My 3/31/19AM sermon, A New Hope (1 Samuel 11), is now online. The sermon continued our work in the books of 1 and 2 Samuel, specifically dealing with some chapters showcasing the rise of Saul.

The sermon dug into what might be the one shining moment in Saul’s kingship. The Ammonites attack and upon hearing it, the Spirit rushes upon Saul and enables him to lead the nation to defeat the enemy. The passage ended with Samuel “renewing the kingdom” at Gilgal.

This story helped to show how we can respond when our enemies pridefully gloat over us, how the Spirit encourages us, and leads us to focus on God. I hope it encourages you.

This weekend, at Crestview, Lord-willing, we’ll look at 1 Samuel 6-7. In 1 Samuel 7, we’ll be honing in how God comes to help His people. Here’s the connection that Tim Chester makes:

The hymn Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing by Robert Robinson (1735-1790) contains the lines:

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.

We do not always sing these lines because most people do not know the origin of the meaning of “Ebenezer”. But this (1 Samuel 7:12) is where it comes from. For Christians our Ebenezer is the cross. At the cross, we see the seriousness of sin, the weight of glory, and God’s generous help to sinners. We raise up the cross and say: “Thus far the Lord has helped us”. And if he has helped us by giving his own Son, then surely he will bring us safely home to glory: “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). When you feel overwhelmed by your problems, or when you feel God has abandoned you, or when you feel threatened by the circumstances of your life, look to the cross. The cross is our Ebenezer, the great declaration of God’s help. The way we truly take the glory of God seriously is by raising up the cross.

Lord willing, this coming Sunday, October 7, I’ll start a short series on Ecclesiastes at Crestview Bible Church.  Following up on what we learned in 1 Peter, how God provides hope for the outcasts, we think about our life in this world with appropriate wisdom.  This book will help us get there.

In preparing, I’ve been helped by the twitter feed of Ray Ortlund.  Here’s some tweets he made that relate to the entire book of Ecclesiastes.  Chew on these slowly as we begin to absorb the message of this book:

 

@rayortlund  Jun 7 2018

Ecclesiastes: You will not live long, but you can live well. You will soon die and be forgotten, with no lasting mark on this world. But in it all, God will be present, showering joyous gifts upon you in the simple experiences of daily life. Enjoy! And get ready to meet Him!‏

 

@rayortlund  Apr 19 2018

Taking two weeks off of Twitter for a deep dive into Ecclesiastes. A writing commitment beckons. Nixi joins me in bidding you a fond, lingering, achingly heartfelt farewell, y’all. ‏

 

@rayortlund  8 Nov 2017

If you’ve been defeated by life, you can’t see what’s the point, you’re giving up, good. You’re finally ready for wisdom (Ecclesiastes).‏

 

@rayortlund  8 Nov 2017

Our options: 1. Create our own meaning and permanence, and be crushed by reality. 2. Let God give us everything worth having, and enjoy the ride. (Ecclesiastes)

 

@rayortlund  8 Nov 2017

It is stunning to me how quickly even magnificent people are forgotten after they die. We just don’t last. And we are wise to accept that now (Ecclesiastes).‏

 

@rayortlund  13 Jun 2017

According to Ecclesiastes, two things stand out: (1) life is crazy; (2) God is involved. Wisdom is not mastering that, but accepting it.‏

 

@rayortlund  7 Jun 2017

Ecclesiastes invites us, out of our frantic, desperate giddiness, back into honesty, simplicity, gratitude, joy, serious thought, God.

 

@rayortlund  7 Jun 2017

If we try to make this life ultimate, we go crazy with rage. If we accept this life humbly, trusting in God, we become wise (Ecclesiastes).‏

 

@rayortlund  7 Jun 2017

Ecclesiastes: The good things of this life pass away. But momentary enjoyment is still right, if received gratefully from the hand of God.‏

 

@rayortlund 7 Jun 2017

An experience does not have to be infinite, eternal and final to be good. It can be limited and temporary and still good (Ecclesiastes).‏

 

@rayortlund  12 May 2017

Ecclesiastes strikes us as pessimistic only because our false idealism dies so hard. But if we’ve been shattered by life, it’s delightful.

 

@rayortlund  10 May 2017

Our significance isn’t in our achievements but in God who gave us our achievements. They can’t tell us we matter; he does (Ecclesiastes).

 

@rayortlund  1 May 2017

Another reason I love Ecclesiastes: it isn’t “religious.” No flowery evasions, no pious negativity. I hate religion, I love life.‏

 

@rayortlund  29 Apr 2017

I think I could be a Christian without the book of Ecclesiastes. But I’d be less realistic and honest with myself. Grateful. ‏

 

@rayortlund  29 Apr 2017

Ecclesiastes is saying, “Stop hoping this life will be The Ultimate Human Experience. It cannot be. But it’s still good. Roll with it.”‏

 

@rayortlund 29 Apr 2017

The book of Ecclesiastes proves that it’s possible to be disgusted and disillusioned with this world and still trust God and enjoy life.‏

 

@rayortlund  28 Apr 2017

Ecclesiastes frees us from two opposite errors: joyless, unsmiling grimness; and glib, giggly shallowness. We mature, and we laugh!

 

@rayortlund  28 Apr 2017

Ecclesiastes doesn’t destroy faith. It destroys misplaced faith, foolish idealism that tries to make the impossible succeed. This world!‏

 

@rayortlund  28 Apr 2017

Ecclesiastes takes an honest, unsparing look at the hard questions we ask, and it doesn’t blow us off with shallow answers. I love that.

