the norm. Don't be surprised on how great God is, okay? Because these numbers, 800
salvation in a year is almost unheard of in most Baptist churches.
Let's just be honest don't let that surprise you drink big right we need to go big okay because this is a soul winning church
You can you can see a clear difference between a church that emphasize the soul winning versus churches that do not right?
The members are drastically different
Right, but let that be the norm. This is a soul winning church
Let's let's do more for God. There are people in heaven who want to help people in hell, but it's too late
They want to give them a drop of water to cool their tongue because they are
tormented in hell, but there are also people in hell who love to go to heaven
but it's too late. Somebody told me this, to us Christians, the earth is the
closest place
that we can get to hell, but to the unsaved the earth is the closest place that they can be to heaven.
Luke 16 verse, verse number 27, the Bible says,
This is the cry of people in hell see people in hell would love
For you to preach the gospel to their loved ones, right?
People in hell would love for you to preach the gospel to their unsaved mom to their unsaved dad to their cousins to their
Brother and to their children because people in hell would love to go to heaven. Hey, they request you
They request you to cry about you to send
for the good news to their loved ones.
But to us who are still living,
it's not too late to preach the gospel.
So I want you to notice the cries of people in hell.
The cries of hell is,
hey, I have five brethren that he may testify onto them,
lest they also come into this place of torment.
Nobody who goes to hell will wish
that other people will go to hell with them, okay?
Some people will say I'd rather rule with saving in hell than be with God in heaven
But saving is not ruling hell they will wish to go out
But by that time it's too late
But if you are safe and you die you go you go to heaven
You will wish that you will help people in hell, but it's too late
You will wish that you will preach the gospel to them, but it's too late because you are heaven right so for us
who are still living on the earth,
it's not too late for us to preach the gospel.
John chapter five, look at verse 24.
Very rarely I say unto you,
be that heareth my word,
and believeeth on him,
that send me hath everlasting life,
and shall not come into condemnation,
but is, notice,
pass from death unto life.
There's nothing wrong with remembering the past.
The Bible says multiple times we need to remember the days of
both, remember all the ways that God has led us throughout all those years.
It can be a great reminder of how great God is.
It can motivate us to do more for God in the future.
But if you are only living in the past, then you are wrong.
What are you doing?
Today, in fact, God rebuked the church in Sardis and God said,
thou hast a name that thou livest and are dead.
So many Christians talk about the heydays of Christianity in the past,
and they will complain about what we have right now,
but we can still do great things for God right now, right?
We can remember the past.
It can motivate us.
We can learn from our past victories and failures, but don't settle.
we can always do more.
Obviously, numbers are just numbers, right?
You know, numbers can change on seasons,
you know, life, in the areas.
But, you know, what we can learn from this number
is very easy. Like I said,
the more hours we spend,
the more those we knock,
more people get saved.
It's that simple, okay?
So God has blessed our church tremendously, and we should really praise Him for what He has done,
and we should rejoice in the Lord, but let's also not settle.
Okay, Philippians chapter 3, look at verse number 12.
The Bible says not as though I had already attained either or made perfect
But I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I'm apprehended of Christ Jesus notice for number 13
Brethren, I count on myself to have apprehended the what apprehend means attained achieved what was saying that he did not count himself to have
achieve the final state. But there's one thing I do for getting those things which are behind,
and reaching forth on those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the price
of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. So what Paul is saying that is, they keep running
the race, right? The only time you should stop running the race is until you die, right? And
when you go to heaven, you're still going to be working and praising God forever, okay? So
Keep running the race.
And uh
Many of you may not be used to
Dominate people guessing right if you've been to some regular Baptist churches these members might seem a shock to you
Right, you know these members might seem to be a shock to you
But you know we should we should make that the norm don't be surprised on how great God is
Okay, because these members
800 salvage using a year is almost unheard of in most Baptist churches
Let's just be honest don't let that surprise you drink big right we need to go big okay because this is a soul winning church
You can you can see a clear difference between a church that emphasizes soul winning versus churches that do not right?
The members are drastically different
Right, but let that be the norm. This is a soul winning church
Let's let's do more for God. There are people in heaven who want to help people in hell, but it's too late
They want to give them a drop of water to cool their tongue
because they are tormented in hell,
but there are also people in hell who love to go to heaven,
but it's too late.
Somebody told me this, to us Christians,
the earth is the closest place that we can get to hell,
but to the unsaved, the earth is the closest place
that they can be to heaven.
Luke 16 verse
Verse number 27, the Bible says,
This is the cry of people in hell.
See, people in hell would love for you to preach the gospel to their loved ones, right?
People in hell would love for you to preach the gospel to their unsaved mom, to their unsaved dad,
to their cousins, to their brother, and to their children because people in hell would love to go to heaven.
Hey, they request you.
for the good news to their loved ones.
But to us who are still living,
it's not too late to preach the gospel.
So I want you to notice the cries of people in hell.
The cries of hell is, hey, I have five brethren
that he may testify unto them,
lest they also come into this place of torment.
Nobody who goes to hell will wish
that other people will go to hell with them, okay?
Some people will say I'd rather rule with saving in hell than be with God in heaven
But Satan is not ruling hell they will wish to go out
But by that time is too late
But if you are safe and you die you go you go to heaven
You will wish that you will help people in hell, but it's too late
You will wish that you will preach the gospel to them, but it's too late because you are in heaven, right? So for us
who are still living on the earth,
that's not too late for us to preach the gospel.
John chapter five, look at verse 24.
Very, very late I say unto you,
be that heareth my word and believe it on him
that send me hath everlasting life,
and shall not come into condemnation,
but is, notice, passed from death unto life.
There's nothing wrong with remembering the past.
The Bible says multiple times we need to remember the days of vote,
remember all the ways that God has led us throughout all those years.
It can be a great reminder on how great God is.
It can motivate us to do more for God in the future.
But if you are only living in the past, then you are wrong.
What are you doing?
Today, in fact, God rebuked the church in Sardis and God said,
thou hast a name that thou livest and are dead.
So many Christians talk about the heydays of Christianity
in the past and they will complain about what we have right now.
But we can still do great things for God right now, right?
We can remember the past.
It can motivate us.
We can learn from our past victories and failures.
But don't settle.
we can always do more.
Obviously, numbers are just numbers, right?
You know, numbers can change on seasons,
you know, life in the areas.
But you know, what we can learn from this number
is very easy. Like I said,
the more hours we spend,
the more those we knock,
more people get saved.
It's that simple, okay?
So God has blessed our church tremendously, and we should really praise Him for what He has done, and we should rejoice in the Lord.
But let's also not settle.
Okay, Philippians chapter 3, look at verse number 12.
