I would like to welcome
you today to Faith Chapel.
00:00:31.20\00:00:33.62
My name is David Shin,
and we will be spending the
00:00:33.83\00:00:36.98
next few moments together
in a study of God's word.
00:00:37.17\00:00:40.20
But before we do so, I
would like to invite you
00:00:40.41\00:00:43.03
to bow your heads with
me as we pray together.
00:00:43.24\00:00:46.29
Father in heaven,
we thank you today
00:00:46.50\00:00:48.72
for the
privilege and opportunity
00:00:48.94\00:00:52.03
we have to study
your word and we ask
00:00:52.24\00:00:54.64
that your Holy
Spirit which inspires,
00:00:54.83\00:00:56.23
would also be the spirit
00:00:56.46\00:00:58.36
that instructs
in Jesus name, amen.
00:00:58.56\00:01:01.98
A numbers years
ago I had the privilege
00:01:02.19\00:01:05.12
and opportunity to
visit New York City.
00:01:05.31\00:01:07.67
We were on a quiet trip
and several of my friends
00:01:07.87\00:01:11.56
and myself
decided that we would go
00:01:11.75\00:01:13.31
and visit the Statue of Liberty.
00:01:13.52\00:01:15.58
We rode out on the
ferry to Ellis Island
00:01:15.79\00:01:18.66
all the while
basking in this picture
00:01:18.87\00:01:22.03
of religious liberty
and just pictured ourselves
00:01:22.25\00:01:25.02
as those immigrants
coming across the ocean
00:01:25.24\00:01:28.34
and many times
that was a first thing
00:01:28.55\00:01:29.98
that they would see
when coming to America.
00:01:30.19\00:01:33.26
We got off the ferry
and decided that we would
00:01:33.47\00:01:36.68
spend the time to
climb the Statue of Liberty.
00:01:36.87\00:01:39.69
Now the Statue of
Liberty is hollow in structure
00:01:39.90\00:01:43.23
and they have this
stairs inside specifically for
00:01:43.45\00:01:46.91
repairs and tourists
and they wined around
00:01:47.11\00:01:49.58
the inside of the
statue and they go
00:01:49.79\00:01:51.42
all the way up to the
torch and to the crown
00:01:51.61\00:01:53.76
and on this particular
day, the torch was not opened
00:01:53.97\00:01:57.98
for construction
reasons and so forth,
00:01:58.19\00:02:00.40
but that was
opened for the crown
00:02:00.61\00:02:02.15
and so we decided
that it will be worth it,
00:02:02.35\00:02:03.81
and there was a crowd
that wrapped all the way
00:02:04.02\00:02:06.37
from the crown of
the Statue of Liberty
00:02:06.56\00:02:08.15
down to the base and
wrapped around the base
00:02:08.36\00:02:10.31
and you can imagine
that there were several
00:02:10.49\00:02:12.30
hundred people that were
waiting with anticipation
00:02:12.49\00:02:15.73
and baited breath to
climb this Statue of Liberty.
00:02:15.94\00:02:19.83
But we thought
it would be worth it
00:02:20.02\00:02:21.64
because we were
anticipating the view
00:02:21.84\00:02:24.75
that would be from
the top of this statue
00:02:24.95\00:02:27.70
of a beautiful New
York City, and so we waited
00:02:27.91\00:02:32.14
for an eternal two
hours inside the statue,
00:02:32.36\00:02:36.93
most of it on,
sometimes 15 to 20 minutes
00:02:37.13\00:02:40.32
on one staircase,
our legs were cramped
00:02:40.52\00:02:43.72
and air isn't too much in
there as we got to the top
00:02:43.93\00:02:46.76
of the, the neck of the statue
00:02:46.95\00:02:48.31
particularly there
was a spiral staircase
00:02:48.51\00:02:50.32
that went around and
only one person at a time
00:02:50.54\00:02:54.00
was allowed to
go to the staircase
00:02:54.17\00:02:55.37
and many of us were
on our hands, and knees
00:02:55.58\00:02:57.56
because we
didn't want to stand up.
00:02:57.74\00:02:58.75
The air was
stifling; you could hear
00:02:58.95\00:03:00.59
women screaming and so forth.
00:03:00.79\00:03:02.42
But we were just
waiting for that moment
00:03:02.64\00:03:04.20
when we got to the
top, and after two hours
00:03:04.39\00:03:06.50
we stepped out on
the platform to look out
00:03:06.70\00:03:08.63
from the top of
the Statue of Liberty.
00:03:08.83\00:03:10.32
And I'm just
going to be honest here
00:03:10.52\00:03:12.41
all of us were disappointed,
00:03:12.61\00:03:14.34
not because necessarily the view
00:03:14.54\00:03:16.05
but because our expectations
00:03:16.26\00:03:18.29
did not match the actual event,
00:03:18.49\00:03:21.59
and I will
never forget the words
00:03:21.79\00:03:24.33
of the young lady behind me.
00:03:24.55\00:03:26.25
She said, this is it,
this is it, we've waited
00:03:26.44\00:03:29.18
two hours just for
this and out of courtesy
00:03:29.38\00:03:31.86
for the people
that were behind us,
00:03:32.07\00:03:33.43
we took just the few
moments it wasn't even
00:03:33.64\00:03:36.68
30 seconds to look out at
a smoke filled New York City
00:03:36.87\00:03:40.04
through this
stained plexiglass windows,
00:03:40.24\00:03:42.59
and had to work our way down.
