First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ August 30, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Ecclesiastes 6:1-9; Mark 8:35-37
 
You may know that under King Solomon, the Kingdom of Israel was in its golden age.  Solomon reigned 40 years during which Israel enjoyed peace, prosperity, and gained the respect of the neighboring nations.  But even during these times of peace and prosperity, Solomon wanted the people of Israel to understand that success and prosperity don’t last long.  All human accomplishments will one day disappear, and we must keep this in mind in order to live wisely.  If we don’t, we will become either proud and self-sufficient when we succeed or sorely disappointed when we fail.  Solomon’s goal was to show that earthly possessions and accomplishments are ultimately meaningless.  Only the pursuit of God brings real satisfaction.  Therefore, we should honor God in all we say, think, and do. 
 
In Ecclesiasts chapter 6, Solomon is trying to help us think through the folly of seeking to enjoy life apart from God.  In Ecclesiastes chapter 6, Solomon asks an important question: what would you do when the world is not enough?  German Philosopher Immanuel Kant, said, “Give a man everything he wants, and at that moment, everything will not be everything.” 
 
An airline pilot was flying over the Smoky Mountains and pointed out a lake to his co-pilot. “See that little lake?  When I was a kid, I used to sit in a rowboat down there, fishing.  Every time a plane would fly overhead, I’d look up and wish I was flying it.  Now I look down and wish I was in a rowboat, fishing.”  When the world is not enough.
 
Satisfaction that is based on the things of this world is an elusive pursuit.  We go after what we think will make us happy, only to find it doesn’t. Often times, we were happier before we started the quest.  How can the world not be enough?  How is it possible for a person to have all that he/she desires and still not find satisfaction?  We see this lack of satisfaction in our astronomical rate of consumer debt.  We’re not satisfied with what we have so we go into debt to live just a bit better than we can afford.  Then, we suffer anxiety with the pressure of being able to pay all our bills.  Dissatisfaction is a mark of our culture.
 
Ecclesiastes 6 is just what the doctor ordered.  Solomon had the “world,” but as he has throughout Ecclesiastes, he is lamenting that the world is not enough.  He is still not satisfied. In Ecclesiastes chapter 6, Solomon shows the emptiness of several of the categories of life that we’re told bring satisfaction.  They didn’t for Solomon and won’t for us.  Here is a list of things left Solomon deeply dissatisfied:
 
First: Wealth, Possessions, and Honor vv.1-2
Listen to what the Preacher says in Ecclesiastes 6:1-2, “There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy upon humankind:  those to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that they lack nothing of all that they desire, yet God does not enable them to enjoy these things, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous ill.”  Neither wealth, possessions, nor social statues can bring us satisfaction. 
Our world is obsessed with money and status.  What kind of car we drive, where we live, the clothes we buy, job title, etc.  It’s an endless list, but it doesn’t satisfy.  We may have everything but satisfaction.  The irony is, as verse 2 indicates, “but a stranger enjoys them.”  The stranger is never identified.  It could be an adversary; it could be sickness; it could be domestic conflicts that drain the zest out of life.  For some, the “stranger” is death.  Solomon says it’s “a grievous ill.”  Wealth, possessions, and social status never bring lasting joy.  They’re here today, gone tomorrow. 
 
Second: Family vv. 3
Solomon says in verse 3, “A man may beget a hundred children.”  In Bible days, having lots of children was a sign of God’s blessing.  It was an agrarian culture. More children helped you be a successful farmer.  It was an economic asset to have a big family.  Also, in a culture where you often had to defend yourself, having your own in-home army, gave you an advantage. But the Preacher says, having a big family, having a hundred children, doesn’t guarantee satisfaction because satisfaction is found by first enjoying God, then His blessings.
 
Third: Longevity vv. 3 & 6
Twice in verses 3 and 6, Solomon says, “A man may beget a hundred children, and live many years … Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good—do not all go to one place?”  Solomon’s point is that if your life is marked by pain, hardship, calamity and tragedy, what good is it if you live even 2,000 years?  It’s just 2,000 more years of sorrow and those who live such lives want to live shorter ones, not longer.  Longevity isn’t everything.  In fact, long life is not an end in and of itself.  It’s the quality not the quantity of our days that count.
 
Fourth: Work and Careers vv.7-9
In verse 7-9, the Preacher gives us one last thing that doesn’t satisfy the longing of human’s heart, namely our careers or professions.  Finding satisfaction in our careers is often an elusive dream.  Solomon warns us that work can’t bring ultimate fulfillment, but many still don’t believe him.  So people keep switching jobs and fields, thinking satisfaction is out there somewhere but to no avail.
 
Personally, I find genuine joy in my job.  I hope you do too.  Work is a gracious gift from God. Work makes life compelling.  It teaches us about ourselves and gives us the pleasure of fruitfulness. But if you approach your job as the reason for living, you’ll end up down one more dead end.  “All human toil is for the mouth, yet the appetite is not satisfied,” the Preacher says in Ecclesiastes 6:7
 
So, what does the Preacher is saying to us today?  Simple.  Have the world; own the world, but without God, you will still be discontent. It’s only when God is at the center of our life that we experience real joy in the gifts that God gives. The fear of the Lord is not just the beginning of knowledge; it’s also the source of satisfaction.  “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” says Jesus in Mark 8:37.
 
Friends, I think the ability to enjoy life comes from within.  It’s a God-thing. It’s a matter of character not circumstances.  Having money, family, a job, and living a good long life are all blessings, but we must first find our satisfaction in God and then enjoy what God has given us while we can.  Satisfaction is found by enjoying God and then His blessings.  If we reverse that, we’re in trouble. God first and everything else comes after that.  This order is important because it puts everything into perspective.  In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen!

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ August 23, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Ecclesiastes 5:1-7; 1 Peter 5:5-7
 
There's a story about a man who, leaving church one Sunday, complained about the music.  “I didn't like the hymns you chose today,” he said.  The Pastor simply replied, “That's OK; we weren't singing them for you.”  The Pastor may have been too blunt, but he made a good point.  In our consumer-oriented world, we sometimes think church services are just for us; but we aren’t spectators attending a show—we’re participants in the greatest and most uplifting enterprise in the universe – worshiping God.
 
Though we are blessed in doing it, our worship is not for ourselves, but for God.  We are praising God for His power, His glory, His majesty, His wisdom, His holiness, His goodness and His grace.  The late William Temple (1881-1944), archbishop of Canterbury, put it well in his often quoted definition of worship: “To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, and to devote the will to the purpose of God.”
 
