The Miseries of Life

[0:00] Well, if we could, with the Lord's help, the Lord's enabling this morning, we could turn back to that portion of scripture that we read, the book of Ecclesiastes, in chapter 6.

[0:21] And we're going to walk through this passage, but if we just take as our text the first three verses. There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind.

[0:36] A man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires. Yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them.

[0:49] This is vanity. It is a grievous evil. If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life's good things, and he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.

[1:10] And so on. Last year, there was an article printed in the Daily Mail, and it claimed that Britons, we are the most miserable, or among the most miserable people in Europe.

[1:29] But maybe you think that you're quite a jolly person, and you love life, and all that life has for you. But studies show that 41% of Britons are miserable.

[1:42] And this survey that was conducted by the World Health Organization, it highlighted that Britons, us, we are more miserable than the French, the Dutch, the Spanish, the Irish, the Swedish, and many other countries.

[1:57] In fact, the happiest people in Europe, they're said to be the Danish. But with 41% of us being so miserable, it leaves Britain with some of the most miserable people in Europe.

[2:11] And the World Health Organization claimed that the reason for such misery was because of stress. But all this pressure and stress, they're saying it's having a damaging effect upon us, because we're miserable.

[2:25] And in such a superficial and individualistic, fast-paced society, it's leading to isolation, to stress, to anxiety, and to unhappiness.

[2:37] In other words, they're saying, we're miserable people. And you know, that's the message that Solomon has for us this morning. We're miserable. We're miserable. And you know, it never ceases to amaze me that even though we come to this Old Testament book, the book called Ecclesiastes, it's 3,000 years old, and yet it's still relevant for us today.

[3:00] Because Solomon, as we've seen in the past, Solomon is preaching about the need to live your life with an eternal perspective. And Solomon, he came to discover this for himself.

[3:12] He came to discover that we can be healthy, wealthy, and wise. But we can still live our lives in a foolish manner. And in this sermon called Ecclesiastes, Solomon is speaking.

[3:24] He's speaking from his own experience, but he's speaking with regret. Because Solomon regrets that he swallowed the lie, and that he thought that this world could give you all the happiness and all the pleasures that your heart desires.

[3:40] But Solomon, he humbly admits that even though it may have seemed good at the time, it was all vanity. Vanity of vanities, says the preacher. Vanity of vanities.

[3:51] All is vanity. It's meaningless. It's empty. It's futile. It's all chasing and striving after the wind. It's striving after the things that will never satisfy.

[4:02] But Solomon's hope in preaching this sermon called Ecclesiastes, his hope is that we'll listen to his sermon, and that we'll spare ourselves the bitterness of learning what he learned.

[4:16] And in this sermon, Solomon, he's calling us to live our lives with an eternal perspective. Because if we're not living our life with an eternal perspective, he says, you're wasting your life.

[4:27] You're wasting your life. It's all vanity. Because what is of the utmost importance and what is of eternal value to us is our relationship to God through Jesus Christ.

[4:40] And in this chapter, in order to press upon us the need to live our lives with an eternal perspective, Solomon reminds us about the miseries of life. But when Solomon speaks about the miseries of life, don't get him wrong, because he's not being negative or cynical or pessimistic.

[5:00] No, Solomon is just being realistic. Solomon has been realistic with us. And he says to us in this chapter that what leads to a miserable life is someone who is unsecure, unsatisfied, and unsuspecting.

[5:17] What leads to a miserable life is someone who is unsecure, unsatisfied, and unsuspecting. So let's begin.

[5:30] Let's see what Solomon has to say. He says that what leads to a miserable life is someone who is unsecure. Unsecure. He says in verse 1, there is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind.

[5:43] A man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires. Yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them.

[5:56] Solomon opens this section with the statement, there is an evil that I have seen under the sun. But that word evil, it can also be translated misery.

[6:08] And so what I believe Solomon is saying to us in this chapter is that there is a misery that I have seen under the sun. And that misery, says Solomon, it lies heavy upon mankind.

[6:19] It lies heavy upon all of us because it's common among all of us. It's not just 41% of us in Britain that have this misery.

[6:30] Solomon is saying, we're all miserable. Everyone has this misery. And everyone experiences this misery. Everyone encounters this misery. Everyone has seen this misery for themselves.

[6:43] And everyone knows what this misery is like. Because this misery, he says, it lies heavy upon mankind. And it's a misery that has been caused by sin.

