All Is Vanity Under the Sun — Phil Beach Jr.

But for your Holy Spirit, thank you for our wonderful Savior and Lord. We do pray Lord that today you will grant us ears to hear Lord. We are needy today. We will resist you if we do not carefully look to you.

For grace and humility and meekness to be put into our hearts now. Your word. Oh God is offensive. Though it's life-giving it's offensive to pride. It's offensive Lord when we want our own life and So I pray today Lord that you would help us all help us Lord.

To hear your word to receive it in our hearts with meekness and. And to be Changed Lord so that your beauty can be seen in our lives. We look to you father for this we pray in Jesus name. Amen. This morning.

We're going to look at two thoughts Which are directly connected. I want to encourage you to follow along in your Bibles and listen carefully and Pray and ask the Lord. Right from the beginning. Say Lord, would you please allow me to hear your voice?

Into my heart through your word this morning. Never mind anything else. Listen for his voice to your heart this morning. Because he indeed wants to speak young people. Listen to his voice this morning.

Okay? Listen, he'll speak to you. We're going to begin with a scripture. We're going to begin with a scripture in The New Testament and while we're turning to this scripture The children can Quietly begin to line up.

John the Baptist’s Crisis and the Blessing of Not Being Offended

Luke chapter 7. Luke chapter 7. Luke chapter 7 and we're going to look we're going to begin in verse number 18. Luke chapter 7 verse number 18 the title of this word this morning is Blessed is the man who is not offended.

Blessed is the man who is not offended and the disciples of John showed him all of these things and John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus saying Are you he? That should come or look we For another now, let's read that again.

Are you he? That should come or should we look For another we like the thought of following the Lord. We like to believe that he's the one until following him Brings us into a crisis. John was having a crisis here.

He gladly received the Lord. He gladly preached about the Lord. He gladly Spoke about the Lord, but now what is he saying? Oh May God help us to hear this morning. Now. He's saying what is this the one or should we look for another?

It's okay. Until the one we talk about Brings all kind of trouble into our life and then we begin to say well, maybe. Maybe there's another way. This is where John was at right now. Verse 20 when the men were come unto John unto him they said John the Baptist has sent us unto thee saying Are you that?

Are art thou he that should come or look we for another. Oh how desperate John was. How desperate he was he was being tried. He was being tested. He was in the crucible he had been faithful to this one, but now he's desperately desperately looking.

Is this the one? Find out please go go talk to him find out find out. Is this the one or should should I believe in another one? Do I need to keep my heart's allegiance for this one, I mean after all I'm in prison.

After all this allegiance to this one has resulted in the loss of everything. My head's about to be chopped off the wrath of Kings. The wrath of religious people. I'm in a cold prison. Should I give my heart to someone else something else other than this one?

That's where John was at. That's where he was at Verse 21 and in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues and Of evil spirits and unto many that were blind and gave sight then Jesus answering said unto them go your way and Tell John what things ye have seen and heard.

How that the blind see the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the death here. The dead are raised and to the poor the gospel is preached Verse 23 and Blessed is He Whosoever that shall not be offended in me.

The word they're offended means To commit that which leads to the fall or ruin of someone. It means to throw someone Unawares to throw someone unawares into a state of Ruin. Blessed is the man That is not offended in me.

Blessed is the man that does not stumble and fall because of me. John the Baptist was in a hard way at this time in his life a very hard way and We're going to look At a character in the Old Testament now and we're going to see why John the Baptist Was in a hard way.

And we're going to learn that Jesus calls us and is calling us and that that call. If we listen and obey and respond. It's going to bring us all into the very place that John the Baptist was. If not outwardly we may not all be placed in prison but it's going to bring us all to the crisis of of The moment of crisis that John the Baptist had and here's that the crisis is going to be.

Is it is this the one I should follow or should I look for another? And here's why we turn our Bibles to a book that we don't normally look at. It's called the book of Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes is right after Proverbs.

