Divine Justice and Mercy: Hope in Christ

Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound themes of justice and faith as presented in Ecclesiastes 8. We began by reflecting on the story of Adolf Eichmann, a Nazi colonel who lived undetected in Argentina for years before justice caught up with him. This story serves as a poignant reminder that while human justice may be delayed, divine justice is inevitable. Solomon, in Ecclesiastes, grapples with the apparent prosperity of the wicked and the suffering of the righteous, a theme that resonates deeply with our own experiences of injustice in the world.

Solomon challenges us to consider the futility of placing our hope in worldly pleasures or in the avoidance of pain. He reminds us that death is the great equalizer, bringing perspective to our lives and highlighting the brevity of our existence. The wicked may seem to prosper, but their end is certain, and they will be forgotten. In contrast, those who fear God and live in constant awareness of His presence will find that it is well with their souls.

The delay in divine justice is not a sign of God's indifference but rather an expression of His mercy, giving sinners the opportunity to repent. We are reminded that God's justice will ultimately prevail, and the righteous will be vindicated. Solomon's message is one of hope for those who fear God, as their faith assures them of God's ultimate justice and eternal life.

The sermon concludes with a call to the foot of the cross, where God's justice and mercy meet. Through Jesus Christ, the perfect Son of God, justice is satisfied, and forgiveness is offered to all who believe. This is the good news of the gospel: that through faith in Jesus, we are reconciled to God and assured of eternal life. For those who know Jesus, it is well with their souls, and for those who do not, the invitation to be reconciled to God is extended.

Key Takeaways:

- Divine Justice is Inevitable: While human justice may be delayed, God's justice is certain. The story of Adolf Eichmann reminds us that no matter how long it takes, justice will be served. This truth encourages us to trust in God's timing and His ultimate plan for justice. [44:24]

- The Brevity of Life: Death brings perspective to our lives, reminding us of the futility of placing our hope in worldly pleasures or the avoidance of pain. Solomon urges us to consider the brevity of life and to live in constant awareness of God's presence. [54:32]

- God's Mercy in Delayed Justice: The delay in divine justice is an expression of God's mercy, giving sinners the opportunity to repent. We are reminded that God's kindness leads us to repentance and that His justice will ultimately prevail. [58:26]

- Hope for the Righteous: Solomon assures us that it will be well for those who fear God. Our faith in God's goodness and justice gives us hope, even when the wicked seem to prosper. This hope is rooted in the assurance of God's ultimate justice and eternal life. [01:12:53]

- The Cross as the Meeting Place of Justice and Mercy: At the foot of the cross, God's justice and mercy meet. Through Jesus Christ, justice is satisfied, and forgiveness is offered to all who believe. This is the good news of the gospel: that through faith in Jesus, we are reconciled to God and assured of eternal life. [01:20:56]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [44:24] - The Story of Adolf Eichmann
- [54:32] - The Brevity of Life
- [58:26] - Delayed Justice and God's Mercy
- [01:12:53] - Hope for the Righteous
- [01:20:56] - The Cross: Justice and Mercy
- [01:25:00] - Invitation to Reconciliation
- [01:30:00] - Closing Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Ecclesiastes 8