[6:54] It has been caused by the fall of Adam when Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden at the beginning. And because of Adam's sin, the miseries of this life, they lie heavy upon all of us.

[7:10] And you know, that's how the Catechism puts it. All mankind, by their fall, lost communion with God. They are under his wrath and curse.

[7:20] They are so made liable to all the miseries of this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever. My friend, because of Adam's sin, we are miserable.

[7:34] The miseries of this life lie heavy upon us all. But you know, the truth is, we don't like being told that we're miserable. And if someone tells us, if someone says to you, you're a miserable person.

[7:46] We think that they've just been negative. They've been cynical or pessimistic. But you know, the truth is, it's the truth. It's realistic.

[7:58] That's what Solomon is saying. He's not been pessimistic with us. He's been realistic. Because the reality of life is that it's full of sin. And it's full of misery. And far too often, we want to run from the miseries of life.

[8:10] We want to hide from the miseries of life. We want to cover them up or deny that they're there at all. Far too often, we want to ignore all the miseries of life that lie heavy upon mankind.

[8:22] We want to fill our lives with other things so as to detract our attention from that. We seek entertainment and pleasure in order to just make us happy.

[8:32] We numb our minds with alcohol so that we don't have to think about the miseries of life. And sometimes we just live in denial. Denial that it's even there at all.

[8:45] We fill our lives with so many things. And we just live for the future. Always hoping for something better. And something that will fill that void in our lives.

[8:56] And many people, they live for the next paycheck, the next weekend, the next fix, the next holiday, the next purchase, the next relationship. We try and fill our lives with so, so much.

[9:09] Just so that we don't have to think about or even be confronted with the miseries of life. But you know, who are we kidding? Who are we trying to deceive?

[9:22] Who are we even trying to persuade? This world that we live in and this life that we possess, it's full of sin. Full of misery. All the miseries of this life, they lie heavy upon us.

[9:35] Since the fall of Adam, it's been, this world has been full of sin and full of misery. Full of illness. Full of separation. Full of breakdowns.

[9:47] Full of breakups. Full of murder. Full of lies. Full of deceit. Full of hypocrisy. Full of aging. Full of sorrow. Full of sadness.

[9:58] Full of loss. Full of heartache. Full of death. My friends, since the fall of Adam, this life has been full of sin and misery. And because of the fall of Adam, we have lost communion with God.

[10:13] We are under his wrath and curse. We are liable to all the miseries of this life. To death itself. And to the pains of hell forever. You know, what a miserable existence we have without Jesus.

[10:26] What a miserable existence. Because all the miseries of this life. They just weigh us down. They lie heavy upon us. All the miseries of this life.

[10:37] They lie heavy upon us. Because we're unsecure. We're unsecure. We're not, it's not that we're insecure. Someone who is insecure is doubtful.

[10:49] And they lack confidence. They're anxious. But you know, that's not the person Solomon describes in verse 2. Solomon says that that man has everything. He has wealth.

[11:00] He has possessions. He has honour. He has honour among people. He has everything. And he has confidence in all that he has. And he has trust in all that he has. He's not insecure.

[11:12] He's confident. He's self-assured. Because of his wealth and his possessions. And his honour. He's self-reliant. Because he's obtained all his wealth. And he's gained all his possessions.

[11:24] And he's received all his honour by himself. He's not insecure. But he's unsecure. Because the man Solomon describes is someone who lacks eternal security.

[11:39] Yes, they have financial and maybe even social security in this life. But they have no eternal security. Because as soon as they die, all that they have, he says, belongs to someone else.

[11:55] And the one thing that is needful is it's nowhere to be found. Because they have no eternal security. They're unsecure. And that's what Solomon says about many people and the miseries of this life.

[12:10] He says, he uses this illustration. A man to whom God gives wealth, possessions and honour. So that he lacks nothing of all that he desires. Yet God has not given the power to enjoy them.

[12:21] But a stranger enjoys them. They have everything. All the blessings that life can give us. But they're still unsecure. They lack eternal security.

[12:31] Because they don't live their life with an eternal perspective. They don't face up to the realities and the miseries of this life. And they fill their life with wealth, with their possessions, with their honour.

[12:46] But in reality, they're lost. They're lost. Is that you, my friend? Are you lost? Are you living your life unsecure?