Solomon’s Search Under Heaven

I want to begin reading with verse number 12 of chapter 1. Blessed is the man Jesus said that is not offended in me. John the Baptist said go ask this guy. Is this the one that I should follow or should I look for another?

Remember those statements. Verse 12 chapter 1 Ecclesiastes. I the preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem, and I gave my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all Things that are done under heaven.

Now, let's just stop there for a moment. Here's a man Who gave his heart to seek out all Things that are done under heaven. Blessed is the man that is not offended in me. Is This the one that we should give our allegiance to or should we look for another?

Is this the one that we should give our allegiance to or should we look to another? I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all Things that are done under heaven. This sore travail Hath God given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

I Have seen all the works that are done under the Sun. All the works that are done under the Sun. All the works that are done under the Sun. The the word all there is inclusive. Which means there's no exceptions.

Blessed is the man that's not offended in me. All is vanity and vexation of Spirit. That which is crooked cannot be made straight and that which is lacking cannot be numbered. I communed with my own heart saying lo I am come to greatest state and Have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem.

Yay, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge and I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that all this was vexation of spirit. Having a hard time hearing this morning.

Because we've not come to this conclusion yet. We've not come to this conclusion yet, but God is merciful. We're gonna see some things that are gonna trouble us this morning. Trouble us, but he still loves us and he's still calling us to follow him.

But Oh Blessed is the man that's not offended. Why why do you keep saying that brother? Why do you keep saying that brother? Well, let's find out verse 17 and I gave my heart. Verse 13 and I gave my heart two places there.

This man talks about giving his heart to something. Blessed is the man that's not offended in me and I gave my heart saw Proverbs 23 verse 26. Solomon said in verse 13 and I gave my heart. Verse number 17 and I gave my heart.

But God says in verse 26 of chapter 23 of Proverbs my son Give me your heart. Blessed is the man that is not offended in Me. If we follow the man of Galilee we can't Give our heart to anything or anyone.

But him and When we give our heart to something other than him we must be brought to the place that Solomon was brought to verse 18 chapter 1 Ecclesiastes. For in much wisdom is much grief and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow.

All is empty. Listen carefully when our hearts are given To anything other than the Lord Himself this will be the result. This will be the result the conclusion that we must come to as a result of the discipline and Chastening and scourging and child training of the Lord in our lives.

Lord what's the meaning of what I'm going through? Everyone here is in a unique crucible. Here's the meaning beloved. Listen carefully. God is speaking to us through his word all life under the Sun all life Under the Sun not in the Sun, but under the Sun all is empty.

All is vanity. All is nothing. The idea here of vanity is The thought of a bubble that pops and becomes nothing. A bubble that Inflates it appears it appears it inflates it appears like it's something and then suddenly Norman it pops.

And it's nothing it dissipates. It's gone beloved. It's gone all is vanity. Blessed is the man that is not offended in me when we walk with the man of Galilee. He will not let our hearts Be given to anything in earth.

Nothing. Nothing blessed is the man that is not offended. Oh Lord. Should we look for another? Can I have a little bit of vanity in my life? Just a little bit. Oh, I'm gonna look for another to follow.

All is like a huge bubble that pops and is no more. All leaves us empty dry. Unsatisfied and wounded nothing nothing. Under the Sun under the heaven Satisfies all Is vanity. Now Just listen to a general overview here of What Solomon? Got and what his conclusion was?

Solomon’s Worldly Possessions and Their Emptiness

And all may God help us to hear his heart this morning. Solomon was given wisdom to know and to understand and to experience. Listen carefully wisdom to know understand and experience everything under heaven.

Everything that earth can offer. Solomon was given the wisdom by God to know how to get it and experience it his conclusion. Oh is vanity Sayeth the preacher all is nothingness. All is empty. All is like a bubble that pops and is no more.

