Until Our Souls Vanish | Ecclesiastes скачать в хорошем качестве

Until Our Souls Vanish | Ecclesiastes

Pastor Like Walker continues our series in Ecclesiastes with this sermon entitled: "Until Our Souls Vanish" Scripture Text: Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 "Again, I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge. But time and chance happen to them all. For man does not know his time, like fish that are taken in an evil net and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time when it suddenly falls upon them." I. The Advantages - Five Edges in Life Swiftness - Being quick, agile, capable at what we do. Life is a race against the clock Strength - Having power, ability, resources in battle/competition Wisdom - Skillfulness, knowing the game, being capable Intelligence - Understanding how things work, perceiving the nature of life Knowledge - Actual knowledge, practical understanding, experience These are great advantages we should seek and steward. If the world were simple, the swift would always win races and the strong always win battles. But it's not like that. II. The Actuality - It Doesn't Always Work That Way Time and chance happen to them all. Timing is everything—opportunities line up or don't. We're subject to time, not lords of it. "Chance" (Hebrew) means unexpected misfortune that frustrates plans (like COVID shutting down a new business). From our view it's random; from God's view it's on purpose, by design, with us in mind. The Bible teaches nothing happens apart from God—not even a bird falls without the Father knowing. The race doesn't always go to the swift (tortoise and the hare; Michael Jordan's shorter brother Larry) Battles don't always go to the strong (Israel's small armies overcoming great ones) Bread doesn't always go to the wise (skill doesn't guarantee earning power) Riches don't always go to the intelligent (understanding systems doesn't mean you win them) Favor doesn't always go to those with knowledge (connections don't guarantee open doors) Personal example: Nearly losing Angel at Northwestern due to "random" circumstances would have frustrated everything, but God orchestrated even that. Everything that has to line up for our marriages, children, being here today—mind-boggling. It would be insane if we had to orchestrate it. Praise God it's His business. III. The Analogies - Death Comes Suddenly Fish in an evil net Birds in a snare - The bird doesn't know the snare; fish don't know the net. We're blind to our death as intelligent as we are. We're as helpless as birds and fish. Sobering and scary if we think we're in control, but comforting when we realize we have a loving Caretaker. Snared at an evil time when it suddenly falls - We don't see it coming. Don't spend energy trying to predict it. Let God handle that time and enjoy today. Four Applications 1. Seek and Steward Advantages in Life - We're constituted by God to achieve and succeed. Pursue swiftness, strength, wisdom, intelligence, knowledge. Don't take skills for granted—cultivate them, pray God's blessing, enjoy accomplishing. Encourage each other's skills and abilities. Direct each other: "You're great at that—focus on it!" 2. Know Our Time and Success is Out of Our Hands - Ultimately it's up to God, not us. This humbles us. We prepare, work, seek, plan, pray—but success depends on Him alone. Bilbo wasn't the swiftest or strongest but found the Ring by providence. Joseph sold into slavery, then instantly elevated. Daniel facing death, then rising to the top. Success seems to hang on small things, but God is working behind every "chance." Walk by faith. 3. Rest Knowing Our Time is in God's Hands Who Loves Us - God is not impersonal—He's our loving Heavenly Father who delights in us. All time, chance, success, and failure come from One who cares more than anyone. 4. Rejoice for Our Place in the Grace Race - Parallel to natural life: we attain heavenly citizenship, sonship, heirship, rulership of the universe to come NOT by our swiftness, strength, wisdom, intelligence, or knowledge. Our time is in His hands. Like Jesus passing through the crowd at Nazareth because His time hadn't come, until our time comes, we are invincible. (Don't be stupid—skydive with a parachute! But live wisely knowing God has foreordained our days.) We can rest and move ahead. The Christ Connection The deepest truth of this passage is revealed in the gospel: the race does NOT go to the swift, the battle does NOT go to the strong, favor does NOT come to the knowledgeable. This is ultimately, gloriously true in salvation. We don't earn our way to God through our advantages, abilities, or accomplishments. As Paul declares in Romans 9, "It does not depend on man who runs or his will and exertion, but on God who shows mercy." We are in the grace race, not a works race.