Woodland Hills Church of Christ

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New Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville The Gospel of Christ Crucified 1 Corinthians 1–2 Introduction: If you were asked what the primary sin-problem confronting the Corinthians, I’m sure most of you would immediately answer that it was a problem of being divisive. Paul said it plainly in the opening of his letter (1:10): “I appeal to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” That solved it! Well, no. How can a church that won’t even eat the Lord’s Supper together, just be told to stop it, and then it happens? Even if you are very familiar with our text, Paul’s teaching about the wisdom of God vs. the wisdom of man usually diverts our attention away from the subject of division. In other words, if a church called you and said, “We need help. Our church is full of division, would you come and help,” would you do a study of chapter two of 1 Corinthians with an exposition of the gospel of the cross? Quickly notice some of Paul’s key statements that will give you a feel of his foundational message on division: 1:17-18 “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1:20-21 “Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.” 2:1-4 “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” 2:6-9 “Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.” Now, having read those texts, would you say that Paul is correcting the divisions of the Corinthian church? Everything in this text has to do with the gospel of Christ crucified. But how is that an answer to division? That is the message we want to discover this morning. It is a message that will expose and correct every division within a church. Becoming Familiar with the Message of the Text First, Paul’s emphasis is on the cross of Christ and that the message of the cross is foolish to those who hold to worldly wisdom including both Jews and Greeks. But the cross is our power to salvation (1:22-24). Second, Paul admits that it was God’s intention to preach a “foolish” message to save the world (1:21). Third, this foolish message preached is a revelation of the thoughts and words of God, and could never have been thought of or discovered by a human mind. Not even the most exalted human could have understood what was hidden in the mind of God “before the ages for our glory” (2:7). Fourth, the thoughts of the mind of God have only been revealed by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit alone has access, and he alone chooses to whom the message will be revealed (2:10-13). Further, God has used the Spirit to reveal to the apostles and prophets the words of the Spirit, not the words of human thought. Fifth, Paul stresses a contrast between two kinds of “wisdom.” There are those who are wise according to this world’s standards, and there are those who have rejected the wisdom of this world in favor of the “foolishness” of the wisdom of God, the foolishness of Christ crucified (2:6). These two “wisdoms” are opposed to one another. Sixth, those who hold to the wisdom of the world cannot understand, nor will they accept the wisdom taught by the Spirit (2:13-14). Seventh, only the “mature, spiritual person” (one who has accepted the things of the Spirit) can understand and receive the words of the Spirit because those words are spiritually discerned. A “natural man” cannot understand the hidden message of God because he is not spiritually discerning (2:14-15). Eighth, and possibly most importantly, Paul refused to preach this message with lofty speech or wisdom or plausible words of wisdom as was being done by the Corinthian sophists. Though Paul’s preaching was considered unim

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Old Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Jeremiah: God’s Call to Repentance 3:1—4:4 Introduction: “Repentance,” how often do you think about it? The whole concept probably does not cross our minds very often. However, repentance is one of those commands that should be an ongoing, regular part of our lives. If we ask God for forgiveness every day, repentance should be on our minds. Possibly our major problem with the concept of repentance is that we think it means being sorry for something we did. We could only wish it was that easy! It is not. Repentance is changing the very core of who we are, and change is not easy. This section of Jeremiah calls upon God’s people to change. But their challenge comes from the fact that they have been practicing their lifestyle for generations. Mom and dad lived this way and so did grandma and grandpa. Day to day life is embedded in who they are, and their culture continues to reinforce their failures. Nothing has changed. Everyone of us has faults, flaws, weaknesses and habits that are not in favor with God. And we ignore these things within us, even nurture them and protect them. God’s Call to Repentance: Overview God gives no doubt as to the message of this section. The key Hebrew word used 17 times in this section in different forms is sub (pronounced ‘shoove’). Depending on context, the word means to “turn or return.” Used negatively it is Israel “turning away” from God. It is also translated “faithless.” For example, 3:22 read more literally, “Turn, you turning away sons, and I will heal your turnings.” Used positively, the word is translated “return,” as in repentance. Israel had turned away, but now they are called upon to “turn back.” 4:1 gives an example of this turning, “If you return, O Israel…to me you should return.” You can see God’s point. Israel had a tendency to “turn” in this way and that, from one idol to another and from one nation to another for help. God’s plea is, if you are going to turn, turn to me! God Exposes Israel’s Turning Away, 3:1-20 1-5 The Lord quotes from Deuteronomy 24:1-4. This law was given to stop the misuse of wives trading them back and forth to other men and then bringing them back. It was considered an abomination. This was the way Israel was treating God: “you have played the whore with many lovers and would you return to me?” (3:1). Did this mean it was impossible for them to return to God? Obviously not because this is God’s plea. But their return must be with their whole heart 3:10, and not in pretense. Oh how this is still done today! How can we even think of paying homage to God, pretending to be thankful in the eating of his body and the drinking of his blood, but then giving ourselves to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and then in the pride of our hearts act as if God is accepting us! 2-5 describes the lustfulness of the nation toward their idols. They have been a brazen prostitute, sitting alone like in a wilderness, willing to be ravished by anyone who passed by. They have the “forehead of a whore,” indicating their boldness in their sins and refusal to be ashamed. And yet they are so brazen that they will speak to God with words of love as if their harlotry has been a minor issue and that God’s anger should not endure. 3:5b indicates how God is appalled at their words, “Behold you have spoken, but you have done all the evil that you could.” We would say, “You are a joke, Israel!” 6-14 Notice how God refers to Israel as “faithless one,” that is, “Turning away” one. God had hoped that after she had her fill of her whoredoms that she would “return” to me.” But not only did she not turn back to God, her sister Judah saw what she did, and in spite of God divorcing Israel by sending her away, Judah followed in the path of Israel’s harlotry. Judah became so bad that she was worse than Israel. So much worse that God even calls Israel to “return, faithless (turning)” Israel. God would happily have her back if she would “acknowledge her guilt.” 