The Bible says,
Brethren, I count on myself to have apprehended.
The wiper head means attained, achieved.
Paul was saying that he did not count himself
to have achieved the final state.
But there's one thing I do for getting those things
which are behind and reaching forth
onto those things which are before.
I press toward the mark for the price
of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
So what Paul was saying that is,
hey, keep running the race, right?
The only time you should stop running the race
is until you die, right?
And when you go to heaven, you're still going to be working and praising God forever, okay?
So never stop working. Keep running the race.
And uh
Many of you may not be used to
Dominate people just saying right if you've been to some regular Baptist churches these members might seem a shock
Right, you know these members might seem to be a shock to you
But you know we should we should make that the norm don't be surprised on how great God is
Okay, because these members
800 salvage using a year is almost unheard of in most Baptist churches
Let's just be honest don't let that surprise you drink big right we need to go big okay because this is a soul winning church
You can you can see a clear difference between a church that emphasize the soul winning versus churches that do not
Right the members are drastically different
Right, but let that be the norm. This is a soul winning church
Let's let's do more for God. There are people in heaven who want to help people in hell, but it's too late
They want to give them a drop of water to cool their tongue
because they are tormented in hell.
But there are also people in hell who love to go to heaven,
but it's too late.
Somebody told me this, to us Christians,
the earth is the closest place that we can get to hell.
But to the unsaved, the earth is the closest place that they can be to heaven.
Luke 16 verse
verse number 27 the Bible says and he said I pray to you there for father that I would
send him to my father's house before I have five good evening and welcome to share foundation
baptist church please grab a hymnal and turn to number 385 go ye into all the world number 385
in heathen darkness dwelling millions of souls forever may be lost who who will go
salvation storytelling looking to jesus minding not the cost all power is given on to me all power
into all the world and preach the gospel and know I am with you all the way.
On the second.
See or the world wide open doors inviting soldiers of Christ arise and enter in Christians
away.
your forces all uniting, stand forth the Gospel, break the chains of sin. All power is given
unto me. All power is given unto me. Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel and
you die the voice of God is calling why will you die re echo in his name Jesus had died to say
from death appalling life and salvation therefore go proclaim all power is given on to me all power
into all the world and preach the gospel and law I am with you all way God speed the day windows
of every nation glory to God triumphantly shall sing ransom redeemed rejoicing in salvation
unto me. All power is given unto me. Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel and
lo, I am with you all way. Amen. Brother Stephen, can you help us in our prayer?
Hey man, turn it over to 381, number 381.
Fight the good fight.
["Fight the Good Fight"]
Fight the good fight with all thy might.
Christ is thy strength and Christ I...
shall be thy joy and crown eternally run the straight race through God's good
grace lift up thine eyes and seek his face life with its way before us lies
As carouside and lean on the guide,
Thou'r'les mercy will provide and trust.
And thy house and thy knife and thy stits love.
Change, change, and none, and Thou art dear.
Only believe, and Thou shalt see
that Christ is all in all to thee.
Amen.
At this time, evangelist Justin Zhang
will give the announcements.
Welcome to Sure Foundation Baptist Church,
Wednesday night service, and raise your hand
if you need a bulletin, and I also will bring one to you.
Let's look at the verse of the week,
Hebrew chapter 11, verse number six.
The Bible says,
But without faith, it is impossible to please Him.
For He that comeeth to God must believe that He is,
and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.
It's a great verse telling us that we need to have faith
in order to please God.
And if you want to look at the inside page,
on YouTube, Facebook, Grumble, and X.
So please follow us on the social medias.
We have service times on the morning at 11 a.m.,
Sunday afternoon service at 4 p.m.
And of course, once and I've able study at 7 p.m.,
tonight we'll be in Ecclesiastes, chapter number four,
and then the Salvation and Last Week's attendance
is posted below.
Upcoming events, please use the QR code
for the baby registry as well as the wedding.
Registrate to you know be a to be a blessing to them
Also, we'll have our annual fall fellowship at a local park on Saturday September 13
So please save the day so we'll probably end up meeting around 4
You can show up late because the dinner will probably around 5 30 ish, but we will set up
Volleyball net we can play some basketball we can play some games
So you feel feel free to show up, you know at 4 or even maybe a little bit earlier
So September 13 is that we're at fall
fellowship and then the Sony Marathon coming up is the uh the choice Sony Marathon on September 19
to September 20 if you're planning on uh going please let me know okay even though nobody really
are speak nobody really are some people that do really need to know whether you're coming on Friday
or Saturday or both so please let me know and then Winter Wonderland Sony Marathon is December 27th
Also, if you are interested in attending the Notre Dame tailgate ceremony, you can let me know that
this will be hosted by Emmanuel Baptist Church during the football season from September to November.
And then we'll have a men's preaching night during the afternoon service on August 31st
If you want to preach, please let me know ahead of time so you don't you know
Yeah, so please let me know
At a time about your topic and your intention to preach so I kind of idea how many people are preaching
And a Titan offering for the month of July is for you to see as well.
And on the back, you can see the birthdays for this month.
Miss Rachel will have her birthday tomorrow, so please wish her a happy birthday.
With that being said, let's sing one more song and then we'll take up the offering.
See a danger of doing new songs. Sometimes nobody knows them, including me.
We've done about 390 in the hymn books so far.
This next one should be familiar.
We're going to sing number 372.
Let the lower lights be burning, number 372.
Riley beams our father's mercy from his lighthouse evermore,
but to us he gives a keeping of the lights along the shore.
Let the light.
Oh, a light's be burning, send a gleam across the wave.
Some poor fainting, struggling seamen, you may rescue,
you may save.
Dark the night of sin has settled.
Loud the ang-
billows roar. Eager eyes are watching longing for the lights along the shore.
Let the lower lights be burning. Send a gleam across the wave. Some poor fainting
my brother, some poor sailor tempest tossed, trying now to make the harbor in the darkness
may be lost. Let the lower lights be burning, send a gleam across a wave, some poor fainting
a minute this time the ushers could come forward for the offering brother Matt
can you pray for the offering
man
Okay, we'll be continuing our Bible study in the book of Ecclesiastes.
We'll be in Ecclesiastes chapter 4 if need a Bible where Israel and usher will provide
one for you.
Ecclesiastes chapter 4, the uselessness of selfish toil the Bible reads, so I returned
and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun and behold the tears of
such as were oppressed.
Our oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter
Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive
Ye better is he then both they which have not yet been who have not seen the evil work
That is under the sun again
I considered all travel and every right work that for this a man is envied of his neighbor this also
Vanity in vexation of spirit the full photo
Foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.
Better is a handful with quietness than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.
Then I returned, and I saw Vanity under the sun.