 

@rayortlund  28 Apr 2017

If you want to understand what is happening is this world everywhere you look, absolutely everywhere, you’ll find it in Ecclesiastes.‏

 

@rayortlund  28 Apr 2017

If the book of Ecclesiastes suddenly disappeared, we would lose laser-clarity about our heartaches and God’s goodness. Huge loss.

 

@rayortlund  28 Apr 2017

More literal translations are to be preferred: NIV’s “Meaningless” versus ESV’s “Vanity” in Ecclesiastes. Vain, yes; meaningless, no.

 

@rayortlund  22 Apr 2017

Ecclesiastes teaches us an aspect of wisdom we don’t want: deeply accepting the frustrations in this life that refuse to yield to us.

 

@rayortlund  21 Apr 2017

Ecclesiastes relocates me. It moves me from unrealistic expectations to a simple, humble enjoyment of life as it really is. Grateful.

 

@rayortlund  21 Apr 2017

If we saw life with the eyes of Ecclesiastes, we’d be more tolerant of weakness and patient with failure. Just the way life is.‏

 

@rayortlund  21 Apr 2017

One reason for the angry frustration in our world: We aren’t reading Ecclesiastes. We keep expecting everyone to be smart, reasonable.‏

 

@rayortlund  21 Apr 2017

We don’t need grandiosity, mythology, self-exaltation. We need realism, humility. We need Jesus in Ecclesiastes. His peace awaits us.

 

@rayortlund  21 Apr 2017

I love the book of Ecclesiastes. Yes, it’s sobering and humbling. But in that very way it’s also freeing and relaxing. I’m better off.

‏

@rayortlund  21 Apr 2017

The rowdy exuberance of the Psalms and the meditative tenderness of Ecclesiastes are fully compatible. Both belong in the Christian mind.

 

@rayortlund  21 Apr 2017

The book of Ecclesiastes forms the rocks against which the winds of reality blow our ships of grandiosity. How else can we be rescued?‏

 

@rayortlund  21 Apr 2017

Job: wisdom for suffering. Proverbs: wisdom for success. Ecclesiastes: wisdom for mortality. Song of Songs: wisdom for sexuality.

 

@rayortlund  20 Apr 2017

We think, “When X happens, I’ll finally arrive.” But what if X does happen? It will let you down. Ecclesiastes warns us. But it’s okay.

 

@rayortlund  19 Apr 2017

Grateful for the honest realism of Ecclesiastes, without which the Bible might seem incomplete. But not a book of cynicism. Far from it.

 

@rayortlund  21 Apr 2016

We cannot buy our way out of futility, laugh our way out, think our way out, accomplish our way out (Ecclesiastes). But we can look to God.‏

 

@rayortlund  1 Jun 2015

What makes our lives worthwhile is not our impact on the world, which is fleeting, but our origin in God, who is good (Ecclesiastes).‏

 

@rayortlund  15 Oct 2014

I saw the Beatles, live, in concert. It was amazing. And I still needed salvation in Jesus. (Ecclesiastes)

 

@rayortlund  25 Sep 2013

Ecclesiastes teaches us to value our work not for its outcome (vanity) but for its source (God). Thus, gratitude.‏

 

@rayortlund  13 Jul 2013

Grateful for Ecclesiastes. Full of wise reflection, clear-eyed honesty, modest but effective remedies. Gospel preparation.

 

@rayortlund  9 Jul 2013

Proverbs articulates the “ground rules” of wisdom. Job and Ecclesiastes present the exceptions. We need both.

 

This coming Sunday, 5/6, we’ll continue to work our way through the book of 1 Peter.  As we dig into 1 Peter 1:10-12, we’ll see the privilege that is ours because of the good news.  Prophets and angels both longed to look and understand Gospel realities, but this is what is ours who have heard and understood this message.  I hope you come expecting great things from God this weekend.

This coming Sunday, 4/15, we are starting a new series at Crestview on the book of 1 Peter.  The tag for this series is “hope for the outcasts.”  Peter understands the problems believers face living life in the tension of the reality that we will be forever in heaven with the Lord but are stuck living life here in this world.  We are very much not at home in this world.  We are outcasts, exiles, aliens.  So, this series will hopefully aim to help us have some insight for really living in this world.  I hope it encourages you.  Join me in praying to this end and, if you have time, read the book of 1 Peter.

This coming Sunday, March 25, is Palm Sunday.  At Crestview, we’ll also be celebrating the Lord’s Supper.  I love the collect from Thomas Cranmer for this day:

Almighty and everlasting God, which of thy tender love toward man, hast sent our Savior Jesus Christ, to take upon him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example of his great humility; mercifully grant that we both follow the example of his patience, and be made partakers of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

There’s no crown without the cross.  So, we’ll be celebrating Jesus’s life and work during this Palm Sunday.

In terms of preaching, we’ll be continuing our series on the Holy Spirit, thinking about the less obvious works that He does on our behalf.  I hope you come and join us for an exciting day.

This coming Sunday, 3/4, we will start a series on the Holy Spirit.  We’ll be looking at who He is, how He works, and His significance in our lives during these upcoming weeks.  I hope you’ll be praying for His influence to be among us.  And, if you’re interested, join us at 10:15 AM Sunday at Crestview.

Sometimes getting kids to eat their vegetables is difficult.  Trying new things (or things unfamiliar to us) can test us to our core.  And, if it’s true with food, it’s probably certainly true with habits and rhythms of life.  This Sunday, my sermon will deal with some of the objections people may have to this whole notion of life together.  My hope is that as we work through these, your resistance might be broken and you’d step into this amazing life to which God is calling you.