15-20 The Lord looks ahead to speak of future blessings if his people will truly repent. This section obviously sees God’s blessings in the Messiah and his kingdom. God will provide good shepherds who will feed them with spiritual knowledge and understanding. God will multiply them and they will be fruitful (clearly and evangelistic blessing). The loss of the ark of the covenant will no longer be a care because the new Jerusalem will be the throne of God (not the throne of a physical, temporary king). When this happens, the nations will be gathered to the Lord in the new Jerusalem. The people’s hearts will be changed. They will no longer stubbornly follow their own evil heart. They will be united as one nation; no longer a divided kingdom. 19-20 The previous blessings remind God of what he had originally planned for the nation. They would be his sons and daughters and they will call him Father, and they would not “turn” from following him. But instead they had been a

Old Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville The Call and Message of Jeremiah Chapters 1-2 Introduction: Jeremiah is a unique prophet in many ways. God called him when he is young, at least in his early twenties. He is called to live a hard and difficult life. He is hated by his own people, and kings desired to kill him in spite of the fact that his message was intended to save them. The heart of Jeremiah is what is most moving. In reading the book, it is not long before your heart becomes wedded to his and that every emotion he feels and every hurt he endures, becomes your emotion and your hurt. Soon you realize that what you are experiencing is not just Jeremiah’s heart, but the heart of God himself reflected in his prophet. Please participate in the readings this year. You will travel through great valleys, but in the end you will ascend to the mountain top with God. Overview of the last kings of Judah during Jeremiah’s ministry Reigns of the final kings of Judah Manasseh: 696–642 Amon: 642–640 Josiah: 640–609 (Jeremiah’s ministry begins in the 13th year of Josiah: 627–586) Jehoahaz: 609 (3 months). Deported to Egypt by Pharaoh Necho Jehoiakim: 609–597 Put on the throne by Necho 605: Babylon defeated Egypt at the battle of Carchemish Jehoiakim served Nebuchadnezzar until 597 when he rebelled and is killed Jehoiachin 597 (3 months): taken and imprisoned in Babylon for 35 years until Evil-merodach mercifully freed him (2 Kings 25:27) Zedekiah 597–586: Puppet king to Nebuchadnezzar. Rebels in 588 and after an 18 month siege, Jerusalem and the temple are overthrown. Though the first half of Jeremiah’s ministry is during Josiah’s reforms, it is evident by Jeremiah’s message that the heart of the people is unchanged. The message: External reforms did not achieve the change of heart God demands. The last half of Jeremiah’s ministry (chapters 21ff) are the worst for him since he is now dealing with the wicked sons of Josiah as kings. Jeremiah is treated as a traitor and accused of treason for urging Zedekiah to submit to Nebuchadnezzar according to the word of the Lord. But Zedekiah’s advisors believe that Jerusalem cannot be conquered, and therefore their rebellion becomes the demise of the nation. Key Messages & Lessons: Chapter One 1:4 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…I consecrated you…” Do you believe that could be said of you? Has God formed you, knew you, and consecrated you before you were born? “…even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:4-6) Go home and look in the mirror. Look deeply and carefully. You have a purpose. You were created for a purpose. Consider the amazing blessing God desired for you and planned for you. He specially appointed and chose you to be a part of an eternal plan and to exalt you above the angels. You may look in the mirror and see someone you do not like, someone who you know has failed the purpose for which God created you. We’ve all been there. Now is the time to step up and meet that purpose. One day at a time, rebuild your life to please God. The above is so easily said, but the effort needed is very difficult, especially in the beginning as you change old habits. Here is a “simple” daily schedule that must be followed if you are to succeed: Prayer! “Ask and you will receive…” Read one chapter a day with a pencil, with notes of discoveries in a journal. Uncomfortable at first? Yes, if you’ve never done it. But this is absolutely necessary if God is going to renew your mind! 1:6-8 “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth…do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you.” God accepts no excuses! Jeremiah was young, very young—barely in his twenties. He had a lot of reasons why he shouldn’t be the one who challenged kings. But that is the point! God never has looked for the “mighty” and the “talented.” God uses those who know that the power resides in God alone. We are nothing. But with God and the faith of the grain of mustard seed, mountains are moved. Do not look to yourself. That will only demoralize you and cause you to lose hope. Look to God. There is no failure with God. Never has been! 1:16 “And I will declare my judgments against them; for all their evil in forsaking me.” It is important that we always ask ourselves this question: Am I forsaking the Lord? There is a simple rule of thumb here—when our hearts are turned to other things, and the Lord is not our priority, we are forsaking him. The only outcome is our own failed idolatry. Key Messages & Lessons: Chapter Two 2:1-3 The violation of love and the marriage covenant This is a picture of love and the initial covenantal marriage of God with Israel. It is important to feel the Lord’s heart and love as he looks b

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville “And He Gave Evangelists…” (2) Introduction: What would you say are the top four greatest needs in God’s kingdom today? I’m sure we could all come up with good answers to that question. I will give you my top four: The first is obvious: Christians who are passionate about knowing God, loving God, and loving lost souls. Moms and Dads who raise their children to pursue the one true God and bring all other pursuits in service to him. Elders who equip and shepherd the flock, not “exercise authority of them” (Matthew 20:25, 1 Peter 5:1-4). Evangelists who actually “do the work of an evangelist” as outlined by Paul in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. Paul told us that these last two needs, along with the apostles and prophets, were gifts Christ gave to the church for the equipping of the saints, to bring them to maturity in order to cause the growth of the body (Ephesians 4:11-16). These lessons are about gaining a better understanding of the need for evangelists in God’s kingdom and what we can do to encourage a desire to do this work. Recap from the First Lesson When we study Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus, we cannot miss the challenge and the extensive nature of the work. Just as God set aside the tribe of Levi to spend their lives teaching Israel, so he gave “evangelists, shepherds and teachers” to the church to equip and grow the body. The failure of the Levites to fulfill their purpose led to the failure of the whole nation to live up to God’s purpose. Today, God did not appoint a whole tribe, he appointed individuals who give their lives to bring the gospel message both to equip Christians and to spearhead reaching lost souls. But the shortage of evangelists is becoming more and more apparent. Paul’s Overview of the Work: 1 Timothy 4:6-16 Vs. 6: “…trained in the words of faith…” 7-8: “…train yourself for godliness” 11: “Command and teach these things.” 