00:03:42.78\00:03:45.41
And what took
two hours of waiting,
00:03:45.62\00:03:49.01
it took 15 minutes to descend.
00:03:49.22\00:03:52.15
And I thought about that
00:03:52.35\00:03:54.15
it's kind of
like life sometimes.
00:03:54.35\00:03:56.31
We believe that if we can
just reach a certain point,
00:03:56.51\00:03:59.86
if we can just get
that job or that promotion
00:04:00.06\00:04:02.70
or have this
experience that we will find
00:04:02.90\00:04:05.10
ultimate fulfillments,
so we press, we grovel,
00:04:05.31\00:04:08.04
we put in all our
expenditures in our lifetime
00:04:08.23\00:04:11.30
into getting that
goal or that attainment
00:04:11.50\00:04:13.96
or that
achievement, and many times
00:04:14.16\00:04:15.87
we find out when
we've reached the top
00:04:16.06\00:04:17.53
that there is
absolutely nothing there.
00:04:17.73\00:04:21.43
Jack Higgins who is a
renowned author of the book
00:04:21.61\00:04:26.52
"The Eagle Has
Landed" makes this statement
00:04:26.72\00:04:28.84
when he was asked if you
could tell yourself a child
00:04:29.02\00:04:32.53
something or when
you are growing up
00:04:32.74\00:04:34.26
what do you wish you
knew that you know now.
00:04:34.45\00:04:36.11
And he says, I wish
that someone had told me
00:04:36.30\00:04:38.21
when I was a boy that
when you get to the top
00:04:38.41\00:04:40.41
there is
absolutely nothing there.
00:04:40.60\00:04:43.98
Here is a renowned
author, he has achieved fame
00:04:44.19\00:04:47.29
and honor and
riches and he says,
00:04:47.48\00:04:48.84
I wish someone had told me
00:04:49.03\00:04:50.00
that when you get to the top,
00:04:50.19\00:04:51.47
there is
absolutely nothing there.
00:04:51.67\00:04:53.39
Another author says that
the loneliness moment in life
00:04:53.58\00:04:56.78
is when you have
reached that which you thought
00:04:56.99\00:05:00.12
would deliver the
ultimate, and has let you down.
00:05:00.32\00:05:02.88
The loneliness
moment in life is when
00:05:03.09\00:05:05.41
you've achieved
that which you thought
00:05:05.61\00:05:07.48
would deliver the
ultimate and has let you down.
00:05:07.68\00:05:10.37
Our topic today is entitled
00:05:10.57\00:05:12.86
"What is
worthwhile under the sun".
00:05:13.06\00:05:15.29
And we would like to go
to scripture in our study
00:05:15.50\00:05:18.20
today to study the life
of one particular individual,
00:05:18.40\00:05:21.26
his name is Solomon.
00:05:21.46\00:05:22.43
The beauty of the
Bible friends is that when we
00:05:22.62\00:05:25.68
study the Bible
not only do we have
00:05:25.87\00:05:27.42
endorsement of characteristics
00:05:27.61\00:05:28.95
that we have to possess,
but also characteristics
00:05:29.16\00:05:32.01
that we have to avoid
and we have these lessons
00:05:32.21\00:05:34.70
from the lives of
individuals that have gone down
00:05:34.90\00:05:37.62
before us to give afore warning
00:05:37.83\00:05:40.02
about how we
ought to live our lives.
00:05:40.21\00:05:43.61
I would like to take us
to the book of Ecclesiastes,
00:05:43.81\00:05:47.29
this book it gives
an illustration of how
00:05:47.48\00:05:50.55
we ought to live our lives.
00:05:50.75\00:05:51.97
Ecclesiastes chapter 1
and verse 1, as Solomon
00:05:52.17\00:05:56.43
begins his
discourse and his disposition.
00:05:56.46\00:05:59.88
He says "The
words of the Preacher,
00:06:00.10\00:06:02.20
the son of David,
king in Jerusalem".
00:06:02.40\00:06:06.62
Here Solomon is giving
an account of his life.
00:06:06.81\00:06:10.25
He is giving what from a
philosophical standpoint;
00:06:10.45\00:06:13.59
it's almost an
existential philosophy
00:06:13.77\00:06:15.75
that he is portraying.
He was the son of David.
00:06:15.96\00:06:17.96
He was the wealthiest
man arguably that ever
00:06:18.15\00:06:21.53
lived in history and he
gives his own history of how
00:06:21.73\00:06:26.49
we ought to live our
lives from experience,
00:06:26.68\00:06:28.73
from his own life.
00:06:28.93\00:06:30.76
In Ecclesiastes
chapter 1 verse 2,
00:06:30.95\00:06:32.69
he starts with this
vane of words almost.
00:06:32.88\00:06:35.41
He says, Vanity of
vanities, he says the Preacher;
00:06:35.59\00:06:38.32
Vanity of
vanities, all is vanity.
00:06:38.52\00:06:43.64
Notice this word is
repeated over and over again
00:06:43.86\00:06:46.30
and the word "Vanity"
00:06:46.49\00:06:47.89
simply means vapor or breath.
00:06:48.08\00:06:50.94
Now the Hebrews when
they wanted to emphasize
00:06:51.14\00:06:54.02
something in
particular would repeat it
00:06:54.22\00:06:56.19
repeat it and repeat
it and you will see that
00:06:56.39\00:06:58.57
five times this word
'Vanity' is repeated,
00:06:58.77\00:07:02.71
and it means meaninglessness
or emptiness of life.
