Christian Encouragement from the Bible for Difficult Times – Why We Might Be Weary and What We Can Do About It – Part 2

Christian encouragement from the Bible for difficult times is needed. This is part two of Pastor Scott's discussion on why we might be weary and what we can do about it. Ecclesiastes 12:12 says, “My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” The Christian life is one of balance, and the news is one example of needed balance. We should be informed. We should know what’s going on and strive to have accurate information. We should study. But as verse 12 says much study is a weariness of the flesh and makes difficult times even worse. There’s a downside to too much news without the needed Christian encouragement. We need to be careful how much we’re consuming. https://youtu.be/gHCcyyCk3t8 Christian encouragement from the Bible for difficult times is needed. This is part two of Pastor Scott's discussion on why we might be weary. Table of ContentsSample Lessons for Christian Encouragement from the Bible for Difficult TimesFamily Worship Guide for Christian Encouragement from the Bible for Difficult TimesSermon Notes for Christian Encouragement from the Bible for Difficult TimesLesson 1: God's Word is like a (part 1) goad that directs.Lesson 1: God's Word is like a (part 2) stake that protects.Lesson 2: man’s words can be (part 1) untrustworthy.Lesson 2: man’s words can be (part 2) overwhelming.Lesson 2: man’s words can be (part 3) wearying.Lesson 3: we are the falling man. Sample Lessons for Christian Encouragement from the Bible for Difficult Times Note: Lesson 1 and Parts I and II of Lesson 2 are from Part I. Lesson 1: God’s Word is like a:(Part I) Goad that directs (Ecc 12:11a; Psa 23:1, 80:1; John 10:11; Heb 13:20; 1 Pet 2:25, 5:4; Matt 12:42).(Part II) Stake that protects (Ecc 12:11b; Psa 119:89; Isa 40:8; 1 Pet 1:24; Matt 24:35). Lesson 2: Man’s words can be:(Part I) Untrustworthy (Ecc 12:12a).(Part II) Overwhelming (Ecc 12:12b).(Part III) _________________ (Lam 2:18, 3:49-50; John 16:33). Lesson 3: We are the ______________ ______ (2 Thes 1:8-9; John 10:28). Family Worship Guide for Christian Encouragement from the Bible for Difficult Times Day 1: Ecclesiastes 12:9-12 and discuss: How is God’s Word like an ox goad? How is it like a stake? What verses can you think of that support this? How are man’s words untrustworthy and overwhelming? Where did Solomon say the words of the wise come from? Why is it important to know where wisdom comes from? Day 2: Read Lamentations 2:18, 3:49-50 and John 16:33 and discuss: Why was Jeremiah’s ministry so difficult, i.e. what did he experience and see? How are we affected by pictures, videos, and news? Why does the news follow, “If it bleeds it leads”? How and why is news wearying? What can you do to avoid being wearied by the news? Since Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation,” what does this mean for us regarding the news now and in the future? Day 3: Read 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 and John 10:28 and discuss: How are we like the falling man? How are we not like the falling man, or in other words, how can we avoid the despair he must’ve experienced even though we’re “falling” too? What awaits those who don’t know God? What does Jesus offer and how is it received? How can these truths give us hope despite the despair the world throws at us? Sermon Notes for Christian Encouragement from the Bible for Difficult Times A few weeks ago, I preached Part I, planned to preach Part II the following Sunday, but felt obligated to preach the sermons explaining what we were doing as a church. With those sermons over I can preach Part II. Since it’s been a few weeks I’d like to briefly review. I left the lessons from Part I in your worship guides. Look at verse 9… Ecclesiastes 12:9 Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. 10 The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth. The Preacher is Solomon and we have many of his proverbs in the Book of Proverbs. Ecclesiastes 12:11 The words of the wise (referring to Scripture) are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. Verses 9 and 10 discuss Solomon – the Preacher – who sounds really good: He’s wise: he taught the people knowledge and created proverbsHe sought to find words of delight and he wrote words of truth. So you’d expect him to say the words of the wise came from him, but he said they’re given by one Shepherd. Who’s this Shepherd? In the OT the shepherd is identified as God: Psa 23:1 The Lord is my Shepherd.In the NT the Shepherd comes into focus and we see it’s Jesus: John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The greatest wisdom comes from Jesus, b/c despite how wise Solomon was in Matt 12:42 [Jesus said], “The queen of the