12: “Set the believers an example…” 13: “Devote yourself to the public reading of the Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” 14: “Do not neglect the gift…” 15: “Practice these things, immerse yourself in in them…” 16: “Keep close watch…Persist in this…” Conclusion: These are not things that can be done by men who hold a secular job. Why Not Be Content with the Men Preaching? “Preaching” is not “doing the work of an evangelist” It was not God’s design (Ephesian 4:11-12) Who will go out at night to teach the lost? Who will teach the lost in the daytime? Who will train and equip the church to do their part in evangelism efforts? Who will train more men to be evangelists? The Result: whole churches are being trained to neglect the lost and be content with the “99” (Matt. 18) What Keeps Men from Preaching? First, the increasing wealthiness of our culture, which is enticing to young, college age men. The possibilities of living a comfortable and prosperous life are all around them. In conjunction with the above, relying on a church for wages feels uncomfortable and unstable to a man who plans to be married and raise a family. This is especially true when these same young men have repeatedly witnessed churches discharge a preacher every few years. (Of course that is not exclusive to preaching!) Relying on churches for support to work at a church that is not self-supporting. I have had preachers tell me they could never do what I have done and be in a church where they needed outside support. “How can I be confident that the support won’t be dropped on a moment’s notice?” Second, preaching is often not a draw to younger men when they consider the whole church can become their “boss and critic.” Further, they have often seen preachers mistreated. Talk to any older preacher—their greatest trial will have come from their own brethren. Therefore, there are many who have decided to work a secular career job while utilizing opportunities to “preach a sermon” as the need arises. That certainly shouldn’t be considered wrong, but it does contribute to the lack of evangelists. Third, preaching is not a “job,” it is a passion. Paul said it well in 1 Corinthians 9:16-17, “For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.” I trained one man who had wanted to preach from the time he was 14 years old. He went to FC and majored in Bible (not a good idea), and then asked to train with me. I had known him from childhood, and therefore accepted him. After six months I said to him, “I think you would be happier doing something else. What do you think?” He agreed, and went back to school for a secular job. The problem wasn’t that he couldn’t preach a sermon. It was that it wasn’t his passion. Frankly, he hadn’t even learned what it meant to love God with all his heart. Too many young men see preaching as a job. Another young man possibly c

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Be Careful How You Hear (2) How to Understand the Message Introduction: Last week we looked at the emphasis Jesus placed on hearing. He accused the multitudes of having the same dullness and hard heart as their forefathers in Isaiah’s time. However, it is a peculiar rebuke considering the sermon was merely 5 stories without any mention of explanations or applications. Therefore, in this lesson we will explore the method of of the Master Teacher. Jesus used a method that is uncommon today but was common in the first century. Consider Luke 2:46-47 when Jesus at age 12 was in the temple. “After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.” The text reflects the method of teaching and learning. The scribes are questioning Jesus; they are not simply giving him information. It is not a one-way street. Jesus is listening and asking, but the teachers are also asking Jesus questions. They are testing his knowledge and his desire to learn. Why continue a conversation if he loses interest? Therefore, to understand Jesus and the biblical message, we must understand Jesus’ method of teaching, a method that is usually unfamiliar to the modern reader. Understanding Begins with How Jesus Taught There are many messages in the Parable of the Sower. One of those messages is how aggressive our minds must be in order to learn. Television and other types of media have caused us to be lazy listeners. It is noteworthy that Jesus refers to the secrets/mysteries of the kingdom. When we read a mystery book or watch a mystery movie, what happens? The joy of the mystery is trying to see the clues given in the story in order to find the answer to the mystery. That is what Jesus has done in telling parables, not just the Sower, but 9 parables, five to the multitudes and four more to those who came in the house wanting answers. Add the parables up, meditate on them, and we come to a very good picture of what Jesus has planned for his kingdom. Therefore, this sermon of parables was used by Jesus to engage dull minds in discovering a secret. Isn’t that in many ways the whole method in scripture? There are always embedded messages. Why did God rest on the seventh day? What is marriage about? Why do we read an elaborate story of the Exodus? Mysteries and secrets are echoed time and again and God is urging us to work at discovering the answer. We should say to ourselves, “Wow! How exciting! The God and Creator of the universe is bringing us into an eternal reality show. Want to play? Consider Mark 4:13, “And he said to them, ‘Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?’” Obviously, it was not impossible to understand the parable without Jesus giving an explanation. Challenging, yes, but not impossible. Jesus gave them clues: this is a parable about the coming kingdom (of which the Jews had the wrong belief) and it is a parable about “hearing.” The only other ingredient needed was a knowledge of farming—seed responds differently to different soils and that’s the way the kingdom of God is! That’s not rocket science, but it does need careful meditation. The point is, the possibility of understanding was present in the parable. One of the themes of Mark’s account is the dullness of the apostles and the Jews in general. However, though Jesus gives a mild rebuke to the disciples in the house, he commends them for asking in order to learn and condemns the multitude for not pursuing an answer. With the above knowledge, “why did Jesus speak to them in parables?” Did he expect the multitude to understand? No way! Not even the apostles understood. In fact, at the moment Jesus does not intend for the multitude to understand: “but for those outside everything is in parables, so that they may indeed see but not perceive, hear but not understand…” (Mark 4:11-12). He is looking for people who desire to know and learn; people who will come and ask and pursue the greatest offer made to mankind, the Kingdom!—“to you it is given to know, but to those outside it is not given!” Therefore, Jesus purposely does not make everything perfectly understandable to every person on every point. Does that surprise you? We would be appalled if a preacher today gave a sermon of five parables without explanation! The expectation was and is that each person would bring their brain to the study and go into discovery mode and draw conclusions from what they heard and then ask questions and seek answers. Jesus was testing their hearts, testing their desire for the Kingdom of God! Consider some examples; Example: Exodus 3:6 “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Jesus strongly rebuked the Sadducees for not understanding the resurrection based on this verse. Listen to his words, “Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know nei