00:07:02.91\00:07:06.78
Now how is it that this preacher
00:07:06.98\00:07:08.93
would say in these words?
00:07:09.13\00:07:10.99
I had a friend of mine who
was going through seminary.
00:07:11.20\00:07:14.45
He was studying the book
of Ecclesiastes and he said,
00:07:14.64\00:07:17.80
David I found
something interesting
00:07:17.98\00:07:19.56
about the book of Ecclesiastes.
00:07:19.75\00:07:21.33
It has a myriad of illusions
to the book of Genesis.
00:07:21.53\00:07:25.46
Case in point in
Ecclesiastes chapter 12,
00:07:25.66\00:07:28.41
he refers to the
sun, moon and the stars,
00:07:28.62\00:07:31.63
also makes a reference
to remembering the creator
00:07:31.83\00:07:34.30
but the most
powerful illusion I found
00:07:34.49\00:07:36.80
is this word "Vanity"
Vanity in the Hebrew is Abel,
00:07:37.00\00:07:41.33
and when it's transliterated
in the book of Genesis
00:07:41.52\00:07:44.53
it's the same word
for Abel and I can't help
00:07:44.73\00:07:48.44
but think that when the
Hebrew mind was reading,
00:07:48.64\00:07:51.28
this book Ecclesiastes
and he saw the word "Vanity"
00:07:51.47\00:07:54.88
there was an
illusion to the life of Abel.
00:07:55.07\00:07:58.38
You remember he was
the second son of Adam
00:07:58.57\00:08:01.08
and he lived, he got in skirmish
00:08:01.28\00:08:03.79
with his brother
Kane and he died.
00:08:03.99\00:08:05.70
There was virtually
hardly any reference
00:08:05.90\00:08:07.79
to Abel in the Old Testament.
00:08:08.00\00:08:10.34
His life was like a
breath, it was like a vapor,
00:08:10.54\00:08:13.07
it was there and
suddenly it was gone.
00:08:13.26\00:08:16.91
And friend's
happiness cannot exist without
00:08:17.11\00:08:21.51
Jesus Christ. Life is
short lived and here Solomon is
00:08:21.69\00:08:26.17
illustrating by the
word "Vanity" that without
00:08:26.35\00:08:29.33
Jesus Christ, our
lives are like a breath,
00:08:29.52\00:08:32.02
they are like a vapor.
00:08:32.23\00:08:33.64
I came across this
interesting illustration
00:08:33.85\00:08:37.20
of how short life really is.
00:08:37.41\00:08:39.94
The average life even
if you live beyond this
00:08:40.14\00:08:42.70
lifespan of 78 years
is approximately only
00:08:42.89\00:08:46.43
650,000 hours,
that's not very much
00:08:46.63\00:08:51.99
when you think about it,
and if we live approximately
00:08:52.18\00:08:54.61
70, 80 years this is how
we can break down our lives.
00:08:54.80\00:08:58.07
The average American
who leaves college at 22
00:08:58.24\00:09:01.01
and lives to be 70,
so you can break down
00:09:01.20\00:09:04.79
this 48 years of
existence between the age
00:09:04.98\00:09:07.58
of 22 and 70, 48
years and they can be broken
00:09:07.77\00:09:12.48
down to these
different activities as we see.
00:09:12.67\00:09:15.78
16 years, if you were
to compress it all into one
00:09:15.98\00:09:19.45
will be consumed in work,
00:09:19.64\00:09:21.34
that's not taking
time to sleep, eat,
00:09:21.54\00:09:23.82
16 years compressed of working.
00:09:24.02\00:09:27.10
15 years of sleeping that just
00:09:27.29\00:09:30.46
under the shade
of 8 hours a day.
00:09:30.67\00:09:32.69
After 16 years of
working, 15 years of sleeping,
00:09:32.90\00:09:36.76
the next thing is quite a shock
00:09:36.95\00:09:38.70
it's 8 years of
watching television.
00:09:38.90\00:09:41.71
The average
American would spent 8 years
00:09:41.91\00:09:44.33
compressed watching television,
00:09:44.53\00:09:45.85
2 years commuting
and after your take up
00:09:46.05\00:09:47.75
all of life's
activities it's quite shocking
00:09:47.96\00:09:50.43
when you think about
how much life you have to
00:09:50.64\00:09:53.02
actually spend with the
things that are essential,
00:09:53.25\00:09:55.76
and it's only 4
years, 4 years to spend
00:09:55.96\00:09:58.64
with the family,
family, intimate moments,
00:09:58.82\00:10:00.86
recreation and the
things that you actually want
00:10:01.05\00:10:03.37
to do and most of that
time is spend during those
00:10:03.58\00:10:06.63
"Golden years of retirement".
00:10:06.83\00:10:09.45
So when you think
about life, life is short
00:10:09.65\00:10:12.17
and when you compress
your moments 16 years working,
00:10:12.37\00:10:16.18
15 years sleeping and 8
years watching television
00:10:16.38\00:10:20.14
heaven forbid and after
that 4 years you only have
00:10:20.34\00:10:22.81
a few moments of life to do
00:10:22.99\00:10:24.16
what you actually want to do.
00:10:24.37\00:10:25.63
And Solomon is
pointing out, the brevity, the
00:10:25.83\00:10:28.53
meaninglessness of life
are part from Jesus Christ.
