“Under the Sun”

Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” --Acts 8:35-36 As a pastor, I perform wedding ceremonies for couples in all kinds of emotional conditions. I’ve seen couples who cry all the way through the ceremony. There have been times between the wedding party and the couple, we went through an entire box of tissue because they just cried and cried. I’ve also seen others where there’s no emotion; it’s like a business deal. I’ll ask, “Do you take–“ And with a straight face they look right at each other and give a very simple, “I do.” But in each of the examples above, who’s more married? The ones with all the emotion, or the ones with none of the emotion? The answer is obvious – they’re all married! What matters is whether or not they made a commitment in their hearts to one another. Christians love good “come to Jesus” stories that are filled with emotion and drama. But that’s not how it always goes as we see in today’s passage. This man simply knew he had a need, and looked to have it met. So when it comes to placing your faith in Christ, don’t worry if you didn’t have a huge, mountaintop emotive experience. What matters is that you trusted in Him with your heart and now you’re His forever! DON’T WORRY ABOUT A BIG EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU COME TO CHRIST. WHAT MATTERS IS THAT YOU’VE GIVEN HIM YOUR HEART. “Under the Sun” Tuesday, March 24, 2020 by Dr. Paul Chappell “So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 2:9–11 King Solomon truly had it all with wealth, power, and the ability to indulge any whim that came to his mind. He took advantage of those opportunities, trying to find satisfaction and purpose “under the sun.” He failed miserably. Despite being able to pursue any and every pathway that might lead to pleasure, Solomon found none. Instead he came to the conclusion that life was empty and meaningless. Herman Melville wrote, “Ecclesiastes is the fine hammered steel of woe.” Nothing that we do or try in this life can provide what only God can give. So many people think that if they had something more or could do something differently, they would find joy and happiness, but that is a lie from the devil. Only in God can we find what we are seeking. David wrote, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11). The world is filled with things that try to draw us away from God. The devil offers substitutes that promise great things, but never deliver them. If our focus is on this world, we will never find what we have to be enough, no matter how much that may be. There must be a focus above the sun for life to truly matter. Today's Growth Principle: If we are seeking God first, then the things of life can find real meaning and purpose.