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville “And He Gave Evangelists…” (1) Introduction: Many Christians may not be aware of the decreasing number of evangelists and qualified shepherds in our brotherhood. I’m sure most of you would understand the seriousness of this problem. The danger is that when a church has good elders and a good preacher, not much thought is given to the many churches who may not have elders and cannot get it an evangelist,—someone who does more than preach a sermon. This need is not about a “sermon,” it is about what Paul commanded Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:5, “Do the work of an evangelist.” The problem begins with leaders who did not prepare themselves for the work and/or do not place their primary focus on Ephesians 4:1-16. Paul’s direct proclamation in Ephesians 4:11-12 teaches that the apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers are gifts from Jesus to his body for the equipping of the saints and for the growth of the body, remind us of how important evangelists, shepherds and teachers are to the church. This text is the foundation for growth! In this lesson, we will concentrate more on evangelists than on shepherds because Paul taught in 1 Timothy and Titus that evangelists are required to teach and equip the church so that qualified shepherds can be appointed. Of course, your first response might be, “What does that have to do with me? What could I possibly do to help that situation?” That is the subject of this sermon. There are principles we can all understand better and efforts we can all make to improve us and any other church that we may influence in the future. Disclaimer: Much of what we will discuss in this lesson has often or “generally” taken place in a significant percentage of churches. I am not suggesting that all churches or even a majority of churches are failing their calling. But there certainly is and have been a strong trend toward both preachers and shepherds to fail pursuing the requirements of Ephesians 4:1-16. The Work of Evangelists, Shepherds and Teachers (Ephesians 4:11-16) What do you see? Primarily, it bring “the whole body to maturity.” Maturity includes…? Unity of the faith Knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man (not tossed by every wind of doctrine) Able to “speak the truth in love” The whole body knit and joined together so that every part does its share The Pastoral Epistles: Paul’s Challenge to an Evangelist (imagine yourself as Timothy or Titus and being given this charge) 1 Tim. 1:3 “…that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies… The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving rom these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers…” Roles of men and women in the church Modesty (teaching women not to overdress!) Appointing elders/deacons Warning against various departures from the faith Instructing widows and the church concerning widows Instructions to servants and masters Instructions concerning contentment and the love of money Charge the rich… 2 Tim. 2:2 “…what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men/woman who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Tim. 2:14 “Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does not good, but only ruins the hearers.” 2 Tim. 4:16 “…avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness.” 2 Tim. 4:2-4 “…preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching…” 2 Tim. 4:5 “…always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” Titus 1:5 “This is why I left you at Crete, so that you might set in order things that are wanting…. And appoint elders in every town as I directed you…” Titus 1:10 “For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers…they must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.” Titus 1:12 “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith…” Instruct older men, younger men, older women, younger women, bondservants and masters. Titus 1:15 “Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority.” Titus 3:10 “As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him…” Titus 3:14 “And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.” Summarizing the above survey, 2 Timothy 4:5, “Do the work of an evangelist.” If you were Timothy or Titus, how do you feel about what you have been called to do? Why the Need for a Full-Time Evangelist? In the OT, God set aside a whole tribe in Israel so th

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville The Expectation of Our Father: Be Careful How You Hear Introduction: Reading: Matthew 13:18-23. Our text is Jesus’ interpretation of the Parable of the Sower. What is the message? What is the key to the parable? Did you “hear” it? Yes, the message is hearing. The message is when the word is spoken, taught, or preached, what is the condition of the heart, the mind? Jesus said it plainly at the end of the parable: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” In Luke’s account, “he cried out.” When Jesus answered the apostles’ question of why he spoke to the people in parables, his answer was, “…because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.” At the conclusion of Mark’s account of the parable, Jesus said, “Take heed what you hear…” (4:24, ASV). “Consider carefully what you hear” (NIV). “Pay close attention to what you hear” (NLT). In Luke’s account (8:18) “Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.” Did you also notice that when the seed is sown, everything depends on the condition of the ground? Ask yourself this question: On this day, did Jesus preach a good sermon or a bad sermon? If you said he preached a good sermon, you would be in the minority. The multitudes believed he preached a bad sermon. They walked away without any desire to understand or to know more about what Jesus taught. They were similar to “wayside ground, stoney ground, or thorny ground.” Therefore, if you evaluated Jesus’ sermon as did the multitudes, why was the sermon bad? It was a bad sermon, because they were bad listeners! Nothing has changed. Sometimes sermons are bad because they do not reflect the message of the scriptures. But many times, sermons are bad because you or I have been bad listeners! Poor Listeners Are Common in the Scriptures The Bible is filled with people who complained about God’s word. There are repeated complaints about the preaching of God’s prophets and even NT teachers, with Jesus being at the top of the list. Isaiah addressed the problem repeatedly, even quoting the people mocking his teaching with the English equivalent of “blah, blah, blah, blah.” Isaiah 28:9-10 “To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.” The Corinthian teachers mocked Paul’s preaching, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing” (2 