[13:02] Like a ship lost at sea with no mooring. No port to go to. Just drifting. Lost. Are you living your life trying your utmost to put off and ignore and cover up the miseries of this life that lie heavy upon you?

[13:19] And you're living your life trying to forget. Trying to block it out for a wee while. Trying to not think about it. Because you know that because of your sin you have lost communion with God.

[13:33] You know that you're under the wrath and curse of God. You know that you're liable to all the miseries of this life. Illness. You're liable to death itself.

[13:44] And because you're without Christ to the pains of hell forever. Do you see that you're unsecure because of the miseries of this life? Do you see that you're lost?

[13:59] But you know I want to remind you. That your only security is in Jesus Christ. Because and he's your only security because he went from glory to Golgotha.

[14:11] He went from the crown of glory to the cross of Calvary. In order to save us from our sin and misery. Jesus came to restore communion with God.

[14:22] Jesus came to take our wrath and curse that we deserve. Jesus came to experience all the miseries of this life. Even death itself and the pains of hell.

[14:36] My friend Jesus came to die upon the cross. So as to save us from our sin and misery. And he rose again from the dead. He rose again in order to give us the assurance of that eternal security.

[14:53] When we trust in him. Because the resurrection of Jesus. That's key. It's key to possessing that eternal security. The apostle Paul speaks about it in 1 Corinthians 15.

[15:07] He said that if Jesus is not raised from the dead. If Jesus is still in the grave. We are still in our sin. If Jesus is not raised. We have no hope in Christ.

[15:20] If Jesus is not raised. He says we are all of men. We are all of men. We are all of men. Most miserable. We are miserable. It's Jesus that gives us hope.

[15:33] It's Jesus that gives us security. And assurance of eternal life. It's only Jesus that can give us hope in life. And peace in death.

[15:44] When we trust in him with all our heart. So what leads to a miserable life? Someone who is unsecure. But secondly.

[15:56] What leads to a miserable life? Someone who is unsatisfied. Someone who is unsatisfied. Look at verse 3. If a man fathers a hundred children.

[16:09] And lives many years. So that the days of his years are many. But his soul is not satisfied with life's good things. And he also has no burial. I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.

[16:25] Now when I first read verse 3. I was shocked. I was shocked that Solomon would use such an example. In order to make a point. Because to first of all use an imaginary example.

[16:39] Or an exaggerated example. Of an unsatisfied man. Who fathered a hundred children. And lived a long life. And then to compare it. To the harsh reality. Of a stillborn child.

[16:51] I thought it was quite insensitive. I thought it was. A bit hurtful. Almost. Dare I say heartless. Because having children. It's a great blessing.

[17:02] It's a great privilege. A privilege that. Some families. For one reason or another. They don't have. But you know. This is meant to be the wisest man. Who ever lived.

[17:12] And Solomon is comparing. An unsatisfied man. Who is greatly blessed. Christ. And he's comparing it. To a stillborn child. You know. It seemed so wrong.

[17:22] And so insensitive. And so inconsiderate. But you know. Then I had to think. Well. Why would Solomon speak like this? Why would he say these words? And then I thought about Solomon's personal experience.

[17:36] Because most of us. We write things. Or we say things. Or we think. In a certain way. Because of the things. That have happened. Or affected. Our personal circumstances. And for Solomon.

[17:48] We know that he was the son of King David. And his mother was Bathsheba. But Bathsheba had been. Originally the wife of Uriah. And as you know.

[17:59] One night. When David was. King David was unsatisfied. He's on his palace. The roof of his palace. And he sees Bathsheba. And he desires to have her. And for David.

[18:10] And that look. It led to lust. And that lust. Led to adultery. With Bathsheba. And after the act of adultery. David tried to cover up Bathsheba's pregnancy.

[18:21] By trying to persuade her husband Uriah. To come home. And to sleep with his wife. And then claim that the child was his. But when that failed. David had Bathsheba's husband Uriah.

[18:32] Murdered. David put Uriah into the front line. To make sure that he would be killed. And so that David could take Bathsheba. To be his wife. And you know.

[18:45] Don't ever think that the Bible is full of saints. Don't ever think that the Bible is. Is full of good people. It's not. It's full of sinners. And it's full of miserable.

[18:57] And messy acts of sin. And in the case of David and Bathsheba. Sin spiraled out of control. And it just left a trail of destruction. But it all started because David was unsatisfied.