Worship has always been so central and so vital to the people of God.  I am glad that the Preacher dealt with the topic of worship in Ecclesiastes 5.  As I mentioned last week, in Ecclesiastes 5, the Preacher takes our eyes off the vanities of this life to what is enduring and lasting, to worship.  It’s a shift from the temporary to the eternal; from what is meaningless to what is purposeful.  No vanity in worship. 
 
So in chapter 5, the Preacher gives us some valuable advice as when we come to worship.  How can we make the most out of our worship experience?  How can we allow God to transform our lives as we encounter Him in worship?  God wants us to be refreshed, renewed, and energized when we come to worship Him.  In Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, the Preacher offers four important ways to enhance the quality of our worship; four ways to make the most out of our worship.  Last Sunday, we covered a couple thoughts and this morning, I will underscore two more ideas.
 
First: Get Ready to Meet God
We should never forget that the destination of worship is to meet God.  When you come to worship, be ready to meet God.  “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God,” the Preacher says in Ecclesiastes 5:1.  This means we approach God with care; we are on holy ground.  We are in the presence of the Most High.  We come hungry.  We come willing.  We come expecting God to speak to us.
 
Second: Listen to God
The Preacher offers a second advice.  It has to do with listening to God.  In Ecclesiastes 5:1 he says, “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than the sacrifice offered by fools.”  Often times, the Prophets warned the people of Israel for not listening.  “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.”  God wants us to listen to Him.  When we come to worship, be ready to hear God’s voice; more importantly, be ready to follow where God leads.
 
Third: Humble Yourself Before God
The Preacher says, when you come to worship, remember to approach God with humility.  Ecclesiastes 5:2 says, “God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.”  The Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 5:5-6, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”  To see God reigning in power, wisdom, and love produces only one response: humility and worship.  We bow before Him. We fall before Him.
 
“God is in heaven and you are on earth,” says the Preacher.  In actuality, this is a statement of perspective, not distance.  One of the great benefits of gaining a proper perspective of God is that we not only gain a view of the throne of God, we gain a view from the throne of God. Once we have entered into God’s presence, we look down on our world from His perspective. We find that what we thought was a mountain was a molehill.  What seemed great and mighty in the world’s eyes turns out to be small and insignificant in God’s eyes.  On the other hand, when we thought we were weak, we became strong because we were in the presence of God. Or, what we thought was foolish actually became wise from God’s vantage point.
 
Fourth: Fulfill Your Vows
A vow is a serious promise, a covenant made to God or to others.  It was a common way of making a commitment in ancient times as it is in our own culture today.  We make promises and we are expected to keep them.  In Ecclesiastes 5:4, the Preacher says, “When you make a vow to God, do not delay fulfilling it; for he has no pleasure in fools.  Fulfill what you vow.”  In the Middle Eastern culture, a person will die before bringing shame on himself or herself with a broken vow.
God is big on fulfilling vows.  God’s nature is righteousness and truth.  God always honors His Word.  God never breaks a promise.  Here these great words from the book of Numbers 23:19 “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind.  Does he speak and then not act?  Does he promise and not fulfill?”  And because God is faithful toward His promises, He expects the same of His people. 
When we accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, we made vows to the Almighty God.  We made a vow to seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness.  We made vows to gather together with the Body of Christ for worship, Bible study, prayer, and fellowship.  We made vows to support the mission and ministry of our local congregations through the using of our time, talents and financial giving. We made vows to be Christ’s ambassadors in the world carrying His light and love to the world.  We made a vow to take our faith seriously.  Have we kept these vows?
 
Friends, worship should be one of the most uplifting experiences.  It should be the highlight of our week.  In Ecclesiastes 5, the Preacher says, in worship we meet the Almighty God, we get to listen to His voice directly speaking to us, in humbling ourselves before God, we are lifted up gaining a new perspective from the throne of God, and eventually, we learn how to fulfill our vows, our commitments to God.  That’s way I value our time together.  Worship is a marvelous adventure into the presence of the God of the universe.  It is a wonder-filled ride into a new dimension of life. I hope and pray that we will never take this opportunity for granted, but every time we come, we come with anticipation to be transformed to the likeness of Christ.  Amen.

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ August 16, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Ecclesiastes 5:1-7; Hebrews 4:14-16
 
Today we travel on through our series in the book of Ecclesiastes, and we get to chapter 5.  I believe, as someone said to me after worship last Sunday, this series is timely for God’s people because it takes our eyes off the vanities of this life to what is enduring and lasting.  Ecclesiastes may seem to drive us to despair, but in reality, it gives birth to an unfailing hope.  It’s the hope of God’s presence, sovereignty, and faithfulness.  Ecclesiastes tears down, but it also builds up.  It helps us to figure out what we should keep and what we should throw away.  Ecclesiastes speaks about the true meaning and purpose of life and where to find it.
 
Ecclesiastes chapter 5 begins a transition from the vanity of life in the world to the everlasting value of worshipping our Almighty God.  As you may have noticed, God is mentioned 6 times in 7 verses.  It’s a shift from the temporary to the eternal; from what is meaningless to what is purposeful.  Ecclesiastes chapter 5 invites us to think about the value and importance of worship.    No vanity in worship.  In chapter 5, the Preacher gives us some valuable advice as when we come to worship.  How can we make the most out of our worship experience?  How can we allow God to transform our lives as we encounter Him in worship?   
 
Wisdom for Worship
While you and I are still living through the difficulties of a broken world, God wants us to be refreshed, renewed, and energized when we come to worship Him.  In His providence, God has set aside the Lord’s Day as a time to present ourselves to Him in corporate worship.  
 
But a true and authentic worship experience requires preparation; serious and real preparation.  When proper preparation is overlooked, great blessings are missed.  God never intended for us to show up for the worship service then we exit the same way we enter – unmoved, unchanged, unaltered – and, we’re happy to return next time.
 
The problem is most of us will be content just to be there; content with a “nice” service.  A few, however, seek more.  And those few leave wide-eyed with wonder of having experienced worship rather than merely endured worship.  King Solomon, writing three thousand years ago, gives us some helpful instructions in order to encounter the Almighty God when we come into His house.  In Ecclesiastes 5:1-7, the Preacher offers four important ways to enhance the quality of our worship, but for the sake of our time, I will cover two today and two next Sunday.
 