Corinthians 10:10). Paul recognized that Timothy would have the same problem when he admonished him to continue teaching with patience regardless of whether it fit the desires of the people because the time was coming when they would “accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and would turn away from listening to the truth” (2 Timothy 4:2-4). To these people, what is a good sermon? It is a sermon that fits they desires. Jesus said to the Jews, “Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word” (John 8:43). The Present Day Application There are and have been thousands of inept preachers, even in Bible days, and there are today. Many should not even be preaching because they don’t have the passion or desire for learning the scriptures. I had one preacher ask me, “How do you get excited about studying? I really have to force myself to get in the office and at work at it.” I fear there are way too many who preach who have that problem. It is evident in their lessons. That being said, Jesus, the prophets, and the apostles exposed what none of us want to hear: we listeners are a bigger problem than the speaker! Jay Adams states, “In the scriptures, there is more instruction about listening than about preaching and teaching! Leave it to us sinners to reverse things, putting all of the stress on the latter at the expense of the former!” Preaching is not like building a house, fixing a car, or the painting of a great artist. I imagine that every one of us has at some time thought of preaching as if it were a one-way street, as if the responsibility of the biblical message rests solely on the speaker and that you and I have nothing to do with it. But we know better! When Jesus taught the above parables, he clearly showed that teaching and communicating demands competence from both the listener and the teacher. And Jesus put the bulk of the blame on the listener. The heart and ears of the listener can cause a great sermon to be mediocre and what is considered a bad sermon into a great sermon. The preacher must work with people who had a bad night’s sleep, are repeatedly interrupted by their children, are not interested in the message, misunderstand the text or what was said, and even become angry. Unlike c

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Understanding the God of Judgment Introduction: Luke 1:46-55 Unlike the other Gospel accounts, Luke reveals the praises of those who encountered the birth of Jesus. Mary, Elizabeth, Zachariah, the angels, Simeon, and Anna, all join a praise to God for fulfilling his promise to send a Savior. Even though no one knows the actual day when Jesus entered this world, it is appropriate any time of the year to join these praises of Mary and the others for the mercy of God. Therefore, there are two notable principles both Mary and Zachariah revealed in their praise and should cause “joy to the world”: The first is the word mercy. Mercy reminds us that every person who ever lived was and is doomed to an eternity without God. To rejoice in the birth of Jesus and not recognize that the reason is our need for mercy is to demean his coming. Second, verses 51-53 remind us that with Jesus’ coming, there will also be judgment. You cannot have salvation without judgment because if there is no judgment, there is no salvation. The human deficit has always been a lack of acceptance of the seriousness of our sins. We, like Satan, want to believe that even though we have sinned we shall not surely die. That sentiment disregards the fact that though God’s greatest desire is for us to be with him, a holy God cannot dwell with an unholy people. The lesson this morning is to help us understand a God who created a Judgment Day, and why that Judgment Day is a reason to sing, “Joy to the World!” Jesus’ Teaching about Judgment Most people would be surprised to know that Jesus talked about hell more than any writer in the Bible. That will seem odd to most people who say they are believers but do not think that God would punish anyone in hell. Even more shocking is to actually read Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:31-32, 41, 46 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left…Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels… And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Please note, what we just read are the final teachings of Jesus concerning his rule as the King of kings. Imagine! His last words give this stark warning! But lest you think it was a rare caution Jesus gave, consider that losing life found in his kingdom and instead suffering in hell was also his first warning and continual warning. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7), the introductory manifesto of his kingdom, Jesus warns of losing life and ending up in hell at least six times. “…unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (5:20) “…everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. (5:22) “…If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” (5:29-30) “… but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (6:15) “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (7:13-14) “…Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (7:19) “…On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” (7:22-23) In Matthew 13, Jesus gave nine parables about the kingdom (including the “Seed Growing Secretly, Mark 4). In 6 of the 9 parables Jesus warned against losing the treasure found within his kingdom. Someone might think, “Well, losing the treasure is not the same as hell!” Oh, that is where you are missing the message. You see, the day will come wherein the only place God’s blessings are found is within his kingdom. At present, everyone enjoys God’s blessings. But on that Great Day, God’s blessings will only be found within his kingdom. This is a pattern God has repeatedly followed: The Flood. Blessings are in the ark. Curses are outside the ark. Where do you want to be? The Passover in Egypt: Blessings are inside the house with blood over th

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Who Is This God of Judgment? Pt. 1 Parable of the Virgins & Talents Matthew 25:1-30 Introduction: About 40% of those who call themselves believers today reject the idea of hell. About 80% of the under 30 generation rejects the biblical teaching of eternal punishment. Certainly, much of this disbelief when comes from a lack of knowledge of the whole Bible, and the rest from the simple reason, “I can’t believe a loving God would send anyone to hell.” Matthew 24-25 is the fifth major discourse by Jesus recorded in Matthew. The entire discourse is about Judgment. It begins with judgment on the nation of Israel for the rebellion against the Lord and then transitions from judgment on Israel to judgment on the world. We must remember that Jesus is speaking as King of his Kingdom. The transition begins with 25:1, Then the kingdom of heaven will be like…” From there Jesus blends together three parables: virgins, talents, and sheep and goats. The first two build on the householder parable in chapter 24. Each have an absent lord and each deal primarily with watchfulness and preparedness. The last, the sheep and goats, more graphically pictures final judgment. Each portray varying standards of judgment. The Householder parable considers the way the ruling servants care for the house. The Virgins picture preparedness. The Talents picture usefulness. The Sheep and Goats portray the way the Lord’s