11 There is no remembrance of former things,
Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come
By those who will come after.
12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised. 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.
15 What is crooked cannot be made straight,
And what is lacking cannot be numbered.
16 I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge.” 17 And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief,
And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
The bible dictionary describes vanity as this
The words "vain," "vanity," "vanities" are frequent in the Bible. Their idea is almost exclusively that of "evanescence," "emptiness," including "idolatry" and "wickedness" as being not only evil but vain and empty things. They also signify falseness. The chief word translated "vanity," "vanities" is hebhel, a "breath of air, or of the mouth," often applied to idolatry
Websters describes it as
Definition of vanity
Definition of vanity
(Entry 1 of 2)
1: inflated pride in oneself or one's appearance : CONCEIT2: something that is vain, empty, or valueless
Vs 3 What Profit has a man from all his labor .................Boy doesnt this sound familure
Jesus speaks in the Gospel of Mark and says
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Mark 8:34-38
This Is the Cost of Christ There is no exceptions
look at vs 34 No one can claim to be a disciple of Christ, and fail to deny himself even to that of death
This may cost you friends it may cost you family it may cost you a promotion it may even cost you your job and even possibly your life. For its not if persecution will come its when . Beloved its coming as the hour of the lord draws near so will the birth pangs volcanos earthquakes pestalence familne plauges in various places wars rumors of wars beloved this must come to past but the bible says in matt 24:13
13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
Vs 35 He who looses his life will save it. This reveals to us a important truth one that you ought to take notice
Those who try to save their life shall loose it.
This is speaking to those afraid to take the steps to become a true disciple of Christ.
They may choose a life of easy goings a life of comfort not called to do much.... The good life they surely will not find eternal life
This is a serious truth the Jesus was saying huge implications
Talk about the american who preached in Mosque in iraq.
Verse 36 Look here is the connection to our major text what does it profit a man
vs 38 To Reject the demands of a disciple is to reject or be ashamed of the lordship of Christ himself
Looking back at our key text
Vs 4 Here soloman shows us the swiftness of Life
here today gone tomorrow. If i died today someone would be here by next service life goes on same with the cows, the paperwork at wok the demands of life they are but a fleeting moment
V8 Man is never satisfied
Vs 12: WE must search for truth and understanding for the right reasons
vs15 this text seems ambiguous at first but what is meant is that you can have all the wisdom in the world and their is still something that cannot be fixed they are just too crooked
This text spoke to me im a fixer If something is broke i want to fix it
Vs 16 Here we see how soloman had depended on his own efforts and not the revaluation or understanding of God
He was vain full of himself filled with pride all puffed up
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
Vs 17 By knowing too much he became aware of all the troubles even the ones he realised he could not fix this troubled him greatly
Teh outcome of wisdom is usually seen as success and success brings happiness
but here we have seen according to soloman this isnt the case, A man with everything all the knowlege the powere the lands the woman the riches the success and it did not bring him joy only grief
By placing hope in our human efforts our own understanding trusting in ourselves we grow far from God as did Soloman
When we grow from God the fruits of God leave us as well
The Peace
The Hope
The Joy
The happiness
The gentleness
The patience
The self control
The Love
The happiness
So place not your hope in your efforts. There will always be work to be done surrender yourself to Christ Wait on the Lord
Are you willing to be a deciple?
To deny yourself To take up your cross to follow him
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
34 “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. 35 For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; 36 and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
Matt
What is our lord saying here?You need to weigh in on the cost of becoming a disciple for Jesus Christ
The cost is real , It will cost you everything, You will have to say no to the world you will have to say no to temptation you will have to stand apart from the crowd, You will have to stand alone for christ. You would be willing to stand even if you were the only person in the world for that of Jesus Christ. THAT'S THE COST FACTOR
YOU would have to be willing to suffer persecution for christ, it will come..........
HE IS NOT COMING TO PLAY GAMES He IS NOT COMING TO BE DOCILE AND WEAK
NO HE IS COMING TO DOMINATE AND COMING TO SLAUGHTER
HE IS THE KING OF KING AND HE IS THE LORD OF LORDS
AND AT THE END OF THIS AGE HE WILL DIVE FROM HEAVEN ON THE BACK OF A WHITE STALLION
HIS GARMENTS ARE DRIPPED IN BLOOD OF HIS ENEMIES for HE IS COMING BACK TO CONQUER AND TO DAM
YOU NEED TO MAKE TERMS OF PEACE WITH THE COMING KING OR YOU WILL BE SUBJECTED IN DAMNATION FOREVER...............
AND JESUS CHRIST HAS MADE THE TERMS OF PEACE
YOU NEED TO SETTLE OUT OF COURT FOR HIM BEFORE THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT FOR THEN IT WILL BE TOO LATE YOU DO NOT WANT TO GO INTO THE FINAL DAY AT CONFLICT WITH THAT OF CHRIST
YOU MUST COME TO TERMS WITH BUT THEY ARE HIS TERMS NOT OURS
AND THEY ARE THIS DENY YOUR SELF SURRENDER YOUR LIFE TO THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS
LET YOUR LIFE BECOME HIS LIFE LET YOUR TIME BECOME HIS TIME THERE IS NO ONE FOOT IN AND ONE FOOT OUT FOR IT IS SAID OF THE LUKEWARM I WILL SPEW YOU OUT OF MY MOUTH
CHRIST IS URGING YOU FOR A DECISION HE EARNESTLY WANTS TO SAVE HE WANTS NOT TO PERISH HE IS KNOCKING AT THE DOOR WILL YOU DENY HIM OR ACCEPT HIM DO IT RIGHT NOW
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matt
12 To whom He said, “This is the rest with which
You may cause the weary to rest,”
And, “This is the refreshing”;
Yet they would not hear.
25 For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.”
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.