[19:11] Of course David. He earnestly repented of his sins. And that's what we were singing about. In Psalm 51. But if you remember. The result of David and Bathsheba. Sleeping together was a child.

[19:23] But when the child was born. The child only lived seven days. And then died. And it was after the death of this child. That Solomon was later born. And so Solomon's sibling.

[19:36] It was only. He or she. Was only seven days old. When the child died. And you know. When you look at this. Verse. Verse three. Through the lens of Solomon.

[19:46] You can see that. He's speaking from personal experience. He's speaking about. His father David. Although David was a man. After God's own heart. Although he was a man.

[19:57] After God's own heart. You know. There's no hiding the fact. That David made a mess of things. When he was unsatisfied. David had everything. He was king in Israel. He had wealth. Possessions.

[20:08] And honor. He lived a long life. He had many wives. And he had many children. But his adultery. His lies. His murder. They were all caused by the fact. He was unsatisfied.

[20:21] You know. I believe Solomon is using his father. As an illustration here. To emphasize. How unsatisfied. Someone can be. When they're not looking to the Lord.

[20:33] And you know. It should speak to us. As Christians. Because David was a believer. David followed the Lord. David was a Christian. And yet he fell. He backslid.

[20:45] He became. Unsatisfied. When he took his eyes. Off the Lord. And when David stopped following the Lord. And having fellowship with the Lord. That's when he became unsatisfied.

[20:57] And when he was unsatisfied. He looked elsewhere for his satisfaction. But it only caused destruction. It only caused chaos. And you know. David. He should always be a beacon of warning to us.

[21:09] To keep our eyes firmly fixed. Upon Jesus. Because when we take our eyes off Jesus. Or when we are. Our eyes are not upon Jesus at all. We become unsatisfied.

[21:21] And when you read verse 3. In light of Solomon's experience. You know what makes for solemn reading. If a man fathers a hundred children.

[21:31] And lives many years. So that the days of his years are many. But his soul is not satisfied. With life's good things. And he has no burial. I say that a stillborn child.

[21:42] Is better off than he. Of course as we said. The illustration of. A father who's blessed with a hundred children. It's exaggerated. But the point Solomon is making.

[21:54] Is that even though we can be blessed. With so much. We can be blessed with health. And wealth. And possessions. And honour. And many children. And yet we can still.

[22:06] Be miserable. We can still be unsatisfied. With all of life's good things. We can have everything. And yet still have this. This emptiness.

[22:18] This hollow feeling. In our lives. Where we know. Something is missing. We're not satisfied. You know.

[22:28] It's then that Solomon hits us. With a sobering statement. I tell you. A stillborn child. Is better off than he. And Solomon. He gives a little explanation. In verses four and five.

[22:41] He says in verse four. It comes in vanity. And goes in darkness. And in darkness. Its name is covered. Moreover. It has not seen the sun. Or known anything. Yet it finds rest.

[22:52] Rather than he. And although it's. It's a very sad. And very sobering. Illustration. What Solomon means by this. Is that. In comparison.

[23:04] To an unsatisfied. And miserable. Man. Who has lived. A long life. With many privileges. And many blessings. And yet he dies. Without Jesus.

[23:16] Solomon says. A stillborn child. Never had to experience misery. At all. In this life. The stillborn child.

[23:27] He says. Has peace. And rest. And was. In many ways. Better off. Than the man. Who lived all his life. Unsatisfied.

[23:38] And he died in misery. And although. I'm not keen. On Solomon's illustration. I get his point. Because the Bible. Teaches that stillborn.

[23:48] And miscarried children. They go to heaven. That's what. David said. About the child. Who died. Second Samuel 12. I shall go to him. Meaning heaven.

[24:00] But he shall not come. To me. And the point is that. There is peace in heaven. There's rest. In heaven. There's no misery. In heaven.

[24:11] And what Solomon is saying. Is that the stillborn child. Enters heaven. Without even having to experience. All the miseries. Of this life. But for the unsatisfied person.

[24:22] Who's miserable. Even though they've had all the privileges. And all the blessings. Of life. All the things that life. Can give them. The honor. And the wealth. And the possessions. For the unsatisfied person.

[24:34] Who doesn't look to Jesus. As their savior. And even dies without Jesus. As their savior. Solomon is saying. They remain separate from God. They remain under his wrath and curse.

[24:47] They experience all the miseries. Of this life. And then they experience. The pain of death. And then the pains of hell. Forever. And with all this. The point that Solomon is making.