00:10:28.73\00:10:32.75
But how is it that
Solomon can make the statement.
00:10:32.95\00:10:36.80
He was a king, he
was a powerful ruler,
00:10:36.97\00:10:38.72
he was wealthy and we
get a little bit of window
00:10:38.90\00:10:41.25
into the life of
Solomon from this account.
00:10:41.45\00:10:45.19
I like to read to you
from Ecclesiastes chapter 2
00:10:45.39\00:10:48.87
verses 4-10 from the
New King James Version,
00:10:49.07\00:10:52.96
and he said. I
made my works great,
00:10:53.18\00:10:57.09
I built myself houses, I
planted myself vineyards.
00:10:57.29\00:11:01.52
I made myself
gardens and orchards,
00:11:01.70\00:11:03.98
and I planted all
kinds of fruit trees in them.
00:11:04.17\00:11:07.59
I made myself water
pools from which to water
00:11:07.78\00:11:11.66
the growing trees of the grove.
00:11:11.85\00:11:13.74
I acquired male
and female servants,
00:11:13.93\00:11:16.08
and had servants
born in my house.
00:11:16.27\00:11:18.82
Yes, I had greater
possessions of herds and flocks
00:11:19.02\00:11:23.06
than all who were
in Jerusalem before me.
00:11:23.25\00:11:26.09
I also gathered for
myself silver and gold and the
00:11:26.27\00:11:30.07
special treasures of
kings and of the provinces.
00:11:30.25\00:11:33.45
I acquired male
and female singers,
00:11:33.65\00:11:36.25
the delights of the sons of men,
00:11:36.44\00:11:38.61
and musical
instruments of all kinds.
00:11:38.80\00:11:41.31
So I became great
and excelled more than
00:11:41.52\00:11:44.73
all who were
before me in Jerusalem.
00:11:44.92\00:11:47.52
Also my wisdom remained with me.
00:11:47.72\00:11:50.64
Whatever mine eyes desired
I did not keep from them.
00:11:50.84\00:11:54.86
I did not withhold my
heart from any pleasure,
00:11:55.06\00:11:58.10
For all my heart, from my heart
00:11:58.30\00:12:00.51
rejoiced in all my labor;
00:12:00.69\00:12:03.62
And this was
reward from all my labor.
00:12:03.82\00:12:08.07
Solomon essentially gives
us a list of all the things
00:12:08.26\00:12:13.23
that he had. He had
riches, he had honor,
00:12:13.43\00:12:16.10
he had fame and Solomon arguably
00:12:16.29\00:12:19.14
is the richest man in
the history of mankind.
00:12:19.35\00:12:23.11
And I just like for us to
bridge the gap a little bit
00:12:23.31\00:12:26.17
and modernize this
so that we can relate
00:12:26.36\00:12:28.11
to how wealthy
Solomon actually was.
00:12:28.31\00:12:31.07
He was a modern Bill
Gates, I would like to think.
00:12:31.26\00:12:33.41
And the last time I
checked Bill Gates was worth
00:12:33.61\00:12:36.42
approximately
$33.15 billion dollars.
00:12:36.61\00:12:40.50
Now that varies
depending on the stock market
00:12:40.69\00:12:42.33
and it goes up and
down but for the sake
00:12:42.54\00:12:44.09
of our illustration he
is rich, $33.15 billion
00:12:44.27\00:12:47.39
and so if you were
too cash in $33.15 billion
00:12:47.57\00:12:52.67
and take it all back in once,
00:12:52.85\00:12:55.43
this is how astronomically
big this amount would be.
00:12:55.64\00:12:59.19
Let's say that you lay them
00:12:59.39\00:13:01.21
billion $1 bills.
00:13:01.40\00:13:04.67
You would make a round
trip to the moon and back
00:13:04.87\00:13:07.69
6.7 times, that means
round trip that's one you do
00:13:07.87\00:13:12.68
it 6.7 times for
$33.15 billion $1 bills.
00:13:12.86\00:13:17.46
Let's say in the old
days, remember how grandma
00:13:17.65\00:13:20.20
used to keep the
money under the mattress.
00:13:20.38\00:13:22.33
If you were to
keep all of this money
00:13:22.53\00:13:24.32
under the mattress and
let's assume that they sleep
00:13:24.52\00:13:27.49
Bill and his wife Melinda
sleep on king size mattress,
00:13:27.68\00:13:29.95
you would have to go
5.64 miles to get from the top
00:13:30.15\00:13:35.52
of the bed to the floor
every morning and that's
00:13:35.70\00:13:38.28
not counting the thickness
of the mattress itself.
00:13:38.45\00:13:40.34
This was interesting a
sack of $33.15 billion $1 bills
00:13:40.54\00:13:44.62
would weigh the
equivalent of 84 times
00:13:44.80\00:13:47.77
more than a Boeing 747.
00:13:47.97\00:13:51.10
Its astronomical to think
how rich this individual is
00:13:51.30\00:13:54.48
and this was I found one.
00:13:54.69\00:13:56.29
Let say and assume
that you want it to spend
00:13:56.48\00:13:59.19
every dime of Bill's
money and you had set
00:13:59.37\00:14:01.77
a limit of 36 years to do it.
00:14:01.95\00:14:04.07
Assuming that you
work 24 hours a day,
00:14:04.27\00:14:06.16
365 days a year, you
will have to spend it
00:14:06.35\00:14:09.22
at the following
rate, wouldn't it be fun
00:14:09.42\00:14:11.24
to spend all of his money.