There is one alone, and there is not a second.
Yea, he hath neither child nor brother, yet is there no end of all his labor.
Neither is his eye satisfied with riches.
For whom do I labor and bereave my soul of good? This also is vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow,
but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, for he to hath not enough to help him up."
Again?
If two lie together, then they have heat.
But how can one be warm alone?
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him.
And a three-fold cord is not quickly broken.
Better is a poor and a wise child than an old foolish king.
Who will no more be admonished for out of prison he cometh to reign
Whereas also he that is born in his kingdom become with poor
I consider all the living which walk under the sun with the second child that shall stand up in his stead
There is no end of all the people even of all that have been before them
They also that come after shall not rejoice in him surely this is also that vanity and vexation a spirit brother wait
Could you pray for the message?
Amen. Now, Wednesday night, we are going through the book of Ecclesiastes.
There's some feedback for some reason.
Wednesday night, we're going through the book of Ecclesiastes, one chapter a week.
And that night will be in chapter number four of this book.
From the previous three chapters, we've learned a lot of real life applications and there are some repetitive themes in this book and we'll cover them as it comes and we will not, you know, just hide those things because if the author chooses to reiterate the same point and we will do the same thing.
Orton, the title, can be Under the Sun or Under the Sun.
Under the Sun or Under the Sun.
I'm playing on words here.
You know, Under the Sun, the star versus Under the Sun,
the Lord Jesus Christ.
So this should not be a super long sermon.
So the point number one tonight is the tears of the oppressed.
Look at verse number one.
The Bible says,
So I returned and considered all the oppressions that are down under the sound and behold the tears of such as
were oppressed and they had no comforter and on the side of their oppressors there was power, but they had no
comforter. So basically Solomon saw all the oppressions as well as the injustices that happened in society that happened in his
kingdom and the word oppression means the unjust or cruel exercise of authority
or power. The Bible says in Proverbs 22 verse number 16,
he that oppresses the poor to increase
his riches and he that giveth to the rich shall surely
come to one. So what is oppression? Oppression is using the authority and
power to rip people off and to take advantage of people
and basically it's talking about the injustice
and the cruel, cruel exercise they're up.
Now, keep your place in this book.
Go with what you do the army chapter 26.
Do the army chapter 26.
And it's funny that Solomon saw all the oppressions taking place back in the Old Testament, Israel,
and we live in a society that's full of oppressions and the injustices as well.
And the people who were oppressed did not have a comforter according to verse number one.
And the context is still under the sun. The context is still in this world, in this life.
world as well, and we do not have a comforter in this world, and if we solely live for the
things, under the sun, if we solely live for the things of this world, then we will live
a miserable life, because life is miserable, right? The world is in just, the world has
And according to Solomon, yeah, we had no comforter in the sun, but in contrast, if we live above the sun, then we do have a comforter, right?
Because thinking about, even back in the Old Testament Israel, they were full of oppressions and the injustices, and now we have more oppressions going on, and if we only live our lives...
In order to sound then we will live a miserable life. We will live a comfortless life. If you are in Deuteronomy 26, look at verse number 6
Deuteronomy 26 verse number 6, the Bible says, and the Egyptians evil
entreated us and afflicted us and laid upon us hard bondage and when we cried unto the Lord God about our fathers
Notice, the Lord heard our voice and look on our affliction and our labor and our oppression.
And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm
and with great terribleness and with signs and with wonders. And he had brought us into this
place and had given us this land, even a land that flows with milk and honey. So here we saw a story
And what did they do?
You know, they did not have a comforter,
but they cried out to someone above the sun, right?
And God heard their voice, and God heard,
God looked on their afflictions,
God looked on their oppression,
and God delivered them with a mighty hand.
And then we have the whole Exodus story.
Go to John chapter number 14.
Since the world is wicked and we live in an unjust world if we slowly live for the live for the things under the Sun
Then we will live a miserable life
And we truly people truly do not have a comforter if they are if their focus is only on this life
But we do have a comforter above the Sun right and that's the Holy Spirit. That's the Lord Jesus Christ
John chapter 14 look at verse number 16 the Bible says here's the here's the word of Christ
And I will pray the father and he shall give you another
Comforter that he may abide with you forever
Jump down to verse number 26 the Bible says but a comforter
Which is the Holy Ghost whom the father will send in my name he shall teach you all things
and bring all things to your, to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you, peace I leave
with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth.
See, the Holy Spirit will give you peace not according to the world's philosophy, the philosophy and the psalm, gave unto you.
Let now your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
So if you are saved, we are endured with the Holy Ghost, and the Holy Ghost is our comforter, right?
So we have a comforter above the psalm.
If our focus is on eternal things, yeah, then God will comfort us.
going forward to 2 Corinthians chapter 1, 2 Corinthians chapter 1.
No wonder people are so suicidal without Christ because life is miserable, they got ripped off,
they got taken advantage of, and even Christians, yeah, people do that to us too, right? And people
do more to us because we are Christians, but we do have a comforter, we are not miserable, and we
Second Korean in chapter one look at verse number three the Bible says bless be God even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ the father of
Mercy's
Domestice and the and the God of all comfort who tongue about God
comforted us in all our tribulation that we may be able to come for them which are in
and the trouble by the comfort we're with, we ourselves are comforted of God for as the
sufferings of Christ are bound in us, so our consolation also abounded by Christ. See, God is
the God of all comfort, right? We can always cry it out to God for our oppression, for our misery,
for our, for the afflictions that people imparted unto us, and when God comforts us, we can,
And I just show people, God's mighty hand, how God delivered us from the oppression.
We can help other people also.
And so, yeah, people who were oppressed, they truly do not have a confeder and with a son,
but they should seek, you know, above the son, right?
That's the Lord Jesus Christ.
Go back to Ecclesiastes, chapter number four.
According to Ecclesiastes chapter 4 verse 1, not only do those people who are oppressed, they don't have a comforter, they don't have a comforter,
but the oppressors themselves, they don't have comforters themselves either, right?
You know, they have power, but they don't have comforter.
Those oppressors, those wicked evil people, they are miserable too.
The wicked people, they live a miserable life too, oppressing other people.
So what's the solution? Seek for life above the Son, because life under the Son is filled with injustice and without God there's no true comfort for the oppressed nor for the oppressed or themselves.
That's why Solomon said this in verse number 2. Look at Ecclesiastes chapter 4 verse 2. The Bible says,
Wherefore I praise the dead, which are already dead, more than the living, which are yet
alive.
Because life is so miserable and filled with injustice, unto the Son, Solomon said, it's
better to be dead than to be alive.
Look at verse number three.
Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil
work that is done unto the Son.