servants love and care for one another. Parable of the Virgins We begin with the understanding that as Jesus tells this parable he is echoing a story that fit the Jewish culture. Bridegrooms often gave a general time frame of when they would arrive to take the bride and her maidens on a procession through the streets finally arriving at the couple’s new home. The bridegroom might even make a game out of surprising his bride, not coming at an hour she would expect. A crier would go before him and announce his impending arrival giving the wedding party only a short time to trim their lamps and lead the wedding party through the streets. This reflects the manner in which we can expect Jesus’ return. Weddings and honeymoons were also different in Jewish culture. Instead of going away for the honeymoon, they stayed at home feasting and celebrating for a week with their chosen friends. It was a great honor to be admitted to the celebration. We see all these principles in the story Jesus tells. But the critical part of the parable is not just that half the virgins were different from the other half, but how much all ten virgins were alike. All ten want to be a part of the wedding procession and join in the festivities of the wedding week. All ten are depicted as virgins. There is no hint of immorality here. They all had lamps. Even those called foolish had lamps with the intention of using the lamps in the procession. Therefore, it is important that the parable is not about those who are of the world. This is not a parable of five Christians and five unbelievers. These are all believers and are all people who want to be with the bridegroom and the wedding feast. Therefore, the parable is about us; it is about Christians. After all, Jesus is speaking to his disciples. How many times do we see such a thing? Jesus repeatedly contrasts disciples. Some make it and some do not. The criteria always has to do with whether the Lord is their number one passion. What may be puzzling is the question of why the five foolish didn’t bring oil with their lamps? Though we cannot name specific reasons, we do have an answer. Whatever it was that caused them not to bring extra oil had to do with a lack of giving the bridegroom and the procession a priority in their life. In other words, what were they doing instead of buying more oil? Here is a critical lesson, we can sometimes pay so much attention to avoiding transgression that we are not paying attention to preparation. There doesn’t need to be overt sin in our lives to lose our souls. We cannot pat ourselves on the back because of our moral lifestyle while at the same time ignore that God has a eternal, heavenly purpose for us and he expects us to prepare for it and accomplish that purpose. In other words, we may be Christians, but that is not the end of the story. We can be foolish Christians. What other meaning can you get from the story? In fact, that is the very meaning of verse 13, Watch therefore. What does Jesus mean by “watch?” Looking out the window to be the first to see the bridegroom coming would not have helped the foolish virgins. They still wouldn’t have been prepared. Here is the deal: They didn’t believe they had to prepare that much! In fact, they seem to have the idea that the bridegroom would still be merciful once the door was shut. There is a point in which it is too late! No wonder Jesus said, Strive to enter. No wonder Paul and Peter both urged the utmost diligence and carefulness lest we have come short. This is serious! An

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Topical Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Increasing Our Awareness of the Devil Introduction: There is an interesting phenomenon that goes on in our world, and often among us. It is the question of why there are evil people, or even more amazing, how can the most evil of people command so much power to the point of ruling nations. Sometimes we act as if this phenomenon is new to our present culture. But we have always read about it both in the Bible and in secular history. Possibly more befuddling are those who side with evil people, rationalize their actions, and make excuses for them: “they grew up in poverty, they had a wicked father, or were never taught morals.” While any and all of those may be contributing factors, Ezekiel 18 actually describes all those same circumstances, but God still reminds Israel that, “the soul who sins will die.” No excuses. Everyone will stand before the judgment seat of God and answer for what they have done, whether good or evil (2 Corinthians 5:10). Well, what is the answer to evil? Most Christians would easily say that it is because of the devil. Yes, that would be correct. But are we aware of the extent of his influence and his power by which evil reigns in the world? What about the extent of his influence even in our own lives. We enjoy living with the knowledge of God’s presence with us. But are we also aware of Satan’s presence? Let’s consider. Satan as Jesus Saw Him One of the studies I had never done was to simply examine what Jesus said about Satan. We read over these statements easily and see the overall message, but do not stop and think about the implications of Satan’s character, purposes, and methodology. Amazingly, Jesus refers to Satan over 30 times in the four Gospels. That alone should wake us up to his message. First, we should note that Satan was not always Satan. He was a created being like all the heavenly hosts. Colossians 1:16, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” The names by which Jesus referred to the devil tell us about him: Satan, the Devil, Beelzebub. Satan: The word means, adversary. This is the OT name for the devil (other than being called the “serpent” in the Garden). This name is used of him 47 times throughout the Bible. He was blessed with great intelligence and tremendous power. With that intelligence and power, he became self-absorbed. Those who follow Satan are referred to as his offspring. Therefore, we see his character by what he produces in humans who follow him. Thus, he became God’s adversary. The Devil (diabolos): slanderer, accuser Zechariah 3:1, “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him.” Revelation 12:10, “And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.” The above verses reveal to us the Devil’s desire to defeat God’s purpose for us. It is the reason the devil desired for us to sin. Sin ruins God’s plan & Satan did not believe God could remedy man’s sin. God cannot be true to himself and his justice by accepting us once we have sinned. There are three times in scripture that we hear the voice of Satan, and he slanders in all three occasions. In Genesis, he slanders God to man. In Job, he slanders man to God. And in Matthew, he slanders the God-Man to his face. Beelzebub: from Baal-zebub: “Baal”– the master, “zebub”– of the flies; dung-god. Thus, the god of rottenness. From here we will divide Jesus’ teachings about him in three sections: (1) Satan’s interjection into God’s purposes, (2) Satan’s direct involvement into our lives, and (3) the need to be aware of a dangerous devil. Satan’s Direct Involvement in Our Lives John 8:43-45 “Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.” Jesus’ words reveal that Satan is in the business of affecting our “will,” that is, our desires. The greatest reason anyone does not give full loyalty to God is very simple: I don’t want to! We grieve and shake our heads when we see those in or out of the church who simply will not give up this world. We think to ourselves, “Maybe they just don’t know enough. Maybe if I explained it better. Maybe if…, maybe if.” No, that is not the answer. Jesus gave the answer as he watched the multitudes walk away after his parables on the kingdom. “To you it is giv

