The Despair of this World
Notes
Transcript
The Despair of this World
The Despair of this World
19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. 20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
There was an observation made by Solomon
14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
vs 14 - I know or I perceived --- I observed God
vs 16 - I saw ---- I observed Justice or injustice
vs. 18 - --- I observed death
There are three negative observations that lead to despair
when I saw God --- nothing changes all is the same
When saw injustice - - I saw wickedness
When I observed death - man is nothing more than an animal
If all we have is under the sun then .... despair is our future
My Hope is not built on circumstances and events under the SUN
11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, When God taketh away his soul?
Solid Rock
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
Refrain:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
What is your hope built on?
Are you like Solomon and defeated?
Do you find yourself relying on your own abilities? (Guilty!) Do you find yourself putting your hope in other people or circumstances? (Yes and yes.)
Are you often disappointed in those things or people ? I am.
People fail. External circumstances can’t be controlled. And I’m so far from perfect it’s not funny. We live in a broken world. No wonder so many people feel hopeless!
But Christian hope is putting your trust in God’s promise, in Christ. It is having confidence that something will happen because God has promised it.
Curious about God’s promises?
These are excellent memory verses on the promises on God. (A quick google search yields hundreds of resources, Bible studies, devotionals, and prayer books dedicated to the promises of God.)
My wife ladies bible study is an excellent example.
Having hope in Christ doesn’t mean everything is always going to work out the way we want it.
Our hope in Christ is so much more- it’s our faith in Christ’s resurrection- that He’s gone ahead of us to prepare a place for us. (John 14:3)
Our future is secured by God. And that is the only thing worth building hope on.
33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
at the bottom as Solomon!
Illustration - 1997-98
No position
No money
Daughter with back problem not sure would be cover by insurance
done!
Lets look at Solomon’s observations from a horizontal view
I. Observing God
I. Observing God
11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. 12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. 13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God. 14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
Solomon’s Observations:
vs 11 - a time for everything read
vs 12 -13 - nothing good in man in life or man just be happy
man can not alter what God has decreed
In observing God - God is viewed as an in-personable spirit that just watches the misery on His creation.
WWII - the command room moving soldier around in battle planning a watching misery ....
God is love and what a negative view of Him ....
1st principal of wisdom is to Observe God
10 Specially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.
The problem here is Solomon is observing a God that does not exist
A God that He made up - under the Sun
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Illustration here
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
When I observe God in light of the bible and my experience i see a God that was always with me during the darkest hours; not a God of indifference...
He observes injustice
II. Observing Justice
II. Observing Justice
16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. 17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. 18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
He found crookedness in the law of the courts where justice should be dispensed
A look at injustice and people that are wronged w/o looking a God and His love and plane for us will lead to despair
vs 17 - he did believe there will be a time when God will judge man when wrongs will be made right ....
But Solomons despairing tone leads one to believe it will not be soon or at all.
The cycles of injustice seem unfair
They got away with it
Why did they hurt me
vs 17 - God is the Judge and there is a time for every purpose ......
23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.
Some never enjoy today because they spend their time observing all the injustices of the world and what his been done to them
Some people play the victim 24/7 and never get beyond the injustice
Some Christians are perpetual victims
We are victors not victims
God will judge the righteous and the wicked but it will come in His time ...
The forces us to trust God ......
Illustration here
read psalm 51:10
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me.
In observing injustice we must - look to the God of the bible....
Lastly he observes death .......
III. Observing Death
III. Observing Death
19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. 20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
read vs 19
wow we are just like the beasts we have one breath all the some
vs 20 we all return to dust
read vs 21 - again despair .... no hope ......
vs 22 - do all you can do now
We are like animals
so just party
this explains evolution
abortion
lack of compassion
lack of foregivness
life is cheap.....
No absolutes
Moral relativism - no standard .... its what you think ....
so conclude - just rejoice in your own works ....
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
There is the despair of this world
The there is the love of christ
Lets focus on the God of the Bible not the despair of this world