First: Get Ready to Meet God
The destination of worship is to meet God.  When you come to worship, be ready to meet God.  The Preacher wrote in Ecclesiastes 5:1, “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.”  The phrase “guard your steps” means to proceed with reverence, to walk prudently, to tip toeing into the presence of God.  We come to the presence of God with dignity and respect.  We approach God with the same care as Moses when he encountered God in a burning bush and took off his shoes.  He was on holy ground, and he knew it.
 
Someone once said, we “do church” as many “do lunch,” casually and unprepared.  Our hearts and minds are not ready to encounter the Most High.  We don’t anticipate God’s presence or voice.  Consequently, we’re unable to experience the presence of God that will stir our souls, change our lives, and satisfy our hunger for meaning.
 
Let me encourage you to come to worship prepared to encounter God.  Pray before you come so you will be ready to pray when you get here.  Read the Word during the week so your heart will be soft when you worship with the body of Christ.  Come hungry.  Come willing.  Come expecting God to speak.  Come anticipating a memorable experience with the Creator of the universe.
 
Second: Listen to God
The Preacher offers further instructions for experiencing God in worship.  In Ecclesiastes 5:1 he says, “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than the sacrifice offered by fools.”  The second advice is to listen to God.  The Bible has so much to say about listening.  In 1 Samuel 15:22, Samuel said these words to King Saul, “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord?  To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”
 
Often times, the Prophets criticized the people of Israel for “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.”  God wants us to listen to Him.  The Prophet Isaiah wrote these great words to the nation of Israel; a nation that turned its back on God and whose heart grew dull.  In Isaiah 48:17-18, God says, “This is what the Lord says — your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.  If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea.”
 
Sometimes we drag ourselves to the Lord’s house, we are physically present, but our minds are somewhere else.  Yes, my friends, sometimes instead of listening to what the Spirit says to us, we proof the bulletin for typos or we make the grocery list, or our to-do list for next week. And before you know it, the service is over and we got very little out of it or nothing at all because our minds were elsewhere. The Prophet Hosea says, “They sow the wind and we reap the whirlwind” Hosea 8:7.  We were not good listeners for sure.
 
Friends, I encourage you today to examine the quality of your worship.  When you show up for worship, do you get ready to meet God?  Do you get excited to encounter the Most High?  Are you listening to what the Spirit is saying?  Solomon concluded this passage by two important words: “Fear God.”  I like how the Message translation puts Ecclesiastes 5:7, “But against all illusion and fantasy and empty talk.  There’s always this rock foundation: Fear God!” 
 
The Hebrew verb “יְרָֽא” “Ya-ra”, to fear God, does not mean dread or terror; it means holy awe and respect.  It’s that deep sense of living in God’s presence and beholding His awesomeness.  In other words, we are to take God seriously.  Our temptation is to take God too lightly.  It’s true that the author of Hebrews 4:16 encourages us to approach the throne of grace with boldness, but we should never forget that God is the Almighty who has no equal.  We’re to approach Him with respect and reverence.  To Him alone be the glory now and forever more.  Amen!

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ August 9, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12; 1 Peter 4:7-11
 
The Book of Ecclesiastes explores life under the sun, life without God.  In fact, it exposes the ultimate bankruptcy of trying to find meaning, purpose, happiness, security, and satisfaction apart from God.  As I pointed out before, Ecclesiastes may seem depressing and it shouldn’t be looked at this way.  It is intended to drive us to despair, and at the same time fills us with a different kind of hope.  It is intended to cause us to cry out, “Is this it?  Is this really all that there is?”  The whole book is intended to help us find freedom by realizing that life without God is meaningless, vanity.  That if you and I ever, ever hope to find true, long-lasting happiness, real meaning, it is going to have to come from above the sun.  Outside my experience.  Beyond the facilities of this world.
 
This morning we get to chapter 4 and we will be examining Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.  So what does the Qoheleth, what does the Preacher want us to see in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12?  The Preacher says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help.  Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?  And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one.  A threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
 
The Preacher is saying we were not made to be alone.  We don’t thrive when we are alone.  We are not as safe when we are alone.  We are not as comfortable when we are alone.  We are not as happy when we are alone.  It’s a simple yet a profound message.
 
A Call to Community
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 is a call to community.  This passage of Ecclesiastes highlights the importance of companionship where isolation reigns.  In Romans 12:15, the Bible exhorts us to share our happiness and our hurt with each other, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn,” says Romans 12:15.  God gave us a desire to be with other people.  Life is too complicated for anyone to figure out alone.  Christians are to pray together, study God’s Word together, and meet together more regularly as time goes on (Acts 4:31-33; 2 Timothy 4:1-5; Hebrews 10:23-25).
 
I am sure we have experienced in one way or another during this pandemic the importance of community.  We long for the day when all of us can freely embrace each other, lift up our voices in praise, fellowship together without being worried to get or to pass COVID.  We long for that day because this is so central to our live together as God’s children.  It makes the gospel a lived reality. 
 
Two Are Better Than One
“Two are better than one,” says the Preacher.  This is the principle that lies behind Christian fellowship.  This is the way God created us – to fellowship together.  In three examples, the Preacher illustrates the blessings of fellowship.  The three examples are taken from the risks of traveling by foot in ancient Palestine and they speak in a great way to our journey, the journey of life. The Preacher highlights 3 benefits in verses 10-12: assistance, comfort, and defense. 
First: Assistance
The first example is that of a traveler who falls into a pit or ditch.  “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.  For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help,” says the Preacher in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10.  For a traveler on his or her own, a fall might prove fatal, especially at night.  If a leg is broken, if ribs are cracked, if a skull is split open, the single traveler may never receive needed medical attention.  The traveler with a companion, however, has someone to pull him or her out of the ditch or pit, someone to splint the broken bones, someone to bring that traveler to safety.
 
Christians do not travel through life alone.  They have each other.  When a believer falls into the pit of sin, their brother or sister in Christ can help to pull them out.  When a believer is having problems and trials, they can lean on their brothers and sisters.  “Two are better than one.”
 
Second: Comfort
The second example might sound strange to us.  It’s of a traveler facing the cold nights of Palestine.  The Preacher is not talking about a married couple.  The Preacher says in 4:11, “Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?”  Hotels and motels were not common in those days except in the major cities and big towns.  When people traveled on foot, it was not always possible to get to the next town and the safety and warmth of an inn.  In such a situation, it was very common for a traveler to sleep under the stars or in a cave.  Palestine nights, even during the summer months, can be very cool.  Most travelers found it necessary to sleep in groups, typically one for men, one for women, and another group for children.  This way they stayed warm and comfortable.  One of the joys of Christian fellowship is the warmth and love we find in each other.  We can always find comfort in community. 
 
