"Restless": Look Up

Week 2 “Look Up” 1:12-18

Augustine said “my heart was restless until it found rest in You”

Vrs 12 “Was king” translated “have been king” Solomon was king till he died

Vrs 13 “Search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven” At this point Solomon saying (as you remember he did not feel significant for accomplishments, he felt empty)
It is burdensome to learn about the fallen world around us. “unhappy business”

This reminds of the innocence of a child is broken when they find out that people are not good and there are people in this world who would hurt you, steal from you and want bad for you.

When a child finds out that things don’t always work out: Enchanted Tosh “dreams can’t come true” Silah “yes they can”

The more we find out about this sinful world the more it discourages us and depresses us. The innocence of youth is tainted when they start to find certain things out. It brings grief, problems and anxiety

Vrs 14 In his discouragement it seems that he is saying nothing matters, but those small things do on many levels.

Vrs 15 “What is crooked” (corrupt) Here is the theological truth….We don’t bring peace…Jesus does.
This world is fallen and we as Christians can be salt and light but we are not the cure for sin

as Christians we will not change things, we can alter things but the changing is up to Jesus because it is about the heart of people.

“what is lacking” The fallen state of the world on a human level is an overwhelming problem, there is sin everywhere


Vrs 16 Knowing how to explain things did not comfort me, it just made realize how short I come up at the end of the day, Because he did not know everything

Vrs 17 The answers that this world provides will only get you so far that’s why Solomon says its like “chasing the wind” he is saying I found the answer to this and it caused me to have more questions.

Vrs. 18 The more I learn and understand the more bummed out I become, or in many cases the callous I become (nothing surprises me anymore)

Solomon will talk later about the good gifts of life that are there for our personal enjoyment but at this stage he is saying I know so much and I thought my knowledge would encourage me it actually discouraged me.

There are going to be things that you are never a peace with, that will never get solved, never be resolved, never be explained, never get to the bottom of, never stop hurting…

The broken fallen state of the world makes us looking around for answers

I believe we normally we look in 3 different areas
In the book of Ecclesiastes Solomon is really talking about the first two areas and flirts with the 3rd and does finally settle on the 4th.

Looking in: New age movement says look deep inside yourself for answers. Unfortunately our hearts are wicked. Jeremiah 17:9

Looking out: (to others): Unfortunately if we can’t rely on ourselves others can’t really help either. We are not solo scriptura, that means when we are sick we go to the doctor

Looking away: Run like Jonah, suppress feeling and problems and ignore the fact that you have questions.

When we finally come to the point in life where all those things don’t work that is the point in which we are ready to respond to Jesus and His tug on our heart.

So what do we do? Look up:
Looking up is taking a step back from the worlds wisdom and advice and looking to Jesus.

??Wisdom of this fallen world brings us to the fact that we need to look outside this present world for comfort and answers
Focus on vrs 13 “under heaven” Solomon was looking everywhere but up

In this fallen world we live in Jesus wants us to look up…
We need to look up when…
-we are in trouble. - Stephen Acts 7:54-60 the martyr,
-we are discouraged-Paul Philippians 3:17-25,
-we are suffering- Paul Romans 8:18
-we are blessed- James good gifts come from above
-we are in sin- David Psalm 51:4 & Paul Romans 7
-we need guidance Jesus in the garden looked to the Father in heaven.


Notice that the examples were looking up to heaven “…inspired by hope in Jesus Christ.” Is a statement that keeps us going because our hope is salvation in heaven with Jesus forever not what this world has to offer.

Heaven is the constant reminder that this world is not our home and heaven is what Jesus is calling us to and really the relationship with Him that we are designed for.


This is what we do know about heaven…

Heaven is
-prepared for us by Jesus
-who you are with…Jesus and His people
-a place of perfection (nursing home ill) No more…
-forever
-a free gift through faith in Jesus

Revelation 21:1-5 & 22-27
Close with cry no more song by Andrew