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New Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Are You Blind? John 9 Introduction: In chapter 7, John records that Jesus went up to Jerusalem during the Feast of Booths. John describes his stay in Jerusalem from that point through chapter 10. In that time, the Pharisees attempted to arrest him and twice tried to kill him. Their response was triggered by Jesus’ repeated claim that he came from the Father, existed before Abraham, is the “I Am” of the “burning bush” text, and is one with the Father. When we are confronted with Jesus’ claims, it is evident that if he is lying, he would deserve to be stoned. Jesus has claimed that if we do not commit our lives to him we will die in our sins and be lost eternally. By these claims in this Gospel, Jesus is confronting us with every ounce of his being. We must not only consider whether we believe, but whether we will continue in the kind of faith and commitment that reflects the definition Jesus gives for a disciple. The choice is clear, and in John 9 Jesus truly challenges our hearts. The Story Jesus’ stay in Jerusalem during the eight days of the Tabernacles Festival, highlights the boldness of Jesus when he proclaimed, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Jesus just told the world that every person is living in darkness and he is their only hope of obtaining light and life. In typical John fashion, John presents the fifth sign given by Jesus to illustrate and confirm Jesus as God in the flesh. After nearly being stoned in the Temple, Jesus departed, and as he and his disciple traveled, they passed by a beggar who had been born blind. This is the only place in the NT that we are confronted with a man born blind. The disciples immediately took the opportunity to ask a theological question: “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Their question was typical of Jewish theology and the same claim made by Job’s friends. However, Jesus corrected them saying that his condition was not because of sin but so that the “works of God might be displayed in him.” Jesus then made two proclamations: “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day…” “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” There is the setup, now Jesus will go to work. Without a word to the blind man, Jesus stooped down, spit in the dirt and made mud. Then he took the mud and smeared on the man’s eyes and told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. The man obeyed Jesus, went to the pool and washed, and came back seeing. Simple as that. The blind man is first confronted by his neighbors. They can see the resemblance, but it was so odd that his eyes were no longer blank and he no longer stumbled along, that at first they could not be sure. Finally, they asked him—“How were your eyes opened?” However, the man knew very little about his own story. “A man named Jesus anointed my eyes of mud and told me to wash.” Further, “I do not know where he is.” It was evident that this man did not even know who Jesus was. Therefore the neighbors, being the “kind” people that they were, and being that it was the Sabbath, decide to take him to the Pharisees. No, they couldn’t throw a party. They couldn’t rejoice and be happy for him. They couldn’t praise God. They are so brainwashed by the Pharisees that they can’t even reason! How could this man “see” if it weren’t for God? Can’t you “see” that! The scene then turns from a blind man made to see, to Jesus who was responsible for disrespecting the law of God on the Sabbath day. The reaction of the Pharisees when confronted with a clear miracle, presents us with a cultural shock. Today we would label these men as “The Gestapo.” It was evident that everyone was afraid of them, so much so that the townspeople would even report each other if there were the slightest hint that the Law had been violated. When asked how he was made to see, the man was to the point: “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” The judgment of the Pharisees was quick and easy: “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” A sinner certainly would not be able to do a miracle! Are we seeing the blindness in people who claim they see! Now that the judgment has been made, the Pharisees turn to the blind man and put him on the hot seat: “What do you say about him.” In other words, are you going to agree with us or not? Watch out what you say! You will get in trouble! Just tell them what they want to hear! No, not this man. He looked them square in the eyes and said, “He is a prophet.” In other words, this was Elijah like. It is the best conclusion he had at the moment, and it was a good conclusion. “Okay, something is wrong here,” the Pharisees are thinking. The guy just couldn’t have been blind. This is a big ruse, and we will uncover it. So they call his parents. Now can you imagine how nervous the parents are? They have been called before the Gestapo, and the

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New Testament Sermons / Speaker:Berry Kercheville The Greatest of These Is Love 1 Corinthians 13 Introduction: Let me begin with a “softball question.” What is the primary reason there were divisions in the church in Corinth? We could come up with all sorts of reasons. They were following different teachers. They overlooked immorality. Some didn’t believe in the resurrection. People wanted to eat in the idol’s temple because they had the best dinners. In worship, many wanted to show off their special gifts. And we could go on. But none of these, not even the doctrinal differences, were the primary reason for divisions in Corinth. The primary reason for their divisions is, they didn’t love each other. Nothing has changed today. Churches split today or members get upset and leave. What is really amazing is how often one side (whether the “leavers” or the “stayers”) jumps up and down and says, it is because of a doctrinal issue. I’ve seen it time and again, and it wasn’t doctrinal. It was one group or both groups who simply stopped loving. And once that lack of love got irritating enough, a doctrinal issue came to the surface and was used as an excuse to split. In 1 Corinthians 1:10, Paul commanded that these brethren “all agree, and that there be no divisions among you, that that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” To obey that command, what must be the first step? Love! Paul’s Introduction to Love: 13:1-3 It is significant that Paul places his discussion on love toward the end of his letter instead of the beginning. In essence, it is Paul saying, “Now that I’ve shown you the total mess you have made of God’s church, let me show you the root problem and how to fix this.” 12:31 “…and I will give you a still more excellent way.” Throughout chapter 12 Paul had been showing the Corinthians the proper use of their gifts, and primarily how those gifts should be used together to build up the body. But to simply give instructions on the use of the gifts is not enough. Paul uses the word “still” to indicate, “Let me take you to a higher level…something more excellent than just knowing some rules.” This