Observation Questions:
1. What story was used in the sermon to illustrate the concept of delayed justice, and how does it relate to the themes in Ecclesiastes 8? [44:24]
2. According to the sermon, what does Solomon observe about the fate of the wicked and the righteous in Ecclesiastes 8? [54:32]
3. How does the sermon describe the role of God's mercy in the delay of divine justice? [58:26]
4. What does Solomon say about the brevity of life, and how does this perspective affect our understanding of justice and faith? [54:32]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the story of Adolf Eichmann serve as a reminder of the inevitability of divine justice, and what does this imply about our trust in God's timing? [44:24]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the delay in divine justice is an expression of God's mercy, and how should this influence our view of repentance? [58:26]
3. How does Solomon's perspective on the brevity of life challenge us to reconsider where we place our hope and priorities? [54:32]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between fearing God and experiencing well-being, even when the wicked seem to prosper? [01:12:53]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt frustrated by the apparent prosperity of the wicked. How can Solomon's message in Ecclesiastes 8 help you find peace in such situations? [54:32]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of living in constant awareness of God's presence. What practical steps can you take to cultivate this awareness in your daily life? [01:12:53]
3. How can you extend grace and patience to others, knowing that God's delay in justice is an opportunity for repentance? Consider a specific relationship or situation where this might apply. [58:26]
4. In what ways can the assurance of God's ultimate justice and eternal life provide hope and motivation for you to live a life that honors God? [01:12:53]
5. The sermon concludes with a call to the foot of the cross, where justice and mercy meet. How does this understanding of the gospel impact your view of forgiveness and reconciliation in your own life? [01:20:56]
6. Identify an area in your life where you might be placing too much hope in worldly pleasures or the avoidance of pain. How can you shift your focus to align more closely with Solomon's teachings on the brevity of life? [54:32]
7. How can you actively participate in God's work of justice and mercy in your community, inspired by the message of Ecclesiastes 8 and the gospel? [01:20:56]

Devotional

I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional.

Quotes

"Solomon proposes an answer to this question that hangs over those who seek to honor God with their lives and the answer doesn't come from human ingenuity Solomon doesn't say make sure you go to the ballot box and cast your vote during the next election that will fix it he doesn't say that Solomon doesn't say show up at your next council meeting in your community and and make sure that you're pushing forward legislations that will affect your community in those kinds of ways and that will fix the oppression no that doesn't fix it either the answer that Solomon proposes lies within our faith and believing who God is and what he has said he will do so Solomon invites us to trust in our just and holy God God will bring justice to all the righteous will be vindicated God will bring justice to every person" [00:50:47] (69 seconds)

"Solomon considers all of this and he says in verse 10 so then i have seen the wicked buried those who used to go in and out of the holy place they are soon forgotten in the city where they did thus this too is futility so we don't have control over the day of our death and even though it seems like the wicked are winning out that they keep gaining that they keep prospering and those who are loving god and serving god and and forsaking themselves and chasing after the goodness of god they're the ones that are suffering and solomon says listen i need you to to to pause in that that concern that critique that the wicked seem to be prevailing and i want you to consider with me what i've observed in life and that the wicked are buried but he qualifies it in a little bit he says" [00:53:32] (61 seconds)

"Death has a way of bringing perspective to our lives. Did you ever go to a funeral? It causes you to slow down and to consider your own life and the brevity of human life. It was because of that that 19th century pastor Charles Spurgeon said this, the site of a funeral is a very healthful thing for the soul. The site of a funeral is a very healthful thing for the soul. We need to allow ourselves to consider the brevity of life and the foolishness of placing our hope on its pleasures or worries that it brings us." [00:55:43] (51 seconds)

"Solomon asks us to consider the brevity of our own life because we place too much hope on either of those extremes and says, listen, you can waste your life trying to avoid pain, or trying to pursue pleasure. It's not worth it. Those that are being buried were those who on the outside looked like they had it all together. Yet they were crooked in their activities. But their death, Solomon acknowledges, brought finality in that they were soon forgotten." [00:57:55] (41 seconds)

"Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil so the sentence against an evil deed wasn't Swift there was no justice quickly they kept doing their wicked things and they got away from it got away with it there isn't immediate judgment there is not immediate justice that delay led to more depravity in the wicked heart because they think they're getting away with it this is a glaring look at the deceitfulness of the sinful heart that the pause in judgment that people think okay well nobody caught me this time I'll just do it again oh I didn't get away or I got away with it this time you hey the law didn't come knocking I didn't get called out I can do it again and again these pauses and judgment only creates more reason in the sinner's mind that they can get away with more sin" [00:59:10] (70 seconds)

"By thinking they can get away with something even though god wants to be kind to them he wants to extend to them forgiveness he wants to restore their hearts through the gospel of jesus christ we want thunderbolts from heaven the second an injustice is done and let me just clarify the second that an injustice towards us is done we don't want it for ourselves but we want it when we're hurt and we want god to instantly judge people for the wrongs that are committed but we need to remember that the delay in the sentence is an act of god's mercy exodus 34 verse 6 says then the lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed the lord the lord god compassionate and gracious slow to anger and abounding and loving kindness and truth that's our god slow to anger compassionate and gracious abounding and loving kindness" [01:03:45] (71 seconds)