[24:59] Is that for the person. Who dies without Jesus. Unsatisfied. Unsatisfied. Because of all. The miseries of this life. The person who dies without Jesus.

[25:10] Without looking to Jesus. For their contentment. And their satisfaction. Solomon is saying. It would have been better for them. If they had never been born. And you know.

[25:23] It's such a solemn statement. Such a solemn statement. But you know. That's how. Jesus described Judas. Isn't it? Judas was unsatisfied.

[25:36] With Jesus. Jesus wasn't enough. For Judas. Judas always wanted more. He wanted something else.

[25:47] He wanted something extra. He wanted something additional. To Jesus. Something more than what Jesus. Was offering. And Judas sought it. And he found it.

[25:58] In 30 pieces of silver. Judas found what he was looking for. And he. He betrayed Jesus. In order to get it. But what he got. And when he got it.

[26:10] He was still unsatisfied. And he was even more miserable. And he was so miserable. That he went out. And hanged himself. Judas was unsatisfied.

[26:21] Because he wasn't looking to Jesus. For his contentment. And his satisfaction. And Jesus says about Judas. That after receiving all these privileges.

[26:31] Of hearing the gospel. Again and again. Through those three years of ministry. Those blessings. Those miracles. After witnessing it all. And to ignore the giver of these gifts.

[26:43] And to reject him. And to die an unsatisfied. Miserable man. And wake up. In hell. Jesus says. It would have been better for him.

[26:53] If he had never been born. It would have been better for him. If he had never been born. And you know my friend.

[27:04] Solomon's message here. It's so sobering. And so solemn. Because he's saying. He's saying to you. That you will remain unsatisfied.

[27:15] In life. Until you are satisfied. In Jesus. You will remain unsatisfied. Until you are looking to Jesus. As your savior.

[27:27] And trusting in Jesus. As your savior. But if you remain unsatisfied. If you do nothing about it. And if you die in that miserable state.

[27:38] You will wake up. In hell. And hell my friend. It's so awful. And it's so miserable. That Jesus says.

[27:49] About those. Who are in hell. That it would have been better for them. If they had never been born. That's how miserable.

[28:01] Hell is. And you know Solomon. He drives home the point. In verse 6. Even though that man. Should live a thousand years. Twice over. And yet enjoy.

[28:13] No good. Do not all go. To the one place. Even if someone. Was to live for a thousand years. Twice over. And.

[28:24] He never finds satisfaction. He never looks to Jesus. Even if he was to live. Two thousand years. And never look to Jesus. He says. It would still have been better for him.

[28:36] If he had never been born. Such a solemn statement. And so in a sermon. About the need. To live your life.

[28:46] With an eternal perspective. Solomon is showing us. In this chapter. That what. Leads to a miserable life. Is someone who is unsecure. And someone who is. Unsatisfied.

[28:58] But lastly. What leads to a miserable life. Is someone who is. Unsuspecting. Unsuspecting. Look at verse 7. All the toil of man.

[29:10] Is for his mouth. Yet his appetite. Is not satisfied. For what advantage. Has the wise man. Over the fool. What is the poor man. Have over. Have who knows.

[29:20] How to conduct himself. Before the living. Better is the sight of the eyes. Than the wondering. Of the appetite. This also is vanity. And a striving after wind. And just in these verses.

[29:33] Verses 7 to 9. Solomon he reinforces. His previous point. That we can live our lives. We can have many blessings. We can even toil. All our life. To have the blessings of wealth.

[29:45] And possessions. And honour. And we have a big appetite. For all these things. And we can toil all our days. In order to try. And appease our appetite. We can work.

[29:56] Constantly. And make ourselves. Miserable with our work. In order to find satisfaction. In life. We can fill our time. With so many things. And so many commitments. To try and fulfil our appetite.

[30:09] For that peace. And that contentment. And yet despite having all these things. Solomon says. It's never enough. We're unsatisfied. Because the appetite.

[30:20] It's big. The appetite for more and more. It's unending. But we're still. We're still unsatisfied. That's what he says in verse 7. All the toil of man is for his mouth.

[30:30] Yet his appetite. Is not satisfied. The appetite is big. And we're unsatisfied. And we'll remain unsatisfied. Until we're satisfied.

[30:42] In Jesus. We will remain. Unsatisfied. Until we are content. In Christ. And looking to him. As our saviour.