Take it beloved from a man who had it first of all. Solomon was given all the education that a man could ever possess. He had the PhDs. He had the degrees. He had the learning he had the understanding.

He gave his heart to these things and his conclusion. Oh Is vanity. All is empty. All is nothing. All is like a bubble that pops. It's number one. Solomon had all knowledge and It was empty. Number two.

Solomon gave his heart to seek out all the pleasures That are available under the Sun which included but are not limited to the following facts. That we glean as we read through the book of Ecclesiastes.

Solomon had a huge built-in swimming pool and Surrounding this swimming pool. He had the heads of lions that were carved by pure gold as Decor. He had a huge home. Solomon had thousands of servants and thousands and ten thousands of horses.

He enjoyed country living but his conclusion to this pleasure under the Sun Was all is empty. All is vanity all is nothing. All is like a huge bubble that pops and is no more. Nothing can satisfy. Thirdly Solomon had all of the physical and sensual pleasures that a man could ever possess.

Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. He had every form of physical sexual pleasure that is known to man. But his conclusion All is empty. All is vain all is nothing. Number three. Solomon was the wealthiest man of his day.

The amount of gold that came into Solomon's hands annually equals in Today's standards to be an annual income that exceeds Several million dollars a year. Billion, excuse me be billion dollars a year.

His conclusion all is vanity. All is vexation to spirit. All is empty. All is like a big bubble and suddenly it pops before me and There's nothing there. Blessed is the man that is not offended in me.

Shall we find another one or are you the one? My son Give me your heart Give me your heart. And Jesus met a woman at the well, and she was a Samaritan and she had had five husbands. She had given her heart to five different men Five and the one she was living with wasn't even her husband.

My son give me your heart. And Solomon said I gave my heart to seek after and I gave my heart to know things. But God says give me your heart Give me your heart. Oh Is empty beloved all is vanity. Nothing satisfies nothing satisfies next.

Solomon Indulged in the world of arts and the culture of his day. He had orchestras and stringed instruments and wind instruments and operas and choirs and singing. And he had the best of the nightlife most beautiful known music of the day and his conclusion.

After having given his heart his heart To these things all is empty. All is vanity all is nothingness. Then Solomon was a man of power and authority. He was the king of Israel. He was the commander-in-chief of the greatest army that That Was on the earth at the time of his day.

He knew what it was For men to come to him and say sir Bow down before him. What would you like me to do? He tasted authority. He tasted power. He tasted Being able to tell people what to do. My son give me your heart.

Don't give your heart to that. It'll leave you empty and dry. Number seven. Prestige protocol feared and esteemed By all the leaders of the known world. Solomon sat on a throne That was made of pure ivory Overlaid with pure gold.

His conclusion. Oh His vanity All is empty. All is nothingness. And then lastly Solomon was a religious man he built a temple a huge temple a Temple that impressed the whole known world a temple that was Overlaid with gold and when he was done with the temple God would eventually say I don't dwell in temples made with hands all of your religion is worthless to me and So we see that Solomon was a man that gave his heart to wisdom.

He gave his heart to pleasure. He gave his heart to physical and sensual pleasure. He gave his heart to wealth and materialism. He gave his heart to arts and culture and music and the fine life. He gave his heart to power he gave his heart to prestige and protocol and position and the Conclusion that he came to know all of these things was all is vanity.

All is empty. Oh It's like a bubble that pops and nothing matters, but one thing. Ecclesiastes chapter 12. Verse number 13. Solomon had been on a long journey under the Sun. The journey was a life of futility and emptiness because Solomon had given his heart and his desires To something that was under the Sun as Opposed to giving his heart to the Sun s o n now at the conclusion Solomon puts all his words into proper perspective.

Whenever a man or a woman Gives their heart to something other than God Himself Vexation Frustration ruin emptiness Disaster will result. These are prophetic words this morning beloved ones loved of God.

