18-19
Aug 2018, Christ Mountain Top
Aug 2018, Christ Mountain Top
Praying
the Psalm, Psalm 49
the Psalm, Psalm 49
Children,
James 1.19
James 1.19
Message,
Ecclesiastes 11
Ecclesiastes 11
Mission
Moment
Moment
This message comes out of my devotional life
YouVersion
Bible in
One Year 2018 plan
One Year 2018 plan
Psalms and
Proverbs (spread out year-long), 1 Corinthians, Song of Solomon
Proverbs (spread out year-long), 1 Corinthians, Song of Solomon
Recently
completed Ecclesiastes
completed Ecclesiastes
Wisdom Literature, not preached often enough
An interesting biblical tradition, itself made of
several strands
several strands
Conventional wisdom
subverted
by the cynic (like Ecclesiastes)
by the cynic (like Ecclesiastes)
or
undermined by real life experience (like Job)
undermined by real life experience (like Job)
Proverbs, fables, parables, almost entirely poetic
Both wisdom and folly presented as women calling to us
Rooted in observation of the created world
Job
12:7-8 But ask the animals,
and they will teach you; the birds of the air, and they will tell you; 8 ask the plants of the earth, and
they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
12:7-8 But ask the animals,
and they will teach you; the birds of the air, and they will tell you; 8 ask the plants of the earth, and
they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you.
Dueling proverbs, just as we have in English:
Many hands
make light work
make light work
Too many
cooks spoil the broth
cooks spoil the broth
So
don’t read proverbs as promises, as absolutes
don’t read proverbs as promises, as absolutes
Wisdom literature: You either get it or you don’t
And it
requires wisdom to read it well
requires wisdom to read it well
My favorite one-liner from this read through of
Ecclesiastes:
Ecclesiastes:
Ecclesiastes
10:1 Dead flies make the
perfumer’s ointment give off a foul odor; so a little folly outweighs wisdom
and honor.
10:1 Dead flies make the
perfumer’s ointment give off a foul odor; so a little folly outweighs wisdom
and honor.
Don’t
put all your eggs in one basket:
put all your eggs in one basket:
Ecclesiastes
11:2 Divide your means
seven ways, or even eight, for you do not know what disaster may happen on
earth.
11:2 Divide your means
seven ways, or even eight, for you do not know what disaster may happen on
earth.
ESV: “Give a portion to seven, or even to
eight …”
eight …”
If
you need an excuse, you’ve found one. OR, a lazy person needs no excuse:
you need an excuse, you’ve found one. OR, a lazy person needs no excuse:
Ecclesiastes
11:3-4 When clouds are full,
they empty rain on the earth; whether a tree falls to the south or to the
north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie. 4 Whoever observes the wind will
not sow; and whoever regards the clouds will not reap.
11:3-4 When clouds are full,
they empty rain on the earth; whether a tree falls to the south or to the
north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie. 4 Whoever observes the wind will
not sow; and whoever regards the clouds will not reap.
Keep
your options open. Throw a lot of stuff against the wall… keep working it.
your options open. Throw a lot of stuff against the wall… keep working it.
Ecclesiastes 11:6 In the morning sow your seed, and at evening
do not let your hands be idle; for you do not know which will prosper, this or
that, or whether both alike will be good.
do not let your hands be idle; for you do not know which will prosper, this or
that, or whether both alike will be good.
College
applications
applications
Job
search
search
Multiple
hobbies, interests
hobbies, interests
Small
groups, connections for friendship
groups, connections for friendship
God’s
purposes:
purposes:
2
Samuel 14:14 But God will not take
away a life; he will devise plans so as not to keep an outcast banished forever
from his presence.
Samuel 14:14 But God will not take
away a life; he will devise plans so as not to keep an outcast banished forever
from his presence.
But
COSTLY:
COSTLY:
Truly,
no ransom avails for one’s life,
no ransom avails for one’s life,
there
is no price one can give to God for it.
is no price one can give to God for it.
For
the ransom of life is costly,
the ransom of life is costly,
and
can never suffice that one should live on forever and never see the grave.
(Psalm 49)
can never suffice that one should live on forever and never see the grave.
(Psalm 49)
The
cross – ransom for a life – the ONE WAY
cross – ransom for a life – the ONE WAY
Stories
of God’s multiple ways
of God’s multiple ways
Person – from bastard to
beloved
beloved
Emily V. – I just felt the Spirit and I
breathed in
breathed in
J – homeless guy who came to worship at
Bethany
Bethany
K – atheist, meet Jesus in a dream
Me – “Who’s God?”