Third: Defense
A third illustration is taken from the burglar or wayside bandit.  “And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one.  A threefold cord is not quickly broken,” states the preacher in Ecclesiastes 4:12.  Christian believers strengthen and sustain each other.  They look to each other for support and encouragement.  They uphold and defend each other.
 
“Two are better than one,” says the Preacher. Yet, he also says, “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”  The rope-makers of the ancient world certainly knew this: a rope made of a single or double strand of cord could be broken so easily; a rope, however, made of three strands was not so easily broken.  The Preacher reminds us here that Christian fellowship always involves three parties: you, me, and God.  This is a reminder that true Christian fellowship always has Christ at its center.  True Christian fellowship is found only where Jesus is believed in as Savior, served as Lord, and praised as God.
 
Friends, no person is an island.  No Christian is a Christian by him or herself.  We need each other.  We have a duty to help each other in Christian growth and maturity.  We must assist and encourage each other.  We are all responsible for each other.  “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ,” says the Apostle Paul in Galatians 6:2. “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.  Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling,” says the Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 4:8-9.  Friends, it’s been a tough time for lots of people.  Let’s put the concept of Christian fellowship into practice.  We are better together.  We help and get helped; we bring comfort and get comforted; we protect others and get protected by them.  Make a phone call, or a text message, or shoot an e-mail to someone this week and check on them.  Amen. 

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ August 2, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Ecclesiastes 3:11; Colossians 3:1-4
 
Today we continue working our way through the book of Ecclesiastes.  Over the last few weeks, I’ve received several encouraging e-mails, text messages, phone calls, as well as in person comments from church members and those who follow the live streaming, each saying that Ecclesiastes is helping them to live well amidst the storm of this pandemic.  I am grateful to God for that.  As I have said before, Ecclesiastes has so much to say to the 21st century American Christians.  Written almost three thousand years ago, Ecclesiastes is relevant today as it was back then.
 
We are in chapter three and last Sunday we had the chance to look at Ecclesiastes 3:1-8., one of the best-known passages in the entire book.  “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven,” says the Preacher in chapter 3:1.  Ecclesiastes 3 challenges us to consider two important things: (1) to recognize the different seasons of life and to make the most out of every season; (2) to simply acknowledge our limitations.  We said that we, humans, don’t control the seasons of life; God does.
 
I don’t want to wrap up our reflections on Ecclesiastes 3 without getting the chance to look at verse 11.  It’s an important verse.  It says, “God has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”  God has set eternity in the human heart.  What a profound statement!  We are made for eternity.  This morning I would like to unfold this statement, then I will offer one suggestion that I think will help us keep eternity at the center of our lives.
 
First: What is at Stake?
What does the Preacher mean when he says that God “set eternity in the human heart”?  It simply means that every human soul has a God-given awareness that there’s “something more” than this world.  In His love, God gives a particular blessing to each person and that blessing is an awareness of eternity.
 
In other words, there is within every one of us a God-shaped vacuum that only God can fill. People try to fill that space with so much stuff.  Sometimes we try to fill it with good things like relationships, work, art, music, and so many other things.  Sometimes we try to fill it with bad things like drugs or alcohol or other things that do us harm.  The truth of the matter is that you will never going to fill that vacuum with something else, because it is a God-shaped vacuum and only God can fill that empty space within you.
 
Augustine of Hippo (354 – 430 AD), a remarkable 4th century North African theologian once said, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.” (Augustine, Confessions, Book 1, Chapter 1).  He also said, “You have put salt in our mouths, O Lord, that we may thirst for you.”
 
This is the paradox of our humanity.  We are creatures of time, we have a beginning and we have an end; we get born and one day we die.  The paradox here is that death is not the end because God set eternity in our hearts.  Yes, we are prone to wander off God’s way, but no matter how messy we get, God keeps calling to come back to Him and we keep wrestling with this calling until we surrender and make a room for Him in our lives.
 
God has set eternity in the human heart.  Are you looking for something you just can’t find?  If you’re not looking for it in God, then you are looking in all the wrong places.  Only God can satisfy.  This world in its present form is passing away.  It’s temporary.  It’s transitory.  We know there must be more to this life.  Why?  Because God has put a longing for heaven within every human heart.
 
God has set eternity in the human heart, yet, we are told, “no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”  In other words, in our fallen state, we sense there ought to be something more than this world but can’t discern what it is.  So we wander and wander.  But the good news is that our God is a God who has revealed Himself to us; and through that revelation, with the ultimate revelation being His coming to earth in the Person of Christ, we can understand what we need to understand regarding eternity.  In other words, God has provided the way to enjoy this life eternal, and that leads me to my second and last thought for today.
 
Second: Set Your Heart on Things Above
God has planted the seed of eternity in our hearts, He put that awareness, and it is our responsibility to nourish it.  In Colossians chapter 3 the Apostle Paul exhorts the Church in Colossae to set their hearts and minds on things above.  It’s a deliberate and intentional decision we make.  It doesn’t just happen by itself.  By default, we are drawn toward the things of this world.  This is why Colossians 3:2 says to “set” our minds on things above.  We are so distracted by the things of this world and we need a lot of effort to stay on track.   
 
 Martin Luther, the 16th century German Protestant Reformer, once challenged one of his students by saying, “I’ll get you a new horse and carriage (wagon) if you can pray the Lord’s Prayer and concentrate on every phrase without losing your train of thought.”  “No problem,” the young man said.  After he had prayed the prayer, he, however, confessed to Martin Luther, “all I could think about was the horse and carriage (wagon).”  As much as he tried to concentrate and focus on the Lord’s Prayer, his mind was drawn elsewhere.  It’s not that easy to set our hearts on things above.
 
Setting our hearts and minds on things above doesn’t mean we detach ourselves from our responsibilities and obligations in this world.  At the end of the day, we are still on earth and we have to take care of lots of business.  Rather, it means to live with eternity in mind.  It’s gaining a whole new perspective in life; to see our life as God sees it; to see what God sees vanity as vanity and what God sees enduring and trustworthy as enduring and trustworthy.
 