00:14:11.43\00:14:12.40
Per second you
would have to spend
00:14:12.44\00:14:14.14
approximately $29
dollars every second,
00:14:14.33\00:14:16.15
so right now we've
just spend $29 dollars,
00:14:16.35\00:14:18.38
thousand,
00:14:18.58\00:14:22.06
per hour a $105,000,
per day $2.52 million.
00:14:22.29\00:14:28.37
It means today
you have to go out
00:14:28.58\00:14:29.55
and spend $2.5 million,
per weeks $17.65 million,
00:14:29.71\00:14:33.62
per months $76 million
and every year you will have
00:14:33.81\00:14:36.15
to spend
approximately $920.73 million.
00:14:36.32\00:14:42.11
That's rich and
the Bible tells us that
00:14:42.30\00:14:46.62
Solomon was the
wisest man that ever lived.
00:14:46.82\00:14:50.12
Not only did he have
intelligence but the Bible
00:14:50.33\00:14:53.60
tells us that he had
political power as well.
00:14:53.79\00:14:56.33
He was a king of one of
the most powerful countries
00:14:56.51\00:14:59.77
in the unknown world at time.
00:14:59.98\00:15:02.44
I've had friends
who have this theory
00:15:02.67\00:15:05.02
that for every
thing that you have,
00:15:05.22\00:15:06.59
you are lacking in other areas.
00:15:06.80\00:15:09.36
And I didn't really believe him
00:15:09.56\00:15:11.43
but as I looked
around in high school,
00:15:11.63\00:15:13.31
I notice that it tended
to be true that the people
00:15:13.51\00:15:15.42
that were intelligent
were lacking in other areas.
00:15:15.60\00:15:19.42
And the guys that were
athletic had other issues.
00:15:19.61\00:15:23.64
I notice that
they were asking me
00:15:23.83\00:15:25.33
for my homework
sometimes, or there were people
00:15:25.53\00:15:27.63
that were really beautiful
or pretty had other issues,
00:15:27.82\00:15:30.03
but every now
and then I would meet
00:15:30.23\00:15:31.83
an individual that had at all.
00:15:32.01\00:15:33.10
They were intelligent,
they were sophisticated,
00:15:33.30\00:15:35.83
they had the
personality, they had the money
00:15:36.03\00:15:37.59
and they were
just what we can say
00:15:37.80\00:15:39.80
was the all American person.
00:15:39.98\00:15:41.83
And so here is Solomon
00:15:42.04\00:15:43.89
he has the
intelligence of Einstein.
00:15:44.10\00:15:46.82
He has the wealth of Bill Gates.
00:15:47.02\00:15:49.46
He has the political
power of George Bush and I'm
00:15:49.66\00:15:52.77
assuming that he was
also good looking as well.
00:15:52.96\00:15:55.08
Remember his parents
were David and Bathsheba,
00:15:55.28\00:15:57.55
and so he had the
personality, the looks,
00:15:57.76\00:16:01.35
the wealth and
everything that from a human
00:16:01.54\00:16:04.76
perspective that
life had to offer.
00:16:04.95\00:16:07.78
And you would think
that after this Solomon
00:16:08.00\00:16:10.75
wouldn't say essentially
that he was the happiest
00:16:10.95\00:16:13.67
person in the
world, but he wasn't.
00:16:13.88\00:16:16.92
I just like to
add one more thing,
00:16:17.13\00:16:18.53
the Bible says that
not only did he have
00:16:18.74\00:16:20.30
all these things but
according to Kings it says
00:16:20.50\00:16:23.23
that he had 700
concubines and 300 wives.
00:16:23.42\00:16:28.08
That's a thousand
women and remember concubines
00:16:28.29\00:16:30.70
is just a second
degree wife back in the Bible
00:16:30.89\00:16:33.41
and so he could
essentially see a different
00:16:33.60\00:16:36.01
woman or wife a day
for approximately 2.8 years
00:16:36.21\00:16:40.04
I don't know what it is
00:16:40.23\00:16:41.20
and not see the same wife twice,
00:16:41.21\00:16:43.13
I can't imagine
that kind of display.
00:16:43.33\00:16:45.92
But anyways after all
this you would imagine
00:16:46.12\00:16:48.23
that Solomon wouldn't
say I'm the happiest person
00:16:48.42\00:16:50.51
in the world, but it's
interesting what the Bible
00:16:50.71\00:16:53.54
says in our next
verse in Ecclesiastes
00:16:53.73\00:16:57.01
Chapter 2 and verse 11.
00:16:57.20\00:16:59.44
After he makes
this statements Solomon
00:16:59.64\00:17:02.20
essentially says this words in
00:17:02.41\00:17:05.19
Ecclesiastes
Chapter 2 and verse 11:
00:17:05.38\00:17:06.94
Then I looked on all
the works that my hands
00:17:07.15\00:17:10.68
had wrought, had
done and all the labor
00:17:10.88\00:17:13.54
in which I had toiled;
00:17:13.74\00:17:15.41
And indeed all was vanity
00:17:15.63\00:17:18.58
and grasping after the wind.
00:17:18.79\00:17:21.26
There was no
profit under the sun.
00:17:21.48\00:17:24.89
Essentially
Solomon is saying this
00:17:25.45\00:17:28.00
then after looking at
all the things that his hand
00:17:28.19\00:17:30.44
has wrought and all the
things that he toiled to do,
00:17:30.63\00:17:32.49
his riches, his
honors, his fame,
00:17:32.68\00:17:33.70
his political
powers, his intelligence
00:17:33.90\00:17:35.04
and everything under the sun.
00:17:35.25\00:17:37.37
He says
everything was in vanity,
00:17:37.57\00:17:40.08
meaningless and vexation.
00:17:40.28\00:17:43.41
Now, what would
cause Solomon to say
00:17:43.63\00:17:45.94
something like that and
it illustrates a simple point
00:17:46.13\00:17:48.83
that we cannot find happiness
00:17:49.02\00:17:51.72
from the things of this world.
00:17:51.93\00:17:54.26
Happiness is
internal; it's not external.
00:17:54.47\00:17:57.80
And if you will notice
from the previous verses
00:17:58.02\00:18:00.49
that we just
read there are certain
00:18:00.69\00:18:02.24
things that keep reoccurring.
00:18:02.44\00:18:04.45
He says I built me great houses;
00:18:04.65\00:18:06.95
I built me
these things, I and me
00:18:07.15\00:18:09.87
are the center of
his quest for happiness.
00:18:10.06\00:18:13.93
Selfishness and
happiness cannot coexist.
00:18:14.13\00:18:18.28
The secret of living
is giving and the secret
00:18:18.48\00:18:21.93
of self
preservation is self sacrifice.
00:18:22.12\00:18:25.88
You know it's interesting
there is a body of water
00:18:26.07\00:18:28.45
out in the Middle
East, that has an inlet,
00:18:28.63\00:18:31.19
but it doesn't have an outlet,
00:18:31.39\00:18:32.97
it's called the Dead Sea.
00:18:33.17\00:18:34.60
And the reason why it's
called the Dead Sea is that
00:18:34.80\00:18:37.55
there is virtually
no life in the Dead Sea.
00:18:37.73\00:18:41.07
It's always receiving
water from the Jordan River,
00:18:41.26\00:18:43.93
but it has no
outlet and it illustrates
00:18:44.13\00:18:46.92
a simple principle of life.
00:18:47.13\00:18:48.85
That if you want to
be alive in every aspect,
00:18:49.06\00:18:52.62
in every
dimension of your being that
00:18:52.82\00:18:55.03
you've got to not
only receive but give.
00:18:55.23\00:18:57.68
Selfishness and
happiness cannot coexist.
00:18:57.90\00:19:01.80
Happiness is not external,
it's internal and I came
00:19:02.00\00:19:06.35
across these
interesting quotes from these
00:19:06.54\00:19:09.08
individuals you will
recognize many of them.
00:19:09.26\00:19:11.68
This people from a
humanistic standpoint
00:19:11.87\00:19:14.69
had achieved fame and fortune,
00:19:14.87\00:19:16.13
and they make some
interesting statements
00:19:16.34\00:19:18.78
about the nature of
their fulfillment in life,
00:19:18.98\00:19:21.92
and here is one. I
thought I had reached a point
00:19:22.11\00:19:24.19
in my life where
everything would be smooth,
00:19:24.39\00:19:26.48
but is not. It just
gets more jagged and pitted
00:19:26.70\00:19:30.57
and filled with
turns that take you
00:19:30.77\00:19:33.11
into the dark
recesses of your mind.
00:19:33.31\00:19:34.80
It never seems to get easy.
00:19:35.01\00:19:37.89
Sylvester Stallone, the
guy who played in a myriad
00:19:38.09\00:19:41.85
of Hollywood movies you
think he would be the happiest
00:19:42.05\00:19:43.80
person in the
world, but he isn't.
00:19:43.99\00:19:45.80
The next one is
given by a gentleman,
00:19:46.00\00:19:49.08
If I were given a
change of life, I'd like to see
00:19:49.26\00:19:52.14
how it would be to
live as a mere six-footer,
00:19:52.34\00:19:55.39
you know who said
that? Wilt Chamberlain,
00:19:55.59\00:19:58.16
seven feet tall center he said,
00:19:58.35\00:19:59.70
if I were given
a change of life,
00:19:59.89\00:20:00.88
I just like to be
a mere six-footer.
00:20:01.07\00:20:03.50
This is interesting
I don't like my voice,
00:20:03.70\00:20:06.11
I don't like the way I look,
00:20:06.32\00:20:07.94
I don't like the way I move,
00:20:08.14\00:20:09.54
I don't like the
way I act, I mean period
00:20:09.75\00:20:12.45
so you know I don't like
myself, Elizabeth Taylor.
00:20:12.65\00:20:18.23
I can count the number of dates
00:20:18.43\00:20:20.48
I've had on one
hand. I wish that guys
00:20:20.68\00:20:22.14
would ask me
out, but they don't,
00:20:22.34\00:20:23.36
La Toya Jackson,
Michael Jackson's sister.
00:20:23.57\00:20:27.45
And this is astounding
in tennis Wimbledon is
00:20:27.67\00:20:30.61
considered the
greatest tournament of the ages,
00:20:30.78\00:20:33.36
greater than the US Open,
00:20:33.55\00:20:35.20
greater than
Australian Open and Boris Becker
00:20:35.39\00:20:37.02
number years ago
after winning Wimbledon,
00:20:37.22\00:20:39.45
was asked this
essential question
00:20:39.65\00:20:41.57
what is it that you
struggle within life?
00:20:41.76\00:20:43.77
And he says I
struggle with suicide,
00:20:43.96\00:20:46.66
he shock the world
with that statement,
00:20:46.88\00:20:49.30
and so here are
individuals that have achieved
00:20:49.49\00:20:51.82
everything that life has
to offer they've achieved
00:20:52.02\00:20:54.39
the fame the fortune and
every ability under the sun
00:20:54.59\00:20:58.06
and they come to the
end of this statements
00:20:58.26\00:21:01.10
and virtually say
that life is meaningless
00:21:01.28\00:21:03.79
or something is
essentially missing in life.
00:21:03.99\00:21:06.96
G.K. Chesterton
makes this statement
00:21:07.16\00:21:09.36
that
meaninglessness does not come
00:21:09.56\00:21:12.03
from being weary of pain.
00:21:12.23\00:21:13.36
Meaninglessness comes
from being weary of pleasure.
00:21:13.57\00:21:18.86
You know it's
interesting when you come
00:21:19.05\00:21:21.52
to the final
moments of your life
00:21:21.70\00:21:23.51
how these individuals
make their last statements.
00:21:23.70\00:21:27.49
There is his book out called
00:21:27.69\00:21:28.73
"The Last Words of
Sinners and Saints".
00:21:28.94\00:21:32.23
And essentially it
goes something like this
00:21:32.43\00:21:35.06
Davis Livingston
makes his statement
00:21:35.26\00:21:38.02
and he says these words:
00:21:38.22\00:21:39.86
Build me a hut to die
in, and I am going home,
00:21:40.08\00:21:43.54
what a way to die. John
Wesley says, best of all,
00:21:43.73\00:21:46.64
God is with us farewell.
00:21:46.83\00:21:49.60
F.U. Mark said read me
something from the Bible,
00:21:49.81\00:21:53.07
something brave and triumphant.
00:21:53.27\00:21:56.04
D. L. Moody said,
I see earth receding;
00:21:56.93\00:21:59.55
heaven is
opening, God is calling me.
00:21:59.76\00:22:02.16
And so, you these
guys that were Christians
00:22:02.36\00:22:05.00
they lived their
prayer times in accordance
00:22:05.21\00:22:06.88
with Judea Christian values,
00:22:07.09\00:22:08.79
they come the end
of life and they say
00:22:09.01\00:22:10.33
I see Heaven open
and God is calling me,
00:22:10.54\00:22:13.40
death is not
something to be scared out.
00:22:13.60\00:22:15.59
Now it's interesting
when you read on the flip side
00:22:15.80\00:22:18.07
people that don't believe
in God, these are atheist
00:22:18.27\00:22:20.37
and this is what they
said this was interesting
00:22:20.56\00:22:22.77
from Ramon Narvaez he
says: I have no enemies,
00:22:22.96\00:22:26.28
I have shot them
all, what a way to die.
00:22:26.48\00:22:28.78
Here is another one:
You must not let me die,
00:22:28.98\00:22:30.94
I dare not die, oh, doctor,
00:22:31.13\00:22:33.03
save me if you can antithesis.
00:22:33.23\00:22:36.30
Here is one from
Voltaire, the renowned atheist,
00:22:36.52\00:22:38.93
he says: I am
abandoned by God and man.
00:22:39.15\00:22:41.97
I will give you
half of what I am worth
00:22:42.19\00:22:44.50
if you will give
me six months of life.
00:22:44.70\00:22:46.58
Then I shall go to
hell; and you will go with me.
00:22:46.81\00:22:50.30
O Christ! O Jesus Christ!
00:22:50.51\00:22:53.66
The nurse who
attended Voltaire said,
00:22:53.87\00:22:56.13
"For all the wealth in Europe
00:22:56.32\00:22:57.29
I would not see
another infidel die.
00:22:57.47\00:23:01.64
Here is another one
Thomas Paine he says:
00:23:01.86\00:23:04.20
I would give the
worlds, if I had them.
00:23:04.39\00:23:06.11
'The Age of Reason'
had never been published.
00:23:06.30\00:23:09.39
O Lord, help me!
O Christ, help me!
00:23:09.59\00:23:12.61
If there had ever
been a devil had an agent,
00:23:12.83\00:23:15.88
if ever the Devil had an agent,
00:23:16.08\00:23:17.40
I would had been
that one. And he says
00:23:17.60\00:23:19.78
hell, hell, hell, in the
final moments of his life.
00:23:19.98\00:23:26.39
Another atheist by the
name of Friedrich Nietzsche
00:23:27.29\00:23:30.72
who in many ways
epitomized a life apart from
00:23:30.92\00:23:35.23
Jesus Christ made this
statements and he says:
00:23:35.41\00:23:39.49
The main
obstruction is the Christian,
00:23:39.68\00:23:41.92
the religious man the
warm theologian for religion
00:23:42.13\00:23:45.68
is the forest engendered
00:23:45.87\00:23:47.03
by the fear of the world beyond.
00:23:47.24\00:23:49.85
He says push the
Christian aside bury him,
00:23:50.06\00:23:52.84
tell him of his
illusion and ignorance,
00:23:53.04\00:23:55.09
tell them he doesn't
belong in this new world
00:23:55.28\00:23:57.23
and when you see his
arms and legs twitching as he
00:23:57.43\00:24:00.44
falls and dies give him
the greatest news of all,
00:24:00.47\00:24:05.06
proclaim to him that
there is no Heaven to be gained,
00:24:05.28\00:24:07.56
no hell to be feared
and as he breathes his last
00:24:07.76\00:24:10.38
he will reach out
his hands to classed you
00:24:10.58\00:24:12.17
in ground to
altitude, go and bury him
00:24:12.38\00:24:14.34
so that you see
his face no more once
00:24:14.56\00:24:16.85
and for all
removing this burden of God
00:24:17.07\00:24:20.24
that the misguided
saints have set upon us.
00:24:20.45\00:24:24.43
Essentially
Fredrick Neitzsche believed
00:24:24.65\00:24:26.30
that with the demolition of God
00:24:26.50\00:24:28.45
he can live
essentially a guilt free life.
00:24:28.64\00:24:32.80
Its interesting the way
Fredrick Neitzsche life ended
00:24:33.01\00:24:36.23
he collapse in Basel,
Switzerland and was taken
00:24:36.43\00:24:39.79
off to an asylum
and died in, in for me.
00:24:40.00\00:24:43.44
You know the secret of
living is giving the secret
00:24:43.64\00:24:46.90
of self preservation is
self sacrifice and the secret
00:24:47.10\00:24:49.84
my friend of happiness
is living with Jesus Christ.
00:24:50.05\00:24:53.86
I like to turn to our
first, our last text here today
00:24:55.04\00:24:58.41
Ecclesiastes 12 and
verse 13 as Solomon concludes
00:24:58.63\00:25:04.76
his discourse he says:
00:25:04.97\00:25:07.75
Let us hear the
conclusion of the whole matter:
00:25:07.95\00:25:10.71
Fear God and
keep His commandments,
00:25:10.91\00:25:14.57
for this is man's all.
Essentially the wisest man
00:25:14.78\00:25:20.19
that ever lived
comes to the end of this
00:25:20.41\00:25:22.78
book of Ecclesiastes
after talking about all his
00:25:22.98\00:25:25.33
wealth, fame, honor,
intelligence, good looks
00:25:25.52\00:25:28.17
and all the things
that life has to offer.
00:25:28.36\00:25:30.06
He says fear God and
keep his commandments
00:25:30.25\00:25:33.25
for this is the
whole duty of man.
00:25:33.45\00:25:37.11
Happiness cannot
exist from Jesus Christ
00:25:37.30\00:25:40.72
and as Pascal said:
There is a God shaped
00:25:40.93\00:25:44.32
hole in every heart
that only he can fill.
00:25:44.51\00:25:48.58
Jesus is the secret of
happiness. External things
00:25:48.78\00:25:53.00
cannot bring true
fulfillment in life.
00:25:53.20\00:25:56.73
From one of my favorite books
00:25:56.94\00:25:58.72
Steps to Christ
makes this statement.
00:25:58.93\00:26:01.43
It's a mistake to
entertain the thought of God
00:26:01.64\00:26:04.22
being pleased to
see His children suffer.
00:26:04.41\00:26:07.11
All heaven is interested
in the happiness of man.
00:26:07.31\00:26:11.41
Our heavenly Father
does not close the avenues
00:26:11.62\00:26:15.01
of joy to any of His creatures.
00:26:15.22\00:26:17.17
The divine requirements
call upon us to shun those
00:26:17.40\00:26:20.75
indulgences which
would bring suffering
00:26:20.96\00:26:23.40
and disappointment,
that would close to us
00:26:23.61\00:26:26.91
the happiness of heaven.
00:26:27.11\00:26:28.80
The world's redeemer
accepts men as they are,
00:26:29.01\00:26:31.87
with all their wants,
00:26:32.08\00:26:33.07
imperfections, and weaknesses.
00:26:33.27\00:26:35.97
He does not
only cleanse from sin
00:26:36.17\00:26:38.33
and grant
redemption through His blood,
00:26:38.55\00:26:40.20
but will satisfy the
heart longing of all who consent
00:26:40.42\00:26:44.81
to wear His yoke,
to bear His burden.
00:26:45.02\00:26:47.32
It is His purpose to
impart peace and rest to all
00:26:47.52\00:26:51.29
who come to Him
for the bread of life.
00:26:51.48\00:26:54.09
Who requires us to
perform only those duties
00:26:54.30\00:26:57.11
that will lead our
steps to the height of bliss
00:26:57.31\00:26:59.76
to which the
disobedient can never attain?
00:26:59.96\00:27:03.07
The true, joyous
life of the souls
00:27:03.28\00:27:05.72
is to have Christ formed
within the hope of glory.
00:27:05.94\00:27:11.88
Jesus is
essentially saying to us
00:27:12.10\00:27:14.85
through the words of
Solomon come unto me,
00:27:15.06\00:27:17.74
all you that
labour and are heavy-laden
00:27:17.94\00:27:21.20
and I will give you
rest. Solomon by his discourse,
00:27:21.41\00:27:26.91
by his disposition is
urging us when we live
00:27:27.16\00:27:30.10
this life as were
steaming to climb these ladders
00:27:30.31\00:27:33.08
to make Christ the
center of your life.
00:27:33.29\00:27:36.67
It is my prayer for you
that you make Jesus first,
00:27:36.89\00:27:40.41
last and best in your
life for that is only way that
00:27:40.62\00:27:44.94
we can truly find happiness
and joy and fulfillment.
00:27:45.22\00:27:49.80
May God bless you
and keep you to that end?
00:27:50.02\00:27:52.63