[30:53] Because when we look to Jesus. We will find in him. Everything we are looking for. You ask any Christian.

[31:05] You ask anyone. Who's. Been following the Lord. If they are unsatisfied. With Jesus. Their satisfaction. It's all in Jesus.

[31:18] But you know what's hard. Hard hitting about this chapter. Is that in verse 10. To the end of the chapter. Solomon reminds us about. The one thing. That we think about. So little.

[31:30] We think about it. So little. And it's our own death. And Solomon's point. It makes sense. He says that. He's been saying.

[31:40] Since the beginning of the chapter. Solomon has. Has reminded us. That this life. Is full of sin and misery. And all the miseries of this life. They lie heavy upon mankind. Because of the fall of mankind.

[31:51] Adam's sin. Has caused chaos. It's wreaked havoc. It's brought misery. Into our lives. And because of the fall. We have lost communion with God. We are under his wrath and curse. We are made liable.

[32:02] To all these miseries. Of life. To death itself. And to the pains of hell forever. Because of Adam's sin. He says. We're miserable. We're unsecure. We're unsatisfied.

[32:13] And because we're unsecure. And unsatisfied. We spend our lives. Trying to find that security. And that satisfaction. And we look for that security. And satisfaction.

[32:24] In every avenue of life. We look for it. In our friendships. Our relationships. Our family. Our home. Our community. Our job. Our wealth. Our health.

[32:34] And even in our pension. We strive for security. And satisfaction. And we're always thinking about it. We're always planning on how we're going to achieve it. Maybe by our next purchase.

[32:46] Or holiday. Or party. Whatever it is. And that's how we live life. Going from one thing to the next. Trying to find security. And satisfaction. And sadly we get so caught up.

[32:58] Trying to find security. And satisfaction. That we forget. That we forget. That there is always something catching up with us. Our own death.

[33:14] Our own death. We get so caught up. Striving for security. And satisfaction in life. That we forget about the end.

[33:27] We forget about life coming. To an end. We forget about eternity. And when death comes. And if we're in that condition.

[33:41] We're not prepared for eternity. We're not ready for it. Because we're still searching for security. And we're still searching and looking for satisfaction. And death.

[33:51] It's the last thing on our mind. And you look at the world today. That's the way they live. Death is the last thing on their mind. And if someone dies.

[34:02] They're to be praised. For their life. We're miserable. Because by the time we die. We are still unsecure. Unsatisfied. And unsuspecting.

[34:15] We're not ready to die. And my friend. You might think that. What I'm saying to you is morbid. Or unhelpful. But you know.

[34:28] Whatever my calling is. My calling is to make sure. That each and every one of you. Are ready to die. It's to make sure.

[34:38] That you are ready. To enter eternity. My calling as a minister. Is to make sure. That you are prepared. For eternity. And you know.

[34:49] That's what Solomon is saying to us. In verse 10. Whatever has come to be. Has already been named. And it is known. What man is. And that he is not able. To dispute.

[34:59] With one stronger than he. And what Solomon is saying. Is that. God made us. Sin broke us. Jesus came to repair us. That's what verse 10 means.

[35:11] God made us. Sin broke us. Jesus came to repair us. Sin broke us. Sin has left us miserable. Because we are striving. To find security. And satisfaction. But we look for it.

[35:21] In all the wrong places. Because the only place. That we should look. And the only place. That we can look. Is to this Jesus. Who came to repair us.

[35:32] Jesus came. To repair us. And to prepare us. For eternity. Because our death. Is catching up with us.

[35:43] And we are all moving. Towards eternity. No one can deny that. We are all moving.

[35:54] Towards eternity. And Solomon says. We cannot contend with God. Because he is mightier than us. He is mightier. He is stronger. Because he has appointed.

[36:04] The day of our birth. And he has appointed. The day of our death. My friend. You need to find security. And satisfaction. In Jesus Christ. Because if you don't.

[36:18] If you don't. If you just live your life. Striving for security. And satisfaction. In all the wrong places. All the places. That will never. Provide eternal security.

[36:29] And eternal satisfaction. Solomon says that. You are living your life. In vain. It is vanity. All futile. Verse 12.

[36:40] He says. For who knows. What is good for man. While he lives the few days. Of his vain life. Which he passes like a shadow. For who can tell man. What will be after him. Under the sun.