approach is so important! God cannot foresee every problem in a church. Therefore, the “still more excellent way” is to teach love so that no matter than circumstances, the problem will be solved. These first three verses make it obvious that the Corinthians have an inordinate concern for their own personal importance. Paul uses hyperboles or exaggeration to indicate that that which we personally attain has no significance without love: tongues of angels, prophetic powers, all mysteries, all knowledge, all faith to remove mountains, give away all I have, deliver my body to be burned…” In other words, we can be the greatest of the greatest in what we do for the Lord, but without love, we are a noice maker, we are nothing, we gain nothing! Without love, we are simply an irritating gong that keeps annoying everyone around. Did you know that this happens in baseball and football teams? A player can be a superstar, but the disruption he brings to the locker room causes him to be cut or traded. Remember, Paul’s beginning message was, “I preach Jesus Christ and him crucified. Why is this true? Because “love builds up” (8:1). The Attributes of Love Love is Patient – long-suffering; to endure patiently, wait with patient expectation. A person who “forebears” another is a person who is able to wait for someone without complaining, to put up with another’s weaknesses, mistakes, and idiosyncrasies. This is so hard for us, and we typically give very little slack to others. instead of patience, we get irritated. When you have made mistakes and done foolish things that affected other, how many times would you have liked to have said, “Please deal with me gently; be patient with me; I’m working on it.” We are all at varied levels of growth. Consider your foolishness when you were young and how many people patiently waited for you to grow. Love is Kind. Kindness is a reflection of God. Ephesians 2:5-6, “raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 5:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Definition: “gentle, obliging, gracious.” God’s kindness is illustrated in his mercy and compassion. Kindness is part of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Love does not Envy. Envy comes from comparing ourselves with others to see if our “status” is superior or adequate. This was going on between the Corinthians over their gifts. Love does not Boast. This word in its various forms is used 30 times in the Corinthian letters. It was a key sin of the Corinthians and their false teachers. 4:7 is one of the best explanations: “For who sees anything different than you? What do you have that you did not receive?

Bible Classes / Speaker:Berry Kercheville Don’t Waste Your Life Ecclesiastes 12:9-14 Introduction: The words of the Preacher have taken the failed life of Solomon and warned every person about how easy it is to waste your whole life. No, you won’t waste your life in the eyes of the world because the world has a different standard on how success and failure is judged. To illustrate, to the worldly mind, a man like Solomon was a success and the apostle Paul was a failure (in the mind of the carnal Corinthians). The Preacher’s Encouragement: “You Are Going to Die” Ha! What a way to start a sermon! Doesn’t sound very encouraging! Oh but it is. “The day of death is better than the day of birth. It is better to go to the house of mourning…for it is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart” (7:1-2). Consider this: how many times do you think the name “God” is used in Ecclesiastes? It is used 34 times not including the many times God is implicitly referenced by context and pronouns. In spite of the emphasis on life under the sun (life without godly considerations), the Preacher’s focus is the impossibility of taking God out of the equation. Look at the text before us: 11:9 “…for all these things God will bring you into judgment.” 12:1 “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come…” 12:7-8 “…and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, all is vanity.” Notice how these sentences come together. How long before the “spirit returns to God who gave it?” Lake a breath! Like a vapor! 12:13 “The end of the matter; all has been heard: fear God and keep his commandments…” 12:14 “For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” These words are not intended negatively. These are encouraging words because this is reality, and we have the opportunity to get ready for it. The Preacher’s Epilogue: The Words of the Wise (9-12) The Preacher obviously places himself in the category of those inspired by God. His words are “given by one Shepherd.” Notice that he gives words that are delightful , that is, they are words to be desired and will give pleasure to the hearer. And they are words of truth. A person could argue with his words, but the practice of the rest of his life under the sun would prove him wrong. Notice in verse 11 the value of the inspired words given by God, the one Shepherd. They are like goads. A goad is a prod to move a farm animal in the direction desired. Goads are pointy at the end so that the animal is more motivated to move. At first thought, you wouldn’t think we would need a goad. But that is why the word of God is so important. We tend not to make changes in our lives. We get comfortable. But the word of God is intended to make us uncomfortable so that we move to where God wants us to be. Therefore, though God’s word can be of great comfort, it also has parts that are described as a “two-edged sword” that penetrates the “thoughts and intents of our heart” (Hebrews 4:12). God’s word is also like “nails firmly fixed.” A firmly fixed nail or screw is what we use to hold shelving and other heavy objects on a wall. The word of God is the only thing in the world that we can depend on to hang the future of our lives. Jeremiah 10:23 “I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.” As much as we would like to think so, we are completely incapable of directing our own lives without without totally destroying ourselves. Think of how this applies to marriage & How it applies to parenting. Notice also the word “Shepherd.” That is the position God is taking with us. We are like sheep, completely helpless to preserve out lives. When the Lord is our Shepherd, we shall not be in want. Vs. 12: “Beware of anything beyond these—of the making of many books there is no end.” Give attention to the word, “Beware.” This is not a suggestion. It is a strong warning about all writings that are not “given by one Shepherd.” Isn’t it interesting that nothing has changed in 2500 years. The message of God’s word still competes with the writings and wisdom of man. There are millions of books telling us how to raise kids, have a great marriage, how to get the most out of life, how to solve stress/anxiety, and every other concern that living life under the sun brings. This isn’t to say that all books written on these subjects are bad. To be sure, some are from a strong biblical perspective, applying God’s word in practical ways for today’s culture. But the challenge is, when our lives are those painful tribulations, are we turning completely to the one Shepherd? Who is turning to Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song? For example, just in Ecclesiastes, who is remembering: “What is crooked cannot be made straight”? “And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no plea

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