South…came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here,” referring to Himself. If you briefly look back at verse 11 the Shepherd’s wise words – or the Word of God – are fittingly compared w/ two shepherds’ tools: goads and nails firmly fixed…and this brings us to Lesson 1… Lesson 1: God's Word is like a (part 1) goad that directs. Goads were long sticks w/ points on the end: Shepherds used them to poke animals and move them in the right direction…just like God’s Word pokes us and moves us in the right direction.Goads stung…just like God’s Word can sometimes sting Second, in verse 11 the wise words are compared w/ nails firmly fixed…and this brings us to the next part of Lesson 1… Lesson 1: God's Word is like a (part 2) stake that protects. The nails firmly fixed are stakes shepherds used to secure animals who might wander off into dangerous territory You can guess that animals wouldn’t like this, but it protected them…just like we might not like everything God’s Word says, but it protects us from wandering into dangerous territoryThe nails would keep the animals in place – fixed – and that’s what God’s Word does for us…it keeps us fixed. Notice it says the nails are firmly fixed, which communicates that they’re unmovable, or unchangeable…just like God’s Word. Psalm 119:89 Forever, O Lord, your word is FIRMLY FIXED in the heavens. But unlike God’s Word, look what Solomon says about man’s words… Ecclesiastes 12:12a My son, beware of anything beyond these. When Solomon says these he’s referring to the words of the wise in verse 11 which is God’s Word. So it’s as though Solomon says beware of anything beyond [God’s Word]. What is beyond [God’s Word]? Man’s words! So the question is… Why would Solomon tell us to beware of anything beyond God’s Word? Because man’s words can be untrustworthy…and this brings us to Lesson 2… Lesson 2: man’s words can be (part 1) untrustworthy. Two of the most important factors for determining the value of information are: Accuracy: if it’s inaccurate, how valuable is it?Second, if it’s unchanging: if you can’t trust information tomorrow, next week, or next month, how valuable is it? The reason I mention this is much of the information we receive from man is untrustworthy b/c it’s inaccurate and changing. The next part of Lesson 2… Lesson 2: man’s words can be (part 2) overwhelming. Look at the second half of verse 12… Ecclesiastes 12:12b Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Solomon’s point is there was a lot of information in his day and it was overwhelming. If Solomon could say this – when there was no printing press, Internet, television, radio, and only a fraction of the books we have – what would he say if he lived in our day? And the new part for this morning… Lesson 2: man’s words can be (part 3) wearying. We’re going to be talking specifically about the news and why it can be wearying. This is the part of the lesson we’ve been building up to, b/c this is what made me want to look at these verses in the first place…the news can be very wearying. Let me give you an account from Scripture that illustrates what Solomon is saying in Ecclesiastes… Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet b/c he watched Babylonians come and: Attack JerusalemDestroy the templeDrag the Jews into Babylon This would’ve been enough to cause anyone to weep. He wrote about what he saw in the Book of Lamentations…and listen to what he said… Lamentations 2:18 Their heart cried to the Lord. O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears stream down like a torrent day and night! Give yourself no rest, YOUR EYES NO RESPITE! He said the people would give themselves no rest b/c of all the horrors they saw. Listen to these verses… Lamentations 3:49 “MY EYES WILL FLOW WITHOUT CEASING, WITHOUT RESPITE, 50 until the Lord from heaven looks down and sees; 51 MY EYES CAUSE ME GRIEF at the fate of all the daughters of my city. Jeremiah said his eyes were causing him pain – or grief – b/c of all the suffering he witnessed. He was in a unique position… Most people throughout the OT heard about the suffering others experienced. But Jeremiah witnessed it firsthand…and it really, really, affected him…it affected him mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and even physically. For most of human history people simply heard or read what happened: There was a herald – or crier – who stood in the middle of the town square yelling the news. This was the closest to a local news station.People also heard stories from friendsThey might see paintings or drawings Even when things sounded really, really bad there was always this encouraging thought that they couldn’t be as bad as they seemed. Things were being exaggerated for dramatic effect. Now fast-forward 2,600 years… In the 1820s photographs were developed....