[36:53] My friend. Your life. My life. Just a shadow. Just a vapor. Moses told us. In Psalm 90. That our life. Is like a tale. That is told.

[37:04] It's only a few years. It's only a few years. 70. Maybe 80. Maybe a few more years after that. It's not long. It passes like a shadow.

[37:16] And the greatest danger for us. Is to live our life. Unsecure. Unsatisfied. And unsuspecting.

[37:28] The greatest danger for us. Is to live our life. Not secure. Unsecure. Without Jesus. Unsatisfied. Without Jesus.

[37:39] Unsuspecting. Of death. Dying. Without Jesus. That's what leads. To a miserable life. Someone who has spent. All their years.

[37:49] Trying to find. Security. And satisfaction. In everything. But Jesus. And they're so secure. So. Secure.

[38:00] In these things. Or consumed. By these things. And they fill their life. With these things. That they forget. About their own death. What a miserable end.

[38:13] To end your life. Separate from God. Under his wrath and curse. To enter death. To only experience. The pains. Of hell forever. That's the misery. That lays heavy.

[38:24] Upon mankind. But the glory of the gospel. Is that Jesus Christ. Humbled himself. By being born of a man.

[38:35] He endured the miseries. Of this life. The wrath of God. The death of the cross. Jesus. Is our only hope. Of being freed. From the miseries. Of this life. Because he rose. Again.

[38:47] From the dead. And the Bible reminds us. That we can be saved. We can be secure. We can be satisfied. We can be repaired. We can be prepared. For eternity. How? Just.

[38:59] If we confess. Jesus. To be our Lord. And our Savior. That's what the Bible says to us. If we confess. Jesus.

[39:09] To be our Lord and Savior. If you confess. With your mouth. That Jesus is Lord. And believe in your heart. That God raised him from the dead. You will be saved. My friends.

[39:22] See to it. You make sure. That you find security. And satisfaction. In this life.

[39:34] That it's not. By looking. By looking. By looking. To Jesus. And by knowing him. And loving him. As the author. And the finisher. Of your faith.

[39:46] You find security. And you find satisfaction. In this Jesus. May the Lord bless these things to us. Let us pray. O Lord our gracious God.

[40:01] We give thanks for thy word. That it speaks truth into our lives. There are so many voices that speak error. So many voices that remind us and say to us.

[40:12] That we have plenty time. And yet thy word says to us. That our days are numbered. We do not know what a day nor an hour may bring. And thy word reminds us.

[40:24] That we need to prepare for eternity. O Lord that we would take these things seriously. We would take it seriously as thy people. And as those who are still outside of Christ.

[40:36] That we would look to Jesus. That we would know Jesus. That we would follow Jesus. That we would lean upon him. We would love him and know him. As the author and the finisher of our faith.

[40:47] Bless us Lord we ask. Protect us. Speak to us we pray. With that still small voice. That we O Lord would hear. And that our soul would live.

[40:58] Cleanse us we pray. For Jesus sake. Amen. We're going to conclude. Our service this morning.

[41:09] By singing to God's praise in Psalm 16. Psalm 16. Page 216.

[41:21] Psalm 16. Psalm 16. Psalm 16 is. You could say a psalm of the resurrection.

[41:34] It's quoted in the New Testament. In regards to the resurrection of Jesus. And that's the place where we find security. And safety. And satisfaction.

[41:46] In Jesus. The resurrected Lord. That's what verse 10 is all about. Because my soul and grave to dwell. Shall not be left by thee. Nor wilt thou give thine holy one.

[41:56] Corruption to see. But what does he give to us? What is the promise? Thou wilt me show the path of life. Of joys that is full store. Before thy face at thy right hand.

[42:08] Are pleasures evermore. We're singing Psalm 16 from verse 8. Down to the end of the psalm. To God's praise. The Lord. Amen. Amen.

[42:18] Amen. Amen. Amen. Christ. The Lord. I said, Sith it is so that he doth ever stand, And my right hand thou shalt not move with me, Because of this my heart is glad, And joy shall be expressed, In by my glory and my flesh,

[43:20] In confidence shall rest, Because my soul engrimed to dwell, Shall not be led by thee, Nor wilt thou give thine holy one, On the corner of the upshot to see, Thou wilt me show the path of life, Of joy steadest full store,

[44:22] Before thy face, At thy right hand, Our pleasure share her own.

[44:42] The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, The love of God the Father, And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, Be with you all, now and forevermore. Amen.