These are prophetic. Let God search our hearts. Whenever a man or a woman Gives their heart to something under the Sun the result will be vexation frustration ruin tears sorrow anguish regret Emptiness and eventually if not Sometime during our earthly pilgrimage.

Judgment, Discipline, and the Call to Give God the Heart

And that's the time that we would rather come to this conclusion that we're about to read because if we don't We all shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ and at that time we will clearly see.

We will clearly see we will hear these words then that we're hearing this morning all is vanity and if by God's grace we are able to submit to his discipline now and Submit to his scourging now and submit to his child training now then at that day We won't draw back in shame.

We won't draw back in sorrow, but we'll have boldness the Bible says on the day of judgment. What will the boldness? Reflect what will the boldness? Represent it will represent a heart that by the grace of God was able to come to the proper conclusion.

In earth while living here all is vanity. Those who will be bold on the day of his appearing will be those who because of his grace and discipline and scourging and child training were disentangled. From giving their heart to these things and by God's grace We're able to walk with the man of sorrows who was rejected and despised by the world.

Blessed is the man that is not offended in me if I walk with him I can't give my heart to anything but him. A man of sorrows a Man rejected a man despised a man crucified. Verse 13 chapter 12. Ecclesiastes the end of the matter.

This is what the literal Hebrew says the end of the matter even all that hath been heard the conclusion. The all-important fact of the whole matter is this fear God and Keep his Commandments my son. Give me your heart and be sure to attend to all my ways for this is the whole duty of man.

For God shall bring every work into judgment. God shall bring every work into judgment With every secret thing whether it be good or Whether it be evil. 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse number 9. Wherefore we labor.

We endeavor we strive with all the power of grace with all the power of God's Provision through his word and through the Spirit of Christ that lives within us. We labor we struggle we work. That whether present or absent we may be accepted that word accepted actually means we might be pleasing To him.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. For God shall bring every work into judgment. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.

That everyone may receive the things Done in his body According that he hath done whether it be good or whether it be bad. For God shall bring every work into judgment. With every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil search our hearts.

Today Oh God. Search our heart my son. Give me your heart. Not knowledge not wisdom. Not education not pleasure not physical or sensual pleasures. Not wealth and the pursuit of it. Not arts the cultured life not power authority prestige protocol.

Not an ivory throne overlaid with pure gold. No, my son. Give me your heart not religion. Not your good works. Not your attempt to please me by offering me your own deeds. No, give me your heart. Give me your heart.

The nature of this judgment will be an unveiling of Where our Scott. Your heart. What has got your heart. This morning. There's only one man that is deserving Of your heart. That's the one who died. Blessed is the man That is not offended.

Blessed is the man When following me He ends up with nothing and is still Rejoicing. Blessed is the man who when he follows me becomes an object of Ridicule Misunderstanding rejection and he still Rejoices.

John the Baptist as the Pattern for the Church

As you're turning to Luke consider this. God put the story of Solomon's Pursuit by the very wisdom that God gave him. God put the story of Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes for you and I. So that we can learn a lesson that will spare us from many many horrible hurtful disastrous decisions if we will read it on our knees broken before God.

The church is not called To follow Solomon's example. Here is what we're called For Luke chapter 1. Here's our calling beginning in verse 5 there was in the days of Herod the king of Judah a certain priest named Zach Zach Zach Zacharias.

Zacharias of the course of Abiah and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

They had no child. Because Elizabeth was barren and they were well stricken and it came to pass that while he executed the priest's office according to the order of his course according to the custom of the priest's office.

Verse 10 the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense and there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar and When Zacharias saw him he was troubled and fear fell upon him.

Listen carefully, but the angel said unto him Fear not Zacharias. For thy prayer is heard thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son and that shall call his name John and That shall have joy and gladness and many shall rejoice at his birth.

Listen. This is it. This is our calling. This is our calling. Solomon gave his heart To something other than the Lord and it resulted in all kinds of ruin. But this is where we're this is where our calling is.