So then he said, it's better to not even be born than to see all the evil work that people do to us, all the oppressions and the miseries.
Okay, so do not take verse 2 and 3 out of its context, okay?
Because Solomon is not really telling us to kill ourselves.
Because Solomon did say, hey, it's better to be dead, I mean, it's better to be unborn than to be alive.
What's the context again?
End of the sound.
In this life, okay? Because if we don't have eternity in our mind, we will be miserable
We will be depressive and we might even feel suicidal, right?
If we don't have eternity in mind, a life under the sun is truly miserable
Because without having eternity in mind, you know, we are no better than a dead man, right?
But if we do know God, and if we do serve God, then we will have a completely different perspective about life
Completely different not just about the afterlife, but in this present
Being this present life we have hope
In this present life we have true comfort go to Philippians chapter number one go to Philippians chapter one
Philippians chapter number one look at verse number 19 Philippians chapter one verse number 19
Because a saved person who loves God and serves God, he will have a completely different perspective about life.
Versus the enslaved, you know, they just eat and drink and be married for tomorrow they die.
If we look at verse 19, the Bible says,
Here's a post of Paul speaking for I know that this shall turn to my salvation now the context is the physical
Deliverance in this context for I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer and
And the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ according to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing
I shall be ashamed but that with all bonus as always
So now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death.
So here we see a completely different mentality about life.
That's God's will, Christ shall be magnified, right?
But if God wants me to die, then so be it, right?
It's a completely different perspective.
Paul was not being miserable
because Paul is living in God's will.
Because Paul said, as we looked at on Sunday,
hey, it's not me, but Christ that liveeth in me.
Look at verse number 21,
for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.
We don't have to fear death
You know to to to die in general, you know because because if we are alive
Hey, we are representing Christ. We are we are Christians and
If we truly die and if we
And if God wants to take us home, or if some persecution happens,
hey, we are gaining heaven.
We are gaining, we are entering into this eternal state.
Look at verse number 22.
But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor,
yet what I shall choose I will not, for I am in a straight betwixt to
having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better,
nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
Obviously, it's way better to get rid of this sinful body and to live with Christ, but the
reason we are alive on this earth is so that we can help other people.
So that's so that we can serve other people that's why no Christians should have suicidal thoughts
Right because the reason God still keep us on this earth in this life
So that so that we can serve other people we can get people safe
We can edify other people. Hey to abide in the flesh is more needful for the people, right?
That's why we should be doing you know while we are in this life make the best do best for God
Could you psalm 56 psalm 56
Without God the world's injustice lead to
Despair but God you know sees the tears of the oppress because Christ is the ultimate confeder
Because the Bible says
The oppress they had tears they would they were crying out you're in psalm 56 look at verse number 8 psalm 56 verse 8
Thou, tellest my wanderings, put thou my tears into thy bottle, or they not in thy book.
Here's the thing about prayer, God hears the cry of his children.
God hears the cry of the oppressed.
God hears the cry of the afflicted.
See, I do believe God, you know, does keep a record of some shape or form.
When we cry out to God, when we pray to God, hey, God, here's the cry.
You know, the Bible says, put down my tears into thy bottle, or they're not in thy book.
I do believe God has a record of the cry of the prayer of the saints, of his children.
The Bible says in 1 Peter chapter 5, verse number 7,
Casting all your care upon him, for he careeth for you.
See, we do have a comforter, right?
We have the best comforter.
God is the God of all comfort.
Hey, hey, if you live in this life,
if you are truly focusing under the sun,
then you will be miserable, you know?
You will be like Solomon, hey, it's better to not even be born.
It's better to die.
But if we have Christ, if we have the comforter, then we can live our life with eternal in mind while helping and serving other people.
You know, I love the lyrics of the hymn, Tell it to Jesus. Are you weary? Are you heavy-hearted? Tell it to Jesus. Tell it to Jesus.
Do the tears flow down your cheeks, unbidden?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Do you fear the gathering clouds of sorrow?
Are you anxious, or shall be tomorrow?
Are you troubled at the thought of dying?
Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus.
Because he is our great friend, right?
He is our friend, he is our brother.
Tell it to Jesus alone.
Hey, pray to God in Jesus' name
because God is the God of all comfort.
So I said point number one, the tears of the oppressed. Point number two, the vanity of envy driven labor, the vanity of envy driven labor.
Look at verse number four. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes chapter four, verse number four, again, I considered all travail and every right work that for this a man is envied of his neighbor.
This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
So here, Solomon was saying that even though you work, even though you do all this rye work, even though you do this honest work,
yet you are envied by someone else, right?
Because we're living as a society of envy.
We always want the next best thing, we want the next best course,
next best watch, phones, gadgets, you know?
By the way, you know...
Based on the Bible, there's a difference between envy versus jealousy.
Jealousy is not wrong.
Jealousy is what belongs to you.
We should be jealous about our spouse.
We should be jealous about what truly belongs to us.
But envy is desiring, wanting something that is not yours.
So envy is a sin, but jealousy is not a sin because God is a jealous God.
And sometimes people do work hard, not because of the good reasons, but because of envy.
And there's vanity of envy-driven labor.
They work overtime just to keep up with the Joneses, right?
They buy a new car not out of need, but because their neighbor just got one, too.
They work to impress other people, not for a godly purpose.
There's venti in envy-driven labor.
Go to James chapter 3.
James chapter number 3.
James chapter 3, look at verse number 16.
James chapter 3 verse number 16, the Bible says,
for where envy and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
Why does envy leads to evil work? Because when you are desiring something that is not yours,
when you are working for ungodly reasons, then you might sin against God to achieve those things, right?
And we produce confusion and every evil work. Look at verse number 17.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated
full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisy.
Sometimes, because of envy, you will add, you will add iniquity onto, onto iniquity.
You will start working on Sundays, right?
You will, you will, you will skip songwining and you will, you will start stealing from your job.
Because envy leads to evil work you will you will begin the evil work and soon before you know it
You will be the one who?
Who's going to oppress other people because you want to be rich you you will be the oppressors who is going to rip people off?
Because you want to be rich because you want something that is now yours
Go to Galatians chapter number five
Galatians chapter number five
Look at verse 25, Galatians chapter 5 verse 25.
Maybe that's why the Bible tells us to, you know, be content, having food and raiment.
Let us be there with content.
Don't covet, don't desire something that is not yours, because you will be the oppressor.
You will live a miserable life and you will begin all the evil work.
Galatians chapter 5, look at verse 25.
Let us also walk in the Spirit.
Living in the Spirit means you are saved,
and after you are saved, hey, let us also be sanctified.
Let us also walk in the Spirit.
Let us actually produce the fruit of the Spirit
if you are walking in the Spirit.
Let us not be desirous of vain glory
provoking one another, envying one another.
So the Bible says all the things that we envy are vain.
Because that's the exact opposite of walking in the spirit, right?
What's the 10th commandment of the 10th commandment?
That's not coveted.
Thy neighbor's house, thy neighbor's wife, thy neighbor's man-servant, man-servant, ox as everything that is your neighbor's, right?
Coveting things that's not yours is a sin.
It's violating one of the 10 commandments, and it will lead to more sins.
Go to Proverbs chapter 3 Proverbs chapter 3
By the way, when you get to Proverbs
Keep a place in the book of Proverbs will leave it and come back to it
Proverbs chapter 3 look at verse number 31
Proverbs chapter 3 verse 31 the Bible says
Proverbs 3 verse 21
Envy thou not the oppressor and choose none of his ways and I think it's pretty
interesting the Bible says don't envy the oppressor because the oppressor
might be rich the oppressor might rip money off from you the oppressor may
have taken taking advantage of you hey but don't envy the oppressor because
soon before you know it you will be like him right that's what envy that's what
Proverbs chapter 14, look at verse number 30.
Proverbs 14 verse number 30, the Bible says,
A sound heart is the life of the flesh,
But envy the roughness of the bones.
Look at verse number 31.
He that oppresses the poor.
Notice the connection between envy
and oppression, he that oppresses the poor, reproacheth his maker, but he that honours him,
hath mercy on the poor.
What's the opposite of oppressing people, having mercy?
And what does envy produce? Evil work as well as oppression, right?
Because, you know, they are all vanity.
You know, the ways of the oppressors is vanity.
And rather than desire your neighbor's dainty, let's covet the spiritual gifts so he can serve God more, right?
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 12, verse 31,
but covet, honestly, the best gifts and get show eye unto you in a more excellent way.
You know, let's desire to have the spiritual gift because God wants to give you those gifts.
God wants to give you more faith to serve Him, to live a better Christian life.
Keep a place in Proverbs and go to go to Ecclesiastes chapter number four
Go back to Ecclesiastes chapter number four. The Bible says in verse number five
Ecclesiastes chapter four look at verse number five
The Bible says the fool folded his hands together and
Eateth his own flesh
Now that you keep a place in the book Proverbs. Let's go back to Proverbs chapter number six go back to Proverbs chapter 6
So the Bible says the fool folded his hands together. What does that phrase mean look at Proverbs chapter 6?
Look at verse number 9 Proverbs chapter 6 verse 9 the Bible says
How long will thou sleep all sluggard sluggard is someone who is lazy
When will thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little
Notice this, folding of the hands to sleep, so shall thy poverty
Come as one that traveleth, and thy want as an oar man
So someone was saying that if you are a fool you sleep right now the context is not saying sleeps
Sleeping is wrong sleeping the same the context is you are you are you are sleeping so that you do not work
You are sleeping, you know that you are because you hope you will be fed this
You know someone will bring you the food stand and you know all the
All the all the benefits, you know the fool folded his hands together
And according to Proverbs chapter number six, if you are lazy, if you are sleeping, instead of working, then you will be poor.
Then you will have poverty. You get what you deserve, right?
That's what the Bible says, if a man shall not work, neither shall he also eat.
We are supposed to protect the fruit of our labor. We are supposed to provide for our enemies.
We're not supposed to just lay there and, you know, hoping someone will feed us the food.
And then, again, keep placing proverbs, go back to Ephesians 4.
And then the Bible says,
the fool folded his hands together and ate his own flesh.
I believe that's a symbolic way of saying
that the fool will destroy himself for being lazy.
He's wasting away his life.
He's wasting away his own flesh, okay?
I don't believe this is saying
that he's literally eating his own flesh, you know?
I think that's a symbolic way
of saying he's wasting away, okay?
So,
So the point is both envy and laziness will make you miserable.
So what's the solution? Look at verse number six.
Better is an handful with quietness than both the hands full with travail and
vexation of spirit. The word handful means as much as the arms will embrace a small quantity
So it's better to have what's sufficient with a simple life, with quietness, than with both of your hands full, but you are miserable.
So it's better to have what's sufficient for you than having more, but with travail and vexation of spirit.
Because the point is peace is better than toil without purpose, right?
People can have too much.
People are laboring people are laboring for too much yet. They do not have peace
Let's go back to Proverbs chapter 30 go to Proverbs chapter 30
See it's better to have a handful with a simple quiet life
Then having too much with a bunch of sorrows with a bunch of miseries
Proverb chapter 30 look at verse number seven
Proverb chapter 30 verse number seven
The Bible says two things have I required of thee,
and deny me them not before I die.
Remove far from me, don't miss this, vanity and lies.
Give me neither poverty nor riches.
Feed me with food, convenient for me.
So he's saying, feed me food, you know,
feed me a handful of food.
Don't give me vanity and lies.
Give me what's sufficient.
verse 9, and deny thee and say who is the Lord, or lest I be poor and still and take
the name of my God in vain. You know what's better? Having what's sufficient for you,
right? Because, you know, that's what the Bible says. Feed me for convenient for me.
Don't give me too much, but also don't give me too little. Don't give me vanities. See,
like anything beyond what's convenient, beyond what's sufficient for you is vanity and lies.
Go to Proverbs chapter 15
Proverbs chapter 15
Look at verse from the 16 Proverbs 15 verse 6 verse number 16 the Bible says
Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith
Better is the dinner of herbs where love is
than a stalled ox and
Hatred therewith
Even though I don't, you know, like the vegetarian diet, but sometimes, you know, there's nothing wrong of eating vegetables
There's nothing wrong with eating rice and beans. There's nothing wrong with that
It's better to live a simple life when you have, when you are honest, when you are content, when when you actually have joy
Than having all these fancy meat, cats, dogs, you know, bulls, whatever, but with hatred, but with misery, but with vanities, right?
Because the point is don't be a spoiled brat, okay? Live a content life, live a simple life.
Sometimes I do crave rice and beans, some of the simple meals because food is food, right?
If it feeds you, if it strengthens you, then that's good. Then we should rejoice and be happy.
Let's go back to Ecclesiastes chapter number four. So I said point number one the tears of the oppressed point number two
The vanity of envy driven labor
Point number three the tragedy of lonely success the tragedy of lonely success look at verse number seven
Ecclesiastes chapter 4 verse number 7 the Bible says then I return and I saw vanity
Under the sound there's one alone and there's not a second yay
He had neither child nor brother yet. Is there no end of all his labor neither is his eyes satisfied with riches
Neither said he for whom do I labor and breathe my soul of good?
This is also vanity yay. It is a sword travail
The word bereave means to deprive of something, so basically he's saying that, hey, for whom
do I labor?
You know, who am I laboring for and why am I depriving myself, spending all those time
to labor for those goods?
Essentially, the question is, what's the point of prosperity without people?
What's the point of success, money, if you don't have a child, if you don't have a brother,
if you don't have a companion, if you don't have friends, right?
I think this is a perfect description for a workaholic who has no children, no friend,
no life, but endless labor.
Look at look at look at verse number eight again. There's one alone. There's not a second. Yeah
He has neither child nor brother. Yeah, is there no end of all his labor, right?
He has you know, he has endless labor, but there's no, you know companion
Let me give you some examples
Oprah Winfrey obviously, I know she's a wicked lady, but you know her net worth is 2.8 billion
dollars. She's never married, she has no children. Elon Musk, net worth of 240 billion
people, he has multiple children from multiple different wives, but most of his relationships
are strained and also disconnected. Steve Jobs.
worth ten billion dollars married with children but she but he was distant with
most of them and he even denied paternity of his daughter Lisa for years.
Jane Austen known for writing these romantic novels right but she lived a
private solitary life never married no children.
Isaac Newton, you know, a famous inventor, scientist, he's never married, she has no children.
So you see all those, you know, creator, scientist, all those famous people by the war standard,
they are living a miserable life. They have no companion, they have no children,
they have nobody to pass down this wealth, you know, they are having what the Bible called a lonely success.
Come about with your Psalm 127 go to Psalm 127
To them
All they have this endless labor, but there's no companion no friend no
Children no real
relationship
many of the so-called career women they want to pursue a career and they
refuse to get married and have children and they die lonely right so what's the
point of that even like grown men hey what's the point of all you know you
like never desire to get married and you just want to you know gain all those
wealth for yourself you know you have a lonely success you'll live in tragedy
The Bible says, it is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
Again, the Bible is not contradicting itself, you know, earlier I showed you a verse that
people who sleep so that they do not work, but here, hey, God wants you to rest, you
know.
God does not want you to have sorrow, right?
Sometimes, hey, it's great to have some rest after some hard labor, right?
But then the Bible says in verse number three.
Low, low children are in heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward as
Arrows are in the hand of a mighty man. So our children of the youth
Happy is the man that had his quiver full of them. They shall not be ashamed
But they shall speak with the enemies in the game
See true happen is is you get to invest in
different
different relationships in your life because we have workaholics that will
say you know I need to work overtime and work on Sunday to save up for
retirement well that's why you have children right because the children are
You know if you guys grow up and if your parents need something you should be taking care of it
because children are the best
retirement plan
Don't trust in the nursing homes, right invest in the next generation
Let's bring back some good cultures about children as they take care of their parents
Because you can be the most successful inventor entrepreneur
Business, man, if you don't invest in relationships,
your life will be a tragedy.
The Lord Jesus Christ said,
for what shall it profit a man
if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?
You will die alone.
And sometimes we need to take some days off
and go on vacation with our family, right?
Go on a trip with our friends.
Because the life that we invest and the relationship that we build are more important than financial wealth.
They are more important than personal success, because there is a tragedy in lonely success.
It's better for us to have great fellowship, to band together for the sake of the gospel.
Turn back to turn back to a DCS to chapter number four. So I said point number one the tears of the oppressed point number two
The vanity of envy driven labor point number three the tragedy of lonely success point number four
The value of godly companionship now this kind of echoed the last point, but you know, this will be a separate
Principle the value of godly companionship look at verse number nine
At least they actually have the four verse nine of the Bible says two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor
Now this is a general principle that joint labor is more efficient is more effective and more and more fruitful
There's further proofs that we are built for
Companionships right two are better than one
That's why we prefer you go so many in pairs
Now I'm not saying that going by yourself is wrong. The Bible never says that
But there's you know many perks in going by pairs the Lord Jesus Christ sent send the 12 by 2 and 2
Because going so many in pairs gave you accountability, right? It will it will it will give you assistance
it will help mitigate distractions.
Maybe your son and partner can pet the dog,
help with the children, play with them.
To avoid distraction, it will also provide safety.
Just in case something having that, you know,
that you have another set of eyes,
you can also encourage each other, right?
You know, giving people tips.
And based on verse number nine,
I do believe that you can be more fruitful going in pairs.
You can have a good reward for your labor.
And I personally speaking, I get more people say going with a zoning partner than going by myself.
Again, I'm not saying going by ourselves is wrong.
Sometimes we have to go by ourselves.
But it's way better to going by pairs because two are better than one.
And also when performing a job, you know, when performing any task, having more people is generally better.
Because we tend to be more efficient. Someone can help you out, someone can lift the things for you till I hold the tools for you.
Look at version number 10.
The Bible says, for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow, but woe to him that is
alone when he falleth, for he hath not another to help him up.
This verse echoes the previous point that if you are all by yourself, you will live
in despair, because nobody will help you if you fall.
If you have some, you know, if you are sick, if you are attacked, if you are injured, nobody
can help you.
So if you have children, if you have a spouse, they can help you when you fall, right?
They can provide you encouragement and strength.
By the way, that's why we need church, because church is a place where we get to encourage
other people.
Church is a place where we meet like-minded people.
And the local church is supposed to be a family.
That's why we have the phrase church family, right?
There's strength in fellowship. There's strength in companionship
Go to go to Galatians chapter number six
Galatians chapter number six
Two are two are better than one and the more safe people are you know gathered together?
They are allied together. They are supporting supporting each other more things can get down
for the sake of
For the sake of the gospel
Galatians 6, look at verse number 1, the Bible says, Galatians 6, verse 1,
If someone is struggling with sin, obviously it seems that they won't get to kick out the church.
If someone is struggling with some sins, temptations, burdens, struggles, we are supposed to help them out.
Giving them advice, giving them tips, pray for them, check on them.
that we're not supposed to, you know, just harshly calm down on them.
You know, like opposite, it depends on how that person is taking it,
but we're supposed to approach that in the spirit of meekness, right?
We're supposed to help edify other people because if a brother fall in sin,
he lift him up, right?
Help him grow, help him change, help him repent of his sins,
help him be sanctified.
Because two are better than one. There's value in godly companionships.
Romans 12, look at verse number 10. Romans 12 verse 10, the Bible says,
Be kindly affection one to another with brotherly love in honor, preferring one another.
not slothful in business, fervent in spirit,
serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope,
patient in tribulation, continuing instantly in prayer,
distributing to the necessity of saints
given to hospitality.
That's why there's strength in members.
That's why we are supposed to distribute to the needs of the people at the church.
That's why we should buy stuff for the baby registries.
We should buy them stuff for the wedding registries, right?
We should bring food to the parlor.
We should be generous.
We should be distributing to the necessity of the saints, given to hospitality.
We need to treat other people good right we need to feed people good food
We need to help we need to help others out because we already live in a miserable world
So why can't we show people a more grace at this church right?
People are only you know suffering enough oppressions working in a secular world. Hey, this should be a safe haven
All right, we should be treating people extra good
Let's go back to a key. Let's go back to the book of the book of Ecclesiastes
Chapter 4, look at verse 11, it says, chapter 4, verse 11, the Bible says,
again, if two lie together, then they have heat, but how can one be warm alone?
I believe this is a picture of mutual care with companions.
Obviously, if you apply that to a physical perspective,
The husband and wife can physically warm each other, right? If two light together, then they have heat
But spiritually speaking we can provoke one another to love and to good works, right?
We can heat people up, you know, we can light a fire in people, right?
We can we can we can like encourage people, right? We can make people read how Christians
Look at verse number 12
And if one prevails against him, two shall withstand him, and a three-fold chord is not quickly broken.
So companionship will also provide protection.
But notice the second half of the verse, a three-fold chord.
You know, if one prevailed against him, two shall withstand him, and then the Bible says a three-fold court is not quickly broken.
So I believe this is talking about God in the center of a companionship.
Because when God is in the center of any friendship, companionships, it will be a strong companionship.
Because Solomon was not talking about any type of companionship.
Solomon was talking about a godly companionship, right?
How do we have a three-fold chord in a two-people companionship?
Because God is in the midst of it.
Think about it.
In a marriage...
If one of the spouses is not safe, then that's not a godly
companionship, right?
You know Jesus Christ is not in the midst of them because because you have to be because you have to have two or three
Gathering in his name, right?
But also to be not be not an equally you together with with unbelievers for what fellowship for what?
companionship has righteousness with with unrighteousness if
That's why you know
If you're not married, then you should be marrying a safe spouse, so you can have a godly companionship, not just any type of companionship.
In a friendship, if your closest friend is not safe, then that's not a good friendship.
In business, if your business partner does not fear God, then that's not a strong partnership.
In parenting, if you raise your children without God's word, then you know, that's not a good, you know
That's not a good parenting. That's that would that would not be a stable foundation
And in the church setting if the unity is built upon personalities and
Not on truth that court will just snap under pressure when something happens, right?
That's why we need to build things upon godly
upon godliness and
The Lord Jesus Christ said that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father, which is in heaven, for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there and in the midst of them.
That's why we should pray with other people. That's why we should pray for other people, right?
Because when two saved people, or more, they are saved and they are praying and they are helping each other,
hey, the Lord Jesus Christ will make sure that He will be in the midst of them,
and we need to cultivate godly fellowship in our life.
Surround ourselves with saved, godly people.
Because because there's strain there's strength in godly companionship again, not any companionship
But they godly companionship go do proverbs
Actually go back to go back to go back to a piece of the hostage happened before I think you're still there
So I said point number one, the tears of the oppressed, point number two, the vanity of envy driven labor, point number three, the tragedy of lonely success, point number four, the value of godly companionship.
Lastly, point number five, the vanity of popularity and political power.
and political power. Look at verse number 13. If these guys have the full verse number 13, the Bible says,
better is the poor and the wise child than an old and foolish king who will no more be admonished.
Because at the end of the day, it does not really matter what status you are in your life. You can be a king.
You can be a political leader, you can be a successful employer,
but if you are foolish, if you refuse to be corrected, then that is vanity.
Because there's a saying that there's no fool like an old fool, right?
Because a poor and a wise child is better than an old and foolish king.
If the child is willing to be corrected, if the child is willing to be admonished
Let's turn to Proverbs chapter 16. Go to Proverbs chapter 16
See, it doesn't matter how popular you are, how powerful you are
We all need to have humility
Proverbs 16 look at verse 31 Proverbs 16 verse 31
The Bible says, the hoary head, not the word hoary means gray or whitish color, the hoary head is a crown of glory.
So an old person can be really wise because they have life experience, right?
They've lived for so long, they've known a lot of things.
But notice the verse does not finish here. The Holy Head is a kind of glory if
That's a big if here if it be found in the way of righteousness
Because there's also no fool like an old fool with an old person
If he truly follow God and love God via the yeah, he can have a lot of wisdom
But youth and humility combined with wisdom are more valuable than status or age
Because age and power means nothing if the person is unteachable, right?
If that person refuses to be admonished
If they are proud or set in their ways, and we know a lot of old people set in their ways.
They refuse to change.
They are clearly in the wrong, but they are willing to do it because that's how they always been doing it.
Go to Proverbs 29.
Look at verse number one, Proverbs 29, verse number one, that's why in general it's very hard to get old people saved
because they are sad in their ways because they think they've read the Bible 100 times.
They think they are older than you, and that's why they know more things than you.
Hey, there's no fool like an old fool.
Proverbs 29, look at verse 1, the Bible says,
He that being often reproved,
Hogneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed,
and that without remedy.
So if someone refused to receive correction
over and over again,
eventually the Bible says he'll be
destroyed. He'll live a miserable life. God will punish that person severely. And we as Christians,
we ought to be humble people. It doesn't matter what status you are in your life. You can, you know,
read the Bible 50 times, and still be ready to learn, right? Still be teachable. You can be a
pastor, a deacon, you know, an evangelist. Hey, we should all be teachable. Go to Matthew chapter 18.
Matthew chapter number 18, we should never be to a place that we are beyond learning because life, you know
We are constantly learning new things. We are constantly making different applications. We're constantly fighting new battles
Matthew 18 look at verse number one
Matthew 18 verse one the Bible says
At the same time came the disciples on to Jesus saying who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven
And Jesus called a little child unto him, and sent him in the midst of them, and said,
Verily I say unto you, accept if ye converted, and become as little children, ye shall not
enter into the kingdom of heaven, whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little
child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
We should have a mentality of a little child to be ready to learn.
Because children love learning, right?
They love exploring things, and they'll tend to believe whatever you tell them as a child, right?
That's why salvation is compared as a child-like faith.
Because the older people, I mean, they think they know everything if you show them the Bible that they don't want to believe it
But if you you know, that's why we should have that's why we should we should just have faith in the Bible
If the Bible says it, we're gonna believe it. That's a childlike faith, right?
Because children if you tell them anything they tend to believe it. They want you to believe it
I think every Christian should have a child like faith.
Whatever the Bible says, whatever God says, believe it, right?
Don't just complicate things.
Don't add your personal logic into the Word of God.
Don't add your presupposition.
Don't add your 80 years of your life into the Word of God.
If God says, just believe it.
Be as a little child.
Be humble and also be teachable.
Go to 2 Chronicles, chapter 26.
2 Chronicles, chapter 26.
Don't be like those people who refuse to be corrected.
The Bible says in Proverbs 12, verse number 1,
whoso loveth instruction, loveth knowledge,
but he that hated, reproof, is brutish.
If you don't like to be corrected, the Bible says you are brutish.
You are stupid.
Because a poor child that follows God is better than a king, better than a foolish king.
2 Chronicles 26, look at verse number 16.
2 Chronicles 26, verse 16.
But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction for he transgressed against the Lord his God and went into a temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
Now the king was not supposed to do that. Only the priest can burn incense upon the altar. Look at verse number 17.
As a riot, the priests went after him, and with him, four score priests, eighty priests of the Lord,
they were valiant men, and they were stood with Uzair the king, and said unto him,
it abrotineth not unto thee, Uzair, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests,
the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense, go out of the sentry.
Hey, get out of here, right? For thou hast trespassed,
Trespass, but I have trespassed neither shall it be for an honor from the Lord God see these
These priests they were pretty bold. They were willing to stand up in front of the king
You know the king is the most powerful
earthly person
within the nation
But those 80 priests
along with Ezrae, they stood in front of the king,
you know, tell him no and just tell him
to get out of the sanctuary, you know, get you out of here.
You know, otherwise I'm gonna call the police
and trespass you, right, for thou hast trespassed.
So that's why I believe religious leaders,
they need to stand up against the rulers
who do not follow God's law, right?
That's how a monarchy can work perfectly look at look at verse number 19 then was I was was I was rough and
And had a censor in his hand to burn incense and while he was rough with the priest
Deliberacy even rose up in his forehead before the priest in the house of the Lord from beside the incense altar
So Uzziah did not take the correction correctly.
He took it wrongly and he became angry, he became wrathful.
And if you keep reading, Uzziah was a leper under the day of his death.
God punished King Uzziah for being stubborn, for, you know, refusing to be corrected.
See, it doesn't matter how powerful you are, even though you are a king, a king should still be teachable.
Everyone should be constantly trying to learn, trying to improve, trying to be corrected.
If you are confronted for violating one of those sins that will get you kicked out of the church, then get things right, right away.
Don't wait till you are kicked out, because I'm going to tell you, people are given multiple chances if such things are found out.
Get things right, right away.
If you are confronted by your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ about some offense
I seek to work things out because chances are you are both in the wrong, right?
If my sermon offends you because it breaks your heart it's time to get right
Grow better now better
That that's how anybody grow right be teachable
But also don't be so fixated on your pet doctrines either, you know
Because everyone has the pet like doctrine, you know different pastors and different church head don't don't don't get fixated on that either
Look at verse number 14
Ecclesiastes 4, verse 14 of the Bible says four out of prison, he comeeth to reign whereas
also he that is born in his kingdom becomeeth poor because power is often meaningless because
power is not guaranteed because someone can work their way, someone can get out of prison
and work their way to a higher position but someone can also be given a kingdom and just
Someone can become a leader out of prison, yet even a king, even a prince can become poor.
Look at verse number 15, I consider all the living, which walk unto the sound, with a second child that shall stand up in his said.
So the second child is the successor or the next generation.
He is the rising star, but in the end, he too will be forgotten.
Look at verse number 16.
There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them.
They also that come after shall not rejoice in him.
Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
So verse 15 to 16 tells us a cyclical nature of human leadership.
Then you know the old king
Refuses correction and then a new wise king
gain support
And replaces the old king, but the cycle continues
Eventually the new king becomes old and he gets forgotten, right?
David the young shepherd
replaced King Saul
Solomon took David's place, but then
Rehoboam lost the kingdom through pride and then we you know gone through the cycle over and over again
Because there's a cyclical nature of human leadership. That's why we should not seek greatness
In the eyes of men we need to be you know, we need to seek faithful before God
Because no matter how powerful you are
You can lose your power, you can lose your will if you are stupid, right?
But no matter how poor or humble you are, if you are wise, then you will be great in the eyes of the Lord.
So as I said point number one, the tears of the oppressed
Point number two, the vanity of envy-driven labor.
Point number three, the tragedy of lonely success.
Point number four, the value of godly companionship.
And point number five, the vanity of popularity
and political power.
So what's the point of this chapter?
I believe chapter four of the book of,
if you ask these points,
it paints a bleak picture of life under the sun.
What's the picture of life?
What's the picture of life under the sun in justice without comfort? Oh
Oppression without comfort work without meaning right?
success without
companionship and fame without a long-lasting legacy
That's why we should not live our life under the sun
But we should live life under the sun the Lord Jesus Christ right don't live under the sun
But live under the sun because because the son of God the Lord Jesus Christ actually brings justice
He will actually vanquish the oppression because God says dear beloved Venus not yourself
But but rather give place on to wrath for it's written vengeance his mind. I will repay said the Lord
The Son of God will bring justice and the Son of God will also bring purpose in labor because God tells us to be staff as unmovable, right, knowing that our labor is not in vain in the Lord.
God also brings true fellowship. The Bible says in 1 John chapter 1 verse 7,
but if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with
another and the blood of Christ and the blood of Jesus Christ, his son cleanses
us from all sin. If we have fellowship in the name of Jesus Christ, then we can
have true fellowship.
But God also brings eternal reward in heaven.
There is a legacy that we can build.
We can lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, right?
Because the righteous judge will give us at that day.
At the judgment seat of Christ.
So don't live life under the sun, but live your life under the sun, the Lord Jesus Christ, because he gives justice,
he gives purpose and labor, he gives true fellowship, and he gives an eternal legacy.
That's close in what a prayer. Thank you Lord for this amazing chapter.
Well I pray that we'll set our focus on the things that are above, and seek first the kingdom of God.
And even if we live in an oppressive, unjust world,
but we can have comfort in you, Lord,
but pray you're strengthening us,
and pray that you'll give us comfort,
and then pray this in Jesus' name, amen.
Thank you, evangelist Justin Jung.
We're gonna sing through a little chorus.
It's called, Every Promise in the Book is Mine,
and I'll read it, and we'll sing through it twice.
Goes, Every Promise in the Book is Mine,
Every Chapter, Every Verse, Every Line,
All the Blessings of His Love, Divine,
Every Promise in the Book is Mine.
All right, let's sing it.
Every promise in the book is mine.
Every chapter, every verse, every line.
All the blessings of his love divine.
Every promise in the book is mine.
All right, once more.
Every promise in the book is mine.
Every chapter, every verse, every line.
All the blessings of His love divine, every promise in the book is mine.
All right, Brother Rashid, close for a prayer.