"Solomon has a far more hopeful response and a more hopeful outlook on those who lead godly lives the wicked will be buried and forgotten those who fear god god will honor them now what's interesting to note is that throughout ecclesiastes solomon has observed many things solomon has said many times in these grand experiments i've seen this i've seen this i've watched this i've observed this i've tried this i've invested in this he was trying to calculate all the things is there meaning in life under the sun and he would say that he's observed and he has watched and he has seen but look at what he says in verse 12 about those who fear god he doesn't say i've seen it but he says i know there's a shift there it's a shift based on faith and the goodness and trustworthiness of god no it will be well for those who fear god his answer isn't found in observation but it's found in his faith solomon believes that it will be well for everyone who fears god to fear god then is to fear him openly as he qualifies him at the end of verse 12." [01:09:15] (90 seconds)

"It means that a person knows that they are always in God's presence you are always in the presence of a holy God you never escape him you can never hide from him there is no place on this earth that you can go and shut the door and turn the lights off and think God doesn't see me he is everywhere and he sees you always and Solomon says live in such a way that you are constantly aware of his presence the person who fears God knows that he is always near he is with us when we are on our beds at night worrying about tomorrow and he is with us when we have an opportunity for witness and we're not sure what to say he is with us when we have a sudden emergency and we need supernatural help God is always with you to live a God -fearing life is to live in constant awareness of the presence of God who is even closer than a prayer away he is always by your side" [01:10:45] (85 seconds)

"Like think about that with me you want to extend your life fear God you want to live forever in the goodness of the king trust God believe in his goodness trust in what Jesus has accomplished for you believe in the gospel and commit your life to him the wicked are buried and judged the righteous will be vindicated verse 14 indicates that there is futility which is done on the earth that is there are righteous men to whom it happens accordingly to the deeds of the wicked and on the other hand there are evil men to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous I say too this is futility what Solomon is saying is that the common experience that we have is we do good in wanting to praise God and seek him and we're punished for it it seems we never get ahead and yet those who are doing wicked they seem to be getting ahead and receive all the blessings the righteous suffer and the evil prosper" [01:14:33] (67 seconds)

"Thinking about the concept of justice in light of things that Solomon was writing and as I was thinking and meditating on this passage again and again I was brought to the foot of the cross because it's at the foot of the cross where God's Divine Justice and unconditional love meet every person will be vindicated they will give an account God's Justice will prevail when we go to the foot of the cross we go to the place where dead Sinners go to receive Mercy and forgiveness and while we receive forgiveness God and His Holiness is saying that sin was paid for God's not forgetting about his justice through the gospel of Jesus Christ he didn't look at the cross and say nope no big deal everyone just will claim the name of Jesus and the paths and all of their sin it's just kind of thrown away no he doesn't do that the sin is taken care of because God's Holy Justice demands it" [01:17:41] (74 seconds)

"But through Jesus Christ and faith in him our sin was put on the sinless one and he bore our punishment and took our penalty so that we could be forgiven and live forever the death of Jesus satisfied the demands of justice God's justice so that it could be well with us the good news of what Jesus has done is that he died to satisfy the justice of God and also to offer us his perfect righteousness it is because of this that we can say that there is justice for all yes the wicked will stand before God and give an account and yes the wicked will stand before God and give an account and yes the wicked will stand before God and give an account and yes the righteous will stand before a holy God and say thank you Jesus for doing for me what I could never do myself the sinner who does not believe will pay for their sins and be separated from God forever the wicked will perish but those who believe that God did for them what they could never do on their own those are the people who fear him and are made right through his substitutionary death and listen if you know Jesus as Lord and Savior this morning it is well with you it is well with you no matter what happens on this earth no matter how much wicked is thrown your way it is well with you justice has been served but if you don't know Jesus oh I pray you hear the warning of this passage That you may prolong your days, not just on this earth, but in life eternal." [01:20:42] (125 seconds)

Chatbot

Transcript

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