Friends, God has set eternity in our hearts.  There is within every one of us a God-shaped vacuum that only God can fill.  And because heaven is our destination, we shouldn’t get comfortable here on earth.  Enjoy God’s good gifts while you are here, but remember – you are a citizen of heaven, and heaven is your true home.  This world in its present form is passing away.  The longings we feel in this life, that unsatisfaction, all point to God.  We are pilgrims on a journey.  This place is like a rental.  Yes you make yourself somewhat comfortable in a rental property, but you’re not going to invest everything you’ve in a place that is not yours.  Earth is not our true home, so don’t get too comfortable here.  Enjoy God’s good gifts, but invest in heaven.  You’re made for eternity.  Amen!

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ July 26, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Ecclesiastes 3:1-11; Ephesians 5:15-16
 
The story is told of a farmer in a Midwestern state who had a strong dislike for Christians and churches.  As he plowed his field on Sunday mornings, he would shake his fist at the church folk driving by on their way to worship.  October came and went, and the farmer had his best crop ever.  When the harvest was complete, he placed an advertisement in the local newspaper which belittled and made fun of the Christians for their faith in God.  This was the message in the newspaper, “Faith in God must not mean much if someone like me can prosper.”  The response from the Christians in the community was quiet and polite.  In the same newspaper was this comment: “God doesn’t always settle His accounts in October.”  For everything there is a season for sure.
 
As you may remember, this summer I am preaching through the book of Ecclesiastes.  We are in the third chapter this morning.  Ecclesiastes chapter three is probably the best-known passage in the entire book.  It’s a poetic masterpiece.  I think it has so much to teach us, so this morning we will ponder its wisdom as it relates to our lives.  As we do so, let me offer two reminders from Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
 
First: Recognize the Seasons of Life
Ecclesiastes chapter 3 states its main point in verse 1: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”  The Preacher then gives 14 examples in pairs that cover every area of life.
 
There was a time that you were born; there will also be a time that you will die.  There are times that you plant a tree; there are times that you have to chop a tree down because it’s grown old and no longer bears fruit.  There’s a time that soldiers are at war shooting each other; there’s a time when peace is declared, and former enemies stand together at the cenotaph in remembrance.  There’s a time to build a building; there’s a time when you take down the building in order to make something new.  There are times to weep, and times to laugh.  To cry at the wrong time is just as bad as laughing at the wrong time.  There’s a time to accumulate possessions; then there’s a time to give things away because they are no longer needed.
 
What the Preacher is saying in Ecclesiastes 3 is simple, yet profound: recognize the seasons of life.  When we do so, we will evaluate, reorganize, and reorder our lives.  You will allow some new things to be born in your life, and let other things die.  You will be able to recognize whether this is a time to plant, labor under the scorching sun, or just a time to wait for the harvest.  Is it a time to break down or a time to build up?  Is it a time to keep silence or a time to speak up? 
 
The process of reorganizing our lives is transformative.  Most likely, you will have to give up some stuff in your life to make room for other things that are more valuable and beneficial.  You will look at the things that your heart adore, and you will either love them more or stop loving them at all.  You will have to reevaluate what you do, and you will come up with either yes, this is so central to my life, this what makes my life meaningful, or no, this is just time consuming but has no value to it.  Life is to a great extent all about timing; it’s about doing the right thing in the right season.  
 
Second: Acknowledge Your Limitation
Ecclesiastes chapter 3 offers another truth that is for some people may sound very uncomfortable one, but for me, it’s very comforting.  This truth is that we humans don’t control the seasons of life; God does.  You may notice that most of the things, of life activities, the Preacher has listed in Eccles9astes 3 are things we have no control over, but God does.  As I said, this could be a troubling reality to a lot of people today, but for us, Christians, it should be a comforting one.
 
We believe in God’s providence.  Nothing can happen to us by chance.  This great truth ought to cause all of God's children to shout “Hallelujah!”  We believe in a God who is wise, who sees the end from the beginning, who is never caught by surprise.  We believe in a God who is powerful, who is Almighty, to cause all things to work together for the good of those who love Him.
 
We’re not in control, the Preacher says, but God is.  He is the King of time, and He does everything just at the right time.  God is always right on time; He’s never too early and He’s never too late. This is very good news for us, especially given the ever-changing circumstances of life.  God is in control of the times, and he’s always on time.  
 
Our work, our choices, our decisions, therefore, need to flow within the timing of God.  We need to stop trying to force our will on life and instead, learn to live within the timing of God.  In other words, we need to learn some humility.  A lot of our stress comes from trying to get control of what is beyond our control.  Once we know that it is God's timing that matters most, we can rest in this truth. Then we become more faithful, more gracious, more generous, and more responsive to the movement of God in our lives.  That’s why Ecclesiastes 3:11 states, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
 
The peace of God comes to those who learn to live within the beauty of God's timing.  Jesus lived and died with great sensitivity to what he called “His hour.”  “My hour has not yet come,” ~ a phrase that Jesus repeated several times in the gospels to indicate His submission and obedience to God’s timing.
 
Friends, we are creatures of time who were made for eternity. Yes, we are mortal and trapped in time, yet, we know there’s more. We are made to ask the bigger questions of life. We want to understand and find the meaning, to discern God’s purpose for our lives, and wrestle with it to make it happen.  That’s what the Preacher is saying in Ecclesiastes 3:11, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” 
 
Life isn’t random.  God is in control.  This saves a lot of worry.  Philip Melanchton (1497-1560 AD) was a dear friend with Martin Luther (1483-1546 AD).  Melanchton would occasionally worry a bit too much about the situation in Germany.  Luther chided him, saying, “Let Philip cease to rule the world.  It is none of our work to steer the course of providence, or direct its motions, but to submit quietly to Him who does.”  It’s liberating to know we’re not in control.  There is a king who reigns, and we are to honor Him in all the seasons of life.  So whatever season you are living right now, make the most out of it.  “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16.  Amen.

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ July 19, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11; Matthew 7:24-27
 
I read a story about a rich American businessman who was vacationing in Mexico.  While vacationing in Mexico, the wealthy man was disturbed to find a fisherman just sitting lazily beside his boat.  “Why aren’t you out there fishing?” the wealthy man asked.  “Because I’ve caught enough fish for today,” said the fisherman. “Why don't you catch more fish than you need?” the rich man asked again.  “What would I do with them?”  “You could earn more money,” came the impatient reply, “and buy a better boat so you could go deeper and catch more fish.  You could purchase better nets, catch even more fish, and make more money.  Soon you’d have a fleet of boats and be rich like me.”  The fisherman asked, “Then what would I do?”  “You could sit down and enjoy life,” said the wealthy man.  “What do you think I'm doing right now?” the fisherman replied with a big smile on his face.
 