He shall be great in the sight of who the world. He shall be great in the sight of the world. Is that what it says in whose sight? Stop right there, please take notes write these down. Your calling in my calling is to be great in the sight of the Lord whenever you Set your heart on one of these Seven things that Solomon sought to set his heart on you are no longer seeking to be great in The sight of the Lord but rather in your own eyes and in the eyes of others.

He shall be great in the sight of the Lord. We live too much in Light of others, don't we? And we're not living in light of him. Do you want to be great in the eyes of the Lord and give your heart to him and nothing else?

Nothing else and shall neither drink wine nor strong drink. That indicates The Nazarite vow which was something taught in the Old Testament. It indicated that God had chosen from the womb a person for God's purpose.

Not for the person's purpose. The church bears the Nazarite vow. Brothers and sisters, please. Listen the church bears the Nazarite vow that John the Baptist bore. That is the purpose of our existence.

The moment the moment we came into the kingdom of God and were born out of the womb of Christ. We were set aside. The Nazareth vow is upon us and it says you do not belong to yourself. You do not have rights To choose your own way.

You do not exist to give your heart to the vanities of Vanities that are under the Sun that Solomon gave his heart to. You do not exist for that purpose. You have a Nazarite vow upon you. Your heart Belongs to one the one who died on the cross for you.

Friendship with the World and Spiritual Unfaithfulness

Why did James say you adulterers. Why did he say it? To who who did he say that to? Believers. Know you not that what? Friendship with the world is enmity with God. James was saying Oh beloved Beloved ones.

You've given your heart to things. You've given your heart. You've become unfaithful. Mourn weep. Call a fast purify your heart. Ye sinners cleanse your hearts. What is he saying? What's he saying? He's saying beloved beloved beg God To give you repentance.

So that your heart Can be taken back from these things. And be given to one. Number one. Great in the eyes of the Lord. That's your calling. Don't get your eyes on men and wanting to be great in their eyes.

You're going to miss it. Number two. Nazarite vow. You don't have rights over your life. You and I can't choose our own way. We can't wake up and say what's best for me today. For me. No, we wake up and say father.

What's best for your kingdom? Number three. He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb. What spirit are you filled with? What spirit are you controlled by? What spirit? Motivates you the Nazarite vow.

Empowers us to be filled. The spirit from our mother's womb. From the beginning of new life. I'm asking. I'm wondering from the very beginning of the new life that you have had in Christ. Has it been the Holy Ghost that you've been filled with?

If so your heart Will not be given to any of the vanities that Solomon's heart was given to. That's why the Holy Spirit comes and Many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. Number four.

Turning Others to the Lord Rather Than to Status

Your call is to turn men and women to God. Who are you turning people to? What are you turning people to. Are you turning them on to your money? Are you turning them on to your position your protocol?

Are you are you? This morning I Was at a certain place before I came here and I met a Christian brother. And he introduced me To someone and this is how he introduced me. Oh Phil this brother is the president of this Organization and this brother travels around the world and this brother represents the name of this organization and I said Oh God God.

I didn't want to meet the title. I didn't want to meet the position. I didn't want to meet the name I I wanted to meet the brother. But I never got to. Who are you turning people to. Who are they meeting when they meet you?

The Nazarite Shall turn many to the Lord. Oh, I can't wait to get him to see my home my authority my authority. I'm I mean I I'm the president. Yeah. Humble. I'm the president. I've got several people under me.

Yeah good people about good people. Who are people meeting? Bless it is the man That is not offended. Yeah, we dress our kids up. As we want people to meet them so proud of them you behave, right? Robin guess.

You behave. Because the way you behave is a reflection of me me me. I want them to meet me through you children. May our guests meet you. You. Not your nice China. Not your nice home. Not how God's prospering your company you.

The Spirit and Power of Elijah

That's you many next and He shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah. The spirit and power of Elijah represents a Man or a woman whose soul interests are Those of the Lord there. He's for the Lord and he stands against in remonstration Remonstration Active opposition.

