Introduction:

• Ephesians 4:13

• I Corinthians 14:20

• Hebrews 5:14

• Caveats:

  • This list is not exhaustive!

  • These are presented in the past tense to help us be specific with our own lives.

When’s the last time these were true?

• I have adjusted my attitude to fit God’s will.

  • II Corinthians 12:7-10 – Paul’s requests were denied, but he decided to be content.

  • We often want to make God fit what we want. Instead, we must mold ourselves to fit God’s will!

• I have confessed my sin to another.

  • James 5:16

  • We find all sorts of ways to try to get around this! It is humiliating and uncomfortable, but God prescribes it for our spiritual health.

• I have loved my enemy.

  • Matthew 5:43-44

  • I Corinthians 13:4-7

  • Love assumes the best until proven otherwise.

• I have admitted I was wrong on some point and changed my mind.

  • II Kings 5:9-14 – Naaman cured of leprosy.

  • When you’re wrong, changing your mind is the right thing to do!

• I have repented of a sin without ever getting caught.

  • I Samuel 24:5-6 – David’s conscience is tender in this case.

  • II Samuel 11-12 – David only repented after Nathan called him on his sin.

  • II Samuel 24:10 – David repented before God called him on his sin.

• I have spoken up when I was nervous.

  • John 7:47-52 – Nicodemus had courage to go against the prevailing opinion.

  • Mark 15:43 – Joseph of Arimathea had courage to ask for Jesus’ body.

  • Colossians 4:6

  • Matthew 10:32

Spiritual maturity is about putting God’s word into practice.

• Colossians 2:6

Introduction

• Ecclesiastes 1:1

• Writer = Solomon

• Tone = Brutally realistic

• Vanity (37 times)

• Under the sun (30 times)

  • Ecclesiastes 4:3-4

Contrast with Proverbs:

Solomon has done the experimenting for us.

• Ecclesiastes 1:13-14

• Life?

  • Ecclesiastes 1:3-11

  • Life is repetitive.

• Pleasure?

  • Ecclesiastes 2:1-11

  • It was all striving after wind!

• Wisdom?

  • Ecclesiastes 2:12-15

  • Ecclesiastes 2:12

  • Ecclesiastes 9:13-16

  • Wisdom can only help you so much!

• Work?

  • Ecclesiastes 2:22-23; 5:10-16

• No lasting joy in pursuits under the sun.

Enjoy the moments you have because eternity is coming.

• Ecclesiastes 11:9

• Two universal truths

  • Time and chance overtake us all (Ecclesiastes 9:11)
    • Ecclesiastes 7:15
  • We all return to the dust (Ecclesiastes 3:19-22)

• And so … Ecclesiastes 2:24; 3:11-13; 5:1-2, 6-7, 18-20; 8:15; 11:8-10; 12:1, 13-14

• Ecclesiastes is better understood in the context of the whole Bible.

  • We learn how wonderful it is to look beyond the sun.

    • Matthew 6:19-20

    • Romans 8:18

Application:

• If you spend your life looking for lasting joy and fulfillment under the sun, you’ll be miserable.

• Eternity is everything!

Jeremiah 31:33-34 – God’s plan was always to change the world!

We are to positively influence the world.

• Matthew 5:13-16

• Philippians 2:14-15

• Direct influence

  • Teach God’s word – Acts 8:4; II Timothy 2:2; I Peter 3:15; Hebrews 5:12

• Indirect influence

  • Our good deeds influence others to do good.

    • I Peter 2:12

    • People should see God’s light in us.

    • I Peter 3:1

Encouragement

• The gospel is powerful.

  • I Corinthians 15:1-4

  • I Corinthians 1:24

  • God always wins. God + anyone = victory!

• You never know who will respond.

  • Acts 10:34-35

  • Mark 16:15

  • We cannot decide ahead of time who will respond favorably to the gospel.

  • Paul was the last person people would expect to convert.

  • What about the Philippians jailer or Rahab? No one would have expected their conversions.

• We’re responsible for efforts, not results.

  • Luke 10:10-12

• One step at a time.

Joel 1:1-2 – We don’t know much about who Joel was or when he prophesied.

Locusts! God will punish.

• Joel 1:4 – Locusts would come as a punishment from God.

• Compare Exodus 10. For agriculture, a plague of locusts was deadly.

• Joel 1:6-7; 2:1-9 – Locusts are described figuratively as an invading army.

  • Exodus 10:14

• Locust plague of 1915. https://www.loc.gov/collections/american-colony-in-jerusalem/articles-and-essays/the-locust-plague-of-1915-photograph-album/

• Application: If we ever feel like we’re starting to go soft, read Joel!

• II Peter 3:7

But you can still repent!

• Joel 2:12-13 – Rend your hearts and not your garments.

• Deuteronomy 6:5

• I Timothy 1:5

• Matthew 6:21

• Turn to God with your whole heart!

• Joel 2:18

• Application: If we ever feel like we’re losing hope, read Joel!

• God wanted them to turn back so He could bless them again.

Victory in the New Covenant

• Joel 2:28-32 – Quoted in Acts 2:15-21

• Joel 3:1-7

  • Physical or spiritual?

    • Joel 3:1

    • “Valley of Jehoshaphat”

      • We know of no physical location with this name. It could be referring to judgment under the New Covenant.

    • Joel is full of figures.

      • Joel 3:18

    • Figures harmonize with New Covenant

      • Joel 3:9-10, 17; Hebrews 12:23

• Application If we ever feel like the forces of evil are too strong, read Joel!