If you’re to examine your life today, how would you describe it?  Are you happy?  Are you satisfied?  What is the one thing that will finally make you satisfied?  When will you finally be happy and satisfied?  I think one of human beings’ biggest tragedies is that so many people live under the false hope of “I will be happy if I achieved this or if I acquired that.  Every one of us has some-thing or some set of circumstances in the back of our mind that we anticipate will make us happy.  We assume that once we achieved this, once we have accomplished that, then we will be satisfied and finally be happy!
 
Because we operate with this mentality, we keep working harder and harder to make more money, climb the corporate ladder, pursue new relationships, with the hope that someday, we finally find satisfaction and happiness.  Where can true happiness be found?  How can someone live a satisfied and fulfilled life?
 
Well, I don’t think we have to reinvent the wheel.  In the book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon had tried it all and he gave us his conclusion at least a couple times in the first chapter.  In Ecclesiastes 1:2, the Preacher said, “Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities!  All is vanity.”  This conclusion is clarified in chapter 1:14 as Solomon says, “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
 
Wisdom is Not Satisfying
Solomon tried it all.  The first chapter revealed Solomon as he looked for the meaning of life in wisdom, in gaining more and more knowledge.  Knowledge didn’t satisfy the hunger of his heart.  In Ecclesiastes 1:18, he said, “For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.”  Although wisdom is better than folly, it is ultimately unsatisfying.
 
Solomon elaborates more on this in chapter two and he compares wisdom to light and folly to darkness in 2:13. Wisdom helps us understand the world around us, but turning on the light does not change the room itself.  Of course, it’s nice to have the light on, but turning on the light will not change how messy the room might be.  Solomon is just frustrated with the limitations of knowledge.
 
In Ecclesiastes chapter 2, Solomon examined and tried various avenues in the pursuit of the meaning of life and in his pursuit of happiness.  Ecclesiastes chapter 2 highlights at least three of them:
 
First: The Pursuit of Pleasure (2:1-3)
In Ecclesiastes 2:1 we read, “I said to myself, “Come now, I will make a test of pleasure; enjoy yourself.” But again, this also was vanity.”  Solomon tried every pleasure.  It didn’t work.  Humans always live with the thought that getting the next thing would do it.  We think that getting more would do it, but unfortunately, it doesn’t.  Solomon says to us today, “Don't think that the next thing will do it; don't think that the more will do it, because I had the next thing and I had the more, and it didn't do it.”  Be aware of the false promises of pleasure.
 
Second: The Pursuit of Projects (2:4-7)
Listen to Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 2:4-7, “I made great works; I built houses and planted vineyards for myself; I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees.  I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees.  I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house; I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem.”
 
There is of course some satisfaction in designing and building things.  But what happens when the task is completed?  We are left unsatisfied or with little satisfaction.  No matter how magnificent our projects might look, they don’t fill the emptiness of our lives.  You may notice that everything Solomon lists in the plural, houses, gardens, vineyards, parks, etc.  His building and landscape projects were great projects.  1 Kings 7:1 tells us it took him thirteen years to build his own palace. 
 
But there is an important thing to notice here.  It actually seems odd that in his list of all his building projects he does not mention the biggest, most historically significant thing he built – the Temple in Jerusalem.  The account in 1 Kings tells us it took him seven years to build the Temple.  Do you know why?  Because whatever investment we make in the Kingdom of God isn’t vanity.  It’s not in vain.  It has some eternal value.  That’s why the temple is not listed here.  The Temple was built for the glory of God – the palace was built for the glory of Solomon.
 
Third: The Pursuits of Possessions and Prominence (2:8-11)
From the pursuit of wisdom, pleasure, and projects, Solomon moved on to the pursuits of possessions and prominence.   This is Solomon’s own account of his possessions and prominence in Ecclesiastes 2:8-11, “I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and of the provinces … I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem.  Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I kept my heart from no pleasure.”  We read about Solomon’s incredible wealth in 1 Kings 10:14-29.  But in verse 11, Solomon again concludes, “ Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.”  In other words, Solomon built his castles in the sand.
 
So where can true happiness be found?  The easy and challenging answer is that true happiness is found in doing life God’s way.  I love the words of Psalm 119:35, “Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found.”  It doesn’t say, “Give me a nice house in a nice neighborhood, for that is where my happiness is found.”  Neither does it say, “Give me good health, for that is where my happiness is found,” nor “Give me a family without dysfunction, for that is where my happiness is found.”  Nope. Happiness is found when we do life God’s way; when we seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness.  To God alone be the glory now and forever more.  Amen

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ July 12, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Ecclesiastes 1:12-18; John 4:13-14
 
Alexander the Great (356 BC – 323 BC), was the King of the ancient Greek Kingdom of Macedon, and one of the great warriors the world has ever known.  He led many military campaigns and by the age of 30 years old, he ruled over one of the largest empires ever, stretching from Greece to India.
 
While returning home after one of his successful military campaigns, Alexander the Great fell ill in Babylon.  While he was on his death bed, he thought of the vast empire he has built and the might of his military machine.  Alexander the Great went into depression, realizing nothing was worth it; even after an extremely successful life, he could not avoid death.
 
Knowing that his days on earth are short, Alexander the Great called his loyal generals and made three last wishes before dying.  “I have three last wishes, please carry them out, for soon I will depart,” Alexander said.  My first wish is that my doctors should alone carry my coffin.  My second wish is that the path towards my grave shall be strewn with gold, silver and all the precious possessions in my treasury, while my body is being brought to be buried.  My third and last wish is that both my hands shall be kept dangling out of my coffin.
 
Though the generals wondered at the king’s strange wishes, no one dared to question or ask him the reason for these three wishes.  One of Alexander’s favorite generals after kissing his hand and pressing it to his heart said, “Your Majesty, we assure you that all your wishes will be fulfilled. But could you please enlighten us on why you make such strange wishes?”
 
At this Alexander took a deep breath and said: “I would like the world to know of these three fundamentals: I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctor can really cure anybody.  Doctors are powerless and cannot save a person from the clutches of death.  My second wish to strew gold, silver and other precious stones on the way to the graveyard is to let the people know that though I spent all my life accumulating riches, not even a grain of gold will come with me when I leave this world. I want people to understand that it is a sheer waste of time, energy, and peace of mind when one yearns to be rich.  With my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I want people to know that I came empty handed into this world and likewise will go empty handed from this world.”
 
This morning we continue our summer sermon series on the book of Ecclesiastes.  Last week we said that Ecclesiastes is written by King Solomon as Ecclesiastes 1:1 states, “The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.”   The title of the book in Hebrew is “Qoheleth.” It is the same Hebrew word that is translated “teacher” or “preacher” or “leader” in chapter 1:1, so the book is actually a long sermon delivered by King Solomon.
 
The language of Ecclesiastes may suggest that the author was a pessimist or someone who is worn out and has given up on life, but I truly believe the words of Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes are the words of someone who has searched and examined life and came to a conclusion.  His conclusion, his thesis, is Ecclesiastes 1:2: “Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities!  All is vanity.”  The word “vanity” is found 38 times in Ecclesiastes.  In our Scripture reading today, Solomon clarifies his thesis and he states in Ecclesiastes 1:14, “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
 
So what is at stake in Ecclesiastes 1:12-18?  If life is “meaningless and a chasing after the wind”, as Solomon says, should we quit our daily activities and other obligations?  Are we endorsing epicurean lifestyle ~ those who pursue pleasure as the chief aim of life ~ “Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we must die" philosophy”?  Absolutely not.  I think Solomon is calling us to be mindful of two things:
 
First: Lamenting the Futility of Life
I think what Solomon is doing here is that he is lamenting the futility of life.  Ecclesiastes could be read as a song of lament.  The Preacher laments the fact that everything is transitory, ephemeral and elusive, just beyond our grasp, resistant to our control, here today and gone tomorrow.  Everything is ultimately worthless.  Life, the Preacher says, feels like chasing after the wind, trying to catch something that cannot be caught.
 
Life under the sun is full of futility and frustration.  I am sure you’ve experienced some of life’s futility and lamented this reality.  You just want to be all set financially, but something always goes wrong, or there’s always car trouble or another bill to be paid.  You just want to have a close friend, but you can’t find one, or when you find one, they always move away or drift away.  You just want to be healthy, but every day you experience in one way or another the decline of your body.  You just want to be the person God created you to be, but the more you try the more you fail.  You want the church to be a fulfilling community, but you just can’t seem to experience that.  We want to see justice in this world, but the suffering and injustice we see is out of control and there is no end in sight.  Trying to keep things under control and to be satisfied is like chasing the wind.  We lament the futility of life.
 
Second: Only God Can Fill our Deepest Void
Like chasing the wind, human effort is futile.  Not that nothing we do matters, but the “net profit” is not to be found in human effort.  It doesn’t matter what kind of effort or how much effort we pour our lives into, Solomon says that no human effort in and of itself can possibly fill our deepest void. 
 
Solomon says that every kind of activity that people invest their lives on is just vanity.  It’s chasing the wind.  In John 4:13-14, Jesus said these great words to the Samaritan woman, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
 
Friends, apart from God, human’s ongoing pursuit of money, success, joy, wisdom is never satisfied and never satisfying.  In his Confessions, Augustine of Hippo (354 AD – 430 AD) prayed “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in you.” 
 
Only in Jesus Christ do we find the rest our hearts have always longed for.  Only in Jesus do we hear the promise: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” Matthew 11:28-30.  Ecclesiastes calls us to have more of Jesus and less of the world.  It leaves us hungry for the grace of Christ.  It’s only His grace that makes our work and efforts valuable.  Our actions and efforts gain their true value when eternity in mind; when they are done for the glory of God and the expansion of His Kingdom.  Amen!

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ July 5, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Ecclesiastes 1:1-11; Mark 8:37-38
 
This morning we are kicking off a new sermon series looking at some key passages in the Book of Ecclesiastes.  During the months of July and August, we will be walking though Ecclesiastes with our eyes open on one major thought: what are the ingredients of a life well lived?  Is it even possible to live such a life?  Every day is a gift from the Lord, and we want to make it count.  The good news is it’s never too late to turn your live around.
 
I truly believe the book of Ecclesiastes has so much to say to us today.  In fact, Ecclesiastes wrestles with some of the most fundamental questions of life; questions like: What’s the point of life?  What are we pursing?  Where do we go to find wisdom, meaning, and purpose?  What is the point of all our accomplishments?  Where is our hope when life is met with failure or even simple toil and boredom?  Can we find satisfaction in life?  These are fundamental questions that can’t be ignored.
 
The book of Ecclesiastes helps us ask real questions.  The questions being asked in Ecclesiastes are not hypothetical or philosophical questions; they are real life questions.  We have to be in a place where we can be realistic about our experiences in this life.  We should never be afraid to ask difficult questions.  In fact, the book of Ecclesiastes invites us to wrestle with our doubts until we find the true meaning and purpose of life.
 
This morning, we will be looking at the first eleven verses of Ecclesiastes chapter one which give us a fair introduction of the major theme we will encounter through the book.  Today, we will just scratch the surface of this wonderful yet neglected book.  But before we do that, I will say a brief word about the author.
 
Who Wrote Ecclesiastes?
The book begins with an identification of the author.  Ecclesiastes 1:1 states, “The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.”  While there are a few theories regarding the authorship of Ecclesiastes, I think Ecclesiastes 1:1 leaves no room for any speculation, rather, it makes it very clear that the author of the book is King Solomon.  “The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.”   
 
The title of the Book in Hebrew is “Qoheleth.” It is the same Hebrew word that is translated “teacher” or “preacher” in chapter 1:1.  So, where did we get the word “Ecclesiastes”?  Ecclesiastes is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word “Qoheleth”, used in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament.  In the New Testament, Ecclesia, is used as a title for God’s assembled people—the church.  Ecclesiastes literally means the “Leader, Teacher, or Preacher” of the assembly.  The book, therefore, is a long sermon that we will spend these two months exploring its deep meaning and relevant implications on our lives today.
 
Vanity of Vanities, all is Vanity
So, what does the Preacher have to say to us?  “Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities!  All is vanity” Ecclesiastes 1:2. In this opening statement, the Preacher states his thesis.  It is a thesis he will draw out throughout the book.  The primary key word is repeated 5 times in this verse, “Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities!  All is vanity.”
 