He stands against all that is Contrary to the Lord's thoughts and the Lord's interests Which are seen in the person of Jesus Christ. He stands in the power of Elijah. He cannot tolerate compromise in his life.

He cannot tolerate compromise in the church. He cannot tolerate compromise in the family. He weeps. He tears down the altars of Baal. He speaks God's Word. The Nazarite is after God. Not what Solomon's after to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

An Undivided Heart Prepared for the Lord

Lastly lastly our calling is That we are devoted by the grace of God To possessing Continuously prepared hearts for the Lord a heart that is prepared to meet the Lord and Undivided Undistracted heart for the Lord himself.

You remember in the book of Judges Samson was a Nazarite. This was Samson's Destiny, but what happened to Samson? He gave his heart to who? Delilah the word Delilah literally means Voluptuous that which is beautiful brothers and sisters if we do not keep our eyes on The beauty of heaven we will be deceived in thinking there is beauty on earth and Once we think there is beauty on earth namely the pursuit and the giving of our heart to education or pleasure or physical and sensual pleasure wealth arts power prestige religion.

Once we give our heart To that beauty we have broken The Nazarite vow because God Has claimed us for himself alone. Listen The old beautiful song we're about to close. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face and what?

The things of earth Will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. If the things of Life are not growing strangely dim It is because our hearts have been given to something other than him.

And we have been deceived in Thinking that there's beauty down here worthy of our hearts affections. And when that happens guess what it is that we want people to see that. Not him then it's all about me.

Blessed is the man that is not offended in me. Where's The positive note. Where's our hope that's the wrong question to ask? It's not where is the positive note, and what's our hope? Who is? The positive note who is our hope?

Christ Alone Heals and Satisfies the Divided Heart

Brothers and sisters today We only have one hope and that is To be broken at the feet of Jesus Christ. Who alone can take these divided unfaithful hearts and make them his own? Do you believe that he's able to do that.

Do you believe that though you are willing in your spirit you are weak in your flesh? Are you willing to admit before God and the closest ones in your life that given an opportunity? You would end up becoming a modern Solomon.

You would give your heart to anything and everything under the Sun. Not me brother. You're not ready to hear this then you're not ready to hear but if you want to be numbered among the brokenhearted Who find refuge at the nail-pierced feet of Jesus?

You know that in yourself You are most miserable. And you know God's Word has spoken to your heart and has shown you your tendencies, but you know that Jesus loves you and that he's offering you forgiveness and life and Himself today, he'll heal your crooked heart.

He'll satisfy your deepest longing. And you know, he loves you, you know, he doesn't condemn you though he speaks harshly and firmly. If that's you today Then there is more hope for you and I than all the hope that the world could ever offer.

Because we have the promise that God who has begun the good work in us will perform it. It's our hope. Let us together bow our hearts. Before the one who gives us that hope this morning. You want special prayer just make an altar where you're at.

Find someone that you know, your heart has been knit to pray together and let's ask our Father today To do what only he can do. Make our hearts his holy. For pleasures evermore he's here Father. Give us broken hearts.

That we might come to your feet and receive mercy and grace. Here we are Lord found out by your word but strangely. We know we're loved. We feel the nearness of your Holy Spirit and there's hope because Christ ever liveth To make intercession for us.

That he might fully and entirely Set our hearts apart for himself. Do that this morning we pray father in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. There's healing here through Jesus Christ Beloved there's healing for the depths of our heart father.

I pray for That which only you can do In the depths of the heart today bring healing bring restoration. Lord. Oh God Heal our hearts. Heal us Lord. Where there is unforgiveness? bring forgiveness. Where there is resentment? bring forgiveness.

Where there is heaviness bring release. Oh God where there's confusion bring peace we pray. Help us Lord to see you today. Help us to see you today Lord. Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord.