Rev. Dwight Yoo

The surprise of God

John the baptist is announced before Jesus. Zacharia and Elizabeth, who was barren, are told to expect a son. Then six months later the same angel goes to galilee and speaks of another child, Jesus. Mary, a young girl of no more than 14, betrothed to another nobody by the name of Joseph. The angel says her son will be a king. And his kingdom will never end. He was born to a poor family to an utter lack of fanfare. He came not in power, but rather in service. 

Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth. If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie. He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap. As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything. In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good. Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun. So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. Remove vexation from your heart, and put away pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, "I have no pleasure in them"; before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain, in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows are dimmed, and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low— they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets— before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 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. - Ecclesiastes 11:1-12:‬8 ESV 

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Teachings and proverbs came in the last chapter. Today, the preacher brings his message to a close. If an artist was to display this, it would be an old man gathering his family to give his final lessons/message.

Lesson on Risk and reward

This first part of the passage is imagery about business transactions and trade. It is about sending ships out to trade with other nations. And it speaks of investing in a diverse number of things. This is to avoid complete loss. 

Then it switches to imagery about nature. It speaks of how it is hard to predict what will happen with weather. Waiting for the perfect circumstances is something that will never come. God knows all things, but for us there is much more mystery. We cannot see what will happen.

This is a call to live our lives not foolishly, but to take informed risks for the Lord. We are not to hoard and protect, but to multiply and invest. We are to make the most of every opportunity, spiritually, at work, etc. We are to avoid paralysis by analysis. We are frozen in analysis and never act. But we do need to avoid unspiritual decision making. We need to pray and seek out wisdom. But without waiting for Gideon's fleece, rather to step out in faith in God's promises, character, and word. 

Lesson on Rejoicing

For the preacher who is older with more life behind him than before him. He's over the hill so to speak. He says there will be dark days. His message is to enjoy life without being sinfully indulgent. So how does one become sinfully indulgent? When we look for more from the gifts than the ultimate giver, God. We cannot look to these good things as God replacements. 

How? We need to remove vexation from our hearts. Life is too short to hang onto grudges, bitterness, resentment. Holding onto bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. We need to bring these things to God and ask for His empowerment to forgive.

Lesson on Remembering

The preacher finishes with a description of old age and death. You start waking up at the quietest things. Your desire fails means that you have less motivation. 7pm starts to feel so late and you are so tried. Then finally, beautiful things fall apart. In life you will slowly begin to weaken, to slow down, and finally, to die. You cannot take anything with you. Remember your Creator in your youth. Before you grow old and before you are so locked down, reorder your life. Forget about the fleeting things that will not last. Instead focus on those things that will last forever and push hard for those things. Hold nothing back for the kingdom of God. The better preacher puts it this way:

Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,  who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. - Mark 10:29‭-‬30 ESV 

So the dark days will come, but we will still be able to rejoice because the better days are yet to come. Whatever we invest in God's kingdom will not fail to bring an unimaginable return. When we close our eyes that final time here, we will open them to see Jesus and walk in that heavenly city in joy. 

Foolish living and consequences

Dead flies make the perfumer's ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. A wise man's heart inclines him to the right, but a fool's heart to the left. Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool. If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest. There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves. He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall. He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them. If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed. If the serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage to the charmer. The words of a wise man's mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him. The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is evil madness. A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him? The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city. Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time, for strength, and not for drunkenness! Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks. Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything. Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter.

Ecclesiastes 10:1‭-‬20 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Realities of leadership

Everything under the sun is subject to frustration and futility. We cannot put our hopes on earthly things. This also applies to governments and authorities of nations. No matter the outcome of this election, half the population will be upset. And even if the candidate you voted for is elected, there will still be frustration. The government is set up with checks and balances. Not all campaign promises will come to fulfillment. 

Foolish leadership brings about social upheaval. But even good leadership and governance is subject to futility and frustration in many ways. Wisdom would temper our expectations.

Responding to leadership

The existence of earthly government is at God's command. He put them in place to provide protection and order. We are to obey them until they act outside the bounds of God's will. We are not to idolize our governing officials. When rulers are angered against us, we are called to patience. We are called to be careful with our words lest they reach the king's ears. But in this day and age, we are governed by elected representatives by the people, for the people. How does this apply to us on this day and age? Christians are called to pray for governing leaders, both those we like as well as those we dislike. Leaders at the national level hold tremendous power and influence. 

Foolish rulers have no self control and are self indulgent. Wise leaders know about proper timing. When to wait and when to act. Wisdom will have them hold their tongues.

Resting and reflecting

Find rest not in our political leaders, but in the king of kings. In Jesus Christ, we find our true leader. He gave up status and power rather than self indulgence in order to take the punishment of us, a foolish people. He rules with infinite wisdom. He brought about good from evil and hope out of darkness. He is ushering in perfect peace, justice, and a kingdom that will never end. This is where our true allegiance lies. Until Jesus calls us to this eternal kingdom, we are to be the best possible citizens of our earthly kingdoms where we are now. This hope should not bring us to passivity. But rather it should give us a drive to pursue gospel powered service & pursuit of people in the nation we reside. 

Lord, make me an instrument of thy Peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow Love.

Where there is injury, thy Pardon, Lord.

Where there is doubt, let there be Faith.

Oh Lord, make me an instrument of thy Peace.

Where there is despair, let me bring Hope.

Where there is darkness, let there be Light.

Where there is sadness, let there be Joy.

Prayer of Peace - St. Francis

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek:

To be consoled, as to console,

To be understood, as to understand,

To be loved, as to love.

Lord, make me an instrument of thy Peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow Love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.

And it's in dying that we are born

To eternal life, to eternal life.

Lord, make me an instrument of thy Peace.

An instrument of thy Peace. Amen.

Wise living

A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fools; this also is vanity. Surely oppression drives the wise into madness, and a bribe corrupts the heart. Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools. Say not, "Why were the former days better than these?" For it is not from wisdom that you ask this. Wisdom is good with an inheritance, an advantage to those who see the sun. For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it. Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked? In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. - Ecclesiastes 7:1‭-‬14 ESV 

Rev. Dwight Yoo

The preacher makes a stylistic change to his writing for this passage. He writes in the more usual style of proverbs and wisdom literature. It seems haphazard, but there is a unifying theme. In order to live well, you need wisdom. It won't make life perfect, but it will keep things from getting worse. 

A good name or reputation is more valuable than material things. Living life for wealth and good credit is foolish compared to a life focused on character.

Wisdom welcomes

Wisdom welcomes sorrow and discomfort. The text says funerals are better than feasts. Funerals tell us that our days are numbered. They make us consider what is truly important. Sorrow is better than laughter. This is not calling us to a life of joylessness. But it is the sad and difficult things that teach us and instruct us on how we should be living and what we should be truly valuing. When we face brokenness, our heart should turn from fleeting things towards more substantial and satisfying things. Fools live an unexamined life. When hard times come, they bury themselves in pleasure and distractions. Wisdom is being willing to face the hard times and to examine your life. 

Do we look at the death of Walter Wallace and consider how we may have contributed by our actions or inactions? Do we consider the pandemic and how it has altered so much of our lives and to see insights for our lives? Are we struck by our limitations and mortality? Or do we simply wish for the end of the discomforts?

Wisdom waits

The fool presumes to know the end of a matter, but the wise wait. Consider how some small things grow into something unimaginable. A baby born in a manger and the unimaginable impact of this. Fools assume they know what will happen. They desire better former days assuming that things are not changing for the better. They presume that things were better when they were comfortable in the past. But the wise in humility, listen to those with another perspective. They do not automatically get upset when they hear something that doesn't agree with them. They listen to others with patience and consider others may offer something different and better. Living wisely helps to secure and protect lives in this already difficult life. 

So shouldn't it be that all believers should live wisely? But we are often living foolishly misled by our hearts. But Ecclesiastes is very honest. Wisdom will not insulate us from all trouble. There will be hard times for the righteous and wise as well.

Wisdom watches over

Jesus is the ultimate poor wise man. He died a fool's death. He was wisdom embodied. He took the punishment of a fool to pay the price for the way we lived foolishly in our lives. He did this so that we would be welcome into the perfect city. A city where there is no more suffering, no more foolishness, no more death, no more looting. He guarantees the end for all believers. He ensures that the end will be better than the beginning.