The word translated “vanity” is found 38 times in Ecclesiastes. It has a broad range of usage, but literally, it means “vapor” or “breath.”  It’s your breath that appears on a window if you get up real close and deeply exhale.  It’s only there for a second or two.  The Preacher is comparing everything in life to that breath that quickly disappears.
 
What does the Preacher mean by these words?  Well, the language of Ecclesiastes has led commentators to take widely differing views with regards to the overall meaning of the book, some arguing that the writer is an agnostic, others that he is a pessimist in his view of life; for some, it seemed that the author had given up on life.  He was desperate and hopeless.
 
Needless to say, King Solomon was neither an agnostic nor a pessimist; rather, Solomon wants us to say that, without the LORD, the world, ourselves and all our hopes, dreams and ambitions as they truly are, futile, pointless, and ultimately meaningless and purposeless.  His hope is that, rather than driving us to despair, this revelation of truth, this reality check, this wake-up call would cause us to earnestly and faithfully seek the Lord. 
 
As I said earlier, Ecclesiastes is a long sermon, and Solomon makes us wait until the final chapter to give us the answer for life’s tough question and give us the solution of our brokenness.  Ecclesiastes 12:13 states, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone.”  Solomon wouldn’t disagree with the words of Jesus in Mark 8:36-37, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?  Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”
 
In other words, King Solomon would say to us today, should you feel the weight of sin, should you feel the brokenness of creation, look to Him and submit to the ONE who stands outside creation as immutable, glorious and wise.  Ecclesiastes points us to find meaning, purpose, and value in our relationship with the Lord and in a God-centered life. 
 
So, as we wrestle with the difficult questions of life, be ready not to actually receive answers, but to rest in what is true, right and good about God.  When things get messy and we get frustrated, let’s hold onto the promises of the One who said He will make everything new.  Let’s remember that His words are trustworthy and true.
 
Yes, “all is vanity” when it’s done away from the Lord and when eternity is not in mind, but the apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”  Amen.

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ June 28, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor

Revelation 21:1-5
This morning we come to our final lesson in our study of the Apostles’ Creed.  For the past two millennia, this Creed, this ancient confession and expression of Christian belief, has served as an instrument for instructing Christians in the basics of Biblical faith.  Today we will be looking at the final statement the Creed makes, “I believe in the life everlasting.”   
 
Today’s affirmation is very comforting because when we say, “I believe in the life everlasting,” we proclaim our belief in life after death – in an eternity that exists outside of our world and our time.  It’s so comforting to know that when our journey here on earth comes to an end, it continues in heaven; when this chapter is over, another beautiful chapter that has no end begins.
 
Life Everlasting in the Teaching of Jesus
Life everlasting, Zōēn Aiōnion (in Greek ζωὴν αἰώνιον), was an integral part of the teaching of Jesus Christ.  In John 10:10, Jesus summarizes and captures the heart of His mission when He said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
 
Jesus invited His audience to choose life over death when He said in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
 
Addressing the Samaritan woman, whose life was so far from eternal life, Jesus said in John 4:14, “But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
 
Life everlasting was an integral part of the teaching of Jesus because, my friends, it will be miserable to miss it.  Jesus never watered down the truth that at the end of our journey here on earth, humans will have one of two final destinations: heaven or hell; the resurrection of life or the resurrection of condemnation as Jesus said in John 5:28-29.
 
The topic of life everlasting is a very broad one and it is very hard to cover it in one sermon, so for the sake of our time, I want to narrow it down to three questions: What, When, and How.  What is life eternal?  When does it begin? And, how do we receive it?
 
First: What is Life Eternal?
Many people wonder what heaven will be like.  Will the streets be paved with gold?  Will there be mountains and streams?  Will there be beaches and waterfalls?  Will there be trees and animals? 
 
We have to know that heaven is beyond our comprehension.  Our minds cannot comprehend the reality of life eternal, because it is beyond our experience and beyond our capacity to understand.  All we really know is that it will be a glorious life!
 
The one most important thing I want us to know today is when the Bible speaks about eternal life, its emphases neither the place nor the quality of life in heaven. Yes, heaven is a real place, but it is not the place that really matters.
 
Yes, in heaven we will experience life in its fulness because everything will be just perfect and complete.  Our joy will be complete.  Our peace will be complete.  Our existence will be complete.  Our faith will be complete.  Our love will be complete.  God’s presence will be complete.  Our fellowship with the Lord and with each other will be complete.  We will have an intimate relationship with God.  We will no longer have times when God seems far away.  We will lack nothing.  Our loved ones will be there, along with many others whom we will love and enjoy just as much! 
 
It’s true, as John says in Revelation chapter 21, that there will be no more sickness, suffering, or death. No more pain, no more getting old and frail, no losing our memory and abilities.  But there is something even greater about life everlasting.  It’s the fact that we will be living in the presence of the Most High.  Revelation 21:3 says, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”
 
Second: When Does Life Eternal Begin?
We look at the wholeness of everlasting life and we wonder, can we begin to taste some of it now?  According to John 5: 24, life eternal is simply knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  In John 5:24, Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me HAS ETERNAL LIFE and will not be judged, but HAS CROSSED OVER from death to life.” 
 
Everlasting life begins the moment we welcome Jesus into our lives, surrender our lives to Him, and it reaches its completion when we fully dwell in God’s presence.  From that moment on, we will live a life with eternity in mind. 
 
Needless to say, if eternal life begins for us today, it will definitely bring changes to our lives.  Basically, the life of Jesus will take over, changing how we think, feel, and act.  We won’t have to do that entirely on our own; the Spirit of Jesus will transform us, as we turn our life over to Jesus.
 
Third: How Do We Receive Eternal Life?
Eternal life is a gift.  Romans 6:23 reminds us that “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  It is a gift available immediately to all who surrender their lives to Christ – it is a gift that is available to all, no matter how many laps we may be down, no matter of our past failures; it’s a gift that immediately puts us across the finish line.  “Whoever has the Son,” John 5:12 says “has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
 
Friends, as we wrap up this series of messages on the Apostles’ Creed, I want to invite you to examine your heart.  Do you know without a doubt that you are going to heaven?  Do you know without a doubt that you have personally asked Jesus to forgive your sins and to come into your life as Lord and Savior?  If not, then I want you to get that assurance before you leave today.  In 1873, Fanny Crosby wrote these great words:
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine;
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
 
Friends, may this be your song today and every day until we see Jesus face to face.  Yes, we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but there is a way out through the redemption of Christ.  